#but he's just been bitching at me for not being sympathetic enough

[reginaofdoctorwho]

im going to fucking cry

#so my boyfriend and i got passes to the orchestra in the close city that has one #they have 3 christmas concerts that i really wanted to go to #1 we missed because school/studying/missed the days #the 2nd we missed because he waited until day of (a sunday) to call the box office and they were closed because sunday #and we had tickets for this morning for the 3rd (runs thursday friday saturday sunday) #and this morning we're texting #i set down my phone while doing my makeup #i pick it up and he's texting that he doesn't think he can go because he's getting a cold #which okay! #so i text back and ask if we could try to go sunday after i babysit #to which he says maybe #and starts going off on me about how i didn't ask if he was okay or say i hoped he'd feel better before trying to make new plans #but he HAD SAID he was fine and just need to rest in the original text #and he had asked if i'd be fine with not going with “it wouldn't be the end of the world if we didn't go right?” #like yeah it wouldn't but i'm still fucking disappointed #just i wanted to see at least one of their christmas concerts because it's not like i get to play my instruments anymore #and i just failed my classes for my major #and my mental health has been absolute shit lately which he knows about VERY WELL #because i had to give him my knives and lighters to hold onto #but he's just been bitching at me for not being sympathetic enough #and ''if we were going to a hardcore show and you didn't feel well i wouldn't enjoy it or want to go'' #but that DID happen and we still went! #when his friend drove and made fucking bj jokes about me and i was barely able to fucking talk #he still had a good fucking time #i've never canceled one of our dates and in the past week alone he's canceled THREE #which he's getting sick i know but still! just don't have us reschedule in the same week then #and i don't think we'll be able to get tickets for sunday because we had already called for tickets for today #and they won't let us do both days #just it's a lot and i can't stand it

[midnightbluebells03]

Good luck babe!

CW - Owen mention, fingering (R receiving), oral (R receiving), hair pulling (A receiving)

Reader is fem, described as wearing a dress and heels.

WC - about 3000

No outbreak

Leave me requests so I can get out my writers block pls and thx xo

If Abby Anderson wasn't in denial of her sexuality, there's a chance you two could've been real. You got along like a house on fire, practically a perfect match. But the mix of comphet, her on and off again relationship of Owen and her crippling fear of being vunrable has left you two like this. Having not talked in just over a month, not a word since your argument about the fact she had been using you as an experiment without considering how you felt. And how did you feel?

Crushed.

Maybe you should know better. But yet again it's a Friday night, your other hook ups weren't out tonight and who else but Abby fucking Anderson was giving you eyes from across the room. Leaning against the bar with a tight black wife beater that makes you drool and matching cargos.

It's the first time you'd seen each other since you screamed in her face and called her selfish. And yet the butterflies in your stomach were boardering on a stampede. Her eyes scanning your body up and down while her hand stays clutching her beer bottle. So tight you're almost worried it'll smash in her unforgiving grasp.

Against your better judgement you decide to ignore the angel on your shoulder, also known as your best friend Ellie. Chugging back your drink and handing her the glass. Starting to make your way over to Abby.

Ellie rolls her eyes and shouts after you. Hardly breaking through the noise. "Don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart again!"

"Cmon Els, it's just some fun" you call back before pushing your way through the crowed dance floor and coming out at the other side. Looking up at those baby blue eyes that make a rush of emotions flow through you. You should be mad at her, should cuss her out again for using you. But tonight, you couldn't find it in yourself to care.

You just needed her again.

"Can I get you a drink?" Her normally confident voice has a slight wavier to it. It makes a slight smirk spread across your lips as you take the beer from her hand. Taking a large drink before your nose scrunches up at the taste. You were more of a spirits girl, a cocktail if you felt fancy.

"So no Owen tonight?" The venom in your voice is clear. There's not a soul in Jackson you wanted to punch more than him. The whole reason Abby was so unsure of herself in the first place. The way he managed to weasel his way back into her life time and time again. But yet you couldn't hate Abby for doing the same thing to you.

"He's back with Mel...shes pregnant." You give her a sympathetic look before handing her back the bottle. "I don't wanna talk about it" she mumbles, barely loud enough for you to hear over the thumping music. She finishes it off before placing it on the bar counter behind her.

"How about we don't talk at all then?" You say before she can even turn back around. Watching as her movements stiffen, and she slowly faces you again. Cheeks flushed that shade of pink you could never be sick of. "Your place is close, Ellie's gonna meet with Dina soooo". Your sentence trails off, the suggestion in your voice clear.

The mention of your best friend makes her eyes widen. Looking around the room to try and spot her. "Ellies here?". There's a slight fear in her voice, something that makes you roll your eyes and scoff.

"Oh calm your tits Anderson you could literally kill her, I don't know why you're you're scared".

"Um let me think" she says sarcastically before looking down at you. "The psycho bitch keyed my car". You fight back the giggle that wants to escape your lips. After days of you crying over your ruined situationship Ellie took it into her own hands. And while you told her it was a stupid idea, you couldn't help but hug her and say thank you.

"Can't prove that" you shrug, looking down at your feet a little nervously. Scuffing your heels off the ground. "Look if you dont-"

"I do" she interrupts, her hand now resting onto your exposed arm. You look back into her eyes. Taking a deep breath and accepting that this was going to hurt tomorrow, but it was worth it. Since even just this little touch was making your skin feel like it's on fire.

"Say it." Your voice is stern, watching as Abby bites her lip softly. Leaning down to whisper into your ear.

"I...I want to fuck you"

Your hand comes up to hers, interlocking your fingers and leading her out. "Cmon then" the judgmental gaze coming from Ellie catches your attention before you reach the door. So you wave over and mouth 'I'll call you' while making a phone with your hand. As soon as you're out the warmth of the bar and in the unforgivng chill of the night, a shiver runs up your shine. "Fuck it's cold!" You squeal slightly.

Abby chuckles, looking around to make sure no one can see you two before her arm wraps around your shoulder. "Wouldn't be cold if you wore real clothes." The playfully dig at your revealing dress makes you push her away. With a fake gasp you point a finger into her defined arm.

"Don't slut shame me Anderson" you giggle softly before returning to her side looking up at her. Taking in the way the streetlamp lights bounce off her features. The way her hair flowed in the slight breeze, it was down for once tucked neatly behind her ears. "Besides I was trying to get fucked not stay warm" The slight look of hurt that flashes across her face makes you raise an eyebrow. "What? You jealous?"

"No" she protests, but they way she won't look at you is telling. Before you can question her again, she points towards the door to her apartment complex. Leading you over before punching in her code and opening the door for you. "Cmon before you get hypothermia"

You walk in and wait for her to be back beside you before you both continue up the stairs. "I thought you were meant to be a super smart med student, it's not cold enough for hypothermia". You're trying to lighten up the mood by teasing her lightly. Remembering the time you were convinced you had hypothermia because the heating in her apartment had gone out while you were over. Her door comes into view, and you listen to her dig the key out from her pocket.

"Yeah yeah, just get inside" Abby rolls her eyes while holding the door open for you again. Maybe it would be easier to hate her if she wasn't so kind, if she wasn't so pretty, if she didn't know you so well. The door shuts behind you as you take off your heels. When you turn Abby is just standing there. Fidgeting with her fingers and avoiding eye contact. "Look um...I- I'm sorry-"

"Save it Abby" you inturput, knowing that it would be nothing productive. It would be the say sorry she gave you atleast five times before you blocked her number. "I don't want an apology I want to cum" Abby steps towards you slowly, your hands moving up to her chest. She quickly takes off her boots before straightening back up.

"Yes ma'am" you giggle softly as her hands wrap around your waist and lift you up. Forcing your legs to wrap around her waist as she carries you to the bedroom. Taking your purse and putting it onto her nightstand before gently placing you down onto her navy blue sheets. Moving so she's looming over you. Her calloused hand running up your outer thigh, inching under the thin fabric of your dress as her lips trail down your jaw to your neck. Sucking a purple mark right in your pulse point that has you gripping for her hair.

"Fuck" you moan softly, feeling her smirk into your skin. You sit up inpatiently, pushing her back by her chest as you fumbling with the zipper on your dress. Huffing when you can't reach it.

"Desperate much?" Abby teases before reaching around and pulling it down for you. Helping to pull the fabric off before throwing it onto the floor. Letting her see the matching lingerie you had picked out for the night. "You really were trying to get fucked huh?"

"Yeah" you swallow hard as her eyes scan over you slowly. "You like it?" The truth was you had bought it for her, baby blue lace that matched her eyes. But she called off your little situatuonship before you got to show her.

Abby reaches her hand out for your cheek, pulling you in. This was new. She'd never been one for kissing during. You guys had made out maybe a hand full of times. Her lips touch yours, and you just melt into her. Arms drapping around her shoulders as she pushes you backwards. Her hand running up from your thigh to your chest. Palming your breast through the barley there fabric. When you moan softly she takes the chance to push her tongue past your lips. Deepening the kiss as your nails start to big into the skin of her upper back. When she finally pulls away slightly, the thin string of saliva still joining you together makes your stomach tighten.

"Abs" you whine softly, arching your back so she can slip her hands around and undo the clasp of your bra. Adding it to the floor alongside your dress.

She kisses you quickly "I love it". Abby mumbles before restarting her trail down your body. From your jaw to your neck, ending at your breast when she takes a nipple in her mouth. Swirling her tounge around the hardened bud as you arch into her. Moaning softly as your eyes flutter shut. Fuck you missed this. The way she made you come undone. Every touch so purposeful.

And God knows if she'd ever let you touch her you'd be the same.

The feeling of her fingers brushing over your clit through your panties makes you gasp. Slightly embrassed by the fact Abby can definitely feel the wetness seeping through the fabric.

"Stop- stop teasing me Abs" you plead as her mouth detaches from your nipple.

"Cmon pretty girl you clearly like it" she teases, rubbing your soaked panties. "What do you want?" You just look at her and bite your lip. Eyes darting down to her fingers but she tsks while shaking her head. "Say it" your own words repeated back to you. Because as much as Abby was unsure of herself when it came to you in public. In the comfort of her own four walls, she's as confident as ever.

"Fuck me" you say, the shake in your voice making Abby smirk. You clear your throat before speaking clearly. "Please Abby fuck me". Her fingers hook onto your panties as she moves back. Slowly peeling them off you and adding them to the pile. You sit up and tug at her shirt. Hoping she'll be feeling generous.

"Baby-"

"Please Abs" you cut her off, bringing your hands up to cup her cheeks gently. "I- I won't touch you, I know the rules by now just...wanna see you" she presses a hand to yours before nodding. Pulling back to grab them hem of her shirt. Slowly pulling it up and over her head.

When you started this situationship you asked her why she didn't like being naked. Why she never asked for anything in return. And the tough girl you'd known just looked at you softly and said. 'I just...I don't think I look good'. You left it at that, but you couldn't help the pity you felt for her. Because the truth was Abby was stunning, maybe the most gorgeous girl you'd ever seen. But there was clearly a voice in her head, who you could only assumed was Owen, telling her otherwise.

When her shirt hits the ground your eyes wander over her body, taking in her black sports bra and her washboard abs like you're obsessed with. "You're so pretty." You don't even realise you've said anything until she blushes softly. As Abby leans beck over you, you reach up and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear gently. Just holding her for a second. God, you aren't drunk enough for this. A wave of feelings washing over you like a tsunami.

"What do you want baby?" Abbys voice breaks through your haze. "I've got the str-"

"Fingers" you inturput, just desperate to feel her. Just her.

"You don't usually want fingers" she teases "that's normally your warm up" Abby slowly moves her hands up your inner thighs, spreading your legs so she can look at your dripping pussy. "Fuck...you're soaked"

"Mhmm" you gasp her her fingers make contact with your clit. Making your hips jump slightly in a way that makes Abby chuckle. "You drive me crazy Abs"

She starts to move in slow, steady circles around your sensitive bud. Working soft gasps and moans from your lips as she kisses up your thighs. "Wanna taste you" she mumbles into your skin. Sure, you heard it but she didn't need to know that. So you snake your hand into her blonde locks at give her a gentle tug.

"What was that?" The fake innocence in your voice almost makes you want to laugh.

Abby looks away from you and goes to say it again so you place your hand on her jaw. Forcing her to keep eye contact. "I want to taste you" you raise an eyebrow, waiting on more. "Please?" The way her voice trembles slightly is the biggest ego boost. Working such a strong, confident woman to a mess like this is better than any drink you could've bought at the bar.

As soon as you nod your head and release her jaw, Abby wastes no time. Kissing down your stomach before her lips meet your clit. She gives you one fat lick from your hole to clit, her arms wrapping around your thighs to bring your legs over her shoulders. Abby's grip is so tight even if you wanted to move you'd stand no chance so instead you throw your head back into the pillow. Moaning shamlessly as her tounge works around your clit.

The pleasure makes a warmth spread across your body, your hand tangled in her hair as you hold her close to you. Trying to grind your hips into her but stopped by her hands pinning you down. You're almost convinced there's going to be bruises there tomorrow. "A- Abby" You whine, pleading for more.

She pulls back slightly, looking up at you with your wetness dripping down her chin. "Hmm?"

"Fingers please" your hand squeezes over her own. "Please Abby I'm so close"

Humming softly, she loosens her grip of her right hand. Slowly tracing over your skin until she reaches your mouth. You don't need to be told. Parting your lips, you let her push in. Sucking while keeping eyecontact. When she pulls them out you whine at the lose but it doesn't last long. As they slip into your hole your eyes roll back. "Fuck you're so wet" Abby gasps softly. Once you take her down to the knuckles she let's you adjust. "You good?"

"Mhm" you moans softly "move Abs please?". She doesn't need to be told twice, her fingers slowly starting to pump in and out of you as her mouth moves back to your clit. You can't help but clentch around her as she works you to your peak. Her neighbours must hate her, or really they must hate you. The way your loud moans echo throughout the room as she gets you closer and closer. You grip the sheets beneath you, screwing your eyes shut as your back arches. Orgasm washing over you while all you can do is chant her name over and over and over again. Completely lost in the pleasure.

Abby's pace slows after your finish over her fingers. Only pulling out once your breathing starts to steady and you open your eyes again. She moves up next to you, slumping down as your arms stay pressed together. The sudden silence hanging thick in the air. Uncomfortable, tense. But you break it.

"Are you gonna accept you like women yet?" You ask quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

"I don't" you don't wait for her to continue, instead you move yourself off the bed to start pulling on your underwear. You've been here so many times you just make your way to her closet, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt that's going to drown you. Planning on adding them to your small collection if her clothes. Even if they had all been shoved to the back of your closet. Abby sits up, stammer out some kind of explanation as you don't look at her. "I- I mean I do, but you know that this is"

"Mhm" you reply, the agitation clear in your tone. You quickly fix your hair to the best of your ability before picking up your dress and pulling out your phone from your purse. Slinging the bag over your arm as you request an Uber.

Abby just looks at you, nervously playing with the end of her hair. "I- its just the way I am-"

You inturput her with a sigh, finally looking at her with a slight pity. "It's not just gonna go away, but its your life Abby if you wanna be misrable and act like you dont like women thats your call" your app pings letting you know the ubers already here and you're silently thankful. Because the familiar feeling of falling for Abby is creeping back into you. "Good luck, babe" you say softly before heading out. Glancing down at your heels at the door with a groan. Reluctantly slipping them on before hurrying down to the Uber.

Maybe one day she'll change.

#Spotify #lesbian #wlw #fanfic #smut #writer #angst #writing #fanfiction #tlou #abby the last of us #the last of us #abby anderson smut #abby anderson x reader #abby x reader #abby tlou #abby anderson #request

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Part two to this story

After Jason's cruel display and your identity of Eddie's admirer being public knowledge, you're sure he will be disgusted. He hates you and your friends doesn't he?

Turns out you're in for a big surprise.

Minors shoo! Angst, fluff, sweet Eddie and reader taking no shit.

If you have any requests then send me an ask. My request rules are in my pinned post ❤️

🎀💌

Hellfire Slut. The words had practically burned into your brain as you tossed and turned in bed. Jason's cruelty was nothing new but you didn't think he'd ever go this far.

It was bad enough that Eddie's best friend had caught you in the act of delivering the notes and the thought he could spill all to Eddie, you didn't expect your secret to come out in such a public way.

The notes that you had poured your heart to Eddie had been clear to see by everyone and you felt sick to your stomach. You didn't care that people knew you were smitten with Eddie, it was the fact that he was probably disgusted that you had feelings for him.

You dreaded going to school but you knew you had to face Eddie and Jason at some point. It didn't stop nightmares plaguing your mind all night about what would happen come first period.

...

Homeroom was the first thing today before any other classes, you try not to draw attention to yourself as you slide into a seat at the back of class. However it feels like all eyes are on you today, Chrissy takes the seat beside you and holds your hand giving it a tight squeeze, it makes you feel a tiny bit better.

Mrs Jones isn't in class yet so chatter buzzes around you incessantly, your skin tingles as you feel Eddie's gaze on you a few times, try not to look up into those pretty brown eyes.

One of Jason's friends called Tyler smirks at you, he's sitting beside Jason and says loudly for all to hear. "So little miss perfect likes a freak in the sheets huh? Who would have thought?" there's a little ripple of laughter that's quelled by Chrissy's vicious glare. She's normally a sweetie so swing her pissed shut everyone up.

Ignore him. Just ignore him you chant in your head but he still continues. "You know I was going to ask you out but fuck that. You're a dumb little bitch"

There's a collective silence as you hear Eddie's metal lunchbox drop to the floor. To your surprise he's glaring daggers at Tyler, you also notice that his knuckles are bruised. What the hell happened?

"Oooh you're in luck sweetcheeks, maybe Munson likes you back and the two of you can be freaks together"

You're fraying control over being calm snaps. Screw this. You weren't going to sit and let him run his mouth or let anyone like him or Jason make you cry again.

"You can admit to everyone you're jealous Tyler it's okay. We all heard about the little problem you have, Stacy told us all about how disappointing you are" you fake a sympathetic smile at him and his eyes nearly bug out of his sockets.

Jason looks ready to say something but you don't give the satisfaction of listening to the bullshit he says. "I couldn't be less interested in what you have to say Carver, you're a pathetic, nasty little worm"

While sassing Jason you miss the look of awe on Eddie's face. Gareth snorts at Eddie's stunned look.

"Dude, I really do think I'm in love" Eddie murmurs sounding almost reverent. Gareth sighs. Maybe now Eddie knew it was you that sent the notes the two of you could get together and he could get a minute of peace.

Meanwhile you lean back in your seat relieved as Mrs Jones comes in. There's still a question that's nagging at you though.

"Chrissy, why are Eddie's knuckles bruised?"and that's when Chrissy launches into the tale of how Eddie punched Jason after you left yesterday.

Hearing this makes a small bubble of hope build up inside of you. Maybe just maybe Eddie feeling the same for you might not be as hopeless as you first thought.

...

After a few fruitless attempts Eddie manages to track you down as you're coming out of cheer practice with Chrissy. She gives you an impish, knowing smile as she leaves you and Eddie to talk.

Telling Jason and Tyler what you thought about them made you feel a little bit better for a while, boosted your shattered confidence but now Eddie was around and you could feel that confidence crack.

What was he about to say? Was he going to tell you he was disgusted?

"You don't have to be nervous princess" you feel your nerves dissipate at his soothing tone.

"I know you thought the notes were a joke but they aren't Eddie, I've really fallen for you. I was crushing on you for such a long time. That's why I wrote the notes in the first place, I was worried if I told you in person that you would be disappointed" the words all come out in a rush and you feel relieved getting it all out.

He shakes his head. "I mean I would have been surprised but the way you spoke in the notes...how could you ever think I'd ever be disappointed sweetheart?" His words fill you with hope, a warm and fuzzy feeling in your chest.

"You know because I'm from the dark side" you murmur and he frowns. His hand reaches out to hold yours and you wince at the bruising on his knuckles.

"You didn't need to do that Eddie, I don't want you hurt" he shrugs as if it's no big deal.

"It was worth it. You're worth it"

Eddie gently takes your hand and kisses it, "I fell in love with you through what you said sweetheart, I want to know all about you. I don't give a fuck about who you're friends with or if you're part of the dark side. I just want to be with you".

A slow smile works it's way on your face and you lean forward and kiss him, continue kissing him until you're both a little dazed and smiling goofily at each other.

"Uh maybe we could go out for Milkshakes after school, if you want princess?" you nod feeling the bubble of excitement in your belly.

After all that worrying you were going on your first date with Eddie and you couldn't wait.

Maybe happy endings were possible after all ❤️

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson angst #eddie munson x cheerleader!reader

[strangersteddierthings]

Based on a twitter thread the lovely @nburkhardt shared in the Discord chat and I just took the idea that Gareth is both Chrissy AND Steve's cousin and ran with it.

"Harrington, think fast!" Gareth is already lobbing the cream soda at Steve's head before he's even fully looked up but the asshole snatches it out of the air no problem. It barely even fizzes when he cracks the can open. The bastard.

"And for you, Chrysanthemum," Gareth hands off her cream soda gently, because she's his favorite cousin. She laughs at him but takes the soda. She doesn't open it right away, instead opting to set it beside her in the shade of the shed they've taken residency of. Out of sight of the rest of their family and their thousand and one questions.

"You know nicknames are supposed to be shorter than the original name, right?" Steve says, then burps because he chugged half the soda in one swallow.

"Gross," Chrissy says at the same time as Gareth's, "noice."

Steve grins, pleased with himself.

"Hey, so. I wanted to talk to you guys about something," Gareth says after a moment of quiet has fallen over them. He's plopped down in the front of them instead of resuming his spot beside Chrissy, leaning against the shed in the shade. It puts him in the sun but he wants to look at them both as they talk.

"Anything, Garebearringham," Chrissy says to annoy Steve with a lengthened nickanme.

"So, I'll be a freshman this year. And, I love you guys, you know I do, but, uh, I don't want to be seen associating with you. Publically."

There's a beat of silence where Steve and Chrissy just stare back, Chrissy looking hurt and Steve looking offended.

"What I mean is that you're both already, like, known. You know? And I don't want to just be… the cool kids' younger cousin. I want to be uncool on my own."

Chrissy says, "Oh. Yeah, I get that."

Steve says, "You want to be uncool?"

Gareth gestures to all of himself. "I am not aiming to win the popularity contest. I want to join the Hellfire club." He points an accusing finger at Steve. "You told me yourself that the club leader climbs on tables and rants about jocks-"

"Yeah, as a warning to not join Hellfire. How did you read that wrong?"

"-so I can't be seen associating with a cheerleader and the king of jocks. That'll ruin my, like, cred or whatever!"

Chrissy is nodding along solemnly. She's always been understand and sympathetic to Gareth, especially when it comes to being himself. In quiet alone times, she's confessed to being jealous of how easily being himself came to him and she wished she was as brave. Steve, however, was a conformist through and through and while Gareth could understand the why (his uncle and aunt are not the best of people) he's never going to try and fit in just because it makes like easier.

"Your cred," Steve says monotone, his bitch face out in full force.

"Yeah! My street cred!"

Chrissy and Steve share a look. Steve raises and eyebrow and Chrissy shrugs before they look back to Gareth.

"Alright. You're secret is safe with us, Garrington," Chrissy teases.

"Do not!"

"You think people aren't going to put together that you and Chrissy have the same last name?" Steve says, because he's a shithead.

"So? There like 4 Smiths, and none of them are related. It'll be fine."

"True. No one will believe the amazing Chrissy Cunningham is related to the absolute loser Gareth Cunningham."

"Absolute loser! You're a dick, Steve Harrington."

"Yeah, but you know I got your back even if you're a loser."

Gareth doesn't answer. He opens his own soda then, chugging enough to let out his own gross burp for Chrissy to scold him about and Steve to laugh.

It's the summer of 1983 and things can only go up for them all now that they're all in high school together.

#steve harrington #chrissy cunningham #gareth #gareth cunningham (in this au) #they're cousins

[ddejavvu]

reader being shy about her period even though she’s been with hotch for while and doesn’t want to talk about it with him, but he’s straightforward about it, knows reader is shy but they’re both adults! so he draws her a bath (and maybe joins her?) and takes care of her whether she likes it or not lol

basically something fluffy 🥺

Drawing your bath is something you do every single night, but tonight it feels different, weird. It's probably the looming threat of Aaron shuffling around in the bedroom, and you're not even halfway through working up viable excuses when he asks the dreaded question.

"Can I join you?"

He's already undoing his pants before giving you the chance to answer. You never say no, the question is more of a formality at this point. But this time you shake your head, turning around to face him head-on.

"Uh, actually, Aaron, I think I want to take this one alone."

He freezes with his hand down his pants. Apparently untucking his shirt leaves him in a position that makes him look like a depraved teenager.

"Okay," He nods, redoing his zipper, clearly taken-aback, "Is there any reason why?"

"My head hurts. I just- I kind of want to be alone."

His face drops sympathetically, and he nods along, already reaching into the cabinet for the advil, "I'm sorry, honey. Here, take some, and when you're out I'll run interference with Jack so that you can go and lay down."

The way he handles it makes you feel bad for lying to him, but you bite the bullet and take the medicine anyways. It won't do anything, and the worst it will do is give you a headache. Then at least you won't be a liar.

"Thanks, Aaron," You murmur, bumping your face into his chest in a low-effort hug that holds more sincerity than it seems to, "I love you."

"I love you, too." He hums, kissing the crown of your head. He makes for the bedroom again, about to leave you to bathe in peace, but he doubles back, "Oh, and just so you know, I saw you were running low on pads, so I picked some up on my way home from work, but they're in that cabinet."

He points beneath the sink and your stomach drops, "I know you usually keep them in your purse, but Jack wanted gum this morning and I saw you didn't have many left, so I just stocked them here. You can move them, it doesn't matter to me, I just wanted you to know where they were."

He barely glances up at you after he's done, but the momentary gaze is enough to see that you're frozen. He stills in the doorway, "Honey? Are you okay?"

"You bought me pads?" The question feels embarrassing, heating your cheeks and burning your belly.

"I made sure they were the same kind," His brows furrow, "Is that.. okay?"

"It's-" You stammer, lip quivering slightly, "It's fine, it's- great! It's too good, Aaron," Tears well in your eyes, "You're too good to me."

"Honey," He croons, rushing to catch you in a hug, "That's- buying pads is not 'too good for you'. You need them, it's just the same as when I make you dinner or drive you to work."

"Those are all great," You gush, staining his dark green polo with your tears, "You're the perfect man."

You don't need to feel his cheeks to know they're on fire, and he chuckles sheepishly, rubbing up and down your back, "I think that's debatable, you can ask a few higher-ups at the office."

"Well you've never bought Erin Strauss pads before, have you?" You sniffle, two damp blotches on his shirt left behind even after you pick your head up out of his chest.

"No," He grins, shaking his head, "No, but one year I bought her a #1 boss mug."

"#1 bitch," You mumble, turning away so he can't see your smirk as he laughs, "Oh, and Aaron?"

"Mhm?"

"You can get in, if you want." You offer, still residually hesitant, "I just- I don't really have a headache. I didn't want you to know about.."

"Your period." He finishes for you, voice strong and sure of himself, "Alright. Lemme just set Jack up with a movie, then I'll be back."

You take the time he's gone to peek under the bathroom sink, and sure enough, two large packages of your go-to menstrual pads sit beneath a pipe. They're lined up neatly beside his shaving kit, and you marvel at the domesticity they radiate together. You pluck one from the package, fresh and light pink. The wrapper crinkles as you set it on the counter beside your fresh underwear, and a wave of comfort washes over you. This is your house, and you're allowed to live in it.

Comfort steps aside for amusement, though, when you picture Aaron striding into a corner store in his suit and tie, picking up two packages of pink pads, and handing them over to the teenage cashier.

"What's so funny?' He peels off his shirt with ease now that it's no longer tucked into his pants, discarding it on the floor.

"Nothing," You insist, a smile still lingering on your lips, "I bet the 15-year old checker was fun to talk to."

#aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner scenario #aaron hotchner oneshot #aaron hotchner one-shot #aaron hotchner one shot #aaron hotchner headcanon #aaron hotchner headcanons #aaron hotchner hc #aaron hotchner hcs #aaron hotchner fanfiction #aaron hotchner fanfic #aaron hotchner fic #aaron hotchner blurb #aaron hotchner drabble #aaron hotchner dialogue #aaron hotchner fluff #aaron hotchner x reader fanfiction #aaron hotchner angst #aaron hotchner hurt/comfort

[marvel-ous-m]

Eddie Munson’s Guide for How to Adopt a Jock in Four Easy Steps (2/5)

Part One 

Part Three

A.N.: Um... guys, WHAT?! The outpouring of love and support for a blurb I had sitting in my Notes app for the last two months has been absolutely wild. I’ve been writing for the better part of the last day, and this is now a ~7k, five chapter fic that I will be posting to Tumblr as well as my AO3. I can’t thank y’all enough for all of the support, and I hope you like where this is heading! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

After Steve finished ranting about the middle schoolers he spent time with, Eddie launched into a description of the campaign he was working on for Hellfire. Steve listened intently as Eddie spoke, slowly making his way through Eddie’s sandwich and the bottle of water until both were finished. Eddie kept talking after Steve finished his food, distracting himself by going on a tangent about goblins in D&D. He was pulled from his rant at the sound of a soft thump- which, Eddie realized with surprise, was Steve’s forehead slumping down far enough to hit the tabletop. 

Steve sat up almost immediately when his head hit the table, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. 

Eddie snorted at Steve’s antics, piling his books together. “Damn Stevie, I didn’t realize I was that boring.” 

“Stevie?” Steve whispered under his breath, then shook his head, shooting a sheepish smile Eddie’s way. “You didn’t bore me- I liked it, really, I just-”

“Hey, Steve?” Eddie cut Steve off, smirking at him. “You don’t need to make excuses. No offense man, but you kinda look like shit, I can tell you haven’t been sleeping well. Speaking of which- why are you even here? You should probably be at home resting, not zombie-walking your way through a day of classes.”

Steve hummed at that, shrugging and resting his cheek on his palm. “S’better here than it is at home.”

Eddie frowned at that, his brow creasing. Steve had just told him a few minutes ago that his parents hadn’t been home in three months, and all of Hawkins knew he was the only child of the Harringtons. What was so bad about spending the day in a giant mansion that most definitely had central heating? Eddie would kill to spend these winter months in a house like that instead of under approximately fifty blankets (while somehow still freezing his ass off) in the trailer. 

Steve breathed out a small puff of air, and Eddie noticed that his eyes had slipped shut in the minute-or-so that Eddie had been distracted by his internal monologue. Shit, Steve was really exhausted. Eddie sighed and stood, quietly loading his books into his backpack. After zipping up his backpack and pulling it onto his shoulder, Eddie gently shook Steve’s shoulder, wincing sympathetically. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Steve up, but Mrs. Boliene would have a fit if she saw Steve like this.

He was definitely not expecting Steve to practically jump out of the chair, or for his breathing to suddenly grow erratic, in response to being woken up. There was something in his eyes- a kind of fear that Eddie could only associate to something he saw in Wayne’s eyes after waking his uncle from a particularly bad nightmare. 

Eddie held his hands up, taking a step back from Steve. “Hey- sorry, it’s just- Ms. Boliene can be kinda a bitch about people sleeping in the library. I know a place you can rest for a while if ya want. Let’s be honest, you probably aren’t going to be learning anything if you go to the rest of your classes today.” 

Steve clenched his right hand a couple times- Eddie would file that particular coping mechanism away to ask about later- then nodded, his breathing (mostly) back to a normal pace. “Sorry about that. Yeah man, whatever you say.”

Eddie nodded, let his arms drop, then cleared his throat. “Right, just go ahead and follow me, King Steve.” 

Steve sighed and stood with a wince, gathering the garbage from his (Eddie’s) lunch before following the other boy out of the library. He tossed the trash in the garbage bin outside the library then took a couple of long strides forward to catch up to Eddie. “Can you um- maybe, like… not call me that?”  

“Sure thing, Steve-o. Here, hang a right.” Eddie turned down a hallway and Steve followed, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“That’s it?”

Eddie stopped walking when they reached the drama room door, shrugging. “Yeah man, that’s it. You don’t wanna be called something, I’m not gonna call you that. Nicknames are supposed to be fun, dude.” 

Steve nodded in understanding, but his brow was furrowed- he was clearly deep in thought. Eddie stood there a moment, waiting for Steve to say something. When it became apparent that the jock was going to keep his thoughts to himself, Eddie smiled tightly and opened the drama room door, walking past the gaggle of students sitting together and eating lunch at the front of the room. He ignored their stares and walked to the back of the room to a set of double doors, which he opened and then led Steve through. “This is where Hellfire meets. You can lay down in the corner over there on the couch cushions and blankets. I set that up last year for my mid-morning, skip-P.E. nap time.” 

Steve blinked in surprise, then turned to Eddie with a playful smirk. “Is that why you’re repeating this year? Slept through too much P.E.?”    

Eddie chuckled at that. Harrington had some sass to him, huh? “One of the many reasons. What can I say, getting sweaty for some dumbass P.E. teacher just doesn’t agree with me.” ‘There are much better things to get sweaty for’, a distant voice in Eddie’s head whispered. Eddie pushed that thought away, shaking his head at himself. Harrington was not the kind of guy to think those kinds of things around. 

Steve giggled to himself- honest to god giggled, it was quite possibly the best sound that Eddie had ever heard- then stepped into the room, taking in the variety of chairs surrounding the giant table and the various decorations on the walls. Suddenly, Steve’s playful smile disappeared, turning to a grimace. “Um, are you sure it’s okay for me to sleep here, Eds? Don’t you have Hellfire here later tonight? I wouldn’t want to intrude-” 

“Stevie, I promise it’s fine. You’ll probably be awake by the time we’re in here playing through the campaign anyways. Just don’t worry about it and get some rest, okay?” 

Steve nodded, walking to the corner and sitting down on the cushions. Eddie smiled reassuringly at him from his place at the doorway, then waved goodbye to Steve. “I’m off to English and Chem. I’ll be back in about two hours, but I could lock the doors in the meantime?” Eddie pulled a lanyard out of his pocket, grinning. “Perks of being club president. I’m the only one with a key other than the drama teacher, and he never comes in here. I just figured- maybe you would sleep better knowing that no one can get in? You would be able to get out, obviously, but- y’know what? Maybe this is creepy, pretend like I didn’t say anything-”

“-Thank you, Eddie. I… would appreciate that.” Steve cut off Eddie’s (admittedly awkward) rant and punctuated his request with a yawn, scrubbing a tired hand over his face. 

“Yeah, yeah of course dude, whatever you need.” Eddie stepped out and locked the door behind himself, then slumped his back against the door. Step One: Get Steve Harrington to Take Care of Himself, complete. Time for Step Two.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A.N.- tagging those who requested/insinuated a request, lmk if you’d like to be added/taken off the tag list.

@ellietheasexylibrarian @cuips-not-cute @melodymeddler @i-have-three-feelings @sc00ps-ahoy @singmeyoursimpsong @patchworkgargoyle @spectrum-spectre @devondespresso @thesuninyaface @obsessivlyme @angeldreamsoffanfic @carlyv @nburkhardt @inspirationorinsanity @rebelspykatie @my2amgaythoughts @lavenderagenda @just-a-tiny-void @mamafaithful @breadboi66 @beholdingloser @randomfandomcontent @oftirnanog @yellowdevilkitten @steves-strapcollection @keep-er-steddie

#stranger things #steddie #my writing #steve harrington #eddie munson #1984 steddie meeting au my beloved #stranger things fic #steddie fic #pre s4 #pre s4 meeting

[ladykailitha]

Can Anybody See Me? Part 21

Executive dysfunction is a bitch and can go to hell. I had something I could have posted yesterday while I was working on this, but no...

I am starting to wonder if maybe I shot myself in the foot with my tag rant as engagement for the last Reconnect AU was WAY down. But oh well. I can only continue to move on and hope I find new people who like my stuff.

All righty, my lovelies. We have gotten to the part where I was going to end it originally before you absolute menaces said you wanted me to continue it through season 4.

But here’s the deal, this story has reached nearly novel length of 40k. So what I’ve decided to do is call this the end of book one. And then I will start up book two, which will be through to the end of the school year and probably through the events of season 3. And then book 3 should take us the rest of the way.

I hope that’s acceptable to all of you. I want to continue it, but I think from here on out the title doesn’t fit Steve anymore and he needs a new one.

Now if you’ve followed me long enough, you know that I don’t start putting out a story until it’s done (if it’s short enough) or if I’m three to four chapters deep. So hopefully by the end of the month (if not sooner) you should start seeing book two.

I will run a poll on how you think I should do the tag list for it. But thank you all for coming with me on this absolutely wild ride. And hope you’ll stick around for the next two parts.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

***

Word had been handed down, Mindy Jones, Ollie Anderson, and Kyle Carver had been suspended with word that Kyle being the instigator might be expelled. For sure he wasn’t going to be able to walk in his cap and gown at graduation.

Steve felt a sense of relief and strangely justice too. Yes, all right suspension wasn’t getting expelled, but the kids had been punished. They didn’t try to hand wave it away.

Steve had heard that Mr Vinke, the math teacher, Mr Cole, Miss Lucy, and Chief Hopper had all gone to the principal and superintendent for all three of them to be expelled.

The suspension was a given, but the school district wanted to do their own investigation and then expulsions might be handed out after it was complete.

Steve didn’t have much hope.

Marty, Gethin, and Janice all sat with the Corroded Coffin boys at lunch, something they didn’t normally do.

“Fuck,” Janice swore. “Why I am more nervous about tonight than I have all week?”

Steve nodded, poking at his food. “I haven’t been this queasy since I took a plate to the head.”

Everyone winced and murmured sympathetic platitudes and other noises of sympathy.

“I think it’s because it’s your last performance,” Gethin murmured. “Your last chance to completely biff it on stage.” Steve and Janice looked at him in wide-eyed fear. He waved his hands placatingly. “Not that I think you will. Just that your brain thinks you will.”

Steve and Janice looked at each other and then nodded.

“Yeah,” Steve agreed. “That tracks.”

Eddie slid his hand under the table and gripped Steve’s knee. Steve covered his hand with his own and gave it a squeeze of thank you.

*

Steve scanned the crowd the second night. He spotted Jeff and all his family, Gareth and Gethin and their parents, Brian and all of his younger siblings, and what looked like his dad. Wayne shuffled in his seat nervously, having never been to a musical before. But still no sign of his parents.

His mom promised that at least she would be there, even if his dad refused to come. And he held on to that. He managed to make it through the show and held it together.

He went out to be congratulated by his friends and their families. Wayne brought him flowers.

“You did good, boy,” he said gruffly, after giving him a hug. “I looked it up and flowers are the gift you give someone after a well-done performance.”

Steve looked down at the bouquet of wild flowers and smiled. “Thank you. I love them.”

Jeff clapped him on the shoulder. “They might be a tad wilted by the time we’re done, because we’re taking you out to eat in celebration.”

Steve teared up a bit. “Thanks, guys.”

Gareth smiled. “You deserve it, man. That was awesome!”

Gethin nudged his shoulder. “We’re just waiting for Janice and Eddie to get done.”

Steve nodded. Eddie had to reset the stage for tomorrow and Janice had to get out of a corset and that took some time.

“Yeah, no problem!” he enthused.

Eddie finished first and came out to meet them.

“Hey, Steve!” he said. “Feeling famous yet?”

Steve laughed. “I’m going to get fat if this keeps up. First ice cream last night and then dinner tonight.”

They all laughed. “It’s impossible for you to gain weight, man,” Brian huffed. “I’ve seen you eat a whole pizza and didn’t even get bloated.”

Steve laughed. “Playing three sports does that to you. Hell, I still life guard at the rec center every summer.”

Brian eyed his lean form skeptically. “I suppose so.”

“Swimming’s fun,” Steve said. “And it’s not just for us jock types.”

Janice finally came out. “Sorry to keep you waiting guys. Sharing with Tammy Thompson is hell let me tell you. I don’t know how someone so tiny can take up so much room.”

“At least you don’t have to share the choir room with twenty sweaty dudes that wouldn’t know deodorant if it bit them in the ass,” Steve grumped.

Gethin shook his head. “Shouldn’t you be used to that from sports?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “At least there are showers after basketball. Can’t say the same here.”

Gethin’s lips curled. “Fair.”

Wayne clapped his hands. “All right, I’ve got us a place reserved, so we need to hustle. Eddie and Steve are coming with me.”

Eddie and Steve filed out with the rest of them and followed Wayne out to his truck.

Steve slid into the middle between Eddie and Wayne.

“Thanks for this, Wayne,” he murmured. “And the flowers, too.”

“You’re welcome, Stevie,” he said. “I didn’t see your parents. Did they show up last night?”

Steve shared a glance with Eddie and then shook his head. “There’s still tomorrow.”

Wayne and Eddie shared a glance of concern over Steve’s head.

“I’m sure that’s the case,” Wayne agreed.

An uneasy silence settled on them as they drove to the restaurant. Wayne parked and turned to Steve.

He pulled him in for a great big hug and then opened the door. “It’ll be all right.”

Steve nodded and slid out after Eddie.

The dinner was just as ruckus as the ice cream parlor the night before. With just as many people. Steve looked around and smiled.

Yeah, 1985 was his year and it was just getting started.

*

Steve looked out to the audience and knew, even in the dimmed lights his parents weren’t there.

“Tell me, Mr Thomson, out of curiosity, do you stand with Mr Dickinson, or do you stand with me?” Vince asked.

Steve could feel the sting of tears in his eyes. He held up the dispatch. “I stand with the General. Lately–I’ve had the oddest feeling that he’s been–writing to me…”

He slowly rose to his feet as he sang,

“I have been in expectation Of receiving a reply On the subject of my last fifteen dispatches. Is anybody there?”

His voice cracked with emotion as he stepped half out of the spotlight.

“Does anybody care? Does anybody care? Y’r humble & ob’d’t–”

The drum rolled and Steve looked up into the eagle’s nest where Eddie was doing the spotlight. A single tear ran down his cheek.

Steve looked down at the paper in his hand and then back up at Eddie. And then he exited the scene on cue.

Eddie swore he saw more tears in that moment then for ‘Mama Look Sharp’ that night.

But that performance of Steve’s brought out something in Vince in that moment. Vince’s John Adams bid Hancock good night, but then it changed. All the emotion and fear of not being seen or heard. The loneliness that Adams must have been feeling in that moment, borrowed from the loneliness of both Washington and Thomson.

“Is anybody there–”

Silence.

“Does anybody care–?”

Again, nothing.

“Does anybody see–what I see?”

And then Kenny came on and delivered the line with a sharpness that hadn’t been there before.

“Yes, Mr Adams, I do.” As if to banish all the fears and insecurities that John was having in that moment.

And Steve could almost hear it as though it was coming from Eddie. As if it was coming from his friends. The party. Wayne.

Yes, his parents weren’t there. They never were. And probably never were going to be. But that didn’t mean that no one was listening to Steve. That no one cared.

They all cared. Every last one of the dozens of people that showed up the last two nights. They cared. They brought their families. Brought flowers. Thought he was worthy of celebrating. Worth treating.

For the boy with the bat.

The boy that never knew what love really was until he looked up from a god damned garbage can into those warm and friendly brown eyes. A warm hand on his back and a gentle ‘Are you okay?’

In that moment, Steve’s life had become changed. Different. Better. All because a teacher took pity on Steve and chose Eddie Munson of all people to be Steve’s protector.

And he looked up at Eddie in the rafters and though he couldn’t see him, he knew that Eddie was looking back at him. Smiling back at him. Loving him for all his worth.

And if you had asked Steve what his worth was back in December he would have told you nothing. He wasn’t worth anything but being the baby-sitter. But now?

Now Steve was a baby-sitter, chauffeur, groupie, actor, chef, swimmer, friend, brother, and most importantly boyfriend. And maybe if he was really lucky, someone’s son.

***

Fin.

Fuck, rereading this to add back in the formatting made me cry. My apologies if it makes you cry too.

Tag List: @shrimply-a-menace @strangersteddierthings @throwbackthrowaway @novelnovella @cursedfoxteeth @babyblender @garden-of-gay @anaibis @lifeisnotsobadonceyoustopcaring @swimmingbirdrunningrock @steve-the-hairrington @winterbuckwild @spectrum-spectre @matchingbatbites   @thing-a-ling @fandemonium-takes-its-toll @artiststarme @sundead  @nelotegreitic @gregre369 @butterflysandpeppermint @thedragonsaunt @kodaik97 @messrs-weasley @scarletzgo @deadlydodos @renaissan-vvitch @evix-syne666 @emly03 @justforthedead89 @ashwinmeird @huniibee @phantypurple @stevesbipanic @shucks-yuckyuck @lovelyscot @awkwardgravity1 @bookbinderbitch @reportinglivefromsoda @jinxjinn @chasinggeese @be-the-spark-bitch @kohlraedirectioner @cr0w-culture @xjessicafaithx @whimsicalwitchm @jaywhohasthegay @estrellami-1 @dangdirtydemons @howincrediblysapphicofyou @the-redthread

#My writing #stranger things #steddie #canon divergence #the boy with the bat #ladykailtiha writes

[azureseacloud]

Stage Lights

Ghost (band) ficlet

Part 3

Pairing: Swiss × reader

Warnings: swearing

Words: 1,110

Another part in this one!! This part mainly stars Dew being typical Dew :)

I’ve figured out the rest of the plot, so I can tell you that there will be two more parts, possibly three!

As always, please feel free to message me with any requests :)

You sat alone in a corner of the hotel room, absentmindedly strumming your guitar. You were deep in thought, your mind constantly circling back to last night and what had happened with Swiss.

The fucking asshole.

He’d been nothing but a pain the entire trip to the hotel, constantly teasing and making subtle side remarks until your face was burning. Even with the mask covering, Swiss knew the reaction he was getting from you, and you absolutely hated it. Some of the others had joined in too, though Rain had stayed out of it, the water ghoul shooting you sympathetic looks.

It had been so hard to control yourself. To laugh along instead of beating the Multi ghoul up like you so badly wanted to. But Papa had been there, and you knew how he felt about his ghouls getting violent.

You’d escaped into your hotel room as soon as you could, taking solace in your guitar to calm down. You’d finally been able to remove your mask, since Swiss wasn’t around to see his work. The mark was properly bruised now, and it was a dark blue and purple. Bitch.

You didn’t bother looking up as the door opened, a low whistle sounding.

“Nice bite mark,” Dewdrop teased in a way of greeting as he walked into the room. “Swiss really did a number on you, huh?”

You threw the pick at him, smirking as it bounced off his goggles. He flipped you off.

You’d been paired up together for the night, a regular system to save money rather than everyone having their own rooms. This was better for you anyway—ghouls were pack creatures and staying in a foreign place alone was highly unpleasant, to say the least. You’d all ended up sharing rooms anyway, which was how the buddy system was created.

Dewdrop was good company most of the time, although he had moments where he could be a real ass. That night Swiss pissed him off—you’d spent the entire night trying to stop him from breaking things around the room. You’d been successful—well, mostly. That vase didn’t count.

Dewdrop looked down at where you were sitting in the corner of the room, resting his hands on his hips.

“He really got under your skin. Haven’t seen you this pissed since Phantom broke the strings on your favourite guitar.”

You sighed, frustratedly thumbing the strings. “Is it that obvious?”

Dew gave you a look that said it was very much that obvious. You groaned, burying your head in your hands. So much for not letting anyone notice.

“So, how are you planning on getting him back?” Dew knew you too well, knew that you needed to get Swiss back. You looked up to see him sit down beside you, peeling off his own helmet and mask.

“I don’t know. Swiss isn’t easy to fluster, he’ll just turn anything I do back around on me” You sighed, frustrated. “Any suggestions?”

Dewdrop tilted his head, considering.

“I would suggest choking or biting him back but I think he’d enjoy that too much.” You glared at the fire ghoul.

“Yeah that’s not going to happen.”

Dew shrugged. “If you want to really piss him off, I could help you.” The offer sounded normal enough but there was a suggestive tone to his voice that told you otherwise.

You gave him a look, not thinking he was actually suggesting what you thought he was. His stare didn’t waver.

“You can’t be serious.” Dew shrugged in response. “I don’t think Swiss is the type to get jealous, Dew.”

“I think you’d be surprised how jealous he can get when it comes to you.” You froze, tearing your gaze back off the guitar in your hands to look at Dewdrop.

What the fuck did that mean? He didn’t…

Dew snorted, looking up and rolling his eyes. “Fucking hell, you mean you don’t know? You haven’t realised how desperately Swiss wants you?”

You laughed, seeing what he was trying to do, and because you were definitely not going to consider what Dew had just implied. That was ridiculous. There was no way that Swiss—absolutely not.

“Funny joke, Dew, you almost had me there.”

The fire ghoul shot you a bewildered look. “I wasn’t kidding. He’s obsessed with you.”

It was your turn to roll your eyes, running a finger across the strings.

“Dew, he’s obsessed with pissing me off, same as you. He wants the crowd’s attention, and since we get the most of it he tries to steal that,” you explained. It was obvious that Swiss liked being the centre of attention, and that was why he annoyed the two of you especially. Nothing more.

Dewdrop snorted. “You are so oblivious it’s painful.”

You flipped him off, rolling your eyes. “And you’re just trying to make a whole deal out of something that isn’t even there.”

“Oh, like your own feelings for him? I’ve bitten you before, sweetheart, and you never reacted that way.” You turned a glare to the fire ghoul as he leant back against the wall, a wry smile on his face.

“I. Don’t. Like. Swiss.” You hissed, feeling your temper rise again at the accusation that Dew had completely nailed. Fuck. “He is an attention-seeking asshole who seems to think it’s his job to fuck me over.”

Dew raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure he thinks about that often. Fucking you over, that is.”

Without thinking, you growled, lunging for the ghoul. He rolled to the side, dodging you as he sprung to his feet, fangs bared and the excitement at a fight evident in his orange eyes.

“Fuck off Dewdrop.”

You grabbed your guitar, moving to return it to its case in the other room, fighting the urge to get violent. Maybe a good fight was all you needed—but not here. Papa would be disappointed, you told yourself, trying to calm down. Dewdrop followed, leaning against the doorway as you clipped the case closed.

“I thought you wanted my help.” You huffed at that. “I was serious about helping you. I still need to get the fucker back for the show last week.”

You stood back up, narrowing your eyes at Dewdrop. You wanted to tell him to fuck off—but if it did work, well you really really needed to get Swiss back. Yet you had no better idea that Swiss couldn’t use against you. And if Dewdrop was right…

“Fine,” you answered, your will to piss off Swiss winning. “But if this doesn’t work I swear to fucking Satanas—“

“It will work,” Dew replied assuredly, his smile growing devious. “I know it will.”

#ghost band #swiss ghoul #nameless ghouls #swiss ghost #dewdrop ghoul #nameless ghouls x reader #the band ghost #dewdrop ghost

[dean-winchester-is-a-warrior]

Problem Solved

Summary: Problems are stacking up in Y/N's life. Does Beau have the solution?

Pairings: Beau Arlen x Y/N

Warnings/Explicit 18+: None. Just kissing. Fluff. Stressed!Reader. Beau being an angel.

Word Count: 3,594

A/N: So, I wrote this fluffy piece for my friend @deanswaywardgirl who's been having a rough time and just needed some fluffy Beau to get her through. I'm sorry my dear, this ended up quite a bit longer than I'd planned, and I'm sorry it took me more than a day to get it to you, but I hope it helps. And I hope everyone enjoys the fluffiness.

The beautiful divider below and at the bottom was created by @firefly-graphics

"Goddamn-son-of-a-bitch-piece-of-shi-"

"You know," Beau's deep drawl interrupted Y/N's strung together, angry cursing, "I don’t understand how someone so sweet and innocent looking, can manage to curse bluer than a sailor."

Y/N stopped trying to juggle her purse, her car keys, multiple grocery bags and an empty coffee cup long enough to turn to Beau and frown at his amusement.

"I've practiced a lot." She said succinctly. 

She waited a moment and then shook her head, eyebrows raised. "Oh don't worry, I'm good. Definitely don't need any help here, Sheriff." She said, dripping sarcasm.

Beau chuckled at her pouty, out-of-sorts face before reaching to grab what looked like the heaviest paper bag. As he took it from her, however, one of the bags she still held split open and sent a third of her groceries rolling across the parking lot. 

A scream of frustration erupted from her throat before the next round of cursing. 

"Piss-poor-goddam–shoddy-piece-" She rambled as she set her third bag on the ground and began chasing down her runaway canned goods as they rolled down the sloping parking lot. Beau set his bag next to hers and helped her wrangle the cans and a bag full of oranges back into their arms. 

"Looks like your day is going great so far, darlin." Beau teased as he piled the cans onto the back seat. 

A chunk of hair had worked its way loose from Y/N’s ponytail and she blew a puff of air upwards trying to get it out of her face, while Beau took the bags she held out to him, and put them in the back seat as well.

"Yeah, it's been a really peachy morning, beginning with my kitchen sink exploding on me when I tried to make coffee, drenching me in the process. I told my landlord and he said he'd 'try to fix it'." Y/N said with finger quotes.

Beau slammed the back door shut and Y/N slumped against the side of the car. He gave her a sympathetic look as he stood in front of her, the thumb of his right hand hooked over the waistband of his jeans and his left hand shoved in his pocket.

Y/N continued recounting her less than stellar morning. “So I’ve had no coffee yet today because I came with my cup,” she said, lifting the reusable, plastic coffee cup she still held, “planning on getting coffee from the diner before I went grocery shopping, but their stupid machine is broken. So now I’m just carrying around this useless cup cause it doesn’t fit in my purse.”

She let out another huff, and opened the driver’s side door to throw her purse and the cup inside, before slamming it shut a bit harder than necessary.

Beau frowned. “Why didn’t you just throw the cup back in your car before you went into the grocery store?”

Y/N looked puzzled for a moment before she frowned. “I don’t know!” She said, throwing her arms up. “Because I’m an idiot and I’m operating without coffee!”

Beau chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Anything perishable in your groceries? Something that won't keep for an hour or so?" 

Y/N shook her head, puzzled. "No, just pantry stuff and fruit."

"Then come with me." He said and pulled her along with him, still tucked into his side. He led them over to his big red truck and helped her climb up into the cab.

"Where are we going?" Y/N asked, slightly exasperated. 

"To the place that serves the best coffee in town." He answered, as he closed the door.

***

Y/N took a long sip of coffee and sighed contentedly. It may not have actually been the best coffee in town, but it was dark, and rich, and creamy and she could practically feel the caffeine flowing through her veins. 

She called back through the door of Beau’s little silver trailer. “Are you sure you don’t want me to help make lunch?” She asked because it was the polite thing to do, and she felt a bit guilty just sitting and relaxing while Beau did all the work. But she was incredibly relieved when he declined.

“No way, sweetheart. First of all, there’s no room for two people in this quote/unquote kitchen. And second, you’ve earned the right to relax. I’ll be done in a minute.”

Y/N sighed again and took another big gulp of coffee. This one burnt the roof of her mouth a bit, but she still didn’t care. After the morning she had, this was paradise. She’d only been to Beau’s one other time, and she just waited in the car while he ran in to grab something. She’d never seen the inside, or got to experience the beautiful view from his front porch.

She looked around now and took it all in. Montana sure was beautiful. It was world’s away from her old life in Manhattan, where you could barely see the sky, never mind mountains and forest. She’d left New York only three months ago, but every day she was here, her old life fell further and further into mere memory. 

She’d spent the last ten years of her life going non-stop. Columbia - four years for her undergrad then another four at medical school. Eight years excelling at something she didn’t want to do. 

So - two years into her residency she’d made the incredibly impulsive decision to leave it all behind. The move shocked and horrified her parents.

It was practically a family tradition to go to Columbia and become a doctor. Her grandfather, her father, her aunt, and a bevy of cousins had all attended Columbia to become doctors and then gone on to make a fortune in ritzy private practices. 

Only one cousin that she knew of had bucked the system a bit, deciding to practice in a free clinic in Queens rather than open another high priced office that catered to the rich people of New York, of which there were many.

That cousin didn’t get invited to many family functions.

But if she was ostracized for serving underprivileged people, she was still worlds above where Y/N found herself now. Living states away in Montana and training in veterinary medicine. 

She’d always been interested in animal care. But when, at fourteen years old, she told her mother and father that she wanted to be a veterinarian,  they had just stared at her like she’d grown a second head. She tried to explain to them how much she loved animals, and the idea of being able to work with them everyday, help them and heal them appealed to her immensely. She tried to explain that she’d still be using her aptitude for science, she’d just be applying it in a field that excited her.

But the answer had been a resounding no, and she’d been pushed further down the road towards Columbia. She’d reluctantly followed that path. She thought her parents probably knew best, and she didn’t bring it up to them again. 

Until three months ago when she’d informed them that she’d left her residency program and enrolled herself for the fall semester at the University of Montana, in the Veterinary Medicine program. 

Her parents had absolutely refused to listen to anything she said on the matter. They kept insisting that she was just feeling burnt out. They suggested that she take a few weeks off, and recuperate. She tried to explain that she wasn’t burnt out, she was fed up; fed up of working almost eighty hours a week doing something she didn’t want to do. 

When reasoning hadn’t worked with Y/N, her parents resorted to threats. They promised her that they were not about to pay for her to go to school in Helena, and that if she threw away all the years they’d put into her education then she needn’t bother coming home for the holidays. Y/N had agreed to those terms, moved out of her tiny studio apartment, loaded up her little Toyota hatchback, and driven for three days, staying in crappy little motels along the way, before she reached Helena. 

She’d used her savings to pay for her first semester of school, and six months worth of rent. She was on month three and she was starting to panic slightly about where money was going to come from. She needed a job, but it had to work around her school schedule, and she had no work history other than a hospital residency program that she’d dropped out of. 

Now she had a sink that didn’t work, and a landlord who didn’t seem to be a handyman. And when she’d started her car that morning, she heard a distinctive squeal that meant she’d probably have to take it in sooner than later. 

She sighed and took another gulp of coffee. At least one thing had improved in her day. As the thought entered her mind, Beau walked out of his trailer with a stack of chicken salad sandwiches and a big bowl of salad. 

Okay, two things had improved in her day. 

“Oh my god, Beau.” She exclaimed. “This is way too much! You didn’t have to go to so much trouble.” 

He scoffed dismissively. “N’ah, wasn’t any trouble. I had the chicken salad made up already, so all I did was throw vegetables in a bowl.”

Y/N shook her head. Beau had been a godsend since she moved to Helena. She met him on only her second day in town. She'd been given a speeding ticket and had gone into the sheriff’s department to pay it. She’d been in a particularly rotten mood that day as well, since she certainly didn’t have almost eighty dollars to throw away on a ticket. For going barely ten miles over the speed limit. 

She must have looked desperate or maybe at the end of her rope, because Beau had come over to the deputy taking her payment, and taken over the transaction. She’d been shocked out of her mood by the ridiculously beautiful man behind the counter. He was long and broad, with dazzling green eyes, and dark blonde hair she immediately wanted to run her fingers through. He spoke, and his deep, Texas honey voice sent a shiver up her spine, making her whole body tingle.

She was so completely and instantly enamored of him that, at first, she missed the fact that he was dismissing her fees. When it finally sank in through her moony brain that he was being kind and helping her out, her heart fluttered even faster. 

He’d smiled his killer smile at her. “It was only ten miles over the limit. And you’re obviously new in town.” He said handing back her New York state license. “Just watch your speed next time.”

Y/N nodded happily. “Yes, sir. I will be very careful in the future.”

“Beau.”

“Sorry?” She asked. 

He smiled again and practically knocked her off her feet. “It’s Beau, not sir.”

They’d become fast friends, even though Y/N’s heart raced like crazy when he was around, and as far as she could tell, he had no feelings for her like that whatsoever. But he was the only person she really knew in town besides her crappy landlord, so she relished her time with him.

He’d helped her adjust to Helena with stories of his own experiences of being new in town. They watched movies together at her place (her one bedroom apartment still being bigger than Beau's trailer) and they grabbed supper three or four evenings a week. Beau always insisted on paying for her because he knew she was a poor, struggling, soon-to-be student. He constantly refused to let her grab the check. So she’d taken to slipping twenty dollar bills into his jacket pocket, but somehow he always found them and slipped them back into hers.

He texted her pretty much every day to check in and see how she was. And even if she’d been having a morning similar to today’s, his name popping up on her phone always made her smile.

She knew that at some point the little (or large) crush she had on him was going to cause trouble because it wasn’t diminishing. Every day she knew him, he carved his way a little deeper into her heart. She couldn’t help it. He was so kind, so warm. He was such an amazing dad, and she envied the relationship he and Emily had, having never had anything like it with her own father. 

He was like sunshine, a burst of serotonin in cowboy packaging. She knew she was in trouble there.

Beau set down the plate of sandwiches on the table between their chairs and then went in to grab bowls and forks for their salad. When they were both served, they sat munching the yummy food without conversation, just laughing and enjoying the antics of a couple of squirrels arguing over winter hiding places. 

The food, the coffee, and most of all, the man beside her, had gone a long way to making up for her rotten morning. 

When they’d finished eating though, Beau reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze. “Okay, darlin’, lay it on me. It’s not just coffee throwing you off your game this morning. What’s goin’ on?”

Y/N relished the warmth of his big hand covering hers, and her heart raced fast again as he ran his calloused thumb over her knuckles. 

She shrugged in answer. But he pushed on.

“Your sink exploded. And you don’t think your landlord will fix it?”

“Well, he hasn’t fixed my dripping shower, or my broken bedroom window…so I don’t hold out a lot of hope, no.” Y/N said defeatedly. 

Beau nodded. “What else?” 

She stayed quiet at first; she didn’t want to dump all of her problems on him. She didn’t want to be a burden to the only friend she had. But the soft, caring look in his mossy green eyes, told her it was safe to vent. 

Her voice started off quiet, but grew louder as she talked about all that was bothering her. 

“I have no job, my savings are rapidly running out, I start school in a week, and I’m incredibly nervous that I gave up a whole 'life plan' to come do this. What if I suck at it? What if all the animals hate me? What if my parents were right this whole time and I really have just thrown my life away?”

She was quiet for a moment more before ducking her head and finishing in a small voice. “Oh, and my car is squeaking.”

After a minute, Beau let go of her hand to lift her chin with his fingers so she was looking at him again. “Do you want me to try and problem solve, or are you just venting?”

Y/N let out a watery chuckle, tears threatening and making her eyes glassy. “Oh Beau, if you have any solutions, I’m all ears.”

He smiled wide and her belly flip flopped. “K, so I’ll be by tomorrow, it’s my day off. I’ll fix your sink and tub, no problem. I owned a fixer upper in Dallas, learned lots. And I’ll take a look at your bedroom window and see what I can do.”

Y/N was shaking her head. “Beau, that’s…you don’t have to do that. It’s your day off, you must have better things to do.”

But he just shook his head. “Shh, I’m problem solving.”

Y/N laughed lightly.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know crap about cars, but I am friends with Sonny at Lincoln Motors, and he owes me a favor, so he’ll take care of it, and you can just pay for parts.”

Y/N was staring at him, her eyes wide. “Beau.” 

But he just kept going. “You should have told me before that you were looking for work. I thought you weren’t planning on working while you’re going to school, otherwise I would have mentioned it sooner. But we have a part time position available at the station that would be perfect for you. We need weekend care for the four dogs in the canine unit. You’d have to walk 'em, and feed 'em, exercise 'em a bit. Pays pretty decent, but we’re having a hard time filling the position cause it’s only weekends. You’d have to take a course about how to care for 'em, but it’s just one afternoon.” He smiled at her. “I promise to give you a good character reference.”

Y/N just shook her head in amazement. “What…what are you my fairy godfather? You just solved all my problems.” She was stunned. These were issues she’d been worried about and struggling with for quite a while, certainly the issues with her broken apartment and no job. She opened her mouth to him one time, and he just swooped in and saved her.

The thought made her shake her head again, refuting her earlier question. “No, you’re not my fairy godfather.” She beamed at him, but lowered her gaze shyly. “You’re my knight in shining armor.”

Beau got up from his seat and kneeled in front of her, taking hold of her hand again. “No, not a knight, a friend. And Y/N as your friend, I can tell you without hesitation, that you’re gonna do great in school. You’re incredibly smart, and you have a beautiful soul. Animals will love you. You're gonna succeed, I promise you that."

Y/N eyes shone brightly with unshed tears and she impulsively threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. His strong arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close, tight against him. 

She felt the hard wall of his chest pressed warm and solid against her and tried not to moan. She didn't mean to, but without thinking, she buried her fingers in his hair, letting the silky strands slide through her fingers. His beard felt surprisingly soft as their cheeks pressed together. His big hands started caressing her back softly, massaging slightly and Y/N began to notice the way his heart beat fast under his ribs and his breathing  was a bit unsteady. 

Finally, he pulled back from her to catch her eye, and Y/N could see the desire spark in his gaze just seconds before he settled his lips lightly on hers.

The kiss was not demanding. It was soft and curious, tasting. He trailed his mouth over hers, lips gliding smoothly, exerting the slightest pressure. They were hot against hers though, and the silky feel of them made her fingers tighten in his hair. He let out a small hum of satisfaction and then pressed his tongue to her lips.

She sighed her mouth open and was quickly drunk on the taste of him. He was all spice and warmth; he tasted like comfort. Her stomach was full of butterflies that danced low in her belly, and she delighted in the way he moved  his hand to grip the back of her neck and pressed her closer to him, groaning into her mouth and causing her core muscles to clench tightly. 

Beyond her physical response to the way he kissed her though and beyond her pounding excitement for more, her heart was telling her this was where she belonged; in this man’s arms, with no air between them.

When Beau finally pulled back, he rested his forehead on hers, and chuckled softly. “God, I’ve been dreaming of doing that for months - since I first saw you on the other side of that counter." He grinned. "All frazzled and annoyed, cursing under your breath.” 

Y/N’s eyes widened, and she pulled away to look at him. “What do you mean? I’ve been wanting you to kiss me since you smiled at me across that same counter.” She shook her head. “You weren’t interested.”

Beau snorted. “Are you kidding me? You haven’t noticed how I’ve been following you around like a puppy dog? You haven’t seen the way I’ve had to stop myself so many times from pushing you up against something hard and kissing you senseless? I thought you knew and simply weren't interested."

Pleasant images of being manhandled by Beau popped into Y/N's mind and she had to take a moment before she could shake her head at their stupidity, a grin wreathing her face. “And I thought you knew I was drooling over you constantly. I thought I was pretty obvious.”

Beau shook his head, clearly just as amazed. “I had no idea.”

His million dollar smile shone brightly and he sipped at her lips again. He spoke softly against them.

"So, has your day gotten any better?"

Y/N breathed out a laugh and ran her palms over his cheeks, loving the satiny feel of his beard beneath her fingers.

"A little bit." She answered with a teasing smile. "I have just one or two more problems you could help me with though."

"Really? Like what, darlin'?" Beau asked, his voice deep and delicious.

She bit her lip, and let her forefinger slide across his mouth. 

"I'll tell you all about them tomorrow, when you come to my bedroom…to, you know, fix my window."

Beau chuckled a little dirty. "Well, I do love to be helpful."

"Then help a girl out would ya?" Y/N said, pulling his soft yielding lips back to hers with a smile.

1 - Jensen RPF + Any/All characters Jensen plays. @lyarr24 @deans-spinster-witch @impalaslytherin @maggiegirl17 @akshi8278 @candy-coated-misery0731 @deanswaywardgirl @slytherinlyn314 @globetrotter28 @jensensgirl @perpetualabsurdity @tristanrosspada-ackles @djs8891 @muhahaha303 @kayyay1219 @emily-winchester @recoveringpastaaddict @maximumkillshot @mimaria420 @sacriceria @envyaurora95 @lacilou @jc-winchester @spnwoman @mimi-luvzyu

2 - Dean Winchester Fics Only. @carryonwaywardgirl

3 - Any/All Fics (regardless of fandom/character.) @kazsrm67 @sexyvixen7 @alexxavicry @nancymcl @spalady26

4 - Everything (includes fan vid/DOOL edits as well) @unabashed-lover-of-fictional-men @maliburenee @supernatural4life2022 @spn730015 @kickingitwithkirk @waywardbaby @foxyjwls007 @deanwanddamons @deandreamernp @deanwithscissors @myloversgone @snowlovespie @leigh70 @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @charred-angelwings @hopefuldreamers-world @jensensgotyoudean @thoughts-and-funnies @magssteenkamp @princessmisery666 @eevvvaa @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @waynes-multiverse @mrsjenniferwinchester @bernasaurus @jensenslady79 @courtn92 @avanatural @ellie-andthemachine @this-is-me19 @roseblue373 @katbratsupernaturalwhore @fanfic-n-tabulous

#beau arlen #beau arlen fluff #big sky fan fic #beau arlen fan fic #beau x reader #beau x y/n

[princess-of-the-corner]

Glad you liked the submission, as I have more on the Aware of Abuse AU!

I think it would be really interesting to reflect on how this situation would be kind of a drawn out grapple for Marinette. This is in no way salt and I think if it was written she'd both warrant having hear grievances hear, but also could definitely come off as a bit antagonistic, or at least wary.

(Exactly how hostile she defaulted to with Chloe tended to oscillate episode to episode so ya know how it be)

Marinette would have the easiest time getting close with Kagami. She has no history like with Chloe & no baggage, IE friendship with Chloe, like Adrien. Tomoe is not someone Marinette admires and its much easier to see abuse in the physicals side. While she'd struggle to see it more in the verbal or negligence side; or otherwise be able to rationalize the negative behaviors such as over protectiveness.

Meanwhile Adrien would be tied a lot closer to Chloe going into school as she'd be being less overtly antagonistic or vain. Plus, they'd have a much stronger "We need each other to keep from falling back into old patterns and to survive" mentality.

Plus Adrien would be a bit more overtly snarky and less respectful to authority or stuff like Gabriel's fashion shows. He still is very nice and super wants to be liked by everyone all the time, but it'd be a lot easier for her to see the negatives in his behavior.

Chloe meanwhile would probably rankle and outright frustrate her the most. Not just because she'd still be hard to get along with in general, or because she still is not against ignoring rules or disrespecting authority figures. But because...

No clue what your religious views may or may not be, but have you heard those talks of "Catholic guilt" and the idea of needing to suffer, do penance, ETC before one can be redeemed?

Marinette wouldn't strictly think or want that, but there would be a part of her that would sort of... Well resent that Chloe is seemingly just choosing to change and not even necessarily enough.

That is to say, Chloe might still rudely reject Sabrina's cookies out of hand but then instantly walk it back and have some.

But more in that she's suffered no defeat, she's not been taken from her previous luxurious circumstances, she hasn't seemingly lost anything and even more she'd not even be overtly contrite.

That is to say, Chloe wouldn't be doing stuff akin to the Lady Luck AU (Nothing against it, great fic!) where she'd frequently reflect on how much of a 'fuck up' she was. Or or say stuff like, "I know I was a bitch but I am trying to be better". Or feel guilt in the "I can't even be mad they assume the worst of me cos I probably would have done X."

She's just choosing to be different and on some level its deeply unsatisfying and even frustrating.

(Where is the arc, the climax, the catharsis!?)

Especially if some people roll with it or let her get away with it when she starts falling into old habits.

Marinette doesn't want Chloe to suffer or beg forgiveness or hate herself she doesn't. She just doesn't understand why now? Why at all? Why because of her friend? Why because of how she was treated and not how she treated others?

Why couldn't she care enough about hurting Marinette to change!?

That I think would be the lynch-pin and one that is, from Marinette's perspective, as well as others in and out of universe entirely sympathetic, she was hurt after all.

But in that same vain Chloe's an abused child lashing out due to trauma and taught such terrible lessons she sometimes couldn't process that she wasn't doing 'right'.

Marinette's been hurt, and that would need to be properly addressed. But it wouldn't need to happen in a self recriminating manner necessarily.

Not that I don't love those, self hating characters rife with issues are fun to explore. It is just that I think it'd be interesting to explore both, changing as a person, and a "Bad" victim getting help before they actually even start processing over much how others might warrant reoperations.

Does that make sense?

The story "restorative Justice" sort of dips into this from a different middle ground angle and most stuff by Generalluxun often have elements of it too.

Oh yeah no it's.

Marinette doesn't understand why Chloé is Like That™ in the first place, so she can't fathom her wanting to change.

From Mari's perspective, Chloé's life is pretty perfect. She's beautiful, she's rich. She can do whatever she wants whenever she wants and always gets her way through money or influence. She's always bragging about how she's so much better than everyone. Clearly her parents must adore her because they spoil her with gifts and never tell her 'no'. Any 'hardships' are just minor inconveniences that Chloé brought upon herself by being mean.

So why would Chloé choose to change? If it's not broke, don't fix it. Chloé's life is Perfect™, why would she do something to make it different?

It's not that she wants Chloé to suffer, or thinks that she /should/ suffer. She just doesn't understand why someone with a Perfect Life™ would change without going through some kind of suffering that forces introspection.

#aware au

[rainybraindays]

I don't like making posts like this, I don't like opening my blog up for people to come and harrass me but oh my god, why does the fandom allow posts like this to get away unscathed?

You don’t have to like Marina. I'll never claim that. You can like or dislike whoever you want.

But I do wonder, if Marina was played by a white woman would we get nearly as many posts like this? Would everyone be as okay with it? Would we have been so quiet about the fact that Ruby Barker was harrassed for this role? Or would there be way more people defending her? Would she suddenly be sympathetic when now shes not?

Why are we all so okay with taking this character with a nuanced story, put in a horrible situation with almost no options and turning her into a villian?

Like did we watch the same show? Did you miss the bit where she doesn't want to find a husband at all and only starts when she thinks shes been abandoned, which she only believes because she gets a forged letter saying she was? Did you not see Portia slap her? Did you not also watch a man old enough to be her grandfather being forced on her?

Lying to Colin wasn't okay, I'm not defending that, but literally tell me what her options were?

The man she loves is dead, but she doesn't even know that she thinks he abandoned her, so she can't reasonably assume Phillip will take responsibility when his brother won't. The only people Portias interested in introducing to her are those she wouldn't introduce to her own daughters. She can't reasonably think Colin will be open to her as a wife since shes pregnant becausethats not the norm. But Colin is, he says he would have married her even knowing. And Colin also doesn't view Marina as a villian, in season two hes sad yeah, but he’s also guilty because he doesn't think she deserved what happened.

This is a nuanced messy situation but no one wants to look at that.

Like you all make it very clear you view her as a whore, because she did a very normal thing and had sex. You all view her as a manipulative snake of a person, when if she was even the Whistledown article wouldn't have been a stop for her because she would have tried to get out of it. You conveniently forget that she almost killed herself in an attempt to abort her children because of her mistreatment post Whistledown article because that takes away from the idea you've concocted that shes some villainous bitch.

But then you turn around and want Penelope to have sexual knowledge that she realistically wouldn't and canonically doesn’t. You praise her for her Whistledown work even though it keeps hurting people she loves and shes lying about doing it.

This is weird, posting about how you can't wait for a character to die, and how you hope the death is - lets be honest here- humiliating, is a bizarre thing to do.

Its even more bizarre to do that, tag the character, and then also tag two ships that really the post really isn't about.

Like why is Polin tagged? Because they're both mentioned? This isn't a polin moment. You don’t talk about them at all in the meat of the post. Why is Philoise tagged? Because she's an 'obstacle' for them? They haven't even met, they aren't mentioned at all, they have nothing to do with this.

And on top of tagging these things you say "don't try and defend her to me" which why would we you clearly wouldn't listen. You follow that with saying "If you like her you probably suck" and claim to have tagged this as anti marina when you didn't. You put this in her main tag and then added "death to marina".

Theres no respect to your peers in the fandom, and clear disrespect to people who do like this character and are actually willing to engage with the character beyond fanon portrayal. Because thats what this is its not even taking her at face value anymore.

You wonder why people dislike this fandom, specifically the polin side of it, and do things like this. We as a community need to improve because stuff like this isn't uncommon, this is just one of the most blatant I've seen.

I'm going to be entirely honest if you follow quotegirl19, or don't see the issues with Marinas portrayal and treatment by the fandom this is not the blog for you.

#rainy talks #yeah I bit the bullet but i feel abit better #bridgerton #marina thompson #colin bridgerton #Penelope Featherington #I'm only tagging them because they're metioned rather prominently (which is how you actually use tags) #polin #for the same reason as stated above #I'm not tagging philoise though I don't think its important enough #marinas treatment in this fandom reeks of racism and misogyny

[arcsimper5]

Episode 5 - Rants!

Okay, so, first off WHAT AN AMAZING EPISODE!

Putting spoilers below the cut just in case, and this is gonna be way out of order, but my brain is still firing on all cylinders lol.

So first off - Echo!

Our baby is back! And he is taking no shit which is just perfect. His reaction to Crosshair is interesting though. I imagine, with him having been with the 501st and around Jedi, he may well have heard 'the stories' about Jedi falling to the Dark Side and being welcomed back. He's also probably heard about Slick from Rex, and seeing other clones turn on the empire despite being loyal, he is likely more sympathetic towards Crosshair than the others.

The 'What, no hug for me?' did have me cackling though. Such snark, such sass. Cross and Echo are underrated as friends, honestly.

Omega on Pabu. That opening was so lovely, her cuddled up with Lula and being so happy! And I LOVE how when she leaves to find Crosshair, Wrecker and Hunter have an entire conversation just through facial expressions. They've been through so much together, they can read each other better than ever, and it's wonderful.

Crosshair and AZ! I love how much that little droid wants to help. Crosshair's line about Lyanna and Shep's ability to find him being 'uncanny' also made me smile. Shep is just a homing missile of care, and of course his daughter is going to be the same!

Him explaining sniping to Omega as well, her just being a sponge of information must remind him of Tech at least a little. Then Wrecker and Hunter peeking over the rocks. Sorry, had to laugh!

Wrecker telling Hunter that if Omega trusts Crosshair, that's enough for him. YES! He's not letting things go, but he's giving it a chance, unlike Mr Face Tattoo Grumpy Pants.

ANOTHER WHISTLE!!!!

Echo hug, and that is just wonderful. Not long enough, but hey, Echo's always been straight down to business.

Batcher's relationship with the moon-yos is also beautiful, them asleep on her by the table is just lovely!

The dining table scene, Tech mention, heartbreaking, but it shows there is still a void there. They're all aware, and all working to fill it, but it's still gaping and raw.

As soon as Crosshair said he knew an outpost, I was like, NO, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO BARTON IV *crying*

Then Wrecker giving him back the armour and the way Crosshair's eyes WIDEN when he sees it. Just UUUUUGH!

The 'little brother' moment and the chuckle made my heart SING. These two are just peak sibling and I AM HERE FOR IT!

And man, did I ever want them to turn up and Mayday be there, alive and having survived thanks to Crosshair and telling them all what he did and how amazing he was.

Sadly no :(

But Mayday's helmet, and Crosshair making a memorial to him with the rest of his squad beside him as well, it shows real growth, and THE MUSIC! Ooof!

Hunter being all side-eye-y by the door, what a dramatic bitch lol

Echo and Omega work so well together, and the tension between Crosshair and Hunter is ridiculous. Just fight already! And make it a good one!

So close, but Mama Echo stopped it lol

The entire scene with the wyrm was wonderful, from the beginning argument (I could write an entire novel on how much I love Crosshair calling Hunter out on his BS in a way no-one else does) and Hunter being an angry boi.

But the innate trust that comes out as soon as Hunter falls in that hole.

Also... 'HUNTER!!!!!' :')

The nods at the end, then loading onto the ship. I REALLY wanted Crosshair to tell Hunter about Mayday, that he shot the officer for a Reg, because they refused to help him. I wanted him to tell him how he was tortured, how he kept them safe.

I only hope Echo goes through the medical records and finds what they did to Crosshair, shows it to Hunter and they finally get a bit more understanding.

Overall, it was AMAZING!

My only gripe is with the perimeter - Hunter has enhanced senses but it seems like they write him like he can turn them on and off lol. If it's high pitched enough to keep the wyrm away AND bother Batcher, he's sure as hell going to be hearing it, helmet or not! And it wouldn't be pleasant!

But no, he has to look through his helmet to pick it up? Yeah, I call BS on that :P

But considering that is the only complaint I really have, 9.9/10!

#the bad batch #tbb s3 #tbb #tbb s3 spoilers #tbb spoilers #bad batch spoilers #The Return #sw tbb #bad batch #The Bad Batch

[fandomxpreferences]

The Invisible Woman Chapter Four: Now Your Pain Is Mine

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Jake Seresin x female!reader

TW: ANGST, mentions of death

Summary: You disappear and Jake is distraught.

Word Count:3k

You and Jake texted non-stop over the next week, trying to work out plans for a second date. Work has been busy for both of you, and he hasn’t seen you since that night. Then all of a sudden, your texts stop coming and his stop delivering. 

He hasn't heard from you in three weeks, and to say he's been miserable is an understatement. Phoenix and Bradley are on the verge of ripping their hair out as Jake sits across from them at the Hard Deck moping. 

"I just don't understand. The date went so well and we were trying to set up another one. Why would she just ghost me all of a sudden?" He whines and Bradley's eye twitches. It has been a nonstop pity party for almost a month and he's at his wit's end. 

"I don't know, man. It's not like you were married." He says, trying to remain sympathetic to his teammate's situation. 

"I know, but still." He pouts and Phoenix looks over at Bradley. 

"If she shows back up I swear to God I'm kicking her ass." She mutters and Bradley doesn't even laugh. At this point, he almost hopes she's serious. 

Just as Jake is about to start bitching again, the bell on the door jingles, and Phoenix looks up to see who it is. Her eyes widen in shock and she scoffs. 

"Speak of the devil."

It takes Jake a second to register her words, but once he does his head whips around so fast that his neck cracks. Sure enough, there you are looking like an angel. In an instant, the pit in his stomach is gone and Jake's heart soars. 

He knows he should probably take a hint, and maybe even be mad. But as he stares at your face from across the room, he can't help but be happy. Your eyes scan the crowd and his breathing hitches when they meet his. 

You start toward him and his body reacts on its own accord. His breathing speeds up just slightly and his heart hammers in his chest. You stop in front of him and smile faintly before giving the other two pilots a small wave. 

Your throat constricts when you see the look on their faces. They're definitely not happy to see you. Jake is still processing that you're actually here when he hears Phoneix's venom-laced voice. 

"Where the hell have you been?" She spits and you swallow thickly. Jake whips to the side to glare at her and he feels a protective instinct wash over him. 

"Don't speak to her like that." He bites and you place a gentle arm on his hand. 

"It's okay, Jake. They have every right to be pissed." You reason and Bradley crosses his arms with a scoff. 

"Yeah, no shit. This dude has been an insufferable sad sack of shit for the past three weeks. Do you know how close I was to sticking ice picks in my ears just so I wouldn't have to listen to him anymore?" He frowns and hurt shoots through you at the thought that Jake has been so upset. 

"Can I join you? Maybe explain over some beers? I'll buy." You offer. 

Jake scoots over immediately but you don't move to sit down, gaze darting between Phoenix and Bradley. She eyes you warily before nodding, and you take a seat. 

They all look at you expectantly and you sigh, unsure where to begin. Four beers are set on the table and you chug yours, dreading this conversation. They all look at you with raised eyebrows and you set the bottle back down. 

"First of all, I know how this looks. I just disappear for weeks without any explanation and then show back up unannounced." You start and Bradley purses his lips, clearly agreeing that it's suspicious. 

You glance over at Jake and your heart clenches when you see that he doesn't have any hint of animosity toward you. He deserves better than this, yet here he is still completely taken by you.

"The weekend after our date, I was told that I was being sent on a mission. They told me at work on Friday and I was on a plane by five am on Saturday." You explain, and you can tell that Phoenix doesn't entirely buy it. 

"It takes more than a day to get ready for a deployment. There are briefings and training involved." She argues and you nod your head. 

"Usually, yes. But the SEALs operate differently. Ideally, we know ahead of time. Sometimes though, it's the last second and we don't have time to prepare. They brief us on the way there and by the time we land, we're geared up and ready to go." You elaborate and she squints. 

"You couldn't have called?" She presses and you shake your head. Jake looks irritated at his friend's interrogation, but you don't mind. She's being protective, and she has every right to be. 

"I can't divulge any information. Like I told Jake that first night, nothing we do is officially on record. Even if I knew ahead of time, I can't tell anybody when I'm leaving, where I'm going, or when I'll be back. That is if I even know. The best I can do is a general timeline, and even that's pushing it." 

You turn to Jake and give him a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you that it was a possibility, but I wasn't expecting a deployment anytime soon. Usually, they give us time to settle into our new assignments." 

He searches your eyes for any sign that you're lying, but finds nothing but raw honesty and despair. 

"Listen, it sucks, sure. However, like we said on the date, the job comes first. For both of us. I can't really be upset when there's a possibility I could have to do the same thing." He assures you and a warm smile covers your features. 

You look back over and Bradley stares at you for a few seconds before his lips quirk up. 

"Come on." He says while standing up. "The rest of the squad missed you." 

You follow him gratefully, hand in hand with Jake, and greet Bob and Coyote. The night is like every other, the pilots are all laughing and drinking while they make bets on games.

You sit in the corner observing, a distracted look in your eyes. Jake frowns as he watches you, concern washing over him. You haven't said a word since your initial conversation and it strikes him as odd. Usually, you're the life of the party, and something seems off. 

He takes a second to really take you in, and that's when he notices it. He frowns deeply when he realizes you look tired. He understands better than anybody being worn out after a deployment, even a short one. 

Between working long hours and jet lag, it takes a toll. But you don't just look tired, you look troubled. There are bags under your eyes that you clearly tried to conceal and your mouth is set in a hard line. He notices you wringing your hands together repeatedly and your knee bounces wildly. 

Something is wrong. 

He forfeits his game, ignoring the protests, and walks over to you. You look startled to see him and immediately plaster on a fake smile. That's strike three. You're always hyperaware of your surroundings, so much so that you clocked him with your back turned twice.

He nods his head toward the door and tries not to look too worried. 

"You wanna step out for some fresh air?" He asks and you hesitate before agreeing. You follow him silently as he leads the way, and relax a little when the sea breeze hits your face. 

He takes a seat on the deck and pats the spot next to him. You sit down wordlessly and watch the waves kiss the shore. You can feel him staring at the side of your face, but don't acknowledge it hoping maybe he really just needed a break from the noise. 

Just as you think you got lucky, he speaks up. 

"What's going on?" He asks gently and you look at him out of the corner of your eye.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine." You try, but even you don't believe the lie as your voice cracks. 

"Don't bullshit me. You haven't said a word, you've damn near chewed off your entire bottom lip, and you let me get the drop on you. Talk to me." He insists and you look up at the sky. 

"This mission…" You begin, trying to keep the tears at bay. "It was a reality check." 

Jake tries not to get frustrated at your vague answer and takes a deep breath. 

"What does that mean?" 

You shake your head slowly as a tear slips down your face and Jake realizes just how serious this must be. He immediately hates seeing you cry, and his heart sinks when he thinks about everything that could have you so upset. 

It's easy to talk about your job and how cool it is in a bar. But at the end of the day, what you do is extremely dangerous and you could easily be killed. The sudden realization weighs heavy on him, dread nearly suffocating him. 

"I can't give you details but," you begin and the tears start flowing hot and heavy. "It was the closest call I've ever had." 

Jake closes his eyes when the words hit him, his fear being confirmed. You look over at him finally and his heart shatters at the pain on your face. 

The badass woman he's so infatuated with is nowhere to be found. His stomach twists when he recognizes the look in your eyes as fear, and he reaches up to wipe your cheeks. 

Suddenly he understands why all those women he's dated decided they couldn't do it. If they felt even a fraction of what he's experiencing right now, he should send them all flowers. 

He's never been on the other side of things, the one being put in the position of watching someone they care about walk away at a moment's notice. 

His mind is racing a million miles an hour with thoughts of what being with you really means. It's being in the dark, and not knowing when you're leaving or if you're coming back. It's dreading a phone call and risking having his world ripped to shreds. 

It's this, right now, watching you fall apart and trying to put the pieces back together. Still, despite all of that, he wants you more than anything. He can see the storm brewing behind your eyes and wishes he could make it stop. 

But like he said, he understands more than a civilian ever could. He's had close calls, and he knows how much they rattle you and strike fear into your heart. You watch him intently, trying to decipher what he's thinking. 

"I understand if you can't do this. It's a lot to ask of somebody, even if you've been through it yourself. If you want to quit while you're ahead, no harm no foul." You sniffle and he looks at you with such adoration that a fresh round of tears starts. 

"I know the risks, and I'm willing to take them. If you'll let me. I know that there have probably been people in the past who have made you feel like you're not worth the trouble, but I would walk over glass barefoot for you. If you want me to stay, then I'm right here." He whispers and your lip trembles. 

You nod your head and he pulls you into his side, smoothing down your hair while kissing your temple. 

"Is there anything else you can tell me? Speaking from personal experience, talking about it helps." 

You swallow several times, trying to clear the lump in your throat so you can speak. 

"It's just, for the first time in my career I got scared. When you're so good at your job, it's easy to start thinking you're indestructible. That nothing can go wrong, because nothing ever has before." You explain and Jake nods. He understands that. He understands that completely.

He remains silent, letting you take your time and decide when to continue. 

"I missed." You whisper and he tenses slightly. "I missed and it almost cost us the entire mission. It almost got me and my team killed. That's never happened before." 

Jake takes a moment to consider his response, knowing just how delicate this situation is. 

"You're the very best in the world at what you do." He begins and you hiccup. "But you're still human, Y/N. Mistakes happen." 

You pull away and shake your head. He can tell you're angry. Not at him, but at yourself and it breaks his heart. 

"No. Mistakes don't happen. Not in this line of work, not because of me." You snap and Jake just takes it. He knows this isn't about him. 

There's so much pressure riding on your back, and despite your calm, cool, collected demeanor, he knows you have a breaking point. 

He's been where you are, and he knows the best way to stop the spiraling is to distract you. 

"Did I tell you how I got the callsign Hangman?" He asks. He knows he didn't, but that doesn't matter. 

Your features soften slightly and you shake your head. 

"When I was doing a training mission early in my career, I left my wingman because I thought I knew better. He ended up getting caught in my jet wash and almost died." He explains and you stare at him with wide eyes. 

"People started saying not to trust me because I'll lead you to the gallows, and they started calling me executioner. It was too long and harsh, so the Navy denied it. Then one day someone called me Hangman, and it stuck." He confides and you blink at him slowly. 

"My entire reputation and name are based around one fuck up I made when I was 24 years old. It didn't matter how much I tried to redeem myself, the damage was done. Eventually, I leaned into it. Figured if people are going to say something, it might as well be true." He shrugs and you lean your head on him again. 

The crying has stopped and even though he just told you his darkest secret, all he cares about is the fact he was able to calm you down. 

"That's terrible." You mutter and he kisses the top of your head. 

"Nobody really knows how it originally started now, so it's not that bad. Now instead of a murderous asshole, I'm just known as a selfish asshole." He says and his entire body ignites when you let out a genuine laugh. 

"My point is making a mistake, no matter how bad, doesn't make you bad at what you do. We have jobs where perfection is expected and that makes it easy to believe that you're a failure when you drop the ball. But you're not, I promise." He states and you lean further into him. 

"Thank you." You tell him, and your voice is so quiet he barely hears you. 

"Anytime. I've got plenty of stories to make you feel better about yourself at my expense." He teases, hands reaching down to pinch your sides playfully. 

You squeal and jolt back with a loud laugh, trying to avoid him as he attempts to tickle you. 

"There she is." He smiles and your stomach erupts in butterflies. The tears have washed away your makeup and Jake gets a good look at just how exhausted you are. 

"How long have you been back?" He asks, and you avert your gaze. 

"A week." You answer sheepishly and he turns your head to look at him. 

"When's the last time you slept?" He pries and he can see you're about to lie. "The truth."

You visibly deflate and run a hand through your hair. "I've been getting an hour or two here and there. But a full night? Not since before the mission."

His eyes go wide at the revelation. "That was three weeks ago." He frowns and you nod solemnly. 

"Nightmares?" He questions, already certain he knows the answer. 

"It just keeps playing in my head every time I close my eyes. What I could've done differently, how it could have ended. It feels like I'm right back there and the terror I felt is so vivid."

He studies you as you talk and decides to take a chance. "I don't want to overstep, so feel free to tell me to fuck off." He starts and your eyebrows shoot up. "What if I came and stayed the night? Do you think that would help?" 

You consider the idea for a few moments before shrugging. "It might. You'd do that? What if my nightmares wake you up?" You implore and he gives you a comforting smile. 

"Then I'll stay up and try to help until you fall back asleep." He responds casually and you think you might just be in love with him. 

"I can see you already feeling guilty, Oz. Don't, it's not a problem." He assures you and finally you relent. 

"Okay, it's worth a shot." The smile that lights up his face is contagious and he shoots his feet. 

"Come on then, you look like you got in a fight with Mayweather." He jokes, hand sticking out to help you up. 

"That's so sweet of you." You say sarcastically, rolling your eyes. Jake lets out a loud laugh and laces his fingers through yours. 

"Let's go, Princess of Darkness."

@drakelover78  @manyfandomsfanvergent @ssprayberrythings @disturbedbeautywrites @desert-fern @one-sweet-gubler @callmemana  @luckyladycreator2 @bookchik26 @taytaylala12 @michalkasimp @xoxabs88xox @loveless-simp @withakindheartx @formulapierre @ccristata @shanimallina87 @k-k0129 @izz-ayes-world  @kajjaka @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @phantomxoxo @rosiahills22 @gspenc @chair-things @benhardysdrumstick @cookielovesbook-akie @dempy @wellshit6 @zbeez-outlet @sopheeg @callsign-milano @gizmodear

#jake seresin #top gun maverick #top gun imagine #hangman top gun #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin top gun #jake seresin angst #hangman angst #jake seresin series #jake seresin x reader

[multimilfs]

Melissa Schemmenti x Fem!Reader: No Kiss For Cupid

Summary: Melissa Schemmenti + 15 - “Hi, I’ve been subtle at hinting that I want your attention all day and you haven’t noticed once and now I’m pissed.”

AO3

A/N: This request was from back when I did the grumpy affectionate prompts. I totally forgot about this one, I'm so sorry!! But I'm making it right, now! I hope you enjoy!

Prompt comes from this!

Tag List: @escapetodreamworld @multifandomfix @ghostsunderstoodmysoul @merci-bitch @carolncwman

Warning(s): None

“Janine,” You whisper, “This is an awful idea.” 

“There’s nothing awful about love!” Janine whispers back. 

You don’t know how she roped you into this, honestly. One minute you’re both discussing your plans—or lack thereof—for Valentine’s day and the next, well, you’re here; sneaking through Abbott’s halls at 3am, arms full of pink and red decorations to play Valentine’s fairy. 

Cupid! Janine had said tersely when you called yourself that, but Cupid was the last thing you were going to play. You had no interest in shooting someone, even if it was with an arrow of love or whatever. It doesn’t matter what it is, a weapon is a weapon, and you work in a public school—the two don’t mix. 

“Someone is going to catch us and we’re probably going to get in trouble for being here.” You say.

“Yeah, right. Who else would be here this early?” 

A third voice says behind you both, “Someone who knows how to whisper.” 

Janine shrieks and drops her box of decorations. You drop yours too, but not before grabbing something to defend yourself with; a styrofoam arrow with a heart on the end, much to your dismay. 

Turning on your heel and brandishing your styrofoam weapon brings you face-to-face with Mr. Johnson. He’s looking pleased with himself, hands folded behind his back. 

You groan, “Mr. Johnson, for real? You could have killed me.” 

“Less mess than whatever you’re planning.” He shrugs. 

“These are decorations, not trash.” Janine pipes up. 

“Looks like trash to me.” 

Janine looks to you for help, but you just shrug. He isn’t exactly wrong. Janine managed to recycle her decorations from last year, including the dusty crepe paper she had hanging from the ceiling for a little too long. It should be trash. 

She throws her hands up and then crosses her arms. You smile sympathetically. Janine is your friend, and you admire her ability to get the most out of everything, but the early hour has affected your patience. 

“I just want to do something nice for everyone.” She says. 

You sigh, “I know, I’m sorry.” 

Even Mr. Johnson looks a little apologetic. 

“We’ll try not to make too much of a mess, Mr. J,” You smile, “Promise.” 

He shakes his head and walks off, grumbling about how there will be a mess anyway. It speaks volumes that he’s letting it happen. You won’t let yourself take it for granted. 

You nudge Janine, “Come on, we’re wasting time.”

The both of you pick up your boxes and head in the direction of her classroom. There’s a little more pep in her step now, making you release a relieved sigh. 

—

You haven’t exactly been honest with Janine. 

You do have plans for Valentine’s day, but she had seemed so in the dumps when asking that you hadn’t wanted to upset her more. It’s how she roped you into the decorations; she didn’t want anyone else to feel left behind in all of the festivities. Janine was so kind it could make you tear up. 

But the week before you asked a certain redhead to be your Valentine. It wasn’t often Melissa Schemmenti got shy, but at dinner you surprised her with flowers and a cheesy one-liner, and you bagged yourself the most beautiful Valentine Philadelphia had to offer. 

Now, though, running on significantly less sleep than you wanted, you’re wondering if you should have just told Janine the truth. 

Pouring yourself an extra large mug of the burnt teachers-lounge coffee helps. It warms you up from the inside, you only hope the caffeine will kick in before your class. Sometimes your students are tired enough to fall asleep at their desks, one of you needs to be awake and alert. 

You turn and lean against the counter when Melissa walks in. 

Behind your mug, you offer up a smile reserved only for her. She returns it before letting her face drop when a few other teachers walk in. Barbara is one of them. She sits down in her usual chair looking so perfectly put-together it almost makes you envious. 

When Melissa brushes against you to grab some coffee, though, it’s all forgotten. You prop one hand on the counter next to her own, wiggling your fingers; a silent request for Melissa to hold your hand for just a moment. She must be really tired though because it never comes. 

You hide your scowl when she turns and plops down next to Barbara in comfortable silence. 

— 

“Hey, don’t you have lunch duty today?” You ask, tilting your head at finding her in her classroom. 

She puts a finger to her lips and motions silently to her rug, where a couple of her students are either napping or reading silently. You offer a small wave to the ones who look up. You crouch next to Melissa where she sits at her desk.

Melissa’s voice is soft, “Traded with Barb. I’m a little out of it today.” 

“Everything alright?” 

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just had my sleep interrupted when someone texted me at 4am.” 

You wince, “I did tell you to put your phone on silent…” 

“What were you even doing up that early?” She raises her brows. 

“Janine and I were coming in to put the decorations up.” 

Melissa nods, but looks a little confused. Between working so much and your conversation with Janine, you must have forgotten to fill her in. Oops. 

Careful to make sure the action is blocked by her desk, you put your hand on her knee. She doesn’t blink or acknowledge the action. You frown. Your text message must have really messed with her sleep. Guilt floods you. 

“I’ll explain later,” You promise, “Tonight, maybe?” 

She smiles in her fond way, “Tonight.” 

You stand up and try to ignore the pain in your knees. Offering her a wink and her students a smile, you walk—limp—back to your classroom. 

—

It’s your class’ turn for gym class when you pass by Melissa in the hall. She’s bringing her class back, walking in the opposite direction as you. The kids are out of breath, practically bouncing in their single-file line. Once upon a time you would have expected the kids to come back from gym tired; that was before you knew better. 

Melissa is joking around with Mya and one of her other students when she catches sight of you. You wink and she grins, nodding in your direction. 

You fold your fingers into your palm as you approach, with the exception of your pinky. It’s something you pulled from Bridgerton when you forced Melissa to watch it with you; her compliance with it is begrudging, as she refuses to let you pick shows to watch anymore. But it comes in handy to show a little affection without alerting anyone else. 

You pass, pinky out, but her’s never makes contact. 

It takes all your willpower not to stop in your tracks. Somehow, Melissa has managed to miss every indication of wanting touch you’ve shown. She’s usually just as eager to return it. 

Before you can think on it too hard, you’re rounding the corner to the gym, just barely stopping your students from breaking their line and rushing inside. 

—

Knock, knock, knock 

At the third knock, you glance up. Melissa walks in and closes the door behind her. She’s bundled up in her coat and green scarf, bag slung over her shoulder. 

“Hi.” You smile 

“Hey yourself, hon. You almost ready?” 

“Almost…” 

Melissa raises a brow. 

“I've been subtle at hinting that I want your attention all day and you haven’t noticed once,” You say, leaning back and crossing your arms. Jokingly, you add, “and now I’m pissed.” 

“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Melissa says. 

Her smile is downright evil. It’s the one she reserves for home, when she’s intent on getting you worked up, or worse, when she can tell you’re already worked up. 

The reaction in your body is immediate. You shift a little in your desk chair, licking your lips as she approaches, but she doesn’t do anything to invade your space. She stays standing tall. It’s almost more delicious in the way she looks down at you. 

“You just have to use your words, honey.” 

You swallow. Your mouth is suddenly dry. 

“Melissa…” You start. She waits, “Please, kiss me?” 

She does lean into your space this time. Her perfume fills your head, but you can’t look away from her lips. Somehow her lipstick has stayed in place all day long. You want nothing more than to smudge it, to wear it yourself. 

Melissa leans closer. There’s a breath between you when your eyes flutter shut. 

You’re stunned when she kisses your cheek instead. 

“Time to go.” 

Melissa’s grinning over her shoulder when you open your eyes, opening the door and disappearing through it. It takes you a few moments before your brain catches up. When it does, you hastily throw everything in your bag, and run after her.

#melissa schemmenti #melissa schemmenti x reader #abbott elementary #abbott elementary x reader #melissa schemmenti imagine #abbott elementary imagine #wlw #wlw imagine #feb2023 #multimilfswritings

[yumimak]

Anomaly- Chapter 5

Hi friends! I don't want to keep you from reading this chapter any longer than I already have by typing a big message up here, but please make sure you read the author's note at the end.

I hope the chapter is the worth the wait!! Enjoy :)

- - -

Y/n

I’m fucked.

Everything was going so fucking well and some how, some way, I ended up just as fucked as I was when I was back with the RDA.

“Fuck,” I grunt as I rest my back against the door of my room, the satisfying click it makes signifying that I was finally alone. I bury my face into my hands. Being alone finally lets all my emotions from the past few hours resurface. Like a surging rush of emotions that come all too fast, consuming every part of me until all I can do is cry.

It’s not a small cry like the one back in the clearing, no. It's a deep sob that escapes the back of my throat eliciting a painful sound I’d never imagine myself producing. I muffle the sound with my hand despite the way that my sobbing makes me shake and heave for a breath I couldn’t quite catch.

My crying releases me of the last bit of energy I had stored in my body. My back slides against the smooth metal door until my butt hits the ground. I pull my knees to my chest, holding myself until I’m so drained of tears that all I can do is heave shortened breaths.

It’s only then that I will myself off of the ground and to my bathroom. My actions all feel foreign as I take off my hair pieces and jewelry, as I shower and carefully wash my hair, as I dry off and pull on a baggy t-shirt and sweats. 

It’s like my expression of sadness has left me truly numb and empty. Well, until I turn off the main light of my room and I finally get to lay on my bed, encapsulating myself in my blanket. It’s then that the dark warmth of my sad blanket cocoon brings on another wave of sadness.

As my warm tears glide down my cheeks and unto my mattress I realize that this would be one of those nights of crying alone in my bed until the pain of exhaustion overrides the pain of sadness and I finally fall asleep. I’d experienced many nights like this back at the RDA, this past week led me to believe I’d left them back there.

I guess I was too quick to assume.

I continue to shed my seemingly endless amount of tears as I continuously think about everything that's happened today. The attack, the accusations, Jake’s words, and the painful trip to Mo’at simply topping it off.

Suddenly my cry sesh is interrupted when someone barrels through my door, “Bitch, you won’t believe what Lo’ak told me-” It’s Noah. “Y/n? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I mumble in my best attempt to sound normal.

“Yeah and I’m going to be the next Olo’eyktan,” he jokes, his voice approaching after he closes the door. “I know you better than you know yourself so don’t bother lying. I know a ‘sad blanket cocoon’ when I see one.”

I groan in annoyance as I pull the blanket down, the lamp beside my bed provides just enough light for Noah to see my battered face and teary eyes. His face portrays a weird mix of anger and sadness, “Oh, God. Who the hell- who did this to you?” he asks, his voice rough.

I shake my head, “It doesn’t matter.” I didn’t need for him to go out causing trouble for himself on behalf of the trouble I had just been put into. 

His anger forcibly leaves his face. He is left with that sad sympathetic look alone, his ears low and his lips turned into a frown. “Well, what happened?”

I somehow can’t figure out how to tell him. Too many thoughts mixing making me unable to find a starting point. In my inability to speak I feel my bottom lip poke out, more tears following it. Noah lets out a sigh, “Scoot over, crybaby.”

I oblige, scooting over in bed to allow room for my brother who took up way too much space in these human beds. Norm and Max hand put two of the mattresses against each other making it long enough for us to fit our legs but they still weren't that wide.

When he’s comfortably fit under the covers he pulls me into an embrace that I had not realized I needed. It’s strong and loving and makes me feel as though despite all odds, things might somehow end up okay. It isn’t until my tears have slowed once more and my breath is almost normal that Noah speaks again. “Try to start from the beginning. I know it had to have started with getting that sample from Norm so start there. What exactly started all of this?”

The attack.

My brain instantly clears recognizing the catalyst to the shitstorm I’d just experienced. That’s where I start in my long explanation of everything. Speaking about it clarifies the situation in my head enough for me to truly process it and all that it could mean. It leaves a pit in my lower stomach that I decide to ignore for the time being.

Like the amazing brother he is, Noah doesn’t interject. He doesn’t give an opinion or his advice because he understands that right now I just need to get it all out of my system, put it in the air and recognize the weight it puts in the atmosphere and allow it to linger until I eventually adapt.

There’s a moment of silence when I’m done speaking. A moment where we both rest in the weight of our surroundings. “Is- is there anything I could do?” Noah asks. “To help?”

I shake my head, almost breaking a smile at the kind gesture, “No, no, it’s okay. I will figure it out but until then I want you to keep going to training and giving your all. I don’t want whatever decision Jake makes to affect you too.”

He rolls his eyes at me, “If anything changes for you, it’s changing for me too. I wouldn’t abandon you like that.”

“I don’t think it’s considered ‘abandoning’ if I am the one telling you to do what’s safer for you.”

He scoffs out a laugh, “We really don’t have to get into the technicalities of this. If you go, or are not allowed in the clan, then so will I. There’s no talking me out of it.

“You are so aggravating,” I say finally letting out a small laugh.

He smiles at the gesture. “Says the one who thinks I am going to abandon her for a clan of people who don’t even like me. You will always be my priority, Y/n.”

His words burn as they enter my system. So genuine and meaningful, reminding me that through every bad thing I’d been through in my life, he was there. And as long as he had something to say it seemed it would always be this way. “I love you,” I mumble.

“I love you too. Now that’s enough of being sad. You will get better, I will keep going to training and everything will work itself out, okay?”

I nod, “Okay, except, please don’t talk to anyone about anything. Neteyam already knows but I’d rather not keep bringing it up. If anyone asks-”

“You are here healing and that’s all that matters,” he finishes for me, knowing I had not wanted any aspect of today venturing into a far bigger deal than it already was.

If that was even possible.

“Now enough of this conversation. I’m staying in here tonight and I think we should watch Gumball.”

I can’t fight the smile that freely smudges itself across my face, “I think we should too.” Noah reaches for my laptop on my nightstand. Opening it and pulling up the last file of the show I had watched last night.

Tv shows.

One of the very few miraculous things that humans had created. Growing up in the RDA, Noah and I had been very aware of videos. They were a way to capture a moment that you could replay but essentially, when you broke it down, it was just a bunch of pictures called ‘frames.’

I thought ‘videos’ were boring and I dreaded them. I had always associated them with a new training or a new order. But when I was fourteen and began getting closer to Norm, almost always looking forward to when I could sneak and speak with him, he somehow changed my feelings on videos.

Not only did he share the endless and breath-taking data he had on Pandora, which I found myself looking at almost every spare moment he could, but he also shared these different types of videos called ‘shows and movies.’

He told me they were videos that told stories. A lot of the scientists brought or got these video stories, or films as Max would say, to keep them entertained. Norm thought it was unfair for us to not have entertainment as well.  

He sent the films over one night, loads and loads of files that I stored onto a flash drive and uploaded to the laptop the RDA entrusted me with for research. Noah and I spent every night together watching as many of the films as we could until exhaustion got a hold of us.

Some of them were funny, some of them were sad. But our absolute favorite was actually a show Norm had downloaded for himself. It was a ‘cartoon’ called ‘The Amazing World of Gumball.’ Each of the videos tell a story of Gumball, a blue cat, and his life with his brother Darwin, who is a talking fish.

The storylines were so unbelievable and so impossible yet Noah and I became obsessed with them and since then continue to watch the show. When we were planning to escape we were scared that we would not be able to bring my laptop with all our favorite videos shared.

Since the RDA gave me the device I feared they would be able to track me with it. In the end though I realized how easy it was to deep dive into the internetworkings of a computer and simply disconnect any trace of the RDA. We knew Norm would have the recordings but something about this laptop, our Gumball laptop, made it too important to simply leave behind.

Said laptop is placed between Noah and I as the episode starts, the nostalgic opening sound heightening my mood as I drop my head to lean on Noah’s shoulder. “Wait,” I say, remembering something. “What did Lo’ak tell you?”

“Huh?” he mumbles, looking from the screen to me.

“When you came in here you said that Lo’ said something to you..”

“Oh yeah,” he says, letting out a laugh. “Apparently Spider is into you.” “What?”

“Mhmm,” he hums yet continues to laugh. “Lo’ak thinks it’s because you are the first girl who somewhat resembles his race.”

“Gross, Spider?” I groan.

“Hey, he’s not that bad. You know you love that blue paint and white boy dreads.”

I slap Noah’s arm for saying such mean words about our friend but it doesn’t keep me from belting out a laugh of my own, “You are unbearably stupid, Noah.”

- - -

Neteyam

Practice with Noah was great today, but I am confused.

Just yesterday his twin went through so many things but he seemed so unconcerned. At first I assumed she had not told him in embarrassment or shame, but when I asked how she was doing he seemed to know that she was injured.

Did she lie about what happened to make her injured? 

Or is she actually okay now and they aren’t concerned? 

Or, worse, what is she is distraught about it and doesn’t want anyone to know?

Oh Eywa, what if she was so distraught but didn’t even tell her brother and now she’s just sulking all alone in her room?!

“What’s on your mind, son?” 

“Hm?” I hum, looking over to my father. We were walking back from a late night hunt, the rest of the group split into the directions of their homes.

“You've been distracted today, in your own little world.”

“Yeah,” I agree, stopping.

He does the same, facing me, “What is it?” “Nothing, it's just- What you said yesterday.. Are you really rethinking your decisions about Y/n?”

“I- I don’t know. I have to protect the people, son. You know that.”

“Yes but I also know that Y/n would never do anything like that.”

“You may believe that but there was proof of her hurting them and none of them cutting her. The odds are not in her favor and if it comes down to new people versus old, I am obligated to believe Kumo.”

“What if I could prove that it wasn’t her fault? That she belongs here and Kumo is just a skxawng trying to keep her from our clan?”

There is a beat of pause, “Why do you care so much?” 

He’s assuming things, I can tell by the narrow of his eyes.

“Because,” I sigh. “I know them and I know that this is not something either of them would do, especially Y/n. I care so much because I am sick of Kumo getting away with getting people in trouble. He used to do it with Lo’ak and now he’s trying it with Y/n and I refuse to let it happen if there is anything I can do to stop it.”

My dad almost smiles at my words, not a humorous one but one of pride, “Fine. You have until she is better to bring me some type of proof that justifies her innocence. I trust your word I just- I can’t pick them over our people.” I have to physically keep myself from grinning, nodding instead, “Yes, yes I understand. Thank you, dad.”

He smiles, roughly patting my shoulder as a ‘you’re welcome’ before we move again heading back home. For the rest of the night though my brain churns, through dinner and keeping me up through the night.

Millions of thoughts all pertaining to one subject… proving Y/n’s innocence.

- - -

Y/n

One week.

Seven days.

168 hours.

10,080 minutes.

604,800 seconds.

More specifically; six days, 13 hours, 24 minutes, and about 35 seconds.

That’s how long I've been in my room.

My only visitor has been my brother, checking in on me or, on one occasion, bringing me ointment from Mo’at. A couple times he’d watch Gumball with me after his training but never for long because he’d be very tired from training.

I told him he didn’t have to worry about staying with me because I understand him being tired so, aside from his little check in’s, it’s just been me. In all honesty the free time was nice, I’d watch Gumball, play with my hair, or read. But as the week has progressed this anxious pit has permanently seemed to find its place in my stomach.

It’s fueled by all my subconscious thoughts and worries about whether or not Jake would change his mind about me. Or whether or not I'd get to finish my training, and if I did get to would I even be capable of catching up in time?

It took away my motivation to truly do anything. When I watched Gumball it felt like a chore, my attention focused on my worries and not the cartoon. Even doing my hair was a hassle, the only thing I could get myself to do was pull it in a low bun. 

Reading wasn’t that bad though. I’d have to focus on each word and letter leaving no space for my worries in those moments. In the past three days I've read seven books. Whether it was a science book or old novels the humans had brought, I’d engorge myself with the words all the same.

I was half finished with the book I had started last night when I decided to shower. I’d gotten dressed, back in bed, and back to my book by the time Noah got back. He dropped in to say a quick ‘hello’ before going to take a shower himself.

I go back to my book when there is a knock at my door. My ears peak at the sound. Noah never knocks, and Max and Norm gave up talking to me a while ago.

I sigh as I turn my book upside down on my night stand before stalking over to the door. I opened it just enough to see who was there. To my surprise I am met with a broad, blue chest. My eyes trail up to the face of the person, “Neteyam?”

“Hi,” he smiles.

“Hi?” I say, confused as to why he was here even as I open the door wider for him to enter. “What’re you doing here?” I ask, as I close the door.

“Well, Mo’at wanted me to check on your wound and I wanted to see how you were doing," he explains as I make my way around him, sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Oh? Well, I’m fine,” I tell him, not really wanting anyone to try to delve into the details of how I felt right now. I know the second someone tries I will break into a million pieces, each crying out to be picked up, cared for, and put back together again because Eywa knows I couldn’t do it myself.

“Oh okay,” he says, taking only a few steps closer before awkwardly asking, “Can I see your wound, please?”

“Yeah, of course,” I mumbled, realizing I was wearing a bigger t-shirt than normal which made it harder to see my side. I pull it up enough to expose the healing scar.

Neteyam moves much closer, kneeling before me. He inspects it, “It looks much better.” “Thank you.”

“Mhmm,” he hums before reaching into the small bag that was attached to his side. He pulls out a small container, “This is a new ointment that will help it heal all the way.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Mo’at made it so.. probably. But it absorbs so it's only a temporary burn.”

“Okay,” I huff, mentally preparing myself. The cream burns as he applies it over the partially healed skin that lined my stitches. When I wince he moves his hand to rest on my knee. His touch is gentle and comforting as his thumb mindlessly grazes the soft fabric of my pants.

It’s a specific touch that I remember from last week. One that constantly brought me peace even in one of the most horrible events of my life. I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t thought back to his touches over the past week. The way that he held and caressed me with such care when I was hurt.

I’d been held before when I was hurt, only by my brother though. But something about Neteyams touch was different in a way that I couldn’t quite decipher.

All I knew was that for some reason I crave to have that touch more and more.

When he’s done applying the ointment on my side he rises. His hand moves from my knee to my chin, holding my face up so that he could apply more ointment to the gash on my temple. 

I watch him as he works. The way he focuses so hard on the task at hand; his eyes trained on the gash, his brows furrowed, his lips tilted into a small frown, and his ears pulled back.

This very moment brings me back to last week. His gentle touch, his little jokes to lighten the mood, the way he simply cared for me.

Just as it’s been for the last two weeks, the memory is comforting before more memories eat away at that comfort. Memories of those boys' actions, Jake’s words. The way that I truly don’t know what’s going to happen to me after my accusation. The way that my last time in the forest I’ve come to love could have been one that involved me being attacked.

Just like that, this comforting moment is ruined. That pit in my stomach returns, making the back of my eyes and throat burn. I direct my attention from Neteyam’s face to the ceiling, finding the bright glow of the light to be a better focal point.

I can’t break down in front of him, that’s the last thing I need.

Just a couple more minutes and he’ll be gone.

I repeat those words in my head as he finishes applying for the ointment. “All done,” he says.

“Thank you,” I reply, finally looking away from the light, blinking in an effort to get the afterimage of its glow to fade faster.

“You are welcome,” he mumbles, as he returns the ointment to his pouch. “How are you aside from your wounds?” he asked. The pit in my stomach burns, I feel tears prickle at my eyes at the one question I had hoped he wouldn’t ask floods the room. I blink away the tears but he had unfortunately noticed. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

If this idiot doesn’t stop questioning me I swear he will be the next person I punch.

“Nothing,” I answer quickly, as I stand and walk aimlessly towards my dresser. I busied myself with moving stuff around to distract myself from the overwhelming urge to cry. “I’m fine. How are you?”

“I’m okay..” he responds uneasily. “But how I am does not matter right now. I asked about you.”

“And I said I am fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! What makes you think I’m not?” I grunt.

“You’ve been locked in this lab for days, I could have sworn you were about to cry, and when I ask if you are okay you pretend to be reorganizing your belongings.”

I roll my eyes, “I am not pretending,” I say, moving a picture of Noah and I from the left side of my dresser to the right before moving it back to the left. He lets out an annoyed hiss from behind me, obviously noticing my actions and hating the way I lied. “Why do you even care?” I ask lowly, blinking away the few tears that threatened to fall again.

“Because I care about you, Y/n. And I saw what happened to you, and I heard what my father said and I refuse to believe you are just ‘fine.’ And I know you and Noah have hardly been talking about it and I’m worried about you. So are Tuk and Kiri, and Spider and Lo’ak. We all care so much and I personally refuse to let you be here alone and sad. So please, talk to me.”

His words poke and prod at my resolve, slowly breaking it and allowing tears to fall from my eyes. I bite at my bottom lip, holding back a sob I refused to release. My hands have given up on pretending to be busy, now finding them covering my face. “I don’t want to,” I say, the words muffling into my palms.

I’m so busy trying not to cry that I don't notice he’s approached me until I feel his hands land on the sides of my arms. He does that stupid thing with his thumb where he gently rubs it against my skin, a simple touch that somehow calms me while further destroying my efforts of staying strong. “Why not?” he asks, and I am certain he knows what he’s doing to me.

“Because I’m scared,” I sniffled, dropping my hands to pull at my fingers.

He sighs again before using my arms to turn me to face him. I kept fidgeting with my hands, the last thing I wanted to do was look him in the face. That doesn’t matter though because he does that other stupid thing where he holds my face and forces me to crane my head up and look at him. 

I blink through my tears in an attempt to actually see him. I pick up on the way his eyes soften before following my running tears. His mouth falls into another one of his little frowns, “What are you scared of, sevin?”

I don’t bother myself with asking for the meaning of the unknown na’vi word. “I don’t know,” I mumble, eyes falling to look at the way his braids laid over his shoulders, preferring the sight of that over seeing the way he looked down at me. “I- I just  don’t really understand what went wrong. I don’t understand why those boys hurt me, or why your dad doesn’t believe I wouldn’t do anything like that. And i’m- I'm scared that he will decide I’m better off at the lab or back with the RDA then here. And I worry that Jake’s impression of me will reflect onto my brother and then he will punish him too. And as much as I hate the RDA I would be okay going back. I just couldn’t live with myself if I was the reason Noah had to go back too because he doesn’t deserve that at all. And I'm really scared that even if nothing happens with Jake, I won’t be able to catch up with my training and none of this will even matter.”

I took a deep inhale realizing that in my word vomit I'd began sobbing exactly how I had not wanted to. I let my hands cover my face again, a strained sob escaping my lips before I hold my breath in a poor attempt to stop crying before I continue, “And I am embarrassed that I am crying right now, especially in front of you, because I am also scared that maybe I am not even strong enough to be one of the people, emotionally or physically. I’m scared I’m just not fit for the clan.”

My final confession makes me cry harder into my hands. So hard that I feel nauseous and my body feels the urge to ball up like the little baby I was acting like. “Shhh,” Neteyam says, his voice ever so gentle. “C’mere,” he mumbles, one hand pulling my head to his chest and the other wrapping around my body in a strong embrace.

I don’t hesitate to embrace him back, my arms wrapping tightly around his waist as if he was the only thing keeping me from getting lost in my own anxious thoughts. I genuinely believe he was as I practically tremble in his arms, struggling to simply catch my breath. His muscular form almost consumes my entire figure surrounding me with his warmth and comforting scent. One of his hands ran along the side of my hair as his deep accented voice assured me that everything was okay.

My ear against his chest picks up on the steady sound of his heartbeat. I close my eyes and focus on that steady sound and the way I could feel its rhythm against the side of my head. He continues to hold me even as my sobs turn into smaller cries until I’m sniffling in his arms, taking deep breaths in an attempt to regulate my breathing and slow my heart.

In the wake of my anxiety attack my brain is foggy and I am exhausted. I dread the idea of pulling away from his comforting hold, a big part of me wishing I could stay here forever. Luckily he doesn’t pull away from me, not until I do although he still holds me close. 

He doesn’t force a conversation, but his hand comes to wipe away the remnants of tears on my face. “I’m sorry,” I mumble, my energy to speak any louder being completely drained.

“You need to stop apologizing for being upset. Everyone gets upset, Y/n.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

A deep chuckle comes from his lips, “What are you apologizing for now?”

“I don’t even know,” I answer truthfully, letting my body weight fall forward as I hug him again. His arms instantly wrap back around me. “Thank you, Nete,” I mumbled against him, not even wanting to imagine how bad my breakdown would have been if it had happened while I was alone.

He responds with a deep hum as his hand gently rubs my back, “Feel any better?”

I shrug, “Not really.. Maybe a little. I think I needed to cry. Thanks for being here.” “You don’t have to keep thanking me, either,” he laughs again as I pull away from the hug just enough to look up at him.

“I know, but I feel like I should. You’ve helped me so much.. I don’t even think I have a big enough vocabulary in either English or Na’vi to express how grateful I am.”

“Well I’ll always be here,” he tells me. “You don’t have to be embarrassed about your emotions or what you say to me because at the end of the day I am here to help you. You just have to speak to me.”

I nod, “Okay.. Okay I will try. Just.. maybe not anymore tonight. I’m sorry I just-”

Another one of his laughs cut me off. The sound was so perfect I didn't even mind that he interrupted my sentence, “Stop apologizing. You are under no obligation to tell me anything, ever.. at any point. Eywa, you are stressing so much. You need to get out of this room.”

I roll my eyes, “You’re telling me. It’s so bad even my recent dreams are centered around being in the lab.”

His face shifts into an expression that tells me he’s considering something, “Would you like to get out?”

I nod, “Would love to.”

“Well why don’t we go for a walk?”

“Now?!” I question, my brows furrowing at his question. “But it’s like.. past eclipse by now.”

He shrugs, “It will be safe, you will be with me. Plus we won’t even go that far. It will be fun.”

I take a moment to think through his offer although, deep down, I knew I would say yes. “Okay then. I guess we can go,” I answer sarcastically. “Just let me change.”

“Okay,” he says, detaching himself from me. “I will wait outside.”

I nod in agreement, watching him exit my room before I am practically rushing to change. 

I pull on black cargoes as usual but instead of my tank top I pull on a long sleeved top. It was on the tighter side to keep my arms from getting caught on the flora but it kept my healing scars covered. I fix my low but to look a little less messy and then I am pulling on my boots before I am rushing out the door to meet Neteyam.

I must admit there is a pep in my step I haven’t had in days. I can’t quite decipher if it was because I was getting to leave the lab for a while.. or if it was because of the boy I was getting to leave with.

- - -

Neteyam

Tonight is calm.

The wind is subtle, the sounds of nature are soothing, and the glow of the forest is bright as always.

I’d been worried about Y/n for a while. I spent the last view days trying to convince myself that I was overthinking, that she was fine. That I needed to just worry about figuring out how to prove to my father that she was innocent and belonged. That I didn't need to check on her myself, that if anything was too bad Noah would have told me.

I reached my breaking point today when I cut to the chase and asked Noah about his sister. He shrugged off my response, telling me she was fine. But with the way his ears twitched lower I couldn’t believe him, I had to come see myself. And after what I’d just witness, I’m glad I came.

The poor girl was on the brink of a breakdown even before I began questioning her. Being in this lab was no good for her so, despite it being past the eclipse, I was going to take her on a much needed walk.

The door to the lab screeches as it opens drawing my attention to the Y/n as she emerges. She’d changed into different clothes that matched the Y/n I was used to seeing, not the sad girl I had previously held in my arms. “I’m ready,” she says, walking towards me.

I can’t help but smile when I notice her more relieved expression. “C’mon,” I tell her, nodding towards the forest behind me.

She shuffles to my side as we walk. The walk is quiet, too quiet. So quiet that I am concerned that she’d been sad about something again. But when I look over to her, her attention is on everything around us; the glowing trees, the hyperactive plants. 

Her jaw hangs slightly and her eyes are wide as if she had never seen the forest before. I missed that expression she’d wear whenever she walked around the forest. The way she was so infatuated with the world I grew up around. 

The sound of running water tells me we’re close to our final destination. “This way,” I tell her, guiding her in that direction.

She follows until we reach the thick section of leaves that hang before us. My arm moves them out of the way for the two of us to walk through. “Wow,” she gasps, stopping in her tracks.

I stopped as well watching as she took in the spot I’d brought her to. A small section of the forest that was cut out by surrounding trees and other plants with a small section of a river that ran through. From what I know, nobody knew about it but me. It was my only place of peace. “Za’u,” I say, holding my hand out. (Come.)

She grabs my hand, following me as I guide her towards the river side only speaking when I stop to sit beside the river between two large rocks. She mimics my actions, sitting beside me and crossing her legs, “What is this place?”

I am too focused on watching the way my thumb ran over the smooth knuckles of her tiny hand to even realize she had said something.

Were her hands always this soft?

“Neteyam?” she says, her hand twitching in mine to get my attention.

“Hm?” I hum, finally looking up to her.

There is a small smile on her face when she questions me again, “Where are we?”

“Oh, I’m not really sure,” I mumble, looking around before my eyes land back on her. “I found it a couple years ago. Nobody really knows about it so it’s where I come when I need to be alone.” Her mouth turns into a frown, “What’s wrong?”

“I feel bad, like I'm invading your peaceful spot.”

A small laugh escapes my lips, “I purposefully brought you here, sevin. Don’t worry, you probably need the peace more than I do. And if anyone had to know about my spot I’d want it to be you.”

“Why’s that?”

“I love my family but they have a lot of expectations, I can never fully relax around them. But I don’t ever feel like that around you though.”

Y/n’s face warms to a shade of red I haven't seen in a while. “You’re comfy around me?”

“Comfortable?” I question, seeing if the foreign word she used was associated with another similar word I knew.

She smiles, “Yeah, comfortable.”

I nod, “Yeah, I am comfy around you.”

The word falls oddly from my mouth in a way that makes Y/n giggle, “I’m comfy around you too, Nete.”

I can’t describe it but her words make my chest and face burn. They make a feeling I can’t quite describe surge through my body. It makes me want to hear her tell me more about how I make her feel, makes me want to hold more than just her hand at this moment.

I don’t quite understand why I felt like this, but I had to distract myself from it before I did or say something that I shouldn’t. “Um- plus, I wanted to show you this,” I say, letting go of her hand and dipping mine into the river. The second my hand makes contact with the water the parts that rush against it glow a bright blue. Y/n gasps, amazed just as I assumed she’d be.

She sticks both her hands in the water, watching as the rushing water turns blue at her contact. I decide to talk to her about it, maybe I’d appeal to her interest in Pandora, maybe I’d impress her, “The scientists told me that it’s called-”

“Bioluminescent algae?”

“Yeah,” I smile. “It’s really rare to see in the forest so I thought you would find it interesting.”

“This is so cool,” she mumbles, her focus more on the algae than my words. I didn’t mind much though, I honestly found it almost adorable how she ran her hands through the water, how a smile strained at her face, and her eyes stayed trained on the water.

“You can swim in it if you want to,” I tell her, drawing her attention back to me. “It makes your skin look like it's glowing, it’s cool.”

An expression mixed with excitement and defeat crosses he features, “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Her ears lower as she looks back down at the water, “It’s embarrassing. You will make fun of me.”

I roll my eyes, “You know I would never do that. C’mon tell me.”

She rolls her eyes herself before mumbling, “I can’t swim.”

“Huh?”

“I can’t swim!”

A small laugh slips my lips, “Seriously?”

Her bottom lip pokes out in a pout, “Hey, you said you wouldn’t make fun of me!”

I bit my bottom lip keeping myself from smiling, “I’m not making fun of you I just.. am surprised. How old are you again?”

She rolls her eyes at me before speaking in a mocking tone, “Ha ha.”

I laugh at her childish behavior, “I mean like why not?”

“Well I grew up in a lab, swimming lessons weren’t on the list of important topics.”

“Ohhh that makes sense.. if thats why then you shouldn’t be embarrassed.”

“Well I am,” she huffs.

Another small laugh escapes my lips, “Don’t worry I will teach you.” She smiles for a moment before it slightly falters and her attention is back on the water. “What is it?” I ask, noticing her change in emotion.

“Do you actually think I will get to stay here for you to be able to teach me?”

“Y/n,” I sigh, reaching to hold her hand again. My hold brings her attention back to me, her eyes glassy again. “You need to stop worrying about this.”

Her bottom lip pokes out again, “But if your dad says I can’t stay then you won’t be able to teach me how to swim. And- and you won’t be my friend anymore and I-”

“Shhh,” I stop her before she can get too carried away with her overthinking. “You aren’t going anywhere, Y/n.”

“How do you know that?” she asks, bringing her other hand out of the water to wipe away her single tear that had fallen despite smudging more water across her cheek.

“Remember when you first visited the village? When you had to go speak with my grandmother?”

“Mhmm,” she hums, nodding her head.

“Well, as Tsahik, my grandmother speaks the will of Eywa herself. She would not have said yes to your request had Eywa been against it.”

“But it’s not Mo’at or Eywa that I am worried about.. it’s your dad.”

I squeeze her hand and sigh, not exactly knowing how to comfort her. “My dad can’t reject the will of Eywa, whatever she has planned will happen. So don’t worry about what my father says, okay?”

“But what if it’s in Eywa’s will for me to not stay here longer than I have. What if this is only temporary and she wants me to go back to the RDA?”

“Then we will deal with that then, okay? As of now my father is giving me the chance to prove you are innocent in this entire situation.”

Her ears peak, “He is? How come?”

“Because I know you didn’t do anything wrong. And I’m not letting anything happen to you or your brother, not as long as I’m around and have a say. I promise you that.”

Her reaction is unexpected. After seeing her pretty warm smile I had expected a simple ‘thank you.’ Half of any of my thoughts cut off when the girl throws herself against me in a hug. I am quick to catch her, my arms wrapping around her waist as hers wrap around my neck. 

She holds me tightly, her head buried so far against my neck that I can feel the smile her lips form against my skin. She moves her face back just enough to mumble out a ‘thank you’ before it rests against me again.

“You’re welcome,” I told her, my head leaning on her shoulder. This hug was different than the last, she wasn't clinging to me in sadness, no this was joy. Joy that’s so grand that I feel it seep from her skin, penetrating my emotions until I can’t help but feel joyful as well.

I squeeze her in my arms, my head mindlessly moving closer to her neck similarly to how she had. The action consumes my senses with an intoxicating smell that I connected to her. A sweet smell I had not encountered since that day I carried her back to the village, one that I crave to smell more.

Luckily for me the girl didn’t seem to have any intention of moving soon, so I pulled her the smallest bit closer, basking in her touch, the way she rested against me, and her smell. I close my eyes in content, this moment is perfect, one I never wanted to leave and would certainly think about later.

What is it about this girl that makes me want to stay in her presence forever?

Our hug lasted longer than the last, so long that I began to think that exhaustion from her breakdown had lulled her to sleep in my arms. Much to my momentary disappointment, the hug does eventually end when a glow of light from behind my closed eyes annoys me until I am forced to open my eyes. The sight is enough to make a slight gasp escape my lips.

One atokirina. It floats before my eyes, close to Y/n’s shoulder. I move my face back from off her shoulder despite the way that Y/n’s head still leans against me. In the absence of my head the atokirina lands on her shoulder.

I gently shake her arm, “Y/n.. Y/n look.”

“Hm?” she hums, finally pulling her head away from my shoulder to look up at me. A hand comes up to rub her eye, maybe she really had fallen asleep.

“Your shoulder,” I whisper. “Look.”

She does what I say, looking at her shoulder before her jaw instantly drops, “Woah.”

“It’s an atokirina.”

She looks up at me and I think she is going to ask me something but a rustling in the trees distract us. We both turn towards the sound, anticipating an animal or maybe even a person, but instead we are met with a bunch of atokirina gently falling from trees.

Totally amazed by the sight before her, Y/n pulls away from me. I can’t help but watch as she makes her way to the center of the clearing, her head tilted up as she watches the atokirina fall towards her.

The moment they begin to land on her a soft giggle escapes her mouth as she turns to me. I can’t help but smile back as I stand and make my way over to her.

Though I stand before her only a few atokirina land on me unlike Y/n whose body is almost completely covered in the glowing forms. I reach up and let one of the woodsprites land on my hand before bringing it to Y/n’s face. 

I watch carefully as the atokirina hops from my hand onto her face. It makes her giggle again. “That tickles,” she whispers as the woodsprite moves softly against her cheek. My mind bursts with understanding as more atokirina land on her face. At this very moment Eywa was confirming the fact that Y/n did in fact belong here whether she believed it or not.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when one more atokirina lands on the last open space on her, her nose. She sneezes and they all float off of her at once. She gasps, hand covering her mouth as they begin floating away, “Oh no, I didn’t mean to scare them.”

“It’s okay,” I laugh, unable to keep myself from smiling as she watches the woodsprites float away. “Do you know what that means?”

She looks back to me, shaking her head, “No.”

“Sit with me,” I say, dropping to sit in the middle of the clearing. She sits in front of me, so close that our knees press up against each other. “You know how  Eywa is connected to every living thing right?”

She nods, “And the energy keeping everything is only borrowed from her until death.”

“Right, well the atokirina are a bit different. They are like little pieces of Eywa herself moving as Eywa would.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion, “I don’t understand what this has to do with anything, Nete.”

I sigh thinking of a more specific way to phrase my words, “They reflect Eywa’s will. The atokirina landed on you. You belong, Y/n. Eywa just showed you that you have nothing to fear.”

A warm smile covers her face, “Really?”

I nod, “Yes, really. When I was young my mother told me of the time where the atokirina stopped her from killing my father back when she saw him as nothing more than a dream walker. They even covered him like they just did you!”

She lets out a small laugh, “You’re very excited about this.”

“I am! I’ve seen the atokirina move before but never in a way like this. The last time Eywa moved like that on behalf of someone who was not Na’vi the person became Toruk Makto and Olo’eyktan!”

“Alright now,” she says, a hand landing on my knee. “I am not going to be anything as grand as either of those names. But if what you are saying is true then I believe you.”

“So you will stop worrying so much?”

“I will try.. but I make no promises.”

“Good,” I smile before looking up. The sight of the sky brings something to mind. “I almost forgot,” I say looking back at her.

“What?”

“This clearing gives the perfect view of the stars at night,” I say pointing up.

She looks up, eyes shining from the light of the trees. “Woah,” she mumbles. I move to lay down on the ground, looking up at the sky. Y/n looks back down at me, “What are you doing?”

“Looking at the stars. It’s nice, lay with me.”

“Okay,” she says, moving to lay just a foot away from me. We both look upwards at the sky. It’s another quiet moment but it isn’t awkward, it’s comfy.

For a second there I began to believe it was so quiet because she had fallen asleep again. I turn my head against the grass to see but I don’t find her eyes closed from sleep, no. They are wide open, eyes seemingly darting from star to star as if she was trying to remember where each of them were placed.

My eyes trail to study her side profile; her long lashes, the perfect slope of her nose, the way her lips had a slight pout to them. The freckled designs on her skin take my attention next. I admire her unique designs, the way that she was the only person to have those specific marks although Noahs were very similar.

I found it interesting how they were brown and never glowed, but now that I see her in the dark of night I know that is not fully true. There’s a few of them that glow like mine, so little that if I took the time I could count them.

Part of me wanted to, wanted to count all the glowing marks on her face, and when I had that number memorized I’d count the ones on the rest of her body. I wanted to know the exact number, to kiss and trace her soft skin as I counted each spot so that I could remember it forever. 

She’d become so smitten with me recently, maybe she’d let me. Let me see her complete beauty, undiminished by her human clothes or any coverings at all. 

But that’d be too much to ask. Because even if she said yes, and I could have her, she’d be the only one I’d ever want. I’ve no clue where my infatuation with her began. Maybe it was her smell that’d got me hitched, it called me to her like an insect to pollen. Or maybe it started that first day I met her, when I saw that perfect smile.

I assume I will never truly know where or when it started, but I do know that as future Olo’eyktan I could not have her. At the end of the day, feelings set aside, I would have to be a leader someday. I’d need a Tsahik by my side. Y/n was learning how to climb through trees just two weeks ago and she isn’t even a part of the clan yet. To even dream of her possibly filling that spot would be wrong.

So as much as it made me want to gag and puke, I swallowed that truth. I would not have her because I know that’d I’d want to be the only one that ever could. I wouldn't want anyone else to know that special number of spots, or all the little things she loved. Whether anyone would realize it or not she’d be mine.

I couldn’t have that but I wouldn’t totally separate myself from her though, Eywa knows I couldn’t. Not now.

The past week she’s all I’ve thought about; memories of our momentary touches, her laugh, and her smell clouding my head until I broke and went to the lab, something I rarely do voluntarily. The only thing that stopped the thoughts was being in her room which smelt intoxicatingly like her, holding her in my arms over and over, and this moment right here, her laying on the grass in the dead of night beside me in the one place I vowed to never bring anyone.

I always thought that nothing could make this place more soothing, but having Y/n here has proved me wrong in so many ways. Being around her felt like an escape from all my worries, even when I was helping her with hers. Because although she thinks I am helping her, which I am, what she doesn’t realize is she’s simultaneously helping me too. 

That’s the reason why I will keep running back to her until the day that I am officially promised to another. I’ll keep holding her, and laughing with her. I’d share every part of me that I could because even though I know she can’t be mine, I fear I may already be hers

I turn my head back up to the night sky, pointing up to one of the brighter stars, “You see that star right there?”

“Mhmm,” she hums.

“That is where my dad came from.”

“Really?” she asks, her voice like a gentle song.

“Yeah, Norm told me it'd take 4.37 light years to get here from there. I don’t really understand how they travel with light, especially with all the machines they bring.” Y/n lets out a giggle, a sound that is so small but makes me turn my head to her again, “What?”

“They aren’t traveling with light,” she says, glimpsing at me before looking back up at the sky. “It’s just a measure of time since light moves so fast.”

“How fast?”

“About 186,000 miles per second. A light year is just a measure of how long it would take light to get somewhere when compared to the length of an Earth year.”

“365 days?” I recall, remembering some of the very few things I’d learned about Earth.

“Yeah, that’s right,” she smiles. “In the span of that many days light is able to travel almost 6 trillion miles. So they use that number to simplify how long it actually takes to get somewhere so far away. From Earth to here is like 26,000,000,000,000 miles away which means it would take thousands of years but with light years you can just say about four years even though it's much more.”

“You know a lot about this stuff.”

She nods, turning to face me, resting her head on her arm, “Learning was one of my hobbies for a while. I hyper focused on learning as much as I could because I had a feeling it’d be important someday even though I thought I’d never leave that lab. Now it kinda feels like useless information.”

“It’s not useless, there will be a use for it some day I’m sure. Was learning and jewelry-making your only hobby?”

“No, I had other sporadic hobbies that I would get over. A consistent one was watching this show that Norm sent Noah and I a file of, we still watch it together.”

“What is a show?”

“Um, do you know what just a plain video is?”

“Yeah?”

“Well a show is basically just a video but with plot.. like a story being told with a video. It’s pretty cool you should watch it with me someday.. if you want to of course.”

I smile at her uncertainty, “I would love to. Sounds interesting.”

She smiles back before turning to look up at the stars again, “Is star-gazing your hobby?”

“Yeah,” I say, turning to look at the stars as well. “I have a couple others but this is probably the most relaxing one.”

“I agree,” she yawns.

We fall into another long moment of silence. After a while though, it’s too silent. I look over and this time, instead of finding her gazing up at the stars, her eyes are closed and her face is tilted to the side as she sleeps.

She looks so peaceful, so unbothered by all the things going wrong in her life. It seems to be such a rare state for her to be in. I almost don’t have the heart to wake her up, but I’d prefer she sleep under her fluffy cloths I saw in her room than on the floor of the forest tonight.

“Y/n?” I say.

“Hmm?” she hums, turning her head fully against the grass and curling herself up towards me.

“I think we should walk back to the lab, okay?”

“Okay,” she mumbles, but she doesn’t move. She stays there, sleeping on the grass.

I laugh at her refusal to get up, gently shaking her with a hand on her waist. “Y/n.”

“Whaaat?” she grumbles, eyes flickering up to me.

“I’m gonna walk you back to the lab, c’mon.”

“Okay,” she mumbles again, but this time she stands with me.

The walk to the lab is just as nice as the walk to the spot, although a part of me feels bittersweet from the thought of having to be without her again. I walk her up the stairs of the lab, standing at the bottom as I watch her climb them. 

She turns back to me from the top platform. “Did you have fun?” I ask.

“Yes,” she smiles. “I really needed to get out and I almost forgot how fun you were to be around, so thank you.”

“Of course, anytime. You’re fun to be around too.” She smiles, before turning to open the door, but she freezes. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she answers, turning back to me. “Did you maybe want to watch that show thing I told you about with me?”

“Right now?”

Her face turns red as her eyes wander to the trees, “I mean yea, if you want to.. if not then-”

“Sure.”

Her eyes snap back to me, “Wait really?”

“Yeah,” I laugh.

“Oh okay,” she says, turning back to open the door. “C’mon.” I follow her through the lab all the way to her room. She closes the door behind her before moving to one of the pieces of furniture that holds clothes, “I’m going to change, you can lay on my bed if you want.”

“Okay,” I say as she walks over to another door in her room, entering the smaller room and closing the door behind her.

My gaze moves to her bed. The long surface is covered in cloths and fluffy things at the top. Spider had spoken to me about beds before, telling us that they were comfortable but of course making sure to emphasize the point that he loved the surfaces the na’vi slept on.

I question the unknown surface that I was expected to lay on. I start with pressing a knee onto the surface, surprised by how it sinks into the material. I move my hands to push against it watching how they sink into the seemingly solid material.

I crawl the rest of my way onto the bed, plopping myself down. I am amazed with the way it seems to support me, with the way the cloths are so soft, and of course how all of it smelled of Y/n. 

I moved to lay myself at the top of the bed, surprised that this thing could fit my entire height. I lay my head on one of the fluffy things at the top of the bed amazed by how it supports my head like the bed but was so soft. I grab the other fluffy thing beside me and hold it over my face, burying myself in the soft warmth of it.

A gentle laugh fills the air, “What the hell are you doing?”

I pull the thing away from my face and turn to look at Y/n who is laughing to herself, “What is this thing?”

She walks over to the bed, grabbing a rectangular device from the table beside it before crawling onto the bed herself, “My pillow?”

“I love your pillow,” I tell her, burying my face into it again.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s so soft and it smells like you,” I tell her, somehow she understands me despite the pillow

“What do I smell like?”

“Good.”

“Thanks,” she laughs. “Now can I get my pillow back?”

“Mhmm,” I hum into the pillow, before passing it over to her. She maneuvers it behind her, leaning her back against it.  I follow her action, sitting up to lean against the pillow behind me. She places the rectangle she had grabbed on her lap, “What’s that?” I ask.

“My laptop,” she tells me.

“What does it do?”

“It’s like one of those big computers Norm and Max have but,” she places it on my lap, “it goes on your lap. It’s what Noah and I watch our show on.”

“Ohhhh,” I say, tapping the top of it. “How does it work?”

She leans over and opens the top of it, “Like this.” The screen glows and a circle swirls in the center of the screen until Y/n moves the laptop in view of her face. Only then does it seem to give her access. She taps around before turning the laptop more to face me again, “We’re going to start on the first episode.”

“Okay?” I say, not even understanding what an episode was.

Y/n rolls over and pulls a string on the light beside her bed, leaving us in the dark except for the light of the screen. She taps a button and leans on my shoulder as the screen begins playing a tune and showing bright colored  beings that look so unrealistic. 

When the song ends the first thing that pops up is a blue being with ears like mine, it’s talking to orange fish with legs. “What the hell is this?” I ask her. “Is that blue thing mocking me?”

“What?” she says, tapping something on the device to make the show stop before looking up at me. I look down at her, folding my ears against my head, that seems to make her realize. “Oh god,” she says before busting out in laughter.

“Are you mocking me now too? This isn’t funny, Y/n.”

“No, no I’m not,” she says, although she keeps laughing. “He’s supposed to be a cat!!”

“A what?”

Y/n deeply inhales, composing herself before speaking again, “A cat is an animal from Earth, and this show was made long before humans learned about Pandora.”

“So this is not a mockery?”

“No,” she giggles. “Just a coincidence. Now, can we watch the show?”

“I guess,” I huff sarcastically. She smiles before playing the show again and dropping her head back to rest perfectly on my shoulder.

The show is pretty entertaining even though I struggle to understand half of what the odd looking characters are speaking about. I watched about five parts of the show before I realized that the girl resting on my shoulder had dozed off again.

I try to gently move her from off me with the full intention of leaving without disturbing her rest. My attempts fail though when the second I try to move her she stirs just enough to mumble out a ‘no.’

“What was that?” I ask, hands hovering over where they had just touched her.

“Please stay,” she practically whines in her sleepy state. Her words are enough to make my heart melt, but when her arms maneuver their way around my torso I feel all my insides melt.

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm,” she hums, head pushing against my arm. I take the gesture as a silent request for me to move my arm. I lift it, placing it behind her as her head finds a new resting place against my chest. “Please? ‘m comfy,” she mumbles again, barely fighting sleep just to hear my response.

“Okay,” I answer, bringing a hand up to push a few of her stray hairs away from her pretty face. “I will stay.”

I am able to spot the smallest sleepy grin that appears on her face before her soft voice elicits a small, “Yay.”

She’s quick to fall back asleep but I find it hard to feel the tiniest bit tired. Not because I had not wanted to sleep, but because of how hyperaware I am of the situation I've found myself in. 

I try to focus on the show that is still playing, seeing as I didn’t fully understand how to turn it off, but I am too distracted by the way that Y/n’s arms rest around me, or the way that her head would occasionally nuzzle further against my chest. I could feel and even hear the gentle rise and fall of her breathing against me.

I am surrounded by her; her touch, her smell, and her soft sounds. I disregard watching the show, opting to add the sight of her to my list. She looked so perfectly peaceful in this moment, thick lashes resting against her uniquely colored cheeks, her plump lips just barely parted.

I can’t stop the feeling of desire that rushes through me, I want to stay in this moment, or any of the other amazing moments I heard with her today, forever.

Realization is the next feeling that runs through me. The realization that maybe I was getting too attached to these moments, to this girl. The thought that should scare me, that I should avoid,  warms my body and quickens my heart rhythm to the point that I am surprised the loud thumping had not awoken her.

I am distracted from my realization as a soft hand trails up my torso, landing to press on my chest. “Y’okay, Nete? Heart’s fast..” she slurs and I feel bad for keeping her from resting for the third time today.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I reassure her, moving her hand to wrap around me instead of pressing against me in a way that felt almost too intimate. “Just go back to sleep.”

“Mmmk,” she hums, arm tightening back around me on their own as she falls back asleep.

As Y/n rests in my arms I can’t help but wonder how she would react if she knew that the very heart that had just woken her up was beating at the simple thought of her. Would she pursue that desire? Or would it scare her away from me?

It of course wouldn’t matter, I could never have her because I had a duty to fill. I was going to be Olo’eyktan and I would need to find a Tsahik so I could not pursue Y/n no matter how much I wanted to.

I constantly remind myself of this fact but for some reason I just can’t seem to care that much. For the first time in my life I have something to be selfish about and I can’t seem to make myself feel bad about it.

I’ve spent my entire life giving up what I wanted but in this moment, as I finally come to terms with the growing feelings I have for the girl in my arms, I decide that if I would ever ensure I got what I wanted.. I would get Y/n.

- - -

A/N: Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I am sorry it took so long for me to update. A mix of school and personal life just got really stressful and I didn't have much time to write anything worth posting. I appreciate everyone who is intrested in my story but I don't think I will be able to post as frequently as I tried to in the begining. I started trying to post weekly but it began to feel like a chore and took the fun out of it and the product of that was really shitty writing. So, even though I will definetly try to avoid not posing for an entire month, my posting won't be scheduled. BUT I DEFINETLY WILL AVOID NOT POSTING FOR A WHOLE MONTH BECAUSE WHAT?! Anyway I hope you enjoyed the story and I promise I will try to post soon! - Mak <3

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#avatar #fanfics #neteyam x reader #avatar fic #avatar way of water #found family #kiri x reader #lo’ak x reader #neteyam fic #neteyam x f!reader #neteyam fluff #neteyam x y/n #neteyam x you #neteyam fanfiction

[ask-uts-earthspark-au]

what would the terran's reactions be to like.... megatronus prime/the fallen or liege maximo?? or any of the 13 originals tbh, and that in alot of continuities op is kind of implied (if not straight up said) to be the thirteenth?

Yknow, actually this gives me a great opportunity to somewhat explain how my AU has the Primes.

I may write a fic off of this, actually.

Anyway: here we go.

Prima

All are somewhat enamored with the whole concept of them basically being their god. Finds their rumored appearance quite cool, and finds it cool that the Matrix is in their sword.

The Fallen/Megatronus Prime

Not quite so fond. Weird, creepy, none of them like him. Thrash genuinely could not roll his optics any harder at his ‘tragic backstory’ that people wrote to make him sympathetic.

Alpha Trion

Kinda interesting. Kept track of history, ran an archive, held onto the matrix between Primes after the others were all dead, originally thought to be basically immortal with how long he lived? Even though he wasn’t actually a true prime, apparently. And did eventually die, but body was never actually recovered. Mysterious, and kind of interesting, overall.

Nexus Prime

Cool as balls. There’s not much else to say, they just think he’s cool as hell. Still don’t quite understand the whole combining thing, but it sounds a little cooler now.

Vector Prime

There are so many possibilities, that it simply blew their tiny newspark processors. Probably the coolest so far.

Solus Prime

Tied with Vector. Originally from the original myth, they weren’t too interested. But hearing the bit from Optimus completely separate from myth, they immediately loved Solus. Thrash loves the hammer, Hashtag thinks it’s very girlboss of him to even exist, Twitch loves the whole ‘can make really cool weapons with the hammer’ thing, Jawbreaker thinks the story overall is pretty inspiring, and kinda cute (albeit somewhat tragic) that he died very quickly after his partner, and was the one who caused the ‘partners/conjuxes come to the hall as well’ thing, Nightshade is very enamored with him being trans. Overall, it’s a hard tie with Vector.

Amalgamous Prime

The shifting bit is awesome. They understand the Decepticons a bit better, and understand better why they even exist in the first place. HT also thinks he has mad rizz for having seduced an Autobot like that.

Liege Maximo

The fact that this bitch is meant to be like their version of satan is kinda… they’re honestly perhaps 5% impressed, at most. And the whole ‘point of origin for all decepticons’ is really laughable to them.

“…at least he’s kinda sexy…?” - Jawbreaker

Alchemist Prime

Kinda boring, but also super cool in that chill uncle way. Also fun that he fucked off from the war and ran a bar. Amazing. Quality decision making skills.

“Like Tarantulas, but in a holy way. And a lot more popular/intimidating.” - Nightshade

Onyx Prime

They think he’s kinda cool, being a big beastformer space pope. Nightshade and Jawbreaker especially like him.

Micronus Prime

Twitch thinks he’s kinda cool, being probably as little as her. Really shows that someone as small as her can be great like that.

Quintus Prime

They all have a unique fascination with him, even if pretty boring. Nightshade is especially interested by the fact that he’s the scientist of the bunch.

Thirteen

The original written myth of Thirteen is incredibly bland to them, and Thrash remarked that clearly they didn’t do a good job. However, when brought the idea of them being Amalgamous’s sparkling, a shifter just like him, and agender, they were all far more interested, and found them a little bit cooler. However, with still so little known, they’re not very interesting compared to the others.

Nova Prime

The fact that he’s known for having not been the best person, yet still respectable enough as ‘The Master Kindler’ and having reintroduced Kindling to table now that the wells were dying, really interests them. Also find it cool how Nova is genderfluid.

“Girlboss, gaslight, gatekeep. 👌” - Hashtag

Sentinel Prime

They’re pretty confident that the very fact that Optimus refused to say his name is enough to say he’s clearly not a very good person, and being told of all that he’d done in his time, they all decidedly hated him.

Optimus Prime

Optimus refused to share very much about himself, beyond his own achievements throughout his reign. They think even higher of him than before. Megatron later revealed that a downside is that he is a loner/introvert & a/antisocial, and usually rather cold/not very personable with people outside of his personal circle of ‘loved ones’.

Rodimus Prime

Nothing was said to his current location, but was noted that he is currently ‘in-training’/not fully a ‘Prime’ yet (won’t be until Op steps down/passes), generally quite polite and sweet if shy, quite strongly religious but really quiet about it, Captain to a crew on a neutral ship, remains neutral himself rather than aligned, a peacetime leader compared to Optimus being a ‘wartime leader’, and technically the true Prime of the reign the Terrans were born under, so they’d be Rodimus’s rather than Optimus’s.

Twitch is even more fond of him, and the others a little more impressed/interested into the prospect of doing a little research into him and those comics.

«—-–-—»

This is canon divergent, so things don’t completely align up with canon.

I happen to HC Solus as TransMasc/FtM & had a female lover, Amalgamous as the original Decepticon leader & have had an ex-Autobot lover + two sparklings, Alchemist as being a ‘peacetime leader’/kept the peace until he died (of old age), and Nova as having revived the practice of Kindling and very protective over sparklings + genderfluid.

Thx.

#ut talks #thank you for the ask! #anon ask #ask box #answered asks #transformers #earthspark #transformers earthspark #optimus prime #primes #the original thirteen #tf lore #tf prima #the fallen #nexus prime #vector prime #solus prime #amalgamous prime #alchemist prime #onyx prime #micronus prime #quintus prime #thirteen #nova prime #rodimus prime