#but i love shipping. air that i breathe. i love to read romance. and full-m smut. love to write or draw them kissing.

[widowshill]

happy aro week to everyone who celebrates. give your local aro a hundred dollars to compensate for their suffering (me).

#i've been thinking a lot about aromaticism lately ... ! perfect time for it to coincide with aro week. #➤ ooc. ┊ she’s nauseous，she’s hysterical，and she’s exhausted. #i've been seeing quite a lot of posts lately that .. hm. speak on romance in fiction / the habit of shipping / writing romance and sex #from a perspective of 'oh; think of the aros!' 'we hate shipping-focused fandom!' #well one thing about me love to make characters have insane sex. i do not follow these practices in my own life. #i tend to find real-life discussions of sex and romance generally unpleasant; but this is something you sort of just have to deal with. #but i love shipping. air that i breathe. i love to read romance. and full-m smut. love to write or draw them kissing. #i also like when characters murder each other ; or talk to ghosts ; or drive without seatbelts ; i should note i also #don't practice these things or in most cases condone them! #to me – this is just another aspect of fiction that is separate to my real-life experience. it's no more inherently #positive or negative than anything else characters do. #i don't find love to be something that is fundamental to the human condition but it is a big; broad human story. and a compelling one! #anyways. that's my speech. thanks for the on-sale chocolate allos.

[sitp-recs]

12 fics I’ve enjoyed recently…

Last year I did a short-lived “weekly rereads” series to spread love for old favourites that kept me afloat when reading new things became a struggle. I was looking for ways to stay active and contribute to the fandom with minimal effort, and I found solace in revisiting fics that I hold dear in my heart. This year, spring brought the @dronarryfest to pull me back into reading mood. Fandom is starting to speak to me again after a very long time, and the euphoria hit me with inspiration to write this short rec post for my recent reads. I am joining the party a bit late but on the off chance these escaped your radar, here are some fics I’ve really enjoyed during my catch up moment in February/March, and a few I’m planning to dive into next. It’s so nice to be able to write comments and rec blurbs again! What have y’all been reading lately?

HP fics:

Wet Leather by @lqtraintracks (E, 492 words) - Harry/Sirius

I live for LQT’s rare pair drabbles especially when it’s for my beloved Sirry because nobody writes this ship like them. The A+ characterization always takes my breath away: so much tension laced with yearning, it feeds my horniest deepest Sirry cravings tripping between guilt and absolution. This short is full of heat, want and sweet indulgence, with the usual tenderness underneath driving me up the wall and making me soft and hot for these two. Also, “my drenched little pup” excuse sir I’m??? 🥵

Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w (M, 5k) - established Drarry, Dron, implied Dronarry

One of my instant faves this year, what a masterclass in tension building! As always, I’m so impressed by sweets’ short form. The brilliant banter and relentless sexual tension put me at the edge of my seat praying for MOAR. The atmosphere is so captivating I could feel the temptation on my fingertips, and have I even mentioned Ron’s spot on voice?? Superb bromance dynamics, late night drive aesthetics, an impressive amount of characterization within 5k and a teasing ending full of promise, come and feast!

Borrowed Time by @the-starryknight (E, 7k) - Dron + Harry

Another delicious Dronarry treat, now showcasing established Dron, body swap, the sexiest UST you’ll see today and an incredibly satisfying payoff. Once again Starry delivers peak romance with their “hot & sweet” trademark mixing compelling dialogue, witty flirting and uncomplicated smut full of want but also trust, understanding and intimacy. Forget the maddening anticipation, the domestic slice-of-life tone made me swoon - the characters are so clearly fond and familiar with each other it’s only natural for them to come together like this.

Heart to Hearth by @jtimu (E, 7k) - Drarry

This fic is a breath of fresh air and I still remember how excited I felt reading it for the first time. I’ll never get tired of seeing Harry get utterly horny confused at an attractive and carefully guarded Draco being competent at his odd yet surprisingly fitting job. Repairman Draco is indeed mouthwateringly efficient with his long hair and coveralls, and their tentative and awkward dynamics are just excellent. Love the subtle humour, the bits of repair magic theory and the earnest slow burn, with a smooth progression towards deliciously indulgent smutty times. Amazing concept, perfectly executed.

Long Haul by @wolfpants (E, 8k) - Drarry

Wolf is killing it lately, loved their Dronarry but this fic stole my heart with the long haul love premise. The image of their encounter - Harry holding his passport between his teeth, Draco with Muggle headphones around his neck - stayed with me the whole night. Harry loves flying and connects with NYC for the same reasons I do, so this fic spoke to me in a very personal way. I love everything from the title and bold flirting to the scorching hot and intimate smut with smooth daddy Draco! Not too long ago I prompted Florence’s “End of Love” for Wireless - unknowingly, Wolf wrote the NYC fic I’ve dreamed about when I thought of it 💜

Permanent by @citrusses (M, 14k) - Drarry, Dron

I’ve always been drawn to time travel and Citrus set up a thrilling, mysterious mood that’s impossible to resist. I was deeply intrigued not only by the plot but also by the complexity of these characters - a belligerent Harry with daddy issues and a saviour complex (yes pls!), edgy and focused Hermione, perceptive and kind Ron charming his way inside our hearts, and a lonely Draco trying to make sense of the plot, handle his feelings and find his foot in the post-war world. I loved being inside his mind - such brilliant characterization - and seeing the golden trio through his eyes. This fic has a wistful, melancholy tone mirroring Draco’s longing for Harry that hit me right in the solar plexus. It is also a great Ron study, and I’ll admit that made me fall even harder for Dron. Finally, it is tender and devastating as all good things are. A brilliant read and an instant favorite.

Dick Chicken by @oknowkiss (E, 15k) - Harry/Draco/Ron

Believe me when I say this is the Seinfeld AU you didn’t know you needed because you don’t wanna miss out on this. Hands down one of the most entertaining fics I’ve read in a while, this is hysterical funny, witty and steamy. The perfect mix of crack-y and casually horny vibes with a quirky Draco, a lovable and relatable Harry, and a hot Ron who’s 100% there for the ride, this chaotic trio will pull you into an unhinged journey and you’re gonna thank them for that 🤣 superb Harry pov, a warm and playful atmosphere that feels intoxicating, and a glorious shower scene followed by a fake orgasm competition. You’re heard it right. Run don’t walk!

Knot Your Average Coworkers by @thecouchsofa (E, 22k) - Drarry

Office romance is my kryptonite and I couldn’t stop giggling as I made my way through this wolf!Draco treat. I was instantly smitten with the charming characters, the delightful silly knotting jokes 🌝 and the good old oblivious friends/coworkers to lovers dynamics that always gets me. Pining Harry wooing Draco through cooking is SO my jam, the perfect mix of sweet comfort & unbearable UST that fills me with joy and anticipation while also wanting to smash their heads together “kiss kiss fall in love” style. Yum!

Cargo Case by @sleepstxtic (E, 23k) - Drarry

This was such an exciting ride, I love the inherent yearning & intimacy of break up/make up stories and this case fic kept me engaged and rooting for Drarry (and Pansy/Parvati!) the whole time. It was wonderful to see them not being antagonistic after a break up for a change - there’s delicious ust, fabulous Draco & Pansy brOTP, not to mention their super cool job. I was as invested in the plot as I was in the romance, and I’ve had a really fun time following them around. Undercover boyfriends for the win!!!!

Truth to Materials by @toomuchplor, lately (E, 54k) - Drarry

Another fabulous plor fic as per, this artist!Draco story immediately won my heart with the hilarious opening scene and the perfect combo of Draco’s “brazen gay” voice and Harry’s “bi panic” mind. What a delight! Love the clever dialogue, the mood so chaotic horny but the humorous tone making me giggle my way through the delicious loo sex scene. Unique premise, great pacing, fantastic cast and charming characterization - this fic is so easy to devour it doesn’t feel like a 50k journey at all. The story is great fun, very engaging but also delivering multiple tender and heartkick-y moments. It checks all my boxes including our king Ron Weasley putting a banana into Draco’s sculptural arsehole 🤣 what else could I ask for?

Skybound by @xanthippe74 (T, 61k) - Drarry

As a longtime fan of Ghibli’s movies, I was over the moon to see one my own faves adapted to fit the HP universe. This is the Howl’s Moving Castle AU we deserve, a light, enchanting and fun read with a lovely smooth Draco and a lovely earnest Harry making such a great pair. I love how Xan played with the original material making adjustments here and there, and giving life to Timpsy, the apprentice elf with a whole subplot involving mistreatment of magical beings. Very sweet and creative read!

Other fandoms:

a man—with human flesh by spqr (E, 14k) - Paul/Duncan, Dune

I love that this author writes for all of my favorite ships, I feel so spoiled! This is (yet another) banger following the 2nd Dune movie and a fascinating dive into Paul’s fractured mind struggling between his long-standing affection for Duncan and the intrusive thoughts under BG’s influence. So intense, vivid and thought-provoking. I was hooked from beginning to end and deeply immersed in this universe. Love me a fic about emotional implications and complications while delivering excellent character studies, this is the shit I live for right here 🤌🏼

Next up on my to-read list:

Home series by @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 22k)

In which Draco grows up hiding and finds out he doesn't want to do that anymore. And he doesn't want his son to hide, either. (…). In which Harry grows up in darkness, falls in love, fucks up, learns some things, and falls in love again.

Passing Stranger by @lettersbyelise (E, 53k)

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Star Splitter by @oflights (E, 219k)

On a routine time travel assignment to the past, Draco stumbles upon 7-year-old Harry Potter and witnesses his neglect and mistreatment by the Dursleys. In the moment, there is only one solution, even if it goes against all his training as a Time Agent: he has to bring Harry back to the future with him. In which Draco burns his life down for the sake of his former school rival.

#monthly roundup #Sitp recs #it’s been so long since I wrote a rec post 🥺 #feeling energized!

[fireemblems24]

Ao3 Ship Thoughts

To sate my desire to read Three Houses fan fiction and jump in on the shipping comments that have upticked recently, I decided to see what ships were the most popular on Ao3.

Some of it's exactly what I expected, and one in particular is just . . . what, why?

Ao3 is probably the closest you'll get to truly determining which ships are the most popular, or at least have the highest number of passionate fans. So I was curious to see who the top ships were. Here's the ones listed, in order:

Sylvain/Felix

Dimitri/Byleth

Edelgard/Byleth

Ferdinand/Hubert

Claude/Byleth

Dimitri/Felix

Dimitri/Claude

Felix/Annette

Caspar/Linhardt

Hilda/Marrianne

If I exclude the Byleth ships, Dimitri/Dedue, Byleth/Seteth, and Ingrid/Sylvain take up the three missing spots.

Byleth's Ships

I'm shocked. Really, truly shocked that Byleth/Lord is popular. Never wouldn't guessed. I am, of course, being sarcastic. If someone asked me to list who I think would show up in the top 10 most popular ships, the first three I'd list would be Byleth/Lord.

What I find more interesting is that Byleth/Seteth is the fourth option for Byleth. AO3 writers, I officially bow to your taste. It pleases me quite a bit that, if you're not going with one of the main lords, you all want Seteth. This I can agree with.

As for the Byleth/Lord ships, I feel kind of mixed on them. Every lord interacts with characters who have more depth than Byleth, but I still get the appeal. I'm going to deep dive into all of the lords relationships with Byleth later, but here's a quick summary.

Edelgard/Byleth is shoved down your throat so hard it's nearly impossible to ship Edelgard with someone else and even shortchanges her potential to have deep, non-romantic relationships because Edelgard puts Byleth on a pedestal that no one else can reach by her own dialogue.

Byleth's character arc works well alongside Dimitri's. While the relationship is pushed and fanservice-y scenes exist, the game leaves enough breathing room to see Byleth as a mentor/therapist/teacher figure, and Dimitri has no shortage of deep, meaningful relationships with others should you not want to do the whole self-insert thing. It's a good balance.

Claude and Byleth are the opposite of Edelgard and Byleth. They read almost more like friends than lovers. It's a breath of fresh air, honestly. Claude/Byleth seems like the healthiest possible romance for Byleth/lord because the lord in question here doesn't seem as dependent. That said, it lacks lacks romance and shipping fuel. I may complain about fanservice, but the Byleth/Claude dynamic does show why scenes of holding hands in the rain and teasing about badly drawn images might actually come in handy.

Edelgard's Ships

I'm not surprised, at all, that Edelgard has no popular ships outside of Byleth. Dialogue consistently shortchanges Edelgard's relationships with others by having her verbally, repeatedly put Byleth into a special "other" that no one else can reach for her.

Though, I guess I'm a bit surprised at the extreme lack of Edelgard/Hubert. I feel these two have a lot of shipping fuel and their supports left things unresolved. I've come across the sentiment in fandom many times that ship where things are tied off nicely with a bow leave less to explore and aren't as interesting, so I am bummed out no one seems interested in fleshing out Hubert/Edelgard more.

The outlook for Edelgard fanfic and me seems pretty limited. I don't like Edelgard/Byleth for various reasons beyond this scope of this post. I was kind of hoping there were some Edelgard/Hubert or Edelgard/Dorothea character study stuff that could help me get past how much Byleth gets in the way of Edelgard's character growth, but it seems fanfic writers only want to write about her and Byleth, which is a bummer.

On that note, I'm also surprised but also glad that Dimitri/Edelgard isn't a big thing. I thought it might be because tragedy of childhood friends turned enemies by events out of their control is popular. These two seem wildly incompatible though, so I'm glad people seem to agree.

Claude's Ships

Ok. Claude/Byleth. Expected. I'm feel positively towards the ship since they seem mostly good for each other even if it's not getting my heart all fluttering.

I'm surprised there's no Claude/Petra or Claude/Hilda. Those two are my personal favorites for him. I would've given Claude/Petra the edge given how they can uniquely relate to each other, but Hilda's scene in CF really gave Petra a run for her money. Even more so that Petra and Claude have obligations to two different nations and Hilda has no such complication.

But whattttt???? Claude/Dimitri? It's in the top 10?? More people ship Dimitri with Claude than Dedue?? I thought lord/lord might be popular, but I honestly thought Dimitri/Edelgard would take it, not Claude/Dimitri. They never really talk. So I'm a bit confused about this one. Though, intrigued by the idea.

Can I take a wild guess this partly stems from Claude having no real other viable M/M ships outside of M!Byleth and fics that plays up the chapter I'm about to play in AM (Dimitri saving Claude) or "what ifs" VW routes where Dimitri doesn't . . . you know.

I am really curious about this dynamic though. Because I like Claude - a lot. He's a character I want to get attached to. From experience, the fastest way for me to like a character is to give them a significant relationship I enjoy with a character I already love and the new character gets absorbed by proxy. So, fans, please, tell me more about this Dimitri/Claude. I am curious.

Dimitri's Ships

I am as unsurprised by Dimitri's being one of the biggest repeat offenders on here as I am by Edelgard being Byleth or bust. If Edelgard is written to fanservice the player by making the self-insert her one and only, Dimitri is fanservicing the player by being a shipping magnet. The writers knew what they were doing and who they were trying to appeal to with these two characters.

Dimitri/Byleth is a given. The game plays up the romance angle, but it's not at the expense of Dimitri's other relationships.

What I'm more interested in, though, is Felix/Dimitri. Between angsty CF stories, post-AM slow-burns, or fleshing out missing scenes from their shared childhood, there's just a lot to work with and a rich context to use their relationship - spun romantically - to explore each character. Felix and Dimitri's relationship is layered, complicated, heart breaking, and potentially healing. The fact they're two incredibly attractive guys doesn't hurt its popularity either, I'm sure. I'm not surprised it ranked that highly.

Claude/Dimitri surprises me. If two lords were going to get on this list together, I would've put bets on Edelgard/Dimitri. Since Claude and Dimitri's relationship is fairly unexplored, I'm really interested to see more about what exactly this is about. Don't get me wrong. I figured people would pair two main characters who are that good looking together, I just didn't think it would rank that high.

I am, slightly sad, that Dimitri/Dedue isn't a bit higher, but happy it seems to have some steam. I get it though. Dedue's not as flashy as some of the others on the shipping list and their relationship is so full of fluff by their A support it lacks the angst Felix/Dimitri and Dimitri/Byleth can draw out nor is as much of a play around with "what ifs" as Claude/Dimitri is.

Non-Lords/Main Characters Ships:

This list, more than anything else, shows AO3's penchant for writing M/M and F/F works for better or worse. Whether this phenomena stems from lack of representation, fetishizing by the fanbase, deeply ingrained gender roles making fictional M/F ships either less appealing to many fanfic writers, or M/F romances often getting assumed leading to less substantial writing compared to friendships - I don't know. Probably all of it.

There are a few surprises here for me. Felix/Sylvain is that popular? I figured they'd make the top 10, but #1 is surprising. Though, looking through the first page of the tag, it's true Felix/Sylvain have fics just for them, but it also seems like a common pairing in Dimitri/Byleth and Dimitri/Claude fics. It's the same story with Caspar/Linhardt, who I honestly didn't expect to see. They had a fair number of their own fics, but it seems many CF fics put them together rather than focus solely on them. Felix/Annette also balances being the main focus and an adjunct pairing. Marianne/Hilda seemed to have less fics where they took center stage and more they were one of many ships listed.

Ferdinand/Hubert having a lot of fics isn't surprising. I don't really care too much for it personally, but I can see the appeal of it.

I'm surprised Catherin/Shamir is nowhere in sight. Likewise, Rhea is absolutely nowhere. Kind of sad by the lack of adult characters in general. Especially Rhea. I think it's a pretty big sign of how the writing's treated her that such an important character is totally absent in this list.

Not surprised at all to see Felix also get so many ships. He, like Dimitri, seems designed on purpose to ship with many characters. I do really wish Dorothea and Seteth would get more attention though.

What do you guys think? Anything that surprised you? How do you feel about any of these ships and there popularity or lack thereof? Are there characters/pairings you wish got more attention? Any popular ships you despise (spill that tea)?

#fire emblem three houses #fe3h #fe16 #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #claude von reigen #tagged them because I want to get people who ship Claude and Dimitri to see this and talk to me about that

[seriouslyhooked]

Feels Like This (Part 13)

Emma Swan is a once lost girl who is now making good. She has made a way in the world for her and her young son, Henry, and after years of hard work, Emma is in her last stretch of schooling for the career she’s always wanted. Unexpectedly, she finds herself in a tiny nation no one’s ever heard of for her last year of study. She knows nothing about the place except that it’s beautiful, has a world-renowned child life program, and is filled with possibility. Meanwhile, Prince Killian is hardly happy with the title he received at birth. As the second in line for the crown, Killian has long tried shaking his royal duties. He built a career in the royal navy, and has stayed out of the limelight, but his ship has been called to port indefinitely at the request of his brother, the King. Fate (in her many forms) brings Emma and Killian together and the resulting fic is a cute, fluffy, trope filled romp featuring heart felt moments, a healthy dose of insta-love and an assured happily ever after. Story rated M and will have 12 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. Available on FF Here and AO3 Here.

A/N: Hey everyone! I am so excited to be back with this story after the month I spent away, and I find it so wild that in that past month so much happened with royals in the actual world. I wouldn’t say it inspired this chapter at all, but it was cathartic to write a story where the Prince and Princess get a much healthier, more healing reception. I know how many of you love this fic, and it definitely has a special place in my heart as well. It’s been so important to me that I do the ending of this story justice, and so it took a bit of time to get my thoughts organized. This is one of the final chapters, and I only anticipate one more actual story installment and then maybe, someday far off in the future, an epilogue or two. That being said, this is a long-awaited milestone for CS and I have attempted to infuse all of my usual cuteness and romance. I hope that you all enjoy, I would love to hear what you think, and thank you all so much for reading!

Gazing out upon the overlook as the sun rose over the tree line in the Montenarran morning, Killian was comforted once more by the vastness of the world and the beauty that danced before him. The light shone with a color and vibrancy he’d come to know and love, but this morning the air hummed with languid layers of anticipation. Maybe it was Killian’s excitement and nerves, but he didn’t think so. No, if anything the world seemed to shimmer today, a sign from above that the timing was right and that he was ready to take this next big step.

The next time I visit this place, I’ll have Emma by my side, he thought to himself, soaking in the comfort of such a plan. 

This was on his list of places to share with his Swan, but he reasoned that he had all the time in the world for such gifts. Today, though, he was planning to make that assumption a reality. For finally, after nearly three days of being parted from his love, he was planning to propose, in a way befitting a woman of Emma’s caliber.

Instinctively, Killian’s hand moved to his pocket, drawing out a small black box which held a ring inside. The ring was beautiful and ornate, an overt and ostentatious display of love, but one with inherent meaning. This was the ring his grandfather had given his Gran, a ring forged for the purpose of real and lasting love. It was not exchanged at their wedding, but instead in a private ceremony the two of them shared some weeks later. Their wedding had been arranged, but still they’d found real love. This ring was a gift, however, given at the turning point where Killian’s grandfather knew that his love for his new Queen was more than mere arrangement – it was true and totally transformative.

“Your brother, as reigning monarch, has full claim to your grandfather and my wedding bands, and he will make good use of them with his Elsa, I am utterly assured,” Gran had claimed some weeks back when she stole Killian for a private moment. On that night, she was serious and sincere, most of her deeply playful nature tucked aside for a brief window of time. She glanced at her the matrimonial ring she still wore, years after the death of her dearly departed husband before looking back to Killian with conviction and calm. “The love between them grows each day, and is befitting of what me and your grandfather shared. But this ring I’m giving you, Killy… this ring is something else altogether. This is magic made metal. This is perfectly genuine affection forged into precious gems.”

“It is gorgeous, Gran,” Killian agreed when she presented the ring to him. “But I can’t take something like this from you. Not when it means so much.”

“That’s why you must have it, Killy. If your Grandfather were here, he would say the same. This ring bound us in life, but now we are bound through so much more.”

For the first time in years, likely since the death of his grandfather himself, Killian watched as tears trickled down his Gran’s face. It instantly pierced his heart, for this was a woman who always showed strength. Even when he was on deployment and gone for years on end, his Gran persevered. She may grow misty eyed or get choked up, but tears were a whole different story. Only the memory of her husband could prompt them, and Killian thought to himself not for the first time that she had been so strong for so long, going on without him.

“Our love is forever, living, thriving, singing its song for now and for always. I miss him, every day, every moment, I wish that he was here, but someday we will have each other again. And in the meantime, this ring deserves another union. It was made to be passed through generations. I will confess that I wondered if anyone should ever be worthy of it, if love like ours would find its way here again. But I needn’t have doubted. You and Emma are made for each other, and it would be my honor for Emma to wear this.”

Killian agreed whole heartedly with his Grandmother’s explanation, and he knew no more beautiful stone could be found the world over. This ring bore a remarkable yellow diamond, encircled with smaller stones of the same rare hue. The exact shade sparkled in the sunlight, but almost seemed dipped in the golden glow of a summer’s afternoon. It was pristine and poetic, warm and well beyond the pale, reminding Killian of the highlights in Emma’s hair and the lilt of her laughter. Her joy was precious, more precious than any stone, but as he gazed upon the rock, it felt quintessentially designed for his Swan. It was happy and bright, bold and beautiful, and he knew, despite its flair and size, that Emma would love it.

The only thing left to do is ask her.

The thought breathed new life into Killian, even more so than the Montenarran morning, and he walked back through the forest paths towards the palace once more, energized and ready for the day ahead. He had everything planned and had been working on this for some time. There were many moving pieces, but he’d squared them all away. In the end he would see to it that this was perfect, for that was exactly what his Swan deserved.

Arriving at the palace just after the sunrise, Killian moved with purpose and precision. He had only a little bit of time, and much to accomplish.

“The last of the parcels have been delivered, Your Grace,” one attendant announced as Killian walked through the palace doors. “The bulk of them are here, as you see, though some are in the green house for obvious reasons.”

“Excellent, Jacque. Thank you.”

“I beg your pardon, Sir, it’s just… are you certain you don’t need help arranging things? It’s a significant amount of work here. The staff is happy to assist.”

“I appreciate that offer, Jacque, but I’ve got things well in hand. I’ve been planning this for some time.”

A thoughtful smile appeared at the older man’s face, one that broke the traditional polite protocol and spoke to how long he had known Killian and the royal family. “Of course, Sir. Well, in that case, best of luck.”

Killian took the well wishes to heart, knowing he had a massive task before him. Perhaps he could have given himself more time to bring all of these pieces together, but to him, it already felt like too much time had been wasted. He was more than ready for this next step with Emma, and after three days spent apart, not seeing each other in person, or sharing much more than a few texts and facetimes, he was particularly desirous to see this through. He had been strategizing on how to get this right for quite a while, and by now he knew each assignment down to the letter.

“I assume that your dismissal of Jacques offer goes for us as well?”

Killian glanced up, finding his mother on the stairwell. From here she was stately and elegant, a poised dowager Queen with refinement and grace, but as she descended, she became more herself, and by the time she was in front of Killian, taking his hand in hers, she was no more and no less than a wonderful mother. His greatest support for many years, and someone who he knew would give anything she could to make this moment special.

“It does, at least for this. But with the children arriving in a few hours’ time -,”

“Not to worry on that front,” his mother said cheerily, her own happiness at the thought of all the Institute’s residents coming to the palace for a special premiere outing. “Your Grandmother and I have all in hand, and Liam and Elsa are set to help us. It’ll be a day to remember.”

“Good,” Killian said, looking around and finding his Gran already in full form, instructing the staff as to the desires she had for the outdoor space. Through the glass of the palace’s wall of windows, her words were muddled, but the humor was clear as day. This woman, frail and aged from outward appearance, was a firecracker, ruling over the days designs with an iron fist. “Surprising that Liam is giving Gran such a wide berth.”

“Well how could he not? He’s yet to come down for the day. Hard to give orders from a distance.”

Killian let out a whistle, and laughed as his mother swatted his arm and ‘tutted’ his boyish actions. Knowing when enough was enough, he left unsaid the clear reason that his brother would choose to stay abed so late in the morning. Killian would stake his life on the fact that a certain guest was here within the palace, and that she likely made a visit of the overnight variety.

“What are the chances that Gran doesn’t know?” Killian asked and his mother shook her head.

“Zero.”

“And the likelihood that she will say something?”

“That’s still to be determined.” Killian was shocked at his mother’s genuine opinion. He, for one, thought it undoubtable that Gran would make mention of this moment, gleefully commenting on the need for royal heirs or some such outlandish claim. “Eleanor is direct and prone to speaking her mind, but she is also strategic. If the calculated risk of such a comment is too high, she will deny herself. She would never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s prospects.”

“You really think a smart comment from an old woman is enough to keep them apart?” Killian asked, thinking back on the few weeks that Liam and Elsa had shared since finding each other again. They had been as close to inseparable as the schedule of a King would allow. It was clear that they were both entirely invested, so much so that a royal announcement would be made in the coming days announcing their relationship.

“Not for a second.”

“So, if you know that, and I know that… surely Gran must know that.”

At that exact moment a maid was walking back into the house, opening the glass doors. From the outside they could hear his grandmother calling out to Liam and to Elsa, who had been discovered somewhere in the backyard. They no doubt were trying to be more discrete, but Gran seemed to have no interest in allowing them that privacy.

“Oh Lord, it’s time,” Meera said with a mix of worry and also amusement. Her eyes were alight with the humor of the moment, but also the very real awkwardness that may soon transpire. “I best get out there and spare them from what I can.”

Killian nodded, but wasn’t ready for the impact of his mother’s arms around him squeezing tight. It was not in any way part of the royal protocol, but his family never paid much mind to that. Still, this was a big hug, one that was obviously filled with tremendous meaning.

“I’m so proud of you, my darling. You’ll give her everything she deserves, and the two of you will be happy. So wonderfully, beautifully happy.”

“Thanks, Mum. Love you,” he whispered, accepting her soft kiss on his cheek and her shared words of love in kind before she dashed off to help his elder brother. A Queen should never move so quickly, but then again, Gran could do quite a bit of damage in the seconds it would take to get from here to there. For his part, Killian only chuckled to himself before heading to the side of the palace towards the gardens for the day.

The next few hours were defined by attention to detail and purposeful precision. Before meeting Emma, Killian could safely say he never imagined the lengths and planning required for a proper proposal. The idea was so intangible, so unnecessary in his estimations, that he never dwelled on even the possibility. It seemed unlikely that his heart would ever be touched in that way. He assumed he’d go through life a bachelor, or worse yet, that he’d cave to eventual pressure and say yes to something arranged and designed without feeling or passion. Luckily for him he had escaped such a fate, and instead had been steered through the grace of all things good towards a woman who was far and away the most remarkable he’d ever met.

Emma was rare and extraordinary. He had known it from their first meeting, and he continued to hold onto this truth every day they were together. There was never a moment when he didn’t realize his good fortune, or when he took her presence in his life for granted. Emma had revived him. She anchored him into the goodness of the world, and she showed him what could be. She expanded his horizons, even brought with her a son, another key part of a growing family, and by her side, Killian felt like he was capable of anything.

He only hoped that the elements he’d gathered today would translate as he imagined they could. This was a memory in the making that could only be shared once. Killian wanted to be sure that it was what Emma wanted and deserved. Luckily, he’d had help and more than a little bit of intel, mostly provided by Henry and from a few other insiders who knew Emma best of all.

“Are all systems a go, Captain?”

As if he’d conjured Henry with the grateful thought of all the boy had done for him, he turned now to find Emma’s son in the garden. Killian watched as the lad took in their surroundings, his eyes growing wide, and his whispered ‘this is so cool’ a welcome sign that Killian’s efforts had not been for nothing. He stood from where he’d been bent down, tidying up the last of his efforts, and when he gazed upon it himself, he had to say he was happy with the outcome.

“Aye, Lieutenant. All the necessary components are accounted for.”

“Good. She’s going to lose it. In a good way though,” Henry said with a smile which burned bright.

“Is everyone arrived then?” Killian asked and Henry shook his head.

“Soon, but not just yet. Anna and I have been here for a while now. Gran needed help with the game set up, but I asked if I could see you first.”

The look of wonder and happiness that had clung to Henry since arriving colored to something a bit more pensive. The shift gave Killian some pause for the first time all day. “Everything all right, lad?”

“Everything’s great, I just – well I was wondering – I mean if Mom says yes – or rather when she says yes, because she’ll totally say yes, it’s just that, well I – I was wondering…”

“No need to be worried, Henry,” Killian said, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Whatever you have to ask me, I’m here to help. You have my word I will make it right.”

“I know. And you’ll love Mom forever, right?”

“Aye, lad. Forever and then some.”

“And you love me too,” Killian’s heart clenched as he automatically nodded.

“Yes, Henry. I love you both, undoubtedly.”

“And we’re going to be a family.”

Killian didn’t know what to say. Down to his bones he knew that they would be. He was confident in this union between him and Emma. They had made promises already, declarations of love. He would give anything to be her husband, and he knew that someday he would be, but to say it aloud to her son when Emma herself hadn’t had a chance to even be asked was something else entirely.  In the end, he decided to just go with his gut.

“In my heart, we already are.” Henry beamed up at him, the worry of the moment melting away. Still, Killian never imagined what he’d say next.

“Well then I was hoping that maybe, when you and Mom are married, maybe I could call you Dad?”

Killian was overwhelmed with the request. It was something he had wished for, but didn’t want to press. He knew Henry had no memories of his biological father, but he never wanted to assume. It was a massive move for a young man to ask such a question, but Killian’s answer to the query was instant and heartfelt.

“I would be honored, lad.”

“Cool,” Henry said happily, brimming with the excitement he’d had since Killian first told him about his plan to propose to Emma.

Henry moved forward, hugging Killian with the affection of an earnest hearted ten-year-old, and Killian savored it, knowing he would always see Henry as his son. He may not be his blood, but he lay claim to a large piece of Killian’s heart. He silently swore to always do right by Henry. To protect him and to teach him what he could. But mostly he would support him, and show love to Henry and his mother all the days of his life. Before Killian could speak to more of that, the sound of busses pulling up, and happy children streaming onto palace grounds wafted through the air. The time had come. This was the moment.

“You know the plan, son?” Killian asked, the word slipping off his tongue so easily, and bringing real joy to Henry’s eyes.

“Aye, aye, Captain. I’ll have Mom to you in five minutes. You can time me.”

Killian might have laughed at the fervor and excitement Henry shared, but unfortunately, five minutes waiting in a moment like this felt like a lifetime away. The only thing that got him through were the last-minute adjustments, and the journey that was needed from where he was, to where they’d start their memorable afternoon. Finally, the moment came where Killian was waiting at the start of the hedgerow, even further from the festivities and he could hear the woman he loved, unaware of his being here.

“Henry, seriously, what’s going on? The party’s only just starting. We have time for a tour later. We can go with the others.”

“Trust me Mom, this can’t wait.”

“What is it Henwy?” a tiny voice Killian would know anywhere asked. Cecelia was with them, another sign from above that his plans were moving the way he wanted.

“Something magical,” Henry said and Killian could hear the sharp trill of an excited little girl.

“Like fairies?”

“Just wait, you’ll see.”

“Something magical, huh?”  Emma parroted, but at that moment they all stepped into view.

Three days may be but a blip in time to some, but to Killian it had felt like an eternity. The peace he now experienced at seeing his Swan again was profound, and somehow she was even more stunning than when he’d left her. The day’s light shone in her hair and in her smile. She was gorgeous and relaxed, dressed in a delicate pink sun dress designed to tease and torment. Her radiance outshone every flower in this garden, and in the moments before she saw him, he soaked in the sight of her. God she was beautiful, too beautiful to properly behold. His heart skipped and his muscles tightened, and then her eyes landed on him and he was whole.  The world was righted once more, and all because Emma saw him and felt the same pull he felt emanating from his chest. The surprise in her eyes was evident, followed immediately by relief, and joy, and love, and all of it was too sweet a call to resist. He moved towards her and the children, sending up one last prayer in this critical moment.

Please let her be mine. I swear I’ll deserve her. Whatever it takes.  For I am hers, body and soul, and I always will be.

………………

God he’s gorgeous, Emma thought instinctively upon finding Killian at the far end of the garden hedge. That thought was followed closely by, Wait, what is he doing here?

“Killy!” Cecelia cried out happily, letting go of Emma and Henry’s hands and sprinting towards him. Emma watched as Killian crouched down, accepting the hug from the little girl who effortlessly stole their hearts. He closed his eyes momentarily, soaking in the moment, and then he pulled back and pushed some of her wayward curls from Cecelia’s eyes, smiling at her with genuine affection.

“Good morning, little love. How are you finding the palace?” Emma’s heart clenched in her chest in the best way. He was just so sweet with her. He always had been.

“It’s so so good,” Cecelia replied, bringing a laugh out of all of them.

At the little girl’s enthusiastic endorsement, Killian thanked Cecelia and then stood once more, looking at Emma with those captivating blue eyes and that charming smile that always took her breath away. She was still trying to fathom his presence here. They had spent the last few days apart, days she found so much more difficult to manage than she expected, but he wasn’t set to return for a few more days. Liam had sent him on state business. She didn’t press for details, assuming it was confidential, but now, she was curious as to this wonderful turn of events. Before she could ask though, he walked over to her, taking her into his arms and kissing her surely. She leaned into this embrace, loathed to let him go, but he seemed to remember they were in the presence of little eyes. It was a fleeting kiss, but still invigorating all the same.

“I don’t understand. You’re supposed to be away the rest of the week.”

“I hope you’ll forgive my brother for that white lie,” Killian said, his hand coming up to scratch at his ear in that subtle show of bashfulness she’d witnessed a time or two. “If you’ll recall I never actually confirmed an itinerary, having sworn never to lie to you again.”

“So, you weren’t on a… huh, let’s see, how did Liam put it? A ‘mission for the future of the nation’ then?” 

“Not exactly. But then again, in some ways, that’s exactly where I was. Do you trust me, love?”

Emma nodded, and watched as his smile grew warmer. She knew that it meant to him to have her trust, but in her eyes, he had earned it ten times over. Killian was a good man – the best man she knew – and he made her feel safe. Of course she trusted him. She had never trusted anyone this much before.

“In that case, I’ve some things to show you. Henry, you’ll be sure to hold down the fort in the meantime?”

Emma looked over to her son, and only now realized that this was all planned somehow. Her boy looked pleased as punch, and even sent a salute Killian’s way. “Yes sir. And Cecelia will help, wont’ you Ceci?” The little girl nodded, joyously, thrilled at the prospect of helping. “We’ll see you both soon.”

Killian nodded, leading Emma in the direction of the garden. The further they moved into the hedgerow, the quieter it became, until the only songs around them were those of birds and breeze. Emma was amazed at all of this, but she was also still wrapped up in his return. It felt so good to be back with her hand in his, the glow of his presence enveloping her. She’d never missed someone like she had the past few days, never ached this way to be reunited with someone. It was a testament to all she felt for him and how much she’d come to love him. Quietly she stopped walking, pulling Killian’s attention. With a quick glance behind them, she saw no one had followed. They were totally alone and so she made her move. Pulling him down for another kiss, she said a proper hello, and shivered in delight at his reaction.

His hands were on her, seemingly everywhere, holding her close as they tasted each other. She felt his soft dark hair between her fingers, where she ran them through by the nape of his neck. She arched in closer, feeling the friction of their bodies together, and sighing in pleasure when they pulled apart. It couldn’t go further than that, but Emma felt more secure having shown him even in a small way how happy she was to see him.

“Hell of a welcome home, love,” he growled out, words low and throaty from his own swirling emotion. “If leaving wasn’t torture in itself, I’d consider more trips just for this.”

“No need to leave for these,” she whispered to him, leaning in for another kiss but then nipping him gently instead and stepping back out of his grasp. She smiled at his evident frustration, and laughed when he groaned in defeat. He knew he was had, but from the way he pulled her back into his arms, running his hand along the small of her back and looking at her adoringly, he didn’t seem to mind.

“You are a marvel, love. Have I mentioned that yet?”

“Maybe once or twice,” she teased, looking back to where they’d been walking and giving him silent permission to lead to their destination once more. “It’s beautiful out here.”

Beautiful was an understatement. In truth, Emma had never seen such intricate floral designs or such an array of colors and flower species. She had to imagine it was more than a palace garden. This had to be one of the most beautiful botanical spaces in all of Europe.

“Much of that is my mother’s doing. Her passion project, so to speak. She brought us out here when we were boys. Showed us bits and bobs. But this has always been hallowed grounds. Special, and perhaps, as Henry hinted, a little magical as well.”

Emma was poised to reply, but at that moment they turned a corner and things changed. They were still in a garden, but this time – oh lord it was difficult to describe. Magnificent was the first word that came to mind, and ethereal came soon after. For where there were blossoms and buds before, now there even more, hanging from pergolas above and winding through ivy vines on every hedge. Some were clearly naturally placed, but Emma noticed pieces woven into this area that she’d seen before, half a world away.

“Windchimes,” she murmured, looking at the gorgeous displays that reminded her of home.

There was a storefront, totally discrete from the street view and far off of the beaten path, deep in the heart of Chinatown, that she and Henry had found when he was younger. It was filled with artisan chimes and motifs and mobiles made from natural items and glass and more. The owners were amazing and known in crafting circles around the globe. The first day Emma and Henry visited taking refuge from a sudden winter chill, the couple who owned the store had taken the time to walk her son through their work. They’d then spent hours in the studio, and though Emma had very little by way of money for a purchase, they’d showed her and Henry nothing but the utmost kindness. She’d always found the pieces beautiful, comprised of shells and flecks of crystal or silver and gold, swirled into constellations that evoked a night sky or sense of wonder. 

Over the years she and Henry returned to the studio many times, and even bought a few pieces when she could save enough to treat herself to something precious. There was so much beauty crafted in each piece. Emma always found herself wanting more, and she loved their trips back over and over again. The style  of this artwork was one of a kind. Emma had never seen other pieces like these, but here, in this patch of the garden, there had to be a hundred intricate, delicate, interrelated art pieces dancing in the wind.

“How is this possible?”

“Henry may have mentioned something. Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous. God, the time it must have taken to put this all together…”

“Was time well spent, believe me, love.” Emma looked to him and she could have sworn from the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice that he was the one who had done this. But that was crazy. How could he have possibly had time for all this?

“But how did it all even get here?”

“I brought it.”

“You brought it?” Emma asked, stunned, her fingertips grazing the smoothed lines of one art piece dripping in sea glass. “You were in New York.”

“Aye.”

“But why?”

“Patience, love. There’s more to see.”

Emma had no idea how there could possibly be more, but she tucked her arm through Killian’s and walked with him to the next section of gardens. Here there was a sudden burst of purples and whites, and a scent she’d been missing without even realizing it. Lilacs, but none of them in season. Oh God, look at all of them.

“Killian,” she whispered, looking at what must have been thousands of bouquets of her favorite flower. It was unbelievable, but it was real, and she moved forward, seeing them all set up and displayed prominently in the midst of a garden with white roses. It was gorgeous and surreal. And now she was utterly dazed and more than a little confused.

“You and Henry are well known at the Brooklyn gardens love, as I’m sure you are well aware. I had it on good authority from a woman named Ella that lilacs are your particular favorite.”

“These can’t all be from there,” Emma said and Killian shook his head.

“No, these are admittedly sourced from a few specialty purveyors across the continent. But this,” he pulled out a polaroid of a small lilac tree that was recently planted. Looking at the surroundings, Emma realized that was outside Killian’s home here in Montenarro. “This is directly from the gardens. The same family and strain, all the way from New York.”

Emma was too shocked to speak, and felt the tears welling in her eyes. He had done so much for her, and she knew it was for one reason. He wanted to bring part of her home, part of a place that meant so much to Henry and her, here to his home. It was so thoughtful she felt tongue tied. What could she say? This was all so much.

Unbelievably there was even more, and over the next few minutes he took her through three more break away gardens, each filled with other staples of her one-time home. Food and culture and memories and more. This man had managed to find all of the best parts of her time in New York and he had brought them here. Some of them were things completely out of the realm of possibility.

“I can’t believe you found this,” Emma said, holding onto a years-old piece of construction paper that had been forgotten to time.

This picture was one of so many projects that her son had made in life, but Emma cherished the memories that went with it. Another example of the city’s serendipity, this painting chronicled a day of adventure for Emma and Henry. They’d wandered all through the city, and ended up in Queens for a special summer program for kids. She was always looking for magic moments for Henry, especially ones designed for a budgeting single Mom, and this one had delivered. There were story times and games, crafts and activities, and Henry had been thrilled. He made this picture of the two of them, and though it looked nothing like Emma, it had captured her heart. It also caught the eye of the librarians working that day and they’d selected it to put on the wall in the Children’s wing. Henry was oh so proud, his four-year-old heart filled with joy at getting to hang his art somewhere aside from their refrigerator door. It meant something to Emma, another example of her doing her best by her boy, and giving him all that she’d never had.

“There was a picture of you and Henry and this particular masterpiece in the Saturday Times.”

“Okay now how could you possibly know that?”

“Your neighbor, Mrs. Hubbard. She was very forthcoming, and she’d saved the article. Has it framed and everything.”

“You spoke to Mrs. H?” Emma asked completely bewildered, and Killian nodded. “And the library had it all this time?”

“Aye. In the archives. Nothing a few strategically planned favors couldn’t procure.”

“I don’t deserve this,” Emma said, letting the tears finally fall. This was all too much, but she was immediately comforted by the feel of Killian’s strong arms. His hand came to cup her cheek, his thumb wiping some of the tears as he shook his head, his eyes full of earnest feeling and emotion.

“That’s where you’re wrong, love. You deserve every good thing the world over. I know it’s presumptuous for a man like me to ask for such a treasure, but I swear to you I’ll spend my life giving everything I can.”

“I already have everything. I have you, and Henry,” Emma said. “This is beautiful, but it’s nothing to you.”

Killian hummed out a sigh of contentment, but where Emma expected a kiss, she watched instead as he pulled back, reaching for something in his pocket. “I was hoping you’d feel this way. Makes this next part a bit less nerve wracking.”

In a smooth gesture, he pulled out a small black box and lowered to the ground. Watching Killian drop down to one knee here in the gardens, Emma felt totally adrift from all cares of the world. She was stunned and yet deeply aware that this had all been a long time coming. There was no doubt in her heart that she loved Killian, and she held no fear over taking this next step. This man had shown her for months that he genuinely cared for her and her son. He would move mountains for them, if only for a possibility of their happiness. He was selfless and loyal and true, and he made her brave, emboldening her to believe that the risk was worth it. Love was worth it. Still, it was shocking, to be adored so deeply, and to know that someone truly felt the world began and ended with her.

“Emma, I realize that this is perhaps soon by some standards, but believe me when I say that I have been aching to ask you this question since the moment we met.”  

More tears formed in her eyes, thinking back on that day. Her world had truly shifted in the span of one morning. There was a time before Killian, before romantic love that ever made her hopeful, and then there was more. It all started at the center, but it built well beyond those four walls. Knowing what she did now, she had to call their encounter what it had been – love at first sight. Maybe she hadn’t admitted it then, and surely she hadn’t said it aloud, but that is what transpired. She took one look at this man, this extraordinary, incredible man, and she was hooked, plain and simple.

“You amazed me then, that first day at the Institute. I didn’t realize anyone like you could truly be real, or that I was capable of forming an attachment with such strength. I had seen too much, I reasoned, knew the darkness of the world in ways that may leave me lacking for the rest of my days. I thought such chances at something halfway near normal were beyond me, but those first sparks between us proved me wrong. I was totally ensnared, caught in a web you couldn’t help for making, and still, that immediate response can’t compare to all I feel now. Knowing you – loving you – I am more certain each and every day that you hold my heart in your hand. I am yours, Emma. I have been yours, and I will remain yours all the days of my life.”

There was absolutely no chance at stopping from crying now, but the sensation was one of happiness. She was actually living a fairytale. Her, the once lost girl who never had a nickel to her name, or a friend to keep her going. She had survived the cruelest affairs of the heart. She had been so terribly and tragically alone, but she persisted, and she learned, through the grace of her son, and the courage of her convictions, to live. Now with Killian she was starting anew, building up the small life she’d shared with Henry into something much bigger. To say she was exited at the prospect was an understatement.

“Emma Swan, will you -,”

“I want to adopt Cecelia!” Emma said abruptly, blurting out a seemingly unrelated fact in the middle of what had been the most beautiful proposal. She was mortified, but only for a moment. Because the smile on Killian’s face calmed the storm inside her.

“Ah, right. You see, I had anticipated that, though in the interest of full disclosure I envisioned this part of the conversation after your reply to the proposal. Regardless, I offer you this, love.”

Emma watched as he juggled the ring and instinctively she took it, holding the box and sparing another glance at the absolutely beautiful band. Her fingers itched to put it on now, but she knew it would be so much better to let Killian do the honors. She then watched in amazement as he pulled out a series of papers from inside his jacket. He opened the file containing them all and showed her an application for adoption. The child in question was Cecelia, and the forms listed both Emma and Killian as petitioning guardians. Now she was completely overwhelmed. He knew every single part of her. Every hope. Every dream. He was perfect.

“Family is so much more than blood, Swan, as we both know, and I think we’ve known for sometimes that Cecelia will always be our princess.”

“Yes,” Emma whispered. Yes to everything, yes to all of it.

“I’ve also spoken to Henry, not intentionally per se, wanting to speak with you first, but it would mean the world to adopt him as well. I don’t know how you’d feel about that, but I-,”

“Yes,” she said again, this time with even more conviction.

“Yes?” he asked with a hopeful grin and she nodded. “Well in that case. May I, love?”

She handed him the papers which he put down beside them with care. Emma watched as he took the ring box back from her other hand. He settled down on bended knee again, preparing himself for another attempt at asking her to marry him. It took everything in her to bite her tongue and let him actually get the request out.

“Emma Swan, love of my life, light of my spirit, and queen of my heart, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

“Yes.”

Everything from there went quickly as he slipped the ring on her finger, tossing the box without care to the group. Killian was up at full height in mere moments, pulling her in for a scorching kiss and Emma was complete. It may not have been a totally according to plan proposal, but Emma believed what they had was even better, because it was real and true and filled with so much love. She could think of no better way to start a beautiful forever, and when they pulled back, resting their foreheads against each other and soaking in the moment, Emma let out a sigh of sheer relief. This was what they meant when they said happily ever after, and it was so very worth the wait.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy,” Emma murmured aloud.

“Neither have I,” an emotional voice said – only it wasn’t Killian. The voice continued. “Truly beautiful.”

“Gran,” Killian muttered shaking his head. Emma bit her lip and covered her mouth. They had absolutely just been caught out here, but when they both turned to see their unexpected audience, consisting of Killian’s family, Elsa and Anna, and Henry and Cecelia, a different person outside of all the rest, was revealed to be the culprit.

“You take that back, Killian, for you know better than that,” Gran said, standing beside a dressed up and dazzling looking Mrs. Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard was there too, his hand on Henry’s shoulder and his leg being held onto by a very friendly Cecelia. Emma never expected to see her dear, sweet neighbors. Their appearance here in Montenarro left her floored.

“My new friends are a treat, believe me,” Gran continued, walking forward, and seemingly giving everyone else the silent permission to do the same. “But their spying skills need work. I would never speak through such a moment, nor rustle these hedges with quite so much gusto. Not to worry though, they’ll learn.”

Everyone descended in that moment to wish them all well, but the most important reactions came from Henry and from Cecelia. The happiness of both of these kids – their kids – gave Emma tremendous joy and satisfaction. She was also thrilled to share this with their blended family, and with the friends who had become such strong bonds in her new life. After much congratulations, everyone returned to the party, and an announcement was made. If Emma believed the reaction to be enthusiastic from her loved ones, it was even bolder from all of the children at the center. Indeed, the happiness and infectious sense of hope made for the best party any of them had ever been to, and created an afternoon like none she’d ever experienced.

Hours later, Emma was still reeling from the high, and loving the fact that she and Killian had stayed together all day. He’d never let her go after her saying yes, always beside her, supporting her, adoring her, and loving her endlessly. She was so happy with him, but as the day drew to a close, her spirits dampened slightly. In his usual form, Killian caught on immediately.

“What’s the matter, love?” he asked, sure that no one else was listening, even though they were still amidst the party.

“Nothing,” Emma said automatically, though that was only half true. “This is one of the best days of my life. It’s just… the waiting…”

“Aye, I’ve considered that too. But I think I’ve arrived at a workable solution.” Emma looked at him curiously. “I will submit for a special license from the crown. The King and I are on decent terms you see.”

“Decent, huh?” Emma teased, looking over at Liam and finding him swaying with Elsa on a makeshift dance floor. There wasn’t even any music playing, but to this happy couple, and to the children dancing nearby, that didn’t matter in the slightest.

“He’s been in better spirits of late, as you might imagine.”

“Seems to be going around.”

“Mmm,” Killian hummed out, running his hand along her cheek and looking at her with sincerity and bliss. “We can have everything arranged in a week. It’ll be quite the undertaking, but the staff is up to the challenge.”

“A week?” Emma said, not believing it. Surely it must take longer than that, but she loved the idea. In truth, she’d marry him right now if she could. “Can we really do that?”

“Just say the word, Emma.”

“Yes,” she said nodding. “It’s crazy. Actually it’s totally insane, but yes, please, yes.”

“As you wish,” he replied kissing her again under the party lights and lighting her aflame once more. “In the meantime, I’ve no wish to be apart. We should be together, love, as long as that’s what you want.”

“I do.”

“Everything’s ready. I’ve been working for weeks on it. The rooms for Henry, for Cecelia, all of it. It’s merely a matter of moving your things in, all of which can be done tonight.”

“You’re serious?” Emma asked and he nodded.

“A magistrate’s already granted temporary custody for Cecelia. You can take her home now while the process continues. Please, love, say you’ll all come home to me.”

Emma looked over to Henry and to Cecelia, who were dancing together on the floor. Emma watched as her son already took so well to his new sister, and as if she’d conjured his attention, Henry glanced her way. He waved, a sign that Emma returned. Drawing attention to them set Cecelia in motion, and soon the little girl was dragging Henry across the party. Soon enough they were back together, the four of them a new but undoubtedly permanent unit. Cecelia jumped into Killian’s arms, and Henry came to Emma’s side looking up with his knowing expression.

“What’s up, Mom?” he asked and Emma smiled, unable to resist pulling him and pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.

“How would you feel about moving to Killian’s house -,”

“Our house,” Killian stressed and Emma chuckled.

“Sorry, our house, tonight?”

“That would be awesome!” Henry said excitedly. “Can we do that?”

“Aye.”

“And me too?” Cecelia asked hopefully.

“Yes, honey, you too,” Emma said, brushing a stray curl from Cecelia’s face. The kids made their feelings known. They were in, totally and completely. “Well I guess we have our answer then.”

“Aye, love. The best of answers, all around.”

And so, later that night, when the festivities of the day had ended, and the children all departed, Emma and Killian, Henry and Cecelia all headed home together, enjoying their first night in a place that would always be theirs. And though Emma knew they were in for a crazy week of planning and party design, and wedding wildness, she was truly joyful. For this was a life beyond her wildest dreams, and she knew, deep down to her core, that it was going to be breathtaking.

Post-Note: So… what did you think? Personally, I found it SO cathartic to write this scene. It’s been such a long time coming and I have pictured this outcome for Emma and for Killian even before writing the first word of this story. Almost a year ago to the day this story came to me, and my hope is to write out the final chapter by the one year anniversary in early May. Hopefully it won’t take quite so long, but please know that it has been a joy to write this and share with all of you. I hope this chapter and this fic have brought some brightness to your world and some magic to your moment. This has been an insane time, but I’ve been grateful to share it with all of you. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, and I’d love to hear what your hopes for the end of this story are. Until next time, wishing you all well and healthy and safe! xE.

#captain swan #captain swan fic #captain swan au #cs fic #cs #cs ff #cs fluff #cs au #emma swan #killian jones #Prince!Killian #single mom Emma #feels like this #feels like this au #feels like this 13 #CS modern AU #cs royalty #Modern Royalty AU #the whole storybrooke gang #cs proposal

[talk1about7seventeen]

ღ Saw You In A Dream ღ

Summary: Virgil keeps dreaming about a mysterious boy he has yet to meet. Turns out it’s his soulmate. 

Warning: Mild cursing, anxious Virgil, happy Patton, sleep Janus, chaotic Remus, low self esteem, mentions of caffeine, mentions of sex. 

Characters: Patton, Virgil, Janus, and Remus.

Word Count: 1969

Ship/ Pairing: Janus x Remus (Dukeceit - Romantic.) Virgil x Patton (Moxiety - Romantic.)

AU: Human: You dream about your soulmate until you meet them in person/ realize who they are.

Song Inspiration: Saw You In A Dream - The Japanese House

I hope you enjoy! ☆=(ゝω･)

---

“Hey, don’t worry Virgil! Maybe I’ll see you around or something, if you’d like I could---”

The alarm rang at the worst possible time waking Virgil up from the angelic voice of the boy he couldn’t ever quite remember the face of. His voice however, he couldn’t forget it. Smooth like buttermilk and warm like a Summer’s day. Virgil didn’t recall it exactly, but he was certain he had a gorgeous smile. Anyone who treated him so.....nicely....must. 

Pushing his bangs out of his face, he sat up and pulled on his purple stitched jacket which laid on top of his messy bed. One of his pillows was hanging off the side of his bed and his favorite stuffie laid lonely on the floor. His anxiety spiked as he saw his comfort item left there untouched. Quickly, he scooped the old teddy bear from the creaky wooden floor boards and sat him on the innermost corner of the bed on the remaining pillow that touched the mauve walls. 

The alarm on his phone blared on, seemingly getting louder and louder as each precious second passed by. Virgil turned, shoulders rising parallel to his jawline. “Too....early....for this...” He groaned, slamming his finger on the button to turn off the ungodly noise. In the atmosphere now drifted silence. Virgil let out a sigh and began to gather his things for the day.

“Not so fast, emo boy!” Remus grabbed the back of the boy’s shirt as he tried to pass by the kitchen. “Ugh, put me down you neon disaster.” Virgil fought back, swatting the air around him, attempting to hit the taller being behind him. He could never move fast enough to catch Remus though. “Boys,” A voice called out from down the hall. They both turned, Remus’ wide eyed with Virgil still in his rather strong grip. Janus, their other roommate sauntered out of the darkness into the small glow of the kitchen light with it’s faint green hues. Janus pressed a mug to his lips and took a long gulp of his cold coffee. “If you’re going to kill each other, keep the house and I out of it.” He motioned to the counter and placed the cup into the microwave. 

“Up late again, Snakey?” Remus dropped Virgil and walked up behind Janus, wrapping his arms around the even taller boy’s waist. “When am I not...?” Virgil looked away as they chatted, intertwined with each other like two pieces of red string that connected at the fingertips. This was no real surprise for him, he was use to seeing the two so affectionate. That’s how it always was when you found your soulmate....

Virgil couldn’t really understand how. Maybe it was his lack of experience with romance, or maybe he just refused to believe in something that he was convinced would never apply to him. Love....now that was something he could laugh at. Who on Earth could love him? Besides Janus and that dumpster fire of a person he was tied to, no one else really stuck with him. He was convinced it was how easily he could push other people away or his unfriendly nature. No matter which one it was exactly, the only thing close to love he would ever get was inanimate objects that never spoke back and those two drooling all over each other. The love that he did get, wasn’t the kind he was searching for. Virgil appreciated what he got immensely, without Janus and Remus, he probably would feel more alone than he already does. But they didn’t look at him how they looked at each other; no one looked at him that way. 

“I should head out.” Virgil announced as Janus pulled his warmed up coffee cup out of the kitchen appliance and set it back down in front of him. “See ya!” Remus stuck out his tongue to Virgil and went back to embracing his lover. “Stay safe.” Janus told him without looking up, exhaustion closing in on him similarly like how one would imagine Remus’ embraces to be like; noticeable and slightly aggressive. 

 Leaving the house, he popped in his headphones and pressed shuffle on his Spotify playlist named: Drowning out the fucking from the next room. This playlist included and not limiting to, Evanescence, Fall Out Boy, and MCR (Obviously.) Why he made this playlist started off as a joke and then transformed into him successfully being able to block out even the most unholy sounds, like people talking to him, or Remus being Remus. 

As he walked down the street with his hood up, the words of the mystery boy played in his head. Who was he? Why was he so often in his dreams? Maybe it was pure coincidence. That he was so low that his brain felt the need to create a love interest out of thin air for the lonely boy. Wouldn’t that be something? Ridiculous....Virgil thought to himself. On autopilot, he went through the motions of walking up to his local coffee shop and ordering something for Remus, Janus, and himself. The barista who knew him by face at this point asked him what he wanted. He answered the same most every time, only occasionally switching up the order. It was easy to stick with what he knew, and it never disappointed, not when it’s a hot cup of coffee with caffeine you could practically taste just from the scent. 

“Have a great day, sir!” She smiled handing Virgil his hot coffee as well as a baked good for Janus and an espresso drink for Remus. Not that the borderline chaotic evil idiot needed so much coffee, because he surely did not. But Virgil would rather just go along with it to avoid conflict. “You too.” Virgil tried to push a smile since she was always nice to him. As Virgil began to walk out the door, he noticed the sky was particularly blue today. I’ll take a little detour...He thought to himself, nodding once.

Passing Virgil by were children with parents smiling and giggling as the warm breeze blew through their hair, people walking their dogs, and teens making their way to the skate park which was about a ten minute walk from where he was. The buildings lined in a row opened up to a park with a large water fountain in the midst of the area. Why not..He shrugged making his way into the park. Butterflies fluttered and children’s laughter could be heard. The overall feeling of this place gave Virgil a feeling of contentment that he hadn’t felt in some time. Breathing in and out, he took advantage of this feel-good opportunity. He sat down on a nearby bench, leaning until his spine touched the back of the seat. “Excuse me?” Virgil’s eyes shot open and he pulled the earbuds out of his ears. In front of him was a golden haired boy with freckles planted on his cheeks and nose. 

Virgil felt his chest began to explode with so many emotions. “Oh! Did I disrupt you? My bad!” He apologized. The boy’s voice was so recognizable but for some reason, Virgil couldn’t figure out exactly where from. It hurt his brain as he fished for answers but came up empty handed. “No! It’s uh....it’s okay...” Virgil’s voice quieted as he began to speak on. The boy gave a wide smile. “I just wanted to say I really like your hoodie. I’m Patton.” He held out a hand. “Thanks,” He swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked at Patton, now feeling a new kind of anxious. “I’m Virgil.” Patton shook his hand gently. “Did you make it yourself?” Virgil looked down at his purple and black stitched hoodie. “Yea, I did.” Patton’s face lit up. “That’s so cool!” 

“I hope this isn’t too weird but, do I know you from somewhere?” Virgil couldn’t seem to place the familiar feeling he felt when looking at Patton. It was like being engulfed in your childhood blanket for the first time in years. It felt....right...

“Uh, I don’t know but, I was thinking the same thing.” Patton pressed a finger to his lip and pondered for a moment. They stood there for a moment, their surroundings making up for the lack of words. The boy in front of him brushed it off with a shrug and looked back into Virgil’s eyes. “Well, anyhow, I should probably be on my way.” Patton giggled. Virgil felt his heart sink into his stomach. The golden haired boy placed a hand on Virgil’s shoulder, looking into his eyes as if he could read how the dark boy felt. 

“Hey, don’t worry Virgil! Maybe I’ll see you around or something, if you’d like I could give you my phone number!” Virgil nearly spit out his coffee at the words he said. “What did you say!?” He exclaimed. As Patton repeated his words, he covered his mouth instantly. Everything in that moment clicked. The boy’s smile, his gentle and kind demeanor, he was Virgil’s dream boy....

How did this simultaneously make so much sense, but also not at all? What would he say? What could he say? Was there any real approach that wouldn’t make him look like an idiot? “Do you believe in soulmates, Patton?” He asked breathless. Shock ran through Patton. “You....” Patton tried to speak. “I think....” They both stared at each other for a long moment, taking in the awe and wonder that had for each other. In that moment, they were no longer strangers, but a story yet to be written. “Patton, I think you’re my soulmate.” The boy’s eyes widened and then softened as his lips curled up into such a dazzling smile. He pulled out a blue colored sharpie from his bag. “May I?” He pointed to the coffee cup. “Oh!” He handed it to him and Patton began to write something on the white part of the cup. He handed it back a very star struck Virgil. “Please call me.” After that he gave a little wave and left, disappearing behind the water fountain and out of sight completely.

Virgil sat there, brain full of questions racing at a million miles an hour. I need to get home. Without wasting anymore time, he quickly made his way home, practically running. “Welcome back, Vi---” Janus tried to say but stopped as he took a glance at the expression on his good friend’s face as he walked through the door. “I think I just met my soulmate.” 

“Well, God damn, My Little Paranoid!” Remus answered. “He gave me his number and---” Remus cut him off. “GO CALL HIM NOW!” His voice boomed in he small house. “Remus, give him a bit he’s probably overwhelmed.” Janus turned from the couch, looking over the side at Virgil. “How do you feel, Virgie?” He asked. “I---I think I forgot how to breathe.” Virgil stared at his own shaking hands. “HAHAHAHAHAHAH!” Remus cackled. He ran up to the shaken boy and took the drink and baked good for Janus. “Try to calm down and when you’re ready, go call him.” Janus eyed Remus, emphasizing his words. Remus began to chug his drink. “What?” He asked after a large gulp. “Okay! Thank you!” Virgil ran up stairs into his room. 

Jumping onto the bed he examined the cup and very slowly punched the numbers in. He stared at his phone for a minute. Is this really happening? Or is this just a dream I’m living in? Virgil shook his head. “I’m gonna do it...” He with great hesitation pressed the call button, the ringing making him jump. It rang once, then twice, and finally....click!

“Hello?” Patton asked, cheery like a Summer’s day.

“Hey.”

#sanders sides #thomas sanders #fanfiction #fanfic #sanders sides fanfic #janus sanders #remus sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #soulmates au

[crewhonk]

Having a massive poe phase right now and LOVED your last one, can I possibly request one where the reader and poe fuck in his x-wing? It’s one of his all time fantasy’s 😛😛

AN: Poe reads harlequin romance novels, poe fucks you in his x-wing, marking, cream pie, cock warming you're welcome.

_______________________________

To be honest, Poe imagined this going entirely differently. He imagined whisking you away to his X-Wing in the middle of the night, giggling and kissing down the hallways of the base on D’Qar and hiding in a broom closet from the night patrol like two teenagers. 

He pictured him helping you up on the ladder, pulling you into his lap and having enough room to maneuver around you to guide the plane into the cosmos, putting it on cruise and undressing you slowly, kissing the places he could reach and feeling the places he couldn't with his hands. 

He pictured you riding him, head thrown back in ecstasy as you came again, your glistening skin illuminated by the stars and the lights not he control panel and maybe by some shining sun a million miles away. Maybe he would land the plane and the windows would still be fogged up and a single, slightly smeared handprint would be left behind for the night patrol to find

However, Poe had a hopeless romantic tendency when he imagined things like this. 

“Baby. Come on, if you don't get up your back is going to kink. Let’s go for a ride, yeah?” He asked, coming up behind you at your desk at the command centre and pressing his fingertips into your shoulders. You’d been working tirelessly on a new mission Leia was planning for him, and you wanted to go through it as much as possible to make it fool proof-- something that would put your mind more at ease since it was such a high-profile, high-risk mission. 

“’M almost done, Babe. Five more.” You didn’t even finish your sentence before patting his hand on your shoulder and going back to the screen. He huffed and waited a few seconds before pulling your hands away from the keyboard, saving your work and shutting off the screen.

“Poe Dameron! You did not just-!” You frowned and spun in your chair, frowning up at your guy through sleepy eyes. 

“We’re going for a ride. You need to get off this planet for an hour.” He said simply, holding out his hand and wiggling his fingers so you would take them. You melted at his hopeful expression and smiled tiredly. You nodded and took his hand and he pulled you eagerly through the halls. There were no night patrols to worry about, so getting to the flight hangar was easy enough. He let go of your hand to snag a ladder from Snaps ship and he opened the hatch of the ship, climbing up the ladder and looking down at the cockpit. 

It was smaller than he remembered. 

In any happenstance, he climbed in and held his hand out to you, pulling you in and settling you on his lap, and closed the hatch. Sure, you only had about two inches over your head, and he couldn’t quite see around your shoulders to the controls, but this was fine. Thankfully, he’d taught you how to fly, and he was a wonderful teacher. 

You switched the plane on, and easily careened it up into the sky, breaking the atmosphere easily. As you steered the ship, he wrapped his arms around your waist, placing hot kisses between your shoulder blades and shoulders, nuzzling the back of your neck and kissing it gingerly, making you shift eagerly against him, making his pants grow tighter with excitement. 

You flicked the ship into cruise and melted into him, letting his hands drift under your shirt and undergarments to feel your tits, rolling the pebbling nipples between his fingers gently and making you sigh. 

“Let me help you relax, Princess.” He mumbled into your neck, breath hot and making you shiver. 

“Just trying to make sure you come home to me.” You breathed, exposing your neck and melting into him further, letting him kiss and suck dark marks into your neck. 

“I’ll aways come home to you, no matter what.” One of his hands stayed playing with your tits while the other drew little patterns down your torso, slipping past the waistband of your pants and cupping your heat, pressing the tips of his fingers against your core. 

“Wet. Is this all for me, Princess?” He cooed and you nodded desperately, rolling your hips and making him groan. There was little room in the cockpit, so you grinding your hips for more pressure also meant you grinding against his fully hard member. 

“All for you, Commander.” You sighed, smiling when you heard his breath catch in his throat. 

“It’s Commander tonight, is it?” He teased and you gasped when he pushed past the edge fo your underwear and slid two thick fingers into your heat, thumb immediately toying with your clit. His touch was sparks on your skin and you keened against him. Poe could have listened to the sound of his fingers inside of you and the choked moans you let out, but the trousers he was wearing were getting too tight and Stars, he just wanted to be inside his girl. 

“Lift up just a little I need to get these off.” He murmured and pulled his hand away from you. You would have complained more, but the promise of your boyfriend filling you in his X-Wing was nothing less than remarkable. 

You lifted yourself as much as you could-- even leaning forward until your forehead pressed against the front window. He managed to pull your pants down to your knees before he couldn’t move any more. 

“Babe, kick your pants off.”

“If I do I’ll never be able to get them on again.”

“Fine.” He grumbled, undone his own buttons and only managing to get his pants just under his bum. It would work, but it wasn’t his harlequin romance novel porn he’d been hoping for. 

“Can you turn around?”

“Umm-- ow, fuck. Nope.” You tried, smacking your head against the above head control panel, making both of you snort with laughter. His hand came put to cradle your temple, and you laughed loudly, falling against him and letting him pepper kisses along your temple. 

“That’s okay.” He chortled. “Oh, that might bruise.”

“I figured-- hey, it wouldn’t be the first time you made my head ache.” You teased and he slapped your ass playfully, smiling when you squealed. He pulled you back against him, and while the atmosphere was still light, it grew more serious as your burning heat came in contact with the flat of his hard cock. He swiped his fingers across your slick entrance and used your juices as his own lube, pumping himself a few times before rubbing the tip of his dick against your cunt, pressing in slowly until he bottomed out and you were shaking in his arms. 

“Fuck, Dameron.” You cursed, shaking your head. You felt him pul your shirt up over your back and sink his teeth into the meat of your shoulder blades, groaning as you rolled yourself on him. Slowly, you figured out a rhythm which worked for both of you (only smacking your head twice more) and soon, Poe was leaning back and driving his hims against your ass, making the small cockpit fill with the sounds of your moans and the sounds of skin slapping skin. 

“Oh, Princess. You’re so fuckin’ tight.” He grunted. “Take me so well.” You keened as your fingers found your clit, rubbing it to chase the release you could feel tightening in your stomach. 

“Poe--” You moaned loudly when he smacked your ass hard- a correction. “Commander. Fuck, please-”

“Please what, Princess?” 

“Want you to come inside me, Commander. Please, come for me.” You begged, close enough yourself. Poe felt his eyes roll into the back of his head at your request. It was a string of words that never failed to get him on the brink- the only thing that he would need now if for you to-

There it is.

You clamped hard down on him, curling over the control panel and pressing your fingers to your clit, rocking yourself on Poe to prolong your orgasm as long as possible. 

Poe, knowing you’d come, grabbed the meat of your hips and drove you back on his cock hard, using you for his release that he could feel pulling at his belly button. Soon enough, he slammed you on him one final time, tearing your legs open and rubbing at your clit roughly but skillfully as he came, triggering a second, smaller orgasm from you, milking him of the hot come that painted the walls of your cunt. He had suck his teeth deep into your shoulder-- deep and hard enough to bruise- marking you as his.

The cockpit was filled with your pants for a few minutes as you both gathered your bearings, feeling each other the only way to ground you both instead of flying up to the heavens. When you finally came to, you tried to shift off of him, but he pulled you back to him, your core welcoming his slowly softening dick once more. 

“Just stay there, Princess. Wanna feel you for a little bit longer.” He begged and you moaned managing to turn on his dick and sit lengthwise across his lap. 

“Kiss me, Commander.” You whispered and he smiled softly, leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours. It was a brief kiss, but one that stole your hearts and breaths as if it was your first kiss all over again. Poe had a way of doing that. 

The fight home was relaxed, and full of soft touches and shared kisses. You landed in the hangar easily, slipping off of Poe and pulling your pants over your hips, opening the cockpit and breathing in the fresh air, exiting the plane first and waiting at the foot of the ladder for Poe, grabbing his hand and walking with him to your shared dorm.

Poe looked back once at the X-Wing, and felt the biggest rush flood his body when he saw one, slightly smeared handprint on the window- barely visible- but there all the same.

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron imagine #poe dameron smut #poe dameron oneshot #poe dameron fluff #poe dameron blurb

[popculturebuffet]

The Loud House Reviews: The Boss Maybe/ Family Bonding

`

Loud House weekly coverage continues as Leni is pushed into the deep end of responsiblity and taking over Lori’s old role of babysitter while her parents are gone and promptly drowns in a sea of comedy clubs, human body parts both on screen and in the fridge, old men in holes and indoor beach volley ball. 

First things first: Last week I forgot to mention Rusty’s mustache freezing off as god, wether it be the judeo-christian god, Odin, that prick Zeus, the flying spagehtti monster or one of many other gods out there. Perhaps all of them did it at once out of hatred for the little weiner. Maybe one of them finally answered my prayers which in that case, that was nice and all but there are far worse things going on i’d prefer you took care of. Also the “stuff I couldn’t fathom” turned out to be just more loudcest, because of course it did. Loudcest is like David Spade, you think it’s finally gone or isn’t doing as much but then it comes around and makes the wrong missy and you waste 90 minutes of your life thinking i’td be so bad it’s good when it’s really just boring and a waste of it’s main actress talent. I lost track of that metaphor, but Loudcest is like david spade in that people like it for reasons I can’t fathom and it hasn’t quietly faded into the background for reasons I can’t fathom, though at least david spade was funny once. So maybe Loudcest isn’t like david spade. or maybe i’ve been taking too long with this bit. 

But whlie last week was a bit wonky it also had a lot to setup.. but now it’s time to see what the show does with all the setup over, and a lot of new possiblities ahead. PItter Patter!

The Boss Maybe Ah now this is exactly what I was hoping for this season. New situations brought about by the year-up and all the changes it brought, with the same old heart and humor and character progression that drew me back into the show. This is the kind of episode i love and have talked about in the past and dosen’t fall into any of the shows usual pitfalls in the process. Just great. I could end it there but I haven’t shut up before why do it now.  So this episode focuses on Leni who I talked about a bit last week and easily had the best plot and in general tends to have good episodes, both before and after the show became an ensemble piece, and even in episodes without her tends to slide in just fine. She’s always a nice breath of fresh air when she shows up. 

I think that’s due to a number of things. For one it’s how sweet a person she is: She’s genuinely nice, kind and well meaning. While she is dumb as a box of rocks that resemble Pauly Shore, what I like is her stupidity isn’t malicious, or overused for misery. She causes comical injuries from time to time with it but she’s quick to apologize iff she realises it and usualyly has no ill will to anybody unless provoked or fighting Lori over a dress despite them wearing the same clothes all the time. I know standard animation thing but it’s always weird to me when shows with a stock outfit for a character have a fashionista, and prefer when shows have stylish characters actually change outfits like Kim Possible did with it’s title character, Xiaolin Showdown did with Kimiko and of all things LIttlest Petshop did with Blythe. Granted Blythe is a nothing of a character but still, credit where it’s due. But I do get this is also a nick show and they givet hem the budget of 50 cents and a network memo that says “BEG US FOR MORE MONEY” written in blood, so fair enough. 

That aside she’s just plesant to watch. The other factor is Liliana Mumy. If you haven’t heard of her , she’s a vetran voice actress whose been doing this on and off since she was a kid, voicing Panini on chowder as a child and later going on to voice Beth in bravest warriors among other roles. Why she only does work so ocasionaly I have no idea but when she does she’s great. She’s also the son of fellow child actor BIll Mumy, aka the guy who as a kid played Anthony Fremont from the Twilight Zone classic “It’s A Good Life”, which if you haven’t seen it is about a small child who has the power of a god and thus can banish people who are “bad”, i.e. disobey him and thus rules over a small town as a creepy and cruel despot. Oh and he can read minds so if you dare to have a thought he dosen’t like your getting banished, with no telling what that means or where anyone disappeared goes. It’s good stuff. Highly recommend it, Mumy is absolutley terrifing and a brilliant actor even at that age and I wish he’d done more as an adult. I also bring it up because Lily played his daughter when they did a sequel episode during the UPN version of the show, set decades later and showing just what the little terror was like grown up... as well as what happens when his DAUGHTER gets the power. It was also really good and worth a watch after the first one. Good stuff. 

TLDR: Leni is one of my faviorites, so’s her voice actress, i’ve rambled enough about unrelated stuff at this point. 

We open at the mall, where for Leni life begins after schol, that’s when we bend all the rules time to hang with all her friends in the place where she belongs!

I mean technically she’s 17 now, but she was 16 when she started this job and none of them were 16 by the time the show ended so nyeh. This started in season 3 when the show started giving the girls not just their own stories but their own supporting casts., storylines, love intrests etc. Luna and Luaan got their romance plots with Sam and Benny, Lori got her college plot towards the end of the season, Lynn’s friends started showing up in her plots more, Luna’s mortuariy club went from assorted background friends of hers to a full fleged supporting crew, and of course Lincoln’s friend group started to become a recurring part of his plots away from his sisters. 

For Leni, being one of the only three kids that could legally work at the time, another possible plot to dig into, and with Luna having way less incentive to get a 9-5 job with her music to work on and the fact we’ve seen her use said music to make money once in a blue moon, Leni was a good choice. It gave her something she was good at besides fashion, even if it’s fashion adjacent and gave us a new supporting cast for those stories: Her boss Mrs. Redinger, your standard “i’m tough by fair” type, and her new friends Fiona and Miguel, two fellow fashion savy teens played by actors i’d never heard of but who do a damn good job and play off her well, with both being a bit sarcastic but Fiona being a bit more mopey and deadpan and Miguel being a possibly but defintely gay teen. Both play off her well by being more down to earth and more wiling to be negative, but still enjoyable enough to be around you can buy them being friends with Leni and their a stellar addition to the cast. I wish, much like we’ve gotten with Liam lately, we could see more of them outside leni stories. Their a treat. 

But I really like Leni’s work there. Besides the cast it puts Leni in a role of responsiblity she excels at. My only real problem is her boyfriend, maybe I dunno, Chaz, one of the ONLY love intrests from l is for love to get mentioned again and one of the more intresting ones, never shows up despite also working at hte mall and the story potetial of them working for rival stores or the same store. I mean I can’t blame them for not throwing another love intrest on the pile when they had two ongoing romance plots, but now both Luna and Luann are on steady ground with their steadies, it’s time to pull that trigger, get off hte ground and eat that horse. Also let LIncoln have one again will ya? It dosen’t have to be stella but Girl Jordan is right there, i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again.. where is she. And if not her just make one you’ve proven to actually be really good at it. 

Where was I? Ah yes the mall. Leni is doing great at her job, suggesting some gloves to scoots, who ceases being skeptical when a hunky younger man of 30 something compliments her on them them chases off after him. If you don’t remember who scoots was that’s the old lady on a scooter who makes troulbe and appareltly can still get it. Good for her. Granted this is coming from someone who ships eda and stan pines still even though it’s now revealed she’s 30 but... frankly I don’t think age is a concern with her and stan can make this joke, so it evens out. 

I mean he would right? I”m getting off topic even more than usual, point is Leni is doing great and her boss takes her to the break room for cake room... it’s just the one cake but can you imagine a cake room? that’s the life. Just a fridgerated room full of cake. 

Turns out she’s EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. And she didn’t have to chain squidward to an ancient battle ship to get it or anything. After some confusion, Fiona has to clarify it’s NOT her birthday because of course she does, Leni is proud. Full of cake and pride she tells her mom whose decided to reward her good job at work.. by dumping a bunch of respnosiblity on her.  I kid. Rita is being somewhat resonable here. She asks Leni to take over Lori’s old role of babysitting/making sure the other 10, now 9 kids don’t burn the house down... no really she actually specifies that when leaving in the next scene. Which.. fair enough.. you have 11 kids, all likely to plug in a lot of stuff especially Luna and Lisa, said Lisa is a mad scientest who ends up nearly being the one to do it this time, Lynn has no common sense, and the younger ones who aren’t mad scientst are still reckless and vain and combattive respectivley so the odds of a house fire nearly breaking out on any given night are 1:1. But Leni in a show of self doubt that’s rare for her is scared (Though her revealing that by answering a question of how she’d feel about about babysitting the kids with “Scared” was fucking gold. I swear Lily’s deliveries are always so great. ), and while Rita assures her she’s not sure. But as I said, she is being resonable: While Leni’s not the brightest she’s kind, she’s been shown even before her recent major award she’s responsible, she’s babysat for other people’s kids, and she’s kind. I mean they COULD put Luna or Luaan in charge but while when I first read the preview blurb for this episode I was cuirous why they didn’t think of that or thought they would, this episode does a good job presenting WHY they’d do it, while other episodes fill in the gaps: Luna is a bit reckless and Luaan can get caught up in her bidness and as we know once a week goes through the green door and comes out a gamma monster fuled by the sound of her own laughter, a horrible mixture of the joker and madman.. the leader’s insane brother. I’m a huge nerd, you all know this. Leni is the right choice.

Despite her nerves Leni has little choice but to take it on and Mr. Loud proudly sees her out with ye olde english as he and Rita, with lily in a cute little knight’s helmet in tow, are going to a renisance fair to cater, with Lynn Sr needing the backup. And while you may say “what about his staff”.. their either going with and he just needs an extra pair of hands since it’ll be nuts, or some of them are staying behind to man Lynn’s Table while he’s out on his catering gig. I mean the man has plenty of time for his kids, he’s not at the restraunt 24 hours a day. Someone else has to run it when he’s gone. I asked internally why they didn’t just take them along.. then reminded myself that taking all 11 kids to the faire at once, without anyone to watch them and likely having to call in favors when jsuta s likely, Lynn Sr and Rita can take them all another day with presumibly free passes as part of the catering job as that sounds like the kinda thing he’d do. Also Senior’s into scarf’s now thanks to Leni, which I love. Looks good on him. Hank should give her a call. Ascots may be out but I think he could rock a scarf. I’ve had ventures on the brain.  What follows is naturally Leni having several panic attacks as chaos naturally insues btu without Lori’s lifetime of experince dealing with it. IT’s a nice dynamic: Leni, as we’ve established, has always been sort of Lori’s sidekick, her best friend, her amigo. Sure they fight, siblings do that, but they’ll always be there for each other when it counts. SHe’s never really had to THINK without her or be without her, so throwing her into the deep end of taking care of the kids really leaves her shook. It’s a HARD job, it’s probably why the louds don’t bring in babysitters often: there are 11 kids to look after, 10 now and only 9 tonight but still a LOT of them and most of htem pretty high maintince. It was just easier with Lori because she grew up knowing each of them, knowing each of their weaknesses and putting the fear of her righteous wrath into them. They’ve spent their whole lives looking up to her, literally and figuratvely, as their big sister and respecting her as the biggest authority in the house that’s nto her parents, sometimes bigger. Those aren’t just big shoes to fill , their Galactus size and that combined with her big sister worship leaves Leni understandably scared, lost and frequently paralized with anxiety this episode.  No really multiple times she just freezes and one times she screams. As someone with Anxiety disorder I related to this.. sometimes you either just break down or you just FREEZE from the stress and everything hitting you at once and have no idea how to progress while people are still barking at you to do something. It’s a lot but it was a nice touch that really added to her sympathy.   And her anxiety is also understandable when she’s being hit with 80 problems at once, which i’ll tackle all at once here rather than in order as this episode has a really frentic and good pace: while it follows the formula of “Leni runs into a problem, Leni freezes, then Leni gets help from Lori twice hten mr.grouse, more on that in am inute”, the quick pace and great jokes help keep things from feeling too repetivie. 

Anyways the chaos: Just from the start Lucy puts a possibly human liver in the fridge, Lana eats all the cookies then gets skunked by her pet skun, and Lola and Lynn get into a fight over 5 bucks Lynn found, and since Leni can’t just let one kill the other as nature intended she has to fix all this.. mostly by removing the smell with tomato juice and scaring off the skunk and cutting the dolar bill in half. Money dosen’t work that way as both sisters point out but frankly it’s Lola and Lynn, I don’t care who they feel. 

Meanwhile two of my other faviorties get into a tiff over their room: Luaan turns it into a comedy club and kicks luna out, with Scoots and her new man returning. Again, get it girl, get it, and Leni, under Lori’s advice, pretneding to be a fire marshall.. only for Luna towarsd the end to turn it into her own rock club. Lisa creates a corossive super substance that burns a hole in the floor, Lana continues to grapple with the skunk and finally Lincoln and Clyde.. watch a scary movie despite Lucy’s warnings.. and Lucy does something else.. I think? It was a chaotic episode with a lot of set pieces so forgive me if I forgot one of them. Honestly she’s the most well behaved there.But yeah as per the cliche Lincoln and Clyde, after Leni gets the wifi fixed with Mr. Grouse’s help, they get super scared and freaked. Everyomne is freaking, the house is falling apart and Senior wants permission to wear a pinky ring via thought cloud.. which.. no man no. Scarves yes but no one looks good with a pinky ring. No one. And I say that as amporphous blob covered in hair, sweat and regrets. 

As for how Leni deals with all this she leans on Lori, calling her twice, but at inportune times: during a golf game and at the library where said phone gets taken. Granted, I don’t get why she didn’t have it on silent, as I would in those situations, but then we wouldn’t have an excuse to include her and it feels necessary to show WHY Lori can’t just help all night or reassure her sister and with Lori gone the panic only intensifies. As I said she gets paralized with fear and later just outright screams.. which attracts an irate Mr Grouse, the next door neighbor who I need to watch more of’s episodes. Including 12 louds of leapin.. I know i’m way overdue on that. This december. Promise. 

The old man who yells at Louds helps for a bit, helping get rid of a beach Lynn set up because she’s lynn, she has the consderation of a puppy, but eventually falls in a hole like most great heroes and most elderly people. I mean the ones up the street at the retierment home must fall in once a week. They get out of course because the assitant living mole lets them ride out as it digs into the walls. Or maybe that was just a hallucination.  Eventually though the start at her job comes back as she calls the only people she has left for help: Fiona and Miguel, who are at the mall in chairs because of courser they are, and both are confused why she’s so helpless: She’s fantastic at work, she’s kind, confident and smart.. about certain things, she can do this. Besides helping her confidence with this really sweet moment they also give her a good tool for how to use said confdience from work: just treat her siblings as customers. It’s also a nice call back to how we’ve seen Leni learn way back in season 1 during “Driving Miss Hazy” we’ve seen that she can have troulble grasping things, but when you put it in terms she understands, like fashion, or shopping, or in this case helping customers with their issues, she snaps into it. She learns at her own pace in her own way, it’s why I think sh’es neurotypical, and possibly ont he spectrum like yours truly: while her stupidity isn’t part of that the unqiue way she processes things has me supscious. either way it works. 

So with a new strategy Leni.. literally adresses them like shoppers, which is comedy gold. However it’s a valid strategy:  besides the visualation part by getting them to form a line, instead of trying to handle 2 or 3 problems at once she simply handles them one at a time: She scares the skunk off again, shuts down both competing clubs in the older kids room, uses water to take out lisa’s universal solvant, gives Lola and Lynn 5 bucks instead of just cutting a ten in half this time, and in the sweetest moment of the episode, reads Clyde and Lincoln a childrens book to clam them down. Sure it’s  a bit funny but their genuine relief and all threes adorable expressions really melt the heart. 

Leni finally wins, just as her parents get home and congradulate her, Rita’s faith not misplaced. While Rita probably knew it’d be an adjustment, and frankly should’ve prepped her sooner, she knows her daughter and knows waht sh’es caapable of. Also Senior brought home meet and gives leni a turkey leg who gives it to the old man who now lives in a hole inside their house. That’s his home now. Mr Grouse is just there now. Or I wish he was. But I guess you can’t always get what you want epsecially if it’s an old man living in a hole in the loud’s living room. Someday.  Final thoughts for The Boss Maybe: As you could easily tell I loved this one. Funny with a hell of an emotional core, and with great pacing espeially for a loud house episode, this was a joy to watch and easily one of the best episodes the show has done. Just a funny, breezy watch with a lot of subtext, intetional or not, regarding what we’ve seen of Leni and honestly i’m going to go with intetional. It felt really rooted in who Leni is, her relationship with lori, and her work without hitting you over the head with it. It just all flowed really well and made for a hard one to top for the season this early. I’m impressed and it gives me hope for the rest of the season. 

Family Bonding

This one was.. okay. As i’ve learned the hard way from doing Amphibia when an episodes just okay it’s best to breeze through it.. but I can give it this. While it’s mostly a standard loud house episode the ending.. wasn’t predictable. That’s for sure. I mean.. it left me with only one thought really...

But i’m getting ahead of myself. The episode’s plot is standard for the most part: Lincoln’s obessed with a new spy comic book about a james bond expy.. okay so that’s what Sterling Archer did besides physical therapy for the three months between his waking up and Season 11.  Anyways they soon get more exciting news from Lynn. New Neighbors! Before Rita can stop them, the rest of her family tramples over her and goes to make their aqunatince and of course be a bit overbaring with it before Rita rushes in with a spray bottle to spray them like a bad dog because frankly when your dealing with 11 people most of whom are really impuslive, sometimes dog training just works. You try raising eleven kids and see how long before your brain breaks.  Anyways after introductions and the mom turning down cherry pie, you monsters, lincoln sees strange flashing lights and a device and is convinced something is up and unable to convince his family and on a spy kick, recurits clyde. Now why he dosen’t call on Stella and Zach I dunno. And yes I said Zach and not my boy Liam. I have my reasons: Stella, besides being a faviorite of mine, is a tech whiz as shown in one of the comics and in the cookie episode, and Liam is already a paranoid conspiracy nut and as we’ve seen with Dale Gribble, they can be suprisingly useful. I mean Dale is not the best on common sense but he knows goverment bilaws in and out, is skilled with a gun or a bag of pocket sand, and has danny trejo’s octavio, whose basically danny but as hired muscle instead of a master actor, on speed dial. I mean we don’t know if Zach dosen’t have a danny trejo on speed dial or not. We never asked.  As for the other two while I love LIam, spying just dosen’t seem to be in his sizeable skill set and Rusty.. well rusty’s about as subtle as a man covered in screeching cats he glued to himself blowing an airhorn, while screaming the script to a micheal bay movie while doing the explosion noises himself.. which Rusty has probbbly done.  The real thing i’m getting at is I don’t get why, outside of Clyde and LIam, the writers think when LIncoln has an epiosde it either just needs ot be ClyncolnMcCloud or the ENTIRE group, when one or two would do the trick. YOu CAN seperate them out. People do hang out with diffrent friends at diffrent times. I know the show’s grasp on reality is tenous at best, we got to that last week with the whole one teacher for core classes thing with schooled and this week.. again we’ll get to it in a second, but friends DO hang out seperate. We saw each member of the Lincrew, minus stella because she didn’t exist yet, doing their own thing in Racing Hearts. It’s not that complicated. It’s hard to flesht hem out when their used as one solid unit and not unresonable to just use one or two. it’s a lesson I hope the show learns eventually and hope it’s sister show learns too. 

But yeah our dynamic duo spend the episode as youd’ expect; unraveling conspriacies and stalking the new family, though there are some funny bits. Besides Rita squirting her family like a cat or a dog, we have flip getting half his face shaved by a survelince drone and okay maybe just those two things. not bad bits, but the general concept of them roleplaying into mischief.. has been done before. The show’s done the detective bit before and the spy trappings really don’t change that. And you CAN do a good spy takeoff episode, this one just sin’t it and feels like your standard LIncoln and Clyde messaround with tuxedos. Which to be fair are pretty awesome but still. It’s pretty flat.  The climax though? I’ll give it this.. it’s pretty entertainngi if also 100% what exactly the fuck. So our heroes are naturally caught sneaking into the neighbors house and its eems they were wrong, etc etc, exactly what we expected the new kid will hang around.. at least we have a new character. Instead.. LIncoln accidently hits a knob and unveils a panel

So yeah... turns out the new family ARE spies, just for Peach Growers and plan to wipe out all cherries in royal woods. Yup.. look I know this universe is patently insane but even for loud house, even with all of lisa’s super science... even with the slapstick but this is just.. nuts. Like i’m fine with suspending my disbelif, this show is a goofy comedy, but this is a bit much. I LOVE it for being nuts but only in a “what on spagehtti monster’s green earth were you thinking”. I get swinging for the fences but Lincoln getting into a fight with a bunch of spies after playing spy, well beating them with slapsticks and stopping their plot to elmitie cherries..t his isn’t Kids Next Door. This just.. dosen’t work. Jeff Goldblum tell em why, my brains too broken to articulate this anymore

Yeah that. It’s just a weird climax and ends iwth LIncoln vetting the new neighbors.. which does it include girl jordon? Did they just write her out? If so why? Fans liked her, you can have more than one female character in Lincoln’s friend group. Zach is replacable. You can give me whatever the fuck this was, but not an intresting friend for him who has personality already. I get 50% chad but not your decision making. Gah. 

Final Thoughts for .. this. one This one really didn’t work. Besides the ending just not fitting the series specific brand of ludicrous, I mentioned KND for a reason as it made this sort of plot work fine by having it’s whole unvierse be really fucking weird and specific, it’s mostly just okay. We’ve seen this before.. well okay I haven’t watched many of the Lincoln and Clyde messarounds, but the formula’s about the same.  And that dosen’t work. For one you have a HUGE swath of new possiblities: A new school, Chandler coming back, new teachers and faculity, a new principal, and Lynn and LIncoln being in the same school, and you instead just.. retread the same crap. you have 4 of lincoln’s friends other than clyde to use but don’t let them in on the fun. And most agrivating to me you move new neighbors into the neighborhood while neglecting some of your old supporting cast and have them be villians of the week instead of adding someone NEW to the neighborhood. Give one of the other kids a new friend, or give lincoln a new friend to add to his group and replace liam, shake up the dynamic with him and clyde bya dding a third or, most obviously move one of his friends INTO the neighborhood, most obviously stella since you spent so much time building her up then have her addition affect Lincoln and Clyde. Sure we’ve had an episdoe of one of his friends getting in the way of them before, but this would be diffrent. This episode is just.. not great and was a waste of my time, espespcailly after following such a stellar episode. It’s probablyt he first genuinely bad episode i’ve covered on this blog. Now that probably won’t stand, i’ve seen genuiley worse but.. as a wise penguin once said. 

One last note. That Young Dylan graphic is really obnoxiou and obtrusive.  It’s the second most obnoxious thing i’ve seen on this network. 

I”m out for this week. If you want more check out my Amphibia reviews, as I just finished a new one today, my other loud house reviews in the newly minted nickelodeon tab or other stuff on my other tabs, send me an ask for reviews you’d like to see or pay me to review whatver you want for 5 bucks via direct message. And check this blog Monday for the return of weekly Ducktales coverage, and next weekend for the next episode of loud house, and throughotu the week for more reviews.  Until we meet again, GO TEAM VENTURE!. Play us out Mary Kate Wiles. If nothing else this episode let me use this song. 

#the loud house #leni loud #lincoln loud #lori loud #lynn loud #lucy loud #lisa loud #lana loud #lola loud #luna loud #luann loud #rita loud #lynn loud sr #lily loud #clyde mcbride #nickelodeon #reviews #recaps #animation #criticisim #circus afro

[clevernewdimension]

Polaris Part Twelve (M)

Parts: Preview, Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen (Coming soon!)

Genre: Action, drama, romance, sci-fi, etc.

Paring: Jongin x Character

Word count: 5.9K

A/N: I have a lot going on y’all. TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR: mentions of rape, pedophilia, sexual abuse, and sexual assault. Violence, blood, attacks, etc. And finally some SMUT

I frown, feeling very weird and awkward dressed like this. We were waiting at the table for Arham and Celieste Winters who were running a bit late. Which was fine as it was giving me some time to try to calm myself. Jongin seemed fine, calm and collected. Around the cuff of his suit coat there was a small fighter ship that would light up and fly around it twice before doing into a ‘dive’ off the cuff itself. Something tells me Sehun had a hand in his suit as well.

He glances at me, smiling before shaking his head as I nervously tap my fingers on the table. “I feel just… so out of place here,” I mumble quietly.

“Well, other than your very obvious nerves, you look like you do,” Jongin says, taking a sip of the glass of water we both have. “Though, I know you’d rather be in the hanger right now.” He shrugs, giving me a look of pity, “Sorry. If I wasn’t the one who had to be by your side for now, you’d probably wouldn’t have to be here.”

“I can pretend to be something other than a grease monkey for a day or two,” I say, shrugging. I look past Jongin, seeing two people approach. She smiled, stark white hair pinned back. She wore a red dress, that was tight to her body going almost to the floor. On her arm was a man, his suit was black, pin stripes as his black hair looked like a mess that he ran his hand though a lot throughout the day. He was tanned, glasses on his face as he was smiling brightly.

I stand, and Jongin takes the hint, standing and turning. He smiles, sticking out a hand.

“Captain Kim,” Arham says, shaking his hand as I take Celieste’s hand and shake it. “Nice to put a face to the name. Hope you both haven’t been waiting long.”

“We’ve been here for only about five minutes,” He says, smiling, “And please, just Jongin!”

He nods, before reaching a hand out towards me, “Miss. Lang! Pleasure to make your acquaintance!”

I take his hand, shaking it. “Nice to meet you both. Thanks for… making time to have dinner with us?”

Celieste smiles, “It’s ok, no need to be nervous. We’re legitimately here just to introduce ourselves. We’ll talk shop about security about the elections coming up tomorrow.”

“We’re big believers of meeting people and getting to know them before getting into business,” Arham says, nodding. “People are interesting, especially when they’re from galaxies away.”

Jongin gestures to the table, “Shall we order?”

We take out seats, a waiter coming and getting our orders. I got the blanquette de veau, and the waiter suggested I pair it with a Marsannay wine.

Celieste was sitting to my left, Jongin to my right as I tap my fingers on my thighs in nerves. I was so out of my element. Name a Fighter part and I could tell you where it goes but this is just bizarre for me.

“So, I have to admit,” Celieste says, “As the head of security, I did look up both of you beforehand.”

“I hope our files were kind,” Jongin says with a nod, taking a sip of water.

“I was very impressed, honestly,” She says, before looking at me. “I can’t believe you managed to be the gunner during the attack of Ysimir. I can’t imagine how terrifying that must be.”

“I was trained for it,” I say, nodding, “But it was terrifying. I’ve been in a Fighter before but Jongin flies like if he were to stop going full throttle at any moment the Fighter would explode.”

“I mean, it’s worked,” Jongin smiles.

“I also saw you’re from Tribil,” She says, resting her chin on one of her hands. “I’ve worked with Tribil for securing a safe shipment here. They’re… well, not exactly pleasant.”

“The Tribian monarchy isn’t exactly known to be good to work with,” I say, “Be it to other planets or their own people.”

“I’m glad you agree,” She says with a smile.

“We don’t get a lot of traffic from Tribil either,” Arham says, “Some planets are like that. Keep to themselves.”

“Yeah,” I say, not wanting to say anything about the marks just yet. With the royalty on the planet, it’s best to keep that secret a secret for the time being. Who knows if they’d go scorched Earth if it gets out.

“I’m also sorry to hear about your Father, Jongin,” Celieste says. “I can’t believe someone would betray you and your brothers like that.”

Jongin frowns, “Trust me, he hasn’t been a father to us for years after we left. We really didn’t have much to lose in that department.” I could see the hidden anger there, at the mention of General Kim. I can’t imagine how he feels, knowing his own family wanted him dead. Must be complicated, as their relationship is.

“It must still be traumatic, though,” She says, a look of genuine worry on her face. She seemed like a good person, though highly curious.

“I’m just glad that their plans were discovered before it was too late,” He says. “I’ve worked all my life trying to defend people, and I want to continue to do so, even if it comes at a personal cost.”

I smile sadly at that. Always the self sacrificing hero, Jongin is. For once I wish he’d do something for himself instead.

“That’s very noble of you,” Arham says, nodding.

And it is. Jongin is actually very noble. I feel like anyone who’s ever read about him thinks he’s like the act he use to put up around me. Truthfully most of the time when he talks about being the best Fighter pilot, it’s in a factual way. Sometimes he jokes, but it’s never conceited in nature anymore.

Celieste shakes her hand, “Enough with the sad topics. So, Jongin, please, tell us about yourself.”

“Well, when I’m not flying, I’m training with my friend Yixing,” He says, “My hand to hand isn’t as great as his.”

“You have to have something outside of work to do. I find myself feeling trapped without hobbies.”Arham says, smiling. “I use to be a workaholic. That did nothing but give me gray hairs.” He just smiles at Jongin, gesturing to the small amounts of pepper he has in his black hair. “Just some advice from an old man.” He nods. “But,  do you have anyone special in your life,” Arham asks,

“Not exactly,” Jongin says, smiling a bit awkwardly. “Been a bit busy for a relationship.”

I feel my face heat up a bit at that. I could feel Celieste’s gaze on me at that.

Arham looks to me. Before he could speak, I start, “I’m mostly in the hanger, fixing anything and everything I can get my hands on. When I’m not doing that, I mostly read.” My face goes redder, “And um… also single.”

“Life doesn’t wait,” Celieste says, “Sometimes you have to find some happiness for yourself. Putting work ahead your whole life will make time waste away.” She grabs her husband’s hand, “I almost let him escape from me because of my job. But thankfully I had a friend who made me realize what I would be giving us.”

He smiles, lightly squeezing her hand back.

Just as she said that, the food arrives. We eat, talking about the dinner and sipping the wine. The one I had was very fruity. Delicious, but not too much. The conversations shifted to current politics in both the Syndicate and on Earth. Jongin was much more knowledgeable about Earth politics than I was, as I remained quiet and just took all the information in.

I couldn’t stop thinking about what they said. About letting life waste away. I know Jongin loves me, but I haven’t made any moves at all out of fear, I guess. I’ve never really been that open to anyone. To be in love and in a relationship with a person, you have to be vulnerable to them. It’s not like I didn’t trust Jongin. I do. I’m just scared of being weak to anyone, I suppose. That and I was scared I’d hurt him. Especially after what he’s been though recently.

Soon, the dinner was over as we were walking outside. The night was cool, as we waved goodbye to them. It was nice. They seemed like good people, honestly.

Jongin smiles, looking at the sky. “Wanna take a walk before heading back to the hotel? I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

“Alright,” I say, looping my arm though his, “But if I sprain my ankle, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

Jongin laughs, “I believe it.”

I take a deep breath, looking around at the people passing by. This part of town more upper class, but you still see a bar or pub filled with people, happily drinking. The lake ahead of us as we take a seat on a bench, seeing the Geneva Water Fountain shooting water over a hundred meters into the air. From this far away you can just barely hear it over the city life as I stretch.

“You seem better now,” Jongin says, sitting next to me as he sets his jacket beside him.

“I’m just happy not to be like… interviewed anymore,” I mumble, taking my shoes off, not caring that we’re in the city. I massage the bottom of my foot, before frowning, “Besides, it means I get away from… Rhys.”

“Iz wha tri monsil, tri kree tu mo,” Jongin says, the words sounding vaguely musical. “For them to force you back, they’ll have to kill me.”

“Don’t tempt them,” I quietly mumble to myself.

Jongin’s hand touches my shoulder softly. “If it would stop them, it would be worth it.”

“I forgot you also have better hearing,” I whisper, hearing him laugh. “But please don’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt.”

“And I wouldn’t be able to if I had to know what they are forcing you to do.” Jongin looks me in the eyes, turning to face me. “I already feel guilty because I know that you still can’t let go of what Minjung made you do.”

“It’s like being in prison in your own mind,” I explain, thinking back. “I wanted desperately for that kiss to never end because I know once it did I couldn’t stop from shattering your heart and possibly murdering you.”

Jongin shakes he head, “Funny,” Jongin says, smirking but with more of a playful undertone than a conceited one, “I never wanted it to end either, but for completely different reasons.”

I feel my face heat up, dropping the subject as I just look out at the water again. We kept silent, enjoying a rare moment of peace we have. What Celieste said came about to me. About letting things pass by and love go away. I bite my lip, looking at the fountain. Jongin deserves to be happy. I deserve that too.

A hand on my arm pulled me from my thoughts. “Best get back,” Jongin suggests, “We don’t have an early day tomorrow, just a kind of stressful one.” Soon, I was putting my shoes on, Jongin taking his jacket and we walk back to the hotel.

I kick of my shoes instantly, yanking pins out of my hair and letting it fall down. I take out the earrings as I watch Jongin take his shoes off too.

I take a deep breath, seeing him like that. He was extremely handsome, dressed up like that. But he always looked the most handsome to me when he was in his flight suit, looking up at the sky with a huge grin. Jongin deserves to be happy. I deserve to be happy. We make each other happy. So why are we just dancing around this and not acting on it? Are we going to let something like what happened taint what could be forever?

I shake my head to myself, “Not this time,” I whisper. I turn, seeing Jongin. He looked at me, hearing what I said and looked confused. Perhaps it was the small amount of wine giving me some courage, but I move, stepping close to him. He looks at me and before he could say anything, I stand on the tips of my toes. My hands holding his face and I press my lips to his quickly. The kiss was quick, my fave heating up before I part. I look in his eyes, “I kissed you because she told me last time, and I’m angry that she stole that from me.” I shake my head, “Forget that one happened. That one… think of this instead.” My face was burning in a blush, the nerve coming up as I let myself ramble, “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while and I never realized and I don’t want that fucking one to be the one y-”

Jongin’s hands pull me closer, lips on mine, pressing in what was almost desperation. I could practically feel the passion in him, like it was radiating from his body. My hands move running though his silky hair, holding it as I hear him let out a small groan from that. He pulls away, “Lyra, please,” He says, and I could see how vulnerable he was. He looked almost scared as he looked me in my eyes. “If you’re not serious about this, my heart can’t take it,” Jongin quietly says, “If this is just… casual or just for fun, please don’t give me hope about this if you’re not serious.”

“You fucking idiot,” I mutter. “Ever since you’ve dropped the act I’ve found myself actually liking the person you really are.” I shake my head, “I’ve been in denial for a while about my feelings for you.” I smile, “I love you, Jongin. I don’t know for how long, but there’s no denying it anymore.” He smiles the most brilliant smile I’ve ever seen. Like a huge weight has been lifted from him. The sight made my heart soar, making me smile even bigger in response. I shake my head as I tighten my grip on his hair a little, “Now, if you don’t take this dress off me and show me how much you want this, I’m going to rage.”

He looked stunned hearing that, before his hands reach back, pulling the zipper down quickly. “Don’t have to tell me twice, Baby,” He mutters, pushing the dress down my body. I shiver, the warm dress falling to the floor. I feel my face flush, knowing I was half naked in front of him. I reach forward, pulling his tie off and ripping his shirt open. His lips press to mine, like they were molded to be fit together. It feels wonderful, it feels just so fucking right.

I didn’t have a chance to appreciate him shirtless and finally just stare unabashedly for once as he picks me up, lips on my neck as I let out a small gasp. My hands sliding down his back as he pressed me into the bed, grinding our hips together, teeth softly biting at my neck.

“Jongin,” I moan out, our mouths connecting again. This kiss was pure raw feelings. All tongue as his hand cups one of my breasts. It’s bizzare, I’ve had sex before, but this was different. My feelings are entangled here and it just feels so much more gratifying for me, with him.

When he pulls away, he mutters against my lips, “The way you say my name makes me go crazy.”

I reach down, pulling at his belt and wanting his pants off. I need this, I want him all over me. “Please Jongin,” I moan against his mouth, “Haven’t you waited long enough?”

His eyes are wide, as he moves, pulling his pants and underwear off in one quick move. I pull my underwear down, leaving myself completely nude as he moves over me. I pull him, moving so I straddle him. I don’t want to wait. I didn’t want foreplay. There’s enough time for that later, but now I was just desperate to have all of him.

I reach, holding him so I could sink down, moaning at the feeling. I haven’t had sex in a while, and the feeling of him, the friction of him sliding into me was pure bliss. I gave myself a moment to get used to him, to fully appreciate this moment. Jongin was moaning, hands on my hips as I was down, fingers holding tight my not harshly so. I lift my hips, his hands helping me move as I started a fairly quick rhythm. Our sounds filling the room, but I only heard him. His moans, his groans, the way me looked completely in bliss. Soon, though, he looked even… I don’t know how to describe it. Sexier? Seeing Jongin looking at me with almost a predatory gaze. “Fuck, Jongin,” I say out, leaning back a little, closing my eyes and just enjoying the feeling.

I felt like I was high, having just confessed my feelings to the man under me. Having him here, hands on my skin, squeezing my ass and reaching up to grab a breast. I remembered the rumors of how great he was at this, how all the people who left him were like under a spell of sorts. I always ignored it and rolled my eyes, but now I understood. Even under me it wasn’t enough, him planting his feet on the bed and thrusting up to meet me, the sound of skin hitting echoes in the room along with my moans.

Before I knew it, I was pressed to the bed, Jongin over me. My legs over his shoulders, hands on my hips as he pressed our hips together. This angle making me yell his name.

“Lyra,” He moans, one of his hands finding mine, gripping it tightly before he buried his face in my neck. The pace he set was faster, igniting my body on fire as I closed my eyes.

My other hand grabbing at his back, “Jongin, I-”

“Me too,” He says, “Fuck, fuck,” He reaches between us, fingers brushing my clit before I felt the tightness in me finally give in. A tsunami of pure ecstasy falling over me, my hands holding onto whatever I could. Our eyes locked onto one another, and something about that made it more intense. I feel Jongin move, pulling out. His hand pumping himself a few times before he spills over my stomach. The hand holding mine still entwined, as he gives it a squeeze. He smiles, brilliantly.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before I look at him, seeing him look from my stomach up to my face. He reaches over, grabbing some tissues from the bedside table. He cleans my stomach, tossing them into the trash before he gets back into bed, lips pressed to mine. This kiss soft, sweet. Showing me his love.

“If this is another dream, I’m going to be pissed,” He mutters against my lips.

I smirk, running my hand along his chest like I wanted to earlier, “You have wet dreams of me?”

“Hard not to when you’re so fucking gorgeous,” He says, looking in my eyes. “And just calling them ‘wet’ is putting it mildly,” He says, pressing a kiss to my temple.

I shake my head, before moving and pressing my face into his chest, draped over him. “No dream this time,” I say quietly. “Goodnight, Jongin.”

“Goodnight, Babe,” He says, the biggest smile on his face as he closes his eyes.

When I woke up the next morning, I was alone. I sit up, stretching before looking about. Jongin nowhere to be seen as I just shrug, before getting up and going to the bathroom. The sight of my hair alone gave me a shock. That good old ‘just been fucked’ look going, especially with the hairspray from last night. The make up was super smudged, making it looked like a nine year old was putting it on a clown. I don’t see any marks, which I was thankful for and heaven forbid if I had to call Sehun and ask how to cover them. Man would have a field day with that. I turn on the shower, quickly getting in and washing everything. My body was a little sore, but that was fine. The usual, really.

I quickly dry, thankful I remember to put the dress uniform in her last night. I dry my hair, putting it into a neat bun. I hate wearing a dress uniform, and it’s rare a mechanic ever has to, but this is one of those occasions. I put on underwear, taking the blue pants and put them on. I get the dress shirt, putting it on and tucking it into my pants. It was black. I quickly pull on my suit like jacket, buttoning it. I see the shiny new badges from the battle of Ysimir. One for fighting, one for the honor of being the one who helped take down the war ship.

I decided to forgo make up. To me that was dressing pretty and acting. This was me.

I put on my socks and shoes as I sit on the edge of the bed, seeing Jongin walk in. He was already in uniform. He looks at me, smiles before handing me a bag. “Got you a croissant for breakfast, figure I’d let you sleep more after… well…”

I smile, moving and pressing a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you. I was afraid I was going to starve for sleeping in late.”

His face flushes, “Um.. y-yep, no problem.”

“If you think last night was still a dream, I would give you a better kiss, but that’s not allowed in dress uniforms,” I say with a smirk. “So instead I guess I’ll just have to make you wait for it instead.”

“This relationship has barely started and I’m already having heart problems,” He whines to himself, making me laugh. I take a piece of my croissant, eating it as we move out the door.

As soon as we’re outside, it’s back to business. “A car is arriving from the U.N. to take us specifically there,” He says, “They’ll give us badges once where there.  The most minimal of security clearances, so best to stay with whomever they have guiding us or else it’ll be very messy.”

“Roger that, Captain,” I nod, taking another bite.

The drive to the U.N was nice. I watched the city go by once again, seeing the people going about their daily lives. That was, until we got to the U.N. I see people with signs, questioning the Syndicate. Protests as close as can get to the gates without angering the guards. It’s clear people are not happy. They probably feel betrayed. And they should feel that way.

The car was stopped inside the gate, the protesters quite a bit away as we step out of the vehicle. The yelling got louder the second they recognized the uniforms. Cameras taking pictures and people taking video to be broad casted in this and any known galaxies.

Security handed us badges to pin to our chests. The building was completely white, a globe in the water as I take a deep breath. We were guided inside, before we see Celieste standing ahead of us. She was wearing a black pant suit as she smiles. “We’ll meet in the assembly hall soon so we can hear from the two of you what you both know about the situation. We want over all information as well as your personal experiences from the day.” She looks at us, “Do not hold anything back. If you follow me we will escort you into a room so you both can discuss privately before you see the assembly.”

“Would it be alright if I contact our base,” Jongin says, looking at her. “Just to make sure we have as much information to tell you as possible.”

“We’ll provide you a way,” She nods.

The place was extremely clean as we’re directed into a room. It looked like a small office. A few bookshelves and a desk. A small communicator is handed to Jongin with a nod. The door shuts and before I speak, Jongin holds up a hand. He takes a small implement from his pocket, scanning the room. He nods, finding the small little mics and turns them off.

“We’re good.”

“Should we tell them about…,” I say, looking at my arm.

“I’m going to ask about that,” He says, pushing in a series of buttons. He speaks into the communicator, words are no language I could recognize. Smart.

A few minutes, then he hangs up. Jongin nods, “Minseok has a bunch of proof he sent over as part of the information. Says that when it comes time to talk about your part that day is when it will come up.” Jongin places a hand on my shoulder, “Are you ok with that? Would you rather I explain?”

“What about Rhys,” I ask, my heart racing as I feel panic start to rise.

“They’re ready to take him into custody the second it airs,” Jongin explains, nodding.

“Ok,” I nod, before he smiles at me.

“I’ll be there for you if you need me,” He says just as the door opens.

“I see you found the mics,” Celieste says, nodding. “Smart. I should have told them to take them out.” She tilts her head, “Follow me. No need for you both to get mics, the stage has them ready. All you have to do is speak.”

Soon, we’re in this huge room, with many seats and people filling every single one. Behind us was a hologram projection of the U.N. logo.

Celieste sits at the only empty seat at the front, a mic on her shirt. She unfolds a folder, “Please state your names and occupations for the record.”

“Captain Kim Jongin,” He says, standing almost regally. Shoulders back and all the confidence in the world. “Fighter pilot and leader of fleet Altair.”

“Master Sergeant Lyra Lang, Fighter mechanic,” I say, trying to appear just as confident as Jongin.

“How long have the both of you known about the corruption of the commanders,” She says, looking at her folder.

“I learned the day of the attack here on Earth,” Jongin explains. “After an attempt of my life was thwarted. A plan made by them called Clipped Wings.”

“I learned a few days before that,” I say, “Special Forces Captain Zhang Yixing informed me by finding the truth. He instructed me to hide the info chip used to release the truth to the public.”

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier,” She asks, looking at me.

“Who would have believed me,” I asked. “The encryption level on that chip was more than I could crack, so even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. Besides, Captain Zhang was planning on a way to show it to everyone, but he was being silently hunted down as part of Clipped Wings.”

“Where did you hide the chip,” She asks.

“On top of one of the blades of my ceiling fan in my room on the Syndicate base here on Earth,” I explain, “I taped coins that weigh roughly the same on the other blades so that there would be no noticeable difference.”

“What is Clipped Wings?”

Jongin nods, “A operation that the corrupt members of the Syndicate thought of in order to reduce the number of Krytons killed. They knew that we were killing them faster than they were made. If we started seeing less we would go looking and found out what they were doing,” The hologram beside him shifts, as we see faces of people. I recognize Jongin and Yixing. “They planned to kill those of us who are good at killing Krytons. The best fighters, pilots, and special forces members who were exceptionally good at it. As you can see,” He says gesturing to his face, “They clearly didn’t discriminate no matter who it is, as even though my… my father is Ex-commander Kim, they were willing to kill me to keep this a secret. And they did make the attempt.”

“No one else knew about this but the four commanders,” She asks.

This time, I answer, “There was a list on the infor chip who knew and who didn’t. Only one of Five commanders didn’t know, and that was Judicial commander Krims.”

“Tell us about the attempt on your life, Captain.”

“My sister planned it. She ordered someone to come in my room and attempt to kill me.”

“Who?”

I take a deep breath. Here we go. “Me.”

Celieste looked taken back. The crowd muttered before I opened my mouth to speak again. “But I didn’t want to. Because though all this, another secret was found.” I see the hologram shift to an arm with one of the marks. “In Tribil, life is not how they are portraying it on the outside. People are starving. If you work in the mines, they keep you fed just enough to work and not enough to revolt against them.”

“What does this have anything to do with this,” A man asks in the crowd.

“Just bare with me,” I say, “Another way to earn enough credits to get some food is errands. Then you eat maybe once every three days if you’re lucky. But there is another. If you agree, to get all the food you can eat. But that requires taking the mark.” I point, “That is a tattoo that is infused with nanotech. If you agree, you get this one,” I say, pointing to it. “You also have to get one if you leave Tribil. What is does is a person with this mark, Tribian for the letter A, has to listen to the person with the other mark.”

I look out at the crowd. “You can not disobey. Even if you try. They tell you to do something, you must do it. Even if you fight as hard as you can in your mind, you body will act.” I point, “When they let Tribians leave, they are forced to get this mark and told never to reveal the greatest secret on Tribil.”

“What is that secret,” Celieste asks, looking concerned.

“The people who get these marks are forced into prostitution,” I say, “Most of the people who get them are tricked. Told that it’s for being a maid.”

“Prostitution is legal on Tribil,” Someone shouts.

“Not this kind,” I say. “The bylaws of the Universes that Tribil signed said that they will not force people into it. That they have to consent to the sex. On Tribil, there is no such thing as consent. There is only orders, and you follow them no matter if you don’t want to.” I could feel tears in my eyes. “But first let me tell you about how it connects to the day of the attack and Clipped Wings.”

“I had it, and Kim Minjung got the other one,” I look at Jongin, “She ordered me to go to Jongin’s room and kill him.” I shook my head, “I fought as hard as I could, but there is no stopping you once you have the mark. So I tried. And I failed. So she ordered I try to kill myself.”

“I stopped her from doing that,” Jongin says. “It was discovered that with an F level strength magnet, and with an electric shock, you can pull the nanotech out of a mark. After the attempt on my life failed, Doh Kyungsoo too her to the hanger and pulled the nano tech out.”

“The attack happened almost immediately after the attempt on my life,” Jongin says, “So we fought. We too out the main threat, the bomber, and killed all the Krytons who were there. We also stopped Ex-commander Kim and Kim Minjung from escaping. We knew that Commander Krims wasn’t corrupted, and immediately got him involved so those who are corrupt would face justice.”

“What about the marks use on Tribil,” Celieste asked. I could tell she knew something was up with the marks.

“It’s used in prostitution, like I said before. I had the mark. I was forced to do many things I never wanted to, and if I begged them to stop they would just tell me to stop talking, or tell me to act like I loved it, and even if I didn’t want to the mark made me.” I glare, out at the crowd. “The bylaws also say that there is to be no child prostitution, but in Tribil, that is the regular.” I hear a lot of gasps from the crowd. “I was nine when I was told I’d just be a maid. So I got the mark because I was desperate and starving.” I shake my head, “I was nine years old then Iscar Rhys told me to get into bed. When he told me to beg him for it. When he told me to open my legs and stop crying.” I shook my head, feeling the tears flowing now. “Iscar Rhys, the previous king of Tribil was a pedophile and a rapist. And his son, the current king? He uses the mark in order to have sex with women. He’ll order them to take his beatings. Instead of making me beg him to keep going, he got off to people crying and begging him to stop. Rape is his ultimate fantasy.”

“Liar,” I hear from the crowd. A man gets up, his form shifting as the illusion tech faded. He raised his arm, a gun in hand before he was tackled to the ground.

I see a guard from my left coming, rushing over.

“Take them to safety,” Celieste says, glaring at the man on the ground. “How in the fuck did he get in?”

“Ask my colleague,” He says with a grin.

The guard got to us, and as I turn to him, I felt pain. I look down, seeing a knife sticking out of my chest. I look up, his form shifting too. He smiled, before taking a pistol from his side.

“Courtesy of Rhys,” He says, “Said to say if he can’t have you, no one can.”

He raised the gun, pointing it at Jongin. I hit his hand up, so the shot soars away.

In the blink of an eye, I see Jongin take the gun, shooting him in the shin. He falls down, yelling in agony as he grips the knife tighter. The blade was pulled out as he fell, blood seeping down my chest.

I fall back, Jongin catching me, “No, NO!” I hear him yell, a hand over my wound. I see medical officers running up, and a few taking the person who attacked us into custody. I felt the sharp pain just as I looked at Jongin.

I feel a kiss to my forehead, “Don’t you leave me, Lyra,” He says, tears coming to his eyes. “I love you, you hear me? You’re not allowed to die on me. Stay with me,” I see the fear in his eyes as he looks down. “You can’t leave me now,” I hear him say, voice in pain as the tears fell.

I wanted to tell him it’s ok, but just as he says that, my eyes flutter closed.

#exo smut #kai smut #kim jongin fanfic #kim jongin smut #kai fanfic #kai fanfiction #exo fanfiction #exo fanfic #kim jongin fanfiction

[vecna]

Oohh for the fandom meme! Dragon Age?

Send me a fandom!

Oh boy, this is going to be spicy.

It’s also very Anders-negative, so apologies up front.

The character(s) I first fell in love with:

I’m actually not sure which was the FIRST, but it’s a tie between Morrigan and Alistair. I saw fanart of them going around at the time Origins first released, and that’s what got me to try the game! 

Alistair was a breath of fresh air, because at the time, I was used to warrior men in games being all Edgy and Rough, and he was the total opposite and a sweetheart.

And Morrigan was just instantly my goth wife, and had Claudia Black as a VA, so I was sold immediately.

Both still hold a special place for me!

The character(s) I never expected to love as much as I do now:

Loghain is the main one. He does a lot of truly reprehensible shit in the first game. But once I sat down and read the prequel novels about young Loghain, plus saw what he’s like if you recruit him, he grew on me A LOT and now he’s a top fave.

Nathaniel I expected to hate as soon as I saw his name + who his father was, but then the expansion came out and I ended up loving that dude almost immediately. I really wish he was around more after Awakening, and also really wish he’d been a romance option, especially for a Cousland haha.

Merrill is a weird one because she was totally uninteresting to me in DA:O, so when they announced her as a companion in DA2 I was like, “Ehhhh.” Then they punked me by making her adorable and sweet and now I love her.

Plus a bunch of side-characters like The Architect? I liked him a bunch in the novel + Awakening – although I found his Plan in the novel much more appealing. But as the years have gone by, I keep surprising myself at just HOW disappointed I am he’s never appeared again haha.

The character(s) everyone else loves that I don’t:

There’s a few, and all of them will get me yelled at, but here we go.

First: Isabela. This one’s a bit complicated, but it really just boils down to her attitude towards how you play your character. I actively dislike characters who are super sexual – regardless of gender. But Isabela in particular bothers me because she’s constantly pushing her lewdness and sexual humor on you, and when you try to discourage it, she admonishes you with, “Well, you’re no fun.” Her whole character is just… like that for me. Super pushy, overly lewd, gets uppity when you don’t have the same ~liberated~ opinions she does, and this is all played up in the writing like she’s this Empowered Woman the player absolutely must love, especially if they’re playing a male character lol. I hate her for the same reasons a lot of people hate Liara in Mass Effect, but with the addition of pushy lewd jokey characters always rubbing me the wrong way.

Second: Iron Bull. I’ve written a lot about why he makes me more uncomfortable than any fictional character I’ve ever encountered, and I just outright hate him, he makes my skin crawl. If you want details, feel free to DM me, I don’t really want to rant about it again publicly.

Third: Anders. Again, I’ve written a lot about him before, but. I hated him in Awakening, for a lot of the same reasons I hate Isabela in DA2. But the changes they made to him in DA2 are just kinda :/. While I absolutely agree with him about Mage Rights, the level of preachiness they added to him drove me nuts, and the fact that you’re painted as a Bad Guy if you don’t like him blowing up the chantry. And from a purely OOC standpoint: He’s become a figurehead for all the aggressive Discourse people in the fandom, and if I see someone list Anders in their sidebar bio, I know pre-emptively that their blog is going to be full of 6 page long essays of meta about how everything is Problematic, and no thanks.

To a lesser extent, I’m also not fond of Zevran. But in his case, it’s not anything major like the others, I’m just tired of Bioware’s habit of making the bisexual characters overly lewd sex-focused rogues/deviants.

The character(s) I love that everyone else hates:

Loghain, lol.

But also Sebastian Vael? There’s so much about him that I find genuinely fascinating, especially regarding his backstory, and his struggles between his feelings of responsibility to his family vs his dedication to the Chantry and bettering himself. He’s such a dear character to me, and such a pivotal part of any playthrough, I’m always blown away when I remember he’s a DLC character and many people don’t have him.

HOWEVER Anders being the fandom darling means that people tend to unfairly shit on Sebastian for reacting poorly to the Chantry explosion. People also like to label him as a poster child of a White Straight Church Boy, while refusing to acknowledge he’s… not straight, and not exactly a church boy either lol.

Also Vivienne, but I think that one’s really self-explanatory. I love her, and she gives a really needed perspective on the Circle, since most of the mage companions previously were apostates. But of course, she gets written off as a Chantry apologist, and an uppity bitch, when people would def love her for the same traits if she was not black lol.

The character(s) I used to love but don’t any longer:

Justice. And by extension, Anders. A lot of people like to rant about how Justice ruined Anders, but I always saw it the other way around.Justice was my favorite character in Awakening. The whole concept around him, that he was a Fade spirit who took human form and was experiencing life for the first time was SO fascinating. I felt like there was so much to explore there with his character.

Buuuut then they had him merge with Anders. With the narrative being that he WAS a spirit of Justice, but the moment he connected with Anders, it corrupted his entire spirit into something he wasn’t anymore. So essentially, the character I used to love no longer exists, thanks to Anders. And it reminds me of that phrase recently, about how the destination is so terrible you can no longer enjoy the journey? I can’t even appreciate Justice in Awakening anymore, knowing what happens to him.

To a lesser extent, Corypheus. He was SO COOL and the premise of him was AMAZING when he first appeared in the DA2 DLC, but then Inquisition had to go and turn him into a weird shallow mustache twirl villain.

The character(s) I would totally smooch:

None? Idk I don’t really have the Smooch Fictional Character gene.

The character(s) I’d want to be like:

MAEVARIS TILANI. May I one day finally have the confidence in my identity that she does, and also marry a sweet bear man who adores me.

The character(s) I’d slap:

Too many to list, really. Probably Anders.

The pairing(s) that I love:

THERE’S SO MANY. And most of them are with the PC, because I generally don’t ship NPCs together. But my top 3 are:

M!Hawke / Fenris is my ultimate OTP in the Dragon Age series, by a long-shot. Not even sure where to start on how much I love it, but two damaged guys leaning on each other to work through their respective loneliness and trauma is MY JAM. And lmao I love silver-sideburned Hawke chillin in retirement somewhere but being a supportive husband while Fenris goes off hunting the Bad Guys, it’s great.

Solas / Lavellan is a close second, with the caveat that I increasingly prefer it with a male Lavellan. Having the Inquisitor in love with Solas just changes the entire tone of the game for me, for the better, and him actually being the villain trying to end the world while in love with this normie elf is just (chef kiss). Too bad I’m burned out by how overly spammed it is.

Dorian / Inquisitor is in third, I will just always be fond of how it’s a story of the Inquisitor helping Dorian be happy with who he is, escape an abusive family, and realize that he’s allowed to be loved. Good shit good shit.

Some others:

Warden / Morrigan is probably my favorite Origins ship, and that only intensified with the way she talks about the Warden in Inquisition, esp if they’re Kieran’s other parent. What a cute goth family, regardless of the Warden’s gender, cause you can pry Bi Morrigan from my cold dead fingers.

Cassandra / Inquisitor might have a lot of Romance Cliches, but I adore it – although, similar others, I increasingly prefer it with a female Inquisitor. I actively dislike the weird no-homo rejection with her, and come on, a lady Inquisitor being her Knight In Shining Armor is just good storytelling.

Cullen / Inquisitor, for a lot of the same reasons as Cassandra. I love me a cliche romance, but I’m also fond of the narrative w/ him of someone he loves helping him heal through the lyrium withdrawals and take time to rest.

Josephine / F!Inquisitor is just adorable all around, and wholesome, and great.

Varric / Hawke COME ON HOW WAS THIS NOT AN OPTION.

On the rarepair end:

Sebastian / Hawke doesn’t seem like it would be a rarepair – you’d think everyone who loves Cullen/Inquisitor would love this one too. I do! But alas. That said, I’m also pretty aggro about this one with a male Hawke because SEBASTIAN IS CANON BI. WHY WAS HIS ROMANCE STRAIGHT.

Maric / Loghain is a rarepair I will take with me to my grave LOL. Never forget the scene where Maric thought Loghain was leaving, and bolted across the camp with almost no clothes on to beg Loghain to stay. Come on.

Nathaniel / Cousland is dear to me, and I love it so much more than Alistair / Cousland haha.

Greagoir / Wynne, I can’t believe this got validated in canon ahhhh.

The pairing(s) that I despise:

Again: THERE’S SO MANY.

Iron Bull / Dorian is my least fave by a longshot. Again, I have written about why I hate this pairing a great many times, but it’s awful and toxic and makes me deeply uncomfortable, and I could happily go the rest of my life without seeing anything about it ever again. Please keep poor Dorian away from that man. He deserves someone that doesn’t sexually harass him until he’s finally worn down into dubious consent (while drunk) and then outted to everyone about it.

Isabela / Fenris. Sorry, but it’s just bad writing that Fenris bails on Hawke because the physical intimacy triggered his PTSD and he needs space to process, but then will turn around and have a casual sex relationship with Isabela instead. Yikes.

Anders / Fenris. Aveline / Isabela. Alistair / Morrigan. All of the DA2 Hawke/companion rivalmances. I don’t enjoy “these two people hate and antagonize and want to kill each other… but they fuck” in any form.

Cullen / Amell. Yikes.

And basically ALL of the canon wlw pairings in this series suffer from the fact they have men writing them, and as a result they’re almost always some kind of abusive or racist, and skeeve me out. See: Celene / Briala, Leliana / Marjolaine, Branka / Hespith, etc. Please Bioware, I’m begging you to consult some actual queer women. It’s insane how badly they’re treated compared to how the canon mlm couples are written.

FINALLY, I recognize this will be the most unpopular of all, but. As much as I love M!Hawke/Fenris, I just honestly cannot stand seeing F!Hawke/Fenris. There are some pairings where I’m so attached to the m/m or f/f version, I cannot deal with the m/f version anymore, and that’s one of them. (The others are mainly non-Bioware.)

#LONG POST #REALLY LONG #SORRY #misc: text #misc: asks #misc: meme #series: dragon age #gen: bioware #utopianoverlord

[waterchestnut123]

CH 6 | To Catch A Turtle Dove

Fandom: One Piece Setting: Victorian AU Genre: Action, Adventure, Humor, Friendship, Romance. Pairings: Law/Nami Rating: M - Mature (for language, drinking and alcohol, death and some moderate gore, other adult themes)

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Chapter 6: Filling Pockets

It was when she could take no more of the cold—cheeks thoroughly numbed and gloved fingers stiff, that she deemed it safe to return to the warm interior of the ballroom. When she crossed the threshold back into the noisy hall, regretfully leaving her warm blanket behind with the butler, the music was in full swing and the ballroom boisterous.

Though she was still chilled and not presently keen on moving air, she nonetheless flipped open her fan and began gently fanning herself to hide the lower portion of her face as she scanned the ballroom for the two people she most wished to avoid: the Lord and Lady. Several dozen couples waltzed elegantly across the dance floor to a lively tune and she spotted Lady Lami among them, smiling graciously as she was twirled by a red-faced gentleman at least twice her age. The woman she had met earlier in the company of her brother—Jacqueline Daine, was also dancing, being pulled along by a short but cheerful looking young man. Her eyes lingered several moments longer, but try though she might, she could not find the Lord among them.

She began walking along the periphery of the crowd, eyes scanning the rest of the room—those not currently dancing. The tables were half-filled with seated couples and groups, and many milled about the edges of the dance floor, watching or talking to one another; that was where she spotted him. He stood in conversation with a half dozen other gentleman near the front-facing windows, glasses of champagne in every hand, clearly quite occupied by the discussion.

Judging by the amount of time which had passed, the still-growing crowd of dancers, and the scant few empty glasses littering the tables, she guessed most were still on their first glass of champagne or just starting their second; she therefore still had another half hour at least before it would be safe to begin hitting her marks. She just needed to kill a little more time.

Turning for the interior wall, she slowly navigated the crowds opposite the side of the room the Lord was engaged in conversation on, carefully avoiding any glances his way. When she made it to the opposite side of the ballroom, she quietly snuck out through the double doors and into the parlor, making a beeline for the crackling fire at the end of the room by which to warm herself.

The Parlor was, thankfully, largely deserted, save for the odd canoodling couple or servant passing through. It would be a perfect place to wait out the time. She took up residence upon a love seat, half-hidden behind a railing and a potted plant and near the fire, closing her eyes as the warm air graced her cold cheeks. She amused herself listening to the conversation which passed through the room, keeping an ear tuned for slurred words and overloud voices—telltale signs the guests had begun to overindulge. She was not left waiting long.

While the women may have seemed quite taken with the Lord, the men, it appeared, were of a very different mind.

“The nerve!”

The exclamation was accompanied by rapid footsteps as a man came barreling through the ballroom doors, another hot on his heels. She heard him pacing on the rug—muffled though the sound was, anger clear in the heaviness of his footsteps and mild inebriation evident in the volume of his voice.

“—in front of the head of the trade commission no less! Insinuating I, of all people, am incompetent. It is he who is incompetent—running Flevance into the damn ground! Profits have been on a steady decline because of his tariffs—not through any fault of mine! How does he expect a shipping company to survive fifteen percent?! The nerve of that BASTARD—!”

“Keep your voice down,” another man—older by the sound of his gruff voice, whispered, urgently but firmly. “You would do well to remember you are his guest, in his home. Control yourself.”

“Father, surely you—”

“Control yourself, Riven,” the older man reiterated, tone steely and voice rising ever so slightly.

She heard a sudden thud—presumably a boot hitting the wall, before a heavy release of breath. Curiosity growing, she subtly turned her head, side-eyeing the two men who stood near the closed door opposite the open ballroom through a gap in the railing. One was a young man of perhaps thirty, head lowered with two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Sandy blonde hair was neatly slicked back, and the coattails of his crisp black suit still fluttered with the momentum of his kick. Beside him stood an older man with similar features, gray beginning to overtake his blonde hair at the temples, expression guarded.

When the young man spoke again, his voice was controlled—but only just.

“I think I will step outside for some air. I shall return to the table shortly, Father.”

The older man grunted. “See that you do. And son—you held yourself well. Lord Trafalgar can be a… frustrating man.”

Another sigh.

“Thank you, Father.”

She turned back to the fire, gazing into the crackling flames. The shuffle of footsteps told her the men had parted, and she found herself biting her lip in thought.

Lord Trafalgar was proving more and more interesting. Irresistible to the ladies despite his apparent reputation (the nature of which she could only assume to be some shade of dark if Brook’s warning and the rumors she’d overheard were anything to go by), and antagonistic to the men. Apparently notoriously reclusive—having rarely been seen by the general public these past eight years—and with no end of rumor and gossip, both good and bad, surrounding him and his rule. And perhaps most unusual—nearly thirty and still unmarried, with no apparent heir. She was certainly no Robin, who doubtless had a firmer grasp on Flevance’s political history; but even she could tell it was an odd combination of circumstances and opinions—and difficult to pick apart what held truth. Part of her was becoming entirely too curious to find out just who this mystery man was.

But a good thief never revealed herself to their target if she could help it—and Nami intended to abide that principle as much as possible. The mystery that was Lord Trafalgar would simply have to remain as such—a mystery.

A group of giggling, stumbling girls were next to enter into the parlor, clearly having had one too many flutes of champagne, and Nami deemed it to be just about the right time to start her rounds. She rose to stand, pulling out her fan once more as she slowly navigated her way down the small set of steps and around the corner into the ballroom, chatter and music growing louder as she stepped out onto the parquet.

She glanced idly around the room as she slowly moved further inside, searching for her first victim. She quickly spotted him attempting and failing to woo a young woman who quickly dismissed herself from his company.  He was objectively unattractive despite his regal attire—a pointed face and awkward posture with a stutter to boot. Even from the balcony hours ago, as walked the perimeter of the ballroom doing her first assessment of the guests, she could tell he reeked both of money and an insecure need to be liked. He had been the first she’d painted with a target.

She walked in his direction though she avoided looking at him directly, lowering her fan to reveal a coy half-smile to no one in particular. His eyes immediately caught on her and, as she’d hoped, he headed her way. When he was within feet of her she elegantly stumbled, falling directly into his waiting arms.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! How clumsy of me,” she gushed, leaning into his embrace. Clever fingers dipped into his open jacket, nimbly extracting a leather billfold and platinum pocket watch, withdrawn items hidden between their two bodies. In seconds she tucked them neatly inside one of her many pockets and righted herself.

“Oh, m-my,” he stuttered, awkwardly smoothing his hair as he released her, though he did not step away. “Are you quite alr-right, Miss?”

“Oh, I am now, thank you!” she simpered, giving him a winning smile. He smiled in return, glancing unsubtly at the dance floor before opening his mouth to inquire; but she beat him to the punch.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m due to meet someone at my table.”

Then, with a sudden turn she sashayed away, leaving the man open mouthed and blinking behind her.

Over the next hour she hit eight more targets, each with varying twists to her approach. For one gentleman she tripped a young lady walking nearby, who spilled her drink all over his dress coat. Nami, being a kindly concerned bystander, immediately offered to take it from him and dab it dry with a napkin she just so happened to be holding as the blushing young woman tended to his vest. And, of course, when she returned it to him, it was missing a few notable items from the confines of its pockets.

Another man—quite drunk and overly handsy, she allowed to corner her in section of the ballroom populated by what she deemed to be “white knight” types. As he made his advance she neatly swiped his valuables before making a pathetic and very public attempt at nervous rejection—which lured in another unsuspecting victim who gallantly pulled the man from her person, apologizing to her as he escorted the drunk away. Between the two of them, she scored two gold pocket watches, an elaborate watch chain, a silver money clip—filled with bills, and an inlaid mother-of-pearl scarf pin. By the time her knight in shining armor had returned, she was long gone.

With the ball now at its peak and the dance floor filled with couples, she turned from the men to the women. Nimbly weaving her way through the crowd to the tables, she casually brushed up against them as she passed. Unattended purses littered the area, lying open on the edges of tables and hanging from the backs of chairs. She targeted those she could most easily and subtly access passing inconspicuously by, swiping money, jewelry, gold powder cases, diamond-studded barrettes and brooches, small silver hand mirrors, and dainty silver combs. In between purses, she grabbed gold napkin holders and intricate silver flatware from the table settings. A half hour later, as she once more put distance between her and her victims—a blanket wrapped around her shoulders on the chill, abandoned balcony, she couldn’t help the smile rising to her face at the weight the filched goods added to her gown. It was the most she had ever snatched at once.

And best of all—none seemed any the wiser. Ladies danced, carefree, on the ballroom floor. Gentleman flirted and drank—yet to notice their missing affects. And here she was, gown filled with stolen goods, unnoticed and overlooked.

She had never felt so powerful, nor so alive.

But there was one more target she planned to hit tonight—the cherry on top of this most delicious cake: the mysterious Lord Trafalgar himself.

According to the blueprints Franky had acquired for her, the Lord’s private study was also on the first floor, and a small inset into the wall strongly suggested, according to Franky, the presence of a hidden safe. Now that she had seen the incredible splendor of the castle, she could scarcely imagine what wealth lay hidden within. Though she already had more goods that were of a value greater than her last three jobs combined, with the possibilities locked away in the Lord’s private safe? She could, perhaps, at long last do it—she could save up enough to afford Nojiko’s surgery.

She could finally save her sister.

Behind her she heard the soft click of footsteps and glanced absently over her shoulder to see who had joined her out on the chill balcony. To her dismay she recognized the face of the man who strolled out into the night air, cheeks a faint but distinct pink. He glanced about casually, quickly spotting her, a smile broadening on his face as his trajectory turned in her direction.

“Ah, we meet again!”

It was Phillip Daine, but this time he was without the company of his sister.

She smiled, nodding, making clear moves for the ballroom.

“So we do,” she agreed demurely, “But I’m afraid I was just heading back inside—its become a bit too cold out here for me.”

He shook his head, approaching her and draping an arm over her shoulder, turning her around with startling strength and speed.

“Nonsense! It is too beautiful a night—just look how the snow glitters in the light! Allow me to keep you warm instead.”

Were she in any other situation she would have cuffed the man on the ears for his audacity; but she wasn’t, and instead she merely forced her smile to remain, allowing him to lead her to the balcony’s edge.

“Now… I don’t believe I got your name before,” he continued smoothly, arm holding her far closer than would have been strictly appropriate.

“My name is Bellemére,” she offered with some reluctance.

“Ah, what a lovely name for such a lovely face,” he crooned, attempting to lay on his idea of charm. He turned to look at her, raising his other hand to brush her cheek gently. She stiffened. This was going nowhere good.

“Thank you, that… is very kind.”

Attempting to put some space between them, she adjusted her makeshift shawl, side-stepping slightly in the process; but his hold was unyielding. Her smile faltered.

“You know,” he commented lightly, pulling her just a little closer as he turned to look down at her again, “I don’t believe we ever got a chance to share that dance you promised.”

She laughed softly, struggling harder to suppress her violent urges.

“I don’t believe I made any promises,” she responded playfully, making another subtle attempt to side-step him, to no avail.

“Ah, but the promise was in your eyes, Miss Bellemére,” he said softly.

He turned her to face him then, arm around her waist. She was loath to cause a scene or draw attention to herself, but subtlety with this man was getting her nowhere fast. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed gently but firmly, attempting a kindly, measured tone.

“A dance later would be lovely; Unfortunately I am expected, so I really must be getting back inside…”

His grip tightened.

“Ah, but where is your festive spirit! I haven’t seen you dance once, all night.”

Her forced smile was very near breaking. So. Philip was the type not to take no for an answer. That made this… immeasurably more difficult. If she was forceful, she risked drawing attention to herself. If she allowed him to have his way, she would likely never be rid of his company—not to mention the possibility of unwanted advances. Her heart rate began to quicken as she hurriedly debated how direct and aggressive to be in order to secure her escape—and whether she may have to cut her plans for the Lord’s study short, salvation came in a most unexpected form.

“Ah, Philip! There you are—your sister is looking for you!”

Philip turned, momentarily startled before smiling at their unexpected guest: none other than Lady Lami Trafalgar herself.

“Ah, My Lady! I’m afraid she will have to wait—I was just about to share a dance with the lovely Miss Bellemére.”

Lami smiled smoothly, glancing between the two. “I’m afraid it’s rather urgent—apparently she has lost her favorite brooch and is quite distressed. She asked for you straight away.”

Though her expression was friendly and her words were kind, there was a flintiness in her smiling eyes and a command beneath her honeyed tone. Philip paused a moment before finally releasing her and stepping away, giving Lami a short bow.

“Of course. Thank you, my Lady, for passing on the message.”

He turned to Nami, reaching for her hand and lifting it to his lips, eyes lingering meaningfully on hers. “I hope to see you again later, Miss Bellemére.”

Without waiting for a reply he turned and walked stiffly through the double doors into the ballroom. Nami let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“I’m terribly sorry about that. Philip rather fancies himself more charming than he is—and his family’s place as second in the line for the succession tends to give him rather a large head.”

Nami glanced up to find the Lady approaching, hugging her own shawl around her shoulders as she eyed her with a friendly if teasing smile. Though grateful for the save—and impressed by the woman’s ability to wield soft power, Nami felt her fingers twitch. The Lady of the house was not one she wished to draw the eye of. She needed to think up an escape, and fast.

“Ah—thank you, My Lady,” Nami started with a smile, offering a small curtsy as her brain worked fervidly, eyes darting briefly to the door. The Lady was sharper than she gave her credit for, though, quickly noticing Nami’s subtle glance. Her eyes crinkled with unvoiced laughter.

“Don’t worry, I won’t keep you,” she said humorously. “I imagine you wish to get back to your family. Please don’t hesitate to let I or one of the staff know if you find yourself subject to any more… unwanted attention. I do hope you’ve otherwise enjoyed the ball thus far?”

“Yes, I have,” Nami replied honestly—though the reason why was, she imagined, quite different than the one Lami anticipated. “Thank you again, my Lady,” Nami continued, “I… would rather like to head back inside.” An involuntary shiver followed her statement.

“Of course, of course! After you?” Lami turned, gesturing towards the ballroom entrance with a quirked brow. Nami strode quickly across the balcony, making for the open doors and gratefully stepping back into the warmth. She handed off her shawl to the waiting butler and Lami did the same, bidding her a friendly farewell as she gracefully walked back across the room.

Nami, for her part, needed a moment to catch her breath.

She hurried her way through the jostling crowd back to the entrance of the ballroom and up the stairs to the second floor balcony which was, she was grateful to find, deserted. With a breath, she allowed herself to lean against the bannister, absently eying the dancing crowd.

That was… an uncomfortably close encounter. It didn’t seem as though it would cause any disruption to her plans, as the interaction had been relatively brief and uneventful; but still, she berated herself for allowing such an incident to occur at all.

She stood quietly, listening to the graceful music echo through the ballroom, breathing deeply as she re-centered herself. She needed to focus, to turn her attention back to her final target—the Lord’s study.

The night was nearing its end and her timing had to be just right; she needed to get in, take what she could, and get out in time to leave with the departing crowds. Barring the encounter with Phillip and Lady Lami, the night was going flawlessly, and she needed to ride that momentum through to her final theft and straight out the front door.

She waited, leaning against the bannister for several more minutes, going over her plan in her head again. First: a distraction to allow her to sneak away unnoticed; then, follow the winding halls to the Lord’s study—get in and out, and back into the parlor before anyone noticed she was missing. The only thing left, was to come up with an appropriate distraction. She had the rough outlines of several potential plans forming in her head, gaze roving the ballroom for inspiration. As her eyes fell upon the sandy haired man she had overheard in the parlor, a plan began to coalesce. Yes… that would work perfectly.

Slowly, casually, she headed back down the stairs out into the ballroom, eyes sweeping the crowd, searching for… there.

Not far from where she stood at the edge of the dance floor was the man who had complained about the lord earlier in the parlor—Riven, if her memory served. If his vocal complaints hadn’t already tipped her off, just by looking at him she could tell he was a proud man; and by the pink of his cheeks she could further assume he’d had quite a bit to drink—perhaps even to take the edge off his anger. She smiled to herself. It would take little provocation to achieve her desired result.

She lifted a glass of champagne from the tray of a nearby butler to look the part, taking a quick sip before stopping mid-step near him, allowing him in his uncoordinated state to accidentally bump into her, sloshing her drink.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Miss! Are you alright?” he questioned in alarm, stopping and turning to her with concern. However, as his eyes swept her figure, gaze lingering at the dip of her breasts between which her pendant necklace rested, his expression morphed into a boyish smile.

“No, no I’m quite alright, sir,” she said sweetly, offering a coquettish smile. His gaze sharpened on her as he took her hand, lifting it to his lips.

“And who is the lovely lady I have the pleasure of meeting?”

She giggled girlishly, batting her lashes.

“My name is Bellemére. And you…” she squinted her eyes before nodding in faux recognition. “You must be Inkholm! I’ve heard so much about you!”

He released her hand, righting himself and glancing at her in confusion.

“Inkholm?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I was just speaking with Philip out on the balcony—Philip Daine? He told me all about you. He said your name was Inkholm Pentent? You work in shipping, correct?”

She continued to smile at him with an oblivious air, tilting her head endearingly for good measure. She watched as the gears turned slowly in his head, face beginning to redden from something other than his drink. He kept his smile though, as he cocked his head stiffly at her.

“No, actually, my name is Riven, Miss Bellemére. I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me—I have some business to attend.”

Then he turned, glancing about the room, making a beeline for where Phillip stood chatting up a giggling girl near the tables. She suppressed a grin.

She made her way once more for the entrance to the ballroom, taking her time meandering through the crowd. She was lingering in the doorway when she heard it—raised, angry voices coming from the far side of the room, and confused murmurs erupting around her as heads turned.

She took that as her cue. Turning, she headed casually into the parlor as curious ladies and gentleman hurried from the room to see what all the commotion was about, moving towards the closed door opposite the ballroom. Glancing around quickly—the room had indeed emptied of servants and guests alike—she pressed her ear against the door, closing her eyes to focus on any sounds coming from beyond. Nothing.

She pulled back, carefully reaching into one of the hidden pockets of her gown and pulling from its confines her full lock pick tool set arranged neatly inside a folded leather roll. She quickly unfurled it, eying the lock in front of her and expertly assessing it to be a pin tumbler. Selecting her tension wrench and hook pick, she inconspicuously lowered them to the lock, covering her activities with her skirt. It was more difficult and time consuming to do standing, but in less than a minute she felt the pins align and turned the wrench, the lock sliding out of place; and that’s when she heard it: a startled scream followed by an angry shout echoing from within the ballroom, and an abrupt halt to the music. A fight had broken out.

She hastily pulled her tools out, shoving them into her pocket. With a twist of her wrist she pushed the door open, stepping inside and shutting it soundlessly behind her.

She was in.

She hurried down the long, empty hallway, dress swishing quietly as she walked. The guests were distracted and the clock was ticking—but she knew the twists and turns of this castle now like the back of her hand.

It would be less than a minute before she reached the Lord’s private study. Soon, all his treasures would be hers for the taking—and none would be any the wiser.

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#One Piece #One Piece Fanfiction #OP Fanfiction #OP Fanfic #Fanfiction #One Piece AU #Victorian AU #One Piece Nami #One Piece Law #cat burglar nami #Cat Thief Nami #Trafalgar D. Water Law #Trafalgar Law #Trafalgar Lami #Trafalgar D. Water Lami #Trafalgar Lammy #Trafalgar D. Water Lammy #LawNa #LawNami #Law x Nami #Law/Nami #Romance #Mystery #Enemies to Lovers #Undercover #To Catch a Turtle Dove #WaterChestnut Fanfics

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: January Books

This year, I’m going to make an effort to give you some extra recommendations at the end of every month. These will largely be books I haven’t reviewed but that you should still definitely know about. I am dedicated to letting my readers know about ALL of the amazing books that require your attention, so read on to see what I’ve been loving in January! -Love, Alex x

SHOULD HAVE READ IT LAST YEAR: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

I am a huge fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her previous novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourites of all-time, so naturally I was expecting a lot from Daisy Jones. However, with a rapidly increasing TBR/review pile, it just kept being pushed further down my priorities list. Gosh, am I glad I’ve read it now?! Following the rise and fall of a fictional rock band in 1970s LA, we go through the drugs, the sex and the dramas like a fly with its feet stuck firmly on the wall. It reads like an oral history so the characters are so vivid, their relationships are so complex and heartfelt and the music is so detailed that it almost blasts out of every page -I forgot that The Six were never actually a real band on so many occasions!

SHOULD HAVE READ IT YEARS AGO: Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes

I know it’s a modern sci-fi classic but I’ve only got around to reading Flowers For Algernon recently. Published in 1959, it is full of important messages for humanity that we could do with remembering today. As well as being highly tear-triggering, it teaches basic kindness and warns against the dangers of playing God with the lives of others. I have no idea why it’s not a staple GCSE English text because I just want to thrust a copy under every teen’s nose. 

THRILLER: The Other People by C. J. Tudor

Ok, I DID review this one but it was possibly my favourite read of the whole month, so I had to mention it again. C. J. Tudor is a master of atmospheric settings and twisty spooky storylines. The Other People will shake you to the core and tie your brain into knots, as you try to figure out what’s happening. Tudor hasn’t been dubbed a British Stephen King for nothing! It’s the perfect spooky read to curl up with on a cold winter night.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The Boy Who Fooled The World by Lisa Thompson 

I haven’t read any of Lisa Thompson’s other books but she is quite a big name in the world of children’s fiction. The Boy Who Fooled The World is her latest and I devoured it over one glorious evening. At the time, I’d been reading quite a few heavy, dark books and this was a wonderful breath of air. It follows 12-year-old Cole, whose family is struggling to make ends meet. He becomes an art prodigy through a set of bizarre circumstances, leading to fame, fortune and... a guilty secret. Celebrating honesty, friendship and being true to yourself, it’s a quick feel-good read that I’m sure you need right now!

YA: One Of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

It’s the sequel to McManus’ debut YA thriller One Of Us Is Lying but it’s not actually essential that you read the first book before this one. There are references to previous events though, so depending on how much you want a good understanding of the town and where the characters sit within the community, it may be worth reading One Of Us Is Lying first. Although some of the characters recur, the focus has shifted to others and we’re dealing with brand new dramas and a huge, brand new case. A game of Truth or Dare is going on at Bayview High and no one knows its origins. When it turns deadly, it becomes imperative that Maeve Rojas and her friends solve the mystery. As well as being a heart-racing thriller, it also features some truly ship-worthy romances, very loveable and not so loveable characters, so there’s definitely something in it for everyone!

#book recommendations #recommended #books #bookworm #january recommendations

[mia-cooper]

2018 Fanfic Year in Review: April

I Stand Relieved (T) | @jhelenoftrek | ST:VOY | Janeway x Chakotay, Paris x Torres | 32,054 words

Decisions, decisions. Which ones are right and which ones are wrong? Armed with only a smattering of strange and disturbing clues, the crew of Voyager enters a race against time to change fate.

I don’t think I’d ever actually read a Voyager horror story until this one, and this Invasion of the Body Snatchers-style fic works brilliantly. The suspense just keeps on climbing and the ending makes you breathe a sigh of relief, but in the best horror tradition, there’s an epilogue… Don’t read this one just before bedtime. (There’s also great J/C, fantastic lower decks crew interactions and POVs, and a giving-up-command dilemma for Janeway, so... just read it. It’s great.)

In Expectation (T) | Katherine | ST:VOY | Voyager | 1,175 words

She came to awareness of herself in what her crew designated the Delta Quadrant, near-incalculably far from the shipyards where her shell had been made.

Speaking of horror, here’s a Demon Seed-style story that I bet Tom Paris and Rain Robinson would put on their Top 5 Scifi B-Movies list. Normally, I roll my eyes at both Sentient Voyager stories and anything resembling babyfic, but something made me read this, and I’m glad I did. It’s short, which leaves me wanting more and feeling quite unsettled by the conclusions I’m drawing to fill in the blanks, and although Voyager tries to put the crew at ease as to her intentions, her method of doing so only makes it creepier.

Thanking My Lucky Stars That I’ve Found You (T) | Byrcca | ST:VOY | Paris x Torres | 3,135 words

He lay there and tried not to hate John Torres. From what little B’Elanna had said of him, he’d imagined a large, stone-faced monster. But John Torres was small. Not in stature, in personality. He was small, and quiet, and inconsequential. Faded. It didn’t seem possible that that nothing of a man had done so much damage to the woman Tom loved.

What I love most about this story – Tom’s POV on B’Elanna’s first conversation with her father in decades – isn’t just that his love for her shines through so strongly. It’s that his respect shines through. He’d give anything to take away the pain of her childhood trauma, but he knows he can’t, and he knows she wouldn’t want that anyway, because she doesn’t need to be fixed. There’s nothing wrong with her, and Tom knows that. So he doesn’t try to make up for John Torres’ abandonment of his daughter. He just shows that daughter she deserves better, and that he’s there for her.

Identify Yourself (G) | gingercinderella | ST:VOY, BSG (2003) | Apollo, Paris | 3,481 words

The Voyager messes up and tumbles headlong into a wormhole that takes them to a part of space that's far, far away and a long time ago.

The Galactica finds themselves facing down a new ship one day.

I’m still figuring out what to make of this one. The author notes they’re not very familiar with Voyager, and for a fangirl like me I picked up on that (the nerdy bits about warp speed aren’t right, and Janeway’s big decision seems both untimely and somewhat out of character) but it’s an exciting and fascinating read anyway. I admit to not having watched BSG since it aired (I hated the finale so much I threw the TV remote across the room in disgust) but from memory, the characterisation, interactions and language are spot on in this story. And I like the little hints of flirtation between Apollo and Paris (feels like there’s a Greek tragedy in the making there…) I wish we could get more though. It feels as if the story ends abruptly. And not exploring the Seven of Nine/Six parallels is a wasted opportunity. So all I can hope is that this is a WIP (it’s not marked as such), because I need to know more. I need more!

The Damage Done (T) | Byrcca | ST:VOY | Paris x Torres | 2,245 words

Because it’s unreasonable to assume that Tom was celibate until he and B’Elanna came together in Revulsion. Set sometime after Faces.

This story has all the angst and miscommunication you could want in a slow burn, pre-romance teaser tale. Byrcca has such a knack for detailing the inner lives of both Tom and B’Elanna, to the point where I’m starting to ship them hard, so thanks for that Byrcca, I needed another ship in my life. At least this one has a canonical resolution and a happy ending … But in the meantime, there’s wounded, emotionally fragile B’Elanna with her easily-crushed ego, and lonely, traumatised Tom with his bad decisions, and it rips my heart apart and it’s delicious.

By Honor Bound (M) | @weary-hearted-queen | ST:VOY | Janeway x Chakotay | 13,312 words

When a trade deal goes south, it is up to Chakotay to rescue the away team.

Diplomacy gone wrong, alien prison torture, heroic Janeway protecting her crew, Chakotay to the rescue – what’s not to love? And Seren has the most beautiful way with words – it’s almost poetry, and it’s so redolent you can smell and hear and feel the things she’s describing. I love that we get to watch the action through the eyes of a couple of lower-decks crewmen. The prison camp is horrible and Janeway’s sacrifices heart-shattering. And though this story is full of darkness and hopelessness and doom, there’s something beautiful about it, and especially about the steadfast love and allegiance this crew shows each other throughout their ordeal.

It’ll be a few days before I continue posting these monthly fic recs – they take quite a while to prepare, especially as I delve further back in time. And I feel the need to get back to my own writing for a bit. Thanks for your patience – in the meantime, check the #miarecs2018 tag if you’re looking for something to read.

#miarecs2018 #fic recs #st:voy #bsg

[evelonholmwood]

Eve and Makis “Ship” Meme

Baxter wadded through the mist with a maw full of parchment. Upon reaching the stoop of Mistmourne's inn, he promptly shook off each paw and stepped through its threshold. There he found the Hound Master busying herself with a half-drained bottle of rum, her lips pulled in a languid grin. She laid sprawled across the bench, either leg draped lazily over the edge whilst a hand cradled the back of her head. Only the clatter of claws against hard-wood disturbed the hunter's solace as she peeked an eye open at tossed the hound an inquisitive loft of her brow.

"Who'd ya' steal this from?" Evelon quipped, snatching the parchment from the hound. She turned it over in her hands, her eyes scanning its length before her grin grew into a mischievous smirk. "Oi! Love, come take a lookie 'ere!" she called. Pushing herself from her perch, she crossed the room and threw her arms around the Monk's shoulders as he sat beside the fire. She shook the questionnaire with an air of enticement, "Wot'cha think o' this?"

Makis' cool gaze drifted over the parchment, taking in the details. "I think," he said with a shake of his head, "that some people have too much time on their hands." He rolled the questionnaire up, and was about to toss it into the fire, when he caught Eve's glaring disapproval. Shrinking back from her baleful eyes, he unrolled the paper and cleared his throat. "Though, I do suppose these sort of things can be fun!" he chittered nervously. "Let's take a look at these questions…"

1) Who made the first move?

"Well, that one's easy. Me, of course!" Makis looked back at Eve with a cheeky grin. "Isn't that right?"

A breath of laughter slipped from Eve's lips followed by an affirmative hum as she rested her chin on his shoulder. Gloved fingers wistfully entangled themselves in his short locks of hair. "Aye. Was one rivetin'  bar game. Tha's th' night ya' passed out on me, eh?" she inquired, playfully poking his cheek.

"Actually, I was thinking of the time you stormed out and I had to chase after you and tell you how I felt."

2) Big Spoon, Little Spoon?

Evelon chuffed as she turned towards Makis with the incredulous furrow of her brow. "We obviously know th' answer t' tha' one," she chided. 

Makis nodded knowingly with a roll of his eyes, "Obviously. We're forks." 

She recoiled at his response, "Shut up wit' tha' rubbish." A mocking punch to his shoulder followed her statement as she punctuated it with another laugh. 

3) Who’s the cuddler?

"I hesitate to say, but to be fair, one of us is sometimes covered in soft, warm fur. How am I suppose to resist that?"

"By keepin' t' ya' side o' th' bed," she replied, reaching into the folds of her jacket to procure her case of cigarettes.

4) Who cries during plays?

A vice was plucked from the bunch and tucked between her lips as Evelon offered a nonchalant shrug. Her arms rose to cross over her chest while her gaze slid over to Makis. "Ya' gone answer truthfully this time?"

Makis squinted his eyes, staring at Eve. "Have you ever see a play?" This time Makis braced for the inevitable impact.

"Th' fuck ya' implyin'?" she quipped, slugging him once more in the arm.

5) Who’s more affectionate?

Makis peeked over the pamphlet, flashing Eve his bedroom eyes. "I don't rightfully know. Wrestle you for it?" His eyebrows danced a merry jig along with his suggestion.

Evelon's lips spread into a sly grin, locks of hair shifting across her shoulders as she deviously canted her head. "Anytime o' place, love," she purred, running a finger down the length of his jawline.

6) What’s their favorite non-sexual activity? The Hound Master shifted in her seat, unfurling her legs with a mighty stretch. She mulled the following question over for a brief moment before flashing Makis a genuine smile. "Personally speakin', it'd 'ave t' be them afternoons spen' together in th' library. Ya' remember them?" 

Makis couldn't help but smile, his features filled with gentle warmth as the fond memories came rushing back. "Course I do. We were just getting to know each other and teaching you your letters was the first thing you ever asked me for. I think I fell in love between those stacks."

A wistful sigh escaped her lips as her head once more fell on his shoulder. "Has it really been four years already? 'As times changed since then."

7) Who was more nervous to meet the parents? "I wish I got the chance to be nervous. From everything you've told me about them, I think I'd have loved to have met your parents." 

"They were an a'ight pair from wot I got t' know o' them," she replied, her gaze drifting off towards the fire. "Know I'd be terrified t' meet ya' parents. T' 'ave raised someone like ya', they must've been some right good folk. Be embarrassed t' even show m' face t' them." 

"Are you kidding? Dad would be thrilled to have someone to take on his hunts, and Mom always wanted a daughter too. They'd adore you."

8) Who’s more protective/jealous? Evelon massaged the nape of her neck with a long drawn-out sigh. "Guessin' tha'd one be me," she breathed, each vowel carried out over several syllables. "Can' 'elp it though," she added with a cheeky grin, "Wot's mine s' mine. 'Haps ya' could blame th' animal instinct." 

Makis regarded Eve with a mysterious expression, "Perhaps so. Though, it's hard to feel the need to be protective when your partner is as tough as you are.  To be honest, I felt tad bit in the shadow of all those swashbuckling rogues you worked with. It definitely added to the motivation to be more physically imposing."

9) Who sneaks into the shower (bath?) with the other in the mornings? Makis jostled Eve's ribs with his elbow. "See? I told you I'm not the only one who does that!" 

Evelon chuffed with a nonchalant shrug, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Ya' make it soun' like s' unwarranted."

10) Who initiates sexy times the most? Evelon paused at the question. Her russet gaze drifted over to Makis with a lofted brow, "I feel like s' pretty equal betwixt th' two o' us, wouldn' ya' say?"

Makis screwed up his face in a tight knot as he did some apparently complex mental math. His eyes popped open and he states, "I'm ahead by two, unless you count the times we've gone more than one round." He paused again, counting off on his fingers. "If that's the case, you're up by about... eighty-seven?" He nodded, satisfied with the answer.

11) Fuck or make love? Makis bit his lip as he read over the next question. "Assuming there's a difference? Keep the love-making to the steamy romance novels. I'm down for a good, hard fuck any day."

Evelon's arms snaked around his shoulders as she breathed an airy laugh into his ear. "I couldn' agree mo'e."

13) Who’s behind the wheel more often during road sea trips? "We've really only traveled in groups prior t' recently," Evelon muttered, stroking her chin with a contemplative pout. A cheeky grin spread across her lips as she bashfully picked at her facial scar.  "Though I s'pose m' a bi' controllin' when it comes t' mannin' th' reins." 

Makis touched a finger to his lips, nodding along with Evelon's assessment. "True, neither of us is the navigating sort. We'd probably end up on the other side of the Maelstrom if we ever had to man the helm." He winked at her last statement, hiding a snarky grin. "You? Controlling? Never!

14) Who gives the silent treatment when they’re mad at each other? "I'd say it'd have to be me, wouldn't it? There's no need for me to interpret when you might be mad… It's usually made apparent with a punch." Makis braced for the inevitable impact once more.

Evelon recoiled with the incredulous furrow of her brow, a hand placed over her bosom in mock offense. "Say thin's like tha' an' people may think I abuse ya'!" She punctuated her statement with a curt laugh and the awaited punch to the shoulder.

15) Who reaches for the other’s hand first? With the faintest rustle of leather, Evelon unfurled her fingers and flexed them before her eyes. A disquiet smile tugged at the edge of her lips as she breathed an airy laugh. "I still don' 'ave th' courage t' take ya' han's in m' ugly mitts." "Despite ya' bein' insistin' o' it," she added, running gloved digits through her hairline. 

Makis reached up and plucked Eve's begloved hand from her hair, tucking it in the firm grasp of his own two hands. "You'll conquer that fear soon enough, dearest." He lost himself in the tender movement of his fingers nesting between hers, softly massaging the hand beneath the glove. "Soon enough..." he whispered to the wind.

16) Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear at inappropriate times? Makis failed to hide his smile. "This one was written just for you. Remember those lectures we used to attend, the ones that Drahs held? You couldn't help but make a joke out of everything he said!" "I don't think tha's what th' question was implyin', love…"

17) Who comes up with cheesy pick-up lines? "Now this one was written fo' ya'!" she chided, jabbing his cheek with a single digit. "Curse me fo' ever fallin' fo' them in th' first place." 

Makis recoiled, biting his lip as he rubbed his cheek. A coy smile danced on his lips as he readied his arsenal of cheese. "You enjoyed every second of it, and don't you argue otherwise!" he teased. "Besides, it's so terribly easy to fall when your soaring in the clouds like a Val'kyr." He nudged her shoulder, giving her a little push. "I'm surprised you survived in one piece, to be honest. Did it hurt when you fell from the Halls of Valor?"

Thanks for the tag @blackmarketmistress and @steam-powered! 

#we're super late to this x.x #this was fun #ship meme #the real otp #ishipit #any couple is welcomed to steal since we're a little late to the party XD

[strawberriestyles]

Keep Yeh Safe

Alex X Reader: Angst & fluff

In which Alex finds comfort in the girl he met by chance.

Request? Yes:

Hi can you do an Alex imagine where he returns home from war and the reader is waiting at the train station for him and it's all really fluffy and shit thank you xxxx

I have a request for an Alex imagine in which Alex has like a PTSD nightmare and the reader (they can be in a long time romantic relationship or budding romance) comforts him because he's crying even though he's trying to act brave

Author’s note: This is a continuation of “Keep Yeh Warm!” I would suggest reading that one first, but I suppose you don’t really have to. I hope you enjoy!!

Part 1: Keep Yeh Warm

It’s been months upon months of fear.

In the few weeks of peace you had with Alex, the bond the two of you formed beneath that one thin blanket had grown into something that consumed you. With the little bit of money that the two of you had been able to scrounge up, you had moved into a cheap, little home in the middle of nowhere, and you didn’t think you had ever felt happier.

Alex had found a bakery not too far away, where he was able to barter for a job. Somehow, you found yourself in the midst of a factory, assembling parts for aircrafts to be used in the war. And every night, the two of you got to come home to each other, to get to know each other, to share stories and build a relationship. Alex was funny and kind and so gentle with you, it was as if he thought you would disintegrate at his touch.

Everything was incredible while it lasted, which wasn’t long. The troops had been thrown right back into training after the Dunkirk evacuation. Alex, who had disappeared immediately after arriving back in England, was just another casualty of war, or at least that’s what the two of you had thought. That was until a customer at the bakery turned out to be a military member looking for Alex. He offered him an easy out. Rejoin the troops, and Alex would be able to avoid any legal run-ins for his desertion.

Many months of loneliness later, after worrying about his treatment during training and then agonizing about his safety during the war, the soldiers are meant to come home. You’ve been pacing the platform at the train station for nearly an hour, feeling wave upon wave of anxiety. You never received news that anything had happened to him, but you still can’t be completely sure that he’s coming back. The waiting game is nothing but a racing heart and clammy palms.

It’s half past ten when you hear the shrill whistle of a train. Women and families begin to move forward on the platform, watching as the locomotive makes its way into the station. Your shaking fingers press to your lips. Your breathing is shallow and uneven.

The train brakes beside the platform with the sound of shrieking metal. Your eyes have begun to water for some unknown reason, but you think it might have to do with your pessimistic thoughts. There’s no guarantee that Alex is on this train. There’s no guarantee he’s on any train anywhere, or that he’s even breathing. What will you do when he doesn’t appear? If he doesn’t appear, you mean.

“Henry!” A middle-aged woman shouts, dropping the hand of a younger girl and springing forward as the first soldier exits the train. There’s a long line behind him.

It feels like hours that you’re waiting with bated breath on the platform. Soldiers file outside, some beaming, some wearing deep-set frowns, some with families awaiting them, others with no greeting. A tear has already leaked down your cheek. The emotional reunions all around you have proved to be too much. You really don’t know how you’ll be able to go home alone if—

Your thoughts almost cease completely. Your knees feel weak as a familiar face appears on the stairs of the train car directly in front of you. There’s mud smeared over his cheek, but he doesn’t look nearly as dirty as he did the first time you saw him, coated in oil. His eyebrows are drawn low, his hair skimming the top of them as he swings his head around the platform. When he sees you, it’s like you can see a weight visibly falling from his shoulders. His eyes lighten and the tension in his body seems to melt away.

“Alex,” you whisper beneath your breath, as though you’re testing the sound of it, savoring the taste of it on your tongue. His feet carry him to you at a slow pace, a stride that isn’t prepared when you throw yourself into his arms, sobbing into his neck.

“Y/N, love,” he whispers, taking a rocky step backwards but wrapping his arms firmly around your waist. He buries his face into your hair, taking deep breaths of your shampoo, of the smell of you. He hasn’t felt this at ease in months. “I’ve missed yeh so much.”

You’re having a full-on breakdown against him. Your breaths heave over his neck with each wracking sob. He can feel you shaking within his arms, fingers digging into his shoulder blades.

“Hey, angel,” he soothes, pressing a hard kiss to your temple. “Shh, ‘s okay. ‘M right here, love. ‘M fine. ‘S okay.”

It takes a minute or so for you to calm down enough for him to maneuver a kiss to your lips. When he does, it’s like he’s sipping water for the first time in weeks. You taste like home. His tongue licks into your mouth, drinking you in.

“God, I’ve missed yeh so much,” he mumbles when he breaks away, brushing hair out of your face from where it’s stuck to your drying tears. He rests his forehead against yours, running his thumbs along your cheeks to collect any dampness.

Your fingers have clung to the front of his jacket, and you think they’ve locked themselves in place. You won’t be able to let go of him for a long time, won’t be able to let him out of your sight.

“Let’s go home, yeah?” he says after another few minutes of taking each other in.

“Just kiss me again, first,” you beg. “Once more.”

Alex obeys, clasping his fingers gently onto either side of your jaw and pressing his lips to yours. His mouth is less hungry, more expressive. He’s missed you.

***

The ground quakes beneath Alex's feet. Wind carries plumes of black smoke into the air. All around him, all he can see is death and destruction. The beach is hell on Earth.

"Alex!"

Whipping his head around, Alex finds Tommy. His hair is plastered to his forehead and there's a wild look in his eyes. Before Alex can reply, Tommy has spun around and is racing across the sand, kicking it up in clouds behind him. Alex runs after him.

Explosions shower the beach. Alex's ears ring and he can feel his fingers trembling. He balls them into fists as he runs. Everywhere he looks, there are dead bodies, staring glassy-eyed at him. He tries to avoid their cold stares. Another bomb falls from the sky and Alex watches as Tommy is blown into fragments. He hears himself screaming.

“Alex! Alex, wake up!”

Alex bolts upright in bed, nearly smashing your heads together in his haste. His skin is coated in a cold sweat, his heart hammering beneath his ribcage. Your fingers are pressing to his damp back, combing through his sweaty hair, rubbing at his tensed shoulder. He sighs in relief.

“Are you okay?” you ask him in a soft whisper.

Alex runs a hand over his face, nodding gently. He pulls you to him, placing you in his lap, wrapping his arms around you, burying his face in your neck.

“What was it about,” you ask, threading your fingers into his hair and scratching at his scalp, “the nightmare?”

“Dunkirk,” he answers, squeezing tightly at your sides. He’s not there anymore. He’s here at home with you, but sometimes he just needs you to keep him grounded in the now.

You hum, pressing feather-light pecks to his cheek. He turns to capture your lips with his, kissing you sweetly.

Tonight isn’t the first night that he’s woken you up with wild nightmares. In the week he’s been home, there have only been four uninterrupted nights. Often, a few minutes of holding him and pressing kisses to his face will calm him enough to lull him back to sleep, and he doesn’t wake again until morning. The daytimes, however, have taken a toll. He seems sluggish and quiet. You don’t like to see him this way. You wish you could just make everything better for him, but you know that you can’t.

Another few minutes pass with your head on his shoulder, your fingers scratching comfortingly at his back. His breaths have slowed, his heartbeat steadied against your chest. “All right?” you whisper, pulling away enough to look at his face.

Alex hums, laying back and pulling you with him. He holds you atop his body, playing with the ends of your hair as he stares up at the ceiling. “Do you want to talk about it?” you ask, but he gives the same soft “no” as he always does. He doesn’t speak again before he’s pulled back to sleep.

***

The water is icy as it seeps through Alex’s uniform, weighing him down. He’s struggling just to stay above the surface of the water, to get enough air in his lungs before each wave rolls over him. All around him, there are shouts and orders being barked. It’s chaos.

Alex pushes away from the sinking boat beside him. His arms already ache as he tries to swim, pulling his heavy body along. He sees a craft where men have begun to climb aboard. There’s a girl there, helping them onto the deck. He thinks briefly that she’s beautiful, and then he realizes that it’s you.

Without a second thought, Alex is forcing his way through the cold water, heading directly for you. His heart is pounding and his lungs ache with a lack of oxygen. Waves seem to roll over him every time he tries to catch a breath.

It feels like hours before he reaches the boat. And then you’re standing above him, smiling with an outstretched hand. He reaches for you, is just about to touch your fingertips when a ship somewhere explodes. You’re rocked off your feet, back onto the deck of the boat. And Alex is sinking. He can’t pull himself up far enough to break the surface of the water. He’s being pulled further under with each violent wave. His lungs are out of air, but he can see your hand as you reach over the edge of the boat, can see your fingers breaking the surface, reaching for him. But he can’t reach back and water has forced its way up his nose.

“Alex!”

Alex wakes with a choking sound, sputtering into the quiet air of the bedroom. He reaches up to clutch at his throat, to tug at the collar of his shirt. But he can breathe. There’s no water in his lungs, no ocean pulling him deeper into its depths. Still, the feeling of helplessness is upon him and he can’t help the sob that escapes his lips.

It’s been nearly a week since his last episode. You were hopeful that perhaps he was getting better, but it was only wishful thinking. A person cannot see the things that Alex has and emerge unscathed. Whatever he’s dreamed of, it seems worse than anything else that’s awoken him.

“Hey.” Your voice is laced with your own panic as you take hold of his hand pulling it from his neck. You brush the hair from Alex’s forehead as his body wracks with another sob. You’ve never seen him cry before.

“Shh, shh.” You try to calm him, gripping tightly to his hand and pressing your other palm to the side of his face. Your thumb finds the damp trails of tears as the fall toward his hairline.

“‘M sorry,” he whispers in between cries.

“Sorry for what?” you ask, shaking your head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“Everything ‘ve done. Made mistakes. Deserted.” Alex’s voice is barely audible and he hiccups between words, but he’s gripping your hand so tightly that your fingers have begun to go numb. “‘M a coward.”

“You’re not, Alex.” You shake your head adamantly, wiping at the fresh set of tears that make their way down his cheeks. “You’re incredibly brave.”

“‘M not,” he resists, closing his glassy eyes when you turn his face toward you. “‘M selfish and afraid and yeh deserve better than—”

“Alex, listen to me,” you interrupt, brings his hand up to press kisses to his fingers. “It’s normal to be afraid of dying. Whatever you did at Dunkirk, even after, when you went back, it’s okay. It brought you home to me.”

“‘M not s’posed to be wakin’ yeh up every night and scarin’ yeh. ‘M meant to keep yeh calm. To keep yeh safe.” His voice is pained. He clings to your fingers, as if afraid that you’ll evaporate on the spot.

“Alex,” you whisper with a shake of your head. You turn into him, settling your chin on his shaking chest, repositioning his hand so you can press your lips to his fingertips. “You deserve to feel safe, too.”

“But I—”

You lean up, covering his trembling lips with your own. He sighs beneath you, seeming to let the tension roll off of him in a wave. His free hand presses to your cheek.

“You’ve been through more than anyone should be asked to go through. The nightmares, if you’re scared—” You shake your head again, kissing the corner of his mouth and mumbling against his skin, “It doesn’t make you weak, Alex. Okay? You’re the strongest person I know.”

He’s silent for some time, hand pressed tightly to your back, holding you against his body for fear that he’ll lose you. When he does speak, it’s not what you were expecting.

“I love yeh.”

You peer up at him cautiously. Perhaps you didn’t hear him properly. Maybe your mind is playing tricks on you. But he nods, squeezing your fingers.

“I do. I really love yeh. Glad I found yeh out there in the water. Didn’ have much hope left and then there yeh were. Like m’own guardian angel.”

You smile, twisting your neck to press a meaningful kiss over his heart.

“I love you, too, my brave soldier.”

#harry styles #dunkirk #dunkirk alex #alex dunkirk #harry styles writing #harry styles imagine #imagine harry styles #harry styles fluff #harry styles angst #harry styles alex #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fan fiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fan fic #harry styles oneshot #harry styles one shot #dunkirk fanfiction #dunkirk fan fiction #dunkirk fanfic #dunkirk fan fic #dunkirk writing #dunkirk imagine #dunkirk oneshot #dunkirk one shot #alex writing #alex imagine #imagine alex #alex fanfiction #alex fan fiction #alex fanfic

[thestuckylibrary-bigbang]

AU

Part Two

This post contains works from sbb2017 that are alternate universe rather than canon compliant. It has the following categories:

Historical AU

Kid Fic

Magical Realism

Misc. No Powers AU

Modern Veteran AU

Neighbours AU

Sci-Fi

Take a look at the amazing works contributors have made!

Also check out Canon ‘Verse | AU Part One | AU Part Three | Masterpost

Historical AU

A Kiss Through A Veil by princeofprinces (tumblr)

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death

Words: 27K

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Tags: Alternate Universe - Renaissance, Alternate Universe - Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Romani Bucky, Trans Male Character, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Torture, Abusive Parents, Racism

Summary: “Don’t be afraid.” The performer knelt next to the pillory and removed his red shawl from his shoulders, using it to wipe away the tomato and egg mixture that had dried on Estienne’s cheek. “I’m sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Art by rancorousrocker

Art by juliabizarre

Anatomy of a Scandal by Rena (AO3 | Tumblr)

Artists: @theprinceofprinces    Art Post

          @king-of-moose​            Art Post

Rating: E

No Archive Warnings Apply  

Pairings: Steve Rogers/James “Bucky” Barnes

Characters: Steve Rogers, James “Bucky” Barnes, Sam Wilson, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Peggy Carter, Angie Martinelli, Arnim Zola

Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Alternate Universe - Regency, Mutual Pining, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers

Summary: When Steve Rogers returns to Brooklyn, the marriage arranged for him having proven to be a sham, he is desperate; desperate to regain his footing in Society, desperate to secure a wealthy spouse capable of paying the costly treatments that keep his mother alive and settling his family’s debts. But how is he to do that when people view him as nothing more than damaged goods, someone to be sneered at, ridiculed, looked down upon, or pitied at best?

An opportunity presents itself when Lord Barnes, the renowned carefree Casanova of Brooklyn, forgets himself during one night of drunken stupor, sending Steve a letter that flouts all laws of common decency. An agreement is soon made: in return for Steve’s discretion, Lord Barnes will pretend to court him, taking him to the most fancy events of the season where Steve can be introduced to potential suitors. It all works out perfectly, until Steve comes to understand that Lord Barnes is not as pompous and self-absorbed as he believed….

“I won’t let go (at any price)” by @fuckyfarnes​

Rating: M

Words:32k

Archive Warnings: None Apply

Tags:Alternate Universe - 1980s, Drag Queens ball culture HIV/AIDS, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Non-Graphic Violence, Gay Bashing, Gay Rights, Original Character Death(s, )Major Original Character(s), Eventual Romance, Slow Burn, Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Self-Acceptance, Implied Sexual Content, Self-Discovery, references to the get down

Summary:

It's the summer of 1981 in New York and Bucky is trying, really trying. He's working hard as a line cook to support himself and struggling to stay in contact with his sister in L.A., all while fighting to suppress his sexuality. He meets Stevie that summer and falls into the world he's been hiding from his entire life; enter ball culture, new wave music, and Aqua Net. Through music, self expression, and Stevie, Bucky finds the freedom that comes with self acceptance. In the midst of it all, the AIDS epidemic breaks out and with it comes a surge in the persecution of the LGBT community. Nothing is easy, and the cost of being yourself is high.

Art by @stuckypocketguide​

swallows still sing by icoulddothisallday

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence  

Words: 54k

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: Holocaust, Period Typical Attitudes, Religious Themes, Jewish Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Medical Experimentation, Loss of Limb, Family Separation, Death of a Family Member, PTSD

Summary:

They move through the doorway and the sun hits Bucky’s face. His eyes flinch closed involuntarily, but the warmth on his face is more than enough. There’s a breeze too, the freshest air Bucky has breathed in months. It’s chaos outside, a clamor of voices in languages both familiar and foreign. Bucky is glad to ignore it, glad to trust that the Captain will take him to safety. He dares to open his eyes. Everything is fuzzy around the edges, like a waking dream.

On April 29th, 1945, US forces liberate the concentration camp Dachau. But Captain Steve Rogers and his Howling Commandos have a more specific mission - the rescue and rehabilitation of prisoners experimented on by Arnim Zola, among them, a man named Bucky.

In light of recent events in Charlottesville and the political climate of the US right now, I want to quote Elie Weisel, a Holocaust survivor who told us, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Art abd banner by @stuckypocketguide  and  Art by ewburnthatshit

The North Star  by littleblackfox  @thelittleblackfox

Rating: E Warning: Graphic Depiction of Violence Words: 60k Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanov & Clint Barton Tags:  Alternate Universe - Pirate, Romani Bucky, Swashbuckling, Historical AU, Because I didn’t suffer enough last time, Adventure on the High Seas, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Smut, Angst, Slow Burn, I will quite literally go down with this ship, Brief mentions of torture, Swordfighting, Brock Rumlow gets stabbed, It’s Pirates okay there’s going to be blood and guts, But also whales and manta rays, and beach sex

Summary:

“I heard rumour that William Fly is swinging from a gibbet in Boston harbour. They say the age of piracy is ending,” Steve utters softly, rubbing the tip of his thumb across his lower lip. Sam glances at him. “You got plans to retire, Cap? Find a nice little beach in the Indies and a good supply of rum? Couple of pretty girls in grass skirts to dance for you.” “Sam,” Steve mumbles, covering his face with his hand. “I’m sorry, a couple of pretty boys?” Sam grins wickedly. “Sam!” Steve looks scandalised, which gets him nothing but laughter from his Quartermaster. “You’re fired. Go throw yourself overboard this instant.”

Art by @brooklyn-bisexual

Art by @rohkeutta

Art by @frau-argh

Art by @frau-argh

The Scottish Boy by Bette Noire

Rating: E

Warnings: Graphic Violence

Words: 120K

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: Medieval AU, Alternate Universe – No Powers, knights, angst, enemies to lovers, slow build, Hundred Years War, thriller, bamf!steve, bamf!bucky

Summary: The year is 1333. The English are at war with Scotland. 19-year-old West Country knight Sir Steven excels at jousting, but yearns to prove himself in real action. So he jumps when his sponsor, Baron Alexander Pierce, invites him on a secret mission with a dozen elite knights. They ride north to a crumbling Scottish keep, capturing the feral, half-starved boy within and putting the other inhabitants to the sword. And nobody knows, or nobody is saying, why the flower of English knighthood snuck over the border to capture a savage, dirty teenage boy. Pierce gives the boy to Steve as his squire, with only two rules: don’t let the boy escape, and convert him to the English cause.

At first, it’s hopeless. The Scottish boy is surly, violent, hoards sharp objects, and eats anything that isn’t nailed down. Then Steve begins to notice things: that, as well as Gaelic, the boy speaks flawless French, far better than Steve’s own. That he can read it – Latin, too. That he isn’t small so much as desperately under-fed. That when Steve finally convinces the boy – James Buchanan, Bucky – to cut his filthy, matted curtain of hair, the face revealed is the most beautiful thing Steve has ever seen.

Art by maichan | Art by tsumi | Playlist by Penny

Kid Fic

Blurry by MonalisaMontauk Tumblr

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: None

Words: 27k

Relationships: Steve Rogers/James “Bucky” Barnes

Tags: Implied reference Child abuse, Implied reference Domestic Violence, Alternate Universe-Modern Setting, Use of Homophobic slur, Police Officer Steve, Minor Angst, Fluff, Minor Smut, Domestic Fluff, first dates

Summary: Bucky, a single father who only gets to see his son on weekends, finds out his ex’s new boyfriend is abusing him. Fueled with rage Bucky sets out on a mission to track him down. Finding him at a sleazy bar leads to a showdown with terrible consequences for Bucky. The police are called and it just so happens that the cop arresting him is a former one night stand. Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe the situation.

Art by Kay Maeryn @kaym-art

Pas de Deux by rhysiana

Rating: T

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 20,767

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, (past Steve/Peggy, background Clint/Natasha)

Tags: single dad!Steve, artist!Steve, ballet!Bucky, ballet!Natasha, Badly Healed Shoulder Injury, The Realization That Life in One’s 30s Doesn’t Always Look Like One Expected in One’s 20s

Summary: Steve was pretty sure he fell in love with Peggy Carter the first time she called him a “jumped-up colonial” after a surprisingly heated debate on the first day of their shared history seminar during his semester abroad. He never really stopped. Which was really kind of the main problem he was having now, as he stood there next to her grave under gray skies full of ominous clouds that nonetheless refused to actually rain, as if they, too, knew this was fake. *** In which Steve is a newly single father indulging his daughter’s new obsession with ballet, Bucky and Nat are former stars of the Bolshoi now teaching at a DC ballet school, and no one is really quite as normal as they appear.

Art by @barnessergeant (Please go admire her cute art for this story!)

Banner by @dizzy-redhead, who volunteered to make it out of sheer awesomeness!

Seahorses by Tinzelda (AO3) and Poppyfields13fic (AO3)

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 31k

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes

Tags: Post-Captain America Civil War - Freeform, BuckyCap - Freeform, Kidfic, Dad Steve, Fluff, Domestic

Summary: Now that Bucky’s taken over the role of Captain America, Steve feels like it’s finally the time to start a family. Bucky doesn’t know what to feel when Steve breaks the news he’s going to adopt a baby. He wants Steve to be happy, but he’s worried it will affect their friendship. Once Steve becomes a dad though, Bucky can’t help falling in love with the baby. And maybe Steve will finally see Bucky in a different light.

Art by CapCarterandSarge (AO3)

Magical Realism

Deep as the Ocean by themirrordarkly (starmaki)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Words: 20k

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers Tags: AU Modern and AU Magical Realism, Fisherman Steve and Merman Bucky, Magic and Fairytale elements, Sexual Content, Soulbond, Touch-Starved, Memory loss, Serious Injury and Trauma, Angst, Depression  

Summary:

The newly established charter boat business is booming for ex-military man, Steve Rogers. Being the captain of the charter boat ‘End Of The Line’ is a dream come true–but he doesn’t have anyone to share in his success and good fortune. Everything changes when he finds a sexy, mysterious stranger washed up on the beach. The chemistry is undeniable, like two old souls connecting. But Bucky Barnes isn’t the man he claims to be, having only three months to achieve his goal or suffer the terrible consequences. Can he succeed and claim what he lost? Steve and Bucky’s worlds will collide, changing both their lives forever. A modern retelling of a fairytale, with a twist!

Story by @starmaki (themirrordarkly)

Art by @elendrien

Fourth Floor by @dirtybinary, art by @cbolle & @mithborien

Rating: T

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 41,805

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, minor Sharon Carter/Natasha Romanoff

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Shrinkyclinks, Magical Realism, Tentacle Monsters

Summary:

Steve has his life in order, okay. He goes to wizard college, even if he can’t technically do magic. He has his own apartment, even though it’s small and dinky and kind of gross, and forgets to exist sometimes, and might also be alive? Plus, he has a crush on the hot cyborg in unit 404 who cooks fiendishly good breakfast foods, and may or may not have some kind of weird connection to the sentient building they live in. He’s not sure.

He’s dealing, all right, his life is in tip-top condition, or it was until an eldritch monstrosity called the Hydra started posing as a real estate company to try and buy over his new home.

He’s really pissed about that.

(The one where Steve is an angry millennial wizard, Sam is a Disney prince, Natasha is a shapeshifter, and Bucky is a spoiler.)

Illustrations

[x] by @cbolle​ [x] and above banner by @mithborien

Freshwater Memories by @resinonao3 (Ao3)

A collaboration for the Stucky Big Bang 2017!

Header Art by @koreanrage (Tumblr) Papercraft Art by @milollita (Tumblr)

Artwork rating: G Fic rating: Explicit Word count: 50,903 Relationship: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes

Archive Warnings: None

Summary:

Steve hasn’t been back to his family’s cottage for years, ever since the car accident took both his parents and his childhood memories. His therapist seems to think it’s a good idea for him to get out of the city for a while, so Steve decides it’s time to fix it up. He remembers a lot of things when he’s finally arrives, smells the fresh grass, hears the whisper of the trees, and the familiar warmth of a home away from home. The river outside is familiar too, only Steve can’t quite remember the imaginary friend he invented from it, when he needed one the most.

The river remembers him though, and will be damned if it watches his old friend sulk in loneliness instead of play with him, like he used to.

Check out @resinonao3‘s amazing fic on AO3!

From Dirty Paws and Creatures of Snow by goldenraeofsun

Rating: Teen and up

Words: 106k

Archive Warnings: Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings

Tags: Modern AU, Magic AU, Witch Steve Rogers, Familiar Bucky Barnes, Temporary Character Death

Summary

Bullies had mocked Steve's lack of magic for years, emboldened as Steve cast spell after spell that fizzled and died.

Steve didn't believe a word out of Bucky's mouth when he said that Steve was the most powerful witch he'd ever seen, but at least Bucky had until they reached Bonding age to convince him of the truth.

Amazing art by lunalittlelunatic is available here!

I See Fire by MooseKing, samwise_baggins, Steve-Bucky-Stucky (Chemical30)

Rating: E

Words:72k

Archive Warnings: Rape/Noncon

Tags: Hydra Agents, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Mpreg, Rape/Non-con Elements, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Graphic Sex, Minor Character Death, Illegal Activities

Summary:

Steve, an elf, has always wanted to see the fabled dragons, rumored to have been hunted into extinction. He dares enter their domain where he meets Bucky, an actual dragon. But this isn’t all fairy tales and happy endings. Hydra, a group of humans bent on genetic control and manipulation, threaten the existence of all creatures, and it is up to an elf, a dragon, and a handful of other magically inclined creatures to put an end to the kidnapping, abuse, experimentation, and murder . . . if they can.

Repaid, by @waffilicious,

Rating: T

Archive warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 20k

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Tags: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Identity Issues, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Recovery, Mind Manipulation, Emotional Manipulation, Hurt/Comfort    

Summary: Bucky, having been freed from his captivity in Faerie, finds it difficult to readjust to life on Earth. Steve and Sam do their best to help, but it’s not until Bucky meets Wanda and she tells him about the Wakandan Magical Rehabilitation Program that progress is made. Meanwhile, a hidden threat may get in the way of Bucky’s recovery.

Art by @alishawinky

Art by @samthebirdbae

Saying Your Name by brideofquiet Art by @sorrowingsoldier

Rated E

Archive Warnings No Archive Warnings Apply Word Count 43k Relationships Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes Tags  Surreality, Magic realism, Religous imagery & symbolism, Homesickness, Pre- and post-serum everybody, suicide ideation, medical trauma,  Post-TWS, Not CW compliant

Glancing back up, Steve realizes that there’s something off about what he’s seeing. It takes him a moment to place it, overcome as he is with seeing his home—and it is his home, the Brooklyn he grew up in.

But the longer he stares, the more the image starts to distort. His own memories layer over top, a perfect duplication, but it’s like a layer of paint. He scrubs a hand over his eyes, stares harder and—there! The colors flicker out like cheap lights, fading away into grayscale till the sky is off-white, the East River churning charcoal below him.It’s eerie, uncanny, the not-quite-rightness of it all. If he doesn’t focus on anything in particular, the image snaps back into place, right again.

It unsettles him, making him nervous and flighty in place of the warm familiarity he’d felt only moments before.

Then he remembers: Hadn’t Bucky called to him, from just this spot?

Read the story here, and see the art here!

Misc. No Powers AU

Brave Boy by rooonil_waazlib with art by kissuru

37663 words Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: James “Bucky” Barnes, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Sarah Rogers, Clint Barton, Riley (Captain America movies) Additional Tags: Witness Protection AU, Stucky Big Bang 2017 Summary:

“CHORUS: Brave girl. KASSANDRA: People never say that to a lucky person, do they?” -“Agamemnon”, Aeschylus (trans. Anne Carson)

-

Steve’s always wanted to see Madrid: to have the chance to wander through Retiro Park; to explore the Museo del Prado and the Royal Palace and the Reina Sofía; maybe to light a candle at the Almudena Cathedral; to drink wine and eat tapas at all hours of the night and go dancing until the sun comes up, just once or twice.

Never in his entire life had he expected it might happen this way, though: a terrible memory ground into his brain; a scar the size of his fist knotted over his shoulder; his friends convinced he’s dead; his hair dyed dark; and a bodyguard next to him that’s pretending to be his new husband.

COFFEE AND COMICS by @mmouse15

Rating: Teen and up Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Words: 23k Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Tags: coffee shop AU, modern AU, pre-serum Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes needs a hug Summary: A coffee shop AU that’s not about coffee, but about writing and life, and how a person’s value system influences the choices they make. It just so happens to (mostly) take place in a coffee shop.

ART by @izulkowa

Dreaming of Him by Loneliness_of_Evening

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 36K

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: Recreational Drug Use, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Mobster Bucky, Nanny Steve, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Modern AU

Summary: New York City hosts millions of different people living vastly different lives. Some people are nannies who dream of being artists, and some are mobsters who dream of being more than the big guys’ drivers. A chance meeting—rather a chance game of nose goes—brings these two people together, and a simple knock at the door becomes fate. But can fate avoid disaster? Or will they both be left alone with only dreams?

Art by @sundaecherries (NSFW)

Art by @happylaune

I Do (please say you want me) by ceeainthereforthat Ao3 / tumblr

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warnings: None

Words: 84k

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: No Powers Modern AU, Fake Engagement/Marriage, BDSM, RACK, CBT, TopDom Steve Rogers, BottomSub Bucky Barnes

Summary:  Steve Rogers wants to be President of the United States. That’s why Bucky should tell him no when Steve asks him out on a date…but he doesn’t, and the story about the son of former Vice President Joe Rogers and a high ticket BDSM dominant going out on the town is in the media days later. When Steve won’t throw Bucky under the bus to save his reputation–and his popularity ratings–they’re offered Plan B: Love at First Sight. A Whirlwind Courtship. A Fairytale Wedding, and an amicable divorce five years later.

Sure. That’s gonna work

.Say Goodnight and Go by gingertintedglasses

Rating: T

Archive Warnings: Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings

Words:  26,586

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes

Tags: Boston snowpocalypse 2015, fluff, copywriter!Bucky, graphic designer!steve, panic attacks and past self-harm mentions, unexpectedly sharing space, pining, bisexual bucky barnes, sarah rogers and rebecca barnes are treasures, super background natasha/sharon that I want to expand in some one-shot follow ups at some point

Summary: Bucky and Steve work for SSR Marketing in Boston. It’s January 2015 and it’s starting to snow in Boston, faster than can be kept up with. Bucky ends up with few transport options to get home and Steve offers to let Bucky crash on his couch until the MBTA is running reliably again. Mutual pining, close quarters, some weather-related mishaps, and some well-timed meddling from a mischievous, well-meaning Sarah Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Rebecca Barnes, do their level best to help Steve and Bucky own up to their feelings. Lots of awkward flirting, second-guessing, coffee, snow, and a puppy.

Art by @whatasaur​  

Art by @comedicdrama​  

The Greatest Show on Earth by youngavengersfeels

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 25K

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: Circus AU

Summary: When Steve’s mother dies he runs away to join a circus to escape the debt left behind. He finds himself part of something much larger than himself as he falls for an acrobat known only as the Winter Solider.

Art by Brooklyn-bisexual

Art by @buckybarnesbutt

That Would Be Enough by MarcellaBianca Tumblr

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: Chose not to Use Archive Warnings

Words: 62K

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: AU: private school, AU: Teachers, Pining, Angst with a happy ending, Fluff and Smut, These Two Are Idiots, Brunch, Gym, Bucky Barnes Needs A Hug CW: Eating disorders, references to emotional and psychological abuse, and attempted dub-con sex

Summary: Bucky Barnes, a Columbia University graduate with a Masters Degree in Education, is in his fourth year of teaching AP US History at Shield Academy, a private school in the very heart of the Connecticut valley in the bucolic town of Barkstead. He also helps run the Russian Club with his colleague and best friend, Natasha Romanov. He’s got amazing friends, three nephews he adores, and a beautiful little apartment. The only thing Bucky would change about his life? His luck in love. It’s been two years since Bucky ended an emotionally abusive relationship and he’s just now starting to feel that his heart has healed enough to try dating again. Then, a new Art History and English teacher arrives with tattoos he doesn’t like talking about, a body like a Greek god, and some secrets of his own, and Bucky knows he’s done for. Cue pining, sass, and a TON of geeking out over Hamilton.

Art by alienswearsunglasses

Political Submissive by Samwise_baggins & Steve-Bucky-Stucky

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-con

Word Count: 87,963

Relationships: Steve Rogers/James “Bucky” Barnes, Johnny Storm/ Thomas ‘TJ’ Hammond, Jack Benjamin/David Shepherd

Tags: BDSM, Graphic Sex, Prostitution, PTSD, Rape/Non-con, Abuse, Pre-Serum, Post-Serum

Summary:  Steve’s always struggled with owning a Submissive because of his size, and Bucky with his missing arm doesn’t have a lot of Dominant buyers/suitors. TJ, Bucky’s twin, would be a popular Submissive, though he’s never settled down, mostly one night stands. One night when attending an art show, the twins meet Steve and the world changes!

Artist: Colbaltmoony ( tumblr)

The Selection by worrisomeme

Rating: Mature Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Words: 20k Tags: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage (kind of), panic attacks, PTSD, disabled Bucky, disabled Steve, tattoo artist Steve, writer Bucky

Summary:

The Department of Spousal Selection. Anyone not married by age 25 gets a spouse assigned to them by the government. And it’s fine, really. The matches are almost always a perfect fit. Steve Rogers is a successful tattoo artist who’s about to have his world turned upside down when he’s matched with a one Bucky Barnes. As they navigate their new life together and learn to deal with each other’s baggage, will their match prove successful, or will their inner demons tear them apart?

[art] by @lasenbyphoenix

Modern Veteran AU

All or Nothing Days by Lacanthrope

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Words: 20K

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/ Steve Rogers, James “Bucky” Barnes & Wanda Maximoff

Tags: Amputee Bucky Barnes, War Vetran Bucky Barnes, Pre-serum Steve, Alternate Universe- No powers

Summary: Sleeping rough in a big city was a shitty way to live, but Bucky knew it was better than he deserved after what he had done. What he had been asked to do and then did. He didn’t deserve the neatly-packaged leftovers from Wanda, the girl who lived in the apartment building he slept outside of, or the smokes she always shared with him. Most of all, he definitely didn’t deserve Steve, the completely fearless volunteer at St. Benedict’s, looking at Bucky the way he did. But when Wanda goes missing and the cops don’t seem to be doing anything about it, Bucky goes stumbling into the dark underbelly of the city to find her. He also happens to stumble right into Steve, who sticks his nose right where it shouldn’t go and insists on helping Bucky get to the bottom of Wanda’s disappearance. All they have to do is survive stirring up the largest criminal organization in the city and all of the unsavoury characters who come with it.

Art by dire-situations

Getting to the Groot of the Problem by Werewolfinthetardis

Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Words: 32,798 Relationships: Bobby Drake/Steve Rogers, James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers Tags: Friends to Lovers, kid fic (kinda), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Depression, Angst, Explicit Language, Mentions/Depictions of various types of sex and foreplay, Modern Setting- No Powers AU, Amputee Veteran Bucky Barnes, Post-Serum Steve With life winding down new problems pop up, and Steve and Bucky are left struggling with their own personal demons. Steve is trying to figure out what being bisexual really means, while Bucky deals with depression, PTSD, and life with only one arm. Their friendship on the verge of collapse, their lives only get weirder when everyone’s favorite Guardian of the Galaxy, Baby Groot, ends up living in Steve’s apartment. Will the little hell-raiser help fix the problems or will he just create new ones? Amazing Art done by the incredible cancerousmonkey

Shelter from the Storm by ironmanspanties

Rating: T

Archive Warnings: Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Words: 63k

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Tags: Depression, Self-Esteem Issues, Minor Character Death, minor description of violence, PTSD, Slow Burn, Mention of infidelity (not Steve/Bucky), Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bucky’s arm Sucks, Mention of Child Abuse, Past Sharon Carter/Steve Rogers, Past Bucky Barnes/Jake Jensen

Summary: To lessen the pain from his wife’s betrayal, Steve Rogers is headed as far from his problems as he can get. Though he’d reached the Oregon coast, he still felt broken, empty, and alone. When circumstances leave him stranded on the coast during a summer storm, he sought refuge with the local War vet, who was no haggard old man, but rather a handsome recluse with stormy past of his own. What was it about James Barnes that kept Steve from returning to wandering?

Art by laufcysons

You Belong in a Gallery by gr8escap tumblr

Archive Warnings: Chose not to Use Archive Warnings

Relationship: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes

Word count: 55K

Tags:  Modern AU, Artist Steve Rogers, skinny Steve, veteran amputee Bucky, PTSD, mention of past suicide ideation, mention of past drunken non-con, partial deafness/hoh steve

Summary:  Brooklyn gallery owner and successful comic artist Skinny!Steve Rogers has overcome a lot in his life. He just hasn’t figured out the dating scene. Veteran!Bucky Barnes returned home from Afghanistan minus an arm, but after a rough patch, he has goals to become a graphic designer and even a video game developer. He just has to get through his temporary work as a construction worker so he can get back to school. The pair meets and works to overcome their personal struggles at the same time exploring whatever this is between them that’s moving so fast.

Art 1; Art 2; (& header) by @linguastrata

Neighbours AU

i wish i knew you when i was young by bagels-and-seagulls AO3

Rating: G

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 21k

Relationships: Steve Rogers / Bucky Barnes

Tags: Art History Professor Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Kebab the therapy dog, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Slow Build

Summary:

“You can pet her. I mean, if you want to that is. I’m not, like, demanding that you pet my dog or anything. I’m just saying that you can, if you want. I know that the, uh, vest says not to, but, like, it’s okay, if I say it’s okay. Which I do, so you can, if you want…” What the fuck, Steve? Does your brain to mouth filter really suck that much?

Bucky blinked at him slightly before scrunching his nose up slightly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

or the one where Steve doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut around his new neighbor and his dog thinks it’s hilarious

Art by starlingzinc

To Have or Have Not by blue_pointer on ao3

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 56k

Relationships: Steve/Bucky, Bucky/Falsworth, Steve/Peggy, Steve/Bucky/Falsworth, Steve/Bucky/Peggy, Peggy/Falsworth, Bucky/Tony (poly)

Tags: Boy Next Door, Infidelity, Romance, Fluff and Smut, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Pregnancy, threesomes, Stucky dads, First Times

Summary: Having a little crush on your hunky new neighbor is totally harmless…unless that hunk has set his sights on you. Fidelity is easy when Steve Rogers isn’t doing his best to seduce you.The second Steve sets eyes on Bucky, he knows he’s the one. Peggy’s left it up to him to choose the father of their child. Now how to break it to him…Bucky believes that cheating is wrong. When he discovers love isn’t limited to the confines of a single relationship, can he accept what his heart is telling him?

Art #1 by @drowningbydegrees (NSFW)

Art #2 by @drowningbydegrees (NSFW)

Sci-Fi

Anything But Circumstance by Crave

Rating: M

Archive Warnings: Graphic Descriptions of Violence

Words: 20k

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers/Other Character(s) (minor)

Tags: Science Fiction, Action, Space Opera, Alternate Universe - Space, Original Character(s), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Humor, Aliens, Identity Porn, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Implied/Referenced Torture, Panic Attacks, Nightmares, so much sass, IN SPACE!

Summary:

“You are talking to me,” the voice said.

“And who are you?”

There was a pause. “It is probably best if I show you,” the voice said.

One of the walls, the one Steve had been inspecting, began to slide up and up into the ceiling. Steve dashed forward, only to collide with the solid sheet of glass behind the wall. The glass didn’t break, even when Steve pounded it with his fists.

“No need to get hysterical,” the voice said. “Why not step back and admire the view?”

Art by shutupimcreating

The Saughteling by Claudia_flies and zilia

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: Graphic Violence

Important Tags: Star Wars AU, explicit sexual content, past-trauma, references to torture, action adventure, psychic connections, dream sharing, epic lightsaber battles, angst, internalized homophobia, violating the Jedi code, accidental voyeurism, MCU Star Wars AU, Old Republic

Summary: James Buchanan Barnes and Steve Grant Rogers arrive at the Jedi Temple just over twelve months apart.

Many years later, a disillusioned Jedi Knight Steve Rogers returns to the Core Worlds at the summoning of the Jedi Council. Instead of following the will of the Council, Steve chooses a different path. His quest will lead Steve to confront a specter from his past and finally open himself up to the will of the Force

The most amazing art by @hopeless–geek here and @this-simple-mind here (NSFW) and here

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by OktaviaMiki (pandasubaru)

Rating:M

Archive Warnings: Choose Not To Use Warnings

Words: 39k

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes (minor Sam Wilson & Natasha Romanoff)

Tags: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Robot/Human Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Slow Burn, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, AvertedNonCon

Summary: Two years have passed since Bucky was honorably discharged from the army, and still he’s plagued by the scars and memories. While coping by means of drinking, he orders a persocom, a popular humanoid computer, who arrives (naked) the following morning and he names “Steve”. Bucky wants nothing to do with Steve at first, but because of Steve’s kind influence he begins to open up and his outlook on life changes for the better. Lines are blurred when Bucky realizes his feelings for Steve go beyond that of an owner and machine, feelings Steve might return

Art by @frau-argh

Art by @comedicdrama

Art by @10ftalice

Warhawk by Unicornologist

Rating: T

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 43k

Relationships: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Tags: Space AU, Stark Strek AU, canon typical violence, war of 1812 au, slow burn, swearing, enemies to lovers

Summary: Twelve years ago, the Terran Revolution ended. Nicky Fury swore an oath to himself and the known universe that he would never return to the empty void of space again. He vowed that he would rather be tried for treason than set foot on another warship. Yet somehow, all these years later, here he stands in front of his captain’s chair watching the endless black surge past his ship. He watched his crew readying for the battle to come; he could hear Rogers and Barnes bickering over strategy while Romanov and Stark readied the long range blaster cannons and checked the shields. “The universe has a sick sense of humor.” He muttered to himself with a sigh.

Art by @sundaecherries (Hannah)

#sbb2017

[bresbookblog-blog]

Lady Midnight - Cassandra Clare

Author: Cassandra Clare

Published By: Simon & Shulster

Publishing Date: March 8, 2016

Pages: 720

Rating: 4.5/5

                                                                                      Summary

In a kingdom by the sea… In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word. A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love. Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them. Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth?

                                                                                         My Reaction

I’ll be honest, as much as I LOVE Cassandra Clare's Shadow-hunter books, I thought that when I read the first novel in this series that I wouldn't be as interested. As far as plots go,  a lot of authors start to demonstrate repetition in their writing, especially in series that connect or are sequences of each other and with two series, plus several spin-off books, set in the same fictional universe, I was sure that Cassandra Clare wouldn’t have anything else to say about the world of Shadow-hunters and Downworlders that I didn't know or that would interest me. I’ve been reading these books for years now, and I thought that I would have eventually grown out of them and the plots, but you’d be wrong. What I loved most about Lady Midnight is that although the world was familiar, the murder mystery plot was completely refreshing, it allowed me to venture into aspects of the world that we either didn't know about or didn't get to touch upon in the other novels, as Emma set out on her mission to find out who killed her parents and make them pay (And honestly, I was totally feeling this character).

Even though its been a few years, when I read City of Heavenly Fire, I was totally shipping Emma and Julian and I was certain there was going to be something between the two, and in this novel they’re both struggling hardcore with their feelings, which was perfect and absolutely heart wrenching at the same time. I’ve always hated the Clave, becuase really, look at what they have done to our babies, but the whole novel just made my hatred burn into a roaring fire. Maybe it was just me, but I couldn’t remember the Parabatai relationship thing being such a forbidden aspect when I was reading the other series, when Alec had a thing for Jace, the taboo seemed to be because the Clave were homophobic and prejudiced against Downworlders, rather than Alec and Jace being Parabatai, but we do learn and explore the Parabati relationship and history a bit more in this novel rather than just accepting that its something that binds two Shadowhunters by choice, and my heart was just breaking with how unfair it all was. Everything I learned seemed to push Emma and Julian further and further away from the happy ending they deserved, which made me so sad and mad, like I’ve been shipping these kids since they were twelve, they need to be together!

Another thing that I really enjoyed with this book was that the characters had sooo much more depth to them, i can remember reading The Mortal Instruments series and finding everyone a bit flat or “too perfect”, I wanted myself to be just like Clary, but I couldn't fit the bill. And it was kind of expected that Clary and Jace were both born to be legends and, to me, they were cutouts of The Chosen One, we knew they were going to be the next Harry Potter. But the main characters in here, Emma and Julian, aren’t naturally “special” but work to where they’re at. I could easily connect with them because they’re just regular shadowhunters. They weren't the predestined, hereditary heroes we have seen previously, they are kids who are trying to make the most out of what’s thrown at them. It’s not only the two leads who i appreciated, but all of the characters, who are incredibly fleshed out and unique,(loved Tiberius). Cassandra Clare made it so easy for me to connect with all of them, which led me to feel every raw emotion they were experiencing. One thing that have have enjoyed throughout er novels is  also love is the many diverse characters and aspects( Malec in the Mortal Instruments), but she made even more of an effort in this novel, they weren’t the main focus; it’s there and it’s important but it’s not flung in your face.

Speaking about the characters, I adored the fact that we get a look at unconventional shadowhunters, which haven't been really demonstrated in previous novels.Ty, Julian and Mark and other characters demonstrate the type of shadowhunters the Clave and everyone else wouldn’t like to admit exist in their perfect world. For me, this book answered a lot of questions about cross breeds and Shadowhunters who don’t quite meet social standards. The human side of the shadowhunters is really highlighted in this book because I feel like they are more relatable to our society and that we can see reflections of others in them, rather than have inhumanly perfect characters that modern society and people can’t relate to.

I would definitely recommend Lady Midnight to anyone who love fantasy and are fans of the Shadowhunter chronicles or Cassandra Clare’s writing in general. Lady Midnight intertwines mystery, action, fantasy, romance, humor and humanity into a into a thrilling yet heartbreaking novel that I adored and many others will have have too. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, because I;m such a devout fan and I will will continue to read her novels regardless of my age, and she just creates such an immersing world for readers to dive into and never leave!   

                                                                                     Favorite Quotes

1 “Revenge isn’t family, Emma. It isn’t a friend, and it’s a cold bed fellow.”

2 “’ Julian would want me to-’ ‘Julian would cut off his hand if you asked him to. That doesn’t mean you should.’”

3 “Don’t roll your eyes. It punctures my dramatic moment, I want my dramatic moment unpunctured.”

4 “I wasn’t planning on dumping Cameron. We were here, and he called, and his face cam up on my phone– well, actually a llama came up on my phone because I didn’t have a picture of him so I just used a llama– and the llama made me so angry I just couldn’t help myself.”

5 “You are all that exists on the earth and under the sky that I do love.”

6 “ The sea wears down cliffs, Emma, and turns them into sand; so love wears us down and breaks our defenses.”

7 “You belong where you’re loved.”

8 “A gentle boy with a gentle soul, but every soul contains its own opposite, and the opposite of gentleness was ruthlessness—the beautiful wreckage of mercy.”

9 “There was beauty in the idea of freedom, but it was an illusion. Every human heart was chained by love.”

10 “These pictures are my heart. And if my heart was a canvas, every square inch of it would be painted over with you.”

11 “No one is ever the villain of their own story.”

12 “Being told that love is forbidden does not kill love. It strengthens it.”

13 “Everyone is more than one thing,” said Kieran. “We are more than single actions we undertake, whether they be good or evil.”

14 “You don't want him," she said to the pink-haired girl. "He has syphilis." The girls stared. "Syphilis?" "Five percent of people in America have it," said Ty helpfully. "I do not have syphilis," Mark said angrily. "There are no sexually transmitted diseases in Faerieland!" ”Sorry," Jules said. "You know how syphilis is. Attacks the brain.”

15 “Laws are meaningless, child. There is nothing more important than love. And no law higher.” 

16 “Life is short, and wisdom long to learn.”

17 “He can touch your soul. And there is a difference between having your heart break and having your soul shatter.”

18 “When you love someone, they become a part of who you are. They’re in everything you do. They’re in the air you breathe and the water you drink and the blood in your veins. Their touch stays on your skin and their voice stays in your ears and their thoughts stay in your mind. You know their dreams because their nightmares pierce your heart and their good dreams are your dreams too. And you don’t think they’re perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don’t frighten you away; in fact you love them more for it, because you don’t want perfect. You want them.”

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