#cause i saved them from my old island so i can just get em back tonight & also i got pansies as my native anyway which

[ye-olde-sodor]

Midnight Smoke (CotL fanfic PT 2)

Thomas poured another glass for the Fat Controller, much to the man's amusement. Even after the two have chatted for some time now, it was still surreal to see one of his engines pour him a glass of gin. It was even more surreal to see Thomas as a bartender.

Thomas the tank engine. As a bartender. Serving drinks. It’s the end of the world is it?

"I'm still convinced that I'm dreaming. Maybe I'm in a coma."

"Well if that's the case," Thomas began as he handed him the small glass, "would you pretty please wake up? I've grown quite tired of the diesel regime. And I would like my wheels back."

This puzzled the controller, "I thought you didn't mind the legs?"

He took a deep sigh as he cleaned a nearby glass. "It's not that, it's just...this whole "Mengine" thing is getting out of hand. The diesels pretty much run the whole island and we’re stuck scrambling for money and supplies. We can't even travel on our own anymore, we have to take a train."

Topham was puzzled by that. “Like the express?"

Thomas became tense at the mention of Gordon's train. For a moment, he had stopped cleaning the glass. Sir Topham Hatt was about to ask what the matter was, before Thomas came back to his senses.

"That," he told him bluntly. "...Or if you're like me and live out at Ffarquhar, you have to catch Diesel's train from either Tidmouth or Knapford depending on the day."

Topham was baffled by the sudden shift, but felt it wise as to not pry into it for the time being. “So you rely on the diesels for transport then?”

“Don’t really have any other options,” he spoke grimly. “The roads are still up, but Bulgy is in charge of them. All of them.”

“Dear God, what has he done?” Topham asked himself.

Despite the hushed tone of the question, Thomas was able to hear it. “He’s barred any engine, steam or diesel, from traveling on them. Even 10 can’t travel on them without Bulgy causing a fuss.”

Thomas put the glass and cloth down and brought his hand up to form a puppet. He cleared his throat and spoke in a gravely voice.

“It’s for the safety of the humans!” He said as he rolled his eyes, “It ain’t proper for ‘em to have legs! We can’t be having ‘em taking over the town! Down with all Railways!”

He got a chuckle out of Topham. Out of all of his impersonations, his Bulgy voice was spot on. It was probably due to him constantly mocking the double decker ever since the two of them met. He’d usually shame his engines for mockery, but given the current situation, he could afford to make an acceptation.

____________________________________________________________

A few hours later, and the entire bar was suddenly empty, save for Thomas and Topham Hatt. Out of curiosity, Thomas took a glance at the old grandfather clock next to the door, and he felt his heart sink.

11:30. It was almost midnight. As soon as he realized this, Thomas nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Oh shi-I mean...I completely lost track of time, we need to move."

Topham was taken aback by the nervous tone in his engines voice, "What's the matter? Why is-"

"Curfew." Thomas explained it bluntly. "By Diesel 10 and Gor..."

He stopped himself from finishing his sentence, and he shook his head to find the words he was looking for. "By Diesel 10's orders. "To keep everyone safe" according to him. He's pretty strict about it too, so we better get going."

Now Topham was convinced. Thomas is hiding something from him, but what? And why?

"Do you have a place to go?" Thomas asked quickly. "If not, you can bunk with me and Percy for the time."

The Fat Controller stood up from his stool and adjusted his coat. "Goodness no! We've set up camp not too far from here, I can make it there on my own."

"If you insist, sir. Follow me, it'll be safer to go out the back. Less chance of being spotted."

With a nod, he rounded the bar to get to the other side. Once he met up with Thomas, the two of them took the door into the kitchen. Much to Topham's surprise, the area was spotless of any grime, dust, or even food! It was as if no one has been cooking in here since this whole fiasco happened!

Walking in between the countertops and the pan racks, the two were able to reach the back of the kitchen where the back entrance laid. When the pair opened the door, the cold autumn wind had made itself known. The moon shone bright overhead above the clouds as leaves began to dance in the wind. It was hard for Topham to see, but he hoped that he could find a light to take with him.

"Are you sure you don't want to head to Ffarquhar with me?" Thomas asked. "It'll be a lot safer if we traveled together. Especially for you."

Thomas taking caution into consideration was already a major red flag for Topham, (remember, this is the same engine that took a plunge in a mine). Regardless of the warning, his wife and henchmen were at the camp, and he couldn't leave them there alone.

"I'll be fine, Thomas. You just focus on yourself for the time being."

He gave him a small smile. A fake smile, one of which Topham had seen many times in both man and machine. "Is there anything else you need from me? Supplies, food, drinks...anything at all?"

There was one thing. He debated asking about it, but seeing as they had some time, he might as well.

"Do you know where the others are at? I know Percy is with you, and James is here, but if we're going to fix this we'll need as much help as we can get."

Thomas, with a look of despair on his face, took a deep breath and reached into another jacket pocket. "Kind of. Toby and Henrietta are staying with us, Edward is over on his Branch line with the bee twins, and I saw Oliver and Toad racing down the Main Line."

To Topham's astonishment, Thomas pulled out a packet of cigarettes. First, he becomes a bartender, now he's picked up a smoking habit?! He was about to shame him for partaking in such an act but realized that it would be rather foolish to shame a steam locomotive for smoking. He'd already made that mistake with James, and he wouldn't dare make that mistake twice.

He took one of the cigarettes out of the golden packaging and placed the rest in his pocket before going on. "Henry hasn't been seen since this all happened, Bear and Boco were apparently "exiled" from the Diesel Works because they were sympathetic towards us, and last I heard, Duck and the rest of the Little Western were arrested."

"Arrested?!" cried the Fat Controller. "For what?!"

"Take a guess." Thomas said with a chuckle as he brought the tip of the cigarette to his mouth. He gently blew onto it, and the cigarette had suddenly lit itself. A bright stream of smoke began to billow into the sky, illuminating their surroundings.

The controller had already known about the so called "Fire Breath" that the steam locomotives had. It was a (mostly) harmless ability that they've had since they rolled out of the factory, nowhere near the much more dangerous fire of a cold started diesel.

As enchanting as the strange cigarette was, he didn't have the time or the patience to ask for an explanation. There were far more important matters at hand.

"They didn't like how 10 was doing things," Thomas explained. "so, they took it up with him. I haven't heard anything from them, but I can tell you that they're still alive."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because if Oliver and Toad were able to escape, then it's likely that they will to, if they haven't already."

Thomas did bring up a good point, thought that Fat Controller. The Little Western engines were the respectful type, and never caused any problems if it could be helped. Likewise, they'd never tolerate a bully in the yards, even if they had black magic on their side.

"Regardless," Thomas continued, "Everyone else is either scattered or working for 10. Percy and I have been trying to figure out who's where, but we haven't had much luck with it."

Suddenly, Sir Topham Hatt realized something. "Wait a moment, what about Gordon? The express is still around, so he wouldn't just abandon it for..."

The Fat Controller stopped himself as Thomas once again froze at the mention of Gordon. He looked unsettled by the mention of Gordon, disturbed even.

He knew something, he had to.

"...What's wrong, Thomas?" he asked with concern. "What happened to Gordon?"

Thomas, after a few moments, relaxed his shoulders and drew a long drag from his cigarette. The bright smoke rose high into the air, creating even more light in the dark sky.

"It's...well it's, um." Thomas stuttered.

Realizing this, he took a deep breath again, and tried to explain it.

"I...no one likes to talk about it." He spoke solemnly. "That diesel did something to him, and now he's...I-I dare not say it."

The controller was rightfully concerned. "Thomas, if something serious has happened to Gordon, then I have to know about it!" He proclaimed gently. "I understand if it upsets you, but I have to know!"

"I know you do sir, and I want to tell you but I can't. I have no idea what happened to him! No one does!"

Seeing that his controller didn't understand what he was trying to tell him, he knew he had to elaborate.

"He's still here, but he isn't...here here." Thomas explained. "We all saw what he did to him, but no one can explain it...and even if we could, we'd rather not speak of it. For our own sakes."

"But he is alive? Alive and mostly well?"

"Without question. He's supposed to be in charge of the express, but he doesn't take it as often, if at all. He mainly lets the larger diesels pull it."

The controller was speechless. Gordon? Handing over his express to the diesels? Presumably because he no longer cares for the train and the coaches?...What have they done to him?

"B-but if he doesn't take the express," the controller began unsteadily, "Then what does he do?"

"He switches between goods trains and the daily patrols." Thomas explained with a shudder. "He's...terrifying at night.”

While it wasn't the news he wanted, he was satisfied with knowing that Gordon was alright...mostly. He'll absolutely be having a stern talk with that Diesel 10 if they ever fix this mess.

If they ever fix this mess.

Suddenly, a loud diesel horn sounded in the distance, and Thomas quickly threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. The light quickly disappearing as he did so.

"That would be the patrol squad." He explained quickly. "We better get moving."

"Alright then, I'll head back and have us move camp closer to Ffarquhar in the morning. I'll meet you...where are you staying again?"

"At the sheds, where the three of us are usually at."

"Right! I'll see you there!"

Thomas nodded his head in reply. "I'll see you then, sir! Be careful getting back, and don't trust any of the diesels!"

Before he could ask what he met by that, Thomas speed off faster then Topham could've imagined. In a blink of an eye, Thomas was already long gone.

Whoever or whatever this patrol was, they must've been incredibly dangerous if they caused Thomas of all engines to break Mallard's speed record. 10 times over.

The Fat Controller, seeing no other option, fled for the nearby town just ahead. Albeit at a much, much slower pace...

#ttte CotL au #ttte humanized #ttte thomas #I did not mean for this to be as long as it is but so be it #on the next episode of Thomas and Friends The Anime: Crackships and Warships! #I’m actually pretty happy with the lighting on this #like look at it…it’s beautiful #tw smoking #tw cigarettes

[cheekbites-moved]

genuinely convinced my old ac island was cursed bc the luck ive had with the new one has been absolutely mind boggling in comparison. im obviously time traveling so i can get to where i was before w progress/terraforming (dont have it back yet but i have both shops so shrug im getting there) but like. 

i named the island wonderland, my villagers have been giving me mostly red furniture when they give me some which fits so well bc ?? queen of hearts stuff?? a lot of furniture ive found has been red too, or otherwise stuff i wanted rly bad. in Nice colors! ive been so wildly lucky w mystery island tours. i found so many dogs/wolves & i havent rly taken em cause i wanna go w more cats/mice/rabbits for wonderland theme but ?? im shocked i found so many when i went like 10+ hrs not even seeing One single wolf or dog before. a koala moved onto a lot named Ozzie???????? & last night i found Two mice in a row & ended up w a lazy mouse which is perfect for the dormouse??? im just. wow. 

it’s just wild to have sm shit work out bc before my luck was so crap it was making me genuinely hate ac as a whole. i barely played at all & when i did it just fueled more disdain. now im like. Actually excited to play & Actually look forward to doing stuff in it. wild!

#the only thing i didnt luck out on was my starting villagers. i wanted cherry but alas i can find her shrug #also roses would've been an ideal/perfect native flower but i dont mind not having em #cause i saved them from my old island so i can just get em back tonight & also i got pansies as my native anyway which #theyre the only ones i forgot to bring w me lol so. tjktjtkrj im glad i have em #i was so scared of restarting & now im like damn i wish i did sooner cause tkjtjtr wow what a difference #luna plays ac #mine #sorry for just rambling but im just rly in genuine awe over the difference lol

[mythicalgemwrites]

Selkie x F! Reader (Linn) Part 1

Sorry for not posting earlier guys! I've been very busy with online classes.

Warnings: mentions of drowning. Pics are not mine, all credits go to the owner!

M! Selkie X F! Reader

Living on an island your whole life has its perks. From the fresh scent of the salty ocean air to the calming sounds of the waves crashing lazily, it never failed to wake you up with a serenity that could be found nowhere else. You had lived alone with your Toller pup for the past couple years, in the house that your grandparents had left for you. You grew up with them, as your parents always had to move from town to town due to their profession. They were both marine biologists and had taken up a job at a top secret research facility when you were 12, so they decided to let you stay with your beloved grandparents. However, on a stormy day a couple years ago, when you were 19, both your grandparents got caught in a storm while they were out fishing, and they never came back. During the funeral, you had found out that in their will, they had stated that you should get the house, in the event of something tragically happening to them.

And that’s how you got the house three years ago. When it became too lonely, you decided to adopt a Toller puppy for company, and you had named him Sam, which was your grandpa’s nickname. He provided good company and unconditional love, which is important in every home. The house had its own dock leading to the beach, so every morning, after your walk, you’d put Sam’s retriever genes to good use and play fetch with him, fetching the ball from the ocean was one of his favorite past times. Whenever you brought him to the beach, you sometimes feared he was going to be the reason why someone almost drowned. To date, you were grateful nothing like that had ever happened, but you sometimes couldn’t brush off that fear. You were a writer, and sometimes, you couldn’t control how far your imagination went, and sometimes, the words you put on paper would be some of your worst fears, if they were to come alive.

As the days go by, and the weather gets chilly, you would often take Sam on a walk to the nearby cove, usually in the warmer months it would be filled with children playing by the beach and in the waters, but as the weather got cooler, it was mostly couples going on romantic walks, or some who preferred the solitude, just came to enjoy the sunset. On this particular day, there weren’t many people by the cove, just a couple strangers. It was around 6:15 when you threw the ball the last time, and waited for Sam to retrieve it. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, fully inhaling the chill autumn air, when you heard a whelp coming from the water. Opening your eyes, you saw Sam caught on a wave, and struggling to get back to you. In a panicked state, you took off into the water, not worrying about the growing current, but more worried about your faithful companion, struggling in grasps of strong waves, at least for a dog his size. As you grab him by his collar, attempting to pull him out, another wave comes crashing into the two of you, causing you to go under. Trying to call for help, and failing, as the water fills your lungs, you stop struggling, knowing it might make your situation worse, however, Sam starts barking, with his head barely above the water.

Suddenly, you could feel yourself being pulled out of the water, and being held against a broad chest by strong arms. Once you reached the water, you looked at your savior, beautiful greenish-blue grey eyes met yours, and you saw a cute familiar face looking back at you. It was Linn, the barista in the cute local café. You had to admit, you’ve always had a crush on him, but from afar. You didn’t know anything about him, except that people claimed that his family had lived on the island for years, centuries even.

He had shaggy brown hair, and small freckles were scattered along his face. With his help, you got up from the ground and called out to Sam. “Are you alright? I saw you getting pulled under and saw your dog barking. Do you want me to call someone?” he asked , in a boyishly deep smooth voice. Gaping like a goldfish out of the water, it took you a few seconds to process what was said. Coughing, you rasped out “ Yes… I’m fine, thank you! My dog , Sam, got caught in the waves, and I tried to get him out.” you started babbling like a lost child. “ Can I call someone to come get you?” He asked again, a hint of concern in his eyes. “ oh, no… no it’s okay, I live alone, well with Sam. There’s no one to call.” you said, trying not to act like a 15 year old who just couldn't help but be nervous around her crush. “I’ll be fine, really, I just need to walk home and dry out. Thanks again for helping!” you exclaimed. Calling Sam to you, the both of you started to walk home. “ Hey! Wait!” you heard Linn calling from behind, “ I’ll walk you home, if that’s okay. It’s getting dark anyway. I’ll see to it that you both get home safe,”. Before you could say anything, you felt him putting his jacket over you, helping with the chill. You didn’t realize you were freezing until he wrapped his jacket around you.

When the three of you reached your home, Sam was happy to be back in the warm embrace of his bed. Standing by the door “ Would you like to come in? Maybe a cup of coffee… or tea or anything else, if you prefer?” quickly giving him the option of whatever he preferred, to make sure you didn't seem ignorant. Sure, he worked as a barista in the local café, but that doesn't mean he loved coffee, right? “ Um, sure! Anything will do,” he said, as he followed you in. Looking around, you kicked yourself in your head, not keeping up to the schedule you set yourself for cleaning up around the cottage. Sure, it was decent, but paper everywhere? A heaping amount of mugs were strewn around your coffee table, as you sat there working on your next work.

Quickly picking them up and moving them to the sink, you filled up the kettle and turned it on to boil. “ There’s tea and coffee in the cabinet above the kettle, feel free to help yourself. I’ll go get dried up,” the words left you, as if you were telling them to an old friend, hoping to not make a fool of yourself anymore, you gave him a sheepish smile and made your way upstairs to your bedroom.

(Linn pov)

I made my way to the cabinet, looking through the various tea blends. Something which would help with the cold temperature would be nice. There in the right corner of the cabinet, was a box of peppermint tea. It would definitely help make her feel better, since she was soaked to the bone. I can’t help but feel a sense of concern for her. This beautiful strong woman that I always encounter in the café I worked in, and possibly have a crush on, I can’t believe I never spoke to her. I’ve always seen her writing in the corner of the café, in her spot, as my coworkers and I have labeled it. She always seems so sure of herself, and always seems ready for anything, but today, out in the water when I saw her struggling, something came over me. I had to save her, felt a sense of protectiveness for her, hence why I offered to walk her home. Taking two bigger than average mugs from the cabinet, I filled them up with the boiling water, after placing a tea bag in each and placing them on the coffee table before the couch. Her dog was in front of the heater, longing for some warmth and hoping to dry off. I heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs.

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw Sam laying before the heater, trying to get warm. Making my way to the tiny laundry room, I picked up Sam’s towel. Making my way to him, from the corner of my eye I saw Linn, sitting on the couch, two steaming mugs of what seemed to be one of my teas in front of him.

“ I made some peppermint tea, it helps with colds, we don’t want you to catch one now do we?” grinned Linn.

Thanking him, and taking the mug he held one, I sat next to him on the couch. Keeping some distance between us, I asked him if he wanted to use the bathroom to clean up.

“ If you have any spare clothing that might fit, I’d like that! It’s okay if you don’t though!” he nervously exclaimed. “ I do have some spare clothing that belonged to my grandpa, they should fit. Gimme a sec! I’ll go grab ‘em, and a towel too!” I exclaimed, leaving the cozy embrace of the couch.

Making my way to my room, where I kept a spare drawer full of my grandparent’s clothes, I dug out a jumper and a pair of pajama pants which belonged to my grandpa.

When I went down, I saw Linn drying Sam with the towel that I had left by his dog bed, and Sam being the belly rub loving dog he is, happily accepted Linn drying him with the towel, belly rubs being a necessity. Letting out a chuckle at the scene before my eyes, I held out the spare clothes and a fresh towel to Linn.

“ There’s a bathroom two doors left from the stairs upstairs,” I exclaimed, reaching for the doggy towel he left by the couch and chucking it in the laundry room. “Thank you,” he exclaimed, leaving to go to the bathroom.

Once Sam was dry enough, I picked up my mug of tea, making myself comfortable on the couch. Looking out the living room window, rain droplets trickling down the class, I sip on my tea, waiting for my guest to arrive from the bathroom. A couple minutes passed, looking up when I heard soft footsteps heading towards me, I offered Linn a smile and patted down the space next to me on the couch. “ Here, you can leave once the storm stops,” I handed him the mug.

We both sat beside each other, talking about what we remember about my grandparents and how we never spoke to each other when we were younger. Sam sitting at our feet. The dying fire casted a warm allure on his face, illuminating the soft scattered freckles. Hours passed as we enjoyed each other's company over another mug of tea, laughing at all the brief mutual moments that were shared between us. He mentioned that he would always get excited to see me whenever I visited my grandparents by the docks. I didn’t want to admit it, but I always loved to catch a few glimpses of him, whenever he wasn't looking as well.

I laughed at his words, tired but somehow feeling rejuvenated. It had been a long time since I last laughed with someone. It felt good to let go.

His expression of awe paused me mid laughter. He was gazing into my eyes, as I his. For a brief moment, his gaze averted to my lips. Moving his gaze up to my eyes, as soft as a whisper “ May I kiss you?” he asked, a foreign emotion lingered behind his now soft eyes.

Giving him a gentle nod, I felt him place his hand at the nape of my neck. Inhaling a deep breath, his scent which reminded me of the sea with a hint of musky peppermint enveloped my senses.

Linn leaned in, gently bringing my face towards his. He closed his eyes, and for a brief few seconds I admired him until mine shut involuntarily as I felt his lips on mine. After a few seconds, he pulled away, still gazing into my eyes, “ I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a while now,” he said, with a sheepish grin, before kissing me again.

He deepened the kiss a little, giving my bottom lip a light lick before pulling away. “ I regretted not telling you how I felt about you earlier… I did ask permission from your grandpa before he passed. The last thing he said to me was, he’d be happy if you chose me,” he paused for a second, a hint of sadness and regret casting a shadow on his blue eyes. “ I… I need to tell you something. I might … might not be who you expect. And I understand if I’m not who you want,” he stammered. Grunting, “ The rain’s about to stop. I should probably get going,” he said as he started to get up.

Grabbing onto his hand, “ No...don’t! Please… It’s late, you should stay!” I stopped him. “And I’ve had a silly little crush on you too… I just never knew how to tell you” I whispered. He sat next to me, slowly, as if I were made of fine china. That, at any moment, I might crumble. “ You did?” he breathed, his breath close enough that I could feel it on my face.

“ I also know what you are. Grandpa made sure to educate me on myths, and he said some were not myths. I’ve seen you carry your pelt around sometimes,” I closed his hand between mine. “I know you’re a selkie, Linn. I don’t want you to hide that from me.” I breathed, gazing into his eyes. I could catch a glimpse of adoration in them. “Thank you… for not running away, even when you knew what I was,” he sighed. I gazed at his lips, before catching them with mine, a soft peck, to let him know I accepted him for who he is.

#selkie #selkie x reader #merfolk #monster boyfriend #monster romance #monster x human #monster x reader #monster lover #sea creatures #scottish mythology #scottish folklore

[im-a-star-boy]

Dream’s Missing

So this isn’t parksborn. I know, this never happens. It’s dreamteam instead. Boss Mob AU by @qyukie

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Summary: Dream hasn’t shown up to their hangouts in a few days

Word Count: 3,263

Date of Completion: Tuesday, August 4th, 2020

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

The moon shone above the three bosses as they chatted cheerfully, one of many routines amongst them. 

“You know, I’ve heard rumors of some pretty powerful new players going around,” Sapnap spoke up as the conversation began to fall flat.

Dream glanced up. “New players? We haven’t had new players around here in ages! Who are they?”

Sapnap shrugged. “I’ve heard a few names floating around, but the ones that seem to stick are Alex and Steve.” Dream hummed curiously. “Well, I’m interested.”

“Are they nice?” George asked.

“As far as I’ve heard they haven’t been causing any trouble.” Sapnap hummed. “But I’ve also heard they’re pretty brutal to mobs, even when they’re neutral.”

Dream made a face as Sapnap chugged down a bit of lava and flicked a spare cinder away. “I mean, I get where they’re coming from. If you’re getting attacked, fight back, you know?”

George nodded in agreement. “I mean, it’s not like we’ve never killed mobs,”

“Well yeah but it’s not like we go searching for mobs to kill for sport, and most players don’t unless they’re trying to enchant. Risk is too high,” Sapnap continued.

Dream shrugged. “Well, if they don’t bother me, I won’t bother them.”

The others nodded to his sentiment. After all, it’s just a few players, how dangerous could they be?

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

For the following weeks, the bosses seemed to forget about the players, continuing with their routines as usual. One day, Dream failed to show up to the meeting. 

“George, relax. It’s probably just one of his End Crystals messing up or something.”

“The End Crystals don’t just, ‘mess up’, Sapnap. He could be hurt!”

“Dream’s probably the strongest of us what with that End Crystal inside him always healing him. I’m sure he’s fine, George.”

“But what if he isn’t?”

Sapnap grabbed his shoulders. “Let’s give him a few days, he could be running off to do some weird challenge he heard about. You know how he is, if he isn’t back within a few days, we’ll go to the End to get him.”

George swallowed before nodding. “Okay,”

.oOo.oO.oOo.

Several days passed with no sign of Dream and the two bosses were becoming fearful. While both of them were hesitant to go to the End, if Dream was hurt, they had to go. They met up at dawn in the ever-so-familiar plains biome, before descending into the Stronghold. As they looked, something felt off. “Is the Stronghold looking a little… I don’t know, cleaner to you?”

George looked around and realized Sapnap was right. The library was clear of webs, give or take a few. There were fewer cracked and mossy bricks lining the walls, gaps in the floor were filled in, and there were less Silverfish scurrying about. It almost made him uneasy. “Either Dream’s finally redecorating or something’s wrong, Sapnap…” 

The black-haired boss was quiet before leading him down the halls to the portal room. “Come on,”

The two were quick to jump into the portal, anxious to see their friend. As they got through, they were met with the entry room being slightly messier than they were used to. There were a few chests that, when checked, contained blocks of cobblestone, dirt, endstone, weapons, and potions. It… confused the two, to say the least. 

Sapnap made his way up the stairs first and George was quick to abandon the chest to join him. The two were met with a startling display. The end was covered in towers of dirt, cobblestone, and netherrack piled up the side of the pillars. There were a few gaping holes in the ground here and there and the portal’s torches were missing. It was a messy display, to say the least as the two stared around them. “What… what happened here?”

“I have no idea…”

The Enderman were a bit more scattered than usual, watching the visitors as they walked through the terrain. George stopped to examine one of the holes. “It looks like someone used TNT and a lot of it. Dream wouldn’t do this, something’s wrong.” He pressed, his voice wavering with fear.

The two continued to look around when Sapnap froze. “Oh my god,”

George looked up. “What?”

“George- look!”

He followed Sapnap’s gaze and his heart dropped as he realized what he was pointing to. “The End Crystals are gone…”

Sapnap was immediately hovering up to check the taller pillars. After a few moments, he landed looking pale. “They’re all gone, George. Every one of them,”

George stared at him, mouth agape. “You… you’re lying…”

“They’re gone.”

He looked down, his eyes wide, before swallowing. “Come on, there’s an End City nearby, right? Let’s go there, maybe Dream’s hiding out there.”

Sapnap looked pained before nodding and turning to go. He carried George across the abyss to the floating island that the End City was on. They were quick to enter the large building and search, calling for Dream. The Shulkers watched them idly as they looked through, calling for their friend.

There was no response.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

After hours of searching, they were left with no choice but to return home and wait. They had tracked down a few people, asking if any of them had seen Dream, and had come up empty-handed. There were limited villages they could ask, as most were afraid of them and sicced their Iron Golems on them. The response was justified however, as centuries before, the three’s ancestors had been less than kind to the Overworld. They still searched relentlessly, finding little clues as to their friends’ whereabouts. 

“We need to ask new villages.” George persisted.

“As much as I’d like to, you know how they’re gonna respond to us!”

“Sapnap, we need to find Dream! We’ve used all the resources we have, we need to expand out.”

“They’ll kill us!”

“We can get disguises!”

Sapnap hesitated and sighed, looking down. “For Dream,”

George nodded with a forced smile. “For Dream.”

The two were quick to don black cloaks to hide their faces and leave. They needed to find a village. Sapnap carried two buckets of lava for himself while George brought fish and a few water bottles so he could stay hydrated. The two searched for a few hours before coming across one. It was fairly large and there were several players who seemed to call the place home. They entered and walked through, curious. 

It was a quaint village, houses ranging in sizes from a few blocks wide to several stories high. In the center of the town by an old fashioned well near the plaza was a small stand where two players were boasting about. A rather large group of players and villagers were gathered around, listening to the two, rather plain-looking players, talk. George approached to listen while Sapnap continued looking around the village. 

The two were gloating loudly, claiming to be the strongest being in all of Minecraft, which was something of a taboo. Most people didn’t say that, as the bosses look very similar to regular players, boasting about being stronger than them was a very quick way to irritate them. George was probably the least affected by it, while Dream would almost immediately smite anyone who dared make a claim like that.

He watched the two players boast and nudged a nearby villager. “Hey, who are they?”

The villager turned. “You don’t know? Those two are Steve and Alex,”

George raised an eyebrow and looked up at them. “Huh, I expected the two to be a bit more… I don’t know, memorable?”

The villager didn’t reply as George took them in. Steve seemed to have a light blue shirt and dark blue pants. He was clad in iron armor, save for his diamond chest plate, and had an enchanted diamond sword hilted on his belt with an enchanted bow around his shoulders. On his arm was a shield with a blue and black pattern. Alex had a green shirt and brown pants and the same armor as Steve, though her boots were also enchanted. She seemed to have the same gear as well. She watched in seemingly fond amusement as Steve gloated about his adventures and strengths. 

“No mob can stand up to me! I’ll take down anything that tries!”

Sapnap joined him in the crowd. “Who’re these jokers?”

“Steve and Alex.”

Sapnap looked up. “Really?”

George nodded mutely.

“Huh, little underwhelming, don’t you think?”

“That’s what I was thinking!”

The two looked up and Sapnap frowned. “These two need to get off their high horses.” He grumbled. “I should teach em’ a lesson.” He growled, his hands beginning to smolder.

George put his arm in front of him. “Don’t, we’re undercover.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a player nearby shouting. “What makes you think you’re better than the rest of us?”

A small chorus of voices joined in and Steve put his hands out, laughing. “Alright, alright. You all want proof? I’ll give you proof!”

He reached into his bag and the crowd fell silent as he pulled out a white object. It took George a few moments to realize what it was when Steve held it up, but when he made the connection, his heart dropped into his stomach. “Oh my god…”

“Now this, my fellow players, is what the boss in the End, Dream, dropped when I killed him!” He announced, holding the white Mask with the Enderman’s eye on the left.

The crowd went silent for a few seconds before one player regained himself. “PUT THAT AWAY!” He shouted, horrified.

Steve jumped, slightly startled by his outburst. “What?”

The player jumped onto his platform and shoved the Mask back into Steve’s bag. “Don’t you know?! If you kill one boss, the other two will be after you!”

Both Steve and Alex perked up at the prospect of two other bosses. “Other two?”

George stopped listening as he looked down, covering his mouth. “Oh my god… oh my god…” Tears filled his eyes and began streaming down his face. “Oh god… Dream’s dead… he’s… I…” 

He felt heat barreling into him in waves and turned to see Sapnap, though crying, but also looking pissed to all hell. A few players and villagers backed away at the heat. “You killed him?” He shouted.

Steve, Alex, and the other player looked at him. “What?”

Sapnap took a step closer as the others moved away from him. “Did you kill Dream?” He snarled, heat coming off him even hotter as he emphasized each word.

Steve narrowed his eyes. “Yes?”

Sapnap’s breathing picked up and he let out a pained whimper, before taking a sharp breath and letting out an agonized cry as flames came off of him, burning the cloak and anyone who stood too close. It was enough to get several players and villagers fleeing as Sapnap choked. He looked up, his eyes blazing as tears fell down his face. “I’ll kill you for that,”

“Oh my god it’s one of the other bosses,” The player beside Steve whimpered.

Before Steve or Alex could respond, Sapnap was in front of him in an instant, gripping Steve’s throat with a smoldering hand. Steve let out a pained cry as Sapnap’s hand burned into his throat. The player scrambled away, letting out horrified cries as he went, and Alex was quick to take her bow and shoot at him. Sapnap let out a pained cry and dropped him as Alex shot him with another arrow. He turned his attention to her and threw a fireball at her, tears still streaming down his face as he attacked. “YOU KILLED HIM!” He screamed, his voice breaking with emotion.

Steve drew his sword. “He was a mob, just like you are!” He scowled.

“HE WAS MY FRIEND!”

Sapnap felt… pain. Dream was gone… Mobs aren’t like players; when they die, they don’t get the luxury of respawning. Dream’s gone, Dream’s gone, Dream’s gone… The thought killed him as it began sprinkling. It wasn’t long before the small droplets became a downpour as he continued to attack the two players. While he was still far from weak, his powers were significantly reduced in the rain without the added danger of his targets burning. He struggled to continue his attacks as lightning flashed above them. Combating two enemies with the added bonus of his emotional distress and the slippery ground beneath him was difficult. The deafening crack and flash of lightning striking nearby startled him, causing him to slip.

He let out a shout as he fell on his back in the mud as Steve stood above him looking smug. “Didn’t you hear me? No mob can stand up to me.”

Steve raised his sword and, while Sapnap knew the blow wouldn’t nearly be enough to kill him, it wouldn’t feel nice. Sapnap braced himself for impact when the sound of metal breaking made him look up. Steve was standing there still for a moment. There were three small bloodied spikes coming out of the middle of his chest plate. He looked down, bewildered when a breaking voice spoke up. “You’ve already killed one of my friends, I won’t let you kill another.”

Sapnap looked behind Steve to see George standing there, the cloak off and crying as the trident was yanked out of Steve and into George’s hand, the spikes drenched in Steve’s blood and quickly getting washed off in the rain. Steve turned to him, wide-eyed before dying and presumably respawning somewhere. Alex looked between the two bosses, horrified, before running off. 

Sapnap stood up and began brushing the mud off his back as George slowly walked over to Steve’s belongings and reaching down to pick up Dream’s heavily cracked mask. He stared at it for a moment as a few players began gathering around, watching the bosses quietly. Sapnap approached, tears still streaming down his face and joined him in looking at the mask. It was only for a few moments before he looked up. “George, George we gotta go,” He whispered, looking at the players who had their weapons drawn.

George nodded mutely and looked at his trident. “This has Riptide, let’s go.”

Sapnap nodded and quickly began hovering before flying away as George threw his trident, pulling him along, and the two were off.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

George sat in the stronghold, staring at the mask in his hands while Sapnap sat across from him. “What are we gonna do..?”

Sapnap shook his head while shaking. “I don’t know…”

George curled up and buried his face in his legs. “I… I can’t… He’s gone, Sapnap… He’s actually gone… I can’t believe this…” He whispered.

Sapnap looked up mutely, tears streaming down his face, before sighing and standing up, moving to sit beside George. “Cm’ere.” He sighed, wrapping an arm around George.

He hiccuped softly and broke down, tears streaming down his face. “What are we gonna do?” He repeated, sobbing.

“I don’t know, George. We’ll… we’ll figure it out…”

The two stayed there for a long time, crying softly, when footsteps filled the hallway. The two looked up to see Sylvee walking down the hallway, looking somber. “Sylvee,” Sapnap greeted quietly.

Sylvee looked at the two and smiled softly. “Hey, you guys.”

George swallowed. “You heard the news?”

Sylvee looked down and nodded. “Yeah.”

The group was quiet for a moment before Sylvee took a breath. “Don’t look so down, we might have a chance.”

George looked up again. “A chance?”

Sylvee nodded. “It was something Dream told me a while back, a way to bring him back.”

George and Sapnap took a small breath. “We can… bring him back?”

Sylvee hesitated. “I don’t know, it might work, it might not, but hell is it worth a shot.” 

George wiped his face and stood up. “What do we need?”

“We need four Ghast tears, four Eyes of Ender, and twenty-eight glass.”

George smiled weakly and forced a chuckle. “That’s a lot of glass,”

Sylvee smiled softly back. “Yep, now chop chop you two.”

The two were off, not wanting to wait any longer.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.

The two were back within a day with all the necessary items. Sylvee smiled at them. “Help me make these into the End Crystals, you have his mask, right?”

George hesitated before reaching into his satchel under his faded grey and lilac cloak and pulling it out. “Yeah, it’s here.”

He glanced at it and practically whimpered when he saw small blood splotches. Sapnap saw the dried blood and licked his thumb before wiping it off. There new cracks in the mask that made the two bosses wince. Sylvee nodded. “Let’s go,”

The two helped carry the End Crystals into the End. As they got into the small room, Sapnap scowled. “Hang on,” He muttered, setting the Crystals down, before lighting the chest and it’s contents on fire.

The three watched the chest burn for a few moments before continuing up the stairs mutely. It was a comfortable but unsettling silence as they hopefully made their way up and into the End, just wanting their friend back.

They walked towards the bedrock portal and Sylvee turned to them. “Sapnap, put Dream’s mask on the pillar in the center.” She ordered.

Sapnap nodded and did so as George placed the first End Crystal. Sylvee placed the second, while Sapnap placed the third. They all glanced at each other as Sylvee grabbed the final End Crystal and took a deep breath. “Please work,” She whispered to herself, before stepping forward and placing the last one.

For a moment, nothing happened and Sylvee felt her heart drop, when suddenly, from above, the three heard a loud, ground-shaking roar. The Endermen looked up hopefully as the three stared up when Sapnap took a step back. “Crystal’s glowing- crystal’s glowing!” 

George immediately stumbled backward as Sylvee took a hopeful breath. The four Crystals shot a beam akin to the one that healed Dream when he was in the End into the air. The three stared up wide-eyed as the earth-shattering roar filled the air again. Then, the beams began shooting to each of the towers, shining onto where the former End Crystals floated. The three watched in amazement as the top of the towers exploded and brand new End Crystals took their place, the same beam shining straight into the sky where the four on the portal had before. This repeated with the other 9 pillars. 

They all stared up wide-eyed as tears filled George’s eyes. “Dream…” He whimpered.

The beams began shooting down to Dream’s mask. The three stared wide-eyed as all the cracks that once existed in his mask were sealed. One final rumbling roar filled the air before there was a blast from the mask, sending all three flying. Sapnap caught himself midair by floating, George dug his trident into the ground, stopping him from flying far, and Sylvee managed to land on her feet. The three returned their gazes to the portal. On the center pillar, there stood Dream, alive and well.

George’s breath caught in his throat as Dream looked over them, before turning to Sylvee with a grin. “Good to hear you listen to me when I’m talking.”

Sapnap stared for a moment, before bursting into tears and flying full speed at his friend, knocking him off the pillar and onto the endstone beneath him. “DREAM!”

George regained himself and ran to him. “OH MY GOD- DREAM!”

Dream laughed loudly as the two hugged Dream tightly. 

He was alive.

#dream team #boss mob au #dream #dreamwastaken #george #georgenotfound #sapnap #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #can be platonic or romantic #you decide #endings kinda rushed #Angst with a happy ending

[averykedavra]

“I’m going to die. I’m going to die with an absolute idiot!” logince? no pressure if you can't but if you can i look forward to reading it!

(Em, I know I’m answering this, but you better not read this ‘cause you said you’d be offline. You’re forbidden. Go do work now. And yes, this is really long, and yes I should have spread my work out to other prompts, but here I am.)

Words: 7922

Despite everything, this wasn’t even the worst errand that Janus had sent Logan on.

That would be the harpy feathers, which had taken three weeks and three cut fingers to obtain. Or perhaps the dragon scales--the ones the merchant tried to sell Logan were fakes, forcing him to track down the culprit before sundown. Or perhaps the chimera egg, because chimera eggs didn’t exist. No matter if Janus insisted that Logan should be ‘open to the possibility.’

So, yes, this errand wasn’t the worst of them all. However, it was still up there. Another horrible day to add to his never-ending laundry list. And he had a feeling this would go farther downhill than he expected, because they always did.

Especially when dealing with other witches.

“The spell can’t work without it,” Janus had said, barely paying attention. He was occupied with shaking his magic quill until it stopped replacing es with os. “Be back by dinner.”

Logan had pled, bargained, and complained as much as he could. But Janus, as always, said something about “building character” and “honing his skills” and shoved him out the door. So Logan gathered up his cloak, his pride, and headed for the port.

The one upside of such ridiculous errands was seeing the outside. He usually spent his time studying in the cottage or the garden, but when he reached the foot of the mountain, the port sprawled in front of him. Roads teeming with visitors, some in clothing of nearby villages, others in richer colors than anyone could drain from local berries. Beneath the sphinx-grey sky, the boats flanked the water, masts bristling into the sky and sails full and white like wings.

Logan allowed himself a few moments to stare. To drink in the sounds--languages he didn’t recognize, babbling like brooks--and the smell of baking bread and fresh fabric. A cry blossomed from one dock as a ship slid into the harbor, sails flying, just come back from the sea.

Then a bicycle flew past Logan, splattered his boots with mud, and successfully yanked him back into the real world. He shook himself, checked his candle--it had burned down to the first notch, blue flame merry even in the wind--and set off.

Janus hadn’t given him a map, as usual, and Logan didn’t have the time or the moonlight for a tracking spell. He knew he was aiming for the area near the warehouses, though, and he’d definitely know a coven when he saw it.

Probably. Maybe. It had been a while.

Logan kept to the edges of the crowds. The sun wasn’t too piercing today, but he was still a bit warm in his cloak. He could have gone without it, of course, but it had pockets. Janus would start a lecture if he heard Logan was going without his materials. Still, as he began to get strange glances, he wished he’d just tried to shove everything into his pocket. Most people seemed to simply be curious why he was a bit overdressed. A few, though, looked suspicious enough to make Logan press closer to the buildings.

As he hoped, he knew the door when he saw it. The building somehow managed to list in both directions simultaneously, and when Logan looked closer at it, it folded into itself and tried to avoid detection. Logan pumped his fist in triumph and jumped across a ditch to the door.

It was an old oak door. Logan looked around in the vain hope that Janus would appear and offer directions--he was already feeling cold and uneasy on the stoop. Someone was definitely watching him. Or maybe it was just fear of the stories he’d been told as a kid.

Funny, that he was still scared of witches when he was one. But he was only in training, and there was a difference between witches and witches. Janus said it best. “One is trustworthy,” he’d say, “and two’s company. But three’s a crowd and four’s a coven. If you’re outnumbered, run the other way.”

Logan craned his neck up and peered at the dark, musty windows. How much was he outnumbered right now? Could he still bolt before they spotted him?

Janus would be insufferable if Logan came back empty-handed. And Janus was a jerk and a prick and a bit of a terrible mentor, but he wouldn’t actually lead Logan into danger. At least, Logan hoped not.

Logan swallowed, looked back at the door, and reached for the bronze knocker.

Then the bronze shifted and a mouth snapped at him. He yelped and stumbled back. A bronze toad blinked at him, the knocker between its legs.

“What do you think you’re doing?” complained the toad, beady eyes squinting. Logan stepped a bit further away. “Are you casing the joint? Hey!”

“No!” Logan made a shushing motion. “I’m--I’m just here to talk to someone, don’t--be quiet!”

“Stranger,” the toad said, giving him a belligerent look. “You haven’t been invited.”

“Can I go in anyway?”

“No.”

“Can I talk to someone other than a sentient door knocker?”

“No.”

Logan decided to go for it anyway. He braced himself, reached between the frog’s legs, and pulled up the knocker. When he let it fall, it made a deep thumping noise, so close to thunder that Logan checked the sky to see if it was raining. When he looked back, the frog had pulled itself into a ball again. It was silent, save for the distant yells of sailors as ships pulled in and out of port.

“Hello?” Logan finally said. “I’m not going to just stand here all evening.”

Nothing responded.

He pulled at the knocker again and let it fall. Then he knocked several times on the door, and for good measure, kicked it. It hurt his foot. He could probably bust through the door if he had half an hour and phoenix tears, but as it was, he was resolutely locked out. Ugh.

He kicked the door again. It still hurt. He didn’t know why he expected otherwise.

Just as Logan was about to experiment with climbing through a window, someone yelled “Hold on, jeez, don’t bust the door down!”

Logan whipped his hand behind his back to look as though someone else had done the banging. After a few seconds, the door swung open abruptly. “What is it?”

“Uh,” said Logan, who had been planning for a myriad of things. He had not expected a teenager around his age, looking at him like he was an annoying solicitor. “Hi?”

“Hi,” the person repeated. “Do you need something, or--”

“Uh,” Logan said again. He wished he’d planned more thoroughly for this. “You guys have a kraken, right?”

“Yeah?” Their eyes widened a bit in realization. “Oh, okay, you’re not here about the rent.”

“No,” Logan said. “Is that a concern for you?”

“Half the reason we put the stupid frog up there in the first place.” The person--witch? Maybe? They were definitely something, Logan knew that much, but it was hard to tell in the shadows and their magic didn’t feel like a witch’s--rolled their eyes. “Anyway. What’s up with the kraken?”

“I was wondering if you had any spare tentacles?” Logan asked. “My mentor, J--” Crap, wait, no names. Names had power. What was Janus’ usual pseudonym? “Dee, he needs a tentacle for a spell, and he sent me to ask you for some.”

Well, more aptly, Janus had sent him to “get one, legally or not.” Logan decided not to mention that part.

“Oh!” The person nodded. “Yeah, bad luck--nobody’s home right now.”

“What?”

“The whole coven’s out,” they explained, leaning on the doorframe and tugging at their tunic. “Today’s the day that ship comes back from the northern islands, and everyone wants to see if there’s any lead on those siren theories. It’s been planned for weeks, didn’t Dee tell you?”

“He never tells me anything,” Logan said shortly. Although, he wondered if Janus had purposely sent him to the coven on an empty day. That didn’t bode well for the friendliness of the coven on a non-empty day. “What should I do?”

“Hm.” The person thought for a second, running a hand through their hair. The doorway was so shadowed that it looked like a portal. “I’m not really supposed to let anyone in. I’m holding down the fort, and I’d like to do a good job of standing guard--” They did a little flourish of the hand. “But I could hardly turn away such a petitioner as yourself!”

“I don’t suppose you have any tentacles on hand?” Logan suggested. “You could hand them through the door.”

“Don’t think so,” they said with a wince. “We barely ever harvest them, since it tends to go--poorly.”

Logan tried very carefully to not think about what that meant.

The person glanced into the house, then back at Logan. “Look. I feel bad about letting you leave empty-handed, but I’m really not supposed to let you in, so you’re going to have to be really quick, okay?”

Logan nodded fervently. “Very quick.”

“Fantastic!” They clapped their hands and stepped back into the house. “So, uh, follow me? And don’t touch anything.”

With only a slight pause and a glance at his candle--almost three notches burned through already--Logan entered the coven’s house.

The door slammed shut behind him.

It was dark. He paused before pulling out his candle, but nobody seemed to be upset, so he held it up. Blue light danced along the walls. The wallpaper was peeling, but the carpet was freshly vacuumed, and a vase of daisies balanced on a coffee table. Logan lifted his candle higher and caught the glimmer of spiderwebs, the gleam of stairs to a second floor, and a rustling between a few of the floorboards.

“Maggots or rats?” Logan asked, to judge the probability of the floor collapsing beneath them.

“Maggots,” they said nonchalantly. “Aine keeps some.”

Logan decided to step more carefully.

“Oh!” The person stopped in the middle of the foyer. “Oh, I’m a terrible host, you can’t even see! Hold on!”

A scurrying of shadows, and then the chandelier flared to life. The flames were bright red and dripped along with the wax, a few drops hissing when they hit the carpet far below. Now Logan could see the whole house, with a polished banister wrapping past the stairs and to the second floor. There was a small back door, a few cupboards, and a glimpse of a dining room. It was all dark wood, or maybe that was the red light, that clashed with Logan’s candle and made it a bruised purple.

Movement made Logan look up. Next to the chandelier was the person from before. They smiled and waved at him, before somersaulting off the stairs and landing easily on the carpet.

“Sorry,” they said. “Didn’t realize you couldn’t see. Is that better?”

Logan stared at them. “Did you just jump off the--”

And then his eyes finally adjusted to the light. And then Logan finally--finally, he heard in Janus’ voice, are you really that unobservant--noticed.

A nice smile with bright eyes and a stub nose. Hair that needed a cut, with tufts sticking out in the back. One hand casually leaning on the stairs, the other waving the match until it went out. Smoke coiled from their hand--a hand too smooth and too bony, like someone had just pulled skin over bones and called it a day. A nice smile and pure white eyes.

“Ah,” Logan said, feeling very, very stupid. Because now that he was paying attention, he could feel it, the gentle thrum of magic nearby. But not a rustle like Janus’, or even an unfamiliar flash like the witches he glimpsed in markets. A constant, cold weight in his stomach, like ballast on a ship. “You’re--ah.”

“My name’s Roman,” said Roman, looking barely fazed. “He/him. And I can tell you that, because I’m not all fancy and cagey with my name like all of you!”

“Roman,” Logan repeated. “Nice to meet you, Roman.”

“The pleasure is mine as well!” Roman gestured for him to follow. “Now come on, before everyone gets back.”

Logan nodded and followed, his candle flame shivering. The more he stepped away from the door, the more he felt the cold settling in his bones. Roman didn’t seem to notice, though, because he jumped cheerfully from floorboard to floorboard. When he caught Logan looking, he smiled, as if this was fun. Logan did not find it fun. Logan wished for it to be over.

“Here we are,” Roman said, tugging open a cupboard door. Instead of silverware, Logan saw a long tunnel. “Basement!”

“Basement,” Logan repeated. He supposed no one could keep a kraken in the living room. “Are you coming with me?”

“Yeah, no way you’d know what to do otherwise!” Roman grinned at him. “I’m your tour guide.”

Logan huffed. “I’d know what to do.”

“Sure you would.” Roman turned away, his grin fading to a smirk. “Your collar’s inside out.”

“Wh--is not!” Logan looked down and back up. “It isn’t!”

Roman laughed and stepped into the tunnel. The distant light framed him, making his skin gleam waxy. “Coming?”

Logan huffed again, gathered his cloak to keep it from dragging on the wet stone, and followed.

The tunnel was cramped. Roman led the way, jumping expertly from rock to rock, and Logan struggled to keep up. His blue candle lit the place in an eerie glow. When he tried to listen for sounds, he could hear nothing except a distant lapping of waves, which made his stomach turn.

He tripped, dropped a packet of laurel, and bent to grab it. Roman paused and waited with barely disguised mockery until Logan had gathered his things again.

“Shut up,” Logan said, even though Roman hadn’t said anything.

“You’re pretty small for a witch,” Roman said, turning back around. “Should you really be messing with this stuff?”

“Like I said, it was Dee’s idea.” Logan tried to hurry after him. “I’d much rather not be in a tunnel right now.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Roman sucked in a breath and let it out. “Look, I’d just--if I were you, I’d start trying to master necromancy, because you are absolutely doomed.”

“Am not,” Logan decided to say instead of panicking.

“Are too!” Roman fired back over his shoulder. “Now hurry up, we haven’t got all day, witch boy.”

“We’re the same age, Roman!”

“I’m taller than you!”

Logan bit back a retort and just tried to hurry. He tripped several more times, and Roman gave him a judgmental look. Logan tried to return it. As they approached the end of the tunnel, though, his anger was less and less strong. It was slowly replaced with apprehension.

Roman didn’t seem nervous. Although, Logan admitted, he didn’t know the guy well enough to be sure. He trusted Roman on instinct--maybe because he liked his smile, or because if he decided not to, this entire situation became more perilous by tenfold.

“You’re not going to kill me,” Logan decided to confirm. “Right?”

“What? No!” Roman laughed. “I would never do that.”

“And...”

“And I can’t say the same of anyone else here,” Roman said. “Or the lovely kraken you’ve decided to pay a visit to.”

Logan swallowed.

Roman kept walking ahead of him, and Logan tried to focus on anything except the house far behind them and the water ahead of them. Roman. He moved with smoothness, like candlewax dripping from a chandelier, but his joints often jerked in ways Logan didn’t believe were natural. His skin reflected Logan’s candle, and he seemed just slightly left of a living person. Just too perfect, and just too not.

When he was a kid, Logan heard stories about creations that fell apart mid-motion, a pile of limbs in the street. He hated that he could see exactly where it would happen--the joints jammed together, an ugly seam line, easy to break. He felt a bit like he was next to a fragile vase. One bump, and he’d find out what exactly Roman had been made of.

Candlewax, probably. That was a common one. Or wood, for a sturdier frame, and sometimes cloth. Janus told him about a glass one once. Logan could barely imagine the power that usually went into them--one witch was trustworthy, two was company, three was a crowd. Four was enough to make life from nothing.

Logan had found the whole thing fascinating. Until now, when he was following Roman through the tunnel, and beginning to think about it a bit too hard.

Roman was about Logan’s age. He must have grown just like Logan. He was probably registered as Roman Galatea--most were--if he legally existed at all. And Logan felt so horrible about even thinking like that, because it seemed to rob Roman of his personhood, except he didn’t really have any--except he clearly did, except--

Janus didn’t use those kinds of spells. He’d never created anything like that. Logan asked him, once, if it was dark magic.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Janus had told him, which was how most of his lectures started. “There’s no such thing as dark magic. There’s just magic.”

“Sounds like something a dark magician would say.”

Janus had sighed. “Some people would call creating life ‘dark magic,’ yes. I wouldn’t, because as stated above, I think it’s all stupid.”

Logan had paused. “You don’t do it, though.”

“Of course not.” Janus smirked. “There’s enough life in the world without me adding to it.”

And now Logan was here, approaching a kraken and somehow more scared of the only other living thing in the house.

And then Roman told him to hurry up, and Logan rolled his eyes, and he easily fell back into being annoyed by a kid his age. Maybe it meant something, how easy it was. Maybe it didn’t.

Maybe he was overthinking this to a ridiculous degree, because they’d just met and Roman didn’t even know his name.

“Almost there,” Roman said, pulling Logan from his thoughts. “Do you have a plan?”

“A plan?” Logan blinked. “Get a tentacle?”

A long pause. “Okay, look, I want to support you in your dreams and all, but--”

“But that’s a stupid plan?”

“But it was nice knowing you.”

Logan rolled his eyes again. They already felt sore from all the rolling. “I do have skills--”

“Not saying you don’t,” Roman said, in a tone that showed he was saying that Logan didn’t. “So do I. Doesn’t mean I do stupid things like charge in to face a kraken alone.”

“I have you.”

Roman snickered. “I’m not going to be much help, unless you want to be serenaded while you die painfully.”

“True,” Logan said. “Or you could murder me.”

“I’m trustworthy!”

“Are you?”

“Yes!” Roman pouted. “You’re the one who I don’t trust. Never trust a witch, you know.”

“You can trust witches,” Logan said, feeling a bit hurt. “One witch is trustworthy, and two is company.”

“And who says that?”

“Witches--” Logan paused. “I see your point.”

Roman laughed. “Hurry up, trustworthy witch boy.”

Logan hiked up his cloak. Despite his best efforts, the hem was entirely soaked with water. The bottom of the tunnel was getting steadily wetter as they traveled, splashing water as he walked, and he wondered how on earth such a long tunnel could exist under one house.

He asked Roman that, and Roman laughed. “We’re under the sea right now!”

“We’re what?” Logan was ashamed of the way his voice squeaked. “Is that safe?”

“Yeah, we’re deep down in the rock!” Roman held out a hand and a drop of water hit his palm. It skidded off the waxy surface. Logan almost jumped away from it when it fell. “Relax, you’ll be fine.”

Logan was far less certain. He had known a kraken was a water-dwelling creature, but he’d expected a small pond. Or, hopefully, a dry drawer with tentacles inside. He hadn’t planned for an entire ocean over his head. Logan shoved the image of drowning from his head--he was doing a lot of repression today, he noticed--and soldiered after Roman.

Before Logan could even ask Roman to slow down and possibly reassure him that they were not going to die, the tunnel finally opened up. Logan’s candle shuddered--four notches already, more than halfway burned through--and he stepped into the kraken’s cave.

Cave was the only word for it. It was a cylindrical hole in the rock, ten times taller than Logan, with stalactites bristling on the walls, cold and grey as icicles. A pool of dark water sat beneath them--a perfect circular disk, with small waves lapping at the stone. A few paths were hewn roughly into the rock. It smelled like brine and old fish at the market and Janus’ boots when he forgot to clean them. Roman plugged his nose.

And ten feet below them, a tentacle rested on an outcrop of rock. Ugly green, horrifically slimy, and with suckers the size of Logan’s palm.

“Good,” Logan said, trying to find some silver lining in this situation. “That should be simple.”

“Shh!” Roman’s hand clapped over Logan’s mouth. It was surprisingly warm, just like a normal hand, and Logan found himself distracted. “Come on, if it’s sleeping, you do not want to wake it up.”

“Okay, okay!” Logan batted Roman’s hand away. “I get it, Roman.”

“If you say so.” Roman stepped back towards the tunnel, which was a gaping hole in the rock. It looked like a mouth. Like a kraken’s mouth, in fact, and Logan was going to stop thinking now. “Well? Go ahead!”

“Right,” Logan said, wishing he knew a spell to summon confidence. He took a deep breath, tried to ignore the crushing weight of water above him, and tiptoed forward. Almost immediately, his foot skidded on the damp rock. He barely managed to keep his balance. Behind him, Roman laughed.

“Hey!” Logan complained. “You said be quiet!”

“Who’s the one talking now?”

Logan threw up his hands and turned around. Thankfully, the dark water was still as a mirror. The tentacle lolled on the rocks. He just needed to creep down, cut it off, and creep back up! Which, of course, relied on the kraken sleeping through the loss of a body part, but maybe krakens weren’t extremely sensitive to pain! Possibly. Hopefully.

When Logan got back, he was going to kill Janus.

He inched towards the edge of the rocks, checking every two seconds for movement. Nothing. Behind him, Roman loitered in the tunnel. Maybe he wanted to see the show.

Logan slipped between two rocks, scraping a knuckle on one. He bit back a yelp. No time for noise. His cloak was heavy with water--water above him, and below him, don’t think about that--but it muffled his footprints easily. He dug in one pocket, holding up the candle with the other, and pulled out a pocketknife. The blade was dull. He should have sharpened it before he left.

He should have done a lot of things, actually. For example, he should have written his will.

Logan let out a long breath, snuck down towards the water, and knelt next to the tentacle.

Up close, it was even more disgusting. Logan felt water seep through the knees of his pants, and he hoped it was water and not slime from the tentacle. When he glanced up, he could see Roman in the tunnel opening, watching him. Probably thinking he looked like an idiot. He probably did.

Logan gripped the knife tightly. Okay. A clean, swift cut--put the power in his arm, not his wrist, and keep it away from his other fingers. Okay. Focus.

Three, two, one.

Logan let the knife fall.

And to his credit--yes, the thinnest of silver linings, but he was going to allow himself something--the blade made it more than halfway through in one swoop. The flesh parted easily.

Then the tentacle spasmed, shot back into the water, and the candle slipped from his fingers. It skidded on the rocks and slipped into the water with a hiss. He could see the blue flame, still burning--and then he couldn’t, as a large shadow passed over it.

Ah.

Logan waited for something to happen. He should probably move, but he was frozen, watching the dark water. Silence. The drip-drip of water above him.

“Um,” Logan finally said, his voice high-pitched. “Roman?”

“What?” Roman asked.

“I--uh--” Logan swallowed. “We might want to run now.”

The water exploded.

Logan threw himself backwards, hitting the rocks and jostling his bones. He scrambled to his feet as quickly as possible. Something large moved above him, and water fell on him like rain, plastering his hair to his skull and fogging his glasses. He rubbed at them and tried to stumble in a direction that wasn’t near the giant flailing thing.

A hand grabbed his arm, and he was hauled in an entirely different direction. “You idiot!” Roman yelled, half-dragging him away from the water.

“You’re one to talk!” Logan managed. “Don’t be so loud!”

“Oh, what, because it’ll hear us?” Roman waved an arm at the boiling water. “I think we’re well past that.”

Logan swore and let Roman toss him behind a rock. He tried to catch his breath. Water dripped down his skin, already making his hands shake, and he could hear the sounds of rocks hitting each other. Roman crouched next to him, between the rock and the wall, eyes wide and white and very judgmental.

“I didn’t mean to,” Logan blurted out, as if it mattered at this point. “I didn’t--”

Roman rolled his eyes hard. “What do we do now?”

“Wait for it to tire out?”

Another tentacle, the size of a centaur, smacked the ceiling. Rocks trembled and stalactites quivered, promising a painful deluge.

Roman looked up at the shaking ceiling, then back at Logan. “Any other bright ideas, witch boy?”

“My name is Logan,” Logan snapped, then realized he had been an idiot. “Uh.”

“Relax, I can’t do anything with it, can I?” Roman eyed the rocks around them. “Do you think we could run for it?”

“I could hardly catch up to you.”

“Then what do we do?” Roman looked at Logan and his eyes lit up. “Do you have a spell for this?”

Logan almost laughed. “Yes, my convenient kraken-repelling spell that requires no time or materials, and can be cast while I’m drenched in water.”

“Oh, good!” Roman blinked. “That was sarcasm, wasn’t it.”

“Take a wild guess!” Logan peeked around the rock. The kraken didn’t seem to have found them yet, but its tentacles were flailing wildly and sleepily, like a rooster woke it up and it wanted to make the sound stop. “This is a disaster. What can you do to make it stop?”

“I’m not exactly powerful,” Roman said sheepishly. “I can ask it nicely?”

“It’s not sentient!”

“I could try anyway!”

“Wonderful.” Logan bit back a yell of frustration. “I’m going to die. I’m going to die with an absolute idiot!”

“Hey, rude!” Roman fired back, ducking a spray of water. “Who woke the thing up again? Uh, wasn’t me!”

“Dee told me to!” Logan ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t think he expected this to go so wrong, but I’m still going to blame him.”

“He’d, like, interfere, right?” Roman didn’t look hopeful. “If you got hurt?”

“He doesn’t know where I am.” Logan looked at his hands. They were scraped with blood and covered in mud, making the skin look even darker than usual. “I can usually get back to him by snuffing the candle--”

A tentacle narrowly missed their rock. It hit the wall, coiled against it in a spray of slime, and retreated angrily.

“--which is currently at the bottom of the pool,” Logan finished. “Because I dropped it.”

Roman seemed to hold back his own frustrated yell. “Okay. Wonderful. Fantastic. Just exactly what we needed.”

“Don’t patronize me.”

“Fine, then, we’re all doomed!” Roman threw up his hands. “We can’t outrun the thing--well, you certainly can’t--and we have no backup!”

Logan tried to scoot closer to the wall. “Do you have anyone to summon?”

“No,” Roman said.

“You’re absolutely sure?”

“Yes.” Roman laughed a bit, which almost made Logan feel better. “It takes half the coven to even put this thing to sleep. I send them a flare, they’ll probably say ‘what flowers do you want at your funeral?’“

Logan groaned and let his head fall onto the wall. “Why’d you even let me in here?”

“You asked!” Roman complained. “I was being polite! I figured you’d get creeped out and turn around!”

“I should have,” Logan said. Curse his pride and inability to stop doing things when told to do them. “Too late now, I suppose.”

A deluge of water fell on them both. When Logan looked up, he saw the rocks shaking faster and faster. That was, to the best of his knowledge, very bad.

"How long would it take to run for it?” Logan asked.

“You’re wearing a cloak,” Roman said. “You’re not capable of running anywhere.”

Logan, with only a moment’s hesitation, tugged it off. He tossed it in the air. A tentacle speared it, and it vanished.

“You’re capable of running,” Roman amended. “Just not fast. I could run for it--”

“Don’t,” Logan said.

“Why not?”

“Well, if you wanted to do so, you would have already.” Logan eyed the rocks. “Besides, if the tunnel began to collapse, you’d be trapped.”

Roman let out a breath. “Fair. So we’re back to no plan?”

“Back to no plan,” Logan agreed, as more water trickled down the back of his neck. They could simply sit there as long as possible, which seemed the only solid option, but an option that still led to eventual death and/or mauling by tentacle. Logan needed to think.

He knew spells. Spells that mostly required materials, which were in his cloak, which were in the bottom of the pool along with the candle. He knew how to escape to Janus--but, again, candle.

Logan began to realize that his knowledge, while vast in areas such as geography and astrophysics, was ill-equipped to handle a kraken. When he got back to Janus, he was definitely going to teach himself every creature spell in the cottage.

If he got back.

Would Janus notice? Would he assume Logan was late again? How long would it take for him to put the pieces together and realize--

Logan was breathing too fast. He needed to calm down. He needed to think.

He glanced at Roman, who was still looking around wildly, as if he could summon a plan. Logan could feel Roman’s magic, thick and cold, in his chest.

And the beginnings of a plan formed. It was a plan that Logan hated on multiple levels, and Roman would probably despise, but it was a plan.

“Can you swim?” Logan asked.

“Yeah!” Roman said, yelling over the sound of a rock crashing into the water. “Can you?”

“No!” Logan said. “I’m terrified of water, actually!”

“You’re terrified of water?” Roman’s panic gave way to incredulity. “Humans need it.”

“I mean big bodies of water!” Logan pointed up. “Like what is currently above us!”

“Oh.”

“So no, I can’t swim.” Logan hesitated. “You can?”

“Candles float in water!” Roman grinned. “Thus, so do I.”

“Ah.” Logan put a few more pieces of the plan together in his head. “I have an idea, and you may not like it.”

“I don’t like anything you’ve said today,” Roman said. “By now, I’ve taken that for granted. Continue.”

Logan took a deep breath just as another splash of water hit them. He coughed. Roman thumped on his chest unhelpfully until the water receded.

“As I was saying,” Logan said, attempting to look more confident than he was. He probably looked a complete mess--no cloak, which bared his arms and mis-matched socks, and straggly hair over his forehead. Roman, by contrast, still looked fine. Nice smile and perfect hair. Unfair.

“As I was saying,” Logan repeated, trying to remember what he was saying. “We need a plan. I can get us out of here if I find that candle, but it’s somewhere in the pool--”

“And only one of us can swim and see in the dark,” Roman finished. He didn’t look happy, but he looked resigned. “So I get the candle for you?”

“I’ll distract the kraken in the meantime,” Logan said.

“That sounds dangerous.”

“So does swimming around in that pool,” Logan pointed out. “And this entire debacle in the first place--which, rest assured, I am going to yell at Dee for.”

“Yeah, that’s my biggest concern right now.” Roman peeked around the rock. “So I bring you the candle, and then--”

“I snuff it and teleport us out of here.”

“And it takes us--”

“To Dee, probably.” Logan paused. “Actually, it takes us to the last place I felt safe, so I’m not quite sure where we’ll end up. Most likely, near Dee.”

Roman looked a bit alarmed by the idea of teleporting somewhere random, but a tentacle crept around the rock and he smashed it with his hand. It retreated with a guttural hiss. “I guess we’ve got no better options.”

“Sorry,” Logan said, despite himself. “I don’t wish to put you in danger.”

“Well, the host has to be polite to the guests!” Roman said, smiling. “Compromise is the best plan, and I’m certainly brave enough to pull it off. Besides, I’m used to being taken advantage of!”

“Um--”

“So when do we do it?” Roman actually looked excited. Maybe he was just glad to have a plan. “Do I go ahead?”

“You can go a few seconds after I do,” Logan said. He pushed himself onto his knees and stared at the slippery rocks next to them. “I’ll run around and distract it. Maybe I’ll even grab a tentacle while I’m there.”

“Optimistic,” Roman said.

“It’s that or start crying.” Logan braced himself. He’d have to run fast, keep away from the walls, and do his best to be noticed. The exact opposite of his usual plan. “Go?”

“Good luck!”

“I’ll need it,” Logan said, and pushed himself out from behind the rock.

He’d meant to check on Roman, to see if Roman was leaving okay. He didn’t have time. Almost instantly, a tentacle barreled past him, hitting the wall with bone-shaking force. Logan tossed himself in the first direction he thought of, tumbled down a few rocks, and found himself far closer to the water than he’d like. It was frothing white and angry, tentacles clawing at the walls.

Okay, so he did not want to fall into that. Logan swallowed the lump of terror in his throat--he was going to drown--and began to scale the rocks. He could work in circles, or he could just bob from rock to rock, back and forth.

Quickly, though, he realized that no plan would work. He couldn’t plan ahead. All he could do was duck.

Duck a swing from overhead. Duck a flash of wet, grey skin from behind. Lunge left, lunge right, move before he slipped, move, move.

He found himself in a rhythm. Toss himself in a direction, grab wildly for a handhold, and dangle for a second. Then he heard a telltale splash and threw himself in a different direction. His hands ached. He barely noticed.

“Over here,” he yelled at one point. He was so out of breath that he barely made a sound. Maybe he was enough of a distraction already--he hoped so. Roman was down there somewhere. Hopefully.

Logan risked a glance at the water. No sign of him. Logan’s chest was cold,  because of the freezing ocean water, not because of magic.

Toss himself in a direction, hope for a handhold, regret life decisions, repeat.

Logan was never going to complain about a boring errand again.

“Roman?” he finally called. No answer.

Roman could breathe underwater--well, more aptly, he didn’t need to breathe as much. He would be fine. Unless he’d fainted, or been smashed by a tentacle, or drowned--

Logan’s fingers slipped on a rock. He gripped it tighter and kept moving.

Move, grab, hang, move--

“Logan!”

Logan almost whooped in relief. He whirled and saw Roman, drenched and triumphant, ten feet below him. The candle guttered in his left hand. Only one notch left.

“Thank you!” Logan called back, out of politeness. Roman gave him a thumbs up, then leapt into the air to avoid a tentacle. Leap, duck, roll, and Roman was only a few feet away. He grinned widely at Logan.

“I’ll get to you,” Logan said, slipping down a sheet of rock. It crumbled under his feet, falling into the water. “Wait there.”

“No problem!” Roman said, which even Logan could tell was a lie. He dodged another tentacle, which looped around in midair and tried to grab him again. Roman kicked it. “Oh, it’s getting smarter!”

“Fascinating.” Logan let himself fall another few feet, then grabbed a notch of rock. “Almost there.”

“It was pretty cool down there,” Roman rambled, jumping from foot to foot. “Just one big eye--”

A wave of water hit Logan in the back.

The kraken had indeed gotten smarter. Or, perhaps, it was finally fully awake. This wave was tall enough to reach them both, and strong enough to punch Logan’s breath from his lungs. It hurt so much that he didn’t even realize when his hands emptied.

Logan fell into the water.

It was cold. Colder than Roman’s magic, colder than the coven’s house, colder than a winter blizzard. Logan almost gasped. He clapped his hand over his mouth as a last resort. Shock tingled up his legs and arms.

He wasn’t supposed to panic. He knew that much. He needed to kick off his shoes and swim for the surface. But the water was tossing him around, currents and foam and cold hands on his skin, and he didn’t know which way was up. He kicked his feet. One shoe slid off.

Through the fuzzy darkness, he saw a flash of blue.

Move--move as fast as he could. He needed to move--he was going to drown--

He sank deeper.

And two hands grabbed his.

Roman was far warmer than the water around them, oddly. And his magic, when it spilled into Logan, felt warm too. Molten. Roman squeezed Logan’s hands and pressed the candle into one of them. Logan looked down at it, trying to clear his head and remember exactly what he was supposed to do.

Right. Snuff the candle. Get home.

He could barely see--

Then everything was yellow. Roman’s face burned into view, eyes wide and pale, feet kicking carefully at the water. Logan looked down at the candle stub with its bright blue flame, then turned to look at the source of the light.

Ah. An eye, big as the sail of a ship, yellow and fiery with a slit-black pupil.

"Shit,” Logan said.

Bubbles erupted from his mouth. They looked like pearls in the yellow light. Logan blinked several times and tore his gaze away. But he could feel the eye on him--he could hear the water moving--he could hear the kraken’s heart, if he tried, a solid thump-thump through the water--

Roman said something muffled. Logan looked at him. Roman groaned and exaggeratedly mouthed snuff the candle.

Logan looked down at the candle. Snuff the candle. Except the candle was already in water, and it was burning strong. How had he done this before? He didn’t remember--all he remembered was the first time he used it, when Janus wasn’t safe yet, when he ended up halfway across the world--

Logan batted at the flame. It didn’t budge. He blew on it, and got a stream of yellow-lit bubbles. The candle was so small. If it went out, their chance was lost, and the entire ocean was above them and around them and--

Another muffled yell from Roman. Logan looked up.

You are a witch, Roman mouthed at him. You can snuff the--muffled--candle.

Logan steadied himself.

Magic always felt odd to use. It started as cold rain, when he was a kid, like a bucket of cold water in his bed to wake him up. As he grew, it was warmer, a light rain in the garden, dewdrops on a spring morning.

He dug at his magic like digging into dirt, and waited to find a shoot.

The candle fizzed.

He didn’t have enough. He hadn’t cast a spell all day, so he should have enough for a simple spell, but he was cold and wet and terrified and frozen in the gaze of a creature older and bigger than he was. And he was on his own.

If he was outnumbered, run the other way.

Roman squeezed his hand.

Except he wasn’t. He wasn’t outnumbered. It was two against one, although Roman wasn’t a witch, just a witch’s creation. Just a piece of candlewax and magic with a nice smile--

A piece of magic.

Oh, that was a terrible idea.

Can I, Logan tried to mouth, borrow some--

What? Roman mouthed back with high eyebrows.

Something moved in the darkness, and the yellow light winked out for a second, before returning in full force. It made Logan’s limbs feel heavy. He could barely see the candle’s flame.

Sorry, he decided to mouth. I’m sorry about this.

He could apologize more if they survived.

For now, Logan gripped Roman’s hand and concentrated. Roman. Probably Roman Galatea, but more importantly, Roman. Roman gave Logan his name--which was an act of trust that Logan was now breaking, but don’t think about that--and it made things easier.

Finding his own magic was digging in soil. Finding someone else’s was breaking through a layer of frost, and Logan really hoped it didn’t hurt, because he was trying to just borrow as much as he needed but he was tired and couldn’t focus--

Tug. Throw them into a random direction. Grab the candle. Cling to Roman’s hand.

Move.

The flame winked out.

The eye winked out.

And Logan took a gasping breath of fresh air.

They were standing at the foot of the mountain. In front of them was the port, teeming with life, and the late-afternoon sky streaked with sun. Ships creaked back and forth like toys, and sails billowed in the wind. Logan took one look at the ocean, stretching out to infinity, and promptly turned away.

He looked down at one hand. The candle was gone.

He looked at the other. Roman’s hand was still in his. Drops of water beaded on his skin.

Logan looked up just in time for Roman to crush him in a hug.

“We did it!” Roman cheered, spinning Logan in a circle. “Success! Victory!”

“Put me down!” Logan yelled, kicking at thin air.

“Triumph!” Roman declared, but he put Logan back down. Logan rubbed at his sleeves and tried to drain the water from his shirt. His cloak was probably beneath the ocean right now. Janus would be annoyed about that.

“We did it,” Roman repeated gleefully.

“We did it,” Logan agreed, allowing himself a small smile of his own. “I--uh. Sorry. About taking your magic without asking.”

“Oh,” Roman said, like he hadn’t considered that would be something worth apologizing for. “Well, it got us out, so I don’t mind.”

“Don’t you?” Logan asked. He almost wished Roman would argue with him, to make Logan feel less like a jerk.

“Eh, it was fine, emergencies are emergencies.” Roman shrugged. “Plus, your magic feels pretty nice!”

Logan blinked. “It does?”

“Uh--kind of,” Roman said hastily. “Not in a nice way. You’re annoying.”

“Ah,” Logan said. He fake-coughed to gather his thoughts, and found a real cough instead. More coughs bubbled up. He doubled over and squeezed his eyes shut until they faded. “I hate water.”

“After today, I might be joining you with that.” Roman wiped water from his hair ruefully. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire cavern collapsed soon.”

“Would the kraken die?”

“Probably not.” Roman looked out to sea. “It would just slip through the cracks, creeping through the shadows to prey on unsuspecting ships, its tentacles grasping for blood--”

“Don’t,” Logan pleaded. “I do not want to think about that.”

“But we beat it!” Roman grinned. “Kind of sort of! I mean, we successfully fled the scene, which is more than most people!”

“True,” Logan admitted. “I didn’t get a tentacle--”

“Is Dee going to be mad?”

Logan looked down at his wet, bloody clothes. On any other day, he’d say yes. He’d never actually failed an errand--but he’d never almost died on one, either.

“No,” Logan said. “He’ll understand. And after the kraken, I don’t think I’m scared of being yelled at.”

Roman nodded. “Yeah, me neither.”

“You--oh.” Logan winced. “Oh, you’re going to get in trouble for this, aren’t you?”

“If they find out!” Roman tapped the side of his nose. “I have many excuses.”

“And if they find out?”

“I’ll get an earful.” Roman sighed. “Since you didn’t steal anything, though, and since the kraken is still intact, I think it’ll pass.”

“That’s good.” Logan glanced up the mountain trail. Janus would definitely be expecting him soon. “Er--I should be going.”

“Oh!” Roman looked a bit disappointed. “Okay, yeah, you have your witchy business, I understand. Fair travels!”

Logan nodded slowly. “Thank you, Roman. For everything. I truly appreciate it.”

“Aw, he has a heart!” Roman grinned. “You’re welcome. I’m awesome.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Logan said. “Still, I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You couldn’t have!”

“You’re ruining this.”

Roman grinned wider. In the sunlight, he didn’t look off anymore. Well, he didn’t look human, but Logan barely noticed. He looked a bit like a jackrabbit. Gangly and brown and long-legged, with bright and cheerful white eyes.

“My point is that I’m grateful.” Logan rubbed at his arm, feeling nervous. “And--if you ever need me, feel free to visit.”

“If I need a tentacle?”

“We don’t have tentacles. If you need something other than a tentacle, yes.”

“What use could I have for a non-tentacle?” Roman teased. “Your offer is much appreciated. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.” Logan waved quickly at him. “Er--goodbye?”

“Fare thee well!” Roman bowed and jumped towards the port. He really was like a jackrabbit. “Don’t drown!”

“I’ll endeavor not to!”

Roman smiled and continued to scramble down the path.

“Wait,” Logan called, before he could stop himself. “Why did you help?”

“What?” Roman asked, pivoting.

“You could have easily ran,” Logan said, gesturing to Roman. “You’ve been leaping down the hillside. You could have left me and escaped.”

“We got out anyway, didn’t we?” Roman pressed a hand to his chest. “How could I abandon someone in need? Even an irritating and naive someone such as yourself.”

Logan glared at him.

“And--” Roman rubbed at his hair sheepishly. “You call me by my name. People don’t usually do that.”

“Oh,” Logan said.

Roman shrugged even more sheepishly.

“Well, I’ll just have to do it more to make up for it,” Logan said. “Does that work, Roman?”

Roman beamed. “Sounds like a plan, Logan.”

Janus would never recommend sharing his name with a near-stranger. Janus would say that was unsafe. Janus would say one witch was trustworthy, and one was all anyone needed.

But two was company. Logan found he rather liked having company.

“Sounds like a plan,” Logan agreed, and smiled back.

Give me a prompt, and I’ll write a short drabble!

#logince #roman sanders #logan sanders #janus sanders #sanders sides #fantasy au #tw drowning #tw death mention #this is so long i'm so sorry #it took me so long to write i should have done something shorter i a aa aaa #anyway this started as a rough au of a book series i liked #and then quickly evolved into something else entirely #so now it's completely unrecognizeable #but uh if anyone knows the septimus heap books #you might be able to spot an easter egg or two #this is so long i am so sorry i will look at the other prompts now i'm sorry dhshsjsks #mayyy reblog this one with taglist just bc of the effort it took #asks and answers #macademmia #averywrites

[sketch--booked]

It's 6am, I just woke up from another dream--

--about Echo returning.

And it's another island adventure dream but FAR MORE OOOHHH OKAY THAN OWWIE OH NO. It had the same energy as Nya trying to figure out who Samurai X was. And Echo was not a villain this time.

Actually the dream had the S14 guy as the villain, the one with the mask, spoilers.

It started with a fight between masked man, who's name I neglect to remember, and the ninja. They barely even get a chance to fight him before someone in a hodded cape swoops in and kicks him clean off his thone/podeum. They guy lands poorly and his leg gets messed up but continues fighting while the ninja just s t a r e at them.

The ninja only make a real reaction when they see the mystery man use the element of wind, and they're all utterly bewildered.

The mystery man can't hold them all off and is knocked far into the forest, presumably dead considering how far he went, and the rest of the ninja are separated into groups (Kai and Cole, Nya and Zane, Jay and Lloyd with Wu and Misako).

It followed Kai and Cole mostly, just discussing the possibility of two elemental masters of wind (they recalled Krux and Acronix) and that this guy could be dangerous. While they're talking, they bump into the motionless body of that cloaked person and Kai literally nearly pukes. Cole manages to get close to the guy and with prompting from Kai, pulls back the hood to see, not a man, but a nindroid! And a nindroid that looked eerily like Zane.

.

That's when it cut to Lloyd and Jay, they're talking with Wu and Misako about the mystery man, and this is where Wu info dumps that, after an elemental master passes without any heirs, the elements will take an unknown amount of time to present itself in a new host. It depends on that persons destiny and whether or not they're fit to use it and yada yada.

Lloyd understands that this would mean morro would no longer be the elemental master of wind, since after the DotD, he legit died and is gone for good. Which resulted in the element passing on. Wu comments that this is the fastest he'd seen an element passing on and presenting itself, and says that whoever this person is, must have been picked for a very good reason.

Jay then starts making a ridiculous list of people that he thinks could be the new master of wind, despite Wu telling him the probability of Jay knowing this master, is near impossible (Jay gets a kick outta this r e a l soon).

.

Then we hop back to Cole and Kai, who are freaking out over the rusty version of their friend who somehow has elemental powers too??

Kai says they should leave him here, saying it could be an evil nindroid, since they were also based off of Zane's prints. Cole argues and says they should take him back for questioning, and that Cole would be very happy to carry him.

While they're arguing, the fake Zane starts to wake up, and in a comedic way, screams at Cole and Kai, who in turn also start screaming. The mystery nindroid awkwardly chuckles and remarks that this was not particularly how he wanted to introduce himself, but anything works...

Kai and Cole begin questioning him and he answers their questions, starting with his name, telling them his name was Zane, but upon seeing their reactions, he says they can call him Echo.

Echo tells them they need to get into shelter, since at night, the island becomes unbearable and deadly. Kai and Cole reluctantly follow, continuing to ask questions while the three of them walk away, Echo limping from his earlier fight.

.

"Why are you on a random island?" Kai asked

"My raft washed up in a lightning storm." Echo replied.

"So did Julien build you too?" Cole continued.

"Yes, I would reluctantly say he is, in essence, my Father"

"Reluctantly?"

Echo did not answer.

Cole broke the silence "Where did you come from?"

"There is a lighthouse, in the-"

"-middle of the ocean between ninjago and the dark islands. You were there?" Kai interrupts.

"You know of the lighthouse? You were there?" Echo wondered "How come you did not know of my presence?"

"Your father never said anything, neither did Zane." Cole answered his question, giving the earth ninja even more of his own.

"Oh, no. My brother would not know of me, I was built in the lighthouse, not--wherever he was built" Echo confirmed "How did you get past the leviathan?"

"Zane swam to the chains and broke them with those star thingys" kai shivered, recalling those star shaped demons--

"Oh, you mean the Starteeth!" Echo begins laughing lightly "You know, one time, a bunch of them washed up and ate through the window in the basement. The basement was flodded and made me all rusty. I couldn't move for a week!" He walked slightly ahead while laughing hard.

He suddenly stopped laughing and looked serious "Looking back on it now, it was probably not funny."

Kai and Cole shared a look before Cole jumped up, realising something, and whispered close to Kai.

"Hold on a second, we completely forgot about his powers!"

"Oohhh, you're right! Hold on, I'll ask 'em."

Cole was going to pull him back to explain how shouldn't just--ask--but Kai had already begun running to catch up.

"So how did you end up an elemental master?"

"An ele-mento-who-what?" Echo fumbled his words.

"An elemental master? Y'know, with the crazy wind powers."

Cole was ready to punch Kai out, the man couldn't be subtle to save his life, which it just might right now.

"Oh! Honestly, Red, I have no idea." Echo had called Kai, Red, as the other two masters had not given their names. "I just remember the lighthouse getting nearly blown into the sea after weeks of strong winds. I had not realised the strong winds were the cause of my emotions. It was--new and scary. Gizmo was there to help me."

"The little cleaning robot? You brought that little guy with you too?" Cole caught up with Kai and the second wind master.

"Of course, he is my only friend! I would not abandon him the way I was. That is too cruel of a punishment for any being, organic or metallic." Echo yelled, a breeze shook the trees. Cole stayed quiet, but silently apologised to the nindroid.

Their questions were ended as they came across a half-cave-half-hut-like shelter. Where the settled and only prayed for their respective brothers.

.

There was a lot more small talk in the dream but I cut it down to the funnier and more important parts.

The next bits of the dream is fuzzy, but I know it revolves around the ninja reuniting and accepting the mystery person into their group while they defeat the evil and escape the island.

Kai and Cole agree to Echo's pleas to not tell Zane for the time being, as he doesn't want Zane to see his brother for the first time looking like--how he looks.

Each of them get some interactions with Echo, with his identity hidden, remaining mute as to not throw them off with his voice. He even has an interaction with Zane where Zane politely asks Echo not to keep staring at him, as he's been doing that since they came together. Zane pegs his curiosity to "he's never seen a nindroid before" and Echo confirms that for him. (unknowing the truuuuth aaaaa)

I'll write Jay's interaction with Echo another time maybe, and how he figures it out, since hoooo boy it hurt. Echo didn't remember Skybound so Jay's just mentally torturing himself for the rest of the journey.

The ninja that find out its Echo is Nya, Jay, Cole and Kai.

.

I'm gonna jump to the end, because my dream also jumped to the end? Rip. But the end what what gave me the Nya and new Samurai X vibes, but less fighting and more chill chat.

.

.

He was on a real boat. Not a makeshift raft constructed out of his father's old bed, table, chairs and shelves, not pushed forward by his newly explained "elemental powers". A real boat, one that would take him away from tiny islands that kept him prisoner, away from the existential dread of loneliness. He'd be free. Free from fearing his last day would be solitary and sad. In one day alone, he'd made a literal boat load of friends. They wouldn't abandon him, not as his father once did.

He was happy, he felt really, truly happy. But he didn't smile. Yes he had friends, but what he wanted more than anything else, was his brother. He was right here on the boat, but Echo's own worries about how his brother would perceive him, how his brother would react to seeing him in such a state (Upon first meeting too! Talk about first impressions), persuaded him to otherwise say nothing.

Deep down, Echo knew he had nothing to fear, he'd heard stories from his father, before he'd locked him away, about Zane and about what it was like--just the two of them. Happy. And from what Echo had seen, Zane was more that strong. Not just physically, nindroid and all, but mentally and emotionally. Echo only wished he had that confidence, the ability to say nothing but be so loud at the same time.

It would make talking to him a lot easier, if he had to say so himself.

Echo, however, had his thoughts interrupted by the sound of footsteps he hadn't even registered, and a soft, yet firm, hand on his shoulder. He tensed just slightly, preparing himself to pull his hood down further.

"It's nice, is it not?" That voice, it was Echo's voice. No, Echo had his voice. His brother was standing right next to him. So close and yet so far, just one swipe of his hood would bring them together, finally. But he resigned himself to simply nod in response. He hadn't come this far to give up now.

A comfortable silence covered the two like a thin layer of snow, fitting considering who was standing next to him. It would almost make him laugh.

"You fought well, out there," Zane started, Echo had thought he was done and nodded again, a small smile forming on his face. Zane may not have known who he was complimenting, but Echo took every moment of it with pride. But then his world span at Zane's continuation.

"For a nindroid."

Zane looked down with a small smirk. Like he'd told the best joke in history. Echo tightened his grip on the wooden railing of the bounty, crushing the paint under his permanently short nails. Zane must've noticed, but didn't say anything. Either in respect for his privacy or because he wanted to hear the confession himself.

In Echo's mind, he was obviously panicking. He didn't want his brother, someone who he'd heard stories from his father, the bot he was built off of, his singular role-model, to find out who he was, like this?

Despite the fear in his ticking heart, he did something probably really stupid and something that would likely result in his downfall. He thanked him.

"Thank you... How- how did you know?" Though, he lowered the pitch oh his voice. It would not be difficult for Zane, or anyone really, to rase the pitch and find out who he was, it still calmed him down just a bit.

"A nindroid knows a nindroid. A brother knows a brother."

Oh I'm f*ucked...

There was only panic, in his systems. The ticking of his clockwork had never sounded louder in his ears. It'd drowned out the sounds of water, the automatic breathing he for some reason had, the cracking of wood underneath his palms was the only sign that ticking was not the lone sound in the world.

He fell out of his anxious trance when the hand left his shoulder and those footsteps came back. No. They were moving away. Echo looked back, moving his fingers to clutch his hood tight against the unintentional winds that now followed him and his emotions. He could see Zane walking towards the steps of the bounty, but halted at the top of them, his hand instead lazily laying on the banister.

"Don't worry, I won't tell them-" He called, just loud enough for Echo to hear over the breeze.

-about what? That he knows who I am? That he'd practically lied to them? That he knew everything all along, because of course he knew, this was Zane, how could he not know, he-

"-Cryptor."

Echo ceased all thoughts from his head. Cryptor? What was that? Was that some kind of fruit? Or a vegetable?

Echo turned his body in the direction of his brother to ask him or at least say goodbye, but he was gone. He'd walked off and down the stairs. Leaving behind not so much as a sheet of frost.

The clockwork child stayed standing there, pure surprise, fear, relief, confusion--actually a lof of emotions he didn't know how to process--flooding his brain. If it weren't for the distant voice of Nya yelling about the sudden gusts of wind changing their direction, he would likely not have moved from that position until they landed.

Cryptor. He thought, it must be a nickname. There was no way he couldn't have figured out Echo was his sibling. He'd said, "a brother knows a brother", they didn't have any other siblings. Right? No. It was just them, just the two of them. The only two nindroids in Ninjago.

His father had said so himself. Although, his father had also buried him under scrap metal and kept him hidden from his family.

Anything could be truth now.

Although Zane had left, and there was no one to hear him, he still felt it necessary to acknowledge what happened. Quietly and sadly, he spoke with a smile.

"Good guess, brother."

.

.

.

.

SO Uhh I'm gonna assume this was because i watched DotD last night,,, and so both Cryptor, and Morro were on my brain hense wind and Cryptor calling Zane "brother", but I always have Echo on the brain man,,, so uhh. Echo for the new master of wind? Anyone? I think it's cute,,,

I probably missed something, other than writing Jay and Echo's interaction, Jay was so sad throughout the rest of the dream, man. And Echo didn't even know why, it was heartbreaking---but it was also a dream and like all my dreams, they never get made into real things.

But I did like the Zane and Echo bit at the end though. There was a second ending, but it relied on the reveal of echo to the audience at the e n d of the dream. Zane still says Cryptor and Echo turns with the camera getting close to him. And as he turns his head to the camera, you see its Echo and then he says "good guess, brother" BUT NGL I THINK IT HURS MORE WHEN WE KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING SOOO.

My dreams are whack dudes,,,

Also this took nearly 3 hours to write its actually 8:50 now Soooo ilya

#ninjago #ninjago zane #zane julien #ninjago echo zane #echo zane #s14 spoilers #Probably? #I means some folks don't know it's a jungle adventure so #Yeah sure S14 spoilers #ninjago cole #ninjago kai #They were in there for a bit so I'll tag em #sketch has a dream

[thetierdslytherin]

The Avatar’s sister

Bolin x reader(korra’s sister)

2k words and it’s kinda poorly edited 

a/n there’s some cuss words and some violence?

“We were just looking for the bathroom and we got lost!”

“Ah the old I had to pee excuse you know i'm sick and tired…” I don’t catch the rest of what he's saying because I see a teenage boy dressed in pro bending gear or as I like to call him our way out of this situation. I motion for him to come over praying to the spirits that he can read the room.

          “There you two are, I've been looking everywhere for you two! It's alright Toza there with me” Up close I can see that it's actually Bolin the earth bender for the fire ferrets. Spirits can my day get any better. I've seen a few pro bending matches before and listened to even more. One of the few perks of being the avatar’s sister. While she spends her days training on air temple island I spend my days wandering the city my favorite pastime being watching pro bending matches.Spirits he looks even better up close 

          “Yeah were with him” I say flashing the man a million watt smile and he responds with 

           “so you see we’re together” Oh I like where this is going. Before I can respond Korra replies

            “well not together together” speak for yourself Korra. I'm more than happy to be together together with him. He starts to stammer embarrassed by Korra words so I try to save all of us 

            “You see Toza Bolin and I are together and my sister was just tagging along with us.” Please let this work, if not Tenzin is going to kill me for letting korra go out with me.

           “Ah I don't care I got work to do” the man begins to walk away and I pull the stammering duo out of the room before either of them could blow our cover. I turn around to see a blushing Bolin and a confused looking Korra, I really need to teach her how to pick up on social cues 

           “I’m y/n, a big fan of yours, so Bolin why don't you show the two of us around” I say while grabbing his bicep motioning for him to lead. Bolin showed us around for a while before leading us into an area overlooking the arena “So what do you think best seats in the house huh?” It really is you can see the whole arena from up here and it's much less crowded than the seats in the stadium plus there isn't a guy as easy on the eyes as Bolin down there. 

           “Oh absolutely the view just keeps getting better and better” it's not often that I get to meet people as just y/n, not the avatar's sister, or korra's younger sister. It's nice to be myself around someone knowing that they're not using me to get to the avatar. Besides from what I've seen Bolin is too sweet and innocent to do that anyways.

          “Unbelievable this place is even more amazing than I imagined” I let out a small chuckle at Korra's words. It's nice to see her getting excited at the smallest things, it shows me that she can still be a kid and not burdened by the weight of the world. It makes sneaking out and a possible chewing out from Tenzin worth it “Names Bolin by the way”

“Korra” “I know” they both look at me waiting for an explanation “well i'm just a huge fan of yours” I pause “well the fire ferrets in general” 

“Psst Bolin”

“Yeah” 

“I told you you have to stop bringing your crazy fangirls in here before the matches get them out of here” His older brother Mako whispers this to him Korra and I both hear due to the fact that they suck at whispering. It almost hurts my feelings that we aren't the only ones he brought back here but then again he's not the first guy i've flirted with here. Though he is the first guy i've flirted with that seems so...innocent.

          “Aw c'mon Mako I kinda promised them that they could stay but I got a good feeling about them there's something special about the two of them. I know it” Well he's half right there. I wonder why he lied to his brother so we could stay. He never promised us we could stay back here. Some part of me hopes it's because he's interested in me too. “Come here I want you to meet my brother Mako” he says eagerly pulling me towards him 

          “Mako! Wow I heard you play on the radio” oh boy she's totally fangirling. I personally don’t see what's so interesting about Mako or his brooding douchebag act “cmon Bolin we’re up” Mako says completely ignoring Korra walking past her, see brooding douchebag. Korra not taking the hint turns to Bolin “or I could meet him later”

           “yeah he gets real focused before a match anyways wish me luck” his comment makes me laugh. Something about the positive energy he radiates is infectious. He jogs away, I yell “good luck Bolin” followed by “good luck knock em out” from Korra 

         “So do i have to be the one to say mako is bad news or i have to let you figure it out yourself” I cross my arms giving her my best ‘i know better than you’ look. While Korra may be the older sister, only by 11 months might I add, she doesn't act it. I blame all of her teachers and instructors for never letting her live when she was younger. Now that she's basically an adult seeing the world for the first time she's very sheltered.

          “He is not bad news y/n you heard bolin he was just focused for the match! Besides, did you see him?” let her figure it out for herself it is.

          “Yes and i also saw you drooling at him” I tease 

          “Oh please like you were any better with Bolin you were practically throwing yourself at him” these are the best moments when we can just goof off.

“First off I do not throw myself at anyone, he's just sweet and insanely hot. Secondly which one of us actually has experience with boys” she opens her mouth to defend herself before quickly shutting it. Got her there. “Exactly now pay attention the match is starting” We both turn and lean on the balcony watching the start of the match.

           “The rookie ferrets came out of nowhere and made it further than anyone expected this season but tonight they face their toughest test yet folks” we watch the two teams trading back and forth blows until the fire ferrets ultimately win with Mako knocking all 3 members of the opposing team into the water. I turn to Korra to ask how her first ever pro bending match was but stopping when I see her and Mako holding each other's gazes.

          “Yes! Whoo did you see that one more win and were in the championship tournament!” Bolin yells running into the room skidding to a halt in front of me “so what'd you think y/n?” he looks down at me trying to conceal his excitement waiting for me to answer him looking happier than i've ever seen him-if that's possible. 

           “You guys were amazing Bolin!” I practically yell pulling him into a quick hug.

           “Bolins got some moves huh?” 

          “You could say that again” Before Bolin can say that again Korra grabs him by his shirt pulling him towards her 

          “That was amazing” then korra promlety pushed him away as Mako and Hasook approach arguing about the last match

          “You did more harm than good out there, you almost cost us the match!”

          “We won didn't we?”

          “Barely” 

          “Get off my case pal” Hasook yells before storming out of the room.This doesn't put a damper on korra's mood though as she addresses Mako “You guys were amazing out there especially you mr hat trick” Mako yet again walks right past her him barely paying her any attention to her half heartly saying “oh your still here”

          “What gives you the right to be such an ass mr hat trick?” I say coming to my sister's defence. Pro bender or not it doesn't give him the right to be a jerk. I even bet I could beat him sparring. He's not even good enough to be this much of a jerk.

          “Your good do you think you could show me some tricks?” no no no korra that wasn't the deal I sneak you out we watch one pro bending match and we go back to air temple island.

          “Yeah sure absolutely i'm just not sure how my earth bending might translate to your water bending but we'll figure it out” This cant get any worse if she lets them know she's the avatar we're toast. No ones supposed to know the avatars in republic city

          “Won't be a problem-”

          “korra's right it won't be a problem because we really have to go-” 

           “because i'm an earth bender” great this is j ust great.

          “Im sorry no no i didn't mean to assume ya know cause i was just figuring since well with your water tribe getup that you two were well water bender” 

          “Korras just messing with you of course were both water-” 

          “You're right, I'm a water bender too and fire bender” social. Cues. Korra. 

         “Hmm hmm i'm very confused right now” Bolin 

         “Your the avatar and i'm an idiot” Mako 

         “Both are true” Korra. I throw myself into the nearest chair running my hands through my y/h/c hair.I wonder if I beg for forgiveness if Tenzin will still ground us for the rest of forever 

          “I need a drink” I say, completely ignoring Bolin’s freak out about Korra being the avatar I've heard it all before. Just like that my chances with Bolin have gone out the window no one has ever liked me more than my sister she's the avatar I can't compete with that .I never will be able to. 

          Nonetheless I follow the brothers into the training room and sit on the stairs looking as happy to be there as Mako does. I don't pay much attention to Bolin and Korra training “so mr hat trick is there any reason why you're so prickly or are you always like this?”

          He scoffs “no i just don’t appreciate the two of you showing up like that besides your sister is a piece of work”           “No kidding hat trick don't you know being the avatar comes with a hero complex?” Okay so he's not as bad as I thought.

          “Well it's getting late so i'm going to turn in but you kids have fun”

          “Speaking of Korra we really do need to be going” I speak in a tone to let her know it wasn't an option.I stand up brushing my water tribe robes off “it really was great seeing you Bolin but we have to go”

          “Sorry my sister is being such a wet blanke-” “now Korra” 

          “Hey um y/n could you hang back for a second” here it goes. Is your sister single? Can you set me up? 

          “What do you need Bolin?” 

         “You mean other than you in my life” we both cringe after he says that.

          “That has to be the worst pick up line i've ever heard” 

         He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly “heh yeah it wasn't really my A material but the real reason i wanted to talk to you was well i was mostly just wondering well we have a match next”

          “Bolin spit it out i'm sure it isn't that bad”

          “Do you want to come to our match tomorrow then get some food after” he looks at the ground playing with his fingers. Where was the confident Bolin I met earlier? 

          “Yes”

          “Well it was a stupid idea anyways I shoul- wait yes? Really! I uh I mean of course you would want to get food with me” maybe he's more insecure than I initially thought. But then again people do have layers.

       I kiss him on the cheek turning away from him and walking to the door so he couldn't see the blush on my face “I'll see you tomorrow Bolin”

#bolin x reader #bolin x y/n #bolin x you #lok #legend of korra #mako #korra

[all-things-fic]

Mistletoe Jam

A/N: Merry Christmas from me to you. I don’t where this came from, all I know is I lost a lot of sleep trying to get this finished last night. Hope you all enjoy and thanks to anyone who has ever read anything I’ve posted on here.

Title comes from a Luther Vandross song purely because I like these lyrics in particular - ‘Glad I got big feet cause they're so good for dancin'. Glad you got big legs cause they're so good when we're romancin'

Shoutout to @waitingfortwilight, @harryfeatgaga and @haute-romance-quotidienne for reading this here and there.

~*~

You closed your eyes and let the back of your head hit the headrest behind you in the passenger seat.

“Swear I’m going to change my name,” you muttered under your breath as you heard your son whine Mum for the fifth time in a row.

Harry chuckled in the driver's seat next to you, fore and middle finger resting against his lips as he leaned his elbow on the drivers side door. You were sat in standstill traffic, looking to exit the car park of Cheshire Oaks.

You had a death wish coming here on Christmas Eve but unfortunately in your mad dash attempt to get out of London, you’d left an entire sack of presents behind that were sat next to your tree that had been up for all of a week.

To say you weren’t looking forward to hoovering up after it when you returned to the big smoke in the new year would be an understatement.

However, the actual shopping itself hadn’t been too bad. You’d tag teamed. Harry took your eldest boy with him, leaving you to take your daughter into the one place you knew would keep her occupied: Pets at Home. You’d deal with the constant requests of getting a rabbit over the next 48 hours, if it meant she was quiet enough to allow Harry to grab whatever toy she had suddenly requested from Father Christmas since you’d arrived back up North. 

“Mum,” came the whine again, causing you to look around in your chair and see the culprit. Hidden behind a Barbie doll that had been completely stripped naked, baring a pair of cowboy boots, you found the inquisitive blue eyes of your son.

You spoke his name, watching the way he dropped the doll to show you his cheeky smile. “Can we stay up late and look for Santa?,” he asked, his head slightly tilting as he did so. He really was pulling out all the stops today.

Staying silent, you felt Harry’s gaze look at you from the corner of his eye before he looked up at his son through the rear view mirror. “Doesn’t work like that mate,” he started, causing your little boy to turn his gaze away from yours. “Need to go to sleep, or else he doesn’t show up. Good boys and girls sleep in their own beds,” you heard Harry pause to allow the latter part of his sentence to resonate, as much as it could with a toddler, before he continued anymore.

Staying silent you thought Harry was going to continue, however instead when your gaze moved to look at him, you saw the way he appeared to be holding back an expletive at how someone cut him up to get into a parking space that had become available while you sat in idle traffic.

“Dad’s right, baby,” you agreed, watching the way his face fell into a small frown. His mouth fell slightly agape, you cutting in before he could start to whine. “Hey, you know Father Christmas is watching you right now don’t you-“

His mouth shut as his bottom lip started to protrude, his face rolling to look out the window to his right like he was some moody singer filming a pensive part of an emotive music video. 

“He’s sulking now,” you muttered, turning back in your seat.

“Am not,” he shot back, your mutter obviously not low enough to go unnoticed. You knew it was wrong given he was probably far too over stimulated as it was, but you couldn’t quite help it.

From the corner of your vision your saw that he started to go stiff in his seat, stretched out and showcasing his frustration. Still idle in traffic, you watched Harry turn in his seat to turn his gaze on his son.

“Enough,” he spoke assertively, hand pressing against the taut legs of his son. “You’ve been good all morning,” he continued, seeing no change in his son's temper. 

“One,” he started, causing you to shift slightly in your seat. “Two,” you turned to look at him, seeing the way your little boy shifted, body relaxing. “Good boy, sit back nicely for Dad-“ he manoeuvred back in his drivers seats lowering his voice as he continued, “-so he can get off this bloody car park in one piece.”

***

Anne’s house just smelled like Christmas.

Of fresh baking and spiced Christmas candles. It was cosy too. The kind of warmth that enveloped you the minute you stepped foot into the hallway from the porch. 

She smiled a knowing smile when she saw your frazzled hair once you pulled off your winter hat and quickly took your hand, dragging you in the opposite direction that Harry had taken the kids.

“I have mulled wine,” she passed comment, turning to look at your face from over her shoulder. “No? How about a glass of prosecco?” 

“Isn’t it a bit early?” You said, eyes taking in the mountain of washing up in her sink, as you messed with the waistband of your jeans and sorted out your jumper. 

“Never, not when it’s Christmas,” she smiled. “Besides I think we’ll both need to be a little bit pissed to attack the mountain of washing up.”

Regardless of receiving an actual answer, she poured the prosecco for you, glass being handed over smoothly before she took to pouring her own. As her eyes lifted from the job, she noticed Harry in the kitchen doorway, removing his gloves and shoving them into the pocket of his black coat.

“Or we could get my lovely son to do it,” she let her gaze move over your shoulder as she sipped from her own delicate glass. 

“Barely got me coat off and you’re already giving me jobs,” he spoke deeply, leaning against the doorframe. Turning to look at him you noticed the way his eyes lovingly shone over at his mother, before they scanned the kitchen like it was some sort of crime scene.

He groaned as his eyes stilled on the sink, immediately catching on as to what was being asked of him. “I’ll do it under one condition,” his eyes cut to yours before moving back to his Mum’s. “You let me wear the gloves.”

Anne laughed, hand covering her mouth as she tried not to splutter her prosecco everywhere. “I have new ones,” she said, with glittery eyes. Before you could even catch onto the gloves and the meaning behind them, your mother-in-law had hidden herself away in the pantry.

Eyes fell to Harry as he placed himself next to you. He loved the confused but oh so intrigued look that you wore. “Just wait,” he hummed, hands pressing against the kitchen surface and nudging his head back to where his mother stood, wordlessly making you move your eyes towards the same direction.

“Managed to find these in the pound shop when I popped into town with Louise, they had others but you know how I am with my sparkle-“

Harry hummed, with his lips twitching into the boyish smile. “Come on,” he moved his hand in come hither motion. “Let me ‘ave at ‘em.”

Without another word Anne tossed the pair of gloves onto the kitchen work surface. Your eyes dropped to the item that clattered thanks to the gaudy diamond that sat - from what you could tell - super glued onto the middle finger of the latex gloves. 

“Pound shop upping its game with the introduction of an old Swarovski-esc cocktail ring, I see.”

You didn’t quite know what to say, as you watched your husband marvel with humour at the monstrosities that he seemed eager to don. 

“Where’s the washing up liquid then?” Harry said shaking off his coat and quickly taking to unbuttoning the sleeves of his shirt and rolling them up to the crook of his elbow. “Dishes aren’t gonna do themselves.” 

The laughter of sheer delight that left Anne’s chest cause you to cut your eyes over to her. It was nice to see her in such a way, carefree and in awe of her baby over the silliest thing. You often wondered if the face she wore looking at both Gemma and Harry was an expression that flirted across your face over the littlest thing that your own son and daughter did. 

You eyes watched Harry as he snatched at the gloves, pulling the red latex over his hands and making them stretch against his ring-clad fingers.

“Wha’ size did you get these in,” he moaned around a husky laugh, his fingers clenching underneath the latex into a fist before expanding once more.

“Didn’t look, darling,” Anne nonchalantly replied, swiping up her phone and snapping a picture of Harry off-guard. He frowned lightly over at her, only for Anne to softly laugh. “Since I’m no longer needed here,” she continued, picking up the bottle from the middle of the kitchen island. “I have some gran-babies to cuddle and annoy since my children no longer enjoy my offers of affection.”

“No, we just enjoy your successful attempts at free labour more. Clearly,” Harry shook his soapy-sud hands out, flicking dishwater in the process.

“I’m letting you stay for free over the festive period and feeding you, ‘s the least you can do.”

He couldn’t argue with that one, his eyes falling to yours as you sipped your drink wearing a smile that was far more triumphant looking than it should be.

“Don’t know why you’ve got a face on you like tha’,” he started, grabbing at the tea towel next to him. “You’re drying.”

The very same tea towel came flying at you, your hand swiping to move your half filled glass to save a spillage and trying to defend yourself. 

You didn’t make any effort to move as Harry turned off the tap and got to making sure that all the pots, pans and plates were submerged underneath the surface.

The way his back looked underneath his shirt as he moved his hands around the sink was attractive. It sounded daft and if you weren’t coherent enough you’d blame the prosecco, but even the back of him glowed from happiness (and maybe an extra serving of dessert or two). 

Breaking the silence Harry said, “Need to up me ring game.”

You watched the way he shook out his hand, soapy suds once again flicking against the kitchen counter. “Old Mrs Claus, looking to play away.”

“What are you on about?” You said, leaning against the kitchen counter, hand reaching for the packet which had once held the washing up gloves. Eyes took in the label, flicking it over to read the product description to yourself. 

“Wearing her diamond on the incorrect finger, innit.”

“Probably got a thing for one of the elves. Husband’s let himself go a bit-“

“Santa or me?” He chuckled.

You smiled against the lip of your champagne flute, eyes moving upwards to see the profile of your husband’s face as he stopped all washing up to look at you. “All I’m saying is maybe only leave one mince pie out for Santa this year when you’re helping the kids set up the plate.”

“Look, Santa is a strapping lad,” he spoke with conviction. “He can’t help it, if Mrs Claus is a feeder.” 

“I am not a feeder, Harry,” you laughed, throwing the tea towel back at him. 

“Darling, I don’t know what kind of role play you’re into but maybe this is something we should pick up after we’ve put the kids to bed.” 

“Was just about to ask you the same thing,” you bit back, eyes once again dropping down the packaging that encased the gloves. “Glamourous red and pearly washing up gloves,” you cleared your throat, eye flickering up to see the way his face had pulled into a smile, as he added another plate to drying rack. 

“These fun and stylish gloves make even the dirtiest jobs look fabulous!”

“I can concur-“

Smiling, and hearing it lace your voice, you continued, “The pair of gloves are not only practical but they are complete with a fur lining, pearl bracelet-“

“To match my necklace-“

“-and a superbly sized diamond.”

“Superbly sized diamond, only the best for Mrs Claus.” 

“Funny Secret Santa gift for women-“

“And men-,” Harry interjected. 

“Both fun and practical for doing the dishes.”

He stayed silent at that one, you too remaining tight lipped waiting for him to say something. When you eyes slowly pulled away from the packet, you met his from across the kitchen island.

You noticed the way his forehead held a light perspiration and the front of his shirt was slightly wet from where he had been leaning a little too closely over the sink.

His hair fell against his forehead and into his eyes, that held an expression that made it so you felt like you couldn’t break your gaze. 

“You know what else rhymes with dishes? Missus.” 

The way his lips twitched as he spoke, the crinkles next to his eyes deepening. “Both fun and practical for doing the missus.”

“Harry,” you chastised him under your breath.

“Wha’,” he drawled, expression mischievous. “I’m telling Mum we’re keeping these.” 

“You do realise that Santa is watching,” you swiped your glass, downing the remainder of your prosecco.

“How’d you know he’s not into it?”

The competitive person in you wanted to counter his question with a question of your own, but instead you chose to give him something to really think about.

Slipping down from the breakfast bar stool, you turned to leave the room, stilling in the doorway.

“That makes two of us then.”

***

Somehow between 1pm and 8pm Harry had managed to remember he was a father of two rather than rampant teenager bringing his girlfriend home for their first Christmas together. 

He’d been the ever-doting Dad after he had left the kitchen, helping the kids put together and decorate the gingerbread house at Anne’s dining table, taking a danger nap with his little girl during an afternoon showing of Frozen on BBC One and cooking a Christmas Eve feast suitable for the whole family. 

Rather than fight against the family pyjamas, instead he lead the charge, helping to encourage the coercing of your son into his along the way. 

He got excited when you pulled out the hand crafted plate that said “Dear Santa” along the top and then “Love from,” followed by the names of your son and daughter along the bottom. 

There was no doubt about it, Harry was all in. 

With a carrot and mince pie now placed on the fireplace, Harry now sat with a sweaty child pressed into his side on Anne’s sofa, with Love Actually on the television going in one ear and out the other. 

Your son had put up a fight to sleep, like his earlier episode in the car let you know he would do. His little body bouncing around before creeping along the landing, only for Harry to peek up the stairs and tell him to come down.

He was a hard child to stay mad at, more so when he cuddled into your side to begin with until getting cosy next to his Dad. Part of you wondered if he was becoming under the weather, given the way his cheeks were rosy and his skin clammy.

“Probably this cheap polyester you’ve forced us into,” Harry playfully jibed, knowing just how mad you’d been when you read that the pyjamas you had bought off the internet under the illusion of being 100% cotton, were in fact only 80% cotton and 20% polyester. 

Your hand was held against his forehead as Harry stood with his limp and sleepy body in the middle of the living room. “He’s definitely coming down with something,” you worried your bottom lip.

Harry dropped his lips to his son's forehead, keeping his voice in a hushed whisper as he reassured you that he just needed to get some rest. 

Falling back into your space on the couch, you half listened as Harry left the room asking you to pause the film so he didn’t miss anything. You fought the urge to roll your eyes at how he and everyone else could by now recite Love Actually considering how it had become a classic for this time of year. 

“I’m just going to nip out and grab those presents from the boot of the car,” he said poking his head around the living room door upon his return. 

Lifting your head from the Radio Times magazine that you’d managed to swipe from Anne as she retired upstairs earlier for a bath and to get straight into bed, you nodded when you met his eyes.

“Want to crack open tha’ bottle of red when I come back?” He suggested, fiddling with the collar of his coat, car keys jingling in his hand. 

“Can’t get too pissed, still gotta wrap some presents-“

“I didn’t hear that,” he replied, shutting the door behind him before heading out to the drive to retrieve the purchases both he and you had made earlier.

In his absence, you took in the cosy living room that surrounded you and felt your body sink into the sofa as you relaxed. This was the least frantic you’d felt all day, regardless of the mountains of wrapping you still had to do.

Your children had been wiped when they finally fell asleep, which was always a win for any parent. It meant that they would probably give you the chance to sleep in a little later than usual for Christmas Day. There was nothing wrong with being hopeful that your gaze met 7am on the alarm clock rather than the usual 5am.

The presents that already sat underneath the tree, made your heart soar. Material things did not mean much at all, but there was no doubt it that every single person in this family - your family - was loved. 

Standing from your seat, you let your feet lead you along the carpet and out into the dimly lit hallway of Anne’s house. Pictures of Harry and Gemma, as children, littered the walls. Some of the frames and pictures replaced since you had first set foot in the family home, with images of your own children and Gemma’s too.

The strong sense of family always comforted you when you stayed at Anne’s. Took a gentle hold of your body and consumed you in the nicest way.

Both glasses and the bottle retrieved, you quickly shut the door of the living room to make sure that barely any of the heat from the roaring fire left the fairly sized and cosy space. 

Sitting on the edge of the couch, you quickly unscrewed the bottle of red and poured two reasonable sized glasses.

Leaving one atop of the coffee table, you plucked up the stem of your glass and sunk back into the cream couch. You knew you’d have to be extra careful as the night went on and more of the rich and acidic drink was consumed. 

The rustling of bags let you know that Harry had returned into the house from outside, with the door of the front room opening not long after. 

“Can feel the cold coming off you,” you commented as he set down the four bags he had retrieved. 

“Cars icing up,” he commented, tugging off his coat and throwing it into the spare armchair over the other side of the room. As he turned, he wore a warm smile once his eyes saw the way you were offering over a glass of wine.

Now stood from your seat, he padded his socked feet against the carpet over to you and gently peeled the stem from your grasp. Sipping the drink and keeping his eyes locked with yours, he noticed the way you dropped your stare to his lips as he licked away the lingering wine residue. 

His free hand cupped at the back of your forearm, cold fingers easy to feel through your thin pyjamas. He soothed his hand up the back of your arm, scooping you into him.

Looking down at you with his softened jawline, he hummed the first thoughts on his mind. “Not kissed you all day-“

And he hadn’t. Things had been manic and the day has mainly been about your children, and present swapping with friends. Outside of the other activities previously thought back on.

“Or night,” you mused in return.

He tutted, “Night’s’not over yet.”

Humming you tilted your head slightly when you felt his hand hit the back of your neck. You shivered from his cold touch as he mumbled his sorry’s against your lips.

With a soft shake of the head you dismissed him and welcomed his tender and gentle kiss. His lips puckered at yours and softly drew you into his every want and desire.

As he went to pull away you lured him back with a soft pull to his top lip, feeling him smile at how you didn’t want to break away. He happily obliged you, opening his mouth wider to devour you, enticed by your plusher figure against his and the warmth radiating off you.

“‘S all this,” he mumbled against your cheek, as he tried to calm his breathing and remember not to lose grip of his wine. 

“Jus’ showing you how much you mean to us-“

“Shouldn’t that be me to you,” he corrected. “Would be lost without you, Mommy.” 

Pulling back you looked at him, welcoming the soft peck he left on your lips as you stared at each other. A small laugh left him as he pressed a second and third peck to your lips in quick succession, “‘s not getting the wrapping done is it?”

“You started it,” you mumbled into your glass as he turned to stand behind you and grabbed for the bags. 

Before he got to them however he stalled all movement, looking at your profile with a gleam in his eye. “I’ll bloody well finish to an’ all, after we’ve done this wrapping.”

“Nothing sexier than a man who gets a job done and get its done proper.”

He laughed down his nose at that, before he groaned as he managed to get his body down to the floor.

“Don’t do things by halves, love. Should know that by now. Now, who’s present was the Barbie kitchen set?”

***

That’s how you spent the majority of the night, rummaging through the plastic bags and putting together two piles of presents for each of your children. 

Once it had been decided who was having what, you did your equal share of the wrapping. Harry actually better at wrapping than you were always led to believe by the man himself. You knew he often opted for the gift wrapping service at a Selfridges or a Harrod’s, but here he was slumming it like everyone else. 

“How’s it feel being like every other peasant and wrapping your own gifts?”

He chuckled, mouth closed as it held onto a piece of sticky tape that was going to be used after he’d neatened up the edges of the LOL drawing set that you’d bought for your little girl.

“Actually very rewarding,” he deadpanned, “‘s probably the wine tha’s making it less of a chore though. That and my incredibly easy on the eye wife cheering me on.”

He did find himself getting bored when he was three quarters of the way through however, finding ways to entertain himself like sticking one of the bows to his forehead to give himself to you as a present, which had you giggling over at him with bleary, wine eyes.

“You’re a daft sod,” you said pressing your outstretched foot into his thigh and enjoying the way he cupped the top of the same foot, keeping it close to him. 

You could tell he was getting restless when he started talking about all manner of different Christmas facts that he’d heard around the studio, or in meetings to break up long sessions of recording or tour logistics. 

“Did you know?” He started, “Paul McCartney earns £250,000 a year off his Christmas song, which is widely regarded as the worst song he ever recorded.”

“Obviously not by you,” you deadpanned, as you concentrated on trying to find the end of the sticky tape as it had stuck itself back together.

“I’ve probably helped up his royalties actually, d’ya think I could get a cut of that?” You laughed, looking up at him from the final present you were wrapping. “I’m serious, I’ll have a word with Sonny and see if he can mention it to his Uncle Paul.”

Rather than responding, you reached for the last of your wine and swallowed it in one gulp. Empty glass on the table, you looked over at your husband who wore a flushed face, either from the wine or the heat within the room. You did notice he had pushed the sleeves of his pyjamas top up into the crook of his elbow.

“Did you know,” he whimsically asked in a whisper.

“Probably not, Harry, but go on-“

“It’s well known that mistletoe is an aphrodisiac, a symbol of fertility,” Harry spoke with concentration as he looked down at the paper which housed the toys that he had done a mad dash to The Entertainer store for, once you daughter mentioned how she had changed her list to Father Christmas. This was his final gift to wrap. 

“You can forget it, Styles,” you bit back, watching the way he smirked around the cello tape that he was biting into, too lazy to reach across for the scissors at the end of his legs. Forever easily amused. “Already one too many in our house as it is.”

“Maybe I’ve asked Father Christmas for a new ‘un,” he patted at the present, looking up at you from under his brow.

“A new baby-“

“Yeah, that as well,” he rolled his lips into his mouth, clearly meaning a house. He frowned, “And wha’ do ya mean with this ‘one too many’? ‘S only two of them.” 

“Three.”

He shook his head, his face reminiscent of a child confused. Point proven. 

“Our two kids,” you paused, for dramatic effect. “And you. So, one too many.”

He was taken aback by your playful nature, a little bit lost for words at how brazenly you had dissed him. 

“Thought you liked ‘em young,” he retorted, hand curling around your calf and tugging you over to him. From the quickness of his movement, you squealed. The two of you shushing each other around soft laughter as your eyes faintly fell towards the television monitor that showed you your sleeping children from where you sat in his lap. 

“Dead to the world, both of ‘em,” he mumbled, breathing along your cheek as he noted the way your soft gaze lingered on your babies.

“Can’t wait to see their faces tomorrow,” you admitted, as his lips skimmed gently down your neck. 

“Need to finish off the magic,” he hummed. “Pass me the plate.”

Leaning over from in his lap, you gave Harry the ample opportunity to softly tap his hand against your pyjama-clad bottom. The sound your ears and his received was a dull thud that didn’t achieve what it intended.

Turning to look at him, his sheepish gaze made you aware that he too wasn’t satisfied from his actions. His eyes dropped down to the plate that you held tightly in your hands at the goodies he had laid out on the idea a mere four hours prior.

“You take the carrot,” he pushed it towards you, eyes meeting yours as they looked up.

“And here I was thinking you were the health conscious one-“

“I need stodge to soak up this,” he scooped up the pouring of whiskey. “‘M mixing drinks, so I’m gonna be a barrel of laughs when they jump on me at 5am as my wake up call.”

You softly laughed before you took a hefty bite out of the carrot and he out of the mince pie. With a gooey smile, you couldn’t stop your hands moving up to his lips and wiping away the crumbs from the pastry that sat on the corners of his mouth.

“Have the last bit,” he spoke once he has swallowed his food, offering the small amount of whiskey left in the tumbler glass to you. 

You sipped the drink that he gave to you and placed the empty glass down with a soft clunk to the plate. 

“Can make some magic of our own now,” he whispered in a light alcohol induced haze, satisfied. 

And under the soft lighting of the living room, who were you to refuse him.

His chuckle of disbelief at this words hit your lips with a warm breath, causing you to blush along with him. If he wasn’t kissing you in that moment, you knew that he would have said the words, “Can’t believe I’ve just said tha’.”

But you would believe it, because things like that were him to a T. 

He was that kind of person sometimes, hidden underneath the incredibly handsome features and put together looks: a geek. A loveable geek. 

A loveable geek who knew how to work his way around your body; your head falling back with the thought as he sucked at the middle of your neck. 

“No lovebites, baby,” you gasped, fingers woven into the hair at the back of his head. “We’re at your Mum’s,” you reminded him, feeling his tongue lave against the area he’d been particularly rough with. Like a cat licking at his wounds, tucking his tail between his legs at how he’d admitted defeat. 

His hands moved up the back of your shirt, raising the pyjama material as he went. Your arms lifted, helping him remove the item of clothing and enjoying the tickling feeling of your hair falling down the bare skin of your back.

Harry’s face went straight into the center of your boobs without much focus on where he’d thrown your discarded top in the living room. Mouth sucked with power on the inside of your chest, he was determined to leave a mark against your skin one way or another. 

His hands clawed at the elastic of your trousers, palming underneath them to feel your bare bum cheeks against his hands,helping to create a rocking motion of your crotch against his.

You mewled, in a breathy tone, “Take ‘em off.”

“‘S nice like this,” he coaxed, looking at your face with hooded eyes and enjoying your mirrored expression.

And he wasn’t lying. Been a while since you’d sat in his lap and found your release against him with your clothes still on. 

“It’s not enough,” you admitted, feeling your hips become slightly more frantic as you pressed back into his awaiting hands with a soft clap. 

“It’s enough for now,” he urged you to rock. “Relax on me, darling. We’ve got time.”

Languid kisses was nice. The friction of your clothes too, worked you up in a way that was way more than you would ever care to admit. Breathing growing heavier as Harry kept his lips to your chest and you fisted at his hair.

Tingles ran through you as you felt Harry growing harder through his trousers, rubbing against your center over and over. He twitched as his hand pulled you with more force against him, his hand slipping down lower to rest in-between your bum cheeks.

The way his fingers ghosted close to your center was enough to have you reaching around and pushing his hand down further. The suction sound his mouth made as it peeled away from your clammy skin, made you moan with a fallen head tilt. 

“Want my fingers that bad,” he whispered, feeling the pressure of your hand on top of his. “Tell me.”

“Please, put ‘em in,” you breathily asked. Your mouth fell agape as you felt the tips of his fingers rest against your wetness. You knew if you rocked back and he held you steady enough, they’d sink right in without any resistance.

“Gonna rub your clit for me while you take my fingers, eh?”

Your breathing was laboured as his fingers brushed at your aching, wet center. You were desperate from some kind of pressure, your center pulsing each time you felt the tips of his fingers get closer. 

“At this rate your gonna be all down your legs and mine,” he paused, enjoying the choked moan you released when he finally slipped his fingers inside your wet warmth. “Not even got started.” 

You hand was against your front and harshly rubbing at your sopping clit that had you softly swiping up and releasing enticing moans, causing Harry to throb. 

He softly shushed you as he pushed your fallen hair, slightly damp from sweat, out of your eyes. 

“No ones ever made me this wet,” you admitted in a whiny plea to him, scooping your arm around his neck to sit tighter onto his lap. 

His eyes dropped down to the way your hand moved over your center underneath your pyjamas trousers. “Hiding from me, darling,” he was obvious.

“I said take them off,” you hummed. “Thought you were a man, my man.”

Harry growled at your goad, fingers slipping without much care and wiping into the waistband of your trousers. He roughly pulled at your bottoms, his limbs and yours unattractively flaying but achieving the ultimate goal of getting naked. 

Bare bum now open to thick heat of the room, you enjoyed the way he tapped his fingers lightly against your left cheek, close to where your bum and thigh met.

“Harry,” you breathed, hips nudging forwards, enough to get his cock to press between your lips, just right. You rolled your hips over him slowly, your wetness enticing and teasing to his cock. Bliss was written across his face as he enjoyed your attentiveness to foreplay. 

“Gonna let me have you,” he stated, no question within his words. He felt the way you nodded against him, as you pressed your forehead to his. 

You gripped his shoulder as you rolled back again, feeling the way his tip slipped into your without much guidance other than the slight lift to your arse from Harry himself.

As you sank down on him, you felt the way his hand pressed to your lower back. Shaky exhales bounced against each other’s lips as you took him in, staying still and relishing in the way his cock felt inside of you.

Throbbing clit flush to his pelvis, you knew even the tiniest of motion would have you losing your mind. 

Wanting to keep him deep, you barely raised your hips more than halfway off him before you were taking him once more. He brushed against the soft spot inside you so wonderfully, that you were admitting your love for him in such a way that had him chuckling. 

“‘S my cock, not me, darling,” he teased. “I know, I know, baby.”

The pace you set was slow, languidly rolling your hips over his. He encouraged you, digging his fingers into your plush hips and throatily moaning as he watched you with lips parted and eyelids hooded. 

The wet kiss you shared with him, had you gripping at his jaw, feeling the way it expanded as he devoured you with his lips and tongue. It was dirty, a quick flick that had your chasing after him, suckling gently and wanting to be just as dirty in return.

You could hear how wet you were, your body wanting the man beneath you to know just much of mess you had made for him. How turned on he had managed to get you. 

He loved it. The sounds. The way he purposefully dragged at your wetness with his fingers over you clit. His roughs pants and throaty moans indicative of just how deeply pleasured he was.

“Hear tha’,” he rhetorically asked. “You’re all over my balls, doll. My thighs are covered.” 

“Oh god,” you gasped as your head fell back and exposed your throat to him, hips rocking and rubbing harshly against his. His hand moved from being cupped underneath your bouncing boobs and took to pressing gently against your throat. 

Somewhere in your mind you thought back to the latex, novelty washing up gloves earlier in the day and how they may feel against your skin, against your throat. It was something you knew you’d have to mention as you hips began to move with more force against him at the idea.

You knew he’d asked, he’d just time the question in the right moment. Probably say your name first to have you looking down at him glassy, fucked our vision.

As he groaned your name, your dropped you head down feeling the way your throat curved against his hand. “Wha’ you thinking ‘bout?”

His face was flushed out, hair sticking to his forehead and you were partly angry at how he’d somehow managed to keep his top on. 

“Need to try the gloves next time,” you confessed. “Want to, want to-“

He watched the way you face crumpled, slightly flushing at how you’d possibly found yourself a kink that was once before totally undiscovered to you. 

He pulled you down to him, “Would try anything wi’you in a heartbeat. So in love wi’you. Love you more when you let me feel you comin’ all over me.”

The two of your were flat against each other as you felt the way he lifted his hips upwards, the angle had him constantly stroking directly on your g spot. Your limbs felt like mush as your body began to shake of its own accord.

“Yea’ darlin’, just like that for me,” he coaxed, “All over me, giving it all to me.”

Your sweaty chest rubbed against the irritating fabric of his top, as you focused on the feel of your clit rolling against him and the feel of his cock tipping you over the edge with a satisfied moan that had you holding him deep inside.  

You fell limp against him, feeling the way his arms wrapped heavy against your clammy back. The only movement came from his hips as they lifted upwards and smacked against you.

His deep groan of your name as his orgasm overtook him, caused you to turn your face into his and leave a wet and heavy kiss to his dropped jaw. His grunts were heavy as they tapered out into soft and wet whimpers. 

Your skin was scorching against his, as you’d came down together next to the roaring fire beside you. The two of you basking the blissful aftermath. 

As you collapsed against him, Harry’s eyes looked up at the tree that he was now somehow partly under. Heaving chest and bleary eyes, he focused on the decorations above his head, as his hand ran soothingly down your clammy back.

With a scoffed chuckle, he caught your attention, enjoying the way you nosed along his neck, to being your lips up to the corner of his.

“What is it?” You asked gently against his lips. His smiled deepened. “What’s tickled you so much?”

Still wearing a blissful expression, he said deeply, “We’re under mistletoe.”

Frowning, you knocked you eyes upwards, spotting the mistletoe that sat tied to two or three baubles on the Christmas tree. 

“Gotta lay on one me, doll,” he cheekily caught your attention. “‘S the rules.”

And if it were the rules, who were you to break them.

#harry styles #harry styles one shot #harry styles smut #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fan fic #my writing #christmas!harry #dad!harry #harry smut #harry fanfic #harry fanfiction #harry fluff #harry x you #harry x reader

[roseworth]

Partners in Crime

word count: 2638

characters: Eugene & Lance

description: Arnie had a goal to get through to Eugene, no matter how much he tried to push him away. How hard could it be, right?

note: for lance strongbow appreciation week :) @tangledbea

AO3

Arnie made it his goal to get through to Eugene.

Ever since Arnie arrived at the orphanage, Eugene seemed even more distant than the other kids. He figured it was just because they were both around the same age, so Eugene saw him as some kind of competition. Still, he was determined to make friends with him.

Arnie’s family was… no longer in the picture, but he figured he could make a new family in the orphanage, starting with Eugene. However, the contempt the boy seemed to have for him was proving to be an impassable obstacle.

“Eugene!” Arnie waved from across the room as he walked in. Eugene’s face remained stoic as he looked up, but that didn’t make Arnie falter. “Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”

“Splendid,” he deadpanned. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted to see if someone wanted to go visit the creek and check out the lizards,” he grinned, nudging Eugene’s arm.

“Go ask Lacey, she likes reptiles.”

Arnie frowned and looked over at the person Eugene suggested. She was about 2, and was currently trying to see if she could stick her toe up her nose. Not exactly who he wanted to spend time with.

“Actually, I meant maybe the two of us could!”

“No.”

“Oh. Okay. Maybe another time?”

“Maybe you can stop bothering me.”

Arnie deflated as the other boy walked away. That didn’t go the way he had hoped it would. Maybe Eugene needed more time to grow used to him. Arnie had only been at the orphanage for a few weeks, after all. Eugene would warm up to him eventually.

He decided he would give Eugene space for a while, then try again another day.

He couldn’t wait long. Arnie was walking up to Eugene 2 days later, hoping for more luck this time. It was looking like that wasn’t going to be the case when he saw Eugene roll his eyes as he approached. “What?”

“Hey Eugene, do you want to go-”

“No.”

“You didn’t let me finish!”

Eugene crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” he spat. “I don’t want to be your friend, so stop trying.”

That made Arnie even more frustrated than before. Why was he being so stubborn? Why was he refusing to even consider becoming friends? He didn’t even give him a chance! “But why? What did I do wrong?” he all but screamed.

Eugene hesitated, a look of surprise and sadness flickering across his face before returning back to his usual scowl. “I don’t need to explain myself to you,” he mumbled, storming out. Arnie wanted to follow him, but figured that that wouldn’t be much help. He watched as the other boy strode away, leaving any chance they could have had at a friendship behind him.

Arnie might have to give up. He would have to look for a different friend in the orphanage, or just wait until he was adopted to have another family. As much as he wanted to be friends with Eugene, he couldn’t seem to get through to him no matter what. Any attempt at a conversation was immediately shut down, much to his frustration. He couldn’t even get close enough to find out why Eugene refused to talk to him.

He couldn’t sleep that night. Usually, he was out like a light as soon as he got into bed, but tonight he stared at the ceiling above him, lost in thought.

If he couldn’t befriend Eugene, he would have to stay alone for even longer. The other kids seemed to not want to talk to him as well and he couldn’t figure out why. All he wanted was to get along with them and to build some kind of friendship with the others, but it seemed like his luck was against him. Not that luck had really been on his side at all recently.

He wanted to move on with his life, but he could only remember his old family. The family that wasn’t there anymore. On nights when he couldn’t fall asleep, his mom used to read him stories until he finally felt sleepy. His dad would join sometimes, too, and all three of them would listen to the stories of Lance Archer’s adventures as the stars glistened outside the window. They were so happy together, until…

Whatever. It was over. It was just hard to look forward to a new family when he had his old family ripped away from him so quickly. He couldn’t even see the stars clearly outside his window anymore, and his bed was stiff and cold.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard soft crying from a bed near him. It was one of the younger kids, probably around 3 years old. He felt bad for the kid, despite not knowing what he was crying about. Arnie used to have his family to comfort him when he cried, but he figured there wasn’t much comfort to be given around here.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright,” a soft voice whispered. “Stephen, kiddo, look at me. You’re okay.” If he didn’t know any better, he would swear that voice belonged to--

Arnie peeked up to see Eugene sitting at the kid’s bedside, putting an arm around his shaking form. The kid, apparently named Stephen, let out a small sob and curled up into Eugene’s arms. Stephen sniffled quietly as Eugene rubbed his back comfortingly, quietly reminding him to breathe.

“Hey, have I ever told you the story of the time Flynn Rider battled a ferocious dragon?” he asked softly. Stephen shook his head and looked up excitedly, his face still stained with tears.

Eugene launched into a story about when Flynnigan Rider was sailing across the sea and got suddenly attacked by a huge fire-breathing dragon. Arnie sat up in bed, quietly listening as he recounted the tale, though Eugene didn’t seem to notice that anyone else was awake.

“...As the dragon drew closer, Flynn raised his sword above his head, then swung it down to strike it one last time. The dragon let out a final roar as it fell to the ground,” he narrated. He glanced down to see that Stephen had fallen back asleep, his sobs long gone. He smiled, then stood up carefully so he wouldn’t wake the younger boy.

“What happened next?” Arnie piped up, making Eugene jump. Surprisingly, though, he didn’t throw back up the emotional walls Arnie was used to seeing. Instead, he sat next to him on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs, his lips curving into a slight smile.

“Well, Flynn found out the dragon’s cave was full of gold, and brought some of it to his island. But he realized he didn’t really want all that treasure to himself, so he brought the rest of it to the mainland to give to the people who needed it.”

Arnie grinned. “Flynn sounds awesome.”

Eugene lit up excitedly. “You should hear about his other adventures! He travels around the world, meeting so many people and going on daring quests. He has battles with all kinds of monsters, and always comes out victorious!” he rambled. Then, he shrugged and cleared his throat. “But, you know that’s kid stuff. I only read it for the little ones.”

Arnie scoffed at that. “Come on, this doesn’t seem like just kid stuff. I was enjoying the story a lot, there’s nothing wrong with liking someone as incredible as Flynn Rider.”

Eugene brightened back up and nodded, the smile on his face growing again. “You should read the Flynn Rider books, they’re all even more incredible than they sound.”

“I bet you would like Lance Archer, too. He’s a lot like Flynnigan, my mom used to read the books about him to me all the time.”

Eugene shifted uncomfortably, bringing his knees up to his chest. “What was your mom like?” he asked quietly.

“She was so cool. She would make me breakfast every day, and she would help me whenever I needed it, and- and…” Arnie tried to stop the tears from coming. He had been able to stop himself from crying since he had gotten here, but now it was all coming up at once. “She got hurt. And they couldn’t save her. Then after she was gone, my dad… didn’t want me anymore.” For the first time in weeks, he let himself openly cry around another person. As Arnie unsuccessfully tried to stop himself from crying, Eugene scooted closer to him and rested his head on the other boy’s shoulder.

“Your mom sounds nice. Not your dad, though. He sounds like he sucks.”

Arnie let out a small laugh through his tears. “He didn’t always suck. When it was him, my mom, and me, we were all happy,” he said. “What about you? What were your parents like?”

Eugene snorted, though nothing was funny. “Your guess is as good as mine. I never knew ‘em.”

“Do you know why they left you here?”

He shook his head. “That’s the way it is with most of us here. We never knew our parents, we never got an explanation as to why we weren’t wanted. So when everyone found out you knew your parents…” he trailed off, but Arnie understood. That’s why Eugene had been so cold to him. He was mad that Arnie got to know his parents, and that he had a family for the first part of his life. Eugene had been here for as long as he could remember, the orphanage was the only family he had. He must have thought it was unfair that Arnie was living a happy life before coming to the orphanage, when Eugene never had a life before the orphanage.

“I’m sorry,” Arnie whispered.

“No, I’m sorry for being mean to you over something that isn’t your fault. ...And I’m sorry to hear about your mom.”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, Eugene’s head still leaning on his friend’s shoulder. “Honestly, I have faith my parents are going to come back for me someday,” he said suddenly, whispering like it was a secret. “I just haven’t really made it easy to find me.”

“What do you mean?”

Eugene laughed softly. “I was originally put in an orphanage a few kingdoms over, but I kept causing trouble so they kept needing to transfer me. I don’t even know where I’m from anymore,” he joked, though his eyes looked sad.

“Hey, maybe we’ll get adopted, and you won’t even need your birth parents. You’ll have a whole new family,” Arnie suggested, full of hope. Eugene just pursed his lips and looked down at the floor.

“I’m not holding my breath. The older kids never get adopted.”

Arnie’s heart sunk. He had been pinning at least a small amount of hope on getting adopted and gaining a new family, but hearing that Eugene had pretty much given up hope almost made him want to, too. Instead, he decided he would keep a positive attitude, that way he would have enough hope for both him and Eugene. Besides, even if he didn’t end up getting adopted, he and Eugene could be a pretty good family on their own.

After that night, the two boys were inseparable. Arnie read all the Flynn Rider books, and Eugene read all the Lance Archer books. They talked about the stories, and drew pictures of the heroes’ adventures. They even imagined what it would be like to go on heroic adventures of their own, to explore the world together, side by side.

Arnie had pretty much lost his hope that they were going to get adopted, but he didn’t really care anymore. As long as he had his best friend with him, he knew the future would turn out just fine after all.

***

Those are the memories Lance likes to think about now, sitting in his cell with Mr. Kilpatrick. It’s late at night, but he can’t fall asleep. These were the kinds of nights that he and Flynn used to go on heists together, under the cover of night.

But he had heard some distressing news from a guard earlier. They said that Flynn Rider had been executed in Corona for stealing the Lost Princess’s crown. He was hanged that morning. There was nothing he could do to save him, or just see him one last time.

Lance just couldn’t believe Flynn had gotten caught, he was always so stealthy. Sure, he liked to take big risks, but Lance couldn’t believe it had come to this.

Flynn used to say that he didn’t have to outrun the guards, he just had to outsmart his partners. Apparently his partners for that job were the Stabbingtons, so it couldn’t have been that hard to outsmart them, right? What could have happened?

Lance curls up in bed, unable to stop thinking about Flynn. He’s going to be released from prison in a few months, and he was looking forward to reuniting with his best friend. They would be able to pull another job just like old times, and they would be the world’s most notorious crime duo again. Besides, he had just figured out where the Baron’s new hideout is, and nothing brought the two of them closer together than long-awaited revenge did.

Months later, he’s released from jail, ready to be a free man for the first time in a long time. He might take a break from crime. Just a short break, though. He’ll turn back to crime as soon as a worthwhile job comes around. Breaking into the Baron’s house seems like a good option, though it won’t be the same without Flynn.

He decides to first steal something from Corona, in honor of his friend. Pulling a job in the place where his friend pulled his last seemed like the right way to respect his memory. He confidently makes his way to the kingdom, planning a one-man heist so outrageous, it would make Flynn proud.

From what he had heard, a lot has changed in Corona since he was last there. Not only has the Lost Princess returned, but they’ve started reforming their prison system. Figures, they abolish the death penalty after Flynn is hanged, he thought.

In a city near the outskirts of Corona, he finds a newspaper stand where the attendant doesn’t seem to be paying much attention. He easily slips one of the newspapers away to read up on some of the changes made in the kingdom, figuring that he should probably study up on what the kingdom is like before committing a major heist.

What he sees in the paper, though, shocks him beyond belief.

Eugene Fitzherbert had saved the Lost Princess, and is now living in the castle.

Lance chuckled under his breath, feeling a huge weight lifted off his chest. This means that not only is Flynn alive, but now he must be planning some huge job from inside the castle. He has to get in on this.

Of course Flynn is alive, Lance knows there’s no way he could’ve gotten caught in the first place. He had escaped his own death sentence, and managed to con his way into the castle. A classic Flynn Rider heist, of course!

He’ll wait until tomorrow to go to Corona and surprise Flynn. It’ll be just like old times again. He’ll get Flynn in on revenge against the Baron first, then Flynn will let him in on whatever he’s planning to steal from the castle.

Lance looks towards the small bit of the kingdom he could see from where he was standing, feeling substantially better knowing that Flynn was alive and well over there. Things are going to turn out just fine after all.

#i almost forgot i wrote this lmao i was like 'wait omg i have something to post for today!!!' #in conclusion: stan lance #lance #eugene #tangled #lance strongbow #eugene fitzherbert #lance strongbow appreciation week #tangled the series #fanfic #fitzfriday #my writing

[withthingsunreal]

hey guys

did y’all know there’s a limit to how many links you can have in a post

adventure time masterpost part one

♥=my favourites Ω=significant plot (though sometimes this is not immediately obvious) ♪=a song happens ♫=a personal fave song happens ¿=just don’t try to think about it too hard okay

SEASON SIX

Ω 6x01/6x02 - Wake Up/Escape from the Citadel [WATCH] - Finn and Jake need to get to the Citadel, and Prismo agrees to help. But the Lich beats them to it, and it seems he's got some plans of his own.

♥ 6x03- James II [WATCH] - An excess of James.

6x04- The Tower [WATCH] [alt]- Finn's missing his arm, so he decides to build a tower into space so he can punch his dad and steal HIS arm instead. Solid plan, right?

¿ 6x05 - Sad Face [WATCH] - A circus, and a clown.

♪ 6x06 - Breezy [WATCH] - Finn's flower isn't doing so well, and Finn himself isn't feeling anything, but his new bee friend Breezy wants to help. Stay tuned for spook (me, that's me) starting a petition to retitle this show 'what the hell did I just watch.'

¿ 6x07 - Food Chain [WATCH] - Finn and Jake learn about the food chain by, um, living it.

6x08- Furniture & Meat [WATCH] - Mo' treasure, mo' problems.

6x09 - The Prince Who Wanted Everything [WATCH] - LSPrincess has a story to share with the Ice King, and LSPrince has a lesson to learn from Fionna the Human.

6x10 - Something Big [WATCH] - Something something Maja something Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant something something feelings?? Listen I don't know what I'm watching anymore ok

♪ 6x11 - Little Brother [WATCH] - Shelby has an accident, ends up with a little brother, and turns to Jake for brotherly advice. Well, giving Finn a sword worked out pretty well...

6x12 - Ocarina [WATCH] - Kim Kil Whan buys the treehouse and tries to teach Jake a lesson about responsibility. It goes suuuper well.

6x13 - Thanks for the Crabapples, Giuseppe [WATCH] - Ice King and his fellow offbeats go on a wizard road trip to form their own secret society.

6x14- Princess Day [WATCH] - Breakfast Princess gets rude with LSP. Mistake! Time for her and Marceline to mess up the Breakfast Kingdom way bad.

6x15 - Nemesis [WATCH] - There's a great evil in the Candy Kingdom which must be stopped.

6x16 - Joshua and Margaret Investigations [WATCH] - Finn and Jake's parents fought monsters, too! Even when their mom was way super about-to-pop pregnant, apparently.

6x17 - Ghost Fly [WATCH] - Jake kills a fly, because flies are disgusting. But ghost flies seem to be worse. Oops?

6x18 - Everything's Jake [WATCH] - Bender searches inside himself and finds that Fry has been with him all along Jake goes on an inner journey, but like, literally. not really spiritually so much.

♥ 6x19 - Is That You? [WATCH] - Jake and Finn mourn Prismo, and then things get super bananas up in their dreamspace.

6x20 - Jake the Brick [WATCH] - Jake observes nature as he spends some time as just another brick in the wall.

6x21 - Dentist [WATCH] - Finn's tooth is in real bad shape, and he has to face facts: it is time for him to Go Dentist.

6x22 - The Cooler [WATCH] - There's a crisis in the Flame Kingdom, and FP makes the (objectively terrible??) decision to turn to PB for help.

6x23 - Pajama Wars [WATCH] - Sleepover in the Candy Kingdom! Nothing terrible is happening.

Ω 6x24 - Evergreen [WATCH] - Master Evergreen and his lizardy minion Gunther attempt to save the world.

¿Ω 6x25 - Astral Plane [WATCH] - Finn goes on an astral adventure, and sees some junk that may be relevant soon.

6x26 - Gold Stars [WATCH] - Sweet P starts school, and makes some new (terrible) friends.

6x27 - The Visitor [WATCH] - Finn follows his dream from Astral Plane and finds his least favourite massive disappointment at the end of the trail.

6x28 - The Mountain [WATCH] - It’s a Lemongrab episode. I don’t know anymore.

6x29 - Dark Purple [WATCH] - Susan Strong and some brave hyoomans on a rescue mission.

6x30 - The Diary [WATCH] - Fandom can be a consuming thing. TV finds an old diary and gets a little too into it.

6x31 - Walnuts & Rain [WATCH] - Finn and Jake get separated and go on different (weird) journeys.

6x32 - Friends Forever [WATCH] - Ice King tries to make himself some new friends. It goes terribly.

6x33 - Jermaine [WATCH] - After Jake has a shared dream with Jermaine, the boys go to visit their brother, who’s still living in their childhood home.

6x34 - Chips and Ice Cream [WATCH] - Chips, chips chips chips. Ice cream ice cream. (A travelling performer passes his curse on to Jake. It doesn’t go well.)

6x35 - Graybles 1000+ [WATCH] - Graybles, again, some more. Apparently the Candy Kingdom is still around however much further in the future, and someone’s still putting up string lights at Marceline’s. So there’s that.

6x36 - Hoots [WATCH] - The Cosmic Owl gets distracted by a mystery lady’s pretty set of tailfeathers.

6x37 - Water Park Prank [WATCH] - Finn and Jake (and the Ice King) spend the day at the water park.

6x38 - You Forgot Your Floaties [WATCH] - Magic Man, up to his usual biz, but this time he’s getting a helping hand from Betty. No way this will go horribly wrong??

6x39 - Be Sweet [WATCH] - For some inexplicable reason, Tree Trunks thinks LSP is a good choice for a babysitter. Yikes.

6x40 - Orgalorg [WATCH] - Gunther and the Gunts throw a houseparty.

6x41 - On the Lam [WATCH] - Martin finds another group of adorable creatures to try to exploit. yay.

6x42/6x43 - Hot Diggity Doom/The Comet [WATCH] - An election in the Candy Kingdom, and an impending catastrophe.

SEASON SEVEN

7x01 - Bonnie & Neddy [WATCH] - The King of Ooo continues his efforts to be the worst. PB has to help someone important to her get back to where he belongs.

7x02 - Varmints [WATCH] - Bubblegum tries to protect her pumpkin patch; Marceline lends a hand.

7x03 - Cherry Cream Soda [WATCH] - A candy citizen comes back from the dead, causing some complications for those he’d left behind.

7x04 - Mama Said [WATCH] - While out on a mission for the King of Ooo, Finn and Jake run into Billy’s ex-gf Canyon and decide to help her out instead.

7x05 - Football [WATCH] - BMO tries to do something nice for a friend. It does not go well.

7x06/7x07 - Stakes: Marceline the Vampire Queen/Everything Stays [WATCH] - Marceline has a favour to ask of PB, which results in her reflecting on the last thousand years of her life.

7x08 - Stakes: Vamps About [WATCH] - Marceline’s old nemeses are back, and she’s absolutely down to take ‘em all on again.

7x09 - Stakes: The Empress Eyes [WATCH] - Targeting the Ice King? Possibly not the greatest plan a vampire could have.

7x10 - Stakes: May I Come In [WATCH] - Jake finds his courage.

7x11 - Stakes: Take Her Back [WATCH] - Marceline’s out of commission, so it’s up to Finn and Jake to take on The Moon.

7x12 - Stakes: Checkmate [WATCH] - Four down, one to go.

♫ 7x13 - Stakes: The Dark Cloud [WATCH] - Marceline has to decide what she’s fighting for.

7x14/7x15 - The More You Moe/The Moe You Know [WATCH (watermarked)] - It's BMO's birthday, and a special guest is coming with a special mission for our lil robot buddy. yay?

7x16 - Summer Showers [WATCH] - Viola helps LSP put on a play, and Jake is super proud.

7x17 - Angel Eyes [WATCH] - BMO bribes Finn and Jake into playing cowboys and bandits.

7x18 - President Porpoise Is Missing! [WATCH] - An undersea authority figure appears to have vanished.

7x19 - Blank-Eyed Girl [WATCH] - Urban legends may or may not be baloney, and may or may not be out to get you.

7x20 - Bad Jubies [WATCH] - One heck of a storm brewing up some real nasty vibes.

7x21 - King's Ransom [WATCH] - Ice King isn't going to let anything stop him from rescuing his best bud, and Finn and Jake have got his back.

7x22 - Scamps [WATCH] - Finn rehabilitates some bad seeds.

7x23 - Crossover [WATCH] - Prismo needs Finn and Jake’s help with a junked-up timeline.

7x24 - The Hall of Egress [WATCH] - A dungeon keeps hitting the reset button every time Finn tries to exit.

7x25 - Flute Spell [WATCH] - Does Finn have a new girl in his life, or is he working on a different sort of magic?

7x26 - The Thin Yellow Line [WATCH] - It Is Okay To Be You, ft. The Banana Guards

7x27 - Broke His Crown [WATCH] - Bonnie and Marcie try to have a dinner date with the IK, but his crown is up to some weird biz.

7x28 - Don’t Look [WATCH] - Finn fails to follow the literal only instruction given.

7x29 - Beyond the Grotto [WATCH] - Sea lard rescue 911

7x30 - Lady Rainicorn of the Crystal Dimension [WATCH] - TV finds a weird box.

7x31 - I Am A Sword [WATCH] - FinnSword gets straight up hijacked.

7x32 - Bun Bun [WATCH] - Remember how Cinnamon Bun used to be... just, like, generally bad? at doing things? okay that but smaller.

7x33 - Normal Man [WATCH] - Normal Man needs some hero help to return Glob to Mars.

7x34 - Elemental [WATCH] - An... ice... princess? kinda??

7x35 - Five Short Tables [WATCH] - Fionna and Cake try to make some artsy-ass flapjacks.

7x36 - The Music Hole [WATCH] - Music happens, some of it on a stage.

7x37 - Daddy-Daughter Card Wars [WATCH] - Charlie helps her Papa work through some card-related stuff.

Ω 7x38/7x39 - Preboot/Reboot [WATCH] - Finn, Jake, and Susan visit a very scientific establishment.

SEASON EIGHT

8x01 - Two Swords [WATCH] - So when a FinnSword and a Grass Sword meet... sometimes some stuff can go the hell down.

8x02 - Do No Harm [WATCH] - Finn and Grass Finn try stuff out.

8x03 - Wheels [WATCH] - Jake tries to connect with his granddaughter by proving he’s cool.

8x04 - High Strangeness [WATCH] - Tree Trunks loves... revolution (｡•`_´•｡)

8x05 - Horse and Ball [WATCH] - James Baxter rides again.

8x06 - Jelly Beans Have Power [WATCH] - PB tries to get a handle on the elemental powers thing.

Ω 8x07 - Islands: The Invitation [WATCH] - Susan sent out a distress signal, and a response has arrived.

8x08 - Islands: Whipple the Happy Dragon [WATCH] - Hazardous seas, or Here There Be Dragons.

Ω 8x09 - Islands: Mysterious Island [WATCH] - Finn gets separated from his friends, but makes a new one.

Ω 8x10 - Islands: Imaginary Resources [WATCH] - BMO helps Finn and Jake get acquainted with the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of virtual reality gaming.

Ω♪ 8x11 - Islands: Hide and Seek [WATCH] - Memories of island life.

Ω 8x12 - Islands: Min & Marty [WATCH] - Minerva Campbell and Martin Mertens get to know each other.

Ω 8x13 - Islands: Helpers [WATCH] - Finn meets his mom.

Ω 8x14 - Islands: The Light Cloud [WATCH] - The conflicting desires to protect your child while also allowing them to grow and thrive.

SEASON NINE

9x01 - Orb [WATCH] - Some very normal dreamscapes on the return journey to Ooo.

9x02 - Elements: Skyhooks [WATCH] - The boys make it home but things are looking... different.

9x03 - Elements: Bespoken For [WATCH] - The Ice King has a story to tell about a hot date he had, and also tangentially the current state of things.

9x04 - Elements: Winter Light [WATCH] - A visit to the Ice Kingdom.

9x05 - Elements: Cloudy [WATCH] - Finn needs to calm down, and Jake needs to potty.

9x06 - Elements: Slime Central [WATCH] - It's Slime Time baybee

9x07 - Elements: Happy Warrior [WATCH] - A normal one in the Flame Kingdom.

9x08 - Elements: Hero Heart [WATCH] - LSP tries to help Finn listen to his hero heart, while PB just wants everyone to be a little bit sweeter.

9x09 - Elements: Skyhooks II [WATCH] - Let's Get Lumpy.

9x10 - Abstract [WATCH] - Jake is wary of some changes in Jermaine.

9x11 - Ketchup [WATCH] - Marceline and BMO catch up on recent events.

9x12 - Fionna and Cake and Fionna [WATCH] - Ice King gets to hang with the REAL Fionna.

9x13 - Whispers [WATCH] - Finn and Fern help Sweet Pea with some nightmares.

9x14 - Three Buckets [WATCH] - Finn and Fern spend some uhhh quality time together

SEASON TEN

10x01 - The Wild Hunt [WATCH] - Huntress Wizard needs some assistance, and Finn has some junk to work through.

10x02 - Always BMO Closing [WATCH] - BMO and Ice King team up to become a door-to-door salesman.

10x03 - Son of Rap Bear [WATCH] - FP needs to work on her rap game.

10x04 - Bonnibel Bubblegum [WATCH] - Family junk is complicated.

10x05 - Seventeen [WATCH] - It’s Finn’s birthday! Let’s get Arthurian up in here.

10x06 - Ring of Fire [WATCH] - The marvelous misadventures of Tree Trunks.

10x07 - Marcy + Hunson [WATCH] - Marceline’s dad is in town and totally embarrassing her again.

10x08 - The First Investigation [WATCH] - Finn and Jake look into some haunted happenings at Joshua and Margaret Investigations

10x09 - Blenanas [WATCH] - Finn wants the highest possible authority to weigh in on whether or not he is funny.

10x10 - Jake the Starchild [WATCH] - Jake’s gotta save the world. No, a different one.

10x11 - Temple of Mars [WATCH] - Jermaine and Finn gotta rescue Jake, and in the process maybe help Betty work through some things.

10x12 - Gumbaldia [WATCH] - Peace talks.

♥Ω♫ 10x13 - Come Along With Me [WATCH] - Everything stays, but it still changes.

#adventure time #maybe i will also figure out how to make the folder accessible #that's probably easier right? #though less fun bc i am sure you all love my summaries #right #right guys #anyway here it is #done at last #so we can all cry about it together

[starrybbarnes]

brewing romance | [b.b]

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: bucky sucks at flirting, and Steve is trying to give pointers on how to hang out with you. and idea brews, quite literally, and bucky takes the chance

Word Count: 3.1k+ (it’s long as hell)

Author’s note: this has been in a draft for so long. but inspiration struck, and i was able to finish it. this one story is inspired by the song love potion no 9, so you’ll see some allusions to it. of course, i hope you guys enjoy the story, and please leave any feedback ! 

Warnings: lots of hollering, steve making a fool of himself, sam making a fool of himself. you’ll see. 

“Man, you gotta stop staring, your drool is gonna ruin the table!”

“Your face is ruining the table.”

“Just ask the girl already, Buck, you aren’t helping anyone here.”

Steve had a point. Ever since you joined the team, Bucky was left in awe. By your looks, your generosity, your compassion. He was absolutely in love with you. 

But Bucky has made several attempts to capture your attention. And every time he does, he either freezes or there’s an externality that throws him off. 

Whether it be untied shoelaces, a criminal on the loose, or Peter begging you to be his karaoke buddy, something was always in Bucky’s way. 

And if he did get a chance to capture your attention, he would always freeze. Everyone thought T’Challa was bad when it came to freezing up, but Bucky easily beats him 3 times over. 

“I can’t, Steve,” Bucky sighed, setting his mug on the kitchen island, “I just don’t have that charm anymore.” 

“What are you talking about, you always find a way to charm those waitresses or receptionists whenever we go out,” Steve interjected. 

“Yeah, well, that’s because I don’t know them,” Bucky explained, “I don’t really put myself on the line with those dames.” 

Steve hummed in response. He wanted to help out his buddy, and he knows how much Bucky cares for you. 

“I know this might sound crazy man, but I think you should get a potion to make you suaver,” Steve suggested. 

“What are you even talking about,” Bucky responded.

“You know, those love potions like in the old days!” Steve explained, “we’ll just grab a recipe from online and brew something up.”

“This is probably one of the dumbest ideas you’ve ever concocted,” Bucky jokes, earning a snort from Steve, “but I’m open to the idea.”

“You guys really have no perception of potions, do you?” 

Suddenly, Wanda walked into the kitchen, eyebrows raised and with a slightly amused look. 

“And what would you know about love, Wanda?” Steve inquired.

“... you do realize who you’re talking to.” Wanda said with certainty, “I may not know about love, but I do know someone who can manifest charm.” 

Steve and Bucky looked at each other, and then back at Wanda. It is an offer that no one can give up, and if it happens to be true, then the Winter Soldier might be in luck. 

“Who is this ‘person of manifestation,’ and how can we trust them?” Bucky asked with concern.

“Lucky for you, this ‘person’ happens to be my great cousin, Phoebe!” Wanda exclaimed, “she’s an absolute whiz at this stuff.”

Bucky sighed, “I don’t know, Wanda, is it really the real deal?” 

“Trust me, Buck, she has the experience and is trusted by all her clients,” Wanda reassured.

“Where is it located anyway?” Steve chimed in, “do we have to go halfway around the world to book an appointment with her?

Wanda chuckled, “Nope, but we do have to go to Lower Manhattan.”

。。

The trio stood in front of a brick building with grey columns as a facade, and it looked quaint. Bucky was at an unease at the building’s exterior, a sign with The Cauldron in bold black letters being the only things decorating the outside.

“I think this is a mistake,” Bucky spoke up as he turned on his heel to get back into the car.

“Oh no you don’t,” Wanda replied, grabbing Bucky by the forearm and dragging him to the entrance.

“You sure we’re at the right place, Wanda”  Steve asked, “‘cause this place is lookin’ real suspicious if you asked me.”

“Relax, boys,” Wanda announced, “we’re in good hands.”

The door opened to a little bell chiming against the handle. From ceiling to floor, the place was filled with plants, books, and bottles coming in every color imaginable. 

In the center, there was an island table, with a sink and a couple of books splayed open. A soft scent of rose and jasmine permeated the building. A cat and a dog were napping besides in the far right corner, without a care in the world.

Bucky began getting cold feet at the thought of the potion. Would this really help win over your heart? Would he change at all if he went on with it? And more importantly, would Sam keep giving him shit for having a crush on you?

As more thoughts began to flood Bucky’s mind, a bright and chipper voice greeted the trio. A young woman, no taller than 5’5”, came out from the back, wearing some plaid pants and a denim jacket. The simplest outfit a witch could wear. 

From the look of Bucky’s face, Phoebe could tell he seemed confused. “Not your typical witch, eh?” 

“Those storybooks tell me otherwise,” Bucky jokes, earning laughs from everyone. He then introduced himself to Phoebe, who only would reciprocate in charm.

The trio sat on the big table, with Phoebe center stage. She brought out a handful of beakers and flasks and placed them on the table.

“So, how can I be of service?” 

“Well... “ Steve started, “a good old friend can’t seem to charm the ladies...” 

“Oh brother...” Wanda sighed. 

Phoebe tried suppressing a smile, “ah, someone’s got cold feet, I see?”

Bucky could not be more embarrassed. It’s hard to adjust when you’re a centurion. A centurion with a crush, more specifically. He had a huge crush on you and, well, he sucks at flirting. 

He explained his plight with Phoebe, and she intently listened. After assessing what Bucky said, Phoebe asked him to extend his palms out.

“What you need is love potion number nine,” Phoebe answered as she made magic signs against Bucky’s palms, “don’t worry, it’s very effective and not that hard to make.” 

Phoebe turned to face her cupboard and brought out a dark liquid and some herbs. As she opened the dark liquid, the room began to smell very strongly of floor cleaner, and Bucky looked terrified.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Bucky huffed, as Steve was dramatically coughing at the smell.

Phoebe grabs the liquid and pours some into the mini cauldron on the table. She then puts the rose, the rosemary, and some lemon into the vile concoction. Little spurts of gas rose from the cauldron, and Bucky swore he heard some cackling coming from it.

Phoebe once again waved her arms and made some hand motions, and a flash blinded the team momentarily. The gas subsided, and Phoebe took out a ladle from her drawers.

She pours the dark liquid into a small clear glass, and by the looks of it, it’s as dark as the night sky. She hands Bucky the glass, and tells him to quickly drink it. 

Bucky stares down the glass for what seemed like an eternity. “This stuff can wear off, right?”

Phoebe reassured him that he’ll be alright, “should anything go awry, I’m just a phone call away.” 

The concoction was taunting him, some grime started floating to the top of the glass, and almost started making a face at him. For love, you’ll do anything, Bucky thought to himself… right?

Steve sensed his friend’s concern, and offered to take a sip with him. Phoebe served him up a glass as well, and the boys looked at each other.

“How ‘bout it, Buck?” Steve encouraged, “To romance!”

Bucky sighed as he brought his glass up to Steve’s, “one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and here we go…” 

The two boys drank the elixir, and Wanda looked on with nervousness. Phoebe seemed like she was having a good time, and congratulated the boys for tag-teaming it. She offered them water to get rid of the aftertaste, and Bucky could not be more grateful.

“Now, for some, it’ll start working in about twenty minutes,” Phoebe started as she started putting the leftovers, save for one small bottle for the guys to take home. “Don’t freak out if it doesn’t start working right away, you’ll know when it’ll start.”

“If you guys really want a speedier reaction time, I’m giving you two extra doses: one for each other. But take heed: it’ll really hit with just once. Wands, I suggest just takin’ ‘em home right now, just to avoid any trouble.”

Wanda nodded approvingly, “boys: let’s go. Who knows what's in store.”

As the trio gets up to leave, Bucky is frantically trying to pull out his wallet, dumping out any cash that he has on hand. He has about 32 dollars and a punch card for his favorite burger place.

“There’s no need for that Buck,” Phoebe argued, giving his money back, “A friend of my cousin is always welcomed here! If you insist, put it in that jar over there where I collect tips for charities.”

Bucky smiled as the trio walked away, “Thanks, Phoebe! We’ll update you if anything happens.”

Phoebe waved back, “if you happen to get married to this young lady, please invite me to the wedding! I’ll take any credit where it’s due.”

And with that, Bucky and Steve roared with laughter as Wanda closed the door behind them.

。。

The trip back to the tower was uneventful, as the only thing Bucky did was to stop and admire a candy shop that was by the tower. Other than that, no effects so far. 

The elevator opened to reveal the next of the team lounging around. Some were eating, others were chatting. Bucky’s eyes trailed over to you, where you were seated on the living room floor, writing stuff down on a notebook on the coffee table.

Before Bucky could walk towards you, Steve called out for Natasha. Natasha responds, asking what’s up. 

“I don’t know, just wanted to say you look nice today,” Steve said nonchalantly, then added, “by the way, great job on today’s presentation. Very solid work.”

“Alright old man, cough it up,” Nat countered, “what are you scheming this time around?”

Steve puts his arms up in defense, “I just want to compliment my friends on all their hard work that they’ve been doing. In fact, I’m going to go around the room and personally compliment everyone.” 

Bucky watches the scene unfold: one by one, Steve walks up to every Avenger and gives them two compliments, whether it be on looks or anything Steve deems “honorable.” When Steve walks up to you he exclaims: “Oh, y/n! What a wonderful young woman. You are so smart and intelligent, you’re gonna far, that I know of.”

You couldn’t stop laughing at this newfound side of Steve. He must’ve gotten back from a date, because it has been a while since he’s been this giddy. Everyone’s confused at what’s happening, but are appreciative of Steve’s kind words.

Once again, you and Bucky lock eyes and you start smiling. Bucky gave himself a little pep talk before he cooly walked towards you. Bucky leaves the little bottle of the love potion on the kitchen island and then proceeds to walk. 

You scooted over to make room for Bucky on the floor, and he brushed his hand against yours while he got himself situated. Intentional or not, but it did make your cheeks flare-up. 

“So what brings you over here?” you asked, as you continued to work on your notebook.

“Nothing really,” Bucky replied with all honesty, “I just wanted to see you working, it’s soothing, if I’m being frank.”

Bucky flashed a small smile and you reciprocated. “It’s nothing too crazy, Buck. But I’m glad you enjoy my company. In fact, I too also enjoy your company. How about that?

Bucky was really happy at how things were going between the two of you, that he outwardly forgot about the potion he drank. He didn’t feel any change, except for the fact that he wanted to hang out with you.  He just feels… a little bit more confident. 

An hour had passed, and in that time you and Bucky had resorted to playing tic-tac-toe, hangman, and even teach Bucky some calligraphy. This couldn’t be classified as a date, but Bucky is enjoying the moment anyway. You and Bucky had decided to move to the kitchen island, where you had made him a cup of tea. 

Then, in comes Sam bursting into the large room, with Steve slowly tagging behind. They must’ve gone to play basketball outside, as they were heaving and glistening with sweat. Sam was creating a loud ruckus, talking about how Steve cheated, and there should be a rematch.

Bucky started to zone out Sam’s blabbering and gave his attention to you. Right now, you were trying to draw Bucky, to no avail. It looked like a chunky stick figure with outlandish hair. Bucky complimented you on how the sketch should go to the Met, earning a laugh from you.

Suddenly, Sam eyes the glass bottle on the island. “Oh sweet! Beet juice: a nice refresher after working out.”

Bucky hummed in response, eyes glued on the paper that you had. It wasn’t until Sam made a loud aahh sound, and then proceeded to say, “that juice must've expired, ‘cause it smelled like floor cleaner.”

Steve and Bucky whipped their heads to each other, eyes wide in surprise. Oh no, Sam drank the concoction. You saw the look of concern on both the super-soldiers’ faces, and you’re trying to think of any possible outcome. 

Steve scrambles to Wanda, and tells her what happens. She shoots up from her seat and goes over to where you and Bucky are seated. She orders Steve to keep an eye on Sam while dialing Phoebe. 

“Is everything okay, Buck?” you asked with such innocence. You really don’t know what’s going on, and a part of you doesn’t want to know.

Bucky reassures you that everything is going to be okay… probably. Truthfully, he didn’t know, but he didn’t want to frighten you.

Steve comes running back into the kitchen and pants out, “it’s bad… he’s talking to all the ladies… couldn’t catch up… but Thor is after him…” 

Wanda yelled at Steve for leaving behind Sam, and then her attention went to the phone. It was Phoebe, and she was on speakerphone:

Wanda, you didn’t tell me that I was dealing with super-soldiers! I gave them both regular-sized doses, and that’s why they didn’t feel anything…. And you’re telling me Sam chugged the bottle?! Jesus, what are we gonna do. I’m on my way! I’m gonna be using magic to get there, so don’t get alarmed. And whatever you do: don’t leave Sam out of sight.

As Wanda and Phoebe kept raising their voices at each other through the phone, your head was spinning as to why there was mention of doses and potions. You turned to Bucky, who still looked mortified at the situation at hand. 

“Mind telling me what’s all the hubbub, James?” you proposed. 

“It was Steve’s idea!” Bucky retorted. It was time to come clean, and start the healing process, stat. “Steve told me I should do something about my crush on you. But I was too scared to initiate anything because you’re so pretty and amazing… And then Wanda’s cousin Phoebe gave us a love potion but it didn’t work on us. It did make Steve super complimentary to everyone, and I just got super nervous,  but that’s it. But it did work on Sam.”

You blinked at what Bucky just said. It was… a lot. You didn’t know where to start when it came to this newfound news. Then you started to laugh.

“Oh, James,” you sighed, earning another blush from Bucky, “I’m glad you tried to take some type of initiative to talk to me, but I didn’t know you had a little pick-me-up. But since you said it didn’t work on you and hardly on Steve… then how did you muster up the courage to talk to me?”

You got Bucky there. He was stumped, and started pondering. “I guess by my own accord? If a potion wasn’t gonna work, then I guess it was time for me to make a move. Hopefully, it worked?”

Your smile towards Bucky says it all. You nodded and then went up to his cheek and planted a kiss. “Next time, just strike up a conversation, Buck. I mean, look at what we accomplished today.”

Bucky nodded in agreement, and as soon as he was going to go in for another kiss, Wanda burst in.

“You gotta come check this out, quick!” 

Sure enough, you and Bucky raced to the lobby, and basked in the sight in front of them. 

There was Sam, chatting up every girl he sees. He was kissing everything in sight and was endlessly flirting. Sam made eye contact with you and quickly ran up to you and planted the wettest kiss you’ve had in a very long time. “When you’re no longer busy with Tin Man tonight, give me a call, sugar.”

You couldn’t stop cracking up at Sam’s antics. The whole team was stunned at what Sam was doing, all while Phoebe was trying to cast a spell to stop the chaos. Phoebe was fast, but Sam drunk on a love potion was much, much faster.

“Guess I saved myself on that one, eh Doll,” Bucky offered, earning a snicker out of you.

“You may be right, but I would’ve given you a big wet kiss if you asked,” you responded while cackling. Bucky joined in the laughter, happy that he was still able to have that spark with his girl, potion or not. 

As you leaned closer to Bucky, you saw Sam run up to a cop outside the building and saw him give him a full kiss on the lips. The cop got enraged and called his other buddy and started handcuffing Sam. At that moment, Phoebe used a spell to wear off the potion, and sure enough, Sam slowly started to calm down.

At his new state, Sam’s eyes widen. “Steve! Barnes! What the hell did you do to me! What the fuck was in that beet juice!”

Bucky cackled, “oh you know, a love potion. Nothing too crazy.”

Sam started shouting obscenities at the boys, while he was being escorted back up the tower, presumably now under house arrest.

“When I get outta house arrest, I’m  gonna put that potion where your mouth is!” 

“Have fun with that, lover boy!” Bucky called out, as you couldn’t control your laughter. “Now, where were we?”

“Staring into each other’s eyes, I assume,” you answered, as Bucky grabbed a hold of your hand.

Bucky smiled at your response, “that sounds like a wonderful activity to resume, y/n. Ah, but don’t worry, there is no potion in my system anymore.”

“I hope so,” you warned, “otherwise you’re gonna get an earful again.”

You and Bucky shared a laugh, the first of many while observing Sam’s chaotic energy.

#Bucky Barnes #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes imagines #writings #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x you #marvel imagine #marvel imagines #marvel fic #marvel mcu #mcu imagine #mcu fanart #mcu fanfiction #Sebastian Stan #Winter Soldier #the winter soldier #avengers x reader #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes one shot #bucky #bucky fluff #sam wilson #sam wilson x reader

[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.14

Camelot. Courtyard. (Finally arriving back at the castle, Lancelot leads the knights into the courtyard where Morgana has been addressing the people.) Morgana: (Directly to Lancelot:) "As your Queen, I expect your allegiance and devotion." Lancelot: (Dismounting his horse:) "Is that right? Well it just so happens that there is but one Queen that we recognise. Long live Queen Quinevere!" Knights: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" Morgana: (Coldly:) "I will give you one more chance to pledge your allegiance to me." Lancelot: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" Knights: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" (To Morgana's dismay, several of the villagers and courtiers begin to chant along with the knights.) Morgause: (Stepping in:) "Perhaps this will help you change your mind." (Morgause raises her hand and several soldiers raise their crossbows.) Lancelot: (Defiantly:) "Long live Queen Guinevere! (Using her powers, Morgause forces the soldiers to turn and point their crossbows at the unarmed villagers:) No!" (Before the men can shoot however, a battle cry is heard as Xena and Gabrielle arrive. Hurling her chakram, Xena disables the crossbows while flipping in mid air and catching the weapon upon its return.) Gabrielle: (Seeing the glint return to Xena's eyes:) "I guess I don't need to ask if you're ready to fight." Xena: (Drawing her sword and twirling it:) "Bring 'em on."

(A battle breaks out between the soldiers loyal to Morgana and the knights. Xena and Gabrielle evening up the odds for Lancelot's men. Somehow managing to remain unnoticed amongst the fighting, Merida raises her bow and points it towards the balcony. Knowing that she'll only get one shot, Merida is torn and unable to decide who to shoot before reinforcements arrive in the courtyard.) Morgana: "Take them to the dungeons! (To Morgause:) Have Lancelot brought to the throne room." Morgause: "Yes, Your Highness." (Morgana leaves the balcony while Morgause watches with a satisfied smile as the rebels are rounded up below.) Neverland. (Armed with her own bow and arrow, Tiger Lily leads Regina and Emma through the uneven terrain as they carry Maria between them.) Emma: "So you mean to tell me that since Pan left, magic has pretty much disappeared from Neverland?" Tiger Lily: "Mostly, yes. There are still pockets of magic scattered across the island, but not many." Regina: "Obviously Pan's hideaway is one of those pockets and once we're back inside it, we can poof ourselves back home." Emma: "Is that why you're still here? You were stranded once the magic left?" Tiger Lily: "No, mine is a self imposed exile. This existence, where I am far from the temptations of magic, suits me much better." Emma: "Is that because of what happened with Rumplestiltskin? Is that what drove you away?" Tiger Lily: (Shakes her head:) "Those events took place hundreds of years ago, Emma. I continued my duties as a fairy godmother to countless children after Rumplestiltskin." Regina: "So what caused you to give up that life?" Tiger Lily: (Stops walking and faces them:) "There was another child who’s fate was forever altered by my actions. A beautiful baby girl was born to the King and Queen of a powerful nation. All was well at first, until the day it was discovered that the girl held magical powers. The King had come to power at a time where the people were distrustful of magic. Indeed, it was the King who had ordered many people, including children, to be drowned if they were discovered to possess magic." Regina: "The Great Purge. You're talking about Uther Pendragon?" Tiger Lily: (Nodding, continues:) "Queen Ygraine begged me to save her child from that same fate. And so, under the cover of darkness, I smuggled the infant Morgause out of Camelot and gave her to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion to raise. Uther was told that the child had died and I swore an oath never to reveal my actions to anyone. After that, I left my life as a fairy behind me, determined never again to play a part in ruining another child's life." Emma: "You know, if she and Morgana hadn't just put a bounty on my head, I might've felt sorry for Morgause." Regina: (Looking behind them:) "Speaking of which, it seems we have a few bounty hunters on our tail." Tiger Lily: "Lost Boys. Quick, this way!" (Regina and Emma follow Tiger Lily while the hollering of the Lost Boys draws ever nearer.)

Arendelle. (With everyone now awake and the party cancelled, Elsa is pacing worriedly as she learns that Lily hasn’t been seen or heard from. Anna speaks to Hook and Rumplestiltskin who were called to aid in the search. Kristoff is casually holding onto a chair, attempting to remain calm.) Elsa: "So, no one has heard from Lily? There's been no sightings from anyone in the castle?" Kristoff: "Since you asked me ten seconds ago? Nope." Hook: “Something is definitely going on here. First my wife goes missing, now my daughter.” Anna: (Suddenly grabbing him by his shirt:) “All right, Mr. Pirate Man, think! Who have you messed with that would want to take their revenge on you by kidnapping Lily?!” Kristoff: (Helpfully:) “And Maleficent.” Anna: “Her too. (Shaking Hook:) Well?!” Elsa: “Anna! Release him this instant!” (With a growl, Anna releases Hook. Kristoff takes her hand and moves her away.) Hook: “It’s all right, love. I’ve been asking myself the same question since I got here. The truth is, I just don’t know who would want to do this.” Rumplestiltskin: “There is the possibility that this has nothing to do with revenge. We don’t even know if the two disappearances are connected. Maleficent could simply be spending sometime alone. Perhaps she’s in the Forbidden Fortress as we speak?” Anna: “Well, Lily has definitely been taken. She wouldn’t just get up and leave my sister’s birthday party. We’ve been working on it together for months!” Elsa: “I can't just sit here. I'm going after her.” Kristoff: “Go where? There are no tracks to follow.” Elsa: “That’s impossible. Lily can’t just have vanished.” Kristoff: (Sighs:) “I don’t suppose there’s any point in trying to stop you?” Elsa: “You can't. I'm the queen.” Rumplestiltskin: (Cutting in:) “Which is exactly why you need to stay in Arendelle. There has already been one Queen overthrown today. Until we know exactly what’s going on, we can’t rule out any possibility.” Elsa: “You think someone kidnapped Lily in an attempt to get me to abdicate?” (At that moment, a guard enters without knocking, clearly with important news.) Guard: "Your majesty. I apologize for barging in like this, but we have news from one of our scouts.” Elsa: (Hopeful:) “Have you found Lily?” Guard: “No. But they discovered something else in their search.” (He hands Elsa a leather wrapped piece of parchment. Elsa reads the report on the parchment.) Anna: “What does it say?” Elsa: “Lady Helen, or at least the real Lady Helen, was found dead in the outskirts of the forest.” Kristoff: “Well that's one less person to interrogate. Look, I know every inch of those mountains out there. Let me go and start the search for Lily.” Elsa: “No, you're not going anywhere. It's too dangerous. If Mr. Stiltskin’s right and Lily was taken because of me then the kidnappers would be only too happy to capture my brother in law too." Kristoff: “So I'll be real careful.” Elsa: “You're staying right here. As you said, I am the queen of Arendelle. So let me be the queen and handle it.”

A Cave. Location Unknown. (Much like Elsa, Lily is seen pacing. Unlike Elsa, Lily is confined to a cage. Grabbing the bars, she shakes them violently, screaming to be let out. Crouching down in the corner of her cell, Lily attempts to metamorphose into her dragon form.) Balinor: (Entering the cave carrying firewood:) "That won't work. (Lily opens her eyes and stares at the man:) That cage is designed to keep you contained in your current form." Lily: "Why am I here? What do you want with me?" Balinor: "That can wait. I was told you didn't get to eat anything at your fancy party. (Indicates the firewood:) So I'm fixing dinner." Lily: "I have powerful allies. Friends and family who will come looking for me. My mother-" Balinor: "We know about your mother." (They stare at each other, Balinor dropping his gaze first.) Lily: "What have you done with her?" Balinor: (Walks away:) "Don't worry yourself needlessly tonight, little one." Lily: "Where is she? Do you hear me? What have you done with her?!"  Wonderland. Grendel's House. (Still sitting on the kitchen floor and struggling with her bonds, Ella looks to Will who continues to stare at the images playing over and over within the knot.) Ella: “Will, let's get out of here. I can't find my mother if I'm dead. Forget the knot.” Will: “We've got to have it. Let me talk to him. Don't worry. I'm good with monsters.” Ella: “No. This is for me, and I say we find another way.” Will: “This is for me, too, and we're doing it. (Cheerily:) Excuse me, Mr. Grendel? That woman that you've been looking at, she's quite lovely.” Grendel: “Stop talking.” Will: “Do you know her? Does she have a name?” (The Grendel growls and stalks over to Will, raising his hand. Then, his attention caught by the images playing in the Forget-Me-Knot, The Grendel calms, watching.) Young Woman: “Tell it again, dear. I love that story.” Young Man: “I would gladly tell it to you-” Grendel: “Forever.” (The Grendel sighs as the young couple kiss.) Will: “She was yours, wasn't she? You loved her. (Grendel growls:) Losing someone you truly love, it can change you.” Grendel: “How do you know?” Will: “Because the way you look is how I felt. Believe me, I understand what you're going through.” Ella: (Whispers:) “Keep talking. It's working.” Will: “I say that the only way to move on is to leave the past behind ya. Looking through that knot, thinking about her, seeing her, remembering her. It hurts too much! You want to move on, you have to let go of the hurt. It's the only way.” Grendel: “I don't want to move on.” Will: “Sometimes you don't have a choice. It's for the best, mate. Trust me.” Grendel: “Silence! (He grabs an axe, pointing it at Will:) Dinner time.” (The Grendel walks over to the fireplace and adds another log to the flames.)

Storybrooke. Mayor's Office. (Snow White stands with her arms folded, clearly ready to argue.) Snow White: "Just admit it. You feel embarrassed about the jousting competition and you don't want to show your face at the camp site." David: "I am not embarrassed. Aladdin won fair and square. He got to his feet before I did. I have nothing to be ashamed of." Snow White: "No, of course not. Neither did Humpty Dumpty." David: (While Snow sniggers with laughter:) "Oh I see, you're enjoying this. All right, laugh it up. (Snow does, continuing to laugh:) I refuse to be embarrassed by something you're partially responsible for. (Snow continues to giggle, using her hands to mime David trying and failing to get back to his feet:) You know what? Fine. You want to hear an embarrassing story, how about this..." Storybrooke. Recent Past. Outside Swan-Mills House. (Emma waits outside for David to pick her up in the police cruiser when she receives a call.) Emma: "Hey, 'Gina, what's up?" Regina: "Oh, nothing, just missing you. We both are." Emma: (Smiles:) "Yeah? You guys still in bed?" Regina: "We sure are. Want to see?" Emma: (Looking around to make sure she's alone:) "I'd love that." Regina: "Hang on a sec." (Emma waits a moment, then receives a photo of Regina and baby Maria laying in bed together.) Emma: "Aw, you look so comfy, now I'm gonna miss you both even more." Regina: "I know, but we'll be right here waiting for you when you get home." Emma: (Smirks, looking back towards the house:) "You know technically I'm still at home." Regina: "Then come back to bed." Emma: (Sighs:) "You know I can't. They're short-handed at the station. (David pulls up alongside her:) David's here, I better go." Regina: "Hm. Well all right, but only if you call me that name I like. (Emma, seeing David stepping out of the car, mutters something unintelligible:) What was that? I couldn't hear you." Emma: (Louder:) "I said I love you, Smoopsie Poo." David: (Standing behind Emma:) "Damnit!" (Emma spins around to face her father, utterly mortified.) Regina: (Magically putting herself on speaker:) "I told you I could get her to say it." David: "Yeah, yeah you did." (David passes by Emma, walking to the front door and posts twenty dollars through the letterbox.) Emma: "Wait, you guys set me up?" (Emma receives another photo, this time of Regina with her tongue out and the caption: ‘Sorry, Snuggle Bunny.’) Regina: (Chuckling:) "Have a good day, Sheriff." (Regina hangs up.) Mayor's Office. Present. Snow White: (Having listened to David's story:) "Well sure, that's a little embarrassing, but you can bet Emma didn't just take that lying down. And that's all I'm saying, David. Yes, you were humiliated, but that doesn't mean you can just hide out here all day." David: (Putting his hands up:) "You're right, of course you're right. I'll see you tonight." (David leaves and Snow returns to her paperwork.)

Mayor's Office. Recent Past. (Stuck in a boring council meeting, Regina sits behind her desk reading through a stack of papers while Snow White makes her closing statement. Although used to tolerating her former step-daughter/current mother-in-law's long, rambling speeches, Regina isn't exactly thrilled to be forced to listen to one less than a week removed from the end of her maternity leave. After reading the same sentence for the third time and still not understanding it, Regina glances up to see Archie asking Snow a question that will undoubtedly prolong the meeting for at least another ten minutes. Resignedly, Regina returns her attention to her papers. After finally managing to read through the document, Regina places it face down on her desk before picking up another. The next document in question is actually a letter market 'urgent', written in familiar handwriting. Looking up once more to check it isn't time for her to speak, Regina slices open the letter and begins to read.)

Dear Mayor Swan-Mills,

Please can you help me as I have nowhere else to turn. It seems I have spent the whole day baking and yet have no one here to taste the 'forbidden fruits' of my labour. As you can see from the enclosed photograph, the kitchen really did become quite hot, but I managed to keep my apron on regardless.

Hoping you are well, Emma

P.S. Maria is asleep and if you're not home in five minutes, I'm starting without you. xxx

Regina: (Practically jumping to her feet:) "This meeting is adjourned." Archie: "But I was just-" Regina: "I said we are done here!" (The members of the council meeting begin to file out of the office while Regina starts stuffing papers frantically into her bag.) Snow White: (Concerned:) "Is everything all right?" Regina: (Distractedly:) "Hm? Oh, yes it's fine. I just have to leave, immediately. (As Snow continues to stare at her:) Really, it's nothing. Your daughter's laid out a lovely spread... (An explicit image flashes in her minds eye:) Er... I mean she's in heat. (Gasps:) I mean Emma's prepared something hot and I have to go and eat her. I mean the meal! Oh, whatever!" (As a flustered Regina disappears in a cloud of smoke, Snow shakes her head knowingly, not having been fooled for a second.)

Neverland. Present. (Still too far from Pan's Hideout, Regina, Emma and Tiger Lily decide to take a stand. Placing Maria's carrier on the ground, they turn to face the oncoming group of Lost Boys.) Lost Boy 1: "Over there!" Emma: "Listen, we don't want any trouble and clearly we're not going to fight you." Lost Boy 1: "There's only one thing we want from you." Regina: (Stepping forward:) "If you think I'm going to let a group of unwashed adolescents claim the bounty on my wife's head-" Lost Boy 1: "Bounty? What do we care about a bounty? We're here to make you pay for what happened to Pan." Storybrooke. Main Street. (Presumably headed towards the mines, Happy and Grumpy walk down the street with their pickaxes over their shoulders. At the sound of horses approaching, the dwarves turn to see three knights arrive on horseback.) Grumpy: (One of the knights dismounts and draws his sword:) "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to mess with a dwarf and his pickaxe?" (Grumpy swings and is quickly disarmed. Happy's axe is taken from him without a fight. Forced to their knees, the dwarves look up to see the third knight remove his helmet.) Third Knight: "Didn't anyone ever teach you to kneel before your betters? Now, tell me where Emma Swan is."

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

[bucky-smiles]

Doing Good

A oneshot? WOAH! Happy Early Halloween, here’s yall’s treat. Big love to @honeybucks and @delicatelyherdreams for betaing and helping in making my insecurities about this a little less. I’m going to note and say that flashbacks are not in chronological order. That’s all I’m saying though!

Prompt: This is an entry for my @star-spangled-bingo card for the Domestic AU square! If Bucky didn’t “die” in the war... Set in the late 60s and based on The Gambler by fun. 

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.6k+

Warnings: Fluff, angst, description of injury, mentions of blood and PTSD, war, children 

Honest to God, Bucky Barnes always wondered how the hell he got to where he was. The last thing that he thought of when growing up was that he’d end up with the life he has now. The focus then was staying alive and getting by on the tiny sums given to him on all of the paychecks he received from the jobs he worked. 

Falling in love was the last thing on his mind… Although he did indulge himself in that world from time to time. 

Even though Bucky and Steve were living paycheck to paycheck, they still tried to make the most of their lives by going to dance clubs, bars, and Coney Island whenever they had a little bit extra they could spend. That’s what happened the night his life changed for the better. That’s what happened the night he met her. 

It was a chillier night in Brooklyn when Bucky convinced Steve to go out for a night of dancing with dames. Steve didn’t want to, but figured he’d just indulge his best friend rather that listening to all the complaints Bucky would have about staying in. So there they were, the loud music hitting them the moment they entered the place. There was laughing, glasses clinking, and a jazz band ready to play to the night’s end… And Bucky’s smile and excitement made going out worth it to Steve.

Bucky was already scoping out the area, looking for potential dance partners as Steve found them a booth to put their jackets down at.. Also where Steve would likely be spending most of the night. Bucky got two coke bottles, moving to where Steve was sat and setting them down. He removed his jacket and set it down in the booth, eyes still flitting about the smiling faces in the vicinity. 

That's when his steel blue eyes meet hers... It was barely a glance, in all honesty. Bucky and her eyes bounced off each other before moving to other people and parts of the room.. The eye contact was unintentional, not to be spoken about again to anyone if brought up.. They didn’t even know it happened in all honesty, so what was the point?

The moment  Y/N looked back to Bucky was when she realized that there was a good looking, brunet man without a dance partner. Or at least without a visible dance partner. If she asked him to dance, what was the worst thing that could happen? Rejection? That wasn’t all that big a threat.. Especially if she’d never see him again after this.. Which was why she found herself moving in his direction, her own coke bottle in hand as she moved. 

When Bucky noticed a pretty girl coming his way, his heart found its way into his throat. She took his breath away and just.. Wow.. 

He was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open when the girl flashed him a bright smile before speaking, “Hiya! I’m Y/N.. Wanna dance?” 

Love at second sight. 

“Bucky, did I schedule people to handle the shop today? I can’t remem-” Y/N walked into their shared bedroom, the stress radiating from her. She had a habit of misplacing her journal that had all of these notes and would go on a stress spree trying to remember everything. 

“Doll,” Bucky interrupted, “you know you did.. You’re a good shop owner, don’t stress this much..” The man sits up in bed, metal arm creaking just a little bit as he boosts himself. “C’mere.. It’s barely 10.. We have time left to be lazy..” There was a soft smile on his lips and it quickly passed to Y/N’s as well and she let out a quiet sigh before moving to get back into bed beside her husband of 30 years, curling up into his side and wrapping an arm around his bare torso. 

“You’re right.. M’sorry..” Y/N lets out a quiet laugh before continuing, “I still have to find the damn journal though.. But.. Yeah later.. It’s fine.. You’re right, we have time..” She looks up to her husband before tapping his side gently, “What’s got you in such a good mood, hm? Sleep real well or something?”

Bucky leans down and presses a soft kiss to his wife’s forehead before speaking, “That and.. And I was thinking about us.. And how far we’ve come.. And all that.. Hey, don’t give me that look, I’m feeling nostalgic..” He laughs a little at the way that Y/N wrinkled her nose a little. 

“You’re such a sap, Buck..” 

“I know.. But I’m your sap.”

“So how does a beautiful doll like you end up working in a diner, hm? You should be in Hollywood or something,” That was Bucky speaking as he walked Y/N home. This was their third date now. They hadn’t counted the first night of dancing.. But every time they were together after that was most definitely a date. 

Y/N had Bucky’s jacket draped over her shoulders as they walked and his statement caused her to roll her eyes. She was toying with the singular rose that Bucky had gotten her earlier that evening and raised her shoulders in a gentle shrug, “The depression isn’t doing anyone favors, Bucky.. My parents need the money so I’m tryna help em’ as much as I can. Can’t do much else now that I’m 18.” 

Bucky knew the feeling, especially since he had moved in with Steve. But Y/N knew his situation for the most part. Only 3 dates and Bucky wanted to tell her everything there was to know about him. Even better, he wanted to give her everything too; his time, body, mind, and soul. Although Bucky figured that that would be a little strange to say all things considered. He’d only known Y/N for a couple of weeks now and was already feeling so strongly. 

“And if your parents didn’t need the money? What would you be doing?” Bucky felt this need to know everything about her. What she wanted from life, her hopes and dreams, worst fears and pet peeves. Anything she was willing to talk about. 

The question causes her to smile a little bit and she lets out a quiet, breathy laugh, “I’d still work.. But I’d save the money to open a flower shop of my own.” 

Bucky’s smile brightened at her words. Here she was with the desire to start her own business. Y/N really was the smartest girl in the world wasn’t she. He didn’t think twice as he spoke, “You know what doll?”

Y/N’s brow raises playfully as she looks to Bucky, “What, Buck?”

“When all the depression business is over, m’gonna stop just giving you a rose every time I see ya.. I’m gonna put the money in to help that shop of yours.. Cause’ you’re gonna make it big. I already know it.” And truly, Bucky meant every word he spoke. This wasn’t just flirting, rather a way to show how impressed he was by this girl. 

Y/N shakes her head a little at that, “We’ll see when the ‘depression business’ is over.. In the meantime, just stick with the roses.” She bonks the top of Bucky’s head with the rose as she speaks, a bright smile on her lips. He was cute with little things like that. It made Y/N’s heart swell. 

In response, Bucky only takes Y/N’s hand, swinging it between the two of them gently as they continue to walk under the starry night on the Brooklyn streets. 

Y/N lets out a quiet sigh as she shifts for just a moment to look at the clock. Seeing that it was only a little past 1 in the afternoon, she relaxes against her husband once more, looking up to him and smiling softly, “None of them are gonna be here for a few more hours.. We have more time..” 

Bucky tightens his grip around Y/N and kisses her forehead gently, looking down to meet her gaze, “I know.. That’s why I haven’t gotten out of bed yet, doll.” He leans down to kiss her properly, holding it for a few moments before pulling away, “I wish we could have more of them, ya know? I miss when they were all babies and we got to raise them and all of that..” 

Y/N laughs quietly at his words and nods her head a little, “Yeah me too.. Except I don’t miss carrying them around for 9 months.. And I don’t miss waking up every other hour.. Plus, we’re too old to have any more. I know for sure that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with a baby. And no matter how badly you want to, I know you wouldn’t either.” 

The man lets out a long sigh. His wife was always right, he knew that for sure. She was so smart and always said the things that he wouldn’t want to say. And she was right in all of this too. Now at 52, life was getting to be just a little more difficult. His arm didn’t make things easier. He could feel his mobility declining and, while it was natural, Bucky still didn’t want to give up his young soul and childish tendencies. “Yeah, I know, doll.. But a guy can dream, ya know?”

“Yeah yeah, I know.. Did Winnie say if she was coming or not?” Y/N let her hand drift over Bucky’s chest, drawing random patterns over the area as she spoke. This entire thing was planned because Winnie said she was going to be in town so hopefully she wouldn’t cancel last minute.. Not that they’d mind if she did, their daughter was an especially important woman in her work world. 

“She said she wouldn’t miss it for the world, doll.. I made her promise that much..” Their first daughter with eyes and drive both from her father. Winnie was, by far, the one that gave her parents the most trouble but in the most unconventional ways. Her younger brother, Grant, was much more of a handful when they were all growing up. 

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Barnes, his pneumonia doesn’t seem to be getting any better,” The doctor had a somber look on his face as he got up from little Grant’s bedside. “The medicine can only do so much.. And the cold climate isn’t helping his situation anymore..” 

Y/N was clutching the collar of her shirt as she listened to the doctor, taking her bottom lip between her teeth at his mention of the weather. “Are you suggesting that we move, doctor? Pick up our entire life from Brooklyn and go somewhere warmer?”

The doctor lets out a long sigh at Y/N’s question before shrugging, “At this point? With the severity of his condition? I really do think that it’d help a lot more with the medicines..” And with that, the doctor left, leaving a heartbroken Y/N thinking about the family having to leave their entire livelihood in Brooklyn for another life somewhere else. 

“Ma?” A quiet Grant spoke from bed, “We don’t hafta move, ma.. I can handle this.” 

Y/N lets out a quiet, breathy laugh at his words before nodding her head, “I bet you can, baby boy.. I’ll talk to your dad. How does that sound?” She rests a hand over the swell of her belly where another child rested before moving to her son’s bedside. “You’re such a strong boy.. I’m so proud of you..” And he was exactly like his namesake, it seemed. 

When Bucky came home that night, he wasn’t expecting Y/N to say what she did.. And it broke his heart.. Y/N being pregnant, Winnie being in third grade, and Grant so ill made the circumstances so much more difficult. But they could lose their son and they sure as hell were not going to risk him for their personal comfort and life. 

A few months later, the Barnes’ said goodbye to Brooklyn and hopped on a plane to San Diego, California. It was an up and coming city with nice weather and good people from the sound of it. Y/N had sold her flower shop in Brooklyn and started a new one up in their new city. Grant got better with time and the warmer air. Winnie made new friends quite quickly in her new school. And eventually, Y/N and Bucky welcomed their third child only 4 months after settling down in their new home. 

“Can you believe Grant is 25 now.. And bringing his girlfriend with him tonight..” That was Bucky speaking again, tugging the blanket further up over his and his wife’s body. California had been an adjustment they had to make.. But Bucky had grown to enjoy it quite a bit. He did miss Brooklyn at times but it was fine.. They were fine and their kids turned out just fine. And Grant was all grown up and okay. A true man, in Bucky’s eyes, especially because he couldn’t be more like his mother. Everyone was a lover in both of their eyes and optimism was of utmost importance. 

“Mhm.. And Winnie being pregnant yet travelling so much.. Something else..” Y/N laughs a little as she speaks. It was in moments like this that she felt especially old. Their kids were all grown up and doing their own thing.. And Y/N and Bucky were there, laying in bed, just fine and surviving. 

Surviving used to be a trial in itself. Especially when Bucky was serving during World War II. Y/N nearly shuddered at the thought, pressing closer to Bucky. 

“What is it, hm?” Bucky had a concerned look on his face at Y/N’s sudden actions, looking down at her with a curious gaze, “You alright?”

Y/N nods at his question, offering a weak smile reassuringly, “It’s crazy to think I nearly lost you at one point is all.. I dunno what I’d have done if I did..” 

Bucky lets out a quiet sigh at Y/N’s words and his gaze trails off to one of the walls of their room. “You didn’t though, and that’s all that matters..” 

1945 was by far the most difficult year Y/N had ever gone through. Bucky had received his papers towards the end of 1942, right after Winnifred Barnes was welcomed into the world. And 1943 was when he left his new daughter and wife of now 3 years. He could only come back twice in his time gone, both only for a couple of weeks which he spent with his family before he’d have to go back. The second time, he left his wife pregnant. One of his biggest regrets will always be that he missed Grant’s birth. The namesake came forth as Y/N’s only reassurance of Steve being there with her husband in Europe. 

Steve and Bucky had kept the capture in between them for the most part. Y/N knew bits and pieces of Azzano. Mainly that it was a difficult battle to win and that it was Steve’s debut as Captain America. She also knew that Bucky went through a lot but she was never told what. Bucky hated having her worry so he figured it’d just be best to avoid the situation. 

One thing Bucky knew for sure was that he would not let the horrors of war come to Y/N. Her eyes were too bright and her soul too warm to be tainted by the darkness of the wars. She saw hope in everyone.. But Bucky knew the truth of what he sees and what his fellow soldiers have been through… And he knows what that knowledge would do to his beloved wife.. So he keeps it away the best he can. 

He couldn’t keep it away, however, when the train accident occurred. 

Y/N had nearly lost her husband. There he was, hanging for his dear life from the side of a moving train when Steve managed to grab him and pull him to safety. However in the commotion, the jagged metal of the train got caught in Bucky’s shoulder. Attempting to get the metal off of him made the injury all the worse and it was a miracle that Bucky survived all the blood loss and managed to stay alive through all of the surgeries. 

Y/N got a call 2 weeks afterwards.. She had begun to get antsy as she hadn’t received Bucky’s weekly letter in two weeks.. Something wasn’t right, she knew it.. But no one would tell her anything. 

The woman had just gotten a toddler Winnifred and baby Grant to bed when the phone rang. She quickly picked it up in fear of waking the kids up and reversing all of her hard work, “Hello?”

“... Y/N?” Steve was speaking from the other line. It sounded like he hadn’t slept in days. 

“Stevie? What.. What happened? Is Bucky okay?”

“Y/N you’re going to want to sit down for this..” 

The work earlier in not wanting to wake up the children was in vain. Y/N’s shrieks at the news woke them up anyways. 

After that, Y/N got her mother to watch the kids for the week and Stark flew the plane himself to get Y/N from a covert military base. She was the wife of a Howling Commando, after all, and was to be treated with nothing but respect. 

Y/N was scared to see Bucky. The surgery had gone fine but he no longer had his left arm. She just.. God, it was terrifying to think that the man she loves the most had gone through this much pain and that she couldn’t do anything about it. 

The woman took a seat beside Bucky’s hospital bed and took his right hand gently, pressing a kiss to the back of it. Her husband was asleep, safe from the horrors of war to her knowledge.. And he seemed peaceful, like the Bucky she’d met nearly 10 years ago. 

It made Y/N cry quietly. What had war done to her love?

“You said you aren’t leaving till it’s our time.. And it isn’t our time.. I’m not quitting and you can’t either, Bucky.. You can’t leave me, Winnie, and Grant by ourselves. We need you. And I wouldn’t be able to survive without you..” Y/N presses another kiss to the back of his hand, pushing his almost shaggy hair back gently on his forehead. “I know you’re sleeping.. But I promise.. I’m not ever leaving your side.. As long as I can hold your hand, I’m not leaving you.” 

Y/N had to nudge Bucky a little to bring him out of the trance he’d fallen into thinking about war. He’d gotten discharged after the accident and spent time back at home getting himself together. Once the war was over, Stark helped Bucky’s arm situation out by fashioning a state of the art prosthetic for him. It wasn’t enough for Bucky as it wasn’t his arm. But he made due with it and would often go in to get things refitted and reworked. 

Bucky blinked a couple of times, clenching and unclenching his metal hand before looking back to Y/N and offering a weak smile, “I’m glad you never left me after the accident. Don’t know what I would’ve done.” 

With a roll of her eyes, Y/N sits up and runs a hand through her own hair before stretching out, “How could I? I love you too much.” The woman flashes a fond smile to her husband before moving to get out of bed, “Come on, the kids are all gonna be here soon.. We best get everything ready.” 

And so Y/N and Bucky worked in tandem getting everything together for their kids’ arrival. Lucy was the first to arrive, a taxi from the bus station bringing her right back home from her studies at UCLA. At the age of 19, she was on her way in the world of biology. Everyone knew she was going to make it big. 

Grant came home afterwards, his girlfriend by the name of Jane, on his arm. He was excited that his girl got to meet the entire family now. 

After Grant came Junior.. His name was James but the nickname was quickly taken up as Bucky’s full name oftentimes made him cringe. He was still in school, studying business as his working at his mother’s flower shop since a young age put him in a world he didn’t want to leave. 

And lastly, but most certainly not least, came Winnifred. Her belly was swollen and her husband was on her arm. Y/N was absolutely delighted that she was to be a grandmother soon. 

Dinner passed and all the Barnes siblings had filed to the expansive backyard. Junior was talking with Winnifred’s husband, Grant was handling the dishes with his girlfriend, and Lucy was talking with Winnifred about her plans for the baby. 

Y/N and Bucky watched from where they were sitting, fond smiles on their face. 

“Hey, Bucky?” Y/N spoke gently, her eyes slowly drifting to her husband. 

Bucky looks to her, his smile brightening just a little, “Yeah, doll?”

She takes his metal hand, her finger running over the gold band that’d been smelted onto his left finger before squeezing his hand gently, “We did good..” 

The man lets his gaze drift off to his children again, and the people they’d chosen for their lives like Bucky had done for his. Eventually, he nods a little, squeezing his wife’s hand right back. “Yeah, doll.. We did.”

~ Taglist! ~ (Send in an ask to be tagged in the future!) 

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Bucky Barnes Taglist:  @love-dria @starkrobb​

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x you #marvel fanfiction #marvel x reader #marvel x you #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky x you #bucky fanfiction #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #bucky oneshot #bucky barnes oneshot #marvel oneshot #domestic au

[trashcatsnark]

FC5 GFH: Deputy Dahlia Hale

I was tagged by the awesome @shallow-gravy, to do this uhhhhhh a while ago, but this took a lot of time. I will be tagging @enchantedbythebidders and @kizucute and @madsismad if any of you want to, and anyone who wants to do it please do!

TW: A dark humor jokey mention of suicide, cause my baby is a depressed dumbass

Selected as GFH:

               “Coming your way, mon cher.”

               “You got it.”

               “Won’t let you down.”

Combat

           Seeing Threat:

                               “Peggies, up ahead.”

                               “Careful, enemy spotted.”

                               “Watch out, cultists.”

               Stealth/being told to go stealth:

                               “Good thinkin’”

                               “Stay low.”

                               “We got this.”

               In Combat with Peggies:

                               “Fuck oFF!”

                               “Is that all you got?”

                               “C’mon, you can do better than that.”

               Pushing an Enemy Down:

                               “Stay down.”

                               “Eat shit.”  

                               “Pathetic.”

               Killing an Enemy:

                               “Where’s your god, now?”

                               “I told you not to fuck with me.”

                               “Lights out, motherfucker!”

               Post Combat:

                               “Just what I needed, more blood on my hands.”

                               “Well, that was exciting.”

                               “I need a smoke...”

               When she’s hurt/dying:

                               “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.”

                               “I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m okay,shit,fuck.”

                               “No pressure, but I’m kinda dying here!”

Thanking Player:

               “Fuck, I owe you one.”

               “Seriously, thanks.”

               “Anything I can do to thank ya?”

Reviving Player:

               “No dying on me, mon cher.”

               “Stay strong, we can do this.”

               “C’mon, we can’t do this without you.”

Player Points Weapon at her;

               “You got a fuckin’ problem with me?”

               “Put that down, before I make you.”

               “If you’re looking for a fight, I’ll give you one.”

Player Attacks her:

               “We’re on the same side, asswipe.”

               “Fine, you know what, let’s go, asshole!”

               “You really think you can take me?”

Has to Kill Player:

               “Traitor.”

               “I thought we were friends…”

               “I didn’t want to do this.”

 Idle:

               “Everyone looks at me weird when I call them mon cher, but I swear it’s just a thing we say in Louisiana, at least where I’m from.”

               “People keep talking about when things are back to normal. But, that’s not how it works. Trauma lingers, trust me, none of us are gonna be the same after this.”

               “Quite frankly, I don’t give a damn if the world is ending. If the world dies, I’ll die with it. Better than living in some freak’s bunker.”

               “Guns are cool and all, but nothing beats a proper fist fight, knife fights are a close second though.”

               “I wanna smoke so bad, but everywhere smell like gasoline and I don’t wanna go up in flames, at least not right now.”

 Holland Valley:

               “John’s real fucked in the head, but when he loses his cool is when he starts making mistakes, he’ll get sloppy and we can take the valley back.”

               “Something about John never sat right with me, he’s so fake, feels more like a mannequin than a real person. Pissing him off is pretty fun though.”

               “John’s capture parties are annoying, but they aren’t as well trained as Jacob’s hunters, I managed to dodge the fuckers for days. Actually? Are they still after me?”

 Henbane River:

               “God I fucking hate this place, the way it fucks with your head is just ugh. Damn that Church Mouse.”

               “Like, how does this shit even make sense? I know Bliss fucks up your head, but how can they control what we see? Like, not everyone on an LSD trip sees the same thing. Is it the power of suggestion or, I mean Faith can’t be an actual siren, can she?”

               “You know, I use to not get why everyone was so fixated on how pretty Faith was, too delicate for my taste I guess. But now that I know she can kick ass, not gonna lie, little more into it. Uh, don’t tell anyone I said that though, please.”

 Whitetail Mountains:

               “You think Jacob quotes that alpha omega wolf bullshit? I bet he does, shit ain’t even true, scientist who said it took it back.”

               “Jakey Boy’s gonna pay for what he’s doing to Pratt and I’m gonna make damn sure of it.”

               “Big Red out here is obsessed with creating soldiers, the ultimate tools, he uses people like it’s nothing. If you’re not careful, he’ll get in your head and use you like a puppet.”  

 Joseph’s Compound:

               “Where it all began, blegh, I wish I could have kicked Joe’s ass right then.”

               “You know I came here for church once, just to check it out, I puked behind the church. Hope that fucker stepped in it.”

               “Joseph preaches this bullshit about welcoming misfits, outcasts, pariahs of society. Every peggie is someone who didn’t feel like they belonged anywhere else, they think he saved them. But, you wanna know the truth? Joseph Seed preyed on them. He saw they were vulnerable and he swooped in like a fucking vulture to eat ‘em alive. And they thank him for it.”

 Dutch’s Island:

               “Dutch is ornery old man, makes me wonder why he ain’t out here fighting with us.”

               “Bunker man Dutch knows everything about everyone, also got camera all around, it’d be creepy if he wasn’t such a cool guy.”

 Falls End:

               “Mary May is a grade-A badass, don’t let the baby face fool ya.”

               “Hudson, Pratt, and I use to hang out at The Spread Eagle after work, almost every day, it’s weird going there without them now.”

               “Jerome is officially the only holy man I trust, everyone else can get fucked.”

 Wolfs Den:

               “Eli is incredible, seriously, I don’t know what we’d do without him. He’s just, so fuckin’ awesome, I-uh, that sounds weirdly gushy doesn’t it. It’s not like, I just- He’s a cool dude, shut up!”

               “Every time Eli compliments me, I could scream, like in a good way.”

               “You think we could hook up the beacons to blast Wheaty’s music? Be better than those weird animal moans for sure.”

 Hope County Jail:

               “May sound weird coming from a deputy, but, uh, I kinda figured I’d be in jail someday.”

               “Whitehorse has always been like the station’s dad, having him here means a lot.”

               “Virgil means well, but I’m pretty sure he’s on Tracey’s last nerve.”

  With Boomer;

               *in cutesy voice* “Who’s the cutest boy in the whole wide world, that’s right, you are!~”

               “Any peggies hurt Boomer and they’re gonna get my boot up their ass.”

               “Sorry, bud, I ain’t got any treats on me.”

 With Peaches:

               “You wanna see me carry a cougar?”

               “Ahhh, she’s so fuckin’ cute, she could claw my face off and I’d thank her.”

               *Meows back at Peaches*

 With Cheeseburger:

               “Awwwwwwwww, you’re so cute, so beautiful, what a precious boy!~”

               “Do you think I could pick him up?”

               “What’s new, Paddington?” *Cheeseburger growsl* “Oh, I’m sorry bro, that’s rough.”

 When paired with Sharky:

               “He is the fire boy; he is the one ignites. That was a dumb joke, please ignore me.”

               “Set me on fire and we’re gonna have problems, Boshaw.”

               “Wait, you had a job, Sharky?! Uh, that sounded mean, didn’t it? Sorry…”

 When paired with Adelaide: (anytime Addie says anything sexual) “Please stop, please stop, please stop, please stop.”

               “Any hole? What the hell does that mea-I don’t wanna know, do I?”

               “I still don’t get what you saw in Hurk Sr, but I’m damn glad you got out of that mess.”

 When paired with Hurk Jr.:

               “So, not a stealth mission, got ya.”

               “I’m gonna kill you, Hurk, seriously.”

               “Why do you smell like beer? Are you drinking right now? Seriously!?”

 When paired with Jess:                “Arrows are cool and all, but being able to beat the fuck out of a peggie is way more satisfying, you can fight me on that, mon cher.”

               “Hey, Jess, you think any of these stores have working slushie machines?”

               “You got any idea what you’re gonna do after all this? Pff, me neither.”

 When paired with Grace:

               “I never got to meet your dad, but he sounds like an incredible man.”

               “You know a lot about PTSD, right? We’re all gonna be fucked up after this, aren’t we?”

               “Could I theoretically pay you to blow my brains out? Yeah, yeah, not funny, I know.”

 When paired with Nick:

               “Don’t do anything dumb, man. Kim and that baby need you.”

               “One more pun and I’m climbing in that plane to kick your ass.”

               “You and Kim are adorable, seriously.”

#far cry 5 #fc5 #dahlia hale

[mobius-prime]

277. Sonic Universe #8

Mobius: 30 Years Later (Part 4 of 4): The Freedom Fighters of the Future

Writer: Ian Flynn Pencils: Tracy Yardley! Colors: Jason Jensen

So things are bad. Tikhaos is wrecking the castle and is already looking to move on to the rest of Portal, and no one really knows how they'll stop her. Sonic doesn't even know what he's looking at, and is baffled when Lara-Su mentions the monster's name, leading to the mention of a couple more noodle incidents.

I will say it seems a little trite to rehash the whole Perfect Chaos thing once again in a new setting, akin to how Star Wars just rehashed the Death Star twice after the original movie, but then again, the whole point of this arc is to show history repeating itself in both negative and positive ways. I actually do like the concept of the Future Freedom Fighters, the children of the original Freedom Fighters, carrying on the fight against renewed threats to the world - in m opinion it's one of the only things this arc actually gets right. The team wonders how Tikhaos was released and how she got all this Chaos energy in her in the first place, but decide they have to focus on the most present threat first.

This is one of the only actual character moments King Shadow gets at all in this arc, and honestly, I don't buy it. I suppose this is meant to be sort of a "bad future" Shadow, in which he never truly got the chance to fully comprehend Maria's ultimate wish and ended up horribly misinterpreting it, trying to bring peace to the world by conquering it and enforcing that "peace" through his brutal regime. But it falls incredibly flat without any kind of attempt at explaining how he ended up like this. Literally all we know about the past of this particular timeline is that Sonic disappeared shortly after Eggman was finally defeated for good - details that were covered in Penders' version of the future, such as Knuckles going green once more and "remaking the world as he saw fit" or whatever aren't confirmed to have happened or not happened, making everything about what led up to this moment entirely uncertain. Thus, there's no explanation whatsoever about what could have happened to Shadow that led to him becoming so brutal and tyrannical - literally, the backstory provided in SU#5 just makes it seem like he showed up one day and started taking over for no reason. Given his relatively tame character progression in the comics compared to in the games (where he undergoes significantly more trauma and is actually directly exposed to the temptation to violently take over the world), I find him developing in this direction extremely hard to believe. Like, I know I've gone on about how he's my favorite and all, but even if he wasn't, him becoming evil like this just makes no logical sense.

Anyway, Sonic orders Lara-Su to organize the rest of her band of new Freedom Fighters to stall Tikhaos while he rescues his family from the panic room, and orders Argyle to contact the Echidna Security Team to evacuate the city. Lara-Su is nervous about being totally in charge, but takes to it like a natural, ordering the others to distract and halt Tikhaos' advance so people have a chance to get away. Meanwhile, Sonic finds the half-destroyed panic room… with Sally still sitting pretty inside it, a vapid smile on her face. Seriously, normally Ian is good at writing his female characters, so I don't know what the hell happened here with Sally. I get she's close to fifty years old at this point and she was never a frontline combatant in the first place, but the Sally I know wouldn't exactly be content to just sit around while the castle literally fell apart around her, she'd be getting everyone on their feet and looking for an escape route, goddammit.

Once again I have to point out that Silver's motivations don't seem to make sense here. In every other appearance he makes in the comic, he's fully convinced that a traitor within the ranks of the Freedom Fighters is what caused his future to come to ruin, and yet here it's pretty clearly a result of Tikhaos' rage, which was obviously not caused by any Freedom Fighter at all. As Sonic carries Sally and encourages his kids to follow him to safety outside of the castle, Argyle reports that the evacuation of the city is going smoothly, with no reported casualties so far. The new Freedom Fighters are doing a decent job of holding back Tikhaos, but they're nowhere near strong enough to actually take her down, and are due to wear down eventually. Most importantly, the Dark Presence has actually fully renounced Shadow, and are helping to evacuate the civilians and have also freed Tails and Mina. Seems like a pretty quick turnaround for a terrorist organization, but whatever. There's also no further elaboration on the whole Shadow thing, by the way. You'd think everyone would freak out at the knowledge that Shadow has escaped containment and is clearly behind this disaster, but he's never mentioned again in the issue. This would have been the perfect opportunity to actually explain what the hell happened to him to cause such a drastic change in personality, and to have him show some actual regret and character growth from it all, but nah, he apparently just vanishes into the aether never to be seen again or face any consequences for his actions here. Great writing, Ian! Lara-Su decides that the fight is becoming a little too dicey, and decides to try appealing to Tikhaos' emotional side.

Hey, Tails! As he joins in the fight, Mina rushes in to grab their two kids and carry them to safety, much to Melody's annoyance. She protests that she and Skye are Freedom Fighters now, to which Skye emphatically agrees despite his timid nature, and this softens Mina's heart a little, no doubt remembering her own past with the original team. Meanwhile, Jacques and Belle are almost crushed by one of Tikhaos' tentacles, when Silver jumps into the fight.

While he helps stall Tikhaos, Sonic and Lara-Su discuss what needs to be done to actually stop her entirely. Manik and Sonia chime in at this point, reminding Sonic of his victory over Perfect Chaos when he was young and how he targeted its brain, and though he's not too pleased with being reminded that he's not young anymore, he decides they have a point. He calls on everyone on the field to clear a path for him as he rushes the beast, but he's not as fast as he used to be, and it turns to face him…

Look, I know Mobians like to start 'em young, but have we forgotten Sonic's kids are literally four years old?! I mean, kudos to them and all, but that's incredibly dangerous! Still, I can only imagine how popular one might be growing up if they were not only the offspring of a great war hero, but could also boast they took down a deadly monster at the age of four. With Tikhaos weakened, Lara-Su approaches while reciting Tikal's prayer, and this calms her down until she's reverted back to her ordinary Tikal-shaped spirit form, sleeping on the ground. Sonic congratulates everyone on working together effectively to save the day, and cracks a few obligatory jokes about his back hurting because, you know, he's old now.

"Chronos Control," huh? I actually like that quite a bit, nice twist on the ol' familiar Chaos Control. Sally congratulates Sonic on helping save the day, still relegated to being the useless cheerleader on the sidelines instead of doing literally anything proactive like her present-timeline self would definitely have been doing, and everyone poses for a nice final shot, excited to have formed the new Freedom Fighters. Despite the many, many (many) criticisms I have of this entire arc, it is a nice ending at least, fit to stand with the other triumphant finales in the comic at least. Still, overall, I feel like it was shallow, nonsensical, and full of bad characterizations of all the familiar characters. Individuals like Tails and Sally don't feel like themselves at all, but blank slates with the same names as their present-day counterparts, and others such as Shadow are entirely unrecognizable. Luckily for my sanity, this is the last foray we make into the Light Mobius timeline in the comic, and any future issues that deal with the future are set… a bit further into the future, if you catch my drift.

Like the last SU arc, this one ends with a teaser epilogue for the next arc, featuring none other than Finitevus coming out of a warp ring somewhere in a desert in Downunda, speaking to an unknown shadowy figure about how Angel Island is almost overhead and how he's "dying" to meet Knuckles again… Dun dun duuunnn!

#nala reads archie sonic preboot #archie sonic #archie sonic preboot #sonic the hedgehog #su 8 #writer: ian flynn #pencils: tracy yardley #colors: jason jensen