#i wanted to be like oh she'd still love her immediately and there'd be no problems and it'd be rainbows forever but like

[masterjedilenawrites]

Clone Force Omega story prompt: Omega gets a boyfriend or girlfriend and her little brothers suddenly become very protective of her and live up to their nickname "the Bad Batch".

Clone Force Omega: Part 3

Love this prompt! Gave me just the boost of motivation I needed to keep going with the AU.

Now, this chapter won't quite get to the boyfriend/girlfriend part, but you'll see how I'm setting it up. I also decided that Omega wouldn't go to the Lawquane's right away like Hunter had in the show. I'm not cutting their part out of the AU completely, just reordering things a bit.

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Omega & The Bad Batch | 4.2k words

Content: Canon-typical violence/fighting/peril, some flirty banter,

The one blessing of having four young kids to look out for, was never having a moment quiet enough to think about the demons you were running from.

Omega recognized this blessing immediately, knowing if she had been alone on this ship, she'd likely have started falling apart by now. The Republic was gone, changed into something cold and ugly. Her life as a lone soldier was done, her sense of purpose and identity now floating nebulous in the wind like the smoky remnants of a fire. And Echo...

"Omega, what does this do?" a little voice called out, just before bunks started sliding out of the wall with a harsh grating sound, revealing that they'd clearly never been used in all the time the ship had been in commission.

She was about to scold Tech for being nosy, knowing there were worse buttons to push without knowing what they'd do first, but then decided the bunk beds gave an opportunity to redirect their attentions.

"Oh good, just in time for bed," she said with feigned cheer.

There was a chorus of whines from around the ship. None of them thought they'd still have a bedtime while on an adventure. How lame.

But in spite of the protests, she still managed to get them to comply with the promise that sleep would make them even stronger and smarter than they already were. And they'd need a lot of strength and brain power if they were going to visit their first planet outside of Kamino.

"What's it going to be like?" Hunter asked eagerly as she tucked each of them in. "Are there going to be trees?"

"Ooh, what about mountains?" asked Wrecker with an equally excited lilt to his voice. "Or volcanoes?"

"I want to see a bird," chimed in Tech. "I read that sometimes they are really small, and sometimes they are really big."

"Go to sleep," Omega repeated, crossing over to the other set of bunks. "You'll see soon enough."

She finished her round of tuck-ins with Crosshair, who was usually the quietest of the bunch, but Omega knew that didn't always mean he had nothing to say. She leaned in close as she pulled the blanket up to his chin.

"What do you want to see?" she whispered so the others wouldn't hear her special treatment. She wasn't sure why she had such a soft spot for the little grump; he really could be a brat sometimes. But truthfully, she could be one, too. Maybe that was why.

Crosshair blinked up at her with eyes she knew had been enhanced even more than hers had. There'd be a lot for those eyes to take in, wherever they ended up going. But his response didn't answer her question.

"What's going to happen to us?" he asked, also, thankfully, in a whisper.

She could already hear Wrecker snoring behind them. Hunter was the only one who could probably hear at this point. She'd have to choose her words carefully so neither would panic.

"I don't know," she decided to go with the truth. A simple version of it, anyway. "But I promise, no matter what happens, I will take care of you. We're family. We stick together."

That seemed to satisfy Crosshair, at least enough for him to close his eyes when she repeated the instruction to go to sleep.

Omega returned to the cockpit and sat down in her seat heavily. A stray wisp of hair tickled her cheek so she started undoing her braid, running her fingers through her curls as they bounced free. Every pass of her hand from her scalp the ends of her hair, a new troublesome thought seemed to enter her mind. What was going to happen to them? Where were they even going? What was this new Empire really all about? How could Echo have...

She stopped that thought as a sudden lump pushed its way in her throat. She knew she couldn't explain Echo's behavior, just as she couldn't answer any of those other pesky questions. Not without all the facts. The logical side of her brain, a trait she shared with Tech, insisted she investigate before coming to any wild conclusions.

So she swept her unruly hair behind her shoulder and leaned forward in her seat, tapping around on the holomap and doing some quick mental-calculations. She didn't know where to get information, but she knew someone who might. Unfortunately, the Empire's crews hadn't refueled her ship, or even restocked on rations, since she'd returned from her last mission. She could picture the stomachs of four growing boys growling as soon as they woke up, and knew that wouldn't do. And all that was in addition to the fact that it wouldn't take long for the ship's signature to be put on a wanted list, if it hadn't been already.

They'd need to make a supply run first. And get the ship's code scrambled before it drew unwanted attention. Omega swiped at the map and saw Pantora was the closest planet. That would have to do.

* * *

Omega had once dreamed about taking the boys off Kamino. Just for a day. Most clones, including herself, had to wait until they were fully grown and fully trained before they were mobilized off planet for the first time. Occasionally groups of young cadets were taken on field trips, but it was almost always within the confines of a spacecraft, never on ground. Omega wanted different for her brothers. They were special, a secret project. Why shouldn't they be given special privileges as well?

She would've taken them somewhere warm, green, and full of wildlife. Somewhere like Naboo or Alderaan. She'd let them run around in nature, feel the tactile sensations of dirt beneath their toes and sunshine on their faces. They could climb a tree that wasn't holographic, swim in water what wasn't dark and cold, run as fast and as long as they wanted without the danger of reaching the end of a platform. For one day, they could just be kids.

Pantora certainly had its fair share of luscious landscapes that would've suited such a day perfectly. Unfortunately, there were no supplies out in the Pantoran wilderness. So the boys' first experience stepping foot on another planet was within a city. And though she kept it to herself, Omega was not happy about it.

Cities were not her thing. Too many people, too many dark alleyways. It was difficult enough to process the amount of sensory input and keep watch of her own back, but now she'd have to do it with four young boys in tow. And not only that, but there was simply too much to do in such a short time frame. What a nightmare.

"Tech, have you ever had to scramble a ship's signature before?" she asked, already knowing the answer but needing to humor her need for hope anyway.

"No, but I know how to look up ships by their signatures when looking through the archives!" he grinned, very proud of himself despite the fact that was not the same thing. Not even close.

The Marauder had just touched down but she held back on lowering the ramp for a few minutes while she chewed on her lip in thought. She hated the idea of splitting them up but she couldn't see any way around it. Not unless they had the luxury of staying here all week, which they most certainly did not.

"Okay, here's the plan," she finally said, spinning around.

"Is this a mission plan?" asked Hunter as they crowded around her in a surprising show of obedience.

"Yep. Our first mission. You boys ready?"

They all nodded eagerly. If this was the only way to keep their attentions, so be it.

"Tech, you're going to stay with the ship and scramble it. I'll be talking you through everything on comms. Don't do anything until I give you the instruction. Copy?"

"Copy that," Tech nodded and pushed up his goggles.

"Wrecker, you're also going to stay and keep watch. If anyone comes poking around asking questions, let them know your parents are exchanging credits and will be back soon."

"Parents?" Wrecker's nose scrunched in confusion.

"Yes, it's a cover story."

"Ohh," he said, still looking confused.

Omega decided to not waste time trying to explain more. She also wasn't going to tell him that she thought he was the best chance at defending himself and Tech should, gods-forbid, anyone try to harm or capture them.

"Hunter, Crosshair, you two are going to follow me into town for supplies. You're going to keep an eye on things and let me know if you sense any danger."

Both boys gave nods and salutes of their own. 

Omega breathed deeply through her nose. "Okay. That's the plan. Let's go."

Thankfully the boys had already been wearing fairly casual clothes, though she'd had to carefully rip off the old Republic logos from the sleeves while they'd slept. She had been in her blacks upon leaving, but she always kept a spare change of civvy clothes on board for her undercover missions, so she'd changed into those earlier as well. After quickly buying off the shipyard foreman to not ask questions for the next half cycle, they set off on their respective tasks.

"Okay, Tech, you're going to start by locating the rear parallax inverters..." she began listing off instructions into the comms link as soon as they hit the main street of the city.

Walking Tech through the procedure, looking for market stalls with deals on rations and fuel, keeping an eye on two boys who were in awe at every little thing around them, and steering clear of the parade of Imperial soldiers marching about proved to be quite the challenge. Though one of Omega's strong suits was multitasking, she still had her hands full.

"Crosshair, keep up!" she shouted back at the boy, who had stopped to pet a friendly Tooka on the side of the road.

"Why is everyone cheering?" Hunter asked, tugging at her sleeve for an answer to the dozenth question he'd asked in the past two minutes.

"End of the war," Omega quickly responded before pressing the button on the comm link and answered a different question from a different brother. "Yes, Tech, the one with the blinking light. Have Wrecker help you pull it out. Gently."

She then turned into a stall and saddled up to the counter, plopping an old pyro denton grenade between her and the merchant. "I'd like to do a trade."

She spent the next ten minutes continuing to bounce between the various demands for her attention, haggling with the merchant, walking Tech through the complicated procedure of rewiring the key, making sure Wrecker was being useful by putting all the other parts back into the ship. But at some point, she'd decided Hunter and Crosshair didn't need as much of her focus as they both amused themselves playing with the lost Tooka. It wasn't until she'd finally sold the merchant on the value of her grenade did she then turn around and notice they were gone.

"Hunter? Cross?" she called out, rushing to the street and looking both ways.

"They went that way," the merchant told her, pointing toward her left. "Chased that poor creature away."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Omega was more frustrated than frantic. She half-walked, half-jogged down the road, careful to look down alleys and within stalls, just in case her brothers were hiding there.

She paused at an intersection, glancing at the three options before her for only a second each. Somehow, she felt that she had to go down the one on the right. Her instincts never steered her wrong.

No sooner had she turned the corner did Crosshair come rushing up to her. She was relieved, but fully prepared to start scolding the boy for running off in a strange place like that. But the panic in Crosshair's eyes stopped her.

"Where's Hunter?" she asked instead.

Crosshair pointed down the road. "There's this lady. She said she'd help us find you but took us the wrong way. Hunter wouldn't listen to me."

Omega started running, making sure Cross was just a step behind her. Soon the road twisted and she saw a little head of messy brown hair through the crowd ahead.

"Hunter!" she called out. The little boy stopped and turned with a big grin on his face. He was holding some kind of fruit.

"There she is!" he said to the person standing next to him. "That's my sister, Omega!"

Sure enough, someone was accompanying him, though Omega could see right away that she was less of a lady and more like a bounty hunter.

"Hunter, get over here right now," Omega barked. She could hear the garbled voice of Tech coming from the comm link in her hand, asking for his next instructions, but she shoved it into her pocket. She kept her hand hovering by her hip, where her trusty blaster hung at the ready.

"It's okay, Omega," Hunter called back, taking a bite out of the fruit he held. "She was helping us look for you."

Crosshair clutched at the back of Omega's shirt and shook his head at his brother. At least one of them had a healthy sense of stranger danger, Omega thought.

"Yes, Hunter and I were getting to know each other," the girl said. Her tone was friendly enough, but Omega could see the threat in her eyes. They looked even more dangerous as soon as the girl put her helmet on, big brown eyes that squinted confidently through a slat in the helmet. Omega now wished she'd brought her own, but it would've drawn too much unwanted attention.

Instead, Omega crouched with her hand now resting firmly on the hilt of her blaster. Her opponent did the same. A good old fashioned stand off that would've been a lot more fun had Hunter not been in between them.

"Cowering behind a kid, very brave," she called to the girl, hoping some banter might buy her some time to get a plan together.

"What can I say," the girl responded, "I'm an opportunist."

That drew Hunter's attention to what was really going on. Now his eyes were as wide and scared as Crosshair's had been.

"Omega?" he whined as he dropped his fruit.

"How much is the bounty?" Omega spoke over him and asked the girl.

"More than you can afford to buy me out of."

"Maybe I have something worth more than credits to you."

The girl laughed. "A defective clone on the run from the Empire? With four little boys hanging on her back? That practically pays for my retirement. There's nothing I want more."

"Pft, retirement's overrated," Omega egged on. "You'd get bored. Hitch a ride with me, though, and I'll show you the adventure of a lifetime."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me."

"Well... Is it working?"

"Hmm, not really."

The girl didn't give Omega a chance to come up with any further quips. She whipped out her blaster and started firing, giving Omega no choice but to duck for cover. Crosshair jumped with her, though somehow he had pulled out one of her vibroblades from behind her back.

"Hey, let's switch," she said, pulling out her blaster to give to the boy and taking the blade instead. "I have an idea."

Meanwhile, Hunter had thrown himself at the girl, trying to wrestle the blaster out of her hands. Omega scowled as she looked around the crate they'd hidden behind to see him so brazenly fight a bounty hunter ten times as skilled. Once they got out of this mess and away from Pantora, she'd have to find some time to train the boys on safer tactics.

Even so, she didn't immediately rush out. Hunter was distracting the girl's attention just enough for Omega to slip behind a different crate that was a little closer. She motioned for Crosshair to stay where he was. And then, as soon as the girl had twisted around in an attempt to push Hunter to the ground, Omega jumped out and hurled the vibroblade.

The girl was too fast. She grabbed at a wicker basket lid from a nearby stall and used it as a shield. The blade lodged itself in it.

Omega was a little faster. She rushed out from the crate while the blade had still been circling in the air. The girl flipped the lid around to try and dislodge the blade, but Omega was already upon her, shoving her knee right into the girl's abdomen.

"Hunter, run!" Omega barked as she tried to wrestle the lid away. She didn't look to see if the boy listened, putting all her might into the hand-to-hand combat she was now locked in with this bounty hunter.

"You fight dirty, clone," the girl gritted through her teeth, parrying one of Omega's punches with the but of her blaster.

Omega let go of the lid so she could roundhouse kick the blaster out of the girl's hands. It went clattering down the street, causing several people to shriek as they realized a serious fight was breaking loose. Great. No doubt those Imperial soldiers would soon be showing up.

The girl didn't mourn the loss of her blaster, instead taking advantage of the blade having fallen out of the lid as Omega dropped it. She somersaulted over the thing, grasping the hilt and kicking out at Omega's legs in one smooth swoop. Omega would've been impressed had she not had the wind knocked out of her.

Then the bounty hunter was on top of her, the hum of the vibroblade reaching Omega's ears before the blade itself got too close. She gasped for air as she threw up her wrists, criss-crossing them underneath the girl's hand and pushing back. The girl's other hand came around and grasped at Omega's throat.

"Hell of a way to flirt back," Omega rasped, still pushing with all her might to get the blade away from her face.

Surprisingly, the bounty hunter grinned. Or at least, Omega assumed she did, given the wrinkles around her eyes.

"Honey, these aren't even my best moves."

Sudden blaster fire came from above, clipping the bounty hunter in the shoulder. She cried out and jerked back just enough for Omega to grab the blade and pull. A sharp, electrical pain radiated up to her elbow as the thing pierced through her palm, but she didn't care. She kicked upward, making contact with the girl's rear end and sending her sprawling.

"Omega!" Hunter called out to her. Crosshair was next to him holding a smoking blaster in shaky hands.

Omega flipped herself onto her feet and immediately started sprinting before the bounty hunter could recover herself. Hunter and Crosshair followed, running as fast as their little legs could carry them.

Blaster fire followed as well. The bounty hunter had found her gun again. They kept running.

"Citizens! Halt!" A few of the local police had arrived at the scene, but Omega and her brothers went barreling past them.

She turned them down an alleyway to escape both of the threats that were now close behind. Her mind was frantic, unsure how they could make it back to the ship before someone caught up to them. Even if they managed to get off planet, they were still screwed. With little fuel and a bounty on their heads, they were essentially trapped.

"Omega!"

The voice that called her faint and distorted, so much so she almost didn't hear it over her racing heartbeat. She turned back to see Hunter and Crosshair were keeping pace, but neither looked like they had been trying to say anything.

"Omega!" it came again. And then she remembered the comm link in her pocket.

"Tech!" she huffed into the mic. "Get the ship running, now!"

"I already did!" he responded proudly. "You left the comm on and we heard shooting. We're coming to your rescue!"

Omega stopped running at the end of the alley, peering out to see people milling about with no clue of the chaos she brought with her. Hunter and Crosshair pulled up next to her, huffing and puffing.

She brought a hand to her temple and tried to think. Tech couldn't fly a ship, no matter how badly he believed he could. But, if she could talk him through the basics like she had with the signature key, and if her and the boys could find higher ground, they just may have a shot at escape.

"Tech," she whispered into the comm link. "There's a satellite tower just north of the docking bay. You're going to pick us up at the top. Now, listen very carefully. You're only going to push the buttons I tell you to."

"And what do I do?" came Wrecker's voice.

"Help him navigate."

Omega silently motioned for Hunter and Cross to follow her lead again. As calmly but as quickly as possible, they went out into the street and hurried down the lane toward the satellite tower, and all the while Omega talked Tech through the controls of the ship. She heard some concerning sounds in return, both through the comm feed as well as out in the real world. The bay was close enough to their current location that ever scrape of the ship's wings against the walls let out a harsh shriek into the surrounding area. Omega tried not to cringe.

They reached the tower and she sent the boys up the ladder first. There was no time for a pep talk, but they seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation and started climbing without a fuss. If Wrecker had been here instead, different story.

"Leaving so soon?"

The bounty hunter's voice rang out across the street from behind her. Omega looked over her shoulder, her foot resting on the first rung of the ladder.

"Just when we were getting to know each other," the girl sauntered forward. The police, or any Imperials, didn't seem to have made it yet. But Omega could sense they weren't far behind.

"The offer still stands," Omega called back, looking up briefly to see her brothers were making good progress on the ladder. "I can give you more than the Empire ever could."

She was trying to be cheeky, buy some time for Tech to get off the ground. But in a strange way, she also meant it. The future was so uncertain, it was appealing to think there could be one person out there that didn't want to kill them.

"Oh, I'm not working for the Empire," the girl responded.

Omega didn't have time to process that odd statement. The police had just rounded the corner behind the bounty hunter, and Tech had just breached the top of the landing bay wall.

Omega jumped and caught the tenth rung on the ladder and began climbing from there. There were a few blaster shots that ricocheted off the side of the tower, but the police quickly converged on the bounty hunter and put a stop to it. Omega quickly caught up to the boys, who were just reaching the top platform. She all but pushed them onto it.

"Alright Tech, nice and easy," she encouraged the young boy to move the ship forward. "The button above the thrusters lowers the ramp."

The side of the ship opened up and the ramp promptly slid out from there. Omega jumped as soon as it was close enough, and then turned to reach a hand out to the others.

Whatever confidence they'd had before was gone. Hunter looked down the gap between the platform and the ramp and Crosshair bit his lip nervously.

"It's okay, boys. You're so brave. You got this. I've got you."

Hunter swallowed and nodded his head. He was the first to try the jump. He flung his little body onto the ramp and Omega caught him square on. Seeing it was possible, Crosshair soon followed.

Omega shooed Tech out of the pilot's seat, giving him just a small high-five before she narrowed in on the task at hand. As the Marauder zipped out of the Pantoran city and back toward the darkness of space, everyone stayed silent. Today had been a lot. Too much, probably.

Omega wanted so desperately to cry, a feeling she hadn't ever been eager to indulge in. The reality of their situation was settling in deeper and deeper with each passing moment. Try as she might, she could not guarantee the safety of these boys, not with everyone in the galaxy out to get them. And for what? Why? This target on their heads was strange given the other matters the Empire seemed to need to focus on. And that bounty hunter had said she wasn't even working for the Empire. Who else could be looking for them?

She shook her head and sent them back into hyperspace. She knew where she needed to go. Looking for answers was tempting, but no longer the priority. She needed to get the boys to safety, first.

Clone Force Omega Tag: @kaijusplotch, @flowered-bicycles

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#star wars #the clone wars #the bad batch #omega #hunter #crosshair #wrecker #tech #fennec shand #echo #pantora #ageswap au #big sister omega #clone force omega

[newtonsheffield]

Hello Molly,

Respectfully, I need the 27 dresses au. Please and thank you.

Respectfully, I might as well.

But imagine how stupid Kate would feel. Because she was already mortified that she'd stood outside her sister's wedding and admitted to the shameful, ugly truth that a tiny part of her is Jealous of Edwina, barely 22 married to her childhood sweetheart. The boy next door.

And there she is, 28, and nothing to show for it. And the worst part is, she knows it's her fault. She's too...harsh. She's exacting, and unforgiving when people don't behave the way she expected them to and she tells herself that it's fine that she's alone.

"Katie, I just want you to be happy." Mary hums too often, kissing the top of her head.

"I am happy, Mum. Some people jus don't find someone and that's... that's okay."

But she does still believe in love, it's just obviously not going to happen for her which is why she doesn't mind helping other people on their wedding days.

And she just... she just feels stupid because for just a moment she thought there was something between her and Anthony. She'd thought there had been something in his eyes when their lips had met in the low light filtering through the window in his bedroom. She'd thought there'd been something between them when he'd groaned as her stomach growled.

"Stay right here, I'm getting breakfast." And their lips had met again for a long moment and her stomach had fluttered just like it had a million times in the last month as he'd winked at her, ducking his head back into his bedroom. "Don't move!"

She'd sighed as she'd fallen back against his sheets a stupid smile on her face, until her phone had rung. Mama Mary flashing across the screen.

"Mum, before you yell at me for leaving early: I'm not dead."

"I'm not calling about that, darling, though I'm glad to hear it." And Mary's voice put her immediately on edge, the slightly wary tine of it. "Katie, I'm so sorry, have you seen Anthony's article?"

And her heart stops, panic already clawing at her chest, her voice cracking as she says "No."

And her fingers feel numb as she searches for it, her stomach dropping when she's sees a picture of herself, taken weeks ago on one of those afternoons she'd found herself alone with Anthony and the mood had slipped, as the questions had become less about Edwina and Matt, more about her, his eyes widening in delight as she'd found the closet packed with Bridesmaids dresses.

"Oh, I'm going to require a Katie Kat Fashion show."

"Do I have a choice in this?"

"Absolutely not. This one that looks like something Queen Victoria would have worn first, thank you!"

"This was from a Jane Austen themed wedding, thank you, and I assure you, it looks great on me!" She'd huffed, trying to close the doors desperately.

He'd sidestepped her, grinning delightedly, "Well, I'd love to have evidence of that. Fashion Show! fashion show!"

And if she was honest with herself she hadn't done it to prove him wrong at all, she'd done it because of the way her stomach had lurched at the way he grinned handsomely down at her with his hair falling in his eyes.

And now the picture of her, wearing the green dress he'd said Let me guess, a come as an 80's appetiser wedding and you chose stuffed olive was under the headline

27 Dresses and still Never the Bride

And she'd thought she'd stopped doing this. Expecting too much from people and being disappointed when it didn't work out. But the second she sees the article, she knows she hadn't really. Because Anthony Bridgerton's just broken whatever she had left.

And when her assistant clears her throat on Monday morning and says "Anthony Bridgerton is outside, he's insisting he see you."

Kate stares down at her desk for a long moment before she clears her throat, "No, thank you, Sophie. If you could just have security see him out."

And three days later a box is delivered to her office, and she stares perplexed down at it as it rustles before she opens it hesitantly and a tiny puppy is staring back at her, it's paws up on the edge before it clambers over on it's short little legs to get to her, her eyes pricking with tears as she remembered the day they'd been in the park, and she'd told him how she'd wanted a dog for the longest time, chickening out because she was waiting for her life to start, it felt like. A note attached to the lid that reads

You said no one would ever love you, and I know that isn't true but this little guy can keep you company until you find the one.

And she snatches the puppy up in her arms, and takes off running.

#27 dresses au #kathony #anthony x kate #kate sharma #kate sheffield #anthony bridgerton #molly’s asks and answers

[fadingrealm]

Tagged by @somethingclevermahogony!! Thank you!

Rules: for any OCs you’d like, if they stole your phone and got on your tumblr blog, what would they do/post on it?

Because the uh. 2/3 of them (there are more, but I'm leaving new faces for later) are still nameless and I spent all of my braincells today on researching beets so enjoy little banners indicating which OC 👍

Don't mind her holding the phone so close to her face, her eyesight's not that great. She'd enjoy looking at things in general and would really try getting into the social aspect, talking to people & posting selfies. However the moment she sees a cute baby animal on her that phone's unrecoverable. Glued to her hands. You cannot remove her from the baby cows.

...Until she sees an opinion that she doesn't agree with, attempts to smash it & failing that, would cyberstalk & bully the op. The "opinion" could range from blatant bigotry to a take on music she doesn't agree with, the actual severity of it would not change the intensity of her emotions about it. She'd still be intent on mailing you a pipebomb.

She'd hold the grudge for years.

He wouldn't really see the appeal.

...Until the wrong post comes up on the dash and he's hit with the brick of "oh no I like men". Do you know what it does to a man to realize that you really like men but you aren't in the position to even dream about it in the moment? He would've thought himself content before this. At least on that side of things. This is torture. Maybe not worse than the tortures he's actually been through but still.

And he might make baby's first attempt at poetry over it.

But in the meantime my blog would be filled with pictures of gorgeous, gorgeous shirtless men of all sizes and I wouldn't even be mad about it.

Valerian would immediately start sharing his arcane theories and, upon realizing that he is indeed anonymous, start getting into his more controversial ideas. Also rambling complains about things like "why has nobody attempted to make some sort of metric measuring the arcane tolerance of a metal???" and "why does everybody keep asking me WHY do I want to explore a 'hypothetical' scenario in which we'd be channeling more magic through a conduit than is currently possible? WHY are you curious about infernal metals? WHY can I not find any evidence that the family you claim to be from exists despite it's supposed prestige? WHY WHY WHY, does it REALLY matter that much?? Can we keep focusing on the FUTURE we could be making here???"

There'd be a few reblogs of photography that reminds him of home. All of them are tagged with ":(" and nothing else. But most of the reblogs would be from academia memes, he'd LOVE them.

Tagging @elsie-writes, @illarian-rambling, @patternwelded-quill, @cowboybrunch and anyone else with a few fools up their sleeve

#tag game #writing #writeblr #ocs #original character

[queerspacepunk]

Would love a fic where instead of running away, Stede explains to Ed why he needs to go back to his family and he brings Ed with him. It's probably a massive story idea I realize, but any tidbit would be amazing if it sounds interesting <3

ask and ye shall receive!! or something like that. it is indeed a Massive Story Idea and not one I'm super invested in exploring in too much detail as a whole thing (i love the angst too much!!!) but a tidbit? a lil snippet??? something a lil light and a lil silly? fuck yes!!

ofmd drabble #02 - three 1651 words | meeting the parents kids family?

If you had asked Edward Teach at, oh, literally any time in his life prior to this exact moment, whether or not he'd ever willingly allow himself to be shuffled out of the room with the children so that the adults could talk, he would have told you to go fuck yourself with whatever uncomfortable utensil was closest to hand.

Ed had discovered however, in the last few moments, that discretion is in fact the better part of not having to be in the middle of that domestic. Fuck, he would have crawled inside his own bloody beard and hidden in it, had he still had the damn thing, just to get away.

Alas, he doesn't have a beard, but Stede (legally speaking at least) still does, and her name is Mary. Ed's always thought of 'Mary' as a sort of humble, unassuming name, but the woman in front of him is a hell of a lot closer to the formidable end of the scale than Ed had been expecting. She may well be the only person he's ever met who's ballsier than Stede himself, with a touch more common sense and rather a lot more follow-through.

He's pretty sure the only reason she hasn't stabbed a hat pin or something right through his ear hole and into Stede's squishy little brain is that she wants him to be able to hear what has got to be the most severe and well-deserved bollocking of the poor sod's life.

And so, Ed had assessed the situation, and his options, and decided; fuck this all the way to church, actually, and had nicked off out the back door with Stede and Mary's equally judicious children.

He'd figured that they would, you know, entertain themselves, once they got out of there. Ed would had, when he was a kid, and there'd only been the one of him! Even if they didn't they surely wouldn't be bothering him.

Ed's back in his own clothes, mostly. He needed the knee brace for the walk, and it doesn't fit right over normal trousers so he put his leather ones back on too. Sure, he's left the jacket off and pulled his hair back into a bun in an attempt to look slightly less obviously a notoriously escaped pirate, but even with the beard gone, and a normal amount of weapons on his person, he still looks like a pirate.

(He'd put the cravat back on too, and no it hadn't escaped his notice that Mary was wearing one as well. He'd found himself wondering if she'd stolen it from Stede's wardrobe too, or if black cravats were just something all rich people owned. Then he'd wondered if it was weird that he's hoping it's the first option.)

The point is, he looks like the pirate he is. A cool one. An intimidating one. The friend of Mary's who'd passed him on her way out had certainly gone an awfully funny colour at the sight of him, which means that the kids would surely leave him alone to indulge in his favourite and most lucrative hobby – being a nosy little shit.

Not much to the immediate garden – some tidy but not perfectly kept flowerbeds, neat lawn worn down into desire paths in places that Ed suspects the children are responsible for, a small collection of sticks staked perfectly upright in a circle near the back of the shed in a way that would give Frenchie the absolute shits, you know, normal kid stuff.

"How good a pirate are you?" a voice asks from behind him, as he turns away from what he's assuming is (at least) attempted witchcraft, and he doesn't jump, but he does suddenly have a lot more sympathy for Frenchie.

"What?" Ed asks, turning to look at her – one of the kids, Alma? Because he'd processed 'pirate' and 'creepy child' and not a lot else.

"How good of a pirate are you?" she repeats, and he's not sure how someone half his height can stare him down, but damn if she isn't giving it a go.

"Very," Ed says with a shrug.

Her face scrunches up, like she's thinking, in a way that is familiar and oddly endearing. "You're Blackbeard."

"What the fu- no I'm no- how the hell do you know that?" Hell's not a curse word. It's fine. They say it in church all the time. Or, so he's been told, "I don't even have a beard."

"You're running away. It would be silly not to shave it off."

Well, yeah. Okay, fair.

"Lots of pirates have beards," Ed points out, "how'd you know I was Blackbeard."

Alma shrugs and kicks at the dirt, "my dad has a crush on you."

Ed laughs, a genuine one, a happy one, because yeah, she's not wrong.

"Wait," he says after a moment, "how do you know that? He hasn't seen you since we met."

A child should not be able to pull off such a scathing eyeroll, "he used to read us stories."

Ed’s chest feels tighter at that and not in a good way, at the idea of Stede daydreaming over the idea of him, even though he knows that no one's ever seen him as truly as Stede has, that Stede was giving him those delighted looks even before he realised that Ed was Blackbeard.

"He had a crush on the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, too," Alma adds.

"Uh…" Ed says, because he's honestly not sure how he feels about that.

"and King Arthur," she continues, turning and wandering away, "and Shakespeare."

That's something, Ed supposes, as he watches her goes, before turning his sights on the… barn? Shed? It definitely isn't housing animals, he can tell that even before he gets to the wide open doors and steps inside to find himself surrounded by… paintings? Cool ones.

They're not like the hoity-toity, fancy-ass (boring-ass) paintings he often sees in the fancy ships he's raiding, nah, these ones are interesting. There's some that seem to be all lines and shapes – siblings to the lighthouse painting of Stede's still sitting back in his cabin on the Revenge, while others are more… anatomically suggestive?

(Well, if he's honest, they're vaginas. Floral vaginas, but definitely vaginas. A few botanical penises and the odd probable ballsack too, but they're definitely Mary's work, and she is both terrifying and a lady so Ed's going to try and keep his own non-implied balls right where they are and not mention that to anyone. Ever.)

"Er, hello?"

Ed spins on his heel, doing his best to put his back to something resembling a wall as he turns to face the intruder– or well, since Ed's kind of the intruder in this situation – the newcomer, and tries to keep his stance as outwardly casual as he can.

The man, he notes, doesn't look like he's much of a threat to anyone, and seems more perplexed than concerned with the stranger in what may well be his painting shed – if the smears on his fingers and the fact that the smaller kid – Luciu- no, Louis – is just about clinging to his leg, is anything to go by.

"Who're you?" Ed asks, because he gets the feeling that this guy is daft enough and wholesome enough that he might just answer despite it definitely not being Ed who should be asking that question.

"Doug."

Called it.

"Ed," Ed says, because it only seems fair, really, and steps forward to shake the guy's hand. No need to not be polite. "who are you. In er, context?"

"Mary's painting instructor," Doug says, at the exact same moment as Louis says "my dad."

Ed looks at Doug, who's now blushing bright pink, and then to Louis who (fortunately? Unfortunately? Hard to say) takes quite strongly after both Mary and Stede, and then across the lawn to the window of the house where, thanks to the sheer curtains Ed can the silhouette of Mary brandishing what looks concerningly like a lamp while she yells something that Ed can't quite catch but has the distinct cadence of someone articulating just what they're planning to do to your favourite organ (which, knowing Stede is probably his bloody heart, but which Ed's hoping Mary will assume to be his balls because that at least they can recover from), and then looks back to Doug. Doug who looks like either a real estate agent's idea of a painter or possibly a painter's idea of a real estate agent (Ed's sadly not familiar enough with either profession to determine which).

"Nice."

Doug's face goes all… funny, all wibbly in a way that takes Ed far too long a moment to realise is him being all gooey-eyed and in love, and is weirdly, a rather familiar expression (and oh fuck no he cannot be realising that that's what Stede's face means when he does that. Not while he's in Stede's wife's painting shed talking to Stede's wife's mister-ess. Only apparently, he can), before Doug laughs awkwardly and asks, "and who are you? In, uh, context?"

"I, uh-" oh fuck it, it's not like he can get any deeper, "I'm the other man. The, er, other man's other man."

Doug mouths that silently to himself a couple of times before it seems to click, and then he's giving Ed a once-over before letting out a rather appreciative whistle, "good for him."

"Doug," Louis asks reaching up to tug on his wrist, "what does 'other man' mean?"

"I think, kiddo," Doug says, hoisting the boy up onto his hip (and he's too big for it, really, but it makes Ed's heart do something funny to see it, all the same), "that it means that you and Alma are about to be the first kids in town with three whole dads."

He glances up at Ed, who is absolutely not freaking out, "want a drink?"

#bing bong #our flag means death #ofmd drabble #our flag means drabble #stede bonnet #edward teach #edward 'accidentally good with children' teach #doug 'it's free children (and i plan to love them like my own)' ofmd #look i'm just really proud of 'other man's other man' and 'mister-ess' #alma is ABSOLUTELY doing witchcraft in the garden #how do you think stede survived this long? #this tiny feral child is the true mvp #ofmd #asks #this is real rough and had very lil editing but i'm sure you will all manage!! #replies and reblogs all v welcome and appreciated as always

[divineslcyer]

Belphegor hurls another knife at the window of her room, the silver moon high in the darkened sky. This must be an attempt at being romantic, except he won't deign to pick rocks off the ground for it. Fortunately the castle exterior is fortified against projectiles, or the glass panes would be shattered by now.

@belacedia --- A romantic(?) overture

Mishil was irritated, but then, when in the mansion of her godfathers, she was never in a good mood. She'd been tolerant to the cruelty of her godmother and her children--all grown and with mouths as vicious and poisonous as hers. Her godfather may have loved her, but the rest of his family didn't agree with the sentiment.

It was a gilded cage, that no one beyond herself knew of the dangers. She'd been summoned back out of familial courtesy--which was laughable. There was a funeral to the grandmother who'd been around since she first arrived.

Nonna Adita. A stern woman, but... Mishil had survived in part, because of her. There'd be a party in a few days, Beatrice had once more tossed down her previous dresses to Mishil's room in mock charity. They'd proven excellent in slashing apart with a knife. Much of her room looked more like a massacre---she'd only calmed when she came across an old trinket. A necklace, with a delicate rose hanging to a cross. It was old, slightly worn but even still it was beautiful to Mishil. The details intricate, and in the light it still glinted silver.

'You are my little desert rose. Mi bella roza.' Adita smoothed a hand over her small head, hearing her sniffle. 'My spiteful daughter-in-law has come for you again hm? Envious woman... All because you look like your maman but remember, roses like you don't thrive with water but with heat and hardship. You will have your due carina...' Yes.. She would indeed get hers. She cinched the pendant around her neck, tucking it beneath her blouse.

That was when she heard the sound--a clink, sharp but not so loud as to alert the guards. Who’d tap at her window? She blinked and moved to the source, unlocking her window just as a knife whizzed into the air. She caught the blade deftly, recognizing it’s shape immediately. Belphegor?

She spotted him on the ground, standing near the base of the tree and squinted. ❝ Bel?❞ He grinned, and in a few swift movements, hopped up from the tree and slipped into the bedroom. He snickered, ❝ Looks like the prince has arrived on time to rescue the principessa.❞ She threw her arms around him, sighing in relief when he circled his arms around her. Burrowing her nose against his collar, she murmured, ❝ And who says romance is dead, huh? Though you took your time.❞ 

He propped his chin over her head, eyeing the tattered room and slashed gowns. ❝ Looks like a crime scene--but there’s no blood. You getting soft?❞ She bit his shoulder in warning, satisfied by his yelp. ❝ Rude. Here I am, rescuing you too.❞

❝ I don’t want a simple massacre for revenge Bel.❞ She answered simply, her gaze sharpening on the door of her room. ❝ I want my revenge to be much more brutal and lasting. Terrifying and haunting--I want to etch it into their souls so that even after death, they remember me. They will remember me.❞ He kissed her brow, nose skimming hers. ❝ I want to see this revenge of yours. The depths of that rage you have--it’s almost as scary as the boss sometimes.❞

Oh her rage was near limitless--that was the irony of her flame-element and her disarmingly normal appearance. It’s what made her an ideal spy at times, being deceptive and disciplined. It was rare, but oh when she allowed herself to relish the burning heat of her rage---she became brutal and unyielding. As her dear Adita told her once before, ❝ Bel... Do you know of desert roses? They thrive best in heat and hardships...❞ 

❝ Oh? You’d also thrive in blood then.❞ He remarked, and she chuckled. ❝ A dangerous flower.❞ He leaned against the window sill, linking his arms around her waist. ❝ I knew I liked you for a reason--now, do you want to leave or not? ❞ 

She tilted her chin up, kissing him and easing her arms around his neck. ❝ Lets get the hell out of here Romeo.❞ Her grandmother had raised her to be stronger then this--there was no need for her to be present for the funeral. She’d said her goodbyes already, and now... Nothing was left to hold her back. She felt Bel’s hands sweep under her back and her legs, and with a flip and a laugh, they slipped out the window into the night.

#✝ ⌈ general ⏌ ― answered #belacedia #✝ ⌈ Verse ⏌ ― Katekyo Hitman Reborn #how romantic-- #tw murder #tw blood mention

[honeybearee]

A Flash In The Pan

There was something intoxicating about anger, a heady feeling that though threatened to squeeze the very air out of her lungs made her feel alive for the first time in months. It was almost worth the bitter taste of blood in her mouth from how hard she'd been chewing at the inside of her cheek.

How dare he stand there and pretend like he cared, how could he come home and think that, what, she'd be so pitifully excited to see him again that she would forget how he disappeared? Did he even think of her as a person or as a childhood pet that would settle for a pat on the head to welcome him back eagerly? There had been a long list of things she'd silently forgiven him for over the years -- but complete and total silence when she was about to lose the only other parent she had?

Anna growled, throwing her bag and phone onto the couch - doing her best to ignore the way Barker skidded away from her the moment they'd gotten home.

"Oh yeah great! Awesome. Thanks for that!" she yelled at the poor dog, logic gone as she huffed and pawed at her eyes, irritated that she still wasn't able to get angry without it immediately leading to tears.

The silence of her all too empty house, and her outburst at Barker, teamed up to make that all too familiar feeling of guilt bubble up, and not ready to face it, she swallowed it back like bile.

Desperately seeking an outlet instead, she began to pull cleaning products and toss them onto the island counter of her kitchen, mumbling angrily to herself as she moved frantically around the house until her body finally gave out, landing her on the couch.

Anna wasn't quite sure what time it was when she finally woke up, only that it was dark outside. Puffy-eyed from crying, she quickly sat up, instantly reaching out for Barker to apologize.

The downside to anger - much like alcohol - was the inevitable hangover that came with it. Having completely exhausted herself into sleep, all she felt now was hollow and sad and ashamed. And sick, she realized as she her stomach flipped in the familiar way it always did when she was anxious. She dared a quick glance around, unsurprised to find a bigger mess than there'd originally been.

Who even was she anymore? She dropped her head into her hands, the tears coming easily.

Realizing she had a series of apologies to send out, she forced out a shaky breath, reaching for her phone to find it was full of texts from Mel to even Jesse - who in his usual fashion had sent some stupid meme that made her roll her eyes but at least allowed her shoulders to drop slightly.

It was comforting to know there were still people who could love her at her worst.

After sending out her usual barrage of messages to assure everyone she was fine - a lie she'd told herself so consecutively these days that sometimes she could almost believe it herself - she landed on the one she'd put off the longest.

Anna: I am so sorry about all of that earlier. Not that it's any excuse, but I think I was just really tired. Probably should have called it earlier.

Mel: That is okay sweetheart, no one is upset. Are you doing okay?

Anna: I'm fine. I said my peace, and we can all just move on now. I know you must be so excited to have all your kids back under one roof, and Jesse is getting married! It's going to be a great week!

Anna tossed the phone aside, not wanting to focus on how unconvincing her message had likely read to the closest thing she'd had to a mother - or on the fact that Cam had been the only person who had yet to reach out.

Could she really blame him for that though?

From her perspective she had merely served him a much needed reality check, a reminder that you couldn't pack people away into boxes like dolls you'd outgrown until you were ready to play with them again. And honestly, she would rather them crash headfirst into each other than have to keep doing whatever weird game of chicken they'd been stuck in since he came back - even if that meant having to pick up all the wreckage that came with it.

That didn't mean it hurt any less that he hadn't at the very least attempted to reach out. To mend the bridges he'd burned.

Had she imagined their entire friendship? Had he ever even loved her?

Anna could feel her chest start to tighten again in that uncomfortable way it liked to do at the most inconvenient times. Rubbing her chest and breathing slowly, she reminded herself, it was only a week and he would be gone.

Maybe this time she would finally get the message that it was time to leave the past behind.

#ship: annacam #para: a flash in the pan #chara: anna

[hansoulo]

hi i would v much like to know what you’d think would change in aiags if isabella were a little older and had memories w/juliana pls

OOOOH ok i’ve never really thought about this before but it’d actually be super interesting?? like say she was around 3-4 when juliana died, right.

i imagine things would be a little more tense when it came to the reader becoming a part of Isabella’s life, bc like she’s old enough to sort of understand what happened and possibly be more upset/uneasy, since she knows that like,, you’re not my mom sdjdkjsfdjf

obviously in AIAGS she didn’t have any memories of anything besides carrillo and then reader after about a year, but we know that carrillo has pictures of juliana in the house and has told isabella about her as she grew up, so it’s not like they’re trying to keep the past a secret lmao. she definitely grows up like aware of her situation so overall i don’t think it would change anything significant in the long run, but it might lead to some conflict when it came to parenting Isabella before she really understood/warmed up to the reader. toddlers b ice cold man they’re ruthless sometimes 💀

ask me anything

#i wanted to be like oh she'd still love her immediately and there'd be no problems and it'd be rainbows forever but like #have you met a toddler smdsmdhjsdkj #even if isabella did warm up to her easily (which i imagine she would) there'd still probably be moments of like #'you're not my mom you can't tell me what to do' #poor reader dfhdhfkdjfjk #gustavos #ask game #lari speaks #aint it a gentle sound inspo #horacio carrillo hc

[punkscowardschampions]

James & Ava

James: [okay so we all know the mood is that he sees whatever she's posted and literally goes there immediately with no thought of who else could also be cos he NEEDS to check that she's alright. The drama of it all] Ava: [but luckily no one is there and she'd be so shocked but also grateful 'cos no one wants to be alone and feeling unwell, esp. not in hospital] James: [when he'd have to say he was her brother so he can take her #awkward] Ava: [lollol finding that more amusing than you would otherwise 'cos concussion breaking your awks] James: [oh she'd be so cute I can't] Ava: [just hugging him so hard] James: [we all need that moment but sadly it cannot last forever because he'd have some driver doing circles endlessly cos there's nowhere to park at hospitals ever] Ava: [seriously, and it's so expensive] James: [when you were so desperate to get in there you didn't think about how long it could have taken like she could've been admitted and that driver is just lowkey out there for the rest of time] Ava: [lmao i wonder how long he'd wait for that bag before getting bored, luckily they'd low-key be ready to get rid 'cos too busy and overcrowded] James: [practically pushing her out the door as soon as they saw someone show up for her so he doesn't even have time to give her a feelsy speech lol] James: [just help her out to the car boy, you've had a lot of practice with drunk girls in heels and it'd be the same vibe] Ava: [just saying thank you over and over] James: [meanwhile he's asking her if she's okay over and over like every step they trying to take here] Ava: ['Oh God, you must think I'm so stupid, I swear, they came out of nowhere'] James: ['We both know you're not stupid, Ava' shout out to that text cleverness 5ever tbh 'I'm just glad you weren't seriously hurt'] Ava: ['How have you been, I've been so worried' shoutout to this concussion giving me shameless freedom lol] James: [when you can only shake your head because 1. you ain't been good 2. you don't wanna tell her any of it and 3. you don't think you deserve her worry/ want her to worry about you] Ava: [sad face] James: [stopping to stroke said face, don't fall over girl, he's got you] Ava: ['James-' and then just looking 'cos what can you say] James: [looking back at her cos likewise but then you gotta drop them eyes cos so sad] Ava: ['you look tired' and making more of an actual effort to get into this car] James: ['I am tired' but helping her in and doing her seatbelt for her because not gonna see her struggle ever, telling the driver her address because there's nowhere else you can take her but home even though you have no idea if as soon as you get there someone is gonna show up for her and you obviously don't want that] Ava: [patting your shoulder like 'you can come sleep' like no no one can babe] James: ['no' but a little smile cos she's cute af 'I'm supposed to keep you awake'] Ava: [when you make a face like 😏] James: ['by which, of course, I mean, you've got a 8 hour date with Edward Cullen ahead of you'] Ava: [grinning like a fool but then being like, wait 'you'll stay though, can you?'] James: ['I'm not going to leave you alone' oh the heavy unspoken implication that she might not be if the friends or fam descend 💔] Ava: [resting your head on him as a silent thank you but then lifting it like 'so awake, promise'[ James: [stroking her hair and keeping an eye like] Ava: [being like let me tell YOU a story and honestly God knows but it'd be cute and she'd be trying to match his storyteller energy] James: [when that's lowkey the moment he falls in love with her bye] Ava: [asking the driver to play the new moon soundtrack] James: [loling and honestly when was the last time he did that, we all know it was when they were together] Ava: [live the emo life and love it babes] James: [he's GOTTA dance in his seat to keep her awake, no other reason #notanerd lol] Ava: [just clapping and cheering him on like nothing to see here driver God bless] James: [so not what that man was expecting to 👀 or 👂] Ava: [freaking out drivers is low-key a fave] James: [the one time you're happy about London traffic tbh] Ava: [even though we ain't gonna interrupt, you don't know that boy] James: [speaking of, probably send a text or something to check on the kids because you just ran like assumedly they at their grandparents but] Ava: [never leaving 'em with Chlo we all know] James: [lord her and Jay would kill each other] Ava: [I'd genuinely be worried for her safety so don't blame you remotely boy, least her parents are invested] James: [literally though & you can have those grandparents forever babs we ain't taking them away from you] Ava: [awkward that your mum never shows but that's just that on that] James: [lbr that's for the best stick with your dads kiddos] Ava: [we all know it, even if Matty might not end up remembering much] James: [Ava lowkey her mum now oops] Ava: [and Jay's actual auntie...lol what a tangled web we weave boo] James: [at least they can all stay connected] Ava: [true facts] James: [makes my heart happy even if it's weird] Ava: [lean in to how weird this family is James] James: [they weird af but they're better than the one he's got #noshadetoTeddythough] Ava: [all the shade to you Chlo, sort it out] James: [her poor future children & husband] Ava: [honestly, good luck] James: [he'd have to be about everything she is or else what the fuck] James: [anyway we've been sidetracked get to Baze's house you two] Ava: [movie marathon awaits, what else do we vibe or shall we just try and see what comes out, like] James: [let's just run with it and see what happens because we extra and anything could be said and done tbh] James: [imagine how awkward it'd be when they get there because he'd have to send her in first and just be shitting himself in the car like is anyone there or no] Ava: [at least you know full well no one is there 'cos business trips forever so you're just at the door shaking your head and doing the 'come on' gesture] James: [he'd just help her to the sofa like immediately & get her blankets and pillows and painkillers (even though it wouldn't touch a concussion headache) and a phone charger and everything else she could possibly need cos Chloe's got him trained like a dog] Ava: [low-key pulling at him, gently, like boy sit down] James: [when you are then looking at her like what did I forget/ do wrong before you realise] Ava: [squeezing his hand because you can only say thank you so many times, putting the film on but then pausing and gasping so dramatically 'coffee, I promised you coffee' and going to get up like can you be careful please] James: [thinking she's in pain or something because of that gasp so being at her side like 0-1000 and slowing her down cos they can do it together thank you] Ava: [making a face at herself like ffs when she catches on 'I'm not trying to age you' and touching his non-grey hair and wrinkles like totally necessary yep] James: ['but you're offering me coffee, what's next red meat or red wine?' but no actual shade cos we both know he doesn't care and none of that is what's aging him anyway, taking her hand from his face and gently kissing said hand before handholding to lead her to her own kitchen like let's do this] Ava: ['I don't know where my cigarettes are' shrugs and smiles like sorry not sorry, smiles even harder but lowkey stops breathing when, kissing ontop of where he just kissed her hand, then getting to this all-singing all-dancing coffee machine 'you have to pick the most daring option, one you've never, ever tried before, okay?' and waggling her finger like so serious about this] James: [takes his own cigarettes out of his pocket and slides the pack over to her 'okay' and does pick, really concentrating on the decision even though there'd be so much shit he hasn't tried and we all know he could just pick option 1 and be done] Ava: [takes one out and puts it behind her ear for later 'cos no need to light up in your parents home, just watching him 'cos so cute and then nodding like yes, good choice and picks the same, setting up this machine 'cos they're always more confusing and/or time-consuming than they need to be I swear] James: [where's the lie you gotta have the knack I swear, his turn to watch her now though because she's beautiful doing anything ever and he missed her so bad] Ava: [ahh coffee goodtimes forever] James: [he needs it cos he is tired af so thanks Ava you babe] Ava: ['do we talk about what happened, or do we write it off?' when you just saying this casually whilst waiting for your coffees] James: ['I don't know' because he is genuinely torn between wanting to and also not] Ava: ['Wait and see how we feel' 'cos no rush or pressure here 'you better carry these though' 'cos we don't need burns as well ty] James: ['wait here a minute for me' because carries the drinks through and then comes back for her because why not carry her though as well obvs] Ava: [does and loves it 'I've missed you, you know'] James: ['I know now' just giving her 😍 casually 'I've missed you too'] Ava: [😍 right back 'Ask anyone' when you're talking about your mood but you realize that sounds like you been telling the world lol 'I mean, I've been a delight' 🙄] James: [when you shake your head like no it's okay 'I overreacted about your cousin, I'm sorry' takes a deep breath remembering that whole sad ending moment 'And I'm sorry for fucking up the start of your summer' because she loves it and he knows] Ava: ['I understand why, understood, whatever. And I am still sorry, I was just too excited and-' sighs like, you know, squeezing his hand again 'I promise, that's all sorted now though' 'cos clearly told her it's over by now, 'cos thought it was anyway; she nods like thanks but shrugs like it's okay too, don't worry 'Sure even I can't be grumpy in the Seychelles, like'] James: [blatantly almost kissing her because he understands the whole being too highkey thing because he was (*cough* is) too but doesn't because she's going away 'when are you going?'] Ava: [sad face like you didn't just say you aren't gonna be grumpy 'when my parents get back, couple of days'] James: [strokes her face again like he did earlier 'you'll feel better by then' because someone's meant to watch you for 48 hours actually NHS website says] Ava: [😈 me 😇 her looking at him 'how did you even- why- I-' continuously cutting herself off 'cos you know he was checking in on you now and you know he came without hesitating so it doesn't need to be said 'Oh, James'] James: ['Ava' saying her name with SO MUCH feeling that I cannot 'I had to' when you mean so many things by that like you had to go but you have to stay now and you had to make sure she was okay today but also you had to keep checking on her the whole time] Ava: [definitely gonna go in to kiss him can't stop that soz] James: [we all know it was only a matter of time and that this is gonna turn into a not at all casual make out session] Ava: [you honestly deserve it lads] James: [that coffee gonna be cold and they won't even notice] Ava: [the movies are also not being watched lmao but no one cares rn] James: [on pause forever sorry not sorry] James: [but eventually like after AN AGE one of them should lean on the remote or whatever so it starts playing and they're like wtf] Ava: [when you shit yourself like who is here but then loving 'cos hi Edward] James: [we all shitting ourselves and all loling] Ava: ['he's very possessive' no lie] James: [looking at Edward and then kissing her again like when you're trying to make someone jealous] Ava: [when you're loling too hard into his mouth like 'scuse me] James: [kissing her neck instead so she can have her adorable lol] Ava: [reacting to that in a v different way] James: [we back at it again at krispy kreme soz twilight saga] Ava: [i swear to god the ily curse is so real] James: [this always happens to us, don't talk for a bit lads, wink wonk] Ava: [its because we give them such high-pressure situations but yes, you should fully hook up 'cos haven't yet] James: [I wonder if the orgasm headache thing would work for a concussion one or not] Ava: [my boo says #experiment] James: [imma google it but I don't expect an answer] James: [nobody is telling me but if it can help a migraine I don't see why it wouldn't] Ava: [you'll be fine bitch, just a shameless excuse that he needs to hang around longer] James: [we should totally also do the shameless thing when he falls asleep and then wakes up immediately but is like oh no how long was I asleep because not only worried about her we know] Ava: [for sure, just there chilling like 🥰 'not long, but you looked peaceful'] James: ['I was' and more 😍 'I am' just snuggling happily because deserved af] Ava: [kissing the top of his head 'good' then lying down and snuggling harder 'I'm so glad you're here, that you're okay'] James: ['I'm glad that I'm here & that you're okay' kissing her forehead and holding her so tightly because he was so worried that something much worse had happened to her] Ava: ['It was kinda scary how much I missed you- like I said I WAS extra but I think, no, I still am, I can't lie to you'[ James: [when you are just falling so hard for her rn smiling like look at this perfect 😇 'you don't have to miss me any longer, minus however long you're spending in the Seychelles, of course'] Ava: ['Yeah?' trying but failing not to sound so hopeful 'And two weeks, so not as long as it has been, not that I was definitely counting or anything'] James: ['I was afraid, no, I am afraid but very few things have ever scared me as much as when I saw you were in hospital & I thought-'] Ava: [just holding him back even tighter like you could not be closer 'I'm so sorry I scared you, I won't ever do it again, even if I get hit by something more substantial than a 90lbs mum on a lightweight bike' and shaking her head with a lil lol 'cos it is funny even though it can be as bad as a car crash actual sometimes] James: ['You scare me in the best ways, you don't have to stop, I don't want you to' because think of the new things he's already done and the new things he's already felt, it makes me emosh goodbye] Ava: [when that's the hottest thing you've ever heard like 'scuse me round two] James: [you've actually got all night for once so make the most of it lads] Ava: [like literally no one needs it more than him so I'm allowing it, there's enough shit happened, happening and still to come] James: [amen to that] Ava: [happy bubble forever] James: [if only like, he is NOT gonna wanna leave in the morning but maybe we could say that like Jay has a playdate with friends or something cos soz babe you can't keep a secret so he just gets the baby and comes back] Ava: [that would be a moment] James: [just casually meet each other how cute] Ava: [have a normal, happy day like you're meant to oh] James: [you all deserve it truly] Ava: [meet your potential future stepchild babe] James: [do we wanna have them go out or stay in?] Ava: [🤔 obvs really want them to go to Kensington Park 'cos Peter Pan and like obvs I doubt anyone who would be bothered to report to Chloe is gonna be there but it is risky so maybe save it idk] James: [we will bookmark that for the future because MUST but they could take Frank on a walk somewhere cos we ain't referenced that sweet sir even if it's just through the streets like] Ava: [that's a good shout, you better be a good boy lol] James: [and don't cockblock them rn please] James: [they'd look like a little fam, I am FINE] Ava: [and lowkey behave more like one in one day like the bar is so low tah Chlo] James: [the scolding tea] James: how are you feeling? Ava: 😊 So happy Ava: Only a bit tired from the whole staying awake thing and you keeping me awake, like 😏 Ava: oh, and Frank said you've redeemed yourself so well done there too Ava: how're you and the girls? James: I'm happy to hear all of that James: has your dizziness gone? James: we're fine, but tired too Ava: Yeah Ava: barely a headache Ava: and my parents get in early AM so I should be all set to go when they do get here James: how much packing is there left to do? Ava: All of it but deciding which 14 bikinis I wanna take shouldn't take too long James: are you sure? I think it would take me a really long time to decide Ava: I'll put some stories up Ava: You can help me Ava: I reckon I need your clearly more considered opinion James: of course you do James: you wouldn't want to spend the entirety of your holiday wishing you'd chosen differently Ava: so true Ava: especially as I'm not allowed to pack my pout James: everyone is well aware of how important the pursuit of a tan is to you, darling, anything that jeopardises that, well, it's bound to be very pout inducing James: you'll be forgiven Ava: I don't know if my family is as forgiving as you Ava: perhaps they don't like my pout as much Ava: they definitely aren't as supportive in bikini related decision making James: I'll dedicate paragraphs to both James: multiple lengthy ones Ava: It'll seem gratuitous in the movie but nothing is too much for the book James: as long as it remains included in the director's cut James: or else I will be devastated Ava: I'll demand it in my contract Ava: I think it'll be a first in favour of taking your clothes off instead of keeping 'em on James: thank you James: you do deserve a multitude of firsts, honestly Ava: you deserve so much Ava: much more than I'm allowed to give you Ava: that reminds me Ava: as I can't give you anything as a thank you, I've had to get creative James: so much of what I deserve is negative & there is nothing you owe to me in any capacity, thanks included James: but I'd never want to discourage creativity Ava: Shh sh Ava: in the spirit of firsts and trying new things Ava: when you're all less worn out, go to [a sassy but kid-friendly cafe/restaurant that's a bit out there and exotic and definitely nowhere Chloe has ever made you take her] and tell 'em you're eating on me, yeah Ava: then when I get back and you're free, you're coming over and I'm cooking James: Ava Ava: It's already arranged, I go there all the time, it's the 2nd best Brazilian food I've had James: you've been to Brazil for the 1st, haven't you? I can tell Ava: Actually no, mores the pity Ava: but my Uncle is Brazilian and a chef, my cousin too Ava: having a big weird family has unexpected perks Ava: if you like it, I already have a recipe lined up that's meant to be 🔥 but even a novice like me can master it James: you'll have to wait patiently for my review because I regrettably can't send you a picture of my face after the 1st mouthful to serve as one, but okay Ava: I'll do my best Ava: though having any patience when it comes to you doesn't seem to be my strong suit Ava: arguably not a virtue I'm known for, ever, but especially now James: I'll do my best not to miss you so hard that it's physically painful but that doesn't appear to be my strong suit either & as previously agreed, I won't make any promises I'm forced to immediately break Ava: Oh Ava: Knowing it wasn't just me finding out that painful cliche is painfully real is somehow a comfort, to know you'll want to avoid the feeling as much as I do from now on but it also hurts me even more, the idea of you having to feel it at all in the first place Ava: but there is no conflict in just how hard I'm looking forward to seeing you again after this ill-timed holiday James: I don't ever want you to be in pain because of me, I have to insist on only the good cliches going forward James: devastatingly a postcard can't be included in that Ava: Hmm, got any long-lost great aunties I can pretend to be? 🤔😂 James: If I do my wife is bound to be aware of them, their current financial situation & any possible health concerns they are facing Ava: Valid Ava: Don't need to give her any more reason to 💀💀💀 me Ava: At least no holiday is complete without the obligatory narcissistic poolside shoot James: suffice to say I've never had a complete holiday, in that case Ava: I bet you've had to be cameraman plenty though Ava: so rude when you're so nice to look at James: & yet I've never been trusted to pick a filter Ava: 🙄 Ava: does she not know that you're an artiste James: no, it's our secret Ava: 😊 I like that James: I like you Ava: I like that more James: I wish I could see you again before you go Ava: Me too Ava: I kinda wish I weren't going James: how early are your parents getting back exactly? Ava: like 4am kinda early James: I won't make you stay awake again James: I know how tired you must be Ava: 🥺 James: I'm so relieved that I can't see that look on your actual face Ava: It's 💔 Ava: but I'll survive Ava: about James: you're a very strong person Ava: You James: I'm not Ava: You are though Ava: you put up with so much shit James: is that strength or is it weakness? Ava: I think it's strength Ava: You can't necessarily stop shit happening or get shit out of your life Ava: no matter how strong Ava: and you manage to do all the shit you have to regardless James: I'd like to think you're right Ava: Then you should Ava: I encourage it Ava: 🤓 me James: you are undeniably clever Ava: Try to be Ava: when I'm not standing in the middle of cycle paths, obviously James: I heard you say that bike came out of nowhere Ava: Yeah Ava: I miss you already Ava: Frank is not as good a nurse, like at all James: if you can fall asleep now, I'd feel less guilty about the prospect of asking you not to later James: should I hypothetically be able to get away Ava: 🛌🏃 Ava: Promise James: I can't give you a promise back Ava: I know Ava: but this way, I either stay asleep and that's that Ava: or I get the best surprise to wake me up James: what did I do to deserve you? Ava: This is the part where I say something very bad but Ava: you don't seem capable Ava: you're just James: whatever it was, I need to know so I can keep doing it Ava: just be you Ava: another cliche you've proven to be true and real James: this fortnight without you is going to be really cliche James: there's no chance of it existing beyond the 1st draft Ava: not even for my eyes only? James: well James: maybe Ava: Please please please James: okay James: you are my fairest critic & you do have beautiful eyes Ava: Yours are better Ava: but I won't be too jealous if I get to look at them more James: I definitely can't promise not to be envious of everyone in the Seychelles who will get to look at you more than I can Ava: Do you ever get a decent lunchbreak? Ava: we could facetime James: I'll figure something out James: because my dad takes the longest lunch breaks, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the 80s Ava: 😏 we love a throwback 🙄 James: I'll take Matty to work with me, she'll distract whoever I need her to Ava: She is very cute Ava: I see it James: I won't be saying anything the like of that if she won't sleep tonight though Ava: 🤞 for you and her Ava: shame she's not yet at the walking stage Ava: Frank is so 💤 James: I can't keep her in any kind of routine, it's frustrating for both of us Ava: That's hard James: it's harder for her than it is for me, she never knows what's happening Ava: She'll get there Ava: I was the worst baby Ava: hopefully before you totally lose your mind, 'course James: I find it impossible to believe you weren't 😇 Ava: I was pretty premmie so my poor parents were confined to perpetual bright light for ages when I got home James: both the girls were so late James: that was an entirely different struggle Ava: I can imagine how delightful Ava: usually excusable but when you set the bar low to begin with 😬 James: the last thing I want to do is badmouth her to you, but as we know, sometimes things write themselves Ava: I feel you Ava: not a cliche I particularly wanna be either James: of course not Ava: but you can vent, you know Ava: I don't even have to reply, just if you need to put it somewhere James: no, I can't Ava: okay, just a suggestion James: so much of this is already not fair to you, Ava Ava: I don't think it is Ava: you've never lied about any of it, you're always realistic about what you can and can't give me Ava: and I'd like to help, in any tiny way I'm able James: you don't know what she's like & I'd rather you didn't have to know James: let's keep it at you don't do sympathy Ava: I know very little but that's not positive so it doesn't take your author level of imagination if I wanna go there without your guidance Ava: and it isn't sympathy but okay Ava: I won't mention her and you don't have to either James: I just can't have you seeing me differently because Ava: I'd never see you differently because of what she's like as a person James: it's too big of a risk for me to take, that you'll end up thinking less of me than you do now Ava: You can trust me Ava: but you don't have to Ava: I won't push anything, I don't need to Ava: as much as I want to take things fast in so many respects, I'm never going to take it where you don't want it James: it isn't you I don't trust James: I'm not a reliable narrator, she's made sure I'm not Ava: However...intertwined and diluted you feel your story got, because of her, because of whatever Ava: it's always gonna be your story to tell, if you want it Ava: and I'll always listen to how you tell it James: Ava Ava: James James: if it was a story I was in control of I'd come to the airport & tell you not to go James: cliche or not Ava: and I'd stay Ava: but that's far too much like a happy ending and we've only just begun James: you're right again Ava: don't sound so surprised 😉 James: I was actually trying to decide where it falls on the scale of ideas & habits, good, bad or somewhere in between James: that you always seem to be Ava: Have you drawn a conclusion yet? James: I couldn't possibly tell you James: you're supposed to be asleep Ava: damn Ava: you'll tell me in the morning? James: yes Ava: Okay, I'll go, as long as you know it is so reluctantly it's practically under protest James: & I won't stay here hoping you don't, as long as you know it's under identical conditions Ava: Noted Ava: Goodnight and sweet dreams for whenever that happens for you then, love James: thank you

[help-too-many-ideas]

Always positive/Always negative

Now these are two prompt which are the opposites of each other.

For both of them we need:

the miraculous ladybug universe

Gabe having character development

a certain girl called Diana Luna

Now for the first one!

Always positive starts shortly after chameleon.

So Lila is back, has everyone wrapped around her finger except for Marinette and Adrien, they're still in their two love squares, and the heroes all got their miraculous.

Now this is where Diana comes in.

Her family moved to Paris a few days ago, and now she's going to attend the same school as the Miracuclass. She's even gonna be in it.

Now Diana is a special girl. She's always positive. Meaning she can't feel any negative emotion at all.

She learned to identify when she would have those feelings though, as for when she'd doubt something, there'd be a lack of trust.

So when she enters the class, first she introduced herself.

It goes a little bit like this:

"Hey everybody, I'm Diana Luna. Me and my dads moved here a week ago and now I'm gonna be in your class. I really enjoy reading, singing and drawing. Oh, and a quick note, I can't feel any negative emotions. However I notice when I should. I hope you'll accept that. If you don't believe me, then don't. If you do, THANKS A LOT! Yeah, that's it. I hope at least some of you believe me, and that those few will end up my friends!"

And that got a lot of different reactions.

Adrien, with his heart of gold, would of course believe her, and maybe be like hey, one person I don't have to save.

Marinette would be like wait should I pity her or not. Wait she probably doesn't want me to pity her. Wait can she even not want something- (more internal spiraling)

Lila would be like she should be an easy target if what she says is true. She can't feel doubt after all.

To only name those three.

So of course, as it is the only free seat, Diana goes to sit next to Lila. Who of course wants to start one of her stories, but Diana is like "can we talk later? I wouldn't want to miss out on my first lesson, ok? Thanks!" And Lila is just so confused about this new girl that she in fact DOES stop.

After the lesson of course, she'll try her stories, maybe I'll write something short for that.

--------

Now you will realize that when they actually want to, Gabriel can be smart.

And he actually is this time too.

--------

(after miracle queen, and after gang of secrets)

Nadja:Don't be bemused, it's just the news. It looks like Shadow Moth has taken on an even newer form! Yes, I'm being told that .......... Scarlet Shadow has made an announcement!

If anyone was able to resist negative emotions when facing all of his sentimonsters and the akumas he send out, he would surrender the butterfly and the peacock miraculous to them.

However, if the heroes weren’t able to find a person, they had to give him theirs.

They get multiple tries, but once started, they only have 24 hours until they have to give up if they don’t succeed.

If you think you could do it, please call us immediately.

So far the list of sighted sentimonsters are guilt, the giant lollipop monster and Ladybug.

The akumas are Animaestro, Gamer 2.0, Copycat, Sandboy, Dark Cupid, Horrificator, Reverser, Silencer, Reflekta, Lies and Truth.

--------------

LoL I actually made the picture for this

ANYway......

-------------

Of course Marinette and Adrien immediately think of Diana. But they're both not sure if she's able to do it.

I mean, they could just try to defeat all of the akumas, even taking on a fake Luka or someone copying him, cause he's akumatized two times, but only a few people know that.

But she's the only person they know, so they plan on asking her, but they think they have to figure out a way to convince their partner to trust her.

Meanwhile Nadja gets akumatized once again.

Then Diana calls the studio and she picks up, but since she still sound like Nadja, and it's over the phone, she doesn't notice it's not her.

So now Hawkmoth knows there is a candidate.

That's why he sends Copycat and Sentibug there.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

I'll finish this tomorrow, now I REALLY wanna talk about the other one, cause it's a little bit longer.

------------

So now for the second one:

So this one start shortly before miracle queen.

And it's not really a happy beginning.

........

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Why did she do that?

If she wants the others so badly to see a happy mother and daughter, why can't we at least try to be that?

Why?

Why so hard?

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hu-

............

Marinette comes out of Fu's massage shop when she sees her.

Lying on the floor, bruises everywhere you can see. Shivering. Outside with only her PJs on, in the pouring rain. Curled up.

She immediately knocks at his door again and they get her inside.

.............

Warmth. That's the first thing she felt when she woke up. When she opened up her eyes, she saw a girl, looking worriedly at her.

----

So Diana woke up in Fu's shop. Of course she's scared at first, but she quickly opens up to them, since they're kind to her.

Now the thing with THIS Diana is that she can't feel positive emotions. But she is able to feel the lack of them, and she can control them pretty well, since she delt with them her whole life.

Sooooooo........……..………………………………...........

What's the deal with her mother?

She's just a big asshole. She wants everyone to believe they're a happy family. She started beating her husband after they got married because he said they should talk about their problems rather than ignoring them.

Like their child not being able to feel positive emotions.

But she didn't want to hear it. He left them soon after Diana turned 6. Whick made it harder for her mother to keep up the image. But miraculously, she managed. (Pun not intended)

So, since she couldn't beat him anymore, she started beating her daughter.

At the beginning it didn't hurt that much. Maybe she still had a fragment of a moral code left inside her or something and didn't want to beat a child.

But it got worse after Diana turned 10. Because she couldn't be homeschooled forever.

So whenever her mother found out that someone knew they weren't always happy, she punished Diana for not being a convincing actor. Which means she hit her.

But the problem is that these other children don't forget like this. And of course they talk to their parents.

So one day when everyone is having cake, on of the mothers asks about it, not expecting there to really be anything. But then a father says his child said something similar too. Another mother says her twins noticed something too.

And with that, the illusion breaks.

Diana runs out of the room crying.

Later her mother beats her up again and again and again. When she thinks Diana is unconscious, she takes a break and tries to fix everything with her friends. That's the moment Diana escapes.

She can barely walk, she's cold, but she just wants to get away from that monster. She wouldn't even care if she was akumatized now probably. This can't get any worse.

And that's where I started.

------

From here on, it'll get better, and even a little bit funnier.

Now being a teenager, and her mother not being around to 'keep her in check', her emotions grow bigger and louder.

One day when Hawkmoth opens his window to look for a victim, all he senses is the burning anger of a 14-year-old..... Normally a perfect victim. But OH BOI is he wrong.

Punisher, I am Hawkmothe. You have been-

Oh shut up and get out.

Then she throws away the bracelet the akuma entered.

This happens often, because her emotions are just always there. She's sorta blocking his radar.

She doesn't WANT to try to reduce the negative emotions. She's finally NOT suppressing them but letting them out. And she doesn't need a f*cking akuma for that.

----------

Now Gabriel isn't dumb. Well sometimes he is, especially with twelve specific akumas. But not in this story. Oh no.

----------

"I don't know what to do Nathalie, she's blocking my view, I can't sense anything."

"What exactly is the reason you can't akumatize her?"

"She keeps throwing away that bracelet of hers the butterfly always enters."

"Then I suggest finding out what is her problem and feeding into it so she won't be able to refuse your offer...."

"Yes........ Thank you, Nathalie."

------

No, I won't tell you, now GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

------

Didn't you listen? I

------

SAID

------

I WON'T

------

TELL YOU!!!!

----------

This isn't working, I need to try something different..............

Ok, one more try......

Punisher, I am-

Don't. Even. Think. About it. Hawkface.

Ok, ok, I won't, but your blocking my radar, could you please calm down?

So you don't want to push me into akumatization?

Well I'd want to but it doesn't work. So I-

Are you siriously singing right now?

What, you said I should calm down. Singing helps me calm down.

-------------------------------------------------

See you tomorrow!