#mind you I've watched this series at least four times before

[ravengards-rogue]

the evening stretch | warm-up series.

ft. the prompts, nsfw / "dinner" / arthur morgan.

✧ tags : afab!reader + fem!reader outdoors sex, oral (f!recieving), reader is an outlaw, established relationship, desperate arthur morgan, 18+

✧ wc : 2.7k

✧ a/n : hello! this is part of a little warm-up series i do on my other blog where i pick three prompts and try to come up with something. i normally do them in a rut. im working on a commission and im super stuck so.

this actually landed on javier four times in a row but im being kind and sparing a friend so. here's mr. morgan.

✧ synopsis : arthur thinks the place between your legs would suit him quite nicely.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖˚☽˚｡⋆

Honest to God, Arthur's never been like this before.

He ain't all that pious to start, so perhaps the sentiment doesn't stretch as far as he would like it too. But it's true, all the same - that in all the lives he's lived, he's never experienced this much bone-deep desire for another human being.

Which is outright ridiculous, since right now you're just making supper. Dinner, you always clarify with that yankee accent. You're going to have dinner together, 'cause Arthur needs to eat. He works hard, according to you.

It's not much, but you're a better cook than Pearson. Even if that's not saying a whole lot. And you're insistent on making the man eat, always on his case about how it's hardly enough for a man his size.

Arthur can chalk it up to being that you love him, as you have told him foolishly many times. He's sure you're not gonna be happy with him in a minute since again - all you're doing is making dinner.

It's just... something. Something about you today. Dammit, he doesn't understand it neither. You've got a job together, and you and Arthur play convincing husband and wife since you practically are anyway. Arthur's been watching you today closely. You lie pretty. Smile with all your teeth, clever with a careful finesse and an honest knack for debauchery and indecency.

You love calling yourself an awful woman. Joking about dying an unweddable spinster given your crudity.

But Arthur likes it in you. Of you. Likes it so much he's done nothing but readjust his pants watching you squirm your way out of every difficult situation and sling the revolver on your hip like a tried-and-true gunslinger.

You're a fine woman to him. A fine one.

The fire crackles as you place a pot over the little flame of the faux stove. You've made a real dinner somehow - with some vegetables and creeping thyme and carefully butchery of meat. It smells good and you seem proud of it, stirring the thing with the sharp end of your knife. Careful not to scrape the pot.

Arthur watches the light glow orange on your face, carefully observing the way it shines on you. You don't look up at all when you speak.

"Gonna stare a hole into me, Morgan."

He feels something warm crawl up his cheeks. He scratches his beard instinctively, tucking his hat over his eyes.

"'m sorry," He says, unsure of how to cover for himself. "Been thinking about some things."

"Don't hurt yourself," You reply, sardonic and dry. Arthur adores you. He laughs to himself and feels warmed by the pleasant smile that seems to give you.

"I'll try. Ain't much used to thinking,"

"Penny for your thoughts, then Mr. Morgan." You reply, carefully moving the pot around so nothing burns. "Might help you clear your mind if you get some of it off your chest."

He's backed himself into a wall. Goddamn him and his big mouth. He hesitates, taking it off this time. Fidgety.

"Yanno, there ain't a lot women like you. Not that I've met at least."

You give him a look. Your lips pressed into a flat line, unimpressed by him.

"Is that so?"

He laughs to himself. "It is indeed. You're a real piece of work. 'Specially going around batting your lashes, making yourself out to be a housewife."

"Aw what, did you like seeing me all doe eyed?" You smile to yourself, teasing but not entirely insincere. "If it helps, since you're the fake husband, I'm only half-acting."

That makes him grin. Though you say it with confidence, the sincerity it makes you flush.

"It ain't that," Arthur says again, looking at your face for the second time in a few minutes. "Just that you're a fine woman to be around. What do they call it...resourceful. That's what I'm thinking of."

"Who taught you such a big word, Morgan?"

"Trelawny, I'd guess."

You laugh, loud and beautiful and Arthur smiles. You look at him from across the fire. "Well, I'm glad you like my company, Mr. Morgan."

"I do more than like it," He hums, offering a reprieve. He nods at you carefully, head tilted. "Come 'ere,"

Your eyes widen at him, but you don't deny him of what he's asking. For that he is awfully grateful. You're more than capable and much less than needy. There's victory in your deliberate desire for him, Arthur thinks. You want him enough to let him chase you.

You come sit by Arthur. You're a little awkward with him still but he don't mind. It adds to whatever he feels for you, sugar-sweet affection and all. You sit on your knees and Arthur turns his head looking at you.

Beautiful. Beautiful thing you are, really. He has a hard time finding the words to tell you.

He reaches up, hand cupping your face. You lean into the touch, palm resting on calloused hand. He adores you.

"And quit with the Mister Morgan nonsense. Drives me crazy."

"Arthur," You say, slow and deliberate. "You know you're looking at me like you wanna eat me."

'"Read my mind, then."

"Arthur," You repeat, scandalized. He would smile if he wasn't so serious. "We're supposed to be eatin' dinner. You got into a whole spat with them Leymone Riders just today. You need to recover,"

His smile widens.

"Lettin' me go down on ya will heal me just fine,"

You look at him exasperated. Arthur leans into your neck, placing chaste kisses down the line of your jaw. He kisses you just there - underneath your earlobe, knows it drives you crazy.

"Lay down, sugar. Help a poor, injured man heal."

You pull away from him with faux exasperation, fond smiling breaking your face.

"You can be such a dog some times, do you know that?"

"I'm afraid I do,"

You give him another unimpressed look, but you listen anyways. Arthur moves so you can lay down on the bedroll - his bedroll. He takes off his coat just before you lay your head, playing it underneath you to get you more comfortable.

"Dinner's gonna burn," You tell him, almost reflexively. He laughs as he looks at you, your hands folded over your stomach and flat. He laughs at you.

"Burn? You feeling warm?"

"Arthur!"

And he laughs again, catching your boot in his hand as you go to kick his chest lightly. He sets it back down as he stares at you. You're quite the sight. Adoration bubbles up into his throat, blooms out into a hum. The sound of crickets and owls and all sorts of night wanderers sound - but none are distracting enough to pry his gaze away.

"You're looking too much," You say, your voice a half tremble. He nods.

"Got too," Arthur hums, leaning forward into your space. You always smell good to him, some cross between soft earth, and sweet liquor and clothes left in the sun. Skin and salt and sweet. "Who knows how long I'll be around."

He presses his lips to yours gentle and you kiss him - but only once before pulling away. Your eyes suddenly serious, warm palm on his cheek.

"Don't say something so morbid. If you go, I go,"

"Sweetheart—"

"No buts." You affirm, pressing your thumb to his lip all serious. Your eyes meet and for a moment - just one minute, all he wants to do is stop time from moving. From stealing him from you in life at all. Even a few seconds, intolerable. "Don't feel to good to hear, does it? So don't say it."

"Alright, alright," He huffs, laughing against your neck. He kisses it again, right against your pulse - quickening under his teeth as he bites and scrapes. He mulls over how much he wants you, and how little time there is to do everything. "Jus' lemme...I dunno."

Now you're cheeky, smiling up at him. Lord above, you do something so terrible to him. "Now that's just not true, baby."

He laughs deep and raspy. It's not true, because he knows exactly what he's after.

Arthur lets his hands plane over your clothed body. He doesn't bother with the ritual of undressing you entirely - since the act doesn't deserve the intimacy. You do, maybe - but Arthur's head feels too foggy to do anything civilized. He has to settle for letting his hands grip the fabric of your skirt and push it until it bunches around your waist.

There's no real delicacy in it, save for the way your breath hitches as Arthur gives himself better access. He moves to lay on his stomach between your thighs. He wishes it were brighter to give him better view. He's seen it plenty but looking at your pretty pussy alone gets him harder than steel.

His hands go underneath every layer of fabric to undo the little tie of your undergarments. You squirm when Arthur takes them off, but you don't pull away.

It's pretty. Even with the dim light of just the moon and fire to let Arthur see it. What entices him mostly though is the scent, after a long day of riding out alone - there's something about the way you smell - sweat and all that makes the back of his mouth ache with want. Makes his teeth hurt just dreaming about it.

He doesn't let his animalistic urges take him yet. He knows you need the build up. His hand is soft as he grips onto your waist. He pulls your legs further apart and lets his lips brush the inside of your thigh. Starts at your knee and works his way up, his mouth burning hot - open kisses. You giggle at the sensation of his beard, but it's tamped down with lust Arthur knows like the back of his hand.

Slow, deliberate, sinful. He knows the way you liked to be touched so exactly, but the pace is set more by his desperation. It grows ten sizes listening to you sigh and huff, feeling your hands come down to touch his hair and play with it.

"Arthur," Your voice calls. Pleading. Wanting him. You're so good at making Arthur loose his composure with so little. It's hard to tease you as your voice clips off into a whine. "Arthur,"

"I've got you," He says, assured. He means it as much as he means anything he's ever said. He ain't a decent man, but this much he can say full ways. "I've got you, sugar. Ease up. Let me take care of you,"

And so you again, breathless - boneless and eager. You let Arthur into your space, and something about that. Something about you. His heart races, blood pumping through his body. It pulses in his ears, head swimming with nothing but praise for you.

You're a fine woman. You're a good girl. The best he knows.

Arthur can feel the way your clit pulses with want before he ever puts his mouth on you. Makes him chuckle, gloved hand resting on your navel. He uses his thumb to pull it back, before using both hands to spread you open. Then, in an act less then gentlemanly, spits on it hard. He watches it land, lewd as it drips between your fold. He laughs to himself.

Another pitchy call of his name and Arthur decides he's had enough fun to get him through the evening.

He kisses your clit first, thinks it's only gentlemanly. When your hips buck up trying to chase the feeling of his mouth - he laughs. His hands dig into your hips. You're soft, skin dimpling from just how tight he holds onto you.

When he finally gets what he wants, his own body lurches forward from want. He nearly slumps into the ground - half-way between relieved and utterly addicted. It's a sense of euphoria unmatched by the finest liquor or cigars money can be.

The taste of you fills his mouth as Arthur eats.

Arthur is not used to playing predator. Not interested in the act of devouring. You often compare him to some sort of herbivore. But there's something too hungry, too visceral, too primal for him to be anything but a coyote. A teethed thing, all screwed up from hunger.

He lets his tongue slip against the seam of your cunt, all the arousal collecting in his mouth. His senses flood with something heady, sweet but bitter and he groans shamelessly as a result. Spoiled by the taste and utterly debauched.

"Oh, god - Arthur, you're—"

Arthur is pleased by the way your words are cut off by your own moan. He slides his tongue back up, wet muscle firm as it lays flat against your clit. There's a slight twitch like it's asking for more attention.

Arthur is all to eager vtoo provide, closing his lips around the twitching bundle of nerves. He knows what you like. Learned over time just the amount of pressure he needs to suck with and the speed he needs to draw his tongue over your clit to get you right at the very edge of your orgasm.

He teases you to that pace. Slow increases in either or, until it's just at that perfect medium. Once he hits that spot, you always moan so pretty.

You shudder, your body lurching up as your hands get tighter in his hair. "Aah, fuck. Ngh, Arthur. Don't do this t'me."

You begging him not too makes him want to do it more. If Arthur were any less aroused, he would. But his brain can barely think up enough to stamina to do that. His own cock is strained against his work pants - hips instinctively rutting into the bedroll just beneath him. Silently seeking friction all while hoping he doesn't get enough to distract him.

It'd be a damn shame, he thinks - letting anything pull him from the taste of your pussy. From the smell of it, from the sight of it, from the feeling of you. Sticky, pulsing strings of arousal coating his tongue and turning all his thoughts to dust.

His cock throbs again as you rut against his mouth. Arthur pins you in place.

"Please," You say. A magic word he ain't much stronger than. "Please make me cum,"

You really are a good girl, the way you know exactly what makes him tick. Arthur moans into your cunt as he sucks and licks and eats. He'd die over it, and he does not mean it lightly. It's the only thing in the world he wants to do in the moment. He laser focuses on finding that sweet spot again.

And he knows he does when you start whimpering. Squirming and holding onto his soft brown locks and pleading for something you don't know about. He can feel how wet your getting - dripping along down his beard and face. Thick strings of your arousal stick and slide down his neck.

He's never been a messy eater, but you've been disproving many of his prior understandings of himself. He supposes it's only natural.

"Oh, baby," You say, not even his name. Arthur knows it's a warning that you're gonna cum. All he can do is encourage you. He hums into your soft, wet cunt and you groan again. "Fuck, Arthur. I'm gonna cum."

Arthur knows better. He doesn't do a thing but keep going. Lets you move and thrash and pull away but keeps you firm in his place and eats your pussy until you can barely think.

He knows the knot is untying before you do because of how much you squirm. When you cum, you cum hard. Your back arches up into a picture perfect curve, toes curling and hands tugging at his roots for purchase.

He can feel every pulse of desire as you finally do let go. You cry out, loud enough to startle any nearby critters. Your fingers grip tight at the base of his hair as the orgasm washes over you. It's just as magnetic as it was the first time.

He's sure that will always be true.

When Arthur pulls away from your pulsing, wet core - he can feel just how much of his lower face is sticky. He's sure you also know, if the way you laugh is anything to go by.

And he's not long to follow after. Not even a few seconds and he can feel something in pants tighten - a mess of white staining the front of the denim in an onset of lust damn near shameful. Is he a teenager again? Lord above.

Breathlessly, you look down at him after you've ridden your high out.

Pulling up Arthur by the collar, you look at him slowly and frown. You look impassioned and a little frustrated.

You kiss him tender after you've come too. Once, then twice, then a another time with your hand still drawn into a fist. Arthur grabs it closed, opening your palms before kissing the palm of your hands until you're no longer mad.

"Hate how good you are at that," You admit, a little drunk of the euphoria of all of it. "Make me feel so crazy."

Arthur beams at you unapologetic.

"It's good to be that with me, sweetheart." Arthur says, kissing the corner of your mouth. "Now how about you go and give me one more?"

You laugh breathlessly but don't go to stop him at all.

"Insatiable man."

"Only for you, my girl."

.𖥔 ݁ ˖˚☽˚｡⋆

#arthur morgan x reader #rdr2 x reader #arthur morgan smut #rdr2 smut #rogues love letters #zero.arthur #this is OUTRAGEOUS. I WAS WARMING UP??? #i need to sleep its nearly 8. jesus christ.

[ki-yomii]

helloo! could you recommend your favorite jungkook and yoongi fics? thank you and have a lovely day ♡

hey there~ 💛

... tbh i haven’t read too many fics for my boys lately 🙈

i've been trying to work through the books sitting on my shelf collecting dust + i got sucked back into fallout now that the show is out lol.

but i do have some all-time favorites!!

please mind the warnings/tags - you're responsible for your own reading consumption. that said, all of these fics are 🔞

i hope you have a great day nonnie and if you have any recs send them my way 🥰!

JUNG KOOK FICS

the crimson shell series by @angelicyoongie

mermaid aus are my lifeblood istg. and this is one of the best one's i've ever read!! it's dark, it's creepy, it's foreboding - and tantalizing. everything i love about mermaid/siren aus crammed into one series.

you had always found comfort in being at the beach, often spending hours just watching the waves lap against the shore. but unbeknowst to you – something had been watching you back.

make you mine two-shot by @colormepurplex2

i'm a sucker for abo, and as such, have read a looot of it over the years. its a genre that's very easy to descend into wtf-how-are-they-still-alive-after-THAT territory but this fic does it very well in a way i haven't seen too often. i loved the world-building and set up.

Alphas might rule the world, but Jungkook finds himself being ruled by the need to make you his. Omegas are rare, precious, and pliant. At least, most are. When you present late, well into your twenties, you're already set in your headstrong ways; a challenge even for a commanding alpha like Jungkook. Add to that the centuries-long feud between your families and the last thing anyone expected was for him to claim you as his soulmate.

a sea of indigo series by @foxymoxynoona this was the first BTS fic i ever read... and is a big reason as to why i got into the fandom in the first place. i had no clue who they were before then. i'd heard of them + listened to agust d without knowing it was yoongi 💀 but this fic made me check out BTS RUN and now here we are 🤪

Pitbull Hybrid Jungkook has finally been freed from the fighting rings, and now finds himself at Marigold Sanctuary & Transition Estate, a place for healing and self-discovery for rescued hybrids. It's stupid, dumb, cheesy, and hell-bent on helping Jungkook "heal" and "find himself" and "decide the course of his life." And right at the center of it is Y/N, a nurse who's got everyone bamboozled that she's like some awesome person. She's not that great. Jungkook hates it here.

YOONGI FICS

witch oneshot by @sailoryooons

this is easily one of my top 3 yoongi fics. the world building, the tension, the relationship between yoongi and reader. it ticks all my boxes and vividly paints a picture of this universe. i adore the concept, and love the way this fic is brought to life through sailoryooons storytelling.

For years, you and Yoongi have played cat and mouse. It’s his duty to rid the world of witches, but he always finds a new excuse to let you slip through his fingers. When you find yourself at his mercy, you wonder if the great witch hunter will finally end your game of chase, or if there’s something that will stay his hand. 

desolate series by @angelicyoongie

one of the first hybrid fics i've read for bts 😭 i love my lil meow meow and the set-up for this fic is amazing. it takes a fresh direction with the hybrid trope and builds a relationship that feels organic and progresses very naturally💛

you just wanted a cute little normal cat to keep you company. so you're not really sure how you ended up with the grumpiest hybrid on earth that seems hellbent on making your life difficult.

ps. i woof you oneshot by @gimmesumsuga

this one is just so so cute and asjhdjsghfjs!! i adored remi and thought about having yoongi and holly as neighbors for days after reading this lol.

The one with a happy accident of the furry, four-legged kind - “Are you calling my dog a slut?!” 

first and last and always oneshot by @floralseokjin

i'm not one for holiday fics/aus usually but there's something about this one that i absolutely adored. it felt very realistic and drew me into the relationship within the first few paragraphs. the angst is so well done and heartfelt, it made me cry lol.

You and Yoongi broke up two months ago. It was mutual, you’re positive, but there’s one teeny tiny issue... You never told your parents, and now they’ve invited you back home for Christmas. Both of you. You can’t say no, but you also can’t bear to go alone, so you do the only thing you can think of, plead with Yoongi to come with you and pretend like everything’s okay...

go send these authors some love!!

#asks #get recc’d 📚 #fic recs #jungkook x reader #yoongi x reader

[always-is-always]

Insights come, through original content

It's definitely worth the time, to watch as much original content as possible. BIG note to self.

I've watched all four seasons of Bon Voyage, and just finished the four years of Summer Package. Lots of stuff that I have seen bits and pieces of before, in a lot of compilation videos and "analysis" videos. VERY interesting to see all of it within it's original context, in each show.

Yeah, there's a bit of Jikookery as people call it, in some of it. Most of it I had seen out of context, during my first couple of years in the fandom (when I didn't have any idea about anything). There are a few moments here and there that I haven't seen before which are primarily touches, and super subtle stuff.

The interesting thing is how people have taken so many of those moments out of context to support a story that they are presenting, in their compilations or "analysis". Yes, it can be said that other parts of the fandom have done the same thing, for the same purpose.

One of the moments from BV in Malta that everyone has seen comes to mind, here as I type. It is when they are all at a restaurant, and Jimin and Jungkook are seated across from each other. They reach out at the same time, to offer a bite of food to each other. That is a favorite clip that j-kookers love to use, to prove their theory. I mean, I do think it is cute and sweet, and I do believe that Jimin and Jungkook are together (in a closeted relationship), I just think that it's really a disservice when people leave out the other part of that scene. You know, when Jimin is then offering bites of his food to the other members, too. It wasn't just a Jimin and Jungkook thing, like is portrayed in many of the YT videos I have seen...

The other things I noted are how the editing was just so chopped up and discombobulated at times. Like When you see Jimin literally sitting down right next to Jungkook and then suddenly it is edited and next thing you see is Jimin on the opposite side of the group, not sitting where he had just sat down a second before. lol... Yeah, there's a TON of that crappy editing in all of the series and shows. I'm guessing that as they got into 2017, 2018, 2019 that they had to do a lot more editing as Jimin and Jungkook kinda started being more open with their antics. lol...

I kind of understand why people like to create those videos over on YT. There's thousands of them probably, and literally millions of viewers who like that type of thing. I was one who watched a bunch of it, as I mentioned before. It was before I understood what a lot of it was, and before I understood how much manipulation there was.

What's next on tap for me? I'm not sure. There's a ton of content still for me to make my way through. It has been enlightening to say the least. I do see the shift in the way that Jimin and Jungkook were from the early years into 2019, from what I have watched so far. There's so much there that clearly shows that they had particular types of experiences with each other, behind closed doors. I mean, anyone who has ever had a lover would see it in their energy(if you sense or see energy) and in the way that they would touch each other. It is as clear as the sun in the sky.

I can only imagine the complexities that the members had to navigate in their relationships with each other, their communication of how they felt to each other, and in working out HOW to have two members in a close intimate relationship within the group. Talk about a complicated situation. That puts it mildly. No wonder Namjoon had so many moments when they were in front of cameras, audiences, interviewing and such. No freakin' wonder.

Sorry for this long ramble..... I've just been thinking a lot about them and about what I have seen in these shows. Like I have mentioned, I hadn't seen much of the original stuff that was on Weverse, sold on DVD, or behind pay walls. I didn't actually understand what the heck "Summer Package" meant! lol... There's a TON of content that I have still to watch. This will be an ongoing thing for me, during these months while we wait for June 2025. There's probably going to be more rambles like this one, to come.... 😁💜

#bts #bangtan #bts original content #watch original content #missing bts #looking forward to 2025

[byler-4-life]

I apologize in advance for this monstrosity of a post. But I have to get a point across here. Like...either Byler is endgame and is going to happen, or Will Byers is going to go down as one of the most tragic TV Show characters of all time.

Sounds a little like hyperbole, no? Well, let's just recap. This starts when Will is 12. Just 12 years old. This adorable, sweet, little, innocent bean here. Just keep in mind these pictures for future reference:

He's kidnapped by an interdimensional monster and forced into a dark, cold, lonely place all by himself. He's stuck in another dimension for a whole week, trying desperately to get out, wondering if anyone is going to save him, all while constantly fearing for his life. Alas, the demogorgon did get to him:

And, even after he was rescued, he was still puking up slugs:

All this is from S1. Enough trauma to last several lifetimes. But wait, there's more.

Apparently Will hadn't suffered enough, so they had the Mindflayer set its sights on him. And well, we all know S2 didn't turn out the best for this now 13 year old boy.

And if the mental pain and anguish and loss of innocence of having your body forcefully entered against your will isn't enough, they decided to heap on some intense physical suffering as well:

And to end the series, you have to have the monster literally burned out of you by your own mother while you're tied down to a bed.

Surely our boy has had enough right? Wrong. On to Season 3. 14 year old Will is mostly sidelined this Season, but he's present enough to get ignored by his friends and put down by his best friend for his "childish" interests, a fact that hurts Will so bad he breaks down and calls himself stupid before resorting to demolishing his childhood fortress. The same haven of safety that helped to save his life in the Upside Down. He's then forced to pack up and move from the only home he's ever known, severing all his friendship ties, such as they were.

Well at least they're gonna fix stuff in Season 4. So here we go, and...what? Excuse me....hmmm...okay. So I've just gotten word they in fact did NOT fix things in Season 4. We have Will, now 15 (or maybe actually still 14 since the Duffers apparently FORGOT HIS BIRTHDAY) so happy to see Mike at the airport for the first time since leaving town, get his hug physically rejected (when Mike has no problem hugging anyone else this series). He's then forced to third wheel and watch his best friend/love of his life have fun with his step-sister. He then LIES TO MIKE (something we have seasons of evidence that Will hates to do) in order to project his own feelings for Mike onto El because that's what he thinks Mike needs to hear. And he's then forced to help Mike "confess" his "love" for El as he stands there and hears Mike say that his life didn't really begin until the day Will disappeared?

Guys, even if you don't ship Byler, you have to admit....this is a pretty fucked up life in the span of 3-4 years. My point in posting all of this (and actually depressing the hell out of myself as I looked for all the screenshots) is if they really leave him like this, and Season 5 doesn't turn things around for Will...or maybe even somehow gets worse and they either kill him off, or force him to stand there and fake a smile while Mike and El live happily ever after....well then fuck this show.

They introduced us to this sweet innocent kid, made us all fall in love with his character, then treated him like their personal punching bag for four seasons. If they aren't planning on giving him a happy ending, that's just downright sadistic. After everything Will has gone through, they're going to make him a gay kid in the 80s living in smalltown Indiana in middle America, with an unrequited love for his childhood best friend? A fact that makes him feel "different" and like he's a "mistake"? Overkill for the sake of overkill. Trauma p*rn. And that's just the suffering they've shown us onscreen. Just think of how many nights laying in bed alone Will has had these thoughts about himself. Or desperately wishing that Mike felt the same way, even though he "knows" it's hopeless. Truly tragic.

Yes, other beloved characters in this show have been traumatized too, yes. But they've also all had sustained happy moments that the show has shown us on screen (for characters that were around for more than one season). Every time Will seemingly gets an ounce of happiness it's violently snatched away.

I refuse to believe that the show doesn't want to give Will a happy ending. There has to be a reason for his suffering. And yes, I think Byler is the only satisfactory happy ending. And that's not my choice, that was the choice of the showrunners. They made being in love with Mike his whole character in S4. Gay pining at its finest. Trying to intro a new love interest at the last minute isn't going to cut it. I'm not going full delusional like before. But I do believe that S5 Byler has a good chance of happening. Otherwise...it kind of taints the whole experience.

#byler #long post #will byers #coping by hoping

[ngc-5194]

yknow i could very easily accept someone not liking the mobile kh games if people actually gave... understandable reasons??

mostly i've heard that they're 'inaccesable'. which. they're in general more accessable since the console they run on is a phone, a device more people have than a ps4. though, granted, it is the offline version of both games only.

however, if you don't have a phone, have limited space on your phone, or are uninterested in a mostly unplayable game, all of which are understandable, there are cutscene compilations (ux (story important, all), dr) available on youtube too!

if the lots of reading is the issue then there is a completely dubbed version of the cutscenes of ux and you can easily find voiced playthroughs of both union x and dark road on youtube as well.

(for instance, here is a playthrough of dark road that i watched as my phone needed repairs by the time i had caught up with the series enough to move onto khdr. but, of course, there are many more options if you simply search up 'kingdom hearts [dark road/union x] playthrough' on youtube. find whichever one suits the kind of videos you like to watch best!)

if you don't have the time to sit through all of the cutscenes, there are summaries also avaliable! here is a video one for union x, and though unfortunately i can't find a similar one for dark road, it is also always acceptable to just read the wiki section on the story of the game! (here is the union x wiki section as well)

the other major complaint i've heard is that it's 'too confusing' or that the story 'doesn't make sense in parts'.

to which i first must ask, what part of kingdom hearts does make sense to you then? many many signifigant, heavily important parts of this series can be the most mind boggling things you have ever read or heard. so much so that we are known as the fans of that overly complex and insane disney game. that is what we are known for!!

and more to an actual point, there are many many people out there in this fandom who would be thrilled to talk to you about parts of the plot you found confusing. who have posts pages and pages long on minute details.

we are all fans of this weird ass game series and we all can. i don't know. help each other, newcomers and people who have been here awhile alike. us fans who like the mobile games are no different. we are willing to share and help and explain anything you need.

and as for the take that the mobile games are 'unimportant'.

strelitzia, someone deeply important to marluxia, larxene, and ventus' backstories, is seemingly implied to be one of the main characters in kh4 and if you have no knowledge of union x, then you likely have zero idea who she is.

the foretellers and the master of masters are being set up as potential villians in the next arc of the series. all of these characters were introduced in union x, four years before back cover released. and while yes, back cover gives the perspective of the foretellers more while union x is from the eyes of the keykids, there are many interactions with the foretellers in union x, beyond the scope of back cover, that are deeply important to the plot and establishment of their characters.

while yes, dark road has drastically less set up for the future in it, as all of the characters featured are now dead, it gives a lot of depth to xehanort and eraqus both. eraqus' behaviours and motivations are given reason—not necessarily morally good ones, and certainly not ones that always provide justification for his actions, but actual fully defined reasons for it all.

as it has always been with kh, every game is important to understand the story. you couldn't simply play kh1 kh2 and kh3 and expect to understand everything, and you can not expect to understand everything if you don't at least know surface level of the stories of the mobile games too.

you do not have to play them yourself. they do not have to be your favourite games in the series. if you are reading this and you hate them, you can stay not liking them even for all i care.

but you have to accept that they are important to the plot of the series. that they can not simply be ignored if you want to grasp the entire story of kingdom hearts.

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts union x #khux #kingdom hearts dark road #khdr #khuxdr #long post #SORRY #i am just. can barely stand it here anymore #like. you're perfectly allowed to just Not Like them. thats literally fine. who cares #but at least just come out and SAY that you just dont like them #stop burrying it behind 'it's not important and it's a phone game waah wah' #just say you don't like the games. i really don't care if you hate them with all your heart and soul. just. stop being a coward. and Say It #anyway. uh. who wants to talk about khml with me :3

[albertasunrise]

Look for the Light - 6

Masterlist

Summary: Four years ago, Joel saved you from certain death. In return, you followed him faithfully. Always ready to do and give him whatever he asked, despite the hurt it inflicted on you, body and soul. Agreeing to go with him to deliver Ellie to the Fireflies… this would be the last time you’d follow him… After this, your debt would be paid.

Relationships: Reader x Joel Miller, Joel Miller & Ellie, Reader & Ellie

Warnings: Like AO3, I choose to give none. Read at your own risk. 18+ (I know this took a while and I'm sorry for that. I have somewhat strayed from the main storyline now but you will see why soon ♥️)

Series Masterlist - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

You were frantic as you desperately tried to keep Joel's blood inside him. His blood-curdling scream as you pressed the bloody rag in your hands onto his stomach had you sobbing.

"Stay with me, Joel." You choked as you glanced at the man.

His head pressed back onto the towel under it, the veins in his neck prominent and his skin three shades whiter than usual. Ellie sat in the corner, anxiously chewing her thumbnail as she watched you work on Joel. Her eyes filled with tears as the man cried out with each poke and prod.

Joel looked up at you, his bottom lip quivering as he weakly watched you panic. His heart ached to tell you that it was going to be okay but he knew it wouldn't. He was losing blood quickly and was almost certainly going into shock. If that didn't kill him, the infection from his wound would. His time was up and he knew it.

"Leave." Joel choked, tears welling in his eyes as he watched you continue to try and save him "Leave." He repeated a little more forcefully and you scoffed.

"Shut up, Joel."

"Take the gun."

"Joel shut the fսck up!" Ellie growled and she crawled to his side and took his hand in hers. "You go." He said with a little more force, shoving Ellie back before trying to do the same to you "You go. You go north. You go to Tommy." He forced out, his breath coming in short pants and had him feeling dizzy "You go." He said one more time, eyes watching as Ellie got up and stormed up the stairs in a fit of rage.

"We're not leaving you here to die Joel." You growled, ignoring Ellie's outburst "Don't be stupid."

"Please." He all but whispered to you "Please get her to safety."

"Joel-"

"This is the last thing I will ask of you." He interrupted, tears falling freely now "I'm as good as dead baby." He choked, the term of endearment making your heart skip "Please, just take her back to Tommy. She'll be safe with him."

"Joel." You sobbed, taking his hand and squeezing it.

Suddenly everything that had happened in the last few months. All the guilt you felt for the animosity and anger you directed towards the man for the past three or so months suddenly consumed you. You realised you still loved him. That was painfully clear now as you held his bloody hand in your own.

"Please darlin'." He pleaded again "I've made so many mistakes... with you, Tommy and especially with Ellie but I need to die knowing she's safe."

"You're not going to die Joel." You growled, unable to admit that he was indeed dying.

Your mind wandered to the conversation you'd shared with him when you'd left Jackson. How bitter you had been towards him for his choice to leave her with Tommy in the first place. You'd known that he was just trying to do the right thing but you were so angry that you'd chosen not to acknowledge that.

Now he could die thinking you blamed him.

You woke early and sat with Ellie as she waited for Tommy to turn up. Joel had been gone by the time you'd woken up that morning and you'd found yourself feeling even more angry about that fact. The man was a coward if he had just run out on you both rather than at least say goodbye.

When Tommy stepped into the room Ellie had called hers for the night, you both stood and walked out, not a word being shared between the three of you as you made your way to the stables. When you walked into the dimly lit structure, your feet stopped dead in their tracks as you came across Joel, saddling a horse with days worth of supplies. When his gaze drifted up to look at the three of you, you could see the conflicted look in his eyes and your shoulders dropped. He was a complicated man and you knew that.

"You came here to say goodbye or something?" Ellie growled as she glared at the man, eliciting a snort from you.

"No. I came here to steal one of these horses and go." Joel confessed, glancing at you and Ellie before settling on Tommy.

"I woulda gave you one." Tommy piped up.

"I know." Joel sniffed "Anyway... that was 30 minutes ago, and I guess..." he trailed off, looking at Ellie and taking a few ginger steps towards her "You deserve a choice. I still think you'd be better off with Tommy..."

"Let's go." She interrupted, shoving her bag in his arms unceremoniously before walking up to the horse.

"Okay."

"Let's get your horse saddled up." Tommy directed at you and you gave him a small nod before waiting for him to lead the way.

Stepping off you were stopped by a hand on your arm and you didn't have to look up to know who it was. You let out a steadying breath as you waited for him to speak, anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Can we talk?" He asked and you groaned.

"I need to get my horse ready."

"It will just be a moment." He pushed, his tone pleading and you sighed, giving him a slight nod. He led you outside and around the side of the stable, his hand finally letting go of your arm as he shoved them both into his pockets.

A tense silence settled over you both for a moment which only made you more impatient for him to spit out whatever he had to say to you. So when you'd finally had enough of the awkward silence and nervous glances you forced it out of him.

"Whatever you want to say to me Joel, spit it out."

"I want you to stay here." He stated, his hands leaving his pockets and falling to his sides.

"What?"

"I think you should stay here." He repeated "Ellie and I can head to the Fireflies alone from here. You've done your part."

"Excuse me?"

"Please don't do this..."

"Do what?" You growled "I didn't stay with you both for my own amusement. I didn't go through hell just for you to dump me because you can't handle being around me anymore."

"That's not..."

"It's obvious that you've wanted rid of me since I lost the baby." You growled "I have stuck with you through everything. If I hadn't followed you so blindly I would still be pregnant but because of some false sense of loyalty to you, I did. I followed you into hell and I lost my..."

"You blame me for the miscarriage?" He choked and you scoffed.

"Yes." You replied plainly, your expression stony "Yes I do." You finished before leaving him standing out in the snow.

He watched you leave. His ears started to ring and he knew what was about to happen. These attacks had started to increase in frequency since leaving that old couple's shack a few days ago. His heart felt sluggish and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch his breath.

The longer he struggled, the more he panicked.

How was he supposed to protect you and Ellie if one conversation sent him spiralling? The idea of losing you, because he wasn't strong enough to keep you safe, had his knees starting to give out beneath him. His brothers calling him pulled him from his panic attack.

"You alright brother?" Tommy asked, his brows pulled together as he watched his older brother straighten his spine and look up at you, Ellie and Tommy.

"Yeah." He replied, giving you all a nod before walking over to his horse. He spared you a brief, wounded look and you couldn't help the brief pang of guilt that washed over you.

You hadn't really meant what you had said to him. You didn't blame him for the baby.

Your tears flowed freely then as you returned to the present moment. Joel was watching you through hooded eyes, his fight to stay conscious getting the better of him. You looked down at him, eyes locking in an intense gaze and at that moment what you did next was the only thing that made sense. You kissed him.

"I don't blame you." You sobbed as you pulled away from him "I need you to know that."

"I know." He choked, nodding weakly but you shook your head.

"No, I don't think you do." You wept "I know you've been hurting too and I shouldn't have treated you the way I have."

"Baby-"

"I need to say this Joel." You interrupted "I love you. I have for a long time and I need you to know that."

Joel was rendered speechless.

He lay there, whole body shaking as his silent tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. A small, almost invisible, smile tugged at his lips as he looked up at you.

"I love you too."

You leaned down and kissed him again. Your tears mixed with his own as you rested your forehead on his. Ellie's abrupt entrance into the basement had you leaping back like you were a teenager getting caught doing something you shouldn't.

"I found this." Ellie announced as she showed you a needle and thread.

Dropping to Joel's side she handed you what she'd found before looking at him and taking his hand again. This time though he didn't push her away. They shared a silent conversation as he squeezed her hand and gave her a weak smile.

"Hold him down." You instructed as you pinched wiped his wound as clean as you could make it and pinched the torn flesh between your fingers.

Joel didn't scream when the blunt needle pierced his flesh. Instead, he gripped Ellie's hand tighter and arches his back as he tried to internalise the pain.

"Breathe Joel." Ellie urged as she stroked his hair in an attempt to calm him "It'll be over before you know it."

Breathing meant Joel couldn't keep it in anymore. He yelled and cried as you sew him up with as much care and speed as you could muster. Then, just as you were about to finish up he went limp.

"Joel?" Ellie called out as she cupped his face "Joel, open your eyes."

She was frantic which only made you panic more. Finishing up you quickly reached up with a shaky hand and placed two fingers on his neck, breathing a sigh of relief when you found a weak pulse.

Ellie looked at you with tearful eyes and you gave her a weak smile "He's alive." You stated as you wiped your brow with your sleeve "Just passed out."

"He going to be okay?" She asked and you shook your head as you pulled down his undershirt down over the new rag you'd placed to soak up and other blood.

"I don't know." You answered honestly "I've closed the wound up the best I can but we need antibiotics. Without them, he'll likely get an infection. That needle wasn't clean and no doubt, neither was the bat that did this."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that really we need to get him back to Jackson asap or he's going to die." You stated plainly.

...

Joel shivered on the filthy mattress he was laid out on. Since losing consciousness, he had not regained it. You and Ellie took it in turns to watch over him. Dabbing his brow with a snow-soaked rag and whispering words of comfort to him as he twitched and whimpered in his sleep.

Glancing to your left, you noted that Ellie had managed to get to sleep. The teenager had been worrying and fretting over every little sound that left Joel for the last 12 hours. She would shut her eyes, only to wake as soon as the smallest sound slipped from his lips. Joel's delirious mumbling pulled her gaze back to him. His teeth were chattering so much you were worried his teeth would shatter. Placing a hand on his brow, you winced at the heat that radiated from his flesh. You pulled his thick jacket off of him, knowing he needed fewer layers right now. You had noticed a rolled-up picnic blanket when you had gone in search of more towels so got up as quietly as you could and scaled the basement to grab it, placing it over his legs and up to his elbows.

"C-c-cold." Joel muttered, his teeth chattering as the shakes wracked his whole body and your heart broke as you watched him suffer. Even in his unconscious state, he was still suffering.

"I know Joel." You whispered as you lay yourself down beside him and placed your head on his chest. You could hear the weak beating of his heart and your own shattered. He was so very weak and you knew he was slipping away.

He needed medicine or he wasn't going to make it.

...

"Why won't he stop shaking?" Ellie asked as she watched you clean his wound, grimacing at the infected state it was in.

"Because his wound is infected." You stated simply "He's probably suffering from Sepsis." You stated plainly as you pulled his soiled shirt down and sat back on your legs "If it gets into his bloodstream, he'll die."

"What can we do?" She asked and you let out a long sigh.

"Honestly?" She nodded and you dropped your head to stare at your hands in your lap "He's not well enough to ride but without Antibiotics he's going to die." You stated plainly "The way I see it we have two options "We can try and get him back to Jackson and hope that he makes it the week it'll take us to get there."

"Or?"

"Or we try and see if we can find some antibiotics nearby." You finished " Looks like all the houses have been pilfered so I doubt we'll find anything."

"So we move him." Ellie stated plainly "We made it here in five days, we can get back just as quickly."

"We made it in five days because we were all fit and well." You sighed "With Joel in the condition he's in, it'll slow us down."

"What other choice do we have?" She asked and you shook your head.

"None."

Getting Joel's dead weight back onto the makeshift stretcher you and Ellie had created had been difficult. Whereas before, Joel had regained consciousness and had managed to limp into the basement. You and Ellie had had to carry his comatose form up the stairs and onto the mattress stretcher that was now strapped to the back of Ellie's horse. You had managed to pad the stretcher more, meaning that Joel would not feel the journey as badly as he had before.

Now, six days later, you could see the tall walls of Jackson come into view. You breathed a sigh of relief as you glanced down at the still-unconscious Joel. He had not woken the entire trip and his fever had reached new highs. He was stripped down to little more than this undershirt and jeans now in a desperate attempt to keep his temperature down but the longer he went without medicine, the closer he crawled to death.

"We made it Joel." Ellie called out as she nudged her horse to walk again "Just hold on old man."

You followed her lead, wishing you could move a little faster. What felt like an age later you were within shouting distance of the gates. So you and Ellie yelled at the top of your lungs for help. When you made it through the gates you were begging the guards to fetch Tommy as you dismounted and dropped to Joel's side, fussing over the unconscious man as your tears fell freely.

The sound of frantic footsteps wasn't enough to pull your attention away from your lover. Tommy's choked question was though.

"What the hell happened?" He asked as he dropped to his knees, hands waving over his brother's form as he took in how sick he looked.

"We were ambushed at the school." You answered "The fireflies were long gone but some raiders were scouting the area. He got stabbed with a broken bat."

Joel's guttural yell pulled all of you to look at him and in the blink of an eye, his whole body had gone rigid. The convulsions tore through him violently. His eyes were white slits as his back arched and his limbs flailed.

"What's wrong with him?" Ellie asked as she cried openly "Joel?"

"He's seizing." Someone knew said "The infection is getting the better of him." They stated as Joel's body started to still "We need to get him to the hospital. Without medicine, this man is hours away from succumbing to it."

Tommy said nothing, just watched numbly as his brother was loaded onto a stretcher and then lifted off the ground. You all followed wordlessly as he was carried into the building that had been repurposed as a hospital. There were beds lining each wall, curtains parting each one. One or two had occupants but mostly, the hospital was empty. The medic led you all further into the hospital and through a door and into a long, wide, hallway. Opening the second door on your left, the medic held it open so that the other could carry Joel inside.

"Lay him down on the bed." The medic ordered as he washed his hands then grabbed some gloves "I need you all to clear the room."

"But-"

"I will fetch you once he is stable." The medic interrupted and the men that had carried Joel then ushered you out of the room.

You watched through the window as his clothes were cut away, revealing the gruesome wound that was swiftly killing him. You choked on a sob as the doctor started to cut the stitches you had done over a week ago, not because of the work you had put into them but because Joel didn't even flinch.

"Come on." Tommy said softly as he lead you away from the door and towards the main hospital "Watching ain't going to do anyone any good."

"I can't lose him, Tommy... I can't-"

"You won't." He assured you as he pulled you into his arms "Joel's persistent! Gonna take a lot more than a splinter to kill him."

This made you chuckle. You pulled away and smiled up at him, allowing him then to guide you to a set of chairs in another room. Sitting you then noticed it.

The blood.

It was all over you.

Your clothes, under your nails. It was even crusted in the ends of your hair and you felt sick to the stomach. All this blood that should be inside of Joel was all over you.

"Come, let's get you back to the house where you can shower and change." Tommy said upon noticing you staring at your hands.

"But Joel-"

"Docs gonna be working on him a while." Tommy stopped you "You have time to wash and change. Someone will fetch you if anything changes."

You nodded, eyes then drifting to Ellie who was looking to you for guidance. You wish you could give it to her. Wished you could be strong for her but you couldn't. You knew Joel's chances weren't good. The infection had almost certainly reached his blood by now.

Even with medicine, it was down to him to fight this.

And you weren't sure he could.

Next

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#joel miller #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fanfic #joel miller the last of us #last of us #the last of us #joel miller gif #pedro pascal character fanfiction #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal #pedro pascal gif #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #the last of us fanfiction #last of us fanfiction

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter seventy one

close to home | chapter seventy one

plot: time continues to pass for the reader

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 3,008 Warnings: violence, blood, typical twd A/N: my body dysmorphia is insane rn I've lost like 70 pounds this year and I cannot keep up with how I look mentally and its such a mind fuck I cry like every day cause nothing is good enough I need to go back to therapy honestly at least by ed is under control tho

“I can’t find anything,” You groaned as you shut the dresser drawer. “All I want are the sweatpants Michonne had when she was pregnant, and I can’t find them. My life is over.”

The hardwood floor was cold against your back as you lay down against it. You whined as tears filled your eyes. 

“Did ya leave ‘em downstairs?” Daryl asked, standing above you. “Why ya always gotta lie on the floor?”

“Because it’s where I find comfort,” You retorted. “I just want my pants.”

Daryl sighed, and you watched him leave the new bedroom. It was only your third night here, as you had to wait for the paint fumes to leave before you could sleep. And Daryl made sure you waited. You hadn’t even finished moving all your belongings up.

You stared up at the ceiling and waited until Daryl came back, holding the pants you were looking for. “They were in ya dresser, crazy girl. Now get off the floor.”

“Will you help me put them on?”

He sighed again as he sat down on the bed and nodded. “Let’s go, woman, ain’ got all night.” 

You chuckled as you slowly got up off the floor. Using his shoulders to help keep balance, he slid the pants to your waist, so the front band was resting under the bump. 

Daryl put his hands on your waist and kissed the bump right above your belly button, his lips grazing against the healed scars. “We gotta start thinkin’ of names. She gonna be here in four months.” 

“I have a name already, just keeping them a secret for now.” You said, shutting off the lights and then climbing into bed. 

“Secrets, huh? Thought we wasn’ supposed to have secrets between us?”

You felt his arm wrap around your lower waist, and then his bare chest was against your arm. You smiled and turned your head, leaning up to kiss him. 

“I will tell you soon.” You bumped your nose against his and then looked up at the ceiling. “It’s way too hot in here. I can’t wear these sweatpants.” 

***

Between months five and six, your belly seemed to explode. It was now a full-on pregnancy belly, and everything was bothering you. Your clothes itched, your food was dry, and you were either too hot or too cold. 

Daryl met every demand you requested or didn’t, and you were eternally grateful he was with you. He held you every night, ensured you could sleep comfortably, and helped you with everything he could. 

Still, it was hard. He never thought he’d be a father, never wanted to be one until he met you and saw the life he could have. He never thought he’d even have a wife, let alone someone like you. Someone who was as brave and strong as you. He knew that baby was the luckiest baby in the world to have a mother like you. 

“You okay?” 

Daryl glanced up at Aaron and came back to the present. They were about fifteen feet up, clearing another foot of snow off the storage shelter before it got too weighed down. 

The archer nodded and watched Aaron turn to see what he’d been staring at. 

You were on the street, your jacket covering the ever-growing bump, and you were with Rosita, Gabriel, and Michonne. You were laughing, with red cheeks, and seemed healed. Like the hell you’d been through was long behind you. 

“Three more months, right?” Aaron asked. “You excited?”

“Just be happy once it’s over, and they both okay,” Daryl said, shoveling off some snow. 

“I can’t wait until she’s here. You guys picked out any names? Gracie wanted me to suggest Belle, but I think she just likes Beauty and the Beast too much.”

Daryl snorted. “Nah. (Y/N)’s got some names, but ain’ tellin’ me yet.”

Aaron laughed as he flung some snow off the roof. “Sounds like her.”

Daryl paused and looked at his friend, his tongue heavy in his mouth as he thought about yours and his conversation from last night. “Hey uh, listen, she wanted me to ask ya… she wanted ya to be the baby’s godfather. In case anythin’ ever happens to us.” 

Aaron paused and looked at the archer, a smile already growing on his red-cheeked face. “I would be honored.”

Daryl nodded and shoveled more snow off the roof. “She gonna pick between Rosita and Michonne. Don’ say anythin’.”

The two of them quickly finished the roof and soon had their feet on the ground. Daryl walked around the building and towards you. 

His steps slowed so he could admire how beautiful you looked with red cheeks and wind-curled hair loose from its braid but under a wool hat. And he loved seeing the bump. He loved seeing you pregnant with his baby. He loved that everyone knew you were pregnant with his child. Perhaps that was why he couldn’t keep his hands off you in the bedroom and why he knew you were still sore from the way you shifted your weight back and forth.

Daryl’s entire world was wrapped up in an old parka. 

You smiled widely when he approached you, and your arm wrapped around his waist. 

“We should get ya inside, get that baby somethin’ to eat.” He told you quietly. 

“My keeper has returned. I will see you guys later.” You said. 

The house was warm when he led you to it, and after he made sure you ate a decent amount and had the tea that Siddiq ensured was great for prenatal care—thanks to Hilltop—he knew you were ready to lie down. 

Your middle-of-the-day naps were a regular occurrence. 

“I can’t wait to get her out of me,” You sighed loudly as you shut the door behind you. “I’m so exhausted every day.”

Daryl sat down at the edge of the bed and brushed back his hair to watch you change. 

“She kept me up half the night kicking.” You continued, but your words drowned out as he stared at you. 

You’d put on weight since getting pregnant, which of course, was a given. Your thighs were a little thicker, and your hips had a curve to them they didn’t before. And, of course, there was the bump. With lighting strikes of stretch marks claiming the undersides of the bump. 

More scars that made you you. 

“Are you even listening to me?”

Daryl blinked and looked up at you. You were wearing an oversized shirt that did little to hide the bump, and he grabbed your arm to pull you toward him. 

“Ya look gorgeous,” He said, pulling you to sit on your lap. He knew you wouldn’t be able to fit in a week's time. You barely fit as it was.

“Oh, here we go again.”

“Shut the hell up, crazy girl,” Daryl said before kissing you deeply. 

His hands pressed against your waist before roaming your body, taking in every dip, curve, mark, and bump. He couldn’t keep his hands in one spot as he slid them under your shirt to feel your warm skin. 

“Daryl…” 

He hummed against your lips and pulled away. “Get on the bed.”

***

You were panting as you pulled your shirt down. Daryl fell beside you and pressed a kiss to your temple. His breathing was labored, and you thought back to only minutes ago when he had your back against his chest, his fingers caressing you, and he was taking you from behind. Or from when, even earlier, looking down while riding him into oblivion. 

“And I thought we had a lot of sex when we were at the Sanctuary.” You mused, grabbing his hand and intertwining your fingers. 

“Ain’ like ya gonna get pregnant.” 

You laughed loudly and shook your head. “Daryl Dixon making a joke. He must be in a good mood.” Your smile widened when he told you to shut up. 

You sighed with contentment and kissed his shoulder. “Are we gonna talk about the Kingdom?”

“I know ya don’ want me to go.”

You shook your head. “No, it’s not that. You can handle yourself out there. And the Kingdom needs escorts. I just hate the idea of not being out there with you. But I also know how much Carol and Ezekiel need you.”

“It’s only a few days. And I can radio ya once I get there.” 

You shifted your hips as the baby moved, then sat up to move his arm and cuddle against him. “Every day at ten in the morning.”

Daryl turned on his side and pressed a kiss against your cheek. “If that’s what ya want.”

“And tell Jerry I expect a cobbler next Apple season. Actually, two, since I’ll only be a few months postpartum.”

Daryl hummed and kissed you again. “Anythin’ for ya, baby girl.”

***

You cried for an hour after Daryl left with the group the next morning. You were positive it was just the hormones, but you couldn’t help it. So you ended up at Gabriel’s house with Rosita, eating a jar of canned peaches from Hilltop and listening to old records. 

Her bump was showing too, though yours had a good two months of her. You couldn’t believe that the two of you were pregnant simultaneously, let alone so closely together. It made you feel even closer to her. 

But when the kids got out of school you headed back home, and were on parent duty. You would be on parent duty until Michonne was back. Not that you minded. You loved the two of them like they were your own. 

“Alright, come on Jude,” You said as you stretched a fitted sheet over the chairs. “RJ, go run up and get the pillows, okay?”

The little boy took off upstairs, and you smiled when you heard him thudding around. 

“Can we make some popcorn?” 

“Do we still have kernels?” You asked, looking at the tent the two of you just built. 

“I think so. I’ll check.”

She ran off just as RJ came back with every blanket in the house, it seemed like, and you had the little boy help you get them sorted. 

“I never made a fort before,” RJ smiled up at you. 

“There’s a first time for everything, little man.” You said. 

Judith returned with a jar of kernels, which you hoped would pop. You weren’t sure how long they’d been in the cellar for. The last time you had popcorn was a few years back after some corn didn’t take. 

But, you would try for the two little kids who looked at you like you were their world. 

***

The following week was uneventful. You spoke to Daryl every morning as you agreed. The Kingdom was done for. It was worse than what Ezekiel had been saying. And Carol wasn’t doing well either. 

Lydia was having a hard time, and Daryl thought it would be best if she came here. You’d start preparing a room for her soon. 

It was nice talking to Daryl. His voice was so rough through the radio that it made you wish he was there with you. You had to keep reminding yourself he would be home in a few days' time. They’d be headed to Hilltop, where he would stay a few days and then come home to you. Your bed was too lonely without his massive body, and the room too quiet without his annoying snoring. 

“He’ll be back soon; stop moping around,” Rosita said, handing you a steaming cup of tea as you waited for the kids to get their belongings together. 

“Hopefully, they’ll beat the storm,” Siddiq said. 

“Don’t remind me; I’m worried about them enough as it is.” You said, taking a long sip. “Judith, RJ, hurry up!” You yelled after. 

“Gabriel and Eugene are already at the church getting supplies in, and it’s starting to snow, so we should go now,” Rosita said. 

Both the kids came down with bags on their shoulders and bundled under their clothes. You wrapped a blanket around the youngest and cupped Judith’s face. 

“Come on, babe, we gotta move before the sun sets and the temperature drops,” Rosita said, handing you your jacket. 

You quickly put it on, then slung your bag around your shoulders and opened the front door. 

The cold wind pushed back your hair, and you adjusted the scarf around your neck. It was well below freezing, and you could feel the cold soak into your bones. 

“I miss Georgia winters,” You mumbled, taking RJ’s hand. “Come on, kids.” 

It wasn’t a long walk to the church, and before long you were sitting RJ down by the fire and telling Judith to do the same. With the door fully shut and blankets keeping out any extra air, you dumped your bag down and rubbed your gloved hands together. 

You sipped at your canteen and then glanced over at Negan, who was sitting on his cot and rubbing his hands together. 

He smiled at you when you walked over. “Hi, baby.”

“You really should stop calling me that.” You shoved your hands in your pockets. “If Daryl hears you say that…”

“And I thought you would’ve told him.”

“Not important enough to tell him,” You said and shrugged your shoulders. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m okay, thank you. You haven’t come to see me in a while. How’s the baby?”

You rubbed your hand against your stomach. “Fine, thank you very much. And I’ve been busy. Let me or Gabriel know if you need anything.” 

***

It was getting colder by the minute. Your hands were shaking as you wrapped another blanket around Judith and RJ. “Stay close. I know it’s cold.” You kissed each of their heads and then walked over to Eugene and Rosita. 

There was still tension in the air from Negan being an asshole, and you could see how annoyed Rosita was, especially after the sorrowful news about the fireplace. 

“If we’re going to go to Aaron’s, we really need to move now.” You said, trying to keep yourself from shaking terribly. God, you wished Daryl was here. 

“I agree. The temperature is going to keep dropping.” Eugene said. 

“Alright, we got rope in here, right? Let’s tie us all together in a line so nobody gets lost,” You said. “We’ll keep the kids in the center. Eugene will take the front. Siddiq in the back.” 

Rosita and Eugene both nodded, and you all got to work. You bundled the kids under a blanket each and tied RJ’s hat strings tightly around his head. You did the same with Judith. 

“You two stay on this line no matter what, you got that?” You asked. They both nodded. 

You walked over to Rosita and Gabriel, who were preparing themselves. “Put Negan behind me in the lineup. I don’t trust him behind anyone else but me. You know he won’t hurt me.” You said, zipping your coat all the way up. 

Though you knew they weren’t thrilled, they both agreed. Siddiq came over and handed you another blanket and helped you tie it around you so it wouldn’t come undone. Then he put your bag on your shoulders. 

You found your spot on the line, checked on RJ and Judith, and then Negan behind you before the doors opened. 

The wind was strong enough to push you backward when you stepped outside. Whirls of white spun around you, and the community had that snowing lightness to it. But it was freezing. A type of cold you hadn’t experienced yet. This blizzard was nothing sort of a terrible, new experience in a world of just that. 

It was hard to keep track of anything. You could barely focus on the ground below you and each step. But when you heard Dog barking, your first thought was of Judith. 

“Judith!” You screamed after the little girl. You didn’t hesitate before running after her. 

You heard someone yelling your name but couldn’t see anything through the white haze. But you could hear Dog. 

Then you could hear your name, and suddenly, Negan was limping toward you. 

“We need to find Judith!” You screamed over the wind. 

He nodded, and the two of you pushed forward into the blizzard. It felt like an eternity, like when you lost her in the woods all those months ago. But finally, you saw her near the children’s playground, leashing Dog on a bit of rope. 

“Here!” You yelled, pulling Negan’s arm. When you got to the young girl, you grabbed her by the shoulders. “Don’t you ever do anything like that ever again!” You yelled, fighting back painful tears. 

“I couldn’t leave him,” She yelled. 

You cupped her red cheeks and looked up at Negan. “You need to carry her. I got Dog.” 

The blizzard fought you every step of the way. It pushed and pulled until you couldn’t feel your face, fingers, or feet. Your boots and gloves were soaked through, and each step felt like you were walking on knives. 

But when you finally saw the glow of Aaron’s house, it gave you enough energy to push Negan forward. 

“(Y/N), Judith!” Rosita yelled as soon as she saw your figures. “Thank God.”

You walked up the icy steps to Aaron’s house, and Rosita ushered you inside. The heat from the fire hit you hard, and you let go of Dog and let Rosita lead you to the couch in front of the fire. 

“Judith,” You called, and the girl walked over to you. She sat beside you, and you wrapped your arm around the half-frozen girl. You called for RJ, who was climbing into your lap before you could even finish saying his name. “Thank God,” You whispered.

Rosita put a blanket over the three of you. “Judith, don’t you ever do that again.” 

“I needed to get Dog,” She said. 

“It’s okay… it’s okay….” You breathed out, still shaking. “Let’s just warm up and get through the storm.” 

#daryl x y/n #the walking dead daryl #daryl dixion x reader #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon #daryl x reader #daryl fanfiction #twd #daryl twd #daryl x you

[accidentalshifter]

Vampire Diaries/Originals-verse [Dawn Misplaced] DR:

⚜️ TW: My Mikaelsons are a ✨️ problem ✨️ and how they behave (or don't) will probably be unpredictable. Blood, sex, death, abuse, violence, & dark themes. I don't condone any of their actions, I'm just documenting them for science.

*Some things from previous posts might be reiterated upon in this one. Y'all this is super TLDR, be warned.

It's impossible to talk about this DR without talking about the unfinished fanfiction that sprang into my brain last year and refused to die; "Dawn Misplaced". After watching half a season of the Originals & relating heavily to the Mikaelson's generational trauma/cycles, this plot bunny appeared, assuring me that I should totally sin against the canon & create an alternate universe before I watched all of the source material...

So, William Webb and his adopted daughter Zoey St. Claire (Webb) was born. My OC had so much of myself inside of her that she was technically a self-insert or in shifting theory, a DR self. And William, now that I think hard about it, is probably a representation of my own generational trauma that I saw playing out in the show. Ahh, apologies for reading too much into that. Anyways!

Keep in mind that I had only watched season one and two of the Originals (and half of the first season of Vampire Diaries) before Zoey self-insert brain rot took full effect. Little did I know that many of my plot ideas for Dawn Misplaced ended up being explored by TVD in season three/four via Alaric Saltzman and The 5. (It was a trip watching those episodes for the first time recently with a friend) Like Alaric, William was a vampire hunter forced into action by tragedy & succumbed to the dark obsession inside of him that urged him to kill vampires at all costs. There's only one real difference between Alaric and William's slaying methods; killing innocent kids. Alaric at least had some sort reasonable criteria for who he'd murder. William Webb, on the other hand, was willing to slaughter a whole damn orphanage if it meant putting a stake in the vampire menace forever.

Zoey St. Claire was one of the seven children who managed to survive William's slaughter. Although, he insists it was a "necessary evil" for his experiment to work. You see, he'd run across a very old book that his ancestor, Will Webb (the first) had written, documenting a ritual meant to create a super slayer. A living weapon. Just as strong, fast, invulnerable to compulsion, and able to withstand a beating from a vampire. But was more intended for the sole purpose of killing The Originals. Yes, my DR self is fighting her intense instinct to murder her neighbors. (Are you getting that FNAF vibe? William Webb=TVD Purple Guy).

Basically, it's the Missing Children Incident all over again.

My super slayer idea was real close if not the same as "The Five." Of course, I'll never know because all Dawn Misplaced ended up being was this:

As I mentioned in previous posts, the waking dreams started with that simple plot bunny and did not stop. Growing a life all their own despite my best efforts to starve it, uproot it, and purge it from my memories. I've written other fanfics before, abandoning them when I eventually lost my muse, but this one? Like a vampire, refuses to die.

Half a year is a long ass time to keep having intrusive minishifts, so. My friend in fandom crime suggested I should give into my delulu and start yanking back on the tugs. Even if it is just all in my head.

Now, I'm not new to shifting practices. Since my childhood days locked in a bedroom, I've been super good at dissociating & exploring different realities within my dreamworld. But that's just it isn't it? This DR isn't really mine. Sure, the Dawn Misplaced elements of it are. Will and Zoey are. The rest of it, though? It's built upon a foundation I didn't lay. It's a sum total of the books, the TV series, & all of the dreamers who've dreamt of the Mikaelsons. Of course it's resistant to scripting and has a life of its own. I'm only one singular drop in a pond.

It's like...

So, while I can't control what the characters will do or the scenarios that'll unfold once I begin shifting to [Dawn Misplaced DR], I can control how I choose to react. I'll have to be more cunning than the plot. The only thing I seem to do okay with is "I'm back in my CR" and (recently) which location I get dropped into. Mystic Falls or The French Quarter. Idk, maybe I'm just a bad shifter even if I've been doing it for a while...

I'm going to have to be more stubborn than the sum total of the fandom itself.

*Using the Taglock Method has been helping me somewhat in focusing.

However, here's the scripts that I HOPE I can get to work:

⚜️ While in DR, I share the strengths & skills of Zoey St. Claire (Webb) as a slayer.

⚜️ Using Taglock Method bound to an epoxy ring I wear both in my CR and DR, I can eject myself from the DR when taking off the ring and enter it when wearing the ring. (This one seems to work)

⚜️ All houses owned by William Webb are a safe spot. (This one should work because it cooperates with TVD/Originals canon)

⚜️ Retain memories of CR self while in DR. (As long as I'm doing awake daydreaming, I seem to be able to do that)

...And what about an s/o, you say? 🫠 I think I've got bigger fish to fry. I'm not going to try and force anything to happen if it even does. After all, I'm no Elena Gilbert! Trying to date in the "real world" is already hard enough...

Additional BONUS LORE for DM that may or may not become relevant because my DR is an unruly child and it was only just ideas I'd casually thrown around in my brain for the fanfic:

⚜️ William Webb (the first) was an exorcist priest for the Vatican. His journals document the various "demonic spirits" he expelled and eventually spiraled into unhinged ranting. On the surface, at least. William Webb (the later) was able to decipher the super slayer ritual from these journals with the help of a witch probably.

⚜️ Either William Webb (the first or the later) was ex-communicated by the church for his inappropriate use of witchcraft against "the demonic spirits." He's become a boogeyman (much like Mikael) with a bad reputation that has preceded him and casts a shadow on all the Webbs.

⚜️ TVD/Originals seems to have werewolves and vampires, vengeful ghosts, witches, and hybrids. Along with doppelgangers & magic miracle babies. But what I noticed it doesn't have is angels. The seedling concept for my DR's super slayers are humans possessed by the blood & flesh of the archangel they were forced by William Webb to eat. Kind of have a zombie vibe to them, huh??? Can you tell I probably have religious trauma, LOL?

⚜️ William Webb's descendants eventually made their way to the new world during the time the Originals were in New Orleans and mingled within the same circles. The Webbs later settled down in Mystic Falls working as textile merchants of European fashions. You kinda gotta do what you can when you stop benefiting from the Roman Catholic church.

⚜️ While not technically a "founding family," the Webbs do possess a spot on the Mystic Falls council. For once, the shadow of their ancestor's legend pays off big time for them. Especially in a town plagued by real "demonic spirits." Originally, I thought the Webbs were ex-communicated from the town council but my first controlled shift (yesterday) into my DR revealed that wasn't the case. See what I mean by the DR choosing which bonus lore it wants to validate?

⚜️ In TVD/Originals it's mentioned that each and every supernatural creature in Universe must have a set of strengths/weaknesses. I had originally planned that my super slayers were disabled by sulfur, solar eclipses, and had a tendency to "go corrupt" if they broke an angelic virtue. However, what an angelic virtue is is open to interpretation. It likely is similar to what Dark!Alaric was.

⚜️ Elijah Mikaelson and a descendant of Will Webb knew each other. Elijah was interested in the journals of William Webb (the first) for whatever reason. Intrigue, maybe? Or maybe something more serious than that...

⚜️ The most recent William Webb (the later) hid his super slayer project from the Mystic Falls council. The majority of them, at least. I'm almost certain that if he told anybody at all, it was probably John Gilbert. Hell, given John's attitude and medical knowledge, he might've been in on it with William.

⚜️ William Webb (the later) raised the seven surviving kids to be hunting machines. Zoey is the last one standing who didn't corrupt & chose to turn her back on William at the age of 15, emancipating herself (legally) as soon as she could to live a "normal life." D.M. was going to take place after William's untimely death where Zoey St. Claire must return to Mystic Falls to settle her father's accounts and do something with the property she has now inherited.

⚜️ Zoey has vague, fleeting memories of her childhood in Mystic Falls. She (alongside her 6 other "siblings") only experienced a couple of years living there "peacefully" in the Webb estate before William took them on the road to hunt. Zoey was homeschooled much like the Umbrella Academy kids. It's nebulous at best whether Zoey (or the 6 other kids) ever met Elena in their childhood much less any other character living in Mystic Falls.

⚜️ Unlike her six siblings, Zoey never took to slaying vampires half as fervently as William wanted her to and rejected his doctrine soon after witnessing the corruption of the eldest of her siblings during a vampire hunt. Being a deserter earned her no points from Will or the rest of the Webb family. She is now more likely to sympathize with vampires than side with hunters despite her awkward position of being the last remaining Webb, having to be present for council meetings for as long as she is stuck in Mystic Falls settling Will's legal accounts, estates, & the things he left her in his will.

Some last, finalizing thoughts on this TLDR, DR Intro before I start actually documenting my shifts...

In my last post, I said it was all real. Shifting is real and it's really happening. Somewhere. And that somewhere is inside of me as well as outside of me as an objective reality all its own. Theoretically.

I wanna add a "yes, and" to this theory for the preservation of what little sanity I have left...

Yes, it's all real. And I'm pretty sure the thing that forged this pull, this...link...to the TVD & Originals-verse was/is my shitty childhood. I see a lot of my own family trauma inside the story of the Mikaelsons and the Salvatores. I think that by exploring this link and allowing it to show me things, the adventure I plan to embark on might give me an opportunity to reflect on my wounds. Maybe even heal...

If it's all real, then confronting my DR-self's trauma could help me find closure with my CR-self's trauma as well. And if I get to have anything from this experience, I'd like it to be healing.

It's a good thing I'm a vampire slayer then, right?

#desired reality #dr intro #desired reality intro #shifters #shifting blog #tvd shifting #tvd universe #shifting to tvd #shifting community #shiftblr #shifting realities #shifting stories #reality shifting #reality shifter #reality shift #shifting #shifting diary #shifting reality #shifting motivation #dawn misplaced: accidental's tvd/originals dr #accidentally shifted myself #oopsie #shifting to tvd is great until you have to deal with niklaus #shifting to desired reality

[aqualovesart]

I haven't quite finished all of them and some of them might only be sketches at the moment, but I REALLY wanted to share these drawings I made of the FNAF 1 gang that I've been working on for at least a month now. And believe it or not, this is the first time I'm drawing them too.

Yeah. I was into FNAF in my early teenage years, but I was mostly into the fandom side of things, like the animations by Tony Crynight and Zajcu37 and of course I really liked the FNAF 1 song by The Living Tombstone, I wasn't really into FNAF as a series that much, but I did think it was interesting from what I saw from it. Keep in mind it was around the time FNAF 4 and FNAF World came out that I was into it at that point in time of my life that I'm referring to, and that's about where my FNAF phase at the time began and ended, just not too long before Sister Location came out (which sucks because things were just getting more interesting in the series with Sister Location in my opinion when I look back on it, but that's a story for another time).

But then I actually got into the series again early this year and I am really into it now because of Security Breach, checking out all of the games, actually playing the first four of them and even Sister Location with my younger cousin (on websites where they were mostly terribly emulated because we didn't own them at the time but still, I did play them and I do hope to own them and play them for myself one day, so take that information as you will), and I just kept drawing FNAF characters since then, and again, bonding over the franchise with some of my friends and younger cousins who were also big fans of the franchise.

Before that, I only drew The Puppet because I really liked them as a character, and I remember attempting to draw Freddy, but I never continued or finished the drawing. And I'm really happy having finally drawn them now that I'm actually into FNAF and having watched the movie and becoming more endeared by them as a result, and now as a young adult and having improved as an artist. What do you guys think? And feel free to comment if you feel like it. Just be polite if you do so and not be mean about it.

#five nights at freddy's #five nights at freddys #fnaf #aqua's art #fnaf 1 #fnaf movie #artists on tumblr #freddy fazbear #fnaf freddy #freddy fnaf #bonnie #bonnie the bunny #fnaf bonnie #bonnie fnaf #chica #chica the chicken #fnaf chica #chica fnaf #foxy #foxy the pirate #fnaf foxy #foxy fnaf #golden freddy #fnaf golden freddy #golden freddy fnaf #fnaf fanart #fan art #fnaf fandom #my art #art

[malinaa]

TOP 9 BOOKS

tagged : @hmsharmony ty jennifer this was SOOO hard oh my god like. genuinely agonized me for days to think about what to choose but it was SOOO fun tho <3 tagging : @rosesau | @evcndiaz | @pendrgcn | @gayarthur | @the-tenth-arcanum | @oretsev | @wherepoetsdie | @bellamyblakru | @ryekat & anyone else who wants to do it !!! rules : list your top 9 books obviously. i cheated a little and put series as as one option because that's just who i am as a person. most of these i chose at random from my 5 star reads from the past few years btw

1. percy jackson and the olympians (series) by rick riordan

i was never a big reader in elementary school—or at least not to the extent that my classmates had been. my sixth grade english class required us to bring a personal book from home for silent reading and i stole my brother's spine-cracked copies of pjo and brought them to class. i finished the whole series in less than a school week (i had to scramble to the library to pick up another series because the single novel should have lasted me at least three weeks). pjo literally kickstarted my love for reading as a hobby and i truly don't know how to state the importance it had on my little ten-year-old brain fr

2. on earth we're briefly gorgeous by ocean vuong

i have never read a book more beautiful in prose and so uncommonly human than this. there's just something so incredibly heartbreaking knowing this whole book is the narrator's letter to his mother who can't read! like what the fuck

3. alone with you in the ether by olivie blake

this came as a surprise to Me when i first read it. i meandered through the first quarter, loving the writing style but feeling disconnected from the characters until the Church Hand Scene™ and it was hook, line, and sinker at that point (i have since come to love the disconnectedness in subsequent rereads, knowing that the feeling was the Point). i have read this book four (4) times since i read it first last year. LAST YEAR!!! olivie has like... fundamentally altered my brain chemistry or something because i feel like everything i have written since having read this book has been somewhat influenced by it.

4. much ado about nothing by william shakespeare

what can i say! this is theeeeeee romcom ever. i have watched so many adaptations of this play, read it countless of times and can recite some iconic lines, and still the banter between benedick and beatrice is sooo elite. cannot be topped!!

5. a place for us by fatima farheen mirza

fun fact: seed rec'd this book to me and has been reccing it to anybody who would listen. the prose is so lush and melancholic. it's one of those books where nothing Really happens, but you feel Every Emotion Under The Sun and you're just like. altered by reading it

6. the song of achilles by madeline miller

obviously.... OBVIOUSLYYYYYYY this had to go here. if i had two nickels for every greek myth retelling i read during school that fundamentally changed me etc etc u get it. i read this as a junior in high school when we, yet again, had to bring a personal book to read durin class. i think at that point of my life, i've never read something that tragic yet so beautiful at the same time and now i am always looking at the beautiful and tragic in media. so! there u go! brain cells rewired and whatnot!

7. the grisha trilogy by leigh bardugo

this is funny because i . technically did not rate any of these books 5 stars i'm sobbing. but like, considering the fact that my url is what it is and the way i always have them in the back of my mind, it's no wonder that i put them here. i have such an odd attachment to these books and these characters. i had copies of these books since their release but didn't touch them until ... before the sab tv release which is so fucking funny. like i don't know what i would be like if i read this as a t(w)een. i would've been so fucking insufferable ngl

8. when my brother was an aztec by natalie diaz

i actually read this for an assignment and had to write a report on it and i had SO much fun doing it. diaz plays a lot with hunger and her imagery is literally unmatched. i think about the way she contructs sentences and am filled with such envy. my beginning sentence for my paper was a nod to her style (though i failed miserably). it was: "in a paradoxical sleight of hand, hunger feeds in natalie diaz's debut." she is just. so fucking good at words i need to CHOMP on it

9. sharp objects by gillian flynn

you know the thing where you see a really popular author for a really long time and they have their work adapted to the screen and it's so good but you still haven't read their actual writing? yeah, that was me with gillian flynn (specifically about gone girl). i read gone girl, i read sharp objects, i read her short story the grownup, i'm currently reading the last novel of hers that i haven't read, dark places, and flynn is just so... incredibly good at constructing harrowing stories. it's no wonder why all three of her novels got adapted to the screen! her prose is so grounded. vivid. there's this ease to her writing that, whenever i concurrently read another novel, i always find the other piece to be lacking. i slink back to flynn's prose and immerse myself in her awful, human worlds.

#tag games #book recs #text #tais toi lys

[angelasscribbles]

Thro(n)es of Passion: A Bad Romance One-Shot

Series: Bad Romance Continues

Original Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairing for this chapter: Riley x Liam x Max, Riley x Drake

Word Count: 2,872

Rating: NSFW

Warnings for this chapter: Lemons, group sex, D/s dynamic

 A/N: Submission for @choicesprompts Smutember prompt event. Prompt: Three is not a crowd.

A/N2: The requested follow-up to Homerun. It got very long so I had to split it. There is a part 2, but I don't think it will be ready for smutember.

My other stuff: Master List.

Guys!! THIS ART!!!! This is a collage of bits and pieces of this amazing commission by @rosefuckinggenius. You can see the full work here. I wanted to share it so much but I don't want to get marked as explicit again so I'm going the safer route and linking it. I cannot tell you how much I love it though. I've spent far too much time just staring at it! Please take the time to go see the full piece, it's worth it! (Only if you're over 18 of course as it is NSFW).

They had taken dinner in the casual dining room on the third floor with Regina and several high-level live-in staffers.

The meal had been full of both awkward and flirty glances between the four of them as they contemplated the night to come.

Crown Princess Eleanor was spending the night with Regina and their most trusted nanny.

The air was thick with anticipation as the door to the royal apartment closed behind them.

“Would anyone like a drink?” Liam asked, suddenly a little stiff. He had very little sexual inhibitions. By any standards, he was pretty adventurous. He was both a voyeur and an exhibitionist, he liked to watch, he liked to be watched. He was pansexual, the attraction was about the person, not their gender. His relationship with Riley was open sexually, they both indulged in the occasional meaningless hookup. He was no stranger to group sex. Being part of a committed throuple, threesomes were common enough. Bringing a third, or fourth person in had happened on a few occasions.

None of that was the problem.

His eyes slid across the room surreptitiously as he poured thirty-year-old bourbon carelessly into four tumblers while taking in his best friend’s nervousness.

At least he wasn’t the only one.

Drake was the problem. The man was gorgeous but straight. Liam had put any unrequited romantic or sexual feelings in a box and locked it long ago. They were friends.

Best friends.

Their relationship had survived falling for the same woman but their arrangement, up until now, had kept their respective sex lives with her separate.

The memory of Drake naked in the shower after their last workout flitted through his mind and his dick twitched.

Shit.

He gulped down his glass of bourbon and refilled it before thrusting two glasses into Max’s hands, “For you and Drake,” he delivered one of the remaining two to Riley, not trusting his hands not to shake if he looked in Drake’s eyes.

Max took the two drinks and practically danced across the room to deliver one of them to Drake. Max had no fucks to give. Any night he got Liam and Riley both was a good night. Getting to see Drake naked was a bonus. A fucking glorious, amazing, dick-hardening bonus. He was sure he must be living his life right because the gods clearly favored him.

Drake took the offered drink with a steadiness he didn’t feel, “Thanks.” He didn’t make eye contact. Max was far too happy about the situation. Drake hadn’t forgotten all the comments about his ass.

As if reading his mind, Riley moved close to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm, “You don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to.”

He glanced down into her face and his heart skipped a beat, just like it always did. He was as helpless when he looked into her eyes now as he had been the very first time. And while the sex was the best he’d ever had, it wasn’t about that. He loved her, plain and simple, and he always wanted to be with her, regardless of what they were doing, but he knew if he opted out of this little adventure tonight, he’d be sleeping alone.

Even though it had been a while since Liam had brought up the terms of the marriage contract, Drake had no doubt that he would if he tried to coopt Riley for the night and he couldn’t even blame him. After all, he had already been inside her tonight, Liam hadn’t.

He was nervous about watching her interact with Liam and Max sexually. There had been a time when something like this would have tweaked all his insecurities, but he had come to terms with her relationship with both Liam and Max.

Witnessing it, however, was another animal entirely. Not that he hadn’t witnessed plenty of overt displays of affection between the other three members of their quad, they lived together, of course, he had. And he often had to stand by her side at public events as her head of security, hanging back as Liam put his hands all over her.

It no longer phased him. In fact, the glances they shared when no one was looking, the subtle brushing of fingertips, his hand at the small of her back as he escorted her places, all of it conspired to stoke his desire for her even higher. Watching her play the proper queen and wife to Liam at court, all the while knowing what was in store for him when they were alone, had become one of his favorite pastimes.

The rumor was out there that the Cordonian royal couple had an official arrangement and watching prissy, stuffed-shirted members of the nobility vie for her attention knowing that it was he, and not any of them, that would grace her bed at the end of the night was deeply satisfying.

He was used to sleeping alone, he’d been doing it most of his life, but he had to admit that the nights he spent with her were better in every conceivable way. And not just the nights the two of them spent in his room. He had been taken completely by surprise at just how much he enjoyed sleeping in the big bed with everyone else.

It wasn’t about sex, obviously. Up until now, anytime he was sleeping with them, there was no sex happening.

There was taking care of the baby, there was watching movies while snuggling under the covers, and there were late-night conversations in which he found Max not only hysterically funny but pretty goddamned insightful about a lot of shit. He had become accustomed to falling asleep next to her and he liked it.

She was going to have sex with Liam and Max tonight regardless of if he opted in or not, so if it meant he got to snuggle up with her afterward, then goddamn right he was going through with this.

Besides, he could definitely have sex again. He could always have sex again. In fact, he was more curious than he wanted to admit about what it would be like watching her with another man. He’d shared her with women before, but never another man. That first threesome they had with Siobhan was how he’d discovered he had what Riley called a reclaiming kink. Something about watching her be taken by someone else and then reestablishing his claim on her by possessing her body ratcheted his hunger for her to a level he hadn’t known existed.

A frisson of lust shot through him at the thought of watching Liam fuck her and his eyes flicked over to his best friend then back to the woman they both loved as he assured her, “I���m good.”

Riley’s body responded to his intensity like it always did, with heat pooling in her center. Staring into Drake’s eyes while she could see Max out of her peripheral and feel the weight of Liam’s gaze on her back sent chills cascading down her spine and electricity coursing through her veins.

Her clothes were suddenly too restrictive.

“I’ll be right back,” she excused herself as she sat her drink on an end table and disappeared into the bedroom.

“Would anyone like a refill?” Liam asked as he and Drake studiously avoided eye contact.

“Me, but I’ll get it,” Drake crossed the room to refill his drink. He poured a generous helping into his glass as he glanced up to find Max playfully doing a strip tease in front of Liam.

Liam laughed and abandoned his drink so he could use both hands to capture his lover and pull him close.

Max tried to squirm out of his grasp, but Liam sank his fingers into his hair and pressed his other hand firmly into the small of his back, causing all the fight to go out of him as Max went limp, submission and desire flooding through him.

Drake turned his eyes to the bedroom door silently willing Riley to return. Watching Max and Liam play slap and tickle wasn’t what he had signed up for.

When she returned, she was wearing a strappy red silk ouvert bra with matching thong and twirling a black leather collar around one finger. She stopped to take in the scene in front of her. She wasn’t sure which excited her more, the sight of Liam and Max all over each other, or the primal need she saw dancing in Drake’s eyes as they tracked her every movement.

She stepped further into the room, her eyes locked on Drake as she softly called out, “Max, come here.”  

Liam immediately released him and stepped back allowing Max to scurry over to Riley.

There had been a whole negotiation around how to handle Max’s submissiveness. While one dominant could easily manage multiple subs, the reverse was much harder to maintain. If orders conflicted, which master did he obey?

While Liam didn’t mind a bit of brattiness, Riley preferred complete submission so they had agreed that any time the three of them were together, her orders would supersede his. Since Liam was a switch, it wasn’t hard for him to step away from that role when they were all playing, saving his more dominant impulses toward Max for when it was just the two of them.

Besides that, Max had submitted himself to Riley before he and Liam were a thing, and she was the one who had collared him. He was hers.

“Yes, my queen?” Max licked his lips in anticipation.

Riley crooked her finger to indicate he should follow her.

Drake continued to trace her movements as she crossed the room, hips swaying seductively, to take a seat on the couch. Max immediately knelt in front of her.  

Drake watched as she buckled the collar around the other man’s neck. There had been a time when he would have found Max’s complete submission to her weird and weak. He no longer felt that way. Max was just Max, and while his kinks were different from his own, they were no less valid.

Liam retrieved his drink and slammed the rest of it down before crossing the room, discarding clothes as he went, and taking a seat next to her. Fuck it, he decided. He would just proceed as if Drake weren’t standing mere feet away, watching them.

The secret anticipation had nearly killed him. Sitting through dinner as if they hadn’t been planning a foursome immediately after had been an exercise in restraint, testing the strength of his resolve. His very active imagination had already gotten ahead of him with images of what Drake looked like in the throes of passion. Max’s teasing had only stoked the flame higher, watching him now kneeling in front of Riley was more than could withstand. He needed to touch them both.

He leaned forward and captured Max’s lips in a slow, languid kiss before sitting up and turning Riley’s head to face him. He parted her lips with his tongue as his fingers sank into Max’s hair.

Max dotted gentle kisses along the inside of her thigh, one hand on her leg, one hand on Liam’s. Max’s fingers snaked beneath the elastic of her thong. He paused and looked up at her, “May I?”

“Yes, sweet boy, you may,” Riley lifted herself a little to make it easier for him to ease the underwear from her body.

Drake stood at a distance, watching, until she called out to him, “What are you waiting for?”

Her voice spurred him into action. Discarding his own drink, Drake pulled the body-hugging grey t-shirt from his body as he crossed the room in three long strides. He leaned over the back of the couch and trailed hot kisses up the side of her exposed neck.

Riley had one hand tangled in Liam’s hair, and one in Drake’s. She had never touched both of them sexually at the same time before and it sent electric shocks thrilling through her body.

All three men’s hands and mouths were on her and she was lost in the sensation. Lips were on her mouth, her neck, her thighs, and the set on her thighs was steadily trailing upward.

She broke the kiss with Liam when Max’s tongue found her center. Her head thumped back against the couch as her body arched toward him with a sensuous moan.

Drake froze, watching her face. The jealousy he had expected never materialized. He was just as enraptured watching the ecstasy play across her face with Max’s tongue dancing between her legs as he had been when Siobhan had done it.

He didn’t notice how Liam’s eyes darted back and forth between Riley’s face and his own.

“Fuck,” Liam breathed out softly as Riley’s hands moved from his hair to Max’s.

“Mmm, Drake…” she moaned as she turned her head toward him.

With one fluid motion, he hopped over the back of the couch to take the empty spot next to her and covered her lips with his own. He leaned into the kiss, deepening it as she screamed her orgasm into his mouth.

Liam wasn’t sure which he wanted to do more, grab Max by the hair and move him between his own legs, or grab Riley and take her to their bed so he could throw her down and fuck her like there was no tomorrow.

The decision was made for him as Max took matters, and Liam, into his own hands. Or mouth as it were. Liam’s eyes rolled back as Max took his whole length in.

Next to him, Riley had climbed into Drake’s lap, straddling him. Drake’s eyes and hands roved up and down her mostly naked body as desire scaled through him. Earlier in the locker room had been fast and furious. This was slow and torturous.

“These need to come off,” she smiled seductively as her fingers played at the top of his jeans.

Max paused long enough to nip Liam gently on the inside of his leg as he shot a discreet glance toward Drake. Riley had moved off him so he could rid himself of the pants. Max watched in appreciation as Drake’s cock sprung free.

Drake kicked the pants to the side and sat back down, pulling her back into his lap.

Max returned his attention to Liam’s cock as Riley focused on Drake. She lowered herself onto him, slowly easing herself down until he was fully inside her. She stayed there, not moving as she lowered her lips to his ear, “Don’t cum yet. Can you do that for me?”

“I…maybe….no promises,” he expertly relieved her of the bra then he brought two handfuls of firm, supple breasts together and lavished them with his tongue.

She moved her body, grinding into him.

He could usually hold out longer, especially considering they had already done the deed once today. But everything conspired against him. The sounds she was making, the way her body moved against him, the familiar, evocative scent of her, these things were enough, but added to it were the sounds coming from the couple next to them. He might not be into men, but the soft whimpers coming from Liam dumped fuel on the fire already raging through him.

Riley cried out, pushing against him as she fell apart for the second time. That was the end of his restraint. His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her down onto him while thrusting himself up into her. Obscenities spilled from his mouth as he pulsed inside her.

Liam had meant to stop Max before he came, but he found himself fixated on the sight of Riley bouncing on top of Drake. The moment Drake exploded inside of her, Liam erupted into his lover’s mouth. The sensation of Max’s mouth on him, coupled with the visual of Riley and Drake was more than he could withstand. His fingers twisted in Max’s hair as guttural sounds were ripped from his throat.

Max swallowed every drop, then ran his tongue over the tip for good measure before rocking back on his knees, pleased with himself as he licked his lips in satisfaction.

Liam’s eyes flicked from Max’s face grinning up at him to Riley as Drake’s fingers stroked down the bare flesh of her back. “I think we should move this to the bedroom,” he managed to croak out.

He had cum, but he wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. He could definitely go again. And Max still hadn’t had any relief, he needed to remedy that. He also wanted to be inside Riley before the night ended.

Riley moved off Drake, retaking her spot in the middle of the couch as she turned toward Liam, “That’s a fabulous idea!” She pulled on Max’s collar, “Come on, Maxey, in the bedroom!”

Max scrambled to his feet and practically skipped to the bedroom. Riley followed behind him, Liam close on her heels. She stopped in the doorway and looked back, “Aren’t you coming?”

“I’m coming!” Drake took to his feet. He had decided to see this thing through, and he wasn’t a quitter.

#trr poly #trr au #the royal romance #trr #the royal romance fanfic #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #liam rys #drake walker #maxwell beaumont #riley brooks #angelasscribbles #choices trr #choices #choices stories you play #playchoices fanfic #trr fanfic #trr fandom #choices fanfiction #choicesprompts #smutember 2023

[peachymilkandcream]

Break Me Slowly|Part 26|Yandere Levi x Evelyn

(A/N: I've been dreading making this part because I don't want to be filled with utter sadness. But the plus side is that after this is it'll go back to domestic Evelyn and Levi which I think we all (ME I DO) need. There's at least four chapters left of this series but who knows there might be more, we'll see. I skimming over a lot of the finale because just go watch it for the whole story, I'm just giving the jist as it pertains to the story. Hope you enjoy and comment to be added to the taglist!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, violence, mind breaking, misogyny, etc.

===========================================

Darkness, cold. Is this what the afterlife was like? Like Hange was underwater, the sound of life around her muffled. She was falling, falling....

Slowly one of her eyes opened, a vastness of blue surrounding her. Light shone from above. She was certain that facing those Titans on her own had killed her.

And yet, it felt like a little strength was still in her body after all.

==============================================

There was no time for grief, the next phase of their mission was what required all focus. The plan was dropping the Colossal Titan on Eren was the last resort if reasoning and the disposal of Zeke didn't work out. Mikasa and Armin's hesitation to actually kill their friend was apparent, thankfully the rest saw the reason and that in order to save the world, sacrifices had to be made. Even a beloved friend.

The sound of the plane's engine sputtering brought them all out of their thoughts, there hadn't been enough time to fuel the engine entirely, and now they were facing the consequences of that decision. An order was made to jump out of the plane, all obeying without giving themselves time to think about how crazy this whole thing was.

Titans rose to meet them, swarming in hundreds to defeat their attackers. Forms of those who had used the Titans before, generations of destruction all on display.

Levi's hand touched the back of Evelyn's neck, knowing what was coming next. "You listen to me. If you feel threatened or in danger you come and find me. Alright? I don't care what you think or feel you come right back to me."

She nods, giving him a reassuring smile before diving away from their perch, feeling the sting of the cut in her hand followed by that blinding light. She had started this whole mess, she needed to find some way to gain redemption. Levi didn't quite know how far she was willing to go to atone for her actions.

Blood and gore painted the battlefield, the stark contrast of the white doing nothing but adding to the carnage on display. Against so many how could they hope to ever win? The more they cut down the more came up against them. Even with the power of the Titans they dealt heavy hits. At this rate they wouldn't hold out for long. Ripping Reiner and Evelyn out of their Titans and tossing them aside like dolls into the steam below. Her head knocking hard on the bones on the way down.

He caught her. He always caught her. Safe in his arms until she secured her own line. Annoyance was the prime emotion he conveyed when he was secretly worried. "I told you if you were in danger to come find me. Can't you ever listen to one damn thing I say?"

"I suppose not." Her head was bleeding, she was so dizzy, but Levi didn't mention it.

A Titan out of the corner of her eye moved, intent on making Connie its prey. Before she could react Levi sprung into action, slicing its neck, but not before its jaws clamped down on his leg, sending him falling further.

"Levi no-!" Her scream seemed more desperate than she would have liked, lurching forward and catching him this time. His poor leg battered and beaten, he couldn't fight anymore. She wouldn't let him. He had to stay safe, for her. Even if the cord was slipping out of the bone, even if they were about to be crushed. She couldn't let him go.

"Grab on!" The call came from behind her, a mass of feathers and wings catching them as they flew safely out of the skeleton. They were safe, for now.

Relief flooded them both when their untimely rescue. Her head still throbbed, and a wave a nausea threatened to take over. Levi's look in her eyes confirmed her fear, he wasn't going to let her fight anymore either.

"I'm fine."

"You're not. And you're staying here or so help me-" He cuts himself off with a sigh. "Look. You're pregnant, I'm not fucking losing you. If that means that humanity is wiped out and it's just me and you in Paradis then so be it!"

An awkward silence from the rest of those present ensues until she finally relents. "Alright. I'll stay here."

In order to make sure she didn't go back on her word, Levi held onto her belt the instant the others flew off Falco's back. It was time for them to take a back seat. Their mission was over the day they crossed the sea, they would leave it in their hands now.

They thought that the death of Zeke, mixed with a number of the Titans turning on the hostile ones would bring about the end of the Rumbling. And while the monstrous footsteps did stop their task was far from over. The explosion that severed Eren's head would not be enough, the parasite still dove for his head to reconnect it and continue The Rumbling. The only option left was Armin transforming into the Colossal once everyone got clear.

===============================================

It should have been over. That should have been it. The end should have been the embrace of loved ones over victory. No the blast of a second Titan.

Eren's founder marching forward while the parasite continued its crawl to reunite the two and finish what they started. It would only end when he was cut down. They all knew it. But what Evelyn didn't expect was Levi grabbing her hand and pulling her along onto Falco's back.

"We have to go now! The Ackermans and the Titans are the only ones immune."

Numbly she was pulled along until they boarded and took off, the sound of Pieck's sobs ringing in her ears. Staring as her comrades turned into flashes of light and gruesome faces.

It had all been going so well, now they were loosing. Armin and Reiner, overwhelmed and over-taken by their friends turned monsters. They were loosing and there's nothing they could do.

Until Mikasa stood with a determined look in her eyes. "Eren is inside the mouth- Everyone, help me reach him!"

Their descent was hidden in a veil of flames and debris. Only a glimpse was seen of Mikasa until a pause and then Eren's Titan crumbling and shaking the earth with its impact. It was over.

They had won.

===============================================

In the fall they had gotten separated but eventually she found him sprawled on the ground. Without a word passing between them she sat beside him with a sigh.

"I guess you kept your promise."

Levi raises a brow. "Which one?"

"We made it out. You promised. Now..." Evelyn tears up. "We can go home...can't we...?"

His arm wraps around her. " Yes my love. We can go home."

#break me slowly #levi x oc #attack on titan #levi ackerman #levi aot #levi x reader #shingeki no kyojin #yandere levi #yandere levi ackerman #yandere levi x reader #aot x reader #aot smut

[observeowl]

Her Assistant | Chapter 14 - Only Three Times

Summary: After losing her family, Natasha Romanoff builds her company from the ground up. During the rise of her company, she decided she needed an assistant, one that works in her office and her house. That's when she saw your resume. After working five years for her, how was it like working for her? Or more importantly, how things progress?

Series Masterlist

Natasha POVAfter the meeting at SHIELD with Fury and Hill, I dialled for Y/N knowing she would have finished destroying the samples by now. Since Wanda and Pietro have nowhere to live in America, they were going to stay with us until I found a place for them to stay and work with me.

After a few tries, I was still unable to get to her so I got Bucky to come and pick us up. This has never happened before, Y/N usually picks up after the first few rings. To have to continuously call her before she picks up scared me.

I gave her a piece of my mind when she finally picked up the call. I start giving her a bit of slack and she takes it so far that she can't answer her phone at the moment's notice.

When Y/N finally opened the door, I saw her frantically looking around as she entered. Her clothes were not as pristine as how she normally would have it done. Her top few buttons were undone, hair dishevelled and were those hickeys I see around her neck?

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN Y/L/N?" I shouted when I saw her. Was she sleeping with someone in the middle of the day?

"I was with my friend."

"With your friend, or sleeping with your friend?"

"What?" She asked, confused.

"The hickeys around your neck." I nodded towards her and her hands shot up to feel around.

"I- I didn't know, I really- I was just drinking and I can't remember anything else after that." I watched as she stroked her forehead trying to think back. I sighed when I realised she has just gotten advantage of.

"So you drank?" She nodded her head.

"But I didn't drink that much and I don't get drunk that easily."

"You went to see your friend? So fix it, she's not some stranger that you have to find." I left her alone to figure out her problem. She landed into her problem alone and it's hers to figure it out.

Your POVI sighed when Miss Romanoff slammed the door behind her. I don't think I'll get black out drunk even if I drank the entire bottle myself. Did Nico really do this to me? But why? I did nothing for her to be against me.

Once I got my thoughts straight, I went out again, this time to the hospital to get a blood test done. I needed evidence and to make sure that I was drugged before I confronted her.

"Y/N, again?" Dr Mike exasperated when he answered his phone. Mike was a friend of mine that I've known for four years. Whenever I have an injury that was too big to deal alone, I find him to keep things off the record.

"Please Mike, I just need a drug test." I reasoned with him, telling him what I was thinking about and how I may have been drugged.

He sighed. "Y/N... to use it on court, I have to do it legitimately."

"Fine. Do it the right way then." I relented knowing it's better to have it recorded. At least, they know I didn't administer the drug myself and it's not the worst record I need to avoid. Mike told the nurse he was going to do a drug test and she brought in the necessary equipment before telling her to leave.

"I'll send it to you when I receive the result. Still the same address?" Mike asked as he finished sealing up the last bag and wrote some things on it for it to be sent to the lab.

"That's right." I nodded. "Thanks a lot." I know I can count on him when things mattered. I trust my life with him.

I sighed once again when I returned back to Romanoff's house and Bucky was already back because I didn't see him earlier. "Where have you been? I thought Miss Romanoff told you to come back hours ago." He asked as he looked at the time on his phone.

Absolutely tired from today's event, I shook my head and went back to my room. I can't believe this has happened. I thought I learnt from my mistakes.

Before I was able to enter my room, I was called by Miss Romanoff. Mrs William and her family were going to join us on the factory tour tomorrow for us to present our products since we were halfway through R&D. Continuing with the line of toys, Romanoff Corporation was going to release a new line of confection, expanding our reach instead of just toys. Since we were entering a new trade, we had to go through a lot of research and gain the respective licences before we were allowed to begin developing our own products.

"Got it, Miss Romanoff." I said before turning my back and heading back to my room for the day.

Natasha POVShe has returned back to calling me Miss Romanoff. I thought we were making progress but I seemed to have faded out as the foundation wasn't solid enough.

The next day, Bucky dropped us off at the factory that we had purchased to be producing all the confectionery in the future. Y/N immediately went to working mode as she went inside to instruct all the employees what needed to be done when the William family arrived.

Once everything was ready, Y/N waited as a car arrived at the entrance and a couple came out with a kid. Once Evelyn saw Y/N, she wiggled out of her mother's arm and darted to Y/N's leg who picked her up gently.

"Evie, how many times do I have to tell you not to run away? I'm so sorry Y/N." Mrs William scolded her child.

"But mummy, Y/N is my friend..." She whined.

"Evelyn, you should listen to your mother." Y/N gently told Evelyn who nodded and passed the girl back to her mother's arm.

"I'm so sorry, once Evelyn realised we were visiting, she insisted on coming because she wanted to see Y/N." Mr William spoke as he stroked his child's cheek, gaining a giggle from her.

"Nice to meet you Mr William." I extended my hand to give him a handshake.

"Nice to meet you too Miss Romanoff. I've heard all the great things about you from my wife. You can call me Charlie and my wife, Diana." He introduced.

"Natasha." I replied.

"Daddy, can I play with Y/N?" She gave him the puppy eyes that he was weak against knowing her mother was stricter than the father.

"Baby, I told you we were coming here to work."

I caught Y/N's eyes on me and nodded. "It's fine Charlie, Y/N is free to play with Evelyn." The little girl cheered and ran to Y/N happily. After Y/N informed her parents that they were going to the nearest beach, I took the files from Y/N and proceeded to guide them in.

Starting from the entrance, we went through the sanitation process before heading in. Showing them how we were going to section off each place to make sure nothing gets contaminated.

Diana William POV Miss Romanoff or should I say, Natasha did a very good job showing the place to us. Her employees were all very capable and knowledgeable when we presented questions to them and they were able to answer. I like how they were passionate about what they were doing and it showed that Natasha did an intensive screening before hiring them. I trust that this new product is going to be a success in the market after launch.

"This certainly shows the effort you put in. You've thought of every angle and how to attract the most customers even at the packaging." Charlie said.

"Well, I aim to give the best even after sales and the main target is kids like your daughter. It's very important that they are satisfied." I smiled at Natasha's simple explanation that drives her to improve her company.

"Actually..." I dragged, looking at Charlie. "Evelyn is not our daughter." Making Natasha look at us with wide eyes. "Not biologically at least, she's adopted. Charlie and I tried for a few years. Once we accepted that it was never going to happen, we decided to adopt. Evelyn was actually only a few weeks old when she got into the system so we thought it would be the closest we could get." I explained.

Natasha could only nod and she looked at us. "I mean, I did have my suspicions since Evelyn has a widow's peak but the both of you don't. I just thought it skipped a generation."

I shook my head and shot her a kind smile. Her driver offered to drive us to the beach where Y/N was with Evelyn. We had to walk down the beach slightly as we saw two little dots further down. Evelyn was running around Y/N as she sat on the rocks.

"Evie never really became close with a stranger this fast. I honestly think somewhere in her body, it knows that Y/N is her biological mother." I smiled sadly as I watched their interaction. While I was the one who brought her up, sometimes I could feel the slight apprehension she had towards me, she's not as free as she is now.

Natasha looked at me with a confused face. "I- I- She didn't even mention if she got pregnant before."

"They look so similar, their blue eyes, the widow's peak like you mentioned. Evie doesn't have an ounce of fear with her."

Your POVEvelyn continued telling me about her days in school and all her amazing friends. She also told me her favourite toy stuffie that was coincidentally produced by the Romanoff Corporation.

"But I heard mummy is planning to go to Germany. What if I don't ever see you again?" She pouted at the end of her sentence.

I pulled her closer, giving her a hug as I brushed my fingers through her hair. "We could always FaceTime or you could come back during your holidays." I said, trying to sooth Evelyn.

"But I'll miss everyone here..."

"You'll meet a lot of new friends in Germany. Wouldn't it be cool to have international friends? Perhaps you could introduce them to me in the future?"

"Hmm maybe..." At least there was some positively in that direction.

"Evelyn!" A man's voice sounded, causing us to turn our heads.

"Daddy!" Evelyn shouted and ran towards him. I stood up and dusted the sand off my clothes before heading towards them. Charlie used the momentum to pick her up and swung her around making her giggle before settling her on his hip.

"Did you have fun with Y/N?" The child eagerly nodded her head before seemingly remembering something and wiggled her legs wanting to get out of her father's embrace.

"I learned that penguins give rocks to those they love." I nodded along to what she said. "Since I love you, I'm giving you this shell, I think it's prettier than a rock." She explained. I chuckled when she changed it to a shell but squatted down to her height nonetheless and accepted it.

"Thank you so much Evelyn. I'll give you something when we meet again."

Natasha POVSeeing the interaction between Y/N and Evelyn, I'm forced to remember what Diana said to me about Y/N possibly being Evelyn's biological mother. When she pointed out their similarities and how close they were even on the second day of meeting, it reminded me of the time I first hired her.

I had close to nothing then. After our house burned down in the fire, what I had were the remaining clothes I was wearing. I woke up in a hospital with slight cuts and bruises around my body from escaping the fire. Our family's lawyer heard of the incident and came to visit me and I was thankfully able to use the money from insurance and inheritance to settle down somewhere temporarily.

After getting most of everything settled, I started making ways to start my own company. I didn't finish college but I knew I had to make it somehow. I invested everything I had left and started the business. It was tough in the beginning as I was a sole proprietor with no background and a woman. When meeting with suppliers and looking for office space, they looked down on me and tried to take advantage of me by charging prices higher than market value thinking I knew nothing in the industry.

I showed them what I knew and their tactics were before they learned not to mess with me. I had a few hiccups here and there which set me back a couple grand but I got back stronger. There were times I thought I was going to fail when things seemed bleak, everything that could go wrong did, and I was struggling to make payments.

Eventually, I persevered and pushed on, starting to make a small name for myself. That's when I hired Y/N knowing I'm going to need more help. I needed someone that was worth more than I paid. I put in a request for a personal assistant that was well rounded, specialising in business and hers was the most striking. I wasn't sure if it was because I saw myself in her. Though having a degree, she didn't have much experience like me before I started this company. After the interview, I decided to take this chance and hire her.

Wanting to protect myself from past mistakes, I made her sign a contract that has some other requests compared to a usual employee contract: 1. Never lie to me

2. Obey my commands without question when I say the phrase 'I order you'

3. Protect me until I release you

I remembered her hesitation when she saw the three rules but she picked up the pen and signed the contract regardless.

That was the best thing I've ever done. With no experience, she managed the tasks I gave her very well, exceeding my expectations. No doubt if she were to start her own company, she would have been very successful as well.

While her work may be fabulous, her character at that time was not. She was a woman of few words and I could hear her grumble after she stepped out of the room. I didn't mention anything as the results she delivered were exceptional.

I was sure she was a nerd in school as when it came to the house, she knew almost nothing other than cleaning. Her food and drinks were either too bland or too salty. I gave up allowing her to cook after the first day. Thankfully, she was a quick learner but it was still interesting to see her having to put effort in something I deemed easy.

"Again." I said sternly as I poured the hot liquid into her palm after she failed to make a satisfactory cup of coffee for me. I watched as she clenched her jaw, enduring the heat that was hitting her skin.

Of course, it would never go without her retaliating and she would do it at a timing when I couldn't get back at her as I was meeting a potential client. She would watch as I struggled to find a document or when I was stumbling on my words when I was presenting to a client. Using the second rule to her advantage, as if taunting me that I needed to call her for help.

"Miss Romanoff... Miss Romanoff... Natasha!" I got pulled out of my thoughts when Y/N called me only to realise that we had reached the house. "We have reached. Bucky is in the house waiting." I nodded before stepping out of the car but I realised Y/N wasn't following behind.

"Are you heading somewhere?"

"Yes. I have something to do if that's alright. Do you need my help?" She asked. I must have missed her telling me that she was heading somewhere.

"No, you're free to go. If you can't make it back for dinner it's fine." She nodded before getting back in the car and driving off.

The first thing I did was to check on Wanda. I had given her some books to read on management skills and marketing, though just relying on these won't help her much, but it was somewhere to start. I was planning to make her work under me for a few months so she knows how I liked my process to be. Pietro was still stuck with learning English, even though he has improved conversationally, it's still ways before he would be able to read such complicated books. Either way, his job remains largely the same, to assist his sister.

I checked in to make sure both didn't require my help or have any questions before heading back to my home office. With the new confectionary line coming up nicely, everything seems to be set for the launch in a few weeks.

Third POV Over the next few days, Natasha worked in the office instead of being at home as there were a lot of documents that required her review and approval from her employees. She was looking for the packaging design that she had planned but she couldn't find it on her table. Sighing, she concluded she must have left it on the table. Natasha told Bucky to get it from her table as Y/N was at the factory today to get the data from the supervisor.

"Thank you Bucky." She said without looking at him when he set it on the table.

"No problem, just give me a call if you need anything else." He said, knowing the character of his boss especially during the busy period when something was so close to launch. Natasha proceeded to finish what she was doing before opening the envelope that was resting on her desk.

As she pulled out the document, her eyes widened at the content before turning to the front to see Y/N's name. Clearly this was meant for Y/N and not Natasha.

Y/N knocked and entered the room before giving me the documents she got from the factory with the stamp on it. Hesitantly, Natasha gave her the envelope she had accidentally looked at. "Sorry, I didn't know it was yours and took a look at it." She truthfully said.

At first Y/N was shocked that Natasha apologised, she could count on one hand the amount of times she said that word, that was until she saw the organisation printed on the top left hand side of the envelope. "I didn't mean to see it, I thought it was my document that I had told Bucky to bring."

Third POV Silence, that was what there was when she opened the envelope and read the contents. "Nico drugged me." Y/N summarised the contents of the document in three words.

"Eh, uh yeah. What are you going to do about it?"

"It's not yet time to be acting on it. But I'll keep this in mind." Y/N said as she stuffed the papers in. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?" She crossed her hands in front of her as she waited for instruction.

"Um, no... you can find Bucky and have lunch with him. Just get me something when you come back."

The next few hours passed by in a daze for the both of them. For Natasha and Y/N, this was uncharted territory. They have always been the hunter, pouncing on enemies instead of being targeted upon.

Natasha decided to leave early this time to have dinner. Both of them were heading back before Y/N's phone started ringing. Seeing it was from Diana, she answered her phone that was connected to the car thinking it was going to be about business. Instead, she was met with an uneasy mother accompanied by a frantic and panicked voice.

"Y/N, I'm so sorry for calling you out of office, but Evelyn went missing. I'm not sure if she went to find you since she's been obsessed with you the past few days." Diana said quickly over the phone. This caught the attention of Natasha as she listened attentively, Y/N swerved the car to the side and pulled to a stop to focus better.

"She hasn't been to the office. When and where did you last see her?" Y/N asked, trying to get more information.

"Just before dinner, I left her alone to prepare dinner and she went missing." The desperation of finding her daughter was seeping through the call.

"I'll help to try and find her. She shouldn't have gone far from the house." Y/N suggested and made a quick move to start the engine and drive to Diana's house.

Y/N drove as if she was on a mission, speeding through the lane and swerving dangerously between cars. She instantly released her seat belt when she reached, not bothering to park her car right.

"I'll help to find Evelyn too." It was then Y/N remembered Natasha was in the car with her. She nodded and took off running, searching high and low while shouting for her name.

Charlie and Diana were searching around their estate too, heading to places where they frequently visit, the playground, the park, garden and even the pool but they were met with an empty result.

Natasha went right and surveyed the circumference of the estate hoping to be able to find the little girl but she was met with the same result.

"Evelyn!" Y/N shouted every few seconds hoping to hear something back. Just as she was about to abandon this place and head for another area, she spotted someone sitting on the bench. "Evelyn!" She muttered as she sprinted towards the figure and the girl turned her head towards her and started running.

"Y/N!" Evelyn was engulfed in a hug when they met before Y/n pulled away to make sure the girl was free from injuries.

"Evelyn, did you get hurt? Are you okay?" She nodded. Y/N pulled out her phone to text Evelyn's parents and Natasha that she had found her, letting them know she was safe and to meet at the nearest meeting point.

"Why did you run away?" Y/N immediately questioned.

"I'm sad..." Evelyn looked down and played with the flower she picked from the roadside. Y/N, sensing the tone, picked her up and sat next to her on the bench holding her hand to give her an extra sense of comfort.

"Are you still sad about going to Germany?" Evelyn nodded her head. "Do you want to tell me what you're sad about?"  Evelyn just shrugged, keeping silent. "Is it about the friend issue?" Y/N tried to probe her gently.

"I'm scared of making friends. What if they make fun of me because I look different? I'm not German." Y/N heart clenched at her worries. She moved and crouched down on the floor, pushing Evelyn's strand of hair behind her ears and looked at her sweetly.

"You're not alone. Even I would be afraid. Your potential new friends would be afraid. Do you know why?" Evelyn shook her head. "Because you are shining, people want to get to know you but they don't want to make a wrong move. You doing your own part would do wonders. Just ask for their names, their interest and the conversation would flow from there." Y/N said as she held both her hands.

Evelyn relaxed a little but there was still a pout on her face. "Did you tell your parents about this?"

"Mummy's too busy... She's been trying to finish her work, she says."

Y/N sighed, knowing she was trying to rush this project. As much as she wanted to interfere, this was their family's issue. "Let's head back home shall we? It's getting late." Y/N stood up and stretched her arm for Evelyn to take. She hopped down the bench and took Y/N's hand walking towards the meeting point.

They continued to talk as they walked, Y/N still trying to assure her everything was going to be fine, that she would call and text every now and then or if Evelyn wanted to call her, she could too.

From across the road, both could see the parents speed walking over, excitedly that she finally found their child. "Evelyn!"

"Mummy! Daddy!" Evelyn started running towards them and Y/N had to tell her stop running and be careful before crossing the road.

"EVELYN!" Y/N screamed as she started running towards her. The situation turned very bad very quickly as the girl didn't see the truck driving towards her when crossing the road. She stood there in the middle of the road like a deer in a headlight as the truck didn't seem to have any intention of slowing down.

Time slowed down for Y/N though. She saw as Evelyn flew through the sky before landing on the ground, staining the ground with red. All the energy left Y/N's legs as she dropped to the floor breathing unsteadily, watching the scene unfold before her. She felt someone's hands around her but she continued staring at Evelyn in front of her surrounded by her parents calling for help, desperately trying to wake her.

"NOOOOO!" Y/N screamed in anguish before darkness covered her. 

The ambulance came in minutes and placed Evelyn on the stretcher before rushing to the hospital. Natasha was able to carry Y/N to her car and drove to the hospital that Evelyn was going to be in.

When Y/N woke up, they were still on the way to the hospital. Natasha sneaked some glances as she drove and Y/N's face was blank throughout the journey. Natasha tried talking to her but she wouldn't respond, looking out the window.

Evelyn's parents were pacing up and down in front of the operating room, impatiently waiting for some news. Y/N sat some distance away from them but her eyes were always fixed at the door. Natasha tried not to bother Y/N too much knowing she was very tense right now but she called back to the house to make sure everything was okay since it was certain that they weren't going to be back early.

Y/N's head perked up when she saw the doctor exit and approach the parents. Though she was able to hear only a few words, the shaking of his head let her know everything she needed to know. Her heart dropped more than it already was.

She caught Natasha's attention as she stood up and walked towards the operating room. Passing the grieving parents as her only objective was to get to her child.

Doctors and nurses recognised what she was doing and tried to stop her from entering but she was way stronger and pushed them away, walking further in. Natasha stood outside as she saw the sole figure walking in. She knew how grief felt like, especially after losing her family to the fire, but this was different for Y/N. Every grief is different for everyone. But Y/N had no support and she only met her child for three days.

Inside, Y/N walked past several doors and finally saw a small figure covered with a white sheet. Shakily, she took the sheet off to show the face she has been hoping to see being wheeled out of the room fine. Y/N placed her hand on the cold figure's cheek and stroked it dearly. Tears started flowing as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Evelyn..." She whispered.

She picked the child up and hugged her close, tighter than ever not wanting to let go. "No... this cannot be happening..." Her sobbing could even be heard by Natasha outside the operating room who persuaded the doctors to give Y/N a bit more time.

Y/N was still crying nonstop and was now laying down on the floor holding a lifeless body. Some nurses came in and tried to pry Evelyn off her because there was scheduled surgery after this but she started crying more hysterically when tried to move her. "Noo! Give her back!"

"Miss another patient has to come in, please cooperate with us." Unwillingly, she lets go of Evelyn, seeing as she gets sent off to another room.

#natasha x reader #natasha romanoff #natasha x you #my writing #Her Assistant #natasha romanoff imagine #natasha romanoff fanfiction

[remidyal]

jasmine aloe vera and nutmeg for the ask <333

jasmine ⇢ do you have a movie or book you loved but will never watch/read again?

Ooh, there's a few of these, actually.

First and most relevant to my fandom, though technically not a movie or a book, I'll never rewatch Misfits and Magic. I don't hold it against anyone who still loves it, I think the series was made with all good intent and also that the transphobia of the thing it was parodying was less blatant at that point (though certainly still present), but I would just banish even things mocking that entire property to the shadow realm if I could at this point and I'm glad we've gotten two other Aabria-GMed series (that honestly I think were both better anyway) to watch with my various rewatch groups.

For movies, there's a bunch of movies that I thought were good but also kind of too painful to want to really rewatch - Hereditary and Grave of the Fireflies immediately leap to mind, but there are probably a half dozen others that fall under this.

For books, there's one that immediately leaps to mind - I'm a fan of @dduane's Young Wizards series from childhood, but I happened to pick up The Wizard's Dilemma a couple days before my grandmother unexpectedly died not realizing how heavy the subject of the book would be and then read it while I was waiting for my parents to do all the funeral stuff and... It was ill-timed, let's just say, and the thought of touching that very lovely book again is the emotional equivalent of trying to reach for a hot stove.

ivy ⇢ what are your ‘tells’ for your emotions and moods? how can someone tell you’re happy, annoyed, upset or tired?

I think this is different online than it is in person but if I'm stressed out I tend to resort to kind of more formal language, usually, at least if I'm trying to be respectful/not burn bridges. This backfires a lot with some people I think - I've gotten accused of passive aggression on this front before, though in at least a couple cases it was from people who I know are just bad faith jerks anyway (and in one case who went on to harass me so hey)

I'm usually pretty happy online though! And I've basically been tired since around 2009.

aloe vera ⇢ what’s something (mundane) you really want to experience in life?

Hmm, I think I've gotten to have a lot of these that I would have wanted, and a lot of the ones are just too late for and are gender/transition related. I think if I had to pick one thing that ISN'T might be ever owning my own home (probably a condo or townhouse) - my rent is murdering me these days, it's doubled over the last four years and it was too much before and it's blocking a lot of those other things from being in reach.

thank you for the ask!

#asks

[10moonymhrivertam]

💥, 🎁, 🏷️, for the ask game. :3

💥 What is one canon thing you wish you could change?

Oh, with the brain on Hazbin, this is actually a difficult one. I personally didn't have a problem with the pacing except during Dad Beat Dad and that was fixed on a rewatch by realizing Hell's Greatest Dad was just (or, at least, largely) manipulation.

*Looks through fandoms we share*

Oh, I've got Doctor Who opinions.

Uhhhhhhh personally I dislike Clara, though that eased up a bit once I actually watched her episodes/got to Twelve. I'd probably take out her initial 'she's in his whole timeline' plot line? I know that throws some jank into her plot line as a whole but I honestly don't think I'd have disliked her so hard without that. I know that's controversial, though, 'cause lots of folks like Clara.

Hopefully an uncontroversial opinion is to be able to edit River's CAL-world so it's got her family instead of her archaeology team? Like maybe CAL and the TARDIS shared some data on the way out and so there's a facsimile of Amy and Rory and maybe Eleven specifically so CAL doesn't overwhelm herself. Or the Doctor put all that info in the screwdriver before Darillium.

🎁 Have a piece of a WIP you want to share?

Okay, so, I haven't worked on the third part of Adam's a Worse Sport in a couple days (speaking of which there's a 75% chance I change the series name to Because...I'm Collecting EVERYONE'S Heavenbound Parents!) and I was planning to dump this draft last time I worked on it, but I still like the character work so y'all can have this :3

Crystal found herself staring at the ceiling, each pair of hands folded against her stomach. She’d hardly slept the last three nights, memories of Henry and Nicholas and Anthony circling her mind. She’d love to see Nick and Tony again, to give them the sort of hugs that only came from having four arms. Feed them like they hadn’t eaten the last three or four or eight or nine decades. But Henry… Yeah, she’d known who she was marrying. She hadn’t cared at the time. He hadn’t always stayed sweet to her, but he’d never turned anything on her she hadn’t gone looking for. Granted, she’d gone looking for a lot of fights after Tony had passed. And they’d been vicious as all hell. On top of that, she’d second-guessed more than once over the years whether the car that had driven by while she’d been out shopping had been one of theirs. Every time, she ended up deciding it hadn’t been. It had been one of the other families. But the doubts and the fights had festered over the years, and in the end, she was content to take up her Queen-sized mattress all by herself. What would she do if Henry showed up?

🏷 Is there a tag you like to search for when looking for fanfic to read?

Off the top of my head, I suspect the tags I usually filter for are specific to any given fandom, but I did remember one I love no matter the fandom! Soulmate Identifying Marks! I often end up looking at them for specific pairings but I find it really tasty when found family or poly groups are marked for each other. I've got at least one rec for AtLA's Gaang being marked for each other, and I don't remember if I've read any of BBC Merlin's Knights of the Round Table being marked, but I've thought about writing one real hard :P

#ask games #doctor who #hazbin hotel #angel dust's mom #soulmate identifying marks

[chibivesicle]

Gokinjo Monogatari got an English release. I am just - feeling like I got my wish from 1998.

That's right, I'm alive but not very active on the meta for the time being. 2023 sped up for the second half; work got crazy busy for Q4. I worked up to Dec 18th through several weekends so yeah, needed some recharge time.

I don't know how I missed this, but thanks to watching Coleen's Manga Recs, I discovered that the one shoujo manga title that I had been wanting an English release for has finally arrived. Gokinjo Monogatari by Ai Yazawa!

I discovered Gokinjo Monogatari in '98. One of the local comic stores had the first three tankobons and I bought them based on the cover artwork alone.

It wasn't until undergrad I was able to meet a few more people and figure out more than just the name and artist. I tried to find the translation of the manga online, but was unsuccessful. I have to remind people that before scanlations, you had to buy a tankobon and hope you found the text based translation which would have the text according to page number and what panel location. I read a fair bit of Kenshin that way, but sadly, this series was not that popular with readers in the States. I've been moving my entire adult life hauling my three precious volumes of the manga hoping that someday I would first, collect volume 4-7 to complete the picture and that I'd have my matching English version. Granted, I haven't done a good job of looking for volumes 4-7 when I've been in Japan . . . or using the internet either.

As if to spite me, the follow up manga, Paradise Kiss, did get a translation in 2002 from Tokyo Pop which exists in the same universe as Gokinjo Monogatari. Note that a previous manga's characters show up at the Flea Market in Monogatari as well and Yazawa likes to keep a lot of her series tied together. Eventually, the scanlation of the series appeared and I read it around 2011. I'd only found an episode or two of the anime during the golden age of file sharing, but didn't follow through on it. I wanted to read the manga before watching the anime. In 2017, I visited the Manga Museum in Kyoto, got to see a cool display about Ribon magazine and of course they had Gokinjo Monogatari merch! I bought the file folder set and stickers! I bought the Gokinjo Monogatari UT shirt from Uniqlo featuring Ribon series. Yet each time I found more stuff, the universe got the last laugh. Japan released the collectors set with four volumes, there was a French translation, German etc and never one for English. So, you have to realize how I absolutely lost my mind when the thing I'd figured would never happen, happened! Not only was it a thing, I'd even missed the December 2023 release date -at least I didn't have to wait for a pre-order to get volume 1.

I'm happy to see that this version included some of the original color pages!

It has a few more at the end with a photo wall of Mikako's outfits. Everything about the style of this manga, I absolutely love. The fashion goes so hard even now. I get nostalgic with all of the mid-90s Japanese street fashion which has a mix of 60s mod and 70s flare. I think the series also does a good job of capturing that awkward time in your teenage life when you are trying to figure out how to act with people you are interested in. But failing to sort things out. Unlike a lot of other high school manga series, this one stands out with the much more "normal" appearance of the students. I remember picking it up and thinking that the characters looked like they could be my peers; though there is no way Mikako's outfits would pass my high school's own liberal dress code where dyed hair and piercings were permitted. Her bare midriff would get her in trouble . . . Funny how now when I look at it, this is a very unusual high school set up for a Japanese reader likely coming from a more regimented school environment with a uniform and strict dress code. I never thought about it at the time. More that I was plotting my own hair dying plans for when I moved out of the house for undergrad just like the characters had - while still in high school. I did read Parakiss back when it came out from 2002-2005; however, it never really resonated with me the same way a series that I couldn't even find a decent translation for. I started to watch Nana but couldn't get into it at all. Maybe it was my mindset or the fact that I wasn't the mood for young twenty-somethings figuring their shit out.

Yet, here I am in the winter of 2024, and I have volume 1 of the collectors edition format of Gokinjo Monogatari and I'm still loving every little bit of the story as I read it. Perhaps, Parakiss and Nana were more edgier/grittier than something like this which is why they never quite clicked with me. I wanted my fashionable shoujo drama but not over the top. I'm not sure what I'll write about it. It isn't a well known series both due to the fact it is from the 90s and that it is shoujo but perhaps I can reflect on what I was drawn to it all those years ago and what I think about it now.

#gokinjo monogatari #neighborhood story #ai yazawa #mikako kouda