#other is somewhere in Milano

[bellalaufeyson69]

Peter Quill x Reader

Enemies to lovers (sort of)

Breakfast

(Spoiler if reading this next sentence! Takes place after GOTG and before GOTG3. Gamora is with the Ravagers and is no longer with Peter in any way. Also meaning that as confirmed by James Gunn, we the reader can understand what Groot says because we’ve been with him so long 🥹)

Description: Quill and Yn hardly ever get along and it’s gotten on everyone’s nerves. Nebula comes up with a solution to the problem by making them spend time together in hopes of working out the differences.

Wc ♡ 3.5k

Masterlist ♡

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Rays of sunlight burst through the wide front windows of the Milano as the team sat around the table waiting for Groot to finish the breakfast. We all took a straw from a hat daily to see who had the duty, though when any one of us pulled the straw and saw it said groot, we’d discretely pretended it said someone else’s name. It wasn’t that we didn’t trust him to be a good cook, it was just that he can get a little… distracted.

“What day is it today?” The tree pondered, looking over to Mantis awaiting an answer all the while completely unaware that a twig from his arm has now caught fire from the stove.

I was quick to catch this and jumped from my spot to put it out, though as I ran to help him I came crashing into a tall, decently sweaty Peter. “Common Quill!” I hissed before turning back to Groot only to be halted by his annoying voice.

“Oh like that was my fault,” he complained throwing his hands in the air and looking to the team for reassurance yet getting none as they tended to zone Peter and I’s arguments out.

“Maybe if you payed any attention to anything you ever do!” I snapped turning back to face him feeling a rise of irritation come over me causing me to completely forget why I’d even got up in the first place. “Also, you’re disgusting. We have showers for a reason, you literally soaked my arm in your nasty sweat,” I made a disturbed expression whilst wiping the warm wet liquid onto my pants.

He scoffed with an eye roll while taking a glance at the ceiling. “Im sorry if I get a little sweaty when I work out, it’s natural, and I was going to take a shower, not that it’s any of your business; after we ate breakfast.”

“How convenient, so we can all join together and eat while inhaling your B.O.”

“Oh would you two please just shut up! I’m sick of all the incessant bickering you make me want to rip my ears off,” Nebula intruded from beside Groot. She and Rocket had been busy helping Groot put out the small flame that Peter and I had long forgotten about. “You’ve been irritating because Gamora’s gone, and you’ve been a living-breathing brat ever since you failed the last mission,” she called out our behavior almost in a motherly way. She’s been weirdly diplomatic when dealing with us instead of just telling us to go yell at each other somewhere else.

With a huff I went back to my seat and sank in the chair feeling a tinge of embarrassment overwhelm me at the memory of that last mission. I had never failed before, and this time put everyone at danger because I couldn’t control my emotions and attacked a guard too soon. I got a lecture about it from pretty much everyone except Mantis and Groot. That experience definitely hurt my pride quite a lot, so sometimes I might have a little extra sass to try and build it back up. “At least mines a real reason to be acting like a jerk,” Peter mumbled while sitting down in the seat farthest from me.

I snickered to myself at his comment. Sometimes he can be a real idiot. “You realize you called yourself a jerk too right? Nice one Einstein.” I clapped back not willing to let him win this argument, or really any in the future. Peter Quill just always has to be the leader, the cool guy, always right. Not when it comes to me.

“That’s it!” Nebula shouted in pure aggravation. She stomped over to the both of us and grabbed one of our arms with a decent strength considering she’s part bot. “You two are on breakfast duty, and if I hear you argue once while doing it then you’re both gonna be stuck cleaning the engine for two months,” she snapped, shoving us both toward the fridge. We often all had chores to do but we made it fun by having a spin wheel to see who has to do what. Cleaning the engine was always the worst one, but what made it easier was knowing you only had to do it once and then you could spin the wheel next chore week.

“Who said you were in charge? I think you’re forgetting this is MY ship,” Peter defended while crossing his arms.

“Yeah,” I added confidently. Who the heck is Nebula to tell us what to do.

“Nah I agree with that. You two are the most annoying a-holes I’ve ever had to share a space with. Mantis and Drax don’t even argue as much as you do,” Rocket chimed in matter of factly.

“It is true! I would much rather sit and listen to Mantis’s pathetic stories than hear you two fight anymore,” Drax said as he stood tall and serious.

Mantis glanced over to him with a bubbly smile. “Awhh thank you!”

“You are welcome idiot,” Drax replied with a pleasant smile. In his mind he was being respectful, and Mantis didn’t know any better.

Nebula turned her head back to us with an expression as of saying ‘that’s what I thought’. “So it’s settled. You two are gonna work this stupid stuff out, and if we hear so much as a bad tone, then you get stuck with Engine duty,”

We’d both surfaced a similar response between grumbles and eye rolls, yet had no choice but to accept our fate. Majority rules is how this ship functions, which was a feature I loved when it was in regard to someone else. Soon the rest of the group piled out, rocket on his way out mumbled on about how we’d better be quick. I gave a short glance to Peter which was a mistake as he’d so very annoyingly been standing there sifting through songs his Walkman and earbuds. Of course he’d tune me out, I wouldn’t be surprised if he just stood here the whole time too.

I started gathering some of ingredients and pans we’d need, already feeling angry at the fact that he hadn’t even attempted to move to help me. This was a clear indicator that my assumption of his laziness was likely going to be right. I semi aggressively dropped down the container of bacon onto the counter letting my current mood take the control of my motion. I grabbed the unused pan and placed it down and began putting strips of bacon on it. “You’re doing that wrong,” Peter softly mentioned. He seemed tired, I wasn’t sure if it was tired of the arguing or just in general but the tone definitely helped ease my anger a little bit.

With a huff I turned to look over at him and was surprised to find him standing so close, hovering just inches from my frame looking down at the pan, then making eye contact with me. His expression was blank, and calm which confused me. “I’m putting the strips out, how else am I supposed to do it?” I felt my brow still furrowed down in the looming frustration I felt before. We always fight, and one of us always takes it too far, those are times that make it hard to ever not be annoyed at the man’s presence.

He took an earbud out and let it hang by the cord before stepping closer until his body was pressed against my side. I stayed long enough to feel his warmth until I realize the normal thing to do would be to step out of his way, so that I did. Part of me wished he’d do it again, that he’d give me an excuse to accept his embrace. If I hate him so much why did that little ounce of intimacy feel so nice? A confusing mix of emotions. “You don’t put them all at once only do half so they cook more evenly,” he explained whilst taking off some of the already placed bacon. “Also put them folded like this so that- F*CK! AGH!” He’d instantly jumped back from the grizzling pan holding his hand in pain. “Stupid grease, ow!” He complained to the pan as if it were alive which made me laugh quite a lot. The whole scene was funny really.

I hadn’t noticed that through my laughing he’d been looking at me smiling ever so slightly, until I caught him, in which he looked back at the pan. “Are you alright there captain?” I amusingly teased his super strong title, while instinctively placing a caring hand on his shoulder with a soft rub. The moment I placed it I felt the mortified realization of my actions and ripped my hand back off. Too embarrassed to comment on it I’d redirected my focus to making eggs in the other pan hoping he wouldn’t mention it.

I cooked in silence for a little while until I felt as if I was being watched. Hesitantly I turned my gaze to Peter and surely enough was met with him staring right back at me. He looked to be deep in thought until I caught him when his lips curled into an arrogant grin. “Oh no no no, are you kidding me? You’re tellin’ me you can’t even cook eggs either? What can you do?” He provoked in amusement making me roll my eyes.

I waved my hands in the air in defeat. “Fine! You do it yourself then.” I stepped aside from the counter and began to walk away until I felt a warm hand take a light grip on my forearm and pull me backward. I stumbled back to my position in front of the pan where Peter was beside me holding my arm.

“Relax,” he soothed while slowly inching closer, it almost seemed like he was hoping his movements were slow enough for me not to notice. “You’re not gonna get any better with that attitude,” he continued, his hands slowly brushing my hips while I was too distracted listening to what he was saying. He moved cautiously almost trying to catch me in the distraction. “So much attitude all the time,”

I scoffed at his comment. “Attitude? I don’t have attitude, you’re the one who’s always moping around making little comments at everything.” his fingers now wrapped around my waist as he stood behind me, his breath tickling my shoulder.

“Let me show you,” he furthered, completely ignoring what I’d said and going on with his own point.

I’d attempted at pushing his hands off me. “No, I don’t need your help Peter,”

He stood there his grip strong as he looked down at me with a little ‘huh’. After the death glare I’d given he kindly explained the cause of the sound. “You called me Peter,” he pointed out with a grin.

I felt taken off guard at that comment and honestly a little flustered. I always made it a point to call him by his last name, I felt that first names were for people I respected. Why did that slip so easily? “I was just distracted…” I trailed avoiding his gaze and looking back to the pan. “Are we gonna cook the eggs or not?” I redirected the conversation away from the tension as I didn’t know how to react. My heart fluttered at his proximity but my mind reminds me of our dynamic. We’ve never got along let alone been close in this way.

He took my cue to move on and eagerly grabbed the spatula, handed it to me then paused and hesitantly slipped his hand on the back of my own. His other hand rested on my waist still as he guided the cooking. “It’s all about the wrist” he spoke softly.

I let out a breathe as I stood stiffly. I wasn’t sure what to do with this but I didn’t hate it. In fact it was quite the opposite. “This isn’t going to help you get over Gamora,” I bluntly stated without really thinking about it. I didn’t intend on being rude and my tone pushed that. Truth is that must’ve been an insecurity festered up. He’s a flirt and I can’t be his distraction.

He was silent for a moment but his position didn’t budge. “Why are you always so quick to push me away?” He quietly asked sincerely. He seemed hurt which was the last thing I expected from him. Was I reading our dynamic wrong? I couldn’t have been I mean we fight constantly.

“I don’t-“

“Don’t.” He interrupted. “Be real with me, just this one time,” he took the spatula from my hand and placed it on the table before grabbing the hand back again and bringing it to my waist to hold there. “What can I do to fix you and me?”

I didn’t know how to respond to that whatsoever because I didn’t know what that meant. You and me. As in no more arguing? As in becoming friends? As in something more? It doesn’t help that Peter is known for his flirting. “I-“ I sighed. “What do you mean?” I felt myself submitting to his touch as my body relaxed against his.

“Last weekend, we’re sitting on the couch. My arm was up around the top of it and if I moved it down just a little bit it would’ve literally been around your shoulder. Everything’s fine we’re all watching a movie, and I make a bad joke about your favorite character because I think it’s cute when you’re mad and you storm off cursing at me.” I couldn’t see the point he was pushing for but found myself blushing at the compliment. “Can’t you tell I do those things to get close to you? We don’t talk what so ever and the most I get from you is if I pull it out of you by making a dumb comment,” he explained his head now stooped closer to my shoulder, resting slightly against the side of my face and neck. “I know I can be childish, or a jerk but I don’t know what else to do when all I want to do is talk to you,”

“Oh really?” I perked up a little bit ready to make my point taking a step away from Peter. “What about the time we were here drinking and you made a comment about how I was ‘acting different to impress people’? How romantic,” I poked feeling his logic start to crumble.

He let out a huff. “You’re not remembering that the way I am and yeah I shouldn’t have said that but you spent the entire night all over that xandarian guy,” he expressed stepping forward to grab my hand and pull me back in. “You know how much I wanted to punch that dude straight in the jaw every time he touched you? Why should he get to kiss you?” He seemed to be getting offended just remembering the night, and honestly a little heated.

“Peter,” I softly tried to intercept.

“No, I’ve been here this entire time. For years it’s been me here with you, we go on missions, we’ve explored new planets, had ups and downs, and I have to sit there and watch some guy kiss you? Some guy who just came along that same day, put no effort into his relationship with you and got you,” he rambled on with pain in his eyes. I hadn’t seen him show that much emotion over someone since gamora. “It’s not fair,”

I felt horrible for not seeing this sooner. I couldn’t help but rethink everything but at the same time he definitely went about this in the wrong way to get my attention. He got it alright but it was never good. To me he was just constantly nitpicking me and all the things I liked and it drove me crazy. I guess that’s the fault in miscommunication. A lot of the stuff was pretty dumb to get genuinely mad at, often he’d just tease my favorite movies or comment on my fighting skills. Nonetheless in this moment I felt truly sad for him. “I didn’t know…” he was focused very intently on every word I said and I could just tell the anticipation anxiety was eating him up. In reality this was a confession of his feelings. “If I would’ve known…” I trialed off not wanting to press further as I’ve never been very good at expressing my feelings.

“If you would’ve known then what?” He softly nudged me to continue. He took our interlocked hands and held it on his chest.

“I don’t know, things would’ve been different. I didn’t know that’s how you felt I just thought you hated me honestly,” I admitted awkwardly.

He exhaled with a frown. “I could never hate you, and that mission…“ he got softer watching my expression because he knew this topic was sore for me. “It didn’t matter to me that we failed, all I could think about was how I could’ve lost you,” he admitted keeping eye contact as he spoke. “I can’t lose anyone else, and I just miss what we used to be like.”

This confused me as what he’s referencing is our friendship back when he was with Gamora. Is he trying to say he wants to be friends or is he being romantic? He’s so hard to read sometimes, but his actions are telling me romance. Clearly he could see the confusion etched on my face because he clarified all my questions without ever having to hear them. “You know, how close we were. Cracking jokes, playing pranks on the rest of them,” he explained. “I want that. But… something a little different…” he seemed a little more awkward now like he didn’t know how to word what he felt.

“How different?” I asked feeling my heart pick up just a little bit. Perhaps MAYBE the reason I got so mad at everything Peter did was because MAYBE I valued his opinion, because MAYBE I was sort of always secretly into him.

He perked up at the question surprised I hadn’t shot it down right then and there. “Well,” he started while taking my hand and giving me a dramatic twirl. The guy is smooth. “Maybe a little romance, I’m thinking Jim and Pam,” he referenced my favorite Earth show as I’ve forced him to watch it after our trip there.

A mischievous smile found my lips at that. “Ohhhh, so someone was lying about not liking the show?” I teased in a ‘I told you so’ kinda way.

He chuckled at my call out. “I told ya Y/N, I just love to mess with you.”

“Hmm, fine but you have to watch rom coms with me,” I laid out my terms matter of factly.

His eyes widened. “Fine? Fine what? Fine to the romance?” He double checked as I hadn’t made myself all that clear.

“I GUESS,” I dramatically excepted in a fake disinterested tone.

“Well then Mrs. Y/N” he pulled me into him yet again wrapping his arms around my torso, though this time I let my hands rest on his chest. “I’m gonna romance the shit outta you,” he grinned that same cocky little grin that used to make me wanna smack him.

I rolled my eyes at his over confidence but was thrown off at him leaning in closer to me. I couldn’t find anything sassy or witty to remark because now all my focus was on the fact that Peter Quill’s lips were so close to mine. The lips of always secretly wanted to kiss. I let out a breath feeling the tension before he’d made the move to fully go in. He kissed me softly, and slowly. His hand cupped my cheek and when he pulled away he gave a real genuine smile.

“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me” rocket yelled out from the doorway next to a very shocked Nebula.

“I give them a week tops,” she jokingly murmured but I could tell she was genuinely happy for us.

Rocket groaned from his place clearly fed up with the fact that he’d suffered through our bickering just for us to end up into each other. “If I’d known all you two jackasses needed to do was bang it out- WHY ARE THE EGGS BLACK?” He ran over to the stove to turn off the switch as if that would save the already far gone breakfast. “that’s TWO breakfasts down the drain, that’s it! I’m done! We’re getting fast food from knowhere,” he flailed his hands in the air and walked out of the room in defeat making the rest of us chuckle.

“I’m glad you two figured it out finally,” Nebula gave a small smile. “Really thought you were blind,” she dryly joked.

Peter and I looked at each other in confusion for a moment before smiling and accepting the fact that apparently we’d been obvious about our unknown feelings. With that she left the room to follow Rocket to the controls of the ship to fly us all to knowhere. This left Peter and I alone once more, he stared down at me in amusement. “I knew you were into me.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes for the millionth time, slipped my fingers into his and dragged him out to the main area of the ship preparing for the rest of the teams reactions.

—————

My first Peter Quill fan fic! Sorta rushed so I apologize for any errors! Let me know if I should make more!

#peter quill #enemies to lovers #peter quill x reader #gotg fanfiction #peter quill fanfic #peter quill x yn #starlord #starlord x reader #starlord fanfic #the guardians of the galaxy

[marvelfanfics1]

Hi!

Ok, I think Groot would try to be such a good caregiver. Not that he really understands so he isn't full time but he would babysit. Always carrying you around, snatching snacks and trinkets for you (sometimes stealing but he doesn't know that), and covering your eyes when something scary happens.

Could you maybe write a babysitter cg Groot x little reader? Whenever you get the chance. Thank you for reading!

Little Guardian

Pairing: cg!Guardians x little!reader

Warnings: Age Regression, fluff

A/n: This idea is soooo cute! I enjoyed writing it so much, if you have more ideas with the Guardians just send them in ;) I made it like all the Guardians take care of the reader but it's a bit more focused on Groot's and reader's friendship, I hope that's okay and that you enjoy it <3

                                   ⭒𖥸⭒

One day Quill went to the Collector again just to exchange something and when he saw you sitting in one of those cages he knew instantly you were from earth.

Peter didn't care how many Units he had to pay or what the crew would say.

He only had to take one look at you and had the need to take you somewhere safe and help you.

You didn't say a single word when he picked you up and carried you away, you were far too scared and shaking like a leaf, not knowing what that stranger would do to you.

He wasn't scary looking and you somehow felt more at ease when he smiled at you.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe now, I promise"

You sighed in relief and rested your head on his shoulder, finally feeling safe enough to close your eyes.

"Quill, you had one job." Rocket remarked and watched Peter gently placing you on one of their seats, buckling you in without waking you up.

"Could you shut up for a second!" Peter whisper-yelled and motioned his team members to follow him somewhere else where they can talk freely.

"Peter, who is that and why did you bring her here?" Gamora asked and Peter sighed.

"Listen, I know this might sound stupid but I just couldn't leave her there. She looked miserable and I know she's from earth, I don't want to know how the Collector got her in the first place," he said and the others stayed quiet.

Gamora turned her head to look at your sleeping form. She saw Groot placing a blanket over your body and smiled a little when he pat your head gently. Quill was right, you definitely didn't look healthy and she felt bad for you. What you had to go through must have been hard to take in.

"Okay, she can sleep in my bed until we find another solution," Gamora said and kissed Peter on his cheek.

"Thank you."

"So, we're going to keep it?" Drax asked and Quill gave him a 'what the hell' look when he referred to you as 'it'.

"Dude, she's not a pet," Peter told him. "But yes, she's going to stay with us. A new member of the Guardians" he smiled.

One month later

"Y/n, sweetheart, put that down for daddy, yeah?" Peter tried to stay calm while you were giggling and running around with one of his weapons.

"You have ta catch me first!" you shout and suddenly bumped into Groot, who took the weapon out of your hand making you pout.

"I am Groot" he scolded and you huffed, turning to Peter.

"Sowwy I took your blaster, daddy," you said and Groot pat your head two times, you smiled again and took his hand.

Peter was still shocked at how fast Groot handled this situation and Gamora chuckled while walking over to him.

"How is he doing that?" he asked.

"Are we getting a little jealous?" Gamora smirked and Peter scoffed.

"Jealous? Me? Never." he said confidently and they both saw you sitting on Groot's lap, playing with his old Gameboy and squealing in joy. "Maybe a little."

"Just remember who she is going to cuddle with later when it's time for bed" she reminds him, making her way over to you and booped your nose.

                                   ⭒ꕥ⭒

Groot and you had a special bond and would spend a lot of time with him. He's so protective of you that when there's a fight he would rather stay with you on the Milano to make sure you're safe.

Sometimes when you visited other planets you were always allowed to leave the ship but only with one of the others and you have to hold one of their hands at all times.

"Gwoot look!" you pointed at something that looked like a stuffed animal. "It looks funny" you smiled and Groot did so as well.

"Y/n, come on, we have to go!" Peter called for you and you rushed over to him.

Back in the ship you were sitting in your little play area, playing with your toys when Groot stood in front of you with his arms behind his back.

You gasped when he showed you the stuffed animal you saw earlier. You jumped up and took the stuffie, feeling how soft it is.

"Fank you!" you smiled and hugged Groot tightly.

"I am Groot" he smiled back and handed you a juice box too.

You took that stuffie everywhere, to bed, to eat, to the bathroom, and would get upset when you lost him somewhere in the ship and everyone would end up helping to find it.

                                   ⭒𖥸⭒

Taglist

@marvelsguantletkeeper @my-river-lilly @pauntedblacknails @fanfictioniseverything @devilslilbabysblog @buckymydarlingangel @hallecarey1 @daybreakwinter @loveshineslikethesky @wandaslittlewhore @vase-of-lilies @white-wolf1940 @simpingbutch @mischiefsemimanaged @alina02 @teddybearsgrr @doozywoozy @angelbabydoll28 @st3rgirl @glxwingrxse @lilymurphy03 @veryvaughnny @lokigirlszendaya @youngstarfishdinosaur @little--baby--bear @minideathgoddess @rach2602 @aagn360 @gh0stgurl @flourishandblotts-inc

Crossed out are the ones I somehow can't tag!

#cg!guardians x little!reader #cg!guardians of the galaxy x little!reader #cg!gotg x little!reader #cg guardians x little reader #cg guardians of the galaxy x little reader #cg gotg x little reader #cg!guardians #cg!guardians of the galaxy #cg!gotg #cg guardians #cg guardians of the galaxy #cg gotg #little!reader #little reader #mommy!gamora x little!reader #mommy gamora x little reader #mommy!gamora #mommy gamora #daddy!peter x little!reader #daddy!peter quill x little!reader #daddy!peter #daddy peter x little reader #daddy peter quill x little reader #daddy peter quill #groot x little!reader #groot x little reader

[maelialuv]

Can you do a one shot of Steve x fem! reader are shopping in a supermarket late at night and they’re arguing about what cookies to get and it’s just fluffff

Thank youuu xx

absolutely obsessed w this idea!! I LOVE Steve fluff. hope u enjoy! ty for the request!!

Supermarket Sweep - Steve Harrington

Summary: a late night shopping trip with Steve leads to late night confessions.

Warnings: a bit of angst! mostly fluff! slightly suggestive moments.

Word Count: 2.3K

Had you known that spending more time with a gang of pre-teens would take up so much of your free time, you would have stopped being an honorary baby sitter long before they began requesting food supply runs late into the night.

If you'd known that you'd spend your Friday evening inside Bradley's Big Buy with Steve Harrington, you most certainly would have reconsidered your choice of clothing. Untamed hair, a raggedy pair of beat up sneakers and a much too small tank top - essentially a pyjama shirt- for the blaring cool of the stores air conditioning, you stood motionless next to Steve. He was talking to you, had been for several minutes. It was white noise to your ears.

"...and Max wanted Chips Ahoy, but Dustin says they're too hard on his teeth and Will doesn't like the way they break apart when he-" Steve caught on to your blank stare. You had been looking at a pack of Oreos on the shelf for a long, glassy eyed moment. "Are you listening to me?"

You snapped out of your trance. "What? Sorry, Mike said he wanted some Oreos but I can't remember which ones."

"Oh, double stuffed." Steve said, completely sure. He knew his little nuggets like the back of his hand by now. Mike liked double stuffed Oreos, Max liked Chips Ahoy. Will preferred Milanos, Dustin underlined his Nilla Wafers four times on the list, and Lucas's usual ask of original Goldfish Crackers was so easy to remember it was impossible to get wrong. El was happy with anything.

You grabbed the double stuffed cookies and tossed them into the cart, almost over flowing with the cans of Pringles and the sodas the kids had asked for - the campaign Will and Mike had planned was extravagant, and called for a years worth of junk to keep them going.

How the kids could sit in the Wheeler's basement for hours on end in the peak of Hawkins summer was beyond you. You'd spent just about half of your time at the local pool, and by the evening when it had closed you'd migrated to the heated pool in the back yard of the Harrington residence, swimming and lounging until the sun set and Steve drove you home. The last few weeks, however, you had started hanging out with Steve alone.

It had been Robin that had introduced you to the boy, but you had known Steve 'The Hair' Harrington for years. He was one year above you in school, and how could anyone not know King Steve? You'd witnessed the rise and fall of his relationship with Nancy, and seen him mellow and relax as his focus switched from the basketball team to a team of middle schoolers. Robin had introduced you officially when they started working together at Scoops last summer. Steve recognised you from somewhere - "Did you and I fool around at Stacy's party in the fall?"- and you never confirmed it for him.

It didn't matter too much to him where he knew you from. Now you were his friend, and that was great. Friends.

The last two weeks, you and Steve had seen each other every day. Driving the kids around when the sun was up, chilling by his pool or watching movies in his living room when it was down. You'd been feeling...different. You'd seen Steve without a shirt before - victories of the Hawkins High Tigers being expressed with the swinging of a vest into a crowd of fawning girls. A year ago you would have rolled your eyes at yourself. More often than not over the last few days you had been the one gawking. The way droplets of water lingering on his toned stomach would light up with the reflection of the pool lights. The way he would smooth his hair back. You felt ridiculous, like a school girl writing all over her note book with glitter hearts.

It was like a switch had flicked for you, and suddenly it wasn't Steve, it was Steve. You'd repress it , and try your best to hide it. And then he'd pull a typical Steve stunt.

He tossed his sweatshirt at you, breaking you from another self indulgent trance filled with ice cold lemonade and hot summer nights. "Here," he said, lilt in his voice and smirk on his face, "you look cold." Did you? Sure, the store's air con was a bit much for well after midnight, the scorching heat long gone with the sun, but you weren't cold.

"What?"

He laughed to himself before the smirk returned. "You look cold." This time, his eyes darted down for a few lingering moments to your chest. "Oh." you said, dumb founded at this new side to Steve.

Oh.

In the thin material of your shirt, the cold stream of air had made certain areas more visible than others. Flushed with embarrassment, you shrugged on the sweatshirt. It was miles too big for you, the sleeves going way past your hands and swamping you. "Cute," Steve mumbled lightly, his own light blush littering his cheeks.

You felt the familiar tightness in your chest that came along with being around Steve these days. The aching desire to just , for the love of God, touch him. To have him touch you. For him to want you as you wanted him. You knew you weren't hiding it well, and somehow that made the ache worse; it meant that either Steve knew and ignored it, or was oblivious. You didn't know which option you would prefer at this point, or which would be the least painful.

Little moments- if you could even call them that- were becoming more common place. Steve would take the longer route to drive you home, playing your favourite music any time you were at his house - despite the fact that you knew he didn't always like it, letting you borrow his clothes after a long night swimming. Was it flirting? You thought so, but then he'd give a long speech on how much he valued you as a friend, and that well known pang of hurt would sit on your heart.

You stared at each other for a long few seconds. Steve had this look on his face. Anger? Confusion? He took a breath, as though he were about to say something, when the intercom sounded over the speakers. "Shoppers, the store will be closing in ten minutes."

You stepped away from one another, and Steve walked wordlessly with the cart over to the check out. You physically recoiled. It felt like you had been stung, on the precipice of maybe, just maybe, voicing the feelings. The way he had looked, eyes soft and lips parted in thought, made you shiver. You followed him with a low head.

You checked out in silence. It was awkward. It was never awkward with Steve, and now it was painfully quiet. You loaded the bags into the back of Steve's car, again in silence, and jumped in. When you both reached for the stereo, your hands brushing lightly, Steve flinched away.

You felt sick.

Something had gone terribly wrong , and the banter had blurred the line of flirty friendship and straight flirting. It felt suffocating in Steve's car. The seatbelt felt like it was digging into your stomach, amplifying your growing nausea as you noted Steve's white knuckle grip on the wheel. "Stop the car," you said. You cringed at the meekness of your voice; you sounded like a child. When Steve didn't respond, you said it again. "Steve, let me out. Stop the car."

"We're on a back road, I can't stop . It's dangerous." Steve's voice was tight, hoarse from the silence. It made your eyes sting.

Out of your control , you felt tears welling in your eyes. Why were you crying? You felt ridiculous. You felt small. You felt like you were going to throw up all over the car. "I don't care, let me out." When he ignored you again, you pleaded. "Please! I'm gonna puke!"

At that, the car screeched to a halt - of course the prospect of the car being ruined would make him stop. The second the wheel stopped moving, you ripped your seatbelt off and jumped out. You felt like your stomach was in your mouth as you stalked away from the car.

"Hey, come on, what are you doing?"

You ignored Steve as you bent by a tree - bleary eyed as you felt your heart sink. "Back up, I really don't feel good."

He continued toward you, stopping behind you and scooping up your hair. "Hey, hey, you're alright. Come on, we're almost home."

You allowed him to guide you back to the car. The remainder of the journey, you closed your eyes and rested your head on the window. When the car rolled to a stop, you realised you were at Steve's house, not yours. "We're almost home," he had said.

The steps from the car to the house, from the front door, up the stairs, and to Steve's bathroom was a blur. One moment you were strapped in and the next you were sat on the seat of the toilet, Steve between your parted knees as he rifled through the bathroom cabinet for Tylenol and a small bottle of liquid. Passing you the pill, he poured some of the liquid - which you gathered was make up remover- on to a cotton pad. He gently swiped over your smudged eyes. "There ya go," he whispered. The action made your heart thud inside your chest. You really liked Steve. Maybe more than you realised. Maybe you had more than a crush on him, you didn't know.

You let him wipe away your mascara tears, hands gentle and soft on your cheeks as he held your face. When it was over, and he removed his feather light touch, a knew wave of tears welled in your eyes. "Hey, come on," he said, crouching to your level. You wanted to scream. Wanted to yell at him how much you liked him, maybe more, and ask him to be yours. The only thing that would come out were soft sobs as you lowered your head into your hands.

Steve could feel his heart cracking at the sight before him. His friend, his best friend, breaking down in front of him and he felt helpless as to what to do. So he wrapped his arms around you, resting his head on top of yours. "What's wrong?" he whispered in to your hair. You just shook your head against him. If you told him how you felt, the friendship would end. You were sure of it. Steve would be disgusted, and never see you the same as before. "Come on, talk to me."

When you raised your head to look in his eyes, the remaining shards of Steve's heart shattered. You looked so broken. So tired. Defeated. He cupped your cheek gently. "Tell me."

You simply tilted your head, hoping the he could feel the pang of your heart against your ears and read the emotion as your eyes welled again. To emphasise, you leaned forward. Your forehead rested against his for a second before you pulled away, raising your brows.

"Oh." Steve whispered.

He was silent for a moment,

"Oh."

His tone was hard to decipher, but his confusion was evident by the small v shape forming between his brows. It was so quiet that you could hear the thrum of the pool outside the closed windows. You felt like your heart was going to burst through your chest at any moment.

It was only after you swallowed the lump in your throat that you realised that Steve's lips were on yours.

It was a soft, gentle kiss. More a brushing of the lips, testing the waters to see if what Steve thought was correct. When you didn't pull away - instead leaning into his touch- he kissed you again. This time, his lips met yours as though they were two puzzle pieces. ,Made to fit together. His lips were slightly chapped, but that didn't matter at all to you as you wrapped your arms around Steve's neck. When the two of you needed air and pulled away, Steve continued to pepper light kisses all over your face, spending extra time on the corners of your mouth. He wrapped his arms around your legs, and in one swift motion lifted you from your place on the toilet and hoisted you up.

He spun you around, cheering to himself in a laugh.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" He said as he set you down on your feet. His hands lingered on your waist, not inclined to let you go anytime soon. When you shook your head, he lowered his lips to your ear. "I've wanted you since the moment you since the moment you walked into Scoops." His lips met the shell of your ear then. "Since I saw you walk into my 5th period History."

You pulled away in shock, looking at him with wide eyes. When Robin had introduced you, Steve had acted as though he didn't quite know who you were. "You remembered me? But you-"

"You thought I was gonna waltz up and introduce myself as the guy that crushed on you all of his senior year? I don't think so." He pinched your cheeks when you blushed. "Had to be cool, hard to get. Chicks dig it."

You jabbed him in the ribs lightly. "Do they now?"

"Well, you certainly did."

Another jab, this time stopped as he grabbed your hand and brought it to his lips. "You're an idiot, Steve Harrington."

He kissed your knuckled gently.

"Yeah, maybe. But I got the girl, so how much of an idiot can i really be?"

The answer was a lot. But that didn't matter. Steve liked you. Maybe even loved you, and you'd forever be grateful for the gang of middle schoolers that sent you out on late night shopping trips because of it.

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington stranger things #joe keery #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fics #eddie munson imagine #fluff #joseph quinn #stranger things #stranger things 4 #eddie munson x yn #eddie stranger things #stranger things cast #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington smut #angst #friends to lovers #best friends to lovers #best friends to dating #mutual pining

[writingonleaves]

and there are some days when i think that, somewhere, you're watching - the blue au

universe: the blue au

warnings: cancer, grief, sadness, the usual with anything to do with the blue au's premise lol

title: "chemtrails" by lizzy mcalpine

word count: 1.1k

author's note: lol hey!! there are a million other wips i should be working on but here we are! if you haven't read at least the first part of this au yet, you probs should for context. we are also manifesting here all three hughes brothers make it to the olympics. inspired by the beautiful players tribune article kevin hayes wrote for his late brother jimmy. i thought a lot about which brother would write something like this and ended up settling on quinn <3 enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

*****

The Ones We Play For 

for The Players Tribune 

by Quinn Hughes 

Written February 4, 2026

I’ll never forget the first time I put on a USA jersey for an international competition. 

It was for the 2015 World Under-17 Challenge when I had just turned 16. I didn’t think much of it at the time. The only thing I thought about was playing well, but it was an honor nonetheless. 

Every time you get the opportunity to represent your country in any way, it’s an honor. I know everyone says it, but it’s true. The whole nation is looking at you and cheering you and your teammates on. The playing of the anthem means more than ever. You look at the jersey and feel like you’re part of something bigger.

Next week, hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina will begin. I’ve always dreamed of being about to play at the Olympics, but now that it’s actually here, it’s surreal. 

The team is great, and I feel lucky to even be here. As I look around at my teammates, I feel confident that we can bring home a gold medal. But it’ll take hard work. That’s nothing that we don’t know though. 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to put on the jersey and who we wear it for. Of course, I think I speak for every single person at these Olympics when we say we wear it for our country and the fans watching us, whether here in Italy or back home. 

But we’re all playing for someone in our own support group. The village that has brought each of us here.

First, my parents, who have been there since the very first day. My mom, who taught me how to skate and my dad, who taught me how to see the game. My extended family: my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family who aren’t technically family but who might as well be. Everyone in my life who’s always offered support and encouraging words, who has sat in cold rinks and watched me play. Whether they’re here in Italy or watching from various parts of the world, I’m playing for them. 

I’m also playing for my brothers, who will be on the ice with me. That’s still crazy for me to think about. We never could’ve imagined this when we were playing mini sticks in the basement as kids. Of course, we dreamed about it. But to see it come to reality? I feel very grateful. In the locker room, I look at Jack on my right and then Luke at my left. We’re playing for each other. 

But most importantly, I’m playing for Miguel Sandoval. 

I don’t talk about Miguel often, but he was one of the most important people in my life. Still is. He met my parents before I was born and automatically became a second father to me. To be honest, I don’t think I talk about him often because it still hurts to think about. 

Miguel was one of my biggest cheerleaders from the beginning. The fact that he’s not alive to see me take the ice next week is, well, it’s a lot of things. Sad is the first word that pops to mind. Unfair is another. The one who was at the rink next to my father in the stands before I even really knew how to play hockey isn’t alive to see me play in the Olympics? There’s no words to describe how devastating that is. 

He never got to see me play in any USA jersey, even though he was always confident I would put one on eventually. He died of pancreatic cancer on New Year’s Day, 2015. 

It’s been over 11 years without him, but he’s still in everything I do. A huge part of the reason I wear 43 is because of him — his birthday is April 3. I still remember his boisterous laugh and his kind eyes. He wrote Jack, Luke and I letters before he died that were specifically addressed to be given to us on our draft days. I still carry mine with me on every road trip. That’s how long and how strongly he believed in us. Somehow, he just knew that we would be drafted long before it happened. 

I have every word of that letter memorized. Sometimes, I trace over his handwriting with my thumb, and it feels like he's still with us.

During his brief battle with cancer, even when his body had almost no strength left, he always greeted us with a smile and an enthusiastic greeting. Even when he was advised not to, he made it to the games he could until his last days. To the very last day, he lived life with the biggest smile on his face.

If anyone should be here to see his “talented boys” take on the ice, it’s him. Not everyone is lucky enough to have someone like Miguel who loved them so unconditionally. I’m grateful for the time I had with him, even if I desperately wish it was more. We weren’t his sons by blood, but he treated us like family. But sometimes life is unfair, and we have to hold on to the fact that everything happens for a reason.

Here’s a reason: Miguel’s wife, Maeve, who is like a second mother to me, will be watching from Boston. Maeve is the best, always keeping it lighthearted and reminding me that life is supposed to be lived to the fullest. She has this youthful energy that’s just so infectious. She’s the one who always reminds me that hockey is supposed to be fun. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without her support.

And then their daughter, Clementine. Clem, I call her. Jack calls her Clee and Luke calls her Clemmy. Clem’s my best friend / older sister — the universal older sister, to be honest. It doesn’t matter if our last names aren’t the same. She’s been there for me ever since I could remember. Even when we were states, sometimes countries, away, I knew that if I called her, she’d always pick up. Currently on the journey to becoming a doctor, Clem is the kindest, most intelligent, most selfless and strongest woman I’ve ever met. She was the one who lost her father, but she made sure that all of us were okay. Even now, she can’t ever seem to take off the big-sister hat. But I wouldn’t have her any other way. 

Miguel, wherever you are, I can tell you a few things. First, I promise that we’re taking care of your wife and daughter as best as we can. We’re gonna try our best to get to the final rounds of this tournament so that they can fly out and watch us play. We love them and they’ll always be family. Second, whenever I feel a bit lost or need to be grounded, I think of you and your calm demeanor and bear hugs. I wish I could have just one more hug. Squeeze you one more time.

Miguel, when I put on that USA jersey and step on the ice, I will be playing for you. Jack, Luke and I will all be skating for you.

We miss you. 

We love you.

This is for you.

Yours, 

Quinn

#the blue au #k writes #quinn hughes #jack hughes #luke hughes #hockey fanfic #hockey writing #hockey blurb #quinn hughes fic #nhl #nhl blurb #nhl writing

[themculibrary]

Rocket Raccoon Masterlist

Dialling Tones (ao3) - Run_Ravager_Run T, 11k

Summary: Gamora is making calls in the middle of the night, Rocket is building dangerous contraptions at the breakfast table, Drax is a terrible cook, and Peter suspects his newfound family is rupturing at the seams.

Dog Days Are Over (ao3) - agoldengalaxy G, 3k

Summary: {Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Spoiler alert!}

“It’s weird, dontcha think?” Rocket asked softly. “Can’t remember the last time it felt so good around here.”

“Yes.” Nebula paused, then looked down at her lap. “I hope…you are feeling it, too.”

Family (ao3) - Groot (grootiez) T, 10k

Summary: When Rocket tries to enroll Groot into a prestigious preschool, he discovers the people in charge there don’t have Groot’s best interests in mind. When they forcibly remove Groot from the only family that he’s ever known, Rocket will stop at nothing in order to get him back.

But time is of the essence: If Rocket fails to prove that Groot should be reunited with his family and that Rocket should be given full parental rights and allowed to formally adopt Groot as his son, they might never see Groot ever again.

I'll Be There For You (ao3) - Izzyaro (Isilarma) T, 2k

Summary: If Rocket has faith in anything, it's that Groot will never let him down.

I'm With Stupid (ao3) - jellybeanforest gamora/peter T, 17k

Summary: On a backwoods planet, married couples can’t be legally compelled to testify against each other, or at least that’s the working theory. Separated from the others, Peter and Rocket fake a marriage to get out of a sticky situation.

For the Guardians Family Holiday Challenge Day 3 – Odd Couple.

Mine is Just a Slower Sacrifice (ao3) - grayintogreen G, 2k

Summary: And Rocket?

Rocket picks up the pieces. For the second time, because this is what he does now.

Prison Break #24 (ao3) - Zinnith T, 2k

Summary: Rocket has twenty three successful prison breaks under his belt. This should be easy. Until it's not.

Ride on a Rocket... Raccoon (ao3) - IncognitoPichu peter/rocket E, 14k

Summary: If there's one thing that raccoons are known for, it's... um...

Rocket Raccoon is not a pet (ao3) - Grocketeer peter/rocket N/R, 2k

Summary: Peter finds out that Rocket likes to be pet, but hates feeling like a pet. Peter decides to pet him.

Rocket the Up-Cycling Raccoon (ao3) - SnappleApple11 T, 1k

Summary: Rocket keeps himself busy by inventing things. The materials for these inventions have to come from somewhere though, much to his shipmate’s frustration.

“We’re not exactly floating in units Gamora,” Peter said. “Until our next job, we’re broke. Rocket was just using what we have available on the Milano-”

“Like how he used the life support system to build that bomb?”

So No-one Told You Life (Was Gonna Be This Way) (ao3) - goingsparebutwithprecision G, 12k

Summary: Rocket and Groot get a flat on Terra. Groot watches Friends, Rocket makes friends, and the thing with the pterodactyls was not his fault.

Team Rocket Raccoon (ao3) - AthenaStarsnow N/R, 4k

Summary: Rocket Raccoon suddenly finds himself in the world of Pokémon!

The Body Keeps the Score (ao3) - EmiliaGryphon T, 61k

Summary: "You said it yourself bitch, we're the Guardians of the Galaxy." Gamora is finally a part of something. But the past always follows you, eats at you and she must come to grips with her deeds as she tries to build a future. Meanwhile Rocket has never cared much for anyone or anything. Together the two of them discover they are more alike than different and try to heal themselves by befriending the other.

The Shrapnel in Your Heart (ao3) - EmiliaGryphon, TooManyBattles (Skarabrae_stone) steve/bucky G, 12k

Summary: “Buck?” Steve looked at him in concern. “You okay?” Bucky turned to face him, the familiar what-has-Steve-roped-me-into-now feeling washing over him. Robots and cryo and aliens and now a damned space-raccoon. You have got to be kidding me, Stevie. “Put me back,” he demanded. “I’m done, this is it, I wanna go back in cryo.” OR: Rocket and Bucky go on a mission together. It turns out they have a lot more in common than they realized.

You Can't Carry It With You (If You Want to Survive) (ao3) - FoundInTheStars T, 2k

Summary: After everything, Rocket and Peter learn to let go.

You're still young, that's your fault. (ao3) - DigitalMeowMix T, 3k

Summary: Trying to raise your best friend after he's turned into a child is hard work. This is definitely not what Rocket signed up for. He just wants his damn partner back.

Scenes from an unconventional parenthood

#themculibrary #marvel #mcu #guardians of the galaxy #gotg #gotg vol 3 #rocket raccoon #rocket raccoon masterlist

[hiveswap]

Warning: Far too long, only kind of filtered notes app analysis that i couldn't sleep last night unless i typed out:

Just finished reading old Man Quill and also the Wastelanders volume about him. Tbh i liked it a lot, i already knew the rest of the team were dead but the reveal still hit really hard.

Peter is a sensitive soul, one of his defining traits has always been that he feels responsible for everything that ever goes wrong and stops at nothing to make it right again. (That and substance abuse, but this is the farthest that concept has ever been taken) It's been like that since he gave himself up for mass murder before Annihilation.

If i understand correctly, this timeline separates off when he leaves the Guardians to rule Spartax for a while, but that option leaves us with a continuity error since he namedrops Infinity Wars. The other option is that after they take down the future!universal church in the 2019 run, he goes to Spartax to take over the throne, since his father died there. This would fix one continuity error, and also pick up at a point where Nova is already back from tentacle hell (more on him later) This would however cause another continuity error with the spaceship they are using, since by then they didn't have the Milano. However, this is nitpicking.

50+ years in complete solitude must have messed with his head enough for the news to break him the way they did. The Guardians were some of the last people he loved that he knew were at least somewhere out there, even if they have spent the vast majority of their lives apart.

I also find the idea that he had a family very interesting, because he seems to want that so much, but duty will always call, either an external force or his own restlessness will get between him and peace. The 2020 run starts similarly, his attempt at settling down is interrupted by an old friend asking for help, and he could never let Nova go to war alone. After he dies there, he is given the chance to settle down as an immortal on Morius, but he grows restless after 200 years of it.

In the Old Man storyline, the death of his family on Spartax works in a similar way. He grows restless, he leaves them to fight (for them as an emperor and a father), except this time they die in his abscence while it was his responsibility to protect them. Not only does this reach into his pre-existing insecurities and flaws but it also gives him an extra layer of motivation: throughout the story he is very protective of children who get caught up in the crossfire.

I find the Wastelanders Starlord issue extremely interesting. It is about how he very much still has to move on from the past, stop thinking back to a romanticized version of his loved ones and allies, stop thinking of how those idealised figures would hate him if they really saw him now.

Nova's presence in both this sequence and the ending is a clear signal that he needs to pull his head out of his ass: one of the people whose "ghost" he saw that degraded him is literally still alive! And look at the other people, all of them people who must be happy to hear from him after 50 years of locking himself away.

The way he breaks from the illusion calls to mind his tendency to reject peace: While the previous illusions call him a failure, Kitty promises to love him just like she did in the past. He rejects this to save himself, accurately noticing that it offers him a romanticised version of their relationship made up to hit him right where it hurts. Stay, like you've always failed to do, it says. Leave like you always do.

In the end he moves on successfully, building on the things he's lost and not letting them out of sight (holograms of the dead Guardians, ship renamed after Kitty Pryde)

Another thing I realised is that he'll risk his own safety but only if he's alone. One of his loved ones being around/doing something stupider than him immediately overrides his own stupidity and turns him into a responsible person who is going to come up with a better plan.

But if he's alone/backed into a corner it is potential suicide mission o'clock because he doesn't think he has value other than his relationships to others and believes that there is no one else who would do this "absolutely neccessary" thing if it wasn't him.

I enjoyed this story a lot, it felt consistent with characterisation i've grown to like. Deeply caring, softly ruthless, guilt weighing on his mind like a stone. I can easily compare his motivation and behaviour to the 2008 run, Moondragon even sums up a lot of what i've had to say:

Which is great! I know everyone says the 2020 series is the first true sequel to gotg2008, but for an alternate universe, Old Man Quill does well and should be given a chance.

#marvelcomics #wastelanders #old man quill #gotg #peter quill

[nix-fics]

Rocket's Little Girl

Chapter Five

A light laughter rang throughout the Milano's halls. Phoenix was seated by the bubble window while Finnick told her little jokes and stories. 

The two were stationed in the hull of the ship in the glass area, somewhere in the ship a soft 80s tune was floating through the air. 

“How'd you meet Cinna?” Phoenix questioned “Not to be pushy or anything-”

Finnick grinned, “You’re fine, I had been trapped in some, lets just call it shady business, till Cinna showed up and helped me out of there. Now we’re trying to help others escape whatever situation they might be trapped in.” 

“Wow, that's really great.” Phoenix nodded. Rubbing her hands down her legs as if she were dusting off dirt. 

“What about you,” he began, “How’d you end up with this group?”

“Well, you know. Abducted by aliens when I was a kid. It's like a free pass to join. Basic sad story starter.” Phoenix snorted dryly.

Finick chuckled, “Yeah, I understand what you mean.”

The conversation fizzled out but the silence wasn’t awkward, but more so pleasant. A song Phoenix was unfamiliar with played quietly in the background creating a comforting ambiance. 

A cough interrupted the moment. Phoenix’s head swiveled to see Peter standing behind the two arms crossed, staring at the pair with a pointed look on his face. 

Finnick turned slowly to look at the leather-clad man. “Do you need something?”

“The location we're meeting your boss at, so we can drop you off and get paid.”

Phoenix's mood dipped at that. She had genuinely enjoyed talking to this man and Quill's attitude did not seem necessary.   

Finnick's smile turned to a smirk  "Yeah, I'll be right there-"

"That's great, We need it now so let's go." A tone of sarcasm dripping from his words. The room was feeling stuffy with the testosterone flooding it as these two grown, but childish, men continued their stare down. 

 Finnick chuckled as he stood. “Alright Starboy.” He looked back to Phoenix, offering her his hand and helping her to her feet.

“Oh, thank you.” 

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Phoenix felt her face flare, ducking her head with a small smile on her lips. Without a second look back, Finnick walked out of the room with a flourish, leaving Phoenix and Quill in the hull of the spaceship. 

“What an a-hole. Am I right?” Quill scoffed and leaned against the doorframe, “He knows it's Starlord.”

“I think you should give him a chance.” Phoenix countered a bit frostily, to which Quill didn't seem to take well. His annoyance at Phoenix not taking his side was obvious. 

Instead of staying and listening to the insecure man diss Finnick any longer, she made her way to the door. 

“Excuse me.” she muttered as she slipped past the leather clad man and out of the room.

Running her hand along the cool metal of the hallways, her fingers bumped over countless pipelines and dents. She hummed as she bounced through the halls while following muffled voices to the cockpit.

The atmosphere was relaxed, Rocket was in the pilot chair with Nebula sitting across the aisle from him. Mantis was talking to Finnick right next to a snoring Drax while Groot and Thor were nowhere to be seen.

“Must be in their rooms.” Phoenix thought. As she softly walked through the main area.

Nebula glanced up at Phoenix as the Terran made her way to the front seats.

 “Hey,” Phoenix attempted to be friendly, holding out her hand “Nebula, right?”

The cybernetic woman watched Phoenix's hand suspiciously, so the Terran pulled it back and left it awkwardly at her side. With a voice far deeper than Phoenix was expecting, she responded “Yes and you are his child thing.” 

Phoenix paused, caught off guard. “Something like that. I'm Phoenix.” 

“I know.” 

With that Nebula stood and stiffly strutted away. Leaving Phoenix quite confused, she floundered for a few seconds before Rocket took any notice and supplied Phoenix with an explanation.

“Nah, she doesn't hate you. She's just selective with who she's nice to, like I said, a real charmer.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” Phoenix deadpanned to which Rocket rolled his eyes and motioned to the now empty seat next to him. 

Phoenix sat promptly and gave herself a moment to enjoy how the chair slightly bounced as she placed all of her weight on it.

“Whaddya think of pretty boy, huh?”

She was amused at the nickname but kept her voice down, 

“Seems nice. Told me about how he met that guy from the bar and what they do. He's got some attitude, not as much as your friend. Quill was being quite unprofessional actually.”

Rocket guffawed “Don't worry about him, he's got issues just like the rest of the galaxy but he forgets he's not the only one, like an idiot.”

Phoenix grinned at this, Rocket's little rants of insulting people had been engraved in her memory for as long as she could remember. 

“So, kiddo, what does he do then?”

Phoenix could bet Rocket was going to make fun of her answer as soon as she finished talking. “He helps people escape difficult situations, gang activity, stuff like that.”

“Eh, so he's a hero? Bleh, imagine not getting paid for doing hard work.” Rocket jeered only slightly joking.

 “Hey! I used to do stuff and not get paid.” Phoenix countered, glancing behind her where Finnick was listening to Mantis talk animatedly about something intense.

“Well, youre different, kid.” he spoke softly but gruffly, before turning his attention back to flipping switches and flying the ship. 

Turning to the windshield, Phoenix let her posture lax in her seat and pulled her legs up in a criss-cross. Resting her head back, the engine’s rumbles and the soft conversation behind her acting as a white noise while she rested her eyes. 

……….

Phoenix was in the middle of a great dream, or at least she assumed it was, when she was awoken by a conversation to her right and promptly forgot about the subject of her dream. Her head still felt heavy and her mind felt groggy. Keeping her eyes closed Phoenix tried to catch what words were being exchanged, unfortunately her exhaustion was definitely winning the battle for consciousness. 

“Dude, she's in my seat.”

“Deal with it, she's sleeping and she was here first, Quill.” Rocket snapped, “Leave her alone. Go talk to Mantis or play your music while you wait.”

There was a moment of silence before a heavy sigh and the annoyed voice spoke quite a bit louder than a whisper

“If it was Pretty boy over there you'd have no problem with her being picked up. And furthermore, it's my ship. Mine.”

Rocket chuckled dryly “Well, anyone is better than you, Quill.”

Phoenix didn't hear the rest of the conversation and nor would she remember it later when she would be shaken awake by Groot, who was talking a million miles a minute. She wouldn't remember when saying goodbye to Finnick and Cinna and wishing them good luck on their missions. She wouldn't remember when Rocket took her hand and guided her up the ramp to Mantis and Nebula's shared room 'to really get settled in.' he had explained while giving her a tour.  She wouldn't remember Rocket's harsh words to the Terran man until later that evening as she was brushing her teeth. 

Her hand paused mid-brush, as she looked at the mirror but not truly staring at herself. 

“Anyone is better than you, Quill.”

Almost no other thoughts were going through her head, only those words and the thought of what could be if her and Quill ever happened.

Phoenix knew he was an attractive man, but that doesn't mean she had to be attracted to him. She was past that stage in her life. 'but he's confident, he's a human and has a great taste in music even if it's oldies and god he's handsome-' her mind countered unhelpfully. 

A rapid knock on the door snapped her out of her thinking. Spitting the toothpaste down the sink and rinsing her mouth out she called to the door

“Just a minute-”

The knocks halted as she dried her face and hands. Quickly making her way to the door, she unlocked it and came face to face with a toned, but very shirtless, chest. 

Her eyes widened and Phoenix's usual confidence was replaced by a stuttering mess. It felt like an eternity before she realized she was staring at his pecs and her gaze flitted everywhere else but still came back to the man in front of her. “Oh, sorry…”

Quill grinned and crossed his arms, he was obviously enjoying Phoenix's discomfort.

“No harm done, although, I'd have to say a picture would definitely last longer-”

Phoenix felt her ears and cheeks burn, she had been caught. “Right. Um- Good night.”

She quickly squeezed past Quill and scuffled down the hall. Mantis and Nebula were already sleeping and the room was dark so with as little noise as possible, Phoenix crawled into the cot Rocket had set up for her. 

When she closed her eyes, instead of falling right into sleep, her and Quill's interaction decided to replay itself. With a groan, she flipped over to face the wall. Fortunately the hum of the engines soothed her to sleep and Phoenix was soon lightly snoring. 

#peter quill #peter quill x reader #gotg #nebula #mantis #thor odinson #gotg vol2 #gotg vol3 #drax #drax the destroyer #groot #rocket racoon platonic #rocket racoon

[mikimeiko]

To the East! Day 1&2 - from Milan to Puglia

It's time to go visit the easternmost train station in Italy, the last one!

Since Italy is really slanted the easternmost station is also pretty far south, so I decided to leave immediately after work, go as far south as I could in one afternoon, and then cover the rest of the distance on Saturday. I'm once again using regional trains with the 3 days train pass, so it's gonna take a lot of trains and a lot of time, but it's also gonna be pretty cheap.

So first train is Milano>Bologna (pretty chill, not too crowded; kind of a boring line that I've traveled a thousand times but it's a windy sunny day and you can see the mountains near lake Garda from Parma which is... impressive).

So many people in Bologna station! I don't have enough time to find something to eat ;_;

Train 2: Bologna>Ancona is packed (I thought the train started from Bologna but it actually came from Piacenza), I had to stand for about the first hour D: When the train gets to the coast is already dark, and I'm a little sad that I can't see the sea (the rail is SO CLOSE to the sea in this part!)

My hotel is literally on the other side of the road from the station XD very nice since it's kinda late and I'm very tired.

(view of the station from the entrance of my hotel that I took the next morning)

~~~

The train I'm supposed to take from Ancona leaves at 11:45, but checkout from the hotel is at 10:00, so I get on an earlier train shares the first half of the line with the one with Pescara, and stop somewhere along the line (Ancona is a big city, and the city center is quite far from the station - also I visited it last summer, and I might as well take a look at somewhere else!).

So train 3: Ancona>Ascoli Piceno (but not really).

(See what I meant? The sea is JUST THERE)

I decided to stop in Grottammare, mostly because I've never been there and the station is pretty close to the sea. The old town is up the hill and it looks very pretty, but I don't have much time so I just stay in the seaside area.

(It's almost November and I wish I brought a short sleeved t-shirt. Most things are closed because the season is over but actually it feels like mid September and the effect is jarring)

Train 4: Grottammare>Pescara is a bit fuller, and I end up in a backward facing seat with only half a window. It doesn't look that different than when I did this route in August, but it is a little greener, and the beaches that were covered in beach umbrellas are now properly visible.

I have a very short time in Pescara to change trains, no time at all to visit anything, but honestly I didn't like it that much last time so that's fine by me. From here I'm basically tracing back the journey I made on the first day of my third leg of the Grand Tour of Italy last summer: same stops, same trains, very different time of day.

Train 5: Pescara>Termoli. The sun is on the other side of the train now, and the sea is SO blue.

I have about an hour in Termoli before the next train, so I get something to eat later and go looking for an ice-cream in the center. In the entire corso there was not one gelateria open. I get that it's the end of October but... Really? No ice cream?

Train 6: Termoli>Foggia. The Molisan coast south of Termoli is one of the wildest, least "developed" in the entire Adriatic coast. Lots of pines, just very long stretches with no building in sight. Beautiful and interesting, compared to everything else (or maybe I should say - compared to what's north of it. Because now that I think about it Puglia also has similar coastlines I think).

And yes, it is not summer and it's SO CLEAR! All the green intermingled with the dark terrain it's just amazingly beautiful. If you want to visit Puglia autumn might be the best season (not if you want to swim in the sea though XD)

All I know about Foggia is that it's been mostly destroyed during WWII and rebuilt hastily, and it's considered one of the ugliest cities kn Puglia. Sadly the train station is quite far from the city center proper and I don't have a lot of time, so I only see the entrance of the Villa (the biggest municipal park) and a bit of a promenade.

Train 7: Foggia to Bari. I'm starting to feel the travel fatigue. I'm ready to be at my destination, but I won't be there for at least another 3 hours probably more. Also it's dark, and the train is older and not very comfortable so meh. Train 7 morphs into train 8 when we get to Bari central station (of course the least comfortable train would be the one that I have to take twice XD). Just an hour, plus 10 minutes waiting for the bus, plus ten minutes on the bus and I'm finally at my uncle's house. It's been A Day. Can't wait to go to sleep XD

#yes i am finally free from school for 5 days so I'm going on another stupidly crazy 'adventure' #to the east! #travel #italy #my photography #mag travels from time to time #i just want a tag for the things i personally put out into the world

[tsukiyamers]

ravanger loki au , 1.4k (chapter 1 of none: escape (the pina colada song))

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Peter can already hear the intergalactic police sirens in his head. Is this dude dead? Is he fucking dead? Gross he’s still on his windshield being dead. God what does he even do in a situation like this? “Please don’t actually be dead.” 

Well, he wasn’t dead. The nameless dude that sucked face with spacecraft’s windshield was now sitting in one of the few chairs, wrapped in an old blanket Peter managed to grab when he was dragging his prone form inside. Peter almost regrets not having anything else to give him but the dude looked grateful. “Sooo…” The man lifts his head. Peter continues, “Uh, you probably shouldn’t’ve survived that. You know, at all.” He adds a casual shrug to give off his Not-That-It’s-A-Big-Deal-Or-Anything attitude, sure the guy hypothetically couldn’t have but who was he to judge? Not him! “But, uh, mind telling me who you are?” 

The man looks pressed, his mouth twisting into a sort of frown. Peter frowns with him. Sorry for wanting to know, yeesh.

“A name’s good too,” Peter tries. 

He adjusts the blanket tighter over his shoulders, still looking pensive on whether or not to give Peter just that. Peter sighs and stands up, heading back to the front of the Milano. “Whatever man, there’s a outpost stop near here, I can just drop you off and you can be on your merry way.”

“Loki.” Peter stops, turns around to the before nameless man. He’s staring straight at him with such an intensity and he says, “I am Loki and I have nowhere else to go.” 

-

After that he didn’t talk much, but that’s okay, Peter’s used to traveling solo (solo in the way, that he’s usually alone during the day but at night’s another story), but besides his name, this Loki hasn’t given him any other kind of information on who--or what--he is. 

Anyhow, he’ll be going back solo. 

“The outpost is not for another hour or so and from there, you should be able to find your way around and figure it all out,” Peter said, putting the ship on autopilot. He leans back into his seat. “There’s uh, you should be able to find help.” 

Peter can hear Loki shift around back there. Last time he saw him, he was sitting by one of the windows to look out onto space as they flew by, Peter imagines he’s still there. 

Okay, so maybe Peter feels a bit bad. The dude really told him he had nowhere to go, he obviously looks utterly misplaced with that whole...getup he’s sporting…, and on top, the dude just looks--well--sad, like he doesn’t care what happens to him kind of sad. So yes, Peter feels a bit bad. But, Peter also has a job to do and this guy would just hold him back. 

Ugh. 

What would Youdu do? 

“Be real with me here, buddy, are you sure you don’t have anyone?” Peter asks as he stands from the pilot seat. By a quick glance, he was right that Loki was still looking out onto the beyond. Peter almost thinks he didn’t hear him, ready to ask one more time, then, without tearing his gaze from outside, Loki says,

“No. Not anymore.” 

He doesn’t elaborate. Peter scratches his head. 

“Aw goddamn dude, you’re really killing me here,” He says, now scratching his chin as he shifts through the Milano’s kitchen. 

“Really now?” 

Peter blinks, not expecting an answer, but he doesn’t let it catch him too off guard and continues on, still rummaging around in the kitchenette,  “Uhh, yeah, you are. You come here hitting my ship and I have to be all Super Hero and rescue you before I had your real death on my conscious.” He pops open a lid and sniffs the contents, then wrinkles his nose. He puts it back. “Now I’m feeling all guilty cuz you obviously have no one--” he can hear Loki huff at that. Well he’s the one that said it first! “--and I have to be the bad guy and dump you somewhere, ‘cause, sorry-not-sorry buddy, but you’re tellin’ me nuthin’ how else to help you.” 

“Then don’t help me.” 

Peter really doesn’t like how he said that, it just adds to the guiltiness. Why does he have to get a goddamn conscious? It would be so much easier if he didn’t. 

So Peter settles for a sigh, a very long sigh that leads into groan and then a, “Duuuude…” Loki has nothing to contribute to that, and Peter finally finds what he’s looking for and tosses it to his Tall, Dark, and Depressing companion. “Eat this, it’s like an energy bar or something.” Peter grabs some for himself then sees Loki turn it over in his hands with a pinched face. “What? It won’t kill you. It probably doesn’t taste the best but it won’t.” 

Loki takes it.

-

Peter safely thinks that him and his newest companion had entered in some sort of non-verbal agreement and that’s pretty stellar actually. So when the ship lands at the out-post, just on the outskirts of the rise and high bustling that’s guaranteed of a shady spacey truck stop, Peter takes it onto himself to announce their arrival as he rises from his seat, “We’re here-!” 

Only to find himself kicked out of his own ship onto said rocky shady spacey truck stop. 

“WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!” Peter tries to scream over the roaring of his own fucking ship. Except he doesn’t hear him--or maybe he did and chooses to ignore him--and continues to lift up higher and higher until-- “FUCK!” 

His ship is gone and so is Loki. He could’a swore he saw him flash him a grin before hightailing out. 

A greenish person with an insane brow action happening whistles (Peter can’t find it in him to precisely tell what he is, but it starts with a B) and Peter dusts off his chest and huffs. Hot burns his neck. 

Well. 

-

“--and, and, and, ya know the best part?” Peter says, downing a quick shot that burns down to his belly, he scoots closer to his conversation buddy, not letting them take time to reply before he reveals the best part. “That asshole stole my goddamn ship! Yeah, stole! I saved his ass from cosmic freeze and this is what I get? Fuuuuuck. That’s the last time I’ll be a quote-on-quote good person.” He uses his free hand to do air quotations as he rants, “The next person that smacks onto my windshield I’ll just push off myself.” He tries to drink down his empty shot glass, only to find it--well--empty, damn. Peter sets it down. “Another one.”

The bartender, his conversation buddy, gives him a flat look and fills up his glass. “This is your last one, pal.” 

Peter snorts at that and raises the drink to his lips, “Pft, yeah, sure, alright.” 

God what am I gunna do now, he thinks as he sips the alcoholic concoction which this time freezes on his tongue to his teeth. He pulls a face. He hates roulette drinks. 

By the time he finishes his drink (now just a cool sensation spreading across his insides), he sighs out a snowflake or two and lamates once again that his ship is stolen and now he’s stranded on this rolling comet outpost. He raises from his bar stool and transfers the credits from his tab and heads to leave the little space saloon--or that was the plan until he gets an incoming transmission from probably the one person he doesn’t want to see after getting his ship stolen. But he accepts. 

The familiar blue face sends him a sharp-tooth grin and nearly fills up the entire screen with his face. “Well, well, well, if it ain’t my boy Peter. Finally answering my calls, huh?” Peter makes an exaggerated sigh, “What do you want, Yondu?” 

“Now don’t go sounding too happy,” Yondu quips. “Word on the street says you picked up some...cargo. A little field trip, huh?”

“You’re not making any sense,” Peter cuts in, mad in his tone. “I’m really busy here, if you could cut to the chase that’ll be super.” He wasn’t busy at all but you know. 

Yondu laughs. “What I’m sa-aying is: you let a little fancy really rob you dry. One of our own saw your ship flying by--” Peter pales. “--and you can imagine our confusion when it wasn’t you flying it.” 

“He’s not--” “It don’t matter. You come on back now, and that’s not me asking nicely.” The transmission cuts. Peter wants to rage. Instead he groans and drags his hands down his face, groaning some more. God, this has to be the worst day of his life.

#my favorite joke is Tall Dark And Depression #my writing #peter quill #loki

[risukadarlin]

[piofiore no banshou] vol. 1: nicola - track one

1; capriccioso

masterpost

                                                                                ✿

[00:11] It’s morning already?

I need to get up…

Huh? No, I wasn’t–

I’m not asleep.

I’m awake already…

I mean it…

Yeah, I’m getting up.

Just a little longer…

5 more minutes.

You sleep too.

Oversleeping is the best.

It’s fine.

You don’t need to worry; the bed’s not going anywhere.

I’ll protect you.

Just a little…

Me too.

I love you.

                                                                               ✿

[01:34] Erm…

I’m sorry.

Are you still angry at me?

Then why won’t you look me in the eyes?

You’ve been cold with me all morning, right?

Whenever I try to hold your hand, you just run away.

Hey, signorina. 

I didn’t forget we had a date planned, okay?

We ended up setting off a bit late but I was looking forward to today just as much as you were.

Right? You remember me saying I couldn’t wait until next week every chance I got, right?

But, if you’ll let me make excuses…

It’s been three weeks since we arrived in New York and I’ve done my best to wake up every morning.

Now that work has started to settle down, I’m finally feeling the exhaustion.

I love relaxing in bed with you too.

And I’ve been holding back recently.

I got carried away…

That’s right!

Holding back.

I’m not lying.

I’ve held back a lot.

Every day even, if I’m being honest.

It takes everything in me not to grab you when you come and wake me up and spend the whole day in bed with you.

I really am not a morning person.

If I wake up, I can usually stay awake…

Hey, do you remember when I proposed to you?

I actually wanted to make it more romantic.

I wanted to make it a moment you’d remember forever.

Like when we went to Milano.

You were really happy then.

So I thought about asking while we were on vacation.

Somewhere romantic and linked to love.

Like Romeo and Juliet’s city of Verona.

Or the Basilica of San Valentino in Terni.

Or we could chat while walking along the riviera ligure.

It’s not that funny…

But you’re right, it’s not like me.

I know that.

I never even dreamed of getting married before.

And now I can’t stop thinking about the possibilities.

And I was so worried about what I’d do if you said no.

Or what I’d do if Sister Sophia didn’t allow it.

But when you came to wake me up that morning…

The moment I saw you…

I realised I loved you and wanted you to be by my side forever.

I forgot every plan I’d made until that point.

I usually plan in detail before I do anything.

But when it comes to you, I always act before I think.

It was the same when I kissed you for the first time.

We weren’t dating, but…

It’s your fault too!

Well, anyway! What I’m trying to say is…

I love it when you wake me up.

So much that I ruin my own plans.

You thought it was just a joke, though.

I’m not angry.

I did sulk for a bit though.

So stop being angry with me, okay?

Grazie.

I’m happy you forgive me.

I know you just forgave me and this might make you angry again, but…

The truth is, I love cheering you up.

Because my lovely fiancée never gets angry or upset with people, does she?

It makes me a little happy that only I get to see that side of you.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

Signorina, I can see it now.

That’s America’s largest art gallery.

The Met - The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The building’s design is classicist, I think?

It fits in really well with the other buildings on Fifth Avenue.

They look really similar.

Maybe they were designed by the same person.

I can’t believe we live close to such a large building.

Central Park is huge.

                                                                               ✿

[06:25] I was told it would be big but I didn’t realise how big!

I can’t think of anything this huge in Italy.

I bet every museum we have is smaller.

It’s unusual that it was built using donations too.

It means that a great deal of people were willing to give a great deal of money.

They believed it would really help with America’s development.

So, where should we start?

Maybe we should start from their very first artefact - a marble sarcophagus from the Roman era.

Apparently they have a lot of Egyptian items too.

They still carry out their own excavations and display any of the buried goods they find.

And paintings too. 

I’m sure they have some Vermeer.

Woman with a Water Jug, I think.

The blue of Vermeer is famous for being made with lapis lazuli.

Of course.

Let’s look at everything in order.

I’m glad you’re having fun.

It’s making me happy too.

I’m sorry for not being able to take you sightseeing often after we came all this way together.

If I had more time, I’d take you to other cities too, like Washington.

We could even go to Chicago and meet Gilbert.

No, it’s not like I want to meet him or anything.

But he must be lonely after leaving Burlone despite all that time getting used to it.

And I thought you might want to meet him too.

I know.

You were thinking about me.

Dante was right to choose you as my watchdog.

You’ve done your job perfectly since we arrived.

You are a bit stubborn, though.

Whenever I asked you if you wanted to go out, you’d tell me you just wanted to stay in your room.

I know it’s so I can rest properly, so I was a little grateful.

I rested much better than when I was in Burlone.

Those days together in the hotel doing nothing all day were the best.

Work was going well too and we prepared for the move here perfectly.

We found a great place to live too.

Luck must have been on our side.

If you hadn’t come too, I would have worked as much as I could and then returned to Italy.

People in Burlone would struggle without me.

Dante actually warned me about it before we left.

He said “these tickets are for a round trip, make sure you come home on time.”

He’s the one who told me to bring you with me.

He told me not to waste my time with you.

He must still be worried after what happened last year.

After the incident, he told me that he’d pushed something he should have dealt with himself onto me.

It’s so like him to feel that kind of responsibility.

But, even if I didn’t know about him, I do feel bad for leaving him to carry everything by himself for so long.

But the duty that’s bound him - bound the Falzone’s - for so long crumbled to ashes that day…

The secret’s still there, though.

The three of us are accomplices in that respect.

I’m sorry for ruining the mood.

Anyway, we still have a week until the boat home.

It’s not very long but let’s have as much fun as we can.

We can’t go far but there’s still loads to see.

There’s so much I want to get used to.

Most of our members have never been to America.

Let’s learn as much as we can so we can show Dante and Leo around next time.

#Nicola Francesca #drama cd #Drama CD translation #Piofiore no Banshou #piofiore

[swynlake-rp]

Spring flowers are just around the corner! Who will be in town to watch them bloom?

Bobby Baker (The Baker, Cinderella 2) - Flour-dusted clothes, knowing exactly what two cups of sugar in a bowl looks like, and longing for true love. How else can one describe you? You love your job, but your work and your wages don’t seem to weigh out in the eyes of others. Will you be able to hold onto your passion and or dream, or have to give one up?

Hank O’Neill (Hank, Finding Dory) - If only ‘I wish to not be perceived’  actually fixed everything. You got your wish but its done nothing to help with your paranoia. Is it time you ask for help?

Karen Busch (Voyd, The Incredibles 2) - For the first time in your life, you see possibilities. You never thought you could one day be accepted for who you are without hiding who you really are, but in Swynlake you’re told you can be. Will you find that’s true? You sure hope so!

Cash Conrad (Cash, Fox and The Hound 2) - Steel guitars, handwritten lyrics, and a passion for show business, that’s the recipe for one Cash Conrad. After an argument put your success on hold you’ve come to Swynlake to make it right. Surely someone better than who you fired is out there somewhere. Can you be each other’s golden geese?

Jackson Storm (Jackson Storm, Cars 3) - Stay in school, Jackson! Blah, blah, blah. You do perfectly well in school -- you’re to competitive to not do well in anything you do -- but we all know it isn’t for you. Right? It’s not just you who knows you’re destined for athletic stardom, it can’t be just you.

Angel Milano (Angel, Lady and the Tramp 2) - You’re used to never really calling anywhere your home, any bed your own, even your own footsteps tend to feel like they belong to someone else when you have nowhere to go back to. But maybe that won’t be the case for much longer. Maybe Swynlake holds the answers you’re looking for...

#disney rp #fandom rp #disney roleplay #finding dory #finding nemo #cinderella 2 #the fox and the hound 2 #cars 3 #disney cars #lady and the tramp #lady and the tramp 2 #the incredibles #the incredibles 2 #most wanted wednesdays #most wanted wednesday

[bean-of-jellies]

Here is a list of my f/o’s! I’m not sure if I’ll remember all of them but I’ll update :-) all of them I’m comfortable with sharing unless stated otherwise

Pent- Khonjin House/Supermental (comfy sharing only if we’re really close)

Whitty- FNF

Beetlejuice- from, well Beetlejuice (DNI if you ship beetleb*bes)

Dewey Finn- School of Rock, School of Rock Musical

The Warden- Superjail

Dr. Habit- Smile For Me

Raggedy Andy- Raggedy Ann and Andy a Musical Adventure, Rag Dolly (DNI if you ship Ann and Andy ffs they’re siblings)

Cala Maria- Cuphead

Vivi and Arthur- Mystry Skulls Animated

Damian Milano- Balloon Gal and the Disco Debacle

Lupin III- Lupin III

Abigail and Shane- Stardew Valley

A lot of Homestuck characters (I’m sorry)

Eddie Munson- Stranger Things

Tom and Matt - Eddsworld (DNI if you ship tomtord)

Gonta- DanganronpaV3

Willow- my oc

Red guy- DHMIS

Charlie- Smiling Friends

Bob Velseb- Spooky Month

Peppino- Pizza Tower

Spyke- Splatoon 3

Wally and Eddie- Welcome Home

Shrike Sanchez- Monkey Wrench

I do have two others but they’re from 18+ games and I’m not sure if I should disclose that, maybe If you just really wanna know for whatever reason ask me privately, but I’ll only tell you If you’re 18+ you must have your age somewhere in your blog

And finally, proshippers DNI!! This blog is not for you and I don’t want you here!/srs

#jelly rambles

[duhragonball]

Like Fanfiction

I just noticed I haven’t updated this blog in eleven days.  I’ve probably had longer gaps, but this just seemed kind of startling to me for some reason.  Anyway, I’m here today to talk about “Charmed.”

I finished my scheduled Fantastic Four comics for the month, so I decided to just completely waste the next weeks or so, and that led me to YouTube, where I found a series by Allison Pregler where she reviewed “Charmed” season by season. I think the whole thing ended up being ten hours long?  Anyway, I liked this because I never watched “Charmed” but it was on throughout my 20′s, and I was always aware of it, but never knew what its deal was supposed to be.  So it’s nice to finally get that settled. 

What I didn’t expect was that the main characters turned into such unlikable assholes as the series wore on.   By Season 4, Shannon Doherty left the series, and the other two leads, Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs, became producers.   Pregler notes this as a turning point in the series, where their characters, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, became more self-absorbed and were almost never called out for any character flaws.  It sounds like something out of professional wrestling, like when a top talent gets booking power and writes himself as a world champion who never loses.   Anyway, much of Pregler’s review series is taken up with unflattering montages of Phoebe and Piper being heartless jerks. When a crisis unfolds, they make it about themselves.  When innocents are in danger, they want to ignore it.   Maybe Pregler is exaggerating, but she found a lot of clips for her videos. 

Occasionally, she would compare certain plot developments to fanfiction, and not as a compliment.   I felt the same way at times, and it struck me that a lot of the storylines in “Charmed” seemed to revolve around this sort of indulgent wish-fulfillment fare.   I don’t know what went on backstage, but it really does feel like Milano and Combs wanted to do stories where their characters were beloved and respected by those around them, but also blameless and beyond reproach, no matter how snarky or dismissive they were of their magic responsibilities.   I guess that is how a lot of fanfic goes down.   Someone watches a movie and doesn’t like how their favorite character got handled, so they write their own story where their fave gets better treatment.  

That, and fanfiction often skips to the good part, whatever “good” happens to be for the writer.   If they’re doing a story about a love confession, they’ll just go straight to that, and not bother setting anything up.   When I first learned about fanfiction, I was surprised by how casually the writers would just presume that the reader knows all about the characters.  I’ve seen X-Men fics where they just call him “Scott” and never mention that he uses the codename “Cyclops” and shoots optic blasts and wears blue tights.   It’s just taken as a given, and the time you save not explaining this can be used to hurry up and get to the sex scene. 

At a guess, I think that may have been where “Charmed” lost its way.   It was supposed to be this urban fantasy thing, I think, tapping into the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with three sisters getting witch powers and fighting demons.   So it makes sense for the characters to get frustrated with that, and wish that they could chuck the whole deal and lead normal lives.  You see that in every superhero story.   Spider-Man wishes he could be a normal guy again, or look the other way when shit goes down, but he knows he can’t.   It makes sense for “Charmed” to do the same thing once in a while, but I think somewhere along the way, they got a little too comfortable with that trope and fell into a rut.   When Phoebe Halliwell complains once in a while that these demon-of-the-week adventures are really screwing up her career and love-life, that’s relatable.   When she complains about it every week, and has to be convinced to take action every single time, then it starts to make her look like a real piece of shit.   There was one scene where she insists that they shouldn’t risk their lives to save a particular innocent, because if they got killed, then that would doom many more innocent people that they might be able to save later.  That’s kind of messed up.   Maybe there’s a more balanced interpretation to Phoebe’s character, but what I’ve seen looks pretty bad.

Anyway, it occurred to me that this incompleteness is probably what people mean when they compare things negatively with fanfiction.  When it’s in actual fanfic, I think it gets a pass, because the writer’s doing it for free, but when a TV show or movie does it, it gets people mad because there’s higher expectations.   For example, “Charmed” introduced a magic school, very similar to the one in the Harry Potter books, and they even went out of their way to point out the similarity, which seems pretty weak to me.   But the biggest letdown was that it was literally named “Magic School”.   Like, that’s what it says on the sign and everything.   It’s like they never bothered to improve on the working name, like how “Snakes on a Plane” ended up being the actual title of the movie.  They could have called “Merlin Academy”, or “Shadow Hall” or literally anything else, but they were like “Fuck it, ‘Magic School.’“  

For that matter, I never understood calling the main characters “The Charmed Ones”.   That sounds really basic, especially when the main thing about them is that they’re a trio.   Call them the “Witches Three��� or “The Triune of Power” or just “The Halliwell Sisters” or whatever.   It’s just such a lack of effort for something that they were going to have to use for the whole run of the series.  On the other hand, they seemed to put a lot of work into the episode where Alyssa Milano played Lady Godiva to defend breastfeeding in public or something.  Which... yeah, sounds like a fanfic plot now that I think about it.

[einsteinsugly]

The Other Kids in my Two Worlds Apart universe, and Their Parents (Mostly), Side by Side:

@lily-267, thank you so much for young Betsy's faceclaim!

Fez...

And Laurie:

Adrian (Dylan O'Brien): Physically favors Fez in the browline and the eyes. The lips too, but he has much more of an awkward Forman smile. Has Laurie's nose, cheekbones, and general face shape. Skin color is somewhere between Fez and Laurie's, and his hair is dark brown (instead of jet black). He doesn't have much of his parents in him personality wise, though. He's a Forman, through and through. He's short like Fez, but he's built like a young Red. Slender, but fairly athletic. He loves soccer and baseball (it started off with T-Ball, with Red by his side), and is mechanically inclined. With a love for tinkering with computers and video games.

And Rhonda (I couldn't find a decent quality in-character pic for the life of me):

Ashley (Josie Loren): Looks a lot like Fez, but with slightly lighter skin and more angular features (like her mother, Rhonda). Is slender, highly flexible, and is a great dancer, like Fez.

PS: Ashley's name comes from Rhonda's mother's (Judith's) maiden name Ashley. Judith's from Mississippi, and Rhonda's father Alfred was one of the earliest Freedom Riders (he's white, btw).

Kelso and Brooke:

Betsy (young, Lily Sanfelippo. adult, Minka Kelly): Looks a lot like Brooke, but with Kelso's coloring and less angular features (a fuller face, mainly). She has major Punky Brewster vibes as a kid, with some Alyssa Milano vibes as a teen and as an adult.

Hannah (Lyndsy Fonseca): Is blue-eyed and cool-toned, like her grandmother Carolyn and her uncle Casey. Looks more like Kelso when she's younger, but her mother's genes kick in when she gets older (that jawline and smile become more prominent).

PS: Although they both favor opposite parents, they still look like sisters, if you know what I mean. :)

#that 70s show #that 90s show #michael kelso #fez #fez and laurie #fez and rhonda #kelso and brooke #brooke rockwell #betsy kelso #hannah kelso #adrian forman #laurie forman #ashley tate #rhonda tate #my moodboards

[jessehart]

INITIAL SITDOWNS

It wasn’t until Jesse was sitting down, staring back at two police officers that he thought that maybe he’d made a mistake. He’d called his father’s lawyer, Francesca Milano, but when she’d said she’d have to let his father know, he’d told her to forget it. The great, beloved Jerry Springer wannabe of a father was almost definitely fucking her, so she was out. He was on thin ice where his father was concerned anyway, and the last thing he needed was him breathing down his neck over this. Not when the stuff with Greer and Jacqui had the potential to blow up in his face. 

No, he’d been assured that these were just routine. A lawyer wasn’t necessary. Now, though, as he looked between the two uniformed officers, he was beginning to think he’d made the wrong choice.

So, he called on his charm, leaning casually across his chair as he stretched his long legs out before himself, a devil-may-care hint of a smirk playing at his lips. He’d bullshitted his way through less. They weren’t looking at him, they were simply looking for answers. He’d give them just enough to lead them in circles chasing their own tails.

“When did you last speak to Greer?”

Jesse tried to imagine the advice Francesca would give had she been here. She’d have probably advised him not to say anything at all, but that would just make him look guilty. So maybe he’d compromise. Less was more. He could give a little without really giving anything worth implicating himself over. “Uhhh,” His eyes rolled towards the ceiling as he tried to think exactly when he’d spoken to her last. “Probably last day of classes? We sorta jet off to opposite coasts so kinda pointless to stay in touch over the summer.”

“When did you last actually see Greer?”

“Same as before. Last day of classes,” he answered immediately, though a smirk threatened to tug at the corners of his mouth as he remembered fondly the way that grass had stuck to her knees, making little indentions as proof of what they’d done behind the boathouse. They didn’t need to hear that part, though.

“How well did you know Greer?”

If he hadn’t had full control of himself in that moment, he probably would have laughed. How well did he know Greer? He was intimately familiar. “I mean, we never stayed up all night painting each other’s nails and waxing poetic about the future. We liked to party together. It didn’t really go deeper than that.”

“What was your relationship with Greer like?”

There were a lot of things he could say to answer this question. He could talk about the sneaking around, the late nights, the parties. But he knew better than that, knew that this was the kind of question that needed a very simple answer. “We had fun together.”

“Have you heard or seen anything about where she was this summer?”

“No,” Jesse said with a shrug. “Like I said, we kind of went our separate ways over the summer. I was busy with my own stuff back home, I assumed she was busy with the same.” That could have been the end of that, but Jesse had a score to settle. And really, it was a bit of harmless fun. For him, anyway. “You know, I might be wrong, but I think she grew up with Nathaniel Shaw? He’s a junior here too. I’ve seen them talking and shit, we all live in the same building.” He smiled, the picture of a boy who’d done his due diligence. “He might have something a little more solid for you, officers.”

“You wouldn’t have wanted Greer to disappear, would you?”

Knuckles knocked out a rhythm on the cork wood table as Jesse sat there lounging in the uncomfortable metal chair. One ankle hooked over a knee, his lackadaisical posture gave nothing away, even as the question found a tightness blooming somewhere low in the pit of his stomach, his mind returning to that night. But as his eyes tracked the features of his interviewer lazily, his brows furrowed as though he couldn’t believe that was even a question, as if he were granting them a favor to even deign to answer it. “You’re fuckin’ kidding, right? Greer’s the life of the party. It’s just not the same without her around. It’s kinda like a missing limb, you know?”

#task001 #ogdentask

[twentytanya]

If The Sky Is Pink And White | Tangel

Date: Late April 2024 Featuring: @angel-milano Warnings: Discussion of death and neglect/abuse

Tanya tells Angel the truth, and Angel tells Tanya a truth of her own.

TANYA

Tanya had wrestled with this for a long time. Maybe it would be better not to tell Angel. Maybe she could find out from other people what had happened to Tanya after the fact, and that would be fine.

But Tanya knew the heart of every ghost story was the same: it was about taking care of unfinished business. And leaving Angel in the dark would mean leaving unfinished business. They hadn’t known each other for very long, but Tanya had very quickly grown attached to the other girl, and it just seemed wrong not to have closure. So she was doing this. Even if it was hard, and Tanya couldn’t really know how Angel would react.

They were hanging out, doing their usual loiter-about-town, when Tanya stopped in the park. “Angel, uh… can I talk to you about something? It’s, uh, kind of important.”

ANGEL

It had been awhile since Angel had gotten close to anyone like she had Tanya. Then again, it had been awhile since she stayed in any one place for so long. While it seemed like all leads on her father had dried up, she didn’t yet feel the need to fly the coop and start over somewhere else. Maybe because there were things worth staying for in Swynlake.

When they stopped at the park, Angel sat on a bench, letting her hair down and running her fingers through it. She glanced up when Tanya spoke before a smirk tugged across her face. “What, did someone die or something?” She joked. It wasn’t a very good joke, and probably in poor taste, but she wasn’t exactly the best at being a comforting shoulder to cry on. If it really was that bad, then Angel was not the person you wanted to go to.

TANYA

Tanya actually snorted at that. Which was not the right response. It wasn’t funny. Okay, it was a little funny. She just felt bad because Angel didn’t know why yet, and she didn’t want to freak her out.

“Sorry, uh- sorry. It’ll make sense in a moment,” Tanya said quickly, sobering again. “Uh, I think we should sit down. Sorry- I’m really not trying to scare you. I just…”

She sat down on a bench and turned to Angel. “I’m going to tell you something, and it’s probably going to sound kind of mad, and I just need you to… stick with me, okay? Don’t freak out. And… please don’t tell anyone.”

ANGEL

Angel smirked at Tanya's snort. Okay, so they were joking about something. Good. She wouldn't have to deal with the heavy stuff.

Or? It didn't take long for Tanya's mood to go down again, which really grabbed her attention. This was not the kind of vibe they usually went for. And there was nothing like "I'm not trying to scare you" to scare someone.

She didn't let herself show that, though. Instead, she put on a bit of a put off look and went to tie her hair back up in a messy bun. "Yeah, uh. Okay." With that, the two of them found a bench to sit on. Tanya continued to preface this whole thing in a way that made her stomach drop.

"Alright, can you just spit it out already? All this lead up is just making it worse." She didn't mean for it to come out so harsh but again, this was not her forte. 

TANYA

“Sorry,” Tanya sighed, well aware that dragging this out was doing exactly that. She wanted this part of the conversation over with too. But it never seemed to get any easier, no matter how many times she did it with different people.

She took a deep breath and turned to face Angel. “So. Do you know what a revenant is?” she asked, trying to sound very calm and matter-of-fact but already bracing herself for whatever Angel’s reaction could be.

ANGEL

Angel wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it certainly hadn’t been that. Her brow furrowed in confusion as her eyes flickered away before looking back. “You mean, like, the movie…?” She asked, incredulously. She was almost positive that wasn’t what Tanya meant, but it was all she could think of.

TANYA

Now Tanya was confused. “What movie?”

True, Tanya had been around when the Leo DiCaprio project had hit theaters, but the twenty-two years between her death and her final year of Swynlake Secondary were honestly pretty blurry. Everything faded eventually— Tanya knew that if she stuck around Swynlake long enough, even her memories here would fade. That was part of the reason she knew it was time

She shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t know what happens in that movie, but revenants are basically a specific kind of ghost. There’s, like, complicated magic stuff that makes them difference, but the main thing is that they manifest really powerfully, so you usually can’t tell they’re even dead.” 

She looked at Angel uncertainly, trying to get a sense of whether she was getting it yet. 

ANGEL

"It was some movie with Leonardo DiCaprio," she said, though she honestly couldn't remember much more than that. She'd watched it with some guy whose couch she was crashing on, though they didn't "watch" the movie for long.

But it didn't matter. As Tanya began to explain about ghosts, Angel's eyes narrowed a bit, her brow knitting in confusion. "Okay...?"

It didn't take long for the pieces to start connecting. "Is that...what you are? Is that what you're saying?"

TANYA

People always had different reactions. Maybe that was why it never really got easier, telling people— you never knew exactly what they were going to say, or how they were going to feel about it. Just because someone was a good friend or a good person did not mean they handled supernatural shit well. So Tanya braced herself before she nodded and said, “Uh, yeah, basically.”

Angel’s expression was hard to read. So Tanya started rambling. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I don’t usually tell people, because it freaks them out- like, rightfully so- and sometimes they want to, like, try and banish me ‘cause they don’t think ghosts should stick around. Not that I got that vibe from you, but it’s like, you have to be careful who you tell. But, um, I kind of needed to tell you now, before…” 

She gulped. Oops. She hadn’t meant to start that part of the conversation. But maybe it was better to rip the Band-Aid off. “Before I go.”

ANGEL

At first, Angel was sure this was some kind of joke. She was sure that Tanya was about to assign her some kind of supernatural creature to be for their next escapade, since the whole college shtick never really fully took off. But as she began to ramble with that worried expression on her face, Angel sat up a little straighter.

Wait, was she being serious?

Angel opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it. Then opened it again. Go?? The words caught in her throat, and she had to swallow them back down.

For a lengthy, tense moment, she said nothing, her expression still unreadable. Finally, she began to nod slowly. "...Okay. That's, ah...a lot. Do you like, have ghost powers and shit, then?" She decided proving this aspect of reality would be a good place to start, mostly so she wouldn't have to face the other end of it.

TANYA

For a moment, Tanya couldn’t be sure that Angel believed her. It was a pretty crazy thing to say. Tanya wouldn’t blame her if Angel didn’t believe her. But from that long pause, from that unreadable look on her face, Tanya was pretty sure she had gotten the point across.

“Um, no, not really. Other than the, uh, thing where I’m already dead, so I can’t die again,” Tanya said, hoping the bluntness of the statement would make it all seem a little less far-fetched. “You, uh, believe me, right? I know it’s a lot. Like you said. But I wouldn’t make this shit up.” 

Tanya hoped so. There were ways to prove it, of course, all Tanya had to do was dig up some old news articles. But she really did want Angel to believe her. 

ANGEL

Did Angel believe her? She had been told some pretty ridiculous lies in the process of being abandoned. She’d come up with some gnarly lies doing the same. This was definitely up there, though. But in this Magick-friendly town, it wasn’t even the weirdest thing she’d experienced so far.

“It’s pretty wild, not gonna lie,” she finally said, not confirming her belief nor denying it either. Still dancing around the true matter of the conversation, she instead asked, “So like. Hoooow? Did you die? And when?” 

TANYA

That question actually momentarily stunned Tanya. People didn’t usually ask so directly. It was kind of an unspoken rule amongst the undead: you didn’t ask people how they died because the answer was usually pretty dark. But, then again, that was something Tanya had always liked about Angel. She was straightforward. And she wasn’t afraid of the dark.

She exhaled and laughed nervously. “Just going right for it, huh?” Tanya joked. She didn’t want Angel to think this was, like, a big deal. Even though it totally was. “Uh… yeah, so, basically, I used to be a sorcerer. Fire specialty, to be exact. And I was doing a spell on a roof, and I fucked it up, and, uh, yeah. Boom.” Her voice cracked, just a little bit, and she swallowed hard. “It was about twentyish years ago, give or take. Honestly, a lot of what happened between then and now is really fuzzy. I don’t really get to keep most of my memories in the afterlife for all that long. That’s part of why I think it’s probably time for me to, uh, move on. I don’t want to start forgetting things about Swynlake.”

It was just one part of it, but it was an important part of it. Tanya used to think it was a rare blessing of being dead, that she didn’t have to remember the worst parts of her afterlife. But being in Swynlake had changed her mind.

ANGEL

Angel's eyebrows and hackles raised when Tanya revealed that she'd been a sorcerer. It was instinctual at this point--logically, she knew that not all sorcerers were "like that", but it still was disconcerting every time she came face to face with one. Did she still have her powers all this time and Angel didn't know? Did Tanya always have this secret leg up on her that she could use at any moment--

It was when Tanya's voice cracked that she was drawn out of her paranoid spiral. It was the first time either of them had shared that kind of emotion, instead of smothering it under dozens of layers of sarcasm and irony. That was when Angel knew this was real. And none of that other shit mattered.

"...Shit. Wow. Uhm," her throat grew dry. She was running out of detours to take avoiding the inevitable. So, she skirted around the edge. "So like. "Moving on", what does that...mean?" She asked, though pretended to be too focused on braiding her hair to look at Tanya directly.

TANYA

Tanya noticed the alarmed look on Angel’s face, but it could have been for any number of reasons. She didn’t suspect it was because Angel thought she still had her powers or anything. She figured it was just because the story was, uh, kind of gruesome.Or maybe it was because she didn’t know about that ghostly memories thing.

Angel’s question, though… that was hard to explain. Tanya felt like she understood it, but she didn’t quite know how to make it translate for mortals. Because it wasn’t like dying. Tanya was already dead. It was… something else. 

“It’s kind of like- well, the thing about ghosts is, like, they’re dead, right? But not in the same way most dead people are dead. Like, when most people are dead, they don’t become ghosts, they just go on to… well, whatever you believe happens after you die, I guess. Heaven, or purgatory, or reincarnation, or, like, nothing. But ghosts get stuck in between. So… I’m getting myself unstuck, sort of. Does that make any sense? It’s okay if it doesn’t.”

ANGEL

"No, I get it," Angel insisted. At least, she was pretty sure she did. It wasn't all that different from living. Once you decided it was time to move on, you just went. You didn't always know where you were going to end up until you were there. And no one knew where you end up when you die. It's not like anyone could come back to tell you.

But there was a difference, wasn't there? When you're alive and move to someplace new, it was your choice. Was this Tanya's choice? If so, why?

'Why are you leaving me?'

A twinge of disgust soured in the back of her throat as the thought crossed her mind. Fucking stupid. This happened every time. She got close to someone, and then they'd leave. But they didn't owe Angel to stay, just like she didn't owe the countless people she'd left first. They didn't even know each other all that long, and their friendship was built on an endless series of lies and falsehoods. It was nothing. This was nothing.

Then why was a lump forming in her throat?

She quickly swallowed it down and rolled her neck, letting some of her long hair fall into her face to hide her expression. "So uhm," her voice wavered just a twinge and she cleared her throat aggressively. "Do you just get to like, go whenever you want? How do you uh..."unstick"?"

TANYA

Tanya knew what Angel was doing. Avoiding meeting her eyes. Asking all these practical questions. She was trying not to freak out, like Tanya had asked her not to. But it was kind of a freaky thing. Tanya couldn’t really blame her for her reaction.

“Uh- basically, yeah, I guess. The whole reason I was stuck was because I was really scared of it, you know? Like… the unknown of it and all. I was holding onto this afterlife thing really tightly because it was the thing I knew. But I’m not that scared anymore. And I think whatever’s next, I think it’ll be worth it. I just want to take care of some stuff first, and then… yeah. I’ll go.”

She paused. Tanya didn’t actually know Angel that well. If they’d had more time together, maybe they would have been really good friends. But Tanya still considered her a friend, and she wanted to check in.

“Are you okay? I know this is, like, a lot.”

ANGEL

"Yeah, I'm fine," Angel said too quickly, too aggressively. She forced a jaded smile to keep her expression from betraying her. "I'm jealous, actually. Wish I could just fuck off like that."

She knew it was wrong the moment it left her mouth. It was just how she did things. Push people away at the last second so that no one could see her at her most vulnerable. But what good was it to do that with Tanya? She was moving the fuck on with her life--literally. She wasn't going to remember Angel as a cool girl or a bitch or anything. And she didn't have to tell her any of this. She could've just moved on and Angel wouldn't have known. Tanya was trying to do the right thing and she was repaying it by throwing it back in her face.

"Fuck-- I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I just-- yeah, it is a lot. And I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Like, congratulations? I'm happy for you?" That felt a little more right, so she leaned into it. "I am. That kind of sureity, like, knowing you're ready and being ready...I can't imagine what that feels like. I don't know fucking shit."

There was a heavy pause before she took a deep breath. "I appreciate you telling me. You don't owe me shit so the fact that you cared enough to say anything is...more than a lot of other people ever gave me. So...thanks." Building up as much courage as she could, she tilted her head and peeked at Tanya through a gap in her curtained hair, offering the barest smile.

TANYA

A year ago, that would have really pissed Tanya off. Jealous of a dead girl? No way she was. No way she understood how much it sucked. Mortals never appreciated what they had and all that-

And Tanya knew that would have pissed her off because Gem used to say shit like that. And they would fight about it. She wondered if Angel knew Gem. They had a lot in common, actually, Tanya thought.

Anyway, that wasn’t the point— the point was that a lot had changed since then. Tanya had accepted that this was the hand she’d been dealt, that this was how things had turned out for her and she couldn’t change the past. It didn’t make it fair, but being bitter and angry and only ever made things worse for her.

So now it just made her kind of sad. But in the same way that Tanya believed that Gem would come to appreciate what he had someday, that he would come to really love this life— so would Angel.

She had to appreciate, too, what Angel was saying. Because that part didn’t remind her of Gem, necessarily— it reminded Tanya of herself. How hard it was to express when you cared about people. When you considered them one of your friends. It had taken over a year of friendship with Mim even to admit that. So Tanya thought Angel was doing okay, all things considered. 

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize. That’s why I asked. I know it’s a lot,” Tanya said, returning the smile. “And… look, for what it’s worth… the reason I’m doing this isn’t because I want to fuck off. It’s not because I don’t want to live. It’s because these past couple of years have taught me just how much I miss it, life. How much I love it. And I don’t know what happens next, but I feel like it’s my best shot at something like it. That’s not guaranteed, I mean, it’s like I said– nobody really knows what comes after this. But I really want to believe it’s something like life. Or maybe something even better. So… I actually really don’t know shit. But that’s okay. That’s… kind of the whole point, I guess.”

ANGEL

Well, she wasn't yelling at her, or telling her to fuck off, so maybe she didn't fuck things up--for once. Of course the first time would be with someone who was about to disappear forever.

She listened to what she had to say and nodded along. "Yeah, I...I think I get it." At least, as much as someone who had never experienced anything remotely similar could get it. At the very least, she "got" that Tanya sounded sure about this, sincerely. That kind of sincerity was something that Angel couldn't even fake.

A silence hung in the air for a bit before she spoke. "Hey, you want to know something wild? You're a ghost...I'm a werewolf."

TANYA

Tanya raised her eyebrows in kind of an amused way, as though maybe Angel was making a joke. But she wasn’t. 

Well, shit.

Obviously, it didn’t matter. There had been a time when Tanya had been afraid of werewolves, but you kind of gained a new perspective on “scary” Magicks when you became one. It was actually kind of nice to know, now that Tanya thought about it. Obviously, their experiences were not the same, but they weren’t completely different, right? They’d both had secrets. Maybe that was part of the reason they’d been drawn to one another in the first place. Because on some level, they both kind of understood that. 

She smiled. “Well, look at us, huh? Couple of Halloween asses,” she joked. Then Tanya got a bit more serious. “No, but, uh, that’s cool. I mean, I dunno if it’s cool, I know people feel differently about that stuff, but what I mean is, like, we’re cool. I won’t tell anyone or anything, don’t worry. Is it, uh, is it a new thing?” 

ANGEL

"I know, right?" She snorted and smirked at the Halloween comment. That was probably the best way Tanya could've reacted. Then again, she didn't really have anything to be scared of, right? It's not like Angel could bite her and bring her back to life, right?

...

Right, no, that would be stupid. She didn't suggest it. She was grateful that Tanya took it so well. She wasn't really worried about her telling anyone because why would she? Even worsties wouldn't do that.

She shook her head. "No, I was born this way. My dad was a werewolf, but he left before I was born. And my mom, uh...couldn't handle it," she said carefully. "So I grew up in the foster care system. It fucking sucked, and eventually they just handed me over to a sorcerer who drugged me with wolfsbane for the entirety of my adolescent life. I ran away, and have been pretty much been hopping place to place since."

She didn't know why she was explaining this. She hadn't told anyone in so long. And the secrets kept spilling out, those she hadn't yet told anyone. "That's why I came to Swynlake. I heard my dad might be here. But I haven't found shit. I don't even know what I'd do if I found him. I feel like I might just kill him."

"I don't know what I'm still doing here," she admitted before it fell silent. In the quiet, her mind caught up with her mouth and she felt shame begin to rise. "Fuck. Sorry, didn't mean to trauma dump on you."

TANYA

It didn’t really feel like trauma-dumping to Tanya. Well, it was traumatic for sure, but it wasn’t like Angel was a stranger, and it wasn’t like Tanya hadn’t kind of teed her up for that. Mostly, Tanya was just kind of surprised that Angel was telling her all of this, considering how private she seemed about most things.

Maybe it was some kind of response to finding out Tanya was leaving or something. It wasn’t like Tanya could tell anyone after she was gone. Or maybe she felt like she could talk about it now that Tanya was being so honest. It was probably a combination of things, Tanya reflected.

“It’s okay. It helps to talk about it sometimes,” Tanya suggested. She paused and took a deep breath before answering. “I… that’s shit, Angel, I’m really sorry. I mean, you didn’t deserve all that. No one does, especially not when you’re a kid. And I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to kill him, honestly, for leaving you like that. But there’s gotta be other reasons to stick around here, right?”

ANGEL

Angel felt like kicking herself. Here Tanya was telling her that she didn't deserve it and all that comforting bullshit that felt completely alien to her. She didn't need comfort, she needed-- what? Revenge? Maybe. But the comfort made her feel weak, as if she hadn't been strong enough to endure it. 

But she knew that isn't what Tanya meant. This was how normal humans spoke to each other, or at least were supposed to. She knew she meant well. So even though it made her skin crawl and her wolf pace around uncertainly, she just accepted it with a nod. She couldn't bring herself to say anything, though.

The last question caught her off guard. She glanced to Tanya, brow furrowing. "...Is there? I mean, you're not."

TANYA

Well, Tanya couldn’t deny that. She’d just told Angel she was leaving. But it was different, wasn’t it? It felt different. Because Tanya could have made a choice a long time ago to run from Swynlake when things started getting too real. The fact that she hadn’t felt important, even if the story was ending this way.

“...It’s not because I don’t want to be here,” Tanya said heavily, fiddling with her sweatshirt sleeve. “If it was, I would’ve done it a long time ago. I hated this place when I first got here. And I came really close to running off a few times, because people found out my secret or just because I started actually giving a fuck about people here and that scared me. But I stayed anyway, and… well, I’m actually really glad I did. I’m leaving now because I love the afterlife I created here, and I know that it’s time. I know that probably doesn’t make any sense, but… I dunno.”

She looked at Angel. “I can’t tell you what to do, Angel. You’ve got to figure that out for yourself. But I will say that my friends here— and yeah, it took me a long-ass time to admit they were my friends— they’re good people, and they’re not perfect, but they’re good, and I think you should talk to them after I’m gone. That’s all.”

Angel:

Angel looked up at Tanya as she spoke. Because in the end, she didn't get it. She was happy here and that meant it was time to leave? How did that work? Was it even possible for ghosts to go anywhere else or were you stuck in one place with the after-afterlife being your only escape?

But there were other things that she connected with deeply. The feeling of wanting to run away when you started to give a fuck about people--she'd done that more than a few times. Maybe that's part of why she was considering leaving now. Would this place just remind her of the first friend she'd made in how long?

Then Tanya mentioned her friends, and how she should talk to them after. Mim was the only one she had met, but there were others that she had mentioned before too. "How are...they handling all this?"

TANYA 

Tanya shrugged. She didn’t know, honestly, how to assess anyone’s response— but she understood maybe it would be helpful to Angel to know. 

“I mean, it’s complicated for everyone,” Tanya admitted. “I think it’s a little easier that some of them already knew I was a ghost. But there’s some people, like you, that I had to explain all of it at once. I wish I didn’t. I wish you had more time to process the ghost thing first.”

That was something she regretted, but there wasn’t much she could do about it now. There was no easy way to go about this, after all. 

“But yeah, I guess there isn’t much of a right way to handle this. All I can really ask is that people support me. And… well, there’s one more thing I’m asking people. If that’s okay.” 

ANGEL

Angel nodded small. Yeah, there were people out there who knew Tanya was a ghost. She couldn't help but wonder, would she have ever told her, if their friendship had lasted long enough? Then again, would Angel have revealed her secret?

In the end, there was no point dwelling on it. Instead she sighed but smirked. "It's fine. I'm sure I would've been really excited to come up with a storyline where Danielle kills Ta-bitch-a who then spends her afterlife haunting her." The least she could do was bring some levity to the situation. "You know, maybe I should pursue a career writing for the CW. Think I'd be good at it. I'll give you co-writing credit, obvi."

Her smarmy expression dropped a bit when Tanya asked for one more thing. "...What is it?"

TANYA

Tanya laughed. This was one of the things she liked about Angel. She was funny, and she knew the value of a well-placed joke when things got a little intense. Once again, Tanya wished she had more time with her. But she just had to hope that would work out for Angel, whether it was a joke or not, whatever she wanted to do.

“Uh, do you know what a zine is?” Tanya asked, then decided just to explain it anyway. A lot of people her age didn’t. “It’s basically, like, a homemade version of a magazine, but with less celebrities and more, like, cool shit. Like art, and music, and photos and collages and stuff. I used to be really into making them when I was alive, and I wanted to make one to leave here after I go. I’m asking all my friends and stuff to put something in it. Would… you wanna be a part of that?” 

ANGEL

"Uh, yeah, I know what a zine is," she replied incredulously. It was basically her main form of entertainment while she was out on the streets. Most of the time they were free and always about the most niche topics you could find. But why would Tanya know that about her? There was so much they didn't know about each other--so much they didn't get the chance to. It brought an uncomfortable heaviness to her chest, but she quickly tried to move past it. She wasn't going to bring the mood down.

"Yeah, that sounds cool," she replied with a smile. "What's going to happen afterward? Are we all going to get one, or is it going to be a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants type situation?"

TANYA

That reference was lost on Tanya, so she gave Angel a brief quizzical look before she decided just to move on with it. Probably not important. They didn’t have a lot of time. And Tanya knew what Angel meant, anyway.

“Oh, I was just gonna keep it in the library at the Inn. Seems like a pretty fitting place to put a ghost zine,” she explained, still not fully used to Angel knowing about her, though it had quickly become surprisingly easy to talk about. “I figured that way people can go look at it whenever they want. And then it sort of belongs to everyone.”

ANGEL

Angel's expression dropped slightly at the mention of the Inn. "Right, yeah," she replied, a bit far off. Should she tell Tanya about her experience? She'd gone out of her way to offer her a job--maybe even the position she was leaving behind.

Well, why not. "So, about the Inn. I connected with the manager--at speed dating by the way, she's super cute but I don't think she was into me--anyway, we set up a time for an interview but when I went there...the place reeked of vampires. And lots of other Magicks too, but mostly vampires. So I didn't think I'd be a real "welcome" employee and I just...didn't show up. I hope that didn't make you look bad or anything--for referring me."

TANYA

Oh, right. Tanya had forgotten about the whole werewolf-vampire thing. Well, she did know about it, but it wasn’t the first thing she’d thought of when Angel told her she was a vampire. Tanya’s face fell.

“Oh, no, that’s okay- I really don’t care, Snow and I are friends, so she wouldn’t hold anything like that against me. But…” Tanya looked up at Angel again. “Would that make it hard for you to go look at the zine? If you don’t like being at the Inn? Sorry, I didn’t even think of that…”

ANGEL

Angel shrugged. "Nah, it'll be fine. I actually live next door to a vampire so I have to deal with the smell a lot. I just didn't want to have to smell it at home and at work, you know what I mean? But if it's just for a visit, then yeah. Honestly, I'd be more worried about offending the hoity toity vampire customers than me."

A silence fell over them, a natural end to the conversation. Angel wondered if there was more she should say, before it was too late. But what else was there to address?

Probably the weight that still continued to pull inside her, threatening to drag her down. She put everything she could into ignoring it. While Tanya was here, in front of her, she didn't want to let any more vulnerability slip out than there already was. For their final moments together, she'd remain the cool girl, the chill friend who was totally whatever about their friend dying.

After all, she would have all the time in the world to fall apart after she was gone.

Finally, she rolled her shoulders and stood up from the bench. "Come on, let's go to campus and grab a snack," she offered, their first meeting grounds to be the final resting place of their relationship. She held out a hand and grinned. "We gotta come up with the brilliantly tragic way that Tabitha goes out."

TANYA

Tanya grinned. She knew this couldn’t be easy for Angel. Even to other Magicks, ghost shit was hard. That was something Tanya had learned over these past few weeks— over these past twenty-five years, too, though that past was distant and hazy now. She could tell Angel was just being strong for her. And for once, that didn’t embarrass Tanya or make her feel bad. It just made her feel lucky to have such good friends.

She took Angel’s hand and followed her. “Space shuttle malfunction. She was going to be the first heiress on Mars,” Tanya decided. “Unless you can think of a better one!”

And they were back in the game, back in their familiar rhythm. And Tanya wouldn’t have it any other way. This was how Tanya wanted Angel to remember her: laughing, making fun of people, being a stupid kid, not an angsty ghost. Because reminders of that were everywhere. But this, this thing they had? Much more rare and special.

#angel #if the sky is pink and white