#she cares about her friend but it's also an emergency situation

[putradisguiser]

Maa Satjaree’s Servant

David was living the dream - a successful CEO with his own startup, multiple businesses, and the freedom to travel the world. Growing up, he'd always had it good, thanks to his dad's high powered job at a major insurance company in the US. Now, he was living in the laidback town of Pranburi, Thailand with his gorgeous Thai girlfriend, Kanom.

While Kanom provided great comfort and passion, she also came with her share of dramatic ups and downs. Her temper could flare up suddenly, usually about some trivial matter. David often found himself playing the role of peacemaker in her many quarrels with friends and family. It growing tiresome at times.

Before moving to Thailand and meeting Kanom, he'd been married to Michelle, and they had a little girl, India, who had just turned 6. But things had gone south, and now David and Michelle were separated, with Michelle and India still living in his mansion back in Orlando.

His thoughts drifted to his daughter, India. He missed her dearly and tried to visit as much as his busy schedule allowed. Though separated from her mother, he still cared deeply about her happiness and well being. Face timing with her every week helped, but it wasn't the same as seeing her in person.

David was on the phone again, pacing anxiously on the balcony. Kanom watched from behind over hearing him and waiting impatiently for him to finish the call. As David hung up, Kanom came striding down to meet him. "David! What the hell?! You already promised me! What do you mean you’re gonna go back to the States?!"

David let out a long sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Another fight with Kanom was the last thing he needed today.

"Candy, please try to understand," he began in a calm but tired tone. "My mother has been in and out of the hospital for weeks. The doctors aren't sure what's wrong but she's in a lot of pain. I need to fly back to the States to be with her."

Kanom's eyes flashed with irritation. "But why does it have to be next week? Tangkwa's party is important! All my friends and family will be there and they want to meet you!"

David ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Reasoning with Kanom was like banging his head against a wall. Ever since they met two years ago at a Preston's beach party in Hua Hin, she had seemed perfectly content as his girlfriend - at least initially. But lately she'd been growing more demanding and possessive of both his time and money.

Her family came from humble means in rural Prachuap Khiri Khan, and David understood the allure of his wealth and status. At the start he didn't mind lavishing her with gifts. But Kanom was beginning to wear him down with her constant partying, spending sprees, and now this obsession with flaunting their relationship.

Worse still was her jealousy over his past. Even though his marriage had ended years ago, Kanom was convinced he still harbored feelings for his ex-wife Michelle. The accusations and distrust were grinding him down.

David took a deep breath, trying to keep his patience. "Candy, my mom's health is the top priority right now. I'll only be in the States for a week, 2 weeks max. I promise I'll be back for Tangkwa's party."

Kanom shook her head stubbornly. "It's always something with your family. Work, your daughter and your mother. When are you ever going to choose me?!"

Her words stung, but David refused to take the bait. Arguing would only make the situation worse. "Nothing is more important to me than you and our life here. But family emergencies happen, and I need to be there for my mom."

"You know I care about you," he said. "But my mom’s health is my top priority now. I need to be there in case..." He trailed off, not wanting to voice the possibility out loud.

Kanom's face twisted in anger and frustration. David knew this reaction all too well by now, the dramatics were sure to escalate if he didn't diffuse the situation.

Her lip started to quiver in a way he knew all too well. The waterworks were coming. "But I love you and we're supposed to be together. Don't you love me anymore?"

As the first tears threatened to fall, David pulled her into a hug despite her resisting at first. "Of course I love you, Candy. But I have responsibilities I can't ignore. This is just for a little while."

She melted into his embrace then, crying softly into his shirt. David gently stroked her hair, hoping to soothe her fragile emotions. Inside, though, doubts nagged at him. Was this really the stable future he wanted? Or was it time for a change before things went too far?

Two days before David's trip back to Palm Beach to visit his mom…

The sun was setting, casting a golden and pink glow on the beach and David was chatting with his friends at the beachside bar he owned. The place had a lively atmosphere, with laughter filling the air. His laidback demeanor masking the underlying tension he could feel. Across the room, Kanom was deep in conversation with her sister, Tangkwa, but her eyes kept drifting towards David.

"Hey sis, why the stare? You gotta stop looking at him like that; it's kinda creepy," Tangkwa said, noticing her sister's intense gaze. "I can't help it. I just don't trust him," Kanom replied, her eyes darting back to David. "There's something about him that makes me uneasy..."

"What do you mean? He's a great guy and we all know it. Maybe you're just jealous that one of those guys hitting on him?" Tangkwa teased, knowing her sister's obsession with David.

"You just don't understand. I just can't bring myself to trust him. I have this feeling that he's still talking about his ex wife. What if one of those guys is a friend of hers? I need to make sure he's all mine!" Kanom said. Tangkwa sighed, knowing this was a lost cause.

"Anyway, how's Khun Maa? I haven't seen her in a while." asked Kanom. "She's at home, went to Korat for some 'business'," Tangkwa responded, a hint of unease in her tone. "I don't think you should meet her now, sis. You know how she is these days— a bit much. I'd think twice before bothering her. Unless you wanna risk it."

Kanom's eyes narrowed, a determined glint sparking within. "I need to talk to her. I have something I need to ask for."

"Don't!" Tangkwa interjected, "She's in no mood to deal with anyone right now, let it go. Besides, Khun Maa seems like she doesn't want to be bothered right now." she urged.

But Kanom was unmoved, her desperation palpable. "I have no choice. I have to keep David for me!" Tangkwa tried to reason with her, but Kanom's mind was made up. She was going to seek the aid from Mother Satjaree, Kanom's powerful, great aunt who also a a witch whose witchcraft was rumored to be both so powerful and dangerous.

Tangkwa's eyes widened at the mention of doing a witchcraft to David. She knew her sister was capable of desperate measures. "Don't even think about it! It's dangerous, Kanom! Khun Maa is really powerful and messing with her isn't wise!" she warned.

Kanom's eyes sparkled with a dangerous determination. “I can't! I have to make sure David is mine, only mine! I'll do whatever it takes!" Kanom said her voice rising with desperation. David remained oblivious to the brewing storm.

As the sisters argued, David approached them, greeting Tangkwa and asking if she'd like another rum runner. She politely nodded, a big smile on her face.

David then looked up at his girlfriend, Kanom, and offered her a small smile. There was something about her vibe lately that made him a bit uncomfortable, and he suspected it had to do with his upcoming trip to visit his sick mother in Florida.

"Sorry, Tangkwa, I don't think I'll be able to make it to your birthday party," David said apologetically. "My mom is pretty sick, and I need to go back to Florida to be with her. But I can send you the presents later, if that's okay?"

Tangkwa's face fell slightly, but she quickly recovered "Oh no… well, that's too bad. I was really hoping you could come, but I understand your mother is your top priority right now!"

Kanom glared at Tangkwa, subtly shoving her shoulder as the sisters exchanged a tense look. After mingling and chatting a bit more, David and Kanom headed home.

Once there, David announced, "Babe, I'm taking a shower and then going straight to bed, okay?" Kanom nodded, a strange glint in her eye as David disappeared into the bathroom.

As soon as David was out of sight, Kanom made a phone call to Maa Satjaree. She poured out her concerns about David's impending trip and her growing suspicions about Michelle. Mother Satjaree listened and then offered a solution.

"But both of you must sleep together, after you come to my place," she instructed. "That's the only way the magic will bind David to you. And I'll need his essence as well - tonight."

Kanom agreed to Mother Satjaree's request, then set about gathering the necessary items - David's worn, damp briefs, a few strands of his hair and a small drop of her own blood.

As David stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed, Kanom greeted him with a sweet kiss. He yawned and stretched, then crawled into bed, not noticing Kanom's furtive actions.

She waited until his breathing deepened, signaling he was fast asleep. Then, with a quick, careful movement, she plucked several strands of his blonde hair, placing them in a small ziplock bag. and sent them to Maa Satjaree's home.

The next morning, Kanom approached David with a sly smile. "Babe, can we go somewhere today? My ‘grandma’ is visiting and she's dying to meet you!"

David hesitated, already planning his trip to Bangkok and onward to Miami. "But I need to go to the grocery store to pick up some things. And I have a flight to Bangkok tonight."

"Don't worry!" Kanom interrupted, her eyes gleaming. "I already called her and she understands you can't be gone for long. Please~ she's so excited to see you! It'll be quick, I promise!"

David sighed, unable to resist Kanom's pleading. "Okay, but no more than an hour." Kanom beamed, already knowing that her plan was falling into place.

David followed Kanom, slightly apprehensive but trusting her. As they pulled up to a modest yet well-kept home on the outskirts of town, Kanom turned to him with a bright smile. Something about this impromptu visit to meet her grandmother didn't sit quite right with him, especially given his impending trip back to the States.

"We're here~ This is my grandmother's place. I know it's not much, but she's so excited to meet you!" Kanom said, practically bouncing with giddy anticipation.

David forced a smile, his instincts telling him that something wasn't quite right. "Alright, let's make this quick then. I really do need to get to Big C and catch my flight."

Kanom nodded, "Of course, of course~ Come on, she's waiting inside." They made their way to the front door, which opened before Kanom could even knock. There stood an elderly woman, her weathered features set in a warm, welcoming expression.

"Ah, you must be David! Kanom has told me so much about you," the woman said, her voice carrying a melodic lilt. She ushered them inside, her gaze never leaving David's face. David felt a slight unease settle in the pit of his stomach, but he pushed it aside, determined to be polite. "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

The woman - whom he assumed was Kanom's grandmother - smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. David felt a shiver run down his spine, as if the old woman could somehow see into the depths of his soul. He cleared his throat nervously, offering a polite smile. Kanom practically beamed, ushering David inside. "Grandma~ this is my David. Isn't he just the most handsome man you've ever seen~"

Mother Satjaree's lips curled into a enigmatic smile as she appraised David, her keen eyes piercing into him. "Well, indeed, my child. He is quite... captivating. Please, call me Maa Satjaree. And the pleasure is all mine." Despite her appearance she spoke English very well.

David's unease grew, and he cautiously followed the two women deeper into the house, unsure of what to expect. As they entered the living room, his gaze was drawn to an altar adorned with candles, traditional masks, paintings and other mystical looking objects.

"Please, have a seat," Maa Satjaree said, gesturing to a wooden craft chair. "We have so much to talk. I’ll go and make you guys ‘tea’." He could've sworn he saw a flash of something unsettling flicker across the room.

David swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. Something told him that this was no ordinary visit, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to be swept into a world he never could have imagined.

Maa Satjaree came back with a tray of three cups of teas. She gave David the tea with cup made from a clay and nicely crafted with Thai mythical being. As he bring it closer to his mouth he smelled something really awful, he almost threw up. “God…”

Kanom’s happy face turned into a worry “Babe, you okay? Why don’t you drink the tea?” Maa Satjaree looked him deeply she didn’t offended or anything. “The smell… it’s awful…” said David with a disgusted and sick look.

Maa Satjaree chuckled softly, “It’s a special tea. It’s made from natural and healthy herbs I grow in my garden. You probably never had it before so of course you couldn’t take the smell but they’re good for your health and stamina. Especially you’re going to have such a long trip back to Florida, yes?”

David look at her in surprised. How did she knew he was going to Florida? Then she looked up to Kanom “Yeah I said it. So she can’t lock you here forever, right?” She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Please drink the tea.” Maa Satjaree said while also pretending to drink hers so did Kanom. David felt so uneasy he didn’t want to drink it but he forced it. As he finished gulped it down in disgust, Maa Satjaree relief. They continued to having a small conversation.

But suddenly midway conversation, David felt something lodge inside his throat. It felt like a hair stuck and tingling his throat. He groaned and coughed but the sensation getting more awful.

The weird sensations grew stronger, David's stomach churning uncomfortably. He tried to groan and pull up whatever was stuck in his throat, but the words caught in his constricted windpipe. Suddenly, his body began to shake, a pulsing sensation appearing in his groin especially in his taint and prostate.

"Mmmph...!" David whimpered, the strange feelings both unsettling and strangely pleasurable. He ran to the other side of the room, shoving his fingers into his mouth in a desperate attempt to dislodge whatever was causing the discomfort.

With a sharp tug, he pulled out a long, thick lock of hair - far more than should have been possible. David's eyes widened in shock and fear as he kept pulling, the hair seemingly endless.

"F-Fuck!" he cried out, bewildered by the sight.

With one final, strong pull, a terrifying, ghostly face emerged from his mouth, its gaping maw revealing sharp, serpentine teeth and a long, forked tongue. The specter let out a blood-curdling scream before diving back into David's open mouth and slithering down his body.

David's form convulsed violently as the entity fought for control. After what felt like an eternity of torment, his eyes went blank and lifeless, before suddenly regaining focus - but there was a sinister edge to his gaze now.

The 'new' David walked back to the room, his movements subtly altered. He approached Mother Satjaree and bowed respectfully, standing before her like a statue awaiting her commands. Kanom's eyes were wide with shock. "Wait, so who the hell is inside him, Khun yai?!" she demanded.

Mother Satjaree's lips curled into a chilling smile. "It's the 'magic.' David is still there, but he no longer has free will. He will do anything you please." She turned to the possessed man. "Putt, are you in there?"

'David' nodded, his voice devoid of emotion as he replied in flawless Thai. "ครับ…", (Yes…) Kanom's mouth hung open, her triumph over David's capture tinged with a hint of unease.

Then Maa Satjaree escorted both Kanom and the possessed ‘David’ to a secluded room, a dark, knowing glint in her eyes. "Onto the next ritual, then," She exchanged an unsettling smirk with the possessed 'David.'

Without warning, this new, sinister David grabbed hold of Kanom and began kissing her passionately, his movements frenzied and hungry. He threw her onto the bed, a predatory grin spreading across his face. Kanom let out a surprised yelp, but it quickly morphed into a moan of pleasure as ‘David’ began ravishing her.

"Oh, slow down, David~ Damn!" Kanom breathed, only to be met with a sinister grin as "David" silenced her with a deep, sloppy kiss.

He pulled Kanom into a deep, sloppy kiss, their bodies intertwining as they hastily shed their clothes. 'David's' mouth trailed down her golden skin, caressing and teasing every sensitive spot. He cupped her boobs, kneading them roughly before focusing his attentions on her aching, erect nipples.

Kanom's head fell back, a loud moans spilling from her lips. "D-David..." she whimpered, lost in ecstasy. This was nothing like her experiences with the old David - this new, primal version of him was driving her wild.

'David's' mouth continued its explorations, finally reaching the apex of her thighs. He lapped at her pussy hungrily, his tongue working her into a frenzy. "S-Slow down a bit…" Kanom pleaded, her body trembling with sensations she'd never experience before with the former David.

Unable to contain himself any longer, 'David' lined himself up and thrust ‘his’ hard erected wet cock into her vagina, ‘he’ let out a deep monstrous moan as he began to fuck Kanom.

Meanwhile, behind the wall, Maa Satjaree observed the proceedings, completely naked as she pleasured herself. She could feel every sensation, every shudder of ecstasy that rippled through David and Kanom, her own desire building with each thrust. The dark magic amplifying the sex into the next level.

As David and Kanom's pleasure peaked, David's jaw unhinged inhumanly wide and a thick, slimy tentacle burst forth from his gullet. Kanom screamed in terror as the wriggling appendage lashed out, plunging straight down her throat.

She tried to scream but could only gurgle in terror as the tentacle tunneled deeper, beginning to drink her down. Blood sprayed in thick gouts as 'David's' body convulsed violently, every inch electrified by obscene pleasure while the tentacle sucked Kanom's very life force out through her.

Eyes rolling back until only the whites showed, 'David' rutted mindlessly. Tentacle gulping her down in time with the brutal pussy pounding. Kanom's groans of agony soon degraded to wet gurgles as she grew frailer and more withered by the second, visibly aging decades in mere minutes as her lifeforce was consumed.

Finally she was just a desiccated husk, falling still as 'David' noisily slurped down her last dregs, leaving only a skeleton splayed obscenely on the ruined bedsheets. Both 'David' and Maa Satjaree climaxed, Maa Satjaree collected her squirt juice in a golden Tibetan bowl.

David cracked his neck, eyes twirled crazily before refocusing. Gathering Kanom's bones, he tucked them neatly into a wooden box, leaving just her skull out.

From a drawer, he retrieved an all-black outfit and other thing. Grinning menacingly, 'he' picked up a wooden dildo, its shape an exact replica of David’s penis just painted in black. ‘David’ sucked the tip lewdly before spreading ‘his’ cheeks and slowly impaling ‘himself’ the wooden penis until it went deep inside of ‘him’. With a throaty groan, cum splattering out around ‘his’ erected pink cock.

Once dressed and stuffed, ‘David’ walked into the next room where Maa Satjaree waited. "Did you get her?" She asked. ‘He’ confirmed, presenting Kanom's skull with a smirk. Maa laughed, handing David the bowl of her juices. "Now drink this."

‘David’ gulped it all down greedily until the last drop. David’s phone rang - it was Mason, David brother. At Maa's nod, ‘David’ answered, altering his tone to his former self's.

"Sorry man, can't make it to mom. Gotta stay here... forever." ‘He’ hung up abruptly, crushing the phone to dust in ‘his’ supernatural grip.

‘He’ pulled Maa into a deep, sweet kiss then ‘David’ standing devoid of emotions next to her obediently, awaited Maa Satjaree orders, pure darkness burning behind his eyes…

#my writing #male possession #male tf #male transformation #m2mpossession #male body swap #male body switch #male possess #malepossession #mtm #stolen body #maletf #gay fantasy story #malebodyswap #maletransformation

[inkskinned]

so while i was writing the book, i became violently suicidal.

this was mostly due to the fact that i had a very bad reaction to some meds and my brain stopped producing any serotonin. also i was in the last semester of grad school where it's actually illegal to feel anything but dread. so it wasn't going well.

somewhere in the fog of it i became aware i needed help. nobody was taking clients or my insurance. i didn't want to do inpatient care - it wasn't right for my needs. there's not really an "in between" stage between "inpatient" and "no care," but i was trying to do the right thing. i was trying to activate the chain of command that was my emergency plan. i knew i needed help now.

i used betterhelp.

i know, i know. i'm a straight-A student and so smart and so clever, how could i ever use something so blatantly bad. to be honest with you, i didn't feel particularly keen on it from the getgo - things that seem too good to be true usually are. also, if something online is free, the price is usually your privacy.

the thing is that there was kind of a global pandemic happening at the time and i worked 5 jobs alongside of being a fulltime student and also like writing a book on the side. it is a miracle that i even thought about getting help. i would love to tell you i had the mental wherewithal to like, process whether this was the right choice for me. mostly i was desperate. i was so suicidal that i was trying to find a reason to stay inside of fortune cookies. i was the kind of suicidal that looks like splatterpaint. i hadn't been that bad in an entire decade.

they took my data. i gave them it freely. somewhere out there, they have a dossier on me. on everything i survived. my story in little datapoints, scattergraphed beautifully.

the first woman told me that really i should be grateful, because (and this is a direct quote): "at least you're not anne frank." i said that i felt that statement was antisemitic, as anne frank's life and experience shouldn't be compared to like, a nonbinary lesbian in western massachusetts. the therapist said that i should try to use lucid dreaming to try to picture myself in an actually scary situation, like running from nazis.

i applied for another therapist. i was willing to accept the possibility that there was a bad apple in the bunch. the next therapist and i even laughed about how inappropriate that statement was. and then, in our next session: the new therapist said if i was struggling with body image issues, i should just work harder on my appearance. she spent 3 sessions in a row talking about how she was grieving, and made me memorize facts about her grandmother so "she can live on through my clients."

i am a three's-a-charm kind of person. okay, so what if the last person made me uncomfortable. i figured it was just a misunderstanding of priorities - she had felt she was sharing with me, i had felt like i had to take care of her. i applied for another therapist.

the last woman asked me to help her pray. she bowed her head. i stared at her, frozen, while she said: lord, i beg you: cure her. take the pain of being gay away from her.

i spent somewhere between 2.5 and 3 months on betterhelp. in that whole time, i was not getting the professional help i so desperately needed, even though i was fucking trying.

in the end, i survived this because i finally could get off the meds that were literally killing me. a request for a real therapist finally went through. i survived because my friends saved my life. because nick let me sob myself dry in his arms. because maddie took the razors out of my room when i asked them to. because grace slept over in my bed for like 3 weeks in a row since nobody trusted me not to hurt myself when i was alone. i survived because i got fucking lucky. because even when i was desperately suicidal, i was too old and too self-aware to take "you need to be prettier" as good advice.

the thing is that there's a 19 year old me who isn't like that. who would have heard "just think about how grateful you should be" and said - oh, i see. i would have assumed that is what it means to be in therapy: the same thing my abusers used to tell me. that i am just pretending and lazy. that i am ugly and unworthy.

betterhelp positioned itself to take advantage of an incredibly vulnerable community. it preys on desperation. it knows it is serving people who are not doing well mentally. it saw that there is a huge need for real, immediate, compassionate mental health care: and then it fucking takes your money and privacy.

i still get their ads on instagram. last night i watched as a woman in a pool pretends to talk to a different woman. they discuss her anxiety.

there's a 19 year old version of me, and she didn't survive this. she was too tired, and drowning. i almost fucking died. this thing almost fucking killed me.

in the ad, the woman playing the therapist takes a note on a clipboard and then nods once, sagely.

i have to admit it's a pretty scene. the steam and light coming off the pool water lands on the actresses. like this, it almost looks baptismal, holy.

#writeblr #the book.... #coming soon #hey so if ur someone who has ever said “you need to write a book” #i wrote the book #it's ... probably the best thing ive ever written #this is maybe too honest lol #okay to reblog thank you for asking i love u i am in love with u our wedding will be in may

[ganondoodle]

so, inspired by the warm welcome the captain received with that rough doodle i posted, i made an updated design for Ki'ita as well (basic and with clothes)

i removed the piercings she had bc considering that they spend the majority of their time in arctic waters i think having metal directly in your skin is a bad idea, no matter how thick your blubber is; i also gave her typical white markings a green hue bc ... i liked how it looked and makes them stand out a little more

(i will not repeat what i wrote on the post about the captain but wanted to add a bit of more info about Ki'ita herself)

(i dont have ALL of their backstory done yet but) the captain and Ki'ita worked together in another organization, one in which the father of the captains child also worked at, before being betrayed and barely managing to escape, after which the both of them founded their pirate crew (possible name is the Solar Pirates bc of their solar powered boat stuff); since the captain had her daughter shortly afterwards Ki'ita managed most of the organisational matters at first, including the construction of their base on an abandoned island they had initially fled to

over the years they invented the solar powered ships that allowed them to gain control over a large part of an important trade route, leaving normal ships (mostly) alone but attacking those of hunters and similar, rescuing demons and mutants, even some humans from them, most of which also join the crew and it quickly lead to them becoming their own little community

Ki'ita does not like to spend alot of time among large groups of people, no matter how much she cares about them, and her originally being from norther lands gave her the idea to explore, and if viable, do underground missions in those norther areas to disrupt the infrastructure the hunters had built in recent years and overall keep the crew informed about things that may otherwise stay hidden; with each of their travels her time absent from the base increased but the patience of the captain is wearing thin so its likely a serious talk is underway on Ki'itas third solo mission she nearly died due to entanglement in abandoned nets made by hunters from an unknown material that she could not break, the massive scars on her tail especially come from that, only surviving bc the date they were supposed to return to the crew had passed and the captain grew to worried about her and made the entire crew rush into an emergency search, including the captain herself and her toddler, who were not suited for the cold climate just like the rest of crew, taking a huge risk that Ki'ita still feels ashamed of for causing; they stayed within the base for a whole year afterwards, not just to recover but also as a silent apology, taking time preparing herself to ensure theyd not get into a situation like that again

(before departing on their next mission the captain gifted her a sword with the blade made from the material of the net, a wooden handle, bc of the cold, and a blue wrap around it reminiscent of the captains striking blue teeth; a reminder of what had happened, a means to defend herself when their strength and teeth are not enough, and also a promise to always return again)

the oldest members of the crew know Ki'ita well and treat her like an old friend, among the newer members she has more of a .. cryptic status, the mysteriously absent vice-captain who only appears every few months or so out of thin air, throws a big party, sleeps for a few days and then vanishes again, the only hint to when they will return soon again being the captain getting noticably grumpier

(OC art, Ki'ita, she/they)

#ganondoodles #art #oc #original art #artists on tumblr #original character #character design #monster #man why do i keep writing such long texts #its not even that much i wrote here!! #sorry for the long post #idk if its good to write more about my ocs maybe i shouldnt? might make the post less rebloggable with so much text on it idk #right now im thinking about them actually having a kid together later on but i havent decided yet #their relationship is kinda out of the norm i guess #neither ever said they were in a relationship and neither does the crew know #and they are not overtly like a typical pair in love kinda thing #its hard to explain #they do love each other but its like super private while also not?? #like they never say publicly that they love each other nor kiss #but when youd hear the news that the captains having another child and its from kiita youd be like yup that makes sense #(also her nickname is Kiki but only the captain knows that) #ANYWAY #sorry for this sudden disconnected oc spam #i love these lads #and im so happy i got their design down more coherently #i spent over and hour writing all this argh i wanted to get more sleep for once damn it #just now noticed i fked up kiitas arm there #man #dont draw when you are tired and need to sleep kids

[talkdutchtome]

Two lines - Max Verstappen

pairing . . . max verstappen x reader )

genre . . . slight angst, fluff )

summary . . . a one night stand with the formula one world champion ends with an expected pregnancy, can the two of you figure out how to co-parent for the sake of the new life on the way )

requested?. . . based on this request )

warning . . . mentions of sex, one night stand, pregnancy, medical emergency, eclampsia, emergency c-section )

word count . . . 8.8k words )

a/n . . .this is without a doubt the longest and most in-depth piece of work i've done for this blog, i've worked so so hard on this so i hope you all love it. any and all feedback is welcome and encouraged; let me know what you think )

Two lines. Two lines is all it took to completely turn your life upside down. This morning you were feeling positive, life was going well. You had just got a promotion at your job; you were on the back of a great second date with a really lovely guy, you had plans to go out with your girls to celebrate. Life was good. But now, sat on a toilet in a cramped grocery store bathroom, you could almost see all of that goodness and light evaporate into thin air. Now the only thing that was positive was the pregnancy test that sat in the palms of your hands. You did want kids, but not like this. You wanted kids when you were settled down, married with a house and a dog. That was the plan; the plan that you had in your head since you were 11 years old. Grow up, climb the career ladder, meet the love of your life, get married, buy a house- then and only then have kids. Nowhere in that plan did it state have a one-night stand with a Formula One driver in a club bathroom and get pregnant, yet here you are. Two lines.  

Four weeks ago, your best friend Mia dragged you to a Formula One race. Neither of you particularly cared for the sport however she had just started dating Charles Leclerc and he had asked her to come and see him race, so she decided that you needed to come with her for support. After the race she also insisted you come with them to the nightclub for the same reason. Things were going fine, Charles was nice, his friends seemed okay. However, things took a turn when she and Charles disappeared halfway through the night leaving you alone with none other than Max Verstappen. It was awkward to say the least. He didn’t seem happy or in a particularly chatty mood so you both did what any reasonable adult would do in that situation- get black out drunk. One drink turned to two drinks, which turned to three and then four. Eventually, the mixed spirits in your system lead to the pair of you getting closer and closer together until the tension was unbearable and you ended up hiding away in the private bathroom with him. No contact details were exchanged by either of you, why would there be, it was a one-time thing - you were never going to see each other again, right?  

You hadn’t really thought about that night again until now. Mia and Charles’ relationship eventually fizzled out as quickly as it had started and your brief time in the world of Formula One had ended. Your focus was on Tom, the guy you were dating now. Fuck. Tom. How in the world are you supposed to tell a guy you have been on two dates with that you were pregnant? What were you meant to say at work? Thanks so much for the promotion, see you in a year? You were well and truly fucked. Should you tell Max? You wouldn’t even know how to contact him without going through Mia and that was not an option. You never told her that you even slept with him, you can’t just drop the fact that you’re pregnant with her ex-boyfriend’s best friend's baby. To put it plainly, you had no idea what the hell you were going to do.  

Four weeks later and you were slowly making your way through telling everyone who needed to be told, apart from the most important of course; you still hadn’t figured out how to tell Max. Telling your work was first, there wasn’t any issues there and it gave you a false sense of security, thinking that maybe everything would be okay. However, telling Tom did not go as well. After learning that the girl he had been casually dating had fallen pregnant, he essentially sprinted away from the situation, and you, as fast as he could. Then it was time to tell Mia, who for some reason found it hilarious; or at least until she realized that it meant she would have to contact Charles so you could tell Max. Your parents were upset at first but quickly warmed to the idea of being grandparents. As time went on, the dread you felt lessened and lessened and was replaced with excitement. You nicknamed the baby Little Bump and spoke to it every night. Even if this wasn’t what you planned, it was going to be okay. It was you and your Little Bump against the world.  

Even though you were content with raising the baby by yourself, the people in your life didn’t seem to agree. Your parents, who didn’t know who the father was, endlessly asked you about him and if he knew and if he wanted anything to do with it. Mia, however, who did know it was Max, held the position that Max had the right to know what was going on. It’s not like you didn’t agree with her, you did. But the fear of his reaction prevented you from being able to tell him. If he reacted badly and told you to go away and never come back, what were you supposed to do in 10 years' time when your child started asking why they didn’t have a dad. You couldn’t exactly tell that poor kid that he wanted nothing to do with us but if you tune into Sky Sports on a Sunday you might catch a glimpse of him.  

So, you didn’t tell him. You go through the motions of pregnancy without him. Morning sickness, scans and checkups. You were happy with your choice; you’d both be okay without him. But that all changed the second you felt your little bump kicking. The feeling of movement in your stomach made everything so much more real. No longer was the baby just a concept, but a real human being growing inside of you. It dawned on you then, that even if you were perfectly capable of raising Little Bump by yourself, this little baby was a privilege; and it was a privilege that Max should have the opportunity to have too.

You needed to tell him, that was decided. The next part was figuring out how. Luckily for you, a quick google search told you that the next Formula One race was in a city not too far out from where you lived. So, you go to the city you know he’s going to be in, Mia insists on coming with you, both for emotional support but also to make sure both you and Little Bump stay safe.  

The first issue to tackle when arriving is convincing Mia to call Charles. She never told you what happened between the two of them but whatever it was it was clearly not a clean break. The second obstacle was convincing Charles to actually give Mia Max’s number. Apparently phoning up your ex to ask for one of their best friend’s phone numbers isn’t really socially acceptable. However, after much persuasion he eventually gave it up; so now you were in the same city as him and you had his number. All that was left was to tell him. You typed up a message telling him everything; before swiftly deleting it and writing it again, and then again, and then again. The cycle went on for hours; you just didn’t know how to tell someone that you hardly knew that they were going to be a father. Eventually, you settled on sending a message simply asking him to meet you.  

You- Hi Max, It’s Y/N. We met the other week through Mia and Charles. I’m in town, could we meet? There’s something I need to talk to you about?  

Max- Oh hi yes Y/N I remember. I’m sorry I’m really busy with the race so I don’t have time for anything  

You- It is really quite important. Please. 

Max- Okay fine. Come to the track, I’ll put your name on the guest list, and I can give you 5 minutes before qualifying starts. 

The nerves were becoming unbearable now. You had thought about turning around and running away multiple times on the drive to see Max, but you preserved; not for yourself but for Little Bump who deserved a chance of having a dad. Arriving at the track, you did as he said and told the security that you were on the guest list, and they let you through without too much issue. The urge to run away became stronger the closer you got to actually talking to him, you just had a feeling that things were not going to end well but against your better judgement you sent a quick text message to Max informing him you were waiting for him in catering.  

The second you caught sight of him coming towards him you could have sworn Little Bump started kicking, affirming to you that you were making the right decision. This baby deserved a dad, and you couldn’t be the person who stood in the way of that.  

“Hey Y/N I’m in a bit of a rush. What was you needed?” He asked the second he got close enough to you for you to hear him. This was it. Now or never. You were going to tell him.  

“Max I’m-” you begin to speak before you are promptly cut off by a sudden surge of nausea. With one hand clamped to your mouth desperately trying not to embarrass yourself and vomit everywhere, you ran to the nearest bathroom, leaving a stunned Max Verstappen in your wake, wondering what the hell happened.  

After a sufficient time in the bathroom, you gingerly returned back to the catering area, expecting Max to be long gone; but to your surprise he was sat at the table you had just left, his face painted with worry. You couldn’t even imagine what he was thinking, a random one-night stand gets your number, demands to see you and then runs away to be sick; you couldn’t look more unstable if you tried. Despite this, however, Max had waited.  

“Are you okay Y/N? What just happened?” he asked  

“Oh yeah, I’m fine that’s nothing to worry about, it’s like this every morning.” The words left your mouth before you realized that maybe you shouldn’t have said that. The worry on Max’s face only increases with your comment. You can see he’s trying to find the words to ask you what the hell is going on and you’re aware that he needs to be getting ready for qualifying like now, so you bite the bullet and just come out with it.  

“Max I’m pregnant” you say before closing your eyes, not wanting to even see his reaction. You’re expecting shouting, frantic questions or denial; instead, you are met with silence. When your eyes open you are met with Max stood there white as a sheet looking like he was desperately trying not to pass out.  

“I know this is a bit of a shock, but I haven’t... with anyone else so it’s definitely-” you go to assure him that you’re sure that the baby is his but are interrupted by a women walk up and stand in between the both of you.  

“Hey baby I was looking for you everywhere” the woman spoke before wrapping her arms around Max and pulling Max into a hug. If Max looked like he was going to pass out before, he looked like he was about to drop down dead now.  

“Hey Beth, I just came down for a coffee and bumped into Y/N, she’s Charles’ friend.” Max said, barely able to get the words out. The women, Beth, turned to look at you for the first time.  

“Hi I’m Beth; Max’s girlfriend.” Beth said as she stuck her hand out for you to shake and you felt the feeling of nausea come back- Max having a girlfriend would make this whole situation a lot more complicated. You forced a smile and shook her hand, trying desperately not to need to be sick again. 

“Oh Hi, yeah I’m Charles friend.” That’s a lie, you hadn’t spent more than a few hours with Charles in your life and he spent the majority of them with his tongue down Mia’s throat. 

“How long have you been together?”  

“2 years.” Beth’s words made your heart drop. Two years? There’s no way you could have heard that right. You look to Max for clarification that you misheard Beth, but he had his eyes closed, trying desperately to wish away this conversation. 

“Beth, you go on I’ll just grab my coffee and come and catch up with you.” Max finally spoke up after a while of silence and even though Beth didn’t seem to like that idea very much, she did as he said and walked away. Once Max was sure she was out of earshot he began speaking again.  

“Look I really can’t do this here. Text me the address of your hotel and I’ll come around tonight.” he told you before walking away. Maybe that was a positive thing, you thought to yourself, at least he wants to talk about it and not just pretend he didn’t hear you and move on.  

You had been pacing around your hotel room since you arrived back after speaking to Max at the track, deeply regretting ever coming and telling him. With Max having a girlfriend there is almost no chance that he would want to be a part of your and Little Bump’s life, especially if he did cheat on his girlfriend with you like you assumed. The thought made you sick, you had been cheated on before and it killed you and to think that you played a part in her pain drove you insane. You were infuriated at Max; so, when he knocked on your door that night you were prepared to tear him a new one. But when he walked on the room in silence, looking like a man who had lost all hope, the anger you felt seemed to slip away.  

“Are you sure?” he asked after a few moments of awkward silence between the two of you. His voice seemed so much weaker than you remembered it all those months ago, he didn’t look like a confident two-time world champion like he did when the two of you got in this mess, he looked small and frail.  

“Yeah, Max, I’m sure. But I understand why you wouldn’t be able to just take my word for it so when Little Bump is born, I’m happy to do a paternity test” 

“Little Bump?” 

“Yeah, I haven’t found out the gender yet so that’s what I’ve been calling it.” You could have sworn you saw the smallest smile creep onto his face. 

“Max, Beth said you had been together for two years, is that true?” You asked him and if there was a smile on his face before, there definitely wasn’t now. 

“It is but we broke up for a bit, during the- well you know” he spoke, and you could feel your heart rate start to calm down. This situation isn’t good by any means but at least you weren’t involved in an affair.  

“Look Max, I don’t expect anything from you. If you want me to go now I will, and you’ll never see me again. I don’t want money from you or anything like that. All I wanted was to give you a chance to be in Little Bump’s life.” You told him and braced yourself for him to confirm that he did indeed want you to leave and never come back. 

“No. I do want to- I don’t really know what this is or how to do it but if I’m going to have a kid, I’m going to be there for it.” His words made you smile, even if this situation was messy and uncomfortable; it would all be worth it if you could give Little Bump a dad it would all be worth it. 

“Okay well I’ve got a scan next week, you can come to that if you’d like?” you asked him, expecting him to say no, to tell you that he would be too busy but instead he surprised you. 

“Yeah, I’ll be there” 

Every day from that night in your hotel room to the day of the scan Max had texted you, checking up on you and Little Bump. Truly the last thing you had expected was that he would not only want to be a part of the baby’s life, but he seemed to actually care. Maybe this would all be okay, the two of you could co-parent and Little Bump would grow up with two parents who loved it. When the day of the scan came around, Max informed you that he would be picking you up early and taking you to lunch before your appointment to ‘get to know each other’. This made you more nervous that you cared to admit, the time you had spent with Max prior to this was short-lived and not filled with very much talking, hence why you were in this situation, so you really had no idea what kind of person he was or if the two of you would even get on., he could be an absolute arsehole for all you knew. But after only 30 minutes of spending time with him you realized that he was one of the sweetest people you had ever met 

“So, how’s Beth?” you asked him once you were at the restaurant, curious to know if she had been made aware of the situation yet. 

“She’s okay. I told her” Max said, his eyes fixed on his food in front of him, not daring to look up. 

“Oh, how did that go?”  

“It was pretty rough at first, she was really upset. But I think we’re going to make it work” He looked up at you this time and his eyes bore into you. The feeling of a lump in your throat made itself known but you swallowed it down; it’s not like you were jealous or anything but you were aware of how complicated this situation was going to be, and it would be made even more complicated with another person involved.  

“That’s good then” you told him, forcing a smile, not wanting Max to catch on to your worries. Even if you did have reservations on how this whole situation would play out, so far Max had been nothing but helpful and co-operative, so you knew you owed it to him to give him the benefit of the doubt.  

“So, I was thinking, we need to come up with some sort of plan as to how this is going to work” Max told you, looking very nervous.  

“I grew up only living with my dad, and that meant I didn’t get to see my mum much at all and that was really hard. I didn’t really have a relationship with her until I was an adult, and the last thing I want is for the baby to have to go through that. I don’t want to have to wait 20 years to have a relationship with Little Bump” his voice dropped to a whisper for the last sentence, and you could see the pain in his eyes, this was clearly something that had been playing on his mind. Truthfully, you had no idea how this would work; Max lived in a different country to you, and he travelled so much for work, so it certainly wasn’t going to be easy. But looking into his worried eyes, you couldn’t help but want to assure him that everything would be okay. Across the table, Max sat with a haunted look in his eyes, his vulnerability on full display. You could sense the weight of his past trauma casting shadows over his usually confident exterior. As he picked at his food, his hands shook slightly, betraying the turmoil within. Max's voice, usually steady and assured, now carried a quiver that hinted at the lingering scars of childhood. You watched as he spoke, his words faltering at times, like a wounded child trying to find his way in a world that had once been unkind. With each sentence, it became evident that Max's past still clung to him, a heavy burden he struggled to bear. All you wanted to do was to reach across the table and hold him, to let him know that he doesn’t have to pretend to be strong. 

“I can’t tell you what is going to happen Max, but I can promise you that we will make it work. Our baby will have two parents” the smile Max gave you in response to your words made your heart melt, and you couldn’t help feeling like things were going to work out.  

“Okay Mum and Dad are we ready to see the baby?” The nurse asks you after placing the cold gel on your exposed stomach, ready to get the ultrasound going. As you both sat in the dimly lit ultrasound room, Max's eyes were fixed on the monitor, and his fingers trembled slightly as he held your hand. It was the first time he had witnessed the miracle of your growing baby, and the emotions that welled up inside him were impossible to contain. He tried his best to hide it, but a tear welled up at the corner of his eye, threatening to escape. The nurse moved the wand across your belly, and the image of your tiny, squirming baby filled the screen. Max's breath caught as he saw those delicate features, the tiny heart beating steadily. You could see the awe and love in his eyes, the way his lips curved into a soft smile that he couldn't suppress. Though he tried not to show it, his voice was tinged with emotion as he whispered, "That's our baby, Y/N." It was a moment of profound connection, and Max's unspoken feelings filled the room with a warmth that was as undeniable as the love you both felt for the new life growing within you. 

Max couldn't shake the overwhelming emotions that had swelled up during the ultrasound. As you both walked out of the clinic, he stopped and took your hand, his eyes still filled with that deep, newfound love for the life growing inside you. 

"Y/N," he began, his voice gentle and earnest, "I want you to move in with me. I want to be there for you and Little Bump, every step of the way. I want to take care of you both." You hesitated, your mind racing with practical concerns. You hardly knew Max, and he wanted you to move country and live with him. Even if you wanted to you couldn’t afford it, you’d have to leave your job which would mean no maternity pay. Plus, Max had a girlfriend, you couldn’t imagine her being too thrilled about her boyfriend moving in with another woman. 

“Max, that’s sweet but it’s not possible. What about my job? What about Beth?” You asked, trying to make him see that this wasn’t rational, it wouldn’t work, but still Max's gaze remained unwavering. 

"We'll figure it all out, Y/N. Beth will be okay with it, she will understand why this needs to happen. Please don’t worry about any of it, I want you to focus on your health and the baby's well-being. And as for your job, well, none of that matters. I can take care of us financially. I want to be there for my child, for you. Please, Y/N, say you'll move in with me."  

Tears welled up in your eyes, not just from the pregnancy hormones but from the overwhelming love and support Max was offering. Maybe this was crazy, you thought to yourself, there's no way this would work; but when you looked into his eyes, you could see his sincerity, he really meant every word  

So, against your better judgement, you nodded, a heartfelt smile breaking through. "Okay, Max. I trust you. Let's do this together."  

The move happened quickly; Max was eager to make sure that he could look after you as much as he could. Your job wasn’t too happy at you for quitting so soon after receiving a promotion, your mum and dad thought you were completely insane. Until now you refused to tell them who the dad was, now all of a sudden not only is the Formula One world champion the dad but you’re also moving to Monaco to live with him. Although if you thought telling your parents was hard, telling Max’s was even worse. Meeting Jos Verstappen was an experience that you would never forget. Before you left Mia informed you that Jos was known for being very overbearing and having a very short temper; however, nothing she could have said would have prepared you for what was to come. It started with Max telling Jos multiple times to speak English rather than Dutch, so you weren’t just sat there witnessing the whole situation go down without any idea what they were saying. Then Jos became angry at Max for making such a horrible mistake, after that he became angry at you, alleging that you had planned this to trap Max and steal his money. Throughout the whole ordeal, Max was able to stay calm, gently telling his dad that he was happy and excited to be a father, however when Jos started on you Max’s patience was gone immediately. Telling his father that you weren’t like that and the two of you were happy and were going to raise this baby whether he liked it or not. You couldn’t help but notice that even when Max was clearly very angry at his father, he never once raised his voice or lost his temper, instead choosing to calmly explain the situation to him and let him know how it was going to go down. This, to you, was extremely reassuring, you were still getting to know Max and the person who he was; and every day he proved himself to be a good person, somebody who would be a great dad. 

When you arrived at Max's apartment, you were taken aback by the thoughtfulness he had poured into preparing a room just for you. The soft hues of pastel blue and warm beige on the walls exuded a calming atmosphere, and a vase of fresh flowers sat on the bedside table. A plush blanket adorned the bed, and there was a selection of your favorite books on the shelf. He had clearly spoken to Mia to get this all prepared 

"Max, this is incredible," you said, feeling deeply touched by his effort. "I never expected you to do all this." He smiled warmly and gestured toward a door at the end of the hallway.  

"And this," he said, leading you to another room, "I thought it could be the nursery, but I wanted you to have a say in how we decorate it. I didn't want to presume anything." 

Tears welled up in your eyes again, this time from the sheer care and consideration he had put into making you feel comfortable. Max was doing everything he could to ensure you and the baby felt at home. 

"Max, you're amazing," you whispered, wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug.  

"Thank you for being so thoughtful and caring." He held you close, his embrace filled with love and reassurance.  

"Y/N, I just want you and our baby to be happy here. Anything you need, just let me know." As you settled into your new home, you couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful for the man who was putting in a genuine effort to make you as comfortable as possible. 

The first few days of living with Max had gone surprisingly smoothly, a peaceful coexistence that allowed you both to settle comfortably into your new life together. However, when Beth caught wind of the new arrangement, her arrival was swift and unexpected. You retreated to your bedroom to give them space, though overhearing the ensuing argument left you feeling uneasy. From your bedroom, you couldn't help but overhear the escalating argument between Max and Beth. Their voices carried the weight of frustration and anger as Beth expressed her displeasure about you living with Max. 

"I just don't understand why you need to do this, Max," Beth said, her voice trembling with frustration. "I get that you want to be a part of the baby's life, but why does Y/N have to be part of ours?" 

Max's response came, softer but firm, "Beth, I want to give our child the family life I never had. That means being there for Y/N and the baby."  

Beth's anger didn't abate, and she retorted, "But what about us? What about our plans and our future?" 

Max took a deep breath, his voice filled with resolve. "Right now, Y/N and the baby are my priority. I thought you'd understand." 

As the argument reached a fever pitch, Beth eventually stormed out of the apartment, the door slamming shut behind her. You couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as you realized that your presence was causing tension in Max's relationship, even though he had been nothing but caring and supportive toward you. 

Max, after a moment of silence, knocked on your bedroom door gently and entered. He looked tired but determined. 

"Y/N, I'm sorry you had to hear that," he said, his eyes filled with regret. "But please understand, you and the baby mean the world to me right now. I want to do right by both of you." 

You nodded, your own heart heavy with the knowledge that your presence was complicating Max's life. "I appreciate everything you're doing for us, Max." 

He gave you a reassuring smile, reaching out to hold your hand. "We'll get through this together, Y/N. You and Little Bump are my family now, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you both have everything you need." 

As you looked into his eyes, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unwavering support and love Max was offering, even if it meant navigating rocky waters in his personal life. 

Later in the evening, there was a gentle knock on your bedroom door, and when you opened it, Max stood there with a somewhat downcast expression. “Do you want to do something, watch a movie or something maybe?” He asked, his voice much weaker than usual. You could tell that the earlier argument with Beth was still weighing on his mind. Although you were tired and had been ready to turn in for the night, you couldn't resist the opportunity to lift his spirits. 

Seeing the need for a distraction, you smiled warmly at Max and said, "Of course, Max, I'd love to watch a movie with you." Your willingness to spend time with him despite your fatigue was a silent gesture of support, and it brought a grateful smile to his face. 

Together, you made your way to the living room, choosing a film that promised both entertainment and distraction and settled into the cozy living room to share another memorable moment. The screen flickered to life, and as the movie started, you both found yourselves lost in the world of the film. 

Laughter filled the room as you traded jokes and amusing commentary throughout the movie, creating an atmosphere of joy and connection. Max seemed to have a way of making you laugh, and his infectious humor was a delightful addition to the evening. 

As the movie continued, you couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and contentment sitting beside him. It was as if the worries and complications of life had momentarily melted away, leaving behind only the warmth of his presence. As the movie rolled on, the comfort of Max's presence began to take hold. The long day had left you weary, and you couldn't help but stifle a yawn. Max, ever attuned to your needs, glanced at you and seemed to understand. Wordlessly, he patted his lap, inviting you to lay your head there. With a grateful nod, you shifted closer, resting your head gently against his thigh. The soft fabric of his jeans felt warm and comforting against your cheek. As the movie's plot unfolded, Max's fingers, now tender and caring, began to play with your hair. The gentle strokes sent a cascade of shivers down your spine, and an unexpected sensation of butterflies fluttered in your stomach. 

It was at that moment, as Max's fingers continued their soothing dance, that you began to question the nature of your feelings for him. Were they merely the result of his kindness and care during this challenging time, or was there something more profound at play? Trepidation crept in as you wondered if your feelings for Max were more than just those of a friend. You felt a pang of guilt, he was still with Beth after all. Uncertainty swirled within you as you mustered the courage to speak up. 

"Max," you began hesitantly, "I hope I didn't cause any more trouble between you and Beth." 

Max, who had been lost in thought, looked down at you, his eyes filled with understanding. He let out a sigh and replied, "It's probably over, Y/N. To be honest, it was never great anyway, which is why we took a break – you know when we-." 

You offered an apologetic look, feeling torn between sympathy and concern for your growing feelings. "I'm sorry, Max. I didn't mean to complicate things." 

Max's gaze softened, and he reassured you, "Don't worry about it, Y/N. The relationship wasn't very good, even before the break. You're not to blame." 

As the movie played on, your head still nestled in his lap and his fingers continuing their gentle caress, you couldn't help but contemplate the complexity of your emotions. With a sense of unease and curiosity, you wondered if Max was becoming more than just a friend to you. 

As the weeks turned into months, you couldn't shake the awkwardness that had crept in since you'd started to acknowledge your newfound feelings for Max. Your friendship with him meant the world to you, and you were determined not to jeopardize it. With the baby on the way, you knew you had to prioritize the stability and happiness of your growing family. So, you began to give yourself a bit of space from Max. You kept yourself busy with prenatal classes, doctor's appointments, and preparing for the arrival of your baby. The distraction of these tasks allowed you to maintain a semblance of normalcy in your life, even as your emotions remained tumultuous beneath the surface. 

Max was away often for work and training anyway so that provided a convenient buffer and you could tell yourself that the physical distance was for the best, that it helped you maintain control over your feelings. However, as the due date rapidly approached and the Formula One season ended, he was home more often. It became increasingly challenging to avoid him, especially when he was eager to be a part of your pregnancy journey and offer his support. 

Despite the swirling emotions within you, you couldn't deny that you still cherished his presence in your life. You wrestled with the guilt of harboring feelings for a man who was going above and beyond to look after you and Little Bump, but you also knew that the priority was providing your baby with a loving and stable environment. Balancing these conflicting emotions was a delicate dance, and as you found yourself spending more time with Max in preparation for the baby's arrival, the challenge of keeping your feelings in check grew more daunting with each passing day. 

With your due date beginning to approach, the need to get the nursery ready became ever present so you decided to take on the task of building the flat packed crib that had been sitting in it’s box for the past few weeks. The crib's pieces lay strewn about, and you were carefully studying the instruction manual when Max entered the room. Seeing you hunched over the crib parts, Max immediately expressed his concern, his voice filled with care. "Y/N, you really should be resting right now. Let me handle this for you. You've been working so hard, and I don't want you to overexert yourself." 

You appreciated Max's thoughtfulness, but you were determined to see this task through on your own. "Max, I want to do this. I need to know that I can handle things as a mum." 

Max respected your determination but didn't want to see you pushing yourself too hard. After a brief back-and-forth, a compromise was reached. You both decided to tackle the crib assembly together, enabling you to feel like you were able to complete the task but also allowing Max to watch over you and ensure you and Little Bump were safe.  

As the crib slowly started to take shape, you couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment at the thought of your baby soon resting in it. Max, however, was unusually quiet. His brow furrowed with a deep concern that had been lurking in the corners of his mind. You could sense that something was troubling him, and as you worked together to piece the crib together, you decided to broach the topic gently. 

"Max, is everything alright?" you asked, your voice filled with care. 

He sighed, setting down a wooden panel for a moment, and looked at you with a mixture of vulnerability and doubt. “I don’t know, I guess I’m just worried. I see the way you talk to your stomach, I know you’re going to be such a good mum to our Little Bump. I just don’t know if I’m going to be a good dad. I know how bad having a shit dad can fuck someone up, I just want more for my kid.” 

Your heart ached for Max as you recognized the fear that had been gnawing at him. You set aside your own concerns and walked over to him, wrapping your arms around him in a comforting hug. "Max, the fact that you're so concerned about being a good dad proves that you're already on the right path. You care deeply, and that's the most important thing. We'll learn and grow together as parents, just like we've navigated everything else in our lives. You'll be an amazing dad because you want the best for our baby." Max held you close, his arms encircling you in a tight embrace. Being so close to him maybe wasn’t the best idea, but you could see how much he needed it.  

Despite your ever-growing feelings for Max, you kept it to yourself, doing everything you could to ignore the way that you felt about the man you were now preparing to be parents with. Your due date was only weeks away when you started to feel like you were going crazy, so you did what every woman does when she’s dealing with unrequited love, you bore out your entire heart to your best friend whilst eating ice cream by the metric tonne.  

“I just don’t know what to do Mia” you told your best friend over the phone one afternoon when Max was out getting supplies to finish decorating the nursery. 

“I think you just need to tell him, be completely honest” her words made you sigh. 

“Oh yeah so I just go up to him ‘hey Max I know we’re about to be parents and you’ve so kindly let me live in your house but I’m not happy just co-parenting with you, I love you and want to be with you, like a real family” You ranted to Mia but her response to you was cut off by a familiar voice laced with a Dutch accent speaking up. 

“What?” Your neck snapped up violently at the sound of his voice, Max stood in the doorway of your bedroom his face painted with a look of shock. 

Max's voice, tinged with both surprise and hurt, hung in the air, a heavy silence following his unexpected entrance into the conversation. You turned slowly, the phone clutched in your trembling hand, your eyes meeting his, wide with shock. The room seemed to shrink, and the air grew thick with tension as you realized he had overheard every word. His brows furrowed deeply, and he set the supplies he had been carrying onto the nearby table.  

"You... love me?" he asked, his voice shaky as if grappling with the revelation. You nodded, your eyes now glistening with unshed tears, unable to speak. Max took a step closer, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions, but the one that seemed to dominate was fear. "And you've been keeping this from me... all this time?" 

You swallowed hard, your throat dry. "I was scared," you whispered, finally finding your voice. "I didn't want to jeopardize what we have, the baby, our plans. I thought if I kept it to myself, things would be easier." 

Max ran a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted. "Easier? Do you think keeping something like this a secret is easier?" 

His frustration was apparent, you could hear it as his voice gradually became louder and angrier and you couldn't blame him. You had betrayed his trust, and he had a right to be upset. 

Tears welled up in your eyes, and you fought to hold them back. "I didn't know how you'd react, Max. I didn't want to push you away, especially not now when we should be focusing on preparing for the baby." 

"I understand, but I can't believe you kept something like this from me, especially at a time like this." His voice was laced with frustration, he brought his hand up to his head, running his fingers through his hair 

You nodded; your heart heavy with the intensity of his emotions. "I know, Max. I'm sorry; I should've been honest with you." 

Max's frustration was apparent as he walked towards the door. "I need some space to think, and I don't know what this means for us right now." 

With those words, he left the house, and you were left standing there, engulfed in a sea of turmoil. Panic took hold of you as you realized the enormity of what had just transpired. You had pushed Max away, and now you feared it might be too late to salvage your relationship. 

In the wake of Max's departure, the silence in the house became oppressive. Anxiety and self-doubt swirled in your mind, and you couldn't bear to stay there any longer. The urge to seek refuge with your parents, where you could find solace and guidance, became irresistible. 

In a manic rush, you hurriedly packed a bag with essentials, your heart racing with every passing second. Tears streamed down your face as you considered the drastic step you were about to take. With trembling hands, you purchased a last-minute plane ticket back to your hometown. 

The minutes felt like an eternity, but you were finally on your way to the airport. You left a hurried note for Max, explaining your need to be with family during this turbulent time. With your heart in your throat, you headed to the airport, driven by a frantic need to escape the chaos you had unleashed. 

The plane took off, carrying you away from the life you had built with Max, and the turbulence within you mirrored the journey. The fear of losing Max and the desperation for a fresh start with your parents guided you on this unexpected and tumultuous path. 

Max returned home the next day, his heart heavy with concern and regret. The house felt emptier than ever, and the silence only intensified his panic. He rushed to find his phone, fingers trembling as he tried to dial your number. But to his dismay, there was no answer on the other end. He left a voicemail, pleading for you to call him back as soon as you could. 

In his frantic state, Max's mind raced to find a solution. He knew he needed to find you, to make things right. He decided to call Charles, hoping he might have some insight or connection to your whereabouts. 

"Charles," Max said, his voice tight with anxiety, "I need your help. I can't reach Y/N. She's left, and I don't know where she's gone. Do you have Mia's number?" 

Charles, understanding the urgency in Max's tone, reluctantly provided Mia's number. Max immediately dialed it and hoped that Mia might have some answers. Mia answered after a few rings, and Max wasted no time 

"Mia, it's Max. I can't get through to Y/N. Do you know where she is? I need to talk to her." 

Mia's voice held a hint of worry as well. "I haven't heard from her since yesterday either, Max. She seemed really upset when you left. Let me give you her family's number; maybe they know something." 

Max was grateful for Mia's help as she provided him with your family's contact information. He dialed the number, his heart pounding in his chest. After a few rings, someone on the other end finally picked up. 

"Hello?" a voice answered. 

Max didn't waste any time. "Hi, this is Max. I'm looking for Y/N. She left a note saying she was going to see her family, but I haven't heard from her since. Is she with you?" 

There was a moment of confusion on the other end, followed by a sense of concern. "Max, I'm sorry, but we haven't heard anything about Y/N planning to visit us. Are you sure she's on her way here?" 

Max's panic deepened as he realized you hadn't reached your family, and he had no idea where you were. "I... I don't know. I'm really worried about her. If you hear from her, please let her know I'm looking for her and that I want to talk." 

Max hung up the phone, his mind filled with anxiety. He was determined to find you and make things right, but at that moment, he felt utterly lost without any leads to follow. 

As Max anxiously paced around the house, his worst fears were consuming him. He kept checking his phone, desperately hoping for a call or message from you. Every moment felt like an eternity, and the silence was deafening.  

Then, suddenly, his phone rang. It was your mum. Max's heart pounded in his chest as he answered the call, his voice trembling as he spoke, "Hello?" 

Your mum's voice was filled with worry and fear. "Max, it's Y/N’s mum. We just got a call from the hospital. She passed out at the airport, the staff found her and phoned an ambulance. We don't have many details yet, but we're on our way there now." 

Max's world seemed to spin as he struggled to process the shocking news. "Is she okay? What happened? The baby?" he stammered. 

Your mum's voice cracked with emotion as she replied, "We don't know, Max. They didn't tell us much over the phone. We're on our way to the hospital to find out." 

Max hung up the call, his hands shaking. Panic and fear gripped him as he realized the severity of the situation. He couldn't waste another moment. He immediately dialed his private jet service to book a flight to the hospital as soon as possible, not caring about the cost or inconvenience. All that mattered was getting to you and Little Bump 

Within minutes, the arrangements were made, and Max was on his way to the airport, his mind filled with a whirlwind of worry and thoughts of you. Time was of the essence, and he could only hope and pray that he would find you safe and sound at the hospital. 

Max's heart was racing as he landed and rushed to the hospital your mum had mentioned. Fear and uncertainty gnawed at him as he sprinted through the sterile hospital corridors, the tension in the air growing with each step. He finally found your room, where your parents were anxiously waiting just outside. 

Breathing heavily, Max approached them, his voice shaking as he spoke, "What happened? Is she okay?" 

Your mum stepped forward; her eyes red-rimmed from worry. "Max, she had a seizure, she had eclampsia, they needed to perform an emergency c-section" 

Max's heart seemed to stop for a moment, but he needed to know more. "Is she... Is the baby okay?" 

Your dad stepped in, his expression a mix of relief and concern. "Both Y/N and the baby are okay, Max. They're in recovery now." 

Max barely let them finish their explanation before he rushed into your room. There you were, sitting in a hospital bed, clearly still groggy from the medications they had administered. 

Max's eyes filled with tears as he approached you, his voice choked with emotion. "I was so scared, Y/N. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" 

You blinked at him, your vision still hazy. "Max? What... happened?" 

He took your hand gently, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped his eye. "You had a seizure, but you and the baby are okay. That's all that matters." 

Max's relief was palpable, and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to touch your face, his love and concern pouring forth. In that moment, nothing else in the world mattered but the fact that you and the Little Bump. 

  Max approached the bassinet where the baby lay, his heart pounding with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. With great care, he gently lifted the small, fragile form into his arms. As he cradled the tiny bundle close to his chest, a sense of wonder washed over him. 

He peered down at the baby's face, her features so delicate and new. The room seemed to fade away as he focused entirely on this precious, little life he now held in his arms. Max's eyes glistened with tears of joy and awe, his heart overflowing with emotions he had never experienced before. 

Every detail of the baby's face captivated him – her button nose, her rosebud lips, and her wisps of soft hair. He marveled at her innocence and vulnerability, realizing that he was now responsible for this tiny, perfect soul. 

With quivering lips, Max whispered softly, "You're a girl." The realization of this new chapter in his life, the responsibility of being a father to a daughter, filled him with a profound sense of purpose and love. 

He held her close, feeling her small chest rise and fall with each gentle breath. The bond he shared with his newborn daughter was a miracle that left him in awe. In that intimate moment, Max understood the beauty and fragility of life, and he couldn't help but smile, knowing that he was ready to embrace the journey of parenthood with all the love and dedication he could muster. 

Max held his precious daughter close, her small form cradled in his arms. He gazed down at her, the overwhelming love he felt for her and for you filling his heart. With a tenderness that could only come from a father's love, he whispered, "I love you, [Your Name]. I love our baby, and I'm so excited to start this new chapter of our lives together as a family, a real family." 

He could see that you were still fairly out of it, but he couldn't help but share his feelings in this moment. As he watched the baby's peaceful slumber, he asked, "What should we name her?" 

You fought against sleep, your eyelids heavy, but you managed to murmur, "Sophie." 

Max's eyes widened with surprise and joy. "Sophie? Like my mum?" 

With a weak but loving smile, you nodded. "Yeah, our daughter, Sophie Verstappen." 

Max's heart swelled with pride and love as he looked at his newborn daughter, Sophie. In that moment, as you drifted into slumber, he felt a profound sense of gratitude for the family he was building with you, a family that now included the beautiful Sophie Verstappen. 

Max's heart swelled with pride and love as he looked at his newborn daughter, Sophie. In that moment, as you drifted into slumber, he felt a profound sense of gratitude for the family he was building with you, a family that now included the beautiful Sophie Verstappen.  

As you drifted off to sleep, with Max sat beside you cradling your new-born daughter in his arms, you couldn't help but reflect on how your life had transformed for the better. It was a change that had been set into motion by just two lines on a pregnancy test. Two lines and your life was completely and irrevocably changed, and you couldn’t be happier. 

Taglist-

@sebastiansstanswhore @ironmaiden1313 @itsjustkhaos

#f1 fanfic #f1 x reader #formula 1 #max verstappen x y/n #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen #formula one x reader #formula 1 x you #formula 1 fanfic

[ukrfeminism]

One morning in 2007, Frances Harper was taking a bath and listening to the local news on BBC Radio Suffolk when one story caught her attention. A young woman, Louise, was being interviewed about her life as a sex worker in Ipswich. “I couldn’t see how this interview was helping her situation at all,” says Harper, who was 60 at the time. “I got out of the bath and made some notes. I realised she needed a documentary to tell her story properly and I thought perhaps I could try to make it.”

Harper had never owned a video camera and had no idea how to shoot a film. She had spent the past four decades working in secretarial jobs, as well as raising her son and supporting her husband in his construction business. “I was busy but something was always missing,” she says. “Something I could do for myself.”

Armed with a sudden sense of purpose and without a current job to keep her occupied, Harper rushed out to buy a basic camera, read the manual and began looking up ways to contact Louise. The police wouldn’t share her details, but after finding the name of her solicitor in the local paper, she left a letter with the firm to be passed on. “Soon after, Louise phoned me and we decided to meet in a cafe in Ipswich,” Harper says. “I told her I’d like to make a documentary to share her story and help her. She agreed, and that was my entry into an entirely new world.”

Following Louise most days for weeks, Harper documented her life on the streets, her drug addiction and sex work, all while learning how to shoot and interview. “She told me that no one had motivated her or really cared about her life,” she says. “She was interested in art and history, so we went to galleries together and I even took her to an afternoon tea – all things she’d never done before. We spent a lot of time together because I had the time to spare.”

The more Harper got to know Louise, the more concerned she became about her life and especially her living situation. “She was basically sleeping in an electrical cupboard on the streets of Ipswich,” she says. “I started booking her into bed and breakfasts to keep her off the streets. It really showed me how lucky I had been. It’s changed my thinking ever since.”

Once she had enough footage, Harper put together a taster of the film and contacted the local BBC News office in Norwich. The idea of an older Ipswich resident befriending a young sex worker and producing a film was so unusual that Harper was invited to a meeting and commissioned to shoot a half-hour special for BBC East, which aired in February 2008. “I couldn’t believe that Louise’s story would be out there,” she says. “I hadn’t told too many people about it so my friends were shocked when it came out. Once it did, I also managed to battle with the council to finally get Louise a proper flat.”

Sixteen years later, Harper, 76, is fully immersed in film-making. After her experience with Louise, she became interested in the world of drug addiction and produced a film for Sky, which was narrated by Davina McCall and followed two mothers coping with the impact of their sons’ drug abuse. She has also completed a commercial film for the seaside town of Southwold and a charity short for an emergency response service. She is now working on a series about women in horticulture as well as a film about the life of female fighter pilots.

“I just can’t stop,” she says. “It really feels like I’ve found my calling. I get ideas all the time, although I can’t make all of them because I fund my own projects and it’s hard to come by funding for older people.”

But age does have some advantages. “I think people are more inclined to be polite around me because I’m older,” she says. “I’ve also gained newfound confidence through this work. I didn’t know whether I’d achieve anything but I just kept going. I weaved around the obstacles in my way.”

As well as changing her life, Harper has recently learned how her films have had a profound impact on other people too. “Louise contacted me last year and we just carried on talking as if no time had passed,” she says. “She told me: ‘You were the only person who believed in me.’ It made that decision to pick up the camera completely worth it.”

You can watch Harper’s films via the link below:

#Articles #Sex industry #community

[sidekickjoey]

In the summer of '86, fresh off of saving the world, Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler get blonde highlights.

Be it a coping mechanism after handling the hell that was spring or simply a mutual need for change, the decision is made without nervousness from either party. They enter the salon together, swear up and down to their assigned hairstylists that, yes, this is what they want and no, they do not care that their hair already looks perfect as is, thanks, and leave donning notably different looks.

Steve's signature chestnut ends up woven between streaks of gold, giving him a sort of distracting glimmering effect when he walks out into the sun. Nancy's waves, though still shoulder length and crimped to perfection, sway almost completely and utterly blonde in any light.

Needless to say, their new looks quickly make them, the former it-couple of Hawkins, the talk of the town once more - including that of their two closest friends, Eddie and Robin.

They, unlike the general public of Hawkins, have spent the past few months slowly building massive crushes on Steve and Nancy, entranced by their might after surviving the horrors of the Upside Down. While to most a change in hair color for Steve and Nancy is merely an oddity, to them? It's like someone hit the panic button and left them to scatter in a secluded room.

Robin has only been over her gaga-for-Vickie phase for a few weeks now. The wound is still fresh, and she knows she should not be looking once again into a possible unrequited love situation until she is better healed emotionally. She also knows he has a weakness for blondes that goes beyond all reason, i.e. Tammy Thompson and her muppet singing voice. She shouldn't act and possibly jeopardize one of her most sincere female friendships over a silly little weakness like that.

However, Nancy looks like a vision in blonde.

Robin thinks it's her big doe eyes that do it. They pop when the blonde meshes with Nancy's fair skin, and it makes her heart swoon in the most debilitating of ways. Not to mention, the softer cut she got along with the lighter coloring frames her face so well. Robin swoons over it. If not for her fear of rejection, she probably would have already taken the leap and done something stupid, like confess how Nancy's scrambled her brain.

Eddie's not doing much better himself with Steve.

He had been there in the early days, when Scoops Ahoy's newest worker showed up in his first edition of golden highlights. Like any good Hawkins resident, he had handled it with poise, class, and lots of extra trips to Scoops Ahoy whenever he happened to be at the Starcourt Mall, along with frequent whisperings of 'what the hell' expressed in the confines of his room where no one could hear him freak out. T'was standard™.

This look, though...it blows Scoops Ahoy Steve away by miles.

It's bright. It's golden. It's like he slipped and fell into some kind of radiant daydream, only to emerge like a ray of sunlight to distract Eddie Munson and Eddie Munson alone, and Eddie can't shut up about it.

Seriously, Wayne has heard enough.

The issue is, he has next to no idea what to do about these feelings. His mind is screaming to make a move on the guy, because you only live once and, well, he's already on his second try. However, his little worried heart loves Steve's newfound companionship and whatever odd-couple friendship they have going on right now. He doesn't want to lose that because of some dye job and a trim. It's too important, too good.

So, like Robin, he finds himself refraining.

They both refrain, and over the next week or so, the decision to do so eats at them like mad. They stumble over their words when speaking to Steve and Nancy. They actually stumble physically, in Robin's case, when Nancy walks by one morning. They tell anyone and everyone they can about it aside from Steve and Nancy, and by the end of that week, it all hits a breaking point. Word slips for the sake of everyone's sanity to Steve and Nancy.

It should mark the beginning of havoc and betrayal.

Instead, it breeds two plans.

Because, here's the thing: Steve and Nancy are not dumb, contrary to what some might think. They are wildly observant people. They know what their friends are up to, and Robin and Eddie are high on that friend list after spring. They've seen their behavior and, though Nancy had to spell a little bit of it out for Steve, both have come to the conclusion that something is definitely up in the crush department. If they want to capitalize on it, they know there is no better time than now while their haircuts are still new and their own crushes are seeking an opportunity to spill their feelings.

Nancy's plan to handle Robin, to the untrained eye, is simple. She's known for carefully thought out strikes when people least expect them, and the last thing she's going to do is stop using that tactic to her advantage now.

So, she invites the other girl on a trip to the mall for new bracelets. She claims it's on account of Holly taking hers hostage (not a total lie) and needing time out with someone her age (also not a total lie), and Robin buys it in seconds. A day later, they meet up at a boutique mall just outside of Hawkins and roam for a few hours together. It's simple. Casual. Subtle enough to be innocent from afar yet just intimate enough for Nancy to make her move when the time is right.

The time becomes right when they're sitting at a booth in the food court, chatting about Holly's other jewelry-related crimes. Nancy accidentally knocks the fork for her salad off the table, catching the attention of them both. Robin is quick to say she's got it, but Nancy is faster. Ready. She reaches down, picks up the fork, and in a fit of bravery, makes damn sure she holds eye contact with Robin the entire way back up. Robin swallows and looks away, clearly flustered and trying to behave over such a small thing as eye contact. But, Nancy doesn't want her to ignore it this time. So, she pulls a cheesy line from Steve's old book (that she totally did not rehearse with Steve, not at all) and misbehaves, just to get the ball rolling.

Batting her eyes, she asks in her most casual drawl, "Sheesh Robin, do blondes always make you this nervous?"

Robin chokes on her milkshake. 'Accidentally' knocks over her own fork. Goes down beneath the table to - not subtly - whisper-scream about what the hell that just was, because what the hell was that? Hello?

Nancy finds it incredibly endearing. She kind of wants to tell her about it.

She joins Robin on the floor to do so and giggles, freakin giggles, at Robin's shock and awe over her being there. Robin, panicked, reaches for the fork she dropped and holds it up to Nancy for her to see like it's some kind of explanation for her huddling under the table a full minute after it fell. She then stutters out a small 'got it,' despite Nancy being a goddamn journalist who notices things for her job and is fully capable of using her own two eyes to see, what the heck Robin??

Nancy still finds it all so endearing, though she doesn't think saying it out loud would be the best course of action anymore. Her last words sort of sent the poor girl into a spiral, and as fun as it is sharing this cramped space with her, she kind of wants to get off the gross tile if at all possible. So, instead, she does the next best thing and expresses her fondness physically.

With a kiss.

On the mouth.

Hidden by the table but all-too-real and seen to Robin, who forgets how to breathe because oh my gosh. Oh my GOSH.

It's perfect. It's effortless. It's everything. It's hands-down worth the hours of waiting Nancy had to do under a hairdryer in foils to get her here, and even more worth Robin's adorably rushed confession after the fact that she's always liked blondes, just a little bit.

~~~~~~

Steve's plan is a lot different than Nancy's.

He is a tried-and-true passionate romantic after all, and Eddie is about as dramatic as Shakespeare. A casual outing or demure kiss under a table is just not going to cut it in terms of a confession for either of them. Steve knows this. He tells it to Nancy. Repeatedly.

After hours of back and forth over the phone, he eventually finds himself at a music store, equipped with a wad of cash and his eyes set on an, admittedly, badass looking guitar. It has blue flames along its black exterior that rise to its very top and are lined with a reflective silver, making it glimmer even in the dim light of the shop. Eddie's been moaning about losing his sweetheart to the Upside Down for weeks -- no, months at this point. Steve thinks this blue beauty would be a perfect replacement for her. He also thinks it might just be what they need to stop dancing around each other's feelings too, if he's lucky.

He purchases it and stows it away in his bedroom before calling Eddie over the following day. The boy is all nerves when he finally arrives. Steve doesn't help ease them by running his hand through his hair more than once, but what can he say? It's a tough habit to break, and he's been doing it ever since he's hand anything more than a buzz cut. Sue him.

After pleasantries about their day are discussed and Eddie appears to be more calmed down, Steve invites him upstairs for a 'surprise' that just about undoes all the poor boy's progress at once.

Because Steve didn't just place the new guitar in its case and put a bow on it to surprise Eddie. No, he propped that sucker on its stand, bought a small light to illuminate the silver and blue, and placed a little card on the case that said, 'To Eddie, from your sweetheart.'

Steve watches as Eddie physically has to reboot upon seeing it all. He then rushes to cover his ears as Eddie returns to consciousness with a full-blown yell, running over to his gift with repeated 'no way's that get higher and higher in volume with each utterance. All noise ceases when he finally reads the card, though. That's when Steve feels safe enough to drop his hands to his side and make his approach, a shy grin on his lips.

"Like it?"

"Y-You're my sweetheart?"

With a shrug, Steve once again cards a hand through his hair. "If you want me to be. I-I mean, I assumed you would want me to be with all the looks you've been giving me, a-and everything with the Upside Down. But if I've got that wrong, if...shit, maybe I should just-"

Their first kiss is messy, wet, and way too enthusiastic.

Eddie's all teeth from how wide he's smiling into the kiss, and Steve nearly falls over from the sheer force of the guy barreling into him. He grows a bit dizzy, too, from how firm Eddie's grip on his hair has him, and that does little for his already frazzled balance. But, it's perfect. It's so stupidly them and perfect and wild like Steve had hoped it to be, like Eddie hoped it to be.

Later, when Steve leaves Eddie to enjoy his guitar in peace and breathe because, yeah, he finds himself making a mental note to call Nancy when he's home. If this is what one round of highlights gets him, he'll be damned if they don't plan another round for touch ups soon.

Stepping inside, Steve catches sight of a blinking light on his answering machine that tells him Nancy'd be damned, too.

He smiles.

#stranger things #steddie #ronance #steve harrington #eddie munson #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #steddie fanfic #ronance fanfic #steve x eddie #eddie x steve #robin x nancy #nancy x robin #st fanfic #st4 #stranger things fanfic

[just-aake]

Boundless Devotion - Part X

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: MedievalAU. Natasha is the eldest princess of the Romanov Kingdom. As the time of her coronation approaches, she is suddenly forced to make a decision – either find herself a partner or her parents will choose one for her.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Warnings: slight angst, violence/abuse

Words: 6296

The once warm and bright morning sun has since disappeared behind looming gray clouds as a gentle breeze drifted through your open window, bringing a subtle coldness to your room.

Despite the gloomy skies and the promise of rain, you can imagine yourself enjoying this kind of ambiance, sitting in your window seat with a good book, accompanied by the soothing sounds of rainfall as you read.

That would have been a nice way to spend the remainder of the day — if it had been your choice.

At this point, you’ve gotten used to your father’s strict and outrageous behavior. Forcing you to stay in your room is arguably not the worst thing he’s done to you, so there's not much point in getting angry. 

Besides, you have a certain someone who is already upset enough on your behalf.

“That insufferable tyrant of a man! He doesn't care about anyone but himself, always stalking around with that condescending attitude of his...” 

Sitting at your desk, you glance up from your book to look at Wanda, who paces around angrily as she continues her rants of frustration about your father. 

Seeing the familiar red mist emerging around her hands as she gets more heated, you decide to call out to her.

“Wanda, your powers are reacting to your emotions,” you remind her.

Thanks to Carol’s gift of the sorcery books, you and Wanda have learned more about her powers, such as how they work and the things she can do. 

With enough time and practice, Wanda can eventually gain control of her powerful abilities without it causing too much of a strain on her. 

In the meantime, however, as her powers grow stronger, they have recently been appearing more frequently and unexpectedly, especially during emotional moments like these.

Wanda looks down at her hands in confusion before sighing and dissipating the red mist with a wave of her hand. The red glow in her eyes also fades back to its original green color — a new effect of her powers that you both recently discovered.

Your expression twists down slightly in concern at the sight. 

Hiding Wanda’s abilities from others, especially your father, will be more difficult if this continues, and your original plan to quickly find a partner so that you can take yourself and the twins away from him is not progressing as well as you hoped.

Then again, at the beginning of your search for a partner, you never expected to find yourself in a fake relationship with Natasha — the same relationship the princess had pointed out this morning as nearing its end, and you know she was right.

With Rumlow hopefully having given up on pursuing you after the way you treated him as well as Natasha’s encouragement for you to be with someone else, it reminded you to refocus on your original goal of finding a decent partner for yourself.

However, now this time, you have to deal with getting over your feelings for the red-haired princess as you continue your search.

You internally sigh at the difficulty of your situation. 

Why did your feelings for Natasha have to be brought to the forefront of your heart after all this time? 

It was simpler when the two of you just remained as friends, without all of the pretending complicating your relationship. 

Unfortunately, you don’t have time to deal with your confusing feelings right now. 

There is a more pressing matter.

Your eyes glance to Wanda in contemplation.

Maybe you should consider asking Kate about taking in Wanda for a bit to give yourself some time to review your plans.

Though, you already know Wanda would reject the idea since it would mean she has to leave your side.

You wipe away your worried expression when Wanda turns to you.

Placing her hands on her hips, she questions your calm attitude.

“I don’t understand how you’re not upset about this. He’s basically restricting your freedom.”

“Well, I still have you and Pietro,” you point out before shrugging. “Plus I was going to continue my research anyway, so it’s not like I’m going anywhere else today.”

Wanda huffs at your response, crossing her arms and looking away from you exasperatedly to glare at the wall.

With Wanda somewhat calmer, you return your attention to the book on your desk that you were previously reading. 

Despite what you said earlier, instead of continuing your research, you were actually reading accounts detailing the previous war between the Romanov and Stark kingdoms again, specifically focusing on any sections about Captain James Barnes.

His backstory was compelling.

Despite a tragic accident resulting in the loss of his arm, Barnes still rose in rank to become the Captain of the Stark Kingdom where he served with loyalty for many years and was even a formidable force during the war. 

Everything was going well for him — prestige, honor, strength. He was well-liked by all in the kingdom.

Then that one tragic event took everything away. 

All the books depict the same conclusion after the war. Captain Barnes killed the Stark king, queen, and their newborn daughter in cold blood on their way home.

No further details are provided other than that.

Furrowing your brows, an uncomfortable feeling nags at you about the strangeness of the situation.

Why would anyone with his kind of reputation do something like that?

Your suspicion from your previous conversation with Queen Melina about the Black Widow operations emerges again concerning the captain.

Despite your father’s denial of any involvement in that tragedy, this connection could be a possible explanation for the animosity between the two of them earlier.

However, it doesn’t explain the mystery behind why this so-called stranger seems to recognize you or be so concerned about your life here.

A commotion outside your room interrupts your thoughts, and Pietro’s voice echoes from behind your door.

“Move! She’s not going to run out the moment you open the door!” 

You laugh lightly at his words, turning to see the other twin slipping inside with an annoyed huff.

“Man, I hate these new guards,” Pietro comments as he shuts the door behind him.

His hair is slightly disheveled, probably from all the running, and tucked under his arm, he holds an elegantly wrapped box.

You make your way to him and reach up to fix his hair gently as you ask. 

“Did you find out anything?” 

Ducking away from your fussing, Pietro nods and replies, “I overheard some of the guards were taking him to the prison.”

Wanda comes up next to you, folding her arms as she joins the conversation.

“Are you two talking about that criminal?”

She turns to you in concern.

“Y/n, you shouldn’t go near him. He’s dangerous.”

You unconsciously rub your wrist at the memory of Barnes attempting to take you away while saying those confusing comments about you.

At Wanda's expectant expression, you shrug and try to explain to her.

“I know, it’s just…something that he said keeps bothering me.”

But now there’s no way for you to question him since he’s already taken away from the manor.

Your shoulders slump with a resigned sigh, “I just wanted to see if I could get a chance to know what he meant.”

The twins exchange a surprised glance at your words — it was rare that you expressed wanting to do something for yourself.

The two of them silently signal each other with their eyes to do something to distract your mind and cheer you up.

Pietro snaps his fingers as he remembers another piece of information.

“Oh! Princess Natasha and Yelena also came by the manor just now.”

Despite your attempt to push your feelings away for Natasha, you still can’t help but perk up at the mention of her name.

“So where are they now?” Wanda asks.

Pietro winces at the question before replying sadly. 

“They were turned away by Lord Dreykov.”

Wanda huffs and throws her hands up in frustration.

“That man ruins everything!”

Your mouth turns down slightly in disappointment at the news, but you decide that this was probably for the best anyway. You haven’t had enough time to sort out your feelings for the princess yet.

If you were to see her again so soon, you’re not sure whether your heart would skip or break at the sight of her.

Noticing your still sullen expression, Wanda decides to try another approach, nudging your shoulder in a teasing manner.

“You know, with everything going on, you never told me how your 'date' with the princess went this morning,” she probes gently.

Startled at the sudden topic change, you huff lightly and give her an exasperated look. 

“I told you it wasn’t a date. It was just a chance for Natasha to relax for a bit. This is a very stressful time for her.”’

Wanda rolls her eyes at your denial, turning to her brother for some backup before noticing the box at his side.

“What’s that?” she points.

Pietro smirks proudly as he offers the box to you.

“I snuck it away from some of the guards. Apparently, this was another gift from Princess Carol that they didn’t give to you,” he reveals.

Smiling in surprise at the information, you take the box, your fingers lightly running over the cursive letters of your name written in the familiar handwriting of the other princess.

Wanda raises an eyebrow at your reaction curiously before her eyes narrow suspiciously in a teasing manner.

“Wait, you spent a lot of time with her at the festival. Is there something happening between you and Princess Carol?”

Wanda gasps dramatically, her hand landing on your arm and shaking it lightly.

“Is that why nothing is happening with Princess Natasha? Your heart is torn between the two royals vying for your affection!”

Rolling your eyes at her teasing and pulling away from her excited grip, you move to place the box on your desk while replying over your shoulder in an attempt to clear all the misunderstandings.

“Nothing is happening with either of them,” you state firmly.

“Carol is just a friend, and Natasha…” you trail off sadly as you remember your earlier conversation with her.

With a soft sigh, you continue sadly, “Natasha doesn’t—” 

Two gasps of surprise interrupt you, prompting you to turn around quickly toward the twins.

Both of them have expressions of shock and amazement on their faces, their gazes fixated on something across your room. 

Confused, you turn to the cause of their reaction, only for your eyes to also widen in surprise at the sight.

Natasha is outside your opened window, her arms casually resting on your window sill, holding her up.

“Hey,” Natasha greets you normally with a tiny wave and a small grunt of exertion as she adjusts her grip on your window sill.

“Can I come in?” she asks casually.

“Ohmy—Natasha?!”

Hurrying over, you help in pulling her through the window, the both of you stumbling and falling to the ground.

With Natasha on top, she quickly braces one hand on the floor to catch herself, while her other hand covers your head protectively.

After ensuring that the two of you landed safely, Natasha leans her head down in exhaustion against your shoulder, chuckling softly.

“That was harder than I remember," she remarks jokingly.

At her words, you pull back from her embrace and begin to check on her with a small frown. 

“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t do that anymore,” you chastise her as your hands brush carefully across her face, examining her.

There were times in your childhood when Madam B wouldn’t let you go out to play until you finished the vast amount of studies that she assigned to you. 

During those times, Natasha would sneak in through your window to spend time with you without anyone knowing. 

That is, until one day she had gotten a small cut on her hand from the climb, and you had told her not to attempt it again.

“Well, Lord Dreykov wouldn’t let me in…,” Natasha catches your hand against her cheek, leaning gently into your touch.

Her eyes soften fondly as she looks at you before continuing, “…and I really needed to see you.”

You swallow nervously under her gaze — it is more intense than anything you’ve seen from her before.

You’re not sure of how to respond, her warm presence already dispelling the previous coldness in your room, distracting your mind.

An awkward cough from Pietro catches your attention, snapping you from your thoughts and reminding you of the others in the room.

Pulling your hand away slowly from under Natasha’s, you clear your throat slightly as you stand and compose yourself. 

Wanda wears a sly smile as she raises her eyebrows at you, but you give her a firm look, silently signaling her to refrain from any teasing remarks before she has a chance.

Natasha stands up next to you and dusts herself before giving you a smirk.

“I thought I was the princess, so why are you the one who is locked away?” she teases gently.

You hold back your amused smile as you try to maintain your reprimanding expression, shaking your head at her.

“Natasha, you shouldn’t be here. If my father finds out…,” you begin.

Natasha frowns at the mention of him.

“Yeah, about that, why isn’t he letting you out?”

Wanda steps forward before you can reply.

“Because he’s a terrible person and he treats Y/n horri—”

“Wanda, that’s enough,” you cut her off with a meaningful stare. 

Wanda presses her lips together in a pout but she listens to your words and doesn’t continue.

Natasha raises a brow and tilts her head questionably at you, her eyes glancing between you and Wanda in suspicion. 

You let out a sigh and shake your head as you explain. 

“He’s being temperamental and unreasonable right now…which is why I think it’s best if we get you out without him knowing,” you say while glancing at the door in thought about how to sneak the princess out.

Seeing your worried expression, Natasha takes your hand gently to get your attention, turning you back to face her.

“Hey, I don’t want to get you in trouble. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.”

Her thumb caresses the back of your hand gently as she searches your eyes before asking seriously.

“Are you okay?”

You open your mouth, hesitating as you consider how to respond.

You know that Natasha isn’t supposed to be here, with Queen Melina having already told you the details about Natasha’s busy schedule for the next couple of days. 

The last thing she needs is to be worried about something as trivial as you being confined to your room.

With a deep exhale, you reassure her with a small smile.

“I’m fine, Natasha.” 

Natasha examines you closely for a moment, a doubtful look in her eyes. She eventually relents reluctantly when you give her a resolute nod.

Turning towards your window with a sigh, she offers, “I can sneak back down if you want me to go.”

Your eyes widen at the suggestion, and you grab her arm to pull her back to face you before she can move, giving her an incredulous look.

“You can't be serious,” you exclaim in disbelief. 

When Natasha just blinks innocently at you in confusion, you give her a deadpan expression as you state firmly.

“You are not climbing down, Natasha.”

Before she can argue, the sound of your door handle turning causes you all to snap your attention to it in panic.

Pietro swiftly blocks the door, slamming it closed with his body.

“Open up!” the guard’s voice calls out from outside.

“Haven’t you heard of knocking?” Pietro shouts back before shrugging his shoulders and gesturing his hands at Natasha frantically.

Ignoring her small exclamation of surprise, you quickly usher Natasha into your closet, closing the door just in time as the guard shoves his way into your room.

He inspects the room critically before looking at you, standing with your back pressed against the closet door.

“I heard another voice,” he asserts, moving towards you in suspicion. 

With his focus on you, Wanda silently steps up from behind him, her hands already enveloped in a red mist as she raises it next to the guard’s head.

She moves her fingers sharply, and the mist shoots towards his head, causing his eyes to glow red for a second.

The guard stops suddenly and shakes his head in confusion before looking around again.

“Never mind,” he says slowly. “It must have been from somewhere else.” 

With that, he leaves the room and begins to walk away to investigate elsewhere.

Once he’s gone, Wanda falls to the ground with an exhausted exhale, and you and Pietro rush to her side quickly.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay?” you ask while checking her condition.

Wanda nods and raises her hand in a stopping gesture at your fussing before replying weakly.

“I’m fine. Just feeling a little tired.”

“That was amazing!” Pietro exclaims. “What did you do to him?” 

“Yeah, what did you do?” Natasha comments as she steps out and looks at the three of you curiously.

The twins turn to you with wide eyes, expecting you to respond. 

At Natasha’s questioning gaze, you wave your hand vaguely in the air, trying to come up with an explanation.

“Um…Wanda just has a special way with people,” you say with a slight wince at your pathetic answer.

Natasha squints at you suspiciously with a knowing expression, already aware that you’re hiding something, but she doesn’t press any further. 

Wanda glances at her briefly before turning to you. 

“You should take this chance to get the princess out before they come back.”

Seeing your conflicted expression as you try to examine Wanda again, Pietro rests his hand on your shoulder, stopping you, and gestures to the door with his head.

“Go, I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Pietro reassures you.

You hesitate, looking at Wanda once again, and she, in turn, gives you a reassuring nod. 

With a resigned sigh, you stand and grab Natasha’s hand, pulling her along as the two of you move quietly through the manor.

After a moment of sneaking through the hallways, Natasha breaks the silence.

“About what Wanda said earlier, with your father—” Natasha starts.

“It’s nothing that you need to worry about,” you interrupt with a small reassuring smile over your shoulder before turning back around, not noticing Natasha’s frown at your words.

Deciding to change the subject before she can press further as you check around the corner, you decide to ask her something else you were curious about from the moment you saw her at your window. 

“So what was the reason for this visit? I know you have that meeting today.” 

Natasha rubs her neck nervously as she remembers her original purpose for coming to you. 

“Um…this morning, after you left, I realized something.”

Your eyes widen in surprise, both at her words and at the sight of guards coming from around the corner toward your position.

Turning around, you quickly push Natasha into the nearby supply closet before she can continue and close the door, enclosing the two of you inside.

You hold your breath as you listen carefully until the sound of the footsteps passes by and eventually fades away before relaxing.

“I think they’re gone. We should be able to go now,” you exhale gently.

When Natasha doesn’t move or respond, you finally focus your eyes on her.

That’s when you realize the closeness between the two of you, standing in the small closet. 

Moving your head slightly, your nose lightly brushes against hers as you examine your positions.

Natasha’s arm is propped next to your head, her hand pressing against the wall behind you, which is the only reason there is some distance between your bodies. 

The small light coming in through the cracks lets you make out her face faintly in the dark.

Her eyes appear lost in thought and unfocused as she stares at your face, giving you that same intense look from earlier that made you lose your breath.

You feel a small exhale from her against your lips, making your heart speed up slightly.

“Natasha?” you whisper nervously against her when you feel her face begin to lean in closer.

Your voice seems to bring her out of her thoughts as she reels back in surprise. 

Natasha clears her throat in response, looking away to the door. 

“Y–yeah, let’s go.”

After leaving the storage closet, you and Natasha stand awkwardly in the hallway, with you trying to understand what just happened and her trying to compose herself. 

With a determined breath, Natasha places her hand on your arm to turn you to her.

"Y/n, about this morning—" 

Before she can finish, a figure comes rushing around the corner.

“Pietro?” you tilt your head curiously at his appearance.

He has a sheepish look on his face as he looks between the two of you awkwardly. 

“Sorry, am I interrupting?” He gestures back towards his previous direction. “Wanda is resting already, and she said to go help you.” 

You subtly take a tiny step from Natasha at his comment, not noticing her small pout at the action as you shake your head at him in response. 

“No, it’s fine. We were hiding from some guards.”

Pietro nods in understanding.

“Yeah, they’re swarming the manor.”

Natasha sighs at the interruption, crossing her arms as she asks calmly. 

“Is there a way to reach an exit without running into any more patrols?”

Pietro thinks for a minute before snapping his finger with a thought. 

“There’s the old staff tunnels in the library that leads out to the gardens.”

At your agreement, the three of you make your way to the library where Pietro reveals a hidden door behind a banner in the far back, concealed by the cover of bookshelves.

Right as Pietro pries the door open, the sound of the library door bursts open, and your father’s voice booms in the space.

“Whoever’s in here, don’t bother hiding. You can’t escape.”

Pushing Natasha to Pietro, you whisper to him hurriedly.

“Take Natasha and go.”

“But—” he argues.

You give him a firm look that leaves no room for arguing.

Pietro frowns, but he relents and grabs Natasha’s arm. 

She promptly brushes him off and takes your hand before you can leave, pulling you back to her.

“I’m not leaving you. This was my choice. I can take the responsibility,” Natasha insists.

Gently covering her hand with your own, you give her a small squeeze in appreciation and a bittersweet smile before slowly pulling your hand from her grip.

Your other hand moves up discreetly to her shoulder, and with a hard shove, you push her into the tunnels as Pietro closes the door behind them.

“Hey—” Natasha whispers harshly in surprise at your action.

“Pietro, please get her out safely,” you tell him through the small opening on the door.

He has a displeased look on his face, but he still nods determinedly at your request.

Footsteps come closer to your position as you re-cover the door with the banner.

“Come out now, or I’ll have you dragged out,” your father’s voice threatens.

With a deep breath, you step forward from the shadows. 

Dreykov rolls his eyes at the sight of you and gestures for his guards to stand down.

As if returning to his original task, he hands one guard an envelope and dismisses him with a wave and order. 

“Make sure this is delivered to the handler in the Stark kingdom. Quickly.”

The guard takes the envelope with a bow and turns to leave the room.

Furrowing your brows at his words, you eye the envelope suspiciously, the object giving you a bad feeling.

However, your attention is diverted when your father turns to face you again. His hands cross behind his back as he slowly steps closer menacingly.

“I believe I told you to stay in your room,” he says, his tone low in a displeased manner.

“I just came to get some books,” you lie smoothly. 

Dreykov scoffs and gestures with his hand dismissively.

“Does that servant boy of yours no longer run to fetch you things anymore?”

You frown, and your hand clenches in anger at his words. That protective instinct over the twins washes over you, and you can’t help but correct him.

“His name is Pietro, and he’s not a servant.”

Dreykov eyes you critically in annoyance before shaking his head in disapproval.

“That is why you will always be weak, viewing those orphans as anything other than what they truly are — disposable tools.”

You know you shouldn’t push your luck, but his words cause you to remember your earlier suspicion about him and the old captain, and your accusation comes out before you can stop yourself.

“Was Captain Barnes also a tool for you?”

The room grows cold immediately at the silence that follows, and in response, you wrap your arms around yourself defensively, already missing the warmth of Natasha’s protective presence.

Dreykov's eyes narrow at you, as if trying to gauge your implication.

After a tense moment, he finally speaks up in an indifferent tone, issuing a command to his guard.

“Hold her.” 

Your arms are restrained as he calmly steps closer to you.

You press your lips in a thin line in preparation, already knowing what comes next after such disrespectful behavior. 

His hand hits you hard enough to knock your head harshly to the side, and you feel a small amount of blood drip from the corner of your lips.

Shaking the pain away, you return to your original position defiantly — his reaction already giving you the answer to your question. 

At your expression, Dreykov sneers at you before hitting you again.

This time the impact was strong enough to knock you to the ground. Without giving you time to recover, he roughly grabs your hair to pull your head back to look up at him.

You press your mouth shut to prevent yourself from crying out in pain, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

He presses his finger against your head in a mocking gesture.

“You would think your simple mind would learn already that I do not tolerate such disrespect in my presence.” 

Letting go of your head with a dismissive throw, Dreykov turns around sharply and heads towards the door while gesturing to the guard. 

“Take her back to her room and make sure she stays there this time.” 

The door shuts behind Dreykov as the guard pulls you to your feet and tightens his grip on your arm.

Despite the throbbing pain on your cheeks from the impacts, you feel more relieved that Pietro was able to get Natasha away. 

The guard moves to shove you back in the opposite direction towards the other exit.

However, his grip on you is suddenly removed, and you turn in surprise to see him now unconscious on the floor. 

Natasha stands beside the unconscious body, breathing heavily at the figure in anger before looking up at you, a mixture of fury and concern in her eyes.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Soon after you disappear from view behind the hidden door, Pietro swiftly pulls Natasha further into the tunnels while she is still distracted in shock by your action.

Not too far along in their path, Natasha realizes what is happening and breaks away from his grip, turning around swiftly to return to your side.

However, Pietro is faster, rushing past her to block her path. 

Natasha shoots him an intimidating look.

“Move, Pietro,” her voice is calm with an underlying warning tone.

“I can’t do that. Y/n told me to take you away,” Pietro responds determinedly.

“You would leave her behind like that?” Natasha exclaims.

Pietro’s expression twists down with a painful and regretful look at her words before returning her stare with a defiant expression.

“I don’t like it either, but this is what she asked me to do,” he argues.

“Even if it means you’re abandoning her,” Natasha accuses.

“I’m not abandoning her!” Pietro replies angrily. “You have no idea what Y/n has done for me and Wanda. I am doing what I can to not cause her any more trouble.”

Natasha opens her mouth to argue against letting you sacrifice yourself to take the blame for her actions when a loud echo of what distinctively sounds like a slap travels in the space, causing Natasha’s eyes to widen as she snaps her attention towards your direction, realizing what the sound implies.

Her body moves instantly towards you, but Pietro blocks her path again.

“Get out of my way,” Natasha warns dangerously, her patience thinning by the second. She doesn’t want to hurt him, but she will force her way through if she has to.

“Don’t go,” Pietro pleads, fear appearing in his eyes, though it was not caused by her.

He holds her back, pressing his hands against her shoulder before releasing a shaky breath and shaking his head as he reveals the truth. 

“He’ll do worse if you help her.”

Natasha freezes as she snaps her attention to him.

“What did you just say?”

Pietro’s head falls to his chest in shame.

The memory of the first time Dreykov had hurt you after his return to the manor flashes in his mind, and how his attempt at helping you and doing what he thought was the right thing only ended up causing you more harm.

It took three days for you to recover from your injuries after that. 

You never blame him, of course.

You never blame anyone. 

Since then, he has never been able to get the courage to help you during those times, not that you ever let him. He could only stand back and watch helplessly.

Pietro flinches at the sound of the second hit, and his hands fall back to his side in defeat as he lets the princess rush past him back into the library.

At least, with this, he can let someone with more strength than him save you.

Natasha returns to the library and sees the guard pull you up from the ground roughly, and red instantly fills her vision.

In the next moment, the guard is swiftly subdued, unconscious on the floor.

Looking back up to you, Natasha sees your surprised expression, but she is more focused on the sight of the harsh redness on your cheek and the blood at the corner of your lips.

She instantly makes her way to you and cradles your face gently, inspecting you carefully with a concerned expression.

You wince away from her touch, grabbing her hand and pulling it away slightly.

“I’m fine, Natasha,” you murmur under your breath with a small sigh.

Natasha's eyes widen in disbelief and she shakes her head vehemently. 

“No, you are not fine! He hit you!”

Her eyes instantly snap angrily to the door that your father just left out of.

Recognizing her expression, you quickly pull her into a tight embrace before she can charge after him.

She’s practically shaking with anger, but she doesn’t push you away.

You tighten your hold on her, pressing your head comfortingly into her neck, trying to calm her down.

“Don’t, Natasha,” you tell her firmly against her skin.

With her coronation so close, this is not the time for her to cause a scandal by attacking a noble like Dreykov.

Rubbing her back slowly in a soothing pattern, you whisper into her ear gently. 

“I’m okay.”

Eventually, Natasha lets out a deep shaky breath against your shoulder before whispering to you in defeat.

“How long?”

When you don’t answer her, Natasha closes her eyes fiercely in realization and tightens her grip around you, as if trying to wrap you protectively in her arms.

Meanwhile, your eyes glance up at a movement behind Natasha, and you spot Pietro standing a small distance away, his gaze staring at the floor sadly and his body curled into himself in guilt.

You let out a knowing sigh at the familiar sight, already figuring out what is bothering the twin. 

With a resigned breath, you extract yourself from Natasha’s embrace slowly before gripping her hand and pulling her back towards the staff tunnels. 

“Come on, we can all talk after we get outside,” you remark softly.

As you pass Pietro, your other hand reaches out to grab his hand, and you give him a reassuring squeeze as you pull them both along.

The three of you make your way through the staff tunnels in silence and exit out of the manor and through the garden without any more incidents.

You make your way toward the side gates of the manor near the stables.

The entire time Natasha follows you without saying anything as she tries to process and piece together the new revelations. 

It’s been a year since Dreykov has returned and remained in the kingdom.

During the year, you had avoided her enough that she did not see you as often to be able to notice anything unusual.

Her eyes glance at your hands clasped in hers, and it drifts up to your wrist as she remembers something from before.

Right as you reach the edge of the stables, Natasha stops moving altogether, causing you to stop and turn to her in question.

Her gaze remains fixed on your wrist for a moment before looking up into your eyes with a sad expression.

“The injury on your wrist from before, that wasn’t from an accident in the kitchen, was it?” Natasha asks in realization.

You don’t respond, but Natasha can already tell the answer from the look on your face.

With a resigned sigh, you turn to Pietro and ask him gently.

“Can you get a horse prepared to go?”

Pietro nods wordlessly in understanding and leaves the two of you alone for some privacy.

With a deep breath, you rub a comforting pattern on the back of her hand.

“Natasha, you don’t have to worr—“

“Stop saying that I don’t have to worry about you!”

Natasha closes her eyes briefly in frustration before looking at you.

“Why didn’t you tell me this was happening to you?”

You withdraw your hands from hers and wrap them around yourself defensively.

“I’m handling it, Natasha,” you tell her stubbornly. “You have more important matters to deal with in the kingdom than me. Not to mention your coronation is literally in a couple of days.”

With a huff of disbelief, Natasha holds your shoulders, shaking it slightly to make you understand.

“You are the most important thing that I care about right now.”

Natasha’s face shifts into an expression of pain.

“What kind of ruler can I be if I couldn’t even protect the person that I love?”

Your eyes widen slightly at the word, but you quickly brush away the feeling, remembering how emotional Natasha must be feeling at the moment.

Her instinctive protectiveness of her friends must have made that word slip out as meaning the friendly kind of love.

You place your hand atop hers and squeeze it comfortingly.

“You don’t need to do anything. I do have a plan to get away from him. It’s just taking some time,” you explain. 

“Then come stay at the castle for the time being,” Natasha reasons. "He can't hurt you there."

“Natasha, I don’t think—”

“Please," Natasha brings your hands to her chest, giving you a pleading look as she rests her forehead against yours.

"Let me at least offer you that.”

You hesitate, but before you can respond, Pietro returns with two saddled horses in tow, causing you to give him a confused look.

“What's this?” you ask him, gesturing to the second horse.

Pietro gives you a small smile as he hands you the reins.

“You said you wanted a chance to get some answers. I think this is a good opportunity for you to go get it.” 

You realize he is referring to earlier when you expressed your desire to get more answers from Captain Barnes.

"This is not really a good time," you remark.

Pietro nods in a gesture to Natasha.

“I’m sure the princess can get you access,” he states confidently.

"I'll go with you," Natasha agrees, not ready to leave you yet and determined to continue the previous conversation with you.

You glance at Natasha briefly, already guessing the reason for her quick agreement despite not knowing the complete situation, before giving Pietro an unsure look, but he rests his hand on your shoulder comfortingly.

“Wanda and I can cover for you until you return,” he insists.

Seeing his resolute resolve, you pull him into a hug, remembering how he was like in the library moments ago with that guilty expression that you recognize from before.

“You did good, Pietro. You always have,” you remind him.

He tightens the hug appreciatively in a silent response.

When you finally pull away, you ruffle his hair playfully, causing him to fix it back with a pout as you laugh lightly. 

“I'll be back soon. Check on Wanda and keep each other safe until then, okay?”

He gives you his usual playful smirk as his finger taps the tip of your nose teasingly.

“Always.”

After he secures you onto your horse, he points to Natasha with a serious expression.

“You better take care of her,” he tells her in warning. 

“Pietro!” you chastise his blunt tone with the princess.

Still, Natasha nods firmly in understanding before glancing at you.

“I will,” she promises.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Series Masterlist : Boundless Devotion

a/n: Thank you for reading! This was a hard chapter to condense, but I think this was the best that I could do.

Taglist: @lightwhoranoutoflight, @taliiiaasteria, @romanoffprentiss, @canvascoloredin,  @silentwolfsstuff, @blacklightsposts, @arcturusseer, @presser24, @dvrkhcld, @jujuu23, @screechcat, @vivs46, @cd-4848, @youneversawmehereooooooo, @pancakefan7529, @confusedspaceotter, @natbelovasblog, @izzy-b09, @iamheartless, @mrsrushman, @fxckmiup, @natty-taffy, @2silverchain, @traveler-at-heart, @autorasexy, @natsxwife 

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #natasha romanoff imagine #natasha romanoff fanfic #natasha romanoff x you #black widow x reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff

[ghostboneswrites2]

my birthday is three weeks from Friday. so i was wondering if you can do a daryl dixon x reader? where the reader's birthday is coming up and Daryl overhears Carol and the reader's best friend from before the turn were talking about what to do for the reader's birthday. (the reader and Daryl are in relationship, been together since the farm) Daryl went on a solo run to find her a present. He wants to propose to the reader for her birthday. (You can decide if she wants to surprise him with a pregnancy test or not)

Happy (a day early) birthday!!!! I did like the idea of the pregnancy test but I had trouble writing it in without taking away Daryl's spotlight with his thoughtfulness. Hope you enjoy!!

Summary: After overhearing you talk to Carol and Evie about your birthday, Daryl decides to surprise you with some gifts, and surprise himself with something he was sure would be nothing but fantasy in the new world.

Warnings: None, actually. Fluffy and cute. Some profanity.

Note: Some of the gifts have links so you can see :)

        Daryl sleepily emerged from his basement in his shared home with yourself, Carol, and your best friend Evie, hoping Carol had coffee ready and that the three of you had saved him some. You kept him up all night asking him stupid questions about hypothetical situations like, 'If we were both penguins do you think we'd be mates? Are there any penguins left? Would walkers freeze in such cold climates?'

        He paused just around the corner before he entered the kitchen. As usual, you, Carol, and Evie were standing around the kitchen enjoying some breakfast and coffee, chatting about whatever came up.

        "So what's Daryl taking you to do today?" Evie asked. Daryl pressed his eyebrows together. He didn't have any plans, aside from coffee and casual chores to keep his hands busy.

        "Um.. I don't know. I don't even think he knows about it." You shrugged. You didn't care, it's not like you ever told him. Before you found a community that actually kept track of months and days, birthdays weren't really top priority.

        "What? You didn't tell him?" Evie shoved your shoulder lightly. "C'mon, stop being so humble!" She teased.

        "Want me to tell him?" Carol offered. 

        "Nah." You smiled. "Then he's gonna think I expect something from him. I'm fine, guys. Really."

        Daryl waited a moment before rounding the corner into the kitchen and rubbing his eyes. "Coffee." He murmured. 

        "Mug on the counter." Carol said.

        "Mmph." He groaned sleepily. You stepped over and took the mug before he could grab it and filled it for him, handing it over once you were finished. 

        "Black. Just how ya like." You grinned. He ruffled your hair before he disappeared back to his basement, proud of his acting skills. He pretended to be half awake to make sure what he did next would be an absolute surprise.

----

        "I'll be back in a few hours." He announced, wide awake and dressed for a run. He had his bow slung over his shoulder and a backpack stuffed with whatever he might need for where he was going.

        "Didn't know you had a run today." Carol commented.

        "Mm. Need some things." He shrugged.

        "Okay, be safe. (Y/N)'s with Judith if you wanna let her know."

        "Nah. I'll be back 'fore she notices 'm gone." 

        With that, he set off. He had his mind set on a pawnshop he found a while ago on another run. It was big, and he was sure to find you a gift there. He searched his memories with you for inspiration. Ever since the farm, the two of you had spent a majority of your free time together. He was sure to stumble across an old conversation or something to hint him in the right direction. What had you liked? You had a thing for picking up cool rocks when you were out. You also liked weird shit, at least to him, like horror comics and creepy oddities. He wondered what he'd find like that at a pawn shop. You did mention needing new shoes and clothes recently, so that was a start. 

        When he arrived he emptied his bag in the passenger seat to make room for all the stuff he hoped to find for you. He crept inside the the old shop, silently scanning for walkers. He cleared it out a few months back but who knew what could have found its way inside. To his pleasure the place was empty, so he went on checking up and down the aisles for gifts and treats.

        The first item he found was an antique jewelry box with intricate carvings all over the outside. He figured it would be a good place for all your favorite rocks, so he went ahead and grabbed it. Next was a candle that smelled like  autumn. Apples, cinnamon, rain and leaves. He guessed you'd like anything that smelled nice,  so he grabbed it. He also found a few books and movies for the DVD player. He wandered over the the jewelry and scanned the display case, figuring he might find a nice necklace or bracelet for you. He paused on a little section that seemed to have gemstones and fancy rocks. Or.. crystals? To him, they were just shiny rocks.

        A particular gem caught his eye. It was clear but it looked like it had a tiny coral reef inside. He reached inside the glass and grabbed it, knowing you'd think it was lovely.

        He kept scanning the cases of things that were too expensive to leave out on the shelves. The bracelets all looked to posh for your taste. The necklaces were too gaudy. Maybe you'd like a ring?

        Most of their selection were engagement rings or family heirlooms, typical for a pawn shop where folks come when they're low on cash.

        He was about to give up on the jewelry when something that looked like it came out of a fantasy novel caught his eye. It was a dainty two piece set with a large kite-shaped gem in the center. It reminded him of the crystal he grabbed for you previously, but instead of a colorful reef inside it had wipsy green moss inside. It was like it was meant to be found in the forest. He picked it up and looked it over, imagining it on your finger. He started to picture how it would feel to slide it on your finger himself, then it hit him. Would you ever consider being his wife?

----

        You were fixing yourself a little snack in the kitchen when he got back. "Hey, love." You habitually called out when you heard the door open and close. His heavy boots echoed though the quiet house as he approached you with his bag slung over one shoulder.  "Where ya been?" You wondered.

        "Just out." He said. "Got ya some things."

        "Oh?" You turned away from the counter to face him. He held his bag open and you peeked inside. "What's all this?"

        "Mm-mm." He shrugged. "Happy birthday."

        Your head snapped up. "How'd you know?"

        "Just did."

        "Oh... Wow." You blushed lightly. 

        "Go on, check it out." He urged. You grinned and set the bag on the counter, pulling out each item individually. You seemed excited about the books and movies. The jewelry box definitely caught your eye. "Figured ya'd like it for your rocks and stuff." He commented. 

        "It's so pretty." You admired the darkwood, tracing your fingers over the carvings. "That's so thoughtful."

        You found the candle next and took a whiff. "Mmm. Like fall!" You beamed. He smiled faintly at your excitement. You gasped when you pulled out the last item. "Oh..my..God.." You breathed. "It looks like a reef!" You gawked at the beautiful specimen of garden quartz. "I've always wanted one of these but they're so expensive -- or, were so expensive."

        You pulled him into a tight hug. "Best birthday gifts ever." You said giddily.

        "That ain't all." He mumbled, unsure if he was ready for the next part.

        "Oh. Really?" You were a little caught off guard. What else could there be, a new car?

        "Uh-huh." He nodded as you pulled away from the hug. He backed up a little and reached in the pocket inside his vest, pulling out a closed fist. "Gimme your hand."

        You pushed your brows together in confusion as you held out your hand, palm up. He gently turned your and over and slid the two rings on your finger -- the finger -- and tried to contain his nerves as he peeked up at your face through his hair.

        You had a mixture of shock, disbelief, and awe written all over it as you watched the two bands slide up to the base of your finger.

        "Oh.." You breathed, lost for words.

        "Was just thinkin'... Can't imagine it matters much anymore, but.." He took a breath. "Thought maybe we could--"

        You tackled him back in a tight embrace, cutting him off. He stumbled back and steadied himself against the kitchen island, chuckling with relief. You sniffled.

        "Yes." You tried not to cry.

        "Yeah?" He smiled, holding his arms around your waist.

        "Yeah." You nodded and giggled through your tears of joy. 

Join the taglist! || Masterlist

tags: @kissmeunicornbaobei @thesadcatt0 @clairealeehelsing @duckybird101 @tmntfixationxreader @ryoujoking @blackvelveteen1339 @yondus-girl @ladylincoln @sunshinebug9 @saylum559 @yoowhatthefuck @duffmckagansbandana @celtic-crossbow

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

[gloryy-vs]

Huntress’ Call

Chapter 3 : Oceans Breeze

prompt: you’re an aggressive warrior, praised by the clan and close to the sully family. neteyam caught your eye but you’re convinced you’ll never be as mighty or honorable as he is. you also caught neteyams eye but he assumes he will never be as truly dedicated to the warrior life as you are. you struggle to find balance with everything and find yourself slipping away from your title as you get more and more distracted.

ratings: sfw, future love triangle, violence, war, angsty, enemies to friends to lovers, warrior, aggression, flirting

characters: Neteyam x reader, Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak, Kiri, Tuk, Sky People, Quaritch, Ao’nung, Tsireya, Tonowari, Ronal

It was a long way to travel. Even though you already said goodbye to your family, a void was left in your heart. Like you didn’t do enough before you left. You laid down against Ye’ola, careful to not drift too far into a sleep or else you both would crash. You looked to the side, seeing Neteyams face stern and angry. He had a lot to say about the circumstances but as the eldest, those emotions would have to wait. You both indirectly decided to not speak about the night where he comforted you, letting you sob into his hand until you couldn’t resist falling asleep anymore. He carried you back home to your family. They didn’t acknowledge it, and instead allowed Eywa to do what she must to make sure their daughter wouldn’t be torn between being a fierce warrior and her love life.

It was like it never happened. As for you brothers thoughts on the matter, he promised you to keep himself out of trouble, and to not stress your parents out about his safety. You in return promised to fight for what was right, and to keep your head in the game. You already assumed he referenced your love life, or lack thereof with Neteyam. You wouldn’t let your family down, and refused to let anyone see you that weak again. Especially if they wouldn’t acknowledge your existence the next day.

As you neared the clustered islands, you saw staircased water ponds, and Na’vi of a lighter teal shade staring upwards and pointing at you all. The newcomers. Your heart ached, disliking the fact you’d all be outcasted here, with no use in the reef as you would have in the forest. Your ears perked up at the sound of a horn, turning your head to the bellowing sound. You were so previously exhausted that the noise slapped you awake. Jake turned back to his family and you, nodding his head to signal a land. You peaked over his shoulder, seeing large woven huts over shallow bits of water, Na’vi with wider rib cages and thicker forearms. Your lips pursed as you followed Jakes downward angle to the sandy ground, landing down next to Neytiri’s Ikran. The woman looked to you, seeing the discomfort in your face, and she didn’t blame you.

Neytiri cupped your cheek, giving you a soft look before letting you come down from Ye’ola swiftly. Just as Neytiri was about to bring her bow, Jake calmly told her to leave it. Probably to not look vicious or to invoke fear. She scoffed, placing a hand on Tuk’s back as you and the family walked closer. Your eyes caught contact with that of a larger teal man, and you immediately recognized him as the Olo’eyktan. You plucked your fingers from your forehead in respect, bowing down slightly. Neteyam followed behind you, protectively looming over without you even noticing his real intention. He kept his hands up and to the side, mimicking his father in a call for peace.

You allowed Jake to speak, not even moving an inch as he tried to reason and explain his situation and the reason he is seeking Uturu. To protect his family. Neteyam still stood behind you, eyes darting down to you and your hands that were at your side, nervously playing with the beads of your loincloth. What you didn’t fail to notice was a gracious figure emerge from the waters, and Lo’ak immediately turning his head away like the awkward boy he is. You and Neytiri exchanged a look, before focusing back to Tonowari and Jake.

Ronal emerged shortly after, interrupting the discussion with her queries. “Uturu?” The tsahik questioned. She crept closer, and her bump became more noticeable. Ronal examined everyone of you. Starting with you, she lifted your arms, and pressed her hands against your ribs, then turned and slapped away at Lo’aks and Tuk’s tails. She stopped at Kiri, “They are not even real Na’vi. They have demon blood!” She said, raising Kiri’s hands for everyone to see before she yanked them away. You grimaced, wanting to say or do something, but you knew better.

After the adults were finished bickering and arguing amongst each other. Uturu was granted, in exchanged for adapting and becoming useful to the Metkayina. With the help of the chiefs daughter and son. You were introduced to them, Tsireya and Ao’nung. You and Ao’nung exchanged what seemed like a tense staring competition before he eventually broke it off to respond to his sister. He wasn’t very happy about training people from the forest, but couldn’t say no to his father. He had no right. Tsireya on the other hand seemed to be excited about it, and you could tell she took a quick liking to your friend Lo’ak.

“Come, I will show you your new home. We have two spares, share if you must.” She said, beaming as she took a few of your belongings to help. You grabbed the things you could bring off your Ikran, mainly just you weapons, beads and materials to weave any loincloths or chest coverings. You followed behind Neytiri, “Would you like to share a space with Kiri and Tuk?” She asked softly, not wanting to pressure you, but also wanting to at least get you to say more than a wake each day. You nodded solemnly, agreeing to her recommendation but still feeling uncomfortable around the wandering eyes of Awa’atlu natives. The huts you had seen early were apparently called Marui’s and were intricately woven to help keep families warm or cool depending on season. You wouldn’t lie, the warm feeling of the sun felt nice and the sea breeze contrasted the heat.

You stepped into the hut next to Jake and Neytiris, Neteyam following along with Lo’ak.

“I thought you two would be wi-“ You were cut off by Neteyam dropping his things loudly. “We decided to stay here instead.” He said, not bothering to look towards you.

“You know you’re being a real fucking jerk.” You said, thankful you finished the sentence just as Tuk walked in. Neteyam shook his head, his braids whipping around loosely. You scoffed, rolling your eyes as you placed your own things down in the corner. Tsireya and Ao’nung poked their heads in, but only the younger girl greeted you and the siblings with a smile.

“Let’s start our Ilu training. My brother, Ao’nung, will help.” She said courteously. Ao’nung seemed agitated, eyeing everyone up and down. His eyes lingered on you for a long while, making you shift uncomfortably under his curious gaze. Lo’ak wasn’t having it, puffing his chest out as he strategically walked out in front of you to cover your frame and nudge the Metkayina boy to the side. Neteyam followed shortly after, turning his head to Ao’nung and scowling. The older brother tried to keep it respectful and politely make him back off, but little did he know the effect it would have for the rest of your stay here.

Ao’nung took it as competition, backing away with his hands up, but as soon as the two brothers walked away, his ocean eyes went back to you, staring into your amber ones. You narrowed your eyes at the boy, walking past him but he swiftly caught up.

“You’re not in the family, are you? You’re a real Na’vi. Not a half-blooded freak right?” Ao’nung questioned. You didn’t know if he was expecting to get a rise out of you or not. Ignoring him, you crossed your arms, following the two siblings ahead of you as quickly as you could to avoid another one of the Metkayina’s question.

“Cmon, you can do better than that.” He said, his arm wrapping around you and you both slowed down, seeing that your feet hit the water. Your eyes darted back up, seeing Tsireya call for her own Ilu to begin the training.

Neteyam looked to you, seeing Ao’nungs arm wrapped around you tightly, and that you were caving into yourself in an effort to be nice to the chiefs son and not cause trouble for Jake. Neteyam stepped forward, pushing Ao’nung back.

“Back. Off.” He said, pointing a shaking finger at him. Your ears flattened, baring your teeth at Neteyam. You didn’t want to screw up the families chance at staying here, so you pushed at his chest to calm him.

“I don’t need your help. Remember what Jake said, behave ourselves. No?” You said, accent heavy with intention of calming him down. He glared down at you, lip twitching as he didn’t understand why he came to your defense anyways.

Neteyam licked his lips, backing away from you and heading back to Tsireya, who was watching everything unfold quietly. She seemed to be non-confrontational, only watching her brother with pleading eyes to keep himself behaved as well. Your attention turned from her to Ao’nung, bowing your head lightly. “I apologize for that. He has a tendency to act out.” You said, annunciating the last two words to get your point out to the eldest Sully whose ears flattened in response. You know that he can hear you.

Ao’nung shrugged, a cocky smirk coating his face. “No big deal, no big deal.” He said, making his way deeper into the water.

“Now, can we start that training I was talking about…” Tsireya said with wide eyes, clicking her tongue to call her Ilu over again. You were far from excited.

tags 🏷️:

@mayhemories @neteyamslovrr @tohellwiththedevill

lmk if you’d like to be tagged <3

#avatar neteyam #avatar way of water #neteyam imagine #neteyam x reader #neteyam sully #avatar #avatar jake #avatar loak #neteyam #neteyam x you #ao’nung x reader #aonung #aonung avatar #aonung x you #aonung x reader #aonung imagine #avatar tsireya #tsireya #tsireya avatar #tonowari #loak sully #atwow loak #loak headcanons #loak x reader #loak fanfiction #avatar x reader #avatar angst #avatar imagine

[gabessquishytum]

Johanna is a catpeople rights activist. So many humans treat them as their property and sex toys, but catpeople have feelings. Jo is appalled by this whole situation, and she does what she can to find foster homes and, eventually, new (good!) owners for catpeople in trouble. When she learns about catboy!Dream, it's an emergency. Dream attacked his owner, Roderick Burgess. Burgess was emotionally and physically abusive, but the law is not on Dream's side - if no one volunteers to take him in and work on his 'socialization,' he's about to be put down. They're already running out of time - since Burgess is severely injured (maybe he has his eyes clawed out?), it is ruled that Dream is highly dangerous and has only a few hours left to live. Johanna won't let anything happen to this traumatized catboy. Not on her watch! She already has a foster catgirl at home, Rachel, and she can't take another because Rachel needs much care and attention (they also might be heading somewhere romantically, so Jo doesn't want to fuck it up by bringing another catperson onto her territory), so Johanna asks her bff for a favor. Hob Gadling is well off financially, can take a vacation without notice because he is a business owner, and he's naturally friendly. Also, he lives alone - no human or cat partner in the picture. He's not very delighted with the prospect of taking Dream in at first, but Johanna really insists. So they come to pick Dream up and see him in a dire condition: bruised, injured, and malnourished, he hisses at everyone who even tries to come close to his cage. A cage?? Hob has never been involved with catpeople before, and activism has been entirely Johanna's shtick, but he quickly realizes how blind he's been. Hob organizes the best medical care for him, orders all the decent books on catpeople to educate himself, and buys all the stuff Dream might need. Dream is stunning and very clever, and his previous owner obviously was a sadistic prick. Hob wishes he could claw the fucker's eyes out himself when he sees the extent of Dream's injuries and starvation. Dream is very tense and afraid at first, but as time goes by, and Hob treats him like a person, he starts to hope that maybe he's found not only his forever home but also someone to love him this time.

New catperson owner Hob treating Dream just like he's a person - a person who deserves respect, personal space and love!!! When he goes to buy new catperson stuff for Dream, he's kind of disgusted by the fact that it's all spiked collars and wet food. Hob hates it. He walks right out the store and just goes to the normal shop instead. He gets nice comfy clothes, bedding, proper food with lots of protein. He organises a proper bathing and toileting situation for Dream in his own bathroom which Hob only goes inside to clean. Just decent stuff that any sentient being deserves.

Dream doesn't know what to make of it at first. He's gone from being moments away from being euthanized, to being allowed to just kinda... do what he wants?? He has privacy, good food, healthcare, and very pleasant company in the form of Hob. Because Hob is so kind. He takes care of Dream’s injuries and nurses him through the initial stages of refeeding. He lets Dream snuggle up to him under 3 blankets because he's so cold, still shivering sometimes. He never makes Dream do anything (except take his medication, which is very important), but he doesn't ignore him either. Dream has to wonder - is this what it's like to have a friend?

Dream recovers slowly, but he does gradually start to thrive. He wears comfy shorts and big hoodies, and takes long naps in the sun that pours through the window in the bedroom every morning. He eats fresh food that Hob gets at the market every day. He's finally learned to read! Sometimes he feels like he must have died and gone to heaven. But then the dog next door barks at him and reminds him that life is not quite perfect - but almost.

His relationship with Hob evolves slowly. They share a bed and cuddle up every night (Hob tolerates Dream’s 3am zoomies pretty well by now - they now have a treadmill for that exact purpose). Dream is also generally naked in bed, which has lead to one or two moments. The mutual attraction is undeniable. Hob just doesn't want to take advantage...

Luckily Dream is prepared to make the first move. He's a person, and that means that he's capable of choosing a life partner. It just so happens that he's choosing Hob. He's going to need some practice with kissing (he's not quite sure whether or not he's meant to bite?) but he's sure that Hob will be patient with him. He has been so far. And to Dream, that patience feels a lot like love.

#the sandman #dreamling #nsft #catboys

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my roommate she can't get a cat?

Content warning for animal death and neglect

I (27f) live with a few roommates, notably R (31f). When she moved in with us, I didn't expect her to have a cat, J (elderly, m). This was an unpleasant surprise sprung on me at the last minute. I have a cat M (14f) who is aggressive and does not get along with other cats.

While trying to make it work and navigate having two cats that were used to being alone in one house, we agreed on some ground rules. We agreed that both cats must be up to date on vaccines, that our cats wouldn't be introduced to each other until they were fully vaccinated, and that they wouldn't be unsupervised in the common areas until they were introduced to each other. M is diabetic and indoor only, J was outside/inside and hadn't been to a vet in years when R moved in.

Time kept passing and R didn't get her cat vaccinated. Which meant that he never left her room because she didn't want to hang out in the living room. Which meant that he was stuck in a little 13x13 bedroom and not getting any medical care. R's room also had nowhere for him to hide and he was scared of me, so when I would stop by her room to talk to him all he could do was stick his head under the dresser, his body wouldn't fit. The few times I saw him, I noticed that he was getting very skinny and R started talking about him having concerning litter box behaviors. I kept urging R to get him to a vet, but she kept saying she couldn't afford it. I did her budget and finances, she spent as much on lyfts every week as she did on rent despite have access to a robust public transportation system, so I started begging her to not lyft for a few weeks to spend that money on him. She started saying that he was doing better.

One night at 1am, I get a text that says "J isn't doing well, if he's alive after I get him tomorrow I will take him to the vet to get put down". I panic at the thought of this animal suffering and start calling emergency vets for who would be willing to do euthanasia that night. Almost all of them say that they would try to save the cat first and I keep telling them that we don't have money for that and that he's suffering. Finally, we get someone who understands and I call my friend with a car and get me, R, my partner, and R's cat to the vet at almost 3am and I sit with her when J is put down.

This was an incredibly traumatizing situation for me and I fully believe that R killed her cat through her negligence. So when R brought up wanting to get a new cat, I told her that she couldn't.

Why I might be the asshole: it's been almost 2 years since this whole situation and R has turned her financial situation around. She has a full time job and has a good savings built up and I know the whole situation was very traumatic for her too. I highly doubt she would ever make these same mistakes again. Also, I am motivated by wanting my cat to be the only cat in the house: I live in a basement room with little light, and she's really enjoyed being able to go upstairs and bask in the sun whenever she wants.

So, am I the asshole?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole #pet death cw

[in-g-major]

ATLA Unpacked: Ty Lee's Potential

One of the many things we missed out on from ATLA Book 3 was a Ty Lee character arc. Of Azula's trio she's ultimately the least explored and most auxiliary, which is sad. The possibilities were certainly there: a girl who seems too good-natured for the ruthlessness of the Fire Nation, coerced into helping Azula, seemingly naive about what her nation is doing or perhaps too timid to voice her concerns. Gee, all that sure rings a bell doesn't it? So, here are some things that I think could have been done w/ Ty Lee given what we know about her. 1. Friendship with Zuko and eventual Redemption Arc Canon screwed this one up during "The Beach," but there's no reason it had to be that way. Ty Lee should have been the person Zuko warmed up to the most given that they're both more caring people than Mai and Azula. With Ty Lee and Zuko, you have two sheltered and privileged teenagers who don't quite fit the mold of what Fire Nation children are *supposed* to be. As a result, Zuko is banished and Ty Lee leaves her aristocratic home life behind. Zuko's banishment and journey across the world helps him realize that the Fire Nation's war is wrong. Ty Lee, who was part of a traveling Fire Nation circus and eventually traveled the Earth Kingdom with Azula, could have easily come to the same realization. We never even get her perspective on the war in canon! Just imagine Ty Lee and Zuko bonding over martial arts, theater, and collecting pretty sea shells. They bring out each other's best qualities and motivate each other's redemption. 2. Standing up to Azula This has been commented on before, but Mai being the one who defies Azula instead of Ty Lee during "The Boiling Rock" is not a satisfying emotional climax. Mai happily left her boring life behind in "Return to Omashu" as soon as Azula gave her an opportunity, and she openly defied Azula's orders with no fear of retribution at least once. What Azula represented for Mai wasn't fear. Azula was the metaphorical "devil" on Mai's shoulder, distracting her from her lack of emotional fulfillment with fun and thrills. The one who was genuinely afraid of Azula, and abandoned her passion out of that fear, was Ty Lee. Ty Lee standing up to Azula and emerging victorious is far more emotionally and narratively satisfying given their dynamic. It also gives Mai a more character appropriate choice to make in the situation. Which leads me to my third point 3. Mai and Ty Lee marsreds made a fantastic commentary I read years ago. I'll link it in the comments, but her point was that throwing Mai into an awkward and uninteresting relationship with Zuko took the focus away from her relationships with Azula and Ty Lee and made her character arc about a boy. It's a pretty damning commentary on the sexism that seeped into the way ATLA's female characters were written, and how that became the norm for the franchise by the time of the comics. Anyway, a hugely missed opportunity for Ty Lee and Mai was their relationship with each other. Even though I am pro MaiLee, I won't make this ship heavy. Ultimately the writing has to come first, but Mai and Ty Lee do have a fun and touching dynamic. Ty Lee is even more playful and affectionate with Mai than she usually is, and Mai shows genuine care and empathy for Ty Lee. When they reunite in Omashu, Mai asks Ty Lee what happened with her joining the circus. Then, during "The Beach," Mai is the only one who stands up for Ty Lee, telling Zuko to back off and figuring out the root of Ty Lee's desire for attention. We never see Mai this invested in someone else's feelings and well-being with anyone else. The character appropriate choice for Mai in "The Boiling Rock" wasn't betraying Azula for teen love. It was choosing between the friend who encouraged her better self (Ty Lee) or the friend who kept her from growing as a person (Azula).

#atla #atla meta #ty lee #mai #azula #anti maiko #mailee #g major writes #g major meta

[lillysilvermoon]

What April will bring to you?

Pile 1

Hi pile 1! So I see that a lot of you are going through a difficult time in life. Some of you maybe are over thinkers and are feeling restricted by your own thoughts or a situation (for some I feel it's your environment that makes you feel this away). I think a lot of people here are going through end of cycles and has been really hard, especially because some of this ends are feeling like some kind of betrayal (I am so sorry Pile 1🥺) I feel like it is the end of friendship and relationship for a lot of you. BUT I have good news to y'all. This situation is because you are not seeing the BIG PICTURE, I know has been hard, believe me I know how it feels, but what I heard someone's guide say is "she is not realizing that SHE can figure it out! That's the lesson, it's all with her" and even tho not everyone reading this is a "her" I think this applies to a lot, really A LOT of you. Here me out: we can't control everything in life, endings can create space for new opportunities to emerge and hold on tight in this situation/relationship/thing will only cause you pain. April asks you go stabilize your energy, to try control less and go with the flow more. This month you bring you more balance and patience (for some it's what you will need to learn or work to be better at) and avoid extremes, maintain a sense of calm. I have a very good example: you know tiktok trend that "omg you wronged with me now I am the most BAD BICTH here me out are you seeing how bad I'm now?? Yeah now I hate you and don't care about anyone" it's what I'm talking about. Hate someone it's exhausting, and I'm NOT saying to have the toxic positive also, because this is a extreme too. Just.. focus on you in april okay? Focus on develope more patience, a calm mind and take care of yourself. April will be all about this, this "mind care" you know? And also to learn to go with the flow more, it's a big thing here.

April is about change, shapeshifting maybe, something is developing in y'alls lives. You know all this struggles and cycles? It's finalizing, and you know what the guide said about you can change the situation? This card here (it's from moonology oracle) says that YOU can still change the course of this outcome (you are in a toxic relationship and are thinking this is a sign that "ong I can change him/her blablabla" IT IS >NOT< but you can change the fact that you are in this relationship and put a end at it).

This card also talks about the need of more flexibility in situations.

I highly recommend to calm your mind because maybe will have some very emotional intense situations in this moment, maybe related to family issues (but don't worry, usually this card indicates the end of some challenge. It's also time to overcome your insecurities and stand up for yourself.

Signs: Roses, flowers, lake, oak trees (this was to specific lmao), landscape and horses (maybe you should check out Pile 2??) 4444, 6666, 222

Pile 2

Hi pile 2! Let's get into your reading, shall we?

So I think y'all have been working on something and its kind weighting on your shoulders. Maybe you are feeling overburdened, overloaded and/or having too much responsibilities and challenges, and because of this you feel like your life are lacking spontaneity... I HAVE GOOD NEWS!!!!!! I know has been hard, but you are almost there with whatever you are doing. April you brings to you lots and lots of good moments with family and friends, and for a very small group a lover (possible Soulmate connection) a feeling of true contentment you know? You will feel more confident and have the drive to overcome obstacles and moving forward in a very positive direction, I feel you will learn how to channel you inner power with very fierce dedication to bring your goals to fruition, and even tho will have work to do, will feel much more spontaneous and just happy in general, a sense of confidence in what you are doing. You will have more time to enjoy with friends and when is time to work again you'll be feeling happy and energized.

It's a moment to you stop and think abouts what you learned from your experiences rather than blindly forging ahead,you need to face your fears because they may be holding you back (you are also being called to listen to your feelings and allow your emotions to be free) it's important to you to have faith that whatever happens will be for the best. Some of you REALLY need time out for your own good and health, breathe, have time to relax because you just CAN'T be "on" all the damn time gosh, also if you feel you've hit an obstacle or failed in some way, now is the time to reflect about it and how you can do things differently next time (without judging yourself please, I feel I have to emphasize this a lot, don't be so hard on yourself you are just human)

Signs: books, wood/smelling of woods, barbie movies, color link, number 8 (I think it's a date, caterina, 222, 5555, 66, pisces, cancer

Pile 3

Hi Pile 3, welcome to your reading! I just saw 11:11 when I finished shuffling your cards and was like, literally just the time for to see it and then changed lmao. But let's get started! You may be in between 2 options or 2 paths and you don't know what to do, I think you have been daydreaming and procrastinating because of your indecisiveness and I have to be honest: you need to stop living in this wishful world. Pick and choose, but don't worry because your guides have your back, if you stop and really, REALLY be in silence (no music sir) and hear your intuition you will know which path to go, and be aware that I'm not saying will be easy, but your intuition will help a lot, I feel you may be a water sign because you got more cups, but you can just be very sentimental and make decisions based more on your heart and feelings (I got you🙌💗) and sometimes it's hard to decide where to go, what to do. I feel you need to put EVERYTHING aside, think what you wanna do? What would makes you happy? What you are good at? Those are good questions to begin with, maybe journaling would help too! I feel you maybe have to face you family disapproval depends on your choice and this is weight on you but honestly? It's your life and you have to do what YOU think it's better, because more you get older more you realize it's not worth be miserable just to make out parents/friends/etc happy. Really isn't. When you listen your intuition you will realize what you truly want, and will be easy to choose. April asks you this, and know that you shall succeed. If you are looking for a job or starting a business know that April may bring you a new start in this area, if you are unhappy it's the moment to look for something new and even tho you aren't thinking about work-related stuff it's a moment for a new plan or strategy, it's a moment to do long-term plans and think about where you want to be and who you want to be in the next 12 months, and take steps by this perspective (be realistic). And here this: you CAN be ambitious!!

You need to be more disciplined and realistic, it's also a good month to study or learn something new.

In general april brings you reflection to decide what you want, and once you have make your mind it's all yours, it's a very good month you just need to get off your head and make a choice.

For anyone facing a problem of any kind: it's reaching a solution and a fresh start in your private life is coming! It's also asked to you to take better care of yourself this month and nurture yourself more. And be aware of any insecurity you have, you need to work on them ie they will hold you back (maybe you can't make a decision because of this and as soon you take care of this you will be able to choose more calm!!) Its literally written in the book card that meditation may help with you with insecurities lmao I would give a try.

It's also a good month in family matters.

Oh, and one more thing: don't be to controlling and avoid people who are!

Signs: capricorn, cancer, water, earth, library, candles, green places, owl,55,1111, 22, 66

Pile 4

Hi Pile 4! April you be very rushing, you are progressing and gaining momentum. Lots of good moments and exciting times. If you are working on something you'll see results and you work and sleepless nights you be paying off (for some you may have some holiday romance 😏😏 there is any holidays coming? Here in my country it's just Easter - English is not my language and I actually had to go see how it's said because here it's called Pascoa lmao) you will be feeling more outgoing and full of energy (I am so happy for you Pile 4😭💗💗💗) and optimistic and independent. You will feel called to take charge of things and organize your life. Also, if you have problems to speak your truth, well, april it's looking at this problem and saying "bye bye🤭" because you will work on yourself and will stand up for you unafraid to speak up and be unapologetically you!

But I need y'all to pay attention because it's a general reading, and I see here that some of you might be turning down and refusing offering and after you can feel yearning and regret and then might start focusing on the negative. Don't do that! Sometimes, for a very big amount of reasons, we take decisions that we regret later (sometimes right after lol) but try to train your mind to think this away: it's experience. It's knowledge, take the lesson and live the rest behind with no regrets. If you need to take decisions this month don't be impulsive, contemplate and meditate over this and reevaluate what is best and important for you. Also focus on realizing what makes you feel bored or unhappy and make a change can help a lot.

And I have 2 options here: the first one is that you need to stan firm in whatever situation you are in (maybe you are recovering and things are kind hard) and the second one is that something is stuck, in this case you need to stop and think what is going wrong. Are you being stubborn and doing the same thing again just because worked in the past? If that's the case, it's time to try something new. Anything you are starting this month (business, relationships) may last longer. And you have a reminder to speak your truth (do you know that people who have womb can have problems if they don't speak? Thyroid problems too, This applies to a hell lot of stuff, feelings, traumas, anger. So please, speak. Put this out off you the better way you can) but remember the words you say have consequences and impact in the person who is hearing so be mindful. I also feel I should say this here: someone is interested in manifestation and use affirmations can help a lot, "your words are your wand, you create your own realitye every time you express yourself" (metaphysical Florence Scovel Shinn) so be mindful the away YOU talk to YOURSELF, say kind words to you even if you don't believe in them at first.

Signs: Gemini, fixed signs (taurus, leo, scorpio and aquarius), color red and orange, 444, 111, 333, 555, beach, oceans, trees and bicycles (?? Sometimes this readings are so specific that I just can't-)

Good april for all of you, I hope y'all be okay, happy and take care of yourselves (and drink you water please, also sleep well and eat right please. I worry about you all working too much) see you in my next reading.

Lots of love♡

- Lia

#pac tarot #tarotreader #tarot readers of tumblr #tarot reading #tarotcommunity #tarot free reading #free readings #free tarot #pac #pick a pile #pick a card #tarotblr #pisces #gemini #aquarius #astrology #oracle #tarot

[gallusrostromegalus]

For An Elephant is Warm and Mushy, what's the deal with Ichigo and Isshin? Cause I hate Isshin, but I want to know what your take is on it. (Sorry if you've already addressed this.)

I think my thoughts on Isshin in AEIWAM are best summed up as such:

To elaborate: I think that, if he had been a father under normal circumstances, Isshin would have been a perfectly competent and even a good father.

...But he's not parenting under Normal Circumstances.

He's parenting as widower (alone) with three psychic (no how-to guides on this!) and traumatized (Especially Ichigo) children, while processing his own trauma (Again, Widower), while in a HIGHLY demanding and stressful career (Emergency care specialist/Surgeon), while technically on the run from the law (he's still wanted for being a deserter), while also in Apex Predator Central (Karkura is CHOCK A FUCKING BLOCK fulla hollows).

And BY GOD, the man is trying! AEIWAM! Isshin does his best to keep his children informed of the dangers of their world while not also risking them breaking his witness protection scheme. He works extremely hard and his best to keep them fed, housed, safe, educated and loved, and he LOVES them SO MUCH. Isshin is NEVER shy always genuine with affection towards his children! Hell, he even reaches out to who he can (Urahara, Ryukken, his neighbors, the kid's teachers) for help because he knows he's in over his head and needs help and that's a hard damn thing for a parent to do, but...

...It's not enough.

He still lies to his children. For perfectly sane and understandable reasons, but he still lies to them. He still doesn't understand his children- He gives them all the love he can, as best he knows how, but Ichigo especially speaks an entirely different love language. He's still not there for his children. Balancing three kids is ROUGH when you're a single parent and I'm afraid Isshin has some old-fashioned notions about gender that cause him to prioritize the twins over Ichigo. And worse, he's not there when Ichigo, and later the twins, start being in mortal danger from the fallout of his connection to Soul Society.

He grit his teeth and moved heaven and earth to rise to the occasion and still managed to fall well short of it.

A+ for Effort

D- for The Actual Results

So. Why DOES Isshin keep failing at healthy communication? Why DOES he make bizarre choices? Why DOES he suck at being a father?

As I was writing I realized the answer is that he was in the right time and place to accidentally learn some VERY bad habits from his friends and colleagues during his heavy involvement in the Soi Fon-Yoruichi Debacle.

This is already a very long post, so the explanation is under the cut:

To be clear: It's not their fault.

It's one of those awful "Its nobody's fault specifically, but the way human minds work means that this sort of conflict and bad behavior was inevitable" situations. The tragedy of being discrete beings.

The crux of Soi Fon and Yoruichi's relationship was that two people who had previously only moderate issues met another person whose own issues massively exacerbated their own in a continuously escalating cycle.

AEIWAM! Soi Fon is the SOLE surviving child of the Fon Clan. He five older brothers were all killed in service to the second division and the Shihon clan. Possibly under Yoruichi's direction, if I understand the timelines right. She was also raised from a very young age to ignore her own needs as a person, use violence as a Solution to her problems, largely starved of affection, and to hero-worship Yoruichi. Girl was already messed up when she walked into the Second division.

AEIWAM! Yoruichi is ALSO a sole surviving clan heir (Yushiro is conceived as a direct result to her vanishing in TBTP) and ALSO taught to use violence as a first solution, but instead of a self-sacrificing mindset, Yoruichi was raised to believe that other people sacrificing themselves for her was normal, good and even virtuous on their part. She was also sort of doted on by her parents, who were thrilled that their last-chance heir was shaping up so well (So far as they knew).

You can see how this was always going to go badly.

Soi fon is desperate to please. Yoruichi thinks this is perfectly normal and desirable behavior, and so she rewards it with copious affection, because Soi Fon responds to that well. Soi fon, receiving her first hit of positive reinforcement in her whole life, promptly falls head over heels for Yoruichi, and works even harder for her. Yoruichi, thrilled to have someone so capable, continues to reward this behavior. The cycle continues, and escalates.

Eventually, the two of them are operating in completely different worlds. So far as Soi Fon can tell, She and Yoruichi are in a Grand Romance, like a knight and her princess in the fairytale stories she used to comfort herself with as a little girl. She assumes this is a normal relationship between lieutenant and captain. So far as Yoruichi can tell, She and Soi Fon are in a Perfectly Normal And Platonic Working Relationship, because this is how every 2nd Division Lieutenant has fawned over their Shihon captain since the division's inception, and she assumes this is perfectly normal.

At some point, Soi Fon realizes that their relationship is really one-sided and she's giving 110% for maybe 4% on Yoruichi's behalf, but she's invested so much and every authority figure in her life is telling her that this is Right and Correct, that she actively chooses the fantasy over reality to cope with her circumstances. At some point, Yoruichi realizes that she's wildly taking advantage of Soi Fon's romantic feelings that she... well. She likes the girl well enough, but not romantically. But She relies so much on Soi Fon to run the 2nd Division and every authority figure in her life is telling her that this is Right and Correct that she actively chooses to play into Soi Fon's fantasy to preserve this very beneficial (for her) status Quo.

...Enter Kisuke Urahara.

Urahara has no horse in this particular race- in fact, he doesn't even know there's a race going on. He's deeply enamored of this ABSOLUTE BABE that's into his schlubby little ass, who's cool and funny and involved in the same insane workplace he is, and when Yoruichi sometimes complains to him about how crazy her lieutenant is, his only frame of reference is... Mayuri. He thinks this is normal, and the romantic relationship between him and Yoruichi continues to grow. She's his unexpected 11 out of 10, he's her fun dirty little secret. It's kinda tawdry, but it is honest.

Then TBTP happens. Kisuke and Yoruichi sorta accidentally frame themselves for treason, then someone (Aizen) very on purpose frames them for treason.

And so far as Soi Fon knows, the woman she loved, the woman she devoted her life to, the woman who (allegedly) loved her back- has lied to and discarded her.

It hurts. It hurts A Lot.

...Enter Isshin Shiba.

In AEIWAM, Isshin becomes a captain the same week TBTP happens, though he's on the other side of the rukongai when that shit goes down, so he shows up to his first captain's meeting with more than half the captains being brand new to their jobs, not totally sure what he or anyone else is doing-

-And there's Soi Fon. Alone and Miserable.

Isshin is an older brother to a younger sister (who never gets a name in canon) and an uncle to her three children, but they all live way out in the middle of nowhere so he hardly ever sees them and seeing Soi Fon at the meeting, exhausted and distraught (And maybe a little bit hungover) activates every single Big Brother And Uncle instinct he's been looking to inflict on someone.

It's VERY easy for him to hear Soi Fon's side of the story, conveniently ignore the part where she actively chose to believe in a romantic relationship she knew didn't actually exist, and cast Yoruichi as The Bad Guy Who Took Advantage Of My Poor Substitute Little Sister.

Soi Fon, who had *almost* been on the verge of being realistic about the breakup, leans into his version of the story, because, again, she's massively starved for affection and Isshin is giving her the type of love her now-dead brothers used to. So Isshin learns Bad Gender Habits here, and Bad Listening Habits, and Bad "Casting People Into Roles Instead Of Treating Them Like People" Habits, and gets rewarded for them with Soi Fon's attention and sisterly affection.

This is also probably where his decision-making skills start to decline- Soi Fon is a Trusted Colleague of his, and he goes to her for advice on Tricky Political Things, because that's what 2nd division DOES. Unfortunately, Soi Fon lives in Information Opsec Paranoia Spy Shit Hell, and gives her advice out accordingly. He starts favoring not giving out details unless he thinks it's REALLY necessary, and using bad-faith decision making. Even More unfortunately, the Gotei-13 is a hot mess of an organization and these habits serve him well.

...Enter Masaki Ishida, and shortly thereafter, Exit Isshin Shiba until he appears in the Human world as Dr. Isshin Kurosaki, and his wife, Masaki Kurosaki.

It's during the "I met a woman who is *technically* an enemy of the state, but she was so cool I fell so hard in love I decided to do a desertion and light treason" mess, Isshin becomes properly acquainted with Urahara and Yoruichi, and eventually, he hears Yoruichi's side of the story. He reverses course, now Soi Fon is the Crazy Ex, and Yoruichi was just doing what was necessary to survive in their demented military-industrial-spy-governement workplace.

Yoruichi doubles down on his "Shut the FUCK up or Yamamoto or worse is gonna come and kill us, and everyone we love" paranoia, because she's also on the run, and when he comes to her for advice on "So apparently the hollows are WAY stronger than I thought, they KILLED MY WIFE, how am I supposed to keep my kids safe?" She advocates teaching them how to recognize and hide from hollows rather than proper self-defense or the truth, because her first fear still is retribution from Soul Society. It's not insane of her- Yamamoto has a very literally fiery temper and can hold grudges for millennia.

So Isshin Tries. But he's also very burdened by paranoid neurotic behavior he doesn't even know he has, and dodgy-if-not-totally-insane advice from his friends.

And that's what I think of Isshin Kurosaki :)

#AEIWAM #Bleach #Bleach fanficton #bleach isshin #isshin kurosaki #isshin shiba #bleach ichigo #ichigo kurosaki #soi fon #yoruichi shihouin #If this was an AITA post #it's very much an “Everyone Here Sucks” result

[moon-child-goddess]

When we say goodbye Pt 3

Pairings:  Druig X LightBender!Eternal!Reader (Fem) 

Summary: They stop the emergence and figure out what life holds for them.

Warnings: MCU Violence, Blood, Fighting, I used Fem pronouns, Kissing I guess, stray from canon events.

Author's note: I once again got carried this is 6k words. I tried to make it really fluffy. Also sorry it is late i was sick.

Part one Part Two

Druig studied the gold details caved into the walls of the plane. They looked a lot like the ones on the ship they came here on. The place that was their home for thousands of years. There was a black sectional in front of a theater screen that was playing a movie with no sound on. It was over the top compared to Kingos she had spared no expense. He didn’t know where to sit for the long flight. Y/N had made it clear to Druig that she was still mad at him and was doing this for the others.

Y/N currently sat on the couch in the corner by a window. A pile of papers was splayed out in front of her with no clear organization to them. She held on to a burner phone pressing it hard to her ear.  A picture of three men opening a crate was clutched in her hand. She let out a loud sigh tossing the photo to the side, and shuffled through papers looking for one file that she swore she grabbed on her way out.  She spoke in a hushed whisper trying to keep Druig out of her business. However, he could make out a few words.

“Take care of it Loretta… I know but you are… Call him… Don’t make me beg.”

When she hung up, she narrowed her eyes a raised her brow at him.

“You just going to stand there? or sit?” Y/N snapped the phone in half and handed it to the stewardess on the plane. And went back to looking through the files. She still had work to do if the world survived the emergence.

Druig however didn’t move, he didn’t even blink, he just stared at her. He was at a loss for words.

“Staring is rude Dru. I know Ajak taught you that.” She spoke softly looking up from the file. He finally sat down leaving four feet of space between them.  Druig stared at the movie playing trying to distract himself from the silence they were in. His gaze flickered over to Y/N occasionally wanting to interrupt her work but didn’t know what to say.

Y/N could feel his eye drilling into the side of her head. She read the same paragraph over and over again the words blurred together. His presence was distracting to her and feeling his eyes on her was not helping. She couldn’t do the work she wanted, and she needed to find a way to get rid of spiderman.

“Y/N?”

“No. I told you I would help. We are not friends. You stay there in your corner. I will continue to act like you are not here.” Druig sighed. He was once again at a loss of how to approach the situation.

Y/N became annoyed. All she could hear was him breathing and swore he was making up words for the movie. He was mumbling about something, but she wasn’t sure what. She pushed the papers into a somewhat neat pile. Then tossed them in to the bag she brought, and stared out the window as the dark sky.

“Do you hate me that much?” Druig spoke in a whisper. His accent made it hard for her to make out the words.

Y/N exhaled rolling her eyes. In truth no she did not hate him. She wanted to viscerally hate him, but she never could bring herself to even dislike him even after all this time. He was a light in her life that she lost and missed the warmth he brought her. That safe and secure feeling she had when he was near. It was just easier to wallow in pity and pretend that she hated him. Fake it till you make it was her motto for the last two thousand years.

“I- I don’t know. Not to sound like a broken record but you hurt me. I thought I meant more to you than the others. Because as much as you deny it you cared about them. But you left me when I begged you to take me.” She paused, taking a deep breath and licked her lips before continuing.

“Discarded me like human waste. Was I just temporary entertainment to you?”

He took the opportunity to scoot closer causing Y/N to stare at him instead of the dark sky. He stopped about a foot away testing the waters. He wanted to touch her. To comfort her and make her see she was his world.

“Sunshine. You must know you were the only one I genuinely cared about, besides Makkari.”

“Then why did you leave me?” Y/N cried out. And repeated the question quieter with glassy eyes. Tears threatening to spill out.

“I am so sorry sunshine. I didn’t want to leave you, but I was trying to be selfless for once. You loved every single one of them more than I could comprehend. I couldn’t pull you away from that, and you end up regretting it.”

She scoffed and looked back out the window staring into the black void of the night sky.

“They all left me too. I had sprite on and off during that time. But those two thousand years were hell. You took a part of me I don’t think I will ever get back.”

Druig reached out and gently grasped her hand rubbing his thumb over her wrist stopping at her pulse. He wanted to fix this. It was never his intention to hurt her.   

“Was it really that bad?” She pulled her hand out of his hold and set it in her lap.

“I watched the man I loved walk away from me, and then the man I fell in love with was murdered in front of me. We got six glorious years that was it. A blink to us eternals.”

Druig flinched. Loved? As in past tense? he thought. Scared of the answer she may give him. She kept looking out the window refusing to acknowledge him. Y/N pulled her feet up on the chair hugging her knees to her body trying to make herself look small. She wanted this conversation to end. Every emotion she had pushed away for centuries was surfacing.

“Loved?” Druig couldn’t resist, he had to know. Y/N pinched her lips frowning.

“That’s what you care about? You don’t have to worry I got over my unrequited love a while ago.”

“Do you honestly believe that I didn’t love you? Please look at me Y/N” His voice was raw, and she hesitated to do what he asked. Eventually giving in to the side that still cared for him.

They stared at each other. His blue eyes keeping eye contact with her.  Feeling overwhelmed with the emotions he held in his eyes she turned her head slightly. He moved with her to keep eye contact.

“You must know you are the only one I care about. Y/N, I never wanted anything more in my life. You are beautiful and my sunshine. Every time I called you sunshine that was me saying ‘I love you’. I was scared that I had these feelings and you deserved better.”  

Y/N let a tear escape. She didn’t know what to say to him. Druig gave her everything she wanted to hear from him.

 “I will apologize for the rest of our existence. I will beg on my knees for you to let me back in.”

 Y/N giggled through the tears that fell. A sight she would have liked to see. He cupped her face wiping the drops away giving her a soft smile. Her skin was cold to his warm hands.

“I don’t know what to say.” She whispered. For once she was at a loss for words.

In response he laughed, his breath fanning over her face. The minty smell was overwhelming. She scooted closer to him, their faces a centimeter apart. Her eyes bore into his. She took a deep breath to stop the tears. His familiar smell filled her senses again. Oh how she had missed this familiarity, the feeling of home.

“You still smell good, and it is infuriating.” She mumbled.

He laughed again, his accent coming out a bit more. This was the person he knew. The one he loved.

“So do you.”

Y/N shook her head his hands falling one landing on her thigh. She laid her head on his shoulder suddenly very tired. Druig rested his cheek on the top of her hair, savoring her touch and made a silent promise to never let her go again.

Soft snores came from her as she slept soundly. He took in her tranquil state and traced a finger over her features softly to avoid waking her up.

----

“Why are you wearing a leather jacket in the desert?” Y/N teased as they tracked through the hot sandy hills of Iraq.

“Because I like it.” Druig shrugged, sending her a small smile.

The outline of the rest of the eternals grew the closer they got. Y/N picked up speed practically running to them. Druigs hand shot out resting on her lower back ready to catch her if she fell. The closer they got the faster she sprinted. After being apart from most of them for centuries she was ecstatic to see her family again. Mainly Thena and Sprite (but she would never tell anyone that). Sprite had been her best friend through the toughest of times.

“Y/N” Sprite called out when she saw her figure approaching.  

Sprite ran toward her. Once close enough they enveloped each other in a bone crushing hug. Y/N clung on just a little longer. The last hug she had with her was at Giovanni’s funeral.

 “I am sorry I pushed you away Sprite.”  

“It’s ok, I get it. I was going to lecture you about finding yourself again plus you were in a dark place.” Sprite held an honest and forgiving tone as she let Y/N go.

Y/N bit chewed on her upper lip. She knew this kindness was more than she deserved after everything she had done, but it meant the world to her that Sprite still treated her the same.

“I am working things out, but I am here to assist.”  

“May I cut in?” The blonde warrior asked from behind sprite.  

Y/N squealed. Launching herself at the unsuspecting women.

Thena smiled and grabbed Y/N’s face. Her eyes traced over the girls’ features taking in every inch of the face she hadn’t seen in so long.  Y/N looked the same, just tired and a little sadder in the eyes. After a moment Thena picked Y/N up in a bear hug twirling them both around. Both of them let out a giggle. It was the happiest Y/N has felt in a long time.

“I have missed you.” The warrior spoke while setting Y/N back on her feet.

“As I you.”

 “Sorry to interrupt this moment, but Druig can you get rid of the humans over here?” Phastos called out from where he stood.

Druig nodded and glanced back over at Y/N. She was still smiling at the two people in front of her, clearly elated. His heart skipped a beat at the sight.  In the time apart from her he often dreamed about that smile.  He nudged her shoulder hands in his jacket pockets and tilted his head towards everyone else. Y/N gave him the same smile and looped her arm through his walking with him. It felt like the good times when they would stroll around town before everyone was awake.

Y/N said a soft hello once they stopped near the others. Sersi gave her a light embrace muttering a sweet hello.

“This is Y/N she can manipulate light into anything she wants it to be.” Kingo held an animated tone while speaking directly to the camera Karun was holding. Karun panned over to the women who waved at him not entirely sure what was going on.  

“Not anymore. I can manipulate shadows though.”  Y/N tried to sound carefree as she spoke it aloud to the group, but failed there was an edge to her tone.

“Oh really! I may need to change the script for my next movie then.”

“You are still making those?”

“Yes, the people love me.” Kingo said in a duh tone.

“Who is this man?”

“Oh, that is my assistant Karun.”

“And he hasn’t run for the hills?”

Kingo shot Y/N a glare offended. He didn’t have a chance to remark as the wind picked up as Phastos summoned the ship.  Sand blew towards them. Y/N was cursing the fact that she was the only one who didn’t bring sunglasses. She buried her face in Druigs back holding her breath. She let out a small gasp when Druig reached behind and set a hand on her hip.  

----

The group of eternals crept through the ship at a snail’s pace. Kingo whispered into the video camera speaking ominous words that sent a chill through the group. He was acting as if there was going to be an axe murder hiding on board to kill them.  

“What are you doing? You know you are creeping us out right?” Phastos spoke up.

As if on que a loud pop echoed through the hall. Causing Y/N to flinch at the loud sound. She let out a small yelp and clung on to Druigs side. He let out a soft chuckle before putting an arm around her shoulder pulling her in closer.

“Its ok,” He murmured in her ear. “Thena stepped on something.”

“You turned my lab into a sarcophagus?” Phastos cried out to Makkari using his right hand to gesture around at the things strewn about.

Makkari was perched on a throne with a plethora of books surrounding her. She smiled once the group came to a stop in front of her.  She asked them if it was time to go home.

Y/N’s face twisted into a grimace not ready to break her spirit. She too wished to leave this plant and start over.  Makkari frowned once she took in everyone’s sullen expressions.

“Who is going to tell her?” Y/N asked.  She did not want to be the one to crush her spirit. She may have been a cruel person to those that deserved it, but she couldn’t do it to her family.

“I will do it.” Kingo volunteered after a moment of no one talking.

Phastos got to work immediately wasting no time in finding a solution. While the rest started rummaging through the goods in the room.

Y/N was rummaging through a box of paintings next to where Sprite sat on the ground. The red head was reading an old scroll. It was in a language Y/N had long forgotten. She stumbled across a dusty painting that a king had once gifted her.

‘It would be such a shame no to capture such beauty.’ He had said to her while obnoxiously drunk at one of his parties. No matter what Y/N said he would not take no for an answer. Leading her to reluctantly agree to letting him commission a piece. She pulled it out of the crate to look at it better. The colors had faded throughout the centuries.

“That king wanted to marry you. He almost proposed too, but Druig got involved.” Sprite spoke up. Lowering the scroll she was reading from.  At the mention of his name Druig turned to face them. His jaw clenched when he took in what Y/N was holding.

“I merely saved him from heartbreak when she inevitably said no.” Druig called out. Y/N rolled her eyes setting the painting back to its proper place.

Y/N narrowed her eyes as she watched Druig pick up her old journal from a pile in the corner of the room. Before he could open it she took off towards him. It was full of so many things that she didn’t want anyone to read.

“Give it to me.”  Y/N panted once in front of him.

“Oh, you want this” He held the book above his head with a smirk.

Y/N huffed out and jumped up trying to get it. On the third try her hands touched the leather. She had half the mind to tackle him, but she knew he wouldn’t budge.  Instead, Y/N got on a table to make herself taller.

“Yes, now please give it to me, or I will stab you.” The threat fell on deaf ears, as Druig lifted her from the table setting her back on the ground. He rested his forehead to hers smiling down at her angry look. He held the journal out to the side still just out of her grasp.

“What’s in here? Your dirty thoughts?”

“No.” Y/N blushed answering way too quickly. A heat coursing through her face.

Druig cackled, bringing everyone’s attention to the two for a second.  He handed her the brown leather book tapping her nose with it before walking away.

Y/N made a mental note to burn the book as soon as possible while hiding it under a pile of miscellaneous items. On the other end of the table was an old talisman Ajak had loved and wore it often. Y/N picked it up her heart breaking at the realization she would never see the women again. The air around her became stale as she tried to steady her beathing. Losing all the joy she had moments ago.

“Now where did you end up finding the Emerald tablet at Makkari?” Druig asked not too far from where Y/N stood lost in her thoughts.

Y/N grinned and turned to them. She had found it at an underground black-market auction. Where she bought it for more money than she cared to admit. A trusted friend of hers had packed it and delivered it personally to Makkari. With a note apologizing for ever doubting that it was real. It was her penance for making fun of her friend looking for something that sounded insane.

‘After all this time I found it. Sorry for doubting you- Love Y/N/N.’  

Makkari pointed at Y/N. Signing out the story to Druig with a small grin on her lips.  It was a fond memory of hers when the mysterious package showed up.

Y/N plucked the tablet from Druigs’ unsuspecting hands. Her fingers brushed over the carvings on the stone. When she bought it she had barley looked at before sending it off. There was a lot to do, and the CIA had been on their way to her base in California. Druig watched as she bit down on her bottom lip furrowing her eyebrows at the green rock.

‘You finally admit you love her?’ Makkari signed to him with a knowing smile.

‘Shut up’ he signed back.

“I found a way to connect us all” Phastos called out pulling everyone back to him.

The plan was insane. Even if it did work who knew what the repercussions would be.

The group began to do what they do best and bicker with one another.  It was irksome to Y/N that they were here to save the humans and they still were all in disagreement. She rolled her eyes tuning out the yelling. Eventually they would calm down and they could try to solve the plot holes in the plan.  

“We could be responsible for billions of lives not being created in the universe. Boss am I right?” Kingo cried out his words seemed to confuse Ikaris.

“Say something Ikaris! Y/N?” Sprite spoke out. A quite tension filling  the room as they all stared one another down.  

“I don’t care what we do one way or another.” Y/N spoke. “We run a risk no matter what. Arishem will be mad at us.”  

Ikiaris suddenly ran out of the room clearly shaken. Y/N knew that look on his face he was guilty of something she wasn’t sure what it was, but he carried a look of guilt in his eyes.

----

Y/N sat on a table watching Phastos work in awe. His fingers were incased in gold circles making rings on his fingers as he worked. He was rushing to find the answers and find some way to help Druig put the celestial to sleep.  If the situation wasn’t so life or death it would have been a beautiful thing to watch.

“I am close to figuring it out.”  Phastos glanced up at Ikaris who strolled into the room. The man glanced at everyone in the room before clenching his jaw and swallowed. His eye shifted to a gold color.

“Watch out!” Kingo hollered.

Y/N body tackled Phastos to the ground not caring if she got hit in the process. They needed him more than anything.

Sersi booked it into the room, joining the chaos that was quickly erupting.

“He lied to us he knew about the emergence.”  Sersi spoke standing in front of Phastos. Protecting him from Ikaris.

“No.” Kingo said in disbelief. Voicing everyone’s thoughts.  

“Ajak told me everything when we left Babylon.”

“If Ajak wanted you to take her place, then why did she choose me?” Sersi swallowed. Deep down she knew the answer and was ready to face it. It was all Y/N needed to know that he did something unspeakable it connected all the dots.

“What have you done?” Sersi whispered when Ikaris made no move to answer her.

“He killed her.” Druig and Y/N said at the same time. 

The group went silent.

“You are a pathetic murderer.”  Y/N snarled.

It was hypocritical of her to say she knew that, but he killed family. Someone innocent. One of the only family members they had.  

“That’s rich coming from you. How many people have you killed?” Ikaris softly spoke his tone apathetic towards her.

Y/N Flinched taking a step toward him. She expected that answer honestly but wasn’t ready for her family’s judgement. Even coming from someone as pathetic as Ikaris. She understood why Druig hated him so much.

“I am not below taking one of a douche canouche.”

With in a blink there was a terrible troll like monster behind the smug man in blue. One twitch of her pinky and it would attack. A wicked smile crossed her lips. She would cross a line to redeem Ajak any day.

“Y/N” Druig called out. He took slow long strides to where she stood.

“Why?” Sersi managed to ask through her tears.

“I had to.”

Y/N screamed out ready to lunge at him. That was a pathetic answer; had to do it? She didn’t know when she grabbed one of her knives, but it was gripped tightly in a way that was useless. It wouldn’t do her any good in a fight against him anyway, but she didn’t care. She was willing to try. Druig wrapped an arm around her waist stopping her movements.

“Stop its not worth it.” He whispered to her. Trying to pull her back in.

This was not a fight they needed now. There was an emergence to stop.

“You will not succeed against me. I will kill everyone of you if I have to.” Those were Ikaris’s last words before he started to walk out.

“Wait. I am going with you.” Sprite finally spoke.

“Sprite no.” Y/N wanted to say more but in a blink of the eye they disappeared.

----

Sersi, makkari, Druig and Y/N started down the volcano that smoke was emerging out of. It was ready to blow at any moment.  

“It’s time” Sersi said once it rumbled.

Before Druig could do anything, Ikaris was there knocking him over.  

“Ikaris” Y/N warned the man.

“I should have done this five centuries ago” Ikaris spit out ignoring the yells, while pulling Druig up by the throat.

“Druig.” Y/N called out as ikrais flew off with him. Makkari screamed.

They watched as Ikaris threw Druig down. Both of them feeling utterly helpless in the moment. Then watched him attack the ship bringing it down. It was going to crash on them if they didn’t move. Makkari fast as always pulled everyone out of the way from the ship coming down.

“Druigs gone now its over.” Ikaris said from above them.

No, no, this cannot be happening. He cannot be dead. Y/N’ thoughts paced. Their plan was quickly falling apart. She went through rapid emotions before settling on anger. If Makkari hadn’t run off with him she would have attacked.  Rage gripped her heart. She wanted to hurt the man for taking so much from them.

The volcano rumbled again before erupting, setting off a minor earthquake. The environment around them began to change quickly.

“I have to get closer to Tiamut. Distract Ikaris” Sersi begged the group.

“My pleasure.” Y/N spoke mincingly in a ready to attack position.

They all took a chance at stopping him from doing killing anyone else.  Phastos shot pierced the air missing the man who seemed to be unstoppable. Thena fierce and unstoppable unleashed her weapons each strike doing some damage.

Y/N felt like a bystander desperate to do something, anything. But there were not enough dark patches for her to pull from. Her heart began to thunder against her chest when she realized how powerless she was.  

“Y/N use the light.” Thena called out to her from chaos on the other side of the beach.  

“I don’t think I can.”  Y/N confessed her fingers trembling.

“Try!” The blonde women commanded.

Y/N obeyed the warrior and reached out to the light trying to form anything. Light responded forming a fragile rope of gold it whipped out. As quickly as she had formed it dissipated in to the wind.

She groaned, growing frustrated, and tried again. Shadows merged with the light.  Shadowy golden monsters materialized scattering across the beach. Thena let out a whistle at the unexpected power of the girl.

Emerging from the depths of the ocean a deviant appeared in its grotesque form capturing every eye on the beach. Y/N hurled every monster in her arsenal at the creature. It was a useless attempt. Every time her monster got a cut or hit in the deviant mended itself unbothered. He managed to take out Y/N’s army quickly.

It lunged for Ikaris, hungry for blood. It was ready to attack him, and consume his powers.  Phastos, however, saved him from an untimely fate.

“Why are we helping him?” Thena asked and Y/N wanted to know the answer as well.  

“We can’t let him absorb our powers.” Phastos stayed calm. Ready to fight back.

Thena managed to drag the creature’s attention to the cave across the way. They all called out trying to stop her before Ikaris attacked again. This time Y/N held him down with ropes of black. The flying man was now grounded in front of her.

“Don’t do this Y/N.”

“See Ikaris you took all I had left. Which means I have no will to live, and that right there makes me dangerous.”

Ikaris struggled aging the bounds, but the more he fought the harder the hold she had on him became. The man screamed out in anguish trying to shoot lasers at the girl. They missed and the Shadows covered his eyes blinding him temporarily. Y/N let out a giggle this was rich she had the upper hand, and she was going to take advantage of it.  He would have a fate worse then the man who had betrayed her 56 hours ago.

“Guys the world is literally starting to collapse.” Phastos turned her attention to the damage happening around them.

Tiamut began to emerge from the pits of the earth. Y/N wasn’t sure what she expected but the thing was massive.  They were losing the fight and it started to scare her a little. They could die and it would have all been for not. Her powers lessened their hold on Ikaris, and he took the moment to escape.  

But before he could do anything the celestial began to turn white. Sersi was freezing it, and Ikaris took off angrier than ever.

Y/N laid sprawled out on the beach closing her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy and unable to stay open. Exhaustion clung to her limbs, she was ready to sink in to oblivion and forget that Druig once again slipped through her finger. A single tear escaped trailing down her cheek landing in the grains of sand. She squeezed her eyes tight refusing to feel the pain. Heartbreak had followed her for years and she didn’t want to feel it anymore. Yearned to cut the ties with that pain.

“You know Sunshine, I thought you would be a little more upset.”  Druigs voice cut out through her haze. The accent wasn’t as thick as usual there was a softer edge to it.

“Another hallucination great.” She muttered out bitterly. “How long will these ones-“

“Y/N look at me please. I am here. I wont ever leave you again.”

She cracked an eye open and he was there looking down at her.  A smug smile on his face and delightfully real. She shot her feet and put a hand on his chest. One of his hands came up and held it there anchoring her hold.

 “I thought you left me again.” It was a barley audible whisper. As fragile as glass.

“Never my beautiful beautiful sunshine”

“Hug me please” She begged him, and she never begged a vulnerability she rarely displayed.  

Druig didn’t make her ask twice. He pulled her body to him his arms cocooning her to him. His face nestled in the crook of her neck, and she played with the hair at the nape of his neck.  They closed their eyes taking in the warmth of the hug.

“You are alive.” She murmured aginst his shoulder. “I forgive you. You are alive - don’t leave me again.”  

“Never. I promise” His words tickled her neck.

----

It was a warm afternoon at Ajaks house. Y/N sat on the porch staring out at the grassy field, avoiding the group inside. They were making plans for their future, and she was more lost than ever. Unsure of what to do. Loretta was officially in charge of the empire she had built. Y/N told her exactly how to shake the spiderman and wished her all the luck.

Y/N mindlessly created butterflies letting them fly away to eventually disappear. Part of her wanted to just disappear and do nothing for at least fifty years. Vacation in the Poconos and maybe Greece.

“Ahh there you are sunshine.”  

Druig was standing behind her. Hands fisted in his coat pocket. He watched a butterfly fly away before sitting next to her. His blue eyes traced her face trying to figure out what she was feeling.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what I am going to do now. I gave Loretta the business, and now I have nowhere to call home or go.”

She was anxious and afraid, her heart beating against her ribs. Fear wound its claws through her thoughts. Even though he was standing there and promised to never leave she couldn’t help but wonder if he would abandon her again.

“I was thinking about going with Thena. Join us in finding other Eternals, it will be an adventure. If you don’t want to though I will follow you wherever you go. I never want to be parted from you again. We can make a life anywhere you want.”

Y/N leaned into him laying her head on his shoulder whispering an ok. Druig with a gentle finger under her chin lifted her face to meet his gaze.

“Yeah?” a smirk splayed on his lips.

“Yes.”

With those words Druig picked Y/N up and moved her to his lap. Her knees finding their place on either side of his hips.  His large hand cradling the the back of her neck drawing her face down to his. Her breath mingling with his. He nudges her nose with his own. Hesitation dances in his eyes, a delicate balance between longing and fear, as he debated on crossing the line he has yearned to cross throughout his entire existence.

“Dru.” She whispered her tone fragile a secret hidden in her words.

He hums in response.

“I love you.” She confessed.

And in that suspended moment, the world ceased to exist. His lips met hers like a man starved. It was needy and rushed, but it was perfect.  His kiss was a wild storm, a tempest that promised her forever. She melted into him pushing her body closer to his, her body seeking solace in him. Her soul was home in his arms. His hand, once firm on her neck, now cradled her face. Fingers slowly threading through her hair. She whimpered, lost in the sensation—the taste of him.

He smiled against her lips at the sound and broke away. Druig kissed down her jaw, a trail of fire left behind each one.  Each touch was a vow etched into her skin. And as she caught her breath, she knew: this kiss was the beginning of their forever.

She pulled him back giving him a peck. He groaned wanting more after finally knowing what it was like to have her.

“Dru.”  

He hummed again in response, trying to kiss her, but she shook her head. The laugh he missed escaping her.

“Thank you for not hating me and what I did.”

“My beautiful, beautiful sunshine, never. I love you. I always have.”

She let him kiss her again. Ready for their next chapter.

#druig imagine #druig x reader #eternals imagine #eternals x reader #marvel imagine

[sidetongue]

You know who I have an issue with? Her.

THIS LITTLE GIRL RIGHT HERE.

I’m staying in a city that’s a 3 hour drive away (to finish college, my bf just moved to relocate to work so he has our kitties) and I get woken up at 8am (I had only fallen asleep around 4am thanks to a stink bug that thought MY FACE was a great place to climb at 3am) by my boyfriend calling me saying she fell behind the water heater and was literally face down, ass up, and he didn’t know how long she’d been there for.

Part of this is the bf’s fault because I told him he needed to set the kitties up in the bedroom to get them acclimated and what did he do? Not that, and he didn’t close the door to the laundry room so, ya know.

I spent two hours calling management at the apartment only to get no answer, emergency maintenance only to have a guy come out, see the situation and leave after saying “I don’t save cats”, the fire station TRIED to help by redirecting me to the dispatch but then I got sent to voicemail, and when I called 911 the dispatcher essentially told me to fuck off because she said in the RUDEST tone I’ve ever heard, “yea, the police aren’t coming out for that and neither is the fire station so you can just figure it out or get her to come out on her own” completely ignoring the fact that I’d already told her she couldn’t get out on her own and the fire station wouldn’t have to force entry because my bf was there trying to get help! And then she hung up on me so I bawled my eyes out and screamed because I thought my cat, my ESA, my cat soulmate was going to die and I wasn’t even there, and there was nothing I could do to help her 🙃 oh, and bf had also been calling around and being told to fuck off, so 😌🥰 love that for me!

My bf was FINALLY able to get her out but he had a friend helping him and they had to use a gripper tool to move her around because she was so far down that she couldn’t move herself.

Anyways I’m venting about it here because I know you care about animals and I just can’t believe that every single place I went to for help said “not my job” and it’s really upsetting that THAT’S the state of the US. People joke all the time that animals get more care than humans do here but with this situation it really shows they just don’t care either way. Do they have any kinds of services made specifically for helping animals in those kinds of situations in Australia?

Another picture for the road 💕

I’m sorry for the horrifically delayed reply but WOW what a terrifying ordeal! I would be a hot mess if any of my pets were stuck and I was helpless to get them out. I’m so glad it worked out okay for your kitty. I think in Aus l, depending on which town/city, rspca can help in situations like this - even Afterhours. I hope your little friend has been extra good to make up for the panic she caused!

#submission