#thanks for the gender crisis buddy

[emojellyace08]

Ahh! I love your writing and I'm curious about how Samuel would take witnessing the person he is in love with confessing to Jake. Just fun lil angst I thought about 💜

Samuel Seo x Reader feat. Jake Kim "I shouldn't have cared in the first place" Angst oneshot

Damn this is actually a good idea @vibinbugg. (I like Jake Kim more in terms of character but I tend to relate with Samuel sometimes...). And sorry if this is late and rushed but I tried my best lol so I hope you like it. Genre: angst 🥀 Slight warnings: insecurities, third wheels, inferiority complex (not recommended in real life go talk to your buddies when you have problems like this), arguing/shouting, always being the second choice (Samuel's POV) Reader is gender neutral

He's like a raging storm that comes in everybody's way. When he gets ticked off, you're facing off a dangerous monster. He's destructive, fearless, and most especially not the best person to cross with. He'll get what he wants, no matter who or what fuckers comes in his way. He just doesn't care.

When it comes to love, Samuel is having a bit of mental crisis on it. Romance, caring, social and emotional connection? He doesn't need any of those. He looks down to love as a big sign of weakness. His mom never cared about him in the first place, his so called "friends" in Big Deal couldn't stand him, and most especially,

he couldn't even care for himself.

Samuel's ego gets in the way sometimes no matter how hard he tries to ease himself down. And no matter how he doesn't want to admit it, he's somehow insecure. He wants to be the best, the strongest of them all even he does cruel and unforgivable things just to be satisfied. But no matter how many money he is payed, how many enemies he took down with his brutal strength, he couldn't find the satisfaction that he's looking for. Something is, what's the word? Missing?

Then you came into his life.

Your fragile, naïve, and most especially weak. You are the thing Samuel hated the most. He sees you as someone who couldn't even protect themselves and is always looking for love. Ready to please everybody even though you're already being abused. It kind of reminded him of himself when he's younger. He can see his own reflection on your eyes as you pleaded for help. He wants nothing to do with you. And he couldn't even empathize anymore. He will always try to stop the tears that threatened to fall from his always gloomy and dark eyes, letting himself to feel numb. He just felt tired and exhausted to even cry, let alone live. But something about you caught his attention. You may not be the best in looks, but you got that thing called "charm". Is it because the way you smiled? The way you're always genuinely complimenting him? Your innocence? Your body? Your positive and optimistic thinking? He couldn't even find the answers for himself.

Samuel wants to avoid you. Samuel wants to be away from you. But you're like the flaming light on the dark and he's the moth who's attracted to you. You're the light that he's been looking for all of his life. You feel so warm in the cold and dark nights. You're like the burning fire that makes him comfortable on his own skin. You thought him to be not so hard on himself. You thought him that opening up to someone isn't a sign of weakness. It's in fact a sign of strength, that building memorable and fun memories isn't something to be ashamed of. It may be a slow and steady process, but Samuel was thankful for it.

You thought him to be more human.

He can't help but to admire you more and more as he stays on your side which gladly you didn't mind. You protected him when everybody is going up against him even though he knows he's on the wrong. He really appreciates you a lot even when it's not so obvious. He does try to be caring and open. It's not only because of you who taught him to love himself even more, but you also thought him to love others. And that person that he only cared about is you.

But no matter how many times he wants to be more honest and open about his feelings, Samuel couldn't seem to do it. He felt like someone is stopping and threatening him.

He could have confessed to you on the first place.

Samuel is standing there, watching you and Jake hug as you sobbed on his arms as he smiles and patting your back. Not going to lie, he does find this suspicious at first. You promised him that when you're having issues with your personal life you will open to him. Why is Jake touching you? Hugging you? He knows he has no right to be jealous about. You and him are probably just friends and you even said to himself that it's okay to talk to others and still be loyal to one another. But he soon did change his mind when you announced that you find yourself a loving boyfriend.

"Guys, I want you to take a seat and listen to Jake right now". You asked as Sinu, Jerry, Lineman, Jason, Brad and other Big Deal members sat down, including no other than Samuel Seo himself just standing and leaning on the door. He notices the change of atmosphere on the place as you and Jake held hands together. This can't be happening.

"I just found myself a perfect girlfriend/boyfriend!" Jake shouted as the crowd cheered and congratulated for the both of you. You're smiling and happy. But of course Samuel isn't pleased with this as it let a bitter taste on his mood. It's like his life just shattered into pieces. He couldn't have you, the only person he cared and he would die for. He felt like his life is back from square one. He's the monster he is again. The hateful and prideful monster.

He's agitated, stressed, and most especially he wants to let out his rage. From all the other people you can pick besides him, you chose Jake? His enemy? His rival?

The celebration continued as you noticed your best friend missing. He wasn't in the party as Sinu poured more Soju on Lineman's shot glass as everybody cheered and half of them drunk, knocked down on the floor.

"Looking for someone?" Jake embraced your body as he leans on your shoulder making you chuckle. "I was just looking for Sammy, did you spot him around?" you questioned in an octave whisper as he answers that he didn't even have a chat with him on the first place. You managed to convince your boyfriend to look for him alone as he does seemed to be a bit curious. But he still let you go on your own.

After looking around the street and other places, you managed to find Samuel on one of the terrace buildings. He stood there watching the view as you can smell the hint of cigarettes.

"Smoking again?" you teased him as he doesn't respond to you. He just stood there minding his own business. You decided to go stay beside him. But the moment you looked on your side he was now walking away from you.

"Hey what's wrong? Are you alri-" he slapped your hand away as you tried reaching out to him. You were completely confused on why he's acting like this again. Did you do something bad?

"Hey, why are you acting like this? I didn't get into trouble again!" you shouted as he sighs. He is now walking towards you, but something felt different. Something odd and disturbing as you felt like a lamb on the wolf's trap.

"Fuck off."

"Wha-what?"

"Didn't you hear me? Fuck off."

You stood there frozen on your place as you felt offended by Samuel's words. He's not like this, well of course with you. 'He-hey what do you mean by that?" you confronted him as you felt desperate for answers. "Did I do something wrong to offend you this badly?" "Shut up." "Why?! You promised me that if you have a proble-" "I said shut the fuck up!" he shouted as he kicks the wooden table filled with ash treys and the pack of cigarettes he has bought for himself. You're now crying as warm tears fall down on your doe-like eyes. You're scared of Samuel, you're scared of something that he hates. This side of himself that he couldn't even control.

"What did I do wrong huh?" "Wha-what do you mea-" "Am I not good enough? Am I still acting like an asshole to you that you made yourself pick that retard!". It then clicked on you. Does he likes you in that way? "I fucking sacrificed myself, my own well being and pride just so I can be a good influence on you, but YOU DON'T FUCKING APPECIATE IT! YOU DON"T FUCKING CARE ABOUT ME!" "I DO CARE ABOUT YOU!" "THEN WHY HIM!" he shouted as you can see for the first time Samuel crying. It's mixed with anger, fear, desperation, and betrayal.

"I-I..." You tried to to find your words but your sobbing makes it everything worst as Samuel chuckles. It's not because of mockery. But he's desperate for words, for answers. But it looks like you couldn't even talk straight.

He walks away with him picking his coat and his fresh pack of cigarettes while you limp down on the floor crying out. He doesn't mean to hurt you, but he doesn't know how to apologize now that he had made you cry, the thing that he promised to himself that he wouldn't do so that you can trust him more.

"I'm leaving".

"What?"

"I'm not coming back to this place. Jake better treats you right because I'm not going to be here to save you". he huffed as he exhales the smoke coming from his mouth. You don't want him to leave. You want him to be on your side, but it looks like you couldn't even convince him to stay for a little longer as he walks away from the scene leaving you emotionally wounded that the scars will probably not fade for a very long time.

Samuel walks down the stairs as he sees no other than Jake himself. Panting as he ran as he noticed the muscular male smoking, but this times his eyes looks so sore and red.

"Where's Y/N?" He raised his eyebrow in question as he hears your cries of agony echoes the staircase. He stood there in shock as he tries to reach to you but Samuel is blocking the way.

"Move!"

"Get out of the way." "I said, MOVE YOU FUCKING BASTA-"

Jake couldn't even complete his sentence as Samuel punched him on the face. This continued for a while as they fought on the building throwing kicks and punches on each other until they are both bleeding and limping.

"Listen to me you little bitch, you better take care of Y/N or I'm taking her away from you myself". Samuel whispered onto Jake's ears as he pulls his ear then smashing his face on the concrete floor then walking away on the scene, bloodied and bruised. Good thing Jake was able to walk up and check on you. You told him the whole thing that happened of course. He was worried that something else might have occurred. But you reassured him that Samuel didn't inappropriately touched you, but he did sure hurt your feelings a lot making you feel guilty and shameful about your choice.

He could have been more honest with you. Now he realizes that it's not Jake who is the threat that is trying to take away you from him. It's himself. The devil inside him who's been feeding on his insecurities and feeling like you're too far from his league. The way he shouted and screamed at you, the way he handled the situation poorly and immaturely makes him hate himself more. He will never ever forgive himself.

Now Samuel is back on the streets, hungry for blood and power. You are indeed a burning flame. You're warm and you are his comfort. But the moment he has tried to get closer to you, your passion and caring side slowly burned him like his moth wings. Leaving him hurt and blinded by the illusion that he'll be ever be good enough to be with you.

#lookism x reader #lookism x y/n #lookism x you #lookism fic #samuel seo x reader #jake kim x reader #love triangle #x reader angst #angst #character x reader #character x you #character x y/n

[carlyraejepsans]

Hi ! This is the anon who had a full on gender crisis in your asks like, a month ago I think ?

First I wanted to apologize, now that I'm doing better I realize that venting to a random trans person online was maybe kind of uhh... rude ^^'

And secondly I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, because your answer was just, so, so nice that I teared up a little bit (a lot). And sometimes over the course of one month, I came back to the post and felt really emotional still. You took the time to explain things in a touching way and with utmost kindness, so yeah. Thank you. Now, I took the time to reflect on my identity, regardless of what other folks thought of me. And I decided to educate myself more on like queer history and people's experiences with labels and stuff ? And a lot of it resonated with me, I just chose to ignore it so I could stay in my own little bubble of self loathing... And I actually came out as nonbinary to one of my closest friend, so that's cool heh. So, yknow, I can't make judgements about someone I don't know, but I think you might be a really good person :) because your words really helped someone out...

Oh and also, I absolutely love your art so much it converted me into a Soriel shipper, and your opinions are very true, keep going and may the haters be blocked 👍👍👍

have a nice day !

me 2 you i am so happy for you buddy, welcome to the cool club

#MWAHHHHH #answered asks

[cursedvibes]

for the headcanons: takaba and uro

Thank you for the ask and interesting character suggestion!

Takaba

Sexuality Headcanon:

I think if he really likes someone, he doesn't care about gender (like he would like Kenjaku no matter what gender or sex they currently have), but he generally prefers men. In his everyday life he essentially lives and is treated like a gay men, so that's what he mostly identifies as. Like how despite what his partners say he shows no interest or plans to ever marry and have children, it seems to be entirely out of the question for him. You could say that he wants to dedicate himself to comedy fully, but most successful comedians are married, so that's not really an argument. And while having unstable income while you are still relatively unknown is a factor, the reason he is so driven to make it isn't so he can support the typical heterosexual family. Same with his classmate in university, who teases him for being unpopular with girls, which Takaba doesn't care about at all. So he definitely seems used to being seen as some flavour of queer.

I also have this headcanon that Centerman not only made him laugh for the first time, but was also his gay awakening. I mean if you look at the constume and some of the sketches...young Takaba saw Centerman spread his ass cheeks on TV and suddenly felt very funny.

Gender Headcanon:

I think he's mostly cis, but likes to dabble in gender non-conformity by wearing some make-up or dresses both for sketches and privately. I mean, he clearly likes dressing up and had no problem playing around with gender with Kenjaku. I don't think it would've bothered him much if Kenjaku had temporarily given him some boobs. He'd just play along and have fun.

A ship I have with said character:

Pinchan or TakaKen (very surprising answer I know). I didn't expect it at all when the fight started, but those two have become so perfect together in such a short period of time, it's insane. One of the few Kenjaku ships, where I can say that they are actually making each other better. Kenjaku had an immensily good impact on Takaba's mental health. Helped him out of a crisis, encouraged his comedy style and made him reconnect with aspects of himself he tried to suppress. I'm curious how this will develop when Takaba wakes up again and finds out his new partner is dead.

A BROTP I have with said character:

Hazenoki. We've only seen a little bit of them, but I love their interactions. Somehow Takaba is very good at buddying up with mass murderers. Hazenoki is throwing his body parts around and tries to kill Takaba and he's like "friends? 🥺"

A NOTP I have with said character:

Megumi. It's one of those ships where I genuinely don't even want to look at it. I just can't stand it at all. Thankfully the main shipper of it here on tumblr has me blocked and it's not that popular on twt either, so I rarely have to see it.

A random headcanon:

Takaba has connections to the drag scene and sometimes performs with them. That's how he gets some of his costumes, make-up and dresses. They also showed him how to took (like the original Centerman), but most of the time he doesn't bother to. Understandable because doing that for most of the Culling Game would be very painful and unhealthy.

General Opinion over said character:

I used to think he was a bit annoying and I didn't see much point in him (although his first introduction was very intriguing), but he's really grown on me and unexpectantly become one of my faves.

Takako

Sexuality Headcanon:

Hmm, hard to really pin down. I think she also hasn't had much time to really explore her sexuality like many aspects of her identity, but I'd say she prefers girls. The men she's been surrounded with don't make anything else very tempting. I think she could use a break from them for a while.

Gender Headcanon:

Woman, but unlike with your regular cis person this has actually been a choice for her to some degree and something she discovered about herself. Of course she has always faced sexism, but due to being robbed of her identity when serving the Fujiwara, she had to redefine or discover womanhood for herself. She does it for example by highlighting her body and not hiding it anymore. Being naked and confident in the body she has is freedom for her and shows her individuality. Her CT can be used to hide herself, which I think she did a lot while working for the Fujiwara, the entire idea was for her to essentially not exist, but she has turned it into something liberating for her.

A ship I have with said character:

Yorozu. They lived at the same time in the same location, but with wildly different experiences. I've talked before a bunch about how I think Yorozu with her nakedness and brash attitude might've been an inspiration for Takako. She was in a similar position to Yorozu, but Yorozu was able to spin it to her advantage and actually gain power and status from it, while Takako was only exploited. I hope that whenever we get another Heian flashback that we will see these two again.

btw, I got this wonderful Uro x Yorozu comic when participating in an exchange event. It's fantastic, you should check it out! Made me love the two all the more.

A BROTP I have with said character:

Kenjaku I guess? Unfortunately, there aren't that many characters she's close to. I think it's interesting that she doesn't see them as solely manipulative and has a kind of positive attitude towards them. I could see them talking politics together and also Kenjaku riling her up to accept a second life shortly before she will be executed.

A NOTP I have with said character:

Yuuta...I don't think I need to say much about that. I already hated their interactions in Sendai. The fact this is even a thing and mostly seems to consist of Yuuta objectifying her or "putting her in her place" already makes me want to bleach my brain...

A random headcanon:

I think she used to wear something similar to shinobi wear while working for the Fujiwara. She can conceal herself with her CT, but she would also cover up her body from top to bottom except for maybe the eyes, so there would be nothing anyone could identify her by.

General Opinion over said character:

Always loved her. I hope she survives the Culling Game and is able to start a new life. Out of all the reincarnated sorcerers she deserves it the most. I mean, she doesn't kill people if she doesn't have to, so there's no danger coming from her. Wishful thinking, but maybe she'll make it out by staying low...

#asks #takaba fumihiko #uro takako

[wr0temyway0ut]

WIP Title Game

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Thank you for the tag @innytoes!!! I have. So many wips. Will they ever get finished? Who’s to say! Maybe this will help motivate me lmao

t4t rayrose

Molina-Wilson firsts

Rayvorose 4+1

Lukewillie binder

Uh oh (rayvorose but at Rayrose’s wedding)

Ralex backstory

Sunset skater kid fic

Died in a Fire, Died in her Sleep, Tragically Drowned, Trampled By Sheep (Now King Alexander Does Nothing But Weep)

Trans boy Carrie

Flarrie breakup

Juke breakup

Meet the Parents

Descendants au

Willie can have another gender crisis as a treat

You Don’t Own Me

Bobby makes mixtapes for his crushes

Carrie has daddy issues <3

International Rockstar Can’t Handle Not Being the Center of Attention (trayleb)

Jules first boys night

Julie’s turn to get hurt/comforted

The One Where Wiggie Has a Custody Dispute

Victoria learns to skate to surprise Willie

Wobbly/Ralex enchanted au

Wobbly/Ralex tattoo/florist smau

Next Big Thing smau

Caleb is a bastard and Alex is a saint and Willie needs a hug what else is new

Caleb! Husbands plural????

Emily Patterson needs to get her priorities straight

If both of us are aro why is this our third date

Girls night (trans femme bobby)

Trans buddies Willie and Bobby

I’m not gonna tag 30 people bc I don’t think I know 30 people but uhh tagging @catoptrific @weneedglitter @sunsetcurvecuddles @zazujoy @kybee1497 @queenofthequillandink and anyone else I forgot/who want to play!

#wips #wip game #asks #ask games

[moon-thething]

Jdhrjr hey sorry but I had an idea for another request(the last request you did for me was lovely though! :] /g)

This request is platonic, but I'm also only kinda asking it cuz I'm projecting onto the reader lmao(/hj—also ya don't have to do this if ya don't want to.). But maybe Streber and Kevin(separately anyway) with a Reader(who you can make them see as a bestie or a crush, I dont mind either on ejfjrjr) who usually acts all energetic and annoying, but is actually kinda sad deep down? Like they usually hide it whenever they're feeling bad about something or whenever something is wrong, and usually pretend to be confident as well, but are actually kinda insecure about themself. This is kind of an angsty scenario—but eh.

- Kevin Anon.

Did you really have to call me out like that? Anyway, I'm glad you liked the request :)

Romantic or platonic?: Romantic-ish

Readers gender: neutral

Type: angst/fluff

¡Warning!: I copied the long text on both Kevin's and Streber part because I am too sleep deprived to tye out two separate sentences :(

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

Kevin

Let set the scene first

The two of you are work buddies, you were the one who was mostly in the back sotriong out candy (since the children were so used to seeing Kevin) and Kevin was the cashier

You two wouldn't talk that much, but by your friends visiting he could see that you had a pretty energetic personality, and he had to admit that it was a little annoying, but over all sweet

He never would've thought you were so sad deep down, he always saw you as this energetic person that wouldn't give a hater the light of day. When in reality you head was quite the opposite

When you two got closer together, he started to hang out with you a little after work (which was really weird, considering all of the stories about annoying coworker's getting together to hang out)

And he saw that you were energetic everywhere, not just with your friends. And he seemed to like that about you, it was just a little thing that made him think the world wasn't as fucked up as it actually is

But, he did notice the little shifts in your tone when the subjects got too dark or were feeling too personal. That made him worry a little bit

But you're a happy person! There's no way you can have any for of negative thoughts! Right?

Wrong

He was flabbergasted when he head you talk about your actual feeling for the first time

My man's got himself an existential crisis rn

Kevin grabbed the money from the mother's hold gently and gave her the change before handing the kid his candy

"Here you go." He said. The kid gave him a smile and thanked him before tugging on his mother's sleeve, dragging her towards the exit

Kevin let out a sigh, walking towards the back to call out to you

"Y/n, c'mon! It's time to close up!" He yelled, watching as she jumped up in surprise

"Oh, yeah. Right away boss." You joked, giving Kevin a salute before running out of the back towards the main area

You flipped the sign to say 'closed' and grabbed a mop as you started to mop the floor. Kevin was the one whipping the register and couters

After a few moments of listening to the radio music, you spoke up

"Hey Kevin?" You spoke. Kevin gave you a hum of acknowledgement as he continued to wipe the counters

"... Do you ever fell empty on the inside? Like, mentally and physically feel like there's a part of you missing that just makes everything more difficult in life? Like, you keep this fake happy mask on when deep down you feel like you just want to crumble up into a ball and sob you heart out, like you just want to poof out of existence just to see if anyone would even care or it anyone would even bat an eye?" You looked up at the end of you speak, only to see Kevin in utter disbelief

His jaw was practically on the floor as his eyes were wide open. If this were a cartoon you were pretty sure you would hear the 'whomp whomp' sound affect

"Kevin, are-

"ARE YOU OKAY?!"

Almost sobbed instead of u

He spoiled you like a prince's for a month straight, thinking it would bring up you mood a little and actually feel like the personality you display in front of others

It was sweet but he was more stressed than ever, making you feel bad about ever revealing your true emotions to him

But hey, it is what it is

Streber

Let's set the scene (again)

You met Streber through a mutual friend, and you just seemed to immediately click

Your personalities were practically identical to one another

The only difference being that Streber was actually happy and you just weren't, but he didn't know that!

You two would always be together and woult act like those two aunts that make perfect harmony when they are together

He absolutely adored that you could match his energy, he felt so complete with you by his side, like you were a missing puzzle piece that somehow managed to appear on a random day

And to say he was shocked when he heard what you actually felt like... Well, you would be correct

He was shocked, heartbroken, understanding, basically just gave actual good advice

You were in Streber workshop, just preparing for the haunted house when all of a sudden you felt a wave of sadness wash over you. And this time you didn't seem to want to keep it to yourself anymore

You looked around to room, only now noticing that you and Streber were alone, before turning to him

"Hey Streber?" You spoke up, he hummed, turning towards you

"What is it?" He asks, talking his head as he waited for you to continue talking

"... Do you ever fell empty on the inside? Like, mentally and physically feel like there's a part of you missing that just makes everything more difficult in life? Like, you keep this fake happy mask on when deep down you feel like you just want to crumble up into a ball and sob you heart out, like you just want to poof out of existence just to see if anyone would even care or it anyone would even bat an eye?" You looked towards Streber when you finished your speech, only to see a heartbroken expression on his face

"Streber, are-"

"I am so sorry."

You were shocked on how serious he was being tbh, you got used to his happy and joky attitude

Now that you see him looking at you with that heartbroken gaze you couldn't help but feel bad, but Streber assured you that you don't have to feel bad about anything and that he is here for you, that he will always be there for you, no matter the situation

As I had previously stated, actually has a deep and meaningful conversation with you

Doesn't treat you any differently but does stay close to you and calls and or texts you more often to check up on you

Overall, a reliable friend/boyfriend 👍

#spooky month #spooky month x reader #sm kevin #gender neutral reader #sm streber #sm kevin x reader platonic hc #sm kevin x reader romantic hc #sm kevin x reader #sm streber x reader platonic hc #Sm Streber x reader #sm Streber x reader romantic hc #x reader platonic #x reader romantic #kevin anon

[scribe-cas]

Hi buddy! Athena here, how are you and how's the writing going? What called you to writing in the first place?

holy shit my first ask

HELLO I LOVE YOU THANK YOU

I’m sleepy! (Last night’s shitpost about monster BFs was because there was actually something outside my window that was making it so that I couldn’t sleep ;;._.)

And the writing is going better than it has in a long time

I just wrote out three scenes a few days ago, and I literally just downloaded a new organizing tool recommended to me by @sandranetta13 (who is the best and wonderful)

Also someone commented on a fanfic I wrote so along with redoing my entire book outline i will also be plotting that fic properly so that I can make sure to stay consistent with my story and the symptoms and growth the characters experience as they go on :DD

What called me to writing in the first place?

Uh i was one of those 12 year old girls who was 2 years away from having a gender crisis who consumed books on a near daily basis because friends didn’t exist for me until like. Middle school/high school

My school librarian, after listening to me solemnly complain about thinking about these gorgeous daydreams that I wish I could show people, revealed to me that you can just. Write a book. And not one person will stop you they don’t care

You don’t have to be a certain age or level you can just do that shit

so I did (partially)

I’ve been set back because multiple drafts of mine had been deleted by people other than myself, but I’m still trying to make it a reality

So i guess the short answer is neurodivirgency

How are you?? Tell me your most obscure fact about all of your WIPs

[drabblesandimagines]

Requests welcome

Hiya! I’ve been lurking here for years reading everyone’s reader imagines, so thought I’d come out and give it a go. I'd describe myself as mostly a fluff/angst writer, but I’m dabbling into darker topics at the moment too over here (18+, please.)

In my ask box currently: 71*

Anon requests are fine, but please do drop a line to let me know what you think of your request if I answer it! Comments and likes make my day.

*I can't guarantee I will fulfil your request - it really depends on my inspiration levels! I do, however, have a fair number in my inbox that I do want to write for, so thank you for your patience x

Happy to take requests. Previously written for  - FF7 (original and remake) - FF9 - FF10 - FF16 - Crisis Core - Potion Permit - Stardew Valley - Lord Of The Rings - Buddy Daddies - Death Note - Legend of Zelda - Octopath Traveller  - Resident Evil - Baldur Gate's 3 (Gale, Halsin, Astarion)

I write primarily fem readers, so please specify if you'd prefer gender neutral.

Lemme know what you're after and I can try my best! :) 

Masterlist.

#x reader #ff7 #ff9 #ff10 #crisis core #oc imagine #requests welcome #stardew valley #lotr #lord of the rings #drabbles #ghostdogwrites #ff16 #bg3 fic

[himbos-hotline]

Hi, I'm new here Who's Jay?

Hello new friend! thank you for leaping into my ask blog!

Okay so, Jayden Aphrodite Orton or as theyre known now Jay [SUPER OCCASIONALLY Jayden] Gray Orton. Was born on the 29th of November 1993, making her 29 now. However I kinda stick with him beign twenty eight. He is one of many wrestling OCS I have. Adopted by Willow and James Orton when he was two, she grows up a pretty normal girl in the normal household of girls do girl things and boys do boys things. She does ballroom dancing as a child and grows up with a passion for musical theatre and acting as well as medicine. He grows up wanting to be an actor until an unfortunate accident renders her hard of hearing/deaf [she uses the terms interchangably] which means that he now has hearing aids. He forgoes the desire to act to become a doctor instead, facianted by how people can just mend and heal like nothing bad happened.

At age thirteen her parents send her off to Blackpool, to an old friend William Regal who is going to teach Jay the art of wrestling as a way for her to get his extra energy out [plottwist its medicated/undiagnosed hyperactive ADHD] but Regal takes thsi little 13 year old from Chicago under his wings and trains him all the art of wrestling, Jay realises that she has a passon for death matches and hardcore wrestling, and shes damn fucking good at it. Jay goes to join NXT and meets Adam Cole. They become quick friends and mixed tag partners, which quickly breaks down into them becoming fuck-buddies with a lot of emotions attached until cole breaks up the tag team and chooses to go after and win the NXT title, making them enimies.

Up on the main roster, Jay struggles because theyre not allowed to do anything apart from a few high flying moveis and years go by where Jay just isnt happy in her position, made worse by coles call up. So this is when Jericho starts slowly manpulating and selling Jay on the idea of joining the JAS and AEW and so she shows up with the rest of the JAS. They start treating Jay at first like a princess a gloruos little angel who can do their dirtywork until she starts to loose matches and the JAS start getting annoyed and agrivated and start bullying them - cue wrestlers weekly standing up for this little new kid who keeps being picked on. Jay ends up doing a diving headbutt during a amtch with Kris Stratlander and cracks their head on both a steel chair and a ring anvas- he's concussed instatnyl nad really doesnt remember how she got backstage [the best friends and kris helped him there and wheeler looked after them and took her back to the JAS lockerroom]

Jay has their therapy rabbit Hemlock [yes, like the poision] there and shes chatting away to the rabit when he starts to completely like zone our and dissocate. This is where he meets kenny someone who treats them and calms him down and whene Jay first registers that theres someone else in the room she panics instantly cuz the JAS trained her to not show emotions especially those who are like sad or guilty emotions. Jay states that she doesnt know who kenny is, because theybve only really kinda seen him around and not spoken to him and Kenny sticks his hand out and goes "Kenny omega, now you know me!" and when jay introsduces themselve as "Jayden Orton" Kenny smiles and "nice to meet ya jay"

and everything kinda just snaps int place. Jay! Nobody had ever called them Jay before, like the bird and everything nice and kind. And thats a boys name, Jay wouldnt mind being a boy. Jay

she likes it.

so yeah Kenny provides an entire gender crisis. Jay snaps out of dissocation and switches for a panic attack which kenny helps and explains that "oh my partner has these sometimes, he really doesnt like to be alone sometimes.are you going to be okay?- Oh! you two should meet youd really like him! he's really kind, and cute."

Kenny in intensily queer around Jay and considering that shes never really been exposed to outwardly queer people and openly gender-queer people her mind goes all scrambled in a good way.

Some other things happen,. jay leaves the JAS, spends a lot of time lurking in dark corrdiors meeting more firneds. She keeps finding kenny and acddientally meets hanger when kenny is like inches away from getting him on his knees. The two of them make instant friends. The go dancing and to bars and Jay assumes that because she likes the name Jay, he cant be a girl- so he has to be a boy.

Adam cole worms his way back into Jays life as a foe and then someone that their boyrioends are fucking and then cole realises that shes trans femme and Jay realises that hes not a trans man but i nfact genderqueer. Jay and coles trans journeys are linked and ill go more uinto that if anyone else really wants to hear about it.

In the end Jay starts dating wheeler, kenny and both adams. wheeler is only dating jay. Kenny and the adams are all dating one another. The polycule is all disgustingly in love and adore each other.

Regal scoops up his now grandchild [as well as granddaughter/grandson- regardless os how jay feels regal will always be their grandpa] as the newest member of the BCC where she can finally have a family thats forged in blood and ocmbat as well as kindness and love. Mox gives them his ADHD meds sometimes.

Jay uses she/he/they/zey pronouns with no real prefrence and has a kinda punk/gothic vibe. He looks like a total bitch but really would and is a little murder machine with a heart of gold. They adore the bucks as brothers and is made an honourary young buck when she falls asleep on nick one day during an interveiw. They like to skateboard and play eletric guitar. He has a house in ohio which he shares with their black cat steve and obviously hemlock. They adore the rain and have so many scars and shit from stupid stunts and stuff they do. Has a blood kink and will explode with their see cowboy tits.

heres hwo he looks, he does also have hearing aids and hetrochormia [even though theres so little picrews that has hetrochromia]

#mouse has pals #oc: jay orton

[ignitesthestxrs]

DFGHJHGFDFLKJHGHJ OMFG I'M.

i have had Realizations about myself almost two years ago now, and i've just listened to intro persona for the first time in a hot minute and. in retrospect it seems fairly obvious to me that the reason i got so obsessed with it at the time, very much unbeknownst to me, was i had pretty strong trans feelings about it. i feel like the biggest clown to have ever clowned.

(btw you don't know you were but! thank you for having being this long time lurker's sponsor in my big scary gender crisis!! mighty kind of you to have always spent so much time fairygodmothering queer babies that i reflexively just ran to your tumblr/twitter when i got my Oh Wait What Oh No???? moment.

and then i naturally landed on em's twitter. and because you guys were like high scholars of all things parasocial relationships, and also because i never understood twitter etiquette anyway, i didn't think i had any way that wasn't insane and inappropriate to burst down their door like

''HOWDY not only do you not know me but i don't know you either!! i am but a humble once removed follower through hannah and have been for a few years now. anyway i just wanted to extend my thanks for i just spent 6 hours scrolling through your uh everything, and believe i got my gender transed in the process. very exciting, much obliged. congratulations on your truly excellent gender, i hope you get everything you want from life.''

so i'm dumping this on you now instead apparently???? i really don't know how i got here, can't emphasize enough how much that was not my plan. i have been wanting to say you really helped me and i'm very grateful for a long time but, not like that probably?? except due to who i am as a person i'm not sure i'd have done it at all if i had tried to do it any other way. feels appropriate that it happened after i introduced myself as a clown, doesn't it.

anyway, past!you (and em!!) were the best and coolest fairy godparents in my phone a sort-of-kind-of-guy who was still too freaked out and panicky to try to talk about my crisis to any living person could have hoped for, and i was and still am very relieved that i had all your archived wisdom to turn to in my moment of need. thank you <333)

right! so my baby self had zero thoughts about the fact that a song about identity as a construct and a performance Did so many things to me! head fully empty!! isn't is wild the things you can learn later on in life with the power of insight. wow! partly embarrassing, mostly hilarious if you ask me.

sorry this was 3000x longer than it needed to be, thank you for your time, byeeeeee.

ANON my heart this was such a lovely message to receive thank you for reaching out and sharing ❤️ it is genuinely always so touching to encounter those moments when it turns out your shouting into the void was reaching other people bobbing around out there and helped throw them a lifeline

also like, congrats on transing your gender bud, i am proud and impressed and so glad you had that moment and were able to work through all the panicky and freak out to rest in a place that is good and right for you. that is the shit you deserve! you did a great job!

and i maintain that any life event you come out the other side going 'partly embarrassing, mostly hilarious' is a life event worth having. the ability of people to synthesise experiences that are like, reflective of deep stress or anxiety into something that is Very Funny afterwards is one of my favourite things about people, and also just one of my favourite things about living a life. sometimes the joy is in looking at yourself 5, 10 years ago and going 'aw, bless'.

anywayanyway i also maintain that persona is one of the best things that namjoon has done so like, congrats also on your baby queer taste anon, that song kicked ass ❤️❤️❤️ wishing you the absolute best buddy, thank u for writing

#hannah answers asks #cute 🥺

[lloyds-department]

what was your transitioning journey like? You've gone through a lot of changes as far as I'm aware, and id love to know when this all started

this is best told in photos so under the cut is like. a timeline?? yeah. None of these pictures will be the best quality

This is around. 2017, 2018, all I know was I was walking home from school and getting ready to go to my first homecoming dance with a bunch of my best friends

here you can see, I'm very feminine presenting with all of the pink/red and the overall just stereotypical girly look. This was when I started thinking, maybe this isn't for me. I originally thought it was because I wasn't attracted to men, and assumed this was because I was a lesbian, and so we go into phase two, this:

now this is a very stereotypical lesbian haircut that came up when I googled it as a younger teen. This was close to what I felt the more butch/masculine feeling and for a while I was comfortable with this and rolled with it, assuming all was normal. My buddy had started having his gender crisis at the time, which kick-started MY gender crisis. I jumped very quickly into being a man, a transgender man, because I assumed that was the only thing I could be. So now we're here;

I tried coming out to my parents as a trans man and sure enough they had a talk with me and told me to think on it more. Which I did. I was then at a point, who was I? What is my name? This begins the Adder Era, as I lovingly refer to it as.

The Adder Era is one that a few of you may remember, I was about 14 or 15, and I was just chilling and jumping back and forth between a trans man and a non-binary person. It was at this point I learned I could have more than 1 set of pronouns, and after I met Jace and learned about DSAF. I had broken up with mine and jaces shared ex girlfriend because she was being very sexual very fast and I roll sexy slow. I named myself after Dave Miller from dsaf around the end of 2019 when I was 15. The Dave era complete with art and other things had begin, and I had gotten into a fresh and loving relationship with Jace.. I was Jace's Davey at the time.

over the past couple of years I have definitely had a bunch of name and appearance changes, like David, Thomas, Marshall, Jeremy, and my currents, Michael, Vincent, and Fern. this had it's appearance changes with it:

and now we're here, in my mostly bald era which has definitely been an adjustment and honestly that's fine. It's definitely been crazy the past ~5 years and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world except those years I spent with two ex girlfriends °-°

thank

#i speak to anon #lloyd face tag #a lot. of my face. too much perhaps.

[carlyraejepsans]

this is entirely unrelated to anything but i just wanted to say that you've helped me a lot to care a Lot Less about labels? i think that growing up in LGBT spaces on the internet meant that i kind of thought things *had* to be black or white and some of your posts have really helped me realize that like... who actually cares what other people think and feel as long as they're happy. and i think it's helped me become a less angry person. so thanks :)

you're very much welcome buddy, that's kind of the same journey i went through too. I can't begin to describe just... the damage it did to me growing up, and having an identity that changed a lot. im talking identity crisis level. it sucked. no kid should have to go through that. now i'm pretty heavily no-labels, both in sexuality and gender. i call myself what i feel like on the daily and/or whatever annoys people the most, lol. i'm glad i helped you break out of that mentality in a similar way :]

#it's so easy to radicalize kids over shit that literally doesn't matter in the real world #same thing with fandom discourse ngl. i internalized some messed up ideas. a lot of them to justify hurting people #the world is weird! the world is varied. assuming the worst and always acting on the base assumption that someone else is An Enemy #is potential very very damaging. mostly people are just #trying to get by yknow? you don't have to understand it. you don't even have to like it. you can think it's dumb or cheap or reductive #people HAVE made reasonable arguments about trying to neatly categorize every facet of your identity and how that might indicate a problem #but at the end of the day who has the right to be the judge of that ey? as long as no one's hurt you can live on with your life as always #answered asks

[elean0rarose]

Hi buddy! Its Athena, I'm sending this out to all my mutuals - what got you into writing, what inspires you, who inspires you and what music inspires you to write? what do you love about writing?

Hi Athena! Hope you're doing well ☺️

So I've always loved writing but for a long time, it was only non-fiction academic stuff because I was trying (and failing) to get on a gender studies PhD programme. Then last year, whilst on holiday in perhaps the worst mental health crisis of my life so far (yeah, weird mix of things, that and a holiday, right?), the opening line for my novel popped into my head. I couldn't get it out so when I woke up early one day, I wrote it down and—to my surprise—a story started to emerge. I haven't looked back since. I got into short stories later, specifically because I hit a wall with the novel and wanted to concentrate on worldbuilding some more, and shorts allow me to do that whilst also being able to play with characters and cut my teeth on something less high stakes than a novel.

I draw my inspiration from a lot of different things: other books, naturally, but also film and television, video games, mythology, folklore and—perhaps the biggest inspiration—real world events. I am obsessed with using my world as a way to hold a mirror up to our world and challenge the rampant oppression that exists within it.

I am inspired to write by my fellow commoners. While I do find stories about nobility interesting, the vast majority of my writing is about ordinary folks going about their lives who find themselves thrown into situations and having to take charge. I am interested in the ways these people react to circumstances out of their control, and what changes they can make to the world with the little agency they're afforded in the face of set against them.

Music-wise, it's Hozier all the way. One of my short stories was inspired by his song NFWMB specifically, but in general, I chuck on his music while I'm writing and it gets me in the right head space.

What I love about writing is the aforementioned ways it can hold up a mirror to our world, but I also love the way it can help us to imagine better futures. That might sound strange for someone writing within your typical fantasy universe which is vaguely medieval/Middle Ages in terms of technology and such, but because it's a different world, you can imagine different outcomes to some of those circumstances you're exposing. You can prefigured the world you want—one based on solidarity, mutual aid, and equality—by showing in the fictional universe that that is a possible outcome, not just *gestures at the ramping-up descent into fascism in our world*

Thank you for these questions! I really enjoyed answering them.

#eleanora has thoughts

[themagicalmysticalboy]

someone on this hell site once said to me something along the lines of “do you want to be George Harrison or marry him” and i have never stopped thinking abt that

#i don’t remember who you are but i am still thinking abt your words #thanks for the gender crisis buddy #now look where i am #all nonbinary and shit #some me times #george harrison

[wr0temyway0ut]

WIP Ask Game

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Thank you for the tag @legolasghosty!! Ik I still have a couple I need to answer from the last time I did this game so hopefully this will motivate me to do those ones as well as any new asks. I'm also taking off any fics that I answered last time bc I haven't made Any progress lmao

Molina-Wilson firsts

Ralex backstory

Trans boy Carrie

Flarrie breakup

Juke breakup

Meet the Parents

Willie can have another gender crisis as a treat

You Don’t Own Me

Bobby makes mixtapes for his crushes

Carrie has daddy issues <3

Jules first boys night

Julie’s turn to get hurt/comforted

The One Where Wiggie Has a Custody Dispute

Wobbly/Ralex enchanted au

Wobbly/Ralex tattoo/florist smau

Next Big Thing smau

Caleb is a bastard and Alex is a saint and Willie needs a hug what else is new

Caleb! Husbands plural????

Emily Patterson needs to get her priorities straight

Girls night (trans femme bobby)

Trans buddies Willie and Bobby

I'm leaving the tags open to anyone who wants to play!

#wip games #wips #asks #ask games

[winterscaptain]

tell.

Aaron Hotchner x Gender Neutral Reader

a/n: i cannot tell yall how long i have been working on this one, so i'll save it. thanks to @ssaic-jareau for hanging in there with me as i pulled late nights to make this happen over the weekend!! i love you!! i know it's broad daylight for you while im being irresponsible, but i appreciate it nevertheless. let me know what you think, my lovelies! i cherish your thoughts!

words: 7.4k warnings: language, discussion of sex, canon-typical case events

summary: “we are not people who touch each other carelessly; every point of contact between us feels important, a rush of energy and relief.” veronica roth, allegiant. au!may 2012

masterlist | a joyful future masterlist | ajf faq | requests closed!

It’s always tough to spend time away from home when you aren’t on a case, but a conference kept you from your boys the last couple of days, on Strauss’s request. Aaron was none too happy about it, but as the junior-most agent in the unit (even with five years under your belt), the shitty seminars and professional development events fell on your shoulders. 

Even though you landed early in the morning, flying coach all the way back from California, there was a whole day with Jack waiting for you and Aaron upon your return. A rare Saturday - no case, no paperwork, just family.

You knock on the door with a knuckle, unable to reach your keys around your bags and breakfast. 

Aaron opens the door with a “Hey!” coated in laughter, kissing your cheek. He’s still in his pajamas. 

You squint at him. “Am I early?”

He snorts. “Never. We’re running late.” He takes the takeout bags and coffee from your hands. “Thank you for breakfast.” 

“Of course. I wanted -” 

Jack runs across the apartment and slams into you full force. “You’re home!” 

You curl around him, your hands on his head and shoulder as he cuddles into you. “I am! I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

His voice is muffled by your shirt and it makes you smile. You glance at Aaron over Jack’s head to find a smile. 

“Come look at our fort!” Jack, wearing a blanket cape, takes you by the hand and brings you into the dining room, where the dining room table has been turned into a massive fort fit for a king. 

Or, rather, two kings. 

“Oh my goodness, Jack. This is incredible, little bug. Your architectural prowess knows no bounds.” You look up at Aaron from your place on the floor. “Where’s your cape?” 

His deadpan, as usual, never fails to make you laugh. “Uh, I’m wearing it.” 

Jack continues to drag you all the way under the table until you’re laying on your bellies in the little slap-dash shelter.

Aaron flops down on the floor on the other side of Jack. “We slept in here all night.” 

“Really? That sounds like so much fun.” 

What you mean is, What, with your bad back? 

“Mmhmm,” he replies, only to really say - 

Yep. I feel like shit. 

“Can we sleep in here again tonight, Dad?” Jack asks, turning to Aaron. “All together?” 

You exchange a glance with Aaron, who laughs. 

So much for grown-up plans...

+++

You’re both scrambling to get ready for the bike ride across the mall and day at the Smithsonian when the phone call comes in. 

“Hotchner,” Aaron says, still at the counter, tucking his phone under his chin as he finishes packing the rest of the picnic basket. 

He freezes, hastily bagging some carrots and putting them in the basket before holding the phone in his hand and leaning heavily against the counter. “You’re kidding.” 

That’s not a good tone. 

Jack looks up at you, and you rest your hands on his chest over his shoulders, backing him into you as you watch Aaron with your lip between your teeth. 

“Did they raise the terror alert?”

Shit. 

“Okay. That’s for the best. Um…” He checks his watch. “I’ll get down there now. Yeah….Do you need the rest -” 

With a huff, he meets your eyes and nods. 

You let out a sigh and kiss Jack’s head. He knows the drill and runs off for your phone, still charging in the bedroom. 

“Understood, ma’am. I’ll be there first. We gotta get Jack squared away but I’ll get going while -” He pauses, probably interrupted by Strauss again. “Thank you...Yes...I’ll be there as soon as I can and the rest of the team will meet at the scene.” 

You know that also means you. You also can’t ignore the prick of anxiety that shoots through your belly, knowing he’ll likely be in danger without you for at least a half-hour. 

Jack returns with your phone, Jessica already on the line. 

+++

Aaron, of course, leaves right away while you wait for Jess. 

You sit on the couch with Jack. “I’m so sorry, buddy. We’ll have to do a big day, just the three of us, another time.” 

Jack shrugs. “It’s okay. Sometimes you just gotta catch the bad guys.” 

The offhand nature of his understanding strikes you as instantly hilarious, and he laughs with you when you double over, wiping tears from your eyes. 

“Yeah. Sometimes you just do, kiddo.” 

+++

When you finally arrive at the scene, Dave’s already set up hostage negotiation. You cross the street, finding Will and JJ huddled with Emily and Derek. 

“You okay?” You ask, placing your hand on Will’s shoulder. He’s not just JJ’s not-husband. He’s your friend, too, all on his own. 

“Yeah, jus’ fine.” He shakes his head. “Jus’ a little rattled, is all.” 

“Understandable.” 

His mouth presses into a thin line as he exhales. “Thanks.” He checks his watch. “Y’all should get on back. I think Strauss just showed up.”

JJ kisses his cheek and trots off to meet the rest of the unit. After another hug for Will, you follow suit. 

+++

“The media's calling them the Face Cards. Seven bank robberies in seven months. They've killed one person at each robbery.” Aaron leads the rest of you to the trailer, where the monitors are all set up. 

Dave furrows his brow. “M. O.?” 

“Single gunshot wound. Each of the victims has bled out.” 

That doesn’t make much sense. 

You jump in. “Serial killers with a 30-day cooling-off period and we're only just hearing about this now?” 

“Well, headquarters has always characterized them robbers first and killers second,” Aaron replies, glancing back at you. You roll your eyes. 

Of course they did. 

“No one kills seven people without serious psychopathic tendencies,” Spencer notes. He’s more than right, and you thought the same thing - it’s almost like he took the words out of your mouth. 

“I disagreed with the original assessment. I was overruled.” Aaron’s bland version of frustration is clear in his tone, but he knows, just as you do, that ship has sailed. All you can do now is handle what’s in front of you. 

“So why are we here now?” Dave asks. 

“Because crisis negotiation is overseas.” 

Aaron starts to walk again as JJ asks after more information. Aaron usually rattles it off pretty quickly, but with the quick start this morning, you know he trusts the rest of you to ask the questions you need. “What more do we know about them? 

“They're organized, they're efficient. Each strike lasts about two minutes.” 

Derek, walking beside you, finally joins the conversation. “They gotta be scouting the banks in advance. Why haven't we been able to identify them off of surveillance footage?” 

“They hack the security feed and turn off the cameras, both during the initial canvass and during the robbery, until the masks come back on, and then we're allowed to watch.” Aaron leads you all into the tactical staging truck, watching the security feeds. 

+++

As you continue to watch, the scene becomes clearer, the power dynamics more tangible. 

Dave sees it, too. “They're using the hostages as human shields.” 

JJ, with Will beside her, studies the footage, watching the Queen run around while the King finds himself preoccupied with the Jack’s wound. “This is the first time they've been interrupted. What went wrong?”

“It's a big bank,” Emily says. “It's possible they weren't about to round everybody up before someone triggered an alarm.” 

That’s a fair point, but you ask your question anyway.  “Why haven't they cut the feed now that they've been cornered?”

Derek, still beside you, answers. “Letting us see inside gives up a tactical advantage. They gotta know that.” 

They don't seem to care,” Aaron says, from your other side. 

You’re all silent for another minute, watching to see what happens next. Even though their plans went awry, the team still looks fairly calm and collected, all things considered. 

JJ’s frown only deepens. “They're overconfident. Arrogant, even.” 

“The face card masks add to their narcissism.” Spencer’s voice comes from the end of the line. “Their personas are the royalty of poker.” 

You nod - it’s a great point - while Aaron starts making assignments.  

“JJ, Reid, and Prentiss, look at past robberies. That's gonna be our victimology. Pull another analyst if you need to.” He turns to you, then Dave, on his other side. “I want you two to handle negotiations. And, Morgan, strategize tactical options with MPD.” 

You shuffle, gathering your radio and earpiece from the charger next to Penelope’s computer. 

When the rest of the team leaves, you hang back with Dave, keying into the radio channels and standing by for further instruction - you know there’s more for you in the trailer at the moment. 

Further instruction, though, may have to wait. Strauss climbs the steps into the rig and Aaron greets her. “Chief Strauss.” 

“The Director ordered me to supervise your operation.” 

Of course he did. 

“Puts you right in the spotlight,” Dave says, not unkindly. It’s almost fond. 

You can’t help but hold back a little bit of a smile. If the situation were reversed and it was Aaron at the helm, you’d be proud of him, too. 

“Well, you've got gunmen with hostages in the Capital. The Hill's concerned.” 

Aaron nods, gesturing to you and Dave. “We're about to open lines of communication.”

“What about a tactical assault?”

The three of you shake your heads as Aaron responds. “I don't think it's a good idea. There are hostages in front of the doors and windows.” 

Erin, finally onboard, turns to Dave. “What's your negotiation strategy?” 

“The Jack's bleeding out. They'll ask for medical attention.” 

You hum, a little skeptical, and look back at the feed. “The female unsub might have something to say about that. Look at her body language.” 

Dave follows your gaze. “She is cold and detached. The King seems genuinely concerned about his partner's welfare. But she couldn't give a damn.” 

Your eyebrows raise. “The men probably know each other.” 

Aaron, picking up on your train of thought, flags Penelope, “Garcia?” 

She turns in her chair, already typing. “Shuffling my techno-fabulous deck of databases, sir.” 

And so it begins. 

+++

“I’ll do the talking - I’ll need to establish some rapport with them, but I’ll need you keeping the team updated and coordinating any allowances or personnel as things come up, okay?” 

You nod, a little smile pulling at the side of your mouth. “You got it.” 

Dave claps your shoulder. “You’ll be in this chair one day, so pay attention.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

He dials in and the phone starts ringing through the speaker. You’ll be able to hear everything. 

“Who the hell's this?” You check the monitor. The King picked up the phone. 

Obviously, the Jack can’t pick up the phone, stupid, he’s bleeding out!

“My name is David Rossi. I'm with the FBI. To whom am I speaking?” 

The King doesn’t address the question, but rather looks back toward his fallen compatriot. “All right, I want a doctor sent in, and then I want out of here.” 

Dave checks his watch. “Well, we certainly can discuss that. Let the hostages go and we'll give you all the medical help you need.” 

You take a mental note. Your memories from Dave’s lectures at the academy are fuzzy at best, and you haven’t had very much time handling these things in the field. The last time a major hostage crisis was at hand, you were a hostage yourself. 

A shot hostage, if the chronic nerve pain in your shoulder is any reminder. 

“I can't do that. I need the leverage.” 

“How about a sign of good faith? Send out the women and children and I'll see what I can do.” 

You watch as the King takes the phone away from his mouth. You can vaguely hear him update the Queen, but she’s not having it. She pulls a child from the lineup and your lower lip disappears between your teeth. 

A man, you presume the girl’s father, speaks to the Queen before she shoots him in the abdomen. The King gets back on the line. 

“You better send in some more help or more people are gonna die.” He hangs up. 

Shit. 

+++

“You’re not seriously considering sending an agent in there?” You turn on Hotch and he sighs, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. 

“We don’t have much of a choice. I’m not the authority on-site and with the director pressing Strauss, there’s not much I can do.” 

The two of you are alone for the time being, so you’re able to rib him for a second to lighten the tension. 

“What’s the point of being unit chief if you can’t lord it over everyone all the time?” 

You're rewarded with a shadow of a smile and a snort. “Don’t be ridiculous. I lord it over you plenty.” 

“Not enough.” Your tone is childish, the words murmured under your breath. 

When he walks away, he taps the side of your ass with the back of his hand. If you weren’t in a professional setting, you could mistake it for a promise. 

But, Aaron, that would be unprofessional!

You turn to look at him and just catch his wink as he hops up the steps behind Strauss. 

+++

With Garcia’s magic and Aaron’s genius, you figure out that the men are related. 

While Rossi hops on the next phone call, you help Derek outfit the medic with a bug and a weapon. 

“We're sending in the medic now, Chris. Tell Oliver help is on the way.” 

Derek nods at the medic and he hops off, heading into the bank. You jog over to the trailer only to find a humorously horrified look on Strauss’s face. 

“Is she…” 

You get closer, looking up at the monitor. 

“...putting on lipstick?” 

You scoff. “She’s vain. Only contributes to a profile of vanity and narcissism. She likes to be seen - this is a game for her.” 

You jog back out before Strauss can respond, taking your place between Aaron and Derek. 

“Green. You gotta go. Green. Go,” Derek says into his mic. 

The agent-turned-medic makes a move and immediately gets a shot between the eyes for his trouble. Your hand files over your mouth and Derek ducks away, taking a second. 

Well, that couldn’t have been any worse. 

You look at Aaron, still staring at the screen, beside you. He’s thinking the same thing. 

+++

Derek walks up to you, kevlar and sunglasses firmly in place. “Tactical's been deployed, snipers are moving into position.” 

At your questioning look, Strauss clarifies. “The Director's ordered a full tactical assault.” 

The look doesn’t leave your face. “His last orders cost us an agent.” 

Radio transmissions fly one ear and out the other, not to mention the flurry of activity around the negotiation tent. Before Strauss can reply, Will’s call shoots past you to Aaron.

“SWAT's getting itchy fingers.” 

Aaron turns, covering his comm mic at his chest. “You remind SWAT that bank robberies are federal jurisdiction. No one fires until they're ordered to.” 

“Right.” 

Will disappears and you suppress a little pleased shudder. Aaron’s very much in control now and it is doing things to your body that are better suited for, well, anywhere else. You tighten the velcro across your chest as if to compress another rush of… nothing useful. 

Aaron turns back to you, Dave, Derek, and Strauss. “All right, when the crossfire starts, what's gonna happen to the hostages caught in the middle?” 

The question is a trap, and Dave doubles down. “That's the wrong call, Erin, and you know it.” 

Strauss falters for a minute, leveling with the rest of you. “It's not my call.” 

Aaron doesn’t let up. “You're here and you're in charge.” His tone is sharper than yours would be in the same situation, but you’re nearly fifteen years younger and a whole four steps down on the totem pole. 

Not for the first time, a rush of affection and gratitude for him crests over your in a wave and you have to look away, taking a deep breath to collect yourself. When you look back, he’s watching you. 

I’m okay. 

He nods as Erin speaks again. 

“So you want me to disobey the Director?” Erin sounds dubious, at best. 

Dave responds quickly. “Yes.” 

Aaron amends, and if the situation wasn’t so tense his correction would almost be funny. “No. I just want you to buy us a little time.” He pauses, wavering for a second as he rephrases. “Don't be quite so efficient.” 

You’re never surprised by Aaron’s political savvy, but it is a nice reminder that he can run circles around every bureaucrat in the district if given the chance. 

“Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast.”

+++

“It’s an impossible ask, Dave. You know JJ will never go for it.” 

“It’s not up to JJ.” Aaron’s voice approaches from behind you. “It’s the director’s call, but mine first.” 

He comes to rest beside you as Dave leaves the two of you alone. 

“What are you gonna do?” You look at Aaron, finding his eyes trained on the monitor, arms crossed over his chest.

He sighs. “If it was you he asked for...” 

You bump his shoulder. “What, not interested in feeding me to serial killers today?” 

It’s a loaded joke, especially for the two of you, but after Emily, you’re past such things. If the situation were reversed, Haley would never stop giving you hell for getting serial-killed the way she did. It’s only fair to return the favor. 

“Over my dead body, baby.” He reaches down to squeeze your hand for a second before letting you go. “Do me a favor?” 

“Anything.” 

“Stay here.” 

+++

You can hear JJ’s anguished shouts from here, beside Dave and the phone. 

Derek has a good enough hold on her, Emily and Aaron protecting him from JJ’s wild elbows. She’s beside herself but eventually breaks free and sprints back toward the trailer. You turn to follow her, just in time to hear a gunshot. 

Will.

+++

You’re all gathered in the trailer as JJ asks the same questions over and over again. Garcia, just like the first time, doesn’t have any answers. 

The static on the monitors is nearly deafening in its silence. 

JJ looks at you for a moment and takes a shaky breath before looking at Hotch. Her eyes are red-rimmed and her voice is broken when she speaks. “Aaron.”

You know he’s never been able to deny her anything. In the entire time you’ve known him, it’s one of the few things that hasn’t changed. 

His eyes don’t budge from hers. “We’re going in.”

+++

You press the heels of your hands to your eyes, trying to stem the stinging from the heat and debris. Your ears ring and you’ve got a scrape on your chin from where you face-planted into the asphalt. 

Eventually, you remove your hands and open your eyes to the early summer sunshine. Your bias is clear enough - Aaron’s the first one you look for and the first one you find.

He’s looking a little dazed and more than a little ruffled, but alive. 

Ignoring the whine in your ears and swiping some blood off your face, you jog over to him, taking stock of him from head to toe. “You alright?”

He doesn’t answer right away, and you realize he probably can’t hear you. An image of Kate reaching for you and the smell of blood flashes into your head, but you push it away. 

His ear…

“Aaron?” You lay a hand on his shoulder and he startles a little, meeting your eyes and coming back to himself all at once. 

He puts his hands on your shoulders, tipping your jaw up with one finger to examine your chin. “You’re hurt.”

“Honey, I’m fine. Your ear…” You follow a small trickle of blood up the side of his neck, rounding him to get a better look. Just as you’d feared, his bad ear is bleeding again. 

He waves off your concern and taps his comm mic, calling for support in quick, clear soundbites. You snag the back of his vest before he can get too far away from you. 

“As soon as you’re done with that, please get it looked at.”

With a sigh, he nods and gestures to your chin. “I will if you do.”

You roll your eyes. 

“Where’s Emily?” You hear Morgan ask JJ as they get their bearings around you. 

With a start, you follow them into the building, attached to a couple of SWAT agents. You know Aaron will get after you for going in before everything’s cleared by bomb squad, but you can’t keep still. 

The heartache you feel for JJ supersedes anything else going on in your head. It’s something that plagues you all the time - the both of you doing this job. Losing Aaron in the field is a stark reality you can hardly consider at any point, especially when evidence of its reality is right in front of you. 

+++

Aaron can’t help himself - he pulls you close after you’re both released by the paramedics, pressing a kiss to your head. It’s almost desperate as he leans back and pulls your collar from your vest, his hands smoothing over your shoulders. 

“I need to debrief SWAT and first responders - can you stay with Dave and help with the media?” 

“Okay. Let me know if you need any extra hands - I’ll send ‘em right over.” 

He smiles at you, soft, small, and affectionate. “Thank you.” 

+++

You pull your phone from your pocket. 

She picks up on the second ring. “Yeah?”

“Hey, Jess.” 

“Hey.” She pauses. “You okay?”

With a shaky sigh, you reply. “Yeah. I’m fine. Aaron’s fine.” 

“I heard about the explosion. Is there anything I can do?” 

“No, we’re fine. Just...Just stay out of the city.” After another breath. “Is Jack okay?” 

She laughs a little. “Yeah. He’s fine. He’s a little anxious but I turned off the TV and we’re headed out to the park for a little while.” 

“Good.” You look over at Aaron, who holds your eyes for a second before returning to his EMS strategy huddle. 

“Be safe and come home to us soon, okay?” 

“Yeah. We will. We love you. Tell Jack we -”

“ - Of course.” 

+++

You follow Spencer through the debris once you’re done handling the media storm with Dave. Picking through the rubble, searching for something - anything - but not finding much. 

Derek’s voice echoes through the ruined, cavernous space that used to be the main lobby. “Everything they've said and done was for a reason. But what doesn't make any sense is she switched the negotiation demand. Chris wanted to go to Switzerland. She changed it to Chad.” 

“They also requested a private plane,” you note, “but no mention of a pilot.” 

Spencer stops, and you almost run into him. Emily stops as well, looking back at the pair of you as Spencer organizes his thoughts. When he’s ready to speak, he says, “Guys, if you think about it, even the dates mean something. In 2004, while she was wreaking havoc abroad, he was dishonorably discharged. Then in 2008, they likely met in Chad. And now this in 2012.” 

Good thought. But then again, when is one of Spencer’s thoughts bad? 

It’s a decent enough question, and you run the gamut of all the surprising and absurd things Spencer’s said in your presence over the years. One in particular comes to mind. 

Evil twin, eviler twin. 

You hold back a little laugh, despite the harrowing circumstances. 

Yeah, that one was pretty bad. 

“Okay.” Derek grabs your attention again. “So, is it a coincidence that those are all election years and they attacked D.C.? Maybe this is a political statement.” 

Emily’s eyes are stuck on something on the ground, but you’re not sure if it’s what she’s really looking at. “No. It's more personal than that. It's their story.” 

Derek’s brow pinches. “What?” 

“All of the details are a part of their story.” 

She starts to leave through one of the shattered windows and you follow her back to the trailer, Spencer and Derek not far behind. She hops up the steps and you take your place beside Aaron once you’re all inside. It’s much cozier in here, with eight of you. 

Spencer fills the rest of the team in on your conversation inside. Unsurprisingly, it’s rote - read like a cold script. 

Emily picks up when he’s done. “Their timeline suggests they were both destructive before they met.” 

“So we're talking about ex-military turning on their country.” Strauss looks and sounds skeptical, but you can’t blame her. In American culture, it’s rather incongruous. 

Now who sounds like Spencer?

“It's rare, but soldiers become disenfranchised no matter what the nationality. And if he met someone like-minded at that time, there'd be no stopping them.”

“So you're thinking they met during the civil unrest in Chad in '08.” Aaron’s voice isn’t skeptical - more probing. You can see the wheels turning behind his eyes. 

“Yeah,” Spencer says. “And one or both of them are pilots.”

“So if Garcia concentrates on that region,” Emily points to an area on a map, lit up on the monitor, “specifically weapons running in and out of Libya, there's a good chance we'll find their paths crossed.”

Penelope types furiously for a moment, her fingers flying over the keys. “Okay, multiple entries into Libya for a private pilot named Matthew Downs in '08, but I don't have her name.” 

“Well, because she had aliases. It's the only way to stay a ghost.” 

Looks like Emily’s Interpol knowledge is coming in handy. 

She continues. “Here's the thing - they are a couple. Regardless of what we believe of them, they will celebrate themselves and their connection.” She turns to Penelope, a thought sparking behind her eyes. “Is there anything that happened on this date in Chad?”

“Oh, you are good, Emily Prentiss.” Penelope types for a moment and you lean forward, watching her work. “But this news is not. Yes, there were multiple explosions on this date in '08.” 

Aaron speaks from beside you. He’s a little closer than you thought, and it startles you a little. 

In fairness, you’re still jumpy from the explosion. 

“Where were the most casualties?” 

“At a church-- no, no, a train. Yep.” 

Morgan squints at the photos of the hulled-out building. “Semtex and C-4?”

Penelope nods while Aaron turns toward Strauss. “Are trains still arriving at Union Station?”

“Yes, but only the authorities are allowed in.” There’s a moment where she almost looks panicked, but collects herself as the rest of you gear up to leave. 

Emily exhales down her nose. “That’s why they needed Will.” 

+++

Aaron drives impossibly fast through the district. You sit in the back seat with Emily, holding onto the handles above the door for dear life. 

You’ve never flashed your badge so many times in such a short period. Aaron tucked his badge into a strap of his vest, just to save time, but still has his credentials locked between his fingers as he drives. If you didn’t trust him so much, it would freak you out a little.  

+++

The comm in your ear crackles as Emily speaks. “I found Will.” 

“Is he mobile?” Aaron’s voice comes both from beside you and your comm - it’s a little disorienting, but you push through. 

“Negative. He's got 6 transmitters on him and this whole place is gonna blow.”

There’s hardly a hesitation in Aaron’s steps as he processes the information. “All right, where are you? I'm on my way.” 

He’d like to think he’s made of steel. 

Sometimes he is. 

“No,” Emily asserts. “You gotta get everyone out. Is the bomb squad here yet?” 

“They're 3 minutes away.” 

“Copy.” She sounds a little disappointed, or maybe frustrated, but doesn’t say anything else.

He turns back to you, holding you by the shoulders. “I want you leading evacuation. Get out of here.” 

Tears prick at your eyes and honestly, this is the first moment you’ve really been afraid. Existentially afraid. Afraid of walking out of this train station and leaving Aaron and Emily and Will to blow up. “I’ll see you later?” 

“Yep. Go.” He tries to push you away, but you resist. 

“Promise?” 

His brown eyes soften as his mouth presses into a thin line. “Can’t. I love you. Get outta here.” 

You bounce on your toes for a second, acutely aware you’re wasting valuable time, before yanking him forward to kiss his cheek before you sprint away from him, shouting instructions to the panicked crowd as you go. 

+++

You catch up with Derek, racing to catch your suspect. He corners him in an alley but can’t quite overpower him. You reach for your sidearm, but by the time you take aim, Downs is already on the ground, a gunshot ringing through the air. 

Startled, you turn over your shoulder to find Aaron still staring down the sight of his Glock. 

Could take an eye out, with that thing.

You sigh and holster your weapon. Derek looks plenty dazed and you don’t blame him. It’s not often he’s on the receiving end of a near-miss in close combat. He looks over your shoulder and you can see something pass between him and Aaron. 

Maybe one day, Derek will know how much Aaron loves and respects him. 

You watch Derek shake it off and stumble as he attempts to rise to his feet. 

Today is not that day. 

Coming to your senses, you trot forward and help him to his feet, brushing wayward asphalt off of him. You turn back to Aaron. “Everything alright?” 

He ignores you, pressing the mic at his chest as he begins to run back toward the station. “Prentiss, what’s your status?”

+++

Seeing Will and Emily leave the building in one piece is a relief. You meet Aaron’s gaze and his eyes are exhausted. The gears in his head still whir. He’s still in game-mode, and it’s a good thing. 

With the logistical nightmare of two bomb threats in one day, there’s a lot of work ahead of you. 

+++

You swing back and forth in your desk chair, brain completely numb from the paperwork. It’s been a long day, and you’ve been up since three this morning, what with your flight back from California. You’re certain you’ve had longer days than this one, but you’re approaching twenty-one hours without sleep and it feels worse than you remember. 

What were we planning to do today?

A bike ride and museum day with Jack seems impossibly long ago. Last week, maybe.

Derek and Emily sit on their desks, attempting to keep a conversation going without much luck. 

They were house-hunting this morning. 

Penelope slowly descends the stairs as Spencer turns in his seat. “The convention’s still happening tomorrow if you want to go.” 

They were at a convention this morning. 

Everyone had lives this morning. Weird.

She makes an uncertain noise. “That whole city-on-the-brink-of-destruction thing kinda took the wind out of my sails, you know?” 

You look up at her as she takes her place beside Spencer. “It’ll get you every time.” 

“You gotta watch out for that,” Emily adds. It makes you smile a little. 

Derek looks a little less amused, reminding Emily they’ll have to finish the inspection another time. Between Spencer and Penelope, Emily cops to a crack in the foundation of her almost-home. 

“That does not sound good,” Penelope says. You can’t help but agree. 

There’s a weird look on Derek’s face, but you ignore it in favor of Strauss’s descent on the stairs. 

“Our unsub,” she says, “is Izzy Rogers. She'll be charged with multiple counts domestically, and our international counterparts will have their turn with her. She will never see the light of day.” A little smile graces her lips. 

You realize with the tiniest of laughs (really - it’s a one on the Aaron Hotchner scale of laugher, which means it’s hardly noticeable to the naked eye) that you don’t hate her or even dislike her as much as you used to. Maybe, you even want her around. 

Don’t push it.  

“I just thought you'd like to know that.” 

The five of you murmur something that sounds like, “Thank you, ma’am.” 

She pulls Derek, probably to kick his ass for something or another and send herself back on your shit list. 

That’s a problem for another time. 

You take Izzy Rogers’s file from Emily, looking over an impressive rap sheet. You’re happy for a few things. 

The first - that Aaron’s not a federal prosecutor anymore. This’ll be a case for the ages. 

The second - you’ll never have to think about her again. 

The third - you’re not sure. You’re sleep-deprived. It’ll come to you. 

She cost me my precious eight hours and I’ll never forgive her. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Aaron leave his office. You set the file down and look up at him, halfway-hoping for once he’ll tell you to go home without him. 

“Dave wants to know if everyone is free tomorrow night.” 

Without any inflection at all, you reply. “We better not be doing anything tomorrow night.” 

“Well,” Derek says, interrupting Emily’s snort. “If he’s buying, then I’m definitely in.” 

Emily, Spencer, and Penelope jump onto Derek’s conditional acceptance and a rare smile pulls at Aaron’s face, his dimples on full display. 

“Hear that? We’re in.” 

+++

When you get home, Aaron all-but carries you to bed. With the tenderest of hands, he removes your shoes and socks, unbuttons your pants, slides them down your legs, and throws them in the laundry basket. 

You’re practically wilting where you sit, feeling more and more like a sleepy toddler by the minute. 

Aaron unbuttons your shirt and slips it off your shoulders, kissing each cheek in turn. “I’ll start a shower.” 

You move to protest, but he strips and that mostly shuts you up. He starts the water before he returns to your side.

“I just want to sleep, Aar. Please.” 

“Baby,” he says, a fond little pleading note in his tone. “We just changed the sheets. Do you really want to get semtex all over them?” 

With a huff - “No.” 

He smiles and helps you to your feet. “Didn’t think so.” 

You’re so tired, it doesn't even cross your mind to take advantage of the shared shower or his lack of clothes. By the time he dries you off, tucks you in, and locks the bedroom door to ward off the over-eager six-year-old down the hall, you’re asleep. 

His own exhaustion pulling at him, he doesn’t have the time or energy to cherish how peaceful, safe, and warm you look. He just draws you close to him until he can feel your heartbeat. 

Sleep takes him rapidly after that. 

+++

As Will and JJ exchange their vows, you tuck further into Aaron’s arms. His whisper floats past your ear, barely audible. “Wanna do that sometime?”

“What? Get married?” Your voice is just as quiet. 

“Mhmm.”

“Only if it’s you.”

There’s a kiss pressed to your temple with a smile behind it. “I think I can make that happen.”

You turn your head to the side to keep your snark from carrying. “Please don’t propose to me right now. This weekend’s been long enough.”

Derek kicks the side of your foot from where he stands beside you, unable to hear the conversation but knowing you both well enough to keep you from tumbling down the rabbit hole of distraction. 

Aaron presses another kiss to your temple. “I love you.” You feel it rather than hear it.

You pick up one of his hands and kiss the back of it. You don’t need to say anything. 

+++

Aaron holds you close as you dance together, surrounded by your family. JJ and Will sway back and forth nearby, wrapped entirely in each other. Erin and Dave have been surprisingly brave, dancing and laughing quietly together throughout the evening. 

As nice as it was to just have something for the two of you, sharing your love with your family has its own set of perks. You don’t have to hide anymore or justify your pigheaded protection of the other. 

You can just… be. 

+++

Eventually, Dave calls all the “...fortunately unmarried individuals to the dance floor,” and refuses to let anyone slip through the cracks. 

When Aaron hangs back, drink in-hand and a little smile on his face, Dave calls him out. “Divorcés and widowers, too, c’mon.” He pauses, finding another tactic when Aaron doesn’t move. “If you’re both, you get extra points!” 

Aaron rolls his eyes and you look around, finding an inappropriate amount of humor in JJ’s confused relatives. You can’t help but bark a loud laugh when you see how hard Derek’s trying to keep his mirth at bay.

Too soon for the dead wife jokes? He seems to ask. Can I laugh? 

Something in your eyes gives him tacit permission and he nearly blinds you with his smile. 

When Dave’s tricks fall short, you do your best to pull Aaron from the sideline with your best set of bedroom eyes. He courageously resists, so you give up and settle next to Anderson. “What do you think Dave’s come up with, this time?” 

“God only knows.” 

Anderson, like the rest of you, knows that Dave’s hosting abilities know no bounds. 

“Because so many of you are joyfully unmarried, the newlyweds wanted to make sure there was someone else to suffer the slings and arrows of matrimony with them in the near future. Thus,” he opens his arm to JJ, who appears with her bouquet and a smile, “the bouquet toss will be an equal-opportunity event.” 

With a laugh and a shake of your head, you prepare to duck out of the way. 

You look over at Aaron. This is ridiculous. 

He only shakes his head, hiding his smile behind his drink. And yet…

He leaves the rest of the implication unsaid, but you flip him off for good measure. Your exchange must have taken longer than you thought because before you know it, you have a face full of white roses. It’s over. 

You pull the flowers from your face and level JJ with a glare across the dance floor. “Really?” 

She raises her eyebrows and shrugs. “I turned my back and everything.” 

There are whoops and hollers from your team and you can only roll your eyes. Derek and Will strong-arm Aaron onto the dance floor (you know he let them - if he really wanted to avoid you, they wouldn’t be able to move him an inch), where you’re both cajoled into a kiss and a photo. Penelope’s on the other side of the camera, grinning from ear to ear. 

She waves at Aaron over the camera. “Smile for real, damn you!” 

She amends, adding, “Sir,” for good measure. It has its intended effect and she’s rewarded with a rare, bright laugh from her unit chief. 

Absurd traditions aside, you’d be lying if said you stopped smiling even once. 

+++

As the party settles, some couples stay out on the dance floor, sedately twirling and swaying to the music that continues to play across the yard. 

You and Aaron have relaxed significantly since the Great Bouquet Debacle, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. You’re sitting across his lap, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, with one of his arms wrapped around your middle and the other draped over your knees - the picture of relaxation. 

Penelope, Derek, Emily, and Will have taken up residence on the other side of the dance floor, their heads close together and voices low.

Aaron’s eyes slide over them as he watches the room, scanning out of habit. “What do you think they’re talking about?”

You lean further into him as four pairs of eyes flicker over to you before returning to their huddle. “Us, probably.” 

He hums, understanding and pensive. “Probably our sex life, right?” 

“Probably,” you sigh, playing at boredom. He covers your hand with one of his and you play with his fingers - lacing, unlacing, kissing his knuckles. 

It’s nice to feel safe, comfortable enough to love each other where curious eyes can see you. 

You can feel his smile against your forehead as he presses a kiss between your brows.  

“I mean,” you continue, “there is a lot to talk about.”

He shrugs, adjusting his arm where it lays across your legs to keep you both comfortable in the seat you share. “That’s true enough. Though, I can’t imagine any of their projections being right.”

+++

“I bet they’re into like…tantric sex. Like hours and hours and hours you know?” Penelope says, conspiracy the top note in her tone. 

Derek looks at her and she backtracks, only a little on the defensive. 

“What? Spencer’s talked to me about it before and I...read.” 

He rolls his eyes, but Emily spares Penelope from any further interrogation. 

“I could see that.” She watches the way your fingers wander over Aaron’s bare forearm, playing with the ridges of his watch, the way his thumb absent-mindedly draws small circles on your outer thigh. “Yeah, actually I think that’s exactly what happens.”

+++

“What do you think they’ve got so far?” 

He plays at boredom. “They’re probably trying to take a guess at anything they can reach - with both of our profiles in Derek’s pocket, he’s going to have the most luck, I think.” 

“Really?” You ask. “Not Emily?” 

He snorts. “No. She has her mind on other things.” 

That holds you up for a second, and you’re not sure if he’s still playing into the bit. “Wait, what do you mean?” 

He shakes his head. “I’ll tell you later.” 

“She’s resigning, isn’t she?” You give up the fun and lay your head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. 

Without thinking, his hand rises to your cheek, affectionately brushing over your cheekbone before dropping back down. “She might be.” 

“Did she do that thing where she sighs really big and then looks off to the upper right middle distance?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Shit.” 

You’re both quiet for a moment, just enjoying the low lull of the music and the lights and the sights and smiles of your family. 

“Hey.” 

You lean back a little and meet Aaron’s eyes. “Yeah?” 

“What’s my tell?” 

The concern drops out of your face all at once. “You think I’m gonna spill just like that so you can go and change it on me? Not a chance.” 

He sighs and his chin tips up in defeat. “So I have one?” 

“Of course you do, stupid.” You flick his chest and a laugh rumbles through him. “Everyone does. You know mine, I know yours. You’re gonna have to get over it.” 

“So you’ve caught me in lies before?” He asks, not without humor. 

“Duh. I’m pretty sure I’ve caught every lie you’ve ever told, but you seemed so proud of yourself that I just let you have it.” 

You can almost feel the eye roll. “Really?” He sounds skeptical. “Name one lie you’ve caught me in.” 

“Alright.” You count off on your fingers. “You dinged my car door a couple of weeks ago, you definitely didn’t drop the bags at Goodwill, you do know it wasn’t Jack who finished the ice cream in the freezer, you -” 

“Okay.” He covers your hands with his and kisses your fingers. “That’s enough. I get it.” 

You kiss his cheek. “I’m sure you’ve caught me in every single lie I’ve ever told, too, huh?” 

“Only every once since the day we met. Yours is obvious.” 

It’s a trap. You don’t take it. “Hmm. That’s convenient.” 

“Isn’t it?” 

You lean back to look at him. “You’re a shit, you know that?” 

He nods and raises his eyebrows, a cheeky, close-mouthed smile slowly creeping across his face. 

You playfully smack his chest with the back of your hand. “Fucker.” 

He says something under his breath and you level him with a look that has him repeating himself. 

“I said, you wish.” 

You roll your eyes and tuck back into his neck, kissing the skin above his collar. You can feel him shiver and you know you’ve got him. “Not just wish, honey. Know.” 

+++

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[thecampfirestory]

Okay, so I'm currently going through a minor identity crisis, and I feel like projecting. I'm aware none of this is Canon, but I just wanna get it out there.

So, Roman (In the timeskip) is just kinda scrolling online when he comes across a name he really likes. Obviously he already has a name, so he dismisses it as a simple "hey that's cool" and goes on his way. But from then on, the name nags at him, and he just cannot shake it. But he knows he already has a name, and you can't have more than one name, unless of course you're genderfluid/flux/etc. So he just kinda sits with it for a while until it's gotten to a point where he, very embarrassedly, texts the groupchat like "hey.. would it be possible to have two separate names when you don't have a fluctuating gender?" And then idk what happens next bc that's where I am rn, so the saga continues i suppose.

I apologize for inadvertently venting in your inbox, feel free to ignore

Buddy you can definitely have more than one name its ok i promise mwah

ok listen

my birthname is Catalina. I never liked that name, i actually still dont, but oh well. Many people always called me Cata as a nickname (some still do, actually) and it was better, but i was still eeh about it. So i asked my closest friends to call me Caty, and they happily accepted.

But then i didnt felt as comfortable with Caty anymore. Because i felt different, so i very shyly asked my friends to call me Elliot sometimes, Caty was still there. But now so was Elliot

then on sophomore year i had panic attacks almost every week, and one day i just couldnt take it anymore and told my friends i was trans. But Elliot didnt feel like me anymore, so after that i once again asked my friends to call me Danny.

And that name sticks until today, but heres a thing, on senior year i started thinking about my identity again, and after like half a year i found out i identify as non binary, but hold up, i was still Danny. i liked Danny. so it stuck.

but then i heard an old name that ive always liked but never used because I THOUGHT it sounded girly and i identified as a trans guy back then: Vivian. And i always like the nickname Vi/Vee. So my best friend, and some other close friends online, started to call me that sometimes without me asking. And it felt good!

And a few time ago, thanks to my best friend mentioned before, i started going by Hay as well. And i really, really like it

So, I had Cata, Caty, Elliot, Danny, Vivian, and Hay

and i go by Cata, Danny, and Hay

If it feels okay with you, go for it. Dont worry about it fading away in the future. It doesnt make you weird, it doesnt make you a faker. Its just what feels right at the moment. and thats ok.

#ask