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jasmines-library · 4 months

Note

Hi. Um... i have been craving angst

👀 and my angsty mind has been making up... scenarios, but like would love them typed out so i can read 💀 i live your work, p.s. <3

anyways, would like to ask for something along these lines:

reader is a batsibling

is kidnapped

fam cant find her for a few days and is panicked

they find her somewhere, blindfolded and tied up, on the ground and caked in blood

they get her some med stuff and whatever

and they're like how did this happen so they somehow get cctv or duke uses his powers or something and finds out that they've been beaten for info

and they get like really angry and all that jazz

:D rest up to you!

would be great if you did it 🥺

but i understand if it's too much

love youuuu 💖/platonic ehe

okay, i will excuse myself from your asks now. byeee

Loaded Silence

hello hello! Thanks for requesting. This was super angsty, but as you put I crave it too... ❤️

Warnings: Kidnapping, Torture (not very graphic), fear, medical scenes.

Word Count: 1.5k

⛤ BATFAM MASTERLIST ⛤

It had happened unexpectedly. You were there one second and gone the next. In a blink of an eye. Nothing more nothing less. That was all it took for you to slip away. Damian could have sworn he was only gone for a minute. To stretch his legs and grab something to eat. But that was all it took for them to sneak in. Quiet as a mouse they crept in, splitting through the open window at the back of the room. Leaving it open had been a careless mistake, but who was to think that you would have been taken in the safety of your own home?

They grabbed you roughly from behind. A set of rough hands pinning you to the sofa, clamped tightly over your mouth as another worked to tie a heavy bandage around your eyes. You had squirmed feebly trying to gain some leverage. Your training desperately tried to kick in but at that moment, you were not a vigilante. You were Y/N Wayne: A citizen, child to the wealthiest man in Gotham and utterly fucked.

You had no choice after that than to allow them to drag you downtown, you had kicked and cried blindly, desperate for one of your brothers to chase after you. But whoever was gripping you tight enough to bruise was clearly experienced and you knew that they stood no chance so unexpectedly.

When they tossed you down on the ground, you thought it would offer some relief. The room was dank, dusty and smelt of water rot and mould. This was the part where they would send a ransom note to Bruce and he and your brothers would come charging in sooner or later. But you had never been more wrong.

“We know who you are, Wayne.” A voice spoke. Feminine but not soft spoken. Threatening. “Or would you prefer Raven?”

Your stomach dropped as bile burned the back of your throat. You knew you could fight now, but you were defenceless weaponless with your hands and feet bound together.

“The fuck do you want?” You spat, though the effect of the venom in your words was lost for you looked so helpless.

“Bold of you to speak to me that way, given your predicament.” The woman chuckled, prodding you with her foot. “You’re here as a sort of…payment.” She mused. “I suppose you could call it that.”

“What?”

“My husband.” She started, moving away from you. You could hear her pacing around the room but you could only conjure up images in your mind. “Leader of the greatest crime suricate in Gotham. And now, he’s dead. Rotting in some coffin in the ground, thanks to your father.”

She moved closer again. Her heels clattered against the floor.

“He took away the only thing that ever mattered to me!” She gripped your wrist, lifting you up off the floor and leaning into your face. “So now, I’m going to take away one of his toys until someone tells me how to get him out! His precious little girl. Oh how I can’t wait to see the look on all of their faces when they see you. That is of course…after we have a little fun.”

There was still no sign of you. And it felt as if they had searched every inch of the city. The high and the low but still nothing. No one had slept much in the three days you had been missing. Their nights were either spent searching for you on patrol or laying awake staring blankly at the ceiling as their minds conjured up the worst. None of them said it outloud but the possibility that you were dead loomed over them. But no one ever said anything. They just continued to search in silence. It seemed like Babs and Tim hadn’t torn their eyes away from the screens since Damian came barging into the room three days ago, doubled over and panting as he revealed the news. The only time they ever moved was to head to the bathroom or to make another mug of lukewarm coffee.

The rest of the family were out on patrol. That was what they were calling it anyway. Really they were looking for you. And still there had been no sign until Dick stumbled upon a window. It was low down to his feet covered by concrete as though the building had just sunk into the concrete. And when he tried to peer inside, it seemed to be covered by something on the inside.

It could have been nothing.

But Dick was desperate.

He called over the other vigilantes with a signal on his com. They all came tricking over towards him silently through the city. Some bubbling with hope and anticipation, but all dreading the worst.

Moving around the back of the house, Dick pushed open the door.

You had never been more scared in your entire life. Everything ached, burned or stung. From what you could feel there didn’t seem to be a single inch of your skin that wasn’t covered in blood. It clung sticky to your skin, cracking every time you managed to bring yourself to shift against the floor.

She had continued her onslaught for hours, trying to force answers that she knew you would never be able to give her from your chapped lips. She would leave every once in a while, returning silently to catch you off guard with another round of pain. You couldn’t see her: the blindfold still remained firmly around your eyes, so you had to anticipate when she would return as you cowered against the back wall in a pool of your own blood. You were unsure how long it had been since she tossed you into the room. Without the relief of sunlight, your woozy mind had lost track of time.

And then a pair of hands gripped your shoulders. And you screamed, trying to recoil away from them. You didn’t make it far. Your body was too weak.

“No! No please! No more!” You begged, tears dribbling down your cheeks to mingle among the dirt and blood. “I already told you I-I don’t know anything! Please!”

“Woah, woah.” It was Dick’s voice that broke through to you, though they had all called out to you. It was him who had reached out to you in the first place, hesitant that the smallest touch would break you. As soon as they were met with resistance they knew you were here. And they fought as fast as they could to get to you. Praying that they wouldn’t find you as you had. Sprawled out across the floor in a pool of your own blood as you struggled to breathe. “It’s us.”

“We’re here, Kid.” Jason leaned forwards to remove the blindfold from your eyes as Dick tried to support you in his arms. You squiremed weakly, still untrusting. But the minute the blindfold was off and you had finished adjusting to the onslaught of light. You broke.

You collapsed into Dicks arms, sobbing and shaking. He cupped the back of your head with his hands and held you, giving Jason and Duke a nervous glance. Your blood had already begun to stain the front of his suit as you whimpered in his arms, clinging to him tightly.

When he tried to shift you, you let out a sob and clung to him tighter. He wasn’t sure if it was because he had hurt you or because you were scared he was going to leave you. Probably both.

“Y/N?” Jason whispered, moving to crouch by your side. “ We’re here now. We’re going to get you home okay? Can you tell us what happened?”

You shook your head and buried your face into Dicks chest trying to block out the pain.

Eyes turned to Duke who watched you with sad eyes. They observed as he surveyed the room, taking in the horrors that the light revealed. And he couldn’t help the gasp that slipped out of his lips.

He paled at what he saw. Winced at the way your face contorted with pain as the woman towered over you, tossing you about the room like a ragdoll and slashing you with various tools as she screamed at you. He saw how she would catch you off guard by sneaking up on you in the dark as some cruel game to satisfy her sick amusement. He felt sick.

In the time it took for him to see the echo of your agonies, Dick had managed to coax enough for him to stand so they could bring you out of the room and get you urgently to medical attention.

The two looked at him expectantly. And once he had managed to stutter out what he had seen, Jason was tensely clenching his jaw and fists.

Someone was going to bleed tonight. He was going to make sure of that.

Taglist:

@aestheticdaisies

@hell-o-kittys

@xxrougefangxx

@mamapucket

@hearts4robs

@harleycao

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evilminji · 8 days

Text

I got distracted, BUT I REMEMBERED!

The Dr.'s Fenton? Would ABSOLUTELY fight a child.

Specifically, Hatsume Mei. Future CEO of Hatsume Industries! And ENGINEERING RIVAL of their's! They may be new to this whole "support industy" business, but they are SEASONED weaponry makers! And that brilliant little upstart is good! Audacious! A THREAT!!!

COME GET SOME!!! D:<

See, they needed to Move. Things were getting a bit... spicy. They may have made so unfortunate choices, back before they knew the truth about their Son and Ghosts in general.

Ignorance, bigotry, and academic bias are curses in their house for a REASON, after all. They never thought... after all the DECADES of facing it themselves...

Well...

Needless to say, they were, are, and will always BE horrified by how they acted. There may have be a whole host of reasons behind WHY they acted that way. But those WHYs aren't good enough. They should have been better. Done better. They don't offer any excuses, but but they can give an explanation, if it's wanted.

And, together, as a family, they got through Maddie n Jack's horrifying mistakes.

God they don't deserve those kids. Love them to pieces. The things they don't warn ya about parenthood, you know? The mistakes you might make. You think you're ready. Think everything's alright. Then your life's work KILLS your son and brings him back.

And you don't notice.

......what sort of parents DONT NOTICE?

They still have nightmares. Feel sick. God, if they were working in ANY other field. With ANY other materials! If it wasn't SPECIFICALLY ectoplasm? He... he wouldn't have come back. Oh god.

........

So.... so, yeah.

They're working on some things! As a family! Seeing a therapist from the Zone. Lovely... Them? They're a tree person. Neither Jack or Maddie is quite certain what gender pronouns, if ANY, they are supposed to use. They've been defaulting to They/Them just to be safe. Still! Alien therapist! Neat!

But, of COURSE. The BABIES in White throw a FIT. "Wah, wah, wah you've been compromised blah blah blah" oh PLEASE! Just because they've had a little personal growth! And stopped shooting at Phantom in public! And in general! You shoot ONE little Goverment agent for trying to shoot your baby and suddenly YOUR the bad guy!

He didn't even die!

So, yeah, BIT spicy.

Honestly? Feels like a long time coming. They were never very popular. This ultimately just feels like the ends of a road that began in college. Them, the two "crazies" with their backs to the wall, as the government closes in, trying to tear them down for knowing the TRUTH and refusing to shut up about it. Their reputations so deep in the mud, they're tasting bedrock.

At least they are together.

And thank god they've had years to plan for the inevitable.

So? They have the kids grab their go bags and head off too stay with Danny's new celebrity friend from another dimension, Mr Wayne. Nice man, little dim, but since he's willing to open his home to the kids in case of emergency? Perfect. And frankly, as long as Mr. Pennyworth is there, everything will be fine.

Besides! Lil Damian is a very respectful and responsible young man. Tim and Danny may get up to mischief, but they can trust the youngest to put his foot down.

THEM on the other hand?

Not so lucky. THEY have to stay with the house. It's not exactky like they can move the portal after all, it's built in. And this is where the kids grew up! Where Jack and her scrimped and saved, lived out of cars and off nickle noodles, to afford! This is their HOME! And no jack booted THUG is going to take that.

So the kids go first. They go to the command center. Jack takes pot shots while she fires up... THAT machine. The one they wired into the house itself, right along with the Ectoplasmic Shielding. It was all theoretical, once. But not anymore.

Now they have The Zone.

It's been collecting energy runoff from the open gate ever since it opened. Siphoning them into the sub-basment mega batteries. Enough to run two-thirds the planet for the next half a millennia. If only the damn patent office would LET THEM PATENT THEIR WORK-!

But that doesn't matter anymore. No, what matters is checking how full the battery banks are. Decently. It HAS been a while since they've done a controlled drain. Good, that means they have more then enough.

So, with no kids to witness things getting nasty? She pulls out her keys and unlocks the parental commands, flips the the shields to "strobe-kill". Let's see you crowd us NOW fuckers. With Jack freed up to help aim the house? They set to work.

It's... not EXACTLY an exact science, as much as they'd prefer it to be. More of a controlled jump. Set preferences, power jump, hop sideways an unknown distance. Land. Look around.

Is it what you want?

Habitable?

A zombie apocalypse?

Jump again. And again. And again. Until the battery runs out. Then sit... or float...or drift, there, until the batteries refill. You have to be mindful, of course, that you don't lose Shield coverage. Because it keeps the House air tight and together. If you jump and immediately lose power to the shields because you misjudged the energy left in the batteries?

Better HOPE you land somewhere with a breathable atmosphere and no zombies!

And Fentons don't rely on HOPE! They rely on good ol firepower and hutzpa!

Also advanced ectoplasmic scientific engineering! But that was a given.

It... takes a while. They run out of canned peaches. Have to stop TWICE to help cure a zombie plague, since they are the only ones with a still working lab. They were actually sort of joking with the kids about the zombies. Oof. Good thing Ectoplasm eats EVERYTHING. One specialized ecto shot and that disease is TOAST.

Granted, the surviors are all limnal now. But they don't seem to care in the slightest.

Then there was the whole "oop! Planet's gone." Couple of worlds. The one with the crabs. The ocean one. The ice age. The robots. The cartoon horses. The inappropriately dressed high-schoolers with weapons fighting God. The boring one. The one with ninjas...

I mean, they are just NOT having any LUCK!

Okay, next moderately stable world, they are doing a groceries run! A Man can not live off freeze dried meals forever! Well, you CAN. But it's making Jack sad, and frankly that's a war crime. Plus she's run out of tea! AND coffee! A life of no caffeine? She can't endure that.

She's started to eye her son's God awful energy abominations in a can, for God sake! Desperate time's and all that...

Zyeyooom!

Thunk!

Which? Is how? The ENTIRE class of 1-H? Turns to stare in ABSOLUTE HORROR at the cackling, head thrown back, hands clawed, mad scientist "it's alive! It's aliiiiiiive" type insanity that is Hatsume Mei and her "this green goo I found from some guys Quirk" powered teleport anchor.

It MADE A HOUSE.

On SCHOOL FUCKING GROUNDS. An ENTIRE house! Is... is that a blimp? That's English right? What's it say?! What the FUCK is that sh- OH MY GOD ARE THOSE PEOPLE!? MEI!!!!!

So begins... the Fentons Beef With A Child™.

Because! Mei will forever more claim! That SHE brought them to this universe with HER magnificent machine! But Maddie and Jack? At first, trying to be nice about it, helpfully point out, actually? No. THEIR house can and does reality jump. THEY brought themselves.

Mei ignores them.

Crows about her magnificent machine. Scoffs about them thinks they haspd anything to do with it.

Oh... oh it is ON, you tiny pink haired little shit!

Does the Japanese Government want to take control of the situation? Of course they do. They want these scientists and they want that house. Local Nedzu's say? "It's nice to want things" :) *sips tea mockingly*

They landed on HIS school's grounds. Finders keepers!

You may say "threat to national security" but HE says "free support gear for the students and security for the school"! Not to MENTION all this delightful FREE clean energy! They are a delightful couple. With a portal to the fabric between realities in their basement!

Not found of the laboratory, but that's a personal issue. The ZONE however? Oooohohohohoho~☆

It? Would DRIVE THE HPSC and Japanese government BATSHIT INSANE that they can't get at the portal? That threats and stealth Heros and every other method? Just... hits a brick wall. A big ol "lol nope!" Meanwhile Nedzu and occasionally random teachers or students are popping in and out of this house they can get into?

Nedzu especially standing just on the other side of the shields going >:3 neener~ neener~ neener~ Ha ha! I could be mature about this but am CHOOSING NOT TO BE!

@legitimatesatanspawn @mutable-manifestation @hdgnj @hypewinter @babbling-babull

#dpxdc #dp x mha #dp x bnha #dpxbnha #dpxmha #minji's writing #new address au

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spidernuggets · 6 months

Text

Jason Todd x Reader

"I let you down"

When the Joker sent the tapes to Batman, you were forbidden to see them, and your heart shattered seeing him buried 6 feet under.

You and Jason have known each other for a good while. You were already under Batman's wing, known as Red Hawk. When you met Jason when Bruce adopted him, you two instantly clicked and were best friends ever since. And soon enough, a sense of love blossomed between the two of you.

After that, you pulled out of the crime fighting gig, knowing you weren't at your best when your love was taken from you.

A few years later, you still haven't moved on. Everything reminded you of Jason Todd.

Soon, word went around that a new anti-hero was running around gotham killing criminals. He was later identified as Red Hood.

It was then heard that Red Hood was out for Batman. You knew you couldn't go back to being a hero, but you called Dick and he assured you that they have the situation handled.

A month later, you get a call from Alfred, telling you to come to the manor quickly. You tried to decline, but Alfred said it was important, and you knew that if Alfred says it's important, then it's serious.

When you arrived, Alfred told you to meet Brice and Dick at Jason's grave. Your eyes widen, and your eyebrows furrow. Why would they need you at Jason's grave?

You rushed over, and from the distance, you can see the silhouette of Bruce and Dick standing over the freshly dug ground, staring into the hole that Jason was buried in.

You looked at them in confusion but then glanced down at jason's tomb. The casket was open.

And it was empty.

Your breath sped up, and it became uneven. You felt like you were to pass out.

"Where is he?" You whispered, not to anyone in particular. Then you turned to Bruce and Dick who still stared at the empty casket.

"BRUCE, WHERE IS HE??" You screamed, making for throat itch.

You were back at the manor in Jason's old room. It still smelled like him. You were on his bed, clutching his pillow.

"Where are you, Jason?" You cried to yourself.

You went back to your home, instructed by Bruce, with Dick staying in contact with you, updating you on their search for Jason's body.

Your phone rang.

You quickly picked it up, seeing Dick's name on the ID caller.

"He's alive," was all you processed when Dick called you. The only other thing you processed was "And he is Red Hood."

You hung up, pacing around your apartment, chewing on your lip.

Jason's Red Hood? Your Jason? And he's out for Batman?

You thought you needed a while to process. But you kept yourself locked in your room for two months. Only coming out to use the toilet and when Dick forced you out of bed to eat.

What you didn't know that soon enough, Red Hood hadn't made up with his adopted father, but they're now on a bumpy road towards reconciliation.

Jason told Dick not to tell you that they've somewhat made up. He wanted to talk to you himself. In person.

You went into your room after treating yourself to a glass of water.

You lost all senses when you saw Red Hood standing in your bedroom, staring at polaroid pictures of you two on the wall.

When he heard you come in, he turned, looked at the ground, and slowly took off his helmet.

"Hi, doll," he said. He mentally slapped himself for it, thinking he could've said something more sensitive.

You didn't say anything. You couldn't say anything. What the hell were you supposed to say?

Jason took a breath.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly.

You didn't show it, but you were confused. Why was he apologising? What was he sorry for?

"I- I wanted to come back to you. I really did. But I did things. Horrible - unforgivable things that I can't take back. I know you stand by Bruce's morals. But- But after I came from the dead and heard Joker was still alive, I- I was so angry. I was angry at him, I was angry at Bruce. I was angry at Batman. I m'm not excusing my actions. But I knew if you found out, you'd- you'd hate me. Never look at me again and only see a monster every time you think of me. I'll get better! I pro- I promise, doll. I'm not asking you to forgive me I just-"

He couldn't finish what he was saying once you burst into a sob. You dug your palms into your eyes to stop yourself from crying, but to no avail.

Seeing you cry broke his heart, and he knew he hurt you so bad. He didn't know what to do. He took a steo forward, wanting to hold you.

Did you even want to hold him? Did you even want to hold such a monster? So he stopped himself from hugging you.

He took another deep breath.

"My sweet Y/N, I- I'm so sorr-" He was interrupted once more when you threw yourself at him, arms circling around his waist.

Jason was shocked. You were hugging him? Hugging an ugly monster who became something you'd hate?.

"I missed you so much- I- I thought I'd lost you forever," you cried into his chest.

Jason slowly wrapped his arms around you, gently placing his lips at the crown of your head.

"I missed you too, sweetheart"

"I'm sorry," you whimpered.

Jason's face scrunched up and pushed you off him, bending down to make eye contact with you.

"Why the hell would you be sorry?"

You furiously wiped away any tears left from your eyes.

"I-" You choked on another sob.

"You what, sweetheart?" He asked, pushing strands of hair away from your face.

"I- I let you down," you sniffled.

Jason's eyes widened and his grip on your shoulders tightened.

"No- no, no. Why would you think you let me down? I- I'm the one who let you down! I went on a killing spree, I wanted to kill Batman!"

"I couldn't save you! If- Maybe if I had gone with Bruce to find you I could've-"

It was Jason's turn to interrupt you as he pulled you back into a tight embrace.

"You didn't let me down, doll. You could never let me down. I was going to die either way," his whispers muffled as he leaned his lips against your head as you cried.

It was true. Whether you went with Batman or not to look for Jason, the Joker still would've had him killed. Or had the both of you killed.

But he's here now. And he's making an effort to get better. That's all that matters to you.

"I love you so much," you say, your voice muffled against his chest plated armour.

"I love you too, darling," he replied.

You both stood in each other's embrace for a good while before you broke the comforting silence.

"You copied me," you said quietly.

Jason's eyebrows furrowed.

"What?"

You lifted your head, looking at him.

"I'm supposed to be Red, you stole my name," you smiled, eyes remaining bloodshot from tears.

Jason couldn't p but break into a smile at your comment as he placed a lingering kiss on your forhead.

"Red reminded me of you," he said.

You copied his smile as you both leaned into a starved, loving kiss, happy to be reunited.

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thearchercore · 4 months

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Max is such an enigma to me. He's so confident talking to the press and then all he can come up with to talk to Charles is the fucking weather?? And he'll confidently (and sometimes aggressively) confront other drivers about situations during races but then goes and immediately apologizes to Charles?? They're so weird about each other, I can't deal with it.

i think it comes down to the core of their dynamic which is what @valyrfia once said: "the most compelling lestappen dynamic is that Charles is supposed to view Max as his enemy but can’t" and vice versa.

they've been conditioned to view each other as a person to beat ever since they got to know each other, and at some point, it was all they were (cue to clips like inchident, or charles saying they hated each other as kids & had very heated debriefs post race in karting) but they also were probably the closest people in age with a similar dream to end up in f1 at the time so they sort of got used to coming as package deal (max saying that charles would be his main rival on track, even when he was years in f1 and charles was just a sauber rookie).

so, despite all of that, them being sort of close and actually like each other is the most interesting thing in their dynamic. also compare recent years with like 2019 when they both were one austria away from a restraining order.

you could say they even got to the point when the racing results don't really impact them off track (max learnt to apologize to charles aka las vegas, or charles ran to congratulate max in qatar for his WDC first thing).

so they're both, in a way, an enigma, because they will always be that exception of yes, we're rivals on track, but we also have this complicated history and now actually enjoy each other's company, sort of vibe.

plus we also saw them grow closer as seasons went by, so max no longer needs to pull out weather topics as an excuse to talk to charles, and they seem to always find things to talk about.

to wrap it up, the point stands - they somehow deluded themselves into thinking the other is the coolest person on the planet and now are actively facing the consequences of this mindset

#lestappen

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hauntedwitch04 · 7 months

Text

Bday secret party

Remus Lupin x reader

Words: about 2.0k words

Warnings: pure and awesome fluff (after yesterday ahaha), lovely Remus, my obsession with Edimburgh

Author's note: Hi! Here another one shot fo the series for my birthday. Hope you like it loves.

Requests are open I Ask

My masterlist

Join the Taglist

Buy me a coffee - Patreon submission

Bday plan

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"James, I swear if you said anything to her I will hang you upside down from the astronomy tower for an entire day." Remus says in a particularly annoyed and contrite tone.

The young werewolf immediately felt guilty for talking that way to his friend, but at the same time he couldn't believe that James had almost screwed up the whole plan he had designed to put on your birthday party. He had been planning everything down to the last detail for a month now, to make sure everything is perfect on your big day, and he couldn't let a chatty deer ruin everything just because he's careless.

He sees pure fear in his friend's eyes after threatening him with one of his greatest fears: height.

"Sorry." Whispers James, as he backs away slowly to make room for his friend, seeing that he is stressed right now. "But I swear she didn't understand anything. It just slipped out that I had to see you to arrange something, and I said it was my gift to her." Potter continues, as he looks at Sirius, who up to this moment had been silent. Immediately his best friend understands the plea for help and nods.

"Yes, she didn't understand anything, we were very good at lying to her." Says the older Black, as Regulus runs a hand over his face, remembering the scene that took place a short time ago in the Great Hall. Indeed James and Sirius had been good at creating a believable excuse, but I young Black knows you better than you think, and he had seen in your eyes the seed of doubt, and he knows that this is not good at all. In your group of friends you are known for having a sixth sense and a spirit of observation so keen that sometimes it seems you can read people's minds and, even, the future. The very moment they've said their shit, Regulus knows that some strange mechanisms have been activated in your mind that have caused you to weigh all possible options, and so he knows they're screwed.

"No, you have to excuse me. I didn't think organizing a birthday was so hard, but at the same time I want everything to be perfect for her, because she deserves it." Remus confesses, as he holds his head in his hands, trying to relax.

"You know she's going to say you're overreacting anyway and she doesn't deserve it." Regulus comments, as he puts away the last things for the party. Your birthday would be celebrated this evening, after a romantic walk between you and your fiancé. Remus had managed to convince the prefect with the Ravenclaw night shift to turn a blind eye, and would thus take you in front of the Room of Requirement, afterwards around the park, and there all your friends would surprise you. It was a well-thought-out plan, and it still doesn't explain how you didn't actually almost come to find out only today and not weeks before.

"Which is silly after all he gives every day for us." Sirius continues, as James nods, placing balloons on the wall. "Our mother deserves a proper celebration." The oldest Black concludes, making all three other boys laugh. "Ever since you and Remus got together, the boys started calling you the 'mom' of the group, since they always teased Remus for being their dad in a way, since he was the most responsible of the four.

When they finish laughing they go back to work to sort out the last few things for the party, knowing that it is now only a short time away. Right now you are supposed to be with the girls, whose job it is to distract you from the absence of your friends and your boyfriend, but Remus cannot help but keep fidgeting both behind every little detail and out of fear that at any moment you might walk in the door and find out why he has not been very close to you these past few weeks, but after all, part of him knows it might be because of the gift he gave you.

Remus keeps moving like a damned soul without rest for a while before Regulus stands up and blocks him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Man, everything is perfect, why don't you just relax for a moment?" The youngest among them asks the werewolf, but immediately Regulus sees in his friend's eyes that there is something else and not just what they are preparing that is upsetting him.

"There is something that doesn't give you peace." Regulus comments, and Remus says nothing, and just looks at him. "It's not like it's the gift you gave her, is it?" The Slytherin continues, marveling at the Gryffindor in front of him.

"How did you do that?" Lupin asks, increasingly shocked by young Black's prowess, when the other in response merely laughs.

"You were playing with a little box earlier, and can one read the doubt and fear in your eyes?" Regulus explains, continuing to laugh, while Remus in response rolls his eyes and looks at the clock, seeing that it was almost time to see you, so he gets up.

"It's almost time for our walk. Take care guys, the others should be here soon. Don't screw up please." Lupin asks as he looks at his friends, who reassure him and give him pats of encouragement.

"Go and return victorious with the lady messer Lupin." Sirius says, giving him a sort of bow, just before Remus walks out the door. He turns and as a last thing gives him a middle finger, after promising never to let him see "The princess bride" again.

Remus could feel his own heart beating in his throat as he saw you coming downstairs in simple jeans and his favorite sweater. You are simply perfect in his eyes, and nothing could change his mind.

"Finally, it seems like I haven't seen you in forever. Where have you been until now?" You ask curiously, seeing him a little stressed. "Are you okay? You look a little pale honey."

Immediately his heart warms at hearing your concern, and he can't help but think that maybe those nutty friends of his are right to call you "mom," and gently the boy shakes his head.

"I'm fine honey, maybe I just need to get some air. Would you like to take a ride with me?" He asks, and he doesn't even have to wait a second for an answer, as like a hurricane you pounce on him, taking him under your arm and running toward the school grounds. You walk around the lawns for a while, laughing and joking like you haven't in a long time. Nothing could dent your mood, and nothing exists apart from each other at this moment.

From the outside, one can see obvious the love you feel for the other person, only from your eyes, more than from your gestures, which seem to sing the most beautiful love song ever heard.

Hours seem to pass, then Remus looks at his watch and realizes that you are running late, so with the excuse that he has to catch another prefect in one of the side corridors to get the keys to a closet for the next prank James and Sirius are planning, he takes you in front of the mystery room. He's never felt more flustered than he does right now, and he's doubtful whether to give you the gift now or later, when you, damned curious as usual, lean out and touch the door.

"How come the room of needs is visible?" Ask curiously, as you watch him break into a cold sweat and try to play the part of the one who hides nothing.

"I have no idea my dear, try opening it and see what's behind it." Try suggesting Remus, as he rests a hand on your shoulder to guide you into the darkness of the room that opens before you. A few seconds pass and just as you're wondering what the point of it all is, the lights come on and all your friends pop out from behind couches and armchairs, shouting who "surprise" who "happy birthday," but all with beaming smiles on their lips as they come to hug you.

You immediately feel tears in your eyes, which you let run, because of the happiness and excitement they made you feel seeing so many people gathered to celebrate you.

Once you've greeted everyone you turn to Remus, who looks at you smiling, his hands behind his back.

"Did you arrange everything?" You ask in amazement as you look around and try to memorize every single detail of everything around you. "You didn't have to-"

"Yes I had to. You deserve this and much more than I can give you, you deserve the world, indeed the universe. And it wasn't just me, everyone helped me in some way." He interrupts you, as he circles your shoulders with one arm, and you hold him even tighter to you, squeezing his waist. "I love you, and all I want to do is remind you of that every day, but today especially, after all it's your day, and we all came here just for you, because we all love you, me more than all of them." He continues, resting his forehead on yours. Then he freezes for a moment, right for a few seconds and pulls out a box from his pants pocket.

"I want to give you my present now, because I want you to think about it." He says and you, confused for the umpteenth time this evening, wipe away the last of your tears and then pick up the box he is handing you. It is a black velvet box, and when you open it you see a pair of keys. You look up not understanding what they were, so your boyfriend explains.

"These are the keys to an apartment in Edinburgh, in your favorite area, which I may or may not have asked an old family friend to rent to me and my girlfriend, once I finished school, if she wanted to move in with me. What do you say, what will she decide?" He asks as he strokes your face and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. You can't help but cry again before you go back to hugging him, just enough to take his breath away, your arms wrapped around his neck.

"I don't even have to think about it, the answer is obviously yes idiot." You whisper between the kisses you leave all along his face, making him laugh, while a few tears escape him as well. "You know you're pretty dumb for the smartest guy I know, it was obvious my answer was yes. And me thinking for a moment today that you had found a new girlfriend and were going to break up with me, damn how stupid I am."

Both of you laugh, still clasped in each other's arms, enjoying that closeness you had missed so much.

"I love you more than my own life, how could I ever look for another girl, when I have the most perfect girl that exists in the whole universe?" Remmy says in a whisper in your ear.

"I love you too Lupin, but you don't have to suck up, look you've already won your reward tonight." You counter by winking at him and he jokes by raising his eyebrows and whispering "I won, let's hurry up and leave this party then," making you laugh, until that sweet moment is interrupted as usual by the grace of Sirius Mr.Elegance of the Year Black.

"Do you want to be part of the party too, or are you going to be lovebirds the whole party?" He asks to throw a handful of confetti at you.

"I guess your reward will have to wait for Lupin." You say, as you hear him laugh, and together you go to enjoy this party with your friends, while in your mind already what will happen tonight in your own personal after party.

TAGLIST

• @shadowolf993 @sadblueberry721 @goldenharrysworld @fairy-witch-bitch @xoxoloverb @idli-dosa @rainelikerain @s-we-e-t-t-ea @daph-505 @nyx2021 @vjmoral @duda @drayshadow @siriusstwelveyears @highwayhunch @uwiuwi @itsmeseph @sassyrebelrockerprincess @highwayhunch @siriuslydestiny @haushinka27 @moonysluvrboy @maraurderssimpcuzwhytfnot @sgchamberlain @nyotamalfoy @eichenhouseproperty @mxmxnto-mori @anonimusy @raajali3 @helloitsmeeeeeee @standarizedpumpkins @maraurderzkinnie @omenhel @esposadomd @yourpurrrrrfect @the-ruler-of-death @dylanobriens-love @starvedxcupid @dittos-blog-dylanobrien @digitalhearts @percymylove @kayden666 @nightfiress @backups-backups @bless-my-demons @dudenhaaa27 @daeneeryss @starsval @rorysreallyrandom @superbookwormy64 @hjgdhghoe @mortica-raven13 @theviewfromtheotherside @watersquirtpewpewboomm @harleycao @yomomsgf @vixparker @imnotcryingurcrying @shitidksstuff

#hauntedwitch04's writing #marauders x reader #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin imagine #remus x reader #marauders imagine #marauders fluff #becky's bday

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mrsbarnesxxx · 3 months

Note

Bill Weasley x Malfoy!reader. Met at Hogwarts, dating since graduation. Bill brings reader home and Weasleys hate her/treat her like flour until bill snaps them they get to know her. End with fluff

Warnings: slurs/general unkind words (nothing too serious), fighting, angst, Bill being an absolute sweetheart

It wasn't easy growing up a Malfoy. Everything you did was under scrutiny. Everything was about blood status. Your parents barely spoke to you anymore now that you had "betrayed" them by dating Bill Weasley. You two had met at Hogwarts, you'd had classes together every year, and eventually, the two of you bonded about being the eldest in your family. Eventually, one summer day, Bill had asked you to marry him. Of course, you said yes, however, you were regretting saying yes to spending time with his family. You had gotten to the burrow yesterday afternoon and no one had said a word to you. Maybe they thought you'd be like your family, but they clearly weren't interested in getting to know you. They would look at you and scoff before turning away. You expected a bit of apprehension from them. Bill had told you this was the first time he had brought a girl home and your family didn't exactly help, but you hadn't expected them to be this bad. Over the last day, they had escalated from ignoring you to saying blatantly rude things. They would call you a blood supremacist, a snake, and all sorts of other things.

The second night you were there you had enough at dinner.

All of his brothers had been making subtle comments since dinner started, you'd expected one of his parents to say something, but it seemed they agreed with them.

"J'aimerais y aller, s'il te plaît." I whisper leaning over to Bill after his mother's latest jab.

"What? English is beneath you, princess?" Bill's brother Ron jeers.

"Alright, that's enough," Bill says standing up from the table. "All of you have been nothing but rude to my fiancee since we got here. None of you have bothered to get to know her or even ask her anything about her. You haven't even bothered to make polite conversation that anyone could tell was fake. What is wrong with you? You used to be the most loving people. I get the world is messed up, but that's no excuse for your behavior. Come on, let's go." He says, finally turning to me and extending a hand. I take it, offering a polite smile at his family before we leave the room.

"You have to understand that we never expected you to bring someone like her home." His mother exclaims. That seems to stop Bill in his tracks. He turns around to face his family.

"Someone like what? You don't even know her. You always said that you never cared about blood, but it seems you care about her's." He says. "Let's go."

He turns back to me, taking my hand and leading me upstairs.

"I'm so sorry, darling. I can't believe they acted like that tonight." He says pulling me into a hug.

"Bill, you can't be serious?" I ask pulling away from him. "They've been acting like that since I got here. You haven't heard your brothers' comments about my 'murderous heritage'? Or your sister asking me to pull up my sleeves to check for a snake on my left arm? Or your mother calling me 'one of those people'? The only person who has been remotely kind to me is your father and he just hasn't said anything to me."

"I'm so sorry. I should have paid better attention. I have no idea why they're acting like this." He says softly, caressing my cheek. "We'll go first thing in the morning, okay?"

"We can't go, Bill. We're supposed to be having the wedding here. In the backyard with your parents and the rest of your family." I explain.

"I don't care. If they're treating you this way, then they don't get to come to our wedding."

"Bill, they're your family!"

"And you are too." he says caressing my cheek. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want you to be the mother of my children, and in 16 days, you're going to be my wife, so that makes you the most important person in the world to me, okay?"

"Okay." I smile leaning up to kiss him.

As soon as our lips meet there's a knock on the door. We pull away from each other, Bill running a hand over his face before turning to his mother in the doorway. He doesn't say anything, simply looks at her waiting to see what she has to say.

"We're so sorry, Bill. We never meant to treat her like that...we're just...we're sorry. Please come back downstairs. We can start over." His mum offers.

I smile and take Bill's hand, "Please." I whisper trying to relax him.

"Okay." He nods looking at me.

I smile, interlocking our fingers before we head downstairs.

As we reach the table, anxiety fills my chest at what his family might say or if they never like me, but I know that none of that matters because I have Bill.

#mrsbarnesxx #mbxxrequests #bill weasley x reader #bill weasley x malfoy!reader #bill weasley #bill weasley imagine #bill weasley angst #bill weasley fluff

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heeeepot · 9 months

Text

Toys.

oneshot 💫

pairing: bf!heeseung x female!reader

includes: smut, fingering, oral (f receiving), angry sex?, overstimulation, dirty talk, unprotected sex (alwaysss use protection!) assertive heeseung — lmk if I missed anything!

story begins under the cut ! minors, dni:)

After a long day of yelling at people who work for you, all you needed was your girlfriend.

Heeseung was tired, setting down the last file in the cabinet before locking it. Getting ready to go home, he thought about you. About how less the time you guys spend together is getting each day, and it was Heeseung's fault.

He found it difficult to make time for you with all the work coming in unexpectedly, and he understood why you would be so upset about it.

Letting out a sigh, he walked to his car, driving back to his home, it wasn't a house. It was a special girl, Y/n.

Heeseung and Y/n have been dating for 3 years now, but they've been friends for 9.

They went through everything together. Since they were in middle school, everyone knew they were going to end up together, they were too oblivious to even see how much chemistry they had growing up.

That was until they were 18 when they realized they were inlove, one was just braver to admit it. And it was not Heeseung.

That's where it all started, everything was perfect, literally perfect. Until they both started working.

They felt like an old married couple who hasn't had as much intimacy anymore. But, that didn't stop them from going on a couple dates and surprising eachother with gifts time to time.

And that was unfortunately not going to happen tonight. Heeseung had come home late, not being able to buy her a gift.

All these thoughts in his head came to an end when he parked the car. Using the keys to unlock the house, surprised to see you still awake.

"Babe? It's nearly 1 am, what's keeping you up?" Heeseung asked, with obvious exhaustion in his voice.

"That's the problem, Heeseung. It's nearly 1. Do you even know how late that is? What can happen to you out there at this time? Did you even know that I texted and called you numerous times? Heeseung we went over this, I'm getting tired." Voice nearly breaking, Y/n almost didn't hold herself together at the few last words that left her lips.

"Y/n, I'm sorry, please. I know you're tired baby and I'm sorry, I probably don't know how you feel but I know that I'm hurting you, I don't want that."

"Ok, Heeseung. 4th time you said that this week." Y/n said bitterly. She was tired with all the excuses that he had.

Walking off to their room, Heeseung follows her, handing out to her wrist.

"Babe let's talk about thi—" Heeseung was cut off, on the bed was a bunch of toys, Y/n's toys.

Y/n's instincts were to run to them and try to hide it. She knew it wouldn't help but what else was she supposed to do anyway?

"Y/n?" Heeseung's voice was suddenly stern.

"What is it now?"

"Were you— possibly using those while I was at work, baby?"

"Me? Those?" Y/n scoffed, she knew he was onto her but she just wanted to see how far she can go with this.

"Who else would use a vibrator and a dildo, baby?" Heeseung's voice is suddenly low, as if he liked it.

"Don't know, maybe your other bitch left it here." Y/n shrugged. This pissed Heeseung off, he was sensitive when it came to mentioning other girls, he only focused on you.

"Oh, yeah?"

"What do you want, Heeseung? Whatever it is, I won't do it for you." Y/n rolled her eyes, this wasn't attitude, she just wants more attention. (y/n just like me fr)

Y/n turned to enter their bathroom. She suddenly felt a force behind her, pushing her into the bathroom, and suddenly placed on the counter.

"What the fuck, Hee?" Y/n was surprised.

"Don't act like you don't want this, Y/n." Eyes dark, his hair falling in front them.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Hee." Y/n's abdomen was suddenly warm, it turned her on.

"Then I'll show you what I'm talking about." He says, unbuttoning his black polo shirt while his eyes are still locked to yours.

"H-Hee, what are you doing?" You were suddenly nervous, even though this is what you were always asking for.

"Strip." He commanded, Y/n was frozen, just looking down at his body.

"I said strip or I'll do it for you." Voice deep and low, his adam’s apple going up and down with each word that left his lips.

When Heeseung said that, you felt a little bratty. Like how you always were when it came to situations like these.

"Do it for me, baby." You leaned in, you left a kiss on his weak spot. Right under his ear, just above the collarbone. His groans were audible, hips coming closer to yours.

His hands flew to your waist which he starves for everyday. Grip getting tighter with each kiss that left him wanting more and more. Your kisses alone would make him cum, that’s how weak he is when it comes to you.

"You do me so well, Y/n." He whispered, biting his lip careful to not let out moans.

His hands traveling to your smooth thighs, squeezing them. This made you whimper into his neck.

"I love hearing you, baby." He says, squeezing your thighs more.

Your breasts were now against his bare chest, you wanted to lick every muscle he had.

"Tell me, baby. Who were those toys for?" He asked, now reaching for your ass.

"None of your business, Hee." You backed away from his neck, which now had small redish purple patches from your mouth.

"What's the attitude for?" He was getting irritated, he always found your attitude unnecessary.

"I don't see any attitude." You shrugged, getting off the counter then walking back to the room.

He then carried you over his shoulder, dropping you onto the bed, keeping both of your hands in one of his, holding it above your head.

"Heeseung!" You shrieked, struggling to get out from his grip. He was towering over you, crotch to crotch.

He ties your hands to the bed frame, leaving you helpless, and you liked it. You always liked when he was assertive.

He removes your shorts and underwear in one motion, spreading your legs open. He was met with your pussy, full of slick that he was ready to eat off you.

"Your pussy will always be my favorite late night dinner, baby." He says, his face coming closer to your core.

He licks from your hole to your clit, collecting your slick on the tip of his tongue.

"I missed your taste, I’ll call in sick for work anytime for this." He says going in for another lick.

"Fuck, Hee please be gentle." Your voice came out shaky.

"Can’t promise you that, baby." He starts eating you out full on. Sucking on your clit and fucking your hole with his tongue.

This left your legs shaking, your moans couldn't be held back from the immense pleasure you felt. You then feel him enter two long digits in you, he starts curling his fingers and it made you want his long and thick dick inside you.

"My God, baby. More please, give it to me." You moaned, tears swelling up from the overstimulation.

His tongue hitting your clit repeatedly, his fingers pumping deep inside you. Sucking on your clit, he groaned. The vibration was enough to make you cum all over his fingers.

He brought it up to his lips and licked them clean. You were catching your breath, looking at him as he cleaned his fingers with his tongue.

"I’m not done with you." He says, removing his pants and boxers, his dick springs up and hits his abs, you could never forget how big this man is.

He sticks his dick inside you, groaning and gripping on your legs, he puts it on his shoulders, putting you in his favorite position.

He thrusts without a word, your lewd sounds became louder with each thrust.

His eyes locked with your bouncing boobs which were still clothed. Oh how he missed seeing that sight.

"Fuck H-Heeseung! Feels so good baby." You managed to say.

"You wanna use your stupid little toys while I’m at work, huh baby?" He asks still thrusting his dick inside you with a pace.

“N-No. I’m sorry, please." Your eyes rolled back from the mix of pain and pleasure. You clenched on his dick.

It got a loud moan out of him.

"Your tight little cunt is gonna make me cum soon baby, so fucking good for me." He breathes out, his words adding more lube to his dick.

Within a few more thrusts, you knew you were close.

"Baby, gonna cum soon." You moaned, voice all messy from the motions.

"Cum for me, baby." Those words were enough to make you release, your body shook from the scene.

"That's a good girl, I'm cumming soon baby, keep it tight for me." Hips pounding into your abused cunt, you loved letting him own you.

"Fuck baby, am I not fucking you often anymore? How are you taking my dick in better each time?" His head throws back, showing the marks on his neck, hands on your hips.

He cums inside you, filling you till it was dripping out of your pussy. You moaned at his action, he fucks his cum into you.

"Heeseung! Enough, please!" You pleaded, you could only take so much.

Heeseung let out a small laugh, he loved when you suffered, and it was all because of him. He had you under his control.

He eventually stops, dick pulling out still glazed in your combined liquids.

#heeseung hard hours #heeseung x reader #enhypen smut #heeseung #enhypen x reader #enhypen au #smut #kpop #lee heesung x reader #lee heeseung #hee smut #heeseung smut #enhypen hard hours #enhypen hard thoughts #enha smut #oneshot smut #Spotify

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coffeeandbatboys · 11 months

Text

To Be Loved (Bradley Bradshaw x fem!reader)

When your family treats you badly, Rooster doesn't like it and take a a stand.

Warnings: bad parenting, neglect, verbal abuse.

All it was supposed to be was a relaxing, tension-free summer afternoon barbeque. You would finally introduce Bradley to your family, eat, and leave.

But it wasn't all that simple.

"Guys, this is Bradley." You said nervously, standing next to the handsome man you called yours.

Your step dad moved forward to shake his hand. "Nice to meet you, son."

You grimaced at the level of comfort he had using the term.

Your mom smiled. "Welcome to the family, Bradley. Care for something to drink? There's some stuff in the garage fridge."

He nodded politely with a tiny smile.

"Thank you, ma'am."

He looked at you tentatively as if to make sure you'd be okay. You gave him a weak smile in response. It was once he left the room that your step dad tore into you.

"The Navy, really? You're both in the Navy? Come on. We wanted you to be something more...simple. Maybe a lawyer or a doctor. And as for who you're going to date—"

"Excuse me?" You scoffed. "Since when are my life choices yours to make? You're not even my dad."

"Y/N!" Your mom gasped.

You stood your ground, calm yet angry.

"I am laying my life on the line to protect this country. What I do and who I am with is not your decision anymore."

Your step dad bristled with rage. "I raised you! You ungrateful brat. We set aside college funds for you and you turned around and threw it all out the window."

"Hey, I've heard enough. Stop talking to her like she's a child."

You turned to see Bradley in the doorway with his arms crossed, a question in his eyes.

You nodded softly.

"I think we're done here."

As you strode towards him and took his hand, you turned around to face them once again.

"In case you hadn't realized, there's a reason you didn't know about the wedding."

You didn't miss the shock on their faces before you turned to walk out the door.

Now sitting in the Bronco, you were silent and still a little hot from your rage.

"Everything you've told me could not prepare me enough for what I just heard."

"They've never been able to let me go. The only reason I agreed to come is that all I want is some semblance of a happy family. Not whatever the hell that was."

Bradley's jaw set contemplatively. The Bronco's wheels roared loudly underneath you on the highway.

And before you knew it, you were pulling into a familiar Captain's home.

"Why are we at Mav's?"

Bradley opened his door kissed your temple.

"Just wait a second. I'll be right back."

Soon, both men came out of the hangar and you got out of the car. Maverick gave you a look; not of pity, but of sympathy.

And then he pulled you into a hug.

You could tell he needed to say something.

"I can't always be your dad, but know that if you need, I'm right here."

Your eyes started to well up, and you hugged him a little tighter. "Thanks, Mav."

Once you pulled away, Bradley was by your side again, an arm wrapped around your waist.

"You know I love you. We all do. You've always got another family with us."

You craned your neck to smile at him.

"I love you too, and thanks for having my back."

He held you a little closer.

"Anytime, babe. I'm your wingman."

#bradley bradsaw x reader #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #Rooster x reader #Bradley bradshaw x fem!reader #rooster x female reader #top gun maverick

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television-overload · 28 days

Text

of our own making

(an X-Files fanfic)

Chapter 7/34 - pocket bow tie

[Read on AO3]

She looks excited. At least, he thinks she does.

The good news is, she doesn't look like she's about to bolt out the door, and he calls that a win.

They may not be committing themselves to each other in the way a marriage is typically supposed to go, but this is a big commitment all the same. If she changes her mind now, their plans for adoption are as good as gone. The idea of family, as foreign as it has been for the last 26 years of his life.

He’ll admit he’s gotten rather attached to the idea. Perhaps a little too much so, considering how unique their situation is, and how often they've been dealt blow after blow of disappointment.

He looks down at the woman to his left. Any worries he might have had melt away at the sight of her. She's calm, her lips quirked up in a quiet, content smile as they wait to be called into the courtroom. Her shoulder brushes against his arm, and he resists the temptation to touch her, to hold her hand in his, knowing he will have his chance later.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he says, having held on to that one all morning. She smiles up at him, looking every bit the blushing bride she is, despite the absence of the big white dress and veil.

"I think Bill was intimidated by how nicely you were dressed," she teases back.

He looks down at his fine-cut suit. "What, this old thing?"

Scully has never been the kind to care how expensive one's clothes were, but even she has to admit that he looks good in Armani. And judging by his smirk, he knows it too.

"Did you have that bow tie stuffed in your pocket all morning, Mulder?" she asks, reaching up to straighten it.

"Had to look nice for our special day," he answers cheesily. "Plus, you told me to ditch the colorful ties. Figured I'd get a head start on the whole 'happy wife, happy life' thing."

Wife. Husband. Those words sound so foreign, and yet, in just a few moments time, they will apply to them.

'Excuse me, table for me and my wife, please.'

'Yes, I'm her husband. That's me.'

The insanity of it all makes him want to laugh.

"Fox Mulder and Dana Scully?" a clerk asks, popping her head out of the courtroom door.

He feels Scully's hand grasp for his, and a thrill runs up his spine. "That's us," she says, stepping forward. He gives her hand a squeeze, following after her like a lost puppy.

Here we go.

Once they’re inside, the judge gestures for them to approach the bench, and they stand side-by-side in the center of the chamber. The dark oak wood is daunting, bringing back memories of not particularly enjoyable times they’ve been in courtrooms.

This time is different, though. The judge is smiling, for one, looking down her thin, half-moon spectacles at them. And, for once, their time in court will serve to unite them, rather than split them apart.

Yes, this would be a very nice change, indeed.

“What a beautiful couple you make,” the older woman speaks, her eyes crinkling in joy. Scully smiles, and Mulder clings a little tighter to her hand. “Are we ready to get started?”

They nod, and Mulder has to focus to keep his knees steady under him. They’re really doing this. He can hardly believe it has come to this point.

“We are gathered here to join Fox and Dana in the blessed union of marriage,” the judge starts, reciting her opening statement to the mostly empty room. One clerk stands by as their witness, a camera in hand to capture their memories of the day, probably with the intent to sell them back to them at an exorbitant price.

It doesn’t matter. Mulder will pay it anyway, whatever the cost.

“This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly,” she continues. “A marriage ought to be founded on mutual respect, affection, and a desire to see through any challenges that may come your way. If you speak your vows in truth, this union will strengthen your bond, serving as a constant reminder of your unwavering love for one another.”

Mulder swallows, holding fast to the comfortable weight of Scully’s hand in his. The judge’s words only reinforce his belief that this is the right decision, that this is meant to be. Mutual respect, affection, going through life’s challenges… how else would he describe what he and Scully have? What they’ve had for over half a decade?

Unwavering love . He’s got that in spades. He feels it from her too, that fierce loyalty. “Love…” Well, he’d like to think so. At least some form of it.

“Fox,” the judge speaks, calling him to attention. He fumbles for Scully’s other hand, the way he remembers seeing at a friend’s wedding once in Oxford. “Will you take Dana to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

Easiest yes in the entire world.

Green eyes meet blue.

“I will,” he says.

“And Dana,” he feels his throat close, choking back a sudden rise of emotion. “Will you take Fox to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him, forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?”

It’s the ‘forsaking all others’ part he feels like Scully shouldn’t be agreeing to, but they’ve talked this over. He still can’t quite believe she picked him. Him! Out of any man she could have.

“I will,” she answers, squeezing his hands once. He nods, and feels—not for the first time—that she’d known exactly what was going through his head. They certainly are spooky like that, sometimes.

“Excellent,” the judge praises. “Now, do you have your own vows, or—”

“The standard is fine,” Scully says, smiling up at Mulder.

“Standard it is,” she says. “Fox, repeat after me. I, Fox, take you Dana.”

“I, Fox, take you, Dana.” He leans in close and adds, for her ears only, “Scully,” with a conspiratorial smile, whispering the name he gave her that first day they met. It’s the only one that feels right coming from his lips, and he needs her to know that this isn’t just for show. This isn’t ‘Fox’ making promises to ‘Dana.’ This is them—Mulder and Scully. It’s real. As real as anything she can prove with her beloved science.

The judge, oblivious to his unprompted addition, continues. “To be my wife,” she says.

“To be my wife.”

His. He would have a wife, and it would be Scully. His Scully. He runs his thumb over her knuckles in circular strokes, swallowing back emotion. She shudders under the intensity of his gaze.

“To have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”

It feels good to speak these promises aloud. For so long, he’s taken and taken and taken from her, watched her life and her dreams be stolen from her grasp, powerless to stop it. Now he can finally give, starting here and now, with his solemn vow to be there for her in every way the judge described. He hopes she can see the truth in his eyes. How much he means these words, from the bottom of his heart.

Judging by the way her eyes glisten, he’s coming across loud and clear.

Then, it’s her turn, and she looks up at him through fluttering eyelashes. “I, Dana,” she says, smiling coyly in preparation for what they both know comes next. “Take you, Fox.” His name is spoken with a teasing lilt, and it sounds just as unnatural as it always does coming from her mouth. He breathes a laugh, jostling her hands playfully between them. “Mulder,” she whispers, just as he had, and his heart melts. “To be my husband.”

The rest of her vows follow, equal to his, just as they are equal in all things. The weight of what they are promising lands squarely on their shoulders, at once harrowing and freeing. Mulder can hardly believe the ceremony is almost over.

“Now, do you have rings to exchange?”

Scully goes to answer that, no, they don’t, but movement from Mulder stalls her. He fishes something from his pocket, facing her with a shy smile.

“Merry Christmas, Scully,” he says, dropping a plain silver band in the palm of her hand. She sees his fist clenched around what must be her ring, and tilts her head in fond exasperation, a silent whine of ‘Mulder…’ that he looks forward to hearing every time they exchange gifts.

The judge waxes poetic (as poetic as city hall can get) about the meaning of rings, their significance in a marriage, symbolism—but Mulder and Scully are barely listening. All they hear is her instruction to place the band on each other’s left ring finger, which they happily do, taking their time to slide it into place. The weight feels heavy, but right, on Mulder’s hand, and Scully’s… Scully’s sparkles just like he’d imagined it would when he picked it out at the jewelry shop.

They won’t be able to wear them in public most of the time—he’d known that from the start—but for now, in this room where everyone is privy to the legal bonds being established between them, they are free to do whatever they wish.

“Well then,” the judge speaks up, beaming from ear to ear. “Having consented to enter into this union and pledged your vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the State of Maryland and the circuit courts of Anne Arundel County, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” She reaches up and takes off her glasses, setting them down in front of her. “Mr. Mulder, you may kiss your bride.”

Blood rushes to his ears, and for a second all he can hear is the pounding of his heart.

Somehow, in all the weeks they’ve been planning this, he’d never considered this particular part of the ceremony. A startling oversight, considering how thorough he’d been with everything else.

Scully is looking up at him, the only sign of her own internal turmoil being the way she bites her lip and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. He wants to kiss her, oh, does he want to kiss her. But this is where the line between real and fake goes gray.

‘Is this okay?’ he asks with his eyes, his hands suddenly sweating a fair bit more than they had been before. He gets an almost imperceptible nod in return, and makes up his mind.

It’s chaste, the way his lips first meet hers. His hands land on that place on her back that she thinks of as belonging to him, and he dips down to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. She turns and catches him with her lips, her hand coming up to lay flat against his chest. It barely lasts more than a few seconds, but it leaves him feeling dizzy nonetheless, breathless. He smiles a lopsided grin.

Of all the ways he imagined their first kiss going, in front of two complete strangers at their wedding was not one of them.

The air feels awkward when they pull back, not quite able to meet each other’s eyes, but the silence is quickly filled with congratulatory remarks from both the judge and their witness. In an act of boldness, he captures her hand again as they are ushered out of the room, holding tightly to it. As he predicted, their witness-slash-photographer takes Mulder’s money, promising that the prints from their ceremony will be delivered to his address in a month’s time, and he thanks her.

Step one is complete. They have officially started the process that would have them labeled the craziest agents in the FBI.

For once, he doesn’t really mind being the crazy one.

~~~

Lovely tag list ♡: [if you would like to be added or removed, let me know!]

@today-in-fic @ao3feed-msr @agent-troi @angegova @baronessblixen @calimanc @captainsolocide @clo-thespin @cutemothman @danasculls @deathsbestgirl @edierone @enigmaticxbee @figureofdismay @frogsmulder @hippocampouts @invidiosa @monaiargancoconutsoy @numinousmysteries @primrose19 @randomfoggytiger @skelavender @skylarksong @slippinmickeys @stephy-gold @teenie-xf @the-redhead-in-a-dress @vincentsleftear @whovianderson

#msr #txf #x files #xf fanfic #mulder and scully #my fanfiction #fox mulder #dana scully #of our own making #ooom #msr adoption fic #adoption #hope i did this one justice #more to come

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mcflymemes · 8 months

Text

PROMPTS FROM THE EXORCIST * assorted dialogue from the 1973 film, adjust as necessary

they've found something. small pieces.

this is strange.

i wish you didn't have to go.

there is something i must do.

i sure do love you.

it's okay. i got it, thanks.

why are they tearing the building down?

has there been enough killing?

i think i'll walk home tonight, [name].

take that, and drop it by my house.

hi, how'd your day go?

what have we got here?

you got an invitation.

i'm so happy to see you.

you can't keep going up and down those stairs.

you are not happy. tell me. what is the matter?

hey. where'd this come from?

you've been playing with it?

maybe he's sleeping.

why are you reading that?

what are we going to do on your birthday?

what would you like to do? got any ideas?

you're not going to marry him, are you?

where'd you ever get an idea like that?

i want out of this job. it's wrong.

you're the best we've got.

why do people have to die?

my bed was shaking.

you should have called me the minute it happened.

do you have an appointment?

i'm gonna take you home.

i think that's the answer.

wait a minute. what are you talking about?

i'd say her vocabulary's rather extensive.

the best explanation is always the simplest one.

listen, if you ever go up there again, will you take me along?

bastard! i will kill you!

i think we have a guest.

what made you say that, [name]?

make it stop! what's wrong? i'm scared!

i don't want it!

you fucking bastard!

i suppose you've heard.

is there someone inside you?

if he talks to me, i think he'll leave you. do you want him to leave you?

yeah, it's true. you do look like a boxer.

is that a threat?

it has worked, in fact, although not for the reason they think.

please go away.

how do you go about getting an exorcism?

i'd like to help you.

now kindly undo these straps.

nothing you could do would make it any worse.

i thought you were supposed to be an expert.

what an excellent day for an exorcism.

it would bring us together.

you keep it away.

you're convinced that it's genuine.

i'll call you as soon as i know.

i cast you out! unclean spirit!

the power of christ compels you.

are you tired?

let's rest before we start again.

i think the point is to make us despair. to see ourselves as animal and ugly. to reject the possibility that god could love us.

will you excuse me, [name]?

somebody fell at the bottom of the steps here!

i'm gonna miss you.

i hope to see you again soon.

i came to say goodbye.

do you like films?

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am-i-the-asshole-official · 10 months

Note

WIBTA if I break off an old friendship with someone who stayed by my side despite my mental and general life issues, after everyone else had left?

This friend from high school had been a great friend, kept me company when I was all alone, supported me through two bad breakups, we went to the same college and we were very close.

Until I started talking more openly about politics, being queer, mental health etc. She's the facebook liberal type, slightly left of center. She gave me the freedom to be more open with her by being cool with taboo topics, then turned sour when it extended beyond what she knew. Examples, she'd change subject if I talked about queer media when normally she's telling her friends how she had a sleepover with her "wife" and saw each other naked. She was surprised to learn that you're not supposed to out someone against their will. She believes cops are bad only in USA. We're not Americans.

She started being open with me too, she told me how she hated it when her classmates talked about their favorite music, how she hated any fandom stuff they talked about besides discussing fanfics with another fandom friend, how she makes excuses so she can go wherever she wants alone and not with friends. She told me she spies on my exes on facebook insta etc and tried to tell me what they've been up to and only stopped telling me about after many requests and explanations as to why that made me really uncomfortable.

A few months ago she and I had a fight, she exclaimed that my politics was too American (I'm just an average leftist like most of 30+ tumblr and my other friends), that my politics was too fandom oriented (she avoids fandom so much she has blocked activists for even hinting at being a fandomgoer, like discussion of racism in fandom is waste of time and silly to her, fan-anything can't be taken seriously), mocked me for having childish interests (just knowing pop culture in general) then we stopped talking.

After some months she texted that she really misses talking to me as I was her only "progressive friend" who understood her when she wanted to discuss feminism, movies, world politics etc. She said she needed me to be her gateway to pop culture knowledge as I knew so many cool new things. She begged me to be friends again, and since I missed hanging out with her a lot I started chatting again. But I told her that it was hard for me to forgive her and I'd leave for real if she hurts me again.

This time she let go of the normal daily stuff we used to talk about and only stuck to Topics of Debate. She asked me to teach her progressive thinking, educate her, but when I asked if she wanted to touch on lgbt+ topics or physical -mental health related topics outside of her comfort zone of basic sexual health, she danced around a lot instead of giving an answer. I snapped and asked yes or no, she said no.

I asked her if she understands that even if she didn't feel like those topics were her priority, I'd probably want to talk about them with her as a queer neurodivergent person and friend, would that be an issue? She kind of ignored it to say that basically her priority was just local political gossip, religion, and a little bit of solarpunk stuff, outdated at that. I was disappointed but let it go and we decided to talk later.

The other day she messaged me with her usual gossip about how her friends are being too excited about some music stuff and what book she thinks I should read (we have completely different taste). And I got a panic attack. Since then I've had multiple panic attacks at the thought of having to talk to her.

She has been one of my oldest friends, she supported me and took my side in every breakup I had and she forced me to go outside when I was severely depressed, she was practically family, but now I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. If I bring up any topic she dislikes she's going to turn away, if I come out to her as trans she'll joke and start to avoid me, she doesn't want to learn anything new even though she takes pride in being a great learner, if I talk about things that make me happy she'll ignore it. I don't know if she'll go and tell others how cringey my interests are. Maybe she'll go to my exes and tell them I used her as support and threw her away when she didn't meet the standard as that's been a line of thinking among my exes.

I'm also struggling with BPD and anxiety, so maybe I'm hating her now and will want her back later, it's my brain being a jerk? I think I'm overreacting and she won't do any of these, but I also feel so drained after we talk these days. I need friends who I can talk to about mundane things, friends who share memes with me and tell me what anime they're passionate about, what new recipe they liked, instead I feel like I'm just there to drag her down with my issues and politics and dumb jokes. But multiple people think I used and discarded them for not agreeing politically, I'd usually disagree but what if I am the problem and I expect too much?

So I'm asking, am I being a jerk if I cut her off?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

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glittter-vamp · 1 year

Text

Ohio Is For Lovers | J.B

CHAPTER 12

Joe Burrow x Reader Series.

Warnings: 18+ only. MDNI. Don't want to give to much away so please read with caution, if this chapter isn't for you, I completely understand 🖤

Word Count: 4.5K

Beeping is all you heard as you struggled to open your heavy eye lids. After attempting to do so for quite sometime you finally open them and notice you're in a lit room. You slowly blink a few times clearing up your hazy vision. You soon realize that you were in a hospital room. Confused you look down at yourself and see that you were in a hospital bed. Your head was killing you and so were your back and ribs. "Well look who's awake!" Someone says coming in through the door. "Hm?" You hum wondering who was the unfamiliar voice. "Relax sweetie, I'm your nurse Rebecca." A short redhead woman with short hair says. "What Happened?" You croak, your throat incredibly dry.

"You were in a car accident a few days ago and you were in a coma until just now. Now let me get the doctor and I'll come back to do some tests on you. Then we can talk about finally letting you see visitors and getting you to eat. "Visitors?" You ask confused as to why you weren't allowed any. "Yeah other than your immediate family you aren't allowed any visitors and you've had three people come and go, specifically our very own Cincinnati QB1. He's a character that one..." She winks at you checking some stuff on your arm and writing down something on a clipboard. "Would you like me to send your sister in? She went to the cafeteria I think." The nurse asks. "Please." You reply. "I'll be back, just relax, everything is going to be fine! I'll be right back." She says patting your knee gently.

You try your very hardest to remember what happened but all you remember was being at Joe's and then nothing else after other than waking up here. As you tried your best to remember the accident, your sister Jessica comes in. "Oh my gosh...honey how are you feeling?" She asks softly with tears in her eyes. "Like absolute shit...I can't remember the suppose accident I had and my body hurts like hell." You groan. "I'm sure you will remember soon but I'm just glad you're awake, you really scared us there for second." Jessie says sitting down next to you on a chair.

"Are mom and dad here?" You ask. "I...haven't told them you're here." Jessie says. "What? Jessie- Mom and Dad are in Costa Rica on that trip they've been talking about for years. They come back in two weeks, we can tell them then. Especially now since you're awake, it can come from you." Jessie says and you give her an unamused look. "Are you the only one of our siblings that's came to see me?" You ask and she shakes her head. "No they've came every now and then since they're farther away than me but your friends have been coming here a lot...especially Joe. He's been here everyday, when were you going to tell me about that? I thought you hated him after the drama online?" Jessie asks and you sigh. "It's... very complicated." You mutter.

"That's exactly what he said, but Peyton and Sasha filled me in." She snorts. "Of course they did." You sigh making a mental note to give your friends shit for spilling the tea to your older sister. The doctor ; who's name was Doctor Brown and the nurse soon come in and begin to test you on things and ask you a billion questions. "Now, for being in a coma for almost a week you're doing far better than we expected. I'm very happy with your improvements but due to the nature of the head injury we need to keep you here for a few more days to monitor that and run some more X-rays and CAT scans make sure we know what we're dealing with for all the injury's, you have some broken ribs and bad bruising due to the seatbelt and airbags." The doctor says. "Now...we might have some shocking news for you but we took blood tests while you were asleep and we found that you are pregnant miss Y/L/N." The doctor says and your heart drops. "Excuse me?" "What!?" You and your sister say in unison. "I had a feeling this was going to be big news due to how early you are so please just take it easy, the pregnancy wasn't affected by the accident and all seems to be well. You are a little over two months pregnant, 10 weeks to be exact. We are going to reevaluate some things now and come back later since you are pregannt we need to minimize any X-ray's and CAT scans due to the fetus. I'll give you some time to process everything, I'll be around making rounds so just ask the nurse for me if you need me." She says before leaving the room.

The nurse gives you a reassuring smile and leaves behind the doctor. "This has to be a fucking nightmare and I'm going to wake up any minute now." You say rubbing your face. "I...Well um, Let me go get you some food. Fast food okay?" Jessie asks. "Sure, a burger and a vanilla milkshake please." You sniffle. "You got it, I'll call your friends and let them know you're awake...do you want me to call Joe too? He gave me his number to keep him updated on you." Jessie asks hesitantly. "Uh...I need to talk to my best friends first." You say. "Gotcha...they also filled me in about Mariana. You knew I never liked that girl right?" Jessie says making you chuckle. "My food please." You say and she rolls her eyes leaving the room.

You then sat there thinking about how you were currently pregnant. You didn't know how that was possible, you had gotten your birth control after the first time you hooked up with Joe plus they check for a pregnancy before you get birth control and nothing was mentioned. It just didn't make sense... This could not happen. There was just no way. You hadn't realized how long you had been in your head until there was a knock on the door revealing your two best friends.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake, Joe must of finally gotten through security and gave you that kiss huh?." Peyton jokes as he walks in first with some balloons. "Oh gosh, I knew I was going to cry." Sasha sniffles. " I love the two very different reactions from you both right now." You chuckle at your best friends. "We know you're still in pain so we'll leave the hugs for after you feel better." Peyton says trying the balloons to a chair. "How do you feel?" Sasha says coming over to hold your hand. "Like shit, my entire body fucking hurts." You sigh. "We're so glad you're awake, not being able to come in and see you fucking sucked." Peyton says sitting on the other side of you. "I don't get why they didn't let you in, I'm sure Jessie would of signed off on it." You scoff. "She tired to but it's hospital policy to only let immediate family inside of those who are in coma's" Sasha rolls her eyes.

"Yeah girl you should of seen Joe, we texted him about the accident and I swear to god that man got air lifted here, we live closer to the hospital than he does and he was already here when we got here." Peyton says. "Yeah he got pretty mouthy with the security and nurses, he was freaking out about not being able to see you and knowing limited information about you since he's not family. What really got him is that they weren't accepting the flowers he kept bringing you." Peyton snorts. "Was I admitted into a prison, what the hell type of hospital is this?" You say annoyed that the hospital was making such a big deal. Hearing that Joe was here everyday and trying his best to try and see you, made you get butterflies and feel giddy, it also meant a lot to you that he actually did care that much about you.

"I uh, have some...news." You say hesitantly looking at your best friends. "Please don't tell me you have to learn to walk again, I will hunt down that son of bitch who hit you. I know dangerous people, the cops aren't gonna know what happened to that piece of shit of that hit and run!" Peyton says getting heated in a second and you can't help but laugh. "Jesus calm down, I think I'm good on walking. I can move my toes and stuff." You say wiggling them. "Oh thank god, continue. Sorry, that was the Albanian coming out...sorry." Peyton calms down and you and Sasha look at each other in shock. "Anyways...say what you have to say." Sasha says to you urging you to continue. "Okay well uh...the doctor sorta just told me that I'm um...I'm p-pregnant." You bite your lip and Peyton and Sasha stand completely there frozen, for too long. "Well say something!!" You speak up. "Holy shit." They both say in unison. "Holy shit is right, I don't know what to do! I don't know if I should even tell Joe." You sigh laying your head back on the bed. "How far along are you?" Sasha asks trying to process this. Doctor said a little over two months...I don't know how this happened. We only had unprotected sex once before I got my birth control and I took a plan b right after." You sigh rubbing your temples. "Did you get your period after?" Sasha asks. " I spotted after I got my birth control but that's pretty much it...I know the birth control itself can fuck up your cycle so I just thought it was that." You bite your lip.

"How do you feel about this? This is some serious shit." Peyton asks. "I don't even know...I never even thought about having kids much less with Joe...you know what I've been through with him." You say muttering that last part. "You know you have choices and whatever that may be we will support you." Peyton says and Sasha nods. "Thanks guys..." You sigh. "But...just know that baby will be spoiled to the moon if you have it." Sasha smiles making you chuckle. "Knock knock!! I come with food!!" Your sister says coming into the room with your food. Sasha and Peyton pull the table that was on the end of the bed towards you and you thank them as your sister places the food in front of you. "Now...I know you just woke up but since you two are here, I'm going to go home for the weekend." Jessie says looking at you for approval as you eat your burger. "I'll be fine." You nod. "Yeah I'm sure once Joe finds the news out he won't leave her side anyway." Peyton winks and you roll your eyes at him. "Okay cool, call me if anything! Hope you feel better soon little sister." Jessie says kissing the top of your head before she says bye to everyone and leaves.

"Want us to call your boo?" Sasha teases and you give her an annoyed look. "Sure... but does anyone know where my phone is?" You ask looking around as you sip your milkshake. "I think it got damaged in the accident but I can go pick up a new phone for you tomorrow, I still have connections with that guy from Apple." Peyton suggests like no big deal. "I'll deal with it later but thanks.. oh god, someone please tell me you got in contact with my job." You say looking at them in horrror. "Your sister did, they said to not worry about anything and to take all the time you need." Sasha fills you in as she texts on her phone. "Okay I just texted Joe, wanna make a bet on how fast he makes it here?" Sasha says to Peyton making you roll your eyes. "20 bucks he makes it here in 10 minutes." Peyton says. "Deal." Sasha smirks sitting down. "You guys are so annoying and he lives across town." You shake your head. "You don't understand how your man drove the night of the accident." Peyton shakes his head. "He made Vin Diesel look bad." Sasha says making you laugh.

You two talk between the three of you. Them telling you that they hadn't reached out to Mariana about the accident which you appreciated because you did not want to see her. Before you know it the door of the room flings open and there was Joe out of breath. "You owe me." You hear Peyton say to Sasha who rolls her eyes. "We'll leave you guys alone...I'll come tomorrow around noon." Sasha says to you and you nod. "I'll bring you two breakfast cause I know Joe ain't going no where." Peyton says leaving making you snort as you look over to Joe who couldn't stop looking at you in complete awe. "Did you run?" You chuckle seeing he was still catching his breath. "Went up the stairs, elevators took too long." he says making you chuckle. Joe closes the door and walks over to you, you could see a lot of emotion on his face that he was trying to hold down. "I was told that you were out here fighting people because you couldn't come in." You raise an eyebrow at him and he chuckles. "I might of acted irrationally." He smiles. "You didn't have to do all that...I'm sure you have better things to attend too than me. "You shake your head. "You hit your head pretty hard huh?" He asks and you roll your eyes. "You know what I mean." You reply. "No I don't actually, I got a call from your best friends that the girl I love got into a car accident leaving my house and you were rushed to the hospital unconscious. How else was I supposed to act?" Joe finished, you could tell that the stress from everything finally made Joe snap.

"The girl you what?" You ask Joe in shock and he takes a moment to realize what he said. "I meant exactly what I said." Joe says clearly not caring about beating around the bush anymore. "Those are some big words for two people that haven't even dated Joe." You bite your lip not knowing how to feel about this. "Well that's how I feel and after all we've been through I'm not going to take it back nor do I expect to hear it back from you. I'm not going to keep lying to you or myself." Joe says making you take a deep breath. Before you could respond there was a knock on the door and the nurse comes in. "Sorry to interrupt but there's a few things I need to change out for Miss Y/L/N." The nurse says to us. "I'll step out, do you want anything from the cafeteria?" Joe asks you pretending like you two weren't just having a serious conversation. "Something sweet." You bite your lip and Joe nods before leaving the room, giving you one quick glance as he shut the door. The nurse checks you out more, making sure you were doing okay and asks some questions about how you're feeling. She also helps you to the bathroom.

As she was helping you with sitting back down on the bed on the Joe comes back in. "Everything okay?" Joe asks seeming alarmed that you weren't tucked in the bed like he had left you. "Better than we hoped! You'll be out of here in no time." The nurse smiles at you as she helps tuck you in and then leaves you and Joe. "I think she likes you." Joe mutters which made you snort. "Jealous?" You tease him as he sits down in one of the empty chairs handing you a plastic bag filled with sweets. "I'm not worried about it, she can't compete." Joe says cockily and you roll your eyes at him. "Why'd you get so much stuff M&Ms would of done okay." You shake your head. "I was talking to my mom while I was picking stuff out and paying, got distracted." He shrugs.

You really take a good look at Joe and you realize that he looked somewhat similar to what he did after your argument and him finding out Emily's baby wasn't his. "Have you slept at all?" You ask him. "Hm?" He hums. "Yeah, here and there." He shrugs like no big deal. "Joe...go home and rest." You sigh. "I can sleep here, beside you... just fine." He smirks and you give him a look. "Don't you have like spring training or something?" You eye him. "That doesn't start for another two weeks, but you get extra points for even knowing that was a thing." Joe smiles and you roll your eyes at him in annoyance.

Joe ends up staying for the rest of the night. Which you really didn't mind, you weren't a fan of hospitals so it was nice having him here taking your mind off things. Though the whole being pregnant thing was hanging over you like a cloud. You had no idea what you were going to do and how you were going to tell Joe...if you even decide to tell him. This was a guy who almost just had a baby with someone else and who you weren't officially dating. Then the whole deal with the tabloids finding out about this potential child and the other side of you that wanted that big career move and to get away from it all.

*****************************************************************

Four Days Later:

Today you were finally leaving the hospital. After constant tests, some physical therapy and being under constant observation you were finally going home. Joe had stayed with you the entire time, only going home to shower and change clothes, every time he came back with a fresh bouquet of flowers. Sasha and Peyton also came by frequently bringing you two food and kept you company. You had told your siblings that you were fine and that you'd see them when you came out of the hospital and to not tell your mom and dad about the accident. You were very appreciative of everyone for being there for you but you didn't need your parents freaking out and dropping their trip. "Alright Miss Y/L/N...everything seems to be good. Now, would you like me to schedule you a prenatal appointment with the OGBYN you have in your file?" Doctor Brown says and you feel your heart start beating 10 times faster. Out of the corner of your eye you see that Joe slowly turns his head towards you. "Um, yeah sure." You quickly and awkwardly say to the doctor wanting her to stop talking about this but she doesn't take the hint. "Can...we have a minute please, Doc?" Joe says and you feel your heart drop, here we go you thought to yourself. "I'm finished here, a nurse will come soon to wheel you out." She smiles at the both of you. You two thank the doctor and immediately Joe turns to you.

"Is there something... I'm missing here?" Joe asks calmly which was kind of freaking you out and you build the courage to finally look at him. He looked confused and a bit upset. "I wanted to talk to you about this in a more private place." You say and he takes a deep breath. "We'll get you home and then we will talk." Joe nods. "If you want I can call Sasha or Peyton to take me home." You bite your lip trying to avoid a fight with him. "I'm not mad Y/N just... confused and concerned. I'll get you home, plus it's Wednesday morning, aren't they working?" Joe asks and you nod. The nurse comes and they walk you down in the wheelchair. Joe pulls his car around and he helps you get in since you were still sore and had a few broken ribs. 'Are you hungry?" Joe asks as he sits in the driver seat. "A little but I rather get home and order something." You say and he nods. You hated the tension you were feeling in the car. You had no idea how you were going to have this conversation with Joe. The majority of the ride was spent in silence. You could tell Joe was in his head as much as you were.

You finally make it to your apartment, happy to be home. Joe had tried convincing you to stay with him instead but there was just no way you were able to get up and down the stairs right now and he only had a half bathroom accessible downstairs. You notice a welcome back home banner & a basket sitting on your kitchen counter. You knew it was Sasha and Peyton who did all this since they were the ones that were coming in and out of here bringing your clothes and stuff. Joe helped you get on the couch carefully and you asked him to bring over the the basket. You notice that it had a lot of your favorite things, certain candies you like, new cute fuzzy slippers, new PJs, cute girly ice packs and hot water bottles, pain medication and a box clearly containing a new phone. Judging by Joe's reaction when you grab it, you could tell he was the one who got it for you.

The police had came to the hospital to ask you questions about the accident that you still couldn't remember and they had let you know that your poor car was a total loss and your phone had been damaged as well, leaving you with no phone. "You didn't need to get me a new phone but thank you." You say to Joe. "Don't know what you're talking about." He lies and you give me him a look which made him smirk. "Do you want to stay on the couch or I can help move you to the bed. I know you're tired since you barley slept at the hospital." Joe asks as you yawn. "My bed does sound nice but I'd have to shower first and that's going to be a hassle." You sigh.

"That's what I'm here for. We can get you cleaned up and you can have a nap while I go get us some food." Joe nods. "I should of probably taken my sisters offer to stay with her." You sigh. "Why?" Joe says rather defensively. "Because I don't want you having to deal with me. I'm like an adult child right now." You sigh. " Y/N you've helped me out at one of my toughest moments, the least I could do is help you out in one of yours." Joe says helping you up from the couch. "Since your dining chairs are plastic maybe you could use that to sit in the shower?" Joe asks following you to your room. "Yeah that works." You nod going to your drawer to get some clean clothes. Joe sets up the shower for you, thankfully your shower head was detachable so you should have no trouble showering. "Are you going to need help getting undressed?" Joe asks. "Uh sure." You nod awkwardly. You had a flannel shirt on since that was the easiest thing to get into and you unbuttoned the shirt and Joe helps you take it off wincing at the movements even though you were both being gentle. You look at yourself in the mirror and could see the bruising peeking out of the bandage around your rib cage. Joe then gently starts to take off the bandage which was the most painful process of all. "I'm sorry, I'm trying to be as gentle as possible." Joe says looking at you with eyes full of nervousness. "You're doing good, the pain medication is just wearing off." You give him a reassuring smile. Eventually you finally get undressed and Joe helps you get in the hot shower. "Are you going to be able to bathe yourself?" Joe asks handing you your soap and exfoliator. "I think I can manage with the important parts, go take a breather." You smile at him and he nods before closing the shower curtain "Call me when you're done or if you need anything." Joe says before leaving the bathroom.

You shower as best as you could, wanting to wash your hair but there was no way that was happening today. After about 30 minutes in the shower with Joe checking in on you every 5 minutes and freaking out when he heard one of your shampoo bottles fall, he came and helped you out and dried you off. He wrapped your bandage around again which was worse than when he took it off, both of you hated every minute of that process, you letting out every bad word in the dictionary. "Okay, okay we're done. Is that too tight?" Joe asks. "It's fine, thank you...sorry for calling you a motherfucker." You say making Joe laugh.

"It's okay." He smiles at down at you, you look at each other for a moment before Joe leans down and gives you a kiss. He was very gentle with it but it still held a lot of emotion from this past week. "I'm not mad that you didn't tell me by the way, I don't blame you." Joe says holding your face in his hands. "I'm scared Joe...this wasn't suppose to happen. I'm supposed to move soon to another state and start a new beginning...there's no way I can do this." You say breaking down. "You don't have too, whatever you choose to do I'll support it." Joe reassures her as he wipes her tears with his thumbs. "I'm really sorry Joe, I know this must fucking suck after what you've been through." You sniffle. "It's not your fault, shit happens and I rather go through this with you than anyone else. Whatever happens, I promise we're going to be fine." Joe says and you nod calming down. Joe then helps you get dressed after you calm down and helps you get into bed. "I'm gonna go get some stuff from my house before getting us food, I'm going to basically move in and there's nothing you can do about it." Joe says making you chuckle. Do you need anything before I leave?" Joe asks. "No I'm good, I'm just going to take my nap." You shake your head. "I'll be back soon, I left your phone on the side table." Joe says leaning down and giving you a kiss. "Take my keys to lock the door." You say to him before he walks out of the room and he nods.

That went better than you thought it would, now...you just had to think about what the next step was going to be.

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A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! The next chapter will be a lot heavier than this one so just a heads up. Thank you for reading! 🖤

#joe burrow imagine #joe burrow fanfiction #joe burrow x reader #joe burrow fic #joe burrow fan fic #joe burrow x you #joe burrow x y/n #joe burrow series

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canmom · 14 days

Text

What is the book for? - part 3

Here we go, the next part of the investigation.

[here's an intro where I talk about the three hour video essay that inspired me to do this]

[here's the first part where I argue that there's a big difference between the actual thing you do in an RPG and the book that tells you how you're allegedly supposed to be doing it]

[here's the second part where I describe some of the purposes that RPG books claim to serve in the creation of the game, and make some comments on the storygames milieu]

First up a comment! @zendoe writes...

One thing I've only seen in Jenna Moran's books, though I'm sure exists elsewhere, is that the book itself is a piece of art that is entertaining or interesting or moving in its own right. Chuubo is very funny, I read Glitch basically cover to cover and cried when I got to the end, and Wisher Theurge Fatalist is arguably meant to be read much more than it is to be played. You might even include games that are basically proofs-of-concept, hacks to prove you can put x setting into y system, etc. I'm sure a lot of games made in the heyday of /tg/ have never actually been played, and were basically just made on a lark Tangentially, this is something that often gets to me when people moralize against strong "you must/cannot do x" language in a given rulebook. I would never deny that many designers have a gross "saving the players from themselves" mentality, but at the end of the day, the only part of play a designer actually has power over is the book itself. So (assuming they're not ABA freaks) why shouldn't they use strong language if that makes the book a more interesting product?

Love this comment. You're absolutely right, one of the purposes of an RPG-book can be to just be an objet d'art in itself (I say with maximum pretentiousness), using the format of 'RPG book' to guide you to imagine a game that might exist even if it's not practical to play.

For example @xrafstar and @ramheadedgirl made a great little zine-sized book called Blood Sugar: Sweet Ambition. I doubt I'll ever actually get to play this (but never say never...), and as written it's kind of a nebulous state where it suggests stats for a D&D-like game but leaves the details vague... but it's using the format of an RPG book with its stat blocks and illustrations to tell a compelling story and provide a frame for Alco's gorgeous illustrations.

A similar example (which @lapinaraofperdition told me about) exists in Vermis I, an OSR-milieu artbook which assumes the format of a manual for an old CRPG. There is no such CRPG but it's all about the vibes. The book's on to its eighth printing now so people are well into this kinda thing.

This leads me on to one other function of RPG books worth discussing. This tends to be less of an explicitly advertised thing, but I think it's a huge part of things - amateur-anthropologist hat on...

An excuse to make up a story together - RPG book as seal of permission

Suppose I got a group of people together who had never played a TTRPG, and asked them to come to my house every week to make up stories about vikings. I think most people would find this a rather strange idea, and it would be quite a hard sell.

Suppose I got a group of people together who have at least heard of the TTRPG subculture. I have a book which says Sagas of the Icelanders on it, which looks like someone has put a lot of effort into putting it together, and costs some money. I tell them it's a cool new indie game I heard about that I want to try. Even easier if it's a game they've heard about like D&D.

This sort of overlaps with the 'auteur experience' category in the previous post, but it's sort of aimed on a different level.

When I was a child, I would make up stories on every long car journey - before that, my parents would do the same. It's normal to tell stories to children, and for children to play and make up stories through that. Now, adult life still revolves around fictional storytelling to a huge degree: in just about every society on Earth, we put tremendous resources into making and displaying films, distributing books, putting on plays.

But in modern adult life in the countries I know about, making up a fictional story is a very individual activity, and very much tied to the dynamics of publishing. If you're writing a novel, it's expected that you might think of trying to sell it one day. It is something that you specialise in. If you're good enough, it can be your job.

Playing games also gets codified and locked down: you go and join a basketball club, say, in which you are expected to learn the rules of basketball. Or play a computer game, where the rules are set by the game binary, which packages it up with other elements like music and images.

Only a few contexts give you permission to just tell a story. For example, if you're sitting around a campfire telling ghost stories. Or if the story is framed as something that really happened (whether or not it did). A joke is the major one, relying on the promise of a punchline.

If you want to tell a longer, collaborative story... well, it's lucky that someone invented a hobby called 'tabletop roleplaying', with its attendant books, magazines, forums and other subcultural trappings. You can point to that and say, hey don't worry guys! It's a done thing!

I mentioned earlier the 'conceptual inertia' of D&D. All these trappings are part of that inertia, continually performing and reinforcing the idea that 'D&D is real'.

In this case, the function of the RPG book with its glossy cover and brand name and slightly corny introduction to roleplaying at the front - and notably, its price tag - is mostly a tool to unlock this special social context where you're allowed to pretend to be an elf without it being, like, weird.

You don't need a book for that, not remotely - roleplaying has taken place on forums, in chatrooms, in MUDs, in MMOs, etc. etc. for nearly as long as we've had TTRPGs - but it is a useful tool to help you unlock the door, as it were.

In this it seems (thanks @play-now-my-lord!) that I am following in the footsteps of Roger Callilois, who offered the following definition of 'play':

it is free, or not obligatory

it is separate from the routine of life, occupying its own time and space

it is uncertain, so that the results of play cannot be pre-determined and the player's initiative is involved

it is unproductive in that it creates no wealth, and ends as it begins economically speaking

it is governed by rules that suspend ordinary laws and behaviours and that must be followed by players

it involves imagined realities that may be set against 'real life'.

Nothing about that implies that it needs a book to define its special 'circle', but elements like a subculture and book do help to bring it into existence.

On that front, let's also mention...

A way to unify the subculture - RPG book as common reference

Let's go back to reproducibility. It's not just about having something to sell.

A friend mentions playing in 'a Curse of Strahd campaign'. Curse of Strahd is an official 'adventure' for first AD&D 2e and later D&D 5e. Like most 'adventures', the book acts as a reference for a series of places and characters, and instructions for how to use them, advice on how to create a horror atmosphere, and so on. Some areas are mapped in detail, others have brief prose descriptions.

If your group has played Curse of Strahd, it probably hasn't had the exact same experience as another group. Much of the book is open to interpretation in all the ways we discussed. But, there's a good chance that you have had some experiences in common. Much like you can talk about the different areas you encounter in a computer game, or the memorable scenes in a film, you can talk to someone else who played the same adventure. 'How did your group handle the mimic door?' 'Oh it ate the rogue and we all had to form a chain and pull her out.' (This didn't happen, I've never played this adventure.)

The same also goes for more general setting elements and the game itself. An RPG lore book is something you can become an expert in. RPG rules are something you can get skilled in manipulating. And even if two D&D games take place in totally different settings, you have enough shared context to be able to know what it means for a Beholder to show up.

This is just as true of story games as it is for trad games and OSR, just with different emphases. Wanna be an expert in something? Perhaps you know the Apocalypse World principles like the back of your hand so you can give advice on how to MC it, or always know the perfect indie game for anyone's taste. And since indie games are often quite specific, two people who played the same indie game are likely to have something to talk about. Or maybe you just like to have long theoretical discussions about game design principles (*sheepishly raises hand*).

You don't remotely have to strictly follow what's in the book to take advantage of this feature. Players will constantly be recommending house rules, arguing about balance, criticising and modifying the game. That's part of the fun.

As the first post discussed, the process of defining the subculture takes place outside of the books too. In conversations, blogs, webcomics, forums, we continually hash out what this hobby that brings us together actually is. But, given that everyone's group is different, 'we probably looked at the same book' is one of the few guarantees you can make when you meet someone and learn they're into a TTRPG. Small as it is, it's a powerful starting point.

So what do we do with all this?

Well, it kinda depends which hat we're wearing, right?

For a designer, the important point to bear in mind is that an RPG book is only a prompt. You're not a computer game dev - you can't really be an engineer of a precisely tuned system where all the moving parts work together in precise harmony. You're writing a message to someone else through a noisy channel, and to my mind, they get the larger creative role anyway.

And it's not just that they'll take what they like and discard what they don't - they'll probably forget things that you put in the book, or read things in a way you didn't intend, or get caught up in the moment and fall back on familiar habits. For their part, though, they're probably not even looking for you to tell them exactly what to do and how to do it, in detail.

I tend to find many of the best moments in RPGs don't involve any looking at rulebooks. You're caught up in the story you're telling! You're feeling that feedback loop of mutual inspiration! That's what I'm personally looking for - the thing in the book is just a runway to get us towards that point.

So what are they looking for?

One view is that your job is to give them what they can't easily provide themselves 'in the moment'. There's a good article from 2016 on an OSR blog Against The Wicked City that describes it this way: if you improvise, you will likely come up with something that is either painfully generic or overly wacky. An RPG book, by contrast, ought to give you something novel, which someone has taken the time to flesh out properly. For this reason, it must avoid cliché, because it's easy to spin clichés and you don't need a book for that.

In Vi Huntsman's video, they criticise Root: The RPG for acting rather like a dictionary, attempting to clarify the trigger condition for each 'move' (a rules-construct from Apocalypse World, more on that soon) with exhaustive, repetitive elaborations. This is a fascinating corruption to me, since it seems rather opposite the ethos of earlier story games, which would much rather give you something vague and cryptic and refuse to explain. (...OK, I'm having trouble finding really good examples of that, but I definitely recall one-page games that consisted mostly of lists of evocative names and phrases). The players can be relied on to provide interpretations of whatever a Frost Shepherd might be.

The challenge to me here is to create something that gives your player enough that it's there when you need it, but still doesn't feel closed-off and is amenable to putting their own spin on it. This is rather a matter of taste.

Prose goes

On another, more abstract level, the aim of an RPG book is the same as any art: to make people feel shit and see things in a new way. This is getting back to the territory of Zendoe's comment above.

So let's get into it: why is Apocalypse World memorable, when so many derivative games borrow most of its mechanics and yet end up forgettable? Why would I love to play Chuubo's Marvellous Wish-Granting Engine even though I don't really understand how it works at all? Why do I still think about what Unknown Armies has to say about fighting? Why do I find most of Avery Alder's games offputting even if the design is novel and interesting? (y'know, beyond personal reasons that she was a cunt to my friends.)

If a TTRPG book is a device to conjure up a usable idea of 'the game' in your mind, the experience of reading it becomes really important. A huge part of what makes those games come alive in your head is that their authors can really write.

But it's not enough to just make a book that reads well, is it? The player needs the confidence to extemporise in the vein indicated by the book.

Jenna Moran's games fascinate me - but they're also rather intimidating. Her books are full of quirky asides and little jokes and stylistic flourishes. How do you play a game in a Jenna Moran way? I think if I got a suitable on-ramp like an existing group I could get up to speed, but it's definitely the kind of game which really highlights the complicated relationship between book and game to me. Which is to say I have the book but I don't feel like I could run this thing, and while I could closely read it cover to cover and rotate its ideas in my head, it would be way more helpful to join someone else's game and see how they do it.

On the other hand, Apocalypse World adopts a very conversational style of prose. It asks you to 'barf forth apocalyptica', it titles chapters things like 'advanced fuckery' and suggests you motivate NPCs with their 'clits and dicks'. It rather obtusely introduces the idea of 'moves' with 'to do it, do it' - meaning that you invoke the rules text iff a condition is met in the fiction of the game. It's stupid but in a really fun way. Apocalypse World the book has the feeling of someone sitting down with you and enthusiastically explaining the game.

Nobody taught me to play Apocalypse World - I read about it online (on the story games forums maybe?), which instilled an idea of 'what Apocalypse World looks like', got the book, liked what I saw; I ran it based on my interpretation of the book and what I'd seen online. On some level the whole process 'worked': a game was, perhaps imperfectly, reproduced in another group of people.

Something about Apocalypse World, then, got me feeling 'yeah I could do this!'. But did that have to be a game with a name and such? Could Vincent and Meguey had written the MC chapter of Apocalypse World as a series of blog posts giving system-agnostic GM advice? Perhaps, but I doubt it would have led to a whole breakout movement in the same way. It's useful to have a name to anchor things to. (Of course, there's more to Apocalypse World than that, like the whole 'moves' system which dovetails with its specified approach to GMing.)

I once ran a different PbtA game called Night Witches, about a real all-female unit of Soviet aeroplane pilots who fought in the second world war. It was a great premise for a game and was solidly designed as PbtA games go. Where I stumbled was the ability to improvise - usually something I enjoy a lot, but here I felt an urge to try and achieve historical fidelity on questions like 'what does a Soviet airwoman eat' and 'what's a plausible name for a nearby airfield' (I fucking looked at maps! such a fool). I don't speak Russian, so I would draw a blank when coming up with a name.

Clearly I should have dispensed with being historical here - it's not expected, not like my players knew better. But equally, this is where a longer list of concrete bits of random 'life in the USSR air force' flavour info would have been quite useful. The game gives you a reasonable amount of historical info, but I still felt out of my depth. Fantasy is much easier!

Running a game requires you to project a lot of confidence. You don't have to say you know all the answers, indeed I quite like to make my reasoning at least a little explicit - 'oh! what if we have this happen..?' - but you are setting the tone for the game. Confidence and enthusiasm will vary with each player to encounter the book and the experiences they bring, and it's often beyond the designer's control, but you can definitely frame your game in a way that's more or less amenable to picking up and running with it.

In the next post... a few options, hmm. We could examine the idea of 'moves' in Apocalypse World more closely - they're a bundle of a few different things, and perhaps we should evaluate how well that works, and what makes for a good move-based system. Or maybe we could revisit some of my previous game design efforts, like the RPG duels post - did I go astray?

#roleplaying games #ttrpg #tabletop roleplaying #story games #i'll collate this series on canmom.art for easier reading soon

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