Tumgik
#i hate that she tried to incorporate me into her friend group again and again i can’t do this again
jenyifer · 5 months
Text
Only friends 8/10 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tumblr media
About a group of friends and the destruction of that friend group in a web of lies betrayals and revenge. The music and sets are beautiful amazing I literally listened to every song they carefully choose for each scene it was genius. Every character was morally grey and complex. Really showed queer stories. I’m a lesbian and there was many many times I could see my own life experiences in the characters. You will find a character to relate to and many of them you will fall in love with for whatever reason. The acting was fantastic ForceBook FirstKhaotung NeoMark deserve all the recognition and awards for their performances. I was surprised at the realism and twists the story took which is very rare for me I have to watch sci-fi horror films at home because I’ll guess the ending and get bored but who would have guessed a Thai Bl would stump me multiple times. I won’t change BostonNick’s story line to me their scenes even with being cut short with what feels like major parts missing is a 10/10. A real journey of the heart and I was hurt and also in love with the conclusion. The series is worth watching again and again for them.
Now…. You’ll notice it isn’t a 10/10… I’m going to get honest with you after the break. So If you don’t want my critique then leave.
I’m going to talk about my grips and how I’d fix them now and why I can’t I’m good conscious forgive these things.
1. Loss of the each episode for a character like the interviews or social media. I felt like these would have given us another angle on those boys. I understand they were trying to edit for the fans but… it is extremely sad. The first 4 episodes are perfection in my opinion.
2. Cheum is terrible lesbian representation. She’s a terrible character. I hate to think this is what queer men think lesbians are. She disappointed me over and over. I’d rather her not be in the story at all.
3. The glossing over of Boston’s torture throughout the series. Mew Cheum and Ray should have apologized to him. I wish Mew and Ray had been better friends in general I felt like I wanted to see the trio trying to incorporate eachother in their lives before the final episode. I wanted to believe at some point they cared for eachother. I wanted them to miss Boston when he was gone and to be guilty for what they fucking did.
4. Top and Mew terrible pairing. Mew is my least favorite character of all time. I have alot to relate to mew on. But he never became a character I could root for. Vindictive and Spiteful. I don’t know if he loved top or not. I don’t foresee that relationship lasting. I liked Top but you could see the bland oatmeal coating they gave him half way through I want the messy angry boy. I did want him to gain happiness but I doubt mew could ever give it to him. I will forever skip their boring scenes I’m glad I no longer have a reason to watch them. To fix this I would have made Mew nosey supportive into Ray and Boston’s lives just him being able to have long term friends would have made his character seem like he was capable of affection. To fix the TopMew scenes? Idk they always felt uneven Top tried so hard Mew was never punished for what he did. Mew became a worse person so maybe reverse that.
5. SandRay I love them I truely relate to Ray so deeply. However the way Ray treated Sand over and over wasn’t right. I hated it. His apologies to sand rang hollow he didn’t back them up. Sand adores Ray and I wish Ray adored Sand just as much but that’s not true. I have hope Ray would mature though.
Over all to fix things I would have given it more episodes there was clearly scenes missing structure that should have been there. I think the problem was the ships had to be so segmented from eachother. Top and Mew could have benefited from more of them interacting with Ray and Cheum. The actual friendship bonds explored would have helped. I also wish they hadn’t swept Bostons revenge P and expose account under the board. Ray having real change in attitude towards sand would have been rewarding as well. I hope there is a season 2 so badly. I have to see BostonNick get their healthy happy ending too.
9 notes · View notes
ultravariety · 1 year
Text
when i was in elementary/middle school i had this group of friends, but truthfully only one 'friend' and just a bunch of acquaintances. anyways, this group would sometimes do these "tests" where they would make fun of me, and pick on me, and when i stood up for myself, they would grade me and say i failed for talking back instead of just listening, since they were in the right. or we had 'friend performance reviews' that would basically be them gathering in a circle and telling everyone what we didn't like about each other and boy did they have a list for me. it was fair, i was pretty pathetic (still am). i stopped trying to hang out with them, i was really only friends with one girl in the group, and everyone seemed so annoyed with my presence. i think i was too ugly for them.
in middle school, i had this one friend, who was also in a big friend group, and she would swap me out for other people if numbers were skewed. like one time they kicked me out of the group for some white boy she was into. and told me to go find some other group to do the assignment with. same friend group carried through to high school where again, for prom, that "friend" wouldn't even let me not attend prom. weirdly was like "well if you don't go, then i won't go and we can just spend the day together" and i was like "uh no, fine i'll go to prom." and she didn't even sit near me or talk to me during prom. why the fuck was i there
in uni, i didn't have a friend group or anything, but in my final year i was in a trio with a narcissist and i don't think i'll ever truly get over how everyone treated me when i stopped being friends with her. she talked non stop shit about me, and i didn't want to talk about her at all. so she'd make fun of me to everyone we knew and then pretend she was this really nice person and i was being a bitch. and no one really talked to me, outside of my 3 friends from work. the other girl in our trio stuck with her until they graduated. they don't talk anymore and we reconnected since then. but i sometimes get resentful about it. i don't want to hold it against anyone, so i try to let it go. so really i'm operating on "bury the hatchet, remembers where" kind of vibe.
i think a lot about how my friendships with people have gone over the years. i'm so terrified of making some genuine connections, especially in large groups. i hate it so much, i think my body now goes into survival mode if i'm with a group of people.
i want to be better at friendships and genuine connections but when i think of so many of my past friendships, they were built on either telling me what to do or trying to change me/change parts they didn't like about me (treating me like shit). even now, im scared of trying to make friends. what if i fall into the same patterns? i always end up in these scenarios so it's my fault i end up here. how do i get out of it?
yet there are so many times where i've disappointed people or been such a let down, that i don't really blame people for not wanting me around. and i want to be better!! especially some friends who tried to incorporate me into their lives more. i really fucked it up with them.
there are 2 old friends who dropped all contact from me. and they never responded to me asking them to hang out or anything. or they just ignore me all together. and again, i don't blame them. i was a cunt. not a good friend, i was such a downer and i would project like there was no tomorrow. and i don't blame them for not liking me or wanting to speak with me. people ask me about them, and i don't know how to say "she cut me out of her life and wants nothing to do with me :)"
i've been trying to explain to people that i am a loser, and i'm saying this not for sympathy or anything, i genuinely am aware of what a loser i am and i want to be better. i want to be able to hold my own and foster a group that doesn't make me feel like shit. i want to find a group that makes me feel confident and happy and not scared to show myself around them.
i now just have individual friendships. real one on one type of shit. i go out to lunch/dinner with them, we catch up and then bounce. or we'll go for an activity and do stuff together. but group activities, group chats, group anything, feels like a fucking nightmare.
and honestly, friendships all together have been very unfulfilling. i feel bad for saying it, and it's no one's problem other than mine. i'm unsatisfied. but it's my fault so i need to fix it myself.
i say all this, knowing what an unlikeable bitch i am. i want to be better, but i'm barely even good lol. i'm unresponsive, im keep taking more than i give and i have unrealistic expectations out of people. i'm self centered and focused on all the wrong things. i don't know how to live in the moment or be normal. i don't really know anything
it's so much of an overhaul to be where i want to be. it's a complete redesign of me, and it's hard to cope with. i hate all aspects of me. and i think no matter how hard i try to reinvent, when all parts are garbage, it's hard to even want to reinvent at all.
it's kinda why i wish i just died or something. if i was never really any good, then i'm only doing this work to just cope with a world that i'm not even compatible with. i don't want to reinvent myself and be a new person, but the old me sucks. well still me, i haven't really changed. how different could i really be? i'm still a loser
i remember telling someone this is how i feel and the response i got was "wow i cannot relate to you at all, i just don't get it. sounds rough!" and we carried on. i feel like it's all in my head then, right? i'm the one who has an issue, i shouldn't really concern other people.
the idea of dying is always so much more enticing than persevering to live. the thought of ending it all, feels so much more relaxing than trying. feels like it'll be more rewarding too.
my body has been shaking and jolting more. i get these little tremors and my hands convulse. and if i do something weird with my head it sends those shocks through my body. i wonder if it'll finally happen
that's fucked up, but i look forward to my funeral. when i'm super depressed, i start planning it. and i think if it is going to be my body collapsing instead of me committing, i should write letters to everyone. but what would i say?
"hey, sorry. i hated being alive so much, i feel like this is the least i could do for everyone else's sake"
welp time to go to work i guess
1 note · View note
whitexwingedxdoves · 3 years
Text
wretched heart    [request]
Tumblr media
Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Warnings: Language Summary: Despite ending things with Daryl, you still can’t seem to let go of him. (loosely inspired by Happier by Olivia Rodrigo) A/N: Requested by @srhxpci​ (angst with a happy ending 😊 ) I hope you enjoy. Tags: @chloe-skywalker​ @browneyes528​ Italics = Flashbacks.
-
Your heart seemed to break into a million pieces as you walked away from Daryl, after everything that had happened with Negan and now with the loss of Rick you weren’t prepared to lose Daryl Dixon. You clawed at your chest, hoping it would allow you to breathe but it remained stuck as you left the archer there in the middle of the forest. You had never loved someone so deeply before and it scared you, it scared you to the point of running and hiding – you told him it wasn’t safe for them anymore and that even though it wasn’t your time now, it will be one day and you wholeheartedly believed it. The idea that the world will be well enough one day that you could get back your Daryl was the only thing that allowed you to get out of bed in the morning.
Thing’s got too much for you after you and Daryl went your separate ways and therefore you decided that you needed to venture out on your own for a while, perhaps look for Rick’s body or find out where Anne had disappeared. You didn’t have a set objective but you knew you needed the time to yourself. Tara tried to argue it was too dangerous for you to be on your own but failed to take into account the amount of time you had already spent alone out in the woods before meeting the group. Your trip didn’t provide much new information but you felt you had successfully cleared your mind enough to return back to Hilltop. You had been gone for maybe a month or two, you didn’t really keep track of the time but you didn’t think it could have been longer than that.
Once you reached the gate’s it didn’t take long for them to open, the guards seemed more than happy about your return, you gave your horse a stroke, thanking it for returning you back home safe before trotting past the gates. You watched as a few people gathered as you came to a stop, you looked around, happy to be home until your eyes landed on a far to familiar bike. A lump formed in your throat as you tried to redirect your attention, finally pushing yourself to get off the horse. You managed to send faux smiles at everyone who welcomed you home, allowing someone to take your horse to the stable. You looked around at the small crowd of people before returning your attention to Alden who offered you a warm hug. You pulled away and let your hand land on his shoulder. “Where’s Jesus?” your question seemed to strike unwell with Alden, his head dropped slightly before meeting with your gaze.
“He- erm” he struggled to pull together a sentence attempting to keep you updated on the situation at Hilltop, you instantly wished you were back out in the woods blissfully ignorant to the death of your friend. A small tear rolled down your face but you nodded towards the man, acknowledging his words.
-
You spent the rest of your day in your room, with the news on Jesus and seeing Daryl’s bike you figured that anything beyond your four walls weren’t worth the hassle. No one bothered you all day and you were grateful for that, you cleaned yourself up and got familiar with the comfort of your mattress again. When the sun started to set, you thought you needed to stop moping around, show your face even if its just for a few minutes. Thankfully on your travels you came across a half empty crate of alcohol, a bottle of rum seemed fitting for the situation so you grabbed it by the neck and made your way outside to mingle.
Fires had already started and you seemed to slip into the crowd of people unnoticed, everyone seemed to be in their own little groups or wandering around you unscrewed the cap of the rum and allowed the brown liquid to pour down your throat. You found a quiet spot just off from everyone else but it gave you the perfect view of everyone gathered there that night. Your eyes wandered from person to person until they seemed to freeze. Daryl Dixon. Your heart seemed to crawl up your throat as you watched the man fiddle with his fingers, attempting to master a sign but you didn’t pay much attention to that, instead you admired the way he had aged since you last saw him. Your mind flashing images of a younger archer and you came to the conclusion that he aged perfectly well, you’d giggle to yourself thinking about how he’d always be scared of the age gap you had even though no one else really noticed it nor did they care.
You noticed his smile and then you noticed who he gave it to, you’d never seen her before but you couldn’t disregard her beauty or the way her eyes seemed to shine as she laughed at Daryl’s attempts to communicate with her with his hands. Your heart dropped, it felt like it had completely left your body as you watched the two flirt with each other, your eyes welled up whenever she touched his arms all you could think was how they were your arms and not hers. So caught up with your blind jealousy, you almost didn’t notice that Daryl was now staring right back at you, it made you stumble a little but you shot him a smile before your eyes left him, doing anything you could to keep the tears from leaving your eyes.
The alcohol seemed to help loosen the lump in your throat as you chugged down as much rum as you possibly could before it made you feel sick “Hey” you’d know that gravelly voice anywhere, it sent goose bumps up your arms as you lowered the bottle back to you side, clearing your throat as you looked to your side. Your heart seemed to race at the sight of the archer who stood close by you
“Hey” your voice was much softer as your eyes landed on his shoulders, not brave enough to look into his eyes just yet. The tension could have been cut with a blunt knife, you kicked loose stones under your feet as the southerner struggled to think up a conversation. “How ya been?” he broke the silence finally with a question he genuinely cared to know, he watched you closely as you scoffed at his words. “Fine” despite your short temper, you allowed yourself to look into Daryl’s eyes now sending him a faux smile. “Whatta bout you? Saw you getting on nicely with that girl over there, what’s her name?” you hated how bitter you sounded in that moment but it seemed the alcohol had taken over your entire attitude failing to incorporate a filter. “Connie” Daryl muttered back at you, watching you take yet another sip of your poison. Your eyes widened now you had a name for her face, licking the access rum from your lips. “She’s pretty” the air fell silent around you both now, you tried to fight every urge to shout and scream that he should be with you and not her.
Eventually you couldn’t hold your tongue anymore, you had far too much liquid confidence supporting your toxic words to even think straight anymore “Does this mean you forgot about me?” despite your intentions your words fell soft as you stared into the crowd of people, your leg shaking a little as you awaited his response but you never got one, instead he just stared at you in disbelief “I always thought that one day we’d get back together you know but I can see that’s not on you agenda” you spat at the man, the anger becoming more apparent with every word. Daryl grunted at your words, his scowl creasing his features. “Na, ya the one who ended shit!” he became extra expressive with his movements, his finger pointing in your direction as he paced back and forth. “because it wasn’t safe!” you shouted back in his direction, your face mimicking his “You know what it’s like now as soon as you’re even slightly happy, the thing you love the most is taken from you without warning. I’ve lost too much, I couldn’t lose you too!`` At some point you decided to take a softer approach with your honesty taking a deep breath when you finally split your truth.
The moment fell quiet once more, a tear created a track on your face as you turned away from him you crossed your arms keeping a firm hold on the bottle you babysat all night. “I'm happy you found Connie, you deserve it.” You peeked over your shoulder so that the archer could hear you “I just don’t think I could ever be as happy as I was when I was with you” and with those words you left him there as you made your way back to your room.
When the door closed behind you, you found yourself pressed against the wall beside it, trying your hardest to suppress the tears your eyes held onto. You placed the glass bottle on top of your dresser and attempted to ease your breathing and slow the hard heavy beating of your heart. It seemed to stop completely when you heard someone’s knuckles brush against your door, you stood perfectly still for a moment before you reached for the knob. You slowly pulled it open revealing Daryl stood on the other side, you stared up at him in silence and took in his posture, he seemed a little out of breath, like he had been running which only confused you more. “Me an Connie are jus friends' ' he panted, taking a couple of steps so that he was now fully in your room. You couldn’t deny that your heart seemed to burst with joy at the news but now you were just left completely embarrassed by your outburst. “Ya the only girl for me” you allowed a small chuckle to pass your lips but you wasted no time in wrapping your arms around him, pushing at the back of his neck with your hands to pull him into a soft, sweet kiss. You tried to hide the moan that surfaced as his hands cradled your hips. You were completely weak at his touch, god had you missed the way this felt.
He pulled away slowly, taking in the smile that stretched across your face, allowing a small smile of his own to pierce his stern features “Ya taste like a bar” “I'm sorry!” you winced attempting to pull away from the redneck but he didn’t allow you, he kept you close and pulled you in tighter when you attempted to leave his grasp.
“Na, I like it”
91 notes · View notes
amazingmsme · 3 years
Text
Hot Boy Summer
AN: Here’s my fic for the @ticklesofcolor fic exchange! I wrote for @calmturquoise & I had a blast writing this fic for you! So sorry for the delay, I just finished up with my associates & I had to write 2 final papers. I hope you’re okay that I was liberal with your prompt, since I went with Zuko & Sokka it would kind of be hard for him to use his bending to tickle someone, but I still tried to incorporate it! I also completely threw in the towel with this title. I hope you enjoy it! Sokka & Zuko just play off of each other so well.
Zuko was hot. Like strictly temperature wise Sokka told himself. But firebending proved to be quite useful to him. When they were camping, he was the warmest to sit next to. Not to mention, he made great fires for roasting weenies and marshmallows. But Sokka's favorite thing about it was that it meant he was pretty easy to tick off, which made for good fun.
He would never actually get too angry, so he assumed he didn't actually mind it all that much. And the truth was, he didn't. Zuko never really had friends of his own, and the playful teasing, if annoying, was actually fun. The others picked up on the habits too. It ended up with Toph claiming Zuko as her body pillow to hug against while she slept.
"Hey, can you hold this?" Without waiting for an answer, Sokka shoved a wet clay bowl in Zuko's warm hands.
"Wha- uh- sure," he said, perplexed but not setting it down. Sokka's cheeks were puffed out like a frog from trying to contain his laughter. Zuko realized what he was trying to do and huffed to keep himself from chuckling along. "Hell no, go find a kiln," he said, shoving it back in Sokka's hands.
As annoying as it was, it made Zuko feel... accepted. Like he was actually a part of the group instead of the outcast he was so used to being. He thought that they would all hate him: fearing his flame and mistrusting of everything he did. But that wasn't the case. And it felt good. He felt like, maybe, he could return the playful teasing. Toph was surprisingly easy to embarrass when he mentioned how "hot" she must thing he is from cuddling him all the time. Coincidentally, an embarrassed Toph and an angry Toph we're pretty much one in the same, and a sharp rock had launched him several feet in the air.
Katara could see right through his attempts at teasing, at being friendly, but she was still not amused by him. Aang was too happy all the time to get a rise out of him, though it was still fun to mess with the young avatar. Sokka was the most fun however. He had a sense of humor, and even though Zuko's wasn't what you'd consider "good" the other boy could still recognize what was meant to be a joke or a tease and deliver one right back. He was dramatic, and therefore, very easy to evoke a reaction.
He couldn't help but notice how the rest of them were very physical. Like, they'd constantly be touching each other. At first he found it a little unsettling, but they had done a pretty good job of making him get used to it. And eventually, he began reaching out to them.
So when Sokka grabbed his wrist and squeezed a pressure point to make a flame shoot out to toast a mallow. He snatched his hand back and shakes a finger in his face to scold him. "Alright I've had just about enough of you using me as your personal lighter!" he admonished, the smirk on his face revealing his amusement. Sokka's smirk was even wider. More smug and full of pride.
"Why? It's not like you'll do anything," he taunted, crossing his arms over his chest. Zuko glared at him. He was right, he'd probably just let it slide. Except he'd watched how they all play with each other and wanted them to know he could be fun like that too. He always hesitated to reach out, but he wanted to change. So they were both a little shocked when he shoved Sokka to the ground and sat on his legs, just above the knee. He blinked a few times then chuckled. "Nice try flambo, but it'll take more than just sitting on me to teach me a lesson," he sassed.
"I know," he said, looking down at him. He'd seen the others tickle Sokka to tears when he won't knock it off with the lame jokes, so he knew this method would be affective. Except, he didn't really know where to start. He'd never been in many tickle fights with his sister, and when he did he usually didn't win. But it had been years since he'd engaged with someone like this. But he'd watched enough, he was sure he could figure it out!
He gave a tentative poke to his belly, eliciting a quick squeak. Sokka's eyes widen and a nervous grin breaks out as he shook his head. Zuko placed a few more pokes to his stomach and sides before wiggling his fingers over the skin. Sokka was squirming and giggling lightly which... wasn't right. He'd seen the others get him, he should be howling with laughter. So why wasn't he?
"W-wohow you're really bahad at this," Sokka spoke fairly easily. Zuko huffed and shoved him against the ground and clambered away to stand. Sokka sighed and reached up, snatching his wrist. "Hey don't go, I was just teasing."
Zuko glared at the ground, lower lip jutting out slightly in a mix between a scowl and a pout. "Why not? It's true." When he didn't move to sit back down, Sokka yanked him to the ground, none too gently he might add.
"Ow! You didn't have to do that you know!" he complained, leaning to the side so he could rub his sore butt. Thankfully the grass cushioned his fall, but unexpectedly crashing down on your tailbone was never fun.
He shrugged. "I know, but it was the easiest way to make sure you wouldn't leave." He offered a softer, more genuine smile. "Besides, it's not your fault you don't know how. I doubt you had much time for goofing off like that," he said, his voice sympathetic. Zuko nodded shyly.
"Yeah, once mom was gone, things really picked up. And they were never easy before, but everything just got a lot more intense after that," he admitted. After keeping things bottled up all his life, it felt good to get it off his chest. Not all at once, but slowly; small things, like now.
Sokka seemed to mull something over in his head before deciding, "I can teach you if you want." Zuko blinked in surprise.
"Really?"
He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I mean, I can't leave you all defenseless like that," he teased with a poke to his side. His lip twitched in a smile and he jerked away.
"Hey I can defend myself just fine! But um, who's our first target?" he asked slightly confused, staring out at the others spread around their small camp. "'Cause I think Aang'll be our best bet-" he rambled on, unaware of how Sokka was creeping up from behind.
"You are!" Zuko barely had time to process what he said before a pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him back against Sokka's chest. He gasped as realization dawned on him and he tried to pry himself free.
"What? Why me? I-I can't learn like this!" he yelped. His friend only laughed.
"You will. You gotta know what different techniques feel like so you can get the best reactions. You gotta try different things 'cause certain things work better on some people," he explained. The way he was so casual about it just embarrassed Zuko even more.
"I appreciate the sentiment but I'm really more of a hands on kind of learner," he said as he squirmed. Sokka practically lit up.
"Then this is perfect! See? Hands-" he held them up for him to see before immediately diving for his stomach. "On!" Zuko practically screamed.
"Nohoho! Thihihis ihisn't fair!" he squealed through his laughter.
"What do you mean, of course it is! I'm giving you a lesson in tickling 101!" he chirped happily, kneading at his sides. Zuko cackled and doubled over, hands weakly prying at his wrists.
"Nohohot ohon mehehe!" he protested.
"Like I said, in order to tickle someone, you gotta know what different techniques feel like. There's light skittering," he said, demonstrating by spidering his fingers over his ribs. His laughter turned breathy and giggly, the squirming dying down as it became slightly more bearable. "Also quick squeezes," he said as he rapidly squeezed down his sides, making him squeal and twist back and forth. "Oh, and poking! But you seem to have that one down," he said, delivering quick pokes all over his torso.
"Ohohokahay I gehehet ihit! Stohop!" he cried out. Sokka shook his head.
"Not yet, the lesson's not over!" Suddenly, his hands shot down to squeeze his thighs. Zuko shrieked and kicked out, feet scrambling in the grass. "There's squeezing, oh! And kneading!" he said, switching tactics and demonstrating the new technique on his stomach. His laughter deepened as he desperately tried to squirm away, sucking in his belly and leaning away from the touch. This only succeeded in him pressing against Sokka even more, trapping him further in his hold.
"I can't believe I almost forgot one of the most important steps," Sokka said, managing to bring one arm up to smack himself on the forehead for being such an idiot.
Zuko didn't want to know what he meant by that, but then again, he kind of did. Curiosity killed the cat. "W-whahahat's thahat?" he asked. Now that the other boy had brought it up, he simply had to know.
"Teasing of course!" he exclaimed. Oh no, he really shouldn't have asked. "Sokka nohoho dohon't!"
"Why?" he asked, cocking his head. "Are you too ticklish to handle it?" he asked, raising the pitch of his voice in a mocking tone. For some reason, that made the sensations even stronger and all the more maddening.
"Shuhuhut up mahahan!" he squealed, doubling over and pushing at his tickling hands. "You're really not in a position to be making demands," he said smugly. Zuko managed to growl through his laughter. Sokka chuckled at the noise.
"I can't believe it: even when you're giggling up a storm you still try to appear all broody and grouchy!" he taunted. His cheeks turned pink upon hearing this and he tried to hide his face in his hands.
"Sohohokka ohohokay! I gehet it nohohow!" he pleaded.
"Alright, last lesson. You know what raspberries are, right?" he asked. Zuko could remember how his mother would play with him when he was younger, sometimes blowing raspberries on his pudgy tummy or neck. His eyes widen and he shook his head.
"Don't you dahahare!" he tried to scold.
"Oh, I dare," Sokka said with a sly smirk, placing his lips on the nape of his neck and blew hard. A loud, wet fart noise filled the air along with Zuko's wild cackles. He arched his back as much as he could, squirming and thrashing in his hold. He managed to twist away and shoved Sokka's face back with a little more force than necessary.
Sokka's shit eating grin remained plastered on his face. "You're the worst," he spat out between panting breaths. He closed his eyes and shrugged, clearly pleased with himself.
"You're welcome." Zuko's blush burned brighter and he playfully punched his shoulder. "I didn't say thank you!"
"Yeah but you were thinking it," he teased further. "If you still suck at tickling then there's just no hope for you," he said, patting his back consolingly. A rare glint of mischief shined in Zuko's eyes.
"I think it's coming back to me... Only one way to find out." Before Sokka could react, he slammed into him with his shoulder, knocking him on his back. He wasted no time pinning him.
Sokka stated up at him in shock, already giggling with nerves. "C-can't we talk about this?"
Zuko smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Nope."
143 notes · View notes
gloomyhearts · 3 years
Text
That's life || Steve Harrington
Chapter four
When Y/N arrived at high school; Steve and her weren't like in the past. Since the middle school Y/N mostly met up Nancy and Jonathan in the afternoon. They talked about everything because their brothers bond them. Steve, he wasn't able to talk about siblings and all the crab with them and some topics didn't mattered to him.
He often hung up with Tommy who bullied him in the elementary school but this was irrelevant. Tommy and Steve were a dynamical duo. They grew popular a reason for that is because their parents, mostly their dads are working for a big company in town.
Until high school they both kind of ruled the school. Tommy had many girlfriends unlike Steve; this wasn't him, he always loved Y/N but he couldn't show it because then Tommy would leave him and he would be alone; he was scared that the trio wouldn't incorporate him anymore.
Sometimes they bullied Y/N and her friends but mostly Jonathan.
In her sophomore year Nancy somehow end up with Steve, it can be said that it is for Steve mostly to become maybe a little part of their group of four, maybe he has feelings for her but he isn't sure but he thinks it will work out; Nancy on the other hand has a real crush on Steve and would do anything to be with him.
First Y/N was jealous how Nancy could take Steve to her boyfriend after the Henderson girl talked all the years about Steve being her crush. But at some point it didn't bothered her anymore. Y/N distanced herself from Nancy and get along with Jonathan alone. Both of them didn't talked that much.
Sometimes at lunch Barb sat down at the table of the duo of Jonathan and Y/N; the three of them talked about school and the favourute couple.
When the school ends Y/N always has to wait for her brother if he didn't drove home with his bike.
Finally home she walked right into the dining room to eat with her family.
Everyday Claudia Henderson asks her children how the school went and how the breaks were.
Almost everyday she gets the same answers
"it was okay mom."
"Nothing really happened".
The Henderson dad wasn't home really often; he travels around the world to meet chefs of companies.
Although he got this 'big' job his children are like nerds, rejects in school.
They both never made his job as a big deal Tommy and Steve did but it's totally okay for the Henderson kids they are happy with the friends they have.
Y/N was allowed to leave the room so she walked to hers and began to do her homework.
After a few minutes there were knocks on the door.
"Y/N?" Dustin opened the door and looked into the room.
"Dusti. What's wrong?" He came into the room and sat down on her bed.
"Mom said I'm not allowed to meet Mike and the others tomorrow at his. But she did not forbid that if you'll drive me I can visit them. So please Y/N we want to play dungeons and dragons. We worked so hard to play it." His bigger sister stand up and walked over to him.
"Dustin have you asked her that? Under this condition?"
"Mm no... but I will. I'm coming back in a few" Dustin ran out of the room and Y/N only heard the voices of her brother and mother.
"I'm allowed. Maybe can you drive me right now?" Y/N looked down to her little brother.
"I think you forgot something."
Fridays; the Henderson siblings days; they sit down in self-made fort out of pillows and blankets and watch movies.
"It's Friday right?" She only nodded. "MOVIE NIGHT" Dustin screamed.
"Dustin" their mother yelled from downstairs.
"Sorry" he screamed down again.
"So you want to do that or not?"
"Of course I will." Dustin leaves the room again to go in his and change his clothes as well Y/N did the same and after a few minutes they met in the living room and started the movies.
And what is a movie night without horror movies? Right, nothing.
Dustin is not the one who really like those movies but for his older sister he is doing everything so an hour in the movie Dustin is cuddled up with a pillow in front of his face and Y/N arms around him.
"Oh no little Dusti. It's almost over" she gave him a kiss on the forehead.
Moments later the doorbell rings. "Who is this?" Y/N wanted to open the door but Dustin put her even closer.
"Don't leave me, please" so the both kids stand up and walked over to the door.
"Lucas what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to drive to Mikes he asked me if maybe we could come right now to him so we can start in the morning with d&d" Dustin has detached himself from his sister after Y/N opened the door.
Right now he is looking to her. "Please Y/N that would be great and I will love you so much more" he embraced her to convinced her even more.
"Dustin it's movie night.." she has sadness in her voice but tried to cover it.
"But yeah it's okay. Mom isn't home either."
"Thank you Y/N that's great you're the best sister in the world."
"I'm your only you little dibshit." Dustin smirked and ran upstairs to get his clothes.
"Okay so Dustin have a good night and don't stay awake that long and don't eat too much."
"Do you pick me up tomorrow?"
"Cause mom think I'm gonna do it? I think you're old enough to drive with the bike. Are Will and Lucas driving with them too?" Lucas only nodded.
"Yeah I think it's okay but when I have to pick you up call me, okay?" Dustin nodded and gave his sister a hug and left the house.
Y/N went upstairs to her room again and sat down at her table and began to write a letter.
Dearest Steve,
Thanks for the memories that you gave me over all those years. I really appreciate that we were friends until Tommy our biggest enemy brought us apart. I did everything for you even if it seemed impossible and crazy. I love you from the first day and I will always gonna love you.
Even if you'll never get this letter I want you to know that you're my everything, my life and my best friend.
I hate being apart from you and not talking to you kills me. Every time I see you and Nancy kissing it kills myself. I'm dead inside and you left. You gave me power to life; to hold on but then you left.
Puberty really changed you just as Tommy did.
33 notes · View notes
darkpoisonouslove · 3 years
Text
Winx Club Season 5 Thoughts Part 1
It’s been so hard for me to make myself start this season because I know it only goes downhill from here but here I am at last. I don’t remember anything from this season and am prepared to hate the transformations (Harmonix because it’s impractical and Sirenix because it’s ugly) so let’s do this.
- I already hate the hair and I haven’t made it past the intro yet. This is promising.
- This is off to a great start. I got the wrong episode. Not by my mistake, however. Now that I found the actual first one, let’s actually do this.
5x01:
- It’s weird to see magic so publicly on Earth. At least they’re having fun. Though, I have to say that I am not a fan of the idea of them having a band. And they have unfair advantage over every other Earth band because they can do their own advertizing without having to pay a cent and it will still be better than any other band can afford since it’s magic. They should have just dropped the band.
- I am gagging over the fact that they have Roxy praise Bloom for the help but not the other Winx girls. They were all there for her and fought to protect her and tried to teach her magic. And at one point she even said she wanted to be like Stella. But now she says that only Bloom is like a big sister. Obviously a plot device to bring in Daphne since she will be resurrected this season and they have to set it up. Especially after season 4 forgot all about her. I am still gagging, though.
- You know, I could have loved the whole ecological message but I am pretty sure they are going to fuck it up anyway. Or just not take it anywhere.
- Ugh, Helia’s hair is so ugly. But at least Sky’s is as well. But what is that box Sky has? Not another engagement ring, please, for the love of everything sacred!
- Ahh, pendant. Yeah, their relationship is going so well that they will need magic to keep it in tact. Though, good luck for both of them will be to just split up and find someone that is actually good for them. Also, why doesn’t Brandon know about that? He is literally the squire and best friend of the prince.
- Poor Layla. She must be missing Nabu like crazy. Please, let her have a season to mourn and don’t shove a new love interest in her face right away. It took her a season and a half to get the first one and he was killed. She needs some fucking time!
- Love that everyone agrees that Sky’s hair is terrible. Even Bloom’s “It looks... great” sounds like a lie.
- Why is Sky going back to Red Fountain? Didn’t he finish that? God, just let them move on already. Also, he is not A Crown Prince now. He was the Crown Prince ever since he was born. He was crowned as the king of Eraklyon. Man, are they retconning everything?
- If Bloom cared so much about what he had to say, she could have asked Musa to give them a sec. I like the little Flora and Sky interaction, though. If only it could have been on a topic different than Bloom. I wish the Specialists would interact with Winx other than their girlfriends more. It would sell the friend group vibe better.
- Aww, I wish Layla wouldn’t hide her pain over Nabu. She probably doesn’t want to affect the others with it and doesn’t want them fretting over her either but this is just so sad.
- Love how Bloom doesn’t even remember Tressa. For a moment there I thought that it was her getting crowned which would have been cooler but yeah. Also, Nereus and Tritannus are almost identical. What the hell makes Nereus hot and Tritannus not? I am so annoyed I started rhyming.
- I love the idea of underwater tech!
- Lmao, gotta love how the king has already picked a favorite. And it doesn’t seem to be a recent choice either. Idk about Tritannus yet, but I don’t like this guy. I am all for him being attacked. He even reacted like an absolute asshole. He reminds me of Erendor.
- Ah, of course. Trident. We couldn’t possibly have another weapon when it comes to merfolk.
- Tbh Tressa would be the best ruler. She seems to have learned her lesson and become braver. And if she’s protecting her brother and doing all the work anyway, why not just crown her?
- Didn’t Flora tell him to wait until he is alone with Bloom? Why did he think a good moment to give her the pendant would be when Layla is visibly worried about what is going on and everyone is there with them? I wish he’d drop it and it would break.
- How the fuck can Flora tell that there is oil spilling into the ocean? The ocean is Layla’s domain and Flora has never been shown to be able to communicate with marine plant life.
- I hate how they had to show that Timmy is obviously physically weaker than Sky. It would’ve made sense for him to had built some muscle at the very least after 4-5 years in Red Fountain.
- How the hell did Tecna delete the oil? You can’t just erase matter out of existence. There should be a rule against that.
- Yeah, I was just going to say that closing the pipes is not going to work if they don’t stop the flow of oil. The pipes might explode but it will keep spilling. Seriously, this is basic logic. Nice move. Now it will be harder to stop because the spill moved underwater.
- What happened to Layla’s wings? Is the oil sticking to them and hindering their movements? You’d think she could prevent that with magic.
- This is what happens when you carelessly put something so important in your pocket. You don’t even need to be running a rescue mission. There’s a high chance that you’re gonna lose it anyway. Also, love how Bloom just left the other guy to drown and no one else went after him either.
- Layla’s awesome. She even managed to pull that guy out even though she was struggling a lot with it. I hate the fact that they forgot she taught the others a spell to breathe underwater in season 3, though. They could have used it. But of course, that would have probably rendered Harmonix unnecessary.
- Wow, they renovated the whole platform to make it eco? Why don’t they just do that with all of the oil platforms on Earth then? It’s not like it took much effort. I want to add to this that if they’d just done that (which probably would have taken a couple of days), they could have easily defeated Tritannus later because his only source of pollution in the first half of the season has been Earth. Because there is ocean pollution only on Earth, you know. They could have used that to incorporate an ecological message, except that would have taken work on their part. And also, most of the toxic substances Tritannus consumed were spilled on purpose by the Trix. So there goes a great wasted opportunity for a thematic message.
5x02:
- Here are my bad bitches. What the hell are they doing underwater, though? It’s kinda cruel to put them in a prison that forces them to use magic if they want to survive it. What happens if they tire out? They could die,
- Aaaand for some reason Bloom is the vocalist of the band even though Musa is literally the fairy of music and the only one that was initially having a contract signed.
- I hope nobody is expecting any commentary from me on the musical performances because I am telling you from now that I will be skipping absolutely all of them.
- The selkies look ridiculous. I could appreciate the idea of having small beings being powerful guardians but they will certainly not serve any greater purpose than the pixies did so this is going to be annoying at best. Also, the selkie of Earth was still there even when the fairies weren’t, right? This somehow implies that magical beings couldn’t stop the disasters that mankind causes to Earth even though the previous season said that it was the disappearance of fairies that threw the Earth into chaos.
- Aww, look at Stella and Brandon! So good when there’s no stupid drama.
- People really went cleaning the beach not just willingly but enthusiastically? That sounds a little unbelievable. I mean, they were supposed to be at a concert and that was an abrupt change.
- Correction, I wish Sky hadn’t lost the pendant so that he could have given it to her and this would have been over. Now he is going to sulk about it for ages and he is probably going to fuck up in a self-fulfilled prophecy kinda manner and I am so not here for it. Just shut up about Bloom and Sky and focus on the action, please.
- Well, Icy is now canonically a monster fucker. Even though she thought Valtor was ugly as hell in season 3 when he turned into a demon. He was uglier than Tritanus in all fairness but still. This seems inconsistent. And I hate her voice. Not to mention that she is already acting OOC when she’s not thinking about getting out even but about fucking him. Come on!
- Is the whole turning into a monster thing some sort of reverse Beauty and the Beast? That could have been interesting... but, of course, this is Winx.
- Yep, the selkies are absolutely useless.
- If the Trix don’t have powers, then how are they breathing underwater? Also, how does toxic waste restore ice and storm powers (there is some connection to darkness at least)? And if they went that route, they could have made their powers have an element of toxicity to them to make it more interesting instead of just having a guy boost their powers yet again. Honestly, the only good thing that came out of this is that Darcy and Stormy seem to be thinking more independently now which would be necessary in order for the DramaTM between the Trix later (that is just about the only thing I remember from this season).
- I wish Darcy would have used her hypnotic powers more in the previous seasons. They are so cool and would be pretty hard to deal with once you’re hit. It could have made for more interesting fights.
- If Tritannus was good, he could actually help cleanse the oceans by sucking out all toxic waste. He likes being a monster anyway.
- Okay, but the Trix know Bloom is from Earth. They should have known it was Winx from the second they felt the fairy magic in the air. That took them long enough btw.
- Of course, the monsters can also go on land even though they are mer-creatures. Makes perfect sense.
- Love how Musa and Flora are using new spells yet they look and act exactly the same way like the old ones so it is just same shit, different story. The writers are so unoriginal.
- Layla is strong! And Winx seem to be a little too strong against the Trix. Although, Believix is supposed to be really powerful anyway.
- This could have been the perfect setup for an Icy x Bloom romance. Sky lost the pendant so his relationship with Bloom is doomed and he later lost his memory so why not just break them up. Diaspro can have him if she still wants him (I don’t know why she would but anyway) and Bloom can get with Icy after Icy realizes Tritannus is not the right one for her. Everyone wins, especially, us, the audience. And it could have been a good way to show that Diaspro has reformed and she and Sky could actually be an okay couple. Or better yet, she dumps him and gets together with Bloom and Icy.
- Layla just kicked Tritanus in the face. Boy, I stan! And the underwater battle with weapons instead of magic is super cool, I love it! Wish there’d been more of that but, of course, only Layla can pull that off and we can’t spend more than a minute focusing on anyone else other than Bloom. Why didn’t Tritannus recognize Layla, though? Or did he just not care?
- Icy crying out for help? By a man? So not here for this. It is ridiculously out of character. How is he so powerful? Once again the villain is so strong it is a wonder they ever got to live long enough to get to the finale let alone defeat him.
5x03:
- Well, Winx sure are at the top of the popularity wave again despite the last time we saw them at Alfea being very different. Also, why is it the beginning of another school year yet again? Honestly, I am so sick of all of this.
- Sky is seriously annoying me with that stupid pendant and he is also the one that is fucking up their relationship with his stupid behavior. He should just focus on being a good boyfriend and do the best he can. I get it that in a world of magic superstitions probably have more merit, but he still has control over his own life and the choices he makes. He can “save” their relationship despite the omen of doom.
- Ugh, don’t tell me there will be Helia and Flora drama in this season to compensate for the lack of such in the last? Why did he only introduce Flora as his friend and not as his girlfriend? And how is he so close with the princess of Linphea? Is he from Linphea as well?
- I agree with Stella. Just when we all thought they were done, they started making even more transformations.
- I don’t think we’ve seen Daphne be anything but calm but it’s understandable when she is talking about the thing that made her a disembodied spirit. Still it feels weird to see her not believe that Bloom can handle whatever comes her way. Especially after the defeat of the Ancestral Witches. I guess that is what bugs me in this scene.
- Wow, Darcy admitted that Winx are stronger than them and neither Icy, nor Stormy protested? It’s good that they’re self-aware. It just seems a little OOC. And another power up in two consecutive episodes? Seriously? Will they ever get anything done on their own again?
- At least Sky is asking for advice. I am surprised that they are letting him interact with Flora yet again but I actually kinda like it.
- Why are they all gasping in surprise. They have been to the archive already when Bloom stole the Codex in season 2. It is the same room; they have seen it. Get over it already.
(- *sigh* I just lost my thoughts on half the episode. This season is not agreeing with me.)
- Flora was acting weird while Crystal was helping Helia. It was kind of like she was mad it was Crystal who could save him and not her and that is weird for Flora. I think she would have just been grateful he was saved.
- I suffer when the books suffer... and they did suffer a lot in this episode. Also, how come Stormy is creating life again? This still doesn’t make sense to me but compared to other things, it is more minor.
- I love Darcy’s hypnotic powers and the fact that she was using them on Stella. I think I might be starting to seriously consider this ship (as opposed to just entertaining the possibility of a cool dynamic between them). I mean, Stella looked like she’s seen the hottest new fashion collection and I know it was the magic but still. I kinda want a Darcy who is on her own (without her sisters) and manipulating/spelling Stella into being with her so that she could make place for herself in the Solarian court. And then she falls in love, of course.
- Just please tell me Sky won’t be without his memories for the rest of the season because that will just be too annoying. If they are going for drama, it would be good to at least make it relevant instead of shoving it in there by the ton for the sake of it.
5x04:
- Since when is the whole school so invested in Bloom? They weren’t when she was actually there and even though Winx are kind of legends now, you can bet your ass that there were still fairies that don’t like them. Not to mention that they shouldn’t all know what the hell happened when no one was there to witness it. Why would they let the whole school know if Erendor doesn’t even know yet?
- You are seriously telling me that Stella hadn’t considered being a fashion designer before? Really????? She literally spent her summer after season 1 as an intern for a fashion magazine and has been designing clothes since about the same time. This is just too dumb for words.
- Love how adorably awkward Timmy is. And I love that Tecna doesn’t mind at all. They are just too cute together!
- Ooh, tension between the Trix. That is interesting. Or at least would have been if it were focused more on the power balance in their own dynamic rather than on hate vs love for Tritannus. Why does everything have to be about guys?
- At least Flora seems to like Crystal now which is cool. But I cannot express how annoyed I am by the fact that the whole thing with the pendant is preventing him from getting his memories back. And the stupid thing is that this actually has potential. Losing the pendant could be the peak of Sky’s guilt towards Bloom for all the pain he’s caused her (about Diaspro and not only) and that could be very interesting to explore but this show will never go that deep. It’ll just remain as wasted potential. Just like everything else is.
- Okay, why does no one ever start with amnesia patients by asking them how they would like to go about things, how they feel? Stuff like that.
- Tecna really turned into a robot. Again, no fucking magical system to explain how you can turn a human into a robot. Plus, this could be interesting as well and also really deep but, again, this is Winx. It is not going to be deep. Even though they could have done so much with that premise and given Tecna a really cool arc.
- Ah, yes, I forgot to mention this while I was on the previous episode. I am done with Neptune being so dismissive and even aggressive against his other son. Like, maybe if you had tried some parenting, none of this would have come to pass. Just a thought. I am not saying that parents can prevent any bad choices their kids make but I am saying that he doesn’t look like he tried too hard to be a good dad. Nereus only turned out okay because they are twins and one of them has to be good while the other is evil. I am glad at least someone is trying to reach Tritannus even if he is beyond saving.
- Oh, off, Tritanus is not messing around. You know what? I actually like that. It was about time they made the villains as ruthless as they are trying to make them out to be. Even if I feel bad for his family because they just wanted to help him.
- Why do the selkies talk in the third person? They just went from useless to majorly annoying.
- Why don’t they just go get Faragonda? She may at least know what they are dealing with and possibly clue them in on how to unspell Tecna. They don’t have to reinvent the wheel, just find someone who knows how it was made.
- Great, they just set fire to the archive and nobody bothered to put it out. And they also released the elements in there. The question remains - will the archive survive their search for the Sirenix book? (What the hell were those other books, though? I would like to know where they came from.)
- Okay, but wasn’t the book Tecna opened cursed? What happened to that? And why did the spell on her phone only activate after she opened the book? This doesn’t make sense.
5x05:
- I am very confused about the order of episodes. “The Lilo” should be before “The Power of Harmonix” because they are still using their Believix powers but it makes more sense for the Harmonix episode to be after “The Book of Sirenix”. Anyway, I am watching “The Lilo” because Wikipedia says it’s the fifth episode even though it looks more like filler that wasn’t even meant to be in the season.
- At least we get to see Flora do something this time. She is the most neglected and it’s good to see her use magic for something else other than growing ivy. Seriously, Flo, chill with the ivy.
- “When I think of you, Helia, I believe in myself.” Because she can’t believe in herself if she doesn’t have a boyfriend. The intro is so totally right! What a way to show girl power!
- Why is the animation overly flowy? Is it because it is closer to 3D in order to tie better with the actual 3D later on? It kinda pokes out your eyes sometimes. Or at least mine.
- Someone remembered that the Whisperian Crystals were a thing. I love how they just made them sort of like GPS for magical objects even though they were only supposed to track the Dragon Fire. Proof of that is the fact that they never used them to track the Ring of Solaria even though they wanted it as well. So this is just a cop out to give them a chance to find the Lilo.
- Of course, the Lilo is in the possession of Mitzi’s little sister. Why wouldn’t it be?
- Gotta love how even the writers realized that it was too convenient for everything to be in Gardenia so they started making up excuses for it.
- Wait, how does Mitzi know who the Trix are? Have they... They haven’t met, right? What the hell? Also, Icy was literally standing in front of Macy but she couldn’t just grab the plant herself and had to order Darcy and Stormy to do it? Lazy much?
- Darcy’s powers are going back to their peak this season and I am so here for it.
- Flora legit just hit Icy with her shield. That was a good move and a little more aggressive than I would have expected from Flora but I’m not complaining.
- Great way to almost hit Macy, Stella.
- There was zero point to this episode. I guess they just had to do something to get them to a total of 26 episodes. And putting it right before the episode in which they get Harmonix is just ridiculous because they just powered up their Believix... right before they’ll stop using it.
5x06:
- They can’t even open the Book of Sirenix? Huh, that’s... kinda interesting actually.
- Oh, come on! Just when Bloom was making progress, Crystal brings in Diaspro. You have to love how the writers are implying that Crystal is no good by having her being friends with Diaspro. I thought we were over the Crystal drama but it looks like there will be more. And why is Bloom not losing her mind? Diaspro literally mind controlled Sky! Goddammit, it’s in situations like this I wish I could trust Erendor to do the best for his son! If Bloom could trust he wouldn’t side with Diaspro, she could have called him to let him make sure Diaspro stays away from Sky.
- Oh, they can lose their powers if they fail the quest? I like that! Extra stakes besides the Tritannus situation. This feels more intense now and I am here for it.
- I like the implication that there are other great fairies in the Magic Dimension and it’s not just Winx. Less so fond of the fact that the other fairies seem to be underhanded but I’ll take what I can get.
- Awwwww! That scene with Stella, Tecna and Musa was so precious! I love Stella’s joking and the fact that Tecna is so upset about what happened but she still believes their reassurances! And Musa saying she might start talking about her mother... *sob* This is so precious! They are opening up to each other even more than they have already! And about the tough topics. Ah, my heart!
- Okay, I kinda like the solidarity between Bloom and Layla. Also, the fact that Flora finally figured out what they are doing. Though, that’s kinda weird to me. Flora has been more wary of the reckless plans but I don’t think she would put her powers above her friends and possibly Layla’s whole realm if not the whole universe.
- Really wish it would have been someone else that had saved the horse and not Bloom.
- “Shadow hand”? Man, I was right. Darcy’s powers are peaking! Also, whatever spell Icy used on Winx to make it harder for them to move was super cool as well. I like it.
- They have to complete the Quest in one lunar cycle? That’s 28 days... On Earth. Maybe they should have specified which moon. Since Solaria has 2 suns there are probably millions of moons out there. Okay, that isn’t working out and I wish they had been more specific with it. This episode had some cool stuff about the Magic Dimension already and they could have done more. Anyway, one lunar cycle sounds like a short time but since it’s Winx, it is probably a long time.
- Oh, they just all got Harmonix without doing anything in order to earn it. Greaaaaat. And I have to say that the Harmonix design is so impractical. Why so many veils? They’re just gonna boggle them down. Of course, nothing ever gets wet on shows but seriously? If you’re fighting with someone, they can grab you by the veils or the veils can tangle around you and become the reason for your demise. This is stupid.
- Okay, so Tecna was being really insecure but they left her behind in the search of the Gem of Self-confidence? Like, you just threw away a golden opportunity. I am into the idea that they are going in the Magical Reality Chamber to still be at the place of the action so to speak and be able to help the rest better, though.
- Love the idea of the boat that can go to any water body. I would like one. Less so enthused about the contradiction in this very episode. Stella was complaining about wearing heels when she could have just changed with magic. The proof is right there since she changed hers, Bloom’s and Layla’s whole outfits just about 10 minutes later. This is ridiculous.
- Not @ the way the writers already threw Roy in despite the fact that it has been just five episodes since the beginning of the season. Also not @ the way he seems to be the stereotypical “girls need my protection” guy. Wish Layla would just keep not liking him. But they are probably trying to emulate what happened with Nabu at first. Ugh, I hate this so much I can’t even tell you.
- Oh, come on! They’ll be bonding with the selkies now? Let me guess, that was only written so that the selkies can get their powers back through the bonds, So Tritannus will enter the Infinite Ocean with the stolen selkie powers and Winx will enter it with help from their bonded selkies. This is so transparent, I can’t even. Also, totally needed their selkies to be matching the color of their Harmonix. I mean, how else are you gonna tell that they’re their bonded selkies? Not like they have personalities or are relevant in any way. Also, can another fairy bond with a selkie that has been “taken”? Like, there is a pixie for every fairy but the selkies are much less so... what the hell? This doesn’t make any sense.
- I hate what they did with the challenge for self-confidence. They could have done so much better. But first, Bloom’s test is all about Sky (which is dumb as fuck because it literally tells you their relationship is the biggest source of insecurity in her life) and Stella’s is about her not having confidence in her fashion taste? Really? Layla’s was most cutting as always but they didn’t even try to make it hard. It was so obvious that Nabu was an illusion because he was being cruel to her and the real Nabu would never. They should have gone for something else that would have really made her struggle with figuring out it is not real. Plus, by figuring out it is not real, she didn’t exactly confront her issue with confidence. And Bloom and Stella couldn’t even break out of it on their own and needed her help. How is that successfully passing the test?!?!?!?! And I was just starting to think that this could be getting better. It was I who should have known better.
5x07:
- Aww, I love how dedicated Stella is to knowing stuff about Solaria. She is going to be a precious queen. Also, her guardian of Sirenix is so beautiful.
- Ugh, the Trix are pulled apart again. I hate it. Darcy and Stormy do have a point. I just wish Icy would keep her head in the game. Also, do they sleep out in the open? In a swamp or whatever the hell that is?
- Wow, Sky that has no memory treats Bloom better than Sky that has memory of her. Interesting. Like, if he can calm her worries about Diaspro so easily when he doesn’t even remember how much he loves her, why didn’t he do that in the previous seasons? Honestly.
- Roy is annoying me just by cheering for Winx. This is not going well.
- Oh, damn, Flora got turned into stone. What did Tritannus do to that jellyfish? Turn it into Medusa (lmao, fun fact - jellyfish is called medusa [more like meduza but still] in Bulgarian)? Seriously. And why is Flora the one saving the selkies when she is the only one that isn’t bonded to any?
- Since the Trix also didn’t put any work into earning their powers, it is only fair that Winx get a free upgrade as well. I am just glad that at least the Harmonix spells look differently even though they function in the same generic way.
- Hey, Sky is actually starting to remember? Good. I was prepared to suffer through this amnesia arc up until 5x13 at least but now I have timid hope that it will not last that long. I guess the writers haven’t heard of muscle memory, however.
- How did the Gem of Confidence turn Flora back into herself when the jellyfish that turned her into stone had nothing to do with it? It was Tritannus’ doing and not even intentional. It shouldn’t have had petrifying powers in the first place. None of this makes any sense. Not to mention that the Gem somehow multiplied to six gems. I mean, really? Would’ve been much better if they could only choose to complete one box aka everyone else would lose their powers but then through their shared goal (aka Faragonda telling them that they have to be of one mind and heart) they could have all gotten the Sirenix. Just no other powers. That would have been way more interesting (obviously Layla would be the one whose box they’d complete and I don’t believe the Dragon Fire can be extinguished anyway so Bloom could even have a loophole out of that). And besides, they don’t use the old transformations anyway.
5x08:
- Stella is rocking that outfit. But why streaks? Stella, no!
- Tecna and Timmy are absolutely adorable with their mega nerdiness. I love it.
- Jeez, really? Sky is a better dancer with amnesia than Brandon is? I mean, this could have been plausible if they hadn’t established already in the previous episode that his muscle memory has fucked off into oblivion as well. Otherwise, yes. As royalty, he is probably better at dancing. Even though battle requires a lot of coordination as well. But nice of Kiko to try to help.
- Come on, Stella, you’re being insensitive. You would be “moping” too if Brandon had died. Please, don’t try to set Layla up with guys. Just give her some time to grieve!
- I don’t know what Stella expected. Of course, Layla is going to get offended by that. She doesn’t want company, she wants Nabu back.
- Oh, come on! Musa really got mad at Riven just because he liked the music another girl was playing? What, is he supposed to only listen to her music now? She isn’t even the vocalist of their band.
- They only have 10 days left to complete the missions? When did they manage to waste so much time? Like, they legit got the first thing done in one day. Where did the other go?
- Tressa has had so much growth since season 3. I love her. Really wish they’d let her be queen. But wtf, why can the king know what all of his subjects are doing? That is so invasive. Also, Layla should not be in the range of his powers. Man, the writers are really pulling some bullshit here.
- You’d think the selkies will learn that they can’t stop Tritanus and will try to not get in his way so that he wouldn’t get to steal their powers. But nope, they are both useless and stupid.
- Okay, Stella did mess up and she should have known why what she did was a bad idea but Layla giving her the silent treatment is not going to help either. I hope that the fact that Musa is dealing with the loss of her mother can help the two of them patch things up as well. Maybe there will be a lesson in this for both of them.
- Now it makes sense why Musa turned into an ocean type of monster. And this is a good opportunity for Stella and Layla to find their balance again and help save Musa.
- Stella’s attacks are still hurting Musa. And wouldn’t it make more sense for Layla to use her powers to stop her? She could make a net with morphix that will be both more reliable and less harmful for Musa. Seriously, why do they always make the dumbest choices possible?
- You know what would have been more interesting? If the healing of the bond could only work one way and the selkie didn’t get her powers back. They could have brought in Galatea to also bond with her in order to restore her powers later on so that they could enter the Infinite Ocean. That would have been more creative. But nah.
- Stella’s sudden understanding of Layla really came out of nowhere. And it felt like Layla only forgave her because she didn’t want to fight with her anymore, not because she was truly okay with what Stella did. This could have been done so much better.
- These Sirenix quests are so convenient. They all have to do with places the girls know and clues they have history with. It would have been much harder if they had to go to planets they don’t know how to navigate and a better way to do more worldbuilding.
- Bloom really can’t take 10 days away from the Sky mess? They can literally lose their powers forever which could mean handing Tritannus victory but she is more concerned with Sky’s memory that can possibly only get better in the next ten days while she focuses on the mission? Oh, come on!
- They are really trying to push hard the idea that Bloom and Sky are destined to be together. Also, now that they found the shell, can Sky’s memory block disappear? It would make sense. Please, just end this already.
5x09:
- Really? Bloom is sensing that something is wrong with Daphne but Marion isn’t? This could have been a cool moment to bring in the fact that their parents are back. Especially since Bloom isn’t going to do shit about it. I mean, how dense is she that she didn’t recognize the clouds of pollution hanging around Daphne in her dream? Could have at least tried to contact Daphne to make sure she was okay. Especially since she knows that Daphne talks to her through her dreams and that has been A Thing since season 1. I just... cannot.
- I... don’t even know what to say about Stella here. On the one hand I understand her frustration as she feels like no one supports her passion for fashion but on the other hand... Stella, no! Brandon was right that she needs to consider other people’s feelings sometimes, though, I’d say none of Winx exhibited particularly high levels of empathy here except maybe Flora.
- Oh, Tecna. On the one hand I want to say that there shouldn’t be a reason to feel nervous face to face with Timmy when they get along so well, but on the other, we have all experienced what she’s talking about. Texting can be so much easier sometimes even if it can also be dangerous because it lacks the context of body language.
- Seriously? We’re gonna make it through all the girls’ planets. I said it before and I’ll say it again, but this Sirenix Quest sure is damn convenient. At least it is kinda ironic that the Gem of Empathy is on Zenith since they seem to rely on technology more.... Man, that could have been an awesome opportunity to make Zenith more three dimensional by explaining that they develop so much technology so that they could make the lives of everyone easier when they have digital assist aka their focus on technology is driven by empathy. But again, that is just too deep for this show.
- Oh, come on! Stella really turned into a three-year-old? Why the hell would there be an age-changer spell in the pin? This doesn’t make sense. And again, a fucking wasted opportunity. Stella was running low on empathy here so including her in the search for the Gem of Empathy would have provided way more character development than this shit right here. I would have sent Stella, Tecna and Musa to get the Gem and Bloom, Flora and Layla to go look for Daphne. Or better yet, Stella and Tecna for the Gem, Musa and Layla after Tritannus and Bloom and Flora to check on Daphne.
- Is Layla ever going to use her Harmonix powers? Seriously, she has transformed how many times now and I can’t remember her using any of her new magic.
- Why is Layla now smiling at Roy even though she never transitioned from “annoyed” to “friendly teasing”? I hate this so much.
- It must be weird for Brandon to see his girlfriend as a three-year-old while he is still twenty. Like, that will make for a fun conversation once the spell wears off.
- It is so goddamn obvious that Tritannus has been there! Like, did the clouds of pollution not tip you off?????? Honestly, why don’t any of them have normal rationalizing abilities? It is a simple deduction! You don’t need the selkies to tell you! Besides, didn’t they already say that he crossed over to Zenith? This is like looking between a needle and a single straw of hay and having to point out which is the needle and they are failing!
- Shoot, I thought “where the one looks over the many” was supposed to be something of a mathematical riddle or something that would have to make Tecna focus on the whole rather than the details. The throne thing? Just... meh.
- I would have preferred it if their test of empathy involved something that was already inside them and came from themselves rather than them being placed under a spell by the Gem. It could have brought out their most unempathetic thoughts but I still think there was a better way to do this, and a more emotional one.
- Seriously?????? I mean, FOR REAL?!?!?!?!?! THAT is what they had to do to get the gem???????????????????????????????????????????????????? They didn’t even resolve their issues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did they prove they were worthy of having it. God, I hate this.
- How did the age-changer spell had any bearing on the plot or the characters? It literally didn’t do anything for Stella or Flora, Musa and Brandon for that matter. They had so many amazing opportunities in this episode and they were all wasted. I just... *frustrated sigh*
5x10:
- Is it just me or is the idea to put the Christmas filler episode right a couple of days before the deadline for the Sirenix Quest the worst idea ever? Well, not the worst because this show is just full of bad ideas but still somewhere up there with the big guys.
- I was gonna get incredibly angry if they’d made Christmas be a thing in the Magic Dimension but they got at least that right. And that way it’s cute that Bloom gets to introduce her friends to a new holiday. They all got so excited about the presents! Adorable! The only thing that would have made this better was if she’d invited Marion and Oritel to Mike and Vanessa’s as well to celebrate together.
- I was ready to hate this episode but it has actually caught my attention. Love how the Trix decided the magic of Christmas is literal magic and they want to steal it from Bloom. This is actually exactly what a funny filler episode should be like.
- Aww, a surprise Musa and Riven moment. That was adorable.
- Am I the only one who is getting Yu Gi Oh vibes from this monster? Okay, four monsters (Why four? That is so random. Three would have made more sense.). They just remind me too much of Blue Eyes White Dragon.
- You know what would be really cool? If Stella made a cage with mirrors at key places to reflect the light beam she shoots at the creatures so that it would keep running through the cage to stop them from reforming.
- Oh, wow. Faragonda showed up. I never thought that would happen. Not that she’s been much use. Like, you fought the Ancestral Witches! Surely, there has to be something you can do! Not to mention that how the hell did the Trix get magic of the darkest order? That’s just bullshit.
- You know what? I would be more worried about the fact that they may not be able to break the spell before they run out of water and food and other essentials. Like, the Christmas thing is upsetting but not a priority right now,
- Okay, the Trix are inside the ice dome but the ice dragons aren’t? That seems like a hole in their plan.
- The others got the spirit but they a little confused. Bloom doesn’t just miss Christmas but spending it with her family and they can’t give her that. Though, none of them didn’t even try to teleport. Depending on the way you do it, maybe they could have gotten out.
- This episode is kinda all over the place but at least it has that cool vibe from season 1 when they got to actually just chill around the school and do some fun stuff. Actually put time in just being friends. Oh, and the friendship charm bracelets are really cute! I love them.
- You know they don’t have what to put in an episode when they give the full transformations twice. Nice job, there.
- Making a hole in the dome does not sound like the best course of action because Winx could have just gotten out of there and forced the Trix to chase them. But no one thought of that.
- I feel second hand embarrassment on Icy’s behalf. If she ever gets to learn that she misunderstood about the magic of Christmas, that is. The way things are going, Bloom is gonna blast them out of the dimension without ever revealing that this was all for nothing.
- Well, Bloom could have just used her Dragon Fire to destroy the ice dragons the moment they appeared and none of that would have happened but why the hell would she do that? I have to say that I would have preferred it if Winx and the Specialists had gone to Gardenia instead of having Gardenia go to Alfea. Like, I get it that they wanted to make Christmas touch the Magic Dimension as well but Alfea has never celebrated a Zenithian-specific holiday for example or a Solarian one. It just makes the whole Winx universe a little too focused on Bloom again.
5x11:
- Omg, I am feeling so bad for Daphne. Hasn’t she suffered enough? Though, I have to say that I am at least glad Icy came up with a decent plan for counteraction this time even if it is cruel. At least it makes sense!
- Why the hell is the wind-rider competition held in Alfea? It should have been in Red Fountain but I guess the animators couldn’t be bothered to pull out their old animation of it and remember how to draw it.
- Bloom giving Sky a pep talk was kinda cute. I get why he would be nervous and it was cool that she did her best to help him. And that moment with throwing some harmless magic his way to show him his own reflexes was actually smart and hella cute as well. I just wish they wouldn’t have gone for the “he is the best Specialist ever to live” thing again but I’ll take it as his friends telling a white lie to soothe his anxiety.
- So the Trix are just being bullies for no reason at all. Also, they already used that invisibility spell when they messed with Tecna’s phone. Or at least it looked the same.
- Poor Kiko. Getting accused for something he didn’t do and then also being attacked by clones. But was it that only he could see them? Because otherwise, it should have tipped Bloom off that something’s wrong.
- They don’t need to remind us every time that there is no time to waste for the Sirenix Quest. We get it. And even if I had the episodes spaced out by weeks, I doubt I would forget that they have a time limit considering that this is not plot heavy and they have mentioned it, like, a million times already.
- Oh, they’re going to Linphea next. Look, even Tecna noticed that all the parts of the Quest have been on their home planets.
- Wow, Flora, you think the flower might be on your planet? Damn, girl, you’re such a genius. No one would have ever guessed. They have an ocean of flowers and she is still not sure? W.O.W.
- Love how it took Faragonda and Saladin a solid minute to interfere. Not like they were in a war or anything and should be 100% prepped to deal with crises. Why would you think that? And Griselda (and the other Alfea teachers) didn’t even get to do anything. Not to mention that Mirta has been studying at Alfea for a forth year now and she didn’t even try to fire at the beasts... You know, what could be considered an instinctive reaction.
- “Only one more keeper...”? Yeah, because there are only six-seven planets in the whole universe! (Didn’t he already get the powers of the selkie of Earth as well as from everyone’s home planets except for Bloom’s? Who’s gonna restore the Earth selkie’s powers... Wait, is it going to be Roxy? And does that mean we’re finally going to Domino this season?)
- I was gonna ask whatever Roy was gonna do without Layla being there but he isn’t there either. So why was he there the other times if not to drive the boat? They gave him one job to justify his presence and then they took that away as well.
- Funny how it is always the selkies of the girls that have gone on the Quest that appear and not any of the others. One of them (I am not even gonna bother to learn their names) said she could sense the presence of her fairy but still. Though, with their powers restored, I guess they could do that.
- Do I remember wrong or are Flora and her selkie the only ones that actually hugged? Cause that was kinda cute.
- Okay, Sky’s plan was good but did Bloom really need him to pull her out of the way? I am pretty sure she could have done that on her own since it was obvious what the plan was.
- If I were Stella, I’d be worried that a plant might eat me too. Having courage doesn’t mean that you can’t be afraid. It means that you find it in yourself to go on despite the fear. So I’d say Stella is courageous enough.
- Okay, but this plant looks like it was touched by Tritannus’ pollution and so did all the rest of the places from the Quest (except for Melody). So that means that what is happening wouldn’t have happened if not for him aka they aren’t actually completing the Quest because they are fighting Tritannus’ influence on the environment, not performing the tasks from the Quest.
- Good! Tecna and Layla are actually being strategical about this even though all Bloom wants is to hang out with the boyfriend. I wouldn’t mind if she didn’t just get targeted. But why the hell would she care about her safety - or Sky’s for that matter - when they can go on a romantic walk instead?
- Really? They need a translator? Flora has communicated with plants numerous times before. She should be able to understand what the Flower of the Depths is saying to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dear god, the writers are really trying to be as stupid as possible.
- Why didn’t Bloom try to transform before jumping against the Trix? Or at least shoot some magic at them? Once again, how are they still alive?
- Darcy’s powers are awesome and she’s using them well. I love how she pushed Musa in her own trap. But damn, it was harsh of Musa to try to cause the rocks to crush Darcy. I thought the Trix were supposed to be the cruel ones.
- Wow, I thought Icy would have at least a couple broken bones after Layla smashed her in the rock like that but nope. She’s fine.
- Okay, I actually think that Sky and Bloom are cute in this episode, what the hell? I like the fact that they decided to stop trying to get the past back to him. That may even actually help him remember when he’s not stressing and straining to do it. I thought that Bloom meant one of the memories she wants to keep was that of the shell they found, though. Wasn’t that soulmate special or something?
5x12:
- Icy is really not paying attention, huh? I mean, Tritannus saying that he would give her one more chance somehow didn’t sound too reassuring to me. He gave the Trix their powers so he could probably take them away any time he wants and then destroy them. Which sounded exactly like what he was planning to do before Icy convinced him to give her one more chance.
- Well, they noticed the pattern of the Quest running through all their home planets. They could have tried looking for the yellow reef on Domino before asking the guardian of the Sirenix box. Just to do something on their own, you know.
- Who let Bloom go in that dress? Didn’t Tecna say Stella was there as well? How could she let Bloom even put that thing on, let alone wear it to the Domino renewal celebration. Also, why the hell is that happening only now? It has been a season and a half since Domino was restored. I thought this would be the discussion of Tritannus.
- Love how they didn’t even redo the footage from SotLK and just slapped the different art style right in the middle of the one from season 5. Lazy as lazy gets.
- Um, wasn’t the plan to capture Bloom? And if they changed it to getting Marion and Oritel, why didn’t they try to do that when Bloom wasn’t there? They couldn’t get her but they will somehow get her parents who literally defeated the Ancestral Witches while Bloom and two or three of her friends plus Sky are also there? How does that make sense?
- Oh, come on! The dresses looked much better without the flowers. Also, you’re telling me that Stella made them fit the same theme as Bloom’s but she didn’t have anything to do with Bloom’s dress? This is just... ridiculous. Also, how do flowers relate to Domino? Sparks or even gems would have made better sense. A fire pattern even.
- Marion and Oritel are giving very different vibes from the ones in Magical Adventure and even SotLK (even though they had like five lines each in that one).
- Did Bloom suddenly forget that Sky does not remember how he saved the Sword? And she left him alone even though he doesn’t have his memories? Also, why do none of their parents know about that? And up until this point, there were always three of them going on the Quest. But now that Bloom is actually needed somewhere else she is going even though she could have left it to Stella, Layla and Flora? Come on!
- Didn’t the pendant sink in the ocean on Earth? Where are the selkies now? And how come Flora’s selkie decided that she will know who the pendant belongs to? You know, out of the infinite number of people in the whole universe. The fact that she just so happens to actually know is yet another too convenient convenience but still.
- The mimicry fish are adorable and I love them.
- Wait, can any selkie open any portal? I thought they could only open the portals that they were guarding. But then Winx shouldn’t have been able to pass from Domino back to wherever Tritannus attacked - Andros maybe?
- Love how Marion instantly jumped away when the Trix attacked despite how much her outfit must weigh. And you’re telling me that Oritel is the fighter between the two of them? Yeah, right. Just please, let her use her magic to stop the Trix. We know she has it! Don’t make her look helpless because she is far from it.
- Well, of course, even the oceans of Domino are the best and have the rarest fish even though it is the planet of the Dragon Fire and Andros is the center of all oceans. Makes perfect sense.
- Okay, Marion and Oritel are definitely giving waaaay different vibes from the ones in the movies but I have to say that I kinda like how fierce they are. Not @ Oritel’s “Still have it in you?” because duh, she obviously does and even more so than you do, Oritel, but other than that I love how smoothly they just switch from celebration to a fight that is potentially for their lives. Also, I like that Sky gets to fight with them... Or at least he was supposed to.
- Yes, the one time Bloom is there, the others are completely useless. Also, that thing is not a coral. Wasn’t the Gem supposed to be in the jaws of the coral, not whatever the hell this fish is. And how is it in its mouth? How does it not ingest it when it eats? This doesn’t make sense.
- Love whatever Marion did there with shooting magic out of her sword. However, I don’t like the fact that the writers have forgotten she has magic and is not defenseless without a sword. And how did that trick even work? She could have just turned around and seen that it wasn’t the real Oritel. Not to mention that if Oritel knows the Trix are descendants of the Ancestral Witches, Marion does too aka she should have known that one of them has illusion powers. Given the fact that they fought a whole war against Lysslis, I am pretty sure she has faced similar tricks before and should have known better.
- Please, tell me the creature was supposed to vanish and it wasn’t Bloom that vaporized it from inside. Also, I so totally knew the last gem would be green. It made perfect sense.
- At least they remembered that Oritel’s sword is supposed to be special because it has Dragon Fire in it.
- Bloom and Sky saving her parents “together” makes no sense because Sky doesn’t have magic. So it wasn’t him that helped her save them but the sword.
- Their declarations of love were kinda undermined by him remembering and in such stupid way. Like, all the progress he made in restoring their relationship and even remembering a little wouldn’t have mattered if he hadn’t gotten the pendant back. Aka his blockage wasn’t actually going away. It was still there which means that his emotions were not getting worked out.
- I know Marion and Oritel will not go help save Daphne even though that would be the only logical thing and I am so fucking mad about it, you don’t even know.
5x13:
- Oh, god! They changed even the intro and the 3D animation is as ugly as I remember it to be. Love how they also spoil the fact that the girls will get Sirenix in this episode. Not that the title of the episode doesn’t.
- I have beef with this recap. That fish that had the Gem of Courage was so totally not a shark. It just wasn’t. I’m no shark expert but that was definitely not a shark. It looks like some fish you can find in the depths (I don’t remember their name) but it sure as hell ain’t a fucking shark.
- What training? They need to go get Daphne! Also, they handled Believix just fine. If Alfea had given them proper education, they should be able to control any transformation. Like, those should operate according to some goddamn logic.
- If Daphne hadn’t already told him, then why did she do it now? Man, he should have just made her talk before he told the Trix to leave Domino. Now that they were no longer there, Daphne didn’t have any reason to talk. She must have known that Bloom would find their parents so Tritannus lost his leverage. This is so nonsensical.
- What the hell does it mean that they have to look inside themselves? How is that gonna lead them to lake Roccaluche? The only one connected to it is Bloom because Daphne is her sister. This is ridiculous.
- How big is that lake and why does it look exactly the same way that the sea does? There is a difference between sweet water bodies and salt water bodies and the life inside them, you know, writers.
- Why would there be a protection system to guard the source of a whole ass goddamn transformation? It makes much more sense that anyone could just walk in and destroy it in 0.3 seconds.
- They just had to say that they will keep exhibiting the three virtues the Gems represented in order to get the location of the source of Sirenix? Man, really? Ugh, that is just so... ridiculously frustrating.
- For people who can lose their magic the same day, they sure don’t seem to be worried. Lounging and all.
- They know Tritannus was there. Obviously that is the explanation as to why the selkies did not find them.
- Yes, they totally look like they’ve “got this”.
- I actually liked the fact that Bloom had to give up finding out where Daphne is in order to save the lake. Seeing all the panicked animals rush around really drives home what is going on because they will all die if the lake dries completely.
- Oh, I am totally going to cry over Daphne’s anguish here. This looks so brutal. But here’s a thought for you. The whole power of Sirenix was put under a curse, right? Then why didn’t the Trix get affected by it? And if the Sirenix power is removed from Daphne, shouldn’t the curse disappear as well?
- Love how they forgot about the part where Sirenix was cursed even before Tritannus messed with the source.
- I hate the Sirenix transformation. It is the ugliest one to me and why did they have to go and give them streaks? The 3D look was bad enough already. Only the Trix’ Sirenix design is worse than this. (No, actually whatever the hell is happening to the Trix in the end of season 7 is the worst design idea they have ever had but I haven’t watched that.)
- So they didn’t need the selkies to enter the Infinite Ocean? Then how come that is what Tritannus needed? What the hell is wrong with the logistics of this whole thing?
- Where did all these minions come from? Did whatever he did to the... stone? thingy poison the nearby water and turn all creatures into his minions? Didn’t that work only on merfolk? If so, the Infinite Ocean seems overpopulated.
- They totally could have had Marion and Oritel in this but once Tritannus took Daphne into the Infinite Ocean, they would have needed to let Winx handle the rescue mission because the two of them wouldn’t be able to enter the Infinite Ocean. And boom, problem solved. They don’t have to drag Oritel and Marion through every episode while they still could have shown that they cared. Idk what was so complicated about that.
Part 2 can be found here.
35 notes · View notes
imamarvelbitch · 4 years
Text
Softie
Hawk / Eli Moskowitz 
Summary ~ (Pre established relationship between Hawk / Eli and reader) The reader goes to visit Hawk at the Dojo and the Cobras are amazed at how quickly he changed. Issues quickly arise and he realises just how badly he's fallen in love with her.
Also, this is my first piece of writing so tell me how I did and how I could improve! I'm going to try make the rest of my writing gender neutral in order to incorporate everybody and let them know they're accepted! I'll probably edit this to be gender neutral soon!
(We're gonna say they’re about 16)
Y/N = Your Name
Y/N/N = Your Nickname 
H/L= Hair length
H/C = Hair colour
Tumblr media
As Y/N pushed open the doors to the Dojo, quietly closing them and slipping in almost silently with a fond smile on her face as she stood off to the side. She watched in amazement as people around her sparred, trained and punched in an almost dance like way. Y/N smiled and pulled Eli’s hoodie closer to her body as Sensei Lawrence came towards her, fondly patting her head before saying, “What’s up kid? if it isn’t my favourite non-cobra, here for Hawk?”
She laughed before saying lightly “Who else would I be here for? You?” giggling at the last part.
Johnny pulled an offended face before saying, “ I take it back, you aren’t my favourite.” before laughing and clapping her shoulder lightly.
“He’s over there kid.” He said pointing towards the edge of the mat where him and Miguel were practising punches, Eli throwing them, sweat dripping off his brow as Miguel held up the focus pads. She nodded before making her way around the edge, offering a kind smile to Miguel, to which he returned, as she approached, watching him lower the pads as she came closer.
“What the hell man?” Eli started saying before Y/N wrapped her arms around him from behind, snuggling her face into his shoulder as he relaxed his muscles, no longer tense.
“Y/N?” He mumbled, as she nodded into his shoulder as Hawk removed his boxing gloves before throwing them at Miguel and twisting around in her hold.
“What are you doing here?” He said softly, unable to hide the curious tone in his voice as he kissed the side of her head before gently trying to pry Y/N’s vice like grip off him a little, giving up within seconds.
She mumbled incoherently into his chest before lifting her head up slightly and saying, “I just missed you...”
He shook his head fondly before saying, “You know this is probably destroying my reputation as we speak?”
“Do you care?” Was Y/N’s reply, as she loosened her arms around him. Looking up at him with those same innocent and adoring eyes she always did, never knowing she turned him into mush just by doing that.
“Of course not, but why now Y/N/N?”  He said as he gave her a small kiss on the lips and slipped out her grip, before bowing off the mat and making his way towards rooms - horribly aware of the many pairs of eyes on him, not that he cared.
“I don’t know” She replied before he disappeared into the changing rooms, turning around immediately after to start a conversation with Miguel, chatting about the new mexican restaurant that had just opened in town. Laughing about how nobody would ever beat El Fiesta’s chicken fajitas, as Hawk came up behind her, looping an arm around her waist and grabbing her hand before guiding her out with an affectionate glint in his eye.
○●○●○●○
Later that day, as they laid in Eli’s bed, Y/N flopped on top of him curiosity got the better of her.
“Why have you never introduced me to any of the Cobra’s apart from Miguel?” She asked, voiced laced with confusion and curiosity as she kissed him, before breaking it off within seconds.
“I just haven’t okay? What’s the big deal?” He said defensively, slipping back into ‘Hawk’ once again.
Y/N shuffled off him, before sitting beside him, her voice quivering as she inquired quietly, “Is it because you’re embarrassed of me or something...”
This caused Hawk to sit up, almost angrily. “What the fuck do you mean?” 
Y/N looked at him before saying louder, “ Why haven’t you introduced me? Are you embarrassed of me or is it something else?”
This caused Hawk to look at her sharply, “It isn’t that fucking deep okay?”
“Then what is it?...” She said, biting her bottom lip, “We’ve been dating nearly 7 months Eli and you’ve never introduced me to them once, you don’t like me coming to the Dojo to drop off your keys when you forget them, you don’t like me even texting you to check if you’re okay while you’re training!”
“Y/N! Just shut the fuck up okay? I already said it isn’t a big fucking deal!” Hawk said angrily, moving towards her.
“It is a big deal! I know how much they mean to you and I just wanted to meet the people who you call your family!” She said, now matching his volume, her voice remaining almost threateningly calm as she stood up and put on her shoes.
Hawk moved to grab her wrist quickly, his grip tight as she made her way towards the door. He looked at her and said, “Where the fuck are you going? It’s pitch black outside Y/N!”
Y/N yanked her hand away before saying as a tears dripped down her face, “Home...”
○●○●○●○
"You've well and truly fucked up haven't you..." Miguel sighed as he walked out the Dojo with Hawk. Hawk had arguably performed the worst today, even Stingray was providing better punches.
"You think I don't know that? Shut the fuck up man." To which Hawk replied angrily. 
"Well at least she hasn't broken up with you? You might see her at Moon's party?" Aishia offered tentatively, only getting a grunt of frustration back.
Eli stalked off from his group of friends, too annoyed to deal with them. As he unlocked his black SUV, slamming the door behind him and letting out a huff of air as he slid down into his seat.
Was it his fault she had walked out last night, crying? Why hadn't he introduced her already? It wasn't like they weren't going to completely adore her just like he did. Hawk knew why, he just wasn't ready to admit it to himself.
Y/N made him soft. She made him melt every time he saw her and he hated it. He hated the fact she could so easily take him from Hawk to Eli with just a small pout of her lips. He hated that she made him Eli, and that he was so soft around her.
He was completely in love with her, and he didn't even know it yet...
○●○●○●○
Hawk sighed as he sipped his drink in a bored fashion. It wasn't even alcohol, just some flavoured water with ice. He refused to drink when he knew there was even a small possibility Y/N would be there, as she usually drank until she couldn't walk 2 steps without tripping. He glanced around the room, subconsciously looking for Y/N without even realising- tapping his foot as he did so. Miguel had disappeared earlier to look for Tori and he hadn't seen him since. As cheers reverberated from outside, Hawk glared at the open sliding doors before making his way towards the deck.
On the patio was a crowd of people, cheering, screaming and booing as if their life depended on it. Stood on a stool each, Y/N and Tori were balancing on one foot doing shots as though their lives depended on it. 
"3 SHOTS" Tory yelled holding her hand out expectantly for the solo cup as Y/N did the same.
Eli pushed his way through the crowd to near her stool, looking over to see Miguel doing the same with Tori, giving him a shrug as if to say 'i don't even know anymore'.
As Y/N swayed slightly, Eli's hands immediately flew up to her hips to try steady her as Miguel was cautiously hovering behind Tori.
"What the fuck happened here?" Hawk yelled towards Miguel, sounding mildly pissed. 
"They got each other drunk and I have no fucking clue after that" He yelled back, shrugging his shoulders.
"You have got to be shitting me"  Hawk muttered frustratedly as he tried to pry Y/N down from the stool.
"Y/N/N you need to get down, you're going to fall." He said as he moved the drink out of her hands and passed it to somebody in the crowd.
"No! I'm fine baby, see? I’m a flamingo, I am one with the balance!” She said laughing.
 “Why are you even here? I thought you were embarrassed of me?” She said, her happy demeanor falling to pieces within seconds, her lips now pouting and tears threatening to fall. 
Across from them, Miguel was convincing Tori to step down- rather unsuccessfully. In the second Hawk had taken to look over, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder with a small gasp. He looked over at once, thinking Y/N was about to fall.
“I’m gonna fly!” Y/N exclaimed happily once more, as she jumped off the stool and into Eli’s arms, laughing excitedly. 
“See! I’m a bird!” She said as he set her down, keeping his arms around her waist warily. 
"I can see baby, I know." He said, pulling her closer as Tori fell off her stool.
"You've already met Tori?" He said questioningly, "How was she?"
"Tori?" Y/N yelled, "Oh she's great! She said I was pretty and gave me a drink! Look watch!"
She wriggled out his grip before making her way towards Tori, hugging her and stumbling back to Eli.
"See! She's my bestest friend now!" Y/N slurred giggling before dragging Eli inside the house.
He shook his head lovingly before following after her, already knowing he was going to have to beat somebody up to keep his reputation solid after this.
Offering her his cup of water, she refused saying, while giggling, "Nopesie!" 
Rolling his eyes Hawk said, "I'll introduce you to the cobras, you just need to sober up a bit Y/N/N okay?"
Her eyes lighting up she said, "Promise?"
"Promise" was his only reply before she took the cup out his hands and gulped it down.
Giving her a fond smile, he wrapped his arm around her waist - knowing she would fall within seconds otherwise - and led her towards Miguel and the other cobras.
"Whats up losers, I want you to meet Y/N. My girlfriend. She's excited to meet you all, she's been begging me for months." He said, slipping into Hawk mode within seconds.
She hugged Miguel and Tori before practically throwing herself at Aisha, giving her a tight hug to which Aisha awkwardly returned : not quite sure what to do.
"Oh yeah, forgot to mention. Tori and her got pissed together and now shes drunk off her ass." He said, smirking.
They laughed understandingly, immediately bombarding Y/N with questions to which she replied with just as much enthusiasm. Eli pulled her closer towards his chest, keeping her back firmly pressed against it as he kissed her forehead.
"Who knew you were such a softie?" Tori teased, the small amount of love in her heart seemingly accepting Y/N whole-heartedly. 
"She's a keeper man" another cobra added, "She's awesome"
○●○●○●○
"Demetri...stop." Hawk said warningly, venom dripping off his voice. 
Demetri spared him no glance as he said, " That is the medical term for somebody that wets the bed."
As everybody started to laugh, Hawk started storming towards him, fists clenched and jaw set in anger. As people began grabbing him and blocking his path, he felt a familiar two hands cup his face, soothingly rubbing circles and slowly pushing him backwards at the same time.
Suddenly, sirens erupted through the house. This forced Hawk to pull out of their grasps and gently push Y/N's hands down.Hawk glanced up and snarled threateningly, "Cya at school, man."
Already knowing Y/N was far too drunk to run, he pulled her out the door and into the woods.
○●○●○●○
Eli had ended up carrying Y/N through the woods and down the street he had parked in that night. Now he was laying in bed, stroking her hair softly as Y/N cuddled into him. She was looking absolutely  adorable in his eyes, her H/L H/C hair thrown back messily -Eli didn't think he had done too bad of a job really- dressed in his sweatpants and one of his shirts.
Earlier that night as he had carried a sleeping Y/N up to his room, he had been forced to wake her up and push her into the bathroom. Telling her to get changed as he went and got her some advil and water for her to take when she woke up tomorrow. 
He had come back up to her trying and failing to put on his shirt, and had reluctantly put it on her himself before sitting her up on the counter and brushing her teeth and scraping her hair back to the best of his ability.
Now he was here, looking at the beautiful mess before him realising just how much he adored her. How she made him better, how she made him feel valid and loved. How much he loved her...
Mutteringly quietly under his breath, in almost a whisper, his voice pure affection, "I love you so damn much..."
He felt her bury her face futher into the crook of his neck as a quiet, sleepy voice murmured, "I love you too, you big softie..."
72 notes · View notes
broadstbroskis · 4 years
Text
surprises- pt 6 | mat barzal
part 5
Mat’s fingers are tracing patterns over your bump as he lies beside you in his bed and if he doesn’t stop soon, it’s going to be a problem. “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” You mumble at him.
He laughs. “Who says I can’t finish? I could go again.”
You turn to look at him, laugh on your lips. “Oh yeah?”
“Give me five minutes.” He says, but you’re not in a rush. Sure, you wouldn’t mind if he moved his hand down lower or if he’d pull you back on top of him like he had earlier in the evening, but since jumping back into bed with him a couple weeks ago, it’s been much each easier to spend time out of bed with him as well. 
Even though, at this moment in time, you are technically in bed with him. 
Mat’s hand stops moving, resting comfortably on your belly, which somehow, the cantaloupe in there seems to recognize as daddy and always takes as a calming influence. It’s one of the few times that they’ll seem to stop moving, when his hand is resting on your or his arm is wrapped around you or even when he’s just talking to you, and tonight is no exception. You can feel your breath start to even out and sleep start to take you, when Mat suddenly whispers, “You should move in with me.”
Well that wakes you up. “What?”
And he’s still quiet, more quiet than you’ve ever heard him, but he doesn’t back down, looking at you with a smile that matches the soft voice he’s speaking in. “You’ve been here every night I’ve been home for the last two weeks. It’s going to be easier for you after the baby to have me closer.” You open your mouth to protest but he continues. “It’s going to be way easier for me to have you close.”
“Mat-” You start, gently reaching out for him, resting your hand on his forearm.
“I don’t know what I’m doing in this.” Mat confesses. “And you just know-”
“I have no clue what I’m doing.”  You admit. “I’m just happy to have you to figure it out with.”
He smiles, that same soft one from before. “Will you at least think about it? Moving in?”
You nod, trying to settle yourself in a new, comfortable position as there’s a kick against your stomach. “Yeah,” You tell him. “I’ll think about it.”
But there’s no response from Mat and when you look over, he looks completely dumbstruck. “Was that-”
You nod, sliding over toward him, even though you can’t guarantee that there will be another one. “Yeah.”
“Holy shit!” He breathes, palm moving as he tries to chase that feeling.
“Baby likes your voice.” You tell him, which makes him beam so wide that it practically lights up the dark room. “You might not feel anything else tonight.”
He kisses you, so soft and gentle that you almost don’t even reciprocate, just barely managing to return it before he’s pulling away. “That’s okay.” He’s still grinning. “I’ll catch it next time.”
He doesn’t take his hand off your belly the entire night, but that does put him in prime position to catch it next time when the baby is up and kicking first thing in the morning.
-----
Following that one time though, Mat becomes increasingly bitter as the baby starts kicking up a storm when literally anyone puts their hand on your stomach except for him. Molly and Tito almost always feel a kick, every time they reach their hands out. Brian, still a little more hesitant than the other two to touch you, gets one pretty frequently. Your brother had visited and gotten to feel, Mat’s parents and sister had stayed for a long weekend and each managed to feel something every day that they were there.
But anytime Mat reached his hand out, his large palm covering like half your huge belly, it was instantly calm. The one time there was no kicking. You were certain that whenever the baby did come out, they were coming out with Mat’s athletic genes; it was a running joke between you and Molly.
“Baby hates me.” Mat whines, lying in bed some other night, his hand resting on your stomach again, after the baby had been actively kicking for Molly, Tito, and Brian at dinner that night. 
“Baby doesn’t hate you.” This is the best part of your day. When the coconut wasn't kicking your ribs or somersaulting around. 
“Hates me.” He insists.
“I told you.” You tell him, moving as close to him as you can, with the bump in the way. “Baby likes the sound of your voice. It’s calming.” That does get him to smile, just a bit. “It might be one of the only times that your child isn’t beating my ribs up.”
His thumb brushes softly over the curve of your belly. “Are you beating your momma up in there?” Almost as if they could tell, Mat finally gets the kick he’s been dying for, a gentle little thing that if he hadn’t smiled at, you wouldn’t have even thought he’d felt. “You should stop that. Be nice to her in there.”
You laugh at him. “I don’t think that’s going to do it.”
“Won’t know til we try.” Mat says cheerfully and you just shake your head, so much fondness for this absolute dork. 
-----
“I cannot believe you did all this.” You look around Grace and Anders’ house in awe, shocked at the baby shower that’s occurring around you.
“Oh come on.” Molly scoffs. “You can’t be mad we threw you a baby shower.”
“I’m not mad at all!” You tell her honestly. “This-this is incredible. Better than I could have dreamed.”
She beams, looping her arm through yours and resting her head on your shoulder. You smile, and lean yours against hers, watching the chaos around you.
There’s a room full of gifts, presented with tags and already unwrapped, as she’d stated she knew you wouldn’t want to sit around and waste time with any of that. One wall has two lines of pictures, one each of you and Mat, with a crowd of people studying each one, as they make guesses about what age you each were in the different pictures. At the kitchen table, Brian’s collecting money and running the pool for baby sex and date and time of birth.
But for the most part, it’s just a group of people-your friends, Mat’s friends, Mat’s family, your brother, some coworkers-just gathered to celebrate and you couldn’t have asked for a better baby shower from her. Or the rest of her accomplices. Grace is a perfect hostess, hushing you each time you try to thank you. Tito and Brian are proudly wearing those stupid Team Baby t-shirts, and what’s worse is that they did manage to get your brother one. Chris is rocking his under a flannel, showing it off to anyone who asks.
“I think they’re taking orders for more.” You mutter to Molly. Tito looks pretty suspicious over in the family room, surrounded by a few teammates.
“I don’t think you want me to tell you the real answer to that.” She says and you laugh, just as an arm drops over your shoulders.
“Does your brother have any idea how old you are?” Mat asks.
You and Molly both burst into laughter. “Probably not.” You admit and Mat gives you the most incredulous look. “He’s eight years older than me and he was gone once he left for college. Actually. A lot before then too.” 
“I was gone a lot too but I know how old my sister is!” Mat cries.
“That’s a lot of shade for someone who didn’t know what she was studying in school.” You tell him and he laughs, appropriately called out.
“Alright.”  He grins at you, a smile you instantly return. “Fair enough.” And then, immediately, he says, “You good, Moll?”
You turn, just in time to see your best friend’s face change from interested curiosity to a bright grin. “Yup. I mean, I’d be better if you two would have, say, given me a name, but I’ve settled. At least there’s a nursery theme.”
You and Mat both smile. She’d begged and pleaded- first, to be allowed to find out the sex, then when she’d given up on that, for you both to finally pick a nursery theme, and now, for you to just give her the name options. The only thing you’d given in on was the theme. Mat had dropped it to her one night and she had, quite literally, taken it and ran. 
But she’d done great with it, constantly sending you both pictures of animal and safari themed nurseries and incorporating part of it into the shower. There was a pile of stuffed animals in the corner that she said she “had a vision for” and you were leaving her to it. She hadn’t let you down yet and you knew this wouldn’t be when she started.
“Maybe there isn’t a name yet.” Mat grins at her and you bite your lip to keep back the laugh at the face Molly makes.
“Don’t test me on this, Mathew.” She huffs at him. “You are only proving my point as to why waiting until the baby is born is a terrible idea.” She unlinks her arm from you and pushes her way over toward Grace.
“I changed my mind.” Mat says, turning to you as soon as she’s out of ear range. “If it is a girl, we can name it after her if you want.” You burst into laughter, burying your face in his shoulder. “Solely just to see the reaction she’d have if we did.”
“Nahh,” You tell him. “I don’t want to risk the overdramatics. Just in case.” 
He laughs and you’re sure he knows exactly what you mean. “Cross it off the list.”
“We are doing a lot of crossing and very little adding.” You tell him, mentally thinking of the very short list of names that neither of you have nixed.
He squeezes your shoulders. “Still got time. It’ll come to us.”
“Yeah.” You smile softly at him, but that’s all you get to say about it for the rest of the party, as you’re being called away to tell the story behind one of your photos on the wall. Then it feels like it’s hours later before you get the chance to talk to Mat again, both of you pulled from person to person or group to group, eager for your attention, that you’re more than happy to share after this amazing afternoon they’ve pulled together for you.
By the time you do get to cycle back around to Mat, the party’s pretty much wrapped up, only a few stragglers left to help Grace and Anders clean up and you and Mat load up Mat’s car.
He’s actually standing outside, which is the only reason you find him. He’s out on the back porch, alone, which explains why you couldn’t find him at first and why he hadn’t responded when Tito had called out for him a few minutes ago. You slip out behind him, sliding the door shut after you and then immediately start shaking. “Mat?”
He turns, and then frowns. “What’re you doing out here? You’re shivering.” He holds his arm out, and you step into him, burrowing close. 
“Looking for you.” You poke his side. “What are you doing out here?” 
“Just thinking.” He says quietly, which you give a soft hmm to in response, waiting for him to continue, but he’s silent for a few moments longer. You’re just about ready to tug him inside when he takes a deep breath, and you know that he’s gearing up for something big. “Would you-” Another breath. “I know I said to take your time, and I mean that still, I do! But what would you think about moving out here?”
“With you?”
He laughs, gently. “Yeah, with me.” And it’s now that you see he’s looking around the yard and the neighborhood, checking out the space around you, compared to the building of condos you two live in. That this is likely what he’s been thinking about the entire time he’s been out here, why he disappeared in the first place. 
“You want to buy a house?” You look out at what he’s been looking at for...well, who knows how long now, trying to picture it.
“I want to buy us a house.” He clarifies. 
“You-” You trail off, unable to form thoughts or words or sentences.
“Look, still think about it.” Mat says. “Just-just know that this could definitely be on the table. If you want it.”
But-but it’s not just what you want, isn’t it? Isn’t that a whole thing of parenthood and adulthood and life? This is closer to the rink, closer to Mat’s practice facilities. You’ve already committed to working from home after maternity leave ends, so you’re not overly worried about the increase in time to your own work (which you are pretty sure is actually fairly small anyway). The schools are better our here- you know that was a big thing for a lot of Mat’s teammates, the whole reason they all settled out here. It’s a little terrifying, sure, to think that you’re old enough to be thinking of houses and commutes and schools, but everything’s terrifying right now. There’s another human growing inside you, for god’s sake.
You squeeze your arms around Mat. “Let’s look at some houses.”
197 notes · View notes
Text
Instead — Jason Todd x Reader (x Ex!Dick)
  SUMMARY: She talks about Dick Grayson like he is the sun, and she is the moon, starred-crossed lovers; her eyes light up whenever he is brought in a conversation, and she talks fondly of him (“Why? He broke your heart, dumbass” he asks one night, a little bit drunk on his couch. She is dancing all on her own, gorgeous like never before bathed by the moon. “Because I treasure him”, you answer, simplistic and yet raw, full of feeling). And if someone dares bad mouth him? She is the first one to stand up for him, say he is not like that, not like everyone thinks he is; she knows him better than anyone, and that no one can fight her about. They have history, and someone should make a study on them, because there’s chemistry whenever they go.     
   WORD COUNT: 3661.
  TW: Angsty with smut. I’m sorry ¿?¿?
  A/N: I tried writing something else, but this week has been particularly hard due to personal circumstances and this is all that came out. It started out as angst, and I was planning to take it to someplace even darker, but then the smut came along and-I’m a sucker for coming to love baby Jason. I don’t know if it should have a second part or not (maybe angst bc she goes back to dick or a fluffy and smutty one where they spend christmas together, idk). ENJOY!
 “You can come still.” Dick timidly almost adds, amidst the reigning silence of the living room.
           Everything has stopped moving. Jason was playfully sparring with Damian, Tim and you trying to help separate them in the chaos that was now the sofa. It was normal, familiar, a habit. But the moment the Thanksgiving lunch was mentioned, everyone stopped moving since it is the first year Dick and you are not together for the festivity. Everyone lowkey knew about it, but they tried to avoid it as much as possible. Specially the little birds, who you knew were fonder of you than they would ever admit. Not long before Dick and you had started going out, Jason and you became close (you were the two cynics, dark-humored and quick on the feet), so it was given that you were friends. The problem was now how to deal with your second favorite holiday of the year with the Wayne’s. The first always being Christmas, of course.
           “Oh, are you-are you sure?”. You are very confident, but this is something that you are very unsure about. Your voice trembles a bit at its end, but you cough like it’s because of the weather. It had always been special, since your family lived far from Gotham; you weren’t planning on visiting them, since they live across the ocean and the holiday wasn’t as popular in Europe.
           “You are part of this family, (Y/N); of course you can come.”
           “Good, because otherwise we were planning on moving lunch to hers.”  Jason interrupts, smirking almost, making Damian scoff, almost.
           “But she’s a mess in the kitchen!”
           “Well that’s what the catering service is for, you big-!“
           Everything goes back to how it was before, like nothing has happened; except that it totally doesn’t. Dick smiles, like everything is fine and that hurts you more than ever, because you know why he is okay with it, maybe as much as Jason. You getting back in the Manor had been a complicated task, but neither Jason nor Damian had given up, with simple excuses, white lies and “mandatory Netflix and chill sessions” (Jason, Tim and you had been laughing all evening when Damian had proposed so without actually knowing the meaning behind of it. He was so adorable with little things like that).  It’s not like you were still hurt because of the breakup, after all, it was quite mutual (even when it had terribly hurt once more, you were kind of hoping it anyways. This was the fourth time, after all). The thing was that there were one too many memories in the walls of Manor, as well as its rooms and dark corners. Sometimes, when you went alone to the guest bathroom, you could still feel his sneaky and cold hands in your waist, making you shriek – and his quick hand to your mouth, to shut you up, closing the door of the place as he trapped you against it.
           But what were you expecting really? This was the fourth time you had broken up. You had been at it since he confessed his real identity (the cause of your first breakup when he had not confided in you. With time, understanding came, and you tried again), and at this point, Jason, Tim and Damian just hoped it wouldn’t bring more “awkward” scenes like those whenever you saw each other at the Manor after the breakup. Dick tended to take refuge in Blüdhaven the first week, but then he always came back.
           And that always bothered Jason. It was like he wanted to see her, he needed to encounter her and still talk to her, as awkward as it could be. There was always probably there will always be, some kind of love in their eyes whenever they talked. And that he envied. (Y/N) had never looked at him like that, except with lust and with too many shots on.
           But this time it seemed different. (Y/N) seemed too uncomfortable and she could never quite look at him, which Jason didn’t understand. She had been so bold, so daring with him always; it as like he transformed into an entirely new person when he was with him. He hated it. Except this time, as well, he quickly understood why she was so sheepish: Barbara had entered the frame. He discovered it almost by accident, when you both were going for some drinks: you liked getting wasted in a famous bar in Gotham, maybe being hit up by different men, just as he was by different women. People used to think they were together until one of them started giving back attention to said person. Those were nights of whoring out, unless previously accorded that no one would leave the bar with someone else. Sometimes they liked having small chats in less frequented bars (Jason definitively did) and-and you had left the phone unlocked, staggering almost to the toilet. When he saw Dick’s last text, two weeks after you had broken up, he couldn’t resist: and yes, they had keep in contact, with shorter texts… Of course, to the exception of one. One fucking long one from Golden Boy himself explaining to her that he and Babs had given each other a go after some time… Followed by a sweet “I’m just giving her a chance. I still think of you at nights. Wanna call like yesterday?”.
           So of course, she feared the day, because that meant he was bringing Babs on. Between you and her honestly, he’d rather have you a thousand time more than her. She followed the rules too much and had little to no confidence in her own missions and action plans. She was too much of a follower and Jason resented her because of it: it was something personal, seeing as Timbers seemed to like her a bit more, given her ability to execute whatever actions were needed. But it wasn’t after all something he could decide on his own, and thus they were now both stuck with that knowledge.
           Dick had some girl problems of his own, but he had managed to keep them down for long enough. It was the first time, actually (that he knew of) that these both were going to encounter each other. And it was something Jason, personally, wasn’t looking forward to. He treasured his only ally in the house; since Roy and him had parted ways, (Y/N) had been the only one for him. And he had been trying really hard, seeing as he thought feelings would get in the way: but he has kind of come to accept that it’s never going to be that way with him.
           She talks about Dick Grayson like he is the sun, and she is the moon, starred-crossed lovers; her lights light up whenever he is brought in a conversation, and she talks fondly of him (“Why? He broke your heart, dumbass” he asks one night, a little bit drunk in his couch. She is dancing all on her own, gorgeous like never before bathed by the moon. “Because I treasure him”, you answer, simplistic and yet raw, full of feeling). And if someone dares bad mouth him? She is the first one to stand up for him, say he is not like that, not like everyone thinks he is; she knows him better than anyone, and that no one can fight her about. They have history, and someone should make a study on them, because there’s chemistry whenever they go. Everyone always thinks they are flirting, and they are just as surprised to find out that they are no longer together (Such a pity! They look so good, Jason once heard Kane murmur under her breath).
           But this time is different, she is left behind.
***
           “I mean, the worst is over.”
           “I know, just take me far, Jay. I want to go.” And nothing else needs to be said once lunch is done and everyone is settling down on the sofa. They are not staying, and they made so apparent by taking a red helmet; not for him, of course.
           Dick presses his lips into a fine line.
***
           “No, what I’m saying is…! What-What if I never find anyone like him, Jay? What if he IS the One?”
           “You know the concept of “The one” is just made up so that girls-“
           “Yes, Jason Peter Todd, I know very well the patriarchal concept of it, it’s just-! They look so good together. And Dick was so calm, they were so chill. They were not bothered, like it had been happening so long… I know Dick would never cheat, but we’ve never had that.”
           “Babs has always been really close to the family. Their breakup was horrible, that’s why you two never cross paths but before she used to spend Thanksgiving with us as well. Then she met someone else and-you know” He makes a simple motion with his hands, like all is said and done, but it’s not enough for her it seems. “I’m just saying that she was a wreck as well her first year, but we are family. Vigilante stuff and everything.”
           Yeah, the one thing she has always been kind of resentful about. Not because she wanted to be one, but because she never belonged to that interior and private group. Even Jason, as close as they were, kept her at an arms distance from details. He was not fully incorporated into the troupe, but he had been patrolling on their side for some time now. It made her really happy.
           “Yeah, yeah. It’s just that, and I know that you don’t believe in it, but what if Dick is the one for me but I’m not the one for him? You’ve seen me, I was… Wrecked the first time we broke up. And the second and third, hell. This last one I… I knew it was going to happen, eventually. I just didn’t know it would still hurt as much.” She clicks her tongue, both hands up quite quickly, like in a peace sign. “Okay, yeah, maybe not as much, but it definitively stung. And I know he hasn’t been with Barbara since before me but…”
           “Well-“
           There’s a silence, a beat. Jason’s heart drops. What is he doing? It’s like a babble, and he feels mean. He wants to hurt, he wants her to know. What good will it do now? Still, the words come out before she can mutter a thing, too in shock or maybe waiting for him to talk.
           “I mean, there was just THIS ONE time where I saw her early at dawn. I think it was your second time, I-“
           “Oh, fuck, I KNEW IT!”.
***
           “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry.” She mutters, drunk, maybe too drunk. Who gets drunk on Thanksgiving? They are both splayed on the floor of his apartment, instead of the carpet, mere inches from their bodies. But moving takes too much movement, and they are not going to do that. “I’m always talking about him, I must sound like a broken record, it’s just that it helps.”
           “What helps?”. He asks, sluggish.
           “You. You always help.”
           She turns around, lazy and with difficulty like a seal, until her cheeks are against the coldness of the apartment. He imitates her, looking at her closely, both faces separated just by centimeters.
           “You help me without hesitation. I know you, I see you, Jason Todd.” She confidently says, even when he can swear some of her words are gibberish after that. He thinks she might be listing the times he has helped. “… And most importantly, I love you. I love you a lot.”
           There’s silence in the apartment. They are not particularly fond of hugs or cute things; (Y/N) has had a childhood where she was not given much affection, and Jason as much as he loved her mother, can understand that. They are not used to caring, sweet or strong words like that. But he surprises himself as he says it back like it’s natural, and he repeats it. Again and again, like it’s a prayer, something that must be said. And she corresponds.
           They lock lips and he knows it’s over.
           Whatever thing they might have it’s over, because the only way this is ending is with a broken heart. He is not the one with good things, beautiful things that stay; he is not the golden boy or the understanding one (like Dick, with whom (Y/N) had a dream a couple of days ago. They were still together, happy). He is not the calm and logical, collected (like Tim, who he came to slowly understand, admire, as much resent as he had once for him. (Y/N) always goes for him for “practical” solutions). He is not like Damian in the least, particular and much more mature than he was at his age. So why would she choose him, if not by pity, being the closest one?
           Jason is twenty, and she is twenty-two. It is thrilling in a way, while he takes off her clothes with a regained force, almost desperation in her movements (what if she is sober again and stops moaning like that, offering him her neck like a female to mate?). He loves to unravel her, discover the timid place in her thighs which he almost has to open by force; he never quite imagined her shy, not in his wildest fantasies, but red is an adorable shade in her cheeks, and he only gets turned on by the slight resistance of her thighs, the way she is on her back, legs opened and trying to cover herself, her core. Her fingers are small, like everything else in her body, but they manage to hide his precious Eden from him, which he doesn’t appreciate.
           If it’s going to be a night followed by an awkward distancing, he is going to fucking get it.
           Pushing her legs back to her chest almost, slightly, trying to see resistance, her core gets discovered by the surprise, and he launches onto it like a hungry man: he laps, tongues it inside and discovering it. It is tight, drenched and slightly salty: he discovers to his own surprise that the more he seems to eat, the wetter it gets, until it’s absurd almost. She is covered in her own lubricant, and he is amazed by the taste, the wiggling, the moans and the pulsing of his own cock, strained in his pants.
           She is completely naked, and almost mewls for him to do the same, to which he teasingly obeys. He makes a slow striptease, and her hands are all over him, clearly making him know that he wants it as badly – he could cum alone from the sound she makes as his fingers open her, on fours on the floor with her legs as far as they can go so he has space to discover, touch.
           “Jay, Jason!”. She pants, almost too gone from that alone, his fingers rediscovering places he thinks she might not have reached before. Or even Dick. He is quite proud of that, seeing her state against the floor, moving her hips towards him and struggling almost to breathe. “Jason please! I’m so horny, I want you so bad!”
           Her forehead sticks to the ground, moaning against the floor: he thinks his neighbors will forgive him in due time. It’s been long since he brought someone else home, and thus, he can’t be as dedicated as he would like to. More so when her own lubricant is dripping from her thighs and her back arches perfectly against him. They fit, like a perfect puzzle, as he on his knees grabs her by the hips and presses his own hardness to her wet entrance. It almost slips inside at times, almost making her completely bent over. She needs something to grip onto, and after a couple of times giving up on the air and floor, Jason takes her by the neck, not leaving an inch between their bodies as he slides inside. And then she feels it and her arms, like flowers to the sun, wrap themselves around his neck.
           They kiss like they have been doing it for ten years, but they fuck with the desperation of a one-night stand, swearing and sweating together, body against body, and moaning each other names from time to time. Profanities, skin slapping sounds, wet drips – all that’s heard until one of them comes. They change positions and again they go, until one of them crumbles to the floor just so that they don’t have to force their own knees as much. She gets dragged onto his mattress, and they keep at it until they can’t anymore. There’s a blue glow in the city outside, and they are both panting, still slowly rutting against each other: he is inside her, too sensitive to move, almost keeping it warm. His hand slowly grabs her thigh, the fat on it, caressing it like it’s art. She kisses him slowly, tensing up as he gets out and lets it all spill onto the bed. They fall asleep like that, looking at each other’s eyes, like they are in love. But the night is done, and the first warm ray enters the room. It’s time to wake up.
***
           It doesn’t stop there. There are no rules, no limits. They are having breakfast and she is taken again against the cold marble counter, nipples hard and leaving her own underwear wet, uncomfortable. He fingers her until they can’t anymore, and they forget to eat, too much of a secondary task. She takes him in the shower, entering and against the wall, water covering both of them (It gets risky, but they are both very much into it, gasping and clenching on each other like they are the last people on Earth, they will vanish. She thinks she might as she cums with him inside, relentless and making her squirt. He has never been more turned on.)
           They say goodbye with a sweet kiss, like they are finishing it – but three days later, at the Manor, they silently fuck in the sofa, which is in direct view with the entrance if one is to open the door. They don’t close it at all and she cums three times (once laid on the floor as he drinks her, and another on top of him, completely nude and bracing him, looking the door directly, too nervous and too excited at the same time. The third is brutal, and is when they think they hear keys, too involved in their pleasure, too far gone from rationality. Like they want to be caught.) They promise each other that is it in public spaces, but then they fall right into it as they are having an improv dinner on the roof one of Gotham’s highest buildings. It’s exhilarating, and it’s been a guilty habit of hers since she discovered their identities. She loved tall buildings, looking down and feeling the adrenaline in the tips of her toes as she leans over the border (Jason has always been the one to let her go as far as she pleased. Dick always grabbed her by the waist). They fuck against one of the corners, lights underneath them alive, bright, just as his eyes as he looks at her. She feels safe in his arms. Nothing will happen.
           Until they do get caught by none other than Tim Drake himself.
           It really isn’t something big or scandalous, as naked as they feel they are (her in a satin pajama, him in some grey cotton sweatpants); they are just making out in another sofa, almost near the entrance, too lazy to go up the stairs; the angle is different, and instead of the entrance, it goes directly to the kitchen. The only thing on is the fire, and it’s almost romantic if not because of his hard-on and your obscene moans – that is until two blue eyes catch her. She has to cover her own mouth to stop herself from screaming.
           “F-!”. It’s the only thing that leaves her, his body instantly acting as a blanket from the world, pinning her against the sofa. If they were naked, that would have do it. “Fuck, fuck fuck!”. She repeats herself over and over in a low voice, as Jason looks over the sofa and locks eyes. You will never know what look Jason gives Drake, but it seems to scare him off.
           “I’m not going to say anything to anyone!”. She is too embarrassed to look over the sofa, but the way his voice trembles doesn’t escape her. “But fuck, you should tell Grayson. He’s not-oh, fuck, he’s not going to be happy. And please, please tell me you haven’t-haven’t-you know, the sofa-“
           “Just go, voyeur!”
           ***
           You should, you know you should but not talking about it with Jason and just murmuring into each other lips “I love you” works; it makes you happy, less anxious and relaxed like never before. You fuck, you have small dates and everything is simple with him. You laugh into his neck, and his big arms make you feel protected at night when he stays (he isn’t going on patrol as much, and that makes you incredibly happy). He is sweet and caring; you spent nights with your legs intertwined under the duvet reading different books, but reading out loud your favorite quotes, or something you find funny. You are drugged on the feeling of happiness he gives you, but are you really giving it back to him? Do you love him like he does? Because you know he does, when he looks at you with his gorgeous eyes, when he grows anxious in big crowds and immediately grips your hand like it’s home.
           You turn around in bed.
           “Hey Jaybird?”
           “Hm, what?”
           “I have to tell you something.”
267 notes · View notes
nimsajlove · 3 years
Text
Brothers (I)
So, english is not my first language and i am working with google a lot to translate the most. So please be forgiving, because this takes forever to do for me...
I started a little fan-fic-series in german and now I want to translate it. These are all AUs around Ahsoka and the Clones (most of the time). This little piece is about a AU, where Ahsokas connection to the Clones is much deeper. I shall be called my Brothers-AU I think. Enjoy.
AO3
Part II , Part III , Part VI , Part V , Part VI
*~*
With great reluctance she looked at the food on her plate, if it could be identified as such. She had already learned a lot, but this was her first long trip on one of the Jedi cruisers and now she knew what everyone meant, that the rations there were nutritious. Not more. "Do you spurn your food?", asked a clone calmly, he was sitting next to her and had already finished his ration. She was about to answer when a hand shot past her and grabbed her plate. "More for me.", exulted another soldier and just as Ahsoka was about to get her plate back, the captain laughed softly on her other side and pushed his empty plate away. "Little one, you will have to be faster if you want to see some of your rations."
She got faster. "Jesse, give it back!", she growled and circled the clone who was holding her dessert, consisting of a sweet bar, and was looking at it with curiosity. He was just beginning to open the packaging with a superior expression on his face, when the padawan lunged at him without warning and knocked him to the ground in the motion. And although she was so small, she grabbed the last part of her ration with surprisingly great strength and sat contentedly on the chest of the clone, who rubbed his head. He could have done without the acquaintance with the ground. "I warned you.", Kix mumbled, walking past them and just as he had turned the corner, Captain Rex came from this direction. He stopped with his helmet tucked under his arm and one eyebrow raised. "What happened here?" He asked and Ahsoka grinned broadly and immediately cut Jesse off. "I won.", she beamed and crumpled up the blank paper of the bar, without even thinking about getting up. Jesse could have pushed her down with ease, but somehow he too was enjoying these taunts too much to fight back much.
Rex looked confused for a moment, then began to laugh out loud and held out his hand to the little Togruta. "Wonderful kid!"
*~*
She had learned some mando’a during her studies. Not much, but enough to understand the most important things and recognize an offense. She hadn't been able to do much with the knowledge until the evening when she passed a group of clones on the way to her quarters. She had just returned from training with Master Skywalker, because since they hardly spent any time in the jedi temple, they had to do the training in the breaks between the missions on the cruiser. She was almost past the group, had greeted politely and was already looking forward to a shower. Then she heard the men laugh and one of them said a few words out loud. She didn't understand everything, but it included her name and an insult. Maybe it was because of her mindless behavior on the last mission, or it was about her behavior in general. 
She paused for a moment and looked back at the men, who watched her slightly annoyed and when no one moved, she lowered her gaze and quickly went to her quarters. She considered going back to Master Skywalker. But at the same time, she didn't wanted to force him to split the men. She knew his opinion, the clones' strength were their relationships with one another. They formed a unit... She was still deep in her thoughts, when she was grabbed by the shoulders and stopped. "Careful, little one. Where are you going so quickly?” She looked up into Rex's calm face, and faint amusement played around his eyes. But that disappeared, when she began to babble a brief answer. Something about being tired and going to bed, she saw that he wasn't buying it. 
They had already fought a few missions together and slowly, she got the feeling that the captain had decided to take her under his wing. Because even if she shouted orders on the battlefield and, since that incident, tried to get all the men out of it alive, he still stayed by her side for a while after the fighting. Until he couldn't stand her jokes and attitude anymore and left his brothers to her mercy. He had never seen her so distracted, actually he had expected a snippy, quick answer. His hand was still on her shoulder and he gently shook it. "If you show who is in charge, no complaint will get beyond my desk."
Said and done. This little assurance, that she was allowed to earn her respect, reignited the fire in her and it only lasted an hour before she had defeated the men in a sparring in the small training room and balanced the helmet of one of them on one hand, it was surprisingly heavy.
*~*
"Hey, Rexter!", she called and luckily, the clone stopped and waited until she caught up. Jesse was with him. "I’ll bet my dessert for the next week, that Hardcase will show up at least twice more at the medbay. Today.", she grinned and looked almost too confident for the taste of the clones. They had learned, that she liked to make smaller bets. The problem was, that she won most of them. Rex wondered, if there was any way he could tame Hardcase for today? He called Cody, Ahsoka's grin widened. Master Kenobi and his commander were on board and Rex felt it advisable, to ask his best friend before doing anything. "Hey Cody, do you know where Hardcase is?", he asked and earned a loud laugh, Ahsoka could see some restlessness on his face and had to laugh herself. It wasn't like Hardcase had been part of the team for a long time. With a second swing, he had only been incorporated into the 501st with a bit delay and  Hardcase had quickly made a name for himself. And Ahsoka happend to be absolutely thrilled by his company, much to Rex's chagrin. He had complained to Cody a few times, but had received no real pity. “I just saw him, seemed to be in a hurry. I didn't wanted to stop him.” Ahsoka heard the broad grin in the commander's voice, as did Rex. "Oh, I hate you all.", he growled and cut the connection, then tried to reach Hardcase. Of course, there was no reaction. He looked down at Ahsoka, who was still grinning widely. “You are welcome to bet with Jesse, midget-commander. But I'll keep my dessert.", he grumbled and set off to track down Hardcase.
*~*
The nickname stuck for a while, Ahsoka didn't knew whether it bothered her or not. It was kind of funny, but sometimes the clones took it to extremes and with some of them, she had no hesitation to take up the chase while snarling at them. But Jesse and Hardcase had to learn, that Ahsoka also had limits. One was reached when they tried to challenge the girl to a little sparring, but she just sat sadly in the corner and waited. What for was not difficult to guess at, General Skywalker had become very loud during the last conversation with his padawan and none of the clones dared to speak about it. But apparently, Ahsoka couldn't just go back to business as usual until her Master had calmed down.
 A few of them sat together in the canteen by the end of the day and complained about their suffering. It was strangely quiet, when Ahsoka Tano wasn't cracking jokes or squabbling with one of the clones. She wasn't with them now either, she'd retired to a table in a corner and poked at her food. The sight reminded Rex of her first day, only this time no one would dare to steal her plate. Hardcase, who usually planned all the pranks with the jung jedi, wrung his hands. “We can't just let her sit there like that. We wouldn't leave our brothers alone either.” He was quietly approved and there was silence for a few seconds. Then Rex took his dessert, a thing its name they had once again forgotten, and picked it up. “Kid, come here! You won it, didn't you?”, he called and the girl actually lifted her head and came over with a tiny smile. As she plopped down between the men, one patted her back, another pushed a glass of water over to her and Rex let his dessert wander to where she was seated. “And now quickly, vod. Otherwise someone else will take it.", he teased and Ahsoka looked up with huge eyes. For a long time, no one had called her family and all the clones at the table laughed softly, when they saw her face.
15 notes · View notes
the-awkward-outlaw · 4 years
Note
Hi! I love your works and I was wondering if you could write something about a new "lost soul" saved by the gang and trying hard to fit in. A reserved female reader who secretly develops feelings for Arthur, knowing well he has no interest in getting involved with anybody. A good ol' heart-wrenching, I-will-pine-from-a-distance-and-suffer-in-silence kind of unrequited love. Ending is up to you (but maybe it's a happy one
This one turned out sweet. Arthur’s the biggest softy. That said, FLUFF AHEAD!
Masterlist
Read on AO3
Tumblr media
You look around nervously, not sure you’re entirely in the right place. Everything’s changed so quickly, it’s hard to process. Sure, you’ve heard endless tales of gangs and outlaws, living wild and free, but you never knew the gritty details about any of it. Now here you are, living it. 
You ended up here with the Van der Linde gang because your life has a funny habit of putting you in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’d been on the train two days ago, and it got robbed by a gang. As they were busy killing the engineer and the conductor and going through everyone’s possessions, a man you’ve come to know to be named as Arthur rode by and killed the bastards. You sank to your knees in fright, afraid you’d be killed too. 
As you sobbed into the grass, your hero dismounted and comforted you. When you explained that you had no home, nowhere to go and nothing to return to, Arthur offered you to come with him. You accepted, of course, you just found yourself incapable of saying no. He put you on the back of his horse and rode down south of Blackwater and into a small hideout called Thieves Landing. 
You’ve never been here before, your parents told you as a child to avoid the place as though it had the plague. Everyone south of the Upper Montana knew it was where criminals hid and because of its layout, it was hard for the law to take. 
It was here that Arthur told you his gang was hiding out in and that you were welcome to stay until you got your life sorted. An older woman named Grimshaw immediately jumped on you and started barking orders, despite you being completely dumbfounded and confused. 
It’s been two days since you were brought in, but you’re not entirely convinced you’re fitting in all that well. The gang’s big with at least twenty members. All of them, even the women, have a track record. The only one who’s as innocent is a child named Jack, but the rest have done something to earn them at least a few days in jail, but most have earned even the noose should they ever get caught. 
It’s not a comforting idea exactly, but already you can see how tight-knit they all are. There’s a sense of family here, the likes of which you’ve never had the fortune of experiencing. While in the day, Grimshaw barks and even nips, at night she turns pleasant, making sure everyone gets a plate to eat and singing songs around the campfires. 
She’s not the only one to let down their hair at night. Most of everyone does, telling stories about things that have happened or singing songs. You especially liked it last night when a young man named Javier sat down and played his guitar, singing in Spanish. Being from down south yourself, you were used to hearing his native tongue though you understood none of the words. It was still pleasant to hear. 
“So, how’s you adjustin’?” asks the young girl next to you as you scrub at a shirt in the wash bin with a rather stubborn spot that doesn’t want to come out. She’s got brown hair and she’s wearing a faded purple dress with a rather pretty necklace. 
“I… I think I’m okay. But… Mary-Beth, isn’t it?” you say. She nods. “Can I be honest with you?” She nods again. “I really don’t fit in here. Not because you’re criminals and I’m not, it’s just… I have nothing to offer anyone. I don’t know how to steal, shoot a gun. Hell, I can barely ride a horse.” 
“And that’s okay,” Mary-Beth says with a small smile. “You can learn how to do those things. I’m more than happy helpin’ ya, and I bet the other gals will too.” 
“Not only that, but we can always use another girl,” Grimshaw snarls, stomping over to you both. “Now get to work, both of ya!” She marches away to go bully Tilly. 
“Don’t worry about Ms. Grimshaw,” Mary-Beth says when the woman’s out of earshot. “She likes to act tough, and sometimes she can be a little too forceful, but she does care.”
“That’s to be debated,” says Karen, walking over with a repeater in her hand. She must have just finished with guard duty. “That ol’ bat wouldn’t give a damn if we was all on fire, long as we’re workin’.” 
Mary-Beth gives a little giggle, but Karen walks off to go and talk with a red-haired man. Because Thieves Landing is so large, you’re still learning the names of the members of the gang. You’ve kept your ears open though, wanting to learn about these people, see how the other side of society works. 
Growing up, you never had many friends, always being very shy. At school, you were bullied a lot for reasons you couldn’t understand. Your parents tried to help you but there was little they could do aside from pulling you out of the school and teaching you themselves. They didn’t know much about math or science though, so they taught you what they knew: how to ranch and garden. 
When you were about ten, your father got sick and died. A few weeks later, your mother, who had contracted his illness, died too. You ended up at your uncle’s house, but he was such an abusive, angry drunk you just left one day when you were 15. You’ve been on your own since, jumping from one job to the next. You were between them when you were on that train a couple days back, when Arthur found you. 
As you sit and work, you smile as you think of your father. He used to tell you many stories, but your favorites were those about gunslingers and outlaws. Something about them seemed romantic and fantastical, the way they represented the idea of freedom, of never being tied down. You never thought you would be incorporated into a gang of them as an adult. 
A few hours later and you hear the somewhat familiar voice of the camp cook Pearson shouting that dinner’s ready. You sigh in relief, knowing that dinner signals the end of the day’s work and you can relax. The past two nights you’ve spent alone on your bedroll, being too shy to mingle, but as you stoop to collect your stew, you wonder if you can muster the courage to change that. 
Several of the gang has gathered around a large campfire to talk over dinner. There’s an empty seat, but it’s right next to Arthur Morgan. Sure, he’s the man who brought you here, but you feel especially unimportant next to him. He’s a big guy, much taller than yourself, broad, handsome. The girls told you he’s got a very rough exterior but secretly harbors a heart of gold. However, it wasn’t until you found out he holds some of the greatest weight in camp that made you shy around him. 
A hand pats you on the back, making you jump a little. Turning, you see Grimshaw. 
“Go on, have a seat, dear. You’ve earned it.” 
Unable to say no to her, you walk over and take a hesitant seat next to Arthur, hunching down a little. He doesn’t seem to notice as he’s listening to a man named Hosea tell a story about how he’d nearly been busted for robbing a house during a wake but how he’d managed to act his way out of being caught. It’s a rather funny story and as the others laugh appreciatively, you feel yourself relaxing. That is until Hosea’s story ends and he asks you a pointed question. 
“How are you settling in, miss?” 
You hate being brought out in the spotlight like this and it doesn’t help that Arthur, sitting so close, turns to look at you, his expression neutral. 
“Oh, I’m… I’m doing okay, thank you. Mary-Beth said she can teach me how to rob people, so I’m hoping I won’t be so useless to you anymore soon.” 
“No one’s complaining about you being useless,” says a man named John, sharpening his knife on a whetstone. “When you start bein’ as useless as Uncle, then we’ll have a problem.” 
“Hey, I work!” complains the man in question. 
“Really? When was the last time you lifted a finger ‘round here, ol’ man?” Arthur challenges. The group happily begins to bicker, but you’re grateful as it’s pulled their attention off of you. 
As the days pass, you begin to hear people in the gang beginning to talk about a big score. A member named Micah came in to bring the idea of a big river boat to the gang’s leader Dutch. From what you can make of Dutch, he’s a clever, calculating man who cares deeply for his family. Mary-Beth and Tilly told you how he and Hosea took both Arthur and John in as their sons despite not being much older themselves. They formed this gang together and it’s stayed strong. 
Ever since Micah brought in the potential job, the gang’s been humming with excitement. It seems to be a very big score and will need a lot of help for it to work. You’d like to volunteer, to contribute something, but you know you’re utterly useless right now. Mary-Beth’s only begun to explain the basics of robbing to you. However, this job sounds like it’s to come with a guaranteed gunfight. 
The day for the heist arrives and pretty much every man in the gang goes to do it. A few hours later, they return to Thieves Landing bearing bad news. Somehow the law knew the boat was going to be hit and they met the gang with fierce opposition. Poor Jenny, whom you’d just started to get to know, was shot and so was Davey and John. Dutch and Hosea start shouting for everyone to get packed up as the Pinkertons are in pursuit. 
Days go by and Thieves Landing is far behind you and the others. The gang has moved north, still trying to shake the Pinkertons off. Jenny passed away two days ago, but no one has been able to bury her as a massive snowstorm moved in shortly after she passed. 
Moral is at an all-time low, yours included. You wouldn’t dream of leaving though, these people have become your close friends and even border on something like a family. Grimshaw tries to encourage everyone to stay positive, but it’s clear she doesn’t feel it much either. 
Night falls once again as the wagon train goes along a narrow pass, the horses trudging through the thick snow. The weather has stayed horrible for days, dumping the white powder in great heaps. The Pinkertons haven’t been seen in the past two days. Perhaps this means the gang can finally find somewhere to hide. Dutch sent Arthur out a few hours ago to scout, along with John and Micah. 
Arthur returns just as Abigail makes note that Davey is nearly dead. He reports that he found a place to shelter and guides the train there. It’s a small town named Colter according to a small sign by the main trail. The gang moves into the largest building but Abigail says Davey’s passed. Soon after, Dutch and Arthur go out to find what else might be around and they end up bringing back a heartbroken woman named Sadie. 
Two days go by and the weather’s hardly let up. You stand outside in the freezing, snowy morning. You just need a break from the others for a while. Even though you enjoy most of them, being cooped up in such tight quarters for so long has worn you out. However, you’re already shivering from the cold under all your layers. 
“You doin’ okay? Ya look half frozen,” a voice says from behind. You turn and see Arthur, wrapped up in his big blue coat, his face hidden beneath his hat. 
“Yeah. Yeah, just need a break. Been a tough few days.” 
“It sure has.” Suddenly a fierce blast of wind whistles down the path and Arthur wraps an arm around you as though to protect you from it. As you lack a hat and your head’s covered only by a thin blanket, you bury your head into his chest. He lets you though, but as soon as the wind dies a little you pull away from him, your face red. You blame it on the cold wind. 
However, something changes with your view of Arthur. Sure, you’ve seen him comforting most people in the gang and he’s known for being caring and gentle, interested in all movements in the gang. But you were never a receiver of that care until now. You try denying your feelings, saying you’ve just been isolated for too long. 
Nearly a week goes by and you’ve tried keeping distance between yourself and Arthur, believing your feelings will cool down with the space. The weather finally breaks and Hosea suggests camping in a new place he knows in the Heartlands. The gang is moved into action finally and the wagon train moves down to it. 
It’s a great relief to finally be surrounded by trees and green rather than white and feel the warm sun instead of cold wind. The new camp spot, Horseshoe Overlook, is beautiful. Immediately you’re set to work by Grimshaw, but when night falls, you’re allowed to rest. 
You stand on the edge of camp near the cliff, overlooking the river and the canyon. This place is beautiful. You’ve rarely seen this much moving water, being from the desert. Arthur walks over with two bowls of stew. 
“Here, noticed you ain’t eaten yet.” He hands you one and you thank him. 
The two of you stand together, eating without speaking for a few moments. 
“So, now you been with us a while and seen us at our best and worst,” Arthur says, “what you thinkin’ of doing?” 
“How do you mean?” 
“I mean what you plan on doin’? You gonna stay or you thinkin’ of movin’ on? No one would blame you if you decided to leave.” 
“Do you… want me to leave?” you say with a pang. 
“No. No, far from it. I think you could easily find a place among us. Seems like you already have too. Pretty much everyone here likes ya.” 
You blush a little and look away. “I think I wanna stay. I like it here.” 
He smiles a little, his blue eyes shining. You feel a surge of desire to hug him, your heart beating a bit faster. “Well, good. Like I said, think you’ll fit in easy.” 
He takes your empty plate and heads off, leaving you alone. You turn and watch him, wanting nothing more than to be with him. Part of you wishes he’d come back to you, but he heads off to sit next to John and Hosea at the campfire. You turn back to watch the sunset, trying to push him out of your mind. It won’t do you any favors.
The next morning, you��re sitting with the other girls doing chores. Mary-Beth turns to you. “So, saw you blushing when Arthur said good mornin’ to you.” She gives you a sly look. 
“I… I thought I had to sneeze right when he spoke to me,” you lie. 
“It’s okay if you like him,” she says consolingly. “To be honest, I think we all developed a little thing for him in the beginning. I did anyways.” 
“I’d be lyin’ if I said I didn’t,” Tilly says. “But, do yourself a favor, Y/N. Move on from him. I ain’t sayin’ that out of selfishness or cruelty, but Arthur’s unavailable.” 
“I didn’t know he had someone,” you say sadly. 
“Well, he doesn’t anymore, but he can’t seem to move on from her,” Mary-Beth explains. 
As if on queue, Arthur walks out of his tent, reading a letter. Susan walks up to him and they exchange words. You hear the name Mary and Susan tells him she never liked her. He says something to her and then heads out. 
“And there he goes, off to see her,” Karen says sourly. “She barely has to say his name and he’ll move mountains to see her.” 
Your heart sinks even further. You’d just begun to accept the fact that you have some strong feelings for Arthur, but this is a harsh blow. If he’s still attached to this woman, it means he’s definitely not interested in you. It’d be best if you give him up. 
Night comes and Arthur’s returned. Once again, he brings you a plate of food as you stand near the cliff. A long silence passes between the two of you, your mind heavy. 
“You okay? Awful quiet,” he says. 
“I’m doin’ just fine, Arthur, thank you though,” you say somewhat coldly. You mentally make a note to be a little nicer. It’s not his fault you’ve got a crush on him. 
“You sure? If ya need to talk, I’m always willin’ to listen. I want ya to be happy.” 
God, why does he have to be so sweet yet so unavailable? It’s incredibly frustrating. You turn to him. 
“Well, maybe you can help. Have you ever had real strong feelings for someone? Someone you couldn’t be with because you know they’d never want to be with you, and because they’re hung up on someone else?”
He gives you a curious look. “Who you talkin’ about?” His face falls a bit. “It’s John, ain’t it? You got a thing for him, don’t ya?”
Is that envy in his eyes? “J-John? No, Arthur, I don’t have a thing for John. Sure he’s nice and funny, but he’s not my type. Plus I think Abigail would murder anyone who tried anything with him.” 
His face lightens up a bit. “I think you’re right there. Well, I don’t know much about relationships. Pretty useless, in fact.” 
You smile up at him. “Well, thought I’d ask.” 
“Who is this person?” he asks. “Anyone I know?” 
“Definitely. He’s… someone in this gang, but like I said, he’s emotionally unavailable. Besides, I wouldn’t stand a chance with him.” 
“Ah, don’t sell yourself short.” He sighs a little. “Well, maybe you just need to walk up to this feller, tell him exactly how you feel.” 
“Okay. Arthur, I like you.” 
“Exactly. Just like that.” He smiles. “See? It ain’t so hard.” 
“No, Arthur, you’re not listening to me,” you say, your face beat red. “I said I like you.” 
He blinks and straightens up a bit. He looks shocked. Or maybe that’s anger. Fear stings your stomach and you take a step back. 
“I… I’m sorry. I was… just practicing.” You turn to walk away, deciding never to be alone with Arthur again. You can’t blame him for being angry either. You wouldn’t like you if you were him. 
“Y/N, wait.” His hand’s on your shoulders. “Did you mean it?” 
You look down at your feet. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I didn’t choose to like you, and I’m sorry for it. Not because you’re not a good man,” you say hastily at the look on his face. “What I meant is I’m sorry for… me.” 
His eyes soften considerably. “Please don’t apologize. Especially for you bein’ yourself. Can I tell you a secret?” He leans in a little and whispers, “I’ve liked ya since that day up in Colter.” 
You blush even deeper. “Me too.” 
His arms suddenly slide around you, hot and gentle. Your hands are on his shoulders and he leans down, placing his lips on yours. Something flutters in your chest. It’s like a bird is trapped inside, fighting to get out. They’re slightly chapped, but the moment his lips touch yours, the bird settles and gives a satisfied purr. You lean into the kiss, sighing a little. 
“Bout time you two finally did somethin’,” Hosea says, walking past. He gives you both a sly smile. “Dutch and I been gettin’ tired of seeing you two gettin’ all dovey eyed when the other wasn’t looking.” 
You laugh and put your forehead onto Arthur’s chest, trying to hide your face as Arthur laughs. 
“Sorry, Hosea.” 
“Nah, you two kids have fun.” He walks off, chuckling a bit. Arthur looks down at you and smiles. 
“You wanna go somewhere a little more private? Try that kiss where we won’t be spied on?” 
You bite your lip and smile, nodding. Arthur takes your hand and leads you off into the trees. You pin him to a tree and kiss him hard, pressing your body on his. His arms slide up your back and wind into your hair. As the kiss deepens, you wonder where else this night will go. 
66 notes · View notes
mxliv-oftheendless · 3 years
Note
"I can't stop smiling." with StarVel? =3
So I’ve been watching a whole ton of Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, so I’m gonna put this in the SDMI universe! For context, this is in the gap between Season 1 and Season 2. Enjoy!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If someone had told Paul that he would someday be approached by Velma Dinkley, a girl he had only interacted with when they were lab partners in chemistry class and a girl he maybe kinda sorta had a crush on, and they would start hanging out together more often, he would have laughed in their faces. 
And yet, it was happening. It had been two weeks after the mayor had been revealed to be disguised as a monster called the Freak of Crystal Cove when Velma approached him at lunch and quietly asked if she could sit with him. It had struck Paul as odd to see her all alone, since she almost always was with her little group of friends. But he simply nodded and gestured for her to sit down. 
And since then, they had been hanging out together almost constantly for the past month. It took Velma a while, but she started opening up more, and Paul would be lying if he said he wasn’t loving getting to know the girl he had admired from afar since chemistry class. She would simply walk up to him after lunch or between classes and ask if they could hang out after school or over the weekend, and Paul definitely noticed that she always smiled happily when he agreed. 
Today, though, when Velma approached his locker between classes, Paul immediately felt like something was wrong. Her head was lowered, and her eyes were on the floor, and she was hugging her books to her chest. There was a sullen frown on her face, quite different from the preoccupied scowl she usually had. “Hey,” she said softly. 
He paused in digging his algebra textbook out of his locker to look at her. “Hey, shortie,” he tried, offering her a smile. When Velma didn’t return the smile, he frowned. “Everything okay?” 
“Um... yeah,” Velma tucked her hair behind her ear. “Everything’s fine.” 
“Velma, you’re a terrible liar,” Paul said bluntly. 
“Well, excuse me for being an honest person,” Velma shot back, lifting her head to frown at him. Then her face softened. “I’m sorry...” She leaned against the lockers and looked at him questioningly. “Are you busy after school?” 
“No. Why?” 
“Good. Want to come over to my house? I can help you with your math homework again.” 
Paul always jumped at the chance to get help with math. “Yeah, sure,” 
He waited for the happy smile to grace her face. But Velma’s mouth slowly turned up in a half-hearted smile instead. “Great...” 
After a moment, Paul leaned against his locker. “Velma, seriously, are you okay?” 
It took Velma a second, but then she sighed. “No... I--” She suddenly stopped and looked to the side with a look of sadness. 
Paul turned his head, and saw that Daphne Blake was walking past them, hand-in-hand with that movie star from the horrible Dusk movies. He glanced at Velma, and saw she had turned back to staring at the ground. But this time she looked like she might start crying. 
A second passed, then Paul nodded. “Right.” He grabbed his jacket from his locker to put it on, then grabbed his wallet, keys, and backpack, and shut his locker door. “C’mon. Where’s your locker?” 
Velma looked up at him in confusion. “Huh?” 
“Let’s go to your locker and get your stuff.” He dramatically glanced both ways, then leaned in. “We’re gonna skip class.” 
Velma gaped at him, scandalized. “Are you serious? No!” 
“Come on,” Paul argued. “Skipping one day of school won’t kill you. It’s not even one full day we’re missing!” He grinned at her. “It’ll be fuuuuun,” 
After a moment of her blinking at him, Velma smiled hesitantly. “Okay. Let’s do it.” 
Paul’s grin widened. “Great! C’mon.” 
“If we get caught sneaking out, I’m totally throwing you under the bus,” Velma stated as they headed down the hallway to her locker. 
“Fair enough,” 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They managed to sneak out of the school by way of a side door, then ran to Paul’s car. Paul put on his rock music as they drove out of the parking lot, then after a moment of thought decided to head for the video arcade/roller rink. 
“You decided to bring us here?” Velma asked dryly as he pulled into a parking space. 
Paul grinned at her. “Sure! I was gonna head for the Clam Cabin, but then I remembered you hate the Clam Cabin, so...” he swept out his hand. “Video arcade!” 
Velma gave a bark of a laugh and followed him in getting out of his car. “You sure no one’s going to spot us?” 
“I’m sure,” Paul insisted. “Not like Sheriff Stone’s gonna do anything. And no one’ll even notice we’re gone.” 
“Sure, just like they don’t notice your turquoise car,” 
Paul gasped in mock offense. “Excuse you. They notice my turquoise car because it’s beautiful.” 
Velma snorted. “Sure,” 
“Ha ha. So, do you want to get snacks, or play games first?” 
“I’m not really hungry. So I guess games?” 
Paul grinned happily. “Awesome. I’m totally gonna beat you at Cursed Manor.” 
“Excuse me, bucko, but we haven’t even walked in the door.” 
“You’re right. First one there chooses the first game!” Paul took off running to the entrance. 
“Hey!” Velma dashed after him. “That’s not fair, your legs are longer than mine!” 
“Not my fault you’re a shortstack!” Paul called over his shoulder with a laugh. 
Within moments, he had reached the entrance to the roller rink and laughed victoriously. “I win!” he crowed. 
Velma scoffed as she approached. “Oh, shut up,” she panted. “Not my fault you have such long legs.” 
“I tower over thee, puny human,” Paul snickered, pointedly looking down at her. 
The bespectacled girl rolled her eyes but was still smiling. “Whatever. So, Mr. Giant Man, what game are we going to play first?” 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“That was so not fair!” 
Paul whooped as his tickets came out of the game. “Hate the game, not the player, Dinkley!” 
“I can totally hate the player, Stanley,” Velma shot back with a grin. “Especially when the player cheated.” She emphasized the word with a shove to his shoulder. 
“Excuse me,” Paul put his hands on his hips, “but I am a Cursed Manor champion, and I will not be slandered.” 
“Someone has to be brave enough to slander you,” 
Paul scoffed as he bent down to grab the tickets. “You are, like, so rude,” 
Velma didn’t respond. When Paul looked up at her, he was immediately concerned by how her face had fallen into the same sad look she’d had at school. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked, quickly straightening up. “Is it something I said, or--” 
“N-No, it’s... it’s fine,” Velma said shakily, once again tucking her hair behind her ear. “Can we play something else?” 
“Uh... sure.” Paul wasn’t sure what to say or do. There was clearly something wrong, but he wasn’t sure if it was his place to pry and make her talk about it. He glanced around for another game to play, then lit up. “Hey,” he touched her shoulder and pointed at... “Fight Fighters! Let’s play that.” 
A half-smile came to Velma’s face. “Jinkies, I haven’t played Fight Fighters in ages,” 
“I bet I’ll beat you at that one, too,” Paul grinned cockily. 
“Oh, don’t get your hopes up, artsy boy. I am the Fight Fighters queen of... well, let’s play.” She made a beeline for the game, grabbing his hand to drag him along. “Come on!” 
Paul felt his heart begin to beat faster at Velma’s smaller hand holding his. She was so excited... and she looked so cute. He hoped she didn’t detect how his laugh was a tad nervous as he ran along behind her. 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They ended up staying at the arcade for a few hours, starting when Velma completely wiped the floor with Paul playing Fight Fighters and he challenged her to a rematch. By the time Paul thought to check the time, he saw that school had ended an hour and a half beforehand. So they cashed out their tickets, picked out their prizes, and left. 
“Do you want to go to my house, or yours?” Velma asked as they headed to Paul’s car. 
“Yours. Mom’s gonna lecture me for not coming home after school, and I’d rather get the lecture over the phone than in person.” 
Velma nodded in understanding. “I see. We definitely don’t have to tell our parents we snuck out of school.” 
Paul chuckled as they got in his car. “Definitely not,” 
“Technically, we were at the arcade when school ended. We can just say we went right to the arcade after school.” 
Paul grinned at her. “Did you put thought into that alibi?” 
Velma looked like she was trying not to smile. “No, I’m just stating a fact,” 
“Really, because I think you thought about that.” 
“Okay, and I think you don’t want your stuffed Totoro.” Velma swooped in to grab the plush Totoro toy out of his hands. 
Paul gasped and held it out of her reach. “How dare you! I won Totoro fair and square!” 
“Then at least give him to me so you can start the car,” Velma giggled. 
Paul squinted at her. “You promise to be careful with him?” 
“I promise,” 
He solemnly placed the plush Totoro in her hands. “Be gentle with him,” 
Velma scoffed, but gently placed him in her lap. “I will,” 
She was once again silent the whole ride back to her house, but when Paul glanced over at her, he saw she was looking out the window and lightly nodding along to his rock music. She seemed to be in a much better mood than when they left school. He still wondered what made her so upset back at the arcade, but thought maybe it wasn’t his place to ask. Besides, he was content to enjoy getting to hang out with her. 
She was coming further out of her shell to him. She went into passionate rants about how you just lost something when you read an ebook instead of an actual book; she rattled off facts like nobody’s business; she made terrible jokes, but still tried anyway; she could be biting and sarcastic, but it was so endearing when she was just messing around... Paul really liked her. 
You should tell her at some point, his mind whispered to him. But how would she react to that? Did she just see him as a friend? 
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he pulled up to Velma’s house. He pulled into her driveway and turned off the car, and was about to get out to grab his backpack from the backseat when Velma suddenly spoke. “Wait,” 
He sat back in his seat and looked at her. “What?” 
He thought he saw her hands tighten slightly around the Totoro plush before responding. “Thanks,” 
“Thanks for what?” 
“For talking me into cutting class. I really needed to get out of the building. I just... I hated seeing Daphne walking around with Baylor like... like nothing ever happened. Like Fred and Shaggy...” she trailed off and looked down at the seat. 
Paul leaned in a little closer. “Like they’re what?” 
“Well, Shaggy’s at military school, and Fred... Fred left town. I don’t know where he is. But that’s where they’ve been. And Daphne... Fred broke up with her right before he left, and ever since then I’ve been all by myself. And it feels so weird to be without my friends... we’ve been a group for what seems like forever. And now, to have two of my friends gone, and to have my other friend act like I don’t even exist...” once again, she moved her hair behind her ear. “It really hurts.” 
Paul wondered if he should take her hand. He had to fight the urge to do it. They were just friends, nothing more. “Jeez... I’m really sorry, Velma. That stinks.” 
“Yeah, it does,” Velma mumbled. “But I’m glad I’ve got you.” 
Paul’s heart suddenly jumped into a faster rate again. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do,” Velma looked up and gave him a small smile. “You’re a really great person. You’re fun, and you seem to enjoy hanging out with me. I like hanging out with you too. I really can’t stop smiling when I’m with you.” She shrugged wryly. “I don’t know how you put up with me. I can be pretty mean sometimes...” 
“Hey,” Paul chuckled softly, “I do enjoy hanging out with you. You’re fun too... even though you totally cheated at Fight Fighters.” 
Velma scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You’re just jealous I wiped the floor with you,” 
“Yeah, right. You totally had to have cheated somehow.” 
“You know, I could just keep Totoro,” Velma pointedly hugged him to her chest. “He’s so soft and cute.” 
“Hey, I won him!” Paul laughed, grabbing Totoro and pulling him away. “You keep your disappearing ink.” 
“Fine,” Velma giggled. “Let’s get inside so you can call your parents.” 
Maybe he could tell Velma he liked her later, Paul decided as they got out of his car to grab their backpacks. For now, he could be happy with simply being a friend. 
11 notes · View notes
theageofsims · 3 years
Photo
Tumblr media
The Age of Sims 2: Part 22 - “When Someone Shows Up”
"You look like a deer caught in headlights." Nina began right after coming through Gloria's front door uninvited. "Well... a spotted deer, actually."
"You've been speaking with descriptive words lately... are you writing a new book?"
"I might be." She shrugged.
Gloria frowned. "I hope it isn't about current, personal events."
"Aren't they always? I mean -- I'll change the names, but the experiences I write about in my book come from my real life experiences. Isn't that what makes a writer unique?"
"I guess... but Nina, please don't write about me and my spots. I hate them."
"Have you done something about them?"
"I've tried everything the doctor told me to try with very mild results, but then they come right back... angry and itchy." She paused. "So... you won't write about me?"
"Well..." She saw such sadness behind her eyes. "I'll make a deal with you... if you tell me what's been going on then I won't write a single word about you or your spots."
"I was afraid of that." She muttered.
"Did you think I just stopped by for shits and giggles? You nearly attacked William the other night when all he was doing was trying to lead."
"Did you come here to blame me?" She asked defensively.
"I'm not blaming anyone... but all he was trying to do was pick up where Geoffrey left off. Granted, he's beyond a little rusty... but he seemed determined and like he was trying to do his best."
"I was trying to do my best as well. I'm the one that doesn't know how to slow dance."
"Which is why you should have agreed to be led."
Gloria inhaled sharply before sighing tiredly.
"There's always something when the both of you get too close to each other."
"What are you talking about?"
"This wasn't the first time. I remember when you two kept pecking at each other in my garden club."
"What did you expect us to do? You and Geoffrey always rounded the four of us up only to disappear and leave the both of us with all the work to do."
"Did you not like it?"
"Well..." She sighed. "It's not that I didn't like it, I just--"
"What else were you going to do with your free time? I never saw you do anything, but cook and go to work."
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's a lot of fucking work! Listen -- you'll never seem me willingly turn down food, but your whole world was consumed with it until I got you involved into gardening."
"So what? You shut your group down, didn't you?"
"I only did it because I saw just how well William worked with the plants. None of us have the skill he does to actually grow anything, especially of such great quality. He knows everything there is to know about plants."
"Well..." She shrugged, looking at her as if asking her what she wanted her to say. "He's a scientist. Of course he's doing to know the process a seed buried in dirt, given water and sunlight, will go through." She shrugged once again, "He knows how to care about plants."
"I think there's a lot that William knows how to care for." She waited for her to look at her face again, but she wouldn't. "As much as I don't want my wedding ruined by you two arguing over petty bullshit, I really don't want to see the two of you not be friends anymore."
"How do you even know we were friends in the first place?"
"Because he showed up when you needed someone." She had gotten her attention back on her face again. "I told him to help and he listened -- actually, he did way more than listen. He made sure you had everything you needed to be able to incorporate fresh ingredients in your desserts, he made sure you had something to eat that wasn't a tray of cookies or some kind of rice pudding you whipped up, and he kept an eye out for you."
"I didn't ask him to do any of those things."
"That's not the point." Nina was firm. "All that matters is when someone shows up... I thought you of all people would appreciate that and understand it."
"I do, I mean, I did... I..."
"I've gotta go." Nina said then as her phone started to ring. "I've got to meet with someone I'm working with."
Gloria looked at her in confusion. "You're actually... co-writing with someone?"
"No. I'm helping someone by writing their biography. That's as close as I can get to co-writing something... at least for now."
"Wow." Gloria was surprised. "That's... not like you."
"Can't stay the same way forever -- sometimes a little change does a person good." She shrugged. "At least... for some people..."
She waved goodbye then, not another word leaving her lips. Gloria thought of everything she had to do, but all she could think about was the voicemail she had refused to listen to... knowing that if she didn't listen to it and decide on what she could do to better the situation, she wouldn't be able to do anything else.
8 notes · View notes
Note
Why do you hate Scooby Doo Mystery Inc so much?
Hate is a pretty big word that I really don’t like to throw around that often because to me it implies zero redeeming qualities and that it never should have existed. I don’t think the Scooby world would be better off if MI never existed because despite it’s flaws there was a pretty huge following for it in the beginning. It did something that wasn’t all that common for CN shows at the time and that was trying to take a more serious and heavy-handed approach to the Scooby gang’s lives. It also brought back the concept of an overarching story line that was pretty well done before it go so convoluted (the last Scooby show to do that was 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo and that was back in the 80′s). It showed that the standard Scooby formula actually worked really well with this sort of set up. 
It also is the best looking show and I really do mean that. The art-style is appealing to the eye and the color pallet was shooting for this whole neon noir that worked really well. The directing and camera work is set up like a teen slasher movie and it meshes nicely with the vibe the show is going for. The designs for the monsters are also pretty memorable from the first season and look great. Like I can remember most of the episodes from the first season simply because of the set pieces and monster designs (the episode where they end up in a house underground is one of my favorites aesthetically).
This was also the first series with Matthew Lillard as Shaggy since the 2002 and 2004 live-action films and he does a great job for sure. The performances from the whole cast are good as a whole (not exactly off brand for them).
There’s the episode “Night Terrors” that got like 11 year old me shipping Shaphne in the first place.
So there are definitely some things I respect from MI and I wouldn’t say that I hate the show. I think strongly dislike suits my feelings more.
Despite the fact that it did a lot for Scooby it also messed a lot of it up (this is coming from someone who watched it several times all the way through). The story got too complicated and there were a lot of unresolved plots and character actions that didn’t make sense.
I think the worst crime it commits - and the one that my animosity is directed at - is that it’s characterization was the worst out of all the shows. It tries to sell the gang as the town outcasts who only have each other but most of the time I can’t buy that they’re close friends because of all the times they just stop talking to each other. It really feels like they hang out with each other on accident and would really be with literally anyone else. Most of the first season just feels like Daph is there because Fred is there and she wants Fred to jump her so.
The gang’s relationship is a key element of every Scooby show and if you leave the impression that they aren’t that close than you’ve got five characters acting independently that sometimes solve mysteries together.
Not to mention how badly the gang themselves are written.
I’ll start with Shaggy because he’s my guy and his treatment in MI makes me sad. Overall, I think he’s the most “in character” out of everyone but that still isn’t saying much. A lot of his development is through either Scooby or Velma and the Velma development was handled as poorly as possible. I know this show came out during a period where putting the guy on the receiving end of an abusive relationship was funny but that doesn’t make it okay. It’s played for laughs but even when I was little I didn’t think Shag being in a controlling relationship was amusing. When he breaks up with Velma (for a completely valid reason that doesn’t even mention her abuse of him) he’s painted as the bad guy and it’s brought up for the rest of the show. That effectively ruined his connection with the rest of the gang and now he’s more or less just there. He doesn’t get any emotional heart-to-hearts or scenes showing his relationship with the gang (the most he gets is with Daphne ironically). 
Most of the conflicts he alone faces are connected to Scooby or food and I feel like they could have explored so much more with him. Especially since that was the whole selling point of the show to begin with. The consistent fact that Shag is the glue that holds the gang together isn’t an element in this show either. I figured they might explore his obviously neglectful parents who still don’t seem too attached to the having a kid thing. But that didn’t happen and any outstanding Shaggy moments in the show aren’t as deep as the show promises.
Daphne easily gets it the worst. Her whole character is like completely dependent on Fred’s current attitude of her. Which is a shame because the show has these undertones of implying that Daphne is this eccentric, dorky, rich girl and I have no problem with that but nothing is done with it. Literally all of her characterization comes from Fred and any major development with her also comes from Fred. Season one her is pining for his affections relentlessly to the point that is seems kinda ridiculous. Even when they try and have Daphne “give up” on him she doesn’t even really do that. She’s just more inward about her feelings. I can’t even think of anything else to say about her because everything about her is just “SHE IS INTO FRED” in big red letters all over the story. I will mention that she is kinda sexualized in this show but it isn’t all that extreme. It’s not exactly illegal for a sixteen year old girl to wear bikinis (that she wears to get Fred’s attention of course). She did pull the teenager wearing lingire way before Riverdale did so props I guess (not really I still don’t understand the point).
It’s disappointing because Daphne is such a charming and lovable character in every show she’s in. Yet in MI she’s blown down to Fred’s arm candy and even when they promise to give her a character beyond that they really don’t. She falls back into the same relationship dynamic with him despite the supposed character growth.
MI Velma is given the backwards character arc of being the victim in an emotionally detached relationship. And it always confuses me because it’s obvious she had no interest in who Shaggy is because she wanted nothing to do with his life and kept trying to change him. Ironically she was trying to turn him into her arm candy and somehow convinced herself that he was the bad guy for not wanting to be that. The show wants you to feel bad for her because a boy chose a dog over her - but that isn’t even what happens! He states that he really isn’t ready for the kind of relationship Velma wants with him and that is painted as him choosing his dog. She holds that over him and Scooby’s heads for the rest of the show and I still don’t feel bad for her because she literally tried to force him to get rid of his dialogue quirk through physical harm. And he felt bad about it until the end of the episode????
When she isn’t abusing one of her best friends she’s usually talking down to all three of them because she’s perfectly aware that she’s smarter than them. Yet she’s the one who gets the most interesting story. Working for Mr. E and having an obvious lesbian relationship with Marcie are like actual things that progressed her character. Neither Shag or Daph get this treatment  and they don’t even get any character development to begin with. But every time I finish the show I stay at the same conclusion that I don’t like her all that much. Her redeeming quality could be her brutal sarcasm but that’s a character quirk that doesn’t fix who she is.
Oh Fred, dear little Fred. The one with the actual character arc that remains consistent. His character just got regulated to the dude-bro of your dreams with a trap/ascot obsession??? It’s pretty jarring to watch because Fred from the older shows is like this sweet guy who tries to play the mature one in the group. And then MI took that and threw it away so they could turn him into Captain Oblivious who only notices his feelings for Daphne when she expresses even the smallest bit of disinterest in him (how many relationships have I seen like that irl? Too many). There’s also the unspoken rule that all Fraphne development happens through jealousy (it’s been that way since Zombie Island and is still a regular thing). 
The thing is, there’s so much I could say about Fred yet not really all that much. He gets the most story and arguably the most screen-time. He prioritizes so many things over Daphne’s feelings for him and when they’re dating Daph states that she feels like one of his traps because he’s so controlling. He breaks her heart like it’s no big deal but then we’re supposed to believe he still loves Daph enough to actually stalk her?? The more I think about it the more shocked I get.
Actually, the more I talk about this show the more shocked I get. Mystery Incorporated has always been held to a higher regard as the best Scooby show. But that’s coming from the crowd that didn’t watch everything Scooby-Doo had to offer. 
Aside from the great art and animation, the integration of a greater evil happening behind the scenes, and probably the best score as well, MI’s flaws outweigh all of the good things it brings to the table. I try to give it another chance and I am always disappointed because nothing is accomplished or done with the characters and that’s what I was promised. An overarching plot suggests character development and progression but we don’t get that. Instead we get the butchering of a cast of characters we love and a bogus ending that makes zero sense in the context of anything.
TLDR; MI sucks but I would still watch it everyday for the rest of my life if it meant I never had to watch Scoob! again.
56 notes · View notes
Text
Behind The Album: The Downward Spiral
The band’s second studio album was released in March 1994 from Nothing Records and Interscope Records respectively. The release represented a concept album from Trent Reznor detailing a person’s descent into depression and ending in suicide. He would combine the record with qualities of industrial rock, techno, and metal. Much like Broken, this stood in stark contrast to Nine Inch Nails debut Pretty Hate Machine. He first thought of the idea for the record while staying in a European hotel just after the touring Lollapalooza Festival in 1992. Along with the rest of the touring band, the singer had felt this very negative vibe towards their live performances. His original vision for the project was to explore a fictional character with major psychological issues. This fictional character in the end turned out to be Reznor himself as he used this concept to speak on his particular issues at the time in the lyrics. At this time, the Nine Inch Nails front man was at war within the group with Richard Patrick, while at the same time gradually becoming a much harder drinker. Reznor made a conscious decision to distance the sound on this album from the harshness and loudness of Broken. For that reason, he tried to minimize completely any use of guitars and synthesizers, but instead sought an atmosphere on the album of “ texture and space.”
Nine Inch Nails recorded The Downward Spiral at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles, which stood as the house in which Sharon Tate had been murdered by members of the Manson family. Reznor had first bought the house in 1992 during the recording of Broken. He named the studio that was built there Le Pig After what was scrawled on the wall in blood after the murder. He would later produce Marilyn Manson’s debut album there, Portrait of an American Family. Both the Nine Inch Nails front man and manager John Malm stayed at the house for 18 months while recording Broken and The Downward Spiral. Later in 1993, the sister of Sharon Tate, Patty Tate confronted Reznor about exploiting her sister’s death by recording at her sister’s former home. The encounter did affect him profoundly causing the singer to change his perspective. “For the first time, the whole thing kind of slapped me in the face. I said, 'No, it's just sort of my own interest in American folklore. I'm in this place where a weird part of history occurred.' I guess it never really struck me before, but it did then. She lost her sister from a senseless, ignorant situation that I don't want to support. When she was talking to me, I realized for the first time, 'What if it was my sister?' I thought, 'Fuck Charlie Manson.' I went home and cried that night. It made me see there's another side to things, you know?” Once again, Reznor would collaborate with producer Flood for this record, but it would be their last. They would both have major creative differences moving forward that could not be resolved. One example of these differences came in the song entitled “Just Do It” that did not appear on the finished album. The producer believed Trent had gone too far with that particular track based on the entire concept of the album.
Over the years, the album has been interpreted in a wide variety of ways that make it difficult to pin down. Some of these themes include nihilism, self control, self abuse, depression, and madness. The one interpretation that people did agree on unanimously represented the idea that the entire record is semi autobiographical meaning the fictional protagonist is Trent Reznor. That same person has gradually been going insane through the effects of drugs, alcohol, religion, society, and finally decides to end it all. Some accused Reznor of copying a well traveled theme of angst within grunge music only a few years earlier. The music on The Downward Spiral represented something new, unique, and very unconventional. As noted before, Trent incorporated several seemingly different genres into the record including technical, metal, rock, and electronic. He would regularly utilize distortion and other noises In unstructured ways that listeners were not used to at the time. This meant that the formula of following verse and chorus went out the window with Nine Inch Nails. Another unique trend on the album came with Reznor’s use of new time signatures that were off the standard beat. Another quality found within the music emerged with his singing as it alternated between whispers and screams. He did not rely on too many samples either for The Downward Spiral with the primary ones being one from the George Lucas film THX1138 and an Iggy Pop drumming sample. The singer has noted that the two primary inspirations for the album emerged in David Bowie‘s experimental Low and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Nine Inch Nails released the tracks “March of the Pigs” and “Closer” as singles, while “Hurt” and “Piggy” did make it on the radio, but not as singles. He was frustrated by the fact that “Closer’s” lyrics were widely misinterpreted as a song about lust, but Reznor intended the lyrics as a theme of self-hatred. The song “Hurt” subsequently released in 1995 made reference to hurting yourself and an addiction to heroin. The track would get worldwide fame a few years later when Johnny Cash covered the song. Reznor would say this about it in interviews. “I wasn’t prepared for what I saw, and it really then, wasn’t my song anymore. Then I got a CD in the post. I listened to it and it was very strange. It was this other person inhabiting my most personal song. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive.” As time passed, the singer would make the statement that Johnny Cash covering one of his songs probably meant more to him than winning a Grammy.
The Downward Spiral did suffer from numerous delays from Reznor. He had hoped to finish the album in 1993, but setting up the studio to his liking took longer than expected. At the same time, he was trying to educate himself on how to write songs vastly different from anything he had ever recorded. Another reason for a further delay came in the fact that halfway through the album he suffered a massive attack of writer's block. The record became a massive hit for the band as it debuted at number two on the Billboard charts eventually being certified quadruple platinum by 1998. In the first week alone, The Downward Spiral sold 119,000 copies. Some very early listeners of the record predicted that Reznor had affectively killed the profitability of the band with the release. The singer did not disagree with this assessment as he saw the commercial value of it as quite limited, so the huge sales surprised him quite a bit. Critics almost universally praised the album commenting on its brutal honesty, darkness, and offbeat sound. Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave it an honorable mention, while the New York Times review found the music to be quite abrasive, but meant as a compliment. Jonathan Gold of Rolling Stone likened the album to cyberpunk fiction popular at the time. Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly had this to say about it. “Reznor's pet topics (sex, power, S&M, hatred, transcendence) are all here, wrapped in hooks that hit your psyche with the force of a blowtorch." In the end, the record would make many best of lists ranked very highly. Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Ever saw the release as number 122 in 2020. Spin Magazine’s Top 20 albums of the past 25 years gave it the 10 spot. The legacy of The Downward Spiral was felt by both Reznor, his touring band mates, and the rest of the music world. Its success would lead to fame and notoriety that the singer had not envisioned, nor was he prepared for it in a mental health way either. The group had to deal with rumors left and right referencing Reznor‘s depression, possible death, and even a crazy story that he had been friends with Jeffrey Dahmer. The record also led to countless imitators including Motley Crue. Reznor would later say that The Downward Spiral was an album, where the actual truth self-fulfilled itself, meaning all the darkness, depression, and other negative themes came true in his own life.
Tumblr media
2 notes · View notes
dolce-peach · 4 years
Text
here to stay [part 6]
Tumblr media
pairing: steve rogers x reader
summary: at the height of your training, power, and your team the avengers, you chose tony’s side during the civil war within.  without steve and the others, you began to spiral into hate and constantly blaming yourself for the outcome.  when thanos’ crusade reaches earth, your paths cross again, but will you be able to reconcile and save the universe?
warnings: action
a/n: i tried my best to eliminate dialogue and some plotpoints from infinity war and include some twists to incorporate the plot of the story!  sorry if it seems awkward 👉🏻👈🏻  also IT’S CHRIS’ BIRTHDAY ❤️❤️❤️ hope you guys like it!
taglist: @kaitlynmalikisnotonfire @galacticstxrdust​ @elliee1497​ @ctyldpr​ @janieavalos​ @cait-elizabeth
** lmk if you’d like to be added to the tag list for future updates :) **
masterlist
----
You could feel your body tense as the Quinjet landed in Wakanda.  You knew Steve was somewhat familiar with it, but the sight blew you away.  At the same time, you figured T’Challa’s home would have to be technologically advanced enough to produce a suit like his, so part of you wasn’t really surprised at all.
You were tired.  You tried to get some rest on the ride over, but every time you closed your eyes, you felt yourself falling deeper and deeper into the void.  
When you stepped off the jet, you were greeted with T’Challa standing with the Dora Milaje.  He briefly shook hands with Steve before waving someone over.
Your eyes widened when Bucky walked up.  He looked healthy and well-rested, his eyes bright as he gave his best friend a warm hug.
“Steve brought him over after everything went down with Tony,” Natasha explained quietly to you.
You nodded.  It was a smart move: they could remove the programming from Bucky’s head as well as protect him from the outside world.
“Whatever equipment you need, we’ll provide,” T’Challa said as he lead your group inside and down a long hall.  
“Thank you,” Steve replied.  “About Vision...”
“Shuri will take good care of him,” T’Challa finished, nodding towards his sister at the door of her lab.  
Wanda exchanged glances with Vision before helping him in.
You stood back, watching everyone help Vision onto the table.  Once he was lying down, the beads on Shuri’s bracelet glowed and hummed as she ran it over him, generating a rendering of the stone and its connections to Vision’s brain.
She narrowed her eyes.  “The structure is polymorphic.”
Bruce nodded.  “Right.  We had to attach each neuron non-sequentially.”
“Why didn’t you just program the synopsis to work collectively?” she asked, earning a look from Vision.
The scientist paused.  “Because...we didn’t...think of it?”
Shuri smiled.  “I’m sure you did your best.”
“Can you do it?” Wanda asked with a note of desperation.
The smile Shuri gave slowly disappeared.  “Yes, but there are more than 2 trillion neurons here.  One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures.”  She looked at T’Challa.  “It will take time, brother.”
“How long?” Steve asked.
“As much as you can give me.”
You glanced worriedly at T’Challa and Steve.  Their faces bore the burden of responsibility.  You could feel your fingertips already spark with adrenaline at the thought of impending battle, something you haven’t had in a long time.  
An alarm sounded, causing Okoye to activate her beaded bracelet, projecting a hologram.
“Something’s entered the atmosphere.”
There was a violent rumbling in the air, and garbled messages from Sam, Bucky, and Rhodey outside.  You turned to the window to see ships slamming into the dirt outside the dome shield, burning the greenery around them.  
The earth rumbled and shook, making you clench your fists.  It was all happening so soon and so fast, you didn’t know what to make of it in the moment.
“It’s too late,” Vision grunted as he tried to roll off the table.  “We need to destroy the stone now.”
“Vision, get your ass back on the table,” Natasha ordered as she held him back down.  
You used the air to glide over the table to the other side and lay a shaking hand on his shoulder.  He looked at you, his blue eyes focusing on the fear in your expression.
He pursed his lips into a small smile.  “I’m sorry, Y/N.”
You furrowed your brow.  “What for?”
“That day,” he said, his voice pained from the wound Shuri was busy examining.  “In Germany....at the airport...”
You shook your head.  “Don’t,” you said.  “You sound like you’re going to die.”
“You never know,” he said.
“I won’t let that happen,” you said.  “And neither will Wanda or the rest of us.”  
You looked at Steve, earning a small nod.
“Wanda, as soon as that stone’s out of his head, you blow it to hell,” he said.  
She grasped Vision’s hand.  “I will.”
Steve walked over to you, turning you towards him.  You bit your lip as he brushed your hair back.  
“We’ll be fine.”
You closed your eyes.  “Stay by my side.”
He leaned down, his forehead touching yours.
“Always.”
--
Your eyes took time adjusting to the light on the grassy field.  If it weren’t for the ships outside the dome, you’d say it was peaceful.
As the Wakandan army began forming in ranks behind you, you watched Steve, Natasha, and T’Challa walk to the edge of the dome, confronting Thanos’ children as they emerged from the fiery forest.  Your knuckles were white by your sides, waiting each moment for some sort of sign.
“You okay?”
You turned to see Bucky glancing at you.  
You nodded, forcing yourself to relax a bit.  “You?”
He shrugged.  “I was kinda hoping to avoid fights from now on, but...”  He chuckled.  “I guess that’s never going to happen, is it?”
“We’re lucky to have you,” you said.  “It doesn’t matter what you did in the past. And besides, you’re Steve’s best friend.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that I still did those things,” he said.  “But thanks.”
You perked up as you saw Steve, Natasha, and T’Challa come walking back.   You tried to read their gazes as they took their places beside you.
“Did they surrender?” you asked Steve.
“Not exactly,” he replied.
“Great,” you sighed.  “Let’s just hope we have the bigger stick.”
Packs of soldiers, more like large mutts, came barking through the tree-line, diving at the edge of the dome.  
The shield crackled and hissed, the stench of burning flesh filling the breeze.  The Outriders shrieked, but continued to force themselves through, losing multiple limbs.  The stragglers that managed to get through were instantly bombarded by Sam and Rhodey.
Your lips parted in horror.  “They’re killing themselves.”
“They must be pretty desperate,” Bucky noted, his stance shifting as he watched incoming packs break off and begin to run around the dome.  “Um, Steve...?”
“If they surround the perimeter, then there’s nothing between them and Vision!” Bruce exclaimed within the Iron Giant suit.
Steve’s jaw tightened.  “Then we better keep them in front of us.”
You could scarcely hear what was happening.  There was a ringing in your ear that was still constant in your head ever since that morning.  It completely took over your senses, rendering you useless.
You closed your eyes, focusing on the sharp Wakandan war cries.  Your hands loosened, allowing yourself to feel the warmth from Gaea’s ring.
A familiar confidence surged through you.  
You missed this.
You missed being able to shed your fear at a moment’s notice, for the good of the people.  
“Wakanda forever!”
Your eyes shot open as you cried out, running with the soldiers to the now open barrier.  You watched in awe as Steve and T’Challa pulled in front of the lines, coming head on with snarling Outriders.
Straining, you used plant roots to restrain an oncoming group, crushing them quickly.  You dodged snapping jaws as you drew upon the water in the small stream near your feet, sending water as deadly shards through their rotting flesh.  
“Y/N!”
You turned in time to see Steve’s back against yours, fending off one of the mutts with his forearm shields, courtesy of T’Challa.  
“Thanks!” you said breathlessly as you snapped your fingers, surrounding you and Steve in a massive fiery ring.
He turned towards you, nodding to himself as he saw you were fine.  “By your side, remember?”
You touched his bearded cheek before twirling, extinguishing the flames.  The two of you pulled away from each other as more Outriders swarmed.
Your brow was beaded with sweat as you continued to send blasts towards oncoming mutts.  You’d occasionally throw a sharp kick, but these things were too unpredictable and large for close combat.
Steve grunted as he was knocked to the ground, piled by Outriders.
Your eyes were wide.  “Steve!”
Your own distraction caused you to be knocked down, rolling on the ground until your back hit a rock.  You groaned, sitting yourself up as your tired body ached.
A sharp blade tip touched your neck.  You raised your eyes to see Proxima Midnight towering over you.
“I thought you were stronger than this.  Thanos could’ve had some use of you,” she spat.  “But it turns out you really are a human.”
You growled as you pushed her away with a puff of wind, making her glower.
“I’m Gaea.  I was chosen as the mother of this world you’re destroying,” you growled as your eyes began to glow.  
“And you’ll pay the price.”
part 7
44 notes · View notes