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honest-moth-of-silver-grove · 3 months

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Can I request headcanons for Dammon, Rolan, and Zevlor react to his gn s/o admitting that they have suicidal thoughts?

A/N: Oh, nonnie! *Hugs* This ask was perfect timing because I was struggling with suicidal ideation last week- big time. Me and the kitchen floor were very well acquainted last week. So trust me, I know it’s not easy, but please try and hang in there. These feelings and thoughts, as awful and all-consuming as they are, are still temporary. They will pass. Everything passes eventually. It can’t stay the same forever. So if it’s bad now, just know it won’t always be this way. And in the meantime, I hope these headcanons bring you some comfort.

TW: Suicidal Thoughts, Mentions of Suicide, Suicidal Ideation

The BG3 Tiefling Boys Reacting to Their S/O Admiting They Have Suicidal Thoughts

Dammon:

Dammon’s taken aback when you tell him. The two of you being a couple has made him so happy, and he’s told you as much. In his enthusiasm, Dammon simply assumed you always felt the same level of elation he did. The fact that you have these sorts of thoughts is all news to him.

He’s immediately concerned for your safety, worried that any second the thoughts may become too much to bear, and you’ll feel no other choice than to act on them. He contemplates speaking to someone older, someone wiser for advice on what he should do to be a supportive partner. He just wants to get this right. He doesn’t want to add any stress or difficulty to what you’re already going through with any of his reactions or fears.

Dammon starts checking up on you more often, at random times throughout the day. He’ll take a break from his forging and pop his head inside to find you, wherever you are. Some days he sits with you and talks about the current projects he’s making. Other days the two of you sit in silence, sipping cool glasses of water. Dammon wants to ensure you don’t ever feel as if you’re going through this alone. He wants to show you that he’ll always be nearby, should you need him.

Dammon will also make you random presents whenever he has a little extra time. It’s not much- a pendant here, or a broach there, a bunch of little things to remind you of him when he can’t be there.

Dammon suggests you try writing your feelings out in a diary of sorts. And he promises not to peek- it's for your benefit only. His sketchbook helps him so much in trying to overcome a design flaw or difficulty. He thinks, perhaps, if you had more space to expand your feelings and thoughts onto paper, they wouldn't feel as oppressive in your mind.

You find his tail always wrapping around your ankle, or even your waist, when you're at his side. It’s like his tail is telling you what echoes in the subconscious of his mind: Dammon can’t lose you. He’s been through so much already. You have brought so much light and joy into his life. He couldn’t bear to let you go.

He begs you, to please come to him if you should ever get to a point where you don’t know what else to do. He doesn’t want to lose you. You mean so much to him. Please, let him in. The two of you can weather this together.

Essentially, Dammon becomes all the more attentive and upfront/vocal about his affection for you. He hopes to shower you in so much love, that the little voice in your head has no chance to bring you down.

Rolan:

Rolan is sickened, and just a teensy bit angry. Not at you, but at himself. Hearing you confess to having such thoughts makes him all the more concerned about you. But of course, being the stubborn tiefling he is, Rolan doesn’t know how to say it without sounding like a dick.

Rolan first considers looking into a spell or enchantment that can do away with such feelings, before you explain to him that, even if that were possible, in the long run, that’s not how these things work. These kinds of things can’t be fixed by magic. And even if there was a spell that might work, it’s not the kind of thing magic should be used to interfere with. This makes Rolan more irritable about the whole thing because he’s spent so long studying, building up his skills to be a wizard. But he hasn’t spent the time working on his emotional intelligence or intimacy prowess. And now, he fears that lack of proficiency may cost him you.

But he tries! Oh boy, does he try! He’s constantly sending either Lia or Cal to check up on you when he’s too busy to come see you himself. It becomes a bit of an inside joke between the three of you, how large that one vein in Rolan’s forehead becomes whenever Cal or Lia report back to him about you.

Once Rolan comes to understand you didn’t tell him so he’d be responsible for keeping you under watch, but because you just wanted him to ‘get it’, he becomes much less overbearing in his instructions. Instead of ordering you to go outside for some sun, he’ll offer to take a stroll with you around Sorcerous Sundries. Rather than forcing you to eat every couple of hours, Rolan will show up in your room some night with a select baked goods he picked up from a street vendor for you to share over tea before falling asleep.

He has difficulty talking about it most days, but he does hold your hands and tell you once, very passionately, that he cares for you, deeply, and he hates to think you were hurting all this time in silence. He asks you to please, please keep sharing your feelings with him. He knows his reactions aren’t always the most encouraging, but he swears that no matter his initial reaction, he will always be on your side.

Deep down he does want to take care of you, he feels responsible for your well-being. It’s rather similar to how he feels responsible for providing for Lia and Cal. But with you, it’s all the more profound. There’s no point in him studying to become the greatest wizard in Baldur’s Gate if you’re not at his side. Without you, very little would seem worth it.

Zevlor:

Zevlor is alarmed, and immediately all the more worried about your well-being. Zevlor was already anxious before about the two of you being together, thinking of himself as undeserving. He felt he was too old, too damaged, and too changed to be a man worthy of your affections. Becoming an official couple quieted most of those doubts but hearing you confess that you harbor such thoughts brings all his insecurities back to the forefront.

Is it something he’s done? Is it something he didn’t do? Is it his fault? He’s already apologizing profusely before you can even get a word in edgewise. You are so incredible, he thinks you’re so brilliant. The fault must lie with him.

Once you explain how it’s not anybody’s fault, neither his nor yours, Zevlor seems to settle a little. He still worries a great deal about you, probably the most out of all the tieflings, because he knows the exact desperation you’re feeling. He’s felt it before. He’s felt it a few times throughout his life actually.

As a Hellrider, Zevlor saw a great deal of conflict. And when Elturel fell into Avernus, he was forced to endure even more. There’s so much pain and suffering in the world that when you’re stuck in the middle of it, it often seems like there’s no way out.

Because Zevlor has felt such lows before, he also knows there isn’t always much you can do to stop it right away. Yes, you can meditate or talk your feelings out or perhaps write them down in a journal or log, but there’s no quick fix. It’s a heavy burden you must carry, even as you look out into the coming horizon.

The one thing Zevlor knows he can do is help you carry the load. Zelvor reminds you that you are not alone in this fight. Granted, he may no longer be the paladin he once was, but that will not stop him from aiding you the best he can. He’ll pay you extra attention, and spend more quality time with you. He’ll sit with you and rub your back as you cry. And on the days it's all just too much to take, Zevlor will stay in bed with you, his tail curled around your leg, his claws scratching gently through your hair as you lay there hiding away from the world.

If your feelings ever get worse, Zevlor might consider recommending you speak to someone who perhaps can help, more than he can help you alone. A cleric or a monk, a druid… Anyone. Zevlor knows from his fellow veterans- there are more people out there living with the exact same feelings as you. Perhaps being able to attend a group setting to talk, as he does on occasion with his former Hellriders from Elturel, would help strengthen you on your continued journey.

Zevlor approaches the situation with much more wisdom and understanding. He works to comfort you the best he can, but he also possesses enough humility to let you grieve as needed.

#dammon x reader #zevlor x reader #rolan x reader #bg3 x reader #bg3 imagine #bg3 #hc #baldurs gate x reader #baldurs gate 3 imagine #baldurs gate 3 x reader

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stardustcleaningguy · 2 days

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ok im back to rant abt more saverem twins autism things :P

in my last post (which if you havent seen, was me reblogging @dragons1re ‘s post about the plant powers as a metaphor for autism/autistic traits) i didnt really go into much detail about knives because i was a little too focussed in the fact there is another autistic vash truther out there .. but im gonna talk abt knives now.

like i said before i dont necessarily think that knives has enough control over his outbursts to really be completely proud of them, but also when you are the person known for having regular outbursts and are considered ‘dangerous’ or ‘weird’ by neurotypical society, it begins to become a part of how you view yourself as a person (or at least thats how it was for me as a kid - a lot of my autism hcs are based directly off my own experiences). i mean this in the way that once you have that impression established of you - that you are strange and offputting and scary - its very hard to overcome the perception of others and seem ‘normal’ and so you just kinda give up, and accept your role.

this is how knives’ behaviour appears to me, from an early age people have this perception that hes hard to deal with and has big outbursts of emotion which he struggles to control - and even when he DOES learn more ways to control it, he still refuses to mask because hes continuing to play into the general perception of him by neurotypical (aka human) society. he lets his emotions control him because he doesnt see any point in masking - i mean what would it change if he did try and act normal? the humans already know hes a dangerous monster freak right? i was only able to change from this mindset because my environment and the people around me changed but because of the magnitude of knives’ actions hes unable to do this - until the very end when he finds humans that dont just see him as a dangerous creature but an actual person who just wants safety for him and his brother (but then he gets appled so …)

also im not really saying that knives thinks of himself as a monster, he just knows that humans have that impression of him and instead of trying way too hard to appear normal like vash, he leans more into the role of ‘weird dangerous monster’. hes super scared of humans (the same way an autistic person may become fearful of neutotypical society because of the way they have been treated within it) so thats another reason why he has this whole im super dangerous and evil thing going on even though he spends most of his time napping. top 10 people comitted to the bit

idk this rant MIGHT have gotten a little too tangent-y and i MIGHT be projecting onto knives just a teensy little bit but it was fun to write so wuteva !!!!!!!! (also all of this is specifically discussing trigun maximum - i luuuuv maximum)

#autistic saverem twins truthers if your out there …#this was mainly just to get things outta my system bc i was thinking abt this all night #SORRY fkr so many rants #trigun #trigun maximum #millions knives

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flowerslut · 1 year

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Hey, how are you?

So this is going to get long, okay here it goes: I started reading your fics back in 2020 when Twilight fandom rose from the ashes with Midnight Sun and at that time I was going through a lot. I never said that, but you might have saved my life by accident. I swear I devoured Call of the Night in, like, one day.

Your other fics also had a strong impact in me. I think the last one I read (for the first time lol) was an old one which I don't remember the title but it was an all-human au and there was a magic wall where Alice and Jasper met and he was kind of a skater boy or something hot like that and I swear to you, that was one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. Having something like this to hold on when everything else is falling onto your head can be really healing.

I know you have some projects you are working on and I assume you are taking a break from the Call of the Night series, which I totally respect, so I just wanted to say thank you, truly, and that I couldn't be more excited to read your next Jalice stories. Missing your fics a lot, but take your time, I'll be reading all of them <33

omg baby thank you so much for sending me this 🥺🥺🥺 the last story you read was called To Be Alive and was a one-shot for a jalice week prompt! I am taking a small break from CotN just to stretch some creative muscle over here and indulge in a few other jalice projects but don't worry too much! more jalice stuff will be coming y'alls way at some point! I just want to make it all PERFECT before releasing anything on AO3 or FF.net

I hope you're doing better and I'm so so so so happy I could provide something to help you even just a teensy tiny bit 💖💖💖💖

#ily anon dont be a stranger bestie

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quickdeaths · 11 months

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20. what are your muse’s feelings towards the culture of romance and sexuality as it pertains to their identity? (Tsubasa and Shinobu)

Tsubasa aspires to live their life according to that one post that's like "Am I a boy? Am I a girl? Who knows! But everyone finds me hot, and that makes everyone gay" and beyond that, they don't really think about it. For the most part, they don't let things like stereotypes or other people's opinion of culture stick to them. They're secure in who they are, so being hit on by a straight guy who mistakes them for a woman, or a girl balking at their interest, doesn't really affect or bother. They're generous towards people who make mistakes, and if those mistakes are repeated? Wow you must be dumb to keep getting it wrong over and over, sucks to suck!

In some sense, Tsubasa does fit in with some stereotypes - as far as lesbians go, they slot in pretty easily with the stereotype of the person with a more masculine aesthetic who is interested in people with a more feminine aesthetic, who is flirty and forward in a particular way, who takes a more leading position both romantically and sexually, etc. But even then, Tsubasa doesn't put too much stock in it - they're liable to say something like, "Yeah, that is some kind of pattern, huh? Things just work out like that, but it's not really any preference, it's just how things turn out sometimes." They're easygoing and relaxed, and they're not married to any particular role or style, and despite having a "type," they're pretty willing to go outside it if someone catches their eye or their interest.

On a personal level, they might give off a teensy bit of "player" energy, because they are very casually flirty and don't mind hooking up, and that might lead into some stereotypes that they're a bit less fond of. Truthfully, they'd like a chill, sweet relationship (or relationships - of all the muses, they'd be the most willing to consider some kind of non-monogamy if a partner was interested), though. In general, though? The cyber angel lives a vibes-based existence that prioritizes banishing personal stress and negativity whenever possible. Basically, they don't think of themselves, or their identity, as relating to any "culture of romance or sexuality", because they, Cyber Tsubasa, are entirely unique.

Meanwhile Shinobu is in ultimate super prison mega hell. The "culture of romance and sexuality" is just her life and it sucks. She's tall, athletic, "handsome," dresses in fine menswear, has an emotionally-closed-off personality, speaks in a very formal, genderless style, and is seemingly very romantically available. They have the aura of a closed-off otome game character, either the kind that will degrade and belittle you, or the kind that just needs the right person's soft words and gentle touch to completely crack open and reveal something warm and kind inside, all of which has given rise to the "Cold Prince Shinobu-kun" understanding of them as a person. That Shinobu is a woman who isn't especially glad to be spoken about in such a way is basically unknown or unimportant in the eyes of her admirers.

These admirers largely aren't the sort of people Shinobu is interested in. For the most part, they're straight women who have concocted some fantasy in their head, casting themselves as romantic leads in some video game, tv show, or manga, and have decided on Shinobu as their princely love interest. Most of them barely know Shinobu personally, because their interest is less in Shinobu Yaguchi the person and more the persona of this cold-hearted prince archetype character that they've projected onto her. In addition, because they're perceived by these girls fundamentally as a masculine archetype rather than a person, they're subjected to some behavior that isn't appropriate towards anyone, but is sometimes mistaken as 'this is acceptable to do to a man.'

The final detriment to this little fanclub is that it isolates her from other queer people, both physically (given that the honor guard closes in and pushes out people who don't belong there), and emotionally (because Shinobu feels such disdain towards her hangers-on, she takes that to mean that has no interest in or compatibility for any romance at all). Still, they're pretty permissive about the admirers, accepting their confessions and going on dates that they seldom enjoy, and generally being ground down by the experience - secretly interested in some kind of long-term relationship, but pretty bitter about the experience of looking for it.

#chibitantei #c; the cyber angel #c; the sun-slaying arrow #thanks for the ask!#homophobia tw #transphobia tw #tsubasa is just chillin they don't consider what other people think #and they're so individualistic that they don't really consider themselves to subscribe to any patterns or trends #or be part of any real broad culture #meanwhile shinobu is just all that all the time #trapped in gender/sexuality hell prison #life at least partially ruined by people who are obsessed with a particular cultural understanding of romance #that shinobu doesn't actually fit into #but has the surface level characteristics of

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nanatsumu · 3 years

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HIGH SCHOOL!SUKUNA x F!READER

thinking about bad boy itadori sukuna who all the kids at school try to steer clear from because they know he’s bad news and if you get involved with him then you’re bound to be tied with bad luck for as long as he lives. well, that is everyone except for the president of the student council who so happens to be his childhood best friend turned lover.

this is mostly written for my own self indulgence and to project my fantasies of having a boyfriend onto sukuna but feel free to treat this as any other headcanon! ps i am pretty sure canon sukuna would kill a baby at any given situation, but this is going to be a revamped version of sukuna written by yours truly ;) and its a high school au so sukuna won’t be a complete menace to society and will actually have a heart heh

also i didn’t realize how long this was going to be??? this is kind of all over place too because i just wanted to throw all of my thoughts onto this post so there might be some plot holes in this LOL

i feel like sukuna would be the type of bad boy who isn’t necessarily a bad boy but everyone at school just paints him as some kind of delinquent because of all the tattoos and piercings he has.

he actually shows up to school more often than you think he would (but that’s only because you’re in most of his classes so long story short: you’re his only motivation for attending class)

“forgets” to bring his work books to class more than usual (in reality he does this on purpose so he has an excuse to be near you) so he requests to sit next to you the entire class period so he can share with you for the meantime but whenever the teachers not looking he’ll go back to admiring your face.

his older twin brother, itadori yuji, is very fond of you since you three grew up together and you both had your chances of being a victim to his antics!

exhibit a: in middle school when you and yuji were watching tv together, the show you two were watching would keep switching to some wrestling match broadcasting on a sports channel and no matter how many times you turned the tv on and off, it just would not stop. but it wasn’t until you heard snickering from the kitchen that you realized sukuna had a spare remote and was the mastermind behind the whole thing.

exhibit b: sukuna and yuji’s mom was the owner of a bakery so every now and then she would have either one of the twins come deliver freshly baked pastries to your household! oh how wrong was she to trust her youngest. sukuna was now a freshman in high school, and by now you would’ve thought that sukuna would have grown out of his childish phase, but WRONG! sukuna was still a menace in your life even past childhood. so when you bit into one of the macaroons, instead of being hit with the overwhelming taste of [favorite flavor], all you could feel was the burning sensation of wasabi kicking into your tastebuds.

yeah after the whole wasabi macaroon freak accident, you stopped accepting everything sukuna offered to you and opted to only eating pastries out of the boxes that yuji delivered to you. (sukuna eventually caught onto this and was just TEENSY bit upset but he would rather down a whole tube of wasabi than to tell you upfront)

now, how did you two even end up dating??? oh boy now that is a story

you see, yours and sukuna’s dynamic growing up was similar to that of tom and jerry’s— you being jerry and sukuna being 10x worse than tom of course

but it wasn’t until a confession after school behind the cherry blossom tree that was known for bringing good luck to successful confessions that sukuna finally realized that maybe he really did like you just a little lot bit

sukuna overheard the boy who was planning on confessing to you talking to his friend group about how “sweet and caring” you are (although sukuna could argue otherwise, you were a little brat. *LIKE HELLO?!&:&:& YOU WEREN’T THE ONE WHO ATE A MACAROON FILLED WASABI**) and obviously his ears perked up at the mention of your name. he grew up with you after all so naturally he would be interested in a conversation that revolved around you.

but then the boys started going on about how “you looked like an easy catch” and how “your body was bangin’!” yeah no, that’s where he drew the line. sure sukuna was an ass and talked shit about you most of the time (in his defense it wasn’t like he was doing it behind your back) but if he ever caught someone else talking about you like that then he would be sure to give them a hard time.

he hid behind one of the bushes near the cherry blossom tree while the boy was professing his love for you. funnily enough, for a moment sukuna forgot why he was originally there because he was too busy trying to stifle a laugh as he watched the boy stumble over his words.

“okay shows over” sukuna thought as the confession was reaching its conclusion, but just as he was about to step in and give the poor boy a piece of his mind, he stopped in his tracks when he heard you roaring with laughter.

“did you really think that i wouldn’t hear about what you and your friends said about me earlier? you’re really pathetic if you think any girl would be easy enough to fall to her knees for you because news flash! you’re a disgusting pig and you deserve to rot in hell for speaking about a girl’s worth like that.”

“it’s kind of sad too, i thought you were a nice boy and i probably would have given you a chance but it seems like you’re even worse than scum! damn it, to think there was somebody out there who’s even worse than sukuna.”

of course sukuna was not pleased to hear that last bit, but he did have a proud grin forming on his face as he watched the boy run away, flustered from your rejection and the embarrassment he was put through.

“sukuna i know you’re hiding behind the bush.”

“huh? i came here way before you got here, there’s no way you could have seen me.” he said as he stood up to his full height.

“well, your laughter isn’t exactly the quietest, plus i can spot that hair of yours from a mile away.”

lets just say, sukuna was glad you didn’t ask him what he was doing there because he wasn’t sure if he could spare the embarrassment of telling you that he was planning on ruining the confession.

after that whole fiasco happened, sukuna started to feel(!&:&::&) things

like he started to notice how you styled your hair differently one day and how you switched to a new perfume that smelled like spearmint (was that weird? for sukuna probably not. he just excuses it as being highly observant)

you weren’t dumb either, you had a feeling sukuna was there that day of the confession because he too had overheard the conversation between the boy and his friends as well (you knew he was prideful and if you brought it up then he probably would’ve denied it)

so from there on out it was just mutual pining at the point except... well.... not really??

i feel like it was just an unspoken agreement between you two that you guys were “together” but not “together together” because he started to treat you differently than he would before. like for example, he’d carry your bag for you whenever you guys would walk home (yuji was confused by this at first because if anything, it would have made more sense to see sukuna make you carry HIS bag, but he eventually caught on to sukuna’s feelings for you because they were twin brothers after all), he started walking you to class more often even though his class was all the way on the other side of the school (you asked him why but he just shrugged and said he was just “killing time” so that he wouldn’t have to go to class and then you ended up scolding him), and there was also that one time you miraculously found a $20 bill in your backpack after mentioning to sukuna that there was this cute top you saw at the mall the other day but didn’t have enough money at the time to purchase it (you asked him about this but he said it was probably yuji, but you didn’t want to pry any further since you wanted to cherish the fact that sukuna cared that much)

but eventually you got sick of this whole push and pull game that you physically had to tug the collar of his school uniform and pull him in for a kiss (he was visibly shocked at this because he never would’ve imagined you as the assertive type. not that he was complaining though)

“oya? didn’t think you liked me this much kitten.” he said laughing while you rolled your eyes.

“as if, i got tired of you being a wuss so one of us had to wear the pants in the relationship.” you snorted, causing him to irk.

to be honest, your relationship with him is smooth sailing because you both were pretty chill people and you didn’t have to worry about him sneaking behind your back to see other girls because 1. literally all the girls at school are terrified of him and 2. he knew what you were capable of doing to him if you were to ever catch him cheating on you so he wants to stay on your good side

jealous and possessive don’t exist in his dictionary because he is the epitome of those two words. remember what i said about how your relationship is smooth sailing? i kinda lied.

he’s easily jealous like for example: when you were in english class and the teacher had you guys jot down some notes, you realized you forgot to ask for your pencil back when you lent it to your friend last period.

so you asked sukuna to borrow a pencil but instead of giving you a pencil, he called you an idiot for being so forgetful.

this makes you mad so you turn to your male classmate since he was sitting on your opposite side and ask him for a pencil instead.

sukuna was practically fuming the entire class period and once the day ended and you two were back at your place, he made sure to mark you real good. (oh he also went out to buy a pack of mechanical pencils to sneak into your backpack so that next time you forget your pencils, you’ll have 10 extra pencils sitting in your backpack as backup)

he’s not a big fan of pda in public, but on the chances he will show some of it, the most he will do is wrap an arm around your shoulder or waist whenever some dude is trying to hit on you.

BUT IN PRIVATE? better buckle up because your in for a ride wink wink

really likes putting hickeys on you to a fault! but will never put any visible ones on your neck because he doesn’t want your parents to view him as some kind of animal (but he has nothing to worry about because your parents really like him and are grateful for the fact that he’s very loyal to you, and you guys grew up together so it’s only natural that your parents are accepting of him since they already know he has a good heart underneath that tough facade of his)

oh, and yuji starts learning how to knock whenever you come over (or shuts himself in his room for the meantime if he thinks it’s unsafe to step out of his room) because chances are, you’re probably making out with sukuna in his room or smth.

now onto the spicy stuff

when you and sukuna first started dating, the first thing you told him was that you weren’t ready to have sex yet because you were nervous and sukuna understood and told you that he was willing to wait for whenever you were ready.

but when you were ready though, it was kind of spontaneous and you weren’t even wearing a matching pair of bra and underwear that day

you two were chilling in your room watching some stupid (according to sukuna) animal documentary when suddenly you felt his hand on your thigh

dating sukuna and all, it was normal for him to have his hands on some part of your body (whether it be your thigh or your waist) while you two were in bed.

but you were feeling a bit bolder HORNEE than usual so you began to leave a hot trail of kisses starting from his jaw all the way down to his neck.

sukuna obviously got the memo but before those kisses could escalate into something more daring, he asked you once more if you were completely sure you wanted to do it and once you gave him the green light, he was quick to tug his shirt over his head and pounce on you.

he started getting really into it though and accidentally bit your thigh which made you loose your high and scold him for it, but he let out a hearty laugh and muttered a quick apology before getting back into business

sike i lied, remember what i said about it being spontaneous? yeah, you technically didn’t loose your virginity to him that day because after he finished prepping you, you both came to a realization that you didn’t have a condom.

oh well, there’s always next time!

i think sukuna is a sucker for pet names: his favorite thing to call you is either kitten or princess and that’s it LOL he finds calling you baby or babe is a bit too cheesy for him

but he likes it when you call him baby or babe ;)

date nights consist of either staying in and cuddling in his room, going out for a walk at night (but very very late though. there’s still lamp posts that guide your way through the streets but it gives you the heebie jeebies to be out walking outside so late. sukuna always reminds you that nothing bad will happen as long as he’s right by your side), or just spending time with you and your families.

but if you’re really down to do it, he’ll probably initiate a make out session that’ll lead to y’all fucking one way or another (he only ever does it if he is 100% sure that you’re feeling it because he knows you get easily embarrassed if he asks you straight up)

(this part is mainly written for me because i love the idea of sukuna being over at family functions, but it can be applied as part of the general hc heh) if you took him to any of your family functions as your plus one for the first time, all the aunts and uncles would be a bit wary of him at first due to all of the tattoos and piercings he has (sukuna swears he has never felt so self conscious before) but after they strike up a conversation with him and find out that he’s actually a good guy who knows what he wants to do in the future and is very loyal to you, they start to like him more.

your little cousins adore him and love it when he comes over because sukuna is a very tall high schooler which makes him the perfect candidate as a monkey bar

so when you noticed that all the little ones started to climb on his body and mess around with his hair, you were quick to react because you knew your boyfriend was easily irritable which prompted you to think he hated kids

but there was nothing to worry about because when you saw him playing around with them and even crack a smile, you felt your heart grow fuzzy at the sight and you knew right then and there that you wanted to stick by sukuna’s side for the rest of your life

and in the unfortunate circumstances that sukuna is too busy to make it to one of your functions, the first thing everyone asks is “where’s your boyfriend?” or “where’s ‘kuna? i wanna play with him!”

so you have to facetime him and let him know that everyone is wondering where he is (your phone is dead by the end of the night because after the adults get their turn at saying hi to your boyfriend, the kids snatch your phone and end up talking to him for the rest of the night)

but in conclusion, everyone is waiting for the day he gets on one knee to propose to you and your parents are itching to get to get call sukuna their son-in-law :))

also don’t forget that your parents want two grandchildren: one boy and one girl!

#sukuna #sukuna x reader #sukuna fluff #sukuna hc #ryomensukuna #sukuna x you #sukuna x y/n #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jujutsu kaisen hc #jjk hc #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #jjk fluff #anime #anime fanfic #jjk

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winterinhimring · 2 years

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Mace Windu for the character ask?

The character ask is here. Sorry for the delay -- I was going to wait until I'd finished rewatching Clone Wars to answer this properly, but then I realised that would take a really long time so I decided to go ahead with what I remember.

Favourite thing about Mace: He's always very focused on his mission, which is to get as many people out of a situation alive as possible, both his troops and the civilians. He's serious, and sometimes grim, but underneath it all he's a very good man.

Least favourite thing: I don't really have one, honestly. I strongly relate to being the stoic, focussed one who doesn't show a lot of emotion, but cares anyway -- I might be projecting onto his character just a teensy bit here -- and so I really like him.

Favourite line: I can't think of one off the top of my head. Probably any of the many times he orders his men to get out of danger while he meets it head on.

brOTP: Ponds, and/or Depa.

OTP: No strong feelings on this, but I've seen at least one fanfic that shipped him very satisfactorily with Adi Gallia.

nOTP: Don't really have one of these either.

Random headcanon: I haven't ever written Mace, so I don't have any real headcanons about him.

Unpopular opinion: I don't think he's a jerk, or even that he's particularly strict. He's a very serious person, certainly, and his Clone Wars edition has a bit of an RBF, but the kind of man his actions reveal is one who is truly, morally good. And the fandom trope of him always scolding Anakin really doesn't have a basis in canon that I can see. In fact, in the Clone Wars, they seem to be on excellent terms.

Song I associate with them: The second movement of Beethoven's 7th is the first one that comes to mind.

Favourite picture: I'm gonna have to go with this ridiculously dramatic one from the 2003 Clone Wars series:

(Yes, he's riding a vulture droid.)

#star wars #mace windu #winter says things #asked and answered #meta

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writingwhimsey · 3 years

Text

Lady of Azuchi Ch. 5

Chapter 5

I sat in the healer's quarters after Asuna had just finished my exam. She had been at the castle for around a month now. By my calculations, I was coming to the end of my first trimester and thankfully the morning sickness was subsiding.

"You have your appetite back yet, my lady?" Asuna asked.

"Yes...with a vengeance." I answered, somewhat sheepishly.

Asuna smiled. "No need to look ashamed. You are eating for two." She then patted my belly which had started to swell ever so slightly.

I smiled. "Sometimes I feel like I'm eating for three." I said with a laugh. "And sleeping like a cat."

Asuna laughed. "It takes a lot out of a woman to carry a child." Her eyes then took on a gentle look. "How are you feeling with it all by the way?"

"Just fine." I answered "Very happy...especially now that I am not felling sick anymore."

"Good. Just know, if you ever feel like anything is bothering you, you can talk to me."

I smiled. "Thank you, that truly means a lot...and makes me very glad I chose you as my midwife."

"I am quite happy you chose me as well."

"Speaking of, would you like to join me for some tea and shopping?" I asked. "I have to get some more fabric for the seamstresses as well as for my personal project."

"A personal project?"

"A blanket I am making for the baby." I answered, putting my hand over my belly. "If you don't want to come, I understand, but I would appreciate the company."

"Are you sure it's alright for me to come with you? I know Lord Hideyoshi doesn't trust me still."

I shrugged. "If I say it is alright, it is. Not only that but it's not like we will be alone. Ever since I became pregnant, I haven't been out of the castle much and when I am...I have at least a three guards with me...or Nobunaga or one of the other lords."

Asuna gave me a small smile. "A bit protective are they?"

I smiled. "Just a teensy bit. I know it is only because Nobunaga is worried that something would happen to me. If anyone were to try to take me hostage...well they'd be getting two for the price of one."

I felt Asuna's hand on mine and looked up into her eyes. "I swear to you, no matter what I would not let that happen."

I am not sure what it was, but there was something in her eyes, a strong conviction there. I could sense it. She truly meant it. "Thank you..."

Asuna smiled. "Tea and shopping do sound nice."

We got ready and then headed out. Hideyoshi was accompanying us as my guard. We went to the tea shop first, getting tea and sweets, as I was just craving their dumplings.

"You probably shouldn't eat too many sweets, Ava." Hideyoshi said, sounding so much like a mother hen it wasn't even funny.

I glared at him.

"While I hate to say it Lord Hideyoshi is right. Too many sweets is bad for you and the baby." Asuna said. "Though there is nothing wrong with indulging in them here and there."

"Oh, so now you're against me as well?" I asked, my tone accusatory. "Or is this just you trying to get on Hideyoshi's good side?"

Asuna laughed. "No, no. I am merely doing my job as your midwife."

"If you want to work on her sweets intake you'll have to talk to Lord Nobunaga about the sugar candies and to Masamune about the amount he makes." Hideyoshi said.

Asuna nodded. "I will have to have a talk with them."

"Hey, stop plotting against me, you two!" I said, my tone teasing.

"I only want the best for my patients." Asuna said.

"And I will always look out for you." Hideyoshi added. "And I will always help look out for the baby, too."

I smiled, happy to have them both here being so kind and caring. "I know."

It was then that the gaggle of Hideyoshi fans approached our table. "Lord Hideyoshi! It is so good to see you!"

"It has been too long!"

"Won't you join us?"

Asuna looked at me. "What's going on?"

"Hideyoshi has fans." I answered. "If he's not suspicious of you, he's actually quite kind and everyone loves him."

Asuna crossed her arms and looked at Hideyoshi, her eyes scanning up and down. "I don't see it."

I let out a small giggle. "Don't let them hear you say that."

"I would love to join you ladies, but I am ensuring Lady Ava's safety during her shopping trip into town." Hideyoshi answered the women. "Perhaps another time."

"Alright, but you really should come over to my place and let me make you dinner sometime." One of the women said.

When they finally left, Hideyoshi turned to us a sheepish look on his face. Asuna was sipping her tea and eyeing him over her cup. I had to fight back a laugh. The look Asuna had on her face was too funny.

"Sorry about that." He said. "They're very kind people."

"Uh-huh." Asuna replied. "I don't get it, but to each their own."

Hideyoshi blushed and let out that awkward cough.

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. The look on their faces were just to much.

"What's so funny?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Your...faces...both...of...you." I got out in between my laughter. I managed to calm myself after a few moments. "I'm sorry, the looks on your faces were just too much."

"Don't be sorry. Laughter is good for you and for the baby." Asuna replied.

"Even if it is at my expense, I can't get mad at you when you're happy." Hideyoshi said.

That made me feel a bit awkward and reminded me of how Hideyoshi felt about me. Though I know he would never act on it. When he had confessed to me, my heart already belonged to Nobunaga, and he knew it. He had told me he would watch from the sidelines and be happy to know I was happy.

"You know, you might want to actually give one of those girls a chance some day." I found myself saying, as I wanted him to be happy. "One could make you very happy."

"I don't know about that." Hideyoshi replied. "Besides, I am just too busy helping Lord Nobunaga achieve his goals. Someone has to help keep everyone else in line."

We all sat and finished our tea and dumplings before getting up and heading to the market place.

Asuna...

Asuna sat, watching Hideyoshi talk with Ava. She noticed the way he looked at her. He couldn't get mad at her when she was happy? Hmm...interesting. Asuna thought.

When they all finally got up and got to shopping, Asuna watched as Ava looked excitedly through the fabric stalls. The way in which she looked at the fabric, as if she could see the items they could make, it was quite fascinating.

"You must really enjoy sewing?" Asuna asked.

"That is an understatement." Ava had replied, not taking her eyes from the bolts of fabric. "It is my passion. That's why I love working with the castle seamstresses."

"A noble lady who loves to work with her hands." Asuna said. "You know some of your questions at my interview make a lot more sense now."

Ava turned and smiled at her. "I don't really see myself as a noble lady. I am just a person and I want to do my fair share. I'm not a fan of just lazing around and playing with makeup games." She said. "And I do love being a seamstress. I like making clothes that make people happy."

"And that is why Ava's clothes are the best." Hideyoshi said. "Everyone knows if they want quality clothes to request her. She also keeps all of the Oda forces in the best Kimonos."

Asuna's eyes widened. "You mean you all have ordered something from her?"

"Of course."

"I don't think I'm all that special, but I am glad that everyone likes my work." Ava said, her cheeks reddening. She had picked out a several bolts of fabric that were to go to the seamstresses, but she was still searching.

"What are you looking for, exactly?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Something that will be a perfect compliment to the fabric I've got going on a personal project." Ava answered.

"You making something for yourself?" Hideyoshi asked.

"No, but it will be used often." Ava replied. She then spied some fabric that looked perfect in her mind's eye. "This is it!" She went over to the fabric. It was a beautiful white fabric with some light flower print dyed onto it. The colors were muted and subtle, but yet quite pretty.

"It is a very pretty fabric." Asuna agreed.

After finishing up her purchases in the fabric stall, they walked out. Hideyoshi insisting on carrying the packages, though he had managed to arrange for some to be delivered to the castle directly. "Is there anything you'd like to look at?" Ava asked, looking at Asuna.

"Well, there are some supplies I need to pick up." Asuna answered. "Is there an apothecary somewhere?"

"Yes, the best one is this way." Hideyoshi answered. "Are you sure you are not tired, though, Ava?"

"I am perfectly fine." Ava answered.

"Walking s a very safe activity for her." Asuna assured him. "But we shouldn't keep you on your feet for too long."

"I don't feel tired yet. I will let you know if I do."

Hideyoshi then led them to an apothecary, knowing this was the one Ieyasu went to for the few herbs that he did not grow himself. There were a few other supplies Asuna needed as well and Hideyoshi kindly showed her to each stall where she could find the best goods.

As they were walking around, Asuna couldn't help but to glance at Hideyoshi as he showed her around Azuchi and kept an eye out for trouble concerning Ava. He still didn't trust her and yet he was taking the time to help make sure she had the best of what she needed.

Before long they were finished and returning to the castle. Upon their return, they were all called to the main hall for meeting. Asuna was surprised that she was invited as well.

"Why am I being invited?" Asuna asked.

"Lord Nobunaga requested you there." The vassal who had greeted them answered. "He did not say why."

There's no way he could have found out my connection to Lord Shingen. Asuna thought, though she did not let it show on her face that she was concerned. All my letters have been sent in code and they don't go to Echigo...not directly anyways.

"I am not sure I like this." Hideyoshi said. "Though I doubt this won't be a war council."

"He always has a reason for everything...as I've come to learn and as someone else once told me, when I questioned his orders." Ava said, giving Hideyoshi a wry smile.

"Throwing my own words back at me?"

"Of course." Ava replied. "Now we should get going."

The three of them walked to the main hall. Ava walked up to take her seat beside Nobunaga on the dais. he instantly put an arm around her waist and pulled her close, giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. Hideyoshi took his seat to Nobunaga's right and Mitsuhide was sitting to his left. The other war lords were in their seats, which appeared to Asuna their normal seats.

"Midwife Asuna, you can sit here." Mitsunari said, giving her a kind angelic smile, as he gestured to the seat beside him.

"Thank you." Asuna said, taking the seat and returning the smile.

"Lady Ava used to take this seat, but after our last battle with the Uesugi-Takeda alliance, her role changed...and of course now as Lord Nobunaga's wife, he wants to keep her close." Mitsunari said.

"I see." Asuna said. So, he's rather demanding? That seems to fit more with what I know of him. She thought, though she couldn't help but to look up at the way Nobunaga gently held Ava and how his gaze was hard and icy yet warmed the instant his eyes were on his wife.

Once everyone was gathered, Nobunaga looked around the room. "Good, you are all here." He said. "Asuna."

"Yes, my lord?" Asuna asked, looking up surprised to be addressed right away.

"Is riding an okay activity for Ava to partake in?" He asked.

"Riding...a horse?" Asuna asked.

"Yes. I don't know what else I would be talking about."

"I am sorry, it just surprised me." Asuna answered. "How long is the ride?"

"It would be a bit of a journey. It normally takes three days." Nobunaga answered.

"The real risk is if she were to fall off of her horse." Asuna answered. "But there is also a need for frequent breaks."

Nobunaga nodded. "The risk of falling would not be there. She has become a skilled rider, but more importantly she would be riding with me and I would keep her from falling."

Ava looked at him. "What are you planning?"

Nobunaga smiled. "Are you worried I'll be taking you to battle again? See if you still carry fortune's favor?" He asked, his smile teasing.

That's right. I had heard that he had taken her to battle a couple of times. Why in the world he would do that I don't understand.

"I never know with you." Ava replied, though she was smiling.

"There is a festival to be held in one month's time at one of my more recently acquired territories." Nobunaga began to explain. "It is a tradition that they hold this festival and I believe it will bring good will if we were to attend."

Ava's eyes lit up. "A festival? That means festival food."

"What is my food not good enough for you lass?" Masamune asked, feigning hurt.

"Oh you know you're the best cook, Masamune." Ava replied. "There's just something about festival food, though."

Nobunaga chuckled. "I take it you want to go then?"

"Yes." Ava answered, an excited smile on her face.

"I thought it would please you." He said. He then turned back to Asuna. "You will be coming too, to help assure Ava's health."

"Of course." Asuna replied. "I was about to ask to come...I would also like to make the suggestion that we start the journey a couple of days earlier than planned, making it a five day journey instead of a three day one."

Nobunaga nodded his agreement. "Then it is settled."

"I would like to request to attend as well, my lord." Hideyoshi spoke up, his suspicious gaze finding its way to Asuna.

"I was planning on you coming, Hideyoshi." Nobunaga replied." As well as Masamune."

"Oh...of course...as you say." Hideyoshi replied.

Later that night Asuna was up late working out the supplies she was going to need. Though the trip was a month away, she wanted to make sure she had enough supplies. She also knew she was going to need to ask someone to teach her how to ride, though she wasn't sure who she should ask.

There was a knock on her door. "Asuna, I am coming in."

Asuna didn't look up as Hideyoshi walked in. "What brings you here, Lord Hideyoshi?" She asked, continuing to write down her supply list.

"I was doing a sweep of the castle and saw your light still on. Why are you still up?"

"I am working on a list of supplies I will need for the trip." She answered. "I need to be prepared for anything that might occur while we are gone. I want to make sure I have everything to properly care for Lady Ava."

"I see." Hideyoshi replied. "If you need anything let me know. I will see to it that you get it."

"There is one thing..." Asuna said, almost hesitantly. I can't believe of all the skills I've learned that horseback riding was not one of them...nor that I am about to ask this.

"Yes?" Hideyoshi asked.

"I am a bit embarrassed by this, but I don't know how to ride...could you teach me?"

Hideyoshi seemed surprised. "There's no need to be embarrassed. Ava couldn't ride either when she first arrived here. Now she can keep up with the rest of us...except maybe Masamune, but no one can keep up with him."

"You think very highly of Lady Ava." Asuna observed unable to help herself from speaking her thoughts aloud.

"She is my liege lord's wife and a rather remarkable woman."

"She said you were once suspicious of her as well...what changed your mind?"

"I got to know her and learned that she has no malice in her heart, no mean bone in her body." Hideyoshi replied, answering honestly. "And what a hard worker she is."

Asuna nodded. "I see. You never answered my question on if you were going to teach me to ride though."

"I will help you." Hideyoshi replied. "I may not trust you, but as Ava's midwife you are now a member of the Oda forces whether I like it or not. I will see to it you have everything you need to properly do your job."

"I thank you for that." Asuna said. "And I hope one day you can come to trust me and see that I really do mean no harm and only want to care for Lady Ava and the baby."

"Time will tell." Hideyoshi replied. "Goodnight...and be sure you get some rest. There is plenty of time to plan. Not to mention we will have a long day tomorrow starting your riding lessons."

Chapter 6 below!

https://writingwhimsey.tumblr.com/post/661174929193041920/lady-of-azuchi-ch-6

#ikesen nobunaga #ikesen #ikemen sengoku #ikemen series #fanfiction #fanfic #romance #chapter 5

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star-trekkin-across-theuniverse · 3 years

Text

You were starfished across your bed in nothing but your knickers when the knock sounded at your door. Rather than answer, you ignored it. It would be far too great an effort to get up, throw something on and answer the door. There was a few minutes pause and the knock came again.

“I’m not here,” you mumbled, not loud enough for anyone to hear, but loud enough that you felt justified not answering the door.

XxX

The mission had been exhausting. It was supposed to be a simple in-and-out, little bit of reconnaissance at Hammer Industries, maybe a teensy bit of industrial espionage to ensure the drone project that Ivan Vanko had started had truly been ended.

Turns out the droids were now the building security, and the Avengers had to be called in to extract you after your capture. Hammer had used some sort of truth serum on you to try to get information out of you. You’d fought it as much as you could, trying to keep your answers glib and indirect as you could.

Right up until Natasha crashed through a window and you exploded into giggles.

“Not so tough now, are we, Justin?” You mocked him as he flinched away from the Black Widow. You were totally distracted by their exchange, watching in fascination until you felt hands working the bindings behind your back. Your head jerked around but you couldn’t see who was there. You struggled, thinking it was another flunky of Hammer’s until a smooth voice whispered in your ear.

“Settle the fuck down.” Your eyes widened and you stopped moving. “Thank you.”

When your hands came free, you pulled them in front of you, rubbing at your wrists before bending over to work the knots at your ankles free. You hazarded a glance back to where Natasha was beating the crap out of one of Hammer’s drones, twisting at the radio sensor head until it snapped off.

“Stop gawking, come on!” A hand on your arm pulled you toward the exit and you finally turned to see your would-be liberator. Hawkeye. Clint Barton. You felt your face warm in embarrassment. Natasha knew from your mutual years at SHIELD that you’d been harbouring a crush on him. Why she would have brought him along when she could have brought any of the other Avengers was beyond you. She should have brought Tony - you were on the Stark Industries payroll, after all.

He dragged you toward the window Natasha had smashed through and pulled an arrow. He loosed it toward the next building over, the arrow lodging in the roof. With a few quick movements, he’d attached some sort of line to the top of the window jamb and snapped his bow over the line between the buildings.

“Come on,” he gestured toward the window sill as he stepped into it. You looked at him blankly, fear flooding through you. You did not do heights well.

“Are you kidding?” You gasped. “I can’t just hop on like I’m on a vacation zip line tour and -“

“Come here,” he interrupted, holding his hand out to you. He pulled you gently onto the ledge, and pulled you into his side. “Me Tarzan, you Jane. You need to hold onto me though, so I can hold on to my bow.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and took a deep breath. His eyes met yours in amusement and he smirked a little. “Don’t puke on me.”

“Right. Uh, no promises.” You held a little tighter and screwed your eyes shut. The feeling of nothing under your feet took your breath away and you couldn’t even scream. Your wrapped your legs around him without hesitation, and heard him let out a little grunt as they locked around him.

As you came through the window, he let go of his bow and wrapped one of his beefy arms around you, rolling you so that he landed on the floor and you landed on him. You skidded to a stop that made you think he would wind up with carpet burn on his back. After what felt like forever, his grip on you loosened. It had probably only been a few seconds, given how your heart was still racing. Drawing in a full breath and holding it for a few seconds, you tried to convince yourself to let go of him, and failed.

“At some point, honey, you’re gonna have to let go.” His voice rumbled against the ear you had pressed to his chest. “And sooner than later because we still aren’t safe.”

Your eyes snapped open and you looked up at him, suddenly realizing the intimate way you were holding him. You pushed free and rolled away onto the floor, gasping for breath.

“I’m so sorry,” you exclaimed, pushing yourself to your feet. He popped up beside you and shrugged.

“Gotta say, it feels a lot nicer when you climb on me than when Lucky does,” he replied. To your confused look he offered, “He’s my dog.”

You laughed despite yourself. “Well, thanks?”

“You probably don’t steal the last piece of pizza either,” he pondered. You laughed again.

“I might.”

He almost look wounded and then looked out the window to the building you’d leapt from. He grabbed your hand and led you away toward the staircase. You had to be at least fifteen stories up, and while you’d rather go down than up, you still weren’t excited by the prospect. As he started leading you down the stairs, you found your motivation to keep up in his very nice backside.

You made it to the street and he gestured to a beat up, old Dodge Challenger. You got in the passenger seat and gestured to the back.

“Want me to climb back?”

“That’s awfully forward. We aren’t even on a date,” he replied, his eyes wide.

“I meant so Nat has somewhere to sit,” you groaned. He flushed.

“Right. No, she’ll find her own way back. I was strictly along for the rescue and run part of the mission,” he answered, awkwardly. “Not that I wouldn’t climb back there with you. You know, if you wanted. Maybe not here though.”

“Uh, thanks?” It was your turn to feel awkward. “Where to then?”

“You’re way more forward than I thought,” he exclaimed. “I mean, any park that’s dimly lit, I guess?”

“No, I mean where are we headed as part of our escape plan.” You couldn’t help but laugh at the confusion. If it was possible, he blushed even more.

“Buckle up. We’re going to be driving for a bit,” he said. “Hungry? I could use a burger.”

“I could eat,” you agreed. You lapsed into silence as he drove out of the city and headed upstate. Finally, he pulled into a gas station and looked at you.

“Wait here. You’re a black coffee right?”

“Yeah, how’d you -“

“I can tell,” he interrupted as he stepped out of the car. As he stepped in to the gas station, his phone vibrated and a message popped up on the screen. You couldn’t help but see it in the dark of the car’s interior.

“Just mopping up here. Have a good night, Romeo. You owe me.”

Your mind spun a little at the message. It was from Natasha. Why was she calling him Romeo?

He flopped back into the car and handed you a coffee and a brownie. The adrenaline rush had left and you were starting to feel hungry and the first bite of brownie melted against your tongue. You let out a soft moan and sigh. You washed it down with a swallow of coffee and made another happy noise.

“Oh coffee,” you sighed. “I love you.”

Clint was watching you with a dumbstruck smile. His phone buzzed again and he snatched it up, checking the message. He snorted and dropped the phone back on the dashboard.

“Where to now, boss?” You asked.

“Just a little further and then east,” he replied.

“East? And Juliet is the sun?” You tried, cautious.

“Aww, Nat,” he groaned, hitting his head on the dashboard. “Did she tell you? She told you. I can’t believe she told you.”

Your brain moved rapid fire. You glanced at him and his vulnerability caught you. He looked sad and worried and he was looking at you like you were the most important thing in his universe. “Me?” You gaped. “I’m not Juliet. I can’t be.”

He turned and faced you. “Nat has been on my case to make a move for, well, since Budapest.”

You gaped. “Budapest was a disaster, I was no help at all and -“ Clint interrupted you with a soft kiss, puking back quickly. “Oh.”

“Budapest was a disaster. But I met you,” he said, lifting his hand to cup your cheek. “I want to -“

“You talk too much, Clint,” you interrupted. “Kiss me again.”

XxX

“I have coffee. And pizza,” a low voice replied.

“Fine. Come in, but you’d better be alone,” you called to the door.

Clint walked in, in your fuzzy pink bathrobe, carrying a pizza box with two travel mugs of coffee balanced on it.

“Honey, if you don’t put something else on, you’re going to be too busy to eat pizza,” he threatened.

You gave him a coy smile. “Oh?”

——————

@bolontiku - this is especially for you

But @rampant-salamander , you might like it too.

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hopeassassin · 3 years

Text

Rally’s Scribbles in the Work

So after that lovely anon blew my mind away with their kind words and wonderful support, and because I keep telling you guys about my writing plans without actually giving you even a teensy little detail, I have decided to stop being coy and actually likely get your hopes up a bit by dilvulging small details and bits of plots of what is currently going on in my G-Drive.

This will be a brief recount of what I have currently baking in the AoMomo oven, so let’s dive right into it! Please note that the numbers are in no particular order - I just keep revisiting each of these stories and writing a bit more to them whenever I feel like it. So there’s no ranking and no importance, just a number to keep proper count.

1. “Knight of Renown” Dragons and Knighthood AU, based on that one AoMomo pic with Momo ithe Knight and Dragon Aomine that I reblogged a while back and I actually let me imagination go a bit too much in the tags. I ended up actually rather enjoying the premise I set up in the tags so I actually started writing that one out! Completion rate at about: 5%? I’d say? Less? :D

2. AoMomo Music AU - a dearly beloved project that I am pouring a lot of love and attentioin to. That’s why it’s coming along super slow. It’s been in the making since November and I chewed it and mulled through it so thoroughly that I’ve grinded to a halt with it. Intending for there to be 2 chapters, and I am at about 25-30% of chapter 1 currently ready currently. At the pace I’m going, it might be another full year before you actually get to see this bad boy up, but when you do, I’m sure you’ll see all the care and effort that went into making it perfect. Honestly, no joke here, I am intending for this to be one of my rare masterpieces in this tag. So I’m not gonna rush it!

3. AoMomo Car Accident AU where Daiki barely manages to save Satsuki from being run over by a hit-and-run and ends up being the one run over instead. This was my first piece of writing after coming back to AoMomo last summer and yet completion rate is a sad thing. I want it to be flawless, a perfectly agonizing, thrilling type of torturous read that gives you a great sense of relief by the end of it. Needless to say, the clusterfuck of negative feelings is a bit difficult to hold onto for a prolonged period of time and the work is coming along slowly. Planned at about 5 chapters, I have 2 complete ones and the 3rd one is at about ... 30%? Hopefully before this year’s whumptober, we’ll have a finished piece!

4. AoMomo bond character study, which went in a direction I did NOT expect nor intend. It was suppsoed to be an idea that you will see also listed below. But I started this one from their early childhood and somehow, instead of focusing on the kids and their bond and their weird interactions with each other and their first moments of realizing they are of opposite genders, it turned into something much too fun to let go of and the ideas for scenes just kept piling. It’s going to be a long one, very explorative and very in-depth character study on the bond between these two and how it changed over the years, and their first encounters with their sexuality inbetween (because that was really the main idea that I started with... xDDD;;;) Currently at 1 chapter complete, chapter 2 somewhere around 50-60% completion, and at least 6-7 chapters to come after that, soooo.... :’DDDD YEAH. THIS ONE AIN’T SEEING THE LIGHT OF DAY ANYTIME SOON.

5. AoMomo deciding to practice stuff on each other, because I am a sucker for this trope.THIS will be what the idea under previous number 4 was SUPPOSED to be like, but it instead spun out of control. So this one, under number 5, is going to be the smutty, idiots bumbling through physicality to discover that they actually have serious feelings for each other kind of piece. Chapters are planned at about at least 6-7 or so, but not my usual monstrocities! :D First we start with practice kissing, and we move our way up from there!

6. “The Evil of Humanity” AU - a dystopian futuristic kinda mecha AU, sort of an amalgamation of some of my favourite anime in the genre - a bit of NGE, a bit of Gurren-Lagann, a lot of Darling in the Franxx rewrite and improvement, in distinctly AoMomo colors. I poured a lot of thought and love into initial outline of main moments for this one, and I really hope to make it an epic, thrilling action/adventure with a big dash of romance kind of read! Chapters currently not even planned properly, because I need to sit down and consider this seriously. It will definitely be more than 10-15 though, and they will be my usual chapter lengths so.... likely no time soon. :D

7. Aomine Fanclub - I got a plot bunny some time ago and I shared it here and my friends were spurring me on with it, so I started trying it out a little more. I’ve written out like... maybe 30% of this one as well, but need to re-read and reconceptualize to get it back on track. The issue with this one is that I’m not really sure where I want to take it, thus it’s on the back burner at the moment.

8. KagaKuro AoMomo double-date kind of story, where Aomine is asking some curious questions of Taiga about going to America and pondering if any of his immediate friends know what Satsuki wants to do with her life. I’m really invested in this one but haven’t started properly writing it out yet beyond just sketching out the idea so I don’t forget it. (I’d say 1% complete here.) Really looking forward to using the idea of Kagami being super impressed with AoMomo perfect sync when playing as a team in arcade games!

9.Laws of Attraction Chapter 2 - You might be surprised at this, but I’m actually super invested in this one. Likely the reason why I am delaying so much working on it - I feel like all my great scene ideas are just too chaotic and I have a hard time starting the chapter flowing properly. I had like 4-5 false starts already and I’m feeling a bit skittish with picking it up. But I have such AMAZING concepts on where to take it after it revvs up the engine, so... Maybe sometime this year! Completion rate: 0% written, but at least about 30% ideas built up for the installment!

10. AoMomo college rooming together story - sort of an expansion on my fill for one of the prompts way back those years ago in AoMomo week. I really dig the concept and the trope of sharing spaces with someone you consider nothing more than a friend and then gradually learning to appreciate each other for something so much more. I am definitely doing this one some day, but not anytime soon, likely.

11. A random idea bit me the other day (read: a month ago) and I actually wrote out like... maybe 25% of it already as well. A random comment from Wakamatsu miffs Satsuki but then she realizes why he’s asking dumb questions and she comes to realize that something is wrong with the equation: either Dai-chan likes someone really close to them and she hasn’t realized, which is unlikely, or Dai-chan likes HER and is super blase about it in a way that betrays his feelings not at all, which is even more unlikely. Being a curious individual, she sets out to find which it is! Some hilarity should ensue but mostly just some mess-with-Dai-chan fun!

12. Touou summer training camp at the sea - progress is practically 0, I wanted to write a summery piece and set my mind on this, but nothing beyond has come to me, so I’m not forcing it.

13. AoMomo cultural festival fic in second year of high school (meaning something approx end of Oct -> beginning of Nov.) with Daiki being in a distinctly Haruhu Suzumiya role at that festival (has anyone even seen this anime? I adored that episode to freaking bits, man, it’s engraved upon my soul) and singing Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” and one more song just like Haruhi did. And Satsuki just beholding the phenomenon he becomes in no time flat while he lays bare his passion for life for all the student body to see. Shippiness will happen in private afterwards!

14. You Can Leave Your Hat On Chapter 2 - Probably like 2-3 years ago while I was still in the damn woodwork and wrestling with real life and adulting being crap, I remembered this AU premise and I got super hyped on the idea of Club Owner Dai-chan being a flirt with innocent Satsuki who got dragged to his joined and fell in love at first sight with his shenanigans. I’ve already played around for like 7k words with the second chapter of this but I’m still not where I want to be at, so it will take a while longer to flesh it out.

15. Idol Worship - a story that I promised my mate aricana some 6 years ago the premise for which I am super hyped for but not quite engaging with it yet. The idea was that Momoi finally starts gettiing the dates she has been pesting Kuroko for for years, and Daiki feeling terrible about beholding that, whilst Kise is being pestered by Horikita Mai for a date and instead ditches her with Daiki because he knows his former Teikou classmate is a huge fan of her. Mai-chan isn’t particularly happy but somehow ends up enjoying her time with Daiki and starts considering actually pursuing him instead of Kise when she sees what an interesting soul he is, with the torch that he’s carrying for some girl in his life he doesn’t really talk about but is evident from the little things he drops off as hits. AoMomo shenanigans will start to ensue properly when Satsuki realizes that Daiki is actually having a close female friend who is not her but is Horikita Mai instead, Dai-chan’s perfect woman, practically. She doesn’t take well to the news and has to grapple with why that is! And what to do with these newfound frustrating emotions!

16. Obstruction of Justice Chapter 3 - MAYBE SOME DAY, I WILL GET TO WRITING THIS. Last summer I inteded to do just that but instead, Wild Side of Justice was born. And it became a spin off of sorts on its own. ORZ. I WILL FINISH THIS SOME DAY, I do have some plans for it and I do have the desire to pursue them. I just need to be in the right headspace for it ahsjkfhkjaf

17. A PWP story of Kagami arriving early for a practice match at Touou and somehow walking in on AoMomo getting busy with each other in very unexpected and explicit ways that Kagami did not see headed his way. Because, we need more PWP in this fandom, honestly.

18. And since we DO need more PWP, recently when checking the 30 lemons community on LJ (shut up, I’m not ancient, YOU’RE ANCIENT) I was wondering how exactly a smut plot around the “Taken by the Faceless Stranger” could work for Aomomo and I came up with this Masquerade ball that they end up both attending because of their friends and meeting each other and hitting off fantastically just chatting the night and then banging in a niche in the long castle-like premise of the ball. :’DDDD Cuz it’s me and if I don’t have something like that in the works, you know i’m likely sick.

ALL OF THESE I am planning on eventually finishing one day. ONE DAY!

For now they are in various states of completion and in various stages of being cared for and improved on with more ideas added and fleshed out.

I am not joking when I say I am very invested in this fandom. I just have difficulty getting to writing out these ideas when I spend like 60% of my free time playing my mobile games. :D

So there you have it. I didn’t want to say anything about these because 1) I don’t want to get your hopes up. You Can Leave Your Hat On 2, for one, has been in the making for 3 years, very on-again-off-again kind of way, and I just... can’t do that to you guys. I have decided against posting any incomplete fics so I don’t torture you guys and my muse doesn’t abandom me forever for them. So when something is complete, it gets posted promptly for your viewing pleasure!

And 2) If I divulge too much of the story, I feel like my hype of it may disappear completely. Ehh, my muse is a willful creature, what can I tell you...

So let’s hope at least SOME of these get to see the light of day soon!

#my scribbles #here you have it #a rather complete list of incomplete AoMomo stuff I'd say #Rally's works in the making #tagged as:#AoMomo #because it's all AoMomo #sorry for spamming the main tag with nonsense #Kuroko no Basuke #will I ever finish any and all of these?#here's to hoping!#a little bit insider info from the kitchen #fanfiction #writing

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skyriderwednesday · 3 years

Text

Hair

There's always an unmanageable phase to growing out your hair, and Havelock has hit it. Fortunately, Sybil is very keen to offer her services.

(The fabled 'Sybil brushes Havelock's hair fic', G rated but a teensy bit spicy for a moment or two, background VetSybVimes, 1835 words)

Also on AO3

Havelock's hair was... becoming a problem. It wasn't unruly as such, and the weather this year was not yet humid enough to affect it - his hair was used to humidity. No, the main issues he was facing could all be attributed to length. His hair had been longer. It had been far longer -- but he had been fourteen when his hair had reached his waist and he had not had the concerns of leading an entire city. Presently, it was just reaching the bottom of his shoulder-blades. He could hardly tie it tight enough, it would come loose after a handful of hours when it never had before. It would fall in his eyes, tangle with his glasses, tangle with itself... Put simply, more needed doing to it. He could not any longer simply comb out the most obvious tangles and tie it flat away, his hair had volume and (metaphorically) a life of its own. He could not remember how he had managed it as a teen. He might have braided it. Sybil had said last night that she liked it long, that it suited him, and given he deeply disliked having it cut... "If you were the one to have to deal with it my dear, you may not be as fond of it," he had replied. That had been in error. Sybil always liked a challenge. She also had always greatly enjoyed his hair.

"Hello darling," she said warmly as she swept into the room. Havelock looked up wearily from his desk. "Good morning Sybil," he said, pushing loose hair out of his face. Sybil advanced across the office, conventions of politics and rules of tyranny meaning nothing against the tide of determination she exerted. Havelock let it overtake him, not having slept well enough to summon an effectual barricade of stubbornness. Sybil represented the theoretical unstoppable force by default, and presently he felt like a perfectly moveable object. "I see I've arrived in good time..." she said, reaching immediately for his hair. He lamely leaned away from her, knowing full well there was no point to doing so. "It would appear so." Havelock pulled a face as Sybil kissed his temple. "Oh, you are miserable dear," she said, touching his hair again. I wonder why that could be? He did not say out loud. Silently he moved his inkwell to where it was not liable to be knocked over. "Darling," Sybil said firmly. He had long noted that Sybil appeared to be able to read his mind at times. He turned his eyes heavily towards her. "Yes?" "I can come back if I've interrupted you," she said calmly. "No," he shook his head, and loose hair tickled his nose. "We had best have it sorted." "Right," she patted his shoulder, causing him to fail in an endeavour not to sneeze. Rather loudly. "Bless you, dear." "...thank you," he said, blinking. Sybil moved back a little, studying him. "Darling, you look as if your brain just fell out of your ears." "It feels that way," he replied, still a little dazed. "Well, stuff it back in and we'll get to your hair. I'm sure you haven't got all day." Havelock made a mildly disgusted noise. Sybil laughed. "Come on, dear." She walked around the front of the desk towards the fireplace. Havelock stayed where he was and shut his eyes. He wasn't having the best of mornings. He hadn't slept well, his back hurt, his leg was stiff… he had gotten nowhere with the backlog of yesterday, and now Sybil had decided they were going to do his hair. There was a noise. He looked over. She was moving the coffee table. "Sybil…" "I'll put it back when we're finished dear," she said, dusting off her hands – though if there had been any dust on the coffee table, he would have had to have a stern word with the servants. He watched her sit on one of the sofas with her legs out in front of her and open her handbag. She started to take things out of it. Multiple combs, a hairbrush, hair ties, pins… To think he ordinarily managed with a single comb, a piece of ribbon, and his fingers. "Darling," Sybil said warningly.

Havelock tried not to sigh as he got to his feet and laboured across the room. Sybil took his arm gently and guided him to sit against her legs. He put his head back into her lap and folded his hands onto his lower chest. She gathered his hair out from under him and smiled fondly. "Now this is an angle I haven't seen you from in a long time," she said. "You haven't needed to," he replied softly. "It used to be every week when I was home," she mused, picking at the ribbon that had been vaguely holding back his hair. "Glasses, dear." He took them off and relaxed into the process. That's right… Sybil had managed his hair when it had reached his waist. She must have tried to teach him, but he had a strong sense that he had usually been half asleep the moment she picked up the hairbrush. He tuned back in to her muttering to herself. "Gods, Havelock, what kind of pig's ear–-" Sybil made a triumphant noise as she managed to untie the ribbon with the aid of a sturdy pin. "I apologise for that," he said. "No worries dear," Sybil dropped the twisted ribbon onto his hands. Flattening it was now his project for the next ten minutes. "No, I haven't needed to," she said, resuming the previous train of thought as she weighed a wide comb versus the hairbrush. "You would have thought that someone would have taught you to properly care for your hair at some point, but…" "It's not a skill they teach to boys," he said, echoing a similar conversation that had been held between them long ago. "No," Sybil said, choosing the comb and beginning to detangle from the ends up towards his roots. "They should though," he replied, holding the ribbon close to his eyes as he worked to smooth it. "Exactly," Sybil said. "And then you went away for so long and when you came back you had cut it. I half-thought I'd never forgive you for that." "I couldn't manage it," he said, tilting his head back, "and the image was important." "Oh the image," Havelock could hear her rolling her eyes. "Everything was about the image. Is that why you stopped seeing me?" He sat up and turned around to her, the ribbon forgotten about. "Of course not. Our paths had diverged, and there was so much mess to clean up, and–-" Sybil's fingers brushed around his jaw and under his chin, gently closing his mouth. "Hush, darling, I didn't mean it." She turned him round and lay him back against her knees. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. "I understand. At the time, I was alone in a big house and angry, and I thought I hated you… but I'm glad to have you again now." He sighed deeply. "I am too…" "I love you darling," Sybil said, "I've always loved you. Now, I think I should finish your hair before one of us starts crying." "'One of us'?" he said. "Come now, we both know it would be me." Sybil snorted, "Havelock!" "I can cry if I want to," he said mock sulkily, "it's my office." "Well don't start now, I need that ribbon straightened out." He retrieved it from the carpet, "Yes ma'am." "Don't start that either." He smiled at her innocently. "I don't know what you mean." "Behave," she said, gently hitting him with the brush, "or I might pull your hair." She meant it. Yes ma'am, he resisted saying aloud for a second time. The first stroke of the brush tugged his hair anyway. He glanced back at her. "Sorry, dear."

He melted into the sensation of subsequent strokes, silently revelling in the odd scrape of the bristles against his scalp. The task of smoothing the ribbon continued autonomously, and his breathing deepened in content. Then the brushing stopped. Sybil's fingers entered his hair. He hummed in query. She shushed him. Then she began to massage his scalp, down into his neck, relieving tension he hadn't known his muscles had been holding. He moaned in quiet bliss. Sybil hummed. Her warmth increased as she leant over and pressed her lips to the top of his head. "Don't you think we should do this more often?" she whispered. Havelock had to remember how to speak. "Yes…" he breathed, "I do." "Good," Sybil kissed his head again, "though not in your office." She withdrew, leaving him with a pang of loss. She was right. As uncomplicated as their arrangement felt from the inside, it could result in unfathomable complications if walked in upon. After all, onlookers would see the leader of the city and a married woman. There would be scandal, words such as 'taking advantage' would be used…

"Have you finished with that ribbon, dear?" she asked. Havelock looked down at it in his hands. He had forgotten he was holding it. "Ah… it appears to have become crumpled again." Sybil looked down over him. "Well, it's better than it was," she said, faintly amused. "I won't need it for a few more minutes anyway." He nodded, and Sybil brushed out the tangles her fingers had caused. She sectioned his hair, gently straightening his head before beginning to braid it intricately from his crown to the top of his neck. It was tight, sturdy, but not uncomfortable. He felt pins and ties weaved into it. It was a style that locked his hair in place, and would keep it there until she could do it again or until he decided to take it down. Most likely the former. "Ribbon please, dear," Sybil said and he dutifully passed it up to her to tie the last loose portions of his hair at the base of his neck.

She sat back to admire her handiwork, "Beautiful, darling, even if I am saying so myself." He hummed warmly. "Thank you so very much." "You're always welcome," Sybil said and kissed the top of his head a last time. "Now..." she looked at him analytically, "we do now have to get you up from down there." "Ah," he said. "I had… neglected to think of that." "So had I… It makes it harder that you're sitting on my feet." He half shook his head and enjoyed that his hair wouldn't make him sneeze this time. "It would be harder if I were between them." "Could you turn around?" "That would involve crawling and may appear compromising." Sybil hummed in deep thought. "I should have allowed you to do this last night," he said. She shook her head, "Sam would have laughed at us for twenty minutes before helping." "Yes, he would..." "...under your arms?" Sybil suggested.

#discworld #discworld fic #havelock vetinari #sybil ramkin #there's a reason they're HER boys you know #this is my only attempt at cross-posting and my hopes are LOW lmao

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shadowsof-thenight · 4 years

Text

When she least expects it - 3

Summary: When Rebecca’s relationship comes to an abrupt and painful end, she finds herself without a home. With her brother currently stationed in Iraq, she turns to the one person she knew she can always depend on—Steve Rogers.

Warnings: none for this chapter, perhaps a teensy bit of angst

Ship: Steve Rogers x OFC—Rebecca Barnes

Words: 3445

A/n: This was written for Star’s Follower Celebration. The prompt was a roommate AU. And like the previous chapters it was beta-ed by the wonderful @gnomewithalaptop

Series Masterlist

Chapter three

Rebecca nearly jumped from the bed as the alarm started blaring; it felt like she had only just fallen asleep. She quickly reached over to silence it, though she failed in her sleepy state and ended up knocking the alarm clock from the night stand. Her groan turned into a tired yawn as she leaned over the edge of the mattress and finally found the snooze button. In the newfound blessed silence, she rolled onto her back and sighed. She wasn’t ready to get up, but she knew that a busy day was ahead, and she shouldn’t ignore the alarm. She rubbed her eyes and felt sleep pulling at her, quickly lulling her back to sleep. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice said that this was the reason she used the snooze function. Rebecca didn’t understand people that didn’t need it. In fact, she knew only one person that would get up at the first beep—Steve. She almost laughed aloud as she realised that the guy was now becoming the first person she thought of in the morning. He had also been on her mind as she went to sleep, though that was mostly because she feared a clumsy stumble in the bathroom had awoken him. It hadn’t.

It had been well past midnight when she had finally turned her computer off and made her way into the bathroom, and her eyes had been watery from staring at a screen for too long. It had caused her to trip over the overturned corner of the bath mat. She had been able to catch herself on the sink, tipping the cup with their toothbrushes over. Steve could wake up from the smallest sounds, and she had stood stock still for a few minutes to make sure his light snoring continued before she went on to brush her teeth.

She should have stopped working sooner–it wasn’t good for anyone to stare at a screen for more than 14 hours in one day. But she’d really wanted to finish the project she was working on, despite still having another week for it. She’d reckoned she could accept another project on Monday, if she finished her current one. She’d gotten a good offer for the new project a couple days ago and the money could go into her savings. She was getting close to having down payment for a new apartment. As a freelance artist, projects weren’t always lined up as they were now, and she wanted to take advantage of it. Besides, she didn’t want to go apartment hunting without a good amount of savings. She’d risk falling for a place and not being able to afford it.

It had been two months since she had shown up on Steve’s doorstep, and she could only imagine how much he must want to have this place to himself again, at least until Bucky got back. He hadn’t said anything about it, but after her behaviour last month, it would not surprise her if he was ready to be rid of her. Heck, she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d want to pause their friendship for a while after this–she had imposed on him longer than she had intended.

The alarm started beeping again and Rebecca reluctantly reached to turn it off. She then stretched and stepped out of the bed. Her eyes were still thick with sleep, and she blinked profusely to fix the blurry vision, to no avail. Perhaps she should have given herself another hour of sleep. Grumbling about her own decision to cut into her sleeping hours, she made her way into the hallway and towards the bathroom–a nice long shower might wake her up.

She was oblivious to the world around her as she proceeded to walk, and she ignored all the signs that could have warned her for what was to come. She didn’t see Steve’s running vest on the coat rack or his running shoes discarded by the door. She was also too preoccupied with her thoughts to hear that the shower was already running. It wasn’t until she stepped into the steam-filled bathroom that she realised her mistake.

“Hey!” Steve called out, a little shocked as a cold gust of wind hit him.

He peeked around the shower curtain and found Rebecca standing there with her mouth open in shock. It took her a long 30 seconds to get moving again, and she turned quickly, nearly tripping over the clothes that Steve hadn’t thrown in the hamper yet. Utterly embarrassed, she quickly found her balance again, while Steve snickered behind her. She ignored it and half-shouted her apology as she closed the door behind her.

She had not expected Steve to be home. Every single day of the week their schedules worked around one another as a seamless machine—they had just never accounted for a day where they would both vary from their routine. Rebecca never got up this early on a Friday and Steve was never this late. He might have assumed that she would sleep in after her late night and given himself a little more time this morning. On a normal day this would not have been a problem, except she had given herself a pretty tight deadline. Still embarrassed and blushing, she made her way into the kitchen instead and put the kettle on. At least she was fully awake now.

When Steve joined her in the kitchen a short while later, she apologised again, earning herself another chuckle from the blond soldier—he also wondered if she hurt herself when she tripped, though there was too-big a twinkle in his eyes, and she realised he was teasing her. It fuelled a fire in her, and she wanted to turn the tables on him. So when she smiled as she watched him make his coffee, the twinkle in her own eyes grew more pronounced. Sensing the change in her mood, Steve looked back at her and raised a single eyebrow, silently questioning her.

“It’s typical though,” her words were soft, the tone nonchalant, and he did not trust it one bit. He knew her better than that, and he only had himself to blame. He knew there’d be instant retaliation for teasing her—even if it hadn’t been more than a little jab.

“What is?” Steve wondered, carefully sizing her up—the coffee forgotten on the counter.

Rebecca sipped her tea, shrugging, intent on dragging this out. She knew it would make him a little nervous to anticipate her intentions. Steve knew what she was doing and it took a lot of willpower to keep from asking again—he did not want to give her the satisfaction. He watched her take a few more sips, before she placed the now half-empty cup on the counter. Then she took a step backwards, away from him. This only raised his suspicions and he was quick to close the distance—a smile already playing on his lips.

“Well,” she said, drawing the word for dramatic effect. “The one time I walk in on someone in the bathroom, there’s a dark curtain obstructing my view.” Her words were relatively innocent and Steve still wasn’t sure where she was going with this.

He turned back to his coffee, a little confused. “Because you wanted to see that?” He wondered.

She smiled and he realised too late that he had taken the bait she had carefully laid out for him. With a serious face she then said; “I’m just curious to see if Mother Nature has corrected its mistake.”

She took a few more hurried steps back, watching his face as it dawned on him. She laughed loudly, and though Steve tried to keep a straight face, she could see the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

“I was five!” He exclaimed, laughter clear in his voice.

Her smile spread wider as she tried to create more distance between them, but Steve was already closing in. They were both taking slow, deliberate steps, with Steve carefully watching her movements. They both knew where this would end.

“Excuses, excuses—“ She wanted to say more, but he jumped, and with a scream she took off running.

Steve was close behind, his fingers grasping for her but not finding purchase. He had forgotten how fast she could move. She jumped over the couch to evade him, and he walked around it, eager to cut her off, only to find she had put the coffee table between them. He veered left, then right and she countered him–eager to stay out of his reach. Rebecca knew that if he caught her, the tickling that would ensue would not stop until she begged for mercy. He knew her weak spots, he’d used them against her in the past, but she had no intention of begging.

Finally he moved, and she dodged, evading him as he nearly tripped over the table. She moved towards the door and into the hallway. Steve was still close behind, but she was quicker, and too late, he realised that she had planned her exit strategy carefully. The bathroom door closed and he nearly ran into it as he heard the lock turn. She cackled, and he could imagine the little victory dance she’d surely be doing on the other side of that door. She had won this round, but he would get his revenge.

“Weak!” He called out and her laughter only grew louder.

“Love you!” She called back, before finally getting herself ready for a much needed shower.

By the time she walked back out of the bathroom, freshly showered, Steve had left for work and she pulled out her laptop—ready to finish her project.

***

Rebecca checked her makeup in the bathroom mirror and applied her favourite ruby red lipstick, wishing there had been a floor length mirror in the apartment. Apparently men didn’t see the need—or at least,those that lived here didn’t. She had already mentioned to Steve that this could very well be the reason that both of them were still single—he had not taken her very seriously and simply rolled his eyes before returning to his book.

“Women need a mirror to check their entire outfits, Steve.” She whined, standing on her tiptoes to see as much of her outfit as she possibly could. It wasn’t working as well as she’d hoped and there wasn’t room to step back any further.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He simply answered absentmindedly.

“Fine, but you’ll have to be the judge now,” she stated and walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. Steve was lying on his bed, book in hand as he waited for the bathroom to become available to him. He glanced up from the page, and she stood in silence, spreading her arms expectantly. Steve wasn’t sure what she needed him to do or say, so he too remained silent.

“Well?” She finally asked.

“What?” Steve still wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do—he hadn’t really been listening to her.

“How do I look?” She twirled in place for effect, and he smiled as he took in her appearance.

She was beautiful. Of course, he always thought so. The green knee-length dress she wore hugged her waist, only to flare out over her hips, and it suited her perfectly. Her brown hair fell in loose curls on her back and the red lips certainly made a statement. What that statement was, he couldn’t be sure, but it drew the eye.

“You look beautiful,” he said as he stared at her, unable to be more casual about it.

“Yeah?” She asked, suddenly self-conscious as her hands gripped the fabric of her dress. She had picked the dress because she felt confident in it, and since this was her first night out as a single girl in years, she wanted to feel good. Still, the way Steve’s eyes lingered on her figure did far more for her confidence levels than any piece of clothing ever could.

Steve placed his books down and stood from the bed, then walked over to her and placed his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them gently. Then he bent his head and kissed her forehead. “You are gorgeous.”

Rebecca didn’t miss the way his lips lingered, nor the strain in his voice. She just wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. What she could make sense of though, was the effect it had on her. It was impossible to ignore the flutter in her stomach or to keep her cheeks from burning up. She almost threw all common sense into the wind and kissed him. No, she chastised herself in time, that couldn’t happen. He was her friend. Besides, Bucky would kill her.

Back in high school she’d had such a big crush on Steve, and Bucky had hated it. Apparently, she hadn’t been as subtle about it as she thought, though Steve had seemed oblivious at the time. Bucky had asked her to keep it to herself, and she had. Eventually, they had enlisted and she had gone to Uni in another city. There, she had met Natasha, who had made it her personal mission to help Rebecca get over the pretty boy from back home.

After finishing her education, Rebecca had remained in the city. A part of her had still worried that if she went home, she’d fall for Steve all over again. Thus, she had kept her distance. Which had worked well, until Steve got stationed nearby and Bucky followed soon after. She had already been dating Jack by then and was convinced that she was over Steve. She had been elated to have her best friends close by again.

She shook her head as Steve moved away from her and locked himself in the bathroom. She told herself that the flutter had just been a momentary relapse, brought on by his kindness. It probably meant nothing. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and keys before making her way outside. And when she made it to the bar shortly thereafter, she quickly ordered a drink to quash the remaining flutters before Natasha could catch on.

***

Rebecca was on her second drink, still leaning on the bar, when she checked her watch. Any moment now, Natasha would walk in. At least, that’s what she told herself. She should have known better than to expect her friend to be on time. Nat was a lot of wonderful things, but punctual wasn’t one of them. If Rebecca had not been so hasty to leave the apartment, she would have gone to the bar later. Instead she had rushed, just so she could down a glass of wine. She was quite certain she could finish the second one before her friend would arrive as well.

In that exact moment a warm hand was placed on her lower back and she jumped from the unexpected contact. Turning to see who was behind her, she tried to shake off the dread that filled her. There was something so familiar about the feel of that hand, and it was not Natasha. The surprise quickly turned sour when she saw who the owner of the hand was. She stepped back and took a calming breath, ready to hear whatever Jack had to say to her. His smile was too sweet to be real and she was instantly on high alert. She really wasn’t looking for a fight—or a reconciliation. She would have been fine if she never saw him again. Funny how quickly she had gotten to that point. The romance of their relationship was long forgotten now. There was no flutter in her stomach, no sexual pull as she looked at him, and with glee, she suddenly realised she was well and truly over him. Rebecca schooled her expression, trying to keep it open and friendly, though a smile felt out of place.

“Hitting the bottle, I see,” his Southern accent drawled out, and she knew he was already a few drinks into the evening. She used to love his accent; now it did absolutely nothing for her. She glanced back at her glass. It was nearly empty, and she briefly wondered what he considered ‘hitting the bottle’. As it was, she didn’t feel the need to answer him.

“Hello, Jack,” she simply greeted, ready to turn away from him.

“Need company?” He asked, stepping closer and invading her space.

“Certainly not yours, Jack,” Rebecca replied, forcing a smile on her lips. A flare of anger burst inside of her; he truly thought she’d go back to him—after everything. Of course, she couldn’t really blame his arrogance. They’d broken up before, and she had gone right back the moment he mumbled sweet little nothings into her ear. But this was different; she had actually moved out, and it had been months since they had seen one another. There had been no contact at all before now.

“Don’t you miss me? He asked, leaning over, his eyelids fluttering a little too fast, and she nearly broke out in laughter when she realised that he was trying to look seductive. He must have been drinking heavily—he was usually good at charming someone.

“Nope,” Rebecca replied, and she was happy that there was no lie in her words. She really hadn’t missed him. She had been hurt by his cheating, definitely, but she realised now that she hadn’t missed him one moment. Which in itself should have been a clear sign of the depth of their love. It made her wonder once again why she’d stayed in the relationship as long as she had.

“You know I can make you feel good,” Jack persisted, his hand snaking up her leg, and she laughed as she pulled back from him.

“Jack, it’s not happening.” She was calm, his advances not doing anything for her, and it felt good.

She didn’t need to keep it together or put on a brave face in his presence. She was perfectly fine turning him down. Jack’s confusion was actually entertaining. He didn’t seem to understand that she wasn’t swooning, couldn’t believe that she had actually moved on from him.

“Are you dating someone else?” He asked suddenly, standing straight again and suddenly appearing less drunk. It dawned on her that he had not expected her to get over him.

“No, Jack, I’m just not interested in starting this whole dance again. You wanted it to end, and I agree that it was the best for both of us.” Rebecca sighed and glanced at the door and hoped Natasha was close by. Jack huffed, still not understanding her rejection, and stalked off—back to his friends on the other end of the bar. Thankfully, Natasha walked in a few minutes later.

“Sorry I’m late!” Natasha said loudly and hugged Rebecca close. She was out of breath and Rebecca realised she had been rushing to meet her.

“I know,” Rebecca laughed, then raised her glass to show the progress. “You’ll have to catch up though, this is my second.”

It took an hour for Natasha to discover Jack at the far end of the bar, and she was shocked, quickly asking if Rebecca wanted to go somewhere else. Rebecca smiled at her protective friend.

“No, we’ve already talked,” she stated simply. They had relocated from the bar to a table near a window, and Rebecca had not even been tempted to glance in Jack’s direction.

“You talked?” Natasha was clearly surprised, Rebecca just wasn’t sure what about—her calm demeanour, or the fact that she hadn’t told her.

“Yes, before you came.”

“Was that why you were two drinks in?” Natasha needed to know.

“No.” Rebecca laughed. “That had nothing to do with him.”

“Did it have anything to do with Steve?” Natasha easily picked up on Rebecca’s behaviour—and Rebecca had known that she would not be able to hide anything from her friend.

“Why would it have anything to do with Steve?” She tried to lie her way out of the conversation, but as she saw the smile on Natasha’s face she knew it would be to no avail.

“Come on! You’re living with the guy you’ve had a crush on since forever.” Natasha laughed.

“Nothing happened,” Rebecca said, a smile on her face as she remembered his lips lingering on her forehead. “But I will admit that it is nice to be around him so much.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Natasha exclaimed and quickly ordered two new drinks.

#Steve Rogers Fanfiction #Steve Rogers #Steve Rogers x OFC #MCU fanfiction #When she least expects it #Writing Challenges

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merryfortune · 4 years

Text

Aiball Week Day 5

February 12h: Hugs // Cyberse

Word Count: 983

Tags: Canon Compliant, Post Canon, Fluff

Yusaku had been sitting at his desk pretty intently for a while now, Ai observed from afar. It wasn’t entirely like him. Yusaku was trying damn hard to reintegrate into his school, better than the first time around. Mostly because Ai had insisted that Yusaku make amends for the past few months in which he had spent tracking him and piecing him back together again. So, he was taking his homework and study more seriously than he had before; he had reconnected with the likes of Kusanagi and Takeru and even Naoki.

But this, Ai observed, was different.

Yusaku rarely enjoyed homework. He struggled through anything which involved the finer things in life, poetry, art, literature, but he didn’t get downright excited, like he was now, over the things which he did understand such as mathematics or most strains of science. It was a shame that Ai was trapped in his little glass prison, as some things never change, and that Yusaku’s back was in the way of whatever little project had captured his passion.

Ai waited a little bit longer and soon enough his thin patience was rewarded. Yusaku set down his pencils and straightened up. He leaned back in his wooden chair and twisted around and said, “I’m letting you out now. I’m done.”

Ai grinned an eyeball grin upon hearing that. He watched as Yusaku got up and came to set him free. Yusaku latched his Duel Disc onto his wrist despite Ai pestering him. His Ignis body hanging about and he was begging to know what Yusaku had been doing.

Yusaku was secretly pleased to have Ai grovel over him. He knew it just meant that Ai was bored and under stimulated, but it strangely meant a lot to Yusaku. He didn’t mind having his wrists assailed by Ai’s tiny hands and his ears assaulted by all the begging which followed.

Yusaku smiled fondly, as fondly as he could, down at Ai. “I made you something.”

“You did?” Ai’s yellow eyes bulged hugely at that. “Something? For me? It’s not even my birthday.”

“You don’t have a birthday.” Yusaku flatly replied.

“Still, Yusaku, you shouldn’t have buuuuuut as you have, I simply must have it.”

“Good.” Yusaku’s lips twitched with something of a smile.

Yusaku sat back down at his desk and he coyly placed his hand over something. Ai was intrigued by the action, but it gave him more grounds on what to expect. It was small, and as Ai scanned the rest of Yusaku’s desk, cut up paper and pencil shavings and other stationary haphazardly skirting where he liked to work, Ai could ascertain that this was an arts and craft project type gift. How adorable.

“I was thinking about your deck.” Yusaku said, sounding a teensy bit nervous, unsurprising as gift giving, especially creative gift giving was not his forte. “And I was thinking about how your normal summon monsters are all based on your friends. During our duel, I was terrified that you might debut some card based on me.”

“That’s awfully egotistic of you to have thought.” Ai teased, crossing his arms.

Yusaku grimaced, unsure how to react to that. So, he didn’t. He moved on.

“Since I don’t know how long it’ll take to retrieve, let alone revive, the other Ignis so I guess your @Ignister monsters are all we have of them, for now anyway so I made you another card for your deck.” Yusaku explained.

He lifted his hand off his desk and took a little bit of paper. He held it up and showed it to Ai. Ai gasped and melted.

“I love it, Yusaku.” Ai said, hands reaching out and Yusaku let him take it with such grabby hands.

The piece of paper was drawn to resemble a Duel Monsters card. It was rather cute in how scratchy the drawing was. Though, Yusaku had taken care to draw all his rounded lines and coming up with a fair effect, level, attack and defence.

“Ai-Yu-Yu.” Ai read aloud.

“The name’s kind of a work in progress.” Yusaku sheepishly admitted.

“But Ai love it so very much.” Ai said.

Yusaku’s heart skipped a beat. It meant more to him to hear that than he realised. A scant blush flushed through his sharp cheeks.

“I’ll turn it into a card right away.” Ai said. “My way, not using Kusanagi’s dinky little device and certainly not with any of those big corporation card printers either. You should be honoured, Yusaku, no human’s seen cards get made like this before.”

Ai held the card, as flimsy as it was as it was drawn on printer paper, in his fingertips. It looked about as big as his head. Then something from his fingertips misted. The temperature of the room changed. A data storm was summoned. A very small and gentle data storm but a data storm, nonetheless.

“Man, good thing I ain’t Windy, huh? If I can do this, in the real world, imagine what he can do.” Ai bantered.

Yusaku then watched as the card that he had drawn Ai in earnest was transformed. The printer paper became sturdier. The pencil smoothened and became similar to ink. The mismatched shading that Yusaku had tried to avoid became solid and brilliant. All whilst Ai’s hand glowed in soft pinks, purples, and whites. It was strangely beautiful as the data cascaded around the card, entrenching it before shattering thus unveiling the brand new @Ignister Cyberse card. Yusaku’s eyes were dazzled.

“I quite like the name, so I kept it.” Ai chirruped. “And I cannot wait to use this little baby.”

“Then let’s have a Duel. My deck against yours; not in the VRAINS.” Yusaku suggested.

Ai huffed. “It’ll take me forever to print out all my cards this way.” He complained and sighed. “But that sounds delightful Yusaku. Just gimme an hour or two to prepare.”

#writing tag #aiball week #aiballweek2020 #aiballshipping #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #ai (vrains)#yusaku fujiki #fujiki yusaku #unless i am feeling very motivated tomorrow and the day after; this will be my last aiball week ficlet

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quicksilversquared · 5 years

Text

How to Announce a Pregnancy Chapter 4

Several years after the event of How to Fake a Marriage, Adrien and Marinette are ready to expand their family. When it comes to breaking the news, though…

Well, some people are harder to tell than others.

Month Eight, Week 1. Mr. Agreste returned from his trip in the middle of the night. He was too tired and grouchy from the plane ride (and also a very minor sunburn) for them to even try to slip in a family dinner before the gala that he was insisting they attend.

It was honestly getting ridiculous at this point. Or maybe getting ridiculous was the wrong phrasing.

It already had been ridiculous. It was just worse now.

"If anyone knew to look for it, they would be able to tell that I'm pregnant," Marinette said as she scanned her reflection in the mirror. "Otherwise…"

"Considering that you'll be giving birth in a couple weeks, it's insane that it isn't immediately obvious," Adrien commented. He scanned Marinette's dress, looking it up and down. With the draping sweater hiding the side view of the bump and a gorgeous gold necklace drawing attention to Marinette's neck and away from the bump that was almost entirely hidden by the black empire-waist dress, it would be a rare person who picked up that Marinette was pregnant. "I know exactly where to look, but as long as no one is looking too close they won't pick it up. And no one should have any reason to, really."

"I just worry that someone will figure it out partway through the evening." Marinette fussed with her dress once more, than straightened. "Hopefully they wouldn't just blurt it out in front of a group. Private congratulations I can deal with."

"And that's the most we would get, I think. You don't look that far along, especially not in that dress." Adrien gave Marinette's arm a quick squeeze. "You look radiant, love."

"Thank you."

The Gorilla picked them up, since the gala was a bit out of the city limits and neither Adrien nor Marinette wanted to borrow her parents' bakery van again. Mr. Agreste had already headed out, of course- he had insisted on overseeing the last of the preparations- so they had the car to themselves and were free to update the Gorilla on the progress of Marinette's pregnancy. He listened with an interested expression though, as usual, he didn't make any comments.

"We have approximately three weeks left to tell Father," Adrien commented, and wow, saying that out loud really cemented the fact that there was not a lot of time left. "We're talking to Nathalie, of course, to try to get dinner scheduled, but she only has so much control over Father's schedule."

"I've practically resigned myself to showing up for dinner a couple months in the future with Emma in my arms and letting Mr. Agreste find out then," Marinette mumbled into her hands. "That's just how this is going right now."

"I think the papers might have picked up on her by then," Adrien pointed out helpfully. "And honestly, I refuse to hide our kid from the world just because Father can't make time for us. If he finds out the news via tabloid or some investor congratulating him on his granddaughter, so be it."

"I was curious, so I decided to look up stories of other people who didn't discover their babies as early as usual," Marinette told him as they merged onto the highway. "And there were cases where people got to the giving labor part without realizing. And they must have had even smaller bumps than me."

Adrien let out a low whistle. "And we were rushing to get all caught up on all of the tests and forms and whatnot when we found out at four and a half months. I can't even imagine getting to nine."

"To be fair, some of them went into labor early. But yeah, the point still stands." Marinette caught herself mid-yawn and made a face. "Ugh. I rested all day today, I shouldn't be tired."

Adrien glanced over at her. "How is leave treating you?"

"I like sleeping in. And I got one of my projects done, so there's that." Marinette shrugged. "I'm normally going to be doing more during the day, but I just wanted to be rested up for tonight. Not that it's made any difference, it seems. Maybe it's just because it's dark outside and I'm hungry."

"We'll leave early," Adrien promised. "We can say that you've been working hard at work- which is true, even if you've been doing a lot of work from home recently. Maybe we can bring up the idea of scheduling a family dinner next weekend when we see my father."

Marinette made a bit of a face, but she tried to hide it. Adrien couldn't blame her. He was starting to think that they would have to wait two weeks minimum for his father to even consider scheduling a dinner with them, and that would put Marinette at eight months, three weeks.

Traffic was light, and it didn't take overly long for them to arrive at the gala. Adrien and Marinette wove through the crowds, greeting a few people that they recognized and avoiding others that- well, that they recognized but had no interest in talking to. Mostly people who thought that Adrien should return to being a model and Marinette should join Gabriel since she was part of the family now and had no problem telling them exactly that.

"And Father is busy, as always," Adrien sighed once they caught sight of Mr. Agreste, surrounded by designers and investors and department heads clamoring for his attention. "He's not going to work through that crowd until after we've left."

"How deeply unfortunate."

Adrien laughed. Marinette looked as though she wouldn't mind that at all, and frankly he couldn't blame her. Not with how all of their conversations with his father recently had gone.

"We should try to talk to Nathalie, at least," Adrien decided a few minutes later. "She might have an idea of what his schedule is going to look like and if we could schedule a dinner."

Marinette glanced over at the gaggle of people waiting to catch his father's attention and made another face. Adrien followed her gaze and this time, he spotted Nathalie in the middle of the fray, looking harried as she typed things into her tablet.

Things weren't looking hopeful, then.

Still, that didn't meant that they couldn't at least try to have fun. The food provided was delicious, of course- Tikki enjoyed the dessert spread while Plagg visited the cheese plates, and both Adrien and Marinette found things to eat- and there were a few people who were decent enough company to talk to. Mr. Agreste finally worked his way over to greet them, though it turned out to be because he wanted to show them off to a few investors. They managed to exchange a few pleasantries, and Adrien was struck once again by how stilted and unnatural his conversations with his father were compared to his conversations with Marinette's parents. If they were talking with Tom instead of Gabriel, they would have already exchanged at least a couple puns.

His father didn't pun in front of investors. He also didn't pun when they were having family dinner at the mansion. Adrien had had more enjoyable job interviews.

That actually wasn't an exaggeration, which was pretty sad.

It wasn't long before Mr. Agreste moved on, stepping away with his eyes on another potential customer that he clearly wanted to set up an appointment with. Before he went, though, he gave a once-over of Marinette's outfit. Adrien tensed up for a moment, wondering if his father had somehow picked up on her teensy-tiny baby bump, but that wasn't the case.

"I would like to remind you that, for future events, ladies should be wearing at least a short heel," Mr. Agreste told Marinette stiffly, gesturing to her feet. "Particularly short ladies. Flats should be left for informal events."

And then he turned and left.

"Adrien, will you be mad at me if I strangle your father?" Marinette asked after a second of shocked silence had passed. "Or whack him over the head with my oh-so-unfashionable flats?"

"Only because you'd be exerting yourself without Tikki's protection," Adrien assured her. "Otherwise, I would tell you to go for it."

Marinette laughed. "I bet I could take him down with one hit. It wouldn't be exertion at all."

Adrien tried and failed to not smile at that.

Nathalie managed to catch them right as they headed towards the door to leave. She looked a bit hassled, though she managed a smile for them.

"He's going to end up putting himself back at the same level of stress," Nathalie told them. "Which I've told him, but he's convinced that he's fine. I've scheduled regular doctor's appointments, though, just to be safe. And several screenings that his regular doctor recommended."

Adrien nodded, a whisper of worry in his stomach. His father was going to work himself into an early grave, he really was. There was only so much that Nathalie could do to help.

"Make sure that you aren't overworking yourself," Marinette told Nathalie. "Surely you could use some help, too, to back off on the workload."

"I hired two helpers while Gabriel was on holiday," Nathalie assured them. "And set limits on how late I'm willing to work on normal workdays, blocked off weekends for myself, and made a resolution to actually use all of the vacation time that I'm given every year."

Adrien nodded. That was good. He didn't want to lose Nathalie to overworking.

"But enough about that- how are you?" Nathalie asked Marinette. She glanced downwards. "You don't- excuse my observation- you don't look eight months along."

"There's a combination of factors keeping my bump in," Marinette said cheerfully. "But Emma is the right size and is doing well, so we're not worried about it."

"I certainly wasn't judging- I know plenty of women who wish they could have been that small when they were as far along as you, Adrien's mother included." Nathalie smiled. "And I don't think anyone noticed tonight, which is nice. I'm sure it's great to not have strangers cooing over your stomach."

"My mom once punched someone who wouldn't get out of her personal bubble when she was pregnant with me," Adrien told Marinette. "She broke their nose, I'm pretty sure. I think it made headlines. Father wasn't pleased."

"He's never pleased, though, really."

Adrien tried his best not to laugh at that. On his other side, he could see Nathalie fighting with a smirk.

"I'll let you two go, since I'm sure you're tired," Nathalie said once she had sufficiently composed herself. "And I'll let you know if any openings for dinner come up. Your father has already filled up all of his lunches and dinners for this week with appointments, against my advice," she told Adrien. "There should still be openings for next week, once things die down a bit. You'll be at- what?"

"I'm at eight months and one week now, and eight month-two by next weekend," Marinette told her. She was frowning. "I'd be worried about how long telling Mr. Agreste has been put off if he wasn't literally doing this to himself."

"I'd say that after this, you'll get a good four to five years of him never canceling a dinner on you again," Nathalie said. A small smile slid onto her face. "I personally can't wait to see his reaction. Promise me that you'll make sure that I'm in the room when you tell him."

"I think we can manage that much." Adrien grinned at Nathalie. She had never seemed this devious when he was younger. "As long as you don't decide to leave the city on whatever night we finally manage to pin my father down for dinner."

"I never leave Paris, you know that." Nathalie glanced back through the crowd. Mr. Agreste was gesturing to her, looking irritated that she wasn't right by his side. "I have to go. Good night, you two."

"Goodnight, Nathalie."

As Nathalie had expected, week eight months, two weeks didn't even get as far as having a dinner scheduled. Apparently investors and potential clients came before family, so Mr. Agreste was kept in the dark for one week longer.

At least none of the tabloids had picked up Marinette's pregnancy. It was probably a combination of two main factors- the fact that Adrien hadn't modeled seriously for years (he made exceptions for Marinette's designs, of course) meant that the tabloids really weren't that interested in him anymore, and then Marinette's small baby bump was easily hidden under a loose sweater or dress. They hadn't really been in the public eye that much, either, largely not going to any high-profile events.

The week after that- eight months, three weeks- came with a canceled dinner. Nathalie sounded exasperated as she delivered the news.

"That really is ridiculous," Marinette said after Adrien had thanked Nathalie and hung up. "And after he made such a fuss about wanting you to live in Paris instead of London! He sees you about as much as he would if we were in London."

"It's all about knowing that he could visit easily if he wanted to." Adrien made a face at his phone. "Just like how he wanted me to live at home, but then never ate dinner with me, and never dropped in to chat when I was back from London. He just wants to know that he would have the option." He sighed, wishing that his mom was still around. She would have way better about spending time with them. But there was no point on lingering on what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. "D'you wanna call up Nino and Alya and see if they want to go out for dinner? My father isn't the only one who gets to have dinner plans."

"Oh, I like that." Marinette perked up, nearly upsetting Masha and Sasha, who were competing for her lap space. "Alya's been swearing up and down that her bump is easily twice as big as mine now, and I want to see."

"I'll call them up right away," Adrien promised. "And even if they can't come out, we can go out. It would be nice to have one more date night before Emma comes."

As it turned out, Alya and Nino were free and 100% willing to head out to a casual restaurant for dinner with them. They hadn't gotten to hang out for a couple weeks, since Alya was still working and also had family visiting from out of town, and baby shopping had taken up all of the time not occupied by that.

And as it turned out, Alya was 100% correct about her baby bump being twice as big as Marinette's. In fact, twice as big was a bit of an understatement.

"Yeah, you're definitely showing," Marinette said with a laugh as they all got settled around the table and accepted their menus from the waitress. "See, that's why I couldn't believe it when the doctor told me that I was already at four and a half months, because that's what I think of when I think of five months along."

"I wish I could just stop at this size," Alya admitted. "It's quite big enough, thanks. Big enough to let people know that I'm pregnant, not just gaining weight, but not quite at balloon stage." She grinned. "But all this pregnancy talk- have you looked at the Ladyblog lately?"

Adrien and Marinette both blinked at that. "Uh, no?"

"Yeah, a lot of people haven't been, but I've been getting submissions and-look!" Alya pulled out her phone, pulling up the Ladyblog with a few practiced taps. "I mean, I always get photos, because people know that I'll publish them and they like having an audience. But I noticed something last night, so I did a bit of digging!"

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a nervous look. They didn't know where Alya was going with this, and considering that it was technically them that she was talking about, that wasn't comforting.

"Look!" Alya announced, shoving her phone at them once the Ladyblog had loaded. "There's one photo of Ladybug from last year, then one from two-ish months ago, and last month, and this month, and last night- and do you see that?"

"You mean, do we see the bright red circle that you've drawn around Ladybug's stomach?" Adrien asked dryly. "Yeah, it's kind of hard to miss."

"No, not that- the baby bump!" Alya exclaimed. "It's still small- just based off of my bump, I'm thinking she's at three months at most, probably- but it's definitely there. That skin-tight supersuit doesn't hide anything."

Adrien hid his smile. Oh, Alya was so far off. That was probably a good thing, actually- other people would probably assume the same, and as long as Marinette didn't go out as Ladybug for a couple months after Emma was born, people would keep that assumption.

Or if she went out, but there was some way to pad the suit to make it look as though she was still pregnant. That might not be a good idea, though, since there were bound to be people who would think that Ladybug shouldn't still be exercising as a superhero when she was pregnant.

(Which was dumb, of course, since both Tikki and their doctor were fine with the exercise (though the OBGYN admittedly didn't know about the magical part of it), but since when did that ever stop anyone from judging?)

"So if I'm right with how pregnant she is, Ladybug'll probably be giving birth a couple months after me! Just think, Emma and Elodie might end up being in the same class as Ladybug and Chat Noir's kid!" Alya was practically bouncing in her seat. "It's so cool that she and Chat Noir are hitting the same milestones as we are! I wonder if they'll dress their kid up in the Ladybug and Chat Noir baby clothes. I mean, on one had that could be a super obvious giveaway, but on the other hand everyone in Paris does that, so maybe not?"

"If their family and friends know- which they have to, right?- then what harm would it do?" Nino countered. "No one on the street is going to think anything of it. Though I do wonder how many amateur sleuths are going to be trying to look up who got married after Ladybug and Chat Noir announced their engagement, and then at which of those couples is going to have a kid."

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a look. They had timed the release of their superhero engagement photo so that people would by and large count out their wedding as a possibility, and it seemed to have worked. Then with a little help- once again, Adrien would have to ask Tikki about potentially padding the suit so Marinette could go out and still look pregnant after she gave birth- they could use the news of their superhero pregnancy to throw people off of their trail.

"Anyway, we've been discussing this ever since Alya noticed the bump in the photos," Nino added to Adrien and Marinette. "She's excited, I'm not sure if you could tell?"

They all laughed at that.

"I just think that it's cool, that's all," Alya defended herself. "Like, I thought that we would never even know 'cause she would stop going out for a bit. Or maybe that would be just as obvious, if Chat Noir was still going out. But we haven't gotten any new news about them for ages, so all I've been posting is old footage that people submitted and patrol photos, plus any new things that I've been sent about the old superheroes. It's not much, really, not when I used to be posting things every other day."

"Well, that's to be expected, since Hawkmoth is gone," Marinette pointed out. Adrien watched as her hand rested protectively on her baby bump. He knew that she was a little self-conscious about it, since she hadn't really gotten used to people really seeing it and commenting on it- well, besides the people that they had told, that was. Finding out that people had noticed that Ladybug was pregnant had come as a surprise.

Adrien hoped that the news wouldn't stop Marinette from wanting to go out as Ladybug again. They enjoyed their exercise time together, and it was a good way to spend a clear evening when they didn't have company over.

"And it's a good thing too, because trying to balance a full-time job and full-time Ladyblogging and a new baby would be really hard," Nino added. "And I'm sure Ladybug and Chat Noir appreciate being able to sit back and enjoy their evenings instead of having to be called out to save the city."

"Anyway, on the whole baby theme- your Nonna is in town now, right?" Alya asked Marinette. "Since Emma could come early?"

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, she arrived- three days ago, I think? She's been meeting up with some old friends and exploring the city so she isn't underfoot at the bakery. I met up with her for lunch yesterday and let me tell you, she is about ready to deck Adrien's father. She thinks that I should be able to wear maternity fashion that would actually show off what bump I do have, and that the worry about tabloids is what is keeping me from doing that. But I don't know if I would necessarily want to wear super form-fitted stuff out and about even if I could."

Alya looked surprised. "Really? But I'm sure you could find some super cute pregnancy outfits. And you would rock them, honestly."

"I wouldn't want strangers coming up and commenting about 'oh! A baby!' or trying to talk about me being pregnant or- or any of the stuff that I've heard about," Marinette said, shrugging. "You've talked about it before, with how annoying it is to have people doing commentary on your pregnancy. And I just don't want to have to deal with that. Besides, loose clothes are comfortable."

Nino made a face. "Okay, fair enough."

"Yeah, I nearly decked a lady a week ago when she was asking if I was planning on bottle- or breast-feeding," Alya said. She made a face. "Like, who are you, lady? Mind your own business."

Adrien grinned. "Marinette was considering whacking my father over the head with her shoe when he criticized her for wearing flats at the gala. Is the urge to hit people a pregnant people thing, or…?"

"The urge to hit your father is a normal person thing," Nino corrected Adrien, who was dodging playful whacks from Marinette. "And the urge to hit nosy people is probably the same."

"I know, I know, I wanted to whack my father myself, I was just joking!" Adrien yelped. He sat up with a grin once Marinette finally let up. "And speaking of which- do you want me to really rub that comment of his in once we tell him? Just to make sure he knows how much of a jerk he's been?"

Marinette's smirk was vicious. "Only if I don't rub it in first."

Nino just shook his head, bemused. "I don't understand how your father dares to cancel stuff on you guys. I would be terrified to cross you two. Particularly when Mari's smirking like that."

Their waiter came back to get their order then, and conversation wandered onto what maternity leave was like for Marinette so far (filled with a fair bit of jittering around when she wasn't resting or making sure that everything was as ready as it could be) and what each couple had left to do (not much for Adrien and Marinette, but Nino and Alya still had some stocking up to do).

"My office is turning into Elodie's nursery," Alya told them. "Which is fine, now that my book has gone to print. My stuff is going to stay in there for the time being, though. It's not like it takes up that much room, now that everything is sorted and put away."

"We had to move a chunk of Marinette's sewing room into our bedroom," Adrien said. He grinned at Marinette. "That does take up a bit of the room. But we'll manage."

"As long as I'm not trying to make twenty leather warrior outfits again, I shouldn't take up too much space," Marinette said with a laugh. "And I've mostly been getting screen-printing orders on commissions recently, since I put up a note on my site that said that I was pretty busy and only wanted smaller projects. That barely takes up any space at all, since I just do the designs on my tablet and then-"

"And then have to fill up your entire living room with clothesline to hang pieces up to dry?" Alya chimed in, looking dubious. "I remember how much space that takes, Mari. Don't act like it's just a tiny side project."

"I outsource the printing part of most of my screen-printing orders now," Marinette told her friend. "I have a professional silkscreen printer doing the printing bit on those pieces, and I just come up with the design. It's faster and more cost-effective. And space-effective."

"And 'fewer chemical smells in our apartment'-effective" Adrien added with a laugh. "Which we all appreciate."

"I can do slightly more complex designs with a pro printer, too," Marinette added. "They cost more, of course, but they cost me more to make at home, too, and there was no guarantee that I would get it right. And I get a discount at the printer, since I'm such a regular customer."

"And then you get to keep all of the printing mess out of your house. Good idea." Alya nodded appreciatively. "...when did you start doing that?"

"Last year, I think. Or is it closer to two years now?" Marinette tipped her head to the side, considering. "I don't remember. I had been considering it for a bit before I switched, and shopping around for someone who would be good to work with long-term took a couple months. I just thought it might be a good idea because I really enjoy the designing part, but not the actual screen-making and printing part so much."

"And stuff was taking up so much space of our storage," Adrien added. "And it was taking up her evenings when Marinette had an order to do."

"You mean it was stinking up the place while you were home."

Adrien grinned and shrugged. "Yeah, well, even if you did try to do as much as possible outside, some smell still ended up in here."

"So anyway, my projects at home don't take up that much space right now," Marinette said loudly, ignoring Adrien's grin. "And they're very portable. So having half of my stuff in our bedroom and half in Emma's room should work until we get our three-bedroom apartment, however long that takes."

"Right, of course." Nino glanced up and hastily gestured to clear the table, just as their waiter arrived with their pizzas. They accepted their water refills, then eagerly dug in.

"So," Alya said as she loaded her plate. "So you have just about one week left, right? Are you excited?"

Marinette laughed. "Excited, nervous, occasionally terrified in case we mess up or somehow missed getting something important. It varies, really." Reaching over, she squeezed Adrien's hand. "I know it'll be all right, though. No matter what happens, I know that Adrien and I can handle it together."

#Miraculous Ladybug #my writing #How to Announce A Pregnancy

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starlingari-a · 5 years

Text

MOTHER, MAY I ???

[ open starters! / memes! / calls! ] low activity | starlet-hopeful oc | multi-verse {default: 60s/70s} | multi-most

MARIONETTE mar·i·on·ette || noun, thing a puppet worked from above by strings attached to its limbs. see also: DOLL, DUMMY, FIGURINE, MANIKIN, MOPPET

ARIENETTE ar·i·en·ette || noun, thing person! page 22, your favorite cult film starlet, a music video extra 45 seconds in. see also: ARI STARLING, JUST TRYING, MOTHER’S DARLING

! i can be anything you like !

NAME: Arienette Marie Jones // ARI STARLING ! AGE: twenty-two HEIGHT: 5'5" MOTIVE: ubiquity. attention. approval. INTERESTS: the next big thing. piano. theater. celebrities. fame. getting gigs…. OCCUPATION: film extra, pianist, back-up, dancer, model, a pretty face in print. STATUS: trying; too scared busy to mingle, probably…

BETTER AS A CONCEPT : MOTHER DEAREST : IDENTITY CRISIS : AWKWARD WHEN NOT TOLD HOW TO DO OR BE : CAN NEVER AFFORD THE LUXURY OF SOLITUDE OR SELF-REFLECTION : AN UNINTENTIONALLY CONVENIENT SOCIAL CHAMELEON : EAGER TO PLEASE, BECAUSE WHAT ELSE IS THERE REALLY : EXISTENTIALLY INEPT : PERPETUALLY BUSINESS-MINDED : BIG BREAK OR BUST : NOTHING TOO SMALL

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BABY !! indeed.

Her overture came just opposite as faeries do- on the dwindling notes of an infant’s first cry. Ari’s first gig happened as she’d assumed everyone’s would- Mother imprinted the green ghosts of a camera flash into her retina and called her Darling while toting her from Agent to Agent.

Somehow, between babbles and being handed sparkly baubles, the darling landed her part as a precious, chubby-cheeked sweetheart rolling about in diapers, pasted on every cardboard box at any Baby Shower you’d ever go to :: LOOK AT HER! A NATURAL! apparently…

The ARIENETTE SHOW continued on– as Mother knew it would. Chain store baby clothes advertisements, local magazines, a couple spots as a teensy sweetheart in commercials, many crowns ( & cash prizes ) from tiny tot beauty pageants– and Mother decided; nobody would stand in their way.

Especially not Arienette’s father, who dared to protest with all his crazy ideas of children being allowed to play in the dirt and act like children: only took divorce papers and three hours in the car to get rid of that negativity.

The credit companies- who INVESTED in dear Ari whether they wanted to or not- wouldn’t be able to dissuade them either: despite the many times they’d called or sent strongly-worded letters...

Her darling Arienette ARI! was going to be a STAR, she just KNEW IT, just a DARLING STAR !

ARI HAD TO BE A STARLING!

OR ELSE THIS ALL WAS A WASTE!

EXTRA! EXTRA!

PRETTY GIRL WITH A MOTHER HAPPY TO SIGN THE DOTTED LINE!

CUE, STAGE LEFT– the barrage of childhood lessons: tap, ballet, singing, piano (probably the only thing she truly enjoyed out of the whole mix), jazz, guitar, poetry: just enough of each that made it so she could manage, hold her own– but there had never really been any chance for one or the other to last long enough to become a honed skill…SAVE FOR HER TIME AT THE KEYS, Arienette absolutely loves playing piano… at least something good came from it all…

NEXT TRICK: On to classes: etiquette, niceties, literature, the art of conversation: Mother “home schooled” her to keep that impressionable brain free from those vile teachers, who think they know so much!

really, it was just strategically simpler to keep up with possible gigs, travel, and to focus those lessons onto relevant topics… important topics… off the record, don’t mind a thing…

all extracurriculars and lessons would be considering Mother’s discretion, of course.

Thus came her second calling, her re-birth, name chosen by Mother as carefully as every other bit of her was: ARI! STARLING! and watch her Icarus her way right to burnout!

OH, THE TRAGEDY– but the years passed, as they do, and when you’ve grown from a darling blonde baby to just another pretty-enough girl in the midst of talented starlets and performers: all the fun goes from being a DREAM to a method of survival !!

But oh, she tried, and some would argue– at least for the few years that would be remembered as fifteen minutes– ARIENETTE MADE IT! Was even notable for a couple of those months- especially after she was just shy of a Scream Queen title in some low-budget cult horror flick, she got to have her name printed in the paper, Mother kept extra copies, and a couple big name ARTISTS actually ASKED for her! As could, and should, have been expected; those highlights turned dim after the time was up and another pretty girl fell into media favor. Once left in the wake of her own shadow, without the persistent approval of Mother or the calls from well known producers: she struggled.

Thus: when the days of being unable to will herself out of bed took over, the times when she couldn’t even pretend to smile, her SECOND ACT HAD COME AT LAST…

Until that 11′o’clock cue came as a fellow actress who suggested that Therapist. A DOC WHO UNDERSTOOD! IT’S HARD BEING A MOTH SUSTAINED BY SPOTLIGHT!

Who needs a bitch face when you can just give ‘em pure, prescribed, apathy!?

The paparazzi caught on, when they snapped photos including her pouting petulantly at the glare of a camera lens flash during brunch with a singer she’d be modeling with… they loved it: READ ALL ABOUT IT: DARLING ARI STARLING HOLDS MELANCHOLY WITH GRACE– and thank God for that caption, Mother hadn’t been talking to her since she’d gone and gotten pills… but now that even her Depression can be spun into Media Fodder, it’s all just fine!

HELLO! HELLO! IS THERE A GIRL IN THERE?!

She’s not ungrateful, truly. Or even notably unhappy! Easy to say: she’s quite blissfully content with where she is… always chasing after the next role.

Just dancing on the knife’s edge of knowing who she is and who she is to be. But does it matter? Can you have one without the other? Who cares? Where does Identity go when there’s so little of yourself you even truly know?

all she’s so sure about that ARIENETTE is that she loves her books, the theater, and her piano- but is that really enough to substantiate a someone…?

It’s a sweet surrender, but at least: it’s hers.

Thankfully: at 22, mother’s had to loosen her reigns! EVEN IF SHE STILL RIDES ON ARI’S COATTAILS AS A CAREER CHOICE! but her influence remains an omnipresence. Her social circle has expanded, through minor gigs covered in fake blood or sitting in the background as an extra, through miscellaneous commercial jobs and mostly modeling: COME TO FIND OUT, Ari’s pretty cute when she sits on a car while those fellows with more hair than metal traipse about strumming their guitars. Those wide-eyes also make her a devastating addition to those creepy-crawly movies: she’s become a cult film favorite just for being so awkwardly her and so darlingly easy to slaughter: a good lamb for those weird wolves, you know. Sometimes, someone will pay her a pretty penny for promotional gigs: she just has to bother strangers and convince them to do or buy something, easy enough– she’s even made it in some album art before, mostly just an additional face within the crowd. Once, they even let her play the piano, probably her very favorite shoot even though you can hardly see her…

The plentiful small gigs keeps her bill cheap, even lets her venture into the realm of what might vaguely be able to be considered Passion Projects… her very favorite are her stints playing piano, and any chance she can have on stage in theater: but Mother says that’s a waste...

There’s no job too big ; yet, there’s also no job too small ; a gig’s a gig.

she likes this easy stuff, with these funny people, all in their own shows… the perpetual EXTRA, she is !

AND FOR THE RESUME:

> Diaper Box Baby > Toddler Beauty Pageants > Kids Commercial Magazine modeling > The Soup Commercial — (she is very proud of this one- first job she really remembers getting any attention for) > Various TV (mostly various local stations) Commercials > The Puppet Show, for about 4 years, one of the recurring child roles > Background Dancing / Chorus Line Spots > Ambiance Piano; playing in the background at very fancy parties, in hotel lobbies, at casinos, etc. (this, she loved, dearly, because she adores piano and people watching) > Modeling, teen magazines etc. > Extra work in movies, which led to a couple very minor roles. > About now she was permitted to explore theater more — (Mother says it’s a waste of time and money) > Niche found in low-budget / campy / cult-y / independent Horror Movies > Promotional Work, general. > Modeling with / for other performers and musical groups; print, music videos, album art > Dancing, still (chorus line / ensemble; burlesque; showgirl) > Any piano or staged theater gig she can land (her f a v o r i t e s) > Absolutely anything you will pay her to do…

WHERE TO FIND AN ARIENETTE:

> Waiting in line for an audition. > An audition, in general. Always. > At a piano. > In a terrible outfit, peddling shots or cigarettes or windows (THAT WAS ONLY ONCE!) > On set, as an extra or background model. > Covered in fake blood, amidst some weird cult film or… something… > A chorus line / A temporary back-up dancer / A swing performer / Ensemble > Playing piano in a hotel lobby. > With Mother, or someone Mother’s appointed. > On her way to or from lessons of some sort, wishing she were elsewhere. > Networking. Or, trying to.

In general: Arienette’s quite accustomed to being used more as a prop than companion: to be there in hopes of making the main attraction appear ever more magnificent. To being posed, instructed, critiqued, told how to be or how to do. It’s her comfort zone, being theirs.

Considers herself the understudy of her own life– Ari Starling’s the STAR of this show, but sometimes Arienette does take the time to come out for a peek at existence, tends to require some coaxing before that facade breaks down, though: EVERY MISSED OPPORTUNITY IS ONE TOO MANY, AND ANYONE’S ONLY HERE FOR ARI! Doesn’t even take much offense, ever: completely accustomed to critique and criticism: which leads into how the treatment she would accept being steadied on a rather low bar. Hard to offend someone who’s been up for scrutiny since she could walk, even harder to cross boundaries she’d never had the power to set for herself…

that was Mother’s job…

Oh, and our Darling doesn’t mean to come off as pretentious, but she’s had pretention pearled into her bones so long- she can hardly tell where Arienette begins and Ari Starling ends…

can be snooty, life is only a job interview, honesty is the best policy, there’s no point in shinin’ up shit… doesn’t think things through all too much in conversation that’s not being recorded, perfectly content with saying what’s on her mind: tendency to share strange things, never bats an eye. Almost comatose when unsure of what’s expected of her, too quiet when off-script, constantly asking: what do you want me to do?

what do you want from me? how should i be? where do i stand?

Nearly always on the verge of giving a PERFORMANCE, since, as Mother always said:

“ WHO CARES WHO YOU ARE UNLESS YOU’RE EVERYTHING, DARLING!? “

But, the real HORROR SHOW: What About When Mother’s Gone?

what does she have left, but the connections that have been made and the reputation / identity that’s been crafted and constructed for her? Who is she supposed to be without the familiar puppeteer there to pull her strings?

WHO IS ARIENETTE JONES!?

Well… she’s still trying to figure that out for herself…

NEED A PRETTY FACE FOR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING? HAVE WE GOT THE GIRL FOR YOU!

#!! about #!! i'm'a pokin #!! arienette; about #!! arienette; thoughts

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robo-cryptid · 6 years

Note

K, M, N, & Q for the fanfic asks!

I’m gonna answer K behind a cut since it’s got a couple spoilers for things I’ve written, so these are a teensy bit out of order. :)

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I do have one idea that was once going to be part of the original ending to TSatS. It is nothing like the fic is at this point, because it’s a lot more lighthearted than I thought really fit when I started taking certain parts of the fic more seriously, so I scrapped it entirely, but it could absolutely be its own story and I’ve held onto the parts I wrote to make them one day workable, hah. It involves a mission with just the two of them and possible Only One Bed shenanigans, antique stores, awkward drunk talks, and a bar shootout in a small town. Also bad diner food, but I cribbed from some of that for the roadtrip fic I wrote.

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

Lmao, all of them. Honestly most of the things I write are out of some “why doesn’t this very specific thing I want, tailored to my very specific interests and needs, exist?!” impulse to some degree. So, you know, if other people could get on writing the stuff in my head, that would be great. ;)

But here, some fic ideas I wish other people would write just, like, in general: that funny personal trainer AU full of UST; a “Point Break” (1991, I know nothing about the remake) inspired AU because a) LOL and b) that movie’s so fucking full of (almost definitely intentional) gay subtext already it would take only the tiniest adjustments to make it text; more comedic takes on should-be-angsty tropes like hanahaki or certain soulmate type fics, etc.; an AU where they meet at the farmers’ market and McCree’s there selling succulents.

Q: Do you have any discarded scenes/storylines/projects?

Oh, for sure. I mentioned one in my M-answer, but there are just a ton of deleted scenes for TSatS that I wrote earlier on that, by the time the story started catching up to them, felt really off or like the wrong direction entirely. I’ve mentioned before that Jesse in NTIC was supposed to have Even More Awkwardness by having had previous crushes on several of his superiors, but which was super distracting from the rest of the fic. I stand by it being too distracting, but it was pretty funny and would’ve possibly contextualized his not-giving-a-damn about Hanzo bossing him around in entertaining ways, lollllll. I also had to table a second Reverse Bang fic bc that one just wasn’t working for me or the artist at the time; I may go back to it eventually though, because it really was a cool idea!

Now for the one that gets longer and a little spoilery for Our Heads Are Just Houses and TSatS unless you’ve read them all the way.

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with? [aka robo rambles a lot about those two times she hurt her own feelings while writing]

Okay, for Our Heads Are Just Houses: the original concept was @bluandorange‘s, so the whole brainwashing plot, while already angsty in potential, wasn’t mine. However, I am absolutely the asshole who came up with the part where McCree was more or less himself with the serial numbers rubbed off, while Hanzo felt he was sort of “remolded” to be a very different person – the kind McCree might actually be able to love – and all the distressing feelings that came from Hanzo loving the real person but McCree loving the more palatable lie. Basically the whole scene where they talk on the flight to Gibraltar, ending with McCree’s “there’s no answer I can give that ain’t cruel in some way.” I have cried twice while writing a McHanzo fic, and that scene was one of them, heh.

The other thing I’ve written that made me cry, though it’s far less explicit in a lot of ways, is the scene in TSatS ch. 18 where Hanzo asks McCree if they’re friends and admits aloud that he’s never really had many friends and doesn’t know what he’s doing. I actually had to go back and edit to make it way more restrained because I Had A Lot Of Feelings. Anyway, then McCree tells Hanzo that he kept secrets for him even when he didn’t have to by refusing to be the one to tell Gabe about the Shimada dragons, because he didn’t want Hanzo to be used again? Even after everything that happened when they were younger, when Jesse had no “rational” reason to show him any loyalty? So the reason this whole thing kills me, and the reason Hanzo just straight up has to leave after he hears it, is because on some level Hanzo has to contend with the reality (and this’ll be explicit later in some fashion) that his entire life with his family was full of people who said one thing and did another, including Genji. Shit like “I love you” doesn’t really mean anything, if it’s always been accompanied by “so you owe these things to me and we’re going to use you how we see fit” or actions that demonstrate… not super loving things.

So Jesse was someone who loved him in a way that was actionable. He did things even when he didn’t have to and when Hanzo couldn’t possibly know about it or reciprocate, for no conceivable end except not doing more harm (and a harm that Jesse saw way more clearly than Hanzo did even back in the day). And he might be the first/only person in Hanzo’s life to have ever done that, although Genji is a different person now and is doing it in small ways these days. And Hanzo banished him and has been kind of a dick to him (even if it’s getting better) and Jesse now can barely even say they’re friends. So Hanzo’s being presented with both what he had and the knowledge that he lost it, and he actually just can’t process it in that moment and has to remove himself from it entirely, heh. Anyway, the whole idea kills me, from the “are we friends?” moment to the as-yet-only-suggested part where Hanzo kind of realizes that love is not an abstract feeling but also a set of actions taken and he pushed away the only person who’s ever really shown him that.

I am sure I’ve had angsty head canons that didn’t make it into fics. I know I have. But writing those two things made me cry like a stupid sappy marshmallow and I still think about them sometimes and wonder what I’ve done to myself and to people reading, lol. (Also I had to edit the above 4am ramble about TSatS because I kept writing “Hanzo realizes,” but the truth is in the text so far, he doesn’t realize in any conscious meaningful way beyond it sitting uncomfortably in his gut.)

#robo answers #ask meme #writer meme #long text post #emotionalmorphine

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