#in all seriousness this is heartbreakingly beautiful!

[justporo]

Hello! Love your writing SO much. I’ve always wondered though, what would Astarion do if he was in love with Tav but she was insecure about how pretty he was and how she wasn’t good looking enough for him??

So first of all, Anon, let me apologise for letting this sit in my inbox so long - and thank you so much! I guess at some point I've gotten a little overwhelmed with all ideas and requests. I'll still try and answer as many as possible!

So, back on topic:

Headcanons for Astarion battling his partner's insecurity

When you open up about how you feel insecure - especially compared to him - you get a staredown first of all; it does nothing to help with your anxiety and insecurity

"Darling, we don't talk bad about ourselves in this relationship, only about others!"

Expect a lot of aggressive and kind of hysteric support (because this man can talk himself into a fit)

"You'd seriously think I'd settle with anything below heartbreakingly beautiful? Really? You think too much of me!"

He's serious (but also you know it's more than about surface stuff)

He tries everything: aggressive flattery, poetically pointing out all the most beautiful things about you, just staring into your eyes while holding your face (until you might start to cry because damn, this is about you but he's so beautiful)

In all seriousness, when he realises none of it is helping, he will make you stand up, in the middle of the room

His hands wander over your spine, make you straighten your back, lift your chin up, maybe put a strand of hair back behind your ear

One of his hands softly grabs your chin, his brows furrow: "You've done this for me once, now let me be your mirror, my love. When I look at you - I see these eyes, first of all. They're capable of so much: the greatest warmth I've ever felt, fierceness that would make even the strongest foe quiver, deep admiration for all the beauty in the world that you always tend to find. And this smile that never fails to almost make me stumble. Gods be damned, if my heart wasn't cold and dead in my chest it would skip a beat every time you smiled at me. And this body - do you even understand what it has accomplished? Carried you through every step, every battle, every blow and blast - to me if I may be so selfish. So I can admire and worship it everyday." "I thought this wasn't supposed to be poetry?"

And Astarion hushes you and pulls you to him, kisses you until you forget whatever it was you had been feeling in the first place

To be sure, very very sure, Astarion repeats this time and again - especially the worshipping part - that's his favourite

(He casually ruins it by making jokes about how you're "the second most beautiful person in the room", but you forgive him quickly)

Astarion is just very good at getting his point across, don't you think? So you should better believe him!

Tag list: @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #astarion ancunin #fanfiction #astarion x tav #baldur's gate iii #bg3 spoilers #baldurs gate #astarion x mc #astarion x oc #astarion x reader #bg3 #headcanons #astarion headcanons #imagine #poro headcanons #astarion x you #astarion fluff

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

ohhh, this episode. it had its humorous moments, but boy, did it hurt.

sol's grief and abject guilt is palpable throughout — you can feel it permeating everything; it's so tangible you can almost choke on it.

her raw pain and desperation, her devastation at discovering that she's the reason for sunjae's death — you can feel the debilitating effects of that realization settle like a dense cloud over both your own self and the entire episode.

normally i talk about the sheer power of byeon wooseok's gaze, but this time kim hyeyoon stole the show: even while she does her level best to stay away from sunjae, sol's eyes seek him out at every turn, and the pure concern and love and terror in her gaze is heartbreakingly beautiful to see. the wild panic in her face just smotes you completely.

theirs is a tenderness that cuts; you can feel the blood pooling under your tongue as you watch.

i am in awe of their utter devotion to each other: despite rejection and harsh treatment, sunjae is perennially aware of sol's presence; he's attuned to her smallest movements, there to save her at a moment's notice. and sol? this girl has traversed through time and space THRICE now to save him at whatever cost. she loves him more than life itself but is doing her damndest to stay away from him, and you can tell it's killing her to let sunjae think she hates him.

the grief and helplessness with which sol cries (almost childlike in her sorrow) and begs sunjae to stay away from her because she literally doesn't know what else to do or how else to help him was physically hard to stomach, but emotionally so impactful.

sunjae swallowing back tears of his own and apologizing instantly to get sol to stop crying is just a testament to how gentle and sensitive of a person he is, and how sincerely he loves sol. seriously, is there a boy in the universe who could possibly compare??? i don't think so.

also, sol singing 'sudden shower' to sunjae, effectively clueing him in to her status as a time traveler, was a stroke of pure genius on the writers' part: it was an elegant circumvention of sol's inability to talk about the future, a perfect juxtaposition of past and future meeting via shared memory, and deeply, DEEPLY romantic.

they kissed as per the legend! my hopes for a happy ending have been bolstered by this greatly, since the webnovel also ends with them being married. (tvn better not pull a 25/21 on us at the end. 😭)

(sidenotes: the grandma may be a symbol of omniscience. she had the watch in the very first episode, remembers sol being paralyzed, and kept the watch safe in this timeline as well. sunjae being in a coma instead of outrightly dying in 2023 after the attack is significant — if he manages to wake up once sol returns to the present, he'll have all his memories of the third timeline intact, which will make things easier, plot-wise. tomorrow's episode seems to be veering in an angsty direction as well, but fingers crossed that there are cute moments!!!)

#lovely runner #byeon woo seok #kdrama #kim hye yoon #tvn drama #tvn lovely runner #kdrama lover #tvn #fantasy kdrama #rom com kdrama

[looniez]

spoilers for the ending of totk!

i finished playing tears of the kingdom today and if i don’t talk about zelink RIGHT NOW i’m literally gonna explode. serious (spoiler heavy) rambling ahead!

the demon dragon phase of the final boss fight against ganondorf is so, so, so good. the scene has joined the ranks amongst my favorite zelda moments of all time. like, i seriously cannot even put it into words how much i LOVED it. as soon as zelda flew up to help i was a goner. i bawled. she stays right by link’s side throughout the entire thing and is there to catch him if he falls. it’s such a beautiful moment.

we know that zelda isn’t exactly mentally present in her dragon form. she says that she “had been sleeping” and in the epilogue she states that she doesn’t really remember anything from her time as the light dragon. aside from the final battle scene being generally epic (you get to ride around on a dragon while fighting another dragon. inherently very awesome), it’s heartbreakingly romantic. deep down, she knows who link is. deep down, she loves him. deep down, zelda is inside. she helps him subconsciously. she waited 10,000 years for him.

i don’t think i’ll ever be able to shut up about the ending. like, ever. link wakes up and he is falling, but zelda is too. zelda, no longer an immortal dragon, back in her human and very mortal body, is falling. just like how link lost her in the beginning. he reaches for her hand and this time, link catches her. this time, he doesn’t fail.

he holds her so tightly as they freefall. he cradles her head in his hand to protect her and shield her from the impact. link carries her from the water and lays her down on the grass so gently, with so much care. zelda wakes in her body for the first time in 10,000 years, and the thing that roused her was the feeling of a “warm, loving embrace.” 

i don’t think there’s any way to deny that link and zelda are in love with each other. i thought the same in breath of the wild, but tears of the kingdom really solidifies this for me. i’d argue it’s one of the most clear iterations of the pairing aside from obvious examples like skyward sword. like, to me, link and zelda basically said “i love you” without needing to use those exact words. i am so, so happy with how their relationship was portrayed in this game.

TLDR: i am so normal about zelink and how the ending of the game played out :’)

i have lots more i want to talk about regarding TOTK zelink so i might make another post soonish!

#zelink #botw #totk #totk spoilers #tears of the kingdom #tears of the kingdom spoilers #zelda #link #link x zelda #zelda x link #im so unwell #they love each other SO MUCH #my thoughts

[warcorrespondence]

You've probably seen that post that goes around, you know the one: It's all fun and games in hbowar until you want to see two women have a conversation.

Well, @mercurygray/mercurygray set out to fix that. The Darkening Sky is full of women having conversations about real things.

fandom: band of brothers

pairing: Dick Winters/OC

mature, 220612 words

This epic asks the question: what would it be like if women went to war with Easy Company? No, but really though?

There are a lot of OCs, and a personal challenge I have with reading OCs is that I already love the canon characters. So for me, OCs have more work to do in fanfic than they do in novels, because they have to shoulder aside my blorbos. (This is me - there are a lot of OC writers and readers in this fandom and bravo to you all! I’m simply explaining a barrier I have). 

But fairly quickly, they established themselves, and over not too long a time, I grew to love them.

The main relationship is between Joan Warren, niece of General Pershing and society gal of Nixon’s ilk, and Dick Winters - she’s flirtier than he is, and more outspoken, but just as driven and in essence just as private. It takes them A WHILE to get going, because it would - these are two serious people with serious things to do, and they take love seriously too.

And all right, I’m just going to put it out there - was it a challenge, as a card-carrying winnix girlie, to hop on board that train? 

…not really? 

It helps that Nix ships it (which, like everything here, is shown and not told, and with delightful subtlety). It helps that Joan is awesome, a fully-fleshed out character with flaws and frustrations, narrative drive as well as personal drive. It helps that this is just another world where the Nix-Dick friendship didn’t develop that way, from Toccoa onward. There is no "We'll go to Chicago, I’ll take you there." It’s not what happens. 

(This fic also doesn't straightwash - there's not a ton of focus on m/m or f/f relationships, but they're there).

But Joan and Dick, much as I love to read about them, are not the only focus of the story. POV shifts all the time, sometimes to Shifty, sometimes to minor characters like Aldbourne residents or land girls, and we get an idea of what the war is like for them, as well as their perspective on Easy Company in all its camaraderie and complexity. 

It probably goes without saying that in a fandom full of heavily researched fics, Merc’s stands out as being the most meticulous. She knows her shit, and I knew that going in. But there’s a difference between throwing in facts and details for the sake of it, and doing it to further the experience of the reader. I felt like I learned things, but never like I was being taken to school - when I learned something it was because I was gaining context about a beloved character or understanding more about how the world would work for women in these circumstances. And they don't all have the same experience! Life for Lieutenant Joan Warren, reluctant media darling, is very different than it is for Sergeants Billie Mitchell or Marj Gordon (just to name a couple of my favorites).

These women never stop being women, and being treated that way, for better or worse (often worse). And there's something heartbreakingly frustrating but also beautiful about that.

Marj’s new haircut looked good on her - Doris wasn’t proud of a whole lot, these days, but any time she caught sight of Marj with her helmet off she had to smile. I did that. And she looks damn good. Marj’s honey-colored pageboy was starting to get a little long at the edges, but only enough to make Doris regret not bringing her scissors so she could do everyone else’s. Her fellow sergeant looked…free, without the hair, released from some burden of responsibility to look like she belonged somewhere else and might well be there soon. Why didn’t we do that earlier? Doris wondered to herself. It’s a war, not a beauty pageant. We’re not winning awards.  Because we’re still women, and we still want beauty. Because it’s hard to change something like that.  Because we all want to go right back to the way it was when this is over - even if we know we can’t. The way it was. The phrase made Doris want to laugh. They weren’t those women and men any more, the kids who’d arrived at Toccoa, and it was foolish to think they might be. Look at any of them, bruised and scarred - look at Marj! And even if they hadn’t changed, the people at home would have. (Look at Marj, again - and fuck Allen, while they were looking.)

#band of brothers #nikkirecs #200k-250k words #dick/oc

[lightwise]

TBB S3 E11 Reaction

I’ve watched this episode multiple times already but honestly it doesn’t get any easier. Here we go I guess 😩

- This droid guy looks like the one from episode 4. They’re kinda cute

- The return of Mel! (And Phee 😁)

- Both of them are in a mood 😆. What trip did they just get back from to make them so cranky? Love the throwback to Skara Nall too.

- Noooo not CX-2 😭

- He’s a sneaky boi

- I knew that Phee would inadvertently be how the coordinates to Pabu would be found 🥺🥺

- I’m just now noticing that the back office is playing music and that’s probably why Phee can’t hear the alarm go off. That is hilarious and also very frustrating 😅

- Of course the droid thinks it caused the alarm somehow

- There’s no way downloading someone’s flight log goes that quickly but okay

- Ooooh my girl knows something is up! Her spidey pirate senses are going off. Aghhhh if only she had been a second sooner!!

- If CX-2 ISN’T Tech there is zero reason why he would have stayed behind to watch Phee leave before he snuck off. Also how is he so incredible at hacking into and decoding things 👀

- Ugh I just want a show of Phee and Mel adventures around the galaxy!

- Why is his ship so freaking cool. These maps are incredible.

- Reallyyyy wanna get CX-2’s helmet off 😭

- Aw Pabu is so beautiful in the sunset

- Ha! I knew the boys would try to leave after Ventress warned them it was too dangerous to stay on Pabu. Hunter might be slow sometimes but he’s not completely stupid guys

- Aw poor Wrecker just wants an ice cream

- Crosshair shakes his head at him 🤣

- The little clone cadets outfits are so cool!!!

- Not going to lie, the first time I watched this was the closest I had cried all season. Tech’s goggles and Lula being placed in the Archium is so heartbreakingly fitting 💔

- Wrecker and Gonky banter 🤩🤩🤩 Gonk is such a part of the family I love it soooo much

- Okay seriously how is CX-2 able to both know he’s tripped a proximity sensor AND turn it off?? Come on

- I just realized how he knows where the cave is too. If he tracked Phee’s flight log it must have shown exactly where she normally landed

- Ugh that gold and purple is just too beautiful. Can Pabu be a real place that I can go to?

- Hunter’s spidey senses are also on alert. And I love how close he and Crosshair are again, their pre-Order 66 bond has been restored and is even deeper. Crosshair is attuned to when Hunter’s senses go off. And their helmets sitting together on the cart is so cute 🥹

- No NO no NOOO Nooooo. This moment was ruined by the Star Wars marketing team so it honestly didn’t hit as hard as it would have otherwise, but 😭😭😭. RIP Marauder. You will live on in our imagination

- I still can’t believe that they somehow heard our outcry about what would happen to Gonky, Lula, and Tech’s goggles if they blew up the Marauder, and decided to save EXACTLY those three things 🤣 (and Wrecker. So glad Wrecker is “relatively” okay, poor boy)

- Hunter’s slooow helmet turn until we see the starship above the island. Phew. And the Imperial March coming in.

- Omega comforting Batcher 😭😭😭

- Having LAATs swoop down into a town like that would be terrifying

- Man, where’s Maarva when you need her. Fuck the Empire

- “Search every domicile until you find her” is going to go down in Star Wars quote history

- I was genuinely afraid they were going to burn the whole island

- I’m sorry but I just can’t take the backpack clips on CX-2 seriously

- Batcher baby no! (Also genuinely thought we were going to lose her for a second)

- Damn Hunter. Nothing makes him shine like hand to hand combat and other things 🥵

- He’s never been hotter honestly

- Alright how in the world is CX-2 so good at *everything*. I’m honestly getting a little annoyed at it.

- Crosshair’s face 😭💔😭 he’s never looked more scared and pleading than when he says his baby sister’s name

- I’m kind of surprised that they didn’t just burn down the town anyway. Either CX-2 is just trying to be super efficient/he doesn’t care past accomplishing his mission, or the Empire gets much more petty and cruel by Kenobi and Rebels

- It’s so interesting to me how touchy CX-2 is with Omega. Why all the shoulder pushes? Shoulder touches are very much a form of affection and communication among clones. Has that impulse in him just been turned to violence?

- Sooo…we basically will never get wet hair Hunter 🤣🤣🤣 I’ll take this much dripping and cute Batcher scratches compensation though

- Okay. I’m just going to say it. The way they chose to have Crosshair miss the tracking device was so disappointing to me. Not the fact that he missed, but how he missed. Having him be distracted and fend for his life and be late for the shot was great. But I wish they had brought his hand tremble into play here as the main mechanism behind why he missed. They’ve been building that up all season and it would have made perfect sense. Instead he rushes and like trips and just shoots too early? So out of character. I didn’t like it and still don’t :(

- Welp, Omega seems to be less worried than we are. We’re in the end game now folks 😳 this music is awesome too

#the bad batch #tbb #tbb spoilers #the bad batch spoilers

[chaoticbardlady99]

She’s Not Acid Nor Alkaline (Astarion x F! OC) MDNI 18 +

Author note- here’s my horny Pirate OC x Astarion fic that I’ve had sitting in my google drive for the last month. If you like it- let me know what you think :) also I have not written 3rd person in a hot minute so if the writing is half asses- please know I’m getting my groove 😂 (I was also very 🍠 the entire time I wrote this LMFAO)

Synopsis: Astarion and the rest of his companions have found a way to bring Karlach back from the dead, but it’s going to require an entire crew and a beautiful Sea Captain to get there.

Photo belongs to @cheekylittlepupp on Tumblr

CW: Violence, death, smut- filthy smut, dom/sub, oral (m! Receiving), PIV

Part One- Pirate Captain Wales

Astarion trudges through the streets of Athkatla, Amn while closely following his companions- Wyll and Tav taking the front and center. The latter drawing attention to the group with his bright white scales and piercing red eyes.

Astarion had loved Tav once. He couldn’t say he was in love at any point, but Tav’s kindness and warmth towards him had changed Astarion’s soul for the better.

The group had remained in Baldur’s Gate and continued to play an integral part in each other’s lives. Tav, Gale, Wyll, and Astarion somehow ended up becoming roommates while Shadowheart and Lae’zel had their own place. Astarion was secretly grateful that all of them wanted to live near each other. Astarion wasn’t quite ready to be on his own in the world yet and he enjoys having company now. He prefers it over loneliness.

Astarion’s favorite companion, Karlach, heartbreakingly passed shortly after the Netherbrain was defeated. Her passing left a massive hole in the group and in Astarion’s heart. She was easily the closest thing he’s had to a “best friend” in his entire life.

Tav had been searching endlessly for a Ring of the Sunwalker and a way to get Karlach back. Tav had fallen head over heels for Karlach and she had loved him equally as much in return. Astarion had cried with Tav on more than one occasion talking about the Tiefling.

Tav had helped Astarion in finding a Ring of the Sunwalker- succeeding only a year after defeating the Netherbrain. Astarion wasn’t sure what that meant for their traveling relationship, but Tav was bewildered when Astarion asked if he could continue traveling with Tav to help find Karlach.

“Astarion,” Tav says seriously, “you are always welcome wherever I am- don’t be silly. Or do- that might make Karlach come back just to smother you in hugs.”

Astarion scowls with fake disdain, “what a terrible thought.”

When they came back to Baldur’s Gate- they began staying with Wyll and Gale while trying to find a solution to resurrect Karlach or at least convince Wither’s to do one last favor.

Mizora eventually ended up portaling into their living room (it was not a welcome intrusion) and informed Wyll that- in exchange for a contract being completed- Mizora would give Wyll the exact location Karlach is imprisoned and a map.

Tav had gone to lunge at the woman- demanding to know what in the hells Mizora was talking about and to tell him where his beloved was now.

Wyll took the contract to save Karlach- whatever it had been is not known to anyone, but they found out that Karlach’s body had been transported to the third layer of the Hells- Minauros. She is wasting away there because Zariel had wished it while putting the infernal engine in her body.

According to Mizora, Karlach’s body was intact enough to maybe perform a resurrection. The key word was ‘maybe’, which didn’t sit right with Astarion, but Tav had been there for him when he needed him. Astarion had been there for him too when he faced his father, but this felt far more important and equal to Tav helping him kill Cazador. Not to mention, Tav convinced him not to corrupt himself in the end.

There was one good way to get to Minauros and that was through Stygia and the only hidden portal was past Flamsterd’s Sunken Tower. Not only was the Tower all the way across the Sea of Swords and then some, but it’s under the fucking water in a bubble of air and Flamsterd was not known for letting just anyone pass through his waters. He protects the gate relentlessly- not allowing anyone in or out unless they can navigate his underwater attacks and his Sea Dragons.

Wyll had talked to his father and the Duke gave him a name and a location. He knew someone who could get them there, navigate them safely through the waters, sail them through Stygia, and back.

That’s what led them to the city of Althkalta- in search of the Pirate Captain Wales and his ship- The Chimera. When Gale scoffed- asking what a Pirate could specifically do for them. Wyll simply stated that the captain is Valkur’s Aasmir- a Chaotic Good minor Seagod who was also a ferocious seafarer. Duke Ravenguard said Captain Wales was the best of the best- destroying whole fleets of WarShips over the last 58 years when Baldur’s Gate was in need of help getting their trading ships from harbor to harbor. He always asked for payment, but he always finished the job and was reliable. Gale kept his reservations to himself (and Astarion- since they actually agreed on something for once) since Wyll was hell bent on this Pirate Captain being the answer.

Astarion didn’t understand why they didn’t just go through Avernus- bringing this point up a few times as well as Shadowheart. Wyll and Tav shook their heads- the two of them being very familiar with the Hells and it’s domains. This would be the safest way without alerting Zariel that they are saving Karlach- they don’t need the Archdevil swooping in at the last minute and putting a new engine in Karlach’s chest before they can even begin to find a way to resurrect her. Astarion couldn’t argue with that logic and if this Captain was as good as they say- well at least Astarion will see more of Faerun.

Althkalta wasn’t the worst city Astarion has seen. Menzoberranzan has been his least favorite so far- constantly watching his back for angry spider people was not his favorite pastime. Astarion is eager to get the introduction to the Captain over with though. He’s fucking tired and is ready to just read a damn book.

It takes forever, but Wyll finally finds the entrance to the Speakeasy. They get to The Chimera’s hang out by making several twisting turns down random alleys and stumble upon a man screaming at an incredibly stunning half- elf woman.

Astarion feels it hit his heart like a bus- he swears his heart almost beats again.

Oh Gods Dammit.

Astarion always thought that thiramin nonsense was total bullshit. Astarion doesn’t even believe in love at first sight.

Now he isn’t quite sure what he believes as he looks upon this woman. Astarion thinks he might pass out from how elated his body feels when she meets his eyes and her painted red bow-shaped lips part with a small gasp.

Her piercing azure gaze leaves his and he barely catches the groan of frustration that threatens to leave his lips.

She’s petite- maybe only standing at about 5’2. Her pointed ears are pierced with bard rings. Her wavy hair falls down to just between her shoulder blades and it’s a sun kissed golden brown. Her skin is equally as blessed with the warmth of the sun and freckles are smattered all over her face- even some on her stomach and trailing below her midriff. Astarion wants to see where those freckles lead so badly it makes him feel feral.

The woman is lean with beautiful breasts that are barely concealed under a white, flimsy cropped fabric fashioned into a shirt that wraps in the front. Her nipples are hard against the fabric and Astarion doesn’t think it’s from the warm air. The scent of her arousal hits his nose as his eyes trail down her legs and ass- the skin tight black leather pants leaving nothing to the imagination. She blushes at Astarion’s attention and turns away quickly- regaining her smug composure.

“Selune help me,” Shadowheart says lustfully, “I want to be the one in her bed by the end of tonight.”

He has to remind himself that Shadowheart is his friend and no, he will not kill her.

Astarion wants to drag this woman off and ravage her- consume her- until no one else thought they could have any claim over her. He swallows thickly- what in the hells is happening to him?

“You can’t just fucking kick me out!” the Orc hisses with a knife drawn.

The woman rolls her eyes- earning a huff of approval from Lae’zel.

“I think I just did,” her voice like milk and honey, “it’s my crew- I’m the Captain.”

She drinks the rum in her left hand while the right is holding a weapon he hasn’t seen before towards the ground.

Wait, she’s?

“We have a contract, cunt-,” the man sneers, “ I get six months worth of pay.”

She laughs so hard she snorts. Astarion is going to die all over again. How much more fucking adorable and sexy can she get?

“You do realize you are talking to a Pirate, don’t you?” She holds the gun up lazily pointing it away from her body but higher up towards her face.

Astarion reasons with himself- he’s just excited to see a different face in a beautiful body in an entirely different town. Astarion just needs to fuck somebody and he’ll figure that out later. He is sure that’s what’s happening.

“I don’t have to pay you or deal with your bullshit if I don’t want to,” she takes another long sip from the bottle, “ and frankly, I’m really getting sick of you suggesting that I should be a ‘good little half- breed’ and bend over for you.”

Astarion feels his skin light on fire and he has to resist the urge to pull out his weapons. Astarion can feel Tav’s gaze looking at him with amusement and a stupid giddiness Astarion could shank the man for.

“Well,” the orc smiles and steps forward with one of his hands going towards her breasts, “you are so tantalizingly del-“

The man’s head disappears and the weapon in her hand is smoking. She shoves it into a holster on her belt and turns towards the group.

A tiefling man- a vampire spawn to Astarion’s surprise- comes running out and he is also pretty to look at because Shadowheart is immediately enamored with him. Astarion is glad that she is now much more interested in him than whoever this woman is.

The tiefling groans, “Calypso- really?”

“Oh please, Lucy,” she goads, “what else would you have me do? He was barely tolerable and was too busy fucking his own hand to even do anything competent.”

“Yes, but for the love of Hells could you please stop killing our terminated employees in the middle of the street?”

Astarion wants to burst into laughter- this has happened multiple times?

“Lucy, go piss on someone else’s parade,” she says before turning back to the group with one hand perched on her hip, the other waves in the air dramatically “we have company! Dammit Lucifer!”

She takes another long sip from the rum, “I must apologize for my first mate’s unruly manners- he’s not known for being a very good host.”

Lucifer looks at her with a glare and waves his hands- casting the corpse into another realm. She smiles at him cheekily and he rolls his eyes.

Astarion feels a pit of jealousy invade his stomach. The man is tall with slate colored skin and piercing demonic red eyes. He has long black hair that is windswept and horns that resembled Karlach’s if she had both pairs. He’s muscular- he looks like he can pick her up and throw her against a wall. The way he looks at her tells Astarion he has definitely wanted to or has in the past. The way Lucifer scans over her body is like a man who has drank from the fountain of youth and wants more.

Not that he doesn’t come with an assortment of baggage and lovers, but he does hope it’s not a serious relationship between the two of them.

“You’re Captain Wales?” Wyll says in disbelief, “my father neglected to mention that you are a woman.”

Calypso raises an eyebrow at Wyll.

“And why couldn’t Captain Wales be a woman?”

Wyll’s eyes go wide and he is fumbling over his words. Calypso’s melodic laugh floods the air and she smiles brightly at all of them.

“I’m just fucking with you,” she says, “but- obviously- I need to know who your daddy is before I just let you into my Speakeasy. Not many people know where this is.”

She reloads the device in her hand and points it steadily at Wyll.

“So tell me- are you a friend or a foe?”

“Hopefully a friend,” Wyll says with a nervous laugh, “my father is Duke Ravenguard of Baldur’s Gate.”

Something seems to click for Calypso and she puts away her weapon.

“Oh you are most definitely a friend,” she smiles brightly, “come on in- pardon the disaster inside. Big guy didn’t make a whole lot of friends while he was here and my crew enjoys fighting.”

The minute the door opens the cheering erupts in an ear shattering pulse of sound. The energy in the air is full of life and adrenaline. Astarion is swept up in the sound of people cheering their crewmates on and placing bets against them. His need for some chaos has been sated. Baldur’s Gate was getting rather peaceful before this journey.

The crewmates stop abruptly as Calypso walks into the giant bar and they all cheer in succession- chanting some obscene thing about the Orc being gone. It was so out of sync that Astarion had no idea what any of them were saying.

“Oh shut your whore mouths you whiny babies,” the whole crew laughs and some whoop and cheer- her tone is playful and bashful, “get back to your stupid fight. I bet 50 gold on Toothless Tosh.”

In a flash- the energy picks all the way back up in the room and is even more chaotic than before as they push the man he assumes is, “Erwin” (from the cheers) into the ring. He’s a massive tiefling and his opponent is an Orc, the man named ‘Toothless Tosh’.

The fight is explosive- the tiefling gets a few good hits in and the orc just takes it before grabbing the tiefling’s face with one hand and slamming him on his back- effectively knocking the man out. The crowd screams in chaos- some people are pissed they lost and others are goading about winning.

One man begins to punch another out of anger and it gets ugly. Astarion expects the rest to join in but they don’t. They all look at each other with a “well they know better” look.

Calypso finishes her Rum bottle and flips it in her hand so that she’s holding the neck of the bottle.. She walks over and slams the glass over the first guy’s head as he goes to stand up and attack the other man again.

A damning silence fills the room. Astarion is admittedly very turned on by the display of power.

“My friends,” she says, her broken bottle in hand as she steps on the back of the crewmate she killed, “you know the rules- if you guys can’t handle gambling and want to beat each other to death- do it outside. I don’t need your filthy blood all over my tavern.”

She turns to the second guy and points her broken bottle in his direction- the man’s eyes light up in fear.

“Clean up the body and consider this your only warning.”

Astarion watches her saunter off and he’s absolutely mesmerized by the swing of her hips. He’s going to explode.

The group follows her with Lucifer behind them- the tiefling keeps giving Astarion suspicious glances and it makes Astarion want to just kill him so it will stop. He has a feeling Calypso wouldn’t care for that much though.

They pile into a room in the back- a massive map on the wall and a massive desk in the middle of the room. There’s even a globe. There are plush chairs and no windows- the room is lit by candlelight.

Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her face and she looks even more ethereal than she did before. She leans against the desk and leans back on her palms. Tav gives Astarion a look as if to say ‘after you’ forcing Astarion to be the one closest to her.

Forcing was hardly the term- she could stab him through and he’d probably thank her.

Not actually, but the sentiment is there nonetheless.

After everyone is settled into the cabin, Calypso smiles at all of them.

“So,” she smiles slyly, her gaze lingering on Astarion, “how may I help all of you?”

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

Calypso relishes in Wyll’s uneasiness and his obvious struggling to not look at her basically bare chest as he explains the situation.

Men are so predictable- wildly, easily, predictable.

Except for the man with the beautiful white curls atop his head with the ruby red eyes. He is unlike any man she has ever been given the privilege to be near. He looks like art.

“Sounds like an interesting adventure you lot have planned,” she says slowly, “what is it you are specifically looking for in Minauros?”

This is the question the group has been sidestepping the entire time- Tav looks like he’s on the verge of tears.

“You won’t want to go,” Tav says flatly, “there wouldn’t be anything of worth in it for you.”

“Try me.”

The man she’s been waiting to speak all evening finally says something.

“Are we really going to sit here and pretend like we all don’t have some item of worth we can’t compensate with?” He scoffs and looks at the Dragonborn, “do you want Karlach back or not?”

His voice is even more beautiful to listen to than she could have ever imagined. Calypso felt like she had been struck by lightning the minute she saw him.

Calypso’s father used to tell her about elves and their beliefs surrounding soulmates. The die hard romantic inside of her had always dreamed of finding hers- hoping he, she, or they were out there in the world looking for her.

She met Lucifer about a year or two after she had been saved from her mother by a young flaming first now known as Duke Ravenguard. Calypso owes him her immortal life and she will continue to gladly fight for him- and she now supposes his son- to repay that debt a thousand times over. If her son needs help, she’s happy to provide it, but she doesn’t want to let a group of individuals onto her ship if they won’t trust her. Calypso knows from experience that it never goes well.

The white scaled Dragonborn bows his head in defeat before looking at Calypso- her heart breaks for him. His gaze alone is enough for Calypso to agree to such an arduous journey.

“Karlach- my partner- she…” he trails off before taking a deep breath, “she died after we defeated the Netherbrain. The infernal engine in her heart caused her to implode- or so we thought. Mizora told us that she’s rotting away in Minauros and that we could still possibly save her.”

“Why do you need a ship to enter the hells,” Calypso says while keeping her eyes trained on the Dragonborn. She doesn’t want to give anyone the chance to interject.

“We don’t want to alert Zariel that we are saving Karlach,” Tav says bitterly, “we don’t want her resurrection to end with her being imprisoned again.”

There is a pregnant pause in the air as the group looks at Calypso with weary eyes. She doesn’t understand why all of them are acting like she is so evil. Okay maybe she did kill two people within 30 minutes of meeting them, but both of those crew members had been contracted and were on thin ice before this group of misfits arrived at her door.

“I appreciate the information,” she says with a smirk, “I was already going to help you anyway, but good to know we can all trust each other.

“Really?” Wyll says to her with surprise, “no payment?”

“Eventually we will discuss payment,” she says slowly, “but I want to make sure I get you to where you are going safely first. Ravenguard may trust me and like me just fine, but I have no desire to get his son killed with all of his gold sitting heavily in my pocket.”

“You don’t think this is going to be an easy trip?” Wyll says.

She shakes her head and goes to say something, but Lucifer interrupts her.

“I can’t believe you are even considering doing this,” he hisses at her, “Umberlee cultists and the Cult of Water are traveling along this same route.”

“Lucy,” she says in a warning tone.

“No!” He says indignantly, “how do you know his son is as good a man as he is? What if your fucking battle prowess and stupidly good luck doesn’t actually work and then we’re all fucking doomed!?”

She gives the man a warning glare.

“I am a grown woman, Lucifer,” she snarls, “I have been captaining my ship for a little over 58 years now. I know the risks and I know that myself and my crew can handle them.”

Lucifer glowers at her and as he goes to speak- Calypso interrupts him.

“There is no argument to be had- if you or any of the other crew mates don’t want to go then that is entirely okay as it always has been,” she says matter-of-factly, “but Duke Ravenguard has sent his only fucking son here for help which means it’s important. I will not take that lightly nor turn them away to be at the mercy of another Pirate or snobby government Naval Officer.”

Lucifer storms out of the room- slamming the door behind him and knocking a picture or two off the wall. Calypso rolls her eyes at his antics- he’s been nothing but an absolute shit ever since she told him she didn’t want to have sex with him anymore two weeks ago. She was tired of pretending to enjoy herself with him.

They had been screwing each other on the side for the last 60 years- her saving him not all that long ago from a lesser Master Vampire who had struggled to establish himself.

At first their affections for each other were full of want and desire, but as time has gone on, Calypso realized she wants- no needs- more than someone who can provide her meaningless mediocre sex and half-assed returned affection. She didn’t even like the guy that much.

Calypso had been wondering if she had made a mistake cutting the man off- her fingers weren’t cutting it and she missed loving someone.

Then the Pale Elf walked up to her door and now she knows what it feels like to feel alive- to feel true, pure passion, lust, and affection. She feels ridiculous for it- she barely knows him and she would give her entire life to him.

Calypso wants to crawl into his bones and let him take everything from her. She would take the man right now if given the chance, but for once, the idea of anyone watching her be intimate with someone is not that tantalizing of an idea.

Calypso wants him all to herself and she must find a way to make that happen. Maybe not tonight, but she’ll find a way eventually.

Calypso asks the stunning bar maid to show her guests to their rooms and answer any questions she has. She then whispered in her ear that she’ll reward her greatly if she lets her know what the Pale Elf was up to that evening.

The barmaid came back not even 10 minutes later with information. Calypso had the woman crying out for more as Calypso ravaged her with her mouth- a reward for her quickness.

His name is Astarion and he immediately asked where the nearest flop house or brothel was. The bartender said that he told her that he needed to get someone out of his head and someone else underneath him. The bartender declined his advance because she was far too excited for Calypso to lavish her. She told Calypso that he looked like he was on the verge of exploding the minute he walked out of her office.

Excellent.

Calypso shouldn’t exploit her bartenders for information like this, but Calypso has a Gods given talent when it comes to pleasuring people and she isn’t about to let that go to waste.

Calypso doesn’t pay a lot of attention to the woman outside of going through the usual motions. Her mind is on Astarion.

Would he respond to her this way if her mouth was around his cock? Would he lavish her in affection and knock her down a peg- taking control of the situation- like Calypso has always wanted.

Calypso even lets her mind wander to him staying the night, waking up in his arms, and even just getting to know him. She wants to memorize his face and how he enjoys being pleasured- loved.

She finishes the woman and once the bartender redresses- Calypso smacks her ass, tells her she was “so good for her”, leaves a love bite on her neck for one last reminder of her time in Calypso’s bed, and sends her back to tend the bar.

Calypso can’t deny that she’s a little hurt he went to go fuck someone at a brothel. Not that she didn’t just basically do the same thing, but there wouldn’t have been any need for any of it on both sides if he had just waited a couple more seconds before living her room after the meeting.

Calypso hops into the bath she had drawn earlier and forgot about- using a simple cantrip to warm the frigid water again.

She scrubs her face first and then swishes her mouth out with a swig of rum- swallowing it with a shudder. At least the woman's taste is gone.

Calypso takes her time afterwards- she soaks her hair with coconut oil and then uses soap to scrub it out. She soaks her hair again, scrubs, repeats- until her hair is ¾ of the way clean of the coconut oil. She grabs the jar of honey, orange, and olive oil- putting the tiniest amount into her hair.

Calypso enjoys her few restful moments where she can just feel like a person again. No one special- just her and her vain ways.

Correction- self care. Calypso loves her self care.

Running a whole crew of assholes was incredibly difficult. They were all the best kind of assholes, but the contracted workers have continued to be a nightmare. Calypso hopes that these so-called, “heroes” will be different. She already knows Ravenguard’s kid is going to be a total goody two shoes.

Calypso finishes cleaning herself off- using the destroy water spell to make the bath water disappear. She dries herself off, rubs grape oil into her skin and puts on another thin, white flimsy shirt with an equally provocative pair of panties.

She admires herself in the mirror. She adores herself and reminds herself every day how fucking incredible she is- inside and out.

Calypso is intelligent, mischevious, and daring. Some would even go as far as to say captivating. Her hourglass figure looks like a fucking God blessed it.

Oh wait- ONE DID!

Calypso huffs in frustration and lays out on her bed- her hands finding themselves going underneath the thin fabric of her underclothes and begin touching herself.

She’s embarrassed by how quickly she was consumed with thoughts of Astarion- how desperate she is to know what it’s like to be touched by him. However, she quickly loses whatever rhythm she was getting with herself when she remembers where he currently is and it certainly wasn’t on top of her.

Calypso groans in frustration and rolls over- putting her head in her pillow and screaming. This is not the way she would like to be screaming in her pillow tonight, but it is what it is.

Calypso decides she doesn’t care what he’s up to- she can still imagine. Rolling back over, Calypso puts her hands back on her pants- rolling and teasing her clit. The moans that leave her mouth are tame and quiet- her other hand finding enjoyment in pleasuring herself by fingering her own cunt.

Calypso is like that for Gods only knows how long- trying to get herself off without thinking of the pale elf’s whereabouts.

The knocking at the door interrupts her solo session and she gets up with a frustrated sigh- pulling her hands out of her barely passable underwear and she opens the door.

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

Astarion thrusts himself into some random woman at a local flop house- desperate to get Calypso out of his head. Her brown eyes are clenched shut while she (he thinks her name is Beth?) is screaming and crying out for him, but he’s barely present for it.

Astarion could care less about the woman underneath him and it just doesn’t feel that good to him at all. He actually feels entirely used up and like he needs to wash off.

Once the woman cums- he allows himself to stop focusing so hard and just allows himself to soften. He lies to the woman and says he had an amazing time before quickly leaving- her voice asking him to come back for a cuddle.

Being with someone else didn’t make his aching for Calypso go away- it just dredged up old gross feelings because he wasn’t honoring what he wants.

No- he will have to go directly to the source and if she is willing, Astarion will allow himself to indulge. After 200 years of utter bullshit, he deserves this much.

His shoes click against the cobblestone streets as he walks back to Valkur’s Den- the home of The Chimera and her gorgeous Captain. Astarion is hardly paying any attention- the dissociation has it’s hooks into his bones and it’s not improving.

He washes himself off using a cloth and a pitcher of water- removing any evidence of the woman at the flop house.

Astarion reasons that he should wait until tomorrow, but his body won’t listen. He needs to see her- the living equivalent to a breath of fresh air. It’s an ungodly time and tonight may be the last restful sleep any of them get, but he doesn’t care.

Astarion will fuck her to sleep every night if that’s what he has to do to make up for one night of total disruption.

The candle light flickers under the door so he assumes she’s awake or has fallen asleep with the light on and he entertains the thought of leaving. He gingerly knocks on the door, then it flings open and there Calypso is.

She’s wearing a pair of underwear that barely hides anything between her legs and the white shirt she wore earlier is now untied, laying delicately against the swells of her breasts- her nipples turning delectably hard upon seeing him. Her arousal once again stirs his own. Calypso’s hair is mussed up and her cheeks are flush. The slick between her legs suggests she was indulging in herself and Astarion has to focus on not just taking her right there in the door way.

“How lucky am I to be greeted by such a beautiful face at this time of night,” she muses, leaning towards Astarion, “and I thought you’d still be pleasuring yourself at a brothel.”

Ah so that’s why the barmaid was asking so many questions.

Astarion grins mischievously, “are you jealous, Darling? Afraid some woman who couldn’t get me off is a far better fuck than you are?”

“Oh please,” she retorts, “I saw how you looked at Lucifer and that Orc. Don’t like the idea of anyone else taking me? Making me moan and writhe under them?”

Calypso smiles wickedly at him as Astarion feels his proverbial hackles rise at what she just said.

He just needs to get her out of his system- that’s all. She can fuck whoever she wants.

As long as it’s only him.

Calypso looks him up and down with an amused smirk. She shifts herself ever so slightly that one of her breasts is almost entirely revealed to him. Her deep azure eyes wander down to his hardening cock before looking at him through hooded eyelids.

“You know, Astarion,” she says, pulling him through the threshold by his pant strings, “if you want to be buried inside of me- all you need to do is ask.”

“Well aren’t you sure of yourself, Darling,” Astarion replies back hotly, trying to keep his cool, “who says I wasn’t here to request that you wear less revealing clothing from now on?”

Calypso walks up to him- trailing her fingers along his arms and slowly letting her eyes meet his.

“It’s a yes, by the way,” she quips, ignoring his statement entirely.

Astarion swallows thickly- desperate to win this little battle they are having. Calypso raises one of her eyebrows at him and smiles cheekily.

“But if that is what you are truly here for- then your wish is my command,” she says politely, turning around on her heels in the direction of her closet.

Astarion doesn’t think about it- he smacks her ass hard. She yelps in surprise and then gasps out in pleasure as his right hand tangles in her hair, pulling her flush to his chest as he closes the door behind them. She moans as he nips at her neck- the sound only intoxicating him further.

The fog is lifting ever so slightly- the longer he touches her and explores her- the more he is brought back to reality.

This is who he actually wants to be connected to- who he wants to explore and pleasure.

Astarion guides her over to look in front of the mirror- the way her pupils are blown wide with lust makes him almost cum right there. Calypso is intoxicating and he needs more.

“Get on your hands and knees,” he growls at her through clenched teeth.

“And if I don’t comply?”

Astarion smacks her ass hard again, relishing in her yelp of pleasure, and flips her around. He undoes his pants with one hand as he makes her watch his cock spring free. The blush between her cheeks, her heart rate, and the strong smell of lust between her legs tells him she’s enjoying herself. Not everyone enjoys being the leader all the time.

Astarion roughly pushes her on her knees in front of his cock- knowing exactly what she’s wanting from him. There’s a certain air of lustful desperation in her presence- she wants him just as bad.

Calypso wants him to take control- she wants to be rough housed with. The thought tickles his brain- the image of the Tiefling man and two other lovers being far too gentle and depending on her to make it fun.

Astarion is going to be a complete 180 for her. He is going to show her why he is 10 x better than the Tiefling man who was practically eye fucking her the entire night.

“Open your mouth,” he commands.

Calypso keeps it closed and looks up at him like it’s a challenge. Astarion grips the front of her hair and top of her scalp- earning an open-mouthed wanton moan from her before shoving his cock in her mouth.

Calypso hums in pleasure while tears prick her eyes as Astarion slides himself down her throat. Gripping her hair, he moves her up and down at variation of speeds. Her look of frustration every time he is about to cum and then slows her down is wonderful.

She may have won the battle earlier, but Astarion is here to win the war.

Astarion watches as she goes to touch herself and he thrusts into her mouth- hard- earning a delicious choked whimper from her.

Astarion pulls her off his cock and makes her look up at him. She stares at him with doe eyes as if to mimic a virgin being fucked into for the first time. He growls impatiently.

“No touching yourself. Be a good for me,” Astarion says thickly before, “and I’ll consider rewarding you- do you think you can do that for me, my sweet thing?”

Calypso pouts and begins to argue- Astarion pushes himself into her mouth again while his hand still has purchase in her hair. She’s a lustful mess with her mouth around his cock- the white shirt barely staying on and her thighs dripping with her nectar. Her drool dribbles down her chin mixed with his precum.

She hums eagerly around him. Her left hand grips the back of his thigh while her right hand fondles his balls and follows her mouth occasionally with languid strokes. Astarion is fucking relentlessly in her mouth- almost overcome entirely with pleasure when she begins to moan as his precum continues to coat her mouth.

The way Calypso touches him makes him feel like he’s died again but actually went to heaven. He pulls out of her mouth before putting her down on all fours in front of the mirror. He is reinvigorated by the way her spit and his essence dribbles down her chin, the way her breasts hang- how her eyes look in the throes of pleasure.

Astarion begins to thrust into her without foreplay- she can take it and she does. Calypso cries out as he fucks into her- she goes to touch her throbbing clit again and Astarion grabs her arms- pulling them behind her back.

Calypso groans in frustration- cussing at him and he punishes her by thrusting into her even harder. She’s thanking him for taking her in between wanting cries.

“Asta- fuck- your- I’m,” Calypso keens loudly as her eyes flutter shut.

Astarion watches her in the mirror as her arousal overcomes her- her chest heaving as she comes down from her high and her head drops as she pants. Calypso’s hair hangs messily around her face as she looks into the mirror. Her face is full of euphoria and bliss as she looks up from underneath the tangled mess he’s created. Astarion is sure she isn’t real- all of this is far too good to be true.

He kisses along her shoulders and up her collarbones- turning her perfect body around and wrapping his arms under her legs.

Astarion eats up the giggles that leave her lips as he picks her up, lays her down on her bed and begins to kiss her deeply- passionately. He lines himself up with Calypso’s soaking cunt and slowly thrusts himself into her. Astarion kisses her neck as she traces his body with her fingers. Astarion feels a surge of emotion cross over him when she immediately moves her fingers away from his scars the minute he tenses.

Astarion kisses her neck softly- hoping his silent worship of her is felt through his actions. Her hands hold him in place and his silver curls are in between her fingers.

“You can feed,” she whispers breathily, “if you like.”

Hells.

Astarion greedily sinks his fangs into her without any warning- his lust for her and his hunger from the lack of food winning over. She tastes like citrus, sunshine, and ocean mist. Astarion is grateful to find someone who tastes better than Tav.

His thrusts become messier, slower, and longer as he feeds. Calypso whimpers and moans underneath him.

“You feel… so fucking incredible,” she coos quietly.

Astarion barely brings himself back to reality in time to release his fangs from her neck. She sighs as he cleans the wound with his tongue and with one finally thrust- he’s moaning as she clenches around him and he fills her to the brim with his seed.

“And you have been very good for me, Darling,” he growls playfully into her ear before placing a kiss behind it.

Her pleased giggles with a ‘my pleasure, Handsome,’ filled his chest with warmth.

Astarion collapses onto his back and pulls her fucked out form against him. Calypso immediately lays her head on his chest and lets out a content hum.

“You know,” she drawls, “I don’t usually let people stay overnight in my room.”

Astarion doesn’t know why it feels like being flayed when she says that. Of course she would want him out of her room- this was just sex. Astarion was just getting her out of his system.

Astarion looks at her with amusement, trying to appear suave and unbothered by the statement.

“No worries, Darling,” he says with a fake smile, “I so did enjoy our little tryst though. Perhaps we can do this another time before this little journey of ours ends.”

He goes to get up and she pushes him back down with a gentle palm on his chest- rolling her eyes playfully.

“Let me finish- I’m usually not lucky enough to be in the presence of such an interesting company,” Calypso teases, but her eyes are soft, “I want you to stay the night.”

Astarion cocks an eyebrow, trying to appear suave and unbothered, but his body hums with pleasure under her touch. He squeezes her ass with both hands as he lifts her onto his lap, and she beams at him.

“Perish the thought- for a pirate you are a terrible liar,” Astarion muses and presses a chaste kiss to her pouty lips, “a sweet thing like yourself doesn’t have the most interesting people across all of Faerun groveling at your feet?”

“Oh I most certainly do,” she states matter-of-factly, “but my opinion of interesting and the world’s opinion of interesting is a different matter entirely.

“Will you stay?”

She pulls back and studies his face. Astarion looks at Calypso and tries not to let his utter infatuation with her show. She looks at him with an innocent, genuine curiosity. This obviously isn’t something she does often and he can hear her heartbeat racing- the hidden worry in her eyes getting more prominent.

“Or no-“

“No!” Astarion protests more abruptly than he means to.

The glee that fills her eyes is almost worth how embarrassed he feels at his eagerness. Who the hell is he?

The slight feelings of grossness and dissociation had attempted to invade his brain like it always does, but her gentle praise and want to please him made him feel… treasured. It helped keep the worst of it at bay- leaving it to be quite literally swept away by the ocean itself.

He also doesn’t know when he threw caution to the wind. Astarion blames it on the alcohol and the enchanting beauty the Sea Rogue possesses. Astarion is certain that his deep attraction to her is just the fact that she is an Aasimir. They are known for being more attractive right? Except he hadn’t been attracted to Dame Aylin so he doesn’t know if that’s a proven theory.

Astarion’s inner dialogue is cut short by the sound of Calypso’s breathing getting heavier and her heart rate slowing. He places a soft kiss behind her ear before letting his trance take him.

#baldurs gate 3 #astarion #astarion x reader #baldurs gate astarion #astarion romance #bg3 spoilers #Karlach x Tav #Astarion x F! OC #oc #my ocs #astarion acunin #astarion x f!tav

[andydrysdalerogers]

Sliding Into Home ~ Unexpected Surprises

Pairing: MLB!Frank Adler x Abigail Hernandez (OFC)

Synopsis:

After a trade from Boston to Los Angeles, first baseman Frank Adler would seem to have it all. Money, women, an amazing niece, yes Frank should have it all. Except for one thing. One thing that left after a mistake five years ago. Los Angeles should be the chance to start over. Except she is supposed to be in Boston. Not his new medical director.

* A Frank Adler AU x Major League Baseball Story**

Warning: ANGST (i can't stress this enough), second chances, cheating, S~M~U~T!!, slow burn, drug use, abandonment issues, betrayal, domestic violence (i may have missed some), flashbacks

Dividers by me

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS. Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated

Previous: A Bump In The Road

Sliding Into Home Master List Main Masterlist

Frank hadn’t been this nervous to head home since Vegas.  Abby, his beloved Cricket, had been in the hospital.  And while she was fine, at least, that’s what Marco had told him initially, he could help the fear that seeped into his bones. Abby had been distracted, unfocused when he called.  He asked repeatedly if something had gone wrong with Mary, the adoption, Mike, anything.  And every time she replied the same. “Baby, everything is fine.”  Things were certainly not fine, and he was going to get to the bottom of it.  

He had been in the middle of his ten-day road trip when he got the call. And now, five days later, he was on the warpath.  He made it home just as the sun was setting, light flooding the living room.  He dropped his bag by the door and made his way inside.  He was fuming, raging. His Cricket had been hurt and there was nothing he could do.  He stomped into the den and stopped.  

His Abby was sitting, turned away from him but the sunlight made it seem like she glowed. She was reading, a blanket around her presumably naked legs. She was in one of his button downs, hair piled on top of her head with just a few tendrils falling around her face.  She was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and all of the tension and anger went away.  She was perfect. Something startled her concentration, and she looked up and turned right towards him.  She broke out into a dazzling smile. “Hi Frankie.” 

He took the last few steps towards her and kneeled in front of her, pulling her into his arms. He buried his face into her neck and breathed deep. “Hi Cricket.”  

Abby ran her hands down his arms to sooth him.  “I’m ok, love. I’m perfectly ok.”  

Frank pulled back to check over her. “I was so worried Cricket.”  

“I know.”  

“When Marco called and said you collapsed, I just…” he took a deep breath, “I thought I was losing you all over again.”  

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” She held onto him tighter. “I’m ok, I promise. I’m better than ok.” She kissed him softly.  

Frank wiped his eyes. “If you are sick, baby, you have to call me and let me come home. I’m supposed to take care of you. In sickness and in health. I promised your dad I would take care of you.”  

“Frankie, you left me with my brother and your best friend. I am being taken care of. And it's my responsibility to take care of myself as well and I didn’t.  That’s on me.” Abby cradled his face. “There are gonna be times when I’m sick and there is nothing you can do but ride it out.  But I promise, if something is seriously wrong, I will let you come home, ok?” 

Frank nodded and then hugged her tightly. After a few moments, he pulled away. “Where is Mary?” 

“Scott and his new man, Steve, took her with Marco for burgers. I figured you were gonna be in a snit when you came home.”   

“I am not in a snit, Abigail.” 

“You are too, Franklin.”  

Frank pouted slightly.  “Fine, I was in a mood.”  

“A snit.”  

“For the love of…” he looked at his wife’s face. Her beautiful face read him like a book.  “Fine. I was in a snit. Happy?” 

“Thrilled. Now I want to show you something.” He stood up, lifting her in his arms at the same time. “I was thinking of decorating another of the rooms upstairs.”  

“Ok, then let's head upstairs.” He carried her up, Abby giggling all the way.  

“It’s the room next to ours,” she directed. “I was thinking of adding a doorway.”  

“A doorway?” Frank’s eyebrows furrowed. “What to make a bigger closet or something.”  

“Something,” she replied with a shrug.  He made it to the door, and she slid down to stand. “I’m just thinking we need access, so we don’t wake up Mary or Scott.”  

“Babe, I love you, but I don’t think we wake them up now.  I mean, what could possibly…” he opened the door and stopped when he peered inside. “What the… Abby?” 

Inside was a plain room with a bassinet in the center with pink and blue balloons.  Frank stepped inside and looked in, finding pregnancy test and a onesie with the words “Can’t wait to meet you, Daddy!” 

“Surprise,” Abby said softly.  

“Abby,” Frank swallowed. “You’re… we’re…” 

“The reason for the dehydration is because I’m pregnant. We’re gonna have a baby.”  Abby’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears.  She had been so nervous to tell Frank, afraid of his reaction of them taking this next step so soon.  

“You’re pregnant.” Frank took his wife’s face in his hands. “You’re having my baby?” She nodded. “Fuck, you’re having my baby!” He picked her up and swung her around, laughing and kissing her. He set her down on her feet. “Umm, how much, like, time, wait!” 

Abby giggled. “I’m about six weeks or so. I have a scan tomorrow to be sure.”  

His hand dropped to her stomach.  “My baby is in there.”  

“Yes, our baby is in there.” 

Frank hoisted her back into his arms, guiding her legs around her waist. “I love you so much.” He kissed her softly but with so much passion. “Let’s celebrate Cricket.”  

“Take me to bed Frankie. I’ve missed you.”  

“I missed you too. My beautiful baby momma.” He walked them into their bedroom.  He gently laid Abby on their bed and hovered over her, careful not to let his weight crush her. He kissed her softly, on her lips, then her forehead before moving down by her ear. “you are the most beautiful, amazing woman I know. And I can’t believe you will give me the greatest gift possible.” He felt her trembling with desire as he moved down.  He lifted his shirt away from her torso and kissed every inch of skin. He unclasped her bra and dragged the straps down.  

Her breast hadn’t changed but when he went to suck on one, Abby hissed. “Sensitive.” Frank moved back to just kissing the flesh.  He moved south but when he got to her navel, he realized where he was.  He looked up at Abby and smiled.  He kissed the middle of her belly.  

“Hi baby. I’m your dad. I can’t wait to meet you too.” 

The tender moment brought Abby to tears. “Cricket?” 

“I’m sorry, it's just so real now.”  Frank moved back up to hold his girl. He started over on his kisses until he got to her shorts and pulled them and her panties off.  Frank kissed her belly once more before kissing the apex of her thighs, gaining a soft moan from his girl.  He took his time, tasting, sucking, licking until Abby was a withering mess. “Please Frankie.”  

“What do you want Cricket?” 

“Want you. Need you,” she whispered.  

“You have me, love.” He runs his nose over hers. “Never letting go.”  

With the news of the baby, Abby and Frank decided not to wait on the adoption.  Andy flew in to file the paperwork and stayed to catch a game.  He entered the suite that Frank had reserved.  “He didn’t have to do all of this,” gesturing to the catering and the snacks inside of the suite.  It had a glass window that opened to two rows of seats outside.  

Abby smiled. “It's mostly for Nugget. First time we brought her back to a game, she freaked. Wouldn’t go anywhere without me holding her hand. This is easier. We have a dedicated security guard, and they bring the treats to her.”  

“Poor Nugget.” Andy shook his head. “That fucker messed with her head. I wish we had a lead on him.”  

“Has Diskant contacted you?” Abby’s eyes had worry and apprehension in them.  

“No, but he is still waiting to hear when you are going back east.  Is that really the smartest idea?” 

“I have to, Andy. I need to get this over with so I can start moving my family forward.”  

“If you insist on it, then please allow me to go with you.”  

“Andy, I don’t...” 

“Look, you will be talking to the person who attacked you. You need to have counsel present to at least make sure nothing incriminating is said.”  

“Antonio said he would come with me.”  

“That’s fine but really Abby, be smart about this. I know you want to help her because she is your friend but there are criminal charges pending and those have to be the priority to protect your family.”  

Abby sat back quietly, contemplating his words when the batter from the Padres sent a fly ball up.  She watched her man spot it and make the easy grab.  She clapped with the other fans. 

“He’s looking good this year.”  

“They’re just two out of the wildcard.”  

“Think they got it?” 

Abby looked back at the field.  “I know they got it.”  

After the game, the group headed out to dinner to celebrate. As they were ordering, Andy stepped away to take a call.  

“Hey Dad,” Mary called out, chewing on a breadstick.  

“Eat then speak Nugget,” Frank chastised.  

She swallowed, “do you know if you’ll be able to take me for the first day of school?” 

Frank looked confused.  “Why wouldn’t I?” 

She shrugged.  “We’ve been busy.”  

“You know I don’t miss things on purpose Mary. But I already checked, and I’ll be home.” 

“Good, because no one will believe me that you’re my dad.”  Mary shoved more breadstick in her mouth as Frank realized what she was calling him. Dad. He reveled in that feeling for a moment before he spotting Andy coming in, a solemn look on his face.  

“Andy? Are you ok?” 

“Can I talk to you and Abby?” 

“Sure. Cricket, come here a sec?” Frank waited until Abby was next to him and took her hand.  They walked away from the table. Scott gave Frank a knowing look and kept Mary distracted. “What's going on?” 

“I just got off the phone with San Francisco PD and Detective Diskant. Mike has been arrested in San Francisco. He was caught with a prostitute and being charged with solicitation and possession.” 

“Holy shit!” Frank said.  “Wait, you said Diskant was on the call?” 

“Yeah, apparently this all happened a few days ago and San Francisco and Boston have been talking.  They just confirmed the transfer to Boston so he can be arraigned on the kidnapping charges.”  

“That’s a good thing, right?”  Abby squeezed Frank’s hand a little harder. She studied Andy. “What’s wrong?  

Andy swipes hand over his mouth grimacing. “They submitted DNA to the system.”  

“Ok,” Frank said slowly.  

“Frank, we had submitted Mary’s DNA when she was taken. Remember, they took hair, for the worst case scenario. Thank God they never had to use it but she’s still in the system.” 

“Wait, if her DNA is in the system and he is submitting DNA... oh God.” Abby clasps a hand over her mouth.  "Will he get the results?  Will we?” 

“Yes, and I don’t know what that will do to the adoption.” 

Abby took her seat next to Andy. “You ok Abby?” 

"Flying to face my attacker. I’m great,” she replied. 

Andy took her hand.  “I’ll be there every step of the way.”  

Nausea took over midway through the flight and Abby raced into the bathroom. When she emerged, Andy handed her a bottle of water. “You ok?” 

“I’m fine. Just a little air sick.”  She put her hand unconsciously over her stomach.  

Andy smiled. “Right. Air sick.” He looked back at his phone. “So how far along are you?” 

Abby choked on her water. “Excuse me?” 

“When Laurie was pregnant with Jacob, she was “air sick” for a couple of months until her second trimester.” He smiled at Abby. “Congratulations.” 

Abby smiled.  “Thank you. We’re about eight weeks along. We just had the confirmation appointment.”  

“How’s Frank?” 

“He’s so happy Andy. Really excited.  Had to bride him to keep his mouth such and not tell anyone.  We were waiting for week 13 to tell everyone.”  

“Sorry to spoil your surprise. But I’ve flown with you before and you’ve never been sick.”  

“Fuck me,” Abby said leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “This kid will be the death of me if I have to keep throwing up. Morning sickness my ass. More like all day sickness.”  

Andy chuckled as he returned to his phone. 

Once they landed, Abby headed straight into the arms of her father. “Hi Papi.”  

“Hi mija. You look tired.”   

“I am. Frank hasn’t been able to relax since we got the news about Mike.”  

Her father swore. “Puta madre. He should be rotting right now for touching my granddaughter.” William shook his head. “He was a bad egg in school and he’s worse now.”  

“I know Papa. I’m sorry.”  

“I don’t blame you Abigail. He had everyone fooled.” William went quiet for a moment.  “How is my son-in-law and my granddaughter?” 

“They’re good. Mary starts school next week. Fifth grade.” She sighed. “They moved her up a grade.”  

“Wow, my little genius. Think the Dodgers have a chance at the playoffs?” 

“I think so. But you know Frank. Ever the pessimist.” She rolled her eyes at the thought.  

William chuckled and pulled up to her childhood. Her mother was there to greet her with a hug and dinner. She called Frank and let him know everything was ok, a touch of sickness on the plane. “I’ll be home before you know it.” 

“I know Cricket but when I’m home you’re supposed to be here.” Frank pouted and gave her big puppy eyes.  

“Baby, c’mon,” Abby whined. "It’s two nights." 

“And you’re pregnant Abigail. I’m supposed to take care of you.”  

“And you are baby. I love you.”  

She listened to him sigh. “I love you.  Please be careful Cricket. It's not just you anymore.”  

“I know. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”  

Morning came and with it found Antonio driving his little sister towards Boston Metro.  “Are you nervous princessa?” 

“Kind of. I just don’t know what to say to her.  She was my best friend for so long.”  

“Just remember that she is sick and needs help.  But making excuses her does not help her.” 

“You sound like Andy.”  

“Smart man.” 

Andy met them at the front door and signed them in. “Tony, you have to remain silent because anything you say could potentially be used against your sister.”  Antonio nodded. “Ready Abby?” 

She nodded. She followed Andy into an observation room where Diane was seated.  She perked up as soon as she saw Abby.  

“Hello Diane.” 

Frank was seated, nervous and angry. He felt uncomfortable being away from his girls.  But Scott and Marco had Mary and Andy and Antonio had Abby.  He took a breath before he noticed the figure that was placed and seated in front of him.  Thick glass sat between them, probably the only thing saving him from the beating that Frank was ready to deliver.  Frank picked up the phone and waited for the other end to be picked up.  

“Hello Mike.” 

NEXT

Taglist

@patzammit

@texmexdarling

@slutforchrisjamalevans

@firephotogrl74

@before-we-get-started

@tinkerbelle67

@bunnyforhim

#andy's hea #andy's shenanigans #chris evans fanfiction #frank adler #frank adler au #mlb au #dodger au #ofc abigail hernandez #sliding into home #chris evans #mike weiss #johnny storm #baseball au #frank adler smut #slow burn #chris evans au #cliffhanger queen

[beefromanoff]

Going Under Ch. 34

summary: the next morning, Bucky sees a doctor for his injuries, Steve and Nat fly in and get caught up.

characters: Bucky Barnes x OC

soundtrack: wake me - bleachers

warnings: fluff, pop star fantasy x love story, set in an AU where the Avengers reunite after Civil War, pre-infinity war, slight angst, hurt/comfort, lonely reader/OC.

author’s note: i'm baaaack! I really wanted to let the last chapter sink in for a while, so I've been writing for my other story (master list) but this one isn't over yet! the main story arc is pretty much complete, but if you love this story and want me to keep going for the sake of fluff and fun and these characters we love, just let me know! I have so much fun writing them and I love to hear that you guys love it, too.

thank you to @charmedbysarge and @wasalreadyhere for the love and reviews on the last chapter and making me feel special. ily ily ily.

XO, ENJOY

chapter list

"You better mean it. Once you say those words, I'm never letting go of you again." He met her gaze with a seriousness that matched hers.

She leaned forward, gently resting her hands on his cheeks as she leaned close and pressed the softest kiss to his swollen lips. "I mean it," she whispered. 

Gianna's heart fluttered as she gazed into Bucky's eyes, the intensity in them threatening to overtake her. Their lips had just met in a tender kiss, the first in weeks. Her breaths were shallow. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The world around them, the pain and the heartache of the past few weeks, all of it faded away. All that was real sat across from her, bruised and blue-eyed, and so heartbreakingly beautiful. 

Before she could take another breath, he moved. One hand cupped her cheek and the other grasped the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in the still-wet ringlets. He pulled her close, leaning forward with the slightest groan to meet her in the middle. Their lips collided. The kiss was deep, desperate, all-encompassing. Her hands held his head, grounding her, reminding her that this was real. He was here. He was finally here. 

His hand trailed down her back, holding her so close to his chest that she could feel his heartbeat. Or maybe that was the throbbing of his swollen ribs. Shit. 

“Bucky,” She pulled away breathlessly, worry etched on her face. His eyes were hazy, still focused on her lips. 

“No,” He muttered, voice low. “Not yet.” 

His lips met hers again, warm and familiar and greedy. Gianna felt herself sigh into the kiss. How long had she been waiting, dreaming of this? The past few weeks had felt like withdrawing from a drug. Now, here she was, high all over again. His lips worked in perfect sync with her own, slow and deliberate, but unrelenting. Parting his lips, Bucky gently angled her head in his palm, his tongue tracing hers as her own lips separated. Gianna’s heart pounded in her chest, her stomach, her toes. 

She wanted him, all of him, now and tomorrow and always. She wanted him in her bed, on her counter, on this goddamn dining room table. She wanted his kiss, his smile, his groggy morning eyes, his laughter, his tears, his darkness and all of his light. She wanted everything. She wanted it so badly she felt another round of hot tears spill out and streak down her face. He must have felt it on his hand, pulling away from the kiss, brows knit together. 

“What’s wrong?” 

She titled her head, running a hand along the side of his face, tracing his jawline. “Absolutely nothing. Everything is right.” She leaned in, and gently kissed his cheek, lips featherlight on the bruise there. “Almost everything.” 

Bucky gave her a half-grin, hands still holding her close. Removing one from her back, he ran his thumb along her lower lip, wiping the corner. “Almost everything.” Glancing down, she saw blood on his thumb. His blood. “Sorry.” His eyes showed anything but regret. 

“I’m not.” As if to prove it, she leaned back in and kissed him, hard. He tasted perfect and salty and metallic, sweat still coating his skin and fresh blood leaking from the newly opened split lip. His hands tightened on her lower back as he shifted beneath her. The kiss was sloppy, tears and blood and long overdue kisses all melting together to create one intoxicating cocktail. Time became a long forgotten concept. 

As they parted, Gianna's concern returned as she noticed the subtle grimace on Bucky's face, a silent testament to the pain he was enduring. With gentle fingers, she traced the outline of the bruise marring his jawline, her touch tender yet tinged with worry.

"Bucky, we really should to get you to a doctor," she urged softly, her voice laced with apprehension. Bucky's response was a barely perceptible shake of his head, his gaze unwavering as it met hers. 

“I’m fine.” His eyes remained fixed on her lips. “See?” Again, he shifted beneath her, showing her just how fine he was. 

Biting her lip, Gianna did her best to extinguish the fire inside her. “Buck, I’m not going anywhere. We have time.” She tucked a strand of dark hair behind his ear. “I promise.”

His eyes flicked up to hers. “Just…not yet. I want to be here with you," he murmured, his voice laced with a mixture of vulnerability and longing. “Let me have tonight.”

“I’m calling Steve first thing tomorrow morning. You’re seeing a doctor.” Her eyes narrowed at his grin.

“Fine.” He leaned back in to kiss her, but Gianna gently gripped his chin. 

“No extracurriculars tonight, either. You are in no condition.”

Bucky opened his mouth to protest, but Gianna pressed her palm to his chest, putting light pressure against his collarbone. He instantly grimaced, leaning back in the chair. “Point proven.”

He looked like he wanted to argue again, but knew she was right. They had time. This, them together, it was long overdue, but it wasn’t going anywhere. He had waited for months to even get to kiss her. Then he’d lost her, and spent weeks agonizing over what he’d lost, not knowing if he’d ever find it again. Now, she was here, on his lap, staring down at him with worry-laced green eyes. The world felt like it had stopped spinning. If that was the case, if time had truly stopped and they were to live in this moment, in this apartment, with only each other for the rest of time…he’d thought he made it to Heaven after all.

“Come on,” Gianna stood to her feet, tugging on his hand. “I’ll warm up the bath.” 

“Fuck,” Bucky sucked in a breath as the doctor tugged on his shoulder with a scrape and a click. 

Gianna blinked, returning to the present moment as she found herself back in the Avengers’ Tower. She’d called Steve first thing that morning, he and Natasha had met them at the compound with one of the SHIELD doctor’s in less than an hour. The atmosphere was charged with a mix of concern and relief as Dr. Cove tended to Bucky's injuries with practiced expertise. Usually stationed at the compound, she was an older woman with a no-nonsense attitude who was incredibly well-versed in emergency medical and orthopedic injuries. She was the one who met the team in the hangar if a mission had gone sideways. Patching people up was her specialty, bedside manner, not so much.

“Keep still,” She instructed, her accent thick as she fitted a sling around Bucky’s right shoulder. He met Gianna’s eyes, winking at her from where he sat on the medical table. The medical wing at the Tower was yet another floor she hadn’t seen. It was smaller than the one at the compound, but equally as sleek. Frankly, she didn’t care for it. Memories of the attack at her concert and the fear following it peppered her mind. Bucky must have read her gaze, winking at her. Leave it to him to be concerned for her as his collarbone was being set.

“How’s it feel, Buck?” Steve stood, arms crossed, grinning. Clearly unconcerned about the injury, likely having seen much worse on his friend. In all fairness, the worst of it had healed by the time they woke up that morning. 

Gianna had a fitful sleep, waking up every few hours to make sure he was still there, still breathing. She worried that waiting to go to the doctor would make things worse, that somehow in the night, all the bliss would go away. Bucky, however, had slept like a rock. Something that, judging from the dark circles beneath his eyes, hadn’t happened in a while. He’d kept one arm firmly wrapped around her waist the whole night, but hadn’t stirred. When they woke up this morning, the bruises were mostly green and yellow, save for the worst ones on his ribs. The swelling had gone down, cuts and scraped all scabbed and sealed. 

“Good as new.” Bucky turned his attention to Steve, looking just as ornery as his friend. Beside her, Gianna saw Nat roll her eyes.

“What’s his downtime look like, doc?” Steve asked Dr. Cove. She looked at him over the top of her glasses, unamused. 

“No activity, one week. No lift, no fight, no fuck.” She stared directly at Bucky, unflinching, although she was still much shorter than him while he was sitting down. “You understand.” 

Bucky coughed, stifling his chuckle. “Yes. Yes ma’am.”

With one last disapproving glance at him, she tossed the roll of bandages back in her drawer. “He is fine. Check in if pain bad.” 

“Thank you, Dr. Cove.” Nat said warmly as the doctor walked out of the room, waving her hand over her head in acknowledgement. 

“You’re the best, doc!” Bucky called after her. 

“I know.” Her voice echoed in from the hallway. 

Steve exchanged a knowing glance with Nat before speaking up, his tone gentle yet probing. "So, you gonna tell us what happened, or do we not get that privilege?"

“I mean, we did fly all the way out here to help.” Nat kicked Bucky’s shoe playfully.

Bucky's gaze flickered briefly to Gianna before he replied, his expression unreadable. "Just a little run-in with an overzealous robot," he quipped, though there was a hint of evasion in his tone.

Nat arched an eyebrow, her keen gaze fixed on Bucky. "Really?" she remarked, her tone teasing yet perceptive. “That’s all you’re gonna give us, Barnes?”

Bucky's lips twitched in a wry smile as he glanced at Gianna. "It’s kind of a long story.”

“I’ve got time.” She shrugged. “Steve, you got time?” 

He made a show of looking at his watch. “I’ve got lots of time, as a matter of fact. I’ve got all day.” 

Running his tongue across his teeth, Bucky watched Gianna, who shrugged. “Fine. It’s not like I can do anything fun today anyway.” 

“We’ll try not to take that personally, Barnes.” Nat rolled her eyes as she linked arms with Gianna. “Sounds like it’s time for a breakfast date.” 

_____________

The cozy diner exuded a welcoming atmosphere as the four settled into their booth, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the aroma of sizzling bacon and eggs. Bucky sat with his back slightly leaned against the wall, his right arm cradled in a sling in front of him. An uncharacteristic grin played on his face, having been there most of the morning. The group gave a chorus of thanks to the waitress who poured them all cups of coffee, doing her best not to overpour as she ogled at the group.

"So, Buck, how's the arm feeling?" Steve asked, sipping the coffee.

“Haven’t felt it in a few decades, seems to be doing okay.” Bucky lifted his left arm, the metal glinting as he flexed his hand. 

“Someone’s feeling chipped today.” Nat smirked. “Could it be this mysterious and miraculous reunion?” 

Gianna blushed, sipping her own coffee to avoid answering the question. 

“Oh, come on. Enough with the games.” Nat rolled her eyes, sitting back in the booth. “I was here, what? A week ago? All I know is Wanda and I had a come-to-Jesus with you, Barnes, then you suddenly come back to life and insist we go to New York that night because you just had to find Gianna. We get our asses in gear, put lipstick on while flying a Quinjet, for God’s sake, and next thing I know…you leave us at the club.” She crossed her arms, looking at Bucky expectantly. “I think I deserve some details.” 

Looking at Bucky incredulously, Gianna set her mug down on the table. “‘What?! You came to New York last week? You went to a nightclub?”

Steve looked blankly between them as Bucky ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah…I uh, planned to do the whole last night thing about a week ago.” He shot Natasha a thanks a lot look, but she only raised her eyebrows at him. “I wasn’t doing so hot there for a while.” 

Natasha scoffed, as if to say understatement of the century. Gianna fought a smile, turning her attention back to Bucky, clearly uncomfortable at having to explain his feelings in front of everyone, even three of the closest people to him. 

“I was having a hard time and Wanda and Nat called me out on it. They…opened my eyes to what mattered and how much of a dumbass I was being. I found out you were out with Steve and the rest of ‘em, and I just…I had to see you.” He looked at Gianna sheepishly. “As soon as I realized what a mess I made, I just wanted to clean it up as quickly as I could. I wanted to tell you I was sorry, that I love you…” He trailed off, seeming to remember he wasn’t alone with Gianna. “...you know the rest.” 

She gave a shy smile. “So why didn’t you? I saw Nat and Wanda that night…I looked for you,” 

Bucky’s heart twisted. “I saw you…it sounds so stupid now. I saw you with Sebastian and I, uh…you just looked happy. You looked happy and normal and I didn’t want to fuck it up. So I went back to the Tower.” 

Nat and Steve sat in respectful silence, letting the story come out. 

“The team went back to the compound, the girls stayed with you, and I just stayed behind. I needed to clear my mind, figure out what to do. I had it in my head that you had moved on, that you were happier now and with someone else and I almost talked myself out of it.” 

“So why did you show up at my apartment last night?” Her voice was soft.

“Well,” Bucky chuckled. “Ironically, I ran into Sebastian again.” 

Gianna’s eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“I was out for a run, I happened to bump into him, literally. He introduced himself and just started talking about how helpful you were and how much you must care about me to help him with the role and I just…I felt even dumber.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I basically ran back to the Tower to clean up and went straight to your place.”

“Which is when you fell into the garbage disposal?” Nat pried.

“Which is where I found out that my dear friend Nat hadn’t programmed me into the Iron Legion’s list of acceptable guests.” He shot her a dirty look. 

If she felt guilty, she didn’t show it. “Maybe if you ran your plans by your dear friend before you acted on them, then this wouldn’t be an issue.” 

“Well, I heard something happening in the hallway,” Gianna interrupted, picking up the story. “I looked through the peephole, and there he was.” Her eyes went distant as she remembered the scene. She nearly shivered. “He was…not in good shape.” 

She reached for Bucky’s knee under the table. “I brought him in and cleaned him up and…we talked. Clearly not about everything…but about enough.” Gianna smiled at Bucky. “But he insisted I didn’t call anyone until this morning. I swear I tried to call you last night.” 

“What happened to not doing anything stupid?” Steve raised his eyebrow at Bucky, who shrugged.

“If the ends justify the means.” He grinned.

The waitress interrupted with plates of pancakes and another metal carafe of coffee, saving Bucky from another round of interrogation. As they doused their plates in syrup, they caught up on the past few weeks, with Natasha making sure Gianna knew just how much of a terror Bucky had been without her. She even joked that the SHIELD agents might be sending her ‘thank you’ notes for finally snapping him out of it. 

After a long and food-coma inducing meal, they waltzed back out onto the landing pad of the Tower to see Steve and Nat off. 

Natasha engulfed Gianna in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you, G.” She pulled back and gripped her arms. “You deserve this. You both do.” 

“Thank you, Nat. For everything. It sounds like you’re the reason this all turned out okay, after all.” 

“Story of my life.” She winked, turning to head back to the Quinjet. “Don’t be a stranger. I want monthly visits!”

“Likewise!” Gianna called after her, giggling. 

A few feet away, Steve pulled Bucky in for a brief but tight hug. “Don’t mess it up this time, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.” Bucky gave him a lopsided grin. 

“I’m guessing I’ll be taking over your training sessions for a while?” 

“You don’t --”

“Buck,” Steve cut him off. “I want to.” He clapped Bucky on his good arm. “You deserve this. Plus, who’s to say I have any reason to want to leave the Compound.” He smirked and nodded at Natasha’s retreating form. Bucky raised his eyebrows in question but Steve was already backing away. “I figured you’d be staying in the city for a while. There’s a bag of your stuff in your old room downstairs.”

Grinning, Bucky waved at his friend as he strode to Gianna, putting his arm around her. Steve stood on the ramp, pausing as it raised to close. “Oh, and Buck?”

Bucky cocked his head in acknowledgement. 

“Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.”

#avengers #bucky barnes x oc #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes #bucky fluff #sebastian stan #bucky fanfic #winter soldier #winter soldier fluff

[stevie-petey]

m.......my word.......that chapter.......real excellence........literature has entered the arena......

there is so much good stuff packed in here, but i think i will (try to) focus on like, mainly 2 things, one being bug and jon soulmatism and the other being steve and bug lover era.

the two scenes, one right before jon leaves with joyce and nancy is SO heartbreakingly good. Her saying NO to him felt like such a needed thing, both to let go of jon and move on for both of them, but also to establish a real, firm boundary in ways she couldn't do before this. the way you described it was so beautiful, "There’s an ease within the shift, almost akin to a soft exhale in December’s cold. It parts you with a gentle farewell, strokes your cheek as it departs, and you can faintly see its outline as it floats away. " it's so soft and tender and it just feels soooo like saying goodbye to someone tenderly with a kiss it's crazy actually. the stroking her cheek makes it so good, it's so beautiful, it really is like the nicest and most gentle thing ever. i love how tactile you describe love. It's so wonderfully paired with the body aches of unrequited love bug feels, "A thread, one that has tugged within your chest in a painful ache since last year, finally loosens", and the imagery of jon and bug soulmate thread/thread of fate being sown into their chest and loosening as they grow to accept the fate/choices of this world is so interesting, and again, it's so hands on that it makes it quite literally feel more real. The thing that really broke me was this scene though, "He litters kisses up and down your neck, his breath tickling as he does so. “I’m sorry,” he says in between each kiss, as if his words will make the bruises fade faster." Coming out as a neck kisser lover, omgggg, this was sooo romantic and tragic and heartbreaking, it really reminded me of like, when fleabag and hot priest were sitting on that fucking bench going "it'll pass" to each other like okayyyyy. i'm SICK. SICK to my stomach with that.....the imagery of getting the shit beat outta you while trying to protect will and jon and max from monsters and like weirdo brothers after letting jon go and like allow both of you to move on AND THEN just lie with him for the last time......WHILE HE KISSES YOUR NECK REVERENTIALLY........pitching myself off of a dark cliff into croc infested waters hoping i can battle one of them to death nature doc style. ANd then dropping this line on me, "No more words are said, Jonathan presses kisses against your skin as your fingers interlock through his hair and you run your hand up and down his back. Somehow, you know this will be the last time you ever have him like this...Jonathan’s touch will soon become ghosts lingering on your skin, and selfishly you never want this moment to end." All the touching and grasping and innocent kissing because they know it'll be the last time and that they'll never get to experience it again and so they're just lying together not even doing anything......just touching each other and feeling the other's weight........oh my goodness gracious LORD. crazy to do M!!!! ANd omg when they agree they could have been something great......yeah siri play "the one" by taylor swift. no but seriously, that whole sequence was so excellent, and i really loved how tactile and gentle their last touches were, i think you repeated the december line by saying his touches on her were ghostly, and it's so nice how that plays out with both of them gently accepting that it's not going to be them two in this lifetime, and just sort of feeling the ghost of that possibility, that fate, that destiny, leave so gently, and not violently or graspingly or desperate, compared to earlier scenes.

I love how it transfers over to Nancy and Steve too. I thought these lines, when steve is helping her lie down right before jon comes back were so cool, "He’s here, offering you anything you need from him, and you’re exhausted from pretending that you don’t see it...The gentleness of his touch soothes you. You’ve never let anyone take care of you like this before. You let him play with your hair, wrap the blanket around you so that you won’t get cold, and when he finally seems pleased with his work, he flicks your nose and smiles." LIKE he's playing with her hair the way she played with jon's hair, and he's wrapping blankets around her and making her comfortable when SHE used to do that for JON and like everyone else and now she's getting the same treatment FINALLY. and again, the love is so gentle and so slow and tepid and it makes sense with these two too, with how hesitant bug even was to see him as an option/let him into his life at all (freezing him out for like months is so crazy i'm kind of obsessed with how that'll play out later on in their relationship), and how he needs time to feel and fall in love back......real excellence depicted in such a short scene! and i love that holding hands with steve heals "old and new wounds" that's so UGH!!!! i LOVE that steve who sort of wanted to take care of someone, but didn't know how to do it and was also dating someone who needed a different kind of support, is able to give that to bug who does need it! and sidenote, i love that jon helps nancy with her slay journalistic integrity plot and that nancy is able to be with someone who idk takes it seriously and i like that jon is with someone who sort of emotionally works from a similar place as him if that makes sense? idk i got off track there, but i just again, love love love the softness in the steve-bug start and bug-jon end. ALso this part, "It hit you like a warm, soft summer breeze. It swirled around you, kissed your skin the way only the sun can do, and you could almost smell the fresh summer honey that your dad used to buy for your birthday. The feeling was serene, it felt as easy as exhaling." briniging in warmth of summer of letting in steve and accepting nancy compared to the gentle winter of letting jon go.....love that down girl. Need someone to see me in a dress and be like damn she IS the soft summer sun STAT and i do think about leaving the cold winter breeze of my ex bsf frequently.

The ending gagged me bad btw!! I love that he upfront asks her to wait for him, to be patient with him, and outright calls her beautiful and an angel, i love how clear they are with each other instead of the sort of tightlipped tension that they had in the earlier part of the season and that jon and bug had in their we're-in-love-but-we-won't-tell-the-other that stretched YEARS. that's on open communication! I am sooooo excited for season 3 and see where it goes! honestly, i did not expect them to like, be like accepting of love, and understanding the other this quickly, i really thought it was going to be a case of maybe unrequited feelings 2: electric boogaloo where they both maybe idk struggle to find themselves good to fall in love, like steve is like on a self esteem binge and is like no way i can fall in love with her and bug would be on her i legit just got heartbroken don't need that right it's time for some me time grind, but i was pleasantly surprised with how much character development happened for both of them. i am still curious, as i mentioned, if bug's hesitation towards open vulnerability will present itself as a challenge in s3 and 4, and if steve's feelings of what the hell am i if not king will impact his side of feelings.

Also, loved nancy and bug best friendship. WAS NOT EXPECTING HER TO BE LIKE "STOLE UR BF SAWRY ABOUT THAT!" i was SHOCKED and BAMBOOZLED girl what's WRONG with you (affectionate)!!!! i love nancy god and i am also sooo interested in how nancy's "she's a better person than me" narrative will play out in the future, though i do want to say that her care package and bug's immediate boundary drawing was sweet, i'm sooo in love with them (and also briefly was like.........nancy x bug......we have misplaced the jealousy on various boys due to heteronormativity/internalised homophobia but actually this woman is fine as hell and i want to kiss her on the lips in a vision but we move forward).

Overall, just excellent work as per use, my apologies for this monstrosity of an ask, i just wanted to submit my essay on "The Tenderness of Touch: Love in Chapter 8 of Coming Home Season 2" to you and also i wanted to add that i know firsthand that while writing is absolutely a talent that you possess, it's also a skill and craft you work on and study to master, and that your work is appreciated and the hard work and dedication you put into this art is really seen by me at least, to the point where i myself am, at the risk of oversharing for a moment, sort of starting to look back at my own johnathan with some more grace and tenderness, to both of our younger selves, than i would have a couple months ago. We were girls together and I think that matters more than the end and I want you to know that your story helped emotionally with that.

P.S: I did have one quick question for you if u don't mind, what exactly you meant with this line, "He recognizes now that they didn’t stand a chance, though he’s happy they tried anyways. It was always going to end like this between them." Did he mean it in like a, "we have made our separate decisions and this is sort of bound to happen with growing up and we were inevitably going to not be each other's number 1, especially when we (cough I cough) have not treated each other as such for some time now so it's okay to live out that fallout and come up on the other side", or is it more of like a larger, "the stars weren't written for us under our sky, and that's okay because they did for while and that's what counts and maybe in another universe, under a different sky, they do?". i guess another way to phrase it would be if jon and bug believe their separation is through human action and its consequences, or destiny and fate, and i guess i want to ask if you agree/disagree with them.

hi my dear !!! you pointed out SO MUCH that ive been dying to discuss with yall, so for anyone who wants more insight into the final chapter of season 2 and the whole jon/bug/nancy/steve fiasco: keep reading !!

under the cut: jon and bugs separation and why steve and bug fell so hard so fast

writing the shift between jon and bug this chapter was extremely hard yet the easiest thing ive ever done. it felt natural and right, which i think made the whole thing more heartbreaking. it had to happen, the final push before their talk at the very end. when bug tells nancy to go with jon to hoppers cabin, it truly was the final acceptance. bug recognized she was no longer needed per say, how her connection/thread to jon has changed. she no longer is the one he needs, its nancy

which makes their conversation at the end just so much more raw and painful. theyve accepted whats happened now, they can see it, almost tangible, before them. all the threads and strings and lines theyve never crossed or unwoven, its now presented in front of them, and theyre finally ready to unravel from one another. as for jon being so tactile, which he almost never is with bug to such an extreme extent, its because he knew as well. this would be the last time hed ever kiss her, hold her, or have her all to himself, something hes so selfishly come to want only for himself. hes never, ever had to share her.

i wanted the scene to feel messy and melancholy yet answer all the unasked questions. theyve become so intertangled with one another, so engrossed, that its hard to separate who is who. for jon and bug, they will never be able to distinguish where one stops and the other starts; theyve become one, and they recognize that they couldve been so much more had there been time or the circumstances had been different. you cant simply grow up with someone, learn all their fears and vices and needs, and not come to love them as if they arent your entire breath.

as for bug and steve: YES !!! to everything youve said. this has been my one thing ive been trying to really pin down in terms of the difference between jon and steve !! they both love bug equally, but in their own distinct ways. jon loves bug with an obligation that comes from years of trust and mutual understanding. he will always take care of her because shes always taken care of him. now for steve, he takes care of bug because he wants to, because he recognizes that no one else has taken care of her the way shes taken care of everyone else. she hasnt LET anyone do this, and steve has such an excess of love within him that he cant help but let it overflow onto bug, to take care of her the way she deserves, and he does this because he can. because it comes naturally to him.

the love realization scenes for both jon n steve ,,, ive had that planned from the START !!!! ive been WAITING for someone to comment on the contrast between jons love realization being such a cold and cruel thing, whereas steves was sun and warmth and comforting. as bug talked about in chapter 6, love had become exhausting for her, never lovely or easy as she had hoped. now, with steve, loving him is as easy as breathing, and they truly are such a golden summer day together <333

and the ending !! after a year of bug denying her feelings, and a year of steve being scared of his, it felt fitting to for them to come together so easily and quickly once nancy and jon were out of the way. theyve both bitten their tongues too many times now, and bug has honestly been falling out of love with jon for a while, she was more just clinging onto the familiarity of it all. once she finally admitted that she loved steve, she didnt have it in her to deny it anymore. shes become tired of biting her tongue and burying down her feelings, especially because shes someone who feels so openly and yet is terrified of being vulnerable (which we will indeed see later). for steve, he simply trusts bug with everything within him, he knows she would never hurt him, not again, and he recognizes that his feelings for her have been there a while. however, he also recognizes that bug deserves more than mixed feelings, he wants to give her his all, so until hes completely over nancy, all he can do is ask bug to wait -- trusting that she will come back in the end. which is HUGE for someone who fears abandonment.

im incredibly touched that my writing has made you reflect upon your own jon :( i also feel the same way, ive come to view my own jon differently. sometimes people simply grow up, it isnt anyones fault, and we cannot fault someone we love for no longer resembling the person we once loved, not when theyve grown into who they were meant to be.

now for the final part of your lovely ask: the line was in reference for steve and nancy !! what i meant by it was that steve recognizes that him and nancy were incompatible in the end, given everything that happened with barb and the demogorgon. he realizes that they never stood a chance, getting back together, because they had already been finished when the upside down came into their lives. and yet, despite this, hes happy they tried. to me, to try is to be human, and steve believes that at least they tried to love one another afterwards, they tried to move on and be happy together. in the end, this is all that matters to steve: they tried to love one another (this can also apply to bug n jon !!! nothing was ever going to be the same again, but they tried)

#procrastinationprincesses #ask #m speaks #wtlws insight #looooong post but lots to say #and thank you for the lovely tidbit about my writing <333 #and the nancy and bug part will be covered more in the following seasons !!!

[ravioligobbler9000]

in all seriousness though, that altar scene is so heartbreakingly beautiful, the way they both look so rejected and isolated and the fire around them and the turning point it represents for both of them plus the great acting and the music it's just.. Oh my god it's beautiful, that scene is engraved in the walls of my brain.

#iwtv #interview with the vampire #i am rewatching this masterpiece in preparation for the second season can you tell

[lovebillyhargrove]

Harringrove seasons AU

***

August is running out. It is the time when nights have already started getting perceptibly colder, but days are still so heartbreakingly warm, you don't wanna let go.

Like Steve, who doesn't want to let go of Billy.

Or Billy, who wants to hold on to Steve.

Who desperately wishes to add just a couple of more days to August. Make it thirty-three. Or thirty-five.

At least.

***

One evening Steve sets off to look for Billy, because he hasn't seen him in the last three days. When he asks the magpies if they know where the summer is, they tell him he's wandering around the woods with a big basket searching for something and talking to himself like a madman.

"The summer's gone cuckoo!" - they burst out into chatter and laughter, but Steve isn't up for having fun.

Only close to midnight does he finally find Billy.

The warm simmering light and the sweet smell of burning pine wood have led him on the right path.

Steve sees Billy in the thick of the forest, on a small clearing, surrounded by tall mighty oak trees, so tall that their tops get lost in the dark starry sky above. Stars in August are witchy, it is common knowledge. They are so distant, so sparkly and cold, and they are watching you.

August stars are enchanted just like everything else around. The night is cool and damp, and there is dense fog laying heavy in milky swirls above and around the swamp nearby. Under every leaf there lives a mystery, a story, a creature. Behind one single cloud hides the silver moon, waiting to flood all with its crisp eerie shine.

The stars are twinkling bright, so magically bright, and the chilly, hocus scented air fills the head of a midnight wanderer with clarity and vigor, and anticipation of a miracle.

Steve is trying to be as quiet as possible, not to disturb.

Everything around is immersed in sleepy calm, and only the frogs' drowsy ribbit-ribbitting and distant hooting of a night bird fill the deep silence. The usual night orchestra.

As he is making his way towards Billy, there's a falling star, shooting right above the clearing, and Steve makes a wish - to always find summer.

Billy is busy.

Steve sees a big fire, sparks flying up towards the invisible tree crowns, and Billy's focused face lightened by the glow.

He is constantly stirring something gurgling and boiling in a huge cauldron, muttering under his breath

"Seven red fly agarics, nine orange ones .. three yellow .. thirteen russules, each a different colour .. eight orange chanterelle mushrooms of different sizes .."

With one hand he stirs whatever is brewing in the cauldron, and in the other he holds a thread with dry and semi-dry mushrooms strung on it. From time to time, he stops stirring and plucks the mushrooms from the thread, counting.

"Eleven brown hay mushrooms, one birch chaga, the size of a palm .. where the hell is this chaga .. ??" - he stops stirring and pokes around in the basket standing nearby. - "Alright. Found it. Come here, don't fight it .. seventeen honey fungi .. three aspen mushrooms .. ugh, you are such beauties .. All of you."

Billy looks like a witch. Too bad he's not wearing a spiked black hat and a black cloak

Stirring, mixing that magic

"Wait a second, did I put twelve ink mushrooms .. ? Yes, yes, I did. Ten violet webcaps .. and one whole circle of fairy-ring mushrooms."

"Oh, I forgot you buddy .. one grey spotted amantia, here you go .."

"Okay now for the more serious stuff."

Billy grunts and goes digging in the basket again.

"One satan's bolete .. A set of devil's fingers .. spooky .. And, finally, one pale grebe."

Steve steps out into the clearing

"Oh, do you mean a death angel?"

Billy stops mixing whatever there is in the cauldron and looks up.

"You startled me, pretty boy. And yes, it's the same one, different names."

Steve is still watching Billy in bewilderment

"What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm making a potion. Can't you see?" He answers seriously.

"A potion?" Steve is amused.

"An old owl told me. Who lives in the hollow of a hundred-year-old elm tree, down by the river."

"What is the potion for?"

"For .. making it last a little longer. Stalling the time. See, I don't want to go yet. I want to stay, just a bit more .. It's going to give me the power to do that."

"Oh. But .. Billy, this old owl is so old, she has dementia. I wouldn't trust her on anything she says."

"Well, I've got no other choice."

Steve is amused but he also knows that he has to soothe Billy's unnecessary wilful wanting, once again.

"When will it be ready?"

"In the morning. I should drink it when the first sun ray breaks the sky."

Steve sits near the fire and Billy joins him after some time. The fire is getting duller, the potion stops gurgling and is beginning to settle.

Billy is the first to slide into sleep near the dying flames, and Steve is gazing at the bright live coals, listening to night sounds and Billy's even breath, until his own eyelids become heavy and eventually fall.

In the morning, Steve is woken up by Billy's upset voice:

"No, no! I'm two hours late! .. The sun is already high in the sky."

He is pacing around the grey ashes, looking at the sky and fiddling with his necklace

"No, oh no ..! That's all your fault, autumn. I always sleep longer when I'm with you. I can't drink it now. Do you know how long I've searched for these?? How many woods I have wandered through?"

In a swift fit of anger Billy kicks the cauldron. It falls and tips over. Steve's still on the ground, watching the thick substance pour out of it on a patch of green moss.

"I am sorry, Billy, truly. But .. I am of the opinion that you shouldn't have drunk it anyways."

Billy's looking at the spilled potion.

"Baby. You are such a baby sometimes, Billy."

"I'm just sad. So much work for nothing." - Billy sighs and pouts a little.

"It is only .. really, it is only less than half a year. We will meet so soon, in the northern hemisphere. Aren't you excited?"

Billy is shaking his head, slowly and gloomily.

"I don't wanna leave."

Steve gets up, comes close and gently traces his fingers down Billy's arm.

"You are not leaving just yet. We still have time. We have all the time in the world. But when you do go, think of the moment we will meet again. Because it will happen, it is the way the world works."

They are standing amidst the ever-living nature.

"I need to bring back the pot and the basket. I borrowed them from a barn in the village."

"I will help you."

***

A couple of days later, on the very last August day, Steve takes Billy to the same clearing and shows him the prettiest gemstone of the most amazing colour, sparkling under the rays of soft morning sunshine, crystallized in the shape of a heart. There's moss and some beautiful exotic flowers growing around it.

"It is so pretty, but I am glad you didn't drink the potion."

"I wonder if it's going to stay here till next season."

"Let's hide it."

Steve takes the gemstone, it's rather big and heavy, and carries it to a hollowed out log near the swamp.

"We can come back next year and see if it is still here. It will be our secret."

August and September are my absolute favourite months, and I'm also stuck on the idea of summer and autumn not wanting to part. Billy especially is having a hard time.

Thank you @akioukun ✨💖 for the 💫 magical au

#harringrove #harringrove seasons au #billy x steve #summer billy x autumn steve #harringrove fic

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group I Round 1: #I4 vs #I5

#I4: Colorblind witch meets her granny’s friends by time travel

Despite the kaleidoscopic magic ingrained in everyday life, Hitomi Tsukishiro's monochrome world is deprived of emotion and feeling. On a night as black and white as any other, amidst the fireworks spreading across the sky, Hitomi's grandmother Kohaku conjures a spell, for which she has been harnessing the moon's light for 60 years, to send Hitomi back in time to the year 2018 when Kohaku was in high school.

Hitomi's mission seems unclear, but her grandmother assures her that she will know when she gets there. Following a trip through time aboard a train driven by a strange yellow creature, Hitomi finds herself in stoic artist Yuito Aoi's room, and his drawings flood her world with color. What is Hitomi's purpose there, and why do Yuito's drawings return such breathtaking color to her drab world?

#I5: Comfort-food anime, 4 guys managing a cafe

Kyousui "Sui" Tougoku inherits a traditional Japanese-style cafe called Rokuhoudou from his grandfather, which he manages alongside Gregorio "Gure" Valentino, Tokitaka Nagae, and Tsubaki Nakao. Their hospitality par excellence undoubtedly turns any one-time visitor into a regular. Having gone through their own share of trials and tribulations, the staff at this modest cafe do their best to serve their customers—whether it be through tea, sweets, or even helping with the various troubles one may have.

Although most days pass pleasantly, the small world of Sui and his friends takes an unexpected path when their reputation as a cafe flourishes overnight.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#I4: Iroduku: The World in Colors

Propaganda:

It’s the kind of show I only watched once, but it stayed with me to this day. It has a unique story that, despite having supernatural elements, feels grounded in human emotions the most. A rare but solid example of magical realism.

The premise is so original, yet very easy to grasp from a start. The time-travel and magic simply lay a groundwork for the story to carry on. If you were ever frustrated by how in supernatural shows there isn’t enough time to explore characters’ emotional depth bc plot, then this anime will be a delightful breather for you. Because the whole show is about the main character’s healing process, learning to overcome her fears, opening up to others… It’s a journey of a lonely, broken person who finds meaning to her life in a distant timeline. And it’s wonderful and painful on all levels.

The visuals, animation, background art are all stunning. Usage of colour is meaningful, to portray heroine’s colourblindess with proper weight. The show isn’t black/white for the viewers, but when she sees colours, they truly make them shine. Soundtrack wise, ending song is heartbreakingly beautiful and encapsulates the feeling of the whole series perfectly.

TL;DR: It's magical but not intense. Sad but comforting.

(I hope I did it justice. Pls watch it, it has 12 eps that are 100% enough for this story <3 )

Trigger Warnings: Not stated.

#I5: Rokuhou-dou Yotsuiro Biyori

Propaganda:

The overall calming atmosphere of the café and the peace good food can bring—this forms the basis of the human interaction happening at Rokuhoudou, the café. We see people finding comfort in the food they have while at the café, and it seriously so sweet. A lot of people might enjoy this.

Trigger Warnings: None.

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

#anime #best underrated anime #polls #poll tournament #tournament #anime tournament #animation #animated show #group stage #group stage round 1 #tournament polls #irodoku: the world in colors #irodoku #rokuhoudou yotsuiro biyori #rokuhou-dou yotsuiro biyori #yotsuiro biyori #group i

[thepapernautilus]

the killing time, unwillingly mine. | ch 3 (ascendant!astarion/tav). 🗡️

the face of love's rage.

“You controlled me,” you hiss. It’s more of a whine—exhausted, tired, oft repeated over the course of a cruel, hard decade. “The once, my darling.” It caught you hard, all of a sudden, what you had been contemplating, the grave seriousness of what you’d thought necessary. Killing—really truly—killing your husband? He is so heartbreakingly beautiful all over again, the heartache of loneliness building into hunger low in your stomach. “And I haven’t done it again, have I?” He cocks his head. “My love. Do you remember when you used to call me that? Have I truly made you so miserable?”

or: an ending, if ever there is one. the unbroken cycle must go on.

17.6k, 3/3 chapters, completed.

⚠️Rape/Non-Con, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat 🪦🕊️, POV Second Person, Abusive Relationships, Extremely Dubious Consent, Posessive Behavior, Dom/Sub Dynamics, Emotional Manipulation, Pet Names, Angst & Trauma, Hair-Pullling, A Lot of Wedding Planning and Interior Decorating, Blood Drinking, Brief Tav/F!OC.

Posted on Archive Of Our Own.

#preacher's daughter is on in the background #am i making you feel sick bridge x7 #aeterna amantes lovers forever #shoutout to everyone who's made eternally fighting consorts content #ascended astarion #tavstarion #astarion #bg3 #naut writes #ascended astarion fanfiction

[technicallyblakebelladonna]

hiiiii ask for you infodump about rwby volume 10 and what you want to happen

HI THERE FRIEND!!!! thank you for the ask <3

i want u to know that i specifically went to my spotify to put on my "amitola" playlist before going to answer this ask, so that should tell you where my head is at

of course for rwby v10 i want what the majority of other people want, for the bees to be shown in their relationship and for others to react to it in ways that really allow us as the audience to BASK in the fact that the bees are in an established relationship and are HAPPY. cause like, just thinking abt catradora and korrasami, well we get to see them get to that kiss and get their happy ever after, but in the show that's where it ENDS (i know with LoK they had the comics that let korrasami go past that point but i digress) like of course i could say all that and i WOULD say all of that

but

YOU CAME INTO *MY* ASK BOX. so you know exactly what im gonna infodump about. you know WHO im gonna infodump about

ilia. fucking. amitola.

we saw her last in all her collarbone-apparently-redacted glory in v8 along with a couple of other tertiary characters during ruby's speech montage. she had a fairly long focus shot (imo, for a side character) that showed her getting a call from ghira. so we KNOW that those three are going to be together-- and by the logic of ghira and kali being blake's fucking parents!! we can assume that they're going to all end up heeding the call and gathering where everyone else is. so that means that we can also assume that they'll all be there for the reunion in vacuo.

(no seriously where did they go???? i havent been able to unsee it)

ANYWAY.

so i want to see that reunion. i want to see blake fling herself into her parents arms and for ilia to kinda hang back bc she's like, still doesn't quite know what to do with herself-- and doesn't QUITE know how to relate to blake anymore. they left on good terms, but they haven't had much time to really rebuild their relationship by any means, so ilia's just standing there, heart tearing in half a little because there she is. she didn't die. ilia had mourned for her, had gone through that grief alongside blake's parents and now? now there. she's standing right there. and suddenly it's just so overwhelming that she starts turning a deep blue, right from her roots, her irises turning a deep icicle blue, sharp and unforgiving like the presumed loss she had to go through all that time ago.

and blake? she sees it. out of the corner of her eye, above the shoulder of her mom while in their embrace, she sees ilia shaking like a leaf. and she goes to her after another quick murmured reassurance to her parents. and she just opens her arms to ilia. and ilia flings herself into blake's arms and breathes her in because gods. she is real. she starts whispering "you're here. you're alive. i lost you all over again and now you're here."

and that's what i hope from canon, but am i going to stop there? no because hello. ilia fucking amitola.

the CATMELEON SHIPPER IN ME wants blake to reply with something cheesy, with something utterly heartbreakingly beautiful, something like "you could never lose me. i've always been in your heart, and you've always been in mine. and that's not going anywhere."

THEY HAVE A SPECIAL BOND OKAY CANON WILL NOT TAKE THAT FROM ME FOR FUCKS SAKE.

what i want CANON to do is to have ilia and yang finally fucking meet and talk. for ilia to give the "hurt her, no one will hear from you ever again" talk.

as @averagemrfox said in their tags

like OH MY GOD give me THIS. holy shit this is genius. maybe yang spots ilia looking restless and tense after an overwhelmingly emotional day after blake "comes back from the dead" and sees her sitting at the outskirts of the city/their camp or wherever. and so she just like. says hey. you know the best way i find to burn off extra energy? and ilia agrees to a hand-to-hand no weapons (and yang promises not to use her arm gun at all) and it feels GOOD to get the energy out. so they could have a good conversation that way and establish like, that ilia sees how good yang is for blake and how happy she is and ends with the whole, catch her off guard kinda blow and tells yang that if she hurts blake again, she'll obliterate her from the face of remnant.

what RAY WANTS BC OF THE EMBER RAINBOW SHIPPER is for ilia to get the upper hand and successfully pin her down and we have a delicious moment of sexual tension where ilia's got yang's hands above her head and her weight on her hips and she just catches the way yang's eyes sparkle in the dying sunlight of the golden hour and she just can't help herself, can't stop herself from saying "so that's why." and for yang to be just as pleasantly thrown off guard - "what's why?" and at this point ilia's freckles are flaring pink, her irises following suit and - "that's why blake fell in love with you"

like ON GOD GIMMIE. YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT ILIA WOULDN'T SEE YANG AND EITHER 1) IMMEDIATELY GET JEALOUS OR 2) IMMEDIATELY AND UTTERLY FALL IN LOVE WITH HER TOO (or both? both is good)

shipping aside, i need ilia to STOP BEING FORGOTTEN ABOUT GODDAMNIT. this is just a general complaint of the fandom in general from my pov. like i dont REALLY see posts cross my dash, the ones that talk about rwby in general or rwby v10 specifically, it's like. ARE WE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ILIA FOR A SECOND??? like y'all wanna see everyone react to the bees being in a relationship and YOU FUCKING FORGET ILIA?!?!?! THE LITERAL FIRST ON SCREEN CANONICALLY CONFIRMED LESBIAN??? AND NOT ONLY THE FIRST ON SCREEN CANONICALLY CONFIRMED LESBIAN, BUT HER LESBIANISM WAS CANONIZED BY HAVING HER LITERALLY CONFESS TO BLAKE'S FUCKING FACE THAT SHE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER!!!!! I MEAN WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!! IT'S RIGHT THERE!!! WHY ARE WE SLEEPING ON ILIA AMITOLA?!?!?!!?

anyway. i had to get that out of my system apparently LMAO

so where else do i want to go with this??? i mean there's so much i could say, how i want rainbow bees to actually happen bc im greedy but i love the story they told with the bees already so i don't see that happening in all seriousness (and shoehorning ilia into the bees relationship feels like a disservice to the growth the bees went through together so i GET that but i just think it would be NEAT. blake has two hands, yadda yadda and all that)

i could talk about how i want canon to reveal that ilia was actually blake's first kiss because that would be so much better than the implied fact that adam canonically was, and that just makes my skin crawl, so to have it be ilia would be DELIGHTFUL to say the least.

i could talk about how i want ilia and weiss to be an endgame couple, if nothing else for the fact that a) it would be great for weiss' growth arc, ending up with a faunus -- but not only JUST any faunus, to have one that was SO detrimentally impacted by her father's dust empire, and to heal that hurt together and have those journeys weave together in the end. and b) i just want to be greedy again and tie ilia to a main character bc it will mean we will get to see her more than just for a few minutes every so often.

i COULD also talk about how there's a great idea to have emerald and ilia end up together because, similar villian redemption arcs, opposing colour scheme, similar unrequited love type situations. it's just RIFE for a great set up and that would be great.

i COULD talk about so many things related to ilia fucking amitola and rwby v10 but i think i've definitely said quite a lot of things already, so i'll just cut it off here skghsdfkghdfg thank u for ur time and attention if u have made it this far and have enjoyed or even just slightly made sense of my ramblings

*gets off amitola soapbox*

#rwby #rwby v10 #ilia amitola #catmeleon #ember rainbow #ray replies #followbeaujes #beaujes #thank u for letting me go off skghskgh #im not sure you were expecting this though so SDKHSGKDH

[rearranged-fanfic]

Cut Content (REALIGNED: Crimson, pt. 1)

Blog Masterlist

An excerpt taken from the original version of this chapter of REALIGNED:

*Spoilers Below*

The story underwent some pretty heavy revisions in its latter stages, which is part of why the second part is taking so long to get out. Gotta work out the kinks. This story was one seriously kinky bastard. Oof. And, honestly, I'm thinking of extending it to a third part. Because I completely lack self-control.

Here is a glimpse of the original draft:

:.:

“You’re a special vampire, right?  The most powerful one in the world?  Your blood can heal her!  I—"

“Go home.  Be with her until the end,” he cuts me off, tone cold.

“I can’t!”

“Please,” I plead to him, hand reaching up to grasp at the leg of his black slacks.  “Whatever you want in exchange, I’ll give it to you.  You can drink me until nothing is left, or hunt me for sport.  Or turn me into a mindless slave.  Just please don’t let my sister die.”

The inhumanly beautiful creature in front of me surprises me when he reaches down.  I half expect him to snap my neck, and I flinch away from him.  Instead, a firm hand lands atop my head, threading into my hair.  And those long, lithe fingers curl into the strands, giving him leverage to tug my head back gently, just enough that I can see his face.  His glasses have slipped down his nose, revealing his gaze to me.

And I have to resist the urge to gasp.  When I’d read that he was a vampire, I’d been expecting monstrous red eyes with slits for pupils, like the demons in religious imagery.  But they aren’t the color of blood.  I’m disarmed by how heartbreakingly, breathtakingly blue they are.  The same color as ancient glacial ice.  Or the sky in the early hours of dawn.  And all I can do is hold his unwavering stare.

He laughs softly, like he hears some joke that I can’t.  And he stoops so that his great height isn’t so intimidating.  For a moment, he’s not larger than life; he’s simply a man.  That hand in my hair reaches down to cup my cheek, thumb cresting the delicate bones there with feather softness.  “You’re obstinate just like your father, aren’t you?” he comments.  And I have to wonder again where and when he’d first met my father.  But then again, dad had been a vampire hunter.  So maybe it’s best if I don’t know.  “You’d give me anything if I healed your mother?  Anything at all?  Don’t you know it’s a terrible idea to offer a blank check as payment?”

I hold firm, never looking away.  “There isn’t a single thing that I’m not willing to trade, not when it means my sister and mother are happy and healthy.”

“Even if I devoured you right now?” he ponders delicately.  “You wouldn’t even know if I kept my word.”

“I've heard that you're a man of your word, from my father.  I know you’d honor your promise, even if I’m not around to see it.”

Gojo hums, thinking.  I can see a line form between the delicate white of his eyebrows.  And he tilts his head, like a cat contemplating a mouse under its paw.  Finally, he pulls away, standing back to his original height.  “Well, with such a glowing review from the world’s best vampire hunter, how could I resist your plea?”

He’s… going to help me, I realize with a much lighter heart.  Disbelief courses through my veins, winding its way through the chambers of my heart as it pounds behind my ribs.  But it’s the relieved sort of disbelief, like I’d received the greatest gift I could’ve.  And I suppose that I have.

But he’s serious as he looks down at me.  “Of course, everything has its price.  A life for a life,” he offers me, extending his hand.

There’s not even a moment where I doubt.  I grasp his hand, marveling at how warm and soft it is.  And the vampire helps me to my feet, and I know that my world has changed in a way that I can never undo.  But it’s okay.  Because my sister is going to live.

He tells me not to regret my choice.  I won't; I refuse to.

:.:

Reader-chan is much less aware of the realities of vampires in this version, and I disliked it because I felt like this iteration of her was too naive. There was too much of a knowledge/power gap between her and Gojo for the relationship to be balanced and equal later on. So her backstory was altered, and she was given a bit more insight on vamp society.

And she was given a nice little power upgrade, too. *wink, wink*. I still have to overhaul chapter 1. Then the next chapter of this two(maybe three)-parter should be out in a week or so, the writing gods willing.

Fun fact: this is my first foray into SatoSugu as well. So, yeah... IDK how I did with them. But working on this triad piece has made me wanna write more of just these two, without Reader-chan, because they're so damn cute.

#REARRANGEDfanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #read on ao3 #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #satoru gojo x suguru geto #gojo x reader #gojo x oc #vampire gojo #vampire geto #behind the scenes #cut content

[ineffably-wrecked]

Good Omens was trending this morning. Probably cause it was the absolute best thing to happen in 2023.

Am I right though? I mean, who else is with me? :op

Seriously though. I watched it for the first time this year right after S2 came out. On my birthday no less! Best birthday gift ever!!! I had always planned on watching S1, but just never got around to it. I immediately had to watch it when I saw everybody losing their absolute shit over S2 on tumblr though. And rightly so. Like many others, I'm STILL not over that ending.

Indeed, S2 was quiet, gentle, and romantic like Neil said. And yes, that cliffhanger ending was heartbreaking as hell. But it was heartbreakingly beautiful. Not to mention, David and Michael gave some of the best acting performances I've ever seen for a character IN MY LIFE. True legends, these two.

It's been an absolute joy discovering this fandom and all the amazingly talented people in it. From all the art, fics, metas(some of you are freaking galaxy-brained, like WOW), animatics, video edits. Even original songs by fans. You name it. Not to mention its own convention organized by fans. (Really wish I could go to the next one being held in the UK in person since it's right on my birthday. But I'm kinda scared shitless to travel alone. Lol)

Anyway, this is truly a wonderful community. I hope you lovely people never stop creating and doing what you do. :o)

Happy New Year GO fandom!!! Mwah!!! And let's all look forward to S3!!!

#good omens #if anyone wants to hmu to chat about GO feel free! #would love some new mutuals too! #I need to go through my probably thousands of likes #and reblog them to this blog since I was too lazy before 😭 #I don't wanna lose sight or track of all this amazing content though! #gotta beef up this blog for the new year #wahoo :op #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands