#it is so. stifling the way everyone around here will be like 'my fav characters are these ones because theyre the most good and kind :)'

[missallsundaes]

Usopp is my favorite character! And I was so excited to see that you love him too 🥰 there aren’t many stories about him and I was wondering if I could ask that you write another when you found the time? Maybe something smutty? Or fluffy? Or both after he and reader reunite again after the time skip? Where he’s confident now that reader will notice him but obvi they already did ♥️

UHM I love Usopp so fucking much you are so valid he's one of my fav characters of all time.

SO rereading your request after I got an idea, I realized that you asked for… a hook up post time skip but like. I couldn’t not do a big fluffy “i missed you so much” reunion after two years so they have a prev relationship but returned with Usopp being more confident and reader learning things about themself haha.

This is so fluffy and so gushy but also nsfw. It’s cringe worthy sweet because I’m a fucking sucker for Usopp and I want him to be happy.

This turned out so much longer than I meant for it to, bc I was just going to do a drabble but here’s this 1900 word fic, haha.

TLDR: MUSHY fic bc Usopp deserves happiness.

NSFW undercut but it's just like.. Very loving emotional sex. No real kinks but there is crying during sex, but not written to be kinky.

______________________

“USOPP!” You screamed, running at top speed, past all of your other crew mates and straight into the arms of your boyfriend. Sure you were happy to see the other Straw Hats, but there was only one man who your heart beat for, and finally after two years apart, here he was.

He braced himself for your hug and you felt him lift you up and spin you around in his arms, “[y/n] oh my god I missed you!” He was all smiles, kissing across your face and holding you as close as he could, your feet still far from the ground.

His arms were more defined, muscles you weren’t used to feeling, flexing against your body to hold you up. “Wow you’ve been busy,” You smiled, kissing him back, hands finding their way to his strong arms. “Are you sure this is my Usopp?”

He laughed, setting you down, smiling the bright smile you missed so much, “What, you don’t remember all of this?” He joked, flexing both of his arms for you, acting out mock scenes of strength and showing off the rippling muscles that you didn’t quite know that you were into until well, just now.

You touched his exposed chest, fingers lingering over hard abs, “Well maybe I just forgot how absolutely strong my brave warrior was..”

You smiled at him, raising your chin to kiss his soft lips. Your words causing him to blush a bit, clearly melting at your praise, before returning your kiss, his arms wrapping around you again, hands in the small of your back to hold you close to him as he deepened the kiss passionately, clearly he had missed you just as much, ached for you just as much. These past two years had been hell, but finally everyone was back together.

“Get a room you two,” You heard someone laugh from behind you, and you suddenly realized how handsy you were being, how absolutely embarrassingly clingy you were being, causing you to flush a beet red.

The party the first night back on the Sunny was, no contest, one of the most fun nights you had ever had with your crew. Sanji had prepared a feast so big that even Luffy was having trouble by the end of the night, everyone catching each other up on the years apart and enjoying being with their family again. Everyone had grown so much in two years, both in visibly noticeable differences and emotionally. Everyone was still who you remembered, but matured. You supposed the same thing could be said about yourself, even though you couldn’t point out in yourself what had changed.

Drinks had flowed freely, Brook providing the most excellent of tunes, laughter and familiarity unbounded. How you had missed this. More than you realized. Just being together, being a family and feeling comfortable.

It was getting late now, and your head swam a bit from the drinks in you, despite how much you had eaten to soak it up. Cuddled up under the tangerine trees on the deck you were wrapped in Usopp’s arms, sitting between his thighs, his face pressed between your neck and collarbone comfortably, occasionally leaving kisses. He hummed in tune to the music on the deck below, Brook playing the piano and singing, Luffy and Sanji had drunkenly joined in singing along, not keeping the tune nearly as well.

“I missed you so much,” He said, arms squeezing you tightly, like he couldn’t get close enough, “I was so worried about you, I wish I could have just heard your voice.”

“C’mon, Uso,” You smiled, leaning against him and holding his arms under yours sweetly, “I’m a big girl, you know I can hold my own.”

“You’re even more beautiful than the last time I saw you,” He said, the tone in his voice so honest and clear with you, even tinged with the slur of his drink. “I must be the luckiest man sailing the seas.”

Your face was flushed, thankful for the darkening sky hiding it, “Shush you, it’s just the drink talking.” You patted his arm with your hand, as if to shush him.

“I mean it, you’re so gorgeous, you’re everything I’ve ever dreamed about my whole life,” His voice broke a little and you felt hot tears on your shoulder, “I was worried you wouldn’t wait for me the two years, I’d die if you realized how much better you were than me.”

“No no, none of that!” You said, spinning around suddenly, bumping noses with him as you turned, “You’re so much more than what you think of yourself.” You locked lips with the marksman, kissing deeper and more brazen than you meant, the passion getting to you.

His lips parted, and you took the opportunity to slip your tongue between them, his hands finding your hips as he deepened the kiss. Has he always been this good at kissing? Or was it the drink? Or how much you had missed each other's bodies?

“If we snuck off to the rooms, no one would notice,” You whispered, lips still touching his lips as you spoke. You smiled as you watched the blush spread across his cheeks, one thing hadn’t changed at least, he was so easy to fluster.

Your hand trailed down his chest, lingering on his waist, teasing at the last section of exposed skin before his trousers.

He tried to stutter out a reply, but ended up just nodding his head quickly as a response, lifting you up in a quick motion, carrying you bridal style down to the cabins below deck.

He set you down gently on the bed, treating you like a princess, kissing you and trailing those kisses down to your neck and chest, unbuttoning your blouse and kissing your breasts gently, always using such a soft touch with you.

“You’re so gorgeous,” He whispered against your skin, “So perfect.”

He climbed into bed next to you, hands slipping under your trousers, touching your body over your undergarments, his lips finding yours again, kissing you as you found your hands exploring his body. It would take some getting used to the new terrain under your fingers, where he was such a beanpole before, he had obviously trained so hard over the last two years, and his body was so familiar but so different.

Kissing and fondling quickly becoming more heated between you, he unbuttoned his coveralls, kicking them off his legs to the ground below the bed. You followed suit in quick succession, tossing your blouse aside and kicking off trousers to join his on the floor. His hands wrapped around your back to unhook your bra without breaking the kiss, you slipping your arms free of the straps and letting him toss it away.

His strong hand, more rough than you remembered, found its way to your heat again, slipping his hand under your panties, fumbling a bit in the moment before finding your clit with a gasp from you, some things hadn’t changed, really. His fingers slipped down your slit to find the moistening of your opening, dragging your slick back up to your clit to make his movements smoother, rolling your clit in circles under his fingers.

His mouth left yours, to trail kisses to your neck, leaving gentle marks against your skin, adjusting his weight on the bed until his mouth was at your breasts, his other hand cupping a breast to his mouth, a flash of tongue against your nipple before he sucked it into his mouth, kneading the soft flesh in his calloused hand.

“Usopp, please,” You moaned under his ministrations on your body, “I want you.”

You felt him freeze a bit, always easy to fluster, always easy to shy away. You stifled a laugh, “C’mon Uso~” you purred, arching your back and adjusting your legs to press your thigh against his member through his boxers, feeling the damp of his precum even through his underwear. “Please?”

“W-well I can’t very well deny such a request from a Goddess, can I?” He said masking a stutter and sliding your underwear from your hips before pulling his off and adjusting.

You looked down, eyes widening, “Usopp I know.. I keep saying you’ve grown but.. Did your dick.. Get bigger?” There was no doubt to you that there was at least another inch on your boyfriend’s length.

He looked down, having not thought about it before, “Uh.. oh.. Maybe?” He laughed, “Not too scary for you I hope.”

“No,” You said, wrapping your hands around his neck and pulling him down on top of you, “Just be gentle with me, it’s been a while even without the extra size..”

“Always,” He said, kissing you again as he slid his length into your waiting sex, letting you adjust to his cock as he did. Fully inside of you he gave you a moment to adjust, “Ready?” He said, and you nodded, eyes half lidded and biting your lip.

He started thrusting against you, a steady pace, his hands firmly gripping your hips to piston his hips against you. The air between you was hot and heavy, full of your desperate breath, your mouths barely separating except to let moans slip between your lips. Your hands found his hair, slipping your hands to the back of his head, fingers threaded through his thick curls, gripping him closer to you as his pace quickened from the passion between you.

It wasn’t long before you felt the familiar feeling of an orgasm building within you, taut like a rubberband, ready to snap with each pump of his hips into you, his pace steady but getting sloppier as he neared his own orgasm.

You wrapped your legs around his waist, holding him closer to you, his pumping action now more shallow but hitting you deeper, rubbing that sweet spot inside you that you swear he wasn’t long enough to hit the last time you were together, and god it was driving you crazy.

“I’m going to cum, Usopp,” You moaned against his lips, arching your back against his chest and pressing your sex into him desperately.

“Come for me, baby,” He moaned, pulling you into him rhythmically, “I’m close too.” His confidence in telling you to come for him was all it took to push you to that edge, feeling your orgasm take over your body you moaned his name loudly, fingers gripping in his hair for dear life.

Your body tightening on his cock was all it took for him to release his own orgasm, pumping inside you until your own orgasm had subsided, then pulling out to splash his slick jizz across your stomach, secondary pumps splashing lower, covering your body in his seed.

His lips met yours again and you felt tears splash your cheeks as he let his body fall into yours, curling up next to you to hold you close to him. “I love you so much, so so much,” he cried, huge tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.

You felt your own tears pooling, threatening to spill over your lids. “Shuush, don’t cry Usopp,” you trailed your hand across his cheek lovingly, “I love you so much, you’re my everything.”

“What did I do to deserve you?” He said, looking into your eyes with all the love and devotion in his heart.

“I could say the same thing, my darling.” You said, kissing his nose, “We’ll never be apart again.”

#usopp #usopp x reader #post timeskip #reader insert #preestablished relationship #n/sfw #n/sfw under cut #n/sfw text #usopp deserves the ENTIRE WORLD #I would die for him #husband gave me shit bc this ended up 2000 words #i just eeally fucking love usopp

[kagedaddy]

how you meet - haikyuu!

Warnings: none

boyfriend scenarios [1] [masterlist]

daichi sawamura

You were running late to your volleyball practice,”not again, not again!”you sprint towards the gym.

You swing the door open unintentionally smacking a person on the other side,”aita (ouch)!”the person groans in pain.

“Oh shoot! I am so sorry,”you bend down and profusely apologised to the male who’s bent over in pain, he waves his arm as if to days it’s okay.

Your captain tsks at you for your tardiness and your clumsiness,”(last name) please bring Daichi-san to the clinic and run five extra laps when you get back,”she instructs you and you nod.

You help the male up and walk with him to the clinic,”I apologise again Daichi-san,”I bow my head. “It’s alright, don’t worry about it,”he smiles at me as he clutches his face.

We reach the clinic and the nurse looks at me,”again, (last name)-san?”Daichi quirks his eyebrow at you, stifling a laugh at your embarrassment state.

I rub the back of my head,”how many people have you hit?”he looks at you with amusement in his eyes.

“I think four?”

sugawara koushi

Walking into the gates of your new school, Karasuno High. You were having new student nervousness, as much as possible you didn’t want to be late to class.

You took out your student packet to check where your shoe locker and classroom was located.

Finding your shoe locker was easy enough to find but your classroom was not, you had gone up and down the floors and was still not in luck.

“Hey, you seem lost. Are you new here?”you turn around and you meet a grey haired male,”oh is it that obvious?”you joke awkwardly but nod your head.

“I’m looking for class 4, any chance you can help me?”you say as you hand over your student packet to the male. “Well, you’re in luck, I was heading that way.”

“Thank you,”you say happily and he just laughs at you. “I can show you around the school, later. I’m Sugawara Koushi by the way,”he flashes you a smile.

“That would be awesome! I’m (last name) (first name), it’s nice to meet you!”

asahi azumane

It was a regular school day, nothing out of the ordinary except for you rushing down the third year floor.

You were holding a stack of papers your teacher had instructed you to bring them to his desk and you had completely forgotten to do it.

Being distracted you had not seen the ace of Karasuno as he exited his classroom and colliding into the tall figure, making all the papers fly.

You had looked up to the male you bumped into and was intimidated by his looks. Slightly frightened you bowed immediately. “I am so sorry Asahi-san, I was not paying attention where I was going.”

Quickly trying to gather the scattered papers and leave but you were surprised as Asahi helped you picked up the papers. “It’s okay, it was my fault too (last name)-san.”he apologises as he handed me the stack., hands both touching.

You both looked away with pink tinted cheeks before you quickly left.

nishinoya yuu

You had been chatting to your friend, (friend name) at your school’s courtyard, enjoying your lunch and the afternoon breeze.

Out of the corner of your eyes you noticed the blond streaked second year rolling in the dirt yelling,”rolling thundaaa!”

You couldn’t help but stare and giggle at the hilarious sight, he knocks into his bald friend which breaks into a playful argument.

The two males turn their attention to your giggles and stare wide eyed as they have made a pretty girl laugh.

You flush in embarrassment having Ben caught staring at them and turn back to your friend who snickers at you, she leans into whispering,”blond streak guy is approaching.”

He taps your shoulder and you turn to him,”I’m Nishinoya Yuu and I think you’re cute,”you flush even more red.

“I’m (last name) (first name) and I think you’re funny,”you introduce yourself and the boy nearly blew a fuse, he runs back to his friend who pats him on his back.

tanaka ryuunosuke

The soft jingle of the bell alerts you that a customer has entered the cafe, you quickly rush to the front of the counter ready to take their order.

The voices of teenage boys fills the small cafe, all of them talking loudly, yelling out their orders before their senpai yells at them to be quiet.

“Hi, what would you all like to order today?”you ask politely once they have settled and quieted down, after their senpai ordered for everybody, they all take their seats.

You move to the back of the bar and start making their orders, once finished you brought their orders to their tables.

“milk for #1 setter?”you question as you hold up the cup of warm milk, a boy with midnight hair raises his hand and mumbling a small thank you.

“Caramel Latte for the MVP?”a bald male raises his hand and takes the cup from your hold, his friend elbows his and points towards you.

“Hi. I think you’re hot, I’m Tanaka Ryuunosuke,”he smiles flirtatiously but he gets smacked by his senpai,”Tanaka apologise!”

“I’m sor-,”you cut him off, giggling at his antics, he was kinda cute. “Thank you, I’m (last name) (first name),”you wink at the male before giving the rest their drinks.

His cheeks heat up as his team teases him.

kageyama tobio

I’ll be partnering everyone up for the semester long project, you have the whole semester to work on this.”your sensei announces and all the students groan in annoyance.

“Kageyama and (last name),”you turn to the grumpy male offering a small wave only to receive a scowl in return.

Well this was going to be a long and fun project, you sigh. Your partner was already not up for it, after all the announcements you approach him.

“Kageyama-san, how do you want to go about our project?”you ask as you pulled a chair to sit across him, he blushes but hides his face from you.

“I-I-I can do it after my volleyball practice.”he curses himself for stammering,”oh okay, should we exchange numbers?”you tilt your head.

“S-sure,”he hands you is phone and in return you hand him yours, your classmates look in shock as the setter’s ears burn hot.

“We can start on it this weekend, just message me after your practice.”

hinata shouyo

“(last name)-san, would it be okay if you tutored a fellow classman?”Takeda sensei asked apologetically,”I don’t mind sensei,”you offered the stressed sensei a gentle smile.

“Thank you, (last name)-san, his name is Hinata Shouyo,”he points to the orange haired male jumping around the courtyard.

“Hinata!”Takeda sensei calls the energetic male and he bounces over to both of you,”This (last name) (first name), she’ll help you with your exams,”the male nods in understanding.

“Please listen to her, if you don’t pass you won’t be able to go to the training camp in Tokyo,”Takeda sensei warns him and it petrifies the poor boy. “Yes I will,”he salutes sensei before turning his attention to you.

“Help me beat bakageyama!”he bows to you and you can’t help but laugh, who’s bakageyama?

tsukishima kei

You huff in frustration, it has been five minutes and you were in the same situation. The book that you have been needing still sat at the top most shelf and you were still unable to reach it.

You stand on your tippy toes and attempt to at least touch the dammed book. Your finger grazes the spine of the book but that was it.

“I swear!”you quietly say and ball your fists, a large shadow looms over you and takes the book from the shelf with ease.

You crane your head to your hero and you are met with the sour face of your tall blond classmate, he drops the book in your hands.

“Thank you Tsukishima-san,”you gratefully bow your head in thanks earning yourself a “tch” sound as a reply.

“Elementary students do not belong here (last name),”he says before returning to his seat.

You stand in your spot even more annoyed and embarrassed with enflamed cheeks.

yamaguchi tadashi

“Excuse me, are you Yamaguchi-san?”you ask the green haired male, he turns to you and nods shyly. “You must be (last name)-san?”he asks back.

“Yup. Thank you for accepting to tutor me in algebra.”you bow your head, the male becomes flustered and his cheeks burn red as the whole class turns their attention to the both of you.

“It’s n-no problem (last name)-san,”he managed to get out and you jump in joy startling the poor green haired male.

“We can meet up after my practice,”he says and you nod your head,”okay. I’ll be waiting Yamaguchi-san.”you yells as you sprint out of the class in a hurry.

Leaving the poor boy flustered.

//

heyya! first scenario up, wooo! i enjoy writing these kinds of stuff i think it’s cute, where you read or imagine just small snip bits of the story. if you guys would want me to write a complete story on your fav characters let me know. made a masterlist for all the scenarios, i’ll update the other schools in the coming days. leave a like and comment if you enjoyed reading, have a great day guys.

all the love xx

#tsukishima headcannons #tsukishima x reader #kei tsukishima #tobio kageyama x reader #kageyama x reader #tobio kageyama #daichi sawamura x reader #daichi x reader #daichi sawamura #asahi azumane x reader #asahi x reader #asahi azumane #haikyuu headcannons #haikyu headcannons #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu oneshots #haikyu x reader #haikyu one shots #Nishinoya yuu x reader #nishinoya yuu #nishinoya x reader #karasuno x reader #haikyu fluff #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x you #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu fanfiction #hq x reader #haikyuu!! #x reader

[daisy116]

Wtf is a Selfie??

some dousy fluff/ anst for my favs. it’s been sooo long since i’ve written but i worked really hard on this and i hope y’all like it!

please give it sum love and/ or feedback <3!

The team was getting ready for their goodbye dinner together. Just one last night of dinner and drinks, and then they’d go their different ways. 

Daisy was obviously feeling emotional, and Sousa knew this. He came to check on her in her room. 

He stood outside her door, took a deep breathe, and, in classic Danial Sousa fashion, knocked.

“Come in!”

When he opened the door, her back was to him, and she was struggling with the zipper on her dress. 

“Here. Let me help you with that.” he came to help her. 

“Oh. Thanks Sousa.” Daisy said. She felt her cheeks turn red.

Sousa hadn’t realized how nice she looked. Her blond hair was in loose waves down her back, and when she turned to face him, he saw she was wearing eyeliner and mascara that made her brown eyes pop. Blush tinted her cheeks. 

They locked eyes, and she looked at the floor shyly. 

“Thanks”, she practically whispered. Dammit why couldn’t she just act normal around him. 

There was an awkward silence. Daniel looked around her room as she studied the floor. 

After a moment, he brushed past her to look at the bedside table. 

“Who’s this?” he asked. 

Daisy followed his gaze. Sitting on her bedside table were three different picture frames and a jewelry box. 

The largest picture was a frame hanging on the wall behind the table, the two others sitting in front of it. One was a picture of Daisy and Coulson, beaming at whoever the cameraman (or woman) was. The picture looked fairly recent. 

Sousa had picked up the smaller frame. It was an older picture, evident by Daisy’s brunette and banged hair. The picture was obviously taken by someone else, and Daisy was looking at whoever might be to the left of the camera man. There was a man next to her, who was taller and older, and he was looking right into the camera. they were both wearing the same, almost sad looking smile. This is what first tipped Sousa to who this man might be. She took the frame from his hand. 

“Cal” and after a beat, “my dad”.

Sousa, in all honesty, didn't know what to say. Just a small “Oh.” spilled his mouth.

Daisy had never talked about her dad. She had told Sousa about her mom, Jiaying, but not much outside of the story that she had shared with him about her suffering at the hands of Whitehall.

“He um,” she was obviously trying to find the right words. Did she even want to go down this path with him? 

After a moment of thinking, she said, “he killed my mom… to save me”.

Another “Oh” from Sousa. 

“Daisy, I’m so sor-” 

“No, it's fine. I-” she quickly blinked away tears, “it was a while ago.” there was a beat, and then,

“Plus it was nice to talk to her again. And I wouldn't have without you… you  giving me a little push.” she was smiling fondly now. She put the picture back. 

“About that. I was going to apologize. i feel bad, i could tell it was hard for you and then what happened next-”

“No, no. i-” she turned to smile at him. “I was glad.” she reassured him.  

She hadn't realized how close they were to each other. “Thanks for that”, she said in a whisper. 

Their eyes locked, and she could feel herself blushing under his gaze. Her back ended up against the table, him facing her and the rest of the pictures. He was smiling at her, they were moving closer to each other, Daisy looked down at his lips, and- 

“Is that the rest of the team?” he wasn't looking at her anymore, but in fact the largest picture frame hanging on the wall behind her.

She sighed to herself and closed her eyes.

In it was a picture of the team, Coulson, May, Jemma, Fitz, Yo-yo, Mack, a taller woman, and another man were all beaming at the camera. Again, Sousa could tell the picture was older from Daisy's hair, which was now in a dark bob. She was standing in the middle of everyone, holding the camera.

“Uh yea,” Daisy smiled to herself about how awkward he was. What a dork. 

“That's Bobbi. And that's Hunter.” she said, pointing at the respective characters. 

“They were all part of SHIELD at one point. We were pretty close.” she was smiling fondly now.

She snapped out of her memories that flooded back to her to glance up at Sousa, who, to her surprise, was studying the picture intently. 

She looked at the picture, then back to him, then back to the picture again, trying to figure out what was irking him. 

“Whatt are you looking at?” she said, a teasing tone in her voice. 

“How was this taken? Are you holding the camera? Wouldn’t that be heavy?”

She tried her best to stifle her laugh. She felt bad giggling at him, but she couldn't help it, he was such an old man. 

“Uhh yeah. It's called a selfie. Here, i’ll show you.”

She took her phone out of her back pocket and opened the camera app. She held the phone up and moved closer to him in order to fit them both into the small frame. She blushed as she felt his hand snake around her waist. 

“Smile,” she told him 

With a *click* she had taken the picture. She brought the phone down to inspect the selfie to her liking. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sousa do the same. Again, her face filled with heat as she felt how close he was. His hand was still around her waist.

“We look-,” he hesitated to find the right word, “we look good.” and a pause,

“You look good”.

She blushed. Hard. 

“Thanks”, she said, smiling up at him. Their faces were once again close to each other, and the spot where his hand reached touched a bit of skin on her waist seemed to be on fire. Again, they leaned closer. She wanted to kiss him so bad she could scream-

“Hey guys were about to- ohhh what's going on in here!?” Came a British voice from the door. Simmons. 

Sousa quickly ducked his head to hide his smile. Daisy turned to face her, embarrassment written all over her face. But she was smiling. 

“Yea uhh. We’re about ready.” she said as she busied herself finding her necklace on the table next to the picture she had just put down. 

Simmons backed out of the door to leave, sharing a smile with Sousa. He was also obviously a little embarrassed, but a quick wink from the doctor reassured him. 

He smiled at the floor. He was glad he had found some friends in this weird place. Plus he had met Daisy, which was obviously going well- 

“Do you think you could help me put this on?” Daisy asked him. 

“Course.” he answered. 

Even when their hands touched when slipping the necklace between them Daisy’s stomach flipped flopped. She turned around and moved her long hair out of the way. 

He clasped the necklace around her neck. 

She hurried herself with getting her shoes on, and Sousa struggled to put what he wanted to say to her in words. It took Daisy to get to her second shoe (white nike air forces, very practical) until he spoke. 

“I know you've been hurt and i- i just wanted to let you know that i'm here for you. To talk i mean.” he mustered out. 

She paused, still looking at her shoelace. Shit he thought. He had gone too far. Too fast. Too fast. 

She finally looked up at him. God why was it so hard to read her facial expression. He had overstepped, he felt it- 

She smiled. It was faint. But it was there. She stood and brushed herself off, shoelace forgotten. She paused before starting. 

“Yeah its- its been a hard run these last couple of years. I've lost-” she paused to catch her breath- “I've lost, i don't even know how many people. People I care about. People i- i love.”

He glanced away at this. Mack had mentioned a boyfriend when they were talking about his own ex, Peggy, the other day. Lincoln, he remembered. 

Before he could say anything else, she took a step closer. But instead of leaning in for a kiss, she put her head on his shoulder. A hug. That she desperately needed. 

He hugged her back and closed his eyes. He desperately needed this. They had both gone through a lot, their hearts were worn. But they had each other, and they were grateful. They stood there for a minute, but it felt like seconds until they were interrupted, again.  

A loud pounding came from the door, making them both jump. 

“Come on guys, no funny business. We need to go soon.” it was Mack. 

Daisy rolled her eyes and she pulled away. They both giggled, and she went to her closet for a purse. 

When she had gotten all her things together, she reached for the door handle. 

“Daisy, wait.” Sousa called after her. 

“Yeah?” she turned to smile at him.

“Uhh. your shoes untied” he smiled down at it. 

“Oh! Thanks.” she laughed in embarrassment. 

She swooped down to tie her shoe, and when she straightened up, he was standing closer then he was before.

Without a word, they leaned in to kiss. 

Their lips met softly, and she hardened it by leaning in. 

She got lost in his lips, his touch. She closed her eyes and forgot about the world, the dinner, mack and simm- shit. The dinner. 

She reluctantly pulled away. 

“That was nice,” she said, her eyes still closed, “but we need to go.”

“Right.” 

They walked out of her room, hand in hand. Both with a giddy smile on their faces.

#agents of shield #daisy johnson #daniel sousa #daisysousa #dousy #agents of shield ending #chloe bennet #enver gjokaj #daisy johnson fic #dousy fic #agents of shield fic #gif by me

[dillydedalus]

november reading

how is it november. anyway i mainly descended into asoiaf hell again but there’s some other stuff!

hugo long list anthology vol. 3, lots of people anthology of the hugo long list for sff short stories - like most anthologies, it’s a mixed bag; i skipped a few stories, found a lot fine, liked quite a few (especially those by ursula vernon, sarah pinsker, p. djeli clark & theodora goss). this tends more towards scifi than fantasy, but i generally preferred the more fantasy-ish ones. 2.5/5

heimat: a german family album, nora krug collage-style graphic memoir about krug’s relationship to german identity after moving to the us and marrying a jewish man, focusing on her research into her family history and her grandparents’ actions during the holocaust, collecting images, documents, letters, statements from other family members, etc etc. the collage style is impressively well-done & her use of documents is especially excellent. 4/5

die untalentierte lügnerin, eva schmidt a german book prize nominee about a young woman in austria going thru a personal & familial crisis after dropping out of acting school. it’s intentionally really detached & isolating (e.g. there is absolutely no direct speech/thought in the entire book) but (unintentionally?) also quite boring. the creepy supportive-but-boundary-breaking stepfather is well done. 2/5

a game of thrones, george r. r. martin (#1 asoiaf) y’all.... i missed this series. i know i’m always lowkey obsessed, but reading the books really is a whole ‘nother thing and there are beats that get me in the heart every time (& every time there are beats that feel completely new) & every time i read agot i suddenly and painfully remember how much i love ned & how good he is & how sad. gods. also i want to take everyone who thinks asoiaf is all about being grimdark & edgy & cynical & ‘honourable = dumb’ and shake them like that’s not what they’re saying! littlefinger thinks like that, cersei, tywin and varys. we’re not meant to side with them! we’re meant to side with ned, who is honourable & chooses ‘the madness of mercy’, even if it kills him, which it does. 4.5/5

cosmicomics, italo calvino (tr. from italian by william weaver) honestly this is so hard to describe but it’s basically short stories about the genesis of the universe, the development of earth & life on earth, told from the perspective of a kind of eternal being (called qwfwq i think) who has been around with some other eternal beings with similarly weird names since before there was space, or time, or anything, but these eternal beings also behave & think pretty much like normal humans if they existed on eternal time-scale. it’s really weird & really fun, altho after the 12 stories i was kinda done. also like the gender politics in this are super eyeroll-y so be aware of that i guess. 3/5

a clash of kings, george r. r. martin (#2 asoiaf) i recently saw a poll on r/asoiaf or something about everyone’s fav book in the series & acok came in last, which i kind of understand - between agot & the absolutely epic and intense asos, it kind of looks like just a transitional book, & while both affc & adwd are kind of polarising, they both have really passionate fans BUT i think acok might actually be my personal favourite in the series. almost all the character’s arcs in this are amazing (arya in harrenhal! sansa figuring out how to cope in KL! theon’s whole mess! tyrion as hand! bran’s last chapter making me cry every single time!) and it has the amazing battle of blackwater bay. so anyway: 5/5

the narrow road to the deep north, richard flanagan (uni) UGH. this is a booker winning (for some reason) novel about australian POWs on the death rail, which is not entirely uninteresting & not something i’ve read anything about before but a) the writing is bad, b) flanagan tries really hard to be incredibly profound & it’s not working, c) half the story isn’t even about the POW camp but about our noble self-sacrificial hero dorrigo ‘manly resolve’ evans, who is a serial cheater & in his feelings about his ~true love for his uncle’s wife which like... who cares!!! in retrospect our discussion in class brought out some interesting aspects about the book & especially what we are meant to think about dorrigo evans but i still dislike it. 1.5/5

bad blood: secrets and lies in a silicon valley startup, john carreyrou the absolutely wild story of startup/total scam theranos by the investigative journalist who originally exposed their total scamminess. it’s sad that there’s so little insight into elizabeth holmes (steve jobs reborn/scammer in chief) and her motivation but oh well. my fav scene was elizabeth holmes giving every employee a copy of a coelho book & telling them she was starting a religion. 3/5

emma, jane austen another austen that is both incredibly delightful and incredibly frustrating in a lot of ways, which i think is partially intentional (although the intense classism never really gets challenged, just emma’s flawed way of enacting classism) - emma herself is often frustrating, misguided, arrogant, but her situation is so dismal and stifling, so many people around her so dull and wearying and demanding, that i couldn’t help but feel for her. sure, the romance is a bit #problematique, and the classism is a lot, but i think the heart of this is emma trying to find a way to exist in highbury, recognise that a) jane fairfax is great but b) she doesn’t have to be like jane fairfax, and that a) yes, she is responsible for her father but b) her father doesn’t have to be her whole life, and that she probably should just let poor harriet smith do what she gonna do. 4/5

the need, helen phillips i think what this book (and fever dream) really confirmed for me is that if i ever have kids, my ocd will go into infernal nightmare mode. anyway. this is a pretty good, pretty scary thriller about molly, working at an excavation site that seems to hold a lot of fossils and artefacts that are just a lil wrong, while also being stressed as hell about her two young children. the book opens with a truly terrifying sequence, switching from molly at her job to molly putting the kids to bed and hearing something that sounds a lot like an intruder (but she’s probably just paranoid right???). the rest of the book doesn’t quite live up to that, but it’s still pretty cool. 3/5

a storm of swords (asoiaf #3), grrm this book is just one thing after the other, in a really good way, in that every time something big & huge happens you read the next chapter or two and something else big & huge happens. read for handless & noseless the lannister boys, not one or two but three contenders for top post on r/weddingshaming, the infamous arya burrito, jon snow inventing cunnilingus in a cave, vengeance zombies, the most emosh snowcastle ever, and just. feelings everywhere. 5/5 thank you for my life grrm

exquisite cadavers, meena kandasamy kandasamy’s last novel (when i hit you) is a kinda autofiction-y novel, closely based on her own abusive marriage but also a novel & the fact that much of the reception has focused on her own traumatic experiences rather than as her novel as a work of literature frustrated kandasamy, as she says in the author’s note here, so she decided to write a story and include her commentary on how it relates (& doesn’t) to her own life in the margin. but rather than straightforward explanation, the margin notes, told by meena (herself? the author-persona? something else?) become their own story, often going on tangents only tenuously connected with the ‘main’ story. i love this conceit & i think in parts of this book it works really really well & it’s interesting how each part informs your reading of the other & how to read the margins as someone whose academic training & inclination tend toward death of the author (one of the characters dislikes barthes lol). sadly i don’t think there’s not enough meat to the story-part to make it more than an interesting experiment. 3.5/5

currently read a feast for crows (of course) and a brief history of seven killings which is... a bit of a slog to be honest sorry :(

#the books i read #long post

[abrunettefangirlnerd]

Third Wheel

Request: you’re cast in the next spiderman movie, everyone thinks tom and zendaya are dating and you’re 3rd wheeling/hanging around them to cover it up, but really it’s zendaya covering you guys

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

(Y/N) = Your name

(Y/Fav/F) = Your favorite food

Warnings: None

             The lights beam hot on your skin. If only this was a tanning bed. You think to yourself glancing down at your ghost white arms. Folks back home will get a kick on how washed out you look on the tv. Your brother will never let you live this down. Though what else do they expect? This is your first big movie and you’ve never been on live tv interviews.

“So (Y/N), tell us. Are your costars Tom and Zendaya dating?” Jimmy Fallon flashes you a watt winning smile.

“Well,” you nervously glance at them sitting to your left. You’re on the couch with Tom and Zendaya is in the single chair. A warm hand glides on yours for a split second. Tom.

“Come on (Y/N), if anyone knows it’s you.” He urges.

Smiling you answer, “you’re right Jimmy. I’m with them all the time so if they are dating, they do one hell of a job hiding it.” You laugh to lighten to mood, when in reality you are freaking out.

             Jimmy directs the technology crew to put a picture up for us all to see. It is a zoomed-in picture of Tom and Zendaya with locked arms smiling. What they did was zoom in enough where no one could see you on the other side of Tom also hooking arms. Media is ridiculous and desperate for any story. Judging by the smile on their faces, and you currently being wiped out of the picture, anyone would start to think that they are a thing.

             As a response you jokingly tease about how they conveniently left you out of the pictures from that day. And assured the audience that you are positive they are not together.

“So you don’t expect anything going on even when you, oh lets say, excuse yourself to use the ladies room?” He presses.

Damn what is his problem? Though this was expected. The whole world wants them together. What else is better than having two co-stars to fall in love when their characters are expected to? Apparently nothing.

“Sorry to disappoint but,” Zendaya gets up and wraps her arm around you, “we usually visit the ladies room together.” She teasingly winks before bursting into laughter. “Sorry folks, (Y/N) you are beautiful but I don’t roll that way.”

“Good to know,” you follow the laughter. “I don’t either.”

             The interview goes on a little longer. Most questions from then on are mostly directed to Tom or Zendaya. Every once in a while you would add some of your own commentary but for the most part you stay quiet. Still a little shaken up from your last question you feel Tom’s worried gaze on you every so often.

             You both hate keeping your relationship a secret but it is what is best for right now. This is your first time in the lime light and there is already so much pressure and invasion of privacy from the paparazzi. So you and Tom agreed that it would be best to keep your relationship under wraps, at least till you were ready.

             It’s not like you didn’t want everyone to know. You wanted to scream it off every building in the world so people would stop day dreaming about him with Zendaya. Both of you knew that once the news was out, the little privacy and quiet you had would be almost gone. Zendaya of course is amazing about this. To help us out she always tags along on our little adventures that are unavoidable by reporters. But instead of the worlds seeing three friends hanging out, you have become the third-wheel to the universal ship.

             The lights turn off as the show cuts to commercial. The crew runs around setting things up for their next guest. You feel a pair of hands directing you off stage to the back. Once out of view, strong arms loop around you and you meet a firm chest. Finally you breath and hug Tom back.

“You did great up there (Y/N).” Tom assures you kissing your forehead.

“God if Zendaya didn’t intervene,” you take a deep breath before continuing. “That was terrifying Tom. I am so glad you are here. Please don’t let them put me back out there.” You giggle, slightly kidding.

             Tom kisses your forehead again before leading you and Zendaya to the car. With all three of you in the car the conversation was lively. Zendaya always has a way to make everyone laugh, which was exactly what you needed.

“Not that we want anyone to know, but really how could anyone think Tom and I could ever be a thing.” She laughs and you knit your eyebrows together in confusion. “Oh please (Y/N)! You should see the way Tom looks at you. It’s like you put him into some sort of trance.” You and Zendaya laugh as Tom coughs in embarrassment.

“Thanks for that Z.” Tom shoots fake daggers at her with his eyes making you all laugh more.

             The car pulls up to Tom’s apartment and before getting out he turns to you and asks if you want to come up. You tell him you do and take the car around the block once more after him. Stupid precaution for reporters. You huff to yourself.

“So when are you two going to go public?” Zendaya spits out.

“What?” You ask startled.

“Look girl, I love you both and I don’t mind keeping this up for as long as you need,” she shifts to look at me with her best “mom” look. “But if I were you I wouldn’t be okay with everyone in the world wanting my boyfriend with my best friend.”

             You nod knowing she’s right. You hate that everyone thinks they are together. Before getting out the car you promise to talk to Tom about this tonight.

             Entering into Tom’s apartment you notice he’s already in his pj bottoms and white t-shirt. You come up behind him in the kitchen and hug him from behind. Inhaling his scent you notice he’s making (Y/Fav/F). You stand on your tip toes and kiss the back of his neck.

“I’m going to go change.” You tell him slipping into the bedroom.

             While in there you strip down to your underwear and bra. Going for the drawer containing your pajamas you stop and notice your refection in the mirror. Forgetting the clothes you walk toward the mirror and rake your eyes over your body.

             Tracing your fingers over your arms down to your stomach you feel and push the soft tissue. Maybe I should work out more. You think to yourself. You’re not fat, but not thin either. Not exactly curvy, well what most people would constitute as curvy. Staring at your refection you conclude that you’re nothing special. This isn’t exactly news to you, you’ve been reminded through your life that you don’t have much to look at.

             You’re taken back by the sudden opening of the door. You race to the drawer and sift through the clothes trying to slow your breathing. Silently you pick out your pajamas and slip them on before turning around.

“(Y/N)” Tom was cut off by the sound of your phone ringing.

             Immediately your hand searches through your bag retrieving your phone. Glancing at the caller you groan. Really? She always had impeccable timing. You slide your finger accepting the call from your mom.

“Hey mom.” You breathe.

“Hey sweetie! That gown you had on tonight was beautiful!” She isn’t wrong. The dress your producers sent over for you was amazing. It illuminated bigger breasts and curves you did not have. Something about the color red just always fit well on you.

“Thank you mo-“ She interrupts you.

“Now tell me the dirt.” She pauses, “are Tom and Zendaya really together?”

“Mom!” You shout as you stifle back tears.

“Oh you can tell me! She’s so beautiful and he’s so handsome.” You silently agree with her, it’s the truth. Why deny it? “Honey, I know you really like him but you can’t deny the chemistry those two have!”

             You’re silently crying now. The warm tears streak your cheeks and immediately a hand rubs your back in soothing circles. Tom was always really good about being there when you needed him, even if he didn’t understand what was going on. You tell your mom that you have to make dinner and that you’ll call sometime tomorrow.

             After you hang up the call you throw the phone on the bed and walk into the kitchen. You occupy your mind by concentrating on dinner. Tom’s footsteps follow shortly behind you and stop at the counter. His gaze burns into your back and you suddenly wish you could vanish into thin air.

“(Y/N)” he starts soft. You don’t answer and he comes around and turns you to face him.

             The sight of your tear stained face melts Tom to his very core. Without another word he engulfs you into a hug. As you cry he reassures you that everything is okay, that everything will be okay.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” You manage to get out while calming down your breathing.

“Don’t be sorry (Y/N), please babe just tell me what is going on.” He pleads.

“It is so stupid,” you huff while wiping your tears. “I was just thinking about how everyone wants you with Zendaya and when I was changing I couldn’t help but wonder what on earth it is that you see in me. I’m not as curvy as other girls, I’m not as thin as Zendaya. Even my own mother thinks it’s preposterous that you would want me when you could have her instead and-” you’re interrupted when Tom’s lips crash into yours.

             A burning desire originates in your stomach and floods to every inch of your body. You loop your arms around Tom’s neck bringing him in closer. Next thing you know Tom grabs ahold of the back of your thighs and lifts you up on the cool counter. But as soon as you’re on the counter you both slow down. Instead of it being fast and rough, Tom tries to make them slow and sweet.

             His lips leaves yours as they land on your collar bone and slowly trails up your neck. He gently kisses each cheek, your nose and finally your forehead. Placing each one so delicately as if he was kissing each pedal of a flower.

“Please don’t,” he puts his forehead against yours. “Please (Y/N), never say that again. I want to be with you. Screw what the rest of the world wants because you are all that matters to me, and it’s important that you know that.”

“I do,” you place a soft kiss on his lips once more. “I love you Tom.”

             That’s the first time you’ve ever said that to him. You were worried it was going too fast and you wanted to slow down, but you couldn’t deny how you feel anymore. Even if he doesn’t say it back you know how much you matter to him, but he had to know.

“I love you too babe.”

#tom holland #tom holland x reader #peter parker x reader #peter parker #spider-man #fanfic #fluff #avengers #love

[silasnce]

How about the crew find (rescue? capture? you decide friend or foe) a djinn and each paladin +Coran gets a wish. But as you know wishes from djinn tend to be tricky and not always do you end up with what you want. (fav characters to focus on would be Lance or Hunk but go with whoever inspires you)

“Jinn is an Arabic collective noun deriving from the Semitic root jnn (Arabic: جَنّ / جُنّ‎, jann), whose primary meaning is “to hide” or “to conceal”. Some authors interpret the word to mean, literally, “beings that are concealed from the senses”.” (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn)

I just gotta say. This was been a really great prompt, so thank you for sending it in? Really creative idea! It was fun to work with. :D

Also… This flew into hance territory. I have no regrets.

Send me a ship/prompt.

Thanks to @spicygenou for being the best beta!

The second moon was just beginning to set when the castle touched down onto the surface of the rocky planet they’d just saved from a rather large fleet of Galra. White light tinged the horizon as the sun began to rise, painting blue arcs high in the planet’s atmosphere. After the castle’s doors opened, Lance’s eyes blew wide open at the sight, and a weak whistle drifted from his lips in appreciation. The paladins slowly disembarked, expecting to be greeted by the inhabitants of Obscura only to find…nothing?

“Where is everyone?” Lance asked, moving to look around on either side of the castle’s entrance.

Allura frowned, “Coran, didn’t you say that this planet was inhabited? There’s nobody here.”

“I’m most certain that it is, Princess,” Coran replied from where he stood just inside the castle doors.

Pidge fiddled with her helmet before sucking in a sharp breath, “Oh, it’s inhabited all right. Flip on your thermal lenses, guys.”

Lance did so along with the rest of the team. A strangled yelp caught in his throat as the stretch of empty, rather warm land before them filled with the freezing temperature signatures of a mass of hidden bodies.

“Okay. I don’t know about you guys, but that’s freaky,” Hunk wheezed, taking a small step back.

Coran perked up, “Ah! They’re camouflaged then? The Djinn are quite an interesting people. By cooling their cores to freezing temperatures, a Jinni is able to become unseen to the naked eye.”

“Wait. Genie? As in like… living in a lamp and granting wishes kind of genie?” Lance tugged his helmet off, holding it against his hip as he turned to properly look at the older Altean.

“What? Who would-? No matter. I don’t know about living in a lamp, but-!”

“We welcome you, Paladins of Voltron.”

Coran quieted at being interrupted by a deep, booming voice, and the rest of team stilled, attention drawn back towards the large group of concealed aliens before them. Two bodies had warmed up considerably. The rest of the paladins removed their helmets to see two rather tall ones approaching them with all the grace and dignity befitting royals. They were androgynously humanoid in appearance, wearing a clinging, sheer type of clothing that matched the blue hues of their bodies. Their skin appeared to be inked with black lines that swirled and formed pictures that couldn’t quite be made out at their current distance from the group. Both appeared to be completely hairless, and small spikes were visible on their hips, shoulders, outer forearms, and calves as they drew closer.

Allura stepped forward to greet them, raising her chin slightly with a placating smile, “I am Princess Allura of Altea and pilot of the Blue Lion.”

The taller of the two Djinn spoke, their voice rough around the edges, “I am Ifrit, High Priest of Obscura, and this is my soul shard, Marid. Princess Allura of Altea, what is it you seek here on Obscura?”

“Allies. We’d be eternally grateful if you would join our fight against Zarkon. In return, we offer you and your planet protection from the Galran Empire.”

Ifrit and Marid stopped ten feet away from the paladins. A crackling noise sounded from the back of Marid’s throat, a smile curling at the corner of their mouth. Ifrit matched their partner’s smile, “Perhaps, we will accept your offer. However, we have a condition we’d like you and your companions to complete before we agree to join you.”

“What is this…condition?”

“We ask that you and your companions join us on our migration to our temple, so the ancients may bestow a celestial blessing upon each of you.”

“A celestial blessing? Allura, I’m not so sure about this. We weren’t even supposed to-” Keith began but was immediately shushed by Coran.

“This is a magnificent opportunity! I’ve read that receiving a blessing from the Djinn is a thing that could only be dreamed about! We simply can’t pass this up, Princess!” He clasped his hands together, giving his best impression of a begging puppy. “Please?”

Allura glanced over the faces of the other paladins, her eyes holding her question.

Did they wish to go through with this?

Pidge adjusted her glasses, “I kind of want to learn a bit more about the people here.”

“I’m in,” Lance said, cocking his hip to the side, “Where I come from, blessings are good.”

Keith sighed through his nose before grumbling, “Fine. What could go wrong?”

The last paladin looked nervous but nodded, “Alright. I don’t feel so good about this though…”

Allura turned back to the High Priest, “We accept your condition.”

“Thank you, Princess. My people are most appreciative,” Ifrit lifted their hands up on either side of themself. At the action, the rest of the Djinn slowly came into view as they warmed their bodies and greeted the paladins with cheers before turning and starting the hike towards a distant mountain that seemed so large it disappeared into the thick clouds that were swarmed above it. The High Priest motioned for the team to come before following after their people. Marid’s smile grew, but they didn’t utter a word. They turned and began to hike along as well, Coran urging the paladins to go on ahead of him while promising to catch up–someone needed to lock up the castle after all.

The journey to the mountain ended up taking two days, followed by an additional day spent waiting for Coran to arrive. Once he caught up to them, the team and their Djinn companions finally entered the giant gates built at the base of the sacred mountain. As soon as the stone and wooden gates creaked open, revealing the gorgeous architectural feat that was this temple carved into the side of the mountain, the team was blown away.

“Oh, wow… It… This all looks like what the Mayans built back on Earth, doesn’t it, Lance?” Hunk mumbled in awe, chestnut brown eyes drinking in their surroundings as they all began to ascend the mile long set of stairs to enter the temple.

“Yeah… Think the Djinn ever visited Earth and taught them how to build this kind of thing?” Lance questioned.

“I’drathernotthinkaboutthat!” Hunk visibly shivered as his face paled mildly.

Pidge frowned, “Actually, I’m not so sure that could’ve happened. I haven’t seen a single piece of modern technology on these guys. Can’t exactly make contact with an alien civilization if you have no way to leave the planet.”

“My people have no need to create technology,” Ifrit spoke up from behind them, causing the three of them to whip around in surprise and stumble over the steps before righting themselves. The High Priest continued as if they didn’t just startle the three paladins. “The ancients provide all that we need.”

Pidge raised a skeptical brow, “All you need, huh? What about defense against the Galra? If we hadn’t shown up��”

Ifrit’s secretive, confident smile caused her to trail off into silence. “Tell me, Paladins. How did you know to come to our aid?”

“…What do you mean?” Hunk asked slowly.

“My people don’t have the technology to send for help. How did you know we required your assistance?”

The three paladins exchanged confused looks before Pidge answered. “We showed up by chance. We were set to visit Herathia, but when we made the jump, the wormhole malfunctioned. When we popped out here, we saw your planet surrounded. Of course, you needed help.”

All of them were stopped on the stairs now, other people simply walking around them. Lance’s brows furrowed, his eyes on Ifrit’s. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Crackling, similar to how Marid’s had sounded before, came from Ifrit’s throat before they stated, “The ancients provide all that we need.”

The three’s eyes followed  in shocked silence as Ifrit continued up the steps. Hunk leaned close to Lance once the High Priest was far enough away and whispered, “Dude, their laugh is so weird.”

Lance couldn’t stop the grin that stretched across his face, “That noise is supposed to be a laugh? It sounds like someone wringing out an empty plastic bottle.”

Hunk curled forward and placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder as he shook with laughter, trying to keep it quiet.

A giggle slipped out of Pidge that she quickly stifled. “C’mon, guys. We need to keep going.”

They begrudgingly started up the stone steps once more, picking up their pace to catch back up with Keith and Allura. The pair had set out quickly, so by the time they caught up, Allura and Keith were already at the top, conversing with Ifrit while they waited for the others. Marid stood at Ifrit’s side, silent as ever. Lance didn’t want to admit how unnerved he was about how the other Jinni hadn’t talked once during their journey.

Pidge sat down as soon as she reached the last step, releasing an exaggerated groan. Hunk joined her, laying back on the ground. He asked, “Are we staying up here for a while? I don’t think I’m ready to walk back yet.”

“I never wanna walk again,” Lance said as he sat down on Hunk’s other side. A thin hand placed itself on his head from behind, causing Lance to twist around to see who it was. Marid offered him a small smile before removing their hand only to use it to motion that he follow them. Lance stood, glancing over to Allura and Keith. Allura nodded to him, assuring him it was something he should do. Keith looked mildly uncomfortable but stiffly moved to follow as well. He nudged Hunk gently with the toe of his boot along the way, “C’mon, big guy.”

Hunk groaned but stirred in order to get up. Pidge frowned, “What about me?”

“You’ll be staying with me,” Allura answered before turning to Coran, “You, however, will be joining them.”

“Splendid!” Coran jogged to catch up to Keith, Lance, and Hunk as Marid led them into the temple. They all slowed as the heavy, stone doors opened for them seemingly on their own. The inside of the temple didn’t appear to be any different than most underground caves they’d been in before except for one detail: the walls were lit by the soft, white glow of paint; closer inspection revealed that the paint was intricately designed,  depicting looming, featureless figures with blank eyes that, though stationary, seemed to track their every move as they walked further into the temple. The group gaped in unabashed awe as they were lead deeper inside.

Lance paused in front of one of the figures, finding  it to be strangely familiar. He felt the ridiculous urge to reach up and touch it, but somehow, he managed to keep his hands to himself. Instead, he spoke up to grab their escort’s attention, “Marid, what are these?”

Marid paused, turning towards him. They didn’t say anything but made their way to Lance’s side to stare up at the figure he had stopped in front of. The rest of the group slowly wandered over as well. Marid raised their hands, sliding their chilled fingers into the chestnut locks of Lance’s hair as they gripped his head. Lance’s eyes widened, “Um?”

Marid made a show of closing their black eyes slowly. Lance nervously closed his eyes, his mind suddenly assaulted with several images of writhing, dark figures amongst the vastness of space. His whole body tensed, but he stubbornly kept his eyes closed. The dark figures began to chant inside of his head in a tongue he had no hope of ever understanding. Their empty eyes glowed as they reached out to him, but a low growl at the back of his mind kept them at bay. A smile flitted over Lance’s lips as he mentally thanked his lion for her concern and assured her that he was okay. He opened his eyes as Marid’s fingers slid away. Marid smiled before glancing up at the painted figure. Lance felt the air rush from his lungs as realization hit him.

“These…are the ancients Ifrit talked about,” he whispered.

Marid’s smile grew before they turned and continued down into the caverns. Lance noticed that more Djinn had joined them in walking through the temple during the time his eyes were closed. Hunk pressed close to his side, asking in excited whispers about what had just happened. Despite trying to seem uninterested, Keith walked closer as they continued after Marid to listen in as well. Lance filled them in on what happened, and Coran seemed especially interested. Lance had to cut his retelling short, however, for they were led into a narrower tunnel leading to a small cavern. The only thing in the space was a stone slab bearing bowls filled with a cloudy, unknown liquid.

Marid picked up one of the bowls, the glowing, white substance within hardly stirring with how viscous it was. Their eyes settled on Keith before they lifted a hand, beckoning him to step forward. Keith did so, the temporary black paladin seeming to know what was going to happen as he closed his eyes. Marid dipped two of their fingers into the bowl before lifting them to his face. Eyes narrowed and focused on their task, they drew rigid lines over his cheeks and forehead. Keith’s black-violet eyes blinked open when Marid finished. He stepped away to let someone else step up.

Coran bounded forward, letting Marid start on him. Lance slid over to Keith to look over his face. His lips parted around the breath that left him, “Woah…”

Keith’s mouth twisted into a nervous frown, “What?”

“It looks like your lion.”

Keith’s brows furrowed questioningly, “Red?”

“N-no. I mean the bl-”

“Shiro’s lion.”

“Yeah,” Lance mumbled lamely, choosing to look away and drop the conversation. Instead, he watched as Coran’s face was decorated in a different fashion. He snickered when it was complete, “Yours looks like a yupper, Coran.”

“I’ll have you know that yuppers are very loyal creatures,” Coran twirled his mustache as he moved out of the way for Hunk to place himself in front of Marid. Hunk’s face was finished soon enough, now covered with the lines of the yellow lion.

Lance clapped his shoulder as he passed, “Lookin’ good, buddy!”

Hunk’s brilliant grin was well worth the small compliment given, and Lance chose to ignore the fluttering just beneath his ribcage at the look. He stilled in front of Marid and closed his eyes. He flinched slightly when their cold fingers touched his skin, but he soon became relaxed as they worked. He had originally thought the gooey substance was going to feel gross, but he found that it was, surprisingly, similar in texture to his face masks. He ended up so relaxed that he didn’t even notice when his face was no longer being touched. Marid’s crackling laugh is what notified him of their absence.

Lance felt his face heat up as his eyes snapped open and embarrassment thrummed through him. He let loose a weak chuckle and turned back to the group. Trying to play it off casually as he rubbed the back of his neck; he cleared his throat and asked, “So, uh… What now?”

“We wait until we’re told to wipe this stuff off,” Keith muttered from where he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“How do you know that?”

“Ifrit.”

“Is that what you and Allura were talking to him about?”

Keith nodded, “He told us what to expect.”

“Care to fill the rest of us in?” Hunk frowned at him, crossing his own arms.

Keith sighed through his nose, “I guess. This stuff is kind of like a temporary tattoo. It’s supposedly symbolic of our individual journeys. Since we’re not natives, we only have to do our faces. These people do their entire bodies.”

“So that’s what that is,” Hunk inched over to Marid, looking over the black lines inked into their skin.

“It’s their life story,” Keith continued, shifting uncomfortably, “After ours are set, we’re going to join everyone else by some kind of pool that’s sacred to them and get our blessings.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Lance cocked his hip to one side.

“We each have to drop some blood in it and tell it something that we desire. If ‘the ancients’ approve, we’ll get what we ask for. If not, nothing happens.”

“Eck!” Hunk’s face twisted in disgust, “Blood? Why’s it gotta be blood?”

“I don’t know,” Keith rolled his eyes, “This is their thing. I’m not sure if I even believe anything’s going to happen.”

Marid frowned at that, obvious displeasure crossing their face, but their lips remained sealed. Keith averted his gaze sheepishly once he noticed the look, hunching his shoulders with an apology sitting on the tip of his tongue. Marid didn’t give him the chance to verbalize his thought, instead she picked up a piece of cloth from the table and turned to Hunk, using it to wipe the white goo from his face. Lance’s jaw dropped when he saw that the lines revealed under it were a vibrant yellow.

“Holy crow! That’s awesome!” He practically skipped over to Marid to have his removed next, then turned to the yellow paladin with a grin after Marid finished with him.

“Oh, man! That’s so cool! How much would you bet that Pidge is already planning on swiping some of this stuff for later?” Hunk grabbed Lance’s face, turning it this way and that to really get a gander at the now scarlet lines inked onto his skin.

“I bet she’s already squirreled some away. That gremlin,” Lance pushed Hunk’s hands away with a laugh.

The two of them watched as Marid removed Coran’s, revealing his color to be a light blue with pink undertones. Keith’s were violet, almost black, matching his eyes near perfectly. After that, they were given clothes to change into. Marid left them alone to do so, waiting at the end of the narrow tunnel with their back turned to the group.

“This is…” Keith’s nose scrunched up as he looked down at himself, “awful.”

The clothing was similar to what they’ve seen the rest of the Djinn wearing; sheer, clinging material that covered just enough to be decent. As it turns out, the cloth changed color on its own to match the skin tone of its wearer, something Hunk and Coran were fascinated with.

“We could totally try to reverse engineer this to blend in with surroundings. Maybe even make it look less like cloth on the skin? We could try to put these properties on something similar to our flight suits! Imagine! A cloaking device… not just your lion but for you!” Hunk practically had stars in his eyes at the possibilities.

“That’s a fantastic idea, number two! Maybe I could help design the suits? I was very fashion forward back in my day,” Coran smiled, chest puffing up proudly.

“Oh, yeah! Totally, Coran!”

Lance twisted around as he looked down at his body, trying to gauge how he looked. Eventually, he lifted his gaze to Keith and held his arms out to either side of himself, “What d’ya think? I look alright?”

“Why are you asking me?” Keith frowned, still feeling mildly self conscious, but his eyes trailed over Lance’s form quickly before retraining their gaze elsewhere.

“C’mon, Keith! I don’t wanna look bad for the ladies,” he waggled his eyebrows with a mirthful grin.

Keith scoffed before answering, “You look like you usually do. Just in weird clothes.”

“So handsome? Charming? A total catch that’s able to pull off weird, alien clothes? Awesome. Thanks, pal!” Lance laughed as Keith sputtered.

After everyone was dressed, Lance led the way up the tunnel to where Marid still stood waiting for them. The Jinni looked them all over, adjusting the clothes as they saw fit before leading the group away and into the deeper parts of the temple. It gradually grew darker the farther in they went. After several minutes, the group’s attention was drawn to a bright light at the end of the longer tunnel they had headed down. Marid’s pace sped up mildly, anticipation knitting their face as they drew closer. The paladins faltered once they exited the tunnel, mouths agape.

The tunnel spilled out into a rather large cavern, its walls lines with glowing, moss-like plants. Djinn already filled the area, but the crowd parted for them at their entrance, revealing a glistening waterfall in the center of the room spilling soundlessly from a large opening in the ceiling into a pool of silvery water lit by a ray of radiant sunlight from above. Marid tugged Lance’s arm lightly, hoping to keep them moving. Lance shook his head to get out of his stupor and stumbled forward. The others trailed behind, wide eyes still taking in everything that was to be seen.

Allura and Pidge were already kneeling at the water’s edge. Lance sat himself beside Allura, turning his head to take in the blue lion’s face marked onto her own. Leaning forward, he was able to glimpse the emerald lines of Pidge’s tattoo as well. Pidge caught him looking and smiled brightly, pointing to her face and then to his with raised brows. He grinned back, giving her thumbs up.

“My people!” Ifrit’s voice echoed from the other side of the pool, the crowd hushing immediately as their attention was drawn to their leader. “The time has come for the ancients to grant our saviors the greatest gift we could possibly offer. Paladins of Voltron, may the ancients provide for you.”

The Djinn surrounding them began to stomp their feet rhythmically as Ifrit circled around the pool toward where Coran sat,  just opposite of Lance. Once at Coran’s side, the High Priest offered him a thin blade. The rhythm of the masses quickened as Coran raised his hand to accept the knife. As soon as the chilled metal left Ifrit’s palm, the crowd stilled, leaving only silence to ring through the damp air.

“Thank you,” Coran mumbled, carefully scooting himself just a bit closer to the water’s edge. Taking a deep breath, he slid the knife quickly over his palm and held his cut hand out over the surface of the water. He closed his eyes, murmuring his wish beneath his breath. His blood dripped down and collided with the pool’s surface. As the water rippled, it flashed a deep blue before returning to its original silver color. Coran slowly retracted his hand and opened his eyes. After blinking a couple of times, he wiped the blade clean with his garments and passed it along to Hunk.

Hunk nervously took the tool, grimacing as he, too, sliced his palm and carried out the rest of the ceremony as Coran had just demonstrated. Lance waited patiently. From Hunk, it was passed to Pidge,  then from Pidge to Allura. Lance, being close enough to listen in, heard what Allura wished for: to permanently defeat Emperor Zarkon and begin to bring peace to the universe. He couldn’t help the soft smile that touched his face. Allura met his eye as she handed him the knife, offering him her own smile as she whispered, “Couldn’t hurt to try.”

Lance took the knife, turning his attention to the pool of water before him. Despite the late order of his turn, he still hadn’t decided just what to wish for. There were several things he could easily pick. He could wish for miscellaneous things like proper skin care products or an actual cheeseburger, or he could ask for something heavier like what Allura had wished for. His mouth twisted into a pout as he considered the possibilities, eyes trailing to the simplistic knife in his hand. It was sleek, sharp, and entirely black. He needed to cut himself and just make a request already. His mind wandered to his fellow companions.

He had no idea what it was Coran could’ve asked for. Hunk probably asked for something food-related-he’d been having trouble getting burgers to come out right with the alien ingredients he’d collected so far. Pidge most definitely wished to find her missing family members. Keith was probably going to wish for Shiro back with how he’d been since the black paladin’s disappearance. As he turned those ideas over in his mind, he absentmindedly slit his palm. He closed his eyes slowly as he stretched his hand out over the water. He would just go with the first thing that hit him.

“I wish I could speak to my family again…” the blue paladin found himself whispering. He opened his eyes, retracting his hand before cleaning the blade on the sheer cloth covering him, as the others did before him, and passed it to Keith.

If Keith had heard Lance’s wish, he didn’t comment on it. He quickly did what he needed to do and made his wish. The words were rushed, but Lance heard them all the same.

“I wish to find Shiro.”

Lance had to purse his lips to keep himself from shouting to the world that he just knew Keith was going to ask for that.

Ifrit walked to Keith, taking the knife from him, and thus, the ceremony was complete. Ifrit thanked the paladins and confirmed that they would do all they could for the coalition when the time came. Marid pressed their cheek affectionately against Ifrit’s, before they led the group to gather the clothes they’d came in. Then, the paladins were escorted from the temple grounds and back toward the Castle of Lions, as the Djinn were due to stay at their temple for a few seasons to worship the ancients.

None of them mentioned their wishes after they left the planet. As time  passed, most of them seemed to forget about the ceremony entirely until the day Keith actually did find Shiro. Keith was a mess upon getting back to the hangar. Tears stained his cheeks as he lugged Shiro’s unconscious body out of the lion’s jaw and towards the medbay.

Everyone decided that it was just how determined Keith had been to find Shiro. He had put most of his effort into finding the black paladin, and it had paid off. There was no possible way that it was their wishes being granted. At least not until Pidge found her brother.

“It’s just my brother, though,” Pidge crossed her arms with a frown, “I asked to find my dad too.”

Everyone else had glanced uncertainly between each other but decided to pass it off as the green paladin also giving it her all to find her family. Hard work and luck; that’s all it was.

Then, there was Lotor joining their side. Zarkon was killed and officially ruled dead. Pidge found her father. Her father took messages from the paladins back to Earth. Keith’s wish. Allura’s wish. Pidge’s wish. Even Lance’s wish. They were all granted. Not granted in the ways they thought they’d be, but they were provided nonetheless, even with their downsides: Keith had left Team Voltron, feeling he no longer had a place amongst them, not even at Shiro’s side; the Galra Empire was a mess of revolts, numerous Galra furious and unwilling to bow to Lotor as their new emperor; Pidge’s father left for Earth almost as soon as she had gotten him back, as her brother and she knew they needed to stay behind for the good of the universe; and Lance wasn’t able to talk to his family directly or hear their voices. He supposed a pass-along message was better than none, but it hurt to know he couldn’t see them. He regretted not making his wish more specific.

Coran ended up getting his wish not too long after. He ran into the common area in tears, holding a tablet that acted as a photo album that he had thought was long gone. Allura hugged him tight before they all sunk down onto the couches to listen to him regale tales about the people and places in each picture. It was the first time in a long time they felt so close to one another.

Later that night, Lance approached Hunk’s room and knocked on his door lightly. He didn’t want to wake the yellow paladin if he was sleeping. However, he didn’t need to worry after all, for the door slid open moments after Lance had knocked. Hunk’s brows raised in mild surprise before he stepped back to allow Lance inside. Lance stepped past him, and the doors whirred as they closed behind him.

“Hey,” he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

“What’s up, Lance? Something wrong?” Hunk asked, sitting down on the floor beside his bed.

Lance shook his head before sitting down beside him, leaning back against the bed. “No. Nothing’s wrong. I just… was wondering about something.”

Hunk was quiet for a moment before asking, “What about?”

“What did you wish for back on Obscura?”

The yellow paladin seemed taken aback by the question. “I-isn’t it like bad luck to tell other people what you wished for? Isn’t that a thing? Tell someone, and the wish won’t come true or something?”

“C’mon, Hunk. The rest of us got our wishes. I just wanna make sure my best bud gets his too.”

Hunk bit into his lower lip nervously, averting his gaze as he thought it over before letting his lip go with a sigh. “Okay…but I don’t want you looking at me when I say it.”

“What?”

“It’s embarrassing. Just close your eyes, Lance.” Hunk frowned, chestnut eyes turning their attention back to the blue paladin.

Lance rolled his eyes but closed them as he’d been asked to. He tried to wait patiently, but the minutes seemed to stretch on. He was just opening his mouth to complain when he felt a pair of hands cup his face and guide him into a soft, hesitant kiss. His eyes snapped open the instant Hunk’s warm mouth pressed over his. His heartbeat thudded wildly against his ribs as a pleasant shiver passed through him. Well, he certainly wasn’t against this. He’d be lying if he said he never thought of doing the same thing before. Hunk’s body felt tense when Lance finally allowed himself to relax into his hold. He let his eyes slip back closed as his lips moved to reciprocate the sweet attention they were receiving.

Hunk was the one to pull away first after a minute, eyes half lidded before widening comically. He scrambled back, beginning to stammer out an apology. Lance’s brows knit together in confusion, “Woah! Calm down. It’s okay…” Lance insisted.

“No, really. We don’t have to speak about this ever again. I-I don’t know what came over me!”

“Hunk!” Lance launched himself forward at the retreating person and grabbed his face, squishing it between his palms, “Listen to me.” Hunk stilled, timid gaze on his. Lance continued, “I’m not gonna lie… I actually really liked that.”

“You did?”

“Shush. Lancey Lance is talking.”

“Sorry-”

“Would you stop apologizing?” Lance frowned before sighing and dropping his hands from Hunk’s face to run one through his hair nervously. “I-is… Was that even the slightest bit related to what you asked for on Obscura…?”

Hunk swallowed nervously, wringing his hands together, “I think? I… I’ve liked you for a while now, Lance. At first, I thought how I felt was just because you’re my best friend. Thought it was normal…until I got closer with Pidge, and she made me realize that how I feel for you is different than just…You know…”

“Oh,” Lance breathed, “What was it that you asked for exactly…?”

“I…wished that you would find your ‘Mrs. Blue Lion’?” A heavy blush coated Hunk’s cheeks, “Felt I could do my bro a solid if nothing else.”

Lance stared for a moment before his eyes screwed shut, laughter wracking his body without warning. As soon as he was able to, he opened his eyes and pulled Hunk into another kiss. Hunk breathed in sharply through his nose at the action but, ultimately, melted into it only for Lance to break it. The smile Lance wore was the softest Hunk’s ever seen him wear.

“Thank you,” Lance whispered, a hair’s width away from his lips still. He meant it. Out of everything Hunk could’ve possibly wished for, he wasted his wish on him of all people. Lance couldn’t help but feel utterly special in this boy’s presence. Butterflies swarmed in his belly, and his heart skipped and stuttered. He leaned forward and pressed another kiss to Hunk’s lips right as the door slid open again.

“Hey, Hunk! I-”

They ripped away from each other quickly, turning to stare wide-eyed at the intruder. Pidge stilled, the light playing off her glasses just right so that they couldn’t make out her exact expression. She slowly lifted the orange, holographic communicator that she had clutched in her hand. A flash momentarily blinded them before she turned tail and ran as fast as she could.

“PIDGE!” Both the yellow and blue paladin leapt into action, racing out the door after her.

They didn’t end up catching her, but Lance and Hunk knew that this night was only the beginning of their newly formed relationship. They could only look forward to what the future might have in store for them. In the end, wishes really do come true.

#hance #prompt #my writing #irethsune

[thefutureunseen]

Three Fandom Tag Game

I was tagged by @dracoterrae9099! Yay! Thanks, girl <3 

Rules: Pick any three fandoms, answer the questions for each, then pass it on.

Hmmm, which three fandoms to choose... It’s so hard! 

Fandoms:

Game of Thrones

The 100

The Vampire Diaries (ah, throwback to the good ole days) 

The first character you loved:

Game of Thrones

- Ned Stark (I was going to say Jon Snow bc he’s my fav, but then I remembered that Sean Bean stole my heart from the first episode. It was like watching Boromir with better morals... which, of course, ripped my heart out doubly at the end of S1. Then in the books too. *soft sobs*)

The 100

- Bellamy Blake (Lol, he was such a d*ck in S1, but I knew from the first moment at the drop ship door with that ridiculously gelled hair that I was gonna love that boy. And I was right.)

TVD

- Stefan Salvatore (that sadboi had me from episode one and my poor teenage heart fell so hard) 

The character you never expected to love so much:

Game of Thrones 

- Sansa Stark (She was fairly annoying in the early seasons, but then survived SO MUCH trauma and became a badass MF and I dig it. She’s awesome.) 

The 100 

- Lexa Kom Trikru / Heda / Commander of My Heart (Another badass female boss. I was so hardcore Bellarke from S1 that when she came in for S2 and made moon eyes at Clarke, I was like “b*tch, wtf?!” Then in S3 she stole my freaking heart and made me a multi-shipper with her magical lesbian powers... And then she was brutally ripped away from us. I’m still not over it and I constantly think about all the amazing stories she could have been part of. It just about kills me. I wanted Bellamy/Lexa friendship. I wanted knowing looks between the two when Clarke did something crazy. *sings softly* “We could have had it all!”) 

TVD 

- Klaus Mikaelson (another sadboi who does stupid AF shit, but has that soft look in his eyes when he’s around one particular person. It gets to me. Enemies to lovers is so cliche, but it’s my favorite. Damn it.) 

The character you relate to the most:

Game of Thrones

-  Jon Snow (What is it with me and these sadbois? F*ck. Anyways, he’s been given the scraps at the bottom of the barrel even though he basically should be king and is still somehow the noblest, most caring person in the whole freaking world. Love that man.)

The 100

- Raven Reyes (This girl is truly an inspiration to me. She’s seen adversity. She’s been shot down, cheated on, pushed aside, and yet she keeps on trucking and is smarter than every other person on the show. Yass queen.) 

TVD

- Bonnie Bennet (I’m sensing a theme here... Bonnie also constantly gets shoved aside for the ‘prettier,’ ‘sexier’ heroine and yet the show would have ended S1 without her. She’s both passionate and level-headed and the only one with common sense in that whole damn universe).  

The character you’d slap:

Game of Thrones

- Theon Greyjoy (I hate him. I’ve never liked him. He was a pos from the first season/book and just got worse. Then he went through some shit and so many viewers miraculously forgave him - yet somehow still bash Sansa - even though he repeatedly acts selfish and betrays people. Ramsay Bolton is a sadistic MF, but Theon... I’ve got one thing to say to you: Karma, MF. Karma.)  

The 100

- Finn Collins (One sadboi I will never understand. Seriously. I cringe every time he opens his mouth.) 

TVD

- Damon “f*cking” Salvatore (I learned to love him in other regards, but this kid was the worst brother of all freaking time. I don’t care which ship you are, I think we can all agree that if your sibling did that to you, you’d be pissed. I know I would! Also, Defan brotp - which I love - was only possible because Stefan decided to be the bigger person. Quite unfair IMO. Like be angry and lose your brother? Or stifle your pain and lose your gf? Damn.) 

Three favorite characters in order of preference:

Game of Thrones

- Jon Snow, Sansa, and Tyrion (I do like Dany in the show, but she bothered me so much in the books that I have a hard time letting that go when I watch the show. As much as I love GOT, GRRM does not understand how to write complex women. Unfortunately.)

The 100

- Raven Reyes, Bellamy Blake, and Lexa kom Trikru (Clarke, Octavia, and Jasper would be next. I love Clarke, but she reminds me too much of myself and I get frustrated with her a lot). 

TVD

- Stefan Salvatore, Bonnie Bennet, and Caroline Forbes. 

A character you liked at first but not anymore:

Game of Thrones

- Rob Stark (I know I’m the only one who feels this way, but DAMN he went downhill fast. Like the dude got himself and his mother killed because he couldn’t keep his d*ck in his pants. It annoys me so much.)

The 100 

- Honestly I can’t think of anyone. I disagree with the way Jasper’s character arc went, but it didn’t make me dislike him. Haha, maybe Charlotte? She was cute until she became a little murderess and took out one of the best characters.

TVD 

- Tyler Lockwood/Matt Donovan (They both were good characters and then they just got pushed to the wayside. They became irrelevant to the main plot so that I just didn’t care about them anymore. Kind of sad, really.)

A character you did not like at first but now you do:

Game of Thrones

- Jaime Lannister (He was an annoying prick and now he’s an annoying prick that is trying to help save the world... so yeah. I like him better now.) 

The 100

- Marcas Kane (I never really disliked him, but I knew he was supposed to be the antagonist. Then he had his whole arc and I was cheering because I didn’t want to see Desmond be anything less than heroic. Oooh, damn. Now I wish I’d chosen Lost as one of my fandoms...)

TVD

-  Damon “f*cking” Salvatore (We have a love/hate relationship, which is not surprising since that’s how all his relationships tend to be. Depending on what he’s doing in the show, I either want to punch him in the face or give him a big hug.) 

Top three ships:

Game of Thrones

- Umm, this is hard because honestly I ship everyone with happiness and life... like please don’t die! But if I had to choose... probably Jonerys just because the two of them meeting was built up for so long. Missandei and Grey Worm... and Sansa/Tyrion, but that is more friendship than anything else. 

The 100

- Bellarke, Clexa, and Raven with literally everyone that makes her smile.

TVD

- Stelena, Bamon, and Klaroline. They were my first introduction into shipping and they’ll always have a special place in my heart. 

I’m going to tag @emakaylee, @hellosstrangerss, @skylorke, and @ anyone else who wants to play along! 

No worries if you’ve already done this or don’t feel like doing it. Just a virtual wave from me to you!

#tag game #game of thrones #The 100 #tvd #the vampire diaries #jonerys #sanrion #bellarke #clexa #raven reyes #stelena #bamon #klaroline

[isntthisenoughwhatwouldbeenough]

TWTTA Chapter 2

A/N: Guess who is finally updating her hamliza fic?! This girl!! Guess who also posted this twice and it was a mess! This girl! I apologize for taking so long to get this up, but it’s here now and I hope you all enjoy it! Nothing really big happens in this chapter. We just see into Eliza’s relationship with everyone, and I think it came about decent enough, I hope so anyway. Also, Thank you for reading this! I’m pretty sure this will be a long fic, so please stick around! Oh! And I’m making a Playlist for this story and I’ll be adding new songs with each chapter I post. I’ll be linking that to each chapter as its posted once it’s ready :) I love you Lovely Wonderful People, I wish the happiest of days!

Chapter 2

Eliza woke up the next morning, feeling slightly light headed, but it was nothing an aspirin and a shower couldn’t fix.

As she swings her legs off the bed, her phone begins ringing. She sees it’s Peggy and smiles.

“Helloo?”

“It’s the best little sister in the world calling!”

“I never would’ve guessed,” Eliza says smirking.

“Ha ha ha, are you coming to have breakfast with me or what?” she says in a playfully annoyed tone.

“I didn’t know I was invited, and isn’t it twelve already?”

“Fine. Brunch then. Come on Betsey! Please!”

“Of course, darling sister of mine, of course,” Eliza smiles and lightly chuckles at her sister.

“Yay!” she says excitedly and Eliza could picture her jumping up and down.

“I’ll need at least an hour to get ready, is that okay?”

“Of course! As long as I get to see you!”

“I feel so important.”

“You are to me, now hurry up!”

They planned on where to meet and said their goodbyes. Eliza got ready quickly, not wanting to keep her sister waiting.

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

Eliza was happy to see that she had arrived first to the little café a few blocks from where she lived. Her sisters hated waiting, she wondered if it was hereditary. Their mother was never very patient, and neither were her sisters. She took more after her father she guessed.

Eliza was taken out of her musings when she heard her name being called. She looked up to see Peggy nearly rushing over to her.

“Eliza!” she exclaimed as jumped into her sisters arms.

Eliza held her tight for a moment before letting go, she sometimes forgot how much she loved spending time with her sisters.

“Did you miss me that much, Peg? I’m not that exciting to be around,” Eliza joked as they released from their embrace.

Peggy gave a signature eye roll as she took her seat and Eliza laughed.

“You know you’re fun to hang out with, so be quiet, and of course I missed you,” she stated with a shake of her head as she picked up her menu.

Eliza never quite understood why Peggy and Angelica made such a fuss over her, but she figured it could just be because they loved her so much.

Now, that she understood she adored her sisters, they were her best friends. They were both incredibly gorgeous, not to mention completely wonderful and strong. She admired them so much.

As they talked and laughed about random things. Peggy looked over at her sister and couldn’t understand why she saw so little in herself. She was so kindhearted and loving. She was smart and funny, she was one of the best people she knew. Peggy and Angelica always tried letting her know how great she was, but Eliza would usually blush and shake her head or laugh the compliments away.

“Is everything okay, Peg? Do I have something on my face?” Eliza asked dabbing her face with a napkin, and checking her clothing for spills.

“No, no, you’re as beautiful as ever,” Peggy smiles at her sister.

“I think you mean as plain as ever,” Eliza laughs.

Peggy shook her head and frowned.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Eliza looked at her younger sister in slight confusion. “You always put yourself down in little ways and I don’t like it. You are beautiful Eliza, whether you choose to believe it or not. It’s a fact.”

Eliza looked taken aback by her sisters small rant, but she looked down and smiled. Her and Angelica were always praising her in some way, and she appreciated it, but she found it unnecessary. She could see that she upset Peggy and hated that so she decided to receive her compliment with a little more grace.

“Thank you, dearest. Your compliments mean the world to me, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Eliza reaches for her sisters hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

Peggy gives her a wary look before smiling and squeezing back.

“It’s okay, just please stop putting yourself down.”

Eliza nods in agreement and Peggy gets up to embrace her sister. Eliza smiles and hugs her hoping Peggy could feel her love and gratitude.

Peggy’s phone began to ring as they pulled away. She looked down to see who it was.

“It’s Laf,” tells Eliza.

“Ummm….” Peggy looks over at Eliza.

“Would you mind if he joined us?”

Eliza shook her head.

“Of course not, he’s more than welcome.”

Peggy smiled and nodded as she told Laf where to meet them. Eliza smiled at the sparkle in her sisters eyes when she spoke to Laf. Eliza had always liked Lafayette, even before he started dating Peggy. He had always been a gentleman and very kind, although he could get a little boisterous if he had one too many.

But his character always proved to be honorable and kind. After he and Peggy started dating she saw a shift in him. It wasn’t anything too drastic it was small, but she could see it. The way he always made sure Peggy was close by in a crowded place and made sure she was comfortable. He was protective of her without being possessive, and he always made her laugh. And one thing that if you weren’t really paying attention you wouldn’t see it, a sparkle in his eye everytime he saw Peggy.

That’s how Eliza knew that he truly cared for her sister and she couldn’t think of anyone better for her darling sister. She deserved the world and Eliza was sure he was the one who would give it to her.

Eliza smiled fondly as she watched the couple embrace. Lafayette had the biggest smile on his face as he picked up Peggy and twirled her around. Eliza laughed at her sisters light giggle, and waited for them to make their way to her.

“Well, if it isn’t the lovely Eliza Schuyler,” Laf said slightly bowing in front of her, as Eliza chuckled.

“And if it isn’t the charming Lafayette,” she replies standing and giving him a curtsy in return. He laughs as she rises and he pulls her into a hug.

“Merci, for letting me join, mon ami,” he says as he takes a seat next to Peggy, placing his arm over her shoulders.

“Of course, we’re all friends right? Why wouldn’t you join us? Besides I like having you around. You keep Peggy distracted while I can sneak in some reading.”

Laf laughs as Peggy has a shocked expression on her face.

“I swear, Eliza, you didn’t bring a book with you when you’re having lunch with me.”

“Of course not Peg, I would never,” Eliza says crossing her heart.

Peggy slightly glares at her sister, before nodding. The three of them sit there chatting for another hour before parting ways. Eliza made a note herself to make more of an effort to spend time with both her sisters.

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

A couple days later, Eliza sees a text from John.

-You want to hang out with your favorite person tonight?

*My favorite person? Why is Herc telling you text me?

Eliza chuckled at his quick reply, she adored John, but he could be slightly cocky at times so she liked to tease him every once in while.

-DON’T PLAY WITH ME LIKE THAT LIZA, YOU KNOW I’M YOUR FAVORITE!

Eliza chuckles at his reply, and shakes her head, he had to use all caps.

*Of course you are John, my absolute favorite person. What are we doing today fav?

-That’s better…I figured we could see a movie or something

*Hmmm, how about a movie and some ice cream afterwards?

-YES I’ll see you in 30

She shook her head again, and grabbed her things.

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

She was surprised to see John outside the theater waiting for her. She was usually the early between the two.

John smiled wide when he saw her, and met her halfway with a tight embrace.

“So, I was your last resort, huh?” Eliza joked as she pulled away.

“Come on Liza, you know you’re my favorite too,” he said with a slight smirk.

“Uh huh, what is everyone else doing?” she questions with her eyebrows raised.

He pursed his lips before sighing.

“Laf and Peg have a date night, Alex had to work on something and Herc had a date,” she nodded smiling, “but I would’ve texted you even if everyone was free!”

“I’m sure you would have, John,” she gave him a pat before starting to walk into the theater.

“Hey,” he says softly, grabbing her arm. “I do think we should hang out more, you’re always a lot of fun and I think we could be even better friends if we tried, you know?” he looks down, rubbing his neck feeling shy.

Eliza softly smiles at him as she places a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

“I always have a lot of fun with you too, John. And I think we’re pretty good friends already, but I’m down for becoming great friends, maybe even best friends.”

He smiles at her, and laughs a little before standing straight and offering her his arm.

“Well, shall we go bestie?”

Eliza laughs as she loops her arm through his.

“Absolutely.”

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

It was 7 a.m. and Eliza’s phone was ringing on her bedside table. She reached over to see Angelica was calling.

“Hey Ange, what’s up?” she asks trying to stifle a yawn.

“Crap, I just woke you up. I’m sorry Betsey.”

“No, no its fine Angie, don’t worry about it. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just wondering if I could come over later? I’ve been writing like crazy and I figured I’d take a day off with my wonderful sister.”

Eliza smiled, Angie loved coming over to her place for two reasons: the snacks and the binge watching Spanish soap operas on Netflix. They always did this together, it had started in high school and continued through college and now.

“Of course you can Angie, I’ll make some snacks and scroll through some options for us to choose from.”

“I love you so much, Betsey. You know you’re like my favorite person, right?”

Eliza chuckles and sits up.

“I love you too, Angie. What time do you want to come over?”

“I’ll give you some more time to sleep and get ready, how about twelve?”

“Sounds perfect, I’ll see you soon Angie.”

“See you soon, Betsey.”

Eliza hung up, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She figured she would just get up, since she was awake. She had to go to the store anyways.

She took a shower, and decided to get breakfast at the café down the street, before heading to the store.

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

As Eliza walked around the store, picking up various items she needed and some just because she knew Angie liked them, she felt her cart bump into someone else’s.

She looks up to apologize to the stranger, but instead finds an all too familiar face.

“Hey Eliza,” Alexander greats her with a surprised smile. Although he wasn’t really surprised at all. He had seen her down the aisle and bumped into her cart on “accident”.

She can’t help but smile back, it was like an instant reaction.

“Hey Alex, grocery shopping?” she asks the obvious question with her eyebrows raised, and her smile still in place.

He chuckles lightly and nods.

“Yeah, I was sent out with a list and specific instructions on what to get. Apparently, if she doesn’t tell me exactly what to get I pick up the wrong thing,” he says as he rolls his eyes.

Eliza giggles and shakes her head, she knew her sister was right, she had been there on plenty of occasions where Alex came home with the wrong thing. It annoyed Angie to no end, so she made sure to be really specific.

“And she sent you all the way to this store specifically, huh?”

Alex looked down as he chuckled, trying to hold the blush on his cheeks back. If he was being completely honest, he knew that Eliza frequented this store and he came on the off chance he might get to see her.

“Yeah, yeah, she wanted some of those weird veggie chips, and they don’t have them at the store closer to our apartment,” he quickly came up with an excuse.

Eliza slowly nodded and held up a bag of the chips he was talking about.

“She’s coming over today, so I just picked some out,” she says laughing. She never noticed Alexander’s blush, or his relief when she believed his lie. She never had any reason to believe he was lying to her.

“Mind if I shop with you, Betsey?” he asks knowing the nickname would make her blush. He loved calling her that, but he never dared to do it in front of anyone else.

She did immediately, and hated that it came so easily. She looked away for a moment before turning back to him.

“Of course,” she says smiling.

They walked around picking up items and talking easily. Conversation always flowed so easily between them. It was something Eliza sometimes wished wasn’t so simple for them. If it wasn’t, maybe it would be easier for her feelings to dissipate.

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

As they walked out of the store, Alexander insisted on seeing her home. She said she would be fine, but he gave her a stern look.

“Ange would kill me if I didn’t make sure you got home safely.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. He was right Angelica was protective over both her and Peggy, she would be upset if she knew Alex didn’t see her home.

They got a taxi and once they arrived at her apartment, he helped her with the groceries.

“Thanks for all your help Alex, I really appreciate it,” she says giving him a small smile at her door.

“Of course,” he says shrugging. “You know I’d do anything for you Betsey.”

And there it was, the stupid blush. She wished he wouldn’t say things like that, but she knew he meant it platonically.

She nodded again and smiled at him.

“Right, well, I’ll see you around,” she said giving him an awkward salute and a wink. He laughed as he smiled at her, and shook his head.

“Yeah, I’ll see you around,” he says stepping forward to give her a hug.

She takes a breath as his arms go around her middle. She pauses a moment before her arms go around his shoulders. He gives her a tight squeeze and it takes everything in her not bury her head in the crook of his neck.

They pull away, even though he wanted to hold her for a second longer. Eliza took another step away from him, wanting to put distance between them.

“Bye Alex.”

“Bye Betsey.”

Eliza closed her door and sighed. She shook her head, trying to clear it and made her way to the kitchen to prepare snacks for the afternoon with Angelica and pushed all thoughts of Alexander out of her head.

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

Angelica arrived right on time, and embraced Eliza as soon as she opened the door. Eliza laughed as Angelica held her tightly and rocked from side to side.

“I missed you so much darling, we haven’t hung out, just the two of us, in far too long.”

“I missed you too dearest,” Eliza hugs her back with all the warmth she can muster before they pull apart.

They settle with blankets, pillows, and snacks on Eliza’s couch, as they watched two women quarrel over some man who was in love with another woman.

Angelica sighed, and rested her head on Eliza’s shoulder.

“This is exactly what I needed. Snacks, rest, Spanish soap operas and my sister.”

Eliza smiled, as she rested her on Angies.

“Well, I’ll always be here when you need me, and I’ll always have snacks,” she jokes. Angelica lifts her head and so does Eliza. She takes Eliza’s hands in hers and gives her sister a warm smile.

“You’re such a wonderful person, you know that?” Eliza shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

“You are, Betsey, in fact, you may be too wonderful. No one will ever be good enough for you.”

“Angie, don’t exaggerate,” Eliza laughs.

“I’m not,” she says laughing along with Eliza.

“No one will ever be good enough for you, they will have to endeavor to deserve you.”

Eliza’s heart clenched, how could her sister think so much of her, when she had feelings for the person that belonged to her. She felt so awful, but more determined to get past her feelings, her sister deserved that.

Angelica noticed small tears forming in her sisters eyes.

“Aw, darling don’t cry,” she says pulling Eliza into her arms.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she says trying to wipe her tears away.

“Its okay, you’ve always been easily touched, it’s because you have such a big heart.”

“I guess,” Eliza says sarcastically, and they both start laughing as they pull away.

“You know you and Peggy are my most favorite people, right?” Eliza looks at her sister seriously.

“Duh, who else would be your favorite?” she says, brushing a hair out of Eliza’s face and smiling at her sister.

“Just don’t tell John,” Eliza laughs.

“Why would he want to know?” Angelica asks her face scrunched up in confusion.

“He thinks he’s my favorite,” she laughs. “I’m pretty sure it was a joke, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“Whatever, he should know better,” she say slightly scoffing, before nodding her head. “I’m telling him.”

“Angie, no. He gets so sensitive, even if it is just a joke.”

She shrugs her shoulders and laughs. While, Eliza gives her a pleading look. Angelica sighs.

“Fine, I won’t say anything, but if it ever comes up I’m telling him.”

Eliza laughs and nods at her sister.

“Alright let’s see what Juan is going to do about Lucia,” Eliza says seriously.

“That’s right, she’s about to marry Alberto.”

They ended up watching their show well into the evening, ordering in and joking with each other between the episodes. It was getting late and Angelica figured it was time to go home and get some sleep.

“I’m sorry I woke you up early today.”

“Don’t worry about it, waking up early makes me feel productive anyways.” They embrace one more time as they say their goodbyes.

“Night darling, love you.”

“Love you too, dearest.”

Eliza watches her sister leave, a smile on her face and a determination in her heart. If she’s going to get through this, she’ll need someone to help her. And she knew exactly who that person was.

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

The weekend had come back around and everyone wanted to hangout. They were all meeting up at Alexander and Angelica’s. Eliza was the second to last to arrive, John arriving after her.

They all have a shot before heading to the bar as a group. John and Alexander leading the way with Laf trying to keep them from going too wild yet, Angelica and Peggy laughing at Alex and John, and Eliza and Hercules walking behind everyone. They smile at their group of friends and shake their heads.

“How ya feeling today, kid?”

Eliza smiles up at Hercules. He deemed her ‘kid’ years ago, she had argued that Peggy should be called kid since she was the youngest. He just shook his head and said ‘she may be the youngest in age, but you’re the youngest at heart, it’s pure.’ She tried to argue for another nickname, but he made up his mind.

“I’m doing alright, Yoda.”

Herc let’s out a laugh as he pulls Eliza into his side. She had started calling him Yoda because he was the oldest of the group and surprisingly always had wise things to say. And she also found their size differences funny. He loved the nickname and accepted right away.

“Good, how’s the ticker?” he says taping a finger over his heart and looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She looks down and bites her lip, before shrugging her shoulders.

“I’m gonna need a better answer, kid,” he says as he stops them on the sidewalk.

She nods before looking up at him again.

“I actually need your help with that. My ticker.”

He gives her a confused look, she sees everyone a little ways ahead and turns back to Herc.

“I need to get over Alex, but if I spend too much time with him, or if we’re in close proximity all time, I won’t be able to,” he nods in understanding. “Will you act as my barrier?”

Herc purses his lips and rubs a hand over his chin, seeming deep in thought.

“Like a guard, I keep some distance between you two, so your heart has time to heal.”

“Sort of, I mean I’m not heartbroken, I just need to get over my crush, that’s all.”

“Look, if I’m going to help you, I’m not beating around the bush. You may not be heartbroken, but that big heart of yours is aching. You’re hurting and you can pretend, it’s all good, but I see more pain in your eyes than you think.”

Eliza’s eyes widen, as her heart races and she begins to panic. What if everyone can see it? What if they figure it out? She’ll ruin everything.

“Calm down Eliza, it’s not super noticeable unless you’re really paying attention.”

Eliza gives a sigh of relief. Herc pulls her in for a hug, and she stays there, needing to ground herself. She pulls away after a second.

“You okay, kid?” he asks bending down to look her in the eyes. She nods.

He holds out his arm for her to take, and she smiles at him.

“That’s what I like to see, you better keep that up, that’s payment, that and free lunch once a week.”

She chuckles and nods, looping her arm through his.

“Take a deep breath, it’s all going to be okay. I’ll be right here,” he says patting her hand and giving her an encouraging look.

Eliza breathes in deep, exhales, and nods at Herc, before giving him a big smile. He was her confidant and hearing his words brought her the most comfort she’d had in years. She would get over her feelings for Alex, and then she wouldn’t carry any pain in her heart anymore.

“Come on, guys, hurry up!” They hear John yell from the front door of the bar.

“We’re coming!” They say in unison as they make their into the bar.

“What took you so long?” John asks.

“Eliza had to tie her shoes and I waited for her like the true gentleman I am.”

John and Eliza laugh, as her and Herc help John with drinks for the table.

Across the bar at the groups usual table, Alexander has a sinking feeling in his stomach at the sight of Eliza and Hercules linked arms. He can’t understand the need he has to take her from his grasp, and wrap her in his arms. He shakes off the emotion as they join the table. He tries to ignore how close they seem, but even Johns jokes don’t fully distract him. And the rest of the night he wonders just how close they are.

#hamliza #alexander x eliza #alexander hamilton #eliza schuyler #angelica schuyler #john laurens #peggy schuyler #gilbert du motier marquis de lafayette #Hercules mulligan #lafayette x peggy #angelica x alexander #hamilton imagine #I posted this twice already #it was a mess both times #I struggled a bit today #fun fact: me and my sisters call each other dearest and darling #help me I'm tired #oooo...Alex is getting jealous

[jessicakehoe]

How Alok Vaid-Menon is Making the World a Safer Place for Everyone

It’s Friday night in Toronto, and The Garrison is packed with a motley crew of people with angular haircuts and septum piercings—the kind of crowd one might expect in attendance at Venus Fest, a feminist music festival that aims to remove toxic male aggression from live music environments. We’ve all assembled here to watch a South Asian drag queen named Manghoe Lassi gyrate with a comically oversized fake blunt to Bollywood music. The air in the club is nearly unbreathable, spiced with the ubiquitous scent of Santal 33 and generous base notes of body odour.

After Lassi finishes stripping down to her pot-leaf nipple pasties, Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming performance artist (who goes by they/them pronouns), arrives onstage dressed like a futuristic prophet attending Coachella, wearing a blue spandex crop top and matching pencil skirt that reveal a thatch of body hair, a Frida Kahlo flower crown adorning their magenta locks. After a moment of silence for the Christchurch, New Zealand, massacre, they proceed to launch into a rapid-fire act evoking the violence that trans people face on a daily basis and, in the same breath, throw shade on Ariana Grande.

By the end of the show, Vaid-Menon is visibly in tears and at least one person in the audience has passed out. I feel as if I’ve been shaken out of complacency so hard that I might wake up tomorrow with whiplash. It’s hard to reconcile the garrulous figure onstage with the soft-spoken, thoughtful person I met one day earlier.

“I never was able to consent to the various sets of stereotypes around gender and race that were ascribed to me, but with my outfits, I found I could interrupt those logics.”

Vaid-Menon ushers me into the lobby of the old Victorian home that serves as their crash pad in Toronto. They’re clad in a mix of colours and patterns that conjures the cacophony of a Jackson Pollock painting: a flowy earth mother tunic, zebra-print pants, a splotched ’80s-print skirt and door knocker earrings—finished off with a vibrant swipe of coral lipstick. For Vaid-Menon, whose tag line is “not a girl, not a boy, just me,” style is one of the most important weapons deployed in their ongoing crusade against the gender binary. “I do a lot of what the world calls ‘power clashing,’ but clashing denotes dissonance, and I don’t see it as that,” they say. “I’m trying to tell a story of mistaken dissonance—of harmony that is waiting to be recognized but is suppressed.”

Mistaken dissonance is perhaps the most succinct metaphor to describe the activism that is Vaid-Menon’s life’s work. “People see me as a failed man, a failed woman and, increasingly, a failed trans person,” says Vaid-Menon. Yet nothing about their self-presentation is a failure. As a non-binary transfeminine person, they have the ability to cast off stifling gender categories with the same ease one has when discarding a pair of ill-fitting pants in a change room—it’s every bit as intentional. “I never was able to consent to the various sets of stereotypes around gender and race that were ascribed to me,” they say, “but with my outfits, I found I could interrupt those logics.”

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here are my top 10 #streetstyle moments of 2018! so hard to choose! comment with your fav # 🥳🥳

A post shared by ALOK (@alokvmenon) on Dec 19, 2018 at 9:57am PST

As the author of the poetry book Femme in Public, Vaid-Menon has been touring around the world for the past three years drawing attention to the plight of visibly-gender-nonconforming people through their unique brand of comedy, slam poetry and music. “I cannot isolate Alok’s writing and poetry from the fashion, visual art, activism and performance aspects,” says Umlilo, one of Vaid-Menon’s contemporaries, who is based in South Africa.

Vaid-Menon’s father, Ramdas Menon, says Vaid-Menon wasn’t always fashion-forward, describing them as a “normal kid” who could be gregarious or introspective depending on their mood. “I always understood gender to be an obstacle to style,” Vaid-Menon explains, but they now view clothing as a site of political possibility. In 2013, Vaid-Menon began performing poetry onstage with Janani Balasubramanian under the moniker DarkMatter. Vaid-Menon began to dress up for performances but found that the act of exploring creativity through clothing felt so good, they began to cultivate a studied appearance offstage as well.

“I have a ‘boring section’ [in my closet] for when I just want to operate from point A to point B without getting harassed. But that section is getting increasingly smaller,” says Vaid-Menon. When tasked with wearing a gender-conforming outfit to an ex’s wedding last year, they showed up in a pair of banana-print pants.

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as the year comes to a close i will be sharing some of my highlights of 2018! first up is the 2nd gender free fashion collection i designed in delhi with @adrianne.ayao ! (stay tuned: we are already hard at work for 2019 collection). comment with the # of your fav look !!! also we have some of these as prints in my online store if you’d like one (link in bio)

A post shared by ALOK (@alokvmenon) on Dec 17, 2018 at 10:54am PST

In 2017, Vaid-Menon began to design their own clothing as a way to imagine what they would wear if they didn’t have to face violence, sketching out a flamenco-ruffle dress and a pink baby-doll dress with exaggerated bell sleeves. Right now, the clothing is strictly non-commercial, but Vaid-Menon dreams of a brand reaching out to collaborate on a gender-neutral capsule collection that doesn’t look like an assortment of beige-coloured flour sacks.

“Alok manages to straddle this fine line between a fierce warrior goddess that can be intimidating and a gentle clairvoyant spirit that is approachable,” says Umlilo. But by simply existing and living their truth—a.k.a. “being hairy as fuck and wearing makeup”—they are creating a sense of social possibility for others to do the same. “If there was ever a person able to express what I feel and put it into words, it’s Alok,” Umlilo continues. “There’s a raw honesty that their work has that manages to transcend space and time and express all the ancestral cries of sisters from yonder.”

“I’m still trying to figure out why my fabulosity threatens people. I think that at a fundamental level, people have been taught to fear the very things that have the potential to set them free.”

“At the core of it, I’m trying to challenge the international crisis of loneliness,” says Vaid-Menon. Growing up, the only characters on television they could relate to were cartoon villains like HIM, the lobster-clawed, falsetto-voiced villain of The Powerpuff Girls. Vaid-Menon displays a rare willingness to be vulnerable in public, a human quality that’s beginning to feel en­dangered in the age of Instagram, when most people choose to present a highlight reel of their accomplishments for the world to fawn over. Vaid-Menon’s poetry performances and writing workshops often double as group therapy sessions for participants. “When your job is to cry in public to hundreds of people who tell you ‘good job,’ it just kind of reinforces that you’re on to something.”

Photography by Bronson Farr

Despite Vaid-Menon’s inner power and strength, their self-expression is not a welcome sight for everyone and is often the target of cruelty and violence. “I’m still trying to figure out why my fabulosity threatens people. I think that at a fundamental level, people have been taught to fear the very things that have the potential to set them free.” But Vaid-Menon perseveres, partly because they are a pioneer and partly because they see no other way to live. “When non-binary and gender-nonconforming people critique gender binarism, it’s not just because we have selfish interests or are some angry minority of people. It’s because we’re trying to create a world that is more just and inclusive for everyone.”

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HOWDY!!!! today’s forecast is so cold outside but so fire 🔥 inside! excited to be making magic & photo shooting with my glam squad @double_d_production today!!!✨✨✨

A post shared by ALOK (@alokvmenon) on Nov 25, 2018 at 7:54am PST

Back at The Garrison, Vaid-Menon performs their wild and rancorous mix of political commentary, decrying the tribulations of irritable bowel syndrome and calling for a Hilary Duff 2020 presidential campaign. Like in a church, the set is punctuated by audible “mm-hmms” and scattered applause each time Vaid-Menon makes a salient point. By the end of the show, my mind drifts toward something they mentioned the day before: “I want to create irresistible images of what freedom can and does look like.” Onstage at The Garrison, that is exactly what is happening.

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