#matchmaking is not an option anymore

[bippot]

Summary: Hangman unexpectedly plays matchmaker when he offers the group a way to deal with the after effects of their training, which causes Bob to meet the one for him.

Tags: Fluff and Smut, Meet-Cute, Simp Bob, bob fucks, Massage, First Dates

Song Recommendation: Fly As Me by Silk Sonic

Top Gun: Maverick, Robert "Bob" Floyd Masterlist - here

So after a period of gruelling training weeks then some of the recruits going on the actual mission, all of the graduates of Top Gun were sore and exhausted.

Jake had taken it upon himself to tell the rest of his crew about his most recent method of relieving some of his pain, and yes, they were lucky he'd moved on from talking about his sex life in very graphic detail. "Yeah, super hot woman with magic hands. Look I've got free range of movement," he boasted to his companions at dinner that night as his buddies desperately listened in the hope he actually had some decent advice.

Fuck. He did look like he wasn't in pain anymore and finally could lift his arm without wincing because the ache in his shoulder was so bad. For once, maybe Hangman had a point.

"Where is this magic masseuse then?" Bradley asked, shoving a forkful of food into his face and hanging on Hangman's every word (like usual).

With a very dramatic flourish, Jake pulled her card out of his wallet and hovered it in front of Rooster, quickly snatching it away when Bradley tried to grab it. He wasn't going to willingly give away information. "What do I get in return? I give you her name, and what? I'm supposed to do it out of the goodness of my heart?"

Natasha exclaimed, "Come on, dude. Just hand it over."

"Bullshit! This is some hot information in my hands right now. Start bribes in 5, 4, 3-"

"I'll pay for your meal tonight!"

"Gotta do better than that, Coyote."

"I'll give you my sister's number like you asked."

"Getting warmer, Payback."

More and more offers were thrown out by each of his teammates until the only ones left were Bob and Rooster. Rooster raised his eyebrow as if to ask, 'Really?' but Jake ignored him. His plan had worked and he would be damned if he gave up this information.

"How about..." Rooster thought aloud and Jake grinned, feeling triumphant. He had them, he knew he had him. "You go fuck yourself." Guess Rooster wasn't budging. Good for him.

"Suit yourself, Bradshaw." Clutching his card against his chest like a precious treasure, Hangman turned towards Bob and urged, "What about you, Floyd?"

Bob thought about it. "I have an embarrassing photo of Rooster that I think you'll love."

"Dude!"

"Sorry, Brad. My neck is killing me."

Now, while that might not have been the most lucrative option he'd been given tonight, it was his favourite. Any chance to humiliate their gracious leader was incredibly entertaining to Jake. "Throw in dinner and it's yours."

"Done."

The card was handed over and as the generous guy he was, Bob took a picture of it and sent it into the group chat so everyone could know. It wasn't fair to hog the masseuse's details, especially since he'd thrown Bradley under the bus to get it.

Then, he sneakily sent Jake the photo in question. Drunk, only clad in his underwear and sat crying in the bath, Bradley's face was all scrunched up and had some kind of sauce down his chin as Natasha sat beside him giving the camera an amused thumbs up. He'd finished the last of the chicken nuggets and wasn't very happy about it. It was a great bargaining chip.

One by one, each pilot arrived at Y/N's door. All with aches and grumbles, which were mostly eased by the time they left. Just as Y/N was about to leave for her lunch break, another showed up. "Sorry, ma'am, am I too late?"

Y/N whipped around and took one look at Bob, unlocking the door to gesture that he could go inside. "A little, but I'm happy to help any way I can. Come on in."

Nervously, the WSO shuffled into the room and closed the door behind him, before looking up at Y/N who was watching him carefully. "Is this your first time?" she asked and he nodded, "I can explain everything when we get to it so you're not confused at any point. Let me just find the little form you have to fill out and we'll get to it. Does that sound good?"

He nodded again, his cheeks flushed slightly and Y/N couldn't stop herself from smiling as she walked back around the counter where she kept her forms, finding a new one in her top drawer that would do the trick. Grabbing pen and paper she returned, sliding them across the wooden surface towards him and pointing out the necessary bits that he needed to fill out.

"I'm guessing you're here for aches and pains like the rest of my clients today? Did you guys just get back from a mission?"

"Yes ma'am, to, uh, to both of your questions."

She chuckled softly at his awkwardness, finding it incredibly cute, and said, "Forms all done, we can go into the other room now. Is that okay - " she looked down at his form and tried to read his scribbled writing. " - Robert?"

"Most call me Bob, ma'am." He smiled sheepishly at her and she shook her head in amusement as she led him to the massage room, going over what areas she should focus on as they walked.

Something about him was just so endearing to her; all nervous smiles, currently hunched shoulders, big eyes and perfect hair and... oh yeah, she hadn't even mentioned his face yet - so boyish and cute with stubble and those long lashes and his soft looking lips and.... okay, enough of that. She was smitten with him. Already.

"I'm Y/N by the way, just so you don't have to keep calling me ma'am. Feel free to relax." Bob relaxed slightly at that but soon tensed up again as she informed him, "So, what happens is that I'll give you some privacy to dress down to your comfort level and lie down then we can start the massage, okay?"

"All of my clothes?" he asked nervously, and Y/N almost felt bad. He looked so uncomfortable at the thought of being naked in front of a pretty girl.

Well, at least he was a modest gentleman; unlike the first guy she'd dealt with. Jake Seresin, she was sure his name was. That guy started stripping before she'd even exited the room.

"You can leave as much on as you want. Don't worry too much, you'll be covered by a towel for most of it," she said as she handed him a towel, left the room and waited enough time for him to change. Bob really was too polite for his own good, she thought to herself fondly.

When she knocked and returned, he was awkwardly sitting on the edge of the table, clutching the towel tight around him, clearly trying to hide the fact that he was just in his boxers. His eyes wandered around, noting the large assortment of bottles of lotion and oils on her shelves, and eventually settled onto her. "Shall we do some breathing exercises to help you relax?" she suggested cheerfully, grabbing all of his attention. "That might help a bit."

"Sorry. I'll be fine without them. It's just... just that I can't help but be nervous at the prospect of a beautiful woman touching me." He scrunched his face up when he realised what he'd blurted out. "I didn't mean it like that, ma'am. Like... you know."

His words made Y/N laugh and she placed a comforting hand on his knee, smiling reassuringly at him. "Don't sweat it. If anything, I'm flattered."

Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled shyly at her and she felt her face heat up instantly. He was adorable, so adorable, his smile making butterflies erupt in her stomach, and honestly, she never thought she would feel like that. Like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush. But here they both were, their cheeks a light pink shade.

"Right. Ready?" she asked quietly, hoping to break through whatever weird mood she was suddenly stuck in. His eyes shot up at her, meeting hers for barely a second before he quickly averted his gaze.

"Uhm yeah. Yeah, I'm ready."

So, she got to it. After instructing him to lie face down, she began warming up the muscles in his back by rubbing oil onto his back, explaining each step as she did it to ease him further into a relaxed state. The warmth of the oil seemed to work its magic immediately because within minutes Bob's body was soft under her touch and his breath became slow and regular. Her hands danced lightly over every part of him, leaving little sensations in her wake along with every touch.

A tingle travelled down his spine and every single inch of skin that she touched felt like heaven; warm, comfortable, smooth. Her hands slowly moved down from Bob's shoulder blades to the lower slopes of his back, working their way down and over each vertebra, massaging it until it was completely free of knots and he was practically purring in pleasure. It was so easy, so natural, so easy to lose track of time and space and how long they spent there. Hell, he had no idea he fell asleep until she gently shook his shoulder.

"Bob? Hey, Bob."

"Hm?" His eyes blinked open sleepily and looked up at her, his expression puzzled as he glanced around his surroundings. Yep, they were the same. He was not in some dreamland still. He rubbed his face with his hands before stretching his arms above his head.

Wow! No pain! Thank god.

"Sorry I dozed off on you, Y/N."

"No need to apologise. It's a compliment, and besides, I could tell that you needed it." She gave him a lopsided grin and Bob returned one right back, feeling a little lighter than he'd expected. Maybe lighter than he'd ever felt. "I'll give you some time to redress."

And with that, she made her way to the door, not noticing how intently he beamed at her as she walked away from him. It took him a couple of seconds to snap himself out of his daze and he hastily stood up, rushing to put all of his clothes back on, as if him being speedy was somehow going to entice her or something. He sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his hair, feeling it between his fingers and desperately trying to fiddle each strand in the perfect place and make it presentable again. But to no avail.

Physically, he was better than ever. Yet, mentally and hair-wise, Bob was a mess and that wasn't where he thought the day was going. Being (professionally) felt up by a hot woman? He didn't expect that when he woke up that morning.

After putting his shirt back on, Bob stepped out of the massage room, walking over towards Y/N as soon as he saw her leaning against the wall opposite the treatment room door, playing on her phone as she was waiting for him. She looked up at him with a soft smile as soon she noticed his arrival and he was hit with the strong urge to... he didn't even know what. To wrap her up in a bear hug until the world melted away around him? To kiss her senseless until he could barely remember what it felt like to breathe? To thank her profusely and somehow return the favour? To ask her out on a date?

God, he was hopeless. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat softly, standing in front of Y/N and staring down at her for several seconds, silently thanking the stars that he hadn't lost his voice due to his embarrassment, and finally asking, "What game are you playing?"

"I'm battling some guy called Sven on general knowledge. Happen to know how many United States Presidents have been assassinated?"

Weirdly, he did know. "Four." She raised an eyebrow so he furthered, "Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy."

Y/N pressed that answer and cheered, "Looks like you paid attention in school," giving him a playful punch on the arm, then apologised and held where her fist had made contact, "Sorry, that wasn't very professional of me. Why don't we finish up so I don't embarrass myself further?"

He chuckled softly to himself at her antics as he followed her back to the reception area, glancing at her occasionally during the walk, enjoying the view of her figure in front of him, the small sway of her hips as she walked, her hair falling down her back in loose strands, her body moving gracefully and effortlessly. Honestly, he couldn't believe this beauty had actually touched his bare skin with those tender, delicate hands. Admittedly, he was just about to pay her for it. It wasn't out of her own willingness, but she hadn't made any remarks or compared him to his more muscly coworkers so that was a win in Bob's book.

Once his payment went through, he thought that would be the last he'd see of her - until his next appointment because of course he made a follow-up slot - yet she grabbed her bag from where she'd placed it down on their way in and followed him out of the parlour, locking the door behind her again.

"Which way are you heading, ma'am?" he asked politely as they walked, keeping pace with her, one hand buried deep in the pocket of his trousers and the other drumming on his thigh.

"Big Oasis down the road does a mean grilled cheese, want to join me?" she offered sweetly, flashing him a dazzling, albeit slightly goofy smile that made his knees weak. His brain went blank and he almost stumbled to a halt, caught up in a sea of emotions.

Was he having a stroke? He seriously doubted it. But, then again, he might've hit his head and this was all his hallucination. Maybe he'd actually died on the mission and this was heaven. Why else would she want to spend more time with him? "Y-yeah, yeah. Would love to," he stammered nervously, trying to push down the nerves building inside him, trying to keep calm and act as normal as possible. She flashed a bright grin and linked arms with him, dragging him along happily as they headed towards the cafe nearby.

They talked and talked, about everything and nothing, and Bob found himself forgetting his discomfort and worry entirely, his anxiety easing up every time he saw Y/N laughing, talking, listening intently as he spoke and smiled, her eyes twinkling brightly while he told her all about his life. "So what's a WSO exactly?" She inquired as she sipped on her coffee as she rested her chin on her folded hand, watching him closely, the corners of her lips curved upwards.

"Basically, I'm the R2D2 to Phoenix's Luke. Does that make sense?" he explained, gesturing vaguely at the air with his hands.

(Fun fact: R2D2 is actually pretty deadly as he has around 1,000,253 confirmed deaths throughout all Star wars lore. Crazy numbers for such a little guy.)

"Yeah, that's so cool," she exclaimed enthusiastically, excitement shining in her eyes as she leaned forward in her seat, leaning in closer to Bob as though she couldn't help herself. He found himself leaning forward too, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his intertwined hands as his eyes never left hers, the two of them both captivated by the conversation they were having.

Before either of them could start speaking again, the waiter arrived with their grilled cheeses, setting it down in front of them. They thanked him politely then both of them grabbed the sandwiches to take a bite out of. A moan escaped Bob's mouth and he immediately covered it with his hand, cursing himself internally when he realised how embarrassing that probably sounded.

"It's so good, right?" Y/N said excitedly between bites and Bob nodded. He was thankful she hadn't mentioned his very audible sound, and he knew if she had mentioned it, he might have ended up blushing so hard that the redness could've reached the tip of his ears. Or the tips of his nose. Probably both.

"Soooo good," he repeated and took another bite. Y/N laughed lightly at the look of bliss on his face, clearly delighted to hear that he liked it. And honestly, who wouldn't enjoy a good grilled cheese?

The pair ate and continued their conversation, discussing movies, sports, anything really, until Y/N glanced down at her watch and exclaimed, "Shit. Mrs Pilton is booked for quarter to and she might murder me if I'm late." She quickly tossed enough money on the table for both of their meals, grabbed her bag and got to her feet.

Bob couldn't help but think, 'It's over? Already?' But his mind quickly went blank as she apologised profusely and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she hurried off. It was a simple kiss. Quick. Chaste. He had barely registered that someone had kissed him but he was glad that the sensation had lingered for just a few seconds, making his cheeks tingle and his heart race. He was pretty sure he looked like a total idiot now, unable to stop smiling, giddy from her touch, the memory of her lips still imprinted on his skin.

"See you again, Bob!" She called over her shoulder as she jogged away, leaving Bob staring after her with a big goofy smile plastered across his face. He watched as she disappeared round the corner and when the sight of Y/N vanished from view he breathed in heavily.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he spent the entire rest of his day thinking about it. He couldn't stop thinking about that girl, thinking about the way she smiled, giggled, blushed, laughed... It wasn't fair! How was he supposed to focus on his job when she constantly popped into his head?!

Luckily, they saw each other a couple of days later. Y/N was using her day off to lounge on the beach, soaking in those sun rays - reapplying the appropriate level of SPF when needed - and watching as the waves crashed onto the sand. And Bob?

Well, the members of Top Gun had made it a weekly thing to go out and play beach American football, a tradition that was loved by all who enjoyed watching buff half-naked men frolic on in the sand. They set up their game right in front of where Y/N set down her towel. Whether they had done that on purpose or not was unknown to her, but nonetheless, she was enjoying the show they were putting on. She was sat with her legs stretched out in front of her, her feet planted firmly on the sand, and her fingers fiddling with the necklace that hung loosely around her neck whilst she observed the match.

Although, she'd have to admit that one of the members had most of her attention. Bob hadn't noticed her presence yet, but he would. He would the moment he ran right in front of her to catch the ball and immediately got distracted, letting it smack him in the face and drop from his hands, landing in the sand at his feet.

"And four-eyes fumbles," Hangman yelled as he threw his arms up in the air in victory and Bob groaned in annoyance, muttering something under his breath as the ball was snatched away from his feet by... he didn't even know who. His feet were involuntarily moving towards her as if drawn to her by an invisible string which connected them and ignored his teammates behind him.

"Nice catch," she teased, resting back on her elbows as she beamed up at him in delight. Her smile was infectious, he thought, and as one tugged at his lips unconsciously too. She laughed a little at his reaction before raising the bottle of water that was lying next to her in an invitation, which he gratefully accepted before sitting down beside her.

"So I see that Mrs Pilton hasn't murdered you."

"I was one minute late and I swear she was just about to whip out a switchblade from her purse," Y/N laughed, shaking her head, and then paused when Bob shifted his body so that his legs were accidentally pressed against hers; he rested his arm on the ground and crossed his ankles as he stared at Y/N, taking in every inch of her beautiful features.

The smile she wore slowly melted his insides, making it difficult for him to concentrate on anything but her, and he suddenly felt like an idiot, just gawking at her. But he couldn't help it. He was completely enthralled by her beauty, her intelligence, and, well, the whole package.

"How's your neck doing? That was the main problem area, right?" She inquired curiously as she gazed back at him expectantly, her brows furrowed slightly as she waited for an answer.

"I slept on it funny last night, but other than that, it's perfect."

Before he'd even finished his sentence, she'd shifted to her knees behind him and gently started massaging the muscles of his neck and shoulders, working in slow circles and massages, causing him to lean back and relax. She kept her fingers busy, working at the knots and tendons and muscles as she tried to get rid of any cricks that he may have suffered while sleeping.

"We can't be having my favourite pilot having any discomfort now, can we?" She chirped, continuing to work on his muscles and relaxing him further as his coworkers looked in confusion. So she got closer to his ear and whispered, "Don't tell them that."

He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head amusedly at her comment. "Wouldn't dream of it," he assured her, closing his eyes as she continued, his body practically melting beneath her ministrations.

"Would you look at that, Floyd managed to swindle himself a free massage," Hangman exclaimed as he pointed to the pair of them sitting on the sand with wide smiles on their faces, the two of them looking absolutely adorable together.

"You're just annoyed that - what did you call her? - oh yeah, the 'super hot woman with magic hands' has the hots for Bob and not you," Rooster argued back, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Total bull, dude."

Hangman waved him off dismissively and turned back towards the team, getting back into play and catching the ball almost immediately. Rooster gave Bob a reassuring thumbs up and also decided to join in with the football.

"That blonde one, Jake I think his name is, he was very... confident when he came in," Y/N commented, trying to find a polite way of saying he was very forward when he'd come for his massage.

"Yeah, that's Hangman for you." Y/N chuckled quietly and shook her head in amusement at the boys before turning back towards Bob. Something flashed passed his face as he heard her laugh before he forced himself to return to his usual neutral expression, but his eyes betrayed him as he sadly offered, "I could give you his number if that's what you want or give your number to him, if you prefer it that way."

Y/N froze and quickly shook her head vigorously. "No, no. Not my type of guy." Her voice became serious and she met his gaze straight on, determination written on her features. "I would prefer to give you my number."

"Really?" His voice was slightly husky, and his eyes were searching hers for any sign of hesitation, any indication that she was just humouring him and that this was a joke. But Y/N nodded, giving him a warm smile in response.

"Really."

His lips twitched upwards as a grin began to stretch his cheeks, spreading throughout his whole face and he exclaimed, "I'll be right back," before leaping to his feet and rushing over to where he'd left his bag. He was back to her as fast as he could and handed his phone over without missing a beat. And just like that, he had her number now.

There was one more step that he wanted to do and now he knew she was at least mildly interested in him, he dared to ask, "Have you been to the new diner on the corner of Magnolia?"

"I've been meaning to. Haven't got around to it yet."

Bob grinned. "Let me pick you up at six if you're free..." He trailed off and bit his lip nervously, hoping the hint of hope in his tone went unnoticed by the girl.

"Are you asking me on a date, Robert?"

"Yes, ma'am."

His eyes travelled down to her lips for a split second before snapping them up again as soon as he realised what he was doing and he cleared his throat, scratching at the nape of his neck awkwardly. The smile on her face didn't falter one bit. In fact, it only grew wider, almost blinding him with its brightness and she replied, "Only if you stop calling me ma'am."

"Would you like to get dinner with me later, Y/N?"

"I'd love to, Bob."

He let out a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he did so. That hadn't gone nearly as badly as he had expected it to. Maybe it would end up being okay. Maybe. Hopefully. Just maybe.

"Good. Good. Great," he muttered under his breath, trying to convince himself that his luck was finally turning up, that this time things would go his way instead of the usual way his dates would: in complete failure.

Bob had no idea why his romantic ventures didn't go to plan. He didn't attempt dating often, although he tried his hardest to be a gentleman on each one, yet for some reason, the women he pursued often limited them to just the one date. Maybe he was too shy, too awkward, or perhaps too timid for them, he thought. After all, girls were usually attracted to a certain level of personality and self-esteem. And he wasn't quite sure how he measured when it came to that.

She finished with his neck with a satisfied, "There we go!" and returned to her previous seat beside him, playfully bumping their shoulders together and laughing when he repeated the action in retaliation.

Eventually, Bob returned to the game with enough pep in his step that he whipped his shirt off and threw it at her face before returning to the game just in time to catch the ball before it hit the ground. It had become increasingly harder to contain his smirk as she cheered him on enthusiastically, her eyes glimmering with delight as she clearly checked him out more than a few times.

Time passed quickly. Admittedly, it felt slower as Phoenix demanded that Bob give her a full run down. Why hadn't he told her about the pair of them? She could've put in a good word and set up a date much sooner as Natasha had gone to Y/N's parlour the day after Bob. Hell, he could've had less time twiddling his thumbs and not interacting with Y/N.

Still, before he knew it, Bob was driving to Y/N's apartment. He'd only realised ten minutes before he planned to leave that he'd offered to pick her up, and therefore, needed to know where she lived. But that was okay, he sent her a quick message.

Unknown: Forgot to ask, where do you live?

Shit. He had her number. She didn't have his.

Unknown: This is Bob by the way.

Bob: Not some creep that is asking for your location.

Bob: Sorry if that worried you.

Y/N glanced down at her phone, one hand applying her lipstick, the other reaching to type back to him her correct address with a winky face added on the end.

Surprisingly (to Bob), the date went amazingly. They'd spent several hours talking, drinking and eating, mostly talking though. After a couple of drinks, he'd found himself opening up to her quite easily and sharing with her about his personal life, which had surprised him. He rarely ever shared such personal details with anyone.

Yet, somehow the words seemed to flow easily from him. As if they had always belonged there somewhere inside of him, waiting for someone to pluck them from the depths of his mind and bring them out to the light of day for once. Y/N listened, never pushing him to say anything he wasn't ready to share and simply sat and listened, taking mental notes as he spoke. She sat with her head firmly resting on the palm of her hand, gazing dreamily at him, making him blush slightly every time his eyes met hers.

"Sorry, excuse me." Bob halted what he was saying as one of the waitresses had come up to them. "We're closing in ten minutes. Just to let you know."

"Holy shit, it feels as if we just got here," Y/N stated as she took a look around the restaurant. Yeah, it was mostly empty and she could see how dark it was outside. So they paid and made their way outside.

The street lamps cast a glow over the sidewalk and the buildings surrounding them, bathing everything in warm orange light. A soft breeze blew past them sending the wind against their bodies causing an involuntary shiver to go through Y/N's body, which was immediately noticed by her date who reached out and gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

It was almost like something out of a movie. A perfect rom-com moment. A spark of excitement ignited inside her chest. She might have a little trouble believing in clichés if it wasn't for the man standing next to her, and like a true gentleman, he leaned down slightly, his head almost resting atop of hers as he whispered, "Is this okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay."

In fact, it was better than okay. When they reached her front door and finally disconnected, his warmth was sorely missed. She stood on the porch in silence with him, both unsure exactly what to say next. Finally, unable to take it anymore, she asked, "Would you like to come inside?" and he politely declined, coming up with some half-baked excuse about early training in the morning.

Then he did the exact same thing on their next date. And the one after that. And the one after that. On their fifth date, she didn't ask. When they got out of his car to walk to her front door, she nonchalantly inquired, "Can I take a look at your keys?" and hurried inside when they were in her possession. He had to follow her in.

There was no way he could resist her sweet voice that beckoned him towards her and he followed obediently, a goofy grin on his face as she teasingly waved his car keys at him from the middle of her living room. "Is the inside of my house as big and scary as you thought?" she teased, wrapping one arm around his shoulder and the other slyly stuffing his keys in his back pocket before it joined the other.

Instead of verbally responding, he cradled her cheeks and gently pulled her into a deep kiss, pouring every ounce of passion he possessed into it. There was nothing tentative or careful about the way he kissed her, no hesitation at all as his tongue slipped between her lips and tasted her sweetness for the very first time.

They'd shared quick pecks and cheek kisses before but nothing like this. Never like this. No doubts about his feelings, no doubts about what he wanted. There was just pure, unbridled lust and desire flowing through him like a raging river.

Her hands slowly trailed down his back, her nails dragging softly across the material, making him shudder involuntarily. She broke away from him, gasping softly at the feeling of him pressing her against a wall, one hand resting on her hip and the other on the side of her head.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, biting her lip anxiously as she looked up at him. "I gave you back your keys if you want to leave."

A slow, lazy grin spread across his lips. "If I want to leave? Oh Y/N, darlin, I couldn't even if I tried." His gaze fell upon her swollen lips, then to her cleavage, then to her waist, then to her eyes, before finally settling upon her lips again, his eyes darting back up to meet hers for a brief second as if asking permission to continue. "You know I wouldn't dream of leaving you tonight. You're stuck with me for now."

He pulled her flush against his body, letting their bodies fit perfectly together, his hands resting protectively on her hips, their lips barely touching. Their noses bumped into each other occasionally, neither wanting to break the connection. Y/N let out a small, amused chuckle. She loved it when Bob acted so confident and bold, so completely unlike the reserved guy she usually dealt with. "I like this side of you, Lieutenant," she confessed, placing her delicate lips along his jawline, kissing him softly as his breathing sped up. Her fingers played with the bottom hem of his shirt while she continued whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

His fingers were tangled in her hair now, tugging lightly at it, urging her to keep doing whatever she was doing. She complied, smiling as she began to feel him firmly pressed against her stomach through her dress. His hand travelled to her waist, caressing the curve of it, her breasts pressed closely against him.

"Oh god, Y/N," he groaned as the sensation grew and multiplied. He wanted to touch her everywhere, to feel her skin, but restrained himself in fear of being too forceful and ruining the moment before it began. It felt almost like he was holding his breath. Every part of his body was screaming for him to push her down onto the sofa and ravish her right then and there, but the rational side of him was trying to make him stop. But the rational side was overruled, and his desire to be with her increased tenfold.

"You okay, Bobby?" she queried tentatively as she pulled away from him just enough to allow her to peer into his eyes. Even in the dim lighting of her flat, he could see the concern etched in the lines of her face, evident even as they remained locked together in a tender gaze. "Do you want to go slower?"

Slowly? How could he explain, in mere words, all the emotions coursing through him at that moment? The sheer desire that filled every cell in his being and caused his blood to race at the slightest contact with hers? All the love that was building up inside of him, threatening to burst? The way she was so intimidatingly sexy to him. No words would or could suffice. The way his whole body was humming with need was far more eloquent than words ever could express.

But, he tried. "You're way too beautiful and I'm preoccupied with, uh, 'not performing', if you catch my drift," he admitted with a slight chuckle. "The sight of you makes my brain short circuit and in the past, it's been known to not...work."

Y/N was taken aback for a second and then she laughed softly, her eyes twinkling. "Well, you don't seem to have that problem tonight," she pointed out as she looked down at his crotch, which clearly showed that his doubts were unfounded tonight. He hadn't even realised. It was true, any notion of not being able to get it up was thrown out the window.

"Oh, fuck."

Never before had Y/N thought someone cursing could be so hot to her ears. She couldn't help the giggle that came bursting from her throat, nor could she help the grin stretching across her lips when his head shot up, staring in wonderment as his pupils dilated and a rosy tinge appeared on his cheeks. "You're so hot, I swear. It's unbelievable," she muttered as she grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and yanked his hips towards her face, searching his eyes for confirmation that he wanted her to continue.

With no hesitation, he nodded and she unbuckled his belt, sliding his trousers off slowly and running her fingers along the noticeable bulge in his underwear. "Would've done this after our first date" she said, leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on his clothed cock which elicited a low growl of pleasure from his throat.

"What do you want, Lieutenant?" she breathed out heavily as her lips brushed against his member causing him to shiver. She pulled away slowly to give him a seductive smile as she gazed into his intense eyes that seemed as though they were going to devour her whole. "Tell me what you want."

Without another word spoken by either of them, gently pushed her backwards until she was settled on her elbows, pulling off his shirt and tossing it aside before he got to his knees between her thighs. Slowly but surely, he trailed his hands up her legs, bunching the fabric of her dress around his wrists as they travelled higher and higher, exposing more and more of her skin. Yet, she took his chin between her fingers and tilted his head to look at her as she declared, "I said tell me, not show me," taking her hand away as she waited for his response.

"I want to feel you, to taste you. I just want you. Need you. All of you." He punctuated each sentence with a peck to her thigh, getting closer to where she needed him most. "I don't need any warming up it seems."

That was a better answer than she'd ever imagined hearing, because it proved to her that he did, indeed, want her as much as she wanted him. And she was willing to give him anything he desired.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Lieutenant."

"You have no idea what you do to me when you call me that," he groaned, reaching for her panties and slowly pushing them down her legs before throwing them carelessly aside.

Both hands gripping tightly onto her hips, he guided her legs further apart and pressed his lips into the crevice of her thighs, kissing and licking along the sensitive flesh before teasing her clit with his tongue. "Fuck darlin," he gasped as his warm breath hitched in his throat, unable to tear his lips away from her. "Somehow you taste better than you look."

It didn't take long for Y/N to find herself moaning uncontrollably underneath him as his mouth sucked and licked along her core. Every inch of her was aching for more, craving to feel more of him inside of her. She moaned louder as his thumb gently stroked her clit while his tongue circled her entrance, causing her to arch her back and bite her lip to stifle her cries. As she writhed beneath his ministrations, Bob knew he would never tire of watching her squirm because of him. He felt an overwhelming sense of possessiveness well up inside of him, and as his tongue continued to explore her core with deep, thorough strokes, it only added fuel to the fire burning behind his eyes, consuming his every thought.

She felt like the most precious thing he had ever laid eyes on and he was determined to worship every inch of her body and make her feel absolutely amazing. He pulled away momentarily to catch a better glimpse at how dishevelled she'd become, a bright blush coating her cheeks as she panted heavily above him. Her hair was a mess and sweat lined her brow, her dress straps having fallen loosely down her biceps as one leg hung over his shoulder. "God," he breathed out as he stared at her, feeling as though his entire world stopped as his gaze lingered on every imperfection and freckle decorating her skin.

"Having fun, Bobby?" she teased as she brushed some of her wetness from his bottom lip with her thumb. His breathing became laboured immediately as his arousal grew impossibly larger.

And it somehow increased even more when she quickly whipped her dress off and backed herself further on the bed, turning to hook her finger under his chin to beckon him towards her, which he did as if he had no will of his own, his body instinctively following along and looming over hers. Her palms slid down his chest and stomach, her nails scraping gently against his toned stomach muscles, flirting with a low, "You're a total dreamboat, Lieutenant."

Arousal pulsing hotly throughout his body, he down to trail kisses up her stomach to reach the juncture of her neck, his movements became less gentle and instead more desperate, leaving marks that would hopefully remain forever.

When she arched her back, he took the opportunity to find the clasp of her bra and unhook it, allowing the garment to fall to the floor and revealing her breast to him. He inhaled sharply through his nose, his heart pounding loudly against his ribcage as he ran his thumb gently across her nipple, his mouth watering as it hardened under his touch.

"So perfect," he whispered huskily to himself as he captured her breasts in his grasp, sucking greedily on one and squeezing the other in his hand as his erection throbbed painfully against her belly, reminding him that he needed to finish what he had started. "Do you have condoms?"

"I'm on the pill."

Oh. He knew what that implied.

"Fuck, you're so hot," he groaned hoarsely as he had to free himself of his underwear to reach around her waist, trying to pull her against his hardening shaft, eager to enter her as soon as possible, only stopping when he heard her chuckle. In a hurt, almost shy, voice, he inquired, "What are you laughing at?"

"It's weird to hear you swear."

Thank god she wasn't laughing at what he thought she was laughing at. He'd never get over that.

"I'm a grown man. I swear all the time," he replied defensively, although there was no real animosity in his tone.

Teasingly, she retorted, "Sure thing, baby."

Despite what people might think, Bob had quite the pottymouth. Especially in the heat of passion, which was something Y/N would find out firsthand when he entered her. His lips suddenly found their way to her neck as he slowly pushed his cock into her once again, groaning at the contact, "Holy shit. Fuck. Such a tight cunt."

"Such a dirty mouth, Robert," she remarked dryly, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in his brown locks. He grunted softly, tightening his grip around her waist as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and he moved his hips in slow, calculated motions, causing small gasps and sighs to escape from Y/N's lips.

Seemingly having found the correct angle that he wanted when he heard her let out an involuntarily loud moan, he reared back and pulled her legs up so they were resting on his shoulders as he began to thrust deep and hard in the exact spot he'd just found that drove her wild. He held his rhythm as his eyes fell shut, revelling in every sound she was making; her whimpers, her moans and her pleasurable groans filling the room and echoing throughout the apartment building.

"Think this pussy was made for me, huh?" he chuckled as he continued to move faster than before as he pumped his hips furiously, his hands travelling down between her legs to hold one of her inner thighs while keeping the other positioned over his shoulder.

After spending countless nights fantasising about touching her, seeing her like this was one of the greatest experiences he could possibly have. It had taken every ounce of strength in his body not to come right then and there.

With a grunt, Bob pulled out and slammed right back into her, causing the both of them to cry out in pleasure. He couldn't help the huge grin on his face, completely overcome with euphoria as he looked at her flushed, panting, naked form lying beneath him. There was nothing he wouldn't do to keep her like that.

Feeling the need to kiss her, he let her legs fall and cradled her cheek, pressing their lips together hungrily as he pounded into her, the sensation sending shivers down her spine as she moaned his name against his lips.

"Baby...you are so fucking good," he grunted roughly, pulling back slightly so that he could stare at her in wonderment, which was reflected in her eyes too as she beamed up at him.

Bob had a fresh sheen of sweat covering his entire body, his normally perfect hair was a complete mess and he was fairly certain he had drool dripping from the corners of his mouth. Or maybe that was remnants of her. Probably both. Plus, he had a totally fucked out, glazed over look behind his fogged up glasses, which he eventually got sick of and threw on the pile of their mixed up clothes. He was a flushed, beautiful mess.

"You make me feel so good. Generally. Not just when I'm balls deep in you, baby. Like, talking to you, loving the sound of your laugh, your smile, it's all addictive," he murmured, pressing their foreheads together, unable to wipe the goofy grin off his face.

As much as it scared him, he was falling. And he was falling fast.

Y/N wrapped her arms tighter around his broad shoulders and nuzzled the space between his jaw and his ear, planting soft kisses on his jawline as she whispered seductively, "Oh Lieutenant, I'm so close," and clutched at his dishevelled locks.

He groaned, unable to stop himself from digging his fingers into her hips and pumping even harder than before as he bit his lower lip tightly, fighting the urge to explode. He was so close, but he wanted to see her face when she finally lost control, wanted to watch that mesmerising expression when she came undone, wanted to see her beg for him and scream out his name. But the only way he could do that is if she came undone first.

So without further ado, he plunged deep into her once more and let out a guttural whine as she cried out loudly in pure bliss, her body trembling uncontrollably beneath him and her eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy. She clung onto him for dear life, her nails gripping into his back, the pain igniting a wave of excitement inside him as he could feel her walls clamp tight around him and the intense sensations were too much.

His head lolled forwards as his vision blurred more than usual, and he could barely register anything as he felt himself coming. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he whined her name, and he didn't care if anyone heard or saw him repeating her name over and over again in the middle of the night, he didn't care if he woke up an army of people with his voice because he was crazy for this woman.

It seemed to him as if she owned every single cell of his being. As he finished his release deep within her, he collapsed onto her chest, letting out several heavy breaths, still holding her close. His face was still pressed against the gap between her breast, listening to her heart hammering wildly against her chest with each breath that she took as she ran her fingers through his now tousled hair.

"R2D2 can fuck."

"Shut up, darlin."

She snorted lightly but said nothing else, the pair of them settling into silence as Y/N absentmindedly played with his hair as they lay in the afterglow. After some time had passed, she spoke up timidly.

"Lieutenant."

"Hmmm?" he hummed lazily, not lifting his head as his arms remained firmly locked around her waist. He couldn't bring himself to move. Everything was just too perfect.

"Bet you're glad you didn't give my number to Hangman, huh?"

His eyes shot open as his brain kicked into high gear and he lifted his head slightly, raising himself above her to kiss her once again passionately. "Yeah," he said breathlessly between kisses, "I am very glad I didn't."

Next Chapter: Relaxed

#robert bob floyd #bob floyd #bob fucks #top gun maverick #Youtube #bob floyd x reader #bob floyd x y/n #bob floyd x female reader #bob floyd x you

[mariaofdoranelle]

Hiiiii for your drabelfest can i have a jealous ex chaol???

Lost the Breakup

Written for my Drabblefest

Nonnie, you absolutely can. I’m addicted to Maisie Peters’ new album, so I took some inspiration from it if you don’t mind heheheh

Also, I wasn’t clear in the post but the Drabblefest legislator (me) is adamant about writing for every single ask I receive!! with very few exceptions that involve creepy illegal stuff. but i’m okay with writing fun illegal stuff like drugs or murder. allegedly. don’t look at me, fbi agent.

Warnings: language, this fic isn’t Chaol-friendly

1k words

⨯ ⁺ ✦ ･ ｡ﾟ⨯ ﾟ♡ ✧* ･｡* ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

If anyone asked Aelin why she was sitting at a bar tonight, she wouldn’t know how to explain it. At least not without telling that last month she got the news that she’s not exciting and her boyfriend—now ex—isn’t in love anymore.

What she did know is that she must look pathetic having a drink by herself—which was definitely not the plan when Fenrys said he’d find someone to make her ex jealous. She sighed and texted her friend.

Aelin: where the hell is your himbo

Fen: on his way

Fen: just so you know

Fen: i picked him for his height and hotness

Fen: not his personality

Aelin: you’ll owe me one if he’s boring

Fen: i’m literally saving your ass

“Hey,” a highly familiar voice said when Aelin was texting a snarky response. “it’s been forever.”

“Hi,” Aelin gave him a taut smile. “what a coincidence.”

And by that, she meant what a coincidence that after stalking every college bar you go to on Instagram, checking which posts with daily plans you and your friends liked, and narrowing it down to two options, we ended up in the same place at the same time.

“So…” Chaol cleared his throat. “you wanna get a drink? Like, together.”

When Aelin opened her mouth to say no, a guy she recognized from the football team—Ronan? Roman?—put his arm around her shoulder and looked down at Chaol.

“Babe.” He cocked his head, looking down at Chaol. “Is he bothering you?”

Still sitting on her stool, Aelin leaned her head against Ronan’s torso, sent Chaol a fake apologetic look and said, “I’m kinda busy, but thanks.”

“Sure.” Chaol gave them a stiff nod. His jaw was tight, his movements unnaturally smooth as he walked away with clenched hands on his sides.

Dear Mala, it looked a lot like Aelin was about to win the breakup.

Ronan’s eyes were squinted at Chaol as her ex walked out. “The way Fenrys begged me to come here to make him jealous made me think he’d at least be hot.”

Aelin opened her mouth with a retort ready, but closed it again when something clicked “What do you mean Fenrys begged you to come?”

“I only came when he made it clear he was asking for a favor, not playing matchmaker.”

Aelin sipped her Moscow Mule, trying to figure Ronan out. “You won’t have a date with a girl unless it’s to make her ex jealous?”

He snorted. “Not a date Fenrys finds me, no.”

After brief introductions and a round of drinks, Aelin found out his name was actually Rowan, not her other guesses. She was so close, but the roll her tongue did while pronouncing his actual name made it much sexier.

Also, she made a mental note to thank Fenrys later. She asked for a usual hot guy, and her friend sent her the gods’ favorite soldier, built like an ancient warrior.

“Tell me how this short man broke your heart.”

Aelin wrinkled her nose. What a way to burst her horny bubble.

“He told me a month ago that he was bored in our relationship, and—“

“And?” Rowan’s tone was surprised, his eyebrows raised. “He insulted your charity work, and there’s more?”

Aelin groaned with her head in her hands, then focused back on Rowan. “We decided to take a break, and two days later Chaol’s ex told me he’d been hitting on her for a week.”

“Guilty of attempted cheating. He’s a piece of shit.” Rowan leaned closer to her. “And if you want, I can, you know…” he sneaked a look at Chaol's way and cracked his knuckles.

“No need, but thanks.” Aelin squeezed his forearm, a laugh almost bursting out of her. “I’m flattered, though.”

Rowan’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t being serious.”

“I doubt that.” She gave him a mischievous smile. “But you can be serious about dancing with me.”

Rowan’s face was starting to twist into a grimace when he stopped and looked at where her hand touched his skin. When he looked back up, something in his eyes had shifted.

He turned his palm up, held her wrist, pulled her close and whispered to her ear, “His friends are watching us, wanna give them something to look at?”

“We should make out.” Aelin licked her lips, taking his ravenous eyes in. “In the name of torturing exes, that is.”

Before she knew it, Rowan took her mouth as if he owned it.

He held her face and neck with both hands, and their languorous kiss turned into something much more fervent when he got up and pressed her against the bar counter.

She burned from the inside out with every flick of his tongue, Rowan luring her into a passionate haze where there was nothing but restless hands, his pine-scented cologne and broad shoulders blocking her from the outside world.

Someone cleared their throat behind Aelin, making them break their kiss. On the other side of the counter, the bartender was watching them with a bored look.

“Do you mind moving over to another place? This area is for ordering drinks.”

They gave him a quick apology and Rowan led her to another part of the bar.

“I can’t see your ex anymore,” he said, looking around while they explored the place. “but his friends are still here.”

Aelin smiled. She hoped she’d pissed Chaol off enough to leave.

“You know what’ll make him go berserk?” Rowan asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

She wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ll do it.”

“If we get out of here together,” he whispered in her ear.

“Fuck, yeah.” Aelin said in a husky tone, her breath heavy as she wrapped her arms around him. “And we should go to my place. My front-door neighbor’s girlfriend’s best friend babysits his little brother.”

Rowan’s parted lips slowly morphed into a smirk. “We can’t lose that opportunity, right?”

“Absolutely not.” Aelin ran her fingers through his hair. “And I think we could do that some other time too. Just for reinforcement.”

Aelin would say she won the breakup, but she barely remembered it as Rowan pulled her face to his again.

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[callsigndragon]

The Christmas Date | Chapter 10: Santa's coming for us

Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Fem!Kerner!Reader

(Ron Kerner is Slider, Iceman’s backseater)

Wordcount: 2.3k

Summary: Y/n “Athena” Kerner and Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw hate each other. Everybody knows. What happens when they have to fake date for a whole week to avoid Iceman and Slider’s matchmaking plans?

(there won’t be smut in this series)

Warnings: this one is a bit angsty, y'all. FLASHBACK CHAPTER. mentions of comma, death, wanting to give up, mention of carole's death, funeral, Rooster trying to pull Thena's papers. fluff at the end.

A/N: i managed to finish this chapter and here it is, for all of you to enjoy (been working on it for more than a week, don't think i forced my self 🤍). Italics are all events from the past.

Taglist:@ducks118 @milestellerwife @craftymoonchaos @littlebadariell  @xoxabs88xox @alexxavicry  @tayrae515  @shrimping-for-all  @mak-32  @my-soulmate-is-mycroft  @harper1666  @purplevortexx  @abaker74  @ssprayberrythings  @melllinaa  @loveless-simp  @k-k0129  @mygyn  @castle-bookworms-world  @chaoticversion  @one-sweet-gubler  @loveforaugust

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Years ago

It took three days for Bradley to wake up. He could hear everyone. When the nurses came in to check his constants. Whenever one of his "uncles" stood beside the bed, praying for him to not give up. 

The young Bradshaw—the only Bradshaw left—was left without any reason to live. He didn't remember his father, being too young to have any clear memory left. He had lost his mother; she was like the sun, with a beautiful smile always shining until the very end. What did he have left? His father's friends, who had always looked at him with pity in their eyes? His friend, if he could still consider her so, was now lying in bed on the other side of the room. She would soon realize that he had destroyed her life, and she wouldn't want to breathe the same air as him. 

He didn’t have anything to live for anymore. 

And then, just as he was about to slip into the darkness that surrounded him, he heard a voice. Not any voice. The voice that cheered for him louder than the rest in the football matches. The sweet voice that wished him good luck before taking the last of his exams at high school. A voice he could replay in his mind at any time because it was the only sound he would have wanted to hear for the rest of his life if given the opportunity. 

Her voice. 

Y/n. 

At first, he thought she was only trying to give him strength to wake up, even though the first thing he would have to face once he walked out of the hospital was a funeral. When he heard your sweet, heartfelt confession, he could almost feel your insides breaking at the thought of you losing someone you love. He knew how you felt, and if he could, he would do anything to spare you the agony. He had felt that for two years before his mom's body stopped fighting for her. The pain became like a friend, always there to greet him when he came back home from class, wishing him good night when the nightmares invaded his sleep; it was always there. And he didn't want you to feel like that. 

Rooster had lost that fear, only to find another one. What if he decided to fight and live just for you to hate him in the future? Would he be able to overcome that? No, he couldn't just make you his only reason to live. That wouldn't be fair for any of you. You were his reason to fight—to survive in a world that had nothing left for him. He would need to find new reasons to live. 

For hours, he considered all the possible options for his future. He should finish college first. That’s what his mother would have wanted. Maybe he could become an aviator like his dad. It was the dream that he had to leave aside to spend time with Carole. Now that she was gone, he could do it. He could become an aviator like his father and his uncles. And you would be at his side. 

Yes, that looked like a good future. 

For reasons that not even Bradley understood, when he woke up the next morning, he acted like nothing happened. Like Y/n didn’t confess her feelings. A part of him was afraid that she only confessed out of fear, that perhaps she wasn’t prepared yet. He could wait. 

Y/n was beside him at Carole’s funeral. She couldn’t walk properly yet; she was in a wheelchair. But her hand was wrapped around his all the time. It was all the strength he needed. 

Her hand on his. 

“I am waiting to hear back from the Naval Academy” 

That’s not the answer Bradley expected to hear when Maverick asked you what your plans were after high school. Not even a breath could be heard when you dropped that information. 

“When did you apply?” Slider asked, leaving the fork on his plate. 

“In May,” you said under your breath, shy due to all the sudden attention. 

“Were you ever gonna tell us?” your mom questioned while getting up from her chair and walking towards you with long steps. Rooster thought for a second, judging from her body language, that she was going to slap her daughter. "What were you waiting for, Y/n? How could you decide that without me and your father?" 

"My life isn't for you to decide, mom. Not anymore" 

"Terry, she's right," Slider sighed, kissing your forehead and whispering, "Have you thought carefully about it?" 

"Yes, dad. I want to be like you," you confessed, shiny eyes filled with emotion.

"Honey, I know that you are able to do anything you set your mind to, but…"

Rooster knew that the words following that weren't the ones you wanted to hear. 

"But?" 

"Maybe that's not a place for a girl," Slider stated, grabbing your hand between his. Your eyes quickly lose the emotion Bradley had previously noticed in them, as if it had never existed. 

"You don't think I can make it?" 

"I didn't say that" 

Whatever explanation Slider planned to give died on his lips when you ran away from the house. 

Bradley found himself feeling the fear that tightened around his heart. He never thought you were incapable of being an aviator. In fact, he knew that you would be an amazing one. If anything, he thought that you would be very limited in the back seat position. You were made to be in control, to be in the front seat, and to feel the adrenaline while twirling around in the sky. He could imagine your smile while doing it; you had it in your blood. 

However, the fear of you having an accident just like his father and losing you forever—that was a feeling he couldn't shake off. Fear makes us do a lot of things that we shouldn't. And walking into Iceman's office to beg him to pull your papers was one of the things he shouldn’t have done.

"You want me to do what?" He repeated, wanting to make sure that he had heard Bradley asking him to betray his goddaughter. 

"I can't risk losing her, Tom." Bradley begged, tears in his eyes, "it's the only thing I have left. She can’t be a backseater." 

Iceman sighed, knowing that whatever his decision, he would lose one of his kids. "Bradley, I know you think you don't have anyone left but you have to look around and see all the people who love you and care fo-" 

"She's like the stars." Bradley breathed, not wanting to go as far as having to confess his feelings. “Dad was the moon, and Mom was the sun. Y/n is like the stars, Tom. She lights up the dark night I’ve been living since my mom died, and I can’t lose that light. She’s always guiding me to follow the right path. Just like Polaris, always pointing to the north. She’s my Polaris.” 

“Pull her papers, and you will extinguish her light, son.” 

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“You love her” concluded Iceman, eyes staring into Bradlye’s ones, reading his soul like an open book.  

“I love her. And I’m so scared to lose someone else I love, Ice,” he choked up, all his feelings coming to the surface as he allowed himself to be vulnerable for the first time in months. He tried to be brave for months, hiding his emotions and not wanting to be a burden for anyone. 

Ice walked around the table to give Bradley a hug. The mask that the young man had been wearing since the funeral had fallen at last. He was just a boy who had been raised by the most loving woman he had ever met and was now learning to navigate in this world without her. 

“Let me give you some advice, Bradley. If you love someone, you have to trust that they make the right choices and support them” 

“Even this one?” Bradley mumbled while looking at the floor. He was too embarrassed to look at Iceman with his tear-stained face. 

“Especially this one, son,” the older man claimed, patting the younger man’s shoulder. “Now, go out there and forget about pulling Y/n’s papers. If she gets accepted or no, only time will tell” 

“You wanted to pull my papers?” 

The voice that once brought him back to life, so filled with pain and love at the thought of losing him, was then quiet, cold, and numb. She begged him to stay with him for months only for him to betray her in this way. How could he? What made him believe that he had anything to say in the matter? 

“Y/n, listen, it’s not what you think...” Bradley muttered, afraid he had lost her in the effort to hold onto the last remaining source of light in his life. 

“Not what I think? There’s no other possible explanation, Bradshaw” 

Bradshaw. Not Bradley. Bradshaw. His long name had never felt like an insult, but right now it felt like a bullet straight through his heart. Did she just hear the last part of the conversation? 

“Y/n, please, listen to me” 

"Don't ever talk to me again.” 

And then she turned around and left, while Bradley fell to his knees. Iceman stood there, knowing that it didn’t matter if he tried to explain what happened in that room—Bradley really tried to pull Y/n’s papers. He thought about it, and he wanted to do it. The damage was done the second he asked for it. Only time could make you forgive him, if you ever decided to. If not, well, there wasn’t anything he could do. 

Only time could tell. 

“You only heard part of the conversation, Thena,” Bradley says, sitting down next to you. His hands are itching to touch you, but he knows he can’t. 

“I heard Iceman saying that you needed to forget about pulling my papers, Roos” 

“But you never heard why I asked him to do it” he insists. He wants you to know. If you are about to start a serious relationship, he wants all the secrets out in the open. 

You move your body, facing him, your eyes hinting at both fear and curiosity at the same time. “Tell me” 

“I was afraid of losing you in an accident, just like I lost my father. You wanted to be a backseater like your dad. When you’re in the back, you can’t control the aircraft; you are at someone else’s mercy. You not being in control of your own aircraft scared the shit out of me, grouchy. You were the only thing I had left,” he finally confesses, his lips pressed in a thin line, worried that his answer will make you more angry. 

“I understand that you were scared, but it wasn’t your decision,” you say, sighing and moving your hand slightly in his direction. 

“Iceman made me realize that. He made it clear that I could only support your decision to join the Navy.  

“So you… you didn’t want to pull my papers anymore?” 

"Not after hearing Ice say that. He had convinced me that when we love someone, we have to trust that they make the best decisions” 

You whisper, "You never tried to explain yourself, nugget," as your hand, which had been painfully edging toward Rooster's during the conversation, now tentatively touches his. 

“How could I? Was there any possible way that you would have forgiven me for what I tried to do?” he whispers back, as if this conversation was supposed to be kept a secret from the rest of the world. Nobody knows what Rooster did, everyone thinks that you two just fell apart, no longer being the two kids that gravitated towards each other. 

“No, not really”

“But I was there with you, every step of the way, after I got out of college. And then we met again at Top Gun”

"And we bickered like children," you laugh, your hand now completely encircling his. 

"It's what we've always done, fly girl." 

You nod, slowly closing that chapter of your life. You know that deep down, a part of you will always remember that he tried to put an end to your career before it had even begun. There’s no possible way that you can forget that. You forgave him years ago, but you will never forget. It doesn’t matter that his choices were based on fear. The damage was done, and the scar was there, invisible to the human eye, but marked in your soul. 

Rooster lifts your hand to his lips, softly kissing your knuckles. “Will you be able to forgive me?” 

“I already did, Roos. I love you too much to stay mad at you” 

“Did you say you love me?” Rooster asks, his face heating up and reddening like Rudolph’s nose. 

“... I thought it was obvious” 

“I m-mean it was 15 years ago, but I didn’t know you loved me now,” he stutters, suddenly feeling like a teenager in front of his crush. 

“Oh, nugget, don’t go shy on me now,” you joke, poking his cheek.

“Don’t tease me!” he whines, making you laugh. “I love you too, dumbass”

You can’t understand how you’re able to laugh after Solo and his obsessive behavior, but it feels good to shake that feeling away. Tomorrow you will go to the police station and report him, putting an end to his crazy activities. 

Tonight, however, you are spending quality time with the man you love. 

#the christmas date #top gun maverick fanfic #top gun #top gun maverick #top gun fanfiction #top gun x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x female reader #rooster bradshaw fic #bradley bradshaw x reader #rooster fanfic #rooster top gun #rooster x reader #top gun rooster #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw x y/n #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley rooster x reader #rooster bradshaw x reader #rooster fluff #rooster x y/n #rooster imagine #rooster x reader fluff #rooster fanfiction #top gun: maverick #top gun rooster x reader #top gun fluff #top gun fic

[theanticool]

Seeing as the PFL/Bellator rumors are being openly talked about by fighters involved with both promotions, guess it’s time to wildly speculate.

I’ve seen some positive sentiment around PFL’s rumored buying of Bellator MMA. A lot of it stemming from how Bellator has been run since the Viacom/Coker takeover. That’s 100% fair. Bellator went from a place that developed its own talent, to a side show, to a place talent the UFC didn’t want anymore went, and is only now enjoying an influx of homegrown talent (at a reduced rate tbh). The hiring of Big John on commentary is baffling, as he’s terrible at it. Viewership fell off the map as they moved off Spike/Paramount TV. Cards are full of slow grind fest or mismatches. So I get the idea of Bellator going away being a potential positive.

What I don’t get is the enthusiasm around PFL being the ones to buy them out. PFL has many of the same problems. Cards laden with mismatches because of their odd seasonal format necessitates highly paid talent advance out the first round. A bizarre desire to be a PPV company without any fighters who appeal to a casual audience. No promotional ability. Like, they can’t sell out the goddamn Hulu theater! I was in the Hulu Theater for Serrano-Cruz and Glory and both times they were packed. That’s how little name recognition PFL has, despite years on ESPN. That’s the other thing, their deal with ESPN is up soon. It wasn’t much but that was a significant amount of the actual revenue PFL generated. Outside of VC and Saudi money, PFL has been a fire pit for cash. They’re trying to expand to all these places: Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, etc. They’re paying $10 million+ for a Francis Ngannou fight in 2024. Where is all that money coming from? They don’t have a TV deal. They don’t sell PPVs. They barely move tickets. I doubt they’ve sold 100 PFL t-shirts.

Not to mention, PFL is the same organization who’s former matchmaker had to be quit because he was the ACTING MANAGER for many of the fighters on roster. Lord knows how much influence Ali Abdelaziz still has in the office.

I understand that Bellator and PFL needed to make changes. They could not both keep limping along pretending they were viable alternatives to the UFC. But all of a sudden, we’re going from three “big” North American promotions to two. That means fighters are going to lose their jobs. That means you have less options on what to watch. That means fighters’ (little) leverage at the bargaining table is being cut. It means that one of the biggest media companies in the world decided a secondary MMA promotion to the UFC was not a viable investment in a landscape where sports are the things drawing eyeballs to the TV.

Like I always say, I’m hoping for the best. But buying Bellator does not address the #1 issue facing any of these promoters - you have to draw people to the product. No one but us and a handful of other sickos watched Bellator religiously. They won’t care that PFL has Johnny Eblen on roster now. You have to build stars. Maybe instead of spending 8-9 figures to buy a company with like no name value, you buy Kayla Harrison or OAM a publicist?

#pfl #Bellator #rumors #mma

[payattentiontothescreen]

Bridgerton Rewatch S1E1 - Diamond of the First Water (Part 2)

Here's part 2 of the S1E1 Rewatch

Something I noticed is that Eloise has a lot of sympathy for Daphne when it comes to the whole Berbrooke thing. She tries to stay with Daphne when he’s the only one who calls on her. In general, they’re a lot closer here than they are once Berbrooke is out of the picture.

Thinking back on it and watching the show again, Pen is the only one who could have ever been Lady Whistledown. Given the derision and abuse she’s been through by the entire ton, especially her own mother, she’s a teenager who’s lashing out. She’s an afterthought to everyone except Colin and Eloise.

Speaking of Colin and Penelope, he has always thought highly of her. When he’s leaving the Featheringtons after calling on Marina, Pen is the only one he says goodbye to. He doesn’t even bid Marina farewell; it’s just Pen.

Daphne and Eloise have very similar views on their place in the world. Daphne does not like that marriage is her only option. She has just made her peace with it.

Lady Whistledown’s dig at Marina’s “pretty little slippered feet” was so obviously Pen, I don’t know how anyone thought it wasn’t her.

The Queen’s dismissal of Daphne is a good early indicator of how much she cares about LWD’s opinion.

I need more Violet/Lady Danbury scheming. They’re both so clever, the matchmaking worked wonders.

This next note says “Anthony shut the fuck up challenge.” Again, no idea what that’s in reference to but it’s applicable to any scene he’s in.

So they plant a Cressida/Colin dynamic really early on of her wanting to be with him. Not much on this here, I’m just looking forward to seeing how that plays out in season 3.

What drives me crazy is that Colin DOES NOT LET GO OF PEN’S HAND when the music stops. They aren’t dancing anymore but Colin is still holding Pen’s hand. Idiots in love at its finest.

Not gonna lie, those lights are sick.

Season 1 Anthony has 2 modes: pompous idiot or callous asshole. He manages to be both when he tells Daphne that he promised her to Berbrooke.

Quick Marina sidebar - first, I couldn’t imagine just having to bleed through on my period. That sounds like hell. Second, it would never happen but I would love if Marina slapped Lady F back. Full on “They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!” action.

Back to Daphne, we’re at the attempted assault scene. Something that I noticed this time around is that Berbrooke is pissed at Daphne because, to him, she thinks she’s better than him. The thing is, she is technically higher class than he is. He comes from a barony; she’s the daughter of a viscount. In a purely hierarchical sense, she is better than him. She comes from a better family. And I know that there’s the gender politics involved here but I’m choosing to ignore them because they are stupid.

I’ve watched this show several times. Daphne punching Berbrooke in the face will always be satisfying as fuck.

I’d like to take this bullet point to say that Simon is iconic. His dialogue is so well-written. Love it.

End of episode thoughts: This is a really well-done pilot. It marries romance, drama, and comedy amazingly. I’m looking forward to seeing what else I find on a closer inspection of the series.

Thanks for going on this journey with me. S1E2 will be up tomorrow? Maybe? It depends on how busy I am with grad school.

Have a great day!

#bridgerton #bridgerton netflix #bridgerton season one #bridgerton s1 #bridgerton season 1 #anthony bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #colin bridgerton #daphne bridgerton #francesca bridgerton #eloise bridgerton #gregory bridgerton #hyacinth bridgerton #penelope featherington #simon basset #simon hastings #romance #period drama #shondaland #violet bridgerton

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

Crushed

Hiii, I always love your fics, you always write my blorbo so well. Just— Hngh they're all such good bois. Anyways, please don't feel rushed about getting to this request, but I would love to see your take on a fic where the other sides try to matchmake (either subtly or not, dealer's choice!) Virgil with someone of your choice :D preferably with hurt/comf sprinkled in with all the shenanigans that they can get into when they try and push Virgil and Other Side together :'D thanks sm! – anon

Read on Ao3 Part 1

Warnings: none!

Pairings: prinxiety, perceived anxceit but not really

Word Count: 3349

Takes place in an AU where the Sides' roles are switched: Logan is Morality, Roman is Anxiety, Virgil and Patton are Creativity, Remus is Deceit, Janus is Logic.

Roman sees Janus kiss Virgil on the cheek. Oh, well, that means that they must be in love, right?

If only he knew that Janus isn't the side that Virgil's actually crushing on…

    Roman fiddles with his hands as the meeting goes on. This one's about what to do this weekend and he's not sure any of them sound like good ideas. Going to the new pop-up store by themselves seems like trouble; what if they get overwhelmed and then none of their friends know how to come yet them? And the new restaurant might be worse, what if they don't like their food and then they have to tell the waitstaff that? They're just doing their job, it's not their fault if Thomas doesn't like the food! And what if Thomas's car gets a flat on the way there? They don't know that area, they don't know how far the nearest place is going to be, what if they can't drive home and they have to be out there for hours and hours and hours?

It was better just to stay home.

"Roman?"

Roman jumps as a hand comes to rest on his shoulder. He looks up to see Logan watching him, concerned.

"Are you quite alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"Bullshit!" Remus waggles his fingers in a wave when Roman glares at him. "You're freaking out, aren't you?"

"Don't be unkind," Janus scolds, giving Remus a gentle push to the shoulder. "I'm sure if Roman is upset about something, he would tell us."

"That's also bullshit."

Patton rolls his eyes, scoffing at the two of them beginning to squabble, looking back at Logan. "All I'm saying is I don't think we should be going out there! That place has no standards of health clearly available, they don't even have vegan options, and who knows what that horrid chicken logo is actually from? We're much better off going somewhere safe and reasonable, that's probably what Roman is so upset about, right?"

"Uh—I—"

"Thomas isn't vegan," Janus says smoothly, "the restaurant wouldn't be open if it hadn't passed its health and safety inspections, and the logo is irrelevant."

"Excuse you?" Patton draws himself up. "The logo is a reflection of the restaurant's values! If they're going to blatantly display something so vulgar, I don't think that's a place that's very family friendly!"

"You say that as if it's a negative," Remus huffs, "I don't want to eat around a bunch of screaming kids. And what's with the whole 'vulgar' thing? It's a chicken holding a platter."

"Wearing nothing but underwear!"

"It's a bikini."

"Exactly!"

"There is nothing wrong with a cartoon depiction of an animal in a bathing suit," Logan says with infinite patience, his hand still on Roman's shoulder, "now, are there any other objections?"

Patton fumes and grumbles for a moment. Roman bites his lip. He doesn't actually want to make Patton upset anymore and it seems like everyone else has already agreed…

"Roman?"

"Um—"

"Don't lie," Remus says, "I'll know."

Oh. Oh, god, everyone's looking at him, oh, no—

"Hey."

Roman turns to look at Virgil, who had previously been quiet. He leans forward, propping his weight on his elbows.

"What's bothering you, Princey?"

"I—um—it's just we've never been here before. We don't—we don't know the area, we don't know how to get there, we don't even know if we'll like the food."

Virgil nods. "Okay. Well, Joan is the one who recommended the place, and we know Joan knows our taste in food. It's close enough to the bus that if something really bad happens, we can still get home. And we'll have J—" he gestures to Janus who nods— "on directions, so we know we won't get lost."

"All true," Janus adds quietly, "thank you for speaking up, Roman, did that help?"

"Y-yeah." Well, now I feel like an idiot for being so upset.

"Then it's settled." Logan pats his shoulder once more. "I am excited to try this place."

"Me too!"

As the conversation winds to a close and the others start to sink out, Roman finds himself watching Janus and Virgil. The two of them have their heads together, speaking quietly. There's an intimacy to the way their shoulders keep brushing, the way they keep smiling, even the way they trade off the ends of their questions. Part of him thinks he shouldn't be watching this, this is clearly a private moment, but he can't stop.

His eyes widen when he sees Janus lean in to kiss Virgil's cheek.

With a squeak and a scramble, he sinks out too, appearing back in his room and curling up into a ball. Janus kissed Virgil. Janus kissed Virgil. Oh my god, Janus just kissed Virgil.

He definitely wasn't supposed to see that. Wait, did that mean they were—together? Maybe it was a secret? Or maybe they were just in the beginning stages of being together, or maybe one of them was waiting to ask the other out? Was that why they both wanted to go to the restaurant? Was it their date?

He puts his chin on his knees. It had felt really nice when Virgil asked him what was wrong. He should try and make Virgil feel nice too.

…yeah. Yeah, he can help Virgil with Janus.

***

"Logan?"

Logan turns as Virgil jogs over to him, adjusting his glasses. "Yes?"

"Is Roman okay?"

"I've not seen much of him lately, which is a little worrying, but…yes, I would presume so." He frowns. "Why, do you think something's wrong?"

"He's avoiding me, I think."

"Avoiding you?"

"Yeah, he keeps saying no to things we planned a while ago, and he won't really look at me during the meetings anymore. I tried to ask him if he was alright and he just got really red and mumbled something before he left."

"Well, that is worrying. Is there anything else in common, or that you've noticed?"

"…he keeps suggesting I hang out with J."

"Janus? Perhaps he knows that you two have been wanting to work together for a while."

"Maybe."

"Look," Logan says, resting his hand on Virgil's shoulder, "you know Roman thinks the world of you. I'm sure if you spoke to him about what's troubling you, he would understand."

Virgil sighs. "God, I hope so."

***

No, no, no, no, this is all wrong, this is very wrong, oh, no, I messed up—

Roman forces a smile to his face as Virgil finishes talking, looking at him in that way that makes him feel special. "So…yeah, Princey. Are we—are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good!" Virgil blinks at the force of his shout. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to yell, it's just—yeah. Yeah, we're good."

"Are you gonna…stop avoiding me?"

"I didn't mean to avoid you—okay, maybe," he concedes when Virgil raises an eyebrow, "but—I thought you'd—well, I mean—I just thought—"

"You can say it, it's okay."

"I thought you'd rather spend more time with Janus."

Virgil frowns. "Janus? Why?"

"W-well, you…you…um," Roman mumbles, twisting his fingers together, "I didn't…I know I've tried to hog a lot of your free time in the past and I'm not really good at the stuff you—that you enjoy doing with people and…Janus is?"

Understanding crosses Virgil's face and he chuckles. "Yeah, he's pretty great, huh?"

"Mhm." Don't let him see that, don't let him see that, just be happy for them, just be happy for them. "I just…I just want the two of you to be happy."

"That's really sweet of you, Princey," Virgil says, reaching out and lightly tapping the tip of his nose, "but I like hanging out with you too, okay?"

"O-okay."

"Wanna sit next to me for movie night again?"

"Yes," Roman says way too quickly, "I mean, yeah, yeah, sure, if that's…something you want too."

Virgil chuckles. "Yeah, that sounds good. See you then?"

"Y-yeah."

Virgil ruffles his hair and heads out of his room, leaving Roman to wait until the door is properly shut to fall on the bed, bury his face in a pillow, and groan.

It was hard enough when Virgil came and asked him softly if they could talk, it was hard enough to hear him be all concerned over Roman, but then he had to listen to Virgil say that Janus was great in that soft and fond voice and then ask him to sit next to him at movie night—

Oh, why is this so hard?

He just needs to stop freaking out about it. He can still be Virgil's friend and help Virgil get with Janus. He can do this. This is what he wants. This will make everyone happy.

…right?

***

It's one of those days, Virgil's in a playful mood, and yes, he is about to make that everyone's problem.

A few of them know better, rolling their eyes and making themselves scarce or proudly displaying the fact that it rolls right off of them. He caught Janus texting a group chat saying that he's in a mood, best steer clear if you don't want any part of it, and chuckled to himself as he made his way back upstairs.

As if that would do anything to deter him.

He's about to go and track down Remus when he walks past the den and pauses. A smile crawls across his face when he sees Roman there, curled up on the couch, writing in his notebook.

Perfect.

He approaches slowly, giving Roman more than enough time to look up and flee—or at least try—but he doesn't, buried in his notebook until Virgil reaches the corner of the couch. Then he startles, glancing up and curling a little tighter.

"Hi."

"Hello, sweetheart."

Bingo. Roman turns pink, ears flushing red as he blinks up at Virgil. He shuffles a little bit, glancing away before looking back up. "Did—did you need something?"

Virgil hums, tilting his head and just gazing at him. Then he smiles. "May I join you?"

"Um, yeah—yeah, sure, go ahead."

"Thanks, sweetheart."

Another muffled noise as Virgil walks over. Roman shifts, clearly expecting Virgil to sit next to him on the couch—tempting, but not quite what he's going for—and visibly startles like a little kitten when he takes a seat on the coffee table, right in front of him.

He makes himself comfortable, elbows on his legs, and tilts his head as if he's surprised by Roman's confusion.

"Hi, cutie."

He doesn't bother to hide his smirk as Roman looks away, fruitlessly flipping pages in his notebook until the flush subsides a tiny bit. He rests his chin on his hand and just stares, loving the way Roman keeps pointedly not looking at him and trying to sneak glances only to find out that Virgil's still just watching him.

"What," he blurts out eventually, ears back to blushing roses again, "do you want something?"

"Maybe I just want to spend time with you."

Roman looks up, disbelief written all over his features, only for it to dissolve right back into a downright adorable fluster when he winks.

"Aww, come on," he coos when Roman tries to hide his face in the notebook, "don't hide from me, sweetheart, you're too cute."

"I am not!"

Trap laid and baited, Roman steps neatly into it as Virgil leans forward. "Of course you are, Princey. That's why you're hiding your little red face. It's so I can't see how cute it is and tease you about it."

A truly wonderful smattering of flustered noises leaves him and Virgil chuckles.

"Don't worry, cutie, I won't hold it against you."

"Oh my god, what do you want?"

"Don't pout, cutie, I told you. I want to spend time with you." He laughs as Roman glares at him—or tries to, because it keeps going back to that pouty face and he covers it with his hands. "You hiding a smile under there?"

"No," he lies, pulling his leg up to hide it. Thankfully Remus doesn't catch it.

"This isn't proving me wrong, you know, about how cute you are."

Roman peeks one eye out to glare at him but he twiddles his fingers in a wave and oops, he's all flustered again.

"Aww, you're too easy, cutie."

"What do you want?"

"If you keep asking me that, sweetheart, you'll make me think you like hearing how much I want to spend time with you," he chuckles, "but I'll be nice."

"This is you being nice?"

"I did want you to do something for me," he continues, watching as Roman slowly looks up, face sobering as he calms down, sitting up on the couch, "hm?"

"What is it?"

Oh, you poor thing…He holds eye contact, shifting closer, until his face is right up next to Roman's. He lowers his voice to a rumble and smirks.

"Blush for me, Princey."

The poor dear does as bid, turning bright red in shock. He chuckles and tilts his head.

"Isn't that precious," he murmurs, "I wonder…if I ask you to squee for me, would you do that too?"

Roman splutters and Virgil's smile widens, leaning up to whisper in his ear.

"Squee, cutie," he whispers, "squee for me, Princey."

Roman covers his face, pulling himself up to curl into a little ball, letting out the most adorable little squeal he's ever heard.

"Maybe I should save that as your ringtone," he teases, before humming when Roman doesn't move at all, "don't get all shy on me now, cutie."

He doesn't react and Virgil frowns.

"Don't make me come and get you," he warns, before tugging on Roman's sleeve, "alright, you asked for it."

Sure enough, Roman yelps when one of Virgil's hands slides over his tummy and around to his side, hands flying down in an attempt to stop it. But by the time he realizes it's a trap, Virgil's settled on the couch next to him and pulled his legs into his lap, reaching out to cradle his face.

"There you are, cutie," he murmurs, "aren't you precious?"

Roman's eyes are wide and brimming with tears, sparkling in the light. Virgil hums and coos, bringing him closer and ruffling his hair.

"Hey, hey," he says softly as Roman tries to pull away and hide again, "don't run away from me. None of that, little dragon, you're adorable. No, no, shh-shh-shh, you are."

He brushes a thumb underneath Roman's eye to catch the tears that do manage to escape.

"Don't let all those mean voices tell you otherwise," he scolds gently, "do I need to shut them up for you?"

His hands twitch and clutch at Virgil's sleeve and he smiles, brushing a thumb over the other cheek.

"Aww, it's okay, little dragon," he coos, letting Roman wrap his arms around him, "it's okay. Was I being too mean and teasy?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I can't help it, you're so cute."

"Stop," Roman whines, lightly pushing at his chest, still pouting, "why aren't you doing this to Janus?"

Virgil frowns. "Okay, what's up with you thinking about me and Janus? This is the second time we've had to talk about this."

"You know!"

"I don't know, Roman, that's why I'm asking."

Roman lets out a frustrated noise, his hands flapping. "You know! You two—you're—you're—!"

"We're what?"

"I saw him kiss you!"

"You saw what?" When the fuck did Janus kiss me? Why don't I remember that?

"A-after the meeting about the restaurant, you two were talking and I didn't mean to eavesdrop, really, I didn't, I didn't know it was going to be such a private moment but I did and I saw—I saw him kiss you and I thought—I just thought—"

"Whoa, whoa, easy," Virgil says before Roman works himself up, rubbing his back, "you saw J kiss me on the cheek, yeah?"

"I'm sorry—"

"I'm not mad at you, Princey, look at me—" he cups Roman's little pouty face in his hands— "I'm not mad, okay? J kisses everybody on the cheek, he does it to Remus, he does it to Logan, he even does it to Patton when Patton lets him get close enough."

"He doesn't do it to me."

"Because he doesn't know if you're comfy with it, little dragon, that's all." Roman's face screws up into this frustrated little pout and goddamnit, it should be illegal to be this adorable. "Hey, you thought I had a crush on Janus, right? Or that Janus had a crush on me?"

His chest twinges when Roman looks up at him with those big sad eyes and he has to reach out and cuddle him.

"We're just friends," he murmurs, "I promise, little dragon, we're just friends. It's okay."

"…know that now."

"You just trying to help get us together, hm?" He feels Roman nod. "That's really sweet of you, little dragon."

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, you were trying to look out for us, that's okay." Roman mumbles something. "What's that?"

"Was trying to look out for you."

"For me?"

Roman refuses to let him pull back, instead burying his chin into his shoulder. "You're always so nice to me. So I wanted…I thought…"

Oh. "You wanted to be nice to me too?"

"Mhm."

Fuck. Fuck, he's too cute. He's too cute, this should be outlawed, how am I supposed to deal with him being so fucking cute?

Before he can think better of it, he kisses Roman's shoulder.

Roman goes still.

"V-Virgil?"

"Yeah, little dragon?"

"Did you just—did you just…kiss me?"

"Yeah, I did," Virgil says softly, "was that okay?"

"Are—are we still just friends?"

"Do you want to be?" When Roman goes quiet, he carefully shifts them so he can see Roman's face. "Do you want to be just friends, Roman, or do you want more?"

"M-more is an option?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, more's an option, but we don't have to talk about it right now," he says quickly when the poor thing looks like he's about to explode, "we can do this later when you've cried a bit of this out, okay?"

"C-can we still cuddle?"

"Of course we can, Princey, c'mere." Roman tucks himself right back into Virgil's arms and he hums, nuzzling the crook of Roman's neck. "It's all gonna be okay, sweetheart, I promise."

"Don't," Roman croaks out, "don't give me hope."

"But I'm Hopes and Dreams, baby, that's my job. Okay, okay, that was mean, I'm sorry, I'll stop, I'm done, I promise."

"Virgil!"

"I know, I know. I'm finished, I swear." He gives Roman a proper squeeze to make up for it. "Just—I'm not giving you false hope, little dragon. We can talk about this, I promise."

"You better stay right here until we do," Roman orders in his little pouty voice, "or else I'll never forgive you."

"I won't move," he vows, lying down so Roman's on top of him, "see? You got me, little dragon."

"You're my horde now. No moving."

"No moving," he agrees, letting Roman shift until he's more comfortable, "you got it."

It takes a little longer than he'd like, but eventually Roman sags into him, lying down and letting himself actually breathe. Virgil keeps running his hands up and down, up and down, trying to coax him to sleep if he needs it. He's worn the poor thing out, he knows, and he only feels a little bad about it.

Okay, that's not true; he feels bad about making poor Roman worry and fret, he doesn't really feel bad for flustering him that much.

He's too adorable.

After a moment, though, he feels Roman tense again and he's about to soothe it away, say it's alright, he's not going anywhere, when he feels a little kiss on the side of his shoulder. He grins.

Yeah, they're gonna be just fine.

General Taglist: @frxgprince@potereregina@gattonero17@iamhereforthegayshit@thefingergunsgirl@awkwardandanxiousfander@creative-lampd-liberties@djpurple3@winterswrandomness@sanders-sides-uncorrect-quotes@iminyourfandom@bullet-tothefeels@full-of-roman-angst-trash  @ask-elsalvador @ramdomthingsfrommymind@demoniccheese83@pattonsandershugs @el-does-photography @princeanxious@firefinch-ember@fandomssaremysoul@im-an-anxious-wreck@crazy-multifandomfangirl @punk-academian-witch@enby-ralsei@unicornssunflowersandstuff@wildhorsewolf @thetruthaboutthesun @stubbornness-and-spite @princedarkandstormv  @your-local-fookin-deadmeme @angels-and-dreams@averykedavra @a-ghostlight-for-roman @treasurechestininterweb @cricketanne @queerly-fluid-fan @compactdiscdraws@cecil-but-gayer@i-am-overly-complicated@annytheseal@alias290@tranquil-space-ninja @arxticandy @mychemically-imbalanced-romance@whyiask@crows-ace @emilythezeldafan@frida0043 @ieatspinalcords @snowyfires@cyanide-violence@oonagh2@xxpanic-at-the-everywherexx@rabbitsartcorner @percy-07734@triflingassailantofmyemotions @virgil-sanders-the-gay-emo@cerulean-watermelon@puffed-up-bees@meltheromanstan@joyrose-fandomer@insanitori@mavenmush@justablah65@10paradox10@uhhh-hi-there-i-am-nervous@cutebisexualmess@bella-bugatti-frogetti-baguetti@ultrageekygirl

#fic #sanders sides #roman sanders #virgil sanders #remus sanders #sympathetic remus #janus sanders #deceit sanders #sympathetic deceit #patton sanders #logan sanders #dragonbabbles

[foxsfiction]

New IF; Howls of Rebellion.

Howls of Rebellion is a +18 WIP Interactive Fiction about anthro animals navigating a war.

Age rating; +18

I'm fairly certain that this will need some trigger warnings, so I'll add them as I write the scenes. Current triggers would be;

War

Violence

Detailed injuries and gore

(mentioned) Domestic abuse

Death

If you have a hard time reading about anything listed above, then this story isn't for you. Please, put your mental health first!

Demo will go here when it's ready.

Summery & Setting;

You are faceless, nameless in the sea of people yearning for change. The King of Selme, Eris, is heinous; rumors in his nation say that he's had affairs in attempts to secure a heir, that he's ate his children out of a paranoid fear that they'd overthrow him, that he's killed his advisor in cold blood during a particularly nasty disagreement. No one knows what is and isn't true.

Truthfully, you shouldn't be concerned by King Eris; you don't live in Selme. Though there is talk in the streets of Loa that the King will declare war on Seam, a neighboring country. That would drag Loa, and you, into to it; to protect and help Loa's political ally.

Under the threat of war, your childhood friend Clay has decided that it's time to take down King Eris. Ever the loyal friend, you follow along. Clay has been pulling strings in Selme to gain the upper hand, but secrets lay hidden just beneath the surface.

Will you discover them? Will you help lead a rebellion to victory?

Only time will tell.

Features;

Pick your species; are you a feline? Canine? Perhaps a Avian, or even Draconic?

Customize your appearance, personality, interests and hobbies

Define your gender and sexuality; Hetero, gay, bi, pan, aro, ace, demiro or demisexual.

Change history as you know it

Dive deep into Selme's secrets, or be a unwilling participant

Fall in love in the middle of a war; with possible poly options

Play matchmaker a bit

Characters;

Clay Harris (25, Agender, They/them, Not romanceable)

A tall deer with black fur and splotched with purple dots. Their lavender eyes are striking and intense. You've known them your entire life; they're your childhood bestfriend. They always apologize for dragging you into their war. They've always been there to pick you up when you fell; literally and figuratively. They're protective of you; you're really the only family they have. They'd follow off the face of the earth if they could.

Clover (27, Genderfluid, He/they, Semi-romanceable)

A small black cat that somehow always leads trouble to you. His yellow eyes are always moving, searching; for what, you can't tell. They seem to have a personal vendetta against King Eris, which lead them to join Clay and their army. They always tease the people around them, but know where the boundaries lie.

Ezra Kono (24, Gender-selectable, Romanceable)

A huge lion with fawn colored fur. They're a unusual presence in Loa; a healer in a land made for barbarians and warlords. They're very gentle and soft-spoken. When pushed, they can deliver a nasty wound; they've apparently mangled people before. They avoid the topic like the plague, though.

Wil Quille (30, Gender-selectable, Romanceable)

Selme's general; they're not willing to follow their king anymore. They're your mole; collecting inside information. A hippo that towers over everyone they encounter. You've learned the hard way that no part of them is plush fat. They, like Clay, are willing to follow you anywhere. They...aren't shy, to say the least.

Minx (32, Fem, Not-romanceable)

A average height Avian with black feathers. She's a strategist in Clay's army. She loves to share her knowledge; about anything. One of the more cheery people in the ranks, and one of three mages.

Maxim (????, Masc, Not-romanceable)

A short Dragon covered in purple scales that fade to orange, not unlike a pretty sunset. He's been your guardian for as long as you can remember. Another mage, he's been training you and attempting to train Clay...with limited results. He's amicable, but a bit distant. He dismisses folk legends and seems to dislike them overall.

#HowlsofRebellionIF #if wip #Another one #twine wip #Interactive Fiction #Interactive Novel #Anthro #Furry #furry anthro #IF #Twine #twine story #twine if #twine game #lgbtqia #text based game

[cryptar]

[KARLNAPITY FIC RECS]

Be My Teenage Dream Tonight

Sapnap-Centric, Glee Club AU with a love triangle that's got me frothing at the mouth, with a pinch of coming out and found family, also pyroduo my beloved.

A Hunch And A Prayer

Oneshot, Sapnap's an assassin posing as a bodyguard for his victim, Quackity, but he can't bring himself to kill him, Karl is after both of their heads

When The Sunlight Dies

Sapnap POV, dream team, adventure, fluff, angst, knights, gods, a royal-fucking-coup, seriously, believe me when I say this is one of my all-time favourite fics.

This Light From All Eclipse

Quackity finds himself stranded on an island in the middle of a storm, with only the echoes of a mysterious lighthouse keeper to keep him company. The waiting begins.

There Is Not Much Time And Time Is Not Fast Enough For Us Anymore

Karl and Sapnap become a new superhero team and are tasked with capturing Quackity. It should be easy, except life is never quite that simple.

Glue Sticks And Paper Rings

Quackity & Tubbo POV, Quackity has a crush, and Tubbo decides to play matchmaker. Shenanigans ensue.

Strange Trails

Karl POV, Feral boys fantasy adventure/action fic, with dragons! and fairytales! and romance!

Wake Up

Oneshot, Karl POV, Karl thinks he's dreaming, so he tries to wake up.

The Fiancés, And Their Adventure In Adopting Traumatized Teenagers

The fiancés unintentionally adopt three horribly, horribly traumatized kids. Because, uh, that's... what you do when you're planning a wedding?

We Must Have Good Pitch, ‘Cause Baby, You and Me are So In Tune!

The Feral Boys band is looking for a new Lead Guitarist and Rhythm guitarist after a string of bad luck and their high standards. With Sunset Band Fever, a local competition, barely 3 weeks away, can they find the missing links to complete their band?

Come Home With Me

Oneshot, Mute!Karl, Quackity is in Las Nevadas. Karl and Sapnap wait for him to come home.

All This And Love Too

Found Family, Hometwt, Quackity, Karl, and Sapnap are hardly paranormal investigators, but Ranboo is a desperate teenager with a missing best friend and no more options.

Hooray

Author recommendation, frequently writes karlnapity-centric one-shots, one of my favourites being 'silver tongue', wonderful especially if you like horror and more serious fics!

Karlburnapity

Wilbur-Centric, Series, Wilbur Joins the polycule.

Downward Spiral

Karl-Centric, Series, Angst, Amnesia, Read these if you like being sad.

Tuck Me In Your Covers, Bring The Colour Back Into My Face

Quackity struggles with PTSD flashbacks after his complicated relationship with Schlatt and is very adamant that he is actually completely fine and doesn’t need any help from his fiancés at all.

You're Dead.

Sapnap is a monster-hunter who was turned into a vampire, said vampire was quackity, who's married to schlatt, which Karl isn't too happy about, oh, also, dream's possessed by a demon, jsyk.

Becoming Fiancés: Through the Good and the Bad(BoyHalo)

Karl, Sapnap and Quackity all propose to each other, but they need their parent's permission first.

But You And I Will Always Be Back Then

Karl POV, mostly honq-centric, Karl travels pre-Imanburg festival and gives Quackity the love he deserves, also he hugs Tubbo.

The Process Of Reliving

Sapnap-Centric, Sapnap kills the ender dragon, lots of dream team angst.

Zinnia

That fic where Karl is slowly losing his memories, and he, Sapnap and Quackity are trying to find out the secrets behind his time travels while also holding their relationship together, before everything falls apart for the final time. 

Into Ice And Snow

Quackity-Centric, Quackity joins the Antarctic Anarchist Commune, and he has wings.

Nowadays

Karl-Centric, time travel, unreality, a really disorientating, incredibly well-written two chapter read, it's like you can fucking feel Karl losing himself.

Out Of The Woods

Karl POV, A new transfer student changes everything, shoving Karl into the woods and possibly ruining his “perfect” life plan.

Between Memories and Brewing Storms

Hometwt, Ranboo collapses beside a house in the rain, Three fiancées take him in, but even as his life brightens, new clouds appear on the horizon.

I Can't Think A Thought Without Wishing You Were Here

Quackity POV, Quackity's a cheerleader with a crush on his best friend; AND said best friends jock boyfriend.

Iridescent Eyes

Oneshot, Crack, Mason and Jack Kernoff hold Karl Jacobs hostage.

#karlnapity #dsmp #mcyt #karl jacobs #quackity #sapnap #quacknap #honq #karlnap #fic rec #dsmp fic rec #fic recommendation #karlnapity fic recommendation #long post #dream smp

[thefirstknife]

I completely agree with your point. I rarely play pvp and I wanted the helmet from iron banner, so I had to get into the crucible for the first time in years and I would get completely crumb stomped every other game or two. I played to the point where I basically reset my rank when I got the helmet it was demoralizing. Yea sure I'm not the best pvp player but going up against sweats is extremely frustrating when I'm either trying to get better or just playing for a specific armor piece or weapon, and I just get killed repeatedly by the same person or I'm just dead more often than I'm actually alive. If it's frustrating for a casual player, then the sweats should get frustrated too from going up against each other. Just saying

(sorry for slight rant hope your day is going well)

Yep and that's honestly an experience most of us can attest to. It's incredibly frustrating and pushes people away from the Crucible entirely. I genuinely have weeks where I just don't play it, even when I need the pinnacle. I would rather do anything else for the pinnacle. I don't care if I miss that one because I am just not enjoying my time being stuck in spawn.

And the best thing is that like. If you're a pro player, shouldn't you strive to compete with pros? To show off your skill? Because if you're in a lobby with 0.6 kds and you're getting a 37 killstreak, you're not impressive to me? When I want to watch pros, I prefer watching them go against other pros.

I know they say stuff like "but sometimes I want to relax in the Crucible!" Which... Fair! So do I! And I can't! There is no Crucible mode where I can go to relax and play casually because every mode is a sweat fest to me. The fact that you HAVE that option in the first place is already a massive difference. A pro can load into quick play and turn his brain off and stomp casuals. And now suddenly they can't do that anymore. And they think this is some sort of a slight instead of literally just being a FIX. You never should've been able to do that in the first place.

Like, sorry but that's not how pvp in a video game should function. Quick play should be "casual" to everyone, not just to you. Right now when I'm in quick play, I feel like I can compete and I have more interest to give it a go. There's still issues, but most regular players said that SBMM made their games much more even and better to experience. We still have to tryhard in a lot of them, but there's no overwhelming stomps where I'm just stuck and can't leave.

The only way stomps can happen to pros is if the matchmaking messes up and one pro gets 5 casuals on their team while the other team is 6 pros. Which is definitely an issue with matchmaking to talk about! But the idea of putting pros vs pros is not the problem by itself. Again, there's definitely issues because the pro population isn't that high so it has to be mixed with non-pros sometimes, but that's a much deeper issue and a completely different one. SBMM benefits the most people and any SBMM-specific problems (like the weird mix-ups where one team has too many pros while the other doesn't) can be dealt with on their own.

But even then it's like. Okay, sometimes a pro will experience a stomp. Okay. It's already like that to me. You can handle it. I've been told all my life to learn to handle it and to "git gud." So you know. Again, very little sympathy from me towards the gaming community.

#destiny 2 #crucible #ask #like the whole thing with 'we want to not get stomped and we want chill pvp' is SO FUNNY to me because like. #when i say that i'm called a stupid noob who has to git gud #that has been a constant in every game forever. so i really can't be sympathetic to these pros #especially since when they say stuff like that they only want it for themselves #fundamentally i agree with them. stomps are bad. constant sweating is bad. not having chill pvp is bad. #but if this is 'fixed' in their favour sure. THEY won't have it anymore. but the rest of us will #even obvious chill modes like mayhem tend to be populated with sweats who are hardcore meta loadouts #in MAYHEM. bro let me use my silly little supers

[ficreadergirl]

Drabble 5

"Red one or brown one?" you were asking Kory about which dress yous should choose for the night.

"Does it really matter? You'll look awasome in anything. And boys'll definitely fall in love with you again and again." she chuckled.

"What are you talking about? It's about make him friendzone me forever!"

"Both of them or just Charlie?" she asked. You started to blush.

"Shut up! There's no such a thing like that! We're friends and will stay like that." Really? Wouldn't you want more Y/N?

"Well your face says otherwise but I don't want to be the one make you redder." she chuckled again.

"What're you talking about? I'm not gonna get redder!"

"Yes yes. I'm sure you'll get." she winked at you. What's she talking about? Does she know something about my feelings? Or could that be Jason's? Y/N!! Stop dreaming!!

"What do you mean?" you asked hoping she'll explain it the way you wanna hear.

"My lips are sealed." she said looking all-knowing.

"Really Kory? Whose side you're on?"

"Side? Is there a battle to pick a side?" she answered. Damn! What're you saying girl? Just choose a dress and go to that damn dinner and then... Everything'll go back to the normal...

"You're right. So which one it'll be?"

"Red is good." she winked again.

"Stop that please. Did you know I almost called Dick to act like my boyfriend?"

"Oh dear! Him? He'd try to matchmake you with Charlie if he liked the boy!"

"I know. It was just a moment of my brain wasn't functioning properly."

"Tim would be better than him. Damn we won't be able to see Charlie's face when he spend 2 minutes with him anymore!"

"Right! He'd be better for this job if he'd pickup his damn phone!"

"That'll be better now. Tim would freak him out. You know with all his nerd side and bags under his eyes."

"Yes! He'd be my best option! Maybe I should call him again." What's that? You're running away from Jason like that?? After he accepted to help you, his best friend?? God help me!!

"No!! Tim might be better for the act but Jason's the perfect one, trust me." Kory said.

"You're not so different than Dick y'know?" you said.

"We're not same or not similar Y/N. Don't even try to imply that!!"

"Well, Kory, he's one of a kind y'know." It's my turn girl! How was that huh?

Now it was her turn to embarrass. "Stop it! How the tables turned to me now?"

"I don't know. Maybe they did when it's too obvious from your movements that you like him." you winked now.

"I'm acting pretty normal with him! What are you talking about? Did Dick say anything to make you feel that way?"

It was her turn to ask about if her crush likes him back. You knew they both had something for each other. They both love each other unlike us.

"It's red then." you said deciding not to embarrass her anymore.

"Y-yes. Red is fine." she said.

You wore your dress and make up with help of Kory.

"Jason's about to be here I guess."

She was looking at you. "You're breathtaking Y/N!"

"Are you secretly into me Kory?" you jokingly asked your hot friend.

"I'd be--"

"If you weren't into someone else I know." one last time you winked at her. Both of you laughed at all teasings.

It was 7pm when you both heard the knocking. You went to the door forgetting Kory was at your place. Hope you like to see me like that J.

You opened the door. He was there. Damn boy! What a delightful look! "Hi! You look great Jason."

"You look great too Y/N." She looks awasome! How will I able to forget about tonight when she looks like that? Come at your senses J.

"So... How do we do it?" you asked him.

"I don't know. I've never pretended as someone's boyfriend before." he joked. Did I screw it up? Did my joke offend her?

"Well, Kory's here. She's gonna help us." you said feeling Kory's warm body behind yours.

"Hi Kory." he greeted her gently.

"Wow Jason, what a gentleman you're!" Kory said almost shockingly.

"I mean I didn't expect you to be like that. Didn't mean it bad way. Really. It's just--"

"Angry robin. I know. It's okay Kory. Really." he assured her.

"You're really cute! You'll absolutely be the cutiest couple ever!"

"Kory!!" you said with your all-blushed face.

Did she hint about her feelings about me to Kory? Is Y/N in love with me? Shit!! How this night will end?

"That' just an opinion! Relax both of you! Or you're gotta get to the hospital before dinner." she winked to both of you.

"Uhm... Maybe we should go to the restaurant?" you offered.

"Y-yes. Let's go to the restaurant."

"Yes. We can discuss about our relationship history. Like ow we met, when we started to date and things like that." you said.

"Maybe you could add some honest things in your story." Kory offered. "Like you two were best friends before dating. One bad day made you realize your feelings for each other?"

Both of you remembered that night. Jason's desicion on getting in to your apartment from your bedroom window. Without giving you a call. You both blushed again.

She definitely told something to them. Why don't you feel the same way Y/N? If you did then...

"Thank you for everything Kory. We would love to discuss about that but we're about to be late. Let's go Jason."

"Sure."

When you both went out your apartment you saw the giant car.

"Uhm, Jason what's that?"

"It's our car." he said all-smilingly.

"Our what?"

"I thought you wouldn't be comfortable with my bike so I rented this car for tonight."

"Wow! You're... thoughtful." Is she smiling? Did she like it? She likes considerate ones. Of course. Who wouldn't?

He opened front door for you. "Thank you." you could say only before your voice started to drop. He's gonna be amazing boyfriend for his lover. It shouldn't break my heart damn it!

You gave directions and you were in the place after 10 min.

You went in the diner with holding hands.

"That'd be more convincing, huh?" you said. He nodded trying not to show you his blushed cheeks.

"It looks like nice place. Did you choose here?"

"Yes. I feel calm here. And tonight I need that feeling."

"Why didn't you ever bring me here?"

"Well... It's--"

"Y/N!! You're here!!" Dick shouted like everyone in the diner had to know you were there.

"Hey Dick--"

"With Jason?? OMG!! You're finally a thing now!!"

"Dick-head, shut up!!" Jason said.

"Why?? You were simping over her behind closed doors!! I'm so--"

And it happened. Dick felt to the ground hard with Jason's puch. You were speechless.

"Why don't you just shut up?"

"Jason!! What just happened?"

"Yes Jay! What was that?" Dick asked too. He was shocked by his brother's reaction.

"I..." Damn it Dick! Why are you here? Why are you saying things like that? In front of her?

"Hi guys!" Charlie greeted the shocked group with a smile. His smile turned into confusion. "Uhm... What's happening Y/N?"

What I'm gonna tell him now? "Well..." while you were still trying to process what just happened Jason and Dick came to your help.

"It's nothing! She didn't expect my b-brother to come eat with us too." Jason said with shouldering Dick.

Dick was smiling like he wasn't punched by Jason now. "Yes! I'm Dick!"

"Hey! I kind of know you, y'know. You're one of Bruce Wayne's boy, right?"

"Yes! We both are actually." Dick said with looking at Jason warmly.

What was that? He's being a brother to me now? Grayson, you're bes-- Good person!

"Wow! Y/N! You're dating one of the Wayne boys? Man, your dad helped me to graduate. If it wasn't him I couldn't be the man I'm now."

What's that? Did he forget about all I-like-Y/N shit? Was this boyfriend act pointless?

When you were freaking out if Charlie'd come near you, your fears died quickly when you realized that Charlie and Dick were in a deep conversation.

You turned Jason and said "So... It was pointless to drag you here tonight. I'm sorry."

She's not bringing up punch thing. She doesn't wanna know about my feelings for her. If she ever know she'll have to... Jason felt huge pain in his heart. Stop feeling Jason. Let her go her way. It's right thing to do.

"Jason? You listening?"

"I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't think Dick would show up and..." he was looking at you to find a hint about a reaction for Dick's words.

"Jason can we talk?"

"We're talking already."

"Uhm... In private."

"Sure." It's over. She's gonna say she only ever saw you as a friend and what you did? Felt in love... I just lost my best friend stupid heart! It's all your fault!

You both stepped out of restaurant. Weather was cold. Like really cold you almost wanted to go back inside.

"Jason--"

"Y/N... I'm sorry about Dick. He was lying. I swear I didn't do whatever he said." But you did stupid boy. If you really wouldn't be so stupid to talk about her with Dick everything could go back to normal. What've you done?

"I might be in love with you." you said in one blow.

What did she say? Damn my imagination! Did she just say... she's... in love?

He thinks you're an idiot. God! Why am I like that? Did I just lose him? Talk to me boy! Damn it!

"I'm sorry if--"

That was the best interruption you ever felt. He's kissing me right? I'm not imagining this? We're kissing! Shit! He's kissing me!!

His hands were caressing your cheeks. It was warm. His lips were warm. His hands were warm. Everything around you started to feel warm. I'm burning. God, it's so good! I'm burning in the middle of fall.

Kiss was sweet. Wasn't spiciest kiss ever. It was just sweet. But it was everything good in the world. Everything purely good in this chaos pit.

I'm kissing the woman of my life. Why did I wait that long? God it's so good. She's so warm. She's awasome. Her lips taste like sweetiest dessert ever.

After you parted both of you were still feeling same warm wave around you.

"Jason..."

"Tell me the truth, am I the reason you guys finally become a thing?" Dick was leaning restaurant's front door. "Well then. I can forgive you punching me brother."

You all laughed at that. You felt your right hand got warmer. You didn't even look at it. You knew Jason was holding your hand like he must to as breathing.

"Are you clingy-kind of boyfriend?" you asked teasingly.

"Well after waiting for that moment to come at least months no one can seperate me from you." he teased back.

"Then drinks are on me!! Yay!!" Dick said.

Y/N’s thoughts and Jason’s thoughts…

Drabble 4

Drabble 3

Drabble 2

Drabble 1

#jason todd x reader #jason todd x y/n #red hood x reader #red hood x y/n #finally I made them a thing #🤭 #🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 #special guests #kory anders #starfire #dick grayson #nightwing #dickkory #it's too long #😳 #sorry

[krishu213]

Part 2 of Live session of Question Answer by Writer Yim.

I am uploading the part 2 of Live Session Of Hell and High water.

Link for part 1-https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/romance-club-daily/688713254247317504?source=share

Will sharing what Todd wrote (keeping to self or reading aloud) make a difference?

Yes, the rumor will make a difference.

What is Todd favorite recipe to bake?

Gingersnap cookies

Will we see parents of chand and mc in future?

Most likely

Is that broken case of palladia vials play vital role in future story??(like one of the reason for disaster)

The broken case of Palladia definitely has an impact, but the Aquila's situation is more of a problem overall.

Will we be able to match make characters in story?

Most likely

Has  the disaster started or its about to start?

The disaster has started

If not for boat career what would have mc choose as her career?

She probably would have been a slightly disgruntled woodworker :D

I have noticed a scar or burn skin tissues on main character's neck side area..? Is she designed that way or their is some back story for mc's scar near neck area??

There's a backstory, but like many cool scars, it's not anything earth-shattering.

Is Phoebe a love interest? I really liked what we saw of her so far so I am hoping she might be!

Yes, she is

What exactly happened in the world? I am not sure I understand what was the "disaster" that changed the planet.

This is a big, complicated thing. There wasn't any one thing, but it was a combination of war, disease, the effects of climate change, and the most unlikely one, the shifting of the earth's magnetic poles leading to more or less a collapse of satellite based technologies. For example, Alaska isn't a state anymore. Most of the global superpowers broke apart as everything deteriorated.

Will we be able to assemble crew in future or ask characters to join the boat crew?

I cannot answer this question right now.

will we see Krissa again, and will she have a role in the plot?

We may see Krissa again, but that depends on how long the story runs, and I know in my mind what role she would likely play. I don't think it's a huge one, but I do feel that every character plays some important role. (Even Ross 😅)

Chand, I love him as friend, so I was wondering: will we have the chance to pair him up with someone? My heart goes out for him and his endless quest in finding love! He deserves happiness too after all .

I have someone in mind as a potential matchmaking option for Chand. I don't know if it will actually play out at this time.

Apart from obvious “we and our progeny will all die if this issue will not be addressed soon” what was inspiration behind choosing climate change as a topic? Why post-apocalyptic setting?

There are a few reasons for this. I think that the way the world is changing is something that affects all of us, but a lot of us have a lifestyle that allows us to look away. It's a difficult topic and honestly, the research I did for this story has been heartbreaking at times. I think there's a tendency to look at these huge issues and feel that they're just too big to think about or not our problem. So, in one regard, I wanted to not just ignore the problem but also not be completely doom and gloom about it. I do think that no matter what happens, people will continue to find ways to adapt to and live on our planet. Nature and animals are also near and dear to my heart and a huge source of inspiration for me. The post-apocalyptic setting was also, in part, to make sailing relevant in a futuristic setting, and it kind of fit naturally with the collapse of infrastructure that supports most of our modern transportation and supply chains.

This book has an incredibly diverse cast of main and side characters.  Did you base any of them on people you know?

Not specifically.I certainly looked at people that often weren't represented in media and the stories and experiences they had, and took that into consideration when creating the cast. Of course, there are so many underrepresented people that I feel like I only put a drop in the ocean here.

Any chance Pramila is an LI? May be not a full branch? We're in love with her character design. 

She is not a romanceable character, unfortunately. I agree, the artists did a great job with her.

From which character chand ,sunny was inspired?

No characters in particular, actually. I started more with an idea of the role I wanted them to play in the story.

Will be able to adopt baby orca?

Sort of? As much as you can adopt a wild orca.

Will chand and pramila converse in Hindi?

Pramila is actually not Indian. Her parents named all their children after famous historical figures. She does know some hindi though.

#hell and high water #romance club #rc hell and high water #rc chand #rc phoebe #rc lori kaplan #rc sunny #rc baku #rc spot the baby orc #rc nixie #rc rj martin #rc hhw #romance club

[aurelim]

It always makes me so happy when I see someone sharing my opinions about not liking ROs getting together or with "NPCs" if not romanced! I HATE it. It's one of the tropes I hate the most in IF and visual novels. Of course, I have nothing against people who like it, cause tastes! But it makes me very uneasy unless it's something the player can actively influence. I'm fine with it if it happens only if the MC matchmakes actively, and wouldn't happen "passively" on a playthrough in which the MC doesn't push for it to happen.

If it's "mandatory" it stresses me out. I don't even think it's "jealousy" per se for me though! More like... Well most of the time when I play a game, I will ONLY have one single "canon playthrough", and that means I will only ever romance one of the ROs. Sometimes I'm truly interested in more than one, but I always struggle with forcing myself to romancing another one, since I feel like "betraying" the first RO and "cheating" on them. It feels pretty awful (and because of my canon playthrough thing, I can't make multiple MCs either, or I will feel like I'm "robbing my first MC out of their story"). In very rare instances I manage to force myself to romance more than one character, but the guilt is always strong. And well, if this cheating on the ROs makes me uneasy, the RO "cheating on the MC" too makes it 100 times worse. It both manages to strenghten my guilt, and also makes me feel uneasy in regard to that romance happening with the RO and another character.

Not only that, but there is another aspect - realism is not what I'm looking for when reading IF or VNs. I LIKE the fact the MC is actually the MAIN character, the one the story revolves around. I love how "special" the romances feel if well written, how "made for each other" the MC and their RO may feel. But if the RO can just end up with someone else on another path, and "bypass" all the struggle and highs and lows they went through with the MC and just be just as happy with someone else... well, it's disheartening, because suddenly the romance with the MC doesn't mean much anymore, and is in a way "inferior" to that other romance.

Anyway, sorry for the rant! Long story short, I'm happy you share my feelings!

Oh haha I'm glad you can relate!

The way I play IFs, I usually self-insert. Rare when so many use their own MCs, but I just like seeing my name used in the game LOL. I think I can understand if you feel like you are cheating on your first chosen RO if you go for another. But personally I do not get attached that way. What I do is save, see what the romance option is like, reload the old save and then continue playing. Or I use the back button if available.

I try not to get too attached to a character. That can be hard if the character is well-written. In A Tale of Crowns I could not imagine romancing anyone other than X. Although I tried A and also loved that route too. My heart was all in for X despite this. Don't feel like you're cheating! At the end of the day, IFs are games with insanely good writing and especially if it is a demo you can always replay again! Then again, if the demo is long it may feel like a chore to go back. I've certainly done demos where I wanted to try another route but didn't since that would mean I'd have to restart to the beginning.

I read arguments about how romancing an RO makes it feel special when MC and RO go through a journey of self-discovery. Arguably one of the best things about romance in a game, right? Everyone loves to see that. But for some, if a RO falls in love with someone else and appears to have no self-discovery like MC and them did in a romance route, then it is disheartening.

I don't think of it as disheartening or inferior. Maybe there is problems in the background that the MC does not know about. The RO appears happier with this someone else but there may be underlying problems. There is no such thing as a perfect, happy relationship. In fact, if the MC and RO go through struggles then it is the sign of a healthy relationship! Whatever is going on with the RO and that someone else--that "perfect" relationship will soon show its flaws. From there they would have to work it out.

As you can see, I have written a response that matches your rant. Hope this makes you feel less bad about yourself!

(also i see you have made at least three asks to me and at this point with this subject now up I have to know--which RO from ATOL are you going to romance????)

#if ros #been answering asks like this for a while #have i really started a controversial topic?? #i hope this doesnt offend anyone

[ravenadottir]

What has Fusebox stolen from fanfiction? (Genuine question)

the time people started writing and posting a lot of fanfiction for the game (myself included) was before wedding episodes, back in november/december/2019 and january/2020.

they weren't even gonna make a reunion and that's what motivated us to write tons for the game. and yes, some of the things the characters said or did were a follow up to what they had said back in the villa, like bobby opening a business of his own.

HOWEVER, some of the stuff we wrote made appearances and were really specific. i'm gonna break these down into "chapters" (things i wrote in post-villa fanfics) and "asks", because... asks were answered.

chapters:

chelsea hosting a halloween reunion for all the islanders:

"Halloween reunion in the Villa, with challenges, like a mystery to resolve. There's a Escape the room challenge..."

"... The Villa's decorated with spider webs and blood splatters. Instead of the usual neon lights, we'd have skull lamps..."

"...Someone should propose, like in season one, but It should be OUR LI."

here's the link to an old reblog (the original post is from october/2019). while it wasn't halloween, the key words made an appearance on a survey, months later, and i guess "murder mystery" made the cut. common? sure. but like... wasn't the reunion gonna be a theme party they discussed in the villa? there were two options and none of them was murder mystery, right?

anyway.

priya turning into an li. kind of what everyone wanted! but back then, it was obvious they had no intentions of making her not even remotely fruity, but i guess after seeing so many people writing about it, they went with it on cmm. there were TONS of priya fics on ao3, and i guess they didn't have the time to make it happen on wedding episodes.

jo and ibrahim had broken up in every reunion story. to this day i don't know why they did it. i did it because i hate her, but jo seemed kind of perfect for rahim outside of his route.

hope and noah had broken up too, in every chapter i wrote. it seemed they had no intentions of making that happen until they saw the fics from the players.

asks:

chelsea. being the hostess of the next season, which i also said it would be cool for tim or bobby to do the same, even if it was just a drop by appearance, on separate posts. a couple of other players said chelsea would be a great s3 host, around march or april/2020. that happened.

i said it was UNFAIR for tim not to have even a look back in season 2, and that if he ever showed up again he should talk about his post-villa romance with mc. that also happened on s3. BUT I HATE HIS FACE SO MUCH, OH MY GOD-

people asked me what priya's career would be if she wasn't a real estate agent anymore, since she mentions she wanted to change career paths, and i said fashion designer and that she would have her own company.

lottie moving out of the uk. i didn't specify where, but i did say she would move because the break up would be too much for her. she would say things like "i don't see myself here anymore" while glancing at gary, implying they weren't together. she was also changing career paths and it could be related to fashion and wigs.

henrik was backpacking because if he's not with mc, it wouldn't have worked with anyone else.

the excuse i used to not insert hannah in any chapters was that she was writing her memoirs from the villa, which she did say she was going to. but i said in the post that the book would be titled "something something prairie", because it was a nice reference to an old book i heard of before, and that's very on brand for hannah. the title they went with was "love on the prairie" in cmm.

carl being into anime. i even joked he was an otaku at some point in his teen years. that was added later, on matchmaker.

mind you, i only know matchmaker stuff that people post, so i might've missed a lot of things that made the cut.

ibrahim drawing. it was definitely around feb/mar/2020 and i said the reason why he draws it's because he learned from violet man comic books and it would be nice to expand on that.

arjun and elijah were together, and were seen by fans of the show around the beach (?) holding hands, implying they were a couple. i could be mistaken about the beach, but i did say it in asks that they were seen together, because the ask was about "do you think arjun and elijah became a couple out of their routes?".

also, i'm pretty sure i've seen players writing about lucas and henrik bumping into each other on a trip, which fusebox confirmed during wedding episodes. there was also implying of them getting together in those posts, which the company left ambiguous if you weren't marrying either of them.

there was so much material at the time, and many players have left the chat since then (like, hundreds) but i'm certain multiple things have made appearances.

there was a galaxy-brain anon who said "it would be so cool to have a wedding with our li's, and get to choose our maid-of-honor", back in november/2019. i remember well because it was one of the first asks i've ever got on tumblr. mind you, players were asking for a reunion specifically, not a wedding.

nan's "show" with gary was also a headcanon of ours. i answered an ask saying it would be hilarious to see gary and nan pranking each other, inspired by a guy that does this with his grandma on instagram. i can't remember if it was an anon or a player, but someone said they should have a podcast or a youtube show, where gary gets nan's reactions and opinions. fusebox turned into a tv show but it's very specific too.

all that i wrote was posted on an old blog, which became private out of nowhere, around april/2020. there was no content that would justify the change but... it didn't matter how many requests i sent to the staff, the blog never went back to normal. eventually i couldn't even visualize it anymore so i deleted it. this is why i have the @archiveravenadottir blog, to keep big posts reblogged there.

but yeah! i also can't for the life of me quote every little thing they got from other players. and some of these seem obvious, but if they were obvious why didn't they make it canon back then? why not making the characters' realities before?

at the time i thought i should make a post about it, but i didn't want to be petty. now? now i don't care. fuck it, let's be petty!

some of these things are just too specific, and honestly i don't blame the writers, but i blame the people that decided to not give credit. not even a nod. not even a tweet.

if anyone remember more stuff from this time, because my memory is the worst, please, let us know! i'm sure we can gather more because i know tumblr wasn't their only source. reddit and twitter had a good amount of material showing up too from what i've seen people complaining at the time.

#litg #love island the game #litg s2 #litg season 2 #queue

[tacosandtouchtanks]

"Stuck in the Bathroom With You" Prompt Idea

Post Bob’s Burgers movie and everyone is aged up 3 years. Tina recently broke up with Jimmy Jr. after realizing she is outgrowing him (not literally outgrowing him mind you). Though the worst part of the break up to her was that they ended it amicably, Jimmy Jr didn’t even try to beg for her to stay in the relationship. Tina was heartbroken in that it confirmed that all this work to be in a relationship her next door Romeo was for nothing if Jimmy Jr acted this mature in their separation. Tina took the breakup hard and begun to distant herself from the kids she used to hang out with, knowing that Jimmy Jr would be part of that group. So she spends most of her off time in her room, work, and attempting to hang out with Susmita with mixed results (she felt awkward being a 3rd wheel whenever Henry Haber showed up). She’s relieved not being around the toxicity that is Tammy anymore, but she also missed being part of something even if that something was a boring, toxic mess. She can’t risk being part of any group Jimmy Jr. is in anymore because she can’t bare awkward tension she feels with him now. It’s not like there’s anybody in that would miss her anyway she thinks to herself. Her family are trying so hard to get Tina to not shut herself out from the world and get her out of her breakup funk. How can Tina even bare to look out the window if all she can see is the person she broke up with working, moving on with his life without her? Tina defends her actions by saying that she has way more time to actually help the family business and it’s not like there’s anybody else that would be willing to work here for free. Suddenly Zeke enters Bob’s Burgers and offers to work there for free because of community service (or some other reason that makes it seem like working here was the better option). Tina is annoyed by this because she was hoping to avoid anything that reminded her of Jimmy Jr. At first it was okay because Zeke was mostly outside doing mascot work while Tina could ignore him inside. Zeke exceled at being the mascot (runs in his blood after all) and bringing people in with his charismatic personality. Gene appreciated not having to be the mascot as much now. Though Tina’s hope for her to avoid Zeke quickly changes when Bob immediately trains him in the kitchen, even listening to suggestions for what to do for the next burger of the day. Everyone had something nice to say about Zeke, even Linda and Zeke were bonding over public pooping with him even jokingly giving her tips. Worst part of the day is when Zeke’s shift ends and he offers her to join him and the rest to do whatever they were going to do while Tina awkwardly has to make up excuses why she couldn’t go. Zeke was still friends with Jimmy Jr. so there was no way he was not going to be there. Oh the irony of Zeke trying to get Tina to join in on the Kid Krew after the breakup even though he was the one responsible for unintentionally keeping Jimmy Jr. and her apart before they were official. It’s driving her crazy how easily Zeke is able to get along with everyone in her family and making it better for the restaurant as a whole. The only hope she had was for Zeke’s community service to be over soon since she didn’t want to be selfish and make her dad fire Zeke just because she wants him to. Louise and Gene are reaping in the benefits of Zeke working at Bob’s Burgers and rejoicing that they get to slack off more than they usually do. Their only obstacle is that Tina is the only one that’s not happy with the arrangement. So even though the thought makes Louise sick, she and Gene decide to play matchmaker and kill two birds with one stone. Get Tina out of her funk and get Zeke to want to permanently work at Bob’s Burger’s. Louise and Gene’s plan is made a lot easier (or harder depending on your pov) when Zeke decides to change it up a bit to ask Tina to hang out just the two of them as friends. Tina still makes excuses why she can’t go and now realizes that all this time he wasn’t asking her to hang out for Jimmy Jr’s sake, it was for his sake. Tina knew that in the past Zeke implied a few times he had a crush on her, but she figured it was mostly teasing or to save his own butt. As an avid erotic fiction writer, she can see a mile away that Zeke is trying court her. She wasn’t ready to get back in the dating game though and it felt wrong to agree to date the best friend of her ex. There was also a childish part of her that wanted to prove Zeke and his overconfidence wrong. There was no way she was ever going to let him “get her” and prove him right. Besides it’s not like Zeke was her type anyway. Sure, he had perfect lips, he has gotten taller, more muscular, and she always had a thing for accents. So maybe he could also be very sweet, brave, and it’s charming how he is willing to be everybody’s hype man. So what if he had all of that going for him? He still is very gross, not very bright, and with no shame about it whatsoever. Nope, no way was she harboring feelings for him. Louise and Gene begin to “coincidentally” have things happen around Zeke and Tina that could be perceived as romantic but were “total accidents” such as Gene practicing a romantic tune on his keyboard or Louise “unintentionally” pushing Zeke closer to Tina. They get desperate an release the “big buns” which is just Louise and Gene just dropping stuff for Zeke to pick up which Tina makes eye contact with Zeke’s glorious gluteus maximus. This causes Tina’s face to go completely red with her nervously groaning and immediately noping her way out of the restaurant to get back to her senses later. Louise and Gene were about to give up until Louise thinks up a brilliant idea that’s so crazy it just might work. Gene and Louise both separately tell Zeke and Tina that the bathroom really needs a good cleaning. Once both Zeke and Tina are both in the same bathroom, Gene and Louise block the bathroom door with a table and vaguely say that they won’t release them until they work out their issues/truth comes out. Tina is pissed at her siblings because there is nothing to tell while Zeke is confused/a little nervous on what could possibly they know that needs to be told. Tina starts hyperventilating which Zeke tries to that shut down because they need all the air they can get while stuck together. Tina tries to play off like she has no idea what her siblings are trying to do and make small talk with Zeke while stuck in the bathroom. Zeke, thinking this was about his thing gets serious and admits to Tina there was never any community service he needed to do. Zeke reveals he was willingly working at Bob Burger’s for free because he was worried about Tina shutting herself off from her friends and wanted to make sure she was alright. Zeke admits that he missed her and just wanted to hang out with her again, even if it was through unpaid labor. Even if he wasn’t friends with Jimmy Jr. he still would want to be friends with Tina. After his attempt to get Tina to join with the Kid Krew again failed, he thought maybe without Jimmy Jr. they could still hang just the two of them as friends. However, he guesses that since he made it clear that he has a crush on her, it would of been too weird for her. He never wanted her to make her feel weird about him wanting to hang out with her. Even if he did like like her, he knew that what she needed was to know that there are people that still want to hang out with her even without Jimmy Jr’s influence or some other reason. Tina is touched, he isn’t trying to swoop in to make a move on her once Jimmy Jr. was done with her. He genuinely sees her as one of his closest friends and missed her. She never knew how much Zeke valued her and felt terrible for accusing him of only trying to prove he was right and that he would “get her” after all. Since Zeke is being honest about everything, it was only fair for her to be honest about what she was feeling lately. Tina admits at first she hated that he was working here because she wanted to move on from Jimmy Jr and dating in general. The more he spent time the more she realized how much better everything was with him in it, how much happier she was to have a friend there. She was warming up to him but at the same time hated that she was warming up to him because it made it harder to deny the feelings she been pushing away for awhile. Now that she let go of Jimmy Jr. she couldn’t deny the slowly growing feelings that she was feeling for Zeke. She was holding back for so long because she wanted to prove Zeke wrong for something he said 3 years ago. Why was she being this stubborn? Why would it be so bad if he did get her? It wouldn’t, she comes to realize. Maybe being caught by Zeke was something that she now wants more than anything else in the world now? After hearing Zeke being honest about his intentions she realized that she had no reason to hold back anymore and brings Zeke in to passionately kiss him in the bathroom. Not her most ideal kissing spot, but neither she or Zeke were complaining right now. Louise and Gene finally release Tina and Zeke after Linda and Bob find out. Mixed reactions galore when everyone finds Tina and Zeke making out in the bathroom. Man, I typed a lot more here than I expected. You can end it with the reactions or you can end it however you wish. I just want it to funny though. This is just a rough concept of an idea I wanted to do anyway so I’m open to however you feel will make it better/more in character if you to choose to write this story.

#Zekina #Fanfiction #2022 #Prompt #mate #that is a whole ass fanfiction right there #wow #fanfiction idea

[crymeariveronceagain]

i had this idea a long while ago but forgot about it until just now,

what if Veka where to get pregnant with twins? or TRIPLETS? just as a karma thing

Stinas getting a redemption Arc but her parents aren’t, i don’t think they’d react like the Songs did. i think they’d love their kids but would need to a full 180 on their view on multiples.

omg that's amazing and i'm completely here for it

.

Vika Heks, in abject horror, watching the ultrasound.

There's no running away from this.

Her husband clutches her hand tight.

She can't feel it.

Three children.

Three.

For a grand total of four.

Three too many.

Three too much.

Three was a number that was worse than two, and two was infinitely worse than one.

And now, here she was, sitting in a chair at the doctor's, listening to the man tell her he was sorry that she was going to have three too many. Like he could control it, like the stars frowned on him like they frowned on her, like he could do anything about it.

There were three people that belonged to her now, three new ones she'd never met.

The world would hate them, would spit in their face, would call them as they were, the multiples of a bad match, destined to ruin the gene pool.

It was all her fault.

There wasn't anything she could do.

Rumors can't be silenced after they've been proven, and if she had triplets, then stars, she could never expect the lies of matchmaking to cover the very reality she lived in.

So what could she do?

What could she change? What could she fix? This didn't belong to her, anymore.

This belonged to her children.

Her three children.

Her responsibility.

She had always prided herself upon being a good mother, and just because the stars had whispered something wrong for her, because they'd been frowning down on her, meant nothing.

This was out of her hands, and she would not stop being a good mother simply because a challenge had been dealt her.

It would take uprooting, changing, declaring, accepting.

The thought was horrifying. Terror piled in her chest, hot and fast, and this was out of her control.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, she couldn't breathe, the doctor's looking at her with disdain, his demeanor completely shifted from what it had been mere moments ago.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. You're carrying triplets."

Vika shut her eyes tight, her hands clenching into fists.

Then she took a deep, steadying breath.

And before she could think about it any more.

She just said.

"Okay."

Her husband's grip loosened on her hand, and he looked at her with a sort of pride that made her soul feel like it could crush the world if it wanted.

The doctor blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Okay," Vika said. "I'm having triplets. What's your point?"

The doctor raised his eyebrows. "Usually parents are more distressed by the news, and want to see our options for sending kids to Exilium right away--"

"Out of the question," Vika snapped, her voice fierce. "And you should know, sir, that we are not most parents."

The doctor snorted, turning back to the monitor. "You certainly are not."

Vika stepped into the foyer of Sterling Gables later that day and turned to her husband. "Tim," she said, softly, "Are we going to be okay?"

Timkin Heks smiled, gently, looking at his wife. "I think, Love, we have to be."

"They're not going to like this," Vika said, "No one is."

"No one has a choice," Timkin answered, fiercely. "These are our children, and they cannot make us feel ashamed of them."

Vika sighed, softly, and reached for her husband's hand. "What do you think Stina will think?"

"I think she'll be appalled, but she'll get over it."

"Good," Vika answered. "We raised her right, then."

"Well," Timkin said, "Like everybody else, she doesn't have much of a choice."

That night, when Stina had finally went to bed, Vika sat on the couch next to her husband.

"I just realized something," she said, quietly, into the silence, broken only with page-flipping.

"What?"

"We need more than one baby name."

"Oh. Rats."

#kotlc #kotlc vika heks #kotlc stina #stina heks #kotlc vika #kotlc timkin #timkin heks #vika heks #thanks for the ask! #kotlc fanfic #kotlc ficlet #ficlet #mini fic #good ideas #kotlc society #kotlc elf society #triplets

[random2908]

My two sisters and I are probably never going to marry, probably never going to have kids. Pretty sure my little sister is just all the way aroace. Middle sister and I are somewhere on the gray scale where we don’t identify as ace or aro, but sex and finding a romantic relationship are like down around like #10 on our life priority list. For most allo people it seems like one or both of those is typically in their top 3, and for plenty of people it’s #1.

People talk about Millennials not have kids, generational deviance due to despair, whatever. And it’s like... wow, I don’t think of myself as having or leaning on role models much, but my sisters and I are so lucky this was role-modeled so much for us as kids.

Like. Two of our mother’s siblings never married. They’re both in long-term relationships, but no marriage, no kids, and they’re in their 80s now. Two of our grandparents’ cousins--the two they were closest to--weren’t even in long-term relationships (and were still alive and participating in family stuff in our childhood memories). My grandmother had an aunt who never had romantic relationships--also still alive when I was very young, she lived past 100--and my grandfather had THREE uncles who so far as I know were never in serious relationships, although none of them lived past 40 so even my mom never met them. There were an additional two great-uncles of my grandfather, great-great uncles of my grandmother (my grandparents were distant-ish cousins) whose father died before they were old enough to have an arranged marriage and they decided that gave them the liberty to never be in relationships--one of them lived to be pretty old, like into his 70s, old enough that my grandparents knew him. That’s not getting into the occasional lesbian cousin across the generations (presumably there were gay male cousins and uncles too, but they weren’t out back in the day).

That’s my mom’s side. About half my relatives on my mom’s side never had kids. About half of those were never in serious romantic relationships. It’s common in my family.

On my dad’s side it was rarer, because arranged marriage lasted into my grandparents’ generation and was still universal in my great-grandparents’ generation. But my dad’s favorite great-aunt had been married off to an American in her early 20s, and he died just a few years later (possibly as a US soldier in WWII? I’m not really sure). But not before she got American citizenship, and then she was like, she was an American citizen--what did she even need marriage for anymore? She lived long enough that I remember her, vaguely. Only one of her siblings--only one person in my great-grandparents’ generation--had anything resembling a love match, which is to say one of my dad’s great-aunts married a doctor who was stuck in the same relocation camp as her because it seemed like a pragmatic choice, but she didn’t have parents or a matchmaker to pick him out for her so she did it herself.

That was my dad’s idea of what a love match looked like: he married literally the only Jewish woman in his doctoral program, because he needed to marry and have kids, and that was the option on the table, and at least they laughed at some of the same jokes and really that’s good enough.

My sisters and I were poisoned by American movies, according to my dad. We thought “falling in love” was a thing, and it’s mostly not, he said, and we needed to get over it. Grow up--find someone you can get along with emotionally and financially (because most divorces are over money), someone who will laugh at some of the same jokes and someone you can survive a road trip with without hating them; get married; start procreating. My sisters and I said no, mostly quietly, occasionally out loud in my case because I’d rather have a fight most of the time. Whether or not we believe falling in love is a thing, we weren’t doing that.

But it’s ok. Because on my mother’s side, the American side, the side where arranged marriages ended in the 1880s, this is normal. It’s normal in a big family for only one or two siblings to marry--and our baby brother is married and planning to have kids, it’s not like it’s none of us. It’s not about being a Millennial with Millennial values at all. It’s that the wider message of our family said it was ok to do this, this was a choice available to us. So we took that choice.