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dancingtotuyo · 2 months

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8. a cry of my heart to see

Woman | Joel Miller X Female Reader

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Chapter Summary: Tragedy strikes Jackson

Tags: Joel Miller X Female Reader. Age Gap (13/14 years). HBO Characters. Mostly cannon compliant for show & game. Timeline is changed.

Chapter Warnings: blood, medical care (probably bad I'm not a doctor tried to keep it brief and vague), Character Death, loss, grief, funeral, smut, P I V, cream pie, Oral sex (F receiving)

Notes: Shout out to my girl @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin for the beta read!

If you have checked out Before, I would encourage you to do so for more backstory on our dear reader!

Words: 3273

Series Masterlist | Author Masterlist | Playlist

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT AND IS INTENDED FOR READERS 18 YEARS AND OLDER. MINORS PLEASE DO NOT INTERACT OR READ.

One Year Later

He’s been out on patrol for days. They’re widening the perimeter and he’s on the initial team to do so. It’s nerve-wracking. You’re losing sleep.

Maria tries to assure you they’re fine. No news is good news, but it falls on deaf ears. Her husband isn’t out there in unexplored areas. Joel is. Tommy tries to hide his worry. Despite both their assurances, you know they’re concerned. It’s risky.

For the most part, life goes on. Ellie has been staying in your guest room since Joel left. You thought she would look forward to having the house to herself, not that Joel doesn’t already spend the majority of nights at your house. You wonder if she fears the same thing you do.

They’re supposed to be back in a week, but day 8 passes without sign of them.

On the ninth day, one of the gate watchmen barrels into the clinic, causing you to knock over an entire bin of instruments you had just boiled. His eyes are wide, skin pale causing your stomach to drop.

“What is it?”

“We just spotted them about a mile out. They’re down a rider. Another looks pretty banged up, can barely sit up in the saddle.”

"Who?” You fight the urge to vomit.

“We don’t know.”

“Go get Pooley.” The panic is setting in. You can’t do this. You can’t go into concerned girlfriend mode. Is that what you are? It doesn’t sound quite right. No, you need to be the medical professional you were taught to be. Calm, cool, collected like the professional you were on the UT Trauma team.

The man nods, rushing out of the clinic. You look around, pulling out everything you might need for easy access. You don’t know if he was mulled or shot or something else. This is hardly the first time something like this happened, but it’s the first time you haven’t been able to focus.

It’s silly in hindsight, but you never worried quite like this over Gabe. He always promised to come back. He seemed so confident that he would that you’d bought into his confidence, and he always did until he didn’t.

Once you’re convinced you’re set up enough to take care of the incoming injured, your feet carry you out toward the gate. It’s beautiful out today. The sun shines. Birds chirp and bees buzz. The kids play tag in the apple orchard, but it all feels like a bad dream like the world is moving in slow motion. There’s a ringing in your ears.

The gate is just opening as the group draws closer. A small crowd has already formed, mostly the families of those sent out. You’re too far away to see out of the gate so you have to wait for them to file in.

The first rider comes in. It’s not Joel. You can feel your grip on reality fading. You’re trying to stay. You have a job to do. Maria appears next to you as the second rider crosses in. She tugs you closer to the chaos, through the families waiting with bated breath. Two more. Not Joel. She brings you next to Dr. Pooley who waits ready to spring into action. People make room around you so you can tend to the injured as soon as they come in.

Another pair cross into safety. John Lacy holds the reins of Adam Perkin’s horse as Adam hunches over in the saddle looking closer to death than life. John has them next to you within seconds, spewing the story of his injury to you and the doctor. You can’t pay attention, going on your tiptoes to catch sight of the last rider, but the horses block your view. The gate is closing now.

“Maria?” You look at her in desperation, pulled between the need to help and get status on Joel.

She gives you a nod and dashes off to investigate further.

Adam half rolls out of the saddle, in and out of consciousness before several strong sets of arms aid him to the ground.

“Someone get the gurney!” A voice calls out as you fall to your knees beside the man. It’s your voice. Your body is taking over, but your brain is still elsewhere. The ringing in your ears grows louder. “Someone tell me what we’re looking at!” Your shaking hands rip the stained flannel and undershirt. They're already rags anyway.

“Took a knife to the gut two days ago. Closed it up but it got infected and reopened on the way back,” John reports.

“And you didn’t stop to close it back up?” You yell.

“We had to drop the med bag.”

You groan in frustration. Dr. Pooley takes vital signs. Even in the haze you notice the signs that he’s over concentrating. His lips move to count Adams BPM and then he stops and starts over.

“What do you have for me, Doc?” You’re desperate for help. Desperate for the old man to be able to do his job, but you see it in his face. He’s about to admit what you’ve assumed for months.

“I don’t know,” he looks as lost as you feel right now, drowning in the panic of his own mortality. His own brain ceasing to work. You’ve seen the signs of dementia for months, and now the moment you need his help the most, he can’t think straight. You need his brain. You need to talk through this.

“Gurney!” Someone yells, pushing toward you with the homemade gurney. It’s more of a litter you’d find in a medieval era movie, but it does the trick.

They slam it to the ground, you don’t even have to let out the instructions before someone is counting and Adam is moved onto the stretcher. “Carefully!” You keep pressure on his wound, it’s definitely bleeding again. They must’ve missed something or it’s been bleeding internally all this time. Damnit!

You’re almost to the clinic when you hear it, a life preserver in the raging ocean, Ellie’s voice. “JOEL!”

You turn to see her arms wrapped around his midsection, holding her as tight as she does to him. His eyes flicker to yours, and it’s like you snap back into your body with a thud, your mind crisp and clear. He smiles weakly your way and you can breathe again.

You’re not sure how long it takes you. You’re pretty sure you’ve technically just performed a surgery you were in the room for once as a nurse 22 years ago. You probably missed most of the steps, but you know it was Adam’s only hope. Joyce Dobbins comes in with a poultice that’s supposed to help fight infection and “doctors him right up” as she likes to say. You don’t know enough to have an opinion. She’s the herbalist.

You shower at the clinic, bones weary and eyelids drooping. Joyce knows enough to monitor him over night as does Rachel, Adam’s wife.

You stumble home, the days events replaying on repeat in your head. The multiple times you thought you were going to lose Adam yet he somehow never faded. Lindsey’s never ending sobs from the backroom as she mourned Paul, you delivered their baby three years ago. Joel standing there giving you exactly what you needed so you could save a friend.

Most of the time, it’s easy to ignore the dangers of the outside world while tucked within the walls of Jackson, your slice of normal in the world. Tonight is not one of them.

You stumble up the porch stairs, anything but graceful as you cross the threshold. The house is quiet- no, peaceful. It’s an odd feeling compared to your raging mind. The house is clean, spotless. The orange glow of your living room lamp and the kitchen light warm you. Rumours spins in the corner, halfway through Songbird. You catch Joel in the kitchen wiping down the countertops. Your tea kettle whistles softly as he turns off the gas stove.

“Joel…” your voice is hoarse. He spins around. He doesn’t smile, only walks toward you, pulling your limp frame into his as soon as he can. “I missed you,” you whisper.

“I missed you too, Sweetheart.” His face burrows into the crook of your neck.

“I thought…” you can’t finish the sentence without tears falling down your cheeks. He rocks you both softly.

“Shhh, I know. I know.”

He kisses your head softly and then your lips. As much as you want to fall into bed, he forces you to eat something, drink the tea he’s brewed for you. You can barely sit upright, but you eat and drink and finally, he guides you upstairs, tucks you into bed, and curls up behind you. You fall asleep before he starts whispering sweet reassurances in your ear.

You pull yourself out of bed earlier than you should. You have to go check in on Adam at the clinic. No news is good news. Anytime you’re not dragged out of bed after a day like yesterday, it’s a good thing.

He’s not conscious but his fever is lower than it was when you left and that eases your worries some. Rachel doesn’t leave his bedside.

Lindsey is in the backroom as they re- wrap Paul’s body. They’ll bury him today. He’s already been dead for three days. You take Lindsey’s hand without a word, standing solemn next to her.

A hot tear marks your cheek as you watch Maria and Joyce diligently work. You were never awarded this luxury, could never gaze upon Gabe’s face one last time. Didn’t get to say goodbye.

He has a tombstone in the cemetery. You don’t visit it often. He’s not there, his ashes spread to the wind now, rolling over the earth like invisible tumbleweeds. He probably likes that better anyway.

The funeral is short, but all of Jackson crowds around for the service, to bury their fallen friend. Joel holds you close, arm wrapped around your waist. You lean heavy against him, gaining all your support from his frame. Carter and Ellie sit on the ground in front of you.

When it’s time to lower Paul into the ground, Joel makes sure you’re steady on your feet before joining the rest of the patrol group. Adam is still unconscious in the clinic. They lower his body to the ground with precision that is too practiced. You wonder if he’s thinking of her, how he had to leave her body behind. He calls out her name at night sometimes. You know he’s reliving the night Sarah died.

Lindsey’s cries start to pick up again. You slide onto the bench beside her, squeezing her hand tightly. Grace sits opposite you and Elaine stands behind. You don’t know Lindsey that well, but she’s joined your ranks now. Other women who have lost spouses close in around the grieving woman, a moment of solidarity. It’s a group that’s too large for your liking, too many lives taken.

Joel holds your hand on the walk home. You keep walking, taking your path earlier than normal. You don’t speak, too many memories in your mind, too many emotions flooding your heart.

You stop in at the clinic. Adam is in and out of consciousness. Joyce is giving him something for the pain.

You cut your walk short, just one lap tonight. There’s a note on the door. Carter is at Maria and Tommy’s for a sleepover. You sigh in relief, thankful to not have to worry about another human being tonight.

Joel helps you out of your shoes. He helps you upstairs. His hands move slowly over you, half roaming, half massaging your weary muscles. He follows your collarbone and shucks the cardigan from your shoulders, frees you from your jeans leaving you in nothing but a tank top. It’s one of the few times his eyes don’t immediately land on your exposed crotch. He can’t help but chuckle at your commitment to not wearing underwear.

Fingers delve into your tight calves. You let out a soft moan as you fall back into the mattress, sheets cool against your skin.

Your eyes close, relishing in the feeling of him. This is the first real chance you’ve had to spend together since he got back. There’s nothing inherently sensual to his movements and the way he touches you, but your body heats in response, craving the connection, the assurance.

The air shifts as your breath hitches. His fingers crawl up your legs leaving tiny trails of fire as he presses a kiss to each of your calves. Desire begins to burn in your body, slow and hot. “Joel…” You moan, legs falling open.

“I know, Sweetheart,” He feels it too, voice low and thick as his eyes darken. “I know.”

Your hands tangle in his curls as he takes his time covering your thighs in kisses, swiping his tongue over your skin from time to time. “I’m here,” he says again. “I’m gonna take care of you.”

There’s no rush to the finish line, neither of you have the energy for that tonight. It’s slow, languid like a hike up a steep cliff as his mouth slowly greets your slick cunt, his tongue runs through your folds at a steady pace over and over and over and over. He’s pulling you closer to the edge, taking his time until finally, you cry out arching into his mouth, spilling more of yourself onto his tongue.

He pulls away, chin glistening in your soft bedroom light, proud smile on his lips. “That’s my girl.”

You whimper in response, hands traveling up his forearms. His calloused palms roam over your thighs and hip, fingers drawing soft patterns across your skin.

Leading with his lips, he makes his way up your sternum. Not a drop of urgency in his body, he eases up your tank top. It’s like he has all the time in the world. You wish for all the time in the world as long as you get to spend it with him.

Finally, his lips meet yours. You taste yourself on his lips as he pushes his tongue into your mouth. Your hands wander his shoulder and neck, your fingers glide through his hair again. Nails rake down his back. At some point he shed his shirt and pants, leaving him bare against you.

“Lay on your back,” you say.

He pulls back slowly, eyebrows raised. “What are you thinking about?”

“Having you on your back.”

He chuckles, warm arms wrapping around your middle as he rolls over. You brace yourself on your knees. His hard cock presses against your thigh. You run it through your folds. Joel lets out a soft moan as his eyes glaze with lust. “Fuck, Sweetheart. Let me in there.”

“Patience,” you chide, but have no intention of keeping him waiting for long.

You nudge his dick against your clit, sending sparks through your veins until you center your opening over him. He holds your hips as you slowly sink onto him. You stretch around him, filling you so completely. Once you’ve taken him to the hilt, you sit there, eyes focused on each other exchanging soft pants.

Your cunt clenches around him, pulling moans from both of you, but you don’t move, hands finding purchase against his soft stomach, thumb running through his dark happy trail. The two of you bask in the feeling of your skin against the other’s, desperate for the certainty that you’re alive and breathing, that the blur you’re living in is reality and you still have each other.

He cups your cheek, thumb brushing over your bottom lip. Your teeth scrape against it. Then you lift up just a little bit, keeping him mostly inside you before you sink back down. You keep the slow pace as you ease up and down, increasing the distance a little more each time.

Joel’s eyes never move from you, sometimes meeting yours and other times appreciating your naked form above him. His hand trails down your torso, finding the wet heat of your core. He finds your clit with the precision only granted by his familiarity with your body. He has you memorized, every single inch of you.

You let out a sharp gasp when he touches you. He holds his thumb steady against you, letting your movements drag his thumb across your clit. You clench around him and he groans. Up and down, your hands perched on his hairy chest, nails biting into his pecs.

As you draw nearer to the peak, Joel starts to meet you, hitting a different angle inside of you. You let out a long moan, head tipping backward. Then you reach the crest, cunt milking his cock, coming undone on top of him.

Sweat beads along Joel's forehead as your dripping pussy flutters around him. He’s not far behind you, filling you with his spend. The feel of him inside you, coating you, causes another breathy moan to leave your lips.

“Fuck, Sweetheart.” He pants, pulling you down beside him, sweaty skin flush against his.

You smile softly at him, brushing the curl in front of his forehead back. He kisses your palm. You should feel guilty for enjoying Joel’s comforts, his warm skin against yours when Lindsey lays in an empty bed across the way, but all you feel is relief. You’re grateful to be spared heartache for once.

Eventually, Joel rolls out of bed, returning with a warm washcloth to clean up the mess he left behind. You’ve pulled on his white tshirt. You don’t say a word, just stare at him in the lamp light. He’s beautiful, a gentle giant, and he’s yours.

When he crawls back beside you, he looks at you like he reads every thought in your mind, kisses your forehead, and turns out the lamp. You turn on your side. He spoons you, arm thrown over your waist.

His soft snores start to play in your ears. The crease in his forehead is nonexistent with sleep as you look over your shoulder. Then, it hits you. You’re happy here with him despite the last 48 hours. It feels wrong, like you cheated death. You just hope it doesn’t come back to collect double, but you’re so damn happy. Joel Miller has permeated every single fiber of your being.

You’ve known this, but now, you accept it. Your muscles tense with it. It’s not enough to send you spiraling by any means, but you fought it for so long, you’re not sure how to proceed. You could tell him now, wake him up and finally let the words slip off your tongue. More tension gathers between your shoulders.

Joel mumbles, tightening his grip around you as he pulls you flush against him. He kisses your shoulder.

“Don’t start with that.” Sleep coats his voice. You wonder how he’s so in tune with you even in sleep he can feel the tension.

“Don’t think it works like that.”

He hums, squeezing you again. His lips press between your shoulder blades, beard brushing against your skin sweeping the tension away, pulling the thoughts from your head.

He chuckles as you sink into him. “You sure about that.”

You reach behind you. Your nails rake over his thigh, just above his knee until you find your target. You pluck one of his leg hairs with a practiced precision.

“Ow! Not nice!”

You laugh, burrowing into your pillow. “Go to sleep, old man.”

“Goodnight, Sweetheart.” He kisses your cheek, holding you so close your brain can’t think of anything but his solid frame at your back.

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel tlou #the last of us #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller hbo #tlou #pedro stories #pedrostories #woman (joel's version)#woman (joel miller)

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creamyavocadosoup · 10 months

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𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐢 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫?

a/n: hi everyone!! thank you so much for 1k likes across my works! i was in actual disbelief when i got that notif. i thank you all so much for the love. i dont rly do celebration posts and such but i still thank you all sm for it ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡) i haven't had much chance to write this piece so its been sitting in the drafts for a little bit but!! i have a break coming up so im hoping to do some writing then. also this is not proofread so forgive me.

characters: rtte!hiccup x fem!reader

tags: angst, hurt/comfort, unrequited (?) pining, hiccup being angy, mentions of not eating and getting hurt, almost fainting, implied almost death (astrid), near death experience, fighting, blood (got wounded)

here's part 2: take a chance with me

The salty breeze wrapped around me like a comforting blanket, sounds of the waves crashing on the shore almost lulling me to sleep after such a long couple of days. Had it not been for the sweat rolling off me, or the ache in each movement, I would have no doubt fallen asleep.

"She almost died, [Name]!" his voice boomed, his gaze so piercing it had me pinned frozen in the clubhouse across from him.

"We had a plan and you didn't stick to it. Gods knows what would have happened if the rest of the team hadn't been there to clean up your mess," he looked at me, the disappointment so apparent in his eyes it burned through the protective barrier around my heart, "And now they got away with the Dragon Eye!" his hands banged on the table, the loud noise nearly scaring me half to death and causing me to jump in my spot.

Astrid almost died. Because of me.

My throat ached, feeling like it loathed with the body it was in, rejecting this emotion that coursed through my body so intensely. My eyes burned, so terribly that I had nearly convinced myself they were acid, all in an attempt to swallow down the emotions and hope to tuck them in a corner of my mind somewhere, never to be seen or felt again.

"Maybe I was a fool to think you were ready for this." he muttered under his breath, but I heard it so clearly and the rest of the riders did too.

The said blonde laid a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, silently asking him to take a breather and calm for a moment, but he only shook it off, the irritation still clearly running hot in his veins. He stormed off, hurriedly flying away with Toothless, not a single glance back at me.

Astrid only sighed, silently approaching me, and the rest of the gang stood motionless on the other side of the room. Even the twins were uncharacteristically quiet, which had unnerved me more than I had let on. She rubbed my shoulders, allowing me words of comfort but I hadn't heard any of it despite looking right at her.

I mumbled a few words before scurrying off, making a beeline for my hut and hoping to shroud myself in the four walls and indulge in isolation. I thanked Thor for a moment due to my hut being farther than the main base, giving me ample privacy.

My emotions had only caused me to hit the targets harder, to push myself further, until I was sure something like this wouldn't happen again. What if Hiccup was right?

My winged companion whined worriedly beside me but I was too far past the point of comprehension to even realize that I was littered in tiny cuts and bruises, and my limbs had ached for a while now. But I ignored it, not even close to being content with my progress in training.

I laid in my bed, nearly motionless for the past 24 hours. Not even the sound of multiple knocks and quips from the different riders, nor my stomach growling had given me any energy to move. All my windows had been shut, allowing little to no sunlight into the room. The darkness had allowed for me to continuously slip in and out of slumber, the time passing faster than I thought it was due to it.

By the third day, I had resorted to aggressively cleaning every inch of my house, not wanting to drown in the thoughts and providing myself with a distraction. I still hadn't opened the door but had at least opened a few windows to let in some light.

Hiccup coming to knock on my door almost had me stopping in my tracks, but I chose to tune him out, not wanting to deal with that whole situation at the moment. I needed time to process the emotions and think clearly and rationally before I could face him again. I needed to improve and be sure there's been a significant improvement before he can see me again.

It took me four days, four whole days, to allow the simmering emotions to bubble over and explode to whatever mess I had become now. On a random beach at another island, training like my life depended on it with virtually no one but my dragon as my witness, and it was comforting to say the least.

The guilt from Hiccup's words had hit me like a truck, the possible outcomes of my choices in the heat of the moment and how it had almost cost one of my closest friends' lives. It made frustration build up inside me with each missed blow, each kick, each strike.

I had gotten so absorbed in my own emotions that I didn't hear or even notice the multiple footsteps of unwanted guests on the same beach. All I heard was the violent roar of my dragon and I turned around to see one of the Dragon Hunters on the ground.

I readily hurried my stance, thanking the Gods I was already holding one of my weapons, and cursed to myself. 'Fuck how did they manage to sneak up on me? Was I really that distracted?'

My vision flit between the hunters as they slowly and carefully stepped towards me, their weapons glinting under the sun. I knew I was at a disadvantage, my bruised and battered body would not be able to out-fight all of them. So I have to be smart, and figure out a way to get out unscathed.

It was quiet as we only stared at each other. This was odd, I thought, why aren't they attacking? Before I could ask questions, a familiar voice caught my attention as he walked up from the ship and onto shore.

"Ryker." I spat. Gripping my weapon tightly, I glared at the man in front of me.

"Quite good timing that I catch you here alone, hm?" He smirked, crossing his arms as he looked down at me, "Take her and her dragon." He ordered, the men around him charging at me at once from all different directions.

Over my dead body, I thought, no way are they taking my dragon! "[D/N] let's go!" The sound of metals clashing and explosions were all I heard as I parried all oncoming attacks my way as best I could and so did my dragon.

Heavy breathing and heavy limbs were all I felt as I slowed and struggled to keep up with my enemies. In a moment of weakness, I felt a blade slash through my side. Warm blood quickly trickled down my hip as I screamed out in pain.

A loud roar was all I heard before seeing a big explosion and my enemies knocked unconscious onto the floor. My dragon wasted no time and hurriedly picked me up before flying away to return to the edge, narrowly missing the arrows being shot our way.

I breathed heavily, clutching my side with one hand in an attempt to stop the bleeding, and my other holding onto my dragon so I don't fall into the ocean. The ride had felt extremely long and I could feel myself slipping from reality as more blood poured from the wound.

Blearily, I looked around my surroundings as I felt myself being placed softly onto what smelt like grass. I barely recognized my hut in the near distance and the garden I was growing beside it as my dragon hurriedly grabbed medical supplies.

Thankfully he already knew which ones to grab from seeing me patch up the other riders over and over again, and brought over gauzes and pastes. I huffed and groaned, trying and dragged to prop myself on a nearby tree to properly dress my wound.

"[D/N], get me water... water please." I was feeling exhausted but I knew subconsciously that I couldn't fall asleep now, or it would create even more difficult consequences.

My winged friend quickly grabs and brings over a pail of water to me. Taking off my armor and lifting my shirt, which was already slashed through anyways, I assessed my wound and figured it hadn't gone deep enough to rupture any organs or I would have much worse symptoms.

While cleaning my wound, a soft thumping and pairs of footsteps sounded before they spoke. "[Name]? Where are you? What happened?"

I didn't speak, focusing on stitching myself up and not crying. [D/N] however quickly beckoned them over and they quickened their paces, soon surrounding me with their bodies. The riders were shocked upon seeing my state and Hiccup had briskly told all of them to turn away from me.

Familiar warm hands were placed on my arms, "[Name]," Hiccup spoke softly. My vision blurred and my throat tightened, making it harder to stop the tears from falling, "Let me help you with that. Please." His voice was small yet firm, a hint of pleading lying underneath. Yet it was still caring, and warm, and it filled the cracking crevices in my resolve as I pulled away to let him work.

"Astrid, refill the bucket. Fishlegs, grab me more gauze and paste. And get some of the stuff Gothi gave us." The two nodded, ambling away quietly as Hiccup diligently worked on my wound. "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Snotlout, grab one of her shirts and get her hut prepared." Surprisingly, there wasn't any complaints or jokes from the trio, only diligent nods and they went straight to work. Thus the only sound between us was the soft rustling of the trees in the wind, and my voice hissing at the pain of being stitched up.

"It was-" I gulped, trying to swallow down the burning feeling, "It was Ryker." Hiccup's hands stopped only for a moment and stayed quiet, so I took it as a sign to continue.

"He-He ambushed me. While I was on another island, training." I added, however the pain had teetered into being unbearable causing a whimper to escape my throat.

Luckily Hiccup had finished with the needle and moved onto wrapping it, an ever-present ache there but it was much better than the searing pain I had felt moments ago. Hiccup reached beside me and covered my chest with my torn shirt.

"I'm sorry."

I slowly blinked my eyes as I raised my head to take a good look at his face. His hair was disheveled, more than usual, and his under-eyes slightly darker. He had this seemingly perpetual small furrow in between his brows.

But his eyes were still that beautiful green that I had fallen in love with at first sight. One could argue that his slightly bloodshot eyes complimented the green but I couldn't feel much happiness knowing it was because he was losing sleep over me.

His voice was quiet, dripping with sorrow and regret and it had me pursing my lips, my heart feeling tight.

"I'm sorry I said those things. They were out of anger but they don't excuse how it had hurt you." he continued, his pinky carefully linking with mine. He was testing the waters, afraid I would push him away once more but to be honest, I was too tired to even formulate a response.

"Hiccup..." I whispered, softly curling my finger around his. He looked into my eyes, hesitant to hear what I would say.

"I'm tired." I breathed out. My eyes blinked often, already on the verge to dreamland. He nods wordlessly, picking me up with barely any effort it seems, and bringing me inside my hut. Thankfully it seems like the twins and Snotlout have already finished with cleaning up my place.

Hiccup helped me into the shirt they picked before tucking me into my bed. His hands were comforting, brushing away loose hairs from my face. But it was fleeting, much like most of his touches towards me. Like it burned him, or he was disgusted by it.

He makes sure I'm settled well but before he could get comfy on the edge of the bed beside me, Astrid's voice is heard through the door. "Hiccup?" she calls, and his head quickly whips to the direction of her.

A small frown creeps up onto my face yet thankfully Hiccup only thinks of it as caused by my injury when he turns back to look at me. He smiles, a little unsure and an unfamiliar emotion in his eyes, as he reaches out to tuck a stray hairs away from my face.

"Sleep well. I'll be right here." he murmured. I only heard the soft sound of wood creaking and warm, green eyes before falling asleep.

note: guys,,, i've been gone so long?? literally ive been so busy T-T also got friendzoned before the summer so that was great. ANYWAYS!! if u liked this, i would so love to hear ur thoughts. and!! there may or may not be a part two to this too hehe

#ˋ°•*⁀➷ books #ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ everything nice #httyd #httyd angst #httyd rtte #hiccup x reader #hiccup x you #race to the edge

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justagirlinafandomworld · 4 months

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Wrapping up the year of 2023! Can you believe? I want to say a great big thank you to the writers on this list for providing such rich stories to get lost in in this whirlwind of a year. I wish I could have read more.

You lovelies know what to do, heed all the warnings, read what you like and share what you love!!

Happy Reading!

2023 reading list | fic rec masterlist

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

Bucky Barnes

To Have and To Hold series by @indyluckycharlie Chapters 6-9 Love and obligation. How can you serve one and still save the other? Mafia AU. Warnings: Dark themes. Threats and portrayals of violence, including murder and assault. There are references to but no depictions of noncon. Violent and abusive acts are directed at the reader, but not by Bucky. There is also betrayal, controlling/abusive behavior, death of loved ones/main characters, grief, LOTS of angst, a little bit of fluff, nonexplicit s.mut and sexual references.

Hold Me Down by @flordeamatista Passionate dusk pleasure covers you both with lust, spilling its mist through the night. bull rider!bucky barnes x heiress!reader warnings: best friends to lovers, ranch hand Bucky who works for reader's family, fluff, angst, smut (riding Bucky) soft kisses, nickname- Sweetheart

Hopelessly Devoted by @firefly-in-darkness You visited the Harvest Festival and your boyfriend, James 'Bucky' Barnes surprised you. Warnings: none, fluffy lovey dovey stuff.

Wild Flowers at Sunset by @princessmisery666 Bucky uses an inopportune time to let you know how he feels about you. Warnings/Genres/Troupes: confident reader, Bucky being cocky (that’s a warning), sex work mentioned, prelude to smut, love confession.

Insatiable by @jobean12-blog Bucky will never tolerate any harm coming to you and he will do anything to protect you. Vampire AU Warnings: soft sweetness, mentions of b-l-oo-d, fi-g-e-r-in-g, p-in-v, Vampire!Bucky bc he's just so hot lol

Dean Winchester

Stay series by @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior Parts 1 & 2 Y/N knows what she's doing is wrong, but she doesn't want to let it go. Warnings: Cheating. (warning provided in each chapter)

Run Away With Me by @deanwinchesterswitch Timing is everything. Warnings: None

I Promised, Too by @deanwinchesterswitch A promise given is a promise kept. Warnings: Language; Canon typical injuries; Implied sex

When the Stars Love You by @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior Dean belongs in the starlight. Warnings/Explicit 18+: Nothing really. Implied smut, angst, fluff.

Home by @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior Dean comes home. Warnings: None. Major fluff. Angst if you squint.

Wish by @thoughtslikeaminefield You want it to be love — but it isn’t. You want him — but you can’t have him. So you don’t want anything. Warnings: sepia-toned angst ™ @boondoctorwho, not my typical Dean, mentions of alcohol, adult language, mentions of sexual activity

Meeting In the Darkness by @princessmisery666 You forgive Dean for what he did when he had black eyes but he can’t forgive himself. Warnings/Genres/Troupes: angst, blood, implied torture, Demon!Dean, MOC!Dean, unresolved angst.

Get Stuffed by @zepskies Dean enjoys the way you cook Christmas dinner with a Latin flair, even if Sam likes to tease him about his insatiable appetite. You remind Sam about the true reason behind one of Dean’s biggest quirks. Tags/Warnings: Fluff, innuendo, tinge of angst

Sam Winchester

Sam is Wearing Green Today by @princessmisery666 Purely self-indulgent fluffy Sam appreciation. Warnings/Genres/Troupes: fluff.

Run Away With Me by @deanwinchesterswitch He can’t let go. Warnings: None

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw & Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Live in my memory, You'll always be there by @princessmisery666 Not long after moving to San Diego with your fiancé, Jake, he’s declared missing in action. The Dagger Squad rallies around you as you grieve his loss, and you grow closer to one particular member of the team than you ever imagined. Warnings/Genres/Troupes: angst, character death mentioned, grief, fluff, unexpected love, smut, loss of parents (mentioned).

Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester

Don't Speak series by @hoboal87 In the Spring of 1905 the Winchesters, working a case in London, set the sights on Y/N, and decide to make her theirs. Series Warnings: *Rape/Non-Con, Dub-Con, Historical AU, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, Wincest, smut, Stockholm Syndrome, violence, humiliation/degradation, sexual assault. Assume all warnings will apply to each part. Imagine: You Are Dean's One Exception by @zepskies Request: ...what about Sam having a crush on Dean's gf? How would he react to that...

#just a girl reading fics #bucky barnes x reader #dean winchester x reader #sam winchester x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader x jake seresin #dean x reader x sam

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shardminds · 1 month

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the gods grow tired

pairing: gwyneth berdara x azriel rating: e (for everything hurts) wc: 8k and some change primary tags: angst, hurt/comfort, major character injury, arguing as a form of foreplay, sex. for more detailed tags, see ao3. read on a03

In the aftermath of battle, Gwyn follows her heart… what's left of it. It leads her to the edge of chaos, where there is one more life to save.

a/n: happy gwynriel week(s) everyone! this fic isn't necessarily in line with any of the prompts (sorry!) but it tore its way out of me just in time to join in with the festivities. thank you to @gwynrielweeksofficial for throwing such an amazing celebration! i can't wait to work through all the fresh gwynriel content!

@damedechance - here's the tag you asked for, bestie. couldn't have done it without you 💕

warnings: there are some heavy topics in this one, boys. this is the seed that plants the PTSD… or like, exacerbates it. it's rough. the only way out is through and BOY are they going through it. please check the full tags list and take care of yourself first ♥

snippet under the cut!

When the last soldier fell and the scarlet rivers fracturing the battlefield slowed to thin veins, then, and only then, Gwyn let herself breathe. Gentle morning sunlight on the horizon lit the clearing for what it was— a massacre. Where once verdant green and lush copses of sycamores spread through flat meadows, there was now only blood, mire and scorched earth. Bodies, face down in viscera, were all the same. Friend or enemy, and all of them still. Silence, in the wake of war’s cacophony, curled tight around her spine — awaiting the ring of steel against steel, the sting of an arrow.

Koschei met them evenly matched and, in the end, equally damned.

Exhaustion dragged at her bones in the aftermath of adrenaline, its iron chains clasped to her boots and leathers. Five days. It had taken five full days for the battle to wage. Rhys had warned of how long it could take. A fortnight, his estimate. Heavy with hope, rations were packed to last the week.

Hers were lost the first night, along with four males from her cohort who died to protect it, and her, while she clutched at the edges of rest.

Sleep, apparently, was a luxury the Mother did not allow them. She did not attempt it again.

Food, water — all of it became second to survival. Second to the blade in her palm, the stained ribbon at her brow.

Despite the training, the blood rite, the experience gained along the way… nothing could’ve prepared for the ferocity, the unyielding brutality, of real and true war.

The bitter taste of victory was the only thing keeping her upright now, from falling to her knees on the sodden ground and screaming. As if tears could somehow cleanse the filth from her hands.

No, she had to keep going — to keep moving through violence’s cruel remnants, to find her team, her friends, her Valkyries.

Feyre and Rhys attacked from the field's distant edge, infernal power allowing them to mist entire battalions with hands entwined. Nesta had been back-to-back with Cassian the last time she’d seen them, manifesting death and destruction in their wake. Emerie had taken to the skies in one of twelve aerial legions, an obsidian pegasus lifting her above the cloud cover with over a dozen chosen riders heeding her command as gospel, Morrigan among them.

Gwyn had volunteered to take the flank, a smaller group of their swiftest, most vicious warriors tasked with infiltrating the scores of Koschei’s hoards by surprise. She’d taken the south and Azriel— oh Gods, Azriel — he’d headed north.

When the first explosion hit on the second day, it had been far from her side of the battlefield. Yet, her chest spiked with fear.

Then, silence. Horrific, terrifying silence. As if the mountains themselves had held their breath to hear it.

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sarnai4 · 1 month

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Friend For All

This is something I've been thinking about for a while now. In my opinion, Dagur is the only character who could actually have an amazing time hanging out with every member of the Dragon Riders. I don't even think the Riders themselves can say that. Please, hear me out. I know they're friends, but they're a friend group. This is an important distinction because how often do you really see Fishlegs and the twins just having a ball together? (That "wedding" doesn't count because the poor Ingerman was not enjoying himself.) What about Snotlout and Astrid just genuinely having fun without anyone else there? You really don't get that. So, I'll try to explain why I think Dagur could do this. (Spoilers probably. I'll just use the warning to be safe.)

Dagur and the twins could have chaotic fun. It's probably unsafe for anyone around them, but no one else is matching their pure insanity. All three of them have this combination of sometimes just doing things to mess with people or just doing something that then causes problems by accident. Still, I think they'd have fun. They can try to out prank each other (think Loki Day). They also still know how to be serious when the time absolutely calls for it, so they could have less silly times too. Ultimately, I think their best times together would be when they're just causing heck for the world and laughing together about what they've done.

Dagur and Astrid could enjoy the more warrior/protector side of life. I think there would be a healthy competition. Astrid was in charge of keeping the Edge secure with defenses and Dagur snuck on several times. He might even end up being the tester for her new security systems. I could see her trying to make things to keep him out and him being fine seeing how close to death he comes while still trying to break in. Also, since Astrid's got that drill sergeant thing going on that we saw in "Team Astrid," I could see her being curious what types of training he has his soldiers do. They might even trade ideas back and forth to have the strongest fighters.

Dagur and Fishlegs is a friendship I have wanted to see more of ever since "Family on the Edge." They were so adorable geeking out together about Gronckles. They're such an odd buddy duo because they seem like complete opposites, but I think it could work. Fishlegs wanted a spa area and are we really going to say Dagur wouldn't love that? Mr. Meditation and Fruit Baths? Yeah, he'd happily tag along for a spa day. Then, they can geek out more about Gronckles or other things like this. A personal headcanon I have which adds to this is I believe Dagur is pretty well-read. There are little things like him knowing about the third eye, French, how to make the antidote for Nadder venom when he got shot (since they didn't have dragons on Berserker Island), etc. So, I feel like he and Fishlegs might have more things to nerd over than most assume. Dagur even was impressed by Fishlegs's thirst for knowledge. Maybe they could discuss the different topics they've read and studied. Study buddies! (Sorta)

Dagur and Snotlout are a duo I think would be amazing. Like with Fishlegs, there were episodes where I just knew I wanted more of them together. Seeing them fight off traitorous Berserkers, then start providing commentary to Hicctrid in "Mi Amore Armorwing" were some great moments to me. The reason I think they could work is that I feel like they'd be good influences on each other. (Actually, I already have a story out on AO3 that dives into this called "Means We're Friends.") Dagur is himself and always will be. Even in RTTE, there's a part of Snotlout who still wants to be who others...namely Spitelout...think he should be. Dagur could help him learn to just be whoever he really is and not care what anyone else says. Also, Snotlout is more sensitive than he'd ever admit, so I think he'd be able to help Dagur in those moments when the Berserker is just clearly not picking up on how to respond properly in situations to avoid weirding everyone out. They could also do a bunch of sparring together too and get into random things for fun like how Snotlout started narrating Tuffnut's search for Chicken. I definitely think Dagur would've joined in on that.

Dagur and Hiccup...well, of course. They're brothers and friends, so that's a given. These two are going on the wildest adventures because Hiccup will never really stay put and Dagur would get bored if he did. There's that fun protective side too. Anyone around them knows that if they mess with Hiccup, they're dying in the most horrific ways possible. Plus, we'd have to throw in some big brother advice moments from Dagur to help Hiccup out with becoming a chief in the future. We've seen the redhead offer advice to Hiccup before with not letting revenge consume him. We've also seen Hiccup offer some comfort with things like their search for Oswald. So, you'd get the more adventurous/fun side of the friendship along with the more serious moments.

On Monday, I'm going to publish a series of oneshots set both in and out of their universe to show how these relationships could work. Considering Monday is April Fool's, I just knew which group I had to start with...(It's out now and called "Just One of the Riders.")

#HTTYD #RTTE #Dagur #Ruffnut #Tuffnut #Astrid #Fishlegs #Snotlout #Hiccup #Underrated friendships #I would've happily watched him go on adventures with each one of them #Dagur's just got so many sides to him that good Dagur could kind of get along with anyone if given the chance #Except Alvin; they'll always hate each other

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ilariyalavorowrites · 10 months

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To be started list

I have more than a few stories waiting to be started in the pipeline. I thought I'd share the list with you guys. Some have titles and summaries, others don't so any suggestions are welcomed. These were started after I finish Faded Hope and Tongue Tied.

Once (9-1-1)

Pairing: Eddie Diaz x reader x Evan Buckley

It was only meant to be a one time mistake but then why did it keep happening over and over again. Maybe it was time to discover what this truly was.

What would neighbours think (Downton Abbey)

Pairing: Cora Crawley x Reader x Robert Crawley

Imagine: O’Brien misinterprets you, a housemaid training to be Lady Edith’s Lady's maid returning in the wee small hours as an attempt after her job. A few well-placed threatening words when she catches you alone, one evening whilst staying at Crawley House in London results in your disappearance which is soon noted.

Poly CM Beyond Borders

Pairing: Jack Garrett x Reader x Karen Garrett

Over the Horizon Epilogue

Pairings: Shawn Michaels x reader x Chris Jericho

Scorching - Poly Chicago Med

Pairings: Connor Rhodes x Reader x Ethan Choi

Imagine: Imagine after a series of heated nights together, what you thought was becoming something more seems to fade as Ethan and Connor distract themselves from you. Only for you to walk head first into a dangerous situation when a patient turns hostile.

Delirious Happy Endings Epilogue

Pairing: Connor Rhodes x Reader

Time enough for Love (Bridgerton Poly)

Pairings: Kate Sharma x Reader x Anthony Bridgerton

Imagine: A mission to ensure Kate and Anthony find each other during the social season of 1814. Time travels into the past to ensure that crucial moments occur. However, you find yourself falling in love with the pair. It breaks your heart when it comes to leaving and returning to the future.

Sweet Enough (Fated to you sequel)

Pairings: Elliot Stabler x Reader

Imagine a soulmate AU where newly divorced Elliot Stabler has a soul mark wrapped around his wrist and finds out that it’s the newest member of the SVU team, before awkwardly asking you to go get a coffee with him

In the cold harsh light of day (CAOS poly)

Pairing: Nick Scratch x Sabrina Spellman X Fae!Reader

Imagine: Imagine being a member of the face court, living in the mortal realm where you find yourself in a poly triad with Nick and Sabrina. With the threat of void on the horizon, your family wishes to return to the forest but you wish to remain. Unhappy with this choice, you are tricked into returning at the bequest of your Fae King and Queen. Only to be shackled whilst the events of Season 4 play out until Death presents itself to you with a new choice. A way out or salvation?

Lone Rider (9-1-1 Lone Star)

Pairings: Owen Strand x Reader

Imagine: Imagine crushing on your boss Owen Strand since starting at the firehouse. Never having the courage to admit your feelings. Until you wake up one morning to find yourself in bed with him. In a panic, you make yourself scarce. No awkward conversation follows in the days after but every decision has consequences.

Crossing that line - (Power Rangers Dino Thunder)

Pairing: Tommy Oliver x Reader

Summary: After a strange encounter with one of the victims of Mesogog’s most recent monsters. You find yourself alone with Dr Oliver as you both begin to experience strange symptoms. Not knowing that this monster whose DNA was combined with an aphrodisiac plant. Buried and denied feelings rise to the surface.

If anyone wants to be tagged for any of the above. Please let me know either comment or message me

#to be written list #reader insert #mostly reader insert #sharing is caring #downton abbey #criminal minds beyond borders #wresting #chicago med #bridgerton x reader #law and order svu #CAOS #9 1 1 lone star #power rangers #evan buckley #eddie diaz imagine #evan buckley x reader #Eddie Diaz x reader x Evan Buckley #eddie diaz

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allelitewrestlings · 25 days

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#jon moxley #shota umino #njpw #njsg #njpwedit #aewedit #aew #wrestlingedit #aew x njpw #*#maker: s #ours: gifs #event: sakura genesis 2024 #tag team: death riders

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quillsmora · 10 months

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who could ever leave me darling (but who could stay)

rated M, guardians of the galaxy (comics), gamora/peter quill

Peter Quill isn’t a ghost like Richard Rider, he isn’t burdened with the weight of the universe like Adam Warlock, he’s a Terran with a death wish who against all odds manages to crawl into bed with her at the end of each day. His constant presence should make loving him difficult.

Instead, it's the reason Gamora finds herself falling for him.

or: as rocket heals and the team settles on halfworld, peter's things slowly make their way into gamora's room.

word count: 2,387

additional tags: post gotg2019 #12, pre gotg2020 #1, developing relationship, gamora-centric, character study, mild sexual content, canon compliant (unfortunately), feelings realization, love confessions

#quillsmora #one shot #word count: 2k #gamora #peter quill #starmora #gamora/peter quill #fanfic #fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #comic fanfic #gotg fanfiction #starmora fanfiction #read on ao3

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kiwikipedia · 1 year

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after 5+ years of playing FGO, I finally started making the Mastersonas that plague my brain so here’s the first one~

Gelasia Kalliope

Also called “Gelly” by those close to her, Gelasia Kalliope was one of the original 48 Masters chosen by Chaldea with an affinity towards Earth and Water elements of Magecraft.

While she had been present during the attack on Chaldea, she didn't suffer major injuries and was back on her feet by the time the second singularity rolled around, though this could be more because of her demi-human status, as she seems to be connected to the Hound-like Faeries of Tír na nÓg.

Gelasia is known for being laid back and kind, preferring to talk down someone rather than resort to violence, but not at all passive in a fight. Her reasons for joining up with Chaldea are unknown, stating that she did so on a whim, but she doesn't seem to have joined with the expectations of having an easy time.

The Servant she was supposed to summon upon arriving in Singularity F was the Rider, Saint Georgios, which she successfully did after she was fully healed from her injuries. He, along with the Lancer Li Shuwen and Saber Altera made up her primary team for a majority of the singularities— post Altera and Li Shuwen’s introduction singularities respectively. During the Epic of Remnant, the addition of Hessian-Lobo was added to the team as well and seems to get along fine with them.

Gelaisa Kalliope seems to have a close relationship with her fellow Master Candidate, Adeline von Hel, which many found odd due to their contrasting personalities— though this is something she seems to find odd. She also is known to be a bit frightening to some, as she told Fujimaru that they "would be dealt with if" Mashu died because of them, so it seems as if she likes Mashu a decent amount in that case. She has the bite to back her words.

Kalliope had no real opinion on the Original Team A, though did state that it was a loss when asked about their deaths by the Mages Association.

As a “Fae-Hound” demi-human, Kalliope is able to pick up on both magecraft and magical traces more easily, along with the ability to turn into a large canine if the time calls for it. She states her heterochromia is due to this, though the green and blue eyes can be hard to see behind her sunglasses that she wears pretty much all the time.

Taglist and separate portraits below

Gelasia is also known and Georgios talk photography together a decent amount. Its how they bond and also over food.

Altera mostly caught Gelly’s attention by way of her sword, but they get along well since she took time to understand Altera as well.

Li Shwuen is the Enabled to Gelasia’s Enabler, he can say something like “im going to go fight god’ and she’ll be like “oh sweet get in a few punches for me” and that’s that. They like to just chat about random things too, though

All three of the humanoids definitely get their hair played with and braided though.

Lobo and Gelasia were mostly drawn to one another by way of their canine-origin, as Lobo is literally a wolf and recognized Gelasia as more “Dog” than “human”. Hessian and her exchange sign language phrases, as Gelasia knows a bit of German Sign but a lot of American Sign due to her sister

Taglist (Lmk if you no longer want to be tagged since this isnt SW art anymore):

@jedifisto @spaceydragons @purgetrooperfox @spacerocksarethebestrocks @insanelytomato @maulpunk @certified-anakinfucker @d3epfriedanger @genifer-first-of-her-name @thecodyagenda @babygirl-leon-kennedy @txtalnyx @jawajawas

Taglist Form or feel free to ask me to get tagged (just DM!)

#Gelasia Kalliope (Kiwi OCs)#FGO Mastersona #FGO Master OC #penguinkiwi ocs #Li Shuwen #Altera #hessian lobo #st. Georgios #fgo st georios #st george #fgo #fate/grand order #fate go #Fate grand order #fate #fate OC #Penguinkiwi Creates

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tikal-the-echidna · 2 days

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Tag List: Other

General:

Original posts: #lunar lullabies

Asks: #friendly visitors

Mutual tag: #my beloveds came to talk

Didn’t finish tagging: #tag later

Creatures, items, concepts and locations:

-> Creatures:

#chao

#wisps

#flicky

#koco

#zeti

#shadow android

-> Items:

#chaos emeralds

#master emerald

#paradox prism

#sol emeralds

#time stones

#warp topaz

-> Locations:

#little planet

#space colony ark

#angel island

#death egg

#babylon

Media:

-> Comics:

#sonic archie

#sonic the comic

#sonic idw

-> Animation:

#sonic satam

#aosth

#sonic underground

#sonic x

#sonic boom

#sonic prime

#sonic ova

#sonic live action

-> Games:

#sonic 1

#sonic 2

#sonic cd

#sonic 3 & knuckles

#knuckles chaotix

#sonic the fighters

#sonic r

#sonic adventure

#sa2

#sonic heroes

#sonic rush

#shadow the hedgehog 2005

#sonic 06

#sonic rivals

#sonic riders

#satsr

#sonic chronicles

#satbk

#sonic colours

#sonic generations

#sonic lost world

#sonic boom

#sonic mania

#sonic forces

#team sonic racing

#sonic frontiers

#tmosth

#sonic dream team

#mario & sonic at the olympic games

-> Other:

#fan comics

#memes

#tag list #lunar lullabies

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adder24 · 6 months

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Tales from the Reapers Scythe - Inner Turmoil

Summary: Now aware that the banished have a strong opposition to Adder, Lee has to do everything in his power to make sure their paths don't cross but at the same time, Lee is very much aware that his time as reaper is on the line. The Norns have seemingly spoken.

Tagging @nuggsmum @untilthe12ofnever @the-boneyard-rider @littletime67 @bonnie131313 @scnewztown @bliphany @imelopsittacus @sunrise68 @stingalingaling @mother-of-a-murder @izhunny @littlefreya @nuggsmumreads @myfriendtheurbanlegend @reeselivesforeverinmyheart @hellostickerdoodle @scribbledoodles @traveler-of-realms

The seekers. As stated before, these are the thorns in the reaper's side. They search and create potential feasting spots for the Banished, making them look like fluke accidents or natural disasters in order to throw their foes off the scent a little, while they buy a small window of time to fill their boots and gorge on souls.

You'd think that something created by the Banished wouldn't be picked up by the reapers but trust me it does.

You've heard of the Norns, right?

Well in case you haven't, the Norns are 3 deities in Norse mythology who personify the past, present and future. They shape the course of all human destinies and are usually depicted as being three women. Are they witches? No. Are they Goddesses? Technically no. Are they the same as what is depicted in Norse mythology? Nope.The Norns are those who get premonitions, they dream of events happening months before they do, sometimes even years. As with reapers, there are more than three Norns, in fact there are thousands of them, each one able to see an event happen, be it major or minor.

So, how do the reapers know? Let's say gods send notes by crow. I’m not joking, crows visit reapers with notes. They are notes written by those who possess the ability to see the future and since crows over see everything, it makes some sort of sense. Now it works like this: Norn has a premonition, they are then visited by a crow who gets ants in its feathery pants and pesters for a note, it’ll prompt by chucking a pen and hopping around some paper. The norn writes the dream down and hands it to the crow, who then delivers it to a reaper. Yes it’s old fashioned but oddly enough it’s more discreet and a heck of alot more safer. The reapers will never know who the norns are until their paths naturally cross. It’s a good thing in hindsight, makes it harder for The Banished to pinpoint them and exploit them.

A big event is assessed by how many of the norns have the same dream and pass on the same or similar note to the reapers. So things like wars, death of a monarch, assassinations of presidents, terrorism, all the things that would make world news, The reapers would have been given a headstart and the Banished HATED the fact they always knew before them. So the seekers would try to create their own problems, hoping that the Norns wouldn’t see or that the reapers wouldn’t see it as being an issue, but they were wrong. Even small events were investigated by a small team of reapers, so obviously when there was a small window of opportunity, the seekers were going to take it.

They tried it on the regular and every time they ended up getting left frustrated by the reapers. The most damage they created, probably made the local papers or appeared on the local news but lately, things were starting to go awry, they were starting to have a bigger impact on things and it started with the blackouts in New York. From that point on there were air accidents that resulted in huge numbers of loss of life, a few so-called natural disasters, one of which was a dam that collapsed and a few terrorist attacks scattered across the globe. These were things the reapers could cope with but Lee couldn’t help but shake the feeling that it was leading up to something more.

His reason behind this, a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. It was built in 1977, after the blackouts in New York, September to be precise and since its official opening a year later, the Norns have been picking up on little hiccups associated with it. Minor hiccups to start with, nothing life threatening to be concerned about but they were frequent and seemed to happen around the vulnerable spots, like the reactors or the cooling systems designed to help with the smooth delivery of power.

Most reapers brushed these off as Red flags, muttering that it was because the build was rushed and it was nothing unusual for the region, but Lee couldn't shake the feeling there was something more sinister going on, a theory he shared with Felix and Puma and oddly enough, they too thought the same. September 1982 was the first big sign they got that something was amiss, a partial meltdown occurred in reactor number one, the cause being a faulty cooling valve that failed to open, it resulted in a Uranium tank overheating and rupturing, leaking all kinds of toxins into the atmosphere. Of course it was kept secret so as not to unsettle the public but it didn’t stop reapers within the local area checking things out and what they found was unsettling.

Signs that small pockets of the banished were within the surrounding areas, discarded bodies that had the souls sucked from them, bodies of workers that work at the power plant and were either making their way to work or in the middle of a shift. The Banished were systematically reducing the workforce to make accidents and mishaps a regular occurrence within the plant, planting the seed of fear into the hearts of the locals, even if the accidents and the hiccups were being covered up by the government.

Surveillance was needed and discussions with the reapers within the area were had. Groups of 4 reapers would take shifts, observing the area at different times of the day. During the day, the reapers noticed that the banished stayed away, kept themselves hidden and waited for the dark, knowing that was the time they worked best within. The reapers that were on during that time were obviously busy firefighting, trying to spare the victims that the Banished picked out, ninety percent of them worked for the power plant.

Yet during the day, one group of reapers noticed something a little obscure, something they saw every day. A man, over six feet tall, black hair, one side of the head shaved with the other side long and combed to one side. He was lean, always wearing sunglasses and a red silk suit. He walked around the area every day, no matter the weather. Just casually walking around and following a few of the workers to and from the plant. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

So naturally the next step was to see what he was up to, what people he was monitoring and if those were the ones that wound up being a snack for the banished. The reapers kept out of sight, making sure they were not spotted by this strange man but most of them got a strange sense about him, the feeling he knew they were there, the feeling that this man was someone or something to be concerned about, his sudden appearance made their blood turn cold, sent a shiver down their spine. They described it as him having alpha energy but what he was, they didn’t know, until one night they noticed something, something that unsettled them, something they heard happen before.

It was information that was relayed back to Lee and when pressed on the matter, his answer was to not engage In combat with this person as he sensed they were dangerous for small groups of reapers to encounter. Deep down he sensed he knew this person and he was doing everything and anything to avoid a combative situation with them.

This observation went on for over a year before Felix felt confident enough to touch on the subject. He waited to send Adder away on an errand to get parts for the charger before asking the question that was on everyone's lips.

"Why not take this man down?"

Lee was cooking dinner at that point, cutting up chicken with a cleaver before the question halted him mid cut.

"Because this man, I believe, is the man to dread. The man that didn't flinch when Adder lost control and went for him" Lee replied as he slowly looked at Felix

“Worse than Polar?” Felix asked carefully

“I can’t say…..but the potential is there. Felix we can’t let Adder cross this man's path, Adder sees him and there is no telling what the beast within him will do” Lee replied before he returned to preparing the chicken.

“I hate to say this Lee… But by the sounds of what I am hearing, the beast might be the only thing to stop them” Felix suggested, knowing the mere thought would cause Lee to pause.

“That is not a risk I am willing to take,” Lee answered firmly before continuing to prepare the meal “I’m not losing him like I lost Polar, their paths must never cross. Is that clear?”

“Clear as a bell” Felix replied

Lee nodded his head as he put the now diced chicken into a bowl, seasoning it with an array of spices before covering it with some paper towels and putting it to one side. He took a breath and looked over to the charger. The wreck now starting to come together, now starting to look like the machine Lee fell in love with. The chassis had been completely restored, the panels were new, made by hand by Felix and Adder and they were waiting to go on, new Tyres and wheels sat in the corner waiting for their moment, all its guts had been stripped and replaced accordingly and the engine, the one that had been seized by the sale water, was unseized and ready to be tried. It had taken them a few years to get to this point but all the hard work was well worth it.

“I asked Adder to order some material for the seats and headliner. He wants leather seats and the headliner to be black Suede. I thought it was strange but he thinks it will look smart” Felix said, noticing the smile on Lee’s lips “His patience has got better”

“That’s good, means he will have a little more control over the monster within him, exactly why I wanted him working on it” Lee admitted.

Yet Felix could sense something was off with Lee, he seemed a little more quieter than usual. It could have been down to the Banished pushing the reapers and testing them, or the fact there was now a new threat. They were all feeling it in that sense but usually Lee could breeze through these tough moments, finding positives somewhere and focusing on finding ways to help, yet this time, Lee seemed distant, distracted even.

“Everything okay old friend?” Felix asked carefully, looking around for Adder “He’s not back yet if you wish to speak on a personal level”

Lee took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly as he gathered up the things he used and placed them near the sink, ready for cleaning.

“I received a message from a Norn, this Norn is able to see far into the future and they have a good track record as well. In this message they state that there is an explosion, three years from now.” Lee begins as he fills the sink with warm soapy water, “They state the explosion is catastrophic, so to me that points to the power plant we have been studying, it makes sense…but they also stated that New reapers are born from this event and old ones will be lost”

“Did they say who?” Felix asked

“No….but I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that it will be one of us, so I have begun preparations in case. Started writing a manual on what to do if Adder’s monster escapes, how to calm him, how to snap him out of it and how to handle him. If it's me, you must promise me to look after him." Lee asked Felix softly.

"I promise Lee but let's hope it never comes to that," Felix replied.

It was then that the door to the warehouse swung open. Both Felix and Lee turned to the noise and saw Adder walking through the door, dragging a roll of material behind him.

"Where the hell did you get that?!" Felix asked

"It was in the street! A roll of the headliner material I need" Adder replied confidently, a look that was met with furrowed brows and disapproving tuts. "...What?"

"You don't steal from the street" Felix warned

"No, If you're gonna steal, steal it from the lorry, not so obvious when it goes missing" Lee replied with a smirk on his lips "Don't make a habit from it, pay them back in some way."

"I offered to help tidy their warehouse," Adder responded.

"It's a start, you may have to do more once you steal the leather we need. Come on, let's get a start on the headliner." Felix stated as made his way to the charger.

Sure, three years was a long time, some say it was enough time to change the future and avoid the situation at hand but this is not scrooge and the ghost of Christmas future, this was real and this was something that was set, a permanent marker in history, which meant that no matter what the reapers do from this point, the event was going to happen regardless. The best they could do was prepare for what was to come, gather in numbers, try and restrict the movements of the banished within the area and prepare for if they are the ones to fall that day. It was a bleak way of looking at things but for their time as a reaper to be preserved, they would need to leave remnants of themselves behind.

Lee began writing his handbook on Adder for the next reaper, hoping that whoever it will be, will be like himself. Patient, caring and nurturing. Felix would be the ideal fit for that reaper, he worked closely with Adder, knew how to get the best out of him and was helping him with keeping the beast under control. It made Lee smile to see his Minari trusting another, in fact he had grown a lot in thirty eight years. A long time for a mere mortal. Yet Lee still felt Adder had not quite reached his peak and he feared he would never see him reach it.

He took a reassuring breath before going back to cooking, pushing the news to the back of his mind, there was still time left to enjoy what he had, still time to teach Adder all he knew before then.

The evening came and graced them with warmth and a glorious sunset over the harbour. Adder Lee and Felix all sat outside on the hand crafted bench that Lee had made, and watched as the boats went up and down the Hudson and the city came to life once more. They sat in brief content silence before it was disrupted by Puma fading in before them.

"Puma? Not like you to show up here" Lee said surprised

"Never had to before now. Jasper needs to speak to you and Adder" Puma replied

“Interesting, never had the hunters reach out to us reapers before. Something must have spooked them”

“Could say that again, Hunters in Ukraine have had a run in with the Banished. They can weather most attacks but this one has spooked them, unsettled them even and I think it has something to do with that strange man our reapers keep seeing”

“Urgent then. Adder grab your scythe and be prepared, got a feeling your inner darkness is not going to like this” Lee warned

Those were not the words Adder needed to hear but considering the history between him and Jasper, it made sense to be prepared for if his beast wanted to emerge for a rematch, even if relations between the two parties were no longer at a hostile level.

You’re probably wondering what happened there. Well since that night in nineteen seventy seven, when Puma told the hunters where to find the Banished if they needed proof and they found them, they have since had a change of heart. Jasper apologised to Lee, called off the open season on reapers and began collaborating with them, letting them know of any activity with the Banished and if they were starting to encroach on their hunting grounds or if they were targeting more than just mere mortals.

Adder however was not very forgiving of Jasper, he still held a grudge after the way he was attacked by Jasper and his men and he still had the scar as a reminder. A conversation with the man would be testing, no matter how urgent or bad it was.

"He should be punished" Came the inner voice in Adder's head.

"Shut up" Adder growled as he grabbed his scythe, hoping Lee won't hear.

"Revenge" It growled

"I said shut up!" Adder snapped.

The raised voice caught Lee's attention, he looked over at Adder and could see the tension on his face, the inner turmoil as he battled to silence the beast within, who was undoubtedly gunning for Jasper. Lee took a chance and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze to distract him as well as gain his attention. Adder quickly turned his head to Lee, surprised to see the man beside him.

"I'll try and keep it brief Minari" Lee said calmly "If you feel the beast stirring get out of there, we need to keep the hunters on our side"

"I know…I just don't like fighting with myself Lee and lately he keeps talking, it's like he knows something is going on." Adder confessed

"Or he's baying for attention, neither of them are a good thing, so let's just hope he's bored. Shall we go and see what the urgency is?" Lee asked.

"Yeah…let's get this done" Adder replied

"Bury them" The voice growled

Adder chose to ignore it, hoping that Lee was right, it was starved of attention and this was its way of lashing out and getting what it craved. He furrowed his brow and listened to Lee, the man telling him where they were to meet Jasper. They made sure they had all their equipment before fading to the location, Bethesda fountain.

The sun was beginning to set on a warm September evening, people were making their way home and the hunters were sitting on the edge of the fountain, Jasper reading a paper, hardly looking up when Lee and Adder appeared.

“Nice of you to show up” Jasper gruffed as he closed his paper and folded it.

"What happened to the hunters in Ukraine?" Lee asked, making sure to get to the point.

"Not what happened to them, more like what they saw. There was a shipment near that Nuclear plant you're worried about. Guessing it was taking away nuclear waste as there were lots of people in hazard suits. Everything ran smooth till that man showed up. The one In the red suit. He single handedly killed all the personnel in that port." Jasper replied "Sounds familiar?"

"You mean the incident here?" Lee replied "Yeah It sounds exact"

Adder looked confused, he hadn't heard of this man before, nor was he aware of a similar incident that happened before. Lee was hiding things from him and it was making the beast within pace in frustration.

"You mean to say this has happened before and I wasn't told?" Adder retorted, the annoyance in his voice catching Jasper's attention.

"We haven't told you for fear of what it would unleash" Lee responded

"In other words, Lee didn't want his hot headed buck to wade in and make things worse for us all" Jasper interjected as he stood from his seat "Something we are trying to do with the young Woodman you spared. He keeps getting into scuffles at school, he's a good kid but hot headed, runs his mouth a little too much and gets sucker punched or put into detention."

Adder paused, the mention of the young boy seemingly calming his anger, as well as causing the beast to pause in thought. He had been meaning to check in on him, make sure he was safe and staying out of trouble but he had been kept busy by the car, the banished and the never ending quest of keeping the balance stable.

"Does he remember us?" Adder asked Jasper, hoping the answer would be yes.

"Remember you? Once he got over the trauma of that night, he wouldn't shut up about you. He drew pictures of you, wrote stories about you and at Christmas he put extra mince pies out in the hopes you'd be helping Santa Claus. He believed you to be guardians but as he's got older he's kinda drifted away…you never showed after." Jasper replied "Anyway enough about Daniel, it sounds like Polar is setting up a base over there, they are drawn to the fact it's a Nuclear plant but why we don't know"

"I've got a hunch…the problem is we need to clear them out and we don't know how big that hive is or where it is." Lee said calmly

"And they have that psychopath," Jasper Iterated.

"Maybe that psychopath can lead us to the hive. We can follow him, our reapers and your hunters can collaborate and follow him, have them positioned strategically to clock him and pinpoint where he's going. They usually like hiding underground so maybe we can locate some potential places, scout them out for clues or indicators that they are there." Lee suggested

"Sounds like a plan Lee but I can't afford to lose anymore hunters, we still haven't fully recovered from losing an entire family bar one so I will need you to provide protection…have some of your boys with mine, so if things Get heated they can get them out." Jasper replied

"I'll have them discussions, see if I can get the ball rolling, just make sure your men are ready and prepared. You know these monsters are ruthless and savages" Lee warned.

"Fair enough, you got forty eight hours Lee, I want to end this before it's given a chance to cause us both problems" Jasper ordered as he instructed the hunters to get to their feet "I'll tell Daniel you said hi."

Lee nodded and looked over at Adder, noticing the man seems to have gone off into his own world, distant from what is happening around him.

"Adder, let's head back" Lee said softly, seemingly snapping Adder back to reality.

"Yeah. Sure." Adder replied, his mind still elsewhere.

Lee nodded his thanks to Jasper and faded out, appearing again at the warehouse. He hoped Adder had followed him back but when he turned to talk to him, the man wasn't there. Seemingly going off on his own but where Lee didn't know, in fact he feared that his young apprentice had decided to head to the Ukraine to deal with the issue himself. However something within him assured him that wasn't the case. So the man made a mental note to wait until he was summoned and hoped his gut was right about Adder.

What he didn't know was that Adder had decided to make a detour, showing up at Jasper's home in Brooklyn Heights, standing at the entrance of the 3 story terraced home, debating if he should climb the steps to ring the bell. It had been six years since he had last seen Daniel and by the sounds of things, he was turning into a rebel, defying Jasper, getting into trouble and fighting authority. He sounded lost and Adder blamed himself.

As Adder took a breath and plucked up the courage to climb the stairs, he heard the front door get thrown open, raised voices that were swiftly followed by the door being slammed. In front of him was Daniel, who had sat himself down on the top step, sniffling and wiping away tears.

"Daniel?" Adder asked softly.

His voice caught the young boy's attention and he slowly lifted his head to look at him. His eyes widened with surprise, recognising the man before him.

"It's you!" He whispered in shock.

"It's me…sorry I haven't been around" Adder said apologetically "It's been a bit hectic but Jasper keeps me informed"

"You're not going to take her are you?!" Daniel asked, alarmed.

"Take who?" Adder asked, confused.

"Sarah…she's my sister…she took my action man and I wished her dead." Daniel explained nervously "I didn't mean it"

Adder sighed a little and then climbed up the stairs, sitting beside Daniel. He felt for the boy, knowing it must still be hard for him to settle into a new family and find his way in life.

"I'm not here to take her, no, but you must never wish for someone to be dead, because one day they will die and you will regret your words" Adder explained calmly.

"So what do I do?" Daniel asked

"Tell your parents or try and talk to her but never wish her dead and NEVER hit her. Hitting solves nothing and hitting a girl is really bad. Hoping Jasper at least taught you that."

Daniel quietly nodded his head before looking up at Adder, studying him, staring at him in awe as many questions swirled around his head.

"Did my family make it to heaven?" He asked finally, tears beginning to form.

Adder looked over at him, knowing the boy was seeking comfort and reassurance. He could sense that despite him being a part of Jasper's family, Daniel was lost, unsure of his steps in the world.

"There are many variations of what is called Heaven" Adder began "Your family would have gone to Valhalla, it's a viking heaven where warriors who die in battle, are accepted into Odin's eternal army and reside in the halls of Valhalla, they are treated like gods, fed and watered and surrounded by those they fought beside"

Daniel wiped the tears from his eyes, a small smile on his lips as his curiosity piqued. He began asking Adder about the Viking heaven, what Valhalla looked like, the foods they ate, if animals who died in battle were there and, strangely, if they had a bedtime. He was delighted when Adder told them that bedtimes didn't exist in Valhalla.

They sat for half an hour talking and watching the world pass them by before Adder encouraged Daniel to go back inside.

"Think you'll be okay now?" Adder asked him softly

"I'll try…can you send messages to Valhalla?" He asked curiously

"I can. Do you have one?" Adder asked him.

"Yes! Can you tell my family that I miss them and that I wish they were still here" Daniel replied sadly.

"I will…but Daniel, they are still here, you carry them with you every day, in your heart and your mind. Why don't you tell them yourself?" Adder asked him softly.

"I don't know how" Daniel said softly

"Okay let me show you," Adder replied.

Adder got Daniel to look up to the stars, he pointed out some constellations to the young boy and asked him to choose his favourite. Daniel picked out the constellation that looked like a saucepan because it reminded him of his mother boiling up Milk to help him sleep.

"If you talk to that constellation, your family will be able to hear you. It's like a portal to Valhalla, something they won't teach you at school" Adder said playfully.

Daniel smiled and then unexpectedly threw his arms around Adder's waist and cuddled him tightly.

"Thank you," He whispered.

"Anytime" Adder replied as he tentatively wrapped an arm around him "Go…get inside before you catch a cold"

Daniel eventually let him go and made his way back into the house, leaving Adder to stand there momentarily before he faded out, making his way back to the warehouse.

Lee was writing up notes for his handbook when he heard Adder walking around in the warehouse, picking up tools around the car and putting them away. Lee lifted his head, closed the book and walked towards the door of the living quarters.

"You are back then?" He asks, catching sight of him shuffling around "Are you okay?"

"I'll be okay. If anything happened to you…what will become of me? Will someone carry on your teachings or will I be left to figure things out and feel lost, like Daniel?" Adder asked

"Guessing you went and saw the boy then?" Lee asked

Adder nodded his head as he started to make his way over to Lee.

"Felt guilty that I hadn't checked in on him and when he asked about his family…it made me think. You're the only family I have, Lee, I don't want to be lost, lost will be dangerous."

“You won’t be lost Minari, I will make sure of that. There is some pizza in the oven if you are hungry, it’s still hot and fresh” Lee replied as he ushered Adder into the living area, watching his reaction when the smell of Pizza, struck him.

As Adder loaded his plate, Lee went back to his book and closed it but he couldn’t help but shake the feeling that his time served as a reaper was starting to draw near. His fate was seemingly sealed by the norns and he knew he had to make use of the time that was left, he just hoped that whatever was to happen to him, he would die heroically and that Adder would flourish under the watchful eyes of Felix.

He hoped.

#TFTRS #Tales from the reapers scythe #Original Fiction #Sci-fi #Suoernatural writing #Reaper #Reapers #Original Works #Original characters #Fiction #Writing #oc story #Origins story

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celestial-thoughts · 10 months

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july 17, 2023 - weekly women’s pro wrestling news roundup: week of july 10-16, 2023

this week's news roundup includes:

News & results from last week’s editions of Monday Night Raw, NXT, and Friday Night SmackDown.

News & results from last week's editions of WWE Main Event and NXT Level Up.

News & results from last week’s editions of AEW Dynamite, AEW Rampage, AEW Collision, and AEW Battle of the Belts VII.

Other updates and news from last week.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated's weekly top 10 recap.

Things to look forward to in women’s wrestling this week!

spoilers below the cut for shows/events listed above!

Notable news & results from TV last week:

Monday Night Raw (7/10):

Zoey Stark defeated Becky Lynch. The match was back and forth, with both women nearly scoring pinfall wins several times. Eventually, Becky was distracted by Trish Stratus at ringside, and Zoey was able to roll Becky up for the 3 count. match length-10:30.

Shayna Baszler defeated Emma. Shayna did her signature stomp on Emma's arm, before forcing her to tap to the Kirifuda clutch. match length-1:30.

After the match, Ronda Rousey came to the ring. The two former friends faced off, before they began to brawl. Ronda managed to get the upper hand, locking in the armbar, but not getting Shayna to tap.

Backstage, Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green confronted WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez, questioning why they were going to be ringside for their match. Raquel & Liv said that they wanted to scout the competition. The tag champs were then confronted by Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley, who stepped to Raquel and told her to stay out of her business.

Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green defeated Kayden Carter & Katana Chance. Chelsea was able to roll Katana up with her feet on the ropes and Sonya on the outside giving her the assist for the pinfall win. match length-2:20.

NXT (7/11):

Cora Jade defeated Kelani Jordan. The finish saw Cora stop Kelani from attempting a springboard move by kicking the middle rope. Cora then followed up with the Death Rider for the win. match length-3:57.

After the match, Cora tried to attack Kelani with a kendo stick, but she was interrupted by Dana Brooke, who hit Cora with a series of dropkicks.

NXT Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton defeated Ivy Nile. Tiffany defeated Ivy after executing the Green Bay Plunge, before hitting the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the pinfall win. match length-4:39.

Backstage, Blair Davenport was interviewed. She said that she enjoyed beating up Roxanne Perez and that she would do it again.

AEW Dynamite (7/12):

Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament semifinal: Ruby Soho defeated Skye Blue. Ruby had the numbers advantage early in the match with Saraya and AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm in her corner, but the duo were ejected after interfering. Skye attempted the Code Blue but Ruby countered it. Ruby pinned Skye after hitting No Future. match length-8:47.

WWE Main Event (7/13):

Natalya defeated Xia Li. match length-5:19.

Indi Hartwell defeated Dana Brooke. match length-7:55.

Friday Night SmackDown (7/14):

Bayley defeated Zelina Vega. match length-2:02.

After the match, Shotzi appeared onscreen, and taunted Bayley while shaving her head.

Bianca Belair defeated Asuka by DQ; Asuka retained the WWE Women's Championship. Iyo was about to cash in her Money in the Bank contract, but Asuka hit Bayley in the face with the mist. match length-9:01.

NXT Level Up (7/14):

Valentina Feroz defeated Lola Vice. match length-4:59.

AEW Rampage (7/14):

Taya Valkyrie defeated. Izzy McQueen. match length-0:24.

After the match, Taya was confronted by Saraya and AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm. Taya challenged Toni to a title match at Battle of the Belts VII.

Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament semifinal: Willow Nightingale defeated Athena. match length-10:36.

AEW Collision (7/15):

Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament final: Willow Nightingale vs. Ruby Soho. match length-9:08.

AEW Battle of the Belts VII (7/15):

Toni Storm defeated Taya Valkyrie to retain the AEW Women's World Championship. match length-11:16.

Other news & updates from last week:

On Monday, July 10, Nikki Cross announced on Twitter that she has officially graduated with her Master's in History from the University of Edinburgh.

On Thursday, July 13, Ariel Helwani tweeted that he was told Ronda Rousey is not considering returning to the UFC. The tweet comes after a rumor was started on Wednesday during media day for UFC Vegas 77.

On Saturday, July 15 at Impact Slammiversary, Trinity (fka Naomi) defeated Deonna Purrazzo to win the Impact Knockouts World Championship. This win marks Trinity's first time holding a singles title since 2017 when she was SmackDown Women's Champion.

On Sunday, July 16 on Twitter, Ring of Honor announced that Athena will defend the Ring of Honor Women's World Championship against Willow Nightingale this Friday at Death Before Dishonor.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated top 10 rankings recap:

Evaluation period: July 7-13, 2023. Published on July 14, 2023. Note: my recap of PWI's top 10 tag teams of the week will only cover the women's tag teams listed in the rankings for the week (PWI includes both men's and women's tag teams in their rankings). PWI lists their criteria for rankings as the following: championships held/defended, win-loss record, push, and technical ability.

PWI's Women's Wrestling top 10:

1: Tam Nakano (Stardom) 2: Giulia (Stardom, NJPW) 3: Alex Widsor (Freelancer) 4: Mirai (Stardom) 5: Tiffany Stratton (NXT) 6: Mizuki (Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, DDT Pro Wrestling) 7: Rika Tatsumi (Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, DDT Pro Wrestling) 8: Vert Vixen (Freelancer) 9: Miyu Yamashita (Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling) 10: Utami Hayashishita (Stardom)

PWI's Tag Team Wrestling top 10:

3: Giulia, Mai Sakurai, & Thekla (Stardom) 5: Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (WWE) 10: Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima (Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling)

Things to look forward to this week:

A reminder that the upcoming edition of Friday Night SmackDown on July 21 will air on FS1 instead of Fox due to coverage of the Fifa Women's World Cup.

Tonight, July 17 on Monday Night Raw, WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez put the gold on the line against number one contenders Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green.

Current Women's Champions in WWE & AEW:

WWE: - Women's World Championship: Rhea Ripley - WWE Women's Championship: Asuka - NXT Women's Championship: Tiffany Stratton - WWE Women's Tag Team Championship: Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez - Ms. Money in the Bank: Iyo Sky

AEW: - AEW Women's World Championship: Toni Storm - TBS Championship: Kris Statlander

#weekly women's wrestling news roundup #celestial talks wrestling news #monday night raw #wwe nxt #wwe main event #friday night smackdown #nxt level up #aew dynamite #aew rampage #aew collision #aew battle of the belts #wwe #aew

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