#the focus of this was the clothing though and I'm very proud of that ^_^

[vampthropologist]

average sigma behavior

#🦇// my art #vocaloid #otomachi una #patrick bateman #american psycho #art study #I haven't seen the movie yet but I needed to do a study of this screenshot #digital art #anime art #I'll be honest. the hair shading was the hardest. I think it's a bit too simple and could be shinier or darker. #the focus of this was the clothing though and I'm very proud of that ^_^ #I did way more painting than I usually do. Not mad though. Good practice! #tw axe

[atzfilm]

— 『 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋; 𝐨𝐭8 』 [7] (M)

— 𝚠𝚘𝚗 • 𝚍𝚎𝚛 • 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕, adjective. having someone who serves as a pillar in your life, who offers a sturdy place to lean in times of trouble. somebody you find yourself thinking about constantly and are completely infatuated with.

❝humans were such strange creatures. wretched in their mere existence. none of the eight were ever truly interested in them until they found you. they just find. it strange that despite their status and rank, you'd rather spend time with your lover. that isn't much of a problem, though. one they can fix with ease.❞

〘ʏᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇ, ᴍʏᴛʜ, ꜱᴍᴜᴛ, ꜰᴀᴇʀɪᴇꜱ〙(m.list)

— pairing: ot8 x reader, focus: jongho x reader, wooyoung x reader; mingi x reader; 9.7k

— note: this is a yandere fic. sensitive topics such as manipulation, gaslighting, murder, and other topics involved with the genre. please heed the warnings and read this work of fiction while keeping this in mind.

CHAPTER WARNINGS: MCD, murder references, manipulation, blood, torture references, dark magic, lying, emotional turmoil, injuries, slight descriptions of gore

Chapter 7:

Sweat sinks into the mats below you, your skin sticking to the rubber. Your hands waver, struggle against the wooden pole gripped in your fists. A slight misstep and you doubt you'd be able to stop it from breaking your neck. He stares at you. His body is not like yours – unmoving, relentless in his hold. You should be a bit proud that you made him sweat at all. There's a bit of perspiration coating his forehead, shiny against the backdrop of darkness. His wear is much more firm that what they usually wear – wispy sheer cloth now a darker, workout-like clothing. He wears nothing on his feet still, blonde hair slicked back, only small strands escaping the style. If it weren’t for the situation you’re in at this very moment, you’d loosen your hold and admire him.

“You will die, nymph, if I pressed even a fraction more.”

Your hold trembles, “I have told you all already that I'm not strong compared to faeries–”

He pulls it from your hands entirely, throwing it to the side. It splinters against the stone wall, you turning your gaze away from smaller pieces flying over. He does not flinch at all, reaching down to grab another pole. This one is more flimsy, plastic as he coats it with powder. You slowly lean forward, desperate to catch your breath. Body aching, you rise to reach for the small bottle of water you brought with you. He looks at you.

“Another.”

You pause in the middle of gulping. “We barely had a break.”

“I never told you that we were pausing. This is not for your comfort. This is to test your limits, to see you turn into a kumiho. To help you defend yourself until you're able to control your own strength at will. Your exhaustion now is mental, nothing more.”

You look down at yourself, body coated in sweat. “Doesn’t look mental to me.”

Mingi merely sighs. “Again, nymph.”

“What happens when I figure out how to control my other self, or whatever you want to call it?”

“We use it to our advantage. We defend against the Seelie, against any who may attempt to dethrone us.”

“And if I don't want that?”

He glances at you, amused. There is no answer to your question but it is an easy guess. They will end your life. Without as much as a second thought.

Not much time has passed since Seonghwa told you what he believed you were. You still vehemently disagree with his assumption, but the others don't. From his guess led you to rarely being left alone with one of them now, except for Mingi, oddly - though you do not doubt one of the others is somewhere around, peeking through a window or hiding in the thickened forest.

Mingi lifts his hand, words mumbled beneath his breath as he stares at the broken stick. It mends itself slowly, morphing into smaller, perfect chips of wood. He flicks his hand, tossing it into the grass. He voted for you to die. Neither of you have brought it up since your life was spared, but you cannot help but wonder. Why did he want you to die? Is it because of Seonghwa, whatever he may have said to him? Did he see your presence as so much of a threat he needed you gone? His personality hasn't changed at all – indifferent, slips of his true personality shown whenever he let his mask fall. From what you can gather from those moments and how he speaks when he doesn't see you around, he's kind. Funny, a bit loud. Endlessly teased by the others. Blunt and honest. A bit more closed off than what you’ve seen before, but it would make sense since he did say he wanted you dead.

You believe you two would be great friends if it weren't for the circumstances surrounding your stay here.

“We leave tonight,” he tosses you the metal stick, and you barely catch it, balancing it between two fingers. “Seonghwa and Jongho will be around. Yeosang and San are hunting but will be back soon, just before we leave. Our house is secure, but it will be more vulnerable while we aren't here. You won't become an expert in Seelie weaknesses in an hour, but this next brief lesson will be enough for you to survive for a few minutes, at least. Until one of us comes to help.”

“How reassuring,” you mumble.

A small smile peeks out. “A brief refresher might be needed. Seelie and Unseelie are similar in many ways, and different in so much more. To put it simply – they thrive on light, on goodness, luck, wealth, care, etcetera. We feed on terror, fear, life, chaos. We may seem evil, of which we are to a certain extent, but our kind are both faeries. Our weaknesses are similar. Seelie in particular, though, has a greater one. How joyous we as Unseelie are when we find someone in despair is quite comparable to how aroused they are when they see pure happiness. It is their greatest weakness.”

“Hate to break it to you Mingi, but there’s little for me to be happy about right now.”

He snorts, the smile breaking out into a wider grin. “That I know. This is just for information purposes. They can tell it is fake just as we can tell when you are truly afraid. It is part of our nature,” he points to your palms. “The metal that you hold in your hands now is blessed by gnomes. It holds in the wielder’s emotions, whether it be negative or positive, and exemplifies it. Right now from where I stand, I can feel the anxious energy emitting from you. With that in your hand, I can feel it tenfold.”

“And this could help…?” Your doubt is evident in the dragging of your words, peering at Mingi. He nods simply.

“When you are happy, hold that. Magic casted on it helps store it inside. It will lure Seelie to you.”

“And I would want that for?”

He takes it from you, pointing it farther away from the two of you. A spark lights, flying through the air. The crack of the tree crumbling beneath the impact echoes around the night, your own eyes widening at the sight. What once was a lively tree is now a crumbled mess of wood and sticks, flames flickering in the night. He whispers against his hair and blows, the fire dissipating.

“For that.” His eyebrow lifts, passing it back to you. “Use it wisely.”

–

“Yeosang can listen to it. Her thoughts, that is.”

“A bit peculiar,” Seonghwa mumbles, flipping through his book. “Perhaps it is because his gifts have always leaned towards it. He was the first of us to excel at tormenting human minds, it makes sense that he is the only one who can somewhat hear what she thinks.”

“But she is neither a human nor a faerie. It makes less sense that he can do it at all.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?”

“That you will figure out why, at least.”

“There is no reason to anymore.”

Jongho observes him silently, his own thoughts scattered. “You were interested in here before – what changed?”

“Her being a threat to us changed, Jongho. Why would I want to dig deeper into it when I have already told you all that it wasn't a good idea to have her around? One day it will happen. One day she will hurt one of us. Or cause one of us to be hurt. There will be no room for me to say I told you so because we’d be long past that.”

“Then it should be imperative that we start digging deeper into what she can and cannot do.”

Seonghwa turns over his book and flattens it against the wooden desk, peering over his glasses. “And then what? She is already resistant to many of our strengths aside from physical. If I tested her further, it's possible that I may awaken something that's been long buried. I do believe that she doesn't believe she's a kumiho. It's best for us to not trigger her true nature at all. Kumihos are legends – having one rise on Earth now can lead to its destruction.”

“Is it such a good idea to ignore it, though? We would need to know eventually. It’s better for it to happen now rather than later.”

Seonghwa narrows his eyes as he stares at his mate. “Has Mingi started his training again? Why that tree is destroyed in the front yard? Is this why we're having this conversation so I won't be furious once I find out?”

Jongho’s lips remain shut, quickly getting to his feet when Seonghwa stands. “Wait, you have to understand why we're doing it. It is to protect us from Seelie, from other faeries. Having someone like her on our side will be an advantage.”

“Then so be it. Do what you'd like. Don't expect me to endorse it, because I won't,” he avoids Jongho’s touch, shaking his head slightly. “I care for you all dearly, and I would listen to any of your opinions on something this serious without as much as a blink. This situation, this woman, how most of you have thrown my words to the side–” He takes a breath. “There's no use in dwelling on it further. Tell Mingi to meet them at the edge of the Rowan trees. They will be waiting.”

Seonghwa walks to his coat rack, raising his finger slightly to slide the clothing over his body. He does not bother looking back at Jongho, knowing well what expression he'd be showing him now. In a different situation, Seonghwa would follow their words, their instincts. Even if he were wrong, completely, having his words disregarded because of lust –

He cannot fathom how he will continue going on like this.

–

Mingi lifts the hood over his head, face disappearing beneath the shadow it forms. Yunho, Hongjoong, and Wooyoung wait at the edge of the trees, as Jongho said. Yunho places a hand on Mingi’s shoulder as he moves just behind Hongjoong. None say a word. Their leader closes his eyes, dead leaves trembling beneath their feet. Though there are no markings, they stand in an old cemetery, long decayed bodies dust beneath the ground in wooden caskets. They watch as the forest speaks to them, warm air gusting, pulling the hoodie off of Mingi’s head. Hongjoong’s reaches back, Wooyoung taking his hand, Yunho taking his, and Mingi taking Yunho’s last. Within a blink they’re gone from the rowan trees. Mingi stumbles slightly as his feet land on unholy soil, Wooyoung whistling as he pulls his own hood off his hair.

“Hells, I’d never get used to that,” he grins. “Is everyone here yet?”

“A few more stragglers, then we’d be able to speak to everyone,” Hongjoong says, their steps identical as they follow him up the stone path. It is silly to consider the building in front of them Unseelie headquarters, but it is where the leaders meet for pertinent discussions. Rarely do any of them ever enter the palace, its essence being cared for by chaos itself. The hall remains empty as Hongjoong swings open the door with a nudge.

“Bothersome, the blood still seeps into the carpet from years ago,” Yunho murmurs, glancing down at the stains. It looks fresh, as if they’ve just slain a creature moments ago. This is what they consider the in-between - this place never really changes. That blood could be from someone who hasn’t existed in this realm for over a hundred years ago and it’d still be fresh. Time does not truly exist where they are, though it passes in the realms beyond.

Mingi barely gives it a glance himself, tucking himself further into the cloak he wears. Wooyoung jumps up slightly, wrapping his arm around the taller Unseelie.

“You’re the one that did it Mingi, no need to feel ashamed!” He touches his back, rubbing it lightly. “Remember how you struck down those Seelie? We haven’t even seen those wings in so long.”

Mingi's back aches, the ribbing of his wings straining against his sealed skin. He hasn't let them breathe for months. They yearn to escape his body, to lift in flight. But for some reason unknown to himself, he cannot, no matter how hard he tries.

“Enough, Wooyoung. We have things to do,” Yunho pulls him away from Mingi. Though neither meet each other’s eyes, Yunho can see how Mingi’s tense body relaxes just a bit, the two Unseelie disappearing down the hall. Leaving Hongjoong and Mingi alone.

The last time this happened was just before Hongjoong asked him to turn into your human partner to break things off permanently with you. His body aches at the thought of molding himself into something else again. But he would do it if Hongjoong asked. Without thinking twice about it.

“They will look to us for answers, Mingi,” Hongjoong says, walking slowly as he follows. “Most would want to start a war.”

“Would you allow it?”

Hongjoong thinks for a moment, “No. Not yet. What you’re doing with the girl, training her. It is smart. It may caution her to pause if she turns on us in the future. Perhaps even our livers will remain intact.” Hongjoong pats his stomach, a dry laugh escaping his lips. “At least for the moment anyway.”

“Is this the path we are going to take? Allowing her to continue training, keeping an eye until the very last moment?”

Hongjoong shrugs, “Do you have anything else to suggest? It was not unanimous, but we voted on keeping her around and alive. At least for now. It’s better to strengthen rather than not. Having a Seelie take her away while we’re in the middle of bonding with her would be unfortunate. But that is not all you’re asking, right?”

Mingi cannot come up with another response, mouth opening and closing. Hongjoong stops walking, turning on his heel to look at Mingi. "It is unbecoming of you to hide your own feelings, Mingi. We all witnessed how your body tormented itself when you turned into her dead partner. It rejected it so violently, because you desire her yourself."

Mingi's frown deepens. "Don't start with this."

"You like her Mingi. I never thought I'd see the day." The teasing look spreads across his face, smirk deep enough to show the small curvature of his dimples just above his lips. Mingi tries to ignore the look as much as he can, but Hongjoong only sits in anticipated silence. Very likely waiting for the words of confirmation.

"Why does it matter if that were true?"

Though it is not a certain confirmation, it is enough for Hongjoong. He hums, "We make our decisions as a spark, Mingi. I won't leave any of you behind as I observe this y/n. I want to know how each of you feel before I offer a choice to all of you."

“We said she will stay alive.”

“Momentarily, yes. But that’s not the choice I was speaking to.”

"Then what choice will that be?"

Hongjoong’s canine peeks out, sinking into his bottom lip. "What would be the fun in telling you that?"

  –

Jongho bends the spine in half, wincing slightly as he hears the book’s glue crack. San would be furious seeing him treating the book this way, but alas, he could care so very little. Most of the editions he has on his shelves are what San has gifted him, likely due to how Jongho treated the writing. Books are meant to be read though, he would hate to see unworn copies lining the shelves. His ear twitches, the familiar steps of yours passing his room and down to your own. He never had his door closed until you arrived, many of his spark popping in every now and again to say their greetings. Frankly, he would have kept it open even with your presence if it weren’t for the look Seonghwa threw at him when you first arrived. Now, only the main areas are left open, doors to each of their chambers closed. He knows why Seonghwa worries, why he listens to every conversation someone has with you, why he has carved spells everywhere in the home. The reasoning does not go past him; he is keeping a close-eye on you in the event that you snap. Wooyoung is the only one that has removed the spell on his room though, after his … well, his late night caress with you.

“Your mind always wonders with those tales,” San enters his room, shutting the door behind him. “Mindless enough that you didn’t pay mind to my knockings.”

“I thought you were out hunting with Yeosang?”

“It was brief, there were Seelies hanging around,” San sighs, throwing himself into Jongho’s bed. He glances over, a frown slowly forming. “Yeosang thought it best that we only bring in one miserable human rather than two. So whoever is in dire need of feeding, it’s in the basement. I placed a spell on it to subdue its hysterics temporarily.”

“Basement…” Jongho’s nose wrinkles. “Why do we hide it? She knows we kill humans. In fact, she should encourage it since she is a kumiho.”

“A reformed kumiho, from what we understand. No longer feeding on the livers of men, unfortunately. He thought it best we keep it away so she doesn’t stumble across it.”

“What about you?” Jongho asks softly. His frown slips away as he takes in those three words. “What will you feed on?”

“What I have already done so far, it is enough for now.” “San, that Seelie you ran into while in town with her, he was right. Pushing away your true nature will only make it harder for you to control yourself. You should take his – Hongjoong’s – words into consideration.”

“I am not leaving this spark. I chose this, I chose all of you. Hongjoong knows that, Yeonjun knows that. You know that.” His words carry a sense of finality, leaning up. “I've fought for this, for us to be together as we are now. I gave up everything. And I’ve said that it isn’t up for discussion. I will not leave unless you all kick me out. Is that what you want, for me to be removed?”

Jongho closes his book, “That is not at all what I’m saying, San.”

“For a spark of Unseelie, all of you worry too much about things that do not affect you.” San ignores the look Jongho gives him, waving him off. “I know, no need to give me a talk about how much you all care. I’ve heard it dozens of times.”

“And it seems like it hasn’t sunk in yet despite that.”

“Jongho please,” San closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking. “I love you all, more than you could ever believe. I will protect you with my life if need be. This is a choice that I have made. I will not leave in the face of distant peril. I will not leave because I haven’t grown accustomed to feeding like you. I am here. I’d rather not discuss this again, at least with you. You know where I stand, no?” Jongho’s hand reaches for San’s, and he takes it promptly, lifting it to press his lips on the back. “Promise that you will not discuss this with me again.”

Jongho looks at him, the darkened skin beneath his lids, the redness of his eyes. His inner struggle has not gone unnoticed by any of them - most worried for his well-being. Going against your own nature, it is almost impossible to do. He is only concerned that it may go too far before any of them can help.

“I cannot promise that, you know that,” Jongho says softly. “It may need to be dealt with in the near future.”

“Then promise to not bring it up unless absolutely needed.”

“I promise.”

He leans forward, lips moving from his hand and brushing lightly against Jongho’s lips before moving away. “Alright.”

—

Jongho can see a bit of the appeal of you. Your otherworldly form, though hidden, could be one reason. But despite that, he can see why Wooyoung so desperately needs your presence. It almost makes sense as to why they all somehow enjoyed you around, even if it were a miniscule amount. That is what kumihos do. It worried them all after it was revealed. Most needed firm assurance from Seonghwa that you aren’t far gone enough for them to worry. Despite how much Seonghwa wanted to hide it, he agreed. At least, for now.

Jongho sits on the single sofa chair, eyes flicking over to you.

Your body is mostly covered with the blanket that rests on the couch, a small book beneath the coloring one that you have. It hasn’t been touched since they’ve come here - none desired to rest in the main living space. After you’ve settled yourself in the room, the space has transformed entirely. Spellbooks thrown on the table in the middle, several potions lining the walls, baskets of supplies scattered about. Oftentimes they all spent their free time in the area, chatting about unimportant things even while you weren’t around. It feels more lived in the more he looks at it. He wonders if the rest noticed the change as well.

“You guys love to stare,” you note. He looks at your face, your gaze amused as your eyes flick back down to the page, marker shading the characters. The blanket is wrapped around your head, face barely peeking from the shade it brings. “Is that what you do to lure people to their demise? Watch them until they notice?”

“Most are too occupied with other matters to pay concern to how we hunt.”

“Hmm.” You continue. “Are you on duty now to watch me, then? Seonghwa put you up to this?”

His nose wrinkles. “He hasn’t told me to do anything.”

“That you’re sure of? Because this is the first time I’ve been alone in a room aside from my own, and you haven’t said anything except to stare.”

“I am just curious about you.”

You raise a brow, gliding your marker across the pages. “I’m an open book. You can ask.”

You’ve spent time with each other, small chats turning into a friendship, even if it’s only the beginning of one. He hasn’t pried into your personal life, only commenting on surface level things that wouldn’t get you agitated. Asking what he is curious about may sway what you two have built. It makes him nervous, which is humorous in itself.

“Is it wrong to say that I expected you to turn into a kumiho and run once Seonghwa told us?”

You snicker softly, closing your marker and grabbing another. “It’s not wrong to say, but it’s a little funny. I don’t believe in myself being this nine-tailed fox you talk about. It would be cool if I were, though. I’d feel less defenseless.”

He nods slowly, “You still don’t believe Seonghwa?”

“How could I? His little speech was based on theories, and everytime I try to talk to him about it he leaves the room. I get not wanting to be around me but it’s a bit much, don’t you think? I did one thing that happened months ago and nothing has happened since. He didn’t even take into account the first time I was almost killed by a Seelie in the bookstore. Nothing happened then.”

Ah, he himself forgot about that. “That is what you believe? That you’re not a kumiho?”

You nod, holding a marker between your lips as you dig for another. “I do.”

“Then so do I,” he agrees simply.

“You do?”

“I do.”

“Even if everyone else doesn’t?”

“Since when did our thoughts have to align? I am my own being, y/n, even if you don’t think it true. So if you believe that you’re fully human, then I believe it as well. It shouldn’t be a hard concept to comprehend.”

You pause. None of them so easily believed anything you’ve said to them, even Wooyoung. You can’t quite decipher what Jongho’s end-goal would be - defying everyone else’s beliefs would only cause him trouble in the end. This would hurt him, listening to your words. Why?

You look back down at your coloring sheet. It’s a simple hobby - you rarely indulge due to your busy life. Now that all you do is wake and train then sleep, it fills in the hours of nothing. What you stare down at now, the deepened orange of a sunset, the wide stretched m birds along the horizon. It used to help distract you, calm yourself. But all you can feel now is fear. Endless fear of what is to come.

“I’m a slightly wrinkled book, but you can ask me anything you’d like.”

You let your feelings subside briefly, eyes flicking up to him. “Everytime I ask Wooyoung about other types of fae he doesn’t even let me ask.”

Jongho laughs, “Because he’s stubborn. But I wouldn’t mind. What do you want to know?”

“Which ones are real.”

“Alright.”

Still suspicious, you continue. “Gnomes.”

“Real.”

“Elves.”

“Real.”

“Selkie?”

“Not the term we use, but yes. Real.”

“Sirens.”

“Real.”

Your eyes widened, “So pirates were telling the truth?”

He nods simply, “Yes. But they’re numbers have dwindled. There is likely less than fifty left in this world.”

“If Sirens are real, then-”

“Mermaids are real too, yes,” A cheeky grin crosses his lips as you stare at him in shock. “A small colony is not too far away from us. I can bring you one day if you’d like.”

“This is where you two have gone,” San enters the room, lip twitching into a frown slightly as he observes you. You stop coloring, sliding the markers back into the small box and standing. “Wait, no need to leave because I’ve entered-”

“Not leaving because of you,” the lie falls from your lips. “Leaving because I have to practice with the majik pole Mingi gave me.”

“Majik… pole…?” He watches as you leave the room, eyes meeting Jongho’s. “Is this a human word that I don’t know? I should know, I watch plenty of their cinema.”

Jongho merely snorts, shaking his head.

–

It is not often they attend these meetings. It is usually done with all eight of them in attendance - showing power in numbers is what temperaments Unseelie. Sparks vary in size but rarely do they contain over five Unseelie. Hongjoong’s spark, consisting of eight, is a large factor in his position rarely being threatened. His existence as their leader has not shifted in hundreds of years due to it. So standing now, with only three Unseelie behind him, well, it is not ideal. Mingi can see it well - how they look upon them, the sneers that are hidden usually, displayed on their faces. Sparks of two to five stand beneath them, thoughts elsewhere as Hongjoong speaks. Mingi’s gaze shifts to one group in particular. Decades prior their leader attempted a coup, one that ended in her death. None have been tried since, but it has been long. Soon, the Unseelie will grow tired of Hongjoong’s rule. Soon, their rule may end.

“Seelie have always stuck themselves in places they didn’t belong,” One retorts in the crowd. “It was deserved for some to die. But they have killed several of us, while we have done barely half of ten. We should strike instead of hesitating, it makes us look weak.”

Hongjoong laughs at the suggestion, “Then you venture forth yourself, Hanbin. Tell me how it works out.”

“Are you joking with me?”

“How could I not? Their numbers surpass ours by almost double, they can function at night and during the day. We ourselves cannot use majik as well in the daylight. We are at a disadvantage and have always been. It would be nonsensical to venture down the path of death. But if you'd like to, I won't stop you. Your death will be in your own hands.”

It is a jab, even if it is small. Hanbin’s lips pursed, gaze flicking away. Mingi, Wooyoung, and Yunho do not offer any additional points, knowing only to speak when spoken to. Especially at events like these.

“What do we do then?” Another asks from the crowd.

“We wait.”

“For how long?”

Hongjoong's gaze moves to the one who questioned him, eyes narrowing. “Until it is time.”

–

“They are growing uneasy,” Yunho notes, head covering slipping from his hair. He rests in the chair adjacent to Hongjoong’s rubbing his temple. “Your words will only satiate them momentarily. They will need to know further explanation before trusting in you.”

“They’ve trusted in me for hundreds of years, doubting me now will only bring their peril.”

“We haven’t interacted with the Seelie in hundreds of years too, so there was no need for an uprising. Now that we’re moving closer to a war, it would make sense that they become wary,” Yunho notes, gesturing for Mingi to sit near him. “And we do not have many faerie allies. It makes sense that they worry.”

Mingi ignores the movement, eyes glued to Hongjoong’s. “We should have killed her or given her up to Seelie.”

Hongjoong’s laugh is boisterous, “Give her up? She is a weapon, Mingi. It would be foolish to pass her over. A rare commodity like her cannot just be given away at the inkling of possible chaos. Is that not what we live for?” He moves closer to him, reaching up to pull a loose strand away from his cheek. “Have you grown bored at your old age?”

Mingi steps away slightly, in tune to how Hongjoong’s smile slips. There has been a barrier between them since his last stint, his recovery from the transformation rough. The air thickens a bit in the brief period of silence, Mingi’s eyes anywhere but where he stands.

“I don’t agree with you wanting her dead, but if she is truly what she says she is, would she eventually grow to hate us? It is in her innately,” Wooyoung murmurs, fingers twisting a loose string between them. “She just began to care for me.”

“It’s not impossible, but I’ll try my best not to let it happen,” Hongjoong grabs his overcoat, head flicking to the door. He does not acknowledge the lull in conversation, and neither does Mingi, shifting closer to Yunho. “I have another meeting to attend, but you all can head back. It’s best not to keep our land in such low numbers for so long.”

“I will go with you,” Yunho says, fingertips light against Mingi’s arm as he stands. The touch is brief, Mingi’s breath hitching. “Mingi and Wooyoung can go back.”

“Yun…” Wooyoung whines, stopping once he sees how unsettled Mingi looks. He stands, arm wrapping around his center. “Don’t take too long.”

“I won’t.”

–

You can barely catch your breath, almost dry heaving into the dirt beneath you. Getting away from them to train yourself as hard as you have wasn’t the greatest idea. But you could hardly stand being in a room with more than one of them right now. You wish you could be back in your apartment, or maybe in your bookstore. The smell of old books was much more comforting than being here. Agreeing to staying was not an easy choice to make.

You just didn’t want to die.

You slowly stand, wiping away the small pebbles that indent your knees and palms, flicking them back to the ground. The evening sun burns on your back as you grip the water bottle.

“Fuck this place,” you murmur to yourself. You lean to grab your bag, stopping in place. Not too far off, deep within the darkened forest, something stands there. It does not say a word, but you can see how the silhouette is hidden behind the thick trunks. It does not move. You can feel your heartbeat pick up its pace, your fingers wrapping around your bag tightly as you stare at it. Something tells you not to turn around, not to give it your back.

“y/n?”

Jongho moves into your line of sight. Your gaze flicks over to him only for a second, but when you look back, the figure is gone. His brows furrow at your cold expression, following your gaze. “What’s going on?”

“There was someone there watching me, Jongho,” you move closer to him, fear riddling your body. “I swear there was.”

He nods slowly, recognition crossing his features. “No need to worry, just pixies.”

“Pixies?” Your voice is incredulous, glancing back at the spot. “I thought no one else could enter this land?”

“Pixies aren’t allowed to enter our territory, yes. But they live in the rowan trees. That lining that you see around us, it’s the barrier between us and them. They haven’t been really active when you’re around, so I’m a bit shocked that they showed themselves to you anyway,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “Seonghwa isn’t going to be happy they're still hanging around.”

“Are they…?”

“Will they hurt you?” Jongho asks, and you nod. “No. They’re curious faeries, a bit mischievous, but they only care for the trees. Maybe they will make you trip over a branch or fall into a fit of laughter, but that’s all. They’re just curious about you - not many see kumihos in person.”

“How do they know about that?”

“They listen to the trees speak, y/n. For us, our home is a giant one.” He winces at something you cannot hear, turning toward the house. Though your senses aren’t as heightened as Jongho’s, you can hear doors opening and shutting loudly, a familiar voice erupting throughout. “An Unseelie is running through the halls to look for you. You should go and meet up with him, less of a chance he’d break something.”

“Maybe later,” you say. Jongho looks a bit surprised, brow raised. “Believe it or not, sometimes I do want to spend time with people other than him.”

“Me?” His cheek lifts, eyes flicking between yours. “Wooyoung has monopolized you. I just thought you enjoyed it.”

“I do enjoy him, but I also enjoy hanging out with you.”

Jongho does not respond. His cheeks lift at your words, glancing at the house before resting on you. Though no words are exchanged, he turns and walks toward the woods, your steps following him close. There is little hesitation as he holds out his hand, your fingers easily sliding into his palm. Just as you hear the backdoor of the house creak, Jongho and you disappear into the brush.

–

“Has she not had enough of him?” His voice is sour, disgruntled brows seemingly permanently furrowed. Seonghwa merely rolls his eyes, shifting another box into the corner with the flick of a finger. It has barely been an hour since you left with Jongho, and Wooyoung has decidedly glued himself to Seonghwa’s quarters. He’s not as used to Wooyoung seeking his advice, the Unseelie often only letting Hongjoong’s whisper sweet words to him. More recently, though, despite his stance on your presence in their home, Wooyoung lets himself into his personal areas more often than not, pestering him about you. “She’s spent most of her time with him idly by, she should miss me more.”

“Overcrowding her isn’t going to help her seek you, Wooyoung,” Seonghwa mumbles, glancing over his work. “Has Hongjoong arrived yet?”

“But she likes me more,” he insists, glaring at his mate.

“Stop acting like an unruly pixie and give her space. Where is Hongjoong?”

“It isn’t fair, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Wooyoung, I’ve asked the question twice already.”

Wooyoung sighs, rubbing his head. “He stayed behind a while longer. Yunho stayed with him just in case.”

“And Mingi?”

“He came back with me then left, saying something about seeking refuge outside this home. You know how he is, with his pretty words.”

Seonghwa narrows his eyes, thinking. “Did any of them say when they’ll be coming back?”

“Likely not until tomorrow. But for Mingi, who knows. Maybe Yunho or San can find him meandering the unholy lands.”

That is the one he is worried for. Seonghwa steps to a window, gaze resting upon the thickened forest. Jongho knows better than to keep you in the rowan trees after dark, so Seonghwa isn’t too worried. Nothing is out there now that could stir something within you. Wooyoung steps near him, hand wrapping around his limp fingers. He squeezes it once, lips pressing against his jaw before stepping away and out.

Seonghwa rubs his temple. Whatever Hongjoong may or may not be up to, he knows well enough that it’s not good. He hates the unnecessarily lavish mansion, and hates appeasing Unseelie to stop a revolt. Politics is something none of them enjoy. So his stay after everything has been settled is just odd in itself.

He does not like this feeling.

Not at all.

–

Jongho holds a finger to his lips, looking back at you. You nod, shifting closer to his body as you look ahead. The lake is vast. These woods surprise you with the amount of differentiation of ecosystems hidden. Likely due to it being filled with faeries and other magic. You do recall the townsfolk speaking of avoiding venturing deeper into the forest. The festival that you attended months ago was another way of preventing anything nefarious from sneaking out from the leaves. You didn’t believe it at the time, but now it makes sense. Though it did not stop Seonghwa from seeking you out.

Jongho lightly touches your shoulder, guiding you to sink further behind the large bush. You do not see it at first.

The water shimmers, current swirling. The lake seems to bubble, large fins rising from its depths. You hold a hand over your mouth as you gaze ahead, heads appearing one by one. They’re too far for you to see clearly, but Jongho warned you that this was a safe enough distance. He could protect you if it ever came to it, but he preferred to not start another quarrel that wasn’t needed.

The mermaids aren’t what you imagined. Heads covered in scales, luminescent. Their laughter flows through the air and into your ears. Like bells chiming as wind flows through them. They’re alluring - beauty behind what your mind could conjure up by itself. Jongho’s hand reaches for yours, fingers entwining. His whisper is barely heard, but you can see the water moving. The mermaids turn to where Jongho and you are, but they do not move. The current grows wild, thrashing against the shoreline. He pulls you away from it all, your head turning back for a last glance.

Though they’re too far away for you to see details of their faces, their stare unsettles you.

As if they are warning you.

–

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you closer,” Jongho explains, sending you a small smile. “Seonghwa would kill me if I let something happen. We already have enough happening to last a lifetime.”

“I’m thankful you brought me here, anyway,” you say, letting his hold help you over a deep hole. “What spell did you cast, just before we left?”

“High tides,” he grins. “They began sensing someone was watching. Unlike the mermaids from the tales, they can breathe on land. But they much prefer the coolness of water. I stopped them from getting closer to us as we left,” he glances up at the sky. “It’s getting late.”

“Is San going to yell at us?” you joke, and he laughs lightly.

"Believe it or not, he’s quite adventurous in comparison to Seonghwa. He loves so tenderly, there has never been one kinder," Jongho says softly. "He praises me like I'm the most, but we all know it is him. Not one of us matches his devotion."

You’re not too sure how to respond to that, San’s resolute anger at your presence only waning slightly. You’re sure he’d prefer if you weren’t here at all, even though he voted to save your life. But Jongho believes you when you say you’re not a kumiho, so you’ll believe him when he speaks of San.

"You're my favorite human friend," Jongho whispers, gazing at the branches that hang over you. "I'm sorry that I want you to be more than that."

Now this is surprising. You stop walking, hand leaving him. He looks at you, cheeks flushed. “Ah, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

"More?" Is all you can muster to say.

His soft gaze resting on yours. It's hard to keep your eyes steady on his, the feeling leaking from the heavy look more than what you've ever experienced before. With Wooyoung, with Soobin. They looked at you lovingly, sure, but Jongho? Your stomach twists the more you hold his gaze.

"I'm sorry that I am so desperate to be your lover."

The breeze whispers through the leaves, hairs resting on his forehead lifting back from his skin. A scar from the banquet hall fight months prior shines at you. A reminder of what he's done, what he did, and what he will continue to do, as long as the others agree to it. It's overwhelming, these strange feelings appearing with them all. All unique and different, but still quite new.

"Why are you trying to go where I can't follow,?" He asks softly after the brief quiet.

"I'm right here."

His lips curl into a soft smile, "You were in that mind of yours. I can't go there."

You swallow. "I'm scared, Jongho."

"I know," his eyes soften, lids heavier. "It's a lot to say when we haven't known each other for that long. And it frightens me even more that I feel this way. You don’t need to do anything about my feelings. I’ll be fine as I am now."

His eyes flick to the sky, “But we should probably head back. Seonghwa must be furious.” He holds out his hand, and you take it, letting him pull you forward through the path you took.

–

Furious is an understatement.

Seonghwa paces back and forth on the edge of the woods, hands crossed against his chest, angered eyes unmoving as you two enter the clearing. Jongho lets go of your hand, opening his mouth to speak. Seonghwa does not allow it though - frown deepening as he waits for you two to come closer.

“I lost track of time.”

“I can see that.”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles. You expect seething words from Seonghwa, but he only sighs, waving him off.

“Go inside. I need to speak with her by myself.”

Jongho gives you a pitiful look before disappearing from sight, leaving the two of you alone. As alone as you can be, with the watching eyes of everyone in the home behind you. He rubs his forehead, long, exasperated breaths continuing to leave his lips. His expression is pained as he meets your eyes, lips downturned.

“You continue to cause more trouble than you are worth.”

“What a nice thing to say,” your tone drips with sarcasm, crossed arms resting against your chest. His gaze roams over you. It is nothing sensual, mute annoyance at best. “Good thing I don’t plan on being here so long.”

“Oh?” Seonghwa’s brow raises. “What will you do without us?”

“Once I have trained enough, I’m leaving. I’ll take care of myself, far far away from here.”

“I have no complaints about that,” Seonghwa shrugs. “I just wonder if the others would be as amicable.”

Wooyoung. And now, Jongho.

“They will live.”

There are questions in his eyes, likely because of the ‘they’, but he does not probe further, sighing. “I just want everyone to be safe, kumiho. Especially Wooyoung. He has grown into our spark, mended himself with ease. There is reason why he feels that he must be loved by us all without as much as a slight worry. His insecurities on being the last have not gone away, despite the years. Hongjoong has tried to reassure him endlessly. Giving him leeway on things that happen, using his punishments as just time to reflect. But sometimes his inner turmoil catches up to him.”

“So he thinks he cares for me this way, but it's not the case.”

Seonghwa hums, likely choosing his next words carefully. “I wouldn't speak for Wooyoung, but we've all experienced these moments with him. I am sure he cares for you tremendously, but what comes into question is how much. Is it because he truly truly wants you to be his, or is it because he wants you to not reject him? That worry hasn't gone away and it's been hundreds of years. I doubt it will suddenly mend itself now. I am concerned, and I know it's wildly unserious for an Unseelie to, but I do. I hope that you will care for his heart.”

His lips lift slightly. “Perhaps it would have been better if you were a human, after all.”

“Well I am, and nothing has changed.”

He does not say anything, looking back at the house. “I will kill you if you hurt any of them. Kumiho or not.”

“You will try.”

His expression breaks, smile growing. “Haven’t you gotten bold?”

–

He watches you, how your laugh erupts from your lips. Eyes closed, hand over your lip muffling the sweet sound. His fingers grip the cup, eyes roaming to your body sinking into Wooyoung's side. How you do it with such ease, his arm wrapping around you, pulling you closer. He barely gives you a glance as he does so. Seonghwa knows his own affection is opposite to his mate's. He knows that he's aggressively avoided each chance he has had with you alone. So the bitterness itching the back of this throat shouldn't be there. He wanted you gone – not killed, just far away from them. For their safety, for their protection.

He hates this.

Wooyoung presses his lips against your temple, your lashes fluttering at the soft caress. Seonghwa places his cup down, the click of the ceramic against the marble catching only Mingi's attention. He meets his eyes. Mingi does not say anything, but he does not need to. He could see the uneasiness spilling from Seonghwa even if the others could not. His curious eyes only confirm it.

Seonghwa looks away.

“Nymph, training.” Mingi says simply. Seonghwa sees how you tense at the word. Wooyoung does as well, thumb rubbing your arm before letting you go. The rest carry on their conversations as you follow Mingi out the room, Wooyoung's eyes lingering on the empty doorway.

Just as the doors close behind them, Wooyoung leans forward. “You could hide your jealousy just a bit, hyung. I could feel you seething before seeing it.”

“Don’t say things that make zero sense.”

“A lie within truth, you’ve become an expert at it,” Wooyoung waves him off. “Worry not, I'm jealous too.”

“I said –”

“And I chose not to listen,” he grins, poking his side before stepping away.

–

A few days have passed since then. The others slowly came back, Hongjoong still away for a while. Mingi barely acknowledged after the small training session with you, Yunho sending you a smile before the two disappeared into their respective rooms. You’ve spent some time with Wooyoung, the silence filled with his tales of the in-between. He didn’t notice how your face contorts as he explained their feasts, bodies piled as the Unseelie celebrated. Their feeding habits are not unknown to you, but listening to how much he enjoys killing only makes your chest ache. A vivid reminder of what you’ve gotten yourself into.

“Your face is twisted,” he points out after a moment. “Is something disturbing you?”

“I’d rather not hear about your murders, if you don’t mind.”

He laughs. “I am an awful being, solaris,” his smile slips. “There are things that you will never know, never fathom. You may never look at me the same if it came out. That is what worries me, what keeps my mind open at night. It is why I’ve rarely rested since you’ve come here. Why I cannot leave you longer than a few days because I am desperate for you to yearn for me the same. And I know that is impossible, due to your true nature,” his fingers shake as he takes yours into his, “And despite my being of chaos, I do not want it to fall on you.”

“You can tell me what you’re hiding, and I will listen, Wooyoung.”

He shakes his head, “I cannot.”

“This, between the two of us, will end if you do?”

His breath hitches, eyes meeting yours. “It will.”

The fear of not knowing would linger if he never says it. And he knows that. He will not utter it, even if you pry over and over. Even if you leave. Because he is still an Unseelie. And he admits that he is selfish. You could be letting out your last dying breath, and he wouldn’t say it.

Oh, how that scares you terribly.

“You expect me to stay after you’ve told me this?” It is a genuine question, one that you really need answered.

“I expect you to trust me when I say you being here is the only way we can protect you. I expect you to understand that once you leave, you will be taken by the Seelie. And we may never meet eyes again.”

You love him. You do. But what you’ve learned since your last love leaving you is that you can love again. It will hurt terribly, leaving them, but you will live. You will grow. Perhaps the look in your eyes makes him panic, his fingers tightening in their grip. You have seen him angry, hurt, confused. The way he looks at you now frightens you more than any of those times. It is something he has only slipped when you’re in bed together, but seeing it now, it leaves you utterly cold.

Obsession.

He will not let you go. So your next question is fairly straightforward.

“Will you try to kill me if I leave you?”

His eyes widened. “Not… I…” He pauses. “You have to understand the others and their position, solaris. We are not good. But, San, San is good. He is innately good. He has never been like the other Seelies, he has always been different. He has always cared differently. Faeries are selfish, we all are. But he, him, there is not one faerie who can surpass how much care he has in him. And I so desperately want to,” Wooyoung stares at his hands, slowly curling his fingers into his palms. “I want to be good like San. Will you love me, then?” His eyes seemingly glow in the dim light, “Or will I have to always be second to him?”

“There isn't a ranking here, Wooyoung.” And what is he speaking to? Neither of you have ever brought up San in conversations. You don’t even love San, let alone like him. Has someone told him something you haven’t?

“Oh, but there is. You hate Hongjoong, that is what I am sure of. You care for Jongho, for Yunho. But me… even though we have been together, you do not care for me as I do you. I can feel it. I can feel your hesitation when it comes to me.”

“Enough.”

You pull your hand from his, his grip limp. He stands just as you do, eyes flicking behind you. There is no need for you to turn and see who it is, his resolute tone enough. His body is close enough that you must feel the heat emitting from his skin. His fingers lightly brush against your forearm as he moves to get to Wooyoung. You are not unaffected by the brief contact, sliding down your sleeve to get rid of the feeling.

San makes his way in front of his lover, sliding onto one knee. “What are you speaking of to her, Wooyoung? When was the last time you fed?”

“Just days ago, San. I’m okay,” his tone is insistent, eyes flicking to you. “I won’t do anything, I just want to speak with her.”

“Have you heard yourself?” San asks, shaking his head. “This isn’t good for you, letting your thoughts roam like that.”

The way he speaks to him is strange. How his hand is tight around Wooyoung, the other pressed harshly on his shoulder.

As if he is restraining him.

Their words are quieter as you watch, your attention moving to just behind them, on your porch. Your eyes begin to widen.

Something rests on the railing, the same eyes that stared at you through the forest only nights ago. The ones that Jongho insisted were just pixies. The creature grips the railing, large feathered wings draping against its back, gaze still on yours. You stand up quickly, San and Wooyoung looking at you.

“San–” You can barely let his name come out, their heads turning to look back. There isn’t enough time for any of you to register what is happening, the creature breaking through the glass. Its claws sink into Wooyoung’s shoulders, its grip pulling him away from San and out through the broken paned doors. The scream that erupts from San is agonizing, but everything happens too quickly. You can hear crashing downstairs, likely the same creatures attacking everyone in the home. A firm grip on your arm pulls you back. You look to see Mingi, blackened blood smeared on his body as he steps in front of you. His clothing is shredded, barely held together. You left your practicing gear outside, and you’d doubt you’d be able to reach it before one of these things grabs you. All you can do is stand behind him as he moves forward, panic rising in your body. San is fighting off the creatures with ease - oddly none have targeted you just yet.

They seem to be able to fight each one that appears through the crumbled wall with ease, until more and more pile inside. You hear his scream before you see it. San’s body is thrown across the room and into you, the two of you tossed out the room and into the hallway. Mingi yells, but he cannot reach you. You struggle beneath San’s body, struggling to lift him off of you. He grunts, pulling himself off of you.

He stumbles onto his feet but cannot seem to hold his own body weight up, falling to his knees. You’re able to grab him before he hits the floor face first, blood coating your fingers. You rest on your bottom, holding his upper torso on your legs. You look down the hallway, the blur of bodies fighting off the creatures. You don’t have the strength to drag him and you’re afraid to, the gaping hole in his chest stopping you from attempting.

It is all so dark. His blood covers every inch of your palms, seeping through the cracks of your fingers as you desperately press the cloth over it. It is of no use – it bleeds through, dripping to the wood beneath your feet. It splatters against your cheek as he attempts to speak. A shh escaping your lips. You can see how the others fight, their gazes moving to San beneath you, yearning to help and be by his side. Their loud shouting occupies your ears, how they ache, unable to stop the fight even briefly to pull San away from it all. To help him live. To save his life. You are useless in saving him. You haven't the knowledge or spells to mend the deep wound. His fingers wrap around yours that hold him, a soft smile showing the blood that reflects against stained teeth. He will die soon, and you can only look at him in grief. Until, that is, until Mingi's words sink into you.

“Seelie and Unseelie are similar in many ways, and different in so much more. To put it simply – they thrive on light, on goodness, luck, wealth, care, etcetera. We feed on terror, fear, life, chaos. We may seem evil, of which we are to a certain extent, but our kind are both faeries. Our weaknesses are similar. Seelie in particular, though, has a greater one. How joyous we as Unseelie are when we find someone in despair is quite comparable to how aroused they are when they see pure happiness. It is their greatest weakness.”

You look down at him. Your fear, your hurt, it should be able to help him now. To let him feed, gain his strength back. But your angst seems to not affect him at all - the blood continuously pouring from his lips, his body barely holding on. Unseelie wouldn’t hesitate to use you to help themselves. But San, he does not seem even the least bit phased.

You remember when San saved you from the Seelie at the train station, the words uttered to San odd, but not notable enough for you to inquire about it at the time.

“You have forgotten yourself, San. There is only so much you can do before she knows as well.”

San is not an Unseelie.

He never was an Unseelie.

You use your free hand to wipe your tears away, forcing your eyes shut. The idea is likely hopeless, your sadness might be too deep to push away, but you can’t sit here and let him die. Your fingers wrap tightly around his hand, willing yourself to think of something happier. You haven’t thought of Soobin in a while, but it’s the only warm memory you can think of. You look at San, how his eyes stay on yours. How the pulse of his heart seems to slow down, blinks following suit. You will yourself to focus on happier memories, letting one hand go to push his hair away from his face. The memories are not enough, though. His hold loosens on your hand, steady eyes glossing over.

No.

“y/n, move!”

You turn to the side, one of the creatures holding Mingi against the wall. He grunts, elongated limbs thrashing against its face. He cannot break free.

“San…” You whisper, “Please.”

His smile slips, grip loosening completely. You’re unable to leave his side, no matter how much the voices shout at you to go. To leave San behind. Claws dig harshly into your shoulder blades, pulling you away from him. You try reaching for the framing of your room, but the creature is exponentially stronger than your own grip, ripping you from the home, out the gaping hole they took Wooyoung through.

#fic: wonderwall #ateez x reader #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #yunho x reader #yeosang x reader #san x reader #mingi x reader #wooyoung x reader #jongho x reader #ateez fanfiction #ateez fics #ateez angst

[quigonswife8]

Safe: Leon Kennedy x reader

Leon finds you half-dead and gets you to safety || gif creds: @swiftsalad

Warnings: blood, injury, swearing, nearly dying, sadness.

Leon deserves so much happiness, like god I just wanna comfort him and I wanna tell him how proud I am of him.

If Capcom doesn't let him be happy, I swear to god, I will pay them a little visit.

------

The sun has long since disappeared, leaving the moon as it's replacement. It creates an eerier environment- as now it's harder to see those after you.

It's been ten minutes since you were severely injured. The blood only coats your clothes more, and you fear you will die in a matter of minutes.

It's hard to focus on anything. You feel woozy and damn near collapsing- that would mean being open to dying. Not that it would be your fault. It doesn't even hurt- your side, that is. All you feel is numbness, and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to fall asleep.

"No." slips from your lips. Keeping pressure on the wound which is practically useless, you try and walk faster. "...I...can't...give up."

-------

You feel the hard ground against your knees as you fall to them. Your vision is hazy- restricting your ability to see. Your eyes droop, as you feel the need to welcome sleep. As much as you want to go on, you realise it's futile.

This is it for you. You're going to die in the middle of nowhere, your body probably set on fire like that poor cop Leon had told you about. You lift your head, only for it to drop, and for your eyes to focus on the ground.

You were strong. You got this far, at least. Now you'll be able to die knowing that you fought, though that still doesn't make things any better. As you feel yourself begin to give in- as you feel yourself begin to succumb to your wound- he comes to mind.

Then you pass out.

------

"Are you sure they're..."

"They're alright." the 27 year old replies softly. He looks over his shoulder a moment, to look at the young girl behind him. She smiles softly at him, and then looks forward.

It's been a long night. The day started out fine, but just went downhill from there. He had, and then lost you, in a matter of minutes. You had come up with the idea to lead a group of villagers away to protect himself and Ashley.

Leon is extremely worried for you, more than he can even show, more than he could possibly describe. You’re his partner, that he cares for so much He would do anything for you, he loves you more than he’s ever loved anyone.

"They have to be this way..." his expression is replaced with one of panic- his hand falls off the gun in his holster. Leon glances over at Ash, and then looks forward again.

"Shit."

Then, he runs over to the body on the ground. "(y/n)!"

There's no response, of course. "(y/n)." he kneels down in front of you, immediately noticing how you're not awake. The air suddenly becomes still- his heartbeat goes from steady, to uneven. It's like someone has taken a jackhammer and smashed it into his chest.

"Oh no..." Ashley mutters, covering her mouth with a hand. Leon is more focused on you to form some sort of response to her. "I'm sorry." he mutters, then listening to your heartbeat. It's very weak, but it's there.

You're dying, and he needs to do something before it's too late- "okay", blinking away tears, Leon begins to rip up a piece of his shirt, which he proceeds to press to the wound he'd found.

Then he lifts you into his arms, and stands. "We have to get somewhere safe." praying that he's done enough for now, he looks over at Ashley, "let's go."

-

He paces the room, while Ashley watches. Leon hasn't stopped pacing since getting you to this safe house, and he got you there over an hour ago.

Ashley had insisted he take a break, but he'd insisted on just pacing.

"They'll be fine Leon." she comforts, pulling her attention from him, and focusing it on you. Her heart hurts to see you this way. She considers you a close friend despite only meeting that day, and you feel the same towards her.

Though if you weren't her friend, she would still feel sympathy.

"I've seen them survive worse in these past couple of hours."

"And worse in the past." he adds on, continuing to pace. "...there was a lot of blood." he looks over at you. "...I hope I did enough."

"You did." Ashley replies, making sure to emphasize her words. "...you're the reason they’re alive, Leon."

If Ashley has learnt anything over these past couple of hours, it's that Leon would do anything for the people he cares about. She can see how much he cares for you, and that he would go to the ends of the earth for you. If that's not love, she doesn't know what is.

"Thank you Ashley." he nods to her, "...but..." though, he pauses. He doesn't want to dwell on things that may panic him more. So? he just continues to pace and push those thoughts away.

----

A day passes, until you finally wake. It's a little cold and the pain in your side has eased up thankfully.

Welcoming in the room as you open your eyes, you glance around. The first person you see is Ashley- she's fast asleep against the uncomfortable looking chair on the other side of the room.

Then, you look down- your eyes land on the large makeshift bandage wrapped around your torso.

Finally you look around for Leon. He comes into view straightaway, and he's pacing. How long were you out for, you wonder, and how are you even...alive?

"How long was I out...?" your throat is hoarse, and dry. Propping yourself up on the bed you realise you're on, you keep an eye on Leon. Leon who stops, and looks over at you.

The expression on his face quickly changes, and it's like he's now looking at a ghost. "(y/n)?" your name feels distant on his tongue, if that makes any sense. His lips ghost over the words, his eyes widening slightly.

"Yep." you reply, smiling over at him. "...it's me."

You're alive. After a whole day of worrying, of staying by your side and making sure that you would stay safe, here you are, finally awake. He can barely contain the tears in his eyes- he doesn't like crying in front of people, and usually hides his emotions anyway, so he does try to hide the tears.

Leon walks over to you, immediately kneeling down in front of you. His hands quickly finds yours, and then he brings them to his lips to pepper soft kisses on them. Leon's eyes have softened considerably, those same eyes seem on the verge of tears.

Leon is desperate to keep you close- he doesn't outwardly admit it, but he's too scared to let you go. To leave your side. He fears something may happen if he does, that you may simply disappear...and he just can't lose you.

"I'm here." he mutters. "I'm here, sweetheart."

Words faltering, and the tears fall from his eyes and drip onto your hands. Leon quickly looks away not wanting you to see him cry, and in all honesty, he feels pathetic. He should be strong- that's who he is. He shouldn't be weak like this, he shouldn't cry.

"Leon, it’s okay to cry..."

You glance over at Ashley a moment, noticing she's still asleep. You wouldn't want to wake her yet, she deserves this sleep. You pull your eyes away from the sleeping girl to look at Leon again.

Leon doesn't answer, but you can tell he's trying to fight back the emotions. You know how he is with his emotions, and the reason why he doesn't show them as much as he used to. Ever since the nightmare that happened in Raccoon city;

-

He'd confided in you, told you everything that happened when you were apart. That night, when you both returned to your apartment as you were there in the city [he’d managed to call you to tell you what was happening, and you’d left to get to him], you had just held him.

You promised to him you'd never let go. He'd clung onto you, he'd sobbed in your arms, broken down, and you had nearly cried yourself. To only be 21 and have to go through what he did would break someone, no wonder it broke him.

He had fallen asleep in your arms that night, and you had still held him. Your fingers through his hair as a soothing mechanism for him. Leon had wanted a fresh start with you after that, and god how he could have...but of course a wrench had to be thrown into his plans.

The wrench being the stupid government. Leon was forced to become an agent for them- if he didn't then the young girl he had helped save, Sherry, would be killed. This only broke your heart more when he'd returned and told you.

The months following were hard for him, training he would never forget. He was forced to endure exercises that drained him, forced him to 'harden up', though he'd already hardened up since Raccon City, if he's being honest.

It felt like a daze when he'd told you everything; how he was assigned by the president to rescue his daughter, aka Ashley, from the Los Illuminados. He'd told you he would be gone for...he didn't even know how long.

That's when you put your foot down. You'd told Leon you would be going with him- screw the government. Leon had tried to force you to stay back, but you reminded him that you had survived through raccoon city looking for him, and you had done a pretty good job at handling yourself. "I'm not letting you go alone, Leon. You should have someone with you."

By some surprise, the government had let you go.

-

"Leon..." you repeat. "...please look at me, sweetheart." The 27 year old doesn't, at first. You decide to put a hand on his cheek, in hopes your touch will get his attention "...please."

You smile when he turns to look at you...your smile immediately falters though, and then disappears. Leon is in tears- he looks on the verge of sobbing.

The only other time you've seen him this distraught was that night. It breaks your heart. "I nearly..." he starts, but immediately drops his head. "...I thought I was going to..." scootching slightly forward, you take one of your hands out of his to move to his hair.

Slowly you run your fingers through his messy hair;

"...but i'm here Leon. I'm here with you." he's the reason you're there in the first place. Leon buries his face into the bed, but oh how he wants to bury it in your shirt. To hear the way your heartbeat goes on- the way it's steady. The way it let's him know that you're alive.

"...and i'm not going anywhere..." you press a soft kiss to his head "...thanks to you."

Leon doesn't answer, he simply keeps his head down, as he continues to fight back the need to sob. "I love you." you mutter, as you press another kiss to his head.

His "I love you too." is so quiet, but you still hear him. His hand is still in yours, and you don't make a movement to take your hand that’s in his, away. Just wanting to give your love, and your attention, you fall silent.

Then, just like that, you're taken back to that night. When you had held him in your arms not caring how long it would be for. How you comforted him and let him know how much you loved him.

Right now you just want him to know that you're there, cause like you said: you’re not going anywhere.

#leon kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #re4 remake #Leon deserves the world #comfort character #resident evil #leon s kennedy

[undreaming-fanfiction]

No Such Thing As Stupid Question

This one is for you, Anna! @unclewaynemunson! Congratulations on your academic progress, I'm so proud of you!

Also on Ao3 for your convenience :)

As someone who showed as little interest in romance as possible, Wayne Munson didn't really expect to be come a parental figure. Maybe he'd get a dog when he retired, some older mutt from a shelter, and they'd sit in front of the trailer in quiet company, perhaps a bark here and there as Wayne sipped his beer. Wayne could imagine that. But a kid, never.

But of course, life had a peculiar sense of humor and his younger brother hit a new low - sadly admirable, given that he was already at the very bottom, but someone brought a shovel with him. Grand theft auto, petty crimes all over, domestic disputes (to put it mildly)...Wayne breathed a sigh of relief when he found out he got locked up before he escalated even further. He didn't want to believe Danny had it in him to seriously hurt someone, but given the right or wrong circumstances, he couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be a casualty like a random witness, someone trying to protect their property...yeah, Danny was definitely better off where he ended up.

As for his son Eddie...Wayne couldn't guarantee the same, even though he vowed to try his damn hardest.

Eddie was a scrawny kid with an ugly buzz cut and dark eyes so large he seemed afraid of anything and everything. When Wayne met with the social worker and they talked over coffee, Wayne couldn't help but notice how Eddie grasped his milkshake, as if someone would take it from him the very next second. His twitchy fingers wrapped around the glass in a vice-like grip and even though Wayne was convinced he was listening to every word said, he kept stubbornly staring into the drink, refusing to meet anyone's eye. And even though the kid was barely in middle school, Wayne found the rigid focus all too familiar, painfully so. It was the first time he found himself truly and purely hating Danny, feeling a burning coal in his chest at what his so-called upbringing did to this boy.

In the end, Eddie was sent to live with him, only a bag with clothes too big, a few trinkets and a single book, worn from constant reading. The Hobbit.

The first day, the now joint Munson household was quiet. Eddie was chewing on an improvised pasta Wayne had made - on his own, thank you for asking, with all three ingredients - and looking anywhere but at his uncle. And Wayne was a quiet man himself so sure, they could stay in silence until Eddie graduated and moved somewhere else, but there was a part of Wayne that didn't want this for Eddie. He wanted at least one Munson to turn out alright.

"Hope it's edible. I...don't cook much," he tried, swallowing a lump of poorly mixed spices.

Eddie's eyes were fixed to his plate. He nodded, the movement almost indiscernible, and then returned to his pasta.

So Wayne tried again. "I saw that book you have," he mentioned and boy, was that a wrong move. Eddie almost curled into himself, his eyes darting to Wayne for the first time - but not with curiosity. With defiance and fear.

He didn't say anything, only stared at Wayne. As if he was daring him to say something, do something.

So Wayne did. "It looked interesting. The Hobbit? I've never heard of it. Is it any good?"

The slight relaxation in Eddie's shoulders seemed promising. "It's my favorite," he said, his eyes returning to the pasta, stabbing a few offending pieces with his fork. "It has an adventure in it. An unexpected one."

Wayne huffed a quiet laugh under his breath. "Ah. So somethin' like this?"

Eddie looked at him again with those large dark eyes. "...yeah."

And then it was quiet again, but this was less forced, less tense. Wayne thought that maybe this was how Eddie would be normally, a withdrawn soul just like himself, but just as he chewed on the last mouthful of less than ideally cooked pasta, Eddie broke the silence.

"Why'd you take me in?" Eddie blurted out and seemed to regret it immediately, biting in to his own lip. "It's...it's not like you knew me before and you could have refused, I...I would understand that. I think. But you agreed to let me stay and I'm grateful and all, but...I just don't get it. Why?" Pausing for a moment, he added "sorry if that's a stupid question. I just want to understand."

It might have taken Wayne a second longer than ideal to answer, but he didn't want to spit ketchup on the poor boy who already seemed flustered enough. He held his finger up and quickly washed down the food with a gulp of soda. "First rule of this house, son," he said and smiled at Eddie, actually smiled, although his facial muscles protested. "Ain't no such thing as stupid questions. Anything you want to ask, just ask. And if I know the answer, I will give it. Understood?"

Eddie was maintaining eye contact now and he nodded eagerly. Almost too eagerly. It made Wayne reconsider in that very second, because this wasn't a withdrawn soul like he'd suspected - this was a boy who wanted to open up to someone so, so badly. "Yes," he muttered and Wayne couldn't help himself, he reached out, slowly, and ruffled whatever hair remained on Eddie's head. And Eddie didn't move away, just watched his hand like a hawk and, when he ensured he wasn't in any danger, even leaned into it, giving Wayne a small smile.

Returning to his side of the table, Wayne leaned in. "Why'd I take you in? I could give you a bunch of reasons, none would fully cover it. Obligation, sure. You're family, that's another thing. But most of all, I just..." He trailed off, finding the correct words, the truthful words. Throughout all of it, Eddie was watching him, waiting. "I guess I just want to give you something better, Eddie. Danny and I, we didn't have the best family, not sure how much he told you. And there ain't much we can do to fix ourselves, but I look at you and I think...maybe I can make a difference right here. Because you seem like a bright kid to me and I just...I just want to do right by you. Even if I'm the only one."

Eddie swallowed thickly, fidgeting. "And...and if I turn out like him?" he mumbled, struggling to keep the eye contact. "What if you...you do that, but I still fail?"

Damn, Wayne Munson did not cry, but the fear, the insecurity in Eddie's voice tugged at something in his chest. He reached over again and grasped Eddie's bony shoulder. "Then you'll still have home here for as long as you want. All I want from you is to give it your best shot. That work for you?"

The boy smiled at him and nodded, wiping at his eyes. "Yeah."

"Good." They were grinning at each other over dirty plates, the smell of ketchup and cheap soda between them. "And I meant what I said. Anythin' you want to ask, go for it. No question is a stupid question."

Eddie smirked at him and Wayne might have detected a glint of mischief in his eyes. He thought he'd bend over backwards to keep it there, to give this frightened kid a bit of childhood back. "Anything, huh?" he asked.

"Yup. But count on me askin' a lot of stuff too. Like," he paused, rubbing his chin in deep thought.

It was ridiculous. But Wayne remembered what the doctors told him when he returned from Vietnam - sometimes to get moving, you need something unexpected, something to confuse the anxiety right out of your brain. So he dug deep and hard into his imaginative side and pointed at Eddie. "What is the single superior animal noise? No long thinking, go."

Eddie blinked at him, once, twice, and then he burst out laughing. He kicked his knee into the table and the dishes rattled around, but he couldn't stop himself. He was wheezing, grasping the side of the table and trying to breathe. And if that didn't make Wayne's heart swell. "You...you looked so serious!" gasped Eddie between snorts and giggles.

"It's a serious question. Now, Eddie, what's your answer?" Wayne tried to keep his face under control, but Eddie's grin was contagious.

The boy cleared his throat and leaned forwards, brow furrowing in concentration. "So many fine choices," he said in a contemplative voice that made Wayne nearly choke on his soda because it sounded like a poor imitation of a British TV celebrity. "I have to go with ribbit. Unique and well-balanced." Glancing at Wayne, he shot back. "The soup to beat all the soups!"

Wayne smirked and crossed his arms. "That's an easy one. Bean soup. And before you ask - not from a can."

"Knew it."

It gradually becomes their thing.

Whenever Eddie is lost in thought, when he comes back from school with a new bruise, Wayne shoots a ridiculous question at him, what is the best race in the Middle Earth for a basketball tournament, what is the ideal number of dried peas to have in your kitchen, and Eddie's smile is back, as radiant as ever.

When Wayne returns from the plant, grumbling about the stupid idiots from the previous shift making his job harder, he finds Eddie bouncing on his feet, waiting for him to come home to ask what is the ideal sole color for running shoes. "Not the shoe color, the sole, Wayne, what is the sole color that makes you just want to run? No thinking, go!"

Even years after Eddie's hair has grown into the thick wavy locks that Wayne isn't envious of, nope, not at all, they still randomly yell questions at each other across the trailer. Eddie hollers "WHAT'S THE FUNNIEST FRUIT IN THE WHOLE WORLD WAYNE?!" and Wayne shouts back "IT'S PEACH BECAUSE IT'S STUPIDLY HAIRY JUST LIKE A CERTAIN NEPHEW OF MINE AND STOP YELLING, BOY!". Wayne asks between quiet puffs of smoke outside "if you had to wear a hat for the rest of your life, what hat would that be?" and Eddie blows out a circle and snickers "a top hat." There's a joke there and Wayne smiles to himself, wondering if he should acknowledge it.

And eventually, when his boy is returned to him after the hell that was March of 1986, when Eddie slowly heals and the Harrington boy doesn't leave his side, Wayne has the perfect question but he bides his time, watching the two fools dance around each other like the foolish fools they are (has he mentioned they are fools? Because they absolutely are). He's hoping he won't need to ask the question, maybe it will be enough to just wait, but nope, he's had enough. Life is too short for people like him and Eddie. So he grabs a couple of beers, drags Eddie to the porch of their government-funded house and after a couple of cans, starts their favorite pasttime.

"What's the best pink thing to ever exist?"

"Plastic flamingos," responds Eddie and sips his beer. "The one piece of clothing humanity should have never invented?"

"Ties, who's supposed to learn to tie that thing...the best cat name?"

"Household or wild?"

"Wild."

"Fluffles. Imagine being eaten by that in the woods. You'd never live it down, even after dying. The most humiliating job ever?"

"TV weather guy. Must suck to be wrong all the time." He doesn't even pause, just continues in the disinterested, flat tone they always use for their late night rounds of no-stupid-question. "The best place to take Steve for a date?"

"Somewhere calm, I think a picnic, he doesn't do well with a lot of loud noises or people," replies Eddie immediately. He sips his beer and freezes, mid-gulp, when his mind finally catches up with his mouth.

Wayne just pats his shoulder reassuringly. "Sounds like a great plan to me." When Eddie doesn't answer or move, he adds "swallow, boy."

Eddie pours the rest of his beer into his mouth and chuckles at Wayne, breathless. "That sounds more like a second date idea. Uh, shit. Sorry. I mean..."

"I'll pretend I stopped listening at the picnic," says Wayne, but the smile tugging at his lips betrays his sternness. "Just stay safe, Eddie. But if I have to keep watchin' you and that pretty boy dance around each other for a week longer, I swear I'll have you two sit down and talk it out, kindergarten style. So you'd better ask him out before I give him the talk."

With the corner of his eye, he sees Eddie nodding, grasping the can for support. "Will do. Just...are you..." He bites his lip, turns to Wayne. "Does this change anything?"

"I sure hope it does!" Wayne flicks the ash off his cigarette. "For one, I'd expect your room to be much cleaner when you get a boyfriend."

They're both chuckling now, clinking their empty beer cans together. "Smart ass," says Eddie but it has no bite, no venom. "Thank you, dad," he says quietly, and Wayne can't help himself, he throws his arm over Eddie's shoulders and pulls him into a very uncomfortable sideways hug. It's the best hug in his life.

When Eddie throws open the door the next Friday and hollers "WHAT IS THE BEST CHAPSTICK FLAVOR FOR KISSING?" and Wayne answers, he gets corrected for the first time. "Wrong," says Eddie and wipes at his mouth, still grinning wildly. "It's cherry."

And Wayne gets proven right once more when, not even a year later, after rebuilding of Hawkins, practically adopting Steve into their small weird family, Eddie proves to him that he's not just scarily observant, but he learns the worst tricks in the book.

Because sure, Wayne might have buried his own needs and desires so deep they're practically at the Earth's core, but then there was a sympathetic man close to his age, maybe a bit younger, who approached Wayne and told him he's so happy for him that Eddie is back, that he taught Eddie in middle school and he never believed a single word about his involvement because that boy is incapable of harming anyone, that's what he said. And he invited Wayne for a beer because some people were still treating the name Munson as the plague itself and Wayne might be finding himself looking at Eddie and Steve, wishing that he was younger, he had more courage...

So he's still mostly lost in those thoughts when Eddie starts pestering him during one of Steve's shifts, meaning they're home alone and bored. It's late July, they're both sitting on the porch, sipping beer again, and Wayne has already answered questions about the mug to end all mugs, whether soccer would be more fun to watch with human-sized insects and who is the single person from all Hawkins to be sent to Mars to never return. And then Eddie asks "what's the best movie to take Scott Clarke for the first date?" and Wayne's brain short circuits.

When he comes to, Eddie is smirking at him sympathetically, offering him a new can of beer because Wayne dropped the old one. "Come on, did you think I wouldn't notice?" he asks and nudges his shoulder. "I can sense the "desperately in love" Munson eyes from a mile away. I've got them patented, you know. So. Your answer?"

Wayne coughs and stammers out that it would have to be something smart because Scott is smart. And that he isn't smart enough to figure out what he'd like, so it's not really a good question...

But Eddie just shakes his head and reaches into his pocket, producing two tickets to the Hawkins movie theatre. "Wrong, Wayne. Or not completely. Mr. Clarke - Scott, shit, that's difficult to get used to, he loves smart things, but he's also a massive nerd, as our lady Applejack loves to call him and everyone within a certain interest group. And I happen to know there's something called RoboCop playing tomorrow. I also happen to have two tickets right here, to know that Scott is free and that he'll be waiting for you 15 minutes before the movie starts."

Wayne gapes at him, mouth hanging open and speechless for the first time in his life. His eyes are traveling between the tickets and Eddie's smile while he's desperately trying to stomp out the flames of hope in his heart. "But...but what if he doesn't see me like that?" he asks and he hates how small and insecure he sounds, but Eddie needs to understand that things are different for people like him, for his age, his...whole person.

His nephew - no, son - throws his head back and laughs into the setting sun. "Look at that," he grins and shoves the two tickets into Wayne's hand. "That has to be the first stupid question I've ever heard from you. Let's see..." he taps on his chin, pretending to think. "Ask me again tomorrow after the movie, okay? If you still need to ask."

The next evening, Eddie leans next to the door when Wayne returns from the movie. "So..." he drawls, raising his eyebrows. "Do you still need me to answer?"

And Wayne huffs out a laugh and shakes his head. "Nah, no more stupid questions in this household."

#steddie fanfiction #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #academic fairy godmother Aneta #clarkson #wayne munson #scott clarke #steddie drabble #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction

[thisisthinprivilege]

How can I overcome internalized fatphobia? How can I not hate what I look like when I'm fat?

This is going to be a different process for everyone, so I'm not sure what will work for you. I will let you know what worked for me, and hopefully you find it helpful.

Deprogramming Step One: Coming to grips with having been programmed in the first place. Beauty standards change from age to age, they are not inborn as far as our research is able to conclude. There's perhaps a weak preference for facial symmetry, but that's about it. Weight-based beauty standards have not only varied wildly through human history, they vary in our very own era, between-cultures. Often what we believe we find beautiful has been programmed into us from a very early age. There's no conspiracy, it's simply how cultural preferences are transmitted within-culture: through the adults we look up to, media, and reinforced by peers. That's not to say deprogramming is a simple matter. It's very difficult. I wonder now, almost 15 years after starting my own journey to deprogram myself, whether who I find beautiful or attractive is rooted in beauty standards I saw reflected as a kid or teen.

Deprogramming Step Two: Define and avoid thin-centric messaging. A big part of this for me was controlling the media I consumed. I unsubscribed to cable, for instance, because of the intrusive and omnipresent weight loss ads. That was 15 years ago, but it's surprising how similar some streaming services/channels are in terms of ad length and intrusiveness these days. Unfortunately, tiktoks/reels aren't entirely controllable. Even though I don't consume weight loss or diet content, weight loss/diet tiktoks/reels pop up occasionally. Besides ads, you should also consider whether your magazines, books, movies, and shows over-focus on the stories of thin people, or demonize fat people. Obviously, stop watching exploitative shows that turn the lives of fat people into sideshows or sob stories. More controversially, you might want to temporarily unsubscribe or mute fat activist content. Fat activism is a highly stressful space where we confront the hatred of fat people explicitly. It's not great for deprogramming thin-centric messaging, because fat activists will be talking about thin-centric messaging from a critical perspective. Take a break, for a while.

Deprogramming Step Three: Exposure to fat-positive content. This is the fun part of the process, where you get a chance to rewrite the aesthetic coding in your brain! I suggest searching out fat models who wear the kind of clothing you like, fat role models who share your interests, fat positive videos showcasing fat people doing amazing things, fat positive art, fat positive fiction and movies, and so on. Fatshion is full of fat positivity. Be wary of "body positive" content, as it can still be subtly or explicitly fatphobic. I warn you, after a few months of exposure to a different aesthetic, thin-centric media is gonna look hella strange. You'll go to see some romcom-flavor-of-the-month movie and be like, "Where are all the fat people? Why is everyone super skinny?"

Deprogramming Step Four: From theory to practice. This step is about starting to wear the clothes you want to wear, being loud and proud to exist as a fat person in public, being romantically bolder if romance is your thing, being more assertive and confident in your body, traveling to the places you've always wanted to go, doing things you were holding back doing before, etc. You may need to dwell in Step Three for a while, or revisit it over and again, in order to complete Step Four. This doesn't mean becoming an activist. This means becoming your authentic self without fat-related qualms. Yes, you will still be constrained by the greater world around you. Traveling, going out to eat, dating, interviewing for jobs, even going to a fucking concert will present constraints and bigotries that smaller people (everything else held equal) don't have to face. But you can now see them as constraints placed on you, not as constraints you place on yourself or that are in any way deserved. Hopefully, you will be able to face them without it destroying your sense of self-worth.

Deprogramming Step Five: The authentic self...? We know that as fat people we are not morally or otherwise inferior to thin(ner) people. So what does it mean to leave our best and most authentic lives, as fat people? This is the human question, that all humans share with each other equally. We are connected to each other, each on our own grand journey to answer this question. When you are able to separate the sociocultural difficulty of being a fat person in a fat-hating society from your own life journey, you have one less barrier to manage in answering the great human question. At this stage, you'll feel calm and comfortable in your body, and surprised when people point out your fatness or treat you differently for it. They're distracted by false moral categories, while you have better things to do. Does anyone ever permanently dwell in this stage? Probably not. But I feel like this most of the time, now. It takes a lot to drag me back into the world where one of the worst things you can call another human is "fatty." I've got books to read and write, math to learn, art to create. A life to live, where my possibilities are not defined by the size of my body.

-ArteToLife

#thin privilege #thin-centric society #deprogramming fat hatred #fat positivity #fat acceptance #fat activism #tips for overcoming fatphobia

[iamthat-iam]

Everything is meaningless? 👁️

Bianca is a 21 year old college grad with a bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, and a 4.0 GPA! She's very excited to use her degree, whether that's through designing clothes, being a stylist or opening her own store! Even though she graduated, she still comes back to campus to support her friends in different events.

During her time in college, Bianca joined a sorority, one where their main focus is community service. She truly felt as if she will make a difference in the world.

But that all changed one night, when her friends invited her out to attend a 'spiritual meetup' on campus. The teacher seemed to teach nihilistic ideas, saying nothing matters and has no real meaning. Something that stuck out to Bianca was this statement: "You were never really a person. Your past, everything about your life is only a dream."

This triggered something in Bianca, a strong feeling of dread. All of the work she put into her life was all for nothing? It's meaningless? Bianca came up with an excuse to leave the meeting early, but in reality, she was too overwhelmed to listen to any more of the teacher's message.

The next day, she reached out to a friend. She barely got any sleep the night prior, because of the teacher's words echoing through her mind. The friend suggested to reach out to this teacher directly, and schedule a 1 on 1 meeting with him to address her issues.

- -

Bianca waited at the campus coffee shop for the teacher to arrive. She was unable to contain her nervousness, the caffeine didn't help. After about 5 minutes of waiting, the teacher arrived. "Hello there! Are you Bianca? Nice to meet you! You can call me Hunter," He reached out to shake Bianca's hand, and sat down in front of her.

"Nice to meet you," Bianca tried her best to smile. "I just had a few questions about your teachings from yesterday. What exactly did you mean when you said 'you were never really a person, and your past was just a dream'? And 'nothing has meaning'? Does this mean everything I've gone through in life was for nothing? I worked very hard for my GPA, I worked very hard to graduate, and the work my sorority does for the community means a lot to me."

"I understand your concern, I see how those statements can come across as if I'm discrediting all your hard work," Hunter smiled warmly. "However, that's not what I meant. You just told me that the work your sorority does means a lot to you, right? You are the one who gives that meaning. When I say you, I'm referring to awareness, god, THAT, or " ."

"Okay, so that's what you meant when you said 'we were never people.' Bianca raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Hunter confirmed. "What I meant was nothing has meaning outside of what you assign to it. All labels only exist because of you, but you are beyond all labels. You are even beyond the labels awareness or god. You are the ultimate authority. The statements 'my hard work in college means something' vs 'my hard work in college means nothing' are two statements that have no truth outside of you accepting one of them as true. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments and enjoying your passions. You are what makes them special."

Bianca felt a weight lifted off her shoulders, and let out a sigh of relief. "Okay. Thank you so much for clarifying. I was going through an existential crisis last night!"

"I'm glad I could clear things up for you," Hunter chuckled. "Consider me a friend. Feel free to reach out to me anytime if you need advice. Or you just want to talk. Whichever works for you."

"I appreciate that," Bianca smiled.

Bianca was empowered in a way she never experienced before. Her accomplishments mean so much more to her now that she understands she is the one that gives them life!

#non dualism #nondualism #consciousness #awareness #self #self realization

[robinsno1lesbian]

How about phone sex with neighbor!robin while she’s away on a trip somewhere? Like her whispering filthy things down the phone and telling you exactly what she wants you to do?

neighbor!robin x fem!reader 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1460

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 18+ mature content (MDNI), phone sex, mutual masturbation, dirty talk, reader is horny and sex-deprived lmao, use of "good girl", i think that's it? (oh not proofread of course, but that's nothing new)

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: i'm going on another little vacation at like 01.00am tonight, i'm ready to stay up all night and write fanfic until my plane goes in the morning lmao

when your phone rings you jump. this is the call you've been waiting for all day. it's almost 10pm and you've been pacing back and forth for the past hours, waiting for her to finally call you. you pick up the phone and hold it to your ear quickly. "robin?!" her familiar, raspy voice at the other end of the line chuckles. "hi sweet girl" she whispers and shivers run down your spine. it's been less than 24 hours since she last called but that's been enough for you to miss the sound of her, the presence of your girlfriend that you feel through the phone. "missed me?" "so much" you answer truthfully and pick up the phone to walk over and lay on your bed. your eyes dart to her room, lights off and empty, where she would normally sit now. it's a sad sight, really. robin is only on a one-week trip, but this week seems to be stretching endlessly with no end in sight. "your room is empty" you whine into the speaker. "hmh" she hums "that's because i'm not there, honey" "i know" you roll over to look at something other than the house robin lives in. "how have you been?" "it's a little stressful-" robin tells you. you want to listen to her words, but the sound of her voice, that low rasp and the little cracks it carries, makes it impossible to focus on anything other than that "y/n? you still there?" "oh!" you exclaim "y-yeah- yeah of course. uh- what did you say?" robin laughs and even though you can't see her, you can picture the sight very well. "someone got distracted?" "it's just- god your voice" you trail off, leaving the rest to her imagination. robin falls silent for a moment before she clears her throat. "how have you been doing over there?" after a second, she adds: "without me...?" there's a familiar pull between your legs and you bite your lip, already holding back the urge to run your fingers down your body, over the swell of your breasts, and down to your center where hers would normally go. "terrible" you mumble. you don't bother to hide how breathless you sound. "and would you...want to do anything about that?" a grin flashes over your face. this is what you've been waiting for. "come on baby, answer me" robin whispers huskily. "do you want to touch yourself? want to ride your fingers as if there were mine while i get to listen to your pretty moans?" "fuck" you whimper.

"thought so" she says quickly and there's a rustling sound, as if she was taking off clothes herself. "why don't you tell me what you're wearing?"

you look down at yourself and bite your lip. not much, that's for sure. "i'm just in my underwear" "oh really?" you nod and then, because she obviously can't see, tell her: "your favorite. the red set..." robin exhales into her phone. her reaction makes you feel proud to have such an effect on her. "i wish i could see you" she mumbles absentmindedly "i wish i could be there for you" "what would you do?" robin scoffs and you scoot up on the pillows to sit with your legs bent at the knees. you run your palm over your breasts, enjoying the feeling of your nipples hardening against the lacy, thin fabric. when you take one between your index and your thumb, your head falls back and a shaky moan erupts from your throat. "what was that...?" she whispers teasingly. "what are you doing over there hm?" "i- i'm just- uh- i'm playing with my nipples" robin hums in satisfaction. "good girl" she tells you and you moan again. "imagine it was me yeah? imagine it's me playing with those pretty tits of yours okay? god you're so pretty, you know that? i want to see you so bad" "what would you do robin? please i- oh- gotta know" "i would take my time with you" she explains and you can't help but whine. "hmh, yeah...i would lay you down and touch you all over, can you do that? run your hands over your sides and hips?" you do as you're told; hold the phone against your ear with your shoulder while you run your hands down your body like robin has asked of you. a shuddered breath falls from your lips and robin chuckles. "feels nice doesn't it?" you confirm it with an embarrassingly whiny noise that you can't seem to feel ashamed of, not when robin curses under her breath when she hears it. "please" you whimper. "please let me touch myself robin-" she sighs through the speaker and you swear there is a slight shake in her breathing. you're almost certain you can hear the sound of her touching herself echoing in the background. almost. "please" you repeat and finally, robin gives in. "alright" she says firmly. "trail a hand down that pretty body of yours okay? but don't move too fast. make it slow, yeah?" "oh thank you" you whine and do as she has told you. you run your flat palm down between your breasts slowly, goosebumps rising as your fingertips brush by. eventually, you're practically cupping yourself through your panties. the heat that has been growing between your legs sits damp against your fingers now.

"what- what now?" you can hear robin's heavy breathing. by now you're sure she is touching herself already and that she is one step ahead of you. "now" she mumbles "i want you to take care of yourself for me. come on. be a good girl and fuck that pretty pussy of yours for me" you whine loudly when you finally have her permission. you push your panties aside and insert two fingers into the dripping heat. you moan when you feel so wonderfully full for the first time in so long. just a couple of strokes are enough for you to know that you won't last long like that. "just like that" robin's voice whispers into your ear "just like that pretty girl. pump those fingers like you'd want me to fuck you" a whimper is the only thing you manage when you pick up the pace of your hand. "are you- ah fuck- are you-?" robin makes somewhat of a giggling noise that is cut off by a groan on her end. "of course sweet girl. do you think i could just sit here and listen to you playing with your pretty cunt without doing anything to myself, do you?" "fuck" you arch your back and grind down into your hand, causing your palm to brush past your clit in all the right ways. "just like that baby, just like that" robin pants "god, just wait until i get home. gonna fuck you so good, fuck-" "please, please fuck me" you're just babbling, desperately chasing your orgasm on your own fingers. "you want me to fuck you?" you can hear the squelching that is coming from between robin's thighs through the phone and you're certain she can hear yours too. "then be a good girl and fuck yourself just like you'd want me to. let me hear how you want it" you pick up the pace of your fingers, each stroke driving the heel of your hand against your clit at the same time. your arm is growing sore but you can't even think of stopping, only trying to mimick the way robin would fuck you normally. "god, i can hear it baby" she praises breathlessly. "good girl" "robin" you whisper "robin i think- fuck- i'm close" the woman groans in response "good me too, me too" your breath hitches in your throat and nothing but a high-pitched noise comes past your lips. "fuck, fuck, fuck" you cry and squirm on your sweat-soaked sheets. "i'm gonna cum y/n. come on. cum for me" that is when you lose it. the last thing you manage is an uncontrolled "i'm cumming" before your vision goes white and the pleasure rips through your body. you briefly sense robin's moans and groans from out of the phone and the sensation of your cum flowing out between your fingers but that is about it. you drop your head back and just let the pleasure take over. you're sure that, at some point, you scream out her name, but you can't seem to remember properly when the first aftershocks cause your legs to shake around your hand. once you have caught your breath enough to speak, you hold the phone closer to your ear again. "robin?" you whisper almost shyly. "fucking hell y/n" robin groans. "you're so in for the best sex ever once i get back, you hear me?"

#robin buckley #robin buckley x reader #robin buckley x you #robin buckley x fem!reader #robin buckley x female reader #robin buckley x yn #robin buckley x y/n #robin buckley imagine #robin buckley x reader smut #robin buckley smut #neighbor!robin x reader #neighbor!robin buckley #older!neighbor!robin x reader #older!neighbor!robin buckley #older!robin buckley #robinsno1lesbian drabbles #stranger things

[nahoney22]

Heyyyyy love, I absolutely love everything you write. I have an itty bitty request!

Would you be able to write a cute fluffy fic with a plus sized female reader with tech with just a touch of spice to it?

You could also make it fun and do one for all the batch members?

Please and thank you if you can!! 🥰🥰

*fun fact - I made that tech edit many moons ago so I’m happy to see it still be used! 🥰🥹*

Embracing the Curves***

All Bad Batch Boys X F!Reader

warnings: Mild NSFW, suggestive themes, plus sized female reader, confident reader (we’re all beautiful plus size or not!), mentions of a busty reader in some parts. Tech and Hunters parts are with an established relationship, others are not.

Authors note: decided to do small one shots for each of them in this post, write more for Tech and Echo because… it’s them ♥️ hope that’s okay with you @clonehoe- sorry for the wait !!!

Masterlist

Tech

Tech was watching you work with great interest, proud of the progress you had made in learning all the tips and tricks necessary for ship repairs. As he observed you beneath the control panel, clad in a snug tank top and form-fitting black pants that accentuated your every curve, he couldn't help but feel his heart rate skyrocket.

"Has the light come on yet?" you asked, your voice slightly muffled by the spanner between your teeth as you glanced up at him for assistance. The ship was scorching hot and it didn’t help that you were settled on a planet that had two suns to add to the heat. The heat system has always been faulty and despite you telling Tech you wanted to focus on fixing that, he was set in you fixing the hyperdrive first.

"Not yet. Try rotating the wiring counterclockwise. That should do the trick," he replied, his voice strained as he watched you work under his guidance. "There it is..." he murmured, his gaze darting to the lights above the control panel as you worked to fix the hyperdrive. "Good girl," he added, his endearment causing a flurry of excitement in your stomach.

Despite the nickname making you momentarily lose your concentration and hit your head against the side of the panel, you managed to remain focused on the task at hand. "Is it working now?" you asked, seeking confirmation with a smile as you wiped sweat from your forehead with the back of your hand.

"Yes, I have to say, I'm very impressed with your skills," he said, helping you out from under the control panel until you plopped down in a nearby seat to catch your breath.

"Yeah?" you asked, seeking reassurance.

"Absolutely," he replied, though his eyes were preoccupied with the alluring contours of your physique. "Perfect," he added, struggling to meet your gaze.

You couldn't help but smirk as you watched Tech struggle to keep his composure under your teasing gaze. Folding your arms over your chest, you subtly pushed your bust up to enhance your assets, causing Tech to wipe the steam that had suddenly formed on his goggles.

"Anything in particular that you're impressed with?" you asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"W-well, it's hard not to be entranced by you looking the way you do while working under my command," he stammered, sitting up straight and tucking away his data pad. "I've adored your appearance since the first day we met, and seeing you all - forgive me - sweaty and wearing tight clothes is quite a fever dream," he added, his words causing a blush to rise on his cheeks.

You stood up slowly and took a couple of steps towards Tech, tilting his chin up to meet your gaze. "That's very sweet of you to say, Tech," you replied, your voice dripping with false innocence and a hint of teasing. "I am feeling a little sweaty though. Perhaps a shower would cool me down," you hinted, hoping he would pick up on your not-so-subtle suggestion.

Tech stood up abruptly, his hands flying to your waist and his fingers digging into your fleshy skin. "Perhaps since you helped me repair my ship, I could help you get freshened up," he offered, his lips trailing down your neck and over your chest despite the sweat that covered your skin.

"Eager, are we?" you asked, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck and suppressing a sweet sigh.

"Very much so," Tech groaned, holding you as close as possible. The two of you were rarely alone on the overcrowded ship, and with his brothers gone on a mission, Tech wasn't about to waste the opportunity to map out your whole body with his tongue.

Echo

"Trooper, what appears to be the issue?" Your entrance into the medbay had Echo stunned, his eyes locked onto your stunning, curvaceous figure and beautiful eyes.

He found himself gaping, struggling to find his words as he wished he had accepted help from the medical droid instead of being left in this state of awe.

"Trooper?"

Apologising for his silence, Echo managed to inform you of his injury to his femur that he sustained during a mission that had left him more grumpy than usual but your soft smile and calm presence helped to ease his nerves. Though, he was a little preoccupied on how your uniform was snug but not to the point it looked bad. It look really good.

He always took himself for a gentleman but as he gapes at you with hungry eyes, it was hard not to get enthralled by you.

You sat down next to him with a datapad, ready to take notes. "Can you tell me how this happened?" you asked with a soft smile.

Echo explained that he sustained the injury during a mission when heavy debris fell on him. You expressed sympathy and asked, "Are you in any pain, sweetie?" You were surprised by the endearment that slipped out of your mouth, although neither of you mentioned it. Then again, you did think he was much cuter than any other clone he had seen.

"Just a little, not as much as before," Echo replies steadily, hoping his blushing cheeks aren't too noticeable.

"I see. Have you been taking any medication for it?"

���No ma’am,”

You nod in understanding and stand to your feet again, placing your device to the side and slide on a pair of gloves. “Do I have permission to touch your leg to feel for any breaks?”

“Yes please.”

You both blink at one another and the quick realisation of what Echo just said sunk in fast but, you were blushing which was a good sign… wasn’t it?

“I mean, uh, do what you have to do ma’am.” He clears his throat, keeping his eyes diverted away from you but you could only smile at him in return and proceed to gently caress his thigh.

“Does it hurt here?” You ask, adding gentle pressure.

“No,” He says through gritted teeth, absolutely loving the touch of your hands on him - even if you were a stranger and even if it was simply your job.

“And here?” You ask again, applying pressure to a different area and as he winced in pain, your question was answered.

After a few more assessments, you highlighted that his femur isn’t fractured, only bruised and should heal naturally on its own. As you give the diagnosis, it went through one ear and out the other because again, his eyes being to wander and land on your hips as you turn away but caught him looking as you turn back to him.

You place your hands to your hips and smirk, “See something you like, Trooper?”

Echo’s eyes widened and he mumbled a thousand apologies at once, stumbling off the bed and thanking you for the help. You had a inkling that you may be seeing him again sometime. Well, you hoped so.

Hunter

Watching you work out was one of Hunter's favourite pastimes. The day was sweltering, and you naturally dressed in less clothing than usual for your workouts.

"Can I join you?" Hunter approaches you with a grin, sporting nothing but shorts that accentuated his tanned and toned body in the sunlight.

Finding yourself gaping in awe at his body too, you can only smirk back, slipping into a fighting stance and recalling every technique that Hunter had taught you. "How could I say no to you?" You ask and as you move, sweat drips from your body, enhancing your already alluring figure and heightening Hunter's senses.

"Good form," he compliments, stepping closer to you. His tone hints at his admiration for not only your workout performance but also your physique.

"Oh really?" You turn your head to glance at him, your eyes twinkling with amusement. "Why don't you demonstrate some other stances for me?"

Hunter relishes in the playful tone of your voice and steps up behind you, placing his hands tenderly on your hips, which he always yearns to touch. "Angle your body to the left and add a bounce to your knees," he instructs, guiding you through the movement. Though he knows you are capable of executing the exercise on your own, he can't resist the opportunity to have his hands on you.

You follow his directions but find yourself a little distracted by his touch. Even with his heightened senses, it feels as though Hunter is transferring his energy to you as his fingers caress the curves of your hips, trailing down to your thighs and back up to your arse, sending shivers down your spine. “Hunter…” you find yourself moaning his name, earning a low chuckle.

“Don’t get distracted by me,” he breathes down the nape of your neck but with his bare torso against your back and his hands roaming your body, it was so hard not to.

Wrecker

Wrecker had always admired your body, but it was your thighs that truly captivated him. At first, he was drawn in by your beauty, and it took some time for him to realize the full extent of his fascination. It wasn't until he saw you wearing shorts to bed one night that he truly understood the power of your curvy legs.

Now, as you lay on your cot reading a holobook, legs propped up in the air, Wrecker found himself once again unable to tear his gaze away from your thighs. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't notice you watching him until you decide to speak up.

"May I make you an offer, Wrecker?" You asked, and he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of your voice. He cleared his throat and tried to act casual as he responded.

"Sure, what is it?"

"If you promise to stop staring at my legs all the time, I'll let you come over and give them a massage," you smirk, lowering your holobook to look him in the eye. Wrecker felt his face flush with embarrassment. Had it been so obvious that he couldn't take his eyes off you?

He started to stammer out an apology, but you cut him off with a wave of her hand and a soft smile.

"I don't mind," you say, sitting up until you’re sitting on your legs and teasingly entice him over by beckoning him with your finger. “I like to think they’re my best assets,” you comment, patting your legs that made them subtly jiggle which almost made him drop his helmet he was cleaning.

“Well, they are pretty.” He stands and comes closer until he sits on the edge of your bed watching you shift from your current position to you sat with them laid out. “Did ya mean your offer?” He asks, fingers twitching to reach out and touch your skin.

“I did,” you smirk, “go ahead.”

His hands come down to your thighs, large and rough yet gentle as he caresses your skin. He watches you for your reaction and as you tilt your head back and sigh in satisfaction, he knew he made the right choice in accepting your offer.

Crosshair

Crosshair watched as you struggled to hit the bottles he had set up as targets. He shook his head in disapproval and clicked his tongue, his new found admiration for you mingling with his frustration at your poor performance. But, he couldn’t help but also admire the view of you.

"You're doing it all wrong," he chided from the sidelines. To which, you let out a heavy sigh and nearly threw the rifle to the ground in frustration.

"I'm standing exactly where you told me to," you huffed, earning an eye roll from Crosshair. He approaches you, a small smirk on his lips as he positioned himself behind you.

"No, you're not," he teased, but he softened his tone as he sensed your frustration growing. "Stand here," he instructed, pointing to a spot next to him.

Reluctantly, you obeyed, standing close to him as he instructed you to raise the rifle and relax your shoulders. Crosshair watched you with his sharp eyes, feeling a sense of power as he towered over you.

"Okay, now what?" You asked, breath steady as you glanced back at him. You couldn't help but feel weak in the knees whenever he looked at you like that. He always had a hold over you, and him being so close to you now didn't help.

"Don't look at me, look at the target," he commanded. His voice, which usually dripped with venom, was surprisingly soft and alluring.

Turning away, you let out a small and surprised gasp as his hands come to your waist but to your surprise, he let out a small gasp himself.

“Wow princess,” he cooed, his fingers melting against the curve of your body, “I always knew you had a beautiful body but to touch it… stunning.” He breathes down your neck.

Your eyes widened at his words but you succumbed quickly to his touch, your back pressed against his chest as his hands begin to roam your body. “Y-you like my body?” You question with a hint of insecurity but your question is answered as he finally places his lips to your neck.

“I love,” he sighs, caressing your body from over your clothes, “every inch.”

You end up dropping his weapon eventually, it clanging to the floor with a thud and as you go to apologise, he spins you to face him, close and dominant. “Screw it,” he grunts, devouring your lips with his own.

That was enough teaching for one day…

Masterlist

My Kofi

Tags: @nunanuggets @andyoufollowyourheart @littlefeatherr @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @cwarssimp @jesseeka @ashotofspotchka @oohyesplease @megafrost4 @theroguesully @equalityforcats @mustluvecho @misogirl828 @ladykatakuri @jambolska-grozdova @chxpsi @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @rain-on-kamino @either-madness-or-brilliance @staycalmandhugaclone @ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog @chrissywakingup @kixs-husband @pb-jellybeans @tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi @greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur @seriowan @agenteliix @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420 @imalovernotahater @swiftiexstarwarssimp @the-good-shittt @whore4rex @imperialclaw801 @temple-elder @erellenora

#bad batch x reader #nahoney22 writes #the bad batch #tech x reader #Hunter x reader #echo x reader #wrecker x reader #crosshair x reader #tbb #tbb x reader #tbb x you

[anfie-in-the-box]

Rest for both wicked and weary

Notes

The eleventh of October is my birthday, but no congratulations needed — I only celebrate by gifting things to other people. Please have this piece dedicated to @dragon-tamer-1, who I value endlessly. The prompt was Error and Dream relaxing peacefully; I'm not sure if it's particularly fluffy, there's definitely some angst here, but even more Hurt/Comfort.

。。。

Dream prepares for his visit to the Anti-Void painstakingly. He wears clothes of soft gray shades, only leaving the tiara and the cape untouched, so it doesn't bother Error's weak eyesight yet has enough colour to attract his attention. Then Dream gets a cane — in the Anti-Void, vast and ever-changing, you don't believe your eyes; you stay vigilant and keep your step light, weightless almost. Luckily, Dream isn't a normal skeleton, he just has a body of one; and even that can be corrected with the right training. Or just experience, he supposes; oh, how he used to shamble around, making Error laugh, before he realised he could use a cane. Like a blind being, only he is indeed blind in the Anti-Void, like all not-errors are. He's a stranger there, and since he can't become an error, an unwelcome one.

Dream sighs, putting on thin gloves, just in case. He's ready now. 

It takes time to focus properly — the Anti-Void is utterly chaotic, constantly rebuilding itself, and full of creatures beyond comprehension. Some of them are capable of feeling, some aren't, some feel but so differently Dream is left confused — he's too used to his empathic abilities. 

But eventually, finally, he finds the right being. So he teleports. 

Error instantly spots him, even though Dream appears behind him. He might be half-blind with that poor eyesight of his, but his intuition is impeccable — at least when it comes to beings with souls, which Dream is. 

"I was waiting for so long," Error complains, irritated. "How many tries did it take to find me?" 

"Just one," Dream smiles widely. "It took more time, but I managed to find you in one try." He knows he sounds very proud of himself, but that's okay. With Error, he's allowed to feel and think unapologetically. Error, though he demands attention, lets Dream go just as easily. And besides, they teach each other many things — Error knows how to be selfish very well indeed and learns from Dream how to be more empathetic and considerate.

They work together quite nicely.

Lost in his pride, Dream forgets to use the cane and immediately trips and falls — not right on his face though — there are blue strings keeping him airborne. He giggles awkwardly and says, "Thanks." 

"Yeah, yeah, tell me how great I am." Error doesn't turn around but Dream knows he grins. He can't help smiling in return. 

"You can put me down now, you know," Dream half-suggests, half-asks while wiggling slightly to try and untangle himself without Error's help. Tough luck. 

"As if you could escape on your own!" Error gloats. "I hold the entire universes, a small guardian like you doesn't stand a chance!" 

"Yet Ink manages," Dream disagrees carefully. 

"That cheater doesn't have a soul. You do." 

Now that's something Dream hasn't pondered over. Not right now either — as soon as Error sets him free, he scurries to his blue bean bag chair — this time using the cane, of course, — and sits down — lies down almost. It's warm and soft. Cozy. So big it's more of a bed than a chair; which might as well be true, there's nothing else here resembling a bed, and Dream knows for sure Error loves sleeping.

"Where did you even get your bean bag from?" Dream asks, ready to hear it's stolen like chocolate from Underfell and the lives of innocents from any other AU. 

Error doesn't reply instantly. Dream even considers standing up and looking Error in the sockets to see what's wrong, but then he finally says, "I actually don't remember. Like it's always been there, maybe even before me."

Who knows, it might be true. The Anti-Void contains and loses all sorts of creatures, after all. 

Error sounds distressed like he always is when his memory acts up, so Dream hurries to roll closer and asks, "A pinkie?" 

"A hand," Error replies, every sound of a single word glitching. 

Dream gives him a bare hand — he still hasn't found gloves tender enough to pacify Error's glitching fits. For some reason it's easier for him to touch Dream's bones than any fabric they'd tried. 

Perhaps it's time to ask if Error has any idea why. When he gets better, of course. Hopefully it doesn't last long.

Dream squeezes Error's hand and gets a squeeze in return. At least he's conscious and not rebooting…

"You feel… different. There's more, er, something other than magic in you. Magic in skeleton-monsters or even monsters in general is more solid than whatever you're made of. Not even ghosts are anything like you." Error explains. 

"Positivity," Dream clarifies. "I'm made of positity. Not entirely, my bones are just that — magical bones; but even those are covered with positive energy. And my eye-lights, my insides, my attacks are all pure positivity." 

"Well, that explains it," Error shrugs. "You're basically so much of a sunshine it overwhelms my phobia and cancels it. As much as it can be canceled, I suppose." 

"Does it really help though? My presence, my… touch?" Dream pauses before the last word, feeling all warm yet uncertain. 

He knows it does. And knows Error knows he knows. But hearing the answer and believing it are two different states of mind. Dream's yet to reach the second one. 

And so Error answers absolutely honestly, "It does."

The two of them then sit together, still holding hands, resting in peace and quiet.

Later Error might or might not steal a book or a few and make Dream read to him, and Dream will read, silently reminiscing about the days of old, when his brother was alive but not happy, not since the villagers came to be. He loved the books though, and loved reading them to Dream, though the little guardian of positivity was beside the Tree less and less, helping the villagers where he could, and then where he couldn't but still did, because people demanded. The memories are bittersweet, and even later Dream will share a few with Error, and Error will listen attentively, and then share his own foggy memories of the past, full of inconsistent and even missing bits.

"A hug and a trip to that version of Outertale I found?" Error asks suddenly. 

"Sounds like a plan," Dream beams. Error rarely requests hugs but that just makes them even more precious to the guardian of positivity. 

So they stand up — Error effortlessly, Dream's with a bit more difficulty, he's not exactly used to furniture like Error's bean bag, — and embrace. 

"Is the texture of my clothes still good?" Dream asks when they let go of each other. 

Error nods, grinning, "Perfect, as I deserve."

"Glad to hear that. Outertale?" 

"Yeah. It's unlike most of the AUs where some people manage to evacuate. True genocide, nobody left. You won't feel a thing, not a single grieving or furious soul," Error looks at Dream with pride. 

"That's… really smart, actually." Dream says thoughtfully. "Nothing to make me stronger, but also nothing to make me weaker or attract Corrupted." 

"Of course it's smart. It was my idea after all." Error boasts and opens a portal. "You first." 

Dream smiles at him and makes his first step into outer space. He's not afraid; he won't be alone in its solitude. 

。。。

Notes

Lots and lots of headcanons here!

Anti-Void being full of non-existent things, Dream's true nature peaking through his skeleton form... It was really nice to finally share those.

Also very proud of the title choice here. It came to me naturally. I instantly knew — that's it. As perfect as anything in this world can be.

#anfie writes #anfie writes one-shots #dream!sans #error!sans #romance or friendship? I'd say something in-between #utmv

[milkyst4rs]

Opposites attract

a Zhongli x GN Reader fic (reader gets called 'pretty'!)

Yummy fluff mmm yes 💯

Not proofread SO IM SORRY 🙏🏽☠️

Zhongli is a very soft-spoken and wise gentleman. Locals will often see him strolling around Liyue Harbour, looking at shops and taking in the scenery. His looks stands out amongst the townsfolk of Liyue, as many men and women almost always do a double take when he passes by.

You are no exception, of course. Given that you are Zhongli's partner, you actually get to be with him instead of just oogle all the time. You are very proud of that fact.

"He is just...ARGGGG!!! He is just so adorable!"

You were at Third-Round Knockout with your two friends Ganyu and Keqing, fawning over your boyfriend Zhongli. You didn't care if people could hear your fangirl chants, they need to know how wonderful that man truly is!

"Yesterday, he brought me a bouquet of roses. I was obviously, like, really happy! So I asked what's the occasion? AND HE SAID THERE WASN'T ONE HE JUST WANTED TO SHOW HE APPRECIATES ME. That is the most romantic thing anyone has done for me..."

As you go on about the sweet gestures Zhongli has done for you, the two girls sitting opposite you giggle and squeal along with you.

"I'm really happy you found someone that truly loves you [name]...you guys are perfect for each other!"

Says Ganyu with Keqing nodding along.

Honestly, you were shocked that Zhongli actually liked you back. He is such a gentle and soft person while you are...well, you're a very energetic and loud person. When you two just started dating and people caught wind of it, some people were gossiping saying that both of you won't last given the difference in personalities.

------------------------------------------------------

After your little lunch date with your two friends, you were back at home. Walking up to your front door you saw a familiar pair of shoes, immediately your eyes lit up. Zhongli is back home early!

You wasted no time opening the door, and there he was in all his glory. Sitting on your sofa reading a book. Hearing the door open, he turned back to look at you.

"Ah, hello darling. How was your afternoon?"

Archons, his voice...

You ran up and plopped yourself beside him on the sofa. Smiling up at him you said,

"It was wonderful! I met Ganyu and Keqing....."

As you rambled on about your day, Zhongli couldn't help but admire your pretty lips.

"-Li? Zhongli? Are you listening?"

Ah, it seems he lost focus staring at you.

"Sorry dear, you look...very pretty today."

He said, ears turning a bright shade of red.

The way you smiled at his little compliment, it added and infinite amount of years to his immortal lifespan.

Without hesitation, his hand gently cupped your cheek and he leaned down for a kiss. You indulged immediately.

"W-what was that for?"

Only this man can turn you into a flustered mess.

"Apologies dear, I'm feeling particularly bold today. Would you like to lay in bed with me?"

It was only 2.30pm in the afternoon but what the heck.

------------------------------------------------------

You got changed into more comfy clothes and are laying your head on Zhongli's chest, you can feel the vibrations coming from it as he talks to you.

"It has almost been a year since we have officially become partners. I have to say, I find myself falling for you more and more each passing day. I have lived for thousands and thousands of years yet you...you manage to make me feel such a warm sensation just by being in your presence."

You look up at him and leave a kiss on his cheek. His face heating up.

"Getting together with you has been the best decision I have ever made in my life. Though some people still think that we are not suited for each other, I feel lik- no, I know we are perfect for one another. Don't you think so too Li?"

"Oh yes, I definitely do love."

He leans down a little to kiss your soft lips, his heart soars when you reciprocate. The two of you bathe in each other's affection, you will never get tired of it.

Pulling away, both of you panting lightly. You squish his cheeks and giggle,

"You, sir, are very cute. Did ya know that hm? I want to put you in my pocket and protect you from allllllll the monsters in the world."

"Oh? Well, I think I'm a bit to big to fit into your pocket. Though I thank you for your concern 🙂"

Ah, Zhongli and his talent for not understanding jokes.

#zhongli x reader #zhongli x y/n #zhongli #genshin fanfic #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #zhongli fluff #ZHONGLI MMMM

[deadbydangit]

So I just read your Dbd Killers as parents and I was wondering if you could do the knight and the Oni too I'm sorry but I just love them so much and I just want to know what they would be like as parents you don't have to if you don't want to of course have a good day or night.

I absolutely can. I'm going to add another killer on there if that's alright. Please enjoy

Killers as Parents

Knight, Oni, Mastermind

Knight

First off, he doesn't really want to be a dad.

He never had any interest in children.

But he's also afraid he'd be an awful father.

He's terrible at expressing emotions other than rage.

The moment he lays eyes on the child, everything changes.

He'll become a papa bear.

His men are always around too, so the kids will have four 'uncles' to help out too.

God help anyone who lays a hand on this child.

Tarhos has very traditional views on what men and women should be doing.

So, if you have girls, expect him to be spending a little less time with them.

He will have a heavier focus on the boys.

From the moment they can lift a sword, they'll be trained.

If his daughter is interested in learning about the use of swords, he'll be hesitant.

You'll have to really prime him to understand that gender roles don't apply anymore.

If our son doesn't want to fight, he doesn't have to. If our daughter wants to learn how to use a sword, she can.

It might take him a while to understand, but he'll eventually get it.

He's not the most cuddly dad in the world.

But his children will always feel protected.

Even though he doesn't say it often, his kids know he loves them.

Oni

He's ecstatic!

Someone to carry on the family name.

Kazan never thought this day would really come!

He had a wife and son before, but he wasn't ready at that point in his life.

He's very ashamed at how little he paid attention and cared about them.

Now he's ready, and he's willing to make up for what he did.

He knows it won't change the past, but it at least brings him some solace knowing that he's really going to try this time.

However, he can't bring himself to hold the baby.

He's terrified he'll hurt them.

Just coach him through it and he'll slowly start to relax.

Kazan just needs you around to help him.

He used to be very traditional.

He had a very ridged view on what men and women should be doing.

However, after all he's seen in his life, his views have changed slightly.

If his son doesn't want to be a samurai, he'll be disappointed, but he won't hate his child.

But he'll still be teaching him basic self-defense, that's not up for negotiation.

If his daughter wants to learn how to use a sword, he'll be apprehensive, but he'll respect and teach her.

He's still going to want to put pretty clothes on her and put flowers in her hair.

He wants to see that beauty.

No matter what his kids end up doing (as long as it's something positive and productive to society) he's proud.

That being said, he can be very strict, but it's only because he wants to see his children grow up to be strong respectable adults.

But, in the end, it's because he truly loves them, just as much as he loves you.

Mastermind

Wesker is actually very excited to be a father.

Both of you, perfect beings, bring another perfect being into the world.

But he's also anxious about it.

He has so many enemies, and he's worried that you and the child will be a bargaining chip.

So, as much as he hates to do so, you both have to be a secret in his life.

It pains him to not be able to talk about how amazing his child and partner are.

But it's for your own safety.

He's often traveling for work, so he can't always be around

When he is able to be around, he's an excellent father.

He's willing to do his share of the housework, if not more, so you could get a break.

Playing with your children, teaching them skills, occasionally spoiling them.

He knows it won't make up for the fact that he's gone, but it's an effort.

No doubt they'll be athletically adept, so he would very much for them to find some physical activity to hone those skills.

His children will be respectful, polite, and well spoken.

He doesn't care if they go to work with him, or somewhere else to work (Just not the BSAA).

It's their lives.

As long as they make something of it, he'll be proud of them.

Those children will grow up to be honest, hardworking, intelligent people.

And, not for a second, will they deny that they had an amazing father.

#dbd imagines #dbd ask blog #dbd x reader #dbd killer #dbd knight #dbd oni #dbd mastermind

[cenorii]

Hello, I just read your theories about Wesker and Chris in RE9, very interesting! I'd love to see more interactions between them and exploring how obsessed they are with eachother.

I wanted to ask if you have any wishes regarding the probably soon coming RE5 Remake? I'd love if they put more homoerotic tension between them, I am just fascinated by their relationship XD from subordinate who trusted his captain and looked up to him and captain who called him his best man and saying that he's proud of him to archnemesis

Hello, thank you for the question and for taking the time for my theories!

I expect the re5 remake to have reimagined locations, normal lvl design. I like the levels in re5, but often they are not very convenient or aesthetic, I'm sure that in the remake it will be fixed and make a good map of the area, as they did in re4r, where they fixed all the shortcomings of the locations. And...

From my personal wishes for the remake of re5 I would emphasize Wesker's emotions. The thing is that in re5 he has a very large set of various funny emotions, which are very cool. But in re4r he doesn't look like an emotional person, his face doesn't look like something that can compete with the original. I'd really like to see Wesker's new face adapted to emote. I don't like the idea of a complete reimagining of the character where he loses all the silly and fun things that make him himself.

I'd also like to see the volcano battle completely changed, or removed altogether. I never liked it, even though that battle is a lot of fun. But the undressed Wesker is too much, that scene made me question more than laugh. For example, why did he take his clothes off? Did he do it during the fall? It's a silly moment.

I also wish they had conveyed the atmosphere of the grueling African heat, showed that the enemy is not the only thing that threatens the lives of the heroes. I also miss the puzzles in this part, maybe adding more puzzles would be cool. After all the remakes, the developers have gained enough experience to make a decent reimagining of this game. Taking all the good things that were in re5 and multiplying it, as well as getting rid of the controversial moments and faulty decisions.

I know the game has issues with racism, there have been a lot of scandals with that. I'm sure they'll get rid of that too by fixing the controversial stuff. For example, in re4r they took away Luis' lewd joke, deepening his character and making his personality much more interesting.

I appreciate the modes in re5, Mercenaries is my love. I would love to see the updated characters in this mode. Speaking of which, I'd like to see the ability to fight in close quarters added to the game like in re6, getting rid of the annoying qte. That way we'd get Chris, who does a lot of damage up close, and Wesker, who is able to quickly shorten his distance and move around the entire location in a few seconds. Oh yeah, I already want to play as them.

About the relationship… I really wish they paid attention to the relationship between Chrisker, because they have a whole 10 years of history, betrayals and thwarted plans behind them. In re5 their relationship doesn't get the attention it deserves, so I hope for a remake. We as players have to believe in Wesker's hatred if it's present. Or is it now a deep interest in Chris as the perfect person? Lots of options. I'm not sure if the developers will make their relationship more homoerotic, since RE has almost no focus on romantic relationships…

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Honestly, no matter how the re5 remake comes out, I'll love it any way I can, as it's my all time favorite RE game. We'll definitely get something high level, as Capcom will never make the mistake of re3r again.

#resident evil #resident evil 5 #chrisker #chris redfield #albert wesker #re5 #re5r

[winterspiel]

ﾟ｡ What type of comfort does your soulmate get from you? ⋆｡⊹

I was about to call it a day (with my sleep deprived and messed up body clock), but I'm suddenly called upon to make this PAC. This is actually my first time doing a PAC reading, but I have been wanting to try this for the longest!

❅ ੈ ⋆｡⊹ ⋅ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

pls do take note, choose a pile carefully! you may be drawn to more than one pile, so one may be your energy, and the other may be your future partner/lover/soulmate. do pick what mostly draws you in!

these messages and the context of my readings are from intuition and practice. this is a general reading as well, so do take what only resonates. sending love ♡

feel free to give feedback as it’s very much appreciated!

❅ Yule 

do not repost © winterspiel (2022)

༘⋆‧˚ pile 1 ⊹ ⋅* ⟡

"You're my rest after a long day." Those words come to mind as your person looks at you with a release of a long breath of tiredness. You seem to be their sense of relief; your presence alone can ease their worries. Even after a long exhausting day, you can wash away their raging thoughts with your calming, gentle eyes. 

“I can trust my guts and intuition with you.” They feel calm around you. Even if it's not something to be proud of, or be celebrated over drinks, they can tell you those thoughts in their mind with ease. Their words can be sharp and not quite discerning. It happens. They are tired and frustrated. Sense of judgment gets clouded up by exhaustion. But they are with you, so it’s fine. You are understanding. They can easily open up even with their innermost thoughts.

“Even if it's something negative that's letting me down, or something unfair and a disproportional situation that's making me sad, you’re there to lend an open ear.”

They might have been through rough things or unfair stuff in their life, and you seem to have been there to comfort them on that aspect. You seem to be very close or have an intimate bond with this soulmate. They might have been your best friend (they’re the best type if ever you’d also go the romantic route) or you’re the type to go through “the best friends to lovers trope”. I am reading that type of energy on this pile.

“I know you listen and won't bat an eye.” There is no judgment as to why they are an open book to you. If it's time to be serious, they’re the type to be quiet and you both master this energy together. You and your soulmate have a good synergy.

Even if life is full of uncertainty, at least they can forget for a while and focus instead on your time together. Nothing else matters as they enjoy their time spent with you. Whenever you're around, they’re at peace.

“In your presence, I am open. I am whole.”

⟡

cards: The High Priestess, 3 of Cups Rx, The Moon, Justice Rx

༘⊹

key words: taurus or virgo vibes, dinnertime, too tired to have dinner, worn-out socks, that feeling of exhaustion seeping out or letting steam out of your body when you take off your shoes/clothes, couch, movie that you don’t need to bring much attention onto, chill movie, television noise as background, leaning onto shoulder.

⋆‧˚ pile 2 ⊹ ⋅* ⟡

“I feel hopeless, I'm probably not pretty or set to the standards…” Coming off sad here from the beginning, your soulmate may be feeling inadequate. Based on the standards or what’s needed for society. They don’t feel enough or maybe feel lacking. Everything seemed so unfair and society's views and they are tired as hell of this type of self-doubt. Though with you, Pile 2, you are not the type to care about those things. You don't seem to care about the superficial. You’re who's likely to have that “F-ck it!” energy, which they admire a lot from you. You always seem to radiate that energy that you walk at your own pace, and you’re rocking the hell out of it. I think the way of passion seeps through how I write this, holy– it is obvious how very fire energy you are Pile 2 (If I’m wrong then, sorry xD). I also sense Venusian energy leaning for you.

With their way of openness, there is plain honesty as you also provide no sugarcoating towards your partner. There’s no judgment with you towards them at all. You may even have a soft spot for this person. You bring out their courage and straightforwardness. They know everything you say makes sense and has meaning; it brings value to theirs as you are critical in your views. You are the type of person they can rely on especially on these things. You like pretty things and you know that you deserve the best, and only the best. So they better believe you! That they're great, that they are the most amazing-est person in the world! 

You pamper yourself and know self-care the most. It may be also because you have been often treated poorly in the past, or lack that good treatment. As to why you’re bringing that into your life more. It may also appear to the point that it can be seen as “vain” to others. Though you have pure intentions, you don’t leave out focus on the people you value. You are giving that same energy to your partner and you put them your priority. That makes them depend on you in ways as well, as you make them realize a different perspective through your personal input. Or this way, they relate to you so much that, “oh, it's not just me. I was making sense, I'm not being sensitive!”

⟡

cards: The Star Rx, Justice Rx, 5 of Swords, The World

༘⊹

key words: for some reason the feature of cat-eye, something glossy came in mind, puffy dresses, soft peachy filter (the type that has an airy blush-y effect), silk/velvet fabric, scones/pastries, safety pin, sunlit room, fire energy, venusian energy; sagittarius, capricorn, at most… alluring

༘⋆‧˚ pile 3 ⊹ ⋅* ⟡

“Let’s take a breather.” Whenever unreasonable matters occur, you are the first one that comes to mind and who they run to to talk about these things. These can also come as an unwanted situation. As for some things, it can be a hassle and quite petty for them to talk about. It can also result in a lost opportunity. But it seems natural to just be their raw and true self around you. Y'kno?– Of course, you’ll know, as they are the type who show how much they value you, even bringing on efforts in the littlest ways. It is also their way to make up on things, or simply just to show their love for you. They exude a ball of sunshine vibes.

Going back, as to why it can be quite… concerning seeing them solemn and how noticeable their eyes sink with exhaustion. Though they just stay quiet and still put their considerate demeanor towards you. During these moments you may feel them lean towards you a bit, their eyes soft as they look up at you. “Hmmm?” You can feel their weight by your shoulder– they are the type to be clingy, this isn’t anything new about how they’re acting. But there is just something when they’re asking for comfort from you. Like your presence is enough to ease them, but there’s just something else. This can be their way to initiate talking about something that makes them sulk, which can be traced on their face. And when you do talk it out. Your insight may not be what they wanted, but what they didn’t know they needed to hear.

You let them in your perspective or share other possibilities. Your words can introduce them to new emotions. Your stance on the situation will make them open their eyes in ways that they do not accept it at hand– not something they first thought of or view that way. But it makes total sense. You exude kindness with balance on discernment. With you, emotions seem to flow out smoothly like water, as to why maybe they feel oh so comfortable with you. You're the type of person that can make them reevaluate things and put their place into a new perspective. 

⟡

cards: The Justice Rx, Ace of Pentacles Rx, Ace of Cups, 2 of Pentacles

༘⊹

key words: dewy, meadow, fresh air, ducks, cardigan, citrus, a stroll in the park, nature, caramel, bland jokes, laughter, water, arm on waist, flowers; preferably carnations. anything soft yellow, golden retriever, tall, taurus/airy energy

༘⋆‧˚ pile 4 ⊹ ⋅* ⟡

“I want you close to me.” As if your proximity isn’t hairs thin already, this is quite of the more… wilder type of pile. Also unexpected at most as I originally planned 3, but universe and spirit knocked me down and whispered loudly, if I may add: “don’t forget the raw energy!” This is more of a mature pile but I am keeping it appropriate, no worries!

Starting strong here as they let loose with you, they may not be their most composed self as they are extra vulnerable when a situation calls for it. Sensual was the word. And showing it in rough ways that they know can be direct to show their passion. Your person is quite well-put together and often sharp and composed. But tiredness and frustration can also do lots for a person. They are tired out or when they are erratic in thoughts, it’s the time that they need comfort the most. And your presence can calm them down (for the most part). They are the type to be self-aware though, so I can see that they are not at all violent. Aggressive? Indubitably, but in proper ways (If you know what I mean wink). This can also mean in terms of their words, they are quite sharp and precise in what they know. This is also what they are feeling, what they want and need. But mostly this pile involves the body. I’ll leave you to it!

This isn't anything new really, this is a familiar routine. You can be both night owls. Maybe coffee is a staple in your household (if you’re living in together). If not, it’s usually what happens when you're both exhausted and yet need to stay up. So you and your partner accompany each other and oftentimes these lead to deep or late-night talks.

The way of expression on asking for comfort (and neediness, ooft) can be, for the lack of a better word, nasty, where it will be filled with desires; anything stimulating— just to get pleasure out of it. This could be in topics, or with your same interest. Staying out to watch something, or to be there while the other person finishes what they need to work on for the hell of it. 

After the deed is done (as supposed on the overall energy of this pile)... Even if it doesn’t fulfill or satiate the feeling (mostly to their side)... Even if it doesn't contribute to “doneness” on the supposed matter at hand on why your person asked for comfort in the first place… in some ways, it is still relief from stress or anything that's been weighing them down. Again with self-awareness, mostly they’re the let bygones be bygones. But you make them soft in a way that venting out isn’t that bad after all. In other ways, being with you is a relief enough for them.

⟡

cards: King of Swords Rx, The Fool Rx, The Devil, 9 of Cups Rx

༘⊹

key words: breathy voice, detail-oriented, chaste kiss, screen light, sighs, yawns, light finger tapping, cuddles, whispers, computer screen, keyboard typing, cold sheets, polished fingernails, books, dark/dim, coffee, cloudless sky, midnight, possible rain, unfinished snacks, lo-fi music, head pats, scorpio, virgo, water energy

⛧ about me | masterlist | #winterspiel ⚝

#pick a card #pick a pile #pac #fs #tarot reading #tarotblr #tarot community #winterspiel

[neewtmas]

12 days of Christmas // A Lockwood & Co Advent Calendar

DAY 3

welcome to day 3 of the Lockwood and Co Advent Calendar! today is another fic, but this time it's just a little trio-on-christmas-day thingie. This is meant to be light-hearted and should not be taken super seriously, it's maybe a little ooc at some points. It's just meant to be wholesome and christmas-y 🎄💫 (also please don't come for me bc of the food I just googled what british people eat lol)

Enjoy!

day 1 day 2 day 4 day 5 day 6

characters: Lockwood & Lucy & George

wordcount: 1.2k

advent calendar tags: @givemea-dam-break @wellgoslowly @maraschinomerry @losticaruss @oblivious-idiot @uku-lelevillain @avdiobliss @strawberryloveyyy @strawberrycowgirly @demigoddess-of-ghosts @thefriendlyneighborhoodmomfriend @boookfreeak

35 Portland Row, Christmas Day

Lucy moved down the stairs from her room, skipping every other step. She stopped on the landing, right in front of the bathroom door. There, from the other side of the door, came the sound of rushing water from the shower. Also, the melody of 'Last Christmas' played on the positively ancient speaker that George had placed on the top of the bathroom cabinet. And, much to her delight, Lockwood's voice over the water, singing with so much passion that it made her laugh a little. He was a little off-key though and not very loyal to the lyrics, so she decided to save her ears from continuous exposure and skipped down the rest of the stairs down to the kitchen.

George had been occupying the kitchen since early morning when he had come back from the shops with several bags filled to the brim with ingredients he planned on making a whole Christmas dinner out of. Lucy had already offered her help twice, only to be almost chased out of the room by George both times. George was also playing Christmas music over a speaker and singing along here and there, albeit less offensive to the ears than Lockwood's under-the-shower performance. Lucy sneaked into the room, where two pots on the stove already emitted a delicious smell.

She sat down at the table, where the thinking cloth was covered in Christmas trees and little reindeer and Christmas elves she had sketched on there in the past few weeks. "I told you I don't need help", George turned around and gave her a stern look. "I'm not here to help, don't worry", she shot back, and when he turned around again, she caught the smile on his lips. Even George could not reject the Christmas spirit. In fact, he seemed to have embraced it, seeing as he was wearing an apron with a big fat Santa in a sledge on it. On the counter sat the turkey, stuffed and seasoned, ready to make its way into the oven soon.

Suddenly, Lockwood burst into the kitchen, dressed in his usual attire of shirt and tie, though this tie was special: it had tiny little Christmas trees and candy canes all over it. It was exceptionally ugly, Lucy concluded. But the tie wasn't the main focus of the outfit. No, that was the gigantic Santa hat on his head. "Guess what I found!", he exclaimed, holding up two additional Santa hats. Lockwood could be extremely chipper and upbeat if a situation ever called for it, but somehow today it was dialled up to the extremes. "Lucy, I need your help to finish the tree", he said. "But first -" He held out the Santa hat. Lucy knew that resistance was futile, so she just took it and put it on.

It was a little big and slid over her forehead down over her eyes. Lockwood chuckled and pushed it back up. "Looking good, Santa", he said with a little grin, and Lucy just rolled her eyes, adjusting the hat so that it didn't slide back down. Lucy followed Lockwood over to the living room, where the Christmas tree stood tall and proud, already adorned with a lot of Christmas tree balls. Lockwood bent down to the box that stood on the couch and pulled out a tangle of candle-shaped Christmas lights. "We just need to wrap that around a few times", he said, shaking the tangled mess a few times. "Who packed that up last year?", Lucy asked, taking the lights from him and sitting down on the couch to start unravelling it. "Lockwood grimaced. "I don't remember." Lucy raised her eyebrows. "I think I know exactly who the culprit is."

But Lockwood was already focusing on something else again, rustling through another box in search of something. Lucy turned her attention back to the lights. Luckily, they looked much more tangled than they were, and she had already worked through more than half of the mess. Next thing she knew, Lockwood was in front of her again, tipping her on the shoulder. She looked up, mentally preparing herself for whatever he had come up now. Lockwood stood in front of her, with ugly tie and Santa hat, holding up a mistletoe branch over his head. "Whoops", he said. "Looks like we're caught under the mistletoe together. You know what that means!" Lucy couldn't even roll her eyes before he leaned down and kissed her. Not that she was complaining anyway. She quickly unravelled the rest of the lights, and together, they walked around the tree, attaching the lights as they went.

When they were done, Lockwood took a step back and pulled Lucy with him so that they could admire their work. "Looks great", he said, satisfied. Then he turned to Lucy. "Oh look!", he said, and she didn't have to look to know he was holding up the mistletoe branch. This time it was her that leaned up and kissed him. He wrapped the arm that wasn't holding the branch around her waist and pulled her closer. "I should carry that thing around more often", he said and kissed her forehead. "You know that you can just do it without, right?" Lockwood grinned at her. "But where's the fun in that?"

A few hours later in the kitchen - George had finally taken up on Lucy's offer to help - she stood there and cut up some potatoes, while George periodically checked on the turkey in the oven, only to come back up cursing each time because the steam fogged up his glasses. He looked like a very blind Santa each time - he had finally accepted the Santa hat from Lockwood, and Lucy had to try hard not to burst out laughing each time. While they finished up the food, Lockwood was tasked with setting the table.

When they were done, it looked like they were hosting a party of at least ten people. Every inch of the table was filled with either some of Lockwood's decorations - the little snowmen are adorable, Lucy! - or a bowl or plate holding all different kinds of food - roasted potatoes, honey-roasted carrots, spicy apple compote, crumbed Yorkshire puddings, and many more. In the middle of the table sat enthroned the turkey, perfectly roasted. After everyone had taken a seat, Lockwood raised his glass and cleared his throat dramatically. When he had the attention of George and Lucy, he adjusted his Santa hat and began with the poshest accent he could muster. "We have gathered here today -" "Lockwood!" "Yes! Sorry, I'll be serious." He cleared his throat again, this time for real. "I just wanted to say thank you to both of you for the fantastic year we had. There were some minor hiccups along the way-" George coughed. "Well, maybe not that minor. Nonetheless, we are on the best way to become the best and most successful agency in all of London. And I could never do it without the both of you." Lucy and George raised their glasses as well, and then the great feast started.

Outside of 35 Portland Row, the snow was falling quietly in the light of the ghostlamps, but the kitchen was brightly lit, and for once Lucy, George and Lockwood had not a care in the world.

#lockwood and co advent calendar #lockwood and co #lockwood & co #locklyle #anthony lockwood #lucy carlyle #george karim

[pomplalamoose]

Can we pls have some anh luke hc just after he joined the rebellion?🙏

Aaaahhhh that's a super interesting ask, especially because this doesn't get talked about in the movies or the books👀

I apologize if these are a little bit messy and all over the place, I had a very long day at work and wasn't sure whether I should post at all (but I really wanted to lol so here you go, anon🩵)

• Luke usually is a very positive thinking and easily excitable person, so I don't think it would take him overly long to adapt to new situations and surroundings 

• at least under normal conditions

• right after he joins the rebellion they are far from normal though, and I'm sure that even the little things, like a short moment of quiet, would serve as a reminder that 

• he lost everything 

• for the very first time in his life he is far away from home and all alone 

• he had to leave behind everyone and everything he ever knew

• he couldn't even say goodbye or bring some personal belongings that might've been important to him 

• now is the time that the loss of Obi-Wan, as a well as the deaths of of his aunt and uncle, really set in 

• and let's be real, all three were brutal and followed each other so closely that it makes them even harder to process

• not only did he see his home destroyed but also witnessed the murder of the man, that he believed would lead him from here on forward

• he got shot at and nearly died several times himself 

• (at this point he probably doesn't care about that much but it's still a stress factor)

• it's only natural to assume that Luke is not doing well

• I see him being very nervous and kind of jittery, unable to remain still

• he's slightly uncomfortable as well, scared of what will happen next

• he hasn't known Leia, Han and Chewie for long but already fears that something horrible will happen to them too

• he doesn't even know where Han and Chewie are for that matter or if he'll ever see them again 

• he wants to keep them safe but knows there is not much he can do

• I think this leads to him being very frustrated and, to keep going, he turns his fear and helplessness into anger 

• he has nightmares in which again and again he has to look upon the burned bodies of his family 

• at least R2 is with him and makes for good company

• they grow much closer during that time and Luke is so grateful to have him around 

• I'm kind of conflicted because on one hand it might be a good thing there is so much going on that he can't really take his time to arrive and settle down 

• theoretically it keeps him from overthinking and dwelling on the traumatic events 

• but on the other hand it would be so important for Luke to have time to grieve and for looking after himself 

• it's incredibly harsh and unfair but eventually he will have to decide on his priorities and on what to do

• will he succumb to his anger and despair 

• or will he keep going 

• somehow he still possesses the strength to keep going and to focus on the here and now

• there is so much to discover too!

• there are new foods and drinks to try and he's so enthusiastic about them 

• he gets new outfits, which I see him gushing over because I'm sure the only clothes he owned before were hand me downs from his uncle 

• he's so very proud about the pilot uniform he gets to wear too 

• he looks at it whenever he can 

• also there is so much to do and he wants to help out wherever he can 

• maybe he gets to take the first actual shower of his life 

• (did he know before that showering with water is actually a thing?)

• he finally has the opportunity to look at ships and their repairs from up close 

• I think he'd hang around the hangars and the pilots a lot, asking them all kinds of questions about their life and adventures with the rebellion 

• because there are so many new people Luke would be hesitant in his approach at first 

• while he's very eager to learn and desperately wants to get to know as many of them as possible, he doesn't want to interrupt their work 

• he doesn't want to be a burden 

• we don't know for sure if he got bullied back on Tatooine or not

• maybe Wormie is just an affectionate nick name?

• either way he worries about not being qualified and good enough 

• sure, he saved Princess Leia but he didn't do that alone, he had help

• what if nobody takes him seriously? He's just a boy from a desert planet 

• but to his surprise everyone greets him with open arms

• suddenly he's being flirted with too???

• he is confused™

• speaking of Leia though...he wonders if he'll get to spend more time with her when this is over?

• or at least for a few minutes in between?

• he wants to 

• when will he see her again?

• she's so nice and for some reason he feels drawn to her, it's unlike anything he ever experienced with someone else before 

• I think he'd look up to her too, admiring her strength and bravery 

• like so many others he feels inspired by her

#ask #luke skywalker #luke skywalker x reader #luke skywalker x you #star wars #luke star wars #star wars fanfiction #fanfic #star wars a new hope #star wars empire strikes back #star wars return of the jedi #star wars headcanons #headcanons

[kit-williams]

I guess I'm doing more of that self insert

I have to thank @yawnderu's König character study post and @wordstome for their Königcore bible post and of course oh and @ghouljams for their König as well... there are too many cod dearies who helped me create this idea of him

But the part that really inspired me was this

so yeah enjoy

My clothes were nice and warm still. I still blamed Ghost for me forgetting what I was going to program but honestly it wasn't really important just stuff they gave me to keep me busy... enrichment really. I could look at the news and internet and my chats from my phone, when they weren't busy data scraping it, but I couldn't interact at all. I was in the kitchen making myself some hot chocolate to ignore the fact that I missed my baby and yet he had mommy right there with him.

I took the mug of now warm milk out of the microwave, I wasn't going to fuck up the militarily British men's kettles by heating up milk in them for some hot chocolate. I crouched down in front of the fridge trying to find the whipped cream I keep in there for my hot chocolate. I perk up when I hear it and smile at the massive man putting it down having taken some to eat as well as put on my hot chocolate. "Thanks Hans."

It embarrassingly took me a very long time to figure out Hans was König... I should have seen it coming really. I mean who else is nearly 7 feet tall? and speaks German... in my defense I have been very out of sorts. He plucks down the mini marshmallows for me... my 5'3 height as last time he caught me trying to go at them I had climbed up on the counter and just looked like a dog that had something in their mouth that they weren't suppose to have. In reality I just was embaressed I was climbing onto the countertop like a child.

"Koboldchen tell me about your day and what you need done." I hear him say as I sip my drink and sit down... and well prattle to him.

König was so helpful it hurt. I wasn't use to living on my own... I never had and I never could... I knew that long before I graduated high school or college. Luckily everything was usually automated and could just be taken out of my account but I still struggled so hard. König reminded me of how my husband would just patiently help me. He didn't mind my weird quirks... he let my fidgiting hands move over his calloused ones just letting me get some sort of stimulating satsifaction.

There was also something else that hurt so much... it hurt with Johnny and it hurt with Hans... just how blue their eyes were. It was like he was still right there ready to pick me back up and laugh at me for this dream. To tell me I've obsessed a bit too much and that it's time to focus on something else. Though I was jealous at how lovely the red in his hair looked but I continued to talk.

------

König could tell she was spiraling hard around a drain... Price had informed him of what was going on and the possibility of getting in on the ground floor if things followed suit about Ukraine. But, lucky for his Koboldchen... he was there. He wouldn't lie that he took a strong fondness to her after helping her when he found her hiding between buildings clawing at her skull and unresponsive to his voice and touch. He remembers helping her while someone went to find Ghost as she remained non verbal and he just talked.

She was a helpless thing and she knew it and embraced what she was good at to stave off the way her figurative plane was still crash landing... limping in its descent. And he knew why... he saw what was on her phone. I would kill for you. The message had popped up while they were discussing... and he watched the intimate text exchange like an unwilling voyeur But please make sure I never get the chance to. I'm scared I might be too proud about it. She was madly and obsessivly in love with a man she could not chase after anymore. And it was eating her alive. The love of her life was right there yet so far out of her reach.

For König he doesn't remember when he fell for the weird little creature just playing with his hand. Was it when she just chirped out 'Numa Numa' with Soap and Ghost... oh she loved to sing songs that the three early thirty year olds knew... like a joke that he knew about but was just a little too old to have been part of the same culture. Was it when she just asked him to crush her in a hug to ground her, to hold her so tightly she bruised but the way she sighed in his ear as the anxiety left her eyes. Or was it at first sight just seeing her a helpless sad thing that when Ghost had come to collect her she clung to him like a wounded animal.

Hans was okay not being the love of her life... he was okay with playing second fiddle to a man he knew nothing about except the passionate and near constant texting and speaking... pictures... videos... a life that has her eyes glittering with devotion to a man who he didn't know. As long as he could be by her Hans was fine as she allowed him to be close... to touch. She was like a dog recently left at the shelter confused but wanting those pets and comforts she was so use to.

"Do you want me to come by and make you dinner or is Ghost doing that tonight?" He asked softly knowing full well Ghost and Soap hovered around her as much as they could.

"He's gone for awhile. Yes. I don't want to be alone." She said putting her forehead on the table and just moved his hand to her scalp where he gently scratched.

"Of course Kobold." He said scratching the top of her head humming softly.

Oh yes he had been a voyeur of her texts but he was a snoop heading onto websites she said not to and seeing things he wasn't expecting really... but he was pleased to know that he fit into a definition of something she liked.

#cod #cod mw2 #konig #König #könig cod #cod x oc #König x oc #OC #I realized why I latched onto these 3 #Ghost Soap and König each have an aspect of my husband #coping #coping fic #I might rework these to be more of x reader or less first person cringe #slight yandere konig #slight obsessive konig