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#the ghost ship scribbles
hmslusitania · 26 days
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Eddie stares at the screen. It’s not — the title is…
Well.
Fuck.
He’s read enough of the Reddit thread in question to know that he’s phrasing it right but he doesn’t—
It feels bad to post something that starts with “AITA my [32M] best friend [32M] just started dating someone new and for the first time since I’ve known him its a guy [39M]. Every time I think about them together it makes me want to puke and/or die and/or punch somebody. I’ve never thought I was homophobic before. One of my closest friends at work (and our workplace is like a family in the most literal aside from blood sense) is a lesbian and I have a regular wine night with her wife and we’ve never had an issue!”
But like. He doesn’t know what else to do. He can’t exactly ask Buck about it. And he’s not going to text Hen or Karen to ask them to delve into their deeper analyses of his psyche and whether or not they’ve secretly picked up “”””signs”””” that he’s homophobic. If they have? He doesn’t want to know. Because he’s not a homophobe! He isn’t! Really truly!!
At least he’s never been before when it was Hen and Karen and Michael and David and people he'd met on calls and even Josh (his issues with Josh had been 1,000% unrelated to Josh’s sexuality). But for whatever reason, Buck and Tommy dating — Buck and Tommy kissing — Buck and Tommy having sex and—
He loses the plot in favour of unidentifiable rage.
He makes the Reddit post.
He is primarily asked for additional context.
“Well. Uh. Let’s call him Stag. Has been my best friend since we defused a bomb together I don’t even know like five years ago? And he’s like the best friend I’ve ever had to the point where I’ve changed my will so that he’s the person who gets my son in the event of my untimely demise. And like! I like his boyfriend! I really do, it’s not that I’m worried that if something happens to me and Stag has to take custody of our son I’m worried about how [let’s call him Gatling] would do with our kid. He’s a cool guy and tbh we were friends first and he’d probably make a wicked stepdad to anyone’s kid, but also… okay it got late and I don’t think this is an accurate representation of the situation but! Anyway! Additional information of note being that I like both of them as people a whole bunch so the idea that I might be activating latent homophobic responses just because of either of them as people is nonsense haha.”
And he isn’t! Eddie isn’t worried about how Tommy would be as a stepdad. Really! It doesn’t even give him hives to think about dying anymore.
It takes until he wakes up in a cold sweat at three in the morning for him to realise that he doesn’t think of Buck as Chris’s stepdad. He thinks of him as Chris’s other dad, who is — who is dating someone a whole lot like Eddie — who is dating another man who isn’t Eddie — and…
And, well.
Well, fuck.
“Edit: false alarm I am not homophobic. But I AM in love with, uh, Stag even though he’s dating Gatling. How do I tell him?”
Because sometimes, asking relationship advice from complete strangers online is the only reasonable way to proceed. And Eddie can only hope, desperately, that they have the answers.
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suranet · 1 year
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back with another round of the robot dating scene!
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natelia-aldelliz · 1 year
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They got tired of getting pushed over the edge because the bed was made for one and not 3 big adult men, so they dismantled the frame and put two mattresses together on the ground.
So now instead of the one on the side falling, it's the one in the middle getting swallowed when the mattresses inevitably part. They're not that smart. But at least they don't hurt themselves by falling now.
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roseyjustice · 8 months
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Selfshiptember Day 3 - Relaxing
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Two god like babies deserve cuddles so Ezra gathers them up for chill time !
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mistawolfie · 2 years
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Just 2 bros….hangin out….like 2 bros….
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marshmallowsqoosh · 1 year
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[Ghost (Band) | Overheated (preview)]
I actually write a lot more than I post lmao. idk if people would be interested in the disjointed stuff but here’s what happens when sentient marshmallows have bad days. They write violence with little to not context. Just a matter of whether or not they bully Terzo and Omega or Sodo and Aether. ...Or others, I’m being bribed towards Swiss and Rain and various other combinations. (Read: Sqoosh is a weak ho) also constantly forgetting dewther applies to what i write because i don’t use dew unless i’m specifically writing when he’s bassist or someone requests i use it jfpaslkfasdf
Anyways, here, have some Era 4 Ghouls with Sodo having a Not Great Time
word count. ~750 warnings. headcanon, author uses sodo instead of dew, implied aether/sodo if you squint, minor swearing, ghouls have magicks, super short scribble
Rain grabs him first, trying to cool the overheating, even when contact immediately makes smoke sizzle from both of them, "Sodo, stop, just calm down—"
Holding him at arm's length is the only thing that keeps Sodo from getting his fangs into Rain's arms or neck; he still tries to yank himself free, his entire torso heaving with the unsteady breaths. The veins of fire spread from his face, down to his neck and disappear into his uniform. His claws are heating up, but he either hasn't figured out to turn his hands upwards to claw at Rain or he actually doesn't want to hurt him. It's only then—as the struggling becomes more forceful, even when Rain's claws dig into his arms to try keeping him still—they finally realise the veins spread up to his horns. The right one burns, hot, the same as his claws and the tip of his tail; the left one—the clipped one—burns and begins to bleed a steady trickle, like a thin stream of lava. If it hurts, he doesn't let onto it, clearly more preoccupied with the pain of Rain trying to cool him down and just being overheated to begin with.
Rain's forced to let go—a slur of curses under his breath as he pulls both hands back to his body, tucking them tight against his sides—and he hastily backs up before claws or fang find their way into him, "Fuck—sorry—"
Swiss gets a hold of him before he launches at the bassist, getting both of his arms under Sodo's to pull him back, lift him off the ground, and locks his hands behind his head to keep him from headbutting back like he normally does and keep him from snapping at the arms restraining him. He can't get any purchase with the way he tries to thrash around to get free, snarl still building in his throat. "I got him, Rainy—go find Ifrit or the girls or—fuck, I'd take Mounty at this point, just go find one of the others—Sodo, calm down, I'm trying not to hurt you—"
The multi mix of fire and quintessence seems to be helping; but, it's also pretty clear that Swiss can't handle as much intake as an actual Fire Ghoul could. He's already expelling a substantial amount of smoke, trying to regulate his own fire and take in some of Sodo's just to get him a little less heated.
Aether's… pretty damn sure this is his fault in some capacity. It's hard to focus through the blind anger radiating from the Fire Ghoul and he knows if he gets closer it's going to get worse… but he can force him to cool off, at least. At least a little bit and not get boiled the same way Rain did. At least long enough that Cirrus or Cumulus can suffocate the flames or Ifrit can help Swiss or Mountain can get a hold on him and drag him down to the isolation chambers.
As he expects, the second he's in Sodo's field of view, he starts thrashing even harder, still not really thinking to kick back—but definitely trying to kick Aether or lash out with his tail. He screeches when Swiss mutters a quick apology and manages to trap the tail under his boot, at least able to put the fire out between platform and boot so it doesn't spread to the rest of the room. Aether takes the short distraction—Sodo spitting violent curses and hopefully empty threats at Swiss—to press up to Sodo, motioning for Swiss to let go and back up as he does, and holds him as tight as he can. He expects the tail thrashing and the spade cutting at his arms; Sodo trying to push himself free; and, when he fails to get away, sinking his claws in and biting down in an attempt to get Aether to put him down.
Aether just holds him tight, one arm around his waist and the other pushing against his upper back so his hand is knotted in Sodo's hair—he'll apologise later, he's sure he's pulling at it—and keeping the Ghoul in place as he bites down. "It's okay… get it out of your system, I've got you, Sodo. I've got you."
He's warmer than expected. Aether can feel his own body struggling to keep up with balancing out the awful sensation of overheating, but he just holds tight, still trying to talk him through calming down until Rain gets back.
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inkskinned · 10 months
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at some point it's just like. do they even fucking like the thing they're asking AI to make? "oh we'll just use AI for all the scripts" "we'll just use AI for art" "no worries AI can write this book" "oh, AI could easily design this"
like... it's so clear they've never stood in the middle of an art museum and felt like crying, looking at a piece that somehow cuts into your marrow even though the artist and you are separated by space and time. they've never looked at a poem - once, twice, three times - just because the words feel like a fired gun, something too-close, clanging behind your eyes. they've never gotten to the end of the movie and had to arrive, blinking, back into their body, laughing a little because they were holding their breath without realizing.
"oh AI can mimic style" "AI can mimic emotion" "AI can mimic you and your job is almost gone, kid."
... how do i explain to you - you can make AI that does a perfect job of imitating me. you could disseminate it through the entire world and make so much money, using my works and my ideas and my everything.
and i'd still keep writing.
i don't know there's a word for it. in high school, we become aware that the way we feel about our artform is a cliche - it's like breathing. over and over, artists all feel the same thing. "i write because i need to" and "my music is how i speak" and "i make art because it's either that or i stop existing." it is such a common experience, the violence and immediacy we mean behind it is like breathing to me - comes out like a useless understatement. it's a cliche because we all feel it, not because the experience isn't actually persistent. so many of us have this ... fluttering urgency behind our ribs.
i'm not doing it for the money. for a star on the ground in some city i've never visited. i am doing it because when i was seven i started taking notebooks with me on walks. i am doing it because in second grade i wrote a poem and stood up in front of my whole class to read it out while i shook with nerves. i am doing it because i spent high school scribbling all my feelings down. i am doing it for the 16 year old me and the 18 year old me and the today-me, how we can never put the pen down. you can take me down to a subatomic layer, eviscerate me - and never find the source of it; it is of me. when i was 19 i named this blog inkskinned because i was dramatic and lonely and it felt like the only thing that was actually permanently-true about me was that this is what is inside of me, that the words come up over everything, coat everything, bloom their little twilight arias into every nook and corner and alley
"we're gonna replace you". that is okay. you think that i am writing to fill a space. that someone said JOB OPENING: Writer Needed, and i wrote to answer. you think one raindrop replaces another, and i think they're both just falling. you think art has a place, that is simply arrives on walls when it is needed, that is only ever on demand, perfect, easily requested. you see "audience spending" and "marketability" and "multi-line merch opportunity"
and i see a kid drowning. i am writing to make her a boat. i am writing because what used to be a river raft has long become a fully-rigged ship. i am writing because you can fucking rip this out of my cold dead clammy hands and i will still come back as a ghost and i will still be penning poems about it.
it isn't even love. the word we use the most i think is "passion". devotion, obsession, necessity. my favorite little fact about the magic of artists - "abracadabra" means i create as i speak. we make because it sluices out of us. because we look down and our hands are somehow already busy. because it was the first thing we knew and it is our backbone and heartbreak and everything. because we have given up well-paying jobs and a "real life" and the approval of our parents. we create because - the cliche again. it's like breathing. we create because we must.
you create because you're greedy.
#every time someones like ''AI will replace u" im like. u will have to fucking KILL ME#there is no replacement here bc i am not filling a position. i am just writing#and the writing is what i need to be doing#writeblr#this probably doesn't make sense bc its sooo frustrating i rarely speak it the way i want to#edited for the typo wrote it and then was late to a meeting lol#i love u people who mention my typos genuinely bc i don't always catch them!!!! :) it is doing me a genuine favor!!!#my friend says i should tell you ''thank you beta editors'' but i don't know what that means#i made her promise it isn't a wolf fanfiction thing. so if it IS a wolf thing she is DEAD to me (just kidding i love her)#hey PS PS PS ??? if ur reading this thinking what it's saying is ''i am financially capable of losing this'' ur reading it wrong#i write for free. i always have. i have worked 5-7 jobs at once to make ends meet.#i did not grow up with access or money. i did not grow up with connections or like some kind of excuse#i grew up and worked my fucking ASS OFF. and i STILL!!! wrote!!! on the side!!! because i didn't know how not to!!!#i do not write for money!!!! i write because i fuckken NEED TO#i could be in the fucking desert i could be in the fuckken tundra i could be in total darkness#and i would still be writing pretentious angsty poetry about it#im not in any way saying it's a good thing. i'm not in any way implying that they're NOT tryna kill us#i'm saying. you could take away our jobs and we could go hungry and we could suffer#and from that suffering (if i know us) we'd still fuckin make art.#i would LOVE to be able to make money doing this! i never have been able to. but i don't NEED to. i will find a way to make my life work#even if it means being miserable#but i will not give up this thing. for the whole world.
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moongreenlight · 7 months
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141 gossiping about Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley for roughly 3,000 words idk titles are hard
Price was the first to notice. Priding himself on being incredibly observant, especially when it came to his boys.
He noticed that whenever they had a break from trainings or meetings, he’d somehow always find the two of you in a room together. Never close enough to give him reason to say anything. You scribbling notes on a patient report at one table, Ghost at another, his chair angled just enough so that he could watch you from the corner of his eye.
Noticed the way Ghost’s hand rested on the small of your back for a heartbeat when you entered a doorway before him. Just a brush of his massive hand on you, quick enough to be mistaken for an accidental touch.
Noticed how Ghost’s eyes seemed to always flick to you from across the mess hall. Not often, but enough for Price to casually turn his head and see that same nurse Ghost seemed to have a preference for.
At first, Price thought he could help by being a wingman of sorts. When Ghost took damage on a mission, Price would escort him to medbay and watch as he dismissed nurse after nurse until you were finally available to treat him. Price lingered as long as he could before you inevitably waved him away, cheekily reminding him you always took good care of his team and that you’d have ‘Lieutenant Riley’ back in no time. The only thing he could catch was the way Ghost’s shoulders relaxed by a hair’s breadth when you drew the curtain shut behind you.
He tried again during a meeting with his boys. Suggesting they bring a medic on a mission with them. Said something about how it would be better to have the option of a patch-up readily available. Keep his team fighting fit in real time instead of having to wait until they came back to base. Price saw the way Ghost tensed slightly in his seat, the muscles in his jaw twitching under his balaclava.
The notion was quickly vetoed. Ghost grumbling something about not wanting to babysit any more than he already does. How it’s ultimately more paperwork he doesn’t want to have to deal with.
He tried once more, going to Ghost’s office one evening. Almost turning tail once he realized how ridiculous it was to be this insistent on figuring out if his Lieutenant had some boyish crush on the sweet nurse he always seemed to be lingering around. But ultimately decided that it was good practice to know more about his team personally. Better bonding meant better interaction on the field, right?
He asked Ghost to redo some paperwork. Add a ‘next of kin’ to his file in the event that something happened and they needed to alert someone. Ghost looked a little suspicious, shrugging off the request.
“Left it off for a reason, Captain.”
He said gruffly, waving a hand. Barely looking up from his desk.
Price pursed his lips, shifting his weight slightly.
“You sure, Simon? Haven’t got anyone that’d be interested to know what happened to you?”
Ghost rubbed the bridge of his nose, like the conversation was more trouble than it was worth, before shrugging once more. Finally looking up from his desk and leaning back slightly in his chair.
“You planning on shipping me off somewhere and not picking me back up?”
A small chuckle from Price. A shake of his head.
“Can’t say I am.”
“Cheers, then. Leave it off.”
This quelled Price’s curiosity for a while, unable to dream up any other reason to try and force Ghost to indulge him. It no doubt hurt his ego a bit, thinking about how his Lieutenant and one of his closest friends was so dead set on keeping his personal life so closely guarded. He’d push the feelings aside, chalk it up to being jaded by his work. Over-involved in the lives of Soap and Gaz. It was probably good for Simon to have something sacred.
Soap wasn’t as easily deterred once he caught on. Not as immediately perceptive as the others, but he knew Ghost well enough to know his tells.
It was after a long mission. Months long. Grueling, shitty, exhausting work. They got back in the early evening, mercifully spared from a debrief until the following day. Soap somehow ended up dragging Ghost to a dive bar a few blocks from base. Trying to sound persuasive when he mentioned that it was a Friday night and they deserved a few drinks and some female attention after all this time going without.
And they did get attention. Two good looking military men sitting at the bar were bound to. Soap knew that Ghost wasn’t one to play the field, but this was a bit frigid even for him. Ignoring girls who came up and tried to strike conversation. Rolling his eyes, or huffing a sigh like it was a chore to even dismiss them, drumming his fingers on the wall of his glass like he’s bored. It was baffling.
What was even more baffling was the way that Ghost’s knee bounced slightly against the stool. An infinitesimally small movement, but the way it caught Johnny’s eye made it seem like Ghost was all but jumping up and down. He looked almost anxious. Itching to get up and leave.
“Fuck’s wrong with you?”
Ghost’s head jerked toward Johnny, cold eyes narrowing in a way that would have been terrifying years ago- before he’d gotten used to it.
“Come again?”
“Got somewhere to be, have you?”
He sounds almost indignant. Like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. Ghost is stand-offish by nature, but this is a caliber he hasn’t yet encountered. Almost enough to be offensive. To make him question the quality of his company.
“Maybe I do. What’s it to you?”
Ghost grumbled, killing the contents of his glass with a final mouthful. Setting it back on the counter and moving to drum his fingers on the bar.
“Been out of the country for months and you expect me to believe you’ve got plans tonight?”
This earned a sigh, low enough to pass as a growl.
“You keeping my social calendar now, then?”
He stood, digging through his wallet for a moment before slapping some cash down on the table next to his empty glass. Not giving Johnny an opportunity to lodge any further complaints against him. Before he nodded his goodnight and slipped out of the bar. Mumbling something about needing to get back to his flat and check on some things.
Soap couldn’t get his mind around it. Ghost was elusive, sure, but again; something seemed off. He was calm, cool, and collected. Wouldn’t be caught dead manifesting his impatience physically. The fidgeting and twitching in his seat. The first place Soap’s mind went was maybe Ghost was dying? That’d be the only reasonable explanation for his behavior. But even then, it seemed a bit extreme.
The next day after the debrief, which was nearly as brutal as the deployment itself, Soap was still so in his head about Ghost’s behavior he almost didn’t notice the pretty nurse who seemed to be waiting for someone at the end of the hall. In fact, he was so stuck in his own mind, he only caught a fleeting glimpse of Ghost’s back rounding the corner with the nurse at his side. Hushed conversation disappearing with them. A softer, much more pleasant voice than Simon’s.
He debated whether or not to follow them, maybe answer the questions that’d been plaguing his mind. Ultimately, he decided in favor of it. Padding down the hall behind the duo who seemed to be headed back to Simon’s office. They weren’t walking closely enough to touch, but Soap immediately picked up on the tension between them. Like the distance was serving some sort of purpose.
Soap lingered in the hallway for a few minutes after the two disappeared into Ghost’s office, trying to sort the pieces of the puzzle he’d barely began collecting. He ultimately decided to go the route he was most comfortable with. Not one for sneaking about, he simply strode up to the office door and swung it open.
You were sat at one of the chairs in front of Simon’s desk, him standing with his arms folded over his chest next to you. Not compromising enough for Johnny’s taste, but he still put on a wide grin and nodded to you.
“Forget how to knock?”
Ghost’s voice was calm enough, but his eyes were shooting daggers straight through Johnny. You looked stiff as a board, chewing the inside of your lip through the tight smile you were giving him.
“Sorry, L.T. Needed to know if you’re still on for trainings this afternoon.”
He didn’t miss the way your eyes flicked to Ghost, communicating something that he couldn’t quite decipher wordlessly before you began studying your nails in your lap.
Ghost cleared his throat, rolling his tongue in his cheek. Growling something obscene under his breath. The agitation rolling off of him in waves.
“No. Got another assignment.”
And with that, Soap was all but thrown from the office. Querying about this ‘new assignment’ the whole way. Simon crowding him to the door until he finally snapped it shut on his nose.
He heard later that day Ghost was seen in medbay with a toolkit swearing at an X-Ray machine that had been giving you trouble for a month. After that, Soap was on the two of you like a fly on shit. Never missing an opportunity to bring you up to Ghost or vise versa. Mock-innocently saying something to Ghost in passing at dinner about you. Asking if he fancied you. When he said no, Johnny shrugged and nodded. Saying he was glad because he had plans to ask you out the next time he was injured.
That comment landed Soap in the bay sooner than expected. Escorting him to a different nurse’s exam area and standing guard the entire time his black eye was being iced. Berating him for not being able to block a few punches when they had sparred after dinner.
And Gaz, sweet boy that he is, was always more emotionally in-tune. Observant about the little things. Able to pick up on queues Soap and Price may have missed over the years. He was keen as he was quiet, keeping all his little discoveries to himself. Over the years, he’d created a small arsenal of moments he wasn’t sure were significant enough to bring up. Things he could have talked himself into imagining if he thought about them hard enough. Not wanting to jump to conclusions about anything.
But he noticed the incredibly subtle tan line on Ghost’s left hand. Noticed the way he tapped his foot impatiently when the debrief after a long deployment ran long. Noticed the way you always seemed to be around the yard when they touched down after a mission. The way your shoulders dropped when you saw all four of them had returned home. Like you had just been relieved the duty of holding up the sky.
He didn���t immediately connect the dots. Initially thinking that you’d just taken a special liking to the task force. They were some of your most frequent visitors, after all. Price had all but claimed you as their own. Specially requesting that you were the only one to patch their wounds, claiming the other nurses couldn’t hold a flame to your skill.
He didn’t mind. Came to enjoy the little chats the two of you had when the curtains around the cot were drawn. The little kikis you had where you chatted about anything and everything. Complaining about your jobs, irritating patients, botched missions, the morsels of gossip from around base.
One day, after a particularly nasty skirmish on a mission, all four of the men had gnarly wounds. You looked a bit more tired than usual. A bit more on-edge. Your answers were a bit more flat than they usually were. So the first part of the assessment was left mostly silent spare for a few soft “thank you’s” on his part.
It was only when you were bandaging a wound on his thigh did he notice the shape of a ring on your left hand under your glove. A thin band that wrapped neatly around your finger.
“Didn’t know you were married, doc.”
It was a passing comment, more just to spare him the agony of trying to hide his soft groans of pain in the thick silence.
You hummed your acknowledgment, focused more on working sutures through his skin neatly than anything else.
“Lucky bloke. Hope he’s good to you.”
It wasn’t flirty or predatory, like so many of the soldiers could be. A genuine thought. He’d always thought you were sweet. Easy to chat with, always offering him a smile and a chirped greeting when the two of you passed in the hall. Thought you deserved someone to share in your kindness.
You smiled, brow still furrowed slightly in your focus while tying off the stitches.
“He does alright.”
You chuckled softly, straightening on your stool and rolling back just slightly so you could meet his eye.
“All these years and you never mentioned. I’m hurt.”
He words came with a practiced ease, slipping back into your usual playful chatter without missing a beat. Flashing a coy grin as he carefully flexed and relaxed his leg. Getting a feel for the newly patched wound.
You rolled the gloves off your hands and tossed them into the bin. Standing from your stool to scribble a few notes on his chart.
“Not something that ever came up.”
“Now it has. He have a name? How long you been together?”
You chuckled once more, looking over your shoulder at him with an arched brow. A little skeptical of his curiosity.
“A good while.”
He noticed the way you evaded his former question, like you’d done it before. It only fueled his curiosity.
“You worried I’ll know him? Or are you embarrassed? Not much of a looker?”
This earned an amused snort from you, turning away from the chart you’d been working on.
“Nothing wrong with wanting to keep my personal life personal, is there?”
You winked at him, pushing open the curtain that divided the small exam area from the rest of the bay.
He made a small sound of protest, making no move to stand from the cot just yet.
“Alright, forget it. Didn’t even want to know anyway.”
He sounded like a child being denied a sweet. Even playing up the act with a small pout on his mouth.
You tutted softly, conjuring up the best mock-sympathetic look you could before motioning for him to stand.
“We’ll talk later. Captain’ll have my hide if I keep you away a moment longer than is necessary.”
Another sound of protest, followed by a throaty groan as he finally pushed up off the bed. Unsure if he was being dramatic or if the aftermath of the mission had truly gotten to him that bad. Always a flare for the dramatics, him.
He muttered his thanks, cupping your shoulder in his hand as he trudged out. Making you promise to have a proper chat with him later.
He lingered in the bay, allowing himself a few moments peace before getting back to work. Just as he finally turned to leave, he saw Ghost moving stiffly- like he was trying to downplay a limp- toward your little exam area. Though for some reason, the scene looked a bit strange to him. He couldn’t help but peek in.
He caught the way you watched him lumber over with big, worried eyes. The way your nails dug into your palms until he was finally within arms reach. The way you quickly glanced around to see if anyone was paying the two of you any attention before your hands flew to his neck, fingers slipping expertly under the hem of his mask and yanking it up over his nose. Not rough or angry, but with the kind of urgency that suggested you may die if you didn’t see a sliver of his skin. Make absolutely certain he was truly there with you.
The most jarring part- Ghost actually allowing you to touch the mask. Allowing your little hands to breach his personal space. Hands that would have easily been dwarfed by his own, swallowed up and twisted or shoved away like he had seen happen so many times in sparring matches with prospect soldiers. But Ghost just let it happen.
It was a flurry of movement, so fast that Gaz was certain he could have blinked and missed it. Frozen watching the two of you from just behind another exam area. Feeling like he was intruding without even meaning to.
And then he saw the way Ghost’s big arms snaked around your waist, drawing you flush to his front. You leaning up onto your toes to bring your face closer to the Lieutenant’s. A fervid kiss. You flinging your arms around his neck. The way your shoulders shook. A small, choked sob that Gaz was all but certain he imagined. Drowned out for everyone else by the sounds of the bay.
He was almost shocked that the world continued to move after that. Shocked that something that seemed so monumental could happen tucked away into your barely private exam area. Shocked that your reunion hadn’t halted time and space for everyone else like it had for the two of you.
He felt dirty. Like he should go up and apologize for lingering and seeing what he saw. But he stayed rooted to the spot, finding it impossible to move.
Truly the most damning part was when he caught the quickest glimpse of your badge just before the curtain was tugged shut. The badge you kept carefully pinned to your uniform face-down for a reason he couldn’t fathom until now. Twisted free for just a moment and finally connecting the snippets of information he’d collected over the years.
(Y/N Riley)
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phefics · 11 months
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unconventional
ship: billy loomis x fem!reader x stu macher summary: a tickle fight with billy and stu takes a turn when the boys realize how much they like hearing the reader beg. warnings: dubious consent, degrading names (slut), tickling word count: 1.6k
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It’s an unconventional arrangement, dating two boys at once. You certainly hadn’t befriended Billy Loomis and Stu Macher with the intention of falling for either of them, let alone both.
But, shit happens, especially when your two best friends are attractive and fucking inseparable. Dating one of them would end up as a package deal, anyway. 
Kids at school couldn’t quite figure you out. One day, you’d be seen getting carried bridal-style by Stu, the next, you’d be holding hands with Billy. Some people thought you were a cheater, some thought you were a beard to hide a gay love affair.
None of you gave a shit what anyone thought.
Your parents weren’t home, and you had invited the boys over for a movie night. Stu had arrived first, because he lived closer, and although Billy got there only a few minutes later, he walked in on an interesting scene.
You had left the front door unlocked, and as he walked inside, he heard shrieking coming from the living room. He panicked for a moment, thinking Stu had broken the ‘Don’t Kill Y/N’ rule, but as he tiptoed into the room, all he found was Stu straddling your thighs, tickling you.
He couldn’t help but grin at the sight. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
You and Stu both jumped at his voice, so caught up in the moment that you had forgotten he was on his way.
“Billy, help!” you cried, still giggling like mad as Stu’s fingers slipped beneath your sweater, scribbling over the skin of your stomach.
“Help? Sure, I’ll help,” Billy said, giving Stu a smirk as he approached, kneeling down on the floor beside you.
He easily grabbed your flailing wrists and pulled your arms up, pinning them over your head.
“Can’t smack me anymore, hm?” Stu teased. “Thanks, Billy, I was startin’ to fear for my life there.”
“No problem. We couldn’t let that pretty face get bruised, could we?”
While you agreed that Stu had a pretty face, you wanted nothing more than to punch him in it as his fingers creeped higher, tickling your underarms with a newfound vigor, now that you were helpless to stop him.
Your laugh grew in volume, in intensity. “You fuckers,” you gasped out, kicking your legs wildly. “I’m gonna kill you both, cut it out!”
Billy let out a low chuckle, his breath ghosting over your ear. Stu, meanwhile, giggled along with you, clearly pleased with himself for starting this whole thing.
“You want us to stop?” Billy asked. “Cause it seems like you’re having fun…”
“Yeah, I mean, you’re smiling like crazy,” Stu added. “Why would we stop makin’ you smile, baby?”
"Besides, we're certainly having fun."
You whined as his fingers slowed to a torturous, feather-light touch, just ghosting against your skin. “You guys suck,” you said, breathless.
Billy hummed. “Really? We suck? That’s not very nice, Y/N. Stu, I think we need to teach her some manners.”
“I agree.”
And with that, Stu’s hands began tickling you again, dancing over your entire torso, never lingering in one spot for too long. Billy adjusted his grip on your wrists so that he was only holding them with one hand, using the other to flutter over the side of your neck, making you scrunch up your shoulders uselessly.
This was awful. It was torture. But…There was something exciting about it, too. Being held down like this, helpless and pliant beneath their touches as they exploited your weak spots…Stu’s hands brushed against your chest as he went, and you weren’t wearing a bra, and you felt your nipples grow hard at the quick, barely-there contact.
“You gonna apologize to us?” Billy asked.
You shook your head. You had nothing to apologize for. They did suck, you were just telling the truth.
“Always so fuckin’ stubborn,” he sighed, before using his free hand to tickle your armpit, making you squeal.
“Maybe she’s not giving up because she likes it,” Stu said. “She’s such a slut, I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns her on.”
If the tickling itself wasn’t hot, those words certainly were. You felt your pussy throb when you were called that, felt a thrill up your spine.
Billy chuckled. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said. “How about we make a new deal, Y/N? Stu’s gonna pull your pants down, and if you aren't wet right now, we’ll stop. But if you are, well…Maybe we’ll take the rest of your clothes off and keep going.”
The fingers stopped, finally giving you a chance to fully catch your breath. Your skin buzzed with the phantom sensation, your head spun from their teasing words. But most of all, you knew for a fact that you were wet, and your heart pounded in your chest at the realization.
Stu gave you a mischievous grin before getting off your legs and grabbing the waist of your sweatpants, yanking them down to your knees with no preamble, and cupping his fingers over your mound, pressing against your folds through your panties, feeling the obvious dampness that only made his grin grow larger, more devilish.
“You were right,” he said. “Little slut’s getting off on this.”
You opened your mouth and shut it again. What were you supposed to say? Deny the obvious? Attempt to elaborate that it wasn’t really the tickling, it was everything combined? Would that really save your dignity?
Billy laughed. “Fuckin’ knew it.”
You let out a soft whimper as Stu’s fingers rubbed against your pussy, trying to buck your hips to gather more friction.
“So needy,” Stu muttered, almost to himself.
Billy released your wrists and made quick work of pulling your hoodie over your head, the cold air making goosebumps rise on your bare skin. Your nipples hardened even more, and you grew even more aroused as you were stripped.
Stu pulled your pants down the rest of the way, and your underwear, too, leaving you naked on the carpet and blushing like mad.
“Ready for round two, baby?”
You shook your head, squirming wildly as they caged you in between their bodies. “Please, I—”
They didn’t let you finish. If you really wanted them to stop, you knew what to say, and you hadn’t, so they had no reason for showing mercy.
Stu began squeezing up and down your thighs, occasionally scratching behind your knees as well, while Billy dug into your ribs.
The combined sensations made you burst into laughter, slightly hoarse with how loud you’d been the entire time. You thrashed, but they easily dodged your flying limbs and kept tickling.
“So fuckin’ cute,” Billy cooed.
“Fucking adorable,” Stu agreed.
You wailed as Stu ran his fingers over the sole of your foot, toes curling in an attempt to block the feeling, but it did nothing to provide any relief.
“Please,” you managed to say. “I can’t take it anymore, stop it!”
To your surprise, they did. Your begging usually only turned them on more, and you doubted they were truly going to stop.
Stu positioned himself between your thighs, pushing them apart so he could bring his face to your pussy, looking up at you with those sweet blue eyes.
Billy’s hands came to grab your breasts, and you moaned softly as his thumbs brushed over your nipples.
Stu licked at your entrance teasingly before beginning to eat you out, holding your hips and easily finding your clit with his tongue.
Your head lolled back into Billy’s lap, legs spreading even wider to give Stu better access to your aching clit.
All the rough-housing, the name-calling, the teasing had gotten you so worked up, and they were finally going to give you some relief.
Or, so you thought.
Slowly, Billy’s touch became light and ticklish again, blunt fingernails tracing along the curve of your tits, up to your collarbones, down to your sides. You squirmed and laughed softly, trying to ignore it and focus on the pleasure Stu’s tongue was bringing you, but that bastard had also begun to wiggle his fingers against your hips, all while focusing the rest of his attention on your clit, causing a mixture of moans and giggles to spill from your lips.
“So pretty,” Billy murmured. “So sensitive, too. But you take it like the good girl you are, hm? You’ll take whatever we dish out, won’t you, slut?”
“Yes,” you reply, your speech slightly slurred.
“You gonna cum for us like this? Fuckin’ helpless, fuckin’ adorable…”
You whined as Stu’s mouth brought you closer to climax, and Billy’s words were certainly helping. “Yes,” you said again. “Please, make me cum…”
You felt Stu chuckle against you, the heat of his breath making you twitch.
Their fingers were still tickling, in that maddening sort of itch that made you want to crawl out of your skin more than it made you want to laugh. It kept your entire nervous system alert, buzzing like electricity as you drew closer and closer to orgasm.
“That’s our girl,” Billy said. “Begging like a good slut. You can cum baby, cum for us.”
His words were all you needed to be pushed off the edge, legs shaking as you came with a cry of pleasure.
Stu popped up from between your thighs, all wild-eyed and adorable, like he was so proud to have given you that orgasm. His lips were shining with your wetness, and Billy leaned over you to kiss it off for him.
As your boyfriends kissed, you flopped back against the carpet, breathless and spent. Your skin still tingled and you felt high off of adrenaline.
“How ‘bout we get you cleaned up, huh?” Stu said, gesturing at the sticky mess on your thighs.
You blushed. “My shower is not big enough for the three of us,” you said.
“But we could run you a bath,” Billy suggested. “And you could watch us have a little fun…You got us so fuckin’ hard.”
You could see both of their cocks straining in their pants, and grinned. “That sounds like a plan.”
An unconventional relationship, an unconventional sex life…You couldn’t care less if it was strange. It was fucking perfect.
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hmslusitania · 11 months
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“Oi. Listen up.”
Jamie keeps working the knots on his boots but he echoes in on the “yes coach” that the rest of the lads throw Roy’s direction.
“Me and Keeley are back together,” Roy says. “So I don’t want to hear about any of your friends or sisters or who the fuck ever who are single and just perfect for me, got it?”
Jamie gets halfway through wondering who on the team is ballsy enough to try and offer their sisters and single friends to Roy, but across the room, Dani is already throwing Roy a respectful salute.
“Yes, Coach,” he says.
“Well, Coach Kent, I think I speak for everybody in here when I say that we’re mighty glad to hear that,” Ted says.
“Feels like everything’s right in the universe again,” Beard agrees.
“Yeah,” Jamie mutters. “That’s all just fucking perfect.”
The only person close enough to hear him is Sam, who shoots Jamie a questioning look, both eyebrows raised.
Jamie ignores him, finally finishes with the knots in his laces, and doesn’t hurl his boots at Will, but that might only be because Will catches them gracefully and they don’t hit him.
It’s not like… Jamie isn’t, like, 100% over Keeley. He knows that. He doesn’t think he ever will be, but he doesn’t think anyone ever actually gets over their first love. Especially not when they know, without question, that they’re the one who absolutely fucked it up.
And he knows that. He had his chance with Keeley, and he fucked it, and it’s a matter of the better man winning and Roy is the better man and he won, and so Jamie does not understand why he’s suddenly feeling like someone’s kicked him in the bollocks of his heart or whatever.
It’s good. Keeley and Roy are good together and they’re two of Jamie’s favourite people and he wants them to be happy, and they’ve seemed happier when they were together and…
And so what that for a while it seemed like maybe Roy had fucked it with Keeley himself, and he and Jamie were in a club together about it. So what that they were getting close enough for Phoebe to assume Jamie was Roy’s best friend and Roy didn’t fucking tell him to his face about Keeley and put him back in the same level as the rest of the team? So fucking what, yeah? It doesn’t matter.
It matters when Roy turns up at Jamie’s at four in the morning like everything’s normal.
“The fuck is your problem?” Roy asks when Jamie just starts running rather than waiting for Roy to catch up.
“I don’t have a problem, Coach,” Jamie says, and he really shouldn’t, but it feels like a lie.
“Like fuck you don’t,” Roy says.
“You really want to pry into everything wrong with me, Coach Lasso?” Jamie shoots back.
Roy grumbles but stops prying lest Jamie — rightly — accuse him of more Ted-ness.
Jamie trains, and he runs until he can’t feel his legs anymore, and only then, when it’s past dawn, does Roy bother him about it again.
“Are you going to be weird about me and Keeley?” Roy asks.
“No,” Jamie says but that feels like a lie too. “Just thought maybe you’d tell me in person about it because we’re best friends now and all.”
Roy frowns. Jamie braces for whatever sort of rebuke Roy’s going to throw at him — that they’re not best friends, that Roy’s love life isn’t any of Jamie’s business, that Keeley’s love life definitely isn’t any of Jamie’s business anymore.
“I don’t…” Roy starts, slow enough that Jamie pauses mid stretch to stare at him. “I don’t know why I didn’t. But you’re right. And I’m sorry.”
Jamie feels his mouth fall open. It’s just blank shock.
“Don’t be a twat,” Roy scolds when he sees Jamie’s face.
“I’m not, I’m just — wow, Roy Kent apologised to me,” Jamie says. “I’m flattered.”
Roy rolls his eyes, but fond, and Jamie abruptly remembers the last time he’d claimed to be flattered. Colin, recently out to the team, and the team trying to do a headcount and figure out who else in the locker room must be queer.
Jamie’s still not sure how the rest of the lads seemed to entirely miss Trent Crimm’s rainbow mug and Dolly Parton shirt, but they had and they’d looked mostly at him.
“I guess I thought you’d be… jealous,” Roy says, snapping him back to the Richmond Green.
“Nah,” Jamie says.
“Because I know you’re still a little in love with her,” Roy points out.
“She’s Keeley fucking Jones, you don’t just get over her,” Jamie replies and falls forward to do some press ups rather than have to look Roy in the eye anymore. “But mostly I want her to be happy.”
“Yeah,” Roy says, gruff but like he gets it.
“Believe it or not, I want you to be happy to,” Jamie adds, speaking to the grass and tree roots between his hands. “Because you’re Roy fucking Kent.”
Roy doesn’t respond to that, and Jamie keeps staring at the ground. For a moment, he thinks he’s overstepped, and then Roy kicks his heels up to rest on Jamie’s back.
Jamie smiles and appreciates the burn of the extra weight in his triceps and shoulders.
“I appreciate it,” Roy says finally, and something in Jamie’s chest fractures.
It’s not like Jamie doesn’t know what bisexuality is. He’s spent enough time around Keeley that it’s come up frequently. But there’s been some sort of block that sounds a bit like his fuck of a dad between him knowing that, and knowing it about himself.
Because he finally gets it, dripping sweat into the dirt in the early summer morning. He is jealous of Roy and Keeley getting back together.
Trouble is, he has absolutely no idea if he’s jealous of Roy for getting back with Keeley, or if he’s jealous of Keeley, for getting back together with Roy.
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gffa · 1 year
Text
It’s been over half a year since I did a set of STAR WARS fic recs that weren’t pairing-focused, but I have been reading fic along the way! And sometimes you want fic that’s not about ships, no matter how much you love them, sometimes you just want to read about friendships or you want to read some cool worldbuilding or you only want the plot, and Star Wars fandom has been lovely about that. Hell, sometimes you just want to cry about how much you love the Jedi and you want to share that affection with other people, through the incredible experience of telling stores about them, like they were trying so hard and they were right about so many things and they were dying for years to try to help the galaxy, and teaching about how emotional regulation is good actually, and sometimes you want to show that through the disaster trio and sometimes you want to yell about how good Mace Windu is and sometimes you want to love frog grandpa and sometimes you want to get into a fistfight to defend Luminara’s honor and sometimes you want the whole Order sitting down to a family dinner and sometimes you want fic where Anakin and Mace actually get along and so many other things! So, here’s a collection of some excellent fic that I think most people should be able to find at least something to enjoy, whether you’re looking for fun disaster lineage shenanigans or heartbreaking pain because Star Wars Is Pain or some awesome Jedi Order worldbuilding or some all too rare Mace Windu Appreciation fic, I HOPE YOU ENJOY. WHAT KIND OF FIC YOU’LL FIND HERE: 
FICS THAT PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE WITH HOW GOOD THEY WERE
CANON-COMPLIANT (MOSTLY, UP TO A CERTAIN POINT, WHATEVER) DISASTER LINEAGE
JEDI CULTURE AND WORLDBUILDING AND CELEBRATION
I AM A PREQUELS ERA BITCH AND I’M MAKING THAT EVERYONE ELSE’S PROBLEM
FOR THE OBITINE SHIPPERS, OF WHICH I AM ONE
MULTIGENERATIONAL STAR WARS IS THE BEST STAR WARS
NOBODY NEEDS THEIR HEART TODAY ANYWAY
FRIENDSHIP WITH CANON ENDED, THIS COOL AU IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND NOW
FICS THAT PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE WITH HOW GOOD THEY WERE: ✦ fill pages with scribbled ink by magneticwave, obi-wan/padme & anakin & cast, 9.8k    A year after the Invasion of Naboo, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi is invited by Queen Amidala to return to Naboo and participate in a rite known as the Night of Fireflies. Things kind of snowball from there. ✦ Stars of Tatooine by Be_Right_Back, ahsoka & kanan & mace & rex & obi-wan & cast, 10.5k    After the end of the world, Ahsoka more or less kidnaps a child, has to air some old grievances, and tries to find whatever peace the universe can still offer. All paths in the Force lead home, eventually. ✦ A Discussion of Choices by Peppermint_Shamrock, mace & luke, 2k    Mace Windu has traveled the galaxy since the fall of the Republic, keeping out of the Empire’s sight and teaching where he can. Upon the request of a ghost of an old friend, Mace finds himself instructing Luke Skywalker, who is still reeling from the truth of Vader’s identity. CANON-COMPLIANT (MOSTLY, UP TO A CERTAIN POINT, WHATEVER) DISASTER LINEAGE: ✦ stars lean in a little closer by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & ahsoka, 3.9k    Ahsoka is struggling with nightmares after returning from Felucia, but her pesky grandmaster won’t leave her to deal with them alone ✦ Four Walls and Two Jedi by hellowkatey, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 10k    Obi-Wan and Anakin get exposed to a deadly virus and must spend two weeks in quarantine battling sickness, ghosts from the past, and worries for the future. ✦ Care, Trust, and the Force (of course) by hellowkatey, obi-wan & anakin, whump, 1.7k    Anakin takes a tumble during a battle that brings about a lot of old fears. ✦ Chains Bound and Broken by PhenomenalWoman, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 6.3k    Where Anakin goes undercover and learns that being a 9 year-old slave is not the same as being a 22 year-old slave. ✦ Anakin’s Birthday by Peach_Bitters (peachybitters), obi-wan & anakin, 1.3k    Anakin is about to celebrate his first birthday as a Jedi Padawan and Obi-Wan helps to make it special. Pure fluff. ✦ Not Much Has Changed, Except for Everything by hellowkatey, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon, time travel, 4.4k    Anakin is angry at Obi-Wan, and the Force decides to intervene by throwing him back in time. ✦ cause a commotion (jump in the ocean) by loosingletters, anakin & ahsoka, 1.2k    Ahsoka worries about finding a Master and instead finds a friend haunting the ponds in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. ✦ still much that is fair by RaineyDay, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & qui-gon & bant & tahl & cast, time travel, 21.1k    Anakin Skywalker was used to following the commands of the Force in his daily life. But a lot of the time, that didn’t really mean much. Until the day the Force nudged him to catch a kid falling through the sky- and through time. ✦ unbalanced, triumphant, and trying again by katierosefun, obi-wan & anakin, 2.6k    sometimes you just want to go home, wherever that may be. ✦ Haste Has No Blessing by Peach_Bitters (peachybitters), obi-wan & anakin, spanking, 3k    Ten-year-old Anakin Skywalker becomes impatient with the speed of his training and defies his master’s instructions. ✦ to be better by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & anakin, 1.8k    the Council has lost a planet, much to Anakin and Obi-Wan’s dismay. they’ve been tasked with finding it, but after nine hyperspace jumps and a painful discovery, Obi-Wan teaches his former Padawan one more lesson. ✦ And The War Never Sleeps by soft_but_gremlin, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 1k    As the war goes on, it gets harder to get any sleep. ✦ Keeper of the Force by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & bant & plo & vokara & cast, read the warnings, 93.9k    Thirty years before the Clone Wars began, the Force selected its Keeper. Now, in the face of the intense turmoil plaguing the galaxy, the Force acts again. Anakin just wants everything to go back to how it was before, Ahsoka doesn’t completely understand what is happening but is willing to do whatever she can to help, and Obi-Wan’s past comes back to haunt him in a way he never expected. ✦ Moving by SingManyFaces, obi-wan & anakin & plo, 3k    Obi-Wan’s new padawan is having difficulty learning to meditate but, together, they find a way to make it work. ✦ unthinkingly by katierosefun, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 1.1k    Ahsoka felt her entire body grow cold as she whirled around for them, opened her mouth to shout a warning— She saw Anakin tense first, saw him lift his face to the sky, and then his eyes met Ahsoka’s briefly—and then she saw him race for Obi-Wan, shove him out of the way, and— Ahsoka’s shout joined Obi-Wan’s. ✦ what they grow beyond by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & qui-gon, 2.7k    Obi-Wan learns there is just as much learning in teaching. ✦ Deepest Rivers by TexasDreamer01, obi-wan & anakin, 1.5k    “The deepest rivers flow with the least sound.” - Quintus Curtius Rufus ✦ Inactions Have Consequences by stolen_pen_name23, obi-wan & anakin & mace, 2k    Losing Qui-Gon was the hardest thing Obi-Wan ever endured. He can’t bear to do it to Anakin. OR: Obi-Wan tries to keep Anakin at arm’s length. It doesn’t work. ✦ Aftercare by AdaliaK, obi-wan & anakin & quinlan, spanking, 3k    When Anakin feels resentful of Obi-Wan after a punishment, “Uncle Quin” steps in and smooths things over between master & padawan. JEDI CULTURE AND WORLDBUILDING AND CELEBRATION: ✦ Festival of Light by dendral, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 8.7k    During his first year at the Jedi Temple, Anakin learns that even the Jedi celebrate holidays. ✦ Songs for Little Jedi by soft_but_gremlin, mace & jedi, ~1k    The initiates are having nightmares, so Mace sings a lullaby to comfort them. ✦ Mace Windu Appreciation Week by Redminibike1, mace & obi-wan & anakin & yoda & qui-gon & ponds & cody & cast, 12.5k    Set of unconnected ficlets for Mace Windu Appreciation Week, because he deserves it :) ✦ a thin thread of hope by wrennette, shaak & clones, ~1k    Shaak Ti introduces some cadets to one of her favourite crafts, under the guise of training. ✦ everyone comes home by nightdotlight, anakin & mace, 1.1k    Anakin laughs, drowsy with the painkillers the IV feeds into his veins, and smiles at Mace. “You’re funny,” he says. “Nobody ever says it, but— you’re funny. I like the jokes you make.” ✦ Masters and Apprentices by silveryink, obi-wan & cody & rex & cast, 1.8k    “You’re overthinking this.” Rex stared at his brother. “Okay, but – consider this, what if I’m not?” Cody snorted. “Rex. We’ve had a Padawan Commander before. We’ve also worked with cadets before. We managed with Skywalker, I’m sure that the Jedi shiny will be fine.” ✦ a comedy in four acts by jesuisdeux, obi-wan & yoda & mace & dooku & cast, time travel, 17.2k    This was what time-travel is: staring at the dark sockets of skulls everywhere your gaze lands on. Being haunted by ghosts long gone. The apprehension of the slow yet sure approach of the inevitable which is sending chills down your spine. ✦ when the world is on your side by loosingletters, obi-wan & anakin & feemor & cast, 1k    Feemor and his Padawan meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan. ✦ rah kat by js71, obi-wan & anakin & aayla, 1.6k    “Aay’shee,” Obi-Wan murmurs into her ear, rocking her gently, like when jaieh was off on a mission she couldn’t go on, so her jaieh-raheniel would take turns having her over at their apartments. ✦ Lessons on Attachment by Siri_Kenobi12, obi-wan & anakin/padme & cast, 2.7k    “Anakin once told me that a Jedi is actually encouraged to love.” She said after Obi-Wan had settled. ✦ settle down by loosingletters, yoda & jedi, 1.9k    Five times Yoda cooks for somebody and one time someone cooks for him. ✦ at our gardens (during the eye of the storm) by gingerbeer, rainsoaked_benevolence (oceans_bluem), obi-wan & shaak & mace & yoda & feemor & cast, 7k    Obi-Wan and his (almost full) family gathers to drink tea. ✦ in our kitchen (after the war) by gingerbeer, rainsoaked_benevolence (oceans_bluem), obi-wan & ahsoka & mace & yoda & depa & shaak & cast, 5.4k    Or, (almost) all of the Jedi High Councilors (plus Ahsoka) gather to eat dinner together. ✦ with our family (after the dust has settled) by gingerbeer, rainsoaked_benevolence (oceans_bluem), obi-wan & ahsoka & yoda & mace & depa & kanan & quinlan & aayla & shaak & plo & cast, 6.2k    Or, after the war ends (for real this time!), the (actually full!) Council gathers to eat mooncakes. ✦ Straw Dogs by Cymbidia, obi-wan & jedi & cast, 2.9k    An old Jedi Master imparts some wisdom concerning Mercy, Balance, and the Will of the Force to young Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi and a gaggle of other younglings. It is a lesson that haunts Obi-wan for the rest of his life. I AM A PREQUELS ERA BITCH AND I’M MAKING THAT EVERYONE ELSE’S PROBLEM: ✦ netanalo by js71, cal & tapal & rex & fives, 2.4k    The Senate had sent a child to see into the past. A Padawan, Ahsoka’s age, not much older. Rex’s heart pounded in his chest, climbing towards his throat, because damn the Senate, did they know how this would affect the kid, or did they just not care? ✦ what’s in a birthday (another year you live) by Ro29, luminara & barriss & gree & cast, 2.1k    The Jedi view life as something precious, and Commander Gree learns he has value for the simple fact that he is alive. ✦ Direct Action by silveryink, luminara & barriss & kix & cast, 4.3k    Upon investigating the health of her new battalion, Barriss discovers tumours located in all their heads. It’s a bigger problem than it appears to be. ✦ oh that dissolving light by wrennette, obi-wan/luminara, NSFW, 1.1k    Luminara and Obi-Wan enjoy an evening of relaxation together during the war. ✦ I Feel Glad When You’re Glad by Harpokrates, ahsoka & plo, 1k    Plo Koon considers his bright young charge. ✦ Non-Attachment and other Misconceptions by art_of_a_diffrent_color, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & plo & mace & qui-gon & cast, 3k wip    Plo Koon, fresh off the planet Shili with a two and a half-year-old girl in his custody, is sent to Naboo to collect the body of Qui-Gon Jinn and assess the mental health of his former Padawan. What happens that day changes everything. ✦ Battle Heavy by phoenixyfriend, anakin & padme (past anakin/padme), 2.2k    In which things are finalized, and emotions are settled. FOR THE OBITINE SHIPPERS, OF WHICH I AM ONE: ✦ atmosphere level by softredscrunchie, obi-wan/satine & qui-gon, 1k    As a joke, Satine tells Obi-Wan she thinks Mandalore is flat. He doesn’t take it well. MULTIGENERATIONAL STAR WARS IS THE BEST STAR WARS: ✦ Faith in Darkness by icarus_chained, luke & grogu & din & anakin & cast, force ghosts, 11.2k    Hindsight was perfect. And all nightmares came back, eventually. All nightmares came again. ✦ Paternal Relations by willowcrowned, obi-wan & anakin & luke, 1.2k    “No,” Vader says, “I am your father.” Every bit of the pain, the terror, and the rage that have been flooding Luke’s senses is completely drowned out by utter confusion. What, he thinks, the fuck. Oh shit, Luke thinks, Vader is my dad’s ex-husband. ✦ Burdening Fate by Be_Right_Back, obi-wan & din, 2k    There’s a wise old man standing in a field next to Din, with knowing eyes full of light. NOBODY NEEDS THEIR HEART TODAY ANYWAY: ✦ somewhere along in the bitterness by CallToMuster, obi-wan & anakin, read the warnings, 3.8k    It was probably the twelfth day floating alone in space that Obi-Wan and Anakin realized no one was coming for them. ✦ infinite sadness by billowypants, obi-wan & anakin, force ghosts, ~1k    You have always known what your purpose was in this world. Ever since you could think for yourself, you had somehow known that you were meant for infinite sadness. So what is unfolding in front of you right now makes no sense. ✦ this tired old elegy by grumpyhedgehogs, obi-wan & bly & jedi & clones, 2.4k    In which Bly is This Close to breaking out of the chip’s control by himself and Obi-Wan shows up to give him that extra push. ✦ programed to dream by ghostwriterofthemachine, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 1.3k    The spaceship Comet-rider is the fastest, most efficient vessel in the galaxy, and is crewed by Separatist-funded pirates. Anakin Skywalker is missing. Unfortunately, these two things are connected. ✦ a trolley problem for jedi by nightdotlight, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & mace & depa & kanan, 4.1k    There’s this old problem. You may have heard of it. Something about a trolley, and a person, and a lever. A choice. ✦ premonition by grumpyhedgehogs, obi-wan & anakin, 2.6k    Anakin dreams of the future. (It isn’t bright.) ✦ Betrayal by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin, read the warnings, 1.5k    Obi-Wan gets to Coruscant earlier than expected after escaping from Utapau. It changes things. ✦ Together or Not at All by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin & padme, 2.7k    In the aftermath of the Battle of Geonosis, Anakin crashes, and Obi-Wan and Padmé struggle to keep him alive long enough to get him help, all while trying to face their new reality. The reality of war. FRIENDSHIP WITH CANON ENDED, THIS COOL AU IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND NOW: ✦ strip away my conscience (peel away my values) by gostaks, obi-wan & anakin & palpatine, sith!obi-wan, 1k    Obi-Wan Kenobi is an onion—he has layers. Beneath those layers, growing blacker every day, is the seed of the Republic’s fall. ✦ i am his brother, and i love him well by egeria, obi-wan/satine & anakin/padme, modern au, 2.9k    Anakin introduces Padmé to Obi-Wan. It goes well. Not that Anakin believes that. ✦ Tolnah kodaih kat delo anohrah'ak by loosingletters, obi-wan & anakin & jango & boba & cast, 4.2k wip    The one where Shmi is Jango’s older half-sister, Obi-Wan is raising a Mandalorian Padawan and Palpatine’s plans get ruined because four-year-old Boba Fett loves his cousin. ✦ No Death, Only the Force by ExtraPenguin, anakin & mace & depa & shmi, body swap, 2.8k    Anakin Skywalker is just about to to free his mother from the Tuskens when the Force rudely yanks him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant – and into Mace Windu’s body. Mace, on the other hand, gets tossed into Anakin’s body on Tatooine.
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cod-fishing · 4 months
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Part 1 | Part 2
Once Price realizes his not-so-platonic attachment to his soldiers, he is immediately wary of Ghost.
The man has always had an uncanny ability to sense another’s intentions, and while Price is exceptional at keeping secrets, necessary for the trade, he isn’t so sure he can keep this one from Simon Riley.
If it was just Simon, he would maybe be able to bank on the man’s own blind spot - but his sergeant as well? One reason Price was actually okay with the two of them together in the first place was because he knew Ghost would watch out for Soap better than anyone else.
Unfortunately, that meant that Prices developing attachment would be spotted the instant he showed any kind of change in his behavior. His giant idiotic feelings would be like a flare to Ghost, no buts about it. He can’t let anything slip through unintentionally. Anything.
And so that very first time he allows himself to picture sweet Johnny mactavish, strung out on the efforts of his Simon…the first time he looses himself in the sweet taste of their names on his lips, sweat cooling on his brow and the evidence of his damnation starting to stick in his happy trail, he knows he needs a plan.
Either way, he’s probably fucked. Of all the things to get court martialled over… But he can at least try to do this with any sense of coordination, instead of bumbling into it like those two idiots did.
That’s why they made him captain, after all.
So after half heartedly mopping the spend off his hand, he pulls out his notebook, and starts writing. He scribbles until his hand cramps, into the early hours of the morning. He tries to think of every possible scenario, every way he could manipulate things into working out even marginally well. But no matter how he plays with these puzzle pieces, the best he can figure is this:
There’s no way he can hide this for long. He either has to break up the team, or sink with the ship.
Cause attraction? He could hide that. He’s been doing it for years without even realizing it, he could slip that coat back on no problem. But now that his attraction has made him realize how massive of a weak point soap and ghost are for him…how much he cares, god damn it, he doesn’t think he can keep it out of his eyes.
He knows the second he sees them again, he’ll be bending towards them like a flower to the sun, and Ghost will fucking know.
Maybe…maybe it’ll go okay, he allows himself to think. Maybe they’ll nod, and soap will smile that coy, mischievous smile, and step closer. He’ll look back to Ghost, silently asking for permission from the alabaster wall of a man. Ghost will hum, always a sucker for whatever soap wants, and the sergeant will smile, and call him Captain, and fall to his knees, and -
And Simon Riley will fist a hand in that infuriating Mohawk and make soap gag on Price’s cock then and there. “We’ve got you, sir,” Simon would say. “See how good he is?”
And Price would nod, and moan at the site of them both, and lean in and whisper into Simon’s ear what he’s always wanted to tell him.
You’re good, too, Simon. So good. So good for me. Both of you. My boys.
Fuck. There’s no way this goes well.
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non-plutonian-druid · 4 months
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look guys i actually did some spirit designs
[ID: the Hargreeves' spirits in the Paranatural au - or at least, the five of them that are kids in this au.
Luther's is an ape that looks like his body from the comics. Diego's is a creature that looks a bit like a small porcupine. Allison's is a large snake with its mouth duct taped shut. Klaus' is a blue raccoon with three eyes and a pink tail, and Viktor's is based off of the White Violin from the comics, except its head transforms into reaching arms. End ID.]
sorry, the ID got REALLY long this time. that's a summary for anyone scrolling, theres a more detailed one under the cut!
[ID: Luther's spirit is labelled First Simian In Space: THE MARTIAN APE. He looks like the ape that supplied Luther's body in the comics, drawn in the paranatural style; blue, with one eye. He is wearing an astronaut helmet and sitting in a coin operated rocket ship that is much too small for it. He has transformed the world around him into a scifi martian landscape; cardboard standups with doors and lockers scribbled on them are the only indication of the real world. Luther is sprawled on the ground staring in shock, while the Martian Ape says "Y'know, you should totally just kill your dad".
Diego's spirit is a very small creature that looks a bit like a porcupine.
Panel 1: Diego holds his spirit in his hands and says, "So, what's your name?". His spirit responds "I am called..."
Panel 2: A caption appears; Projectile Extraordinaire: KRAKEN. The image is in full color, focusing on Kraken, which glowers cutely and shows off her spines.
Panel 3: The same shot as panel one, except Diego now looks very skeptical. He says "..." and then "Why." Kraken responds "It sounded cool."
Allison's spirit is a giant green snake coiled around a tree branch, with a pattern down his back that looks like open mouths.
The first two images are centered on Allison, who is scowling in both. Someone unseen says "It can force people to do things, honey!" and "It's too dangerous to leave you alone with it." and finally, "So we fixed it."
The final image is of the spirit. He is captioned Muzzled Mind Controller: THE RUMOR. His mouth has been duct taped shut. He does not look pleased.
Klaus' spirit is a blue raccoon with dark purple legs and a fluffy striped pink tail. It also has three eyes.
Panel 1: The large colored closeup of Klaus' spirit. It is captioned Mystical Conartist: THE SEANCE.
Panel 2: Klaus asks it "With a name like that, what's your power?" The Seance, its nose just high enough to fit into frame, replies, "Oh, I can sense ghosts"
Panel 3: Klaus looks supremely unimpressed. In the background, a ghost says "Hi" to Allison and Luther, and they say "Oh, hey" back.
Panel 4: Klaus asks, "Seriously?"
Panel 5: The Seance, viewed from above, says "Hey, I can sense them even when they're not visible! Like behind walls and stuff!"
Panel 6: The Seance adds "Also I can float." It is demonstrating, floating about eye level with Klaus and emitting a cloud of cyan spectral energy as it does so. Klaus looks more pleased with this and says "Okay, that one's pretty good."
Viktor's spirit is a Wight, a spirit so warped by rage and pain that it has permanently been changed, its spectral energy has become white, and has gained massive, devastating power. It looks a lot like the design of the White Violin in the comics, but it manifests too many or too few arms from where its head should be.
There are three images of it. In the first, it is kneeling. It has manifested six arms in varying degrees of completeness, and all of them look sad.
In the second, the matter of its head has split into many small pieces that almost look like parts of mouths, save for two clawing hands. It screams, in the Wight spirit language from Paranatural, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME.
In the third, the largest, its knees buckle as it stands and manifests one reaching hand. It is captioned Violent White: THE WHITE VIOLIN. End ID]
#tua#the umbrella academy#luther hargreeves#diego hargreeves#allison hargreeves#klaus hargreeves#uhhhh...#vanya hargreeves#?#thats definitely not viktor. and its not REALLY vanya either but it IS made to look like her#space boy#the kraken#the rumor#the seance#the white violin#i feel like those are all fair game#some notes in no particular order:#look i did a spirit language from the webcomic! literally the easiest one to make (and read) but still!#its called Wight Wail btw bc Paranatural is mostly puns by weight#omg guys should i do something where delores speaks in Cursed Words?#in order to speak cursed words you have to have killed people but. she deserves it#i accidentally made most of these just An Animal which is super boring of me. so designs might be revisited. but this is where we're at rn!#also after i finished lining almost all of them i wore out my wrist and have been waiting like a week for it to heal enough to draw#i can do most of the heavy lifting of coloring and shading left handed which helped stave off the boredom#but it still hurts and its been a week and i WANT TO BE DONE so i gave up on ever lining klaus' and colored the sketch i had#there was stuff i wanted to fix and change but... well nevermind doing that i guess lol#also hence the typed text instead of handwritten. i would have used the sketch text but that was ACTUALLY illegible#oh yeah also#i discovered on my review of the title cards for the spirits of Paranatural that they have descriptors on top of their names#and paranatural already has a white//wight thing going on with wights having white energy so i was like... lets lean into it.
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roseyjustice · 8 months
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I attempted a 3rd steel soul run and died in the city of tears so heres my s/i as i cope with all my almost 2-3 hrs of lost progress ;;
They’re a bee who may be part of the grimm troupe ! Hes a performer who specializes in theater and poetry ^^
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flightfoot · 4 months
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ML Fanfic recs for 2023: 2K - 5K Words
So I’ve been going through and adding particularly good fics I’ve read throughout the year. Only Complete fics, of course. Enjoy!
An uncaffeinated Marinette makes for an easily misunderstood Marinette.
Luka’s a ghost. Naturally, he does some haunting. He didn’t expect to fall in love along the way.
Nathaniel keeps trying to confess his feelings to Ivan. Marc keeps trying to sabotage those attempts in order to confess his own feelings. Why does it seem like things never go right?
Cat Walker’s under orders to fight Ladybug. That doesn’t stop Adrien from helping his girlfriend.
Zoe and Kagami discuss the intricacies of relationships while being mildly inconvenienced by zombies.
Kagami awakens to find herself in a house with a zombie. This is less of a problem than you might think.
Sabine keeps having nightmares about Ladybug and Chat Noir killing Marinette. She has some basis to worry.
All this and more below the break!
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They fill you with the faults they had. And add some extra, just for you by @unecoccinellenoire 
The thing is, Adrien Agreste isn’t a sentimonster. That’s the problem.
It’s left ambiguous exactly what’s happening, but... instead of the characters who’re canonically sentis being controlled, it looks like another method’s been used to keep them under their parents thumb. Basically, that what we thought were the kids amoks’ were actually used to brainwash more generally. Which leads to some complicated ethical questions for Adrien, since he now holds the rings. Especially since he can now use the rings on others the way they were used on him. 
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what if we got married in the park by my house in the middle of the school year by @wooawi
Marinette comes up with an ingenious plan to take Adrien away from Gabriel's garbage parenting.
This was just fun. Of course Marinette’s immediate plan to get Adrien away from his garbage family is to make him part of her own. It’s hilarious and adorable and Adrien rocks the wedding dress!
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Slip of the Tongue (And Not Enough Caffiene) by That_WildChild
Marinette is tired. Marinette is also uncaffeinated. This is not a good combination.
A sleepy Marinette accidentally suggests that she shares her bed with Ladybug. At least she's protecting her identity?
Pure Crack.
Ah, sweet, sweet crack! I giggled during the story. Marinette is “fucking Ladybug” indeed. At least her classmates are supportive! 
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See This Chance by @19thsentry-blog
Luka died in 2016. Yep. Crushed by the Arc de Triumph when Mayura’s Robustus slammed into it. It was kind of a big deal, but once you’re dead, you’re dead—especially when there’s no Lucky Charm to bring you back.
Luka’s been dealing with it in the typical ways.
Written for FeLuka week 2023.
Yes, this is FeLuka. Not one of the typical ships I read, but I ain’t opposed to it, and this is a nice foray into the pairing. I love ghost AUs! Luka’s just fumbling around, unsure what to do with his incorporeal existence, until he starts haunting Felix. It’s an intriguing plot and I gotta admit, I wish it was longer so it could be fleshed out more, but what’s here is good.
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Confession Plans of Questionable Sanity by yellow14
Nathanael Kurtzberg has a confession to make. He's in love with his big classmate Ivan. With the help of Marc, Marinette, Adrien and Nino, he's going to confess, using increasingly complicated schemes.
Marc meanwhile, is busy coming up with even more complicated schemes to sabotage those schemes so he can confess HIS feelings for his redheaded friend.
Nothing could POSSIBLY go wrong with this, right?
Written for the March 2023 gift exchange on the Miraculous Fanworks Discord forum for CassieTheweirdWolf.
This fic’s just really funny. These kids love to make things waaaaay harder than they need to be. But hey, everything ends up working out in the end, even if it’s not the way they planned!
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at our wedding by @anna-scribbles
“Chloé,” Adrien said slowly, “At our wedding, are we gonna have to…”
“No!” Chloé shook her head firmly. “We don’t have to kiss. We can do whatever we want. It’s our wedding.”
“Oh, good,” Adrien sighed.
“You have to kiss at a wedding,” Félix argued.
“I don’t have to do anything and you’re not the boss of me!” Chloé shouted.
“Yeah!” Adrien grinned. He grabbed Chloé’s hand again. “Yeah, it’s our wedding.”
//
Adrien and Chloé, wedding planning through the years.
Despite what the summary sounds like, this is NOT a Chloe/Adrien fic - this concentrates on their platonic relationship (and a bit with Felix, he shows up a few times) throughout the years. I especially liked seeing Chloe’s reaction to Adrien coming to school and making friends besides her, being jealous and feeling abandoned, and how she finally had a breakdown over Adrien somehow staying nice despite everything, while she... hasn’t. It’s a great character study!
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Showing Love by @generalluxun
After the fiasco of Queen Wasp is over, Marinette knows what she had to do. If she just brings Chloé and her mother together, all will be fixed. A mother's love is just the thing to turn Chloé around, and it all must really just be a misunderstanding right?
Nothing else makes sense.
Marinette's mistake was forgetting that life never has to make sense, but she's Ladybug, and when one path closes she finds another.
I love Marinette really comprehending how little Audrey cares about Chloe here, and taking Chloe home with her to show her what a family should be like, reaching out to her even after everything. It’s just really nice.
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the legend of the firefly by @agnes-writes
“She’s… beautiful.
If he were to describe her, he’d say that they bottled summer in her eyes, and painted the night sky in her hair. Her lips are curved into a wistful smile, eyes trailing the thicket of trees where Adrien stands.
Her gaze sets his heart stuttering in his chest as it softens, and Adrien almost believes that look is meant for him.”
OR: A pair of lovers create a romance that transcends time, and leaves a mark like no other.
This is an incredibly well-written folk tale, one that I highly recommend anyone who loves mythological, folktale, fantasy, etc AUs for Adrienette to read! It’s on the shorter side, but woven so perfectly that it packs an outsized punch, and feels like it belongs in one of those collections of folk tales and myths I read as a kid! 
Adrien’s a god, gifting prosperity to those under his protection, but never interacting with them... until a farm girl catches his eye.
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The Cat’s Out of the Purse by The_Rabbit42
Adrien just took the ring off to be safe.
Plagg just got bored and wanted to annoy Tikki.
Rose just opened her purse and SURPRISE!
Ladybug just wants to get the ring back to her partner.
This was a fun fic, never seen Rose and Plagg interact like this before! It’s a treat getting more Rose and Plagg focus in general of course, but I really like their relationship here. Plagg’s really good with his wielders in general, and I love how he emphasizes that while he needs to get back to Chat Noir, while Rose is transformed with him, she’s as much her own wielder as he is. It reminds me of how he acted with Zoe, Plagg’s just a treasure XD
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home is where the fight is by @rosie-b
Nadja Chamack’s voice greeted Adrien as he sat up straight, wiping his clammy hands on his pants and ignoring the black kwami floating by his shoulder.
“—shocked to see our heroine fall in battle today, taking a direct hit from the akuma just as she detransformed. Parisians are torn between blaming Hawk Moth and Cat Walker for their roles in this tragedy, which ultimately revealed the civilian identity of Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
Adrien turned off the TV and lowered his head as his vision blurred.
Written for Ladrien June Day 7: Injured
I adore this fic! Which shouldn’t be a a surprise, it’s no secret that I love Sentiadrien Enemies AU. Adrien’s so worried about Marinette getting hurt, and wishes that he could help keep her safer, could tell her what’s really going on or get rid of the ring or something, but he can’t. Still, he IS able to find clever ways around some of his father’s more problematic orders. Loopholes for the win!
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Attack of the Crystal Zombies by @trainsinanime
Kagami had spent more and more time hanging out with Zoé, talking about things like families, expectations and crushes on Marinette. It was only natural, probably, that she would help Zoé practice flirting. That was definitely a great idea.
Granted, the deadly Akuma battle around them was a bit of an issue…
Quality Zoegami fic here! I loved how Kagami kept thinking she was bad at flirting, but it was sure working on Zoe XD. The akuma attack going on around them, interweaving with their conversation, added a bit of spice to the whole affair!
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Closure by @bisexually-finger-guns
After the events of “Trust”, Alya tries to find closure.
I love this. A lot of the time, only the effects of Lila’s lies and manipulation on Marinette is explored, with the feelings of the people she tried to trick and use, with the Miracuclass and Alya in particular, ignored, downplayed, or even used to just rail at the kids for being gullible.
Not so here. Alya gets to go to a school counselor and talk about her feelings about Lila manipulating her, using her. Ladybug even gives her the Fox Miraculous to try a Burn-letter therapy technique on, telling an illusion of Lila everything she wants to say to her in order to get some closure. 
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Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite! by 55Anon
In which Hawkmoth is defeated by a strike.
So basically, Parisians get pissed at Hawkmoth and decide that hey, maybe they can’t stop him themselves, and they can’t just stay entirely positive at all times, but they sure as hell can direct every bit of their hatred and anger at him so that if he akumatizes one of them, they make a beeline for his lair. Hawkmoth didn’t stand a chance against the contempt of Paris!
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All Of Them? Every Single One? by @liiinerle
It turns out that Marinette loves a lot more people than she'd initially thought.
This is hilarious and adorable. Tikki lays out how Marinette has a crush on basically every girl she’s met - and even girls she doesn’t know are girls yet XD. 
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Anchor by @liiinerle
“Marinette. Please take that sabre out of your neck.”
“Right. Thanks. I forgot it was there.” She grabbed hold of the guard and pulled; the blade slid out like it had only been run through butter. After dropping it on the floor, she picked up one of the teacups and picked up a biscuit from a tin she’d brought in; she placed the biscuit on the saucer plate and handed the whole thing to Kagami, who could only really resign herself to accepting it.
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Marinette has raised Kagami from the dead, and also happens to be dead herself. It turns out some bad choices were made in the past. But that doesn't mean they'll lead to bad outcomes for them now.
I love this, Marinette’s incredibly blase about being a zombie - which makes sense, given how long she’s had to get used to the idea. And she’s waited so long, tried so hard to bring Kagami back as well, though if she didn’t WANT to be back, she’d accede to that request. Luckily, Kagami doesn’t seem to mind as long as she’s with Marinette XD.
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safe and sound by Lady_Bryght
A crazed fan is stalking Adrien with violent intentions, and Ladybug is determined to protect him. When the school goes on lockdown and Marinette can't transform, she does her best to keep him safe without the use of a miraculous.
So this is a bit of a suspenseful thriller with a twist ending - well, sort of an ending, it’s a oneshot so far with an ambiguous ending that reveals what’s going on, but not how things actually resolve. It’s the sort of story where, after you see the ending, you look back through the story for foreshadowing. Can’t really go much more in detail, without spoiling the twist.
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Worth Your Time by @pearl484-blog
After the events of the Season 4 finale, Adrien leaves a series of voicemails for Felix after learning he is missing. Just because Felix is out of sight, doesn't mean he's out of mind for his cousin.
Entry for Adrien AUGreste prompt: Rings
I’d honestly forgotten about Adrien being told by Amelie that Felix was missing, and how that might have affected him. He doesn’t know that Felix is okay - he just knows that Felix disappeared after giving the Miraculous to Monarch, and that not even his mom (supposedly) knows where he is. So naturally, he fears the worst, and after awhile of leaving voicemails and not getting replies, he almost starts using the voicemails as a diary of sorts about the various events of season 5 - up until Emotion that is, for obvious reasons.
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the less I seek my source for some definitive by katrinette
When the akuma manages to smash a hole in the hull of the colony ship that's supposed to be unbreakable, Ladybug has to take drastic action to keep everyone safe.
This is an interesting sci-fi AU! Ladybug and Chat Noir pilot the last few fighter ships of their colony ship, the only defense against the akumas that keep on appearing and attacking the ship. But when one of the akumas smashes a hole in the ship, well Ladybug is willing to go to extreme measures to make sure everyone doesn’t die from the depressurization - measures that do not include any regard for her own safety, much to Chat’s displeasure.
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Guilty by Association by @rosie-b
Marinette respected Adrien’s strength and courage more and more every day. No matter how many times people threw nasty words or literal tomatoes at him; no matter how many companies refused to work with him anymore; no matter how clear it was becoming that he would never be forgiven for his father’s crimes, he chose to greet new people with a smile and hope that this time, someone would recognize the kind heart hidden behind his hated name.
She wished she’d had the chance to meet him before she’d accidentally ruined his life.
Written for the Ml Writers Guild September event 'back to school'
I love how Marinette keeps reaching out to Adrien, trying to protect him, even if it doesn’t always work. To let him know that she’s in his corner at least. Hawk Moth had to be taken down, but the consequences for Adrien... she never wanted anyone to get hurt in the process. 
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The Supreme Movers by PearlO_O
Continuation of Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir.
Adrien and Marinette battle with the emotional aftermath of meeting their alternate selves.
This was an excellent follow-up to the Paris Special! To be clear, the Adrien and Marinette here are Claw Noir and Shady Bug, not the ones from the show we’ve been following all this time. I really liked Adrien and Marinette reflecting and recontextualizing how their parents have been acting in more positive ways, and getting more positive responses in turn, along with them reassessing how they’ve been acting and reaching out to Alya and Nino. There’s this theme of “it doesn’t matter who we were or what mistakes we made, but who we want to be and that we keep moving forward”.
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Keep Me Safe Inside by RoFair
Adrien Agreste, formally known as Claw Noir attempts to get to know the girl he admires behind the mask of the reformed Shadybug. He has a plan, but it is derailed by a blonde bully.
I love how smitten Adrien is with Marinette! He might have a lot of bravado as Claw Noir, but he’s kinda shy as a civilian. Of course, that all goes out the window when Marinette needs help - like when she’s being bullied and is nearing a breakdown.
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delicate in every way but one by katrinette
When Marinette finds a wanted ad that provokes just enough questions in her mind that she can't help answering it, the reward is sweeter than she could have imagined.
I love the little bit of worldbuilding we get here about vampire society, and Adrien’s usual awkward adorableness in asking Marinette for a certain necessary favor. It’s always neat to see such familiar characterization in a supernatural setting like this.
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Lost Feather by @a-flaming-idiot
Sabine has always liked and respected Ladybug and Chat Noir. They've always been wonderful heroes and inspirations to all of Paris and she wouldn't trade them for the world. But that isn't to say she didn't begin to get worried when the heroes of Paris made it their mission to destroy all sentimonsters in their path. Though she knew they never would, it was hard to not worry for the safety of her daughter.
I liked this glimpse of what might happen if Marinette was a sentimonster as well! Poor Sabine, of course she’d have nightmares about the Heroes of Paris killing her daughter. While she likes and respects the Heroes and understands why they’ve been killing sentimonsters, given that the ones Shadow Moth spawns often don’t even seem sentient and are wreaking havoc, she’s still afraid for Marinette, that Ladybug might purify her Amok without ever considering that Marinette might be an actual person.
---
Partners in [Chaos] by @aidanchaser
Griffe Noire's needs no excuse to crash a fashion show competition, but when he sees the baker from his favorite bakery is involved, he decides to shift from spreading destruction to a different sort of chaos. He's not ready for her to see through him better than he knows himself.
Remixed from Partners in Clown by MiaBrown
I love Adrien’s portrayal here, how he lies to himself about how bad the cracks are getting, while also relishing them in a way, feeling like he’s living because of the self-harm he’s inflicting every time he unleashes a Cataclysm, it fits with his portrayal in the special. I like Marinette here too, you can see a bit of her vulnerabilities in this piece, though it’s not in her POV so she’s out of focus.
---
Perfect by @deinde_prandium
It’s Adrien and Marinette’s wedding day! On site to ensure the event goes perfectly is their friend and famed wedding planner Kagami Tsuguri, and so far all has been going according to plan. There's just one problem: no one ever told her about Adrien, Marinette, and their struggles with automatic doors. Add to this the fact that Marinette’s determination to play matchmaker between her and a certain wedding singer…
Needless to say, Kagami is not pleased.
This is mostly a Kagami-centric fic, with a touch of Lukagami at the end. I loved the callback to Adrienette’s automatic door troubles, and Kagami and Luka being sneaky XD. 
---
Patrolling with a friend for Christmas by @seasofsilver
Adrien just wanted to gift his Lady some time off and hang out more with Marinette during the festive season - it didn't exactly go to plan, but somehow ended up... better?
This was adorable! Chat Noir tries to give Ladybug a break by recruiting Multimouse to replace her on patrols for a bit, and Ladybug returns the favor by recruiting Aspik to replace Chat. Yep, it’s Snekmouse!
---
Far-Fetched Plans by @cravingcraze
“While that’s true, and I was going to bring that up, I wanted to talk about… when Wishmaker hit you,” he sat up and looked at Felix with… concern? Why was he concerned for him?
“You only care about my secret identity,” Felix deflected. No, there was no way fucking Viperion, Luka Couffaine of all people was worried about him.
(It was hard to imagine anyone working with Ladybug worried about him.)
So this is an intriguing prospect. Gabriel’s forcing Felix to work with him to try and get Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s Miraculous, something Felix isn’t thrilled about. But Luka finds out Felix’s secret identity, and decides to try and help him to break free.
---
Life with a Stolen Slime by RustyAce
Sharp, dagger-like stabs from his stomach made the small creature whimper as they curled into himself. Hunger. A frequent state he should be used to by now, but a painful one nonetheless. His gelatinous form was nearly a ball as he tried to self soothe himself, with just portions of slime forming ears and a tail that stuck out of his main body. Usually this worked, but the slime made a distressed moan as they pressed their forehead against his glass prison.
Oh, how he wished he could escape this jar he was in. The humans never came often enough to give him enough food, or even to let him out to stretch his legs. No, instead they carefully opened the jar’s lid just enough to slip some disgusting trash into it with some forceps. They, it seemed, did not appreciate his surprisingly sharp bites or scratches when they first brought him here. A shame.
The slime let out a small sigh, their eyes closing in an attempt to fall asleep to ignore his hunger. Perhaps if he fell asleep, he would wake up to them bringing him food.
So this fic is based off the Reverse world presented in the Paris special. Claw Noir’s a small cat-slime that’s being held captive in a jar, until Marinette eventually rescues him and puts him in a bigger container and feeds him better food at least. It’s cute, and it makes me curious about the setting of this story (like where he came from and why humans were keeping him captive, along with how Marinette stumbled across him), and where the story might go from here (this is a oneshot, but I’d love to see this explored more, if you can’t tell).
---
Changeling by @unecoccinellenoire
Gabriel makes the Wish believing that he regretted everything with Adrien. The results suggest that he in fact regrets Adrien
So this is interesting. It’s giving a glimpse into a universe where Gabriel and Emilie never found the Peacock Miraculous, and they (along with Amelie and Colt) just adopted. Which unfortunately meant that Adrien and Felix as we know them never existed, and Gabriel finds that he misses his original son, which is especially acute when interacting with his new adopted son and knowing how much he’s NOT Adrien.
---
Here for now, but I can see the better days by @nirby-wirby
Now, laying on his bed with only the soft light of a bedside lamp illuminating the room, he felt guilt eating at him from inside his chest. His miraculous burned on his finger, a reminder of what he’d given up. Of what had somehow led to his father helping Ladybug and dying in the process. The guilt was suffocating, building more and more until he felt like all that was left of him was guilt.
———— Or: Adrien deals with the grief and guilt of losing his father with some help. Set post-s5 finale and written for the ML Secret Santa Exchange of 2023
I love the support Adrien gets here, both from Nathalie in a more motherly role, and from his friends. He even tells Nathalie his secret identity, which gets her thinking about how badly Adrien got screwed over. Especially with him feeling guilty over Gabriel’s fate, when she knows he has no reason to.
---
Under the Umbrella by @fruitdragon1a
Almost everyone has a soulmate. What are Adrien and Marinette supposed to do when they meet theirs?
ML Secret Santa gift for Mei! Merry Christmas!
Thank you to Now Loading and Rewan Demontay for beta reading this fic!
So this is a version of soulmarks I haven’t seen before. Around age six, soulmates get a soulmark that shows what their soulmate is thinking when they first meet them. Though I guess it doesn’t register while transformed, since it only counts for this one when Adrien and Marinette meet as civilians, and not when they first meet as superheroes.
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dragon-kazansky · 7 months
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Spirit of the sea
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Izzy Hands x Reader (GN)
You were a member of Blackbeard's crew long ago. Then you became a ghost story. Izzy Hands only sees you in his dreams these days, until he sees you for real when investigating Stede Bonnet. This sets him on a rollercoaster of emotions between you and what his captain is doing.
{Masterlist}
{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}
Warnings: Swearing. Mostly Izzy, sometimes you, but mostly Izzy. Angst too.
Chapter Five - Rocky waters
♡♡♡
We've been almost a fortnight aboard the Revenge... and I'm beginning to suspect that Edward nas no intention of ending Stede Bonnet's life.
If I didn't know better... I'd say he's somehow become seduced by this imbecile.
You catch Izzy writing in his journal as you walk past his cabin. He had been rather quiet the past couple days, at least as far as you were concerned anyway. He hasn't noticed you in the doorway. You smile at the sight of the wooden sparrow on his desk. You knew he would like it.
You know that the longer Izzy is aboard this ship, the worse it gets for him. You've kind of adapted to the way the crew do things round here. It's a change of pace from your days on Blackbeard's crew.
As Izzy scribbles away, you decide to interrupt gently. With a soft knock to his already open door, you smile as he lifts his head to look at you. He snaps his journal shut and drops it beside him on his cot.
"What do you want?" He asks, trying to look annoyed by your interruption, but you can see through him.
"Thought I'd come check on you. Everything good?"
"Just peachy," he let's out an exasperated sigh. You chuckles softly as step into the room with one foot.
"We'll be off this ship soon. Sailing back aboard the Queen Anne leaving ruin in our wake. Doing things we used to do."
Izzy stares silently into space at the thought.
You step a little closer to his bed and take a seat. You can see how tired he is. The man never seems to stop: always working, never resting.
"When was the last time you slept?" You ask him.
"Last night."
"All night?"
He eyes flicker up to meet yours. He looks less than impressed, but he also can't hide anything from you. The sigh that escapes his nose tells you enough.
"I know you hate it here, and that you want Blackbeard back so we can return to our ship and our life, but you also need to give it time, Izzy."
"It's been a fucking weeks."
"I know, but surely he has a plan. He's our Blackbeard."
"That's the problem," Izzy starts. "I don't think he's our Blackbeard anymore. I think he's been seduced by Bonnet."
"Seduced?"
"Last night... last night I was up on deck. I could hear them. They were... I'm pretty sure they were fucking."
"Out in the open?" You ask, wide eyed.
"Sounded like it."
"Ew, Izzy, why were you listening to them?"
"It wasn't on purpose!" He groans. "I think Edward might be... in love with this guy."
You fall silent as you think about it. It made sense in a way. Edward was always where Stede was. They kept in the same cabin. They talked constantly. They were always looking art each other.
"Well shit..."
"Exactly!" Izzy huffs.
"I mean... Is it that bad if he is?" You ask him.
Izzy stares at you. "Bad? It's a fucking disaster."
You gaze down at your lap. "He's the happiest I've seen him in ages."
"It's pathetic."
You glance up at Izzy. "Love? Or the fact you're losing Blackbeard to Bonnet?"
Izzy glares at you.
You stand up from his bed and move over to the door. You glance back at Izzy. "I would be so lucky to have what they do."
Izzy watches you leave. He stares confused at the space you occupied only moments ago. Your words and the expression on your face, it felt strange to him. What did you mean by that? Were you jealous of Edward? No, that was nonsense. Izzy knows you better than that.
Izzy thinks he knows you better than that.
♡♡♡
One of the crew's favourite things to do was tell stories. If it wasn't Stede reading them a fairytale, it was telling ghost stories.
It was entertaining, even if they didn't always make sense.
You were sat on the steps near where Izzy stood with Ivan and Fang. You could hear them talking behind you. You were watching Ed where he sat by Stede. The latter was telling one of his ghost stories.
"So, is the plan off?" Ivan asks.
"Yeah, I reckon we're not killing this guy now." Fang chimes in.
"The plan is very much alive." Izzy says. "He promised me."
You listen to them.
"It just seems that he's having an awfully nice time," Fang says, looking at Izzy. "I mean, look at him. He's telling ghost stories."
"This is the most open and available I've ever seen him." Ivan states.
You sigh and get up, walking last the crew and heading below deck. Izzy watches you go, not once looking away until you were out of sight.
♡♡♡
You're sitting in your dark little corner when you head footsteps coming toward you then stopping. You don't have to look up to know it's Izzy.
"You alright?" He asks.
"Yeah."
He sees the way you're sitting with your knees up, arms draped over them. You're not even looking at him. He sighs quietly.
"You're not. What is it?"
"Nothing, Izzy."
"You can talk to me, ya know."
You glance up at him. You can't read him for his blank expression. You're not sure what he is trying to do.
"What happens if Edward doesn't kill him?"
"Then I'll take matters into my own hands."
"Will Edward even let you?" You ask.
"Does it matter? We'll get our captain back and we can go back to our lives. We... we can be a crew again."
"We're not a crew now?" You gaze up at him.
"Not with this lot."
You turn your eyes away from him and Izzy exhales through his nose in a sound of slight desperation. He doesn't want you to turn away from him.
He says your name softly. "This isn't our home."
When you say nothing he clenches his jaw and walks away. You listen to his footsteps fade. When you're sure he's gone you sigh.
♡♡♡
You stand on deck the next morning as the ship is shrouded in fog. The crew of the Revenge have no idea what's going on, but you sailed with Blackbeard long enough to know.
A Fuckery, as he liked to call it.
You lean against the railing of the ship as you wait. Once Stede arrives, dressed in pretty pyjamas and gown, Edward demonstrates the art of "Fuckery", which leads to the Swede jumping over the side of the ship.
Ed promptly stops his theatrics so someone can get the Swede back onboard.
Izzy promptly comes out, looking up at Ed who is still hanging from the mast. "May I have a word?" He asks, grabbing at Blackbeard's boot.
"It's a bit like theatre, isn't it, Ed? Theatre of fear!"
"Ha, theatre of fear, love that!" Ed grins back at Stede.
"His name is Blackbeard, dog!"
"Well, I'll leave you to it. It looks like there's trouble in paradise." Stede walks off.
You stick around just long enough to see Izzy try and help Ed, but he gets fed up after being caught between his legs. Izzy storms off leaving Edward hanging.
Ed looks at you.
"Help?"
You shake your head and walk off too. He can get out of his own mess.
You follow Izzy to find him with Fang and Ivan. He looks at you as you get closer to him. There is something about the way he is looking at you that sends your heart thumping.
"Where's Blackbeard?" He asks.
"Hanging out."
Izzy doesn't react, but Fang giggles and Ivan grins.
"You with us?" Izzy asks.
"Izzy..."
"No. It's important that I know you're with us," he says. "You don't want to stay with this lot, do ya? You're so much more than they are. You're wasted on a crew like this." Izzy speaks softly, almost gentle. This isn't like him at all.
"Why is this suddenly about me?"
"I-"
Izzy is cut off by Edward entering. You turn around to see him looking less than impressed.
"You left me hanging." He looks at you with a flat expression. You don't even react. "What the fuck's all this?"
"Do you remember your policy about let's aboard your vessel?" Izzy asks.
"Pets? Yeah. No pets. They befoul the ship."
"You know what else you said?" Ivan asks. "You said the love of a pet makes a man weak."
"I said that?"
"Yeah, when I joined your crew, you made me put my dog down." Fang tells him.
"Yeah, OK. Well, yeah, vaguely... remember that."
"So, here's the rub. Me and the boys, we think you've begun to view Bonnet as a sort of a pet." Izzy says. "You're in too deep, Edward. Beat thing to do, end it quick."
"The longer you wait, the harder it gets..." Fang says, getting upset. Ivan holds Fang as he cries.
You stand between Izzy and Edward, not sure what to do. Edward walks off, making it a bit easier on you.
Izzy turns his eyes to you and then follows Edward out.
You look at Fang and step closer.
"There there, Fang. It's okay."
"He's in doggy heaven, Fangy," Ivan says, trying to comfort him.
"But we go to different heavens!" He cries some more. You pat him on the shoulder. Fang turns and pulls you into a hug.
You stay there awhile.
♡♡♡
You sit on Izzy's bed and wait for him. He takes a while to return, but when he does, he seems surprised to see you there.
"I was looking for you," he says.
You're sat on his bed with the wooden sparrow in your hand. You notice some detail has been added to it in ink, meaning Izzy is giving it some character. It made you happy to think this meant something to him.
"I've been in here."
Izzy watches the way you handle the gift you made him. You're being very careful with it, your finger tracing over the ink lines on the wing.
"You know I'm right," he says.
"Do I?"
Izzy closes the door to his cabin and stands in front of you, gazing down at you with his dark eyes.
"Bonnet has to go."
"Do you hate Edward being happy?" You ask
"No, I-"
"Because it seems like it," you cut him off. "Edward has found someone new. He's trying new things and kind of just enjoying life."
"We're pirates, we're not meant to enjoy life." Izzy hisses out.
"You didn't enjoy being on Blackbeard's crew?" You ask.
"Well, yeah."
"You don't enjoy sailing the seas?"
"Course I do-"
"You don't enjoy life?"
He falls quiet.
"Are you jealous that all of Edward's attention is on someone else, or are you jealous that he has something you don't?"
Izzy stares at you silently.
You put the bird back on the desk and stand up, looking Izzy in the eye. You want to say more, but you're not sure what. Izzy seems to read your mind.
"It will be over soon," he tells you. "Tomorrow night."
"Oh. So, that's it then?" You ask.
"Thought you'd be happy."
"Happy?" You huff. "You're the one who will be happy, Izzy."
"Don't tell me you're soft for Bonnet too," Izzy almost begs.
"I don't hate the guy like you do. He's actually kind of nice. He's kind, polite, funny if even unintentionally so."
"See, that's my point. He ain't a pirate."
"Izzy. Let the man live. He's doing his thing and he's still alive."
"Not on my watch," he says in a low voice.
You see the look in his eyes and you walk away. You're done trying to change his mind. This thing with Stede was between Izzy and Edward.
You weren't going to get involved.
♡♡♡
You walk into the kitchen to find Fang holding an unconscious Lucius down. Roach is sharpening a kitchen knife.
"The fuck?"
Fang looks up. "His finger is infected."
You lean over Lucius to see the state of his hand. His finger was horribly swollen. "Ouch."
"Seems to me the best move here is... amputation," Roach says, looking closely at the finger.
"Oh, for God's sake! He's a visual artist." Fang cries out. "You can't cut the boy's little fingies."
"Level with us, man." Pete grabs Roach. "There's no better option?"
"Not in my professional opinion."
You pull a face.
"Hold him down."
You sigh and help Fang hold the poor lad down. Just as Roach is about to cut the finger off, Lucius gains consciousness again. As soon as he realises what's happening he pushes both you and Fang away and runs off.
"It's only going to get worse!" You call. He's already too far gone.
You can't help but chuckle as Pete and Fang go after him.
This crew isn't so bad.
♡♡♡
The Fuckery goes about as expected. Except for the fact that the crew of the Revenge didn't raid the ship. They let themselves get boarded by the Dutch merchants and basically put on some kind of Shakespeare play.
It ended with Edward freaking out and hiding in Stede's bathtub.
Stede did not die.
Izzy was fuming. You stand beside the man seeing the way he was clenching his jaw. His fist was balled up and it took everything in you not to reach out and calm the man.
Edward was complimenting the crew on their performance.
Edward was enjoying himself.
Not anymore.
"Stede Bonnet."
You turn to look at Izzy. You curse under your breath. Yet, you shouldn't be surprised. Izzy did tell you he would take matters into his own hands.
"Draw your weapon."
"No, Izzy, we're not doing this." Ed points at him.
"No, YOU'RE not doin' this. So I must." Izzy steps down and grabs 2 swords. "Stede fuckin' Bonnet... I fuckin' challenge you to a fuckin' duel."
He tosses Stede a sword.you step in front of Izzy.
"Izzy, please."
"Move." He says your name softly.
"I accept your challenge," Stede says from behind you. You turn around.
"Stede, no."
"Stede, be careful. He does know his shit," Edward warns him.
Izzy uses his arm to move you out of the way. You glare at him as he steps closer to Stede.
"As do I. You've taught me well," Stede replies to Ed.
"Not that well," Ed admits.
Stede watches Izzy. "I assume standard duel rules apply. What are those exactly?" He asks.
"Let's make it interesting, shall we?" Izzy says. "The loser is banished from the ship, if they're not dead."
"Izzy, no!" You call out, but he ignores you. Instead he instantly swings his sword at Stede.
Stede manages to block his attacks
"Come on. Give a man a warning." Stede says as Izzy holds his sword up to his neck.
"That was your warning."
They start swinging their swords at each other. You stand there anxiously, watching. There is no way for Stede to beat Izzy. Israel Hands was the best man you knew with a sword.
Izzy gets a hit into Stede which stumbles the man backward. Izzy's swings become a little more furious. Stede falls onto the ground. Izzy stands over him with sword pointed down at him.
"Yield or die."
"I choose... this." Stede throws powder into Izzy's face, temporarily blinding the man. Izzy covers his face and stumbles backward. The crew cheer for Stede, but all you can think about is if you should step in or not.
Stede gets to his feet, he gives Izzy a smack on the backside with his sword. Izzy straightens up again and continues the fight.
Izzy disarmed Stede with ease. The gentleman pirate backs up against the mast.
"So, it looks like we've arrived, Bonnet. The end of the road." Izzy holds his sword up to Stede again.
"Alright. Let's call it a draw," Stede says, breathless.
"Nah, I'm good."
"Izzy, stop!" You try once more in vain, but it feels like he's ignoring you completely.
With a firm stab, Izzy's sword goes right through Stede's abdomen and into the mast, pinning him there.
You inhale sharply at Stede's scream.
"Did I do it right?" Stede asks Ed, looking at the other man. "He missed all the important bits..."
Izzy tries to pull the sword out, but to no avail. He pulls hard, grunting. You stare at him, mild confusion painting across your face.
"This mast... is made from the finest cherry wood in Brazil. It's rather strong, actually." Stede manages to say as Izzy continues to attempt to pull the sword out.
Edward looks flabbergasted.
You can't quite believe what you're seeing yourself.
"Shut up!" Izzy yells at Stede. "Don't you ever shut up?! You rancid rat!"
The sword breaks in Izzy's hand. The blade still pinning Stede to the mast. You feel a gasp escape last your lips.
Buttons laughs. "Well, now, Mr Hands. Reckon he's rendered your sword inoperable."
Izzy stands there with realisation on his face.
"By duelling tradition, that means..."
"Stede wins!" Frenchie yells. The crew all cheer. "In your face, Jizzy!"
Edward shrugs as Izzy looks at him.
You watch Izzy with concern. He walks off. You watch him. You don't care for what everyone else is doing. You take off after Izzy.
He disappears into his cabin, you follow him inside, not even knocking. He doesn't say anything to you about it as he faces away from you, shoulders tense.
"Izzy..."
"No." He speaks with a firmness, but not in an angry way. Just a firm 'no.'
"Izzy, please. That whole thing was stupid."
"You're telling me..."
You take a step closer to him hoping he will turn around and look at you. He remains facing the wall of his cabin.
"Just forget the duel! Forget everything."
"No. Rules are rules."
"Izzy..."
He turns around and looks at you, but only briefly. He looks like he struggles to look you in the eye.
"He promised me. I was fucking right all along. Edward's gone soft for that twat. Any trace of Blackbeard is gone and it's all because of fuckin' Bonnet."
Your arm twitches as if you were going to reach out and touch him, but you catch yourself. However, Izzy noticed the slight reaction in your hand. He kind of wished you would.
"Don't be stupid, Izzy. Stay. We'll figure all this out. Maybe there's another solution."
"No." He shakes his head, his Adam's apple bobs as he swallows thickly. He's angry. Silently angry.
"It was a stupid fucking duel. Are you seriously going to leave?"
"I'm not a coward."
"I didn't say you were," your voice is almost pleading. "Don't go."
"Rules are rules," he says again. For a brief second his eyes meet yours and you can see all the emotion bottled up inside. You want to reach out and hold the man, caress him, get him to open up and talk to you.
But he won't.
Your breathing becomes uneven as you try to fight off any emotion. You will not cry in front of him.
"So that's it then? You're going to fuck off and... and what? Leave me behind? I only just found you again and you're leaving me?"
"You could come with me."
"And do what? Izzy, what would be the point? I only just found my way back home," you tell him.
"No. This isn't home. This is a lie. A facade. Home was back on our ship, back with Blackbeard's crew. Home is... is where we belonged. It's where we lived together."
A tear escapes and runs down your cheek. This was your breaking point.
"Fuck you," you whisper.
Izzy stares at you.
"Fuck you and this whole fucking thing." You take a couple slow steps back toward the door. "Fuck off then, Izzy. Leave me behind. Maybe... maybe I should have stayed a ghost story."
You don't hang around. You turn on your heel and leave.
Izzy catches his breath as he stares at his empty doorway.
"Fuck," he whispers.
♡♡♡
@grippleback-galaxy - @askmarinaandothers - @godlikegallagher - @for-fuck-sake-im-alive - @whiskeyswriting - @lxsm2 - @bloody-bunni666 - @the-chocoholic-writer -
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