Tumgik
#this is me trying to restore peace
spamgyu · 4 months
Text
ONE LAST TIME // Seungcheol x Reader oneshot
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
DESCRIPTION: It's Christmas and Seungcheol was bored... Who better else to bother than Kkuma's mom? PAIRING: Seungcheol x Reader GENRE: Fluff MASTERLIST
Merry Christmas to all my Cheol Apologists. Here is a quick unedited drabble/oneshot for you guys – a little something for making me laugh.
Tumblr media
"Merry Christmas 🎁🎄😉"
His thumb hovered over the send button, chewing at his lip as he contemplated whether he should go ahead and allow his intrusive thoughts win.
He had seen countless of twitter posts about exes doing this same thing, laughing at each one.
After the fifth one he scrolled past, Seungcheol decided "why the hell not" and scrolled to the bottom of his messages — clicking on the one conversation he had yet to delete.
Along with the name he had yet to change.
He wasn't hanging on to her, no definitely not.
Just didn't think it's that important to delete messages when his phone storage was completely fine.
And why go as far as changing her contact name back to her government name. The honey emoji was cute anyways.
Fuck it.
Holding his breath, he hit send and waited for the screen to flash the words delivered before swiping out of the app.
It was just in good fun, he wasn't expecting a reply — he just wanted to be as annoying as the other men on social media who reached out to their exes after months of no contact..... for the laughs.
He knew there was a higher percentage of her leaving him on read than replying and telling him off; she was always the bigger person.
But Seungcheol was oh so wrong.
In the midst of replying to Jeonghan's instagram story of his family's Christmas feast, her assigned contact name appeared.
"Lmfao stfu" She replied.
But she also hearted the message.
Letting out a soft chuckle, he quickly typed away on his keyboard.
"Damn, not even going to say it back?"
He was just joking.
And he knew she found it funny.
Within seconds her chat bubble appear — she was typing.
"Merry Christmas, Cheol🎄"
"What about my family?"
He was pushing it.
But with all his other friends far too busy with their own family activities to reply to his texts, he was going to keep at it.
"Texted your mom this morning dumbass."
He wasn't aware she was still in contact with his mother.
Though, he should have figured.
They were together for three years.
And his mom had always wanted a daughter.
"Dumbass? At least be nicer to your favorite ex."
"Who said you're my favorite? 🫵🏼"
"I just know 😉"
"You're currently at the bottom on my list. At least my other ex got me a present."
Bottom of her list.
She had only one other ex.
And he didn't count.
High school boyfriends don't count. Especially if they broke up right after graduation.
Those were just test runs.
More importantly, it was Seokmin. And he gives presents to everyone.
He had a big heart and wants to be everyone's friend.
"Was it a tea set again?"
"Shut up lol"
"Send me your list, I'll get you something."
"Dyson Airwrap 😈"
He knew she was joking.
But wouldn't it be funny, if he actually did it?
Switching apps, Seungcheol typed into his search bar, clicking the first result that had pooped up.
He still had her address memorized.
Seungcheol hit the complete button, and locked his phone as bounded for the dining room — checking to see if his mom and dad had finally set up tonight's feast.
He was just about to pick at the cheeseboard his mother set up on the table when the familiar sound of a facetime call blared from the phone in his hand began to ring — it was her.
She must have gotten the confirmation email.
"Wassup?" He swiped the accept button — throwing a cheese cube in his mouth.
It had been a while since he had last seen her, being blocked on all her social media accounts and all.
She was really persistent on keeping the no contact rule after the break up.
Even when they took turns taking care of their shared dog, Kkuma — opting to use Wonwoo as their puppy's form of transportation and point of contact.
He protested each time their non-government assigned custody switch off was set to happen — trudging to his car with Kkuma in tow.
Wonwoo claimed they were far worse than actual divorced parents — complaining more considering Seungcheol technically had custody of him and the dog.
Seungcheol couldn't help but bite back a smile as he watched her from behind the screen — making note of how cute she looked when she was annoyed.
He's allowed to think she's cute.
They were broken up but that doesn't mean she wasn't attractive.
"You're joking, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Seungcheol blinked.
She could see right through his act, giving him the finger.
"Hey, that's not nice." He laughed.
"You're crazy, you know that?"
"Am I your favorite yet?"
"No!"
"I'll buy you another one." He threatened.
"Cheol!"
"Yes?" He answered sweetly, making her lips curl in annoyance.
He always did enjoy getting her nerves.
Seeing her huff and puff had always been his favorite part of his day.
Especially when she would pout after taking a joke a little too far only for him to kiss it all better — not that he could do that now.
He's allowed to reminisce on old memories. At least, he'll allow himself just this one time during the holidays.
"Fine, what do you want?"
You.
Seungcheol shook his head. "Nothing."
"Come on, let me get you something."
He pursed his lips, thinking — he had almost anything he could ask for.
And if he did end up thinking of anything, he could simply swipe his card and purchase it himself.
There was one thing he did want, but be knew it would be a selfish thing to ask of her.
Settling for the next best thing, a smile crept on his face."What perfume do you use again?"
"You want my perfume?" She raised her brows.
He missed the way she smelled.
The remaining item he had that held traces of her no longer had that signature scent — having it been nearly a nine months since she had lounged around his place in his hoodie.
He would have purchased it himself, but the thought of him going out of the way to purchase her scent only for him to spray it on her favorite hoodie and her side of the bed seemed pathetic.
But considering she offered....
"Why not? I like the smell." He shrugged.
Sighing, she swiped out of their call — allowing for his face to minimize and settle for a corner in her screen as she quickly typed away on her phone.
She still had his address memorized as well.
Seungcheol couldn't be more grateful that Apple had changed their phone setting and no longer pause the person on the other side of the line's video when they swiped away — watching as she brought the device closer to her face, her brows naturally furrowing as she focused in her task.
"Done." She sang, clicking back into their call.
It wasn't long before he got the confirmation email, his eyes widening at the transaction breakdown.
"Why the hell is your perfume $250!?" His mouth hung in shock.
It was no wonder she had always scolded him for spraying a little too much when she allowed him to have some.
Curse Le Labo and their damn prices.
"It's worth it."
"I would hope so, it cost almost as much as a hairdryer!"
"You asked for it!" She laughed.
It was music to his ears.
"Is that y/n?" His mom's scurried over to him, wiping her hands on her apron. Seungcheol moved the camera to fit the both of them on screen, the smile on his face growing larger – as if it could get any more since their call began.
"Merry Christmas, mom!" She waived.
Mom.
When he had first introduced her to his parents, it didn't take long for them to warm up to her – insisting that she referred to them as mom and dad because "you two will be married soon, anyways."
Oh, they were so wrong.
"Stop by tomorrow for leftovers yeah?" The older lady asked.
"Mom..." He trailed off, not wanting to pressure the girl behind the screen – although, they did agree that Kkuma was to ring in the New Year with her because he had a snowboard trip planned with his friends.
She can pick her up early instead of having to ask Wonwoo.
"I'd love to." She smiled warmly.
How was he going to find someone who got on well with his mom?
Trick question.... he didn't want to.
"Perfect." His mother clapped, before excusing herself back into the kitchen.
"Guess I'm picking our daughter up early." She mumbled.
Our daughter.
"Guess I'll be seeing you too."
"That can be arranged."
"Come on, it's been months. I think we can see each other now." He half-heartedly teased.
The anger had subsided and the wounds that once kept them up at night had grown numb – the only memory of their past were now re-runs of the good times. It was as if their brain completely disregarded the fighting and the heartache that they had gone through in the last few months of their relationship.
They were now.... okay.
"I don't know, Cheol."
"Come on. One last time."
It was almost like he was pleading for her – the playful tone between the two have shifted.
He watched as she nervously switched holding her phone from one hand to the other, chewing at the skin inside her cheek.
He shouldn't have mentioned it.
But he was already far from the line they had drawn between them – swearing to never cross.
"I miss you." He continued. "It's a neutral setting. We can have breakfast with my parents."
"One last time?"
"Promise."
He broke that promise within a few weeks – picking up Kkuma at her apartment instead of his friend. She nearly stumbled back when she swung the door open and saw his smiling face – holding a paper bag containing her favorite pastries.
It wasn't long before he would show up at her door again and again; and she wasn't complaining.
They swore they were just friends.
Two exes who were coparenting – remaining cordial for the sake of their dog.
That was, until she had agree to spend Christmas with him at his family home – one last time.
They should have known his mother was scheming, she was a little too cheerful when she had greeted them at the door.
"Oh, will you look at that!" She gasped, pointing up above them as they kicked their shoes off.
The two exchanged looks before looking up at the doorway where his mother taped two leaves – a chuckle escaping his lips in an instant.
"What do you say?" He raised a brow at her. "One last time?"
"Or maybe a couple more," Y/n copied his playful tone. "if... you want."
"Oh, I definitely want." Seungcheol wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer – planting a quick peck on her lips.
His mother was there.
And so was their daughter.
"Merry Christmas." She giggled.
Thank god for that damn twitter trend.
423 notes · View notes
voidandradiance · 2 years
Text
ANDOR: Ahem. I have heard that the greatest persuasion is nothing more than telling the truth, so I speak in the voice given me by my mother, Freya. I make no grand overtones or guttural whispers for dramatic effect. 
(MARKET VENDOR: More flavours! Come and drink away your sorrows!)
ANDOR: I am only Andor. My voice trembles.
(MARKET VENDOR: More flavours! Come and drink away your sorrows!)
ANDOR: I have come to ask my father a question. Will you listen? Father, I know you're listening too.
LIEUTENANT AL: Prince Andor!
ANDOR: Haven't you noticed? Do these wings look like the product of some frivolous magic? Whom do you suppose the statue at the bridge represents? Not Mianite. I am an acolyte of the wounded goddess; I always have been. We worship Ianite.
LIEUTENANT AL: I have found evidence of a rebellion against Mianite! And I will have to arrest you, Prince, for leading this rebellion!
[With each syllable from Andor's lips grows a surrounding gust of wind, which halts the Lieutenant's advance, despite his best efforts to subdue the awakening acolyte.]
KING HELGRIND, now named APOSTLE HELGRIND: ANDOR!!!
ANDOR: While you have governed this port city and allocated its resources to the glorification of your "one true god," I-
APOSTLE HELGRIND, interrupting: You no longer have a place in this town! During my time away, the truth of the one true god has only become clearer.
ANDOR, speaking louder: I have been chiseling Ianite's likeness into your stones and penning her mantras into your paper. Her teachings have been with me all these years, guiding me towards a day of peace and unity-
LIEUTENANT AL: You will never…!
ANDOR, now shouting: -while you have winced at the thought of our hope and stooped over the corpses of the lost.
APOSTLE HELGRIND: Lieutenant, seize Andor and take him to our Lord.
ANDOR: If you had but journeyed with me! I am at the threshold. Soon, Ianite will rise! And my mother and sister's spirits will rise with her.
APOSTLE HELGRIND: Lieutenant!
LIEUTENANT AL: I- AM- TRYING!
ANDOR: I hear your voice, father. I hear your anger. 
APOSTLE HELGRIND: ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE.
ANDOR: Do what you will with me. But first, know this. If your god is just and blameless, with flawless integrity, then fear not. Your battle is already won. But if there is the smallest fracture in Mianite's armor… then the crevice will widen. The shell will corrode. And Mianite's sins and yours will seep through. All the false glory you have built will be wiped in preparation for this world's restoration and rebirth. I do not know why you begrudge Ianite, for our family's death, nor why you hide your wounds, father. But I do know that healing is available to you. It is the greatest gift anyone can receive, greater than a shield, greater than a sword. 
LIEUTENANT AL: Andor!
ANDOR: Greater than your perfect, made-up world. If it is your wish, see this to its end. Do everything in your power to create the world you so crave. I cannot stay your hand. I raise no sword. I wear no armor. I have only this boomerang, given by a true friend. You could stop this. We could go to the docks, and throw it, just like old times with Mom. We could. I invite you.
[ANDOR collapses from exhaustion. The protecting wind subsides, and he is immediately seized by LIEUTENANT AL.]
Tumblr media Tumblr media
144K notes · View notes
charliemwrites · 3 months
Text
1fur1 Price part 2
(Sorry if this isn’t, like, spectacular. It’s been a minute since I wrote for this au)
The house is getting an upgrade. Two wolf dogs was a cozy situation, but manageable. The addition of a third, especially one as big as Konig, was pushing it. Like, really pushing it.
Now that Skipper has adopted himself into the family…
Not that you mind, of course. Skipper has been a bit of a blessing in furry disguise. You know that “Alpha Dog” dynamics aren’t an actual Thing with wolves, but if they were, you think Skipper would be it.
He must have some sort of shepherd in his blood because he wrangles the rest of the boys masterfully. They spend too long in the yard, he’s barking and nipping and rounding them up. Johnny’s being too insistent about “sharing” your food, he’s inserting himself between you two. Ghost and Johnny get rambunctious, he’ll tolerate it for a couple minutes but then he’s breaking it up with a grumble — especially if they’re acting up inside.
You appreciate the help.
It’s not that the boys don’t listen to you. They do! With almost perfect obedience. But it can still be overwhelming to keep an eye on everyone all the time.
“Oh darling, why is it always you?” you sigh, scratching at Konig’s chin. Receive a whine in return.
Your poor sensitive guy. Stepped on a bee in the yard, it seems. The vet cooed over him, gave him some meds, and now he’s all but collapsed in an anxiety-exhausted heap by the fireplace.
Johnny is pacing behind you, making upset noises and nosing at your elbow.
“I know you’re worried, bud,” you soothe over your shoulder. “He’s alright.”
You’re working a sock over Konig’s bandages so that he doesn’t pick at them. Johnny takes that as an invitation to insert himself into the mix, bumping into your shoulder hard. Your hand pushes into konig’s paw as you catch your balance and he yelps. The noise surprises you, scares you, hands jerking back.
Skipper is on him in an instant, teeth on his scruff and yanking him away from you and Konig. For once, Johnny resists, yelping and whining crying.
“Jesus, enough!” You raise your voice a bit to be heard over all the canine yelling. Get a hand in Skipper’s scruff and give him a shake. “Release.”
He does, though not without an indignant growl, twisting around to glare at you. You didn’t even know dogs could glare with so much indignation.
“What are you gonna do, bite me?” you challenge, hand still buried in his fur. “Grow up.”
You turn to Johnny, who’s making a great show of looking pathetic, tail down and ears back.
“Got to bed,” you instruct, pointing with your other hand to the cushion Ghost is on. Those two are thick as thieves, you’re sure Johnny will feel better after some cuddles. Sure enough, Johnny drags his feet over to ghost, who grumbles as he makes room for the other dog.
You let Skipper go, who makes a big scene of shaking off. But he doesn’t go making trouble with Johnny, so you let him be. Which leaves Konig, who isn’t making eye contact with anyone.
“You alright, baby boy?” you croon. He licks your offered hand.
You manage to finish getting the sock on in peace, dropping a kiss to the scar on his forehead.
“My little trooper, good boy,” you murmur.
With him settled, you sit back with a sigh. Skipper is sitting, looking mighty offended. You groan.
“I’m sorry, honey,” you offer, extending a hand to him. “I was just stressed and all that fussing freaked me out. I know you were just trying to help.”
A long, long look at your palm. And then he sighs and sets his chin in your hand. You waste no time scritching along his jaw, coaxing him closer until you can leave kisses all over his muzzle and forehead.
“Big strong boy,” you coo, grinning into his ears when you see his tail sweeping slowly back and forth. Like he doesn’t want you to notice. “Such a good helper. Thank you, handsome.”
Peace restored, you settle onto the couch until dinner time.
So yes, four wolf-hybrids is pushing it on space.
You’re being minded.
It would be funnier if your dog wasn’t better at taking care of you than you are.
“You must have been in service dog training or something,” you muse, accepting the pill bottle from Skipper’s mouth. “Someone wanted you to work.”
And work he does.
If it’s not helping you keep the boys in line, it’s patrolling the yard with Ghost. Or nudging you to eat at mealtimes. Or putting you to bed. Hes a busy boy, hardly ever settles on the couch with the rest at night for snuggle time.
And when you do strong arm him into it, his ears are perked at every little noise, ready to protect.
There’s also this. The bringing you meds. (You try not to think about how he managed to get into the cabinet. Maybe you left them out on the counter?) Or sometimes he picks up things you’ve dropped, like pens or keys or even your phone.
It’s sweet, but you worry he’s bored. When you do buy him enrichment toys though, he gives them a perfunctory sniff, then leaves them for one of the others. (Johnny in particular loves the treat puzzles.) So you figure he’s stimulated enough, considering bored dogs usually tear into anything and everything.
“You know I’m supposed to take care of you right?” You tease, patting his big, sturdy side. “I take care of everyone here. You’re my boys.”
Skipper snorts and sits down, watching you, eyes pinging between your face and the pills. You huff, amused despite yourself.
“Alright, alright! Rude mutt.”
A little “boof” — agreement or offense? You amuse yourself with anthropomorphizing his noises while you chug water with your meds.
“See? Done. Ta-da!” You say when they’re done.
Another “boof” and then he’s trotting off. Pauses to give you a significant look. You check the time. Right, it’s lunchtime. Best to take meds with food anyway.
“I’m coming,” you groan, shuffling after him.
All the dogs are waiting for you in the kitchen, big eyes and perked ears.
“Look at you lot,” you laugh, dropping a scratch to Ghost’s head as you pass. “What is this, an intervention. I’m not giving you guys enough peanut butter?”
Skipper ignores you, taking his usual place at the entrance to the kitchen. A good vantage point to keep an eye on you and the rest of the house. He only accepts a little bit of shared food after everyone else gets a bite. You hum as you consider all of them, crammed into your kitchen because they’re a clingy lot.
“Might be time for a move, guys,” you sigh. “Or maybe another story.”
You glance at the ceiling with dread. Either way, you’re not looking forward to it.
1K notes · View notes
mikanotes · 5 months
Text
up close & personal
hyunsu ? x gn!reader
genre: what. mutual pining?
warnings: sweet home 2 spoilers, mentions of blood, injuries. hyunsu himself is a warning lowkey if u watched the last ep u probably get it… that’s all!
synopsis: You know Hyunsu so well. One year apart couldn’t possibly change that. Except if Hyunsu isn’t alone anymore.
authors note: realized at the end of this fic that i cld compare hyunsu’s current situation to venom like a little bit and that just makes everything so much easier somehow. anyways i don’t really like this but i needed to post smt for him after s2 so!
Tumblr media
One year ago, you and Cha Hyunsu would’ve been sitting near the entrance of Green Home apartments, and he would be listening to you talk. One year ago, you would’ve firmly believed that by now, the world would’ve been restored to some kind of peace. It had, in a way, but certainly not in the one your past self would have hoped for. And certainly not the one Hyunsu would’ve wanted for the two of you.
Nevertheless, you remained grateful through everything— As much as you could manage. The shelter was as organized as possible and conflict was a surprisingly rare occurence. Things were alright. As long as you didn’t give time for the grief and terror to catch up to you.
But things couldn’t be calm forever. Especially not in the current state of your world.
When Eunyu disappeared with that man from the military, it only took a day before you grew restless enough to depart from the stadium. After all, Eunyu was the closest thing to a friend you had here, at this point. It only felt right to try and find her. And you did, surprisingly, along with a few familiar faces and an unknown one.
You didn’t expect for the evening you found your friend again to be the very same you would see the person you had considered closest to you at Green Home for the first time in… Over a year.
“Finally asleep.” you sighed quietly, watching Eunyu get the rest her body had probably been begging for. It was difficult to convince her you would stand watch and wait for your friend to wake up in her stead, but her exhaustion made her stop arguing eventually.
You turned towards the room he was in.
Cha Hyunsu.
You crossed your arms and sighed. One year without a single trace of him anywhere. And now he… Just reappears? You wanted to be surprised, but part of you really wasn’t. You were angry, just a little— Spending all this time telling yourself he was gone, only for him to come back as if nothing happened felt like a slap to the face. Still, you couldn’t blame him. Yet. You had no idea what happened to him during that time span.
You felt relieved, if anything.
After some hesitation, you walked over to the glass door. Your hand settled on the handle, pushing it open, before your eyes widened. Hyunsu was sitting on the hospital bed, stretching his neck quietly, not at all perturbed by anything. Hell, he even seemed peaceful.
More peaceful than you’d ever seen him.
You stepped inside quietly and let the door close behind you. Hyunsu continued to move his head, slowly, as if trying to relax, and didn’t acknowledge your presence. His shoulder was bloodstained, still, and his hoodie had cuts here and there. Messy as he appeared, this was your friend from Green Home, there was no denying it. You hadn’t even dared hope he could still be alive, after all this time. You couldn’t give your heart such a high possibility of suffering if he turned out to be gone.
And now he was here. So calm.
He opened his eyes with a soft sigh, before turning his gaze to you. “Finally decided to talk to me?” he asked. His tone was different. Too different. This did not feel like the kind of change that happened in a year. He smiled a little at your silence, tilting his head curiously. “No? Do you need more time? That would be too bad.”
He hopped off the bed with a huff and slowly walked over to you. The closer he got, the clearer it became that his eye color was different. Long gone was the blank, dark brown gaze that looked back at you when you two would talk— Replaced by a vibrant sky blue. A stark contrast from what you were used to, as was everything else about him, apparently. Be it his tone or his mannerisms, it all felt deeply wrong, like it wasn’t him at all. You furrowed your eyebrows but stood still, letting him walk to the very edge of your personal space.
“I’ve been waiting to see you for such a long while.”
“Huh?”
Hyunsu’s eyes widened a little before he grinned. This wasn’t … Him. Not exactly, at least. Not the one you talked to so much. But special-cases, or MH, essentially coexisted in one body. The monster forms around a person’s strongest desire, or whatever it was that scientist at the shelter said.
So perhaps, all the times you and Hyunsu had talked in the past had also been conversations that this side of him had been listening to.
A bit scary. You couldn’t really focus on that, though. You took a deep breath and looked at him.
“Is he well?”
He clicked his tongue, expression growing sour. “He’s fine. Let him get some rest. He’s tired.”
You nodded softly, gaze averting. That sounded fine enough to you. He was right, too, earlier— You had been avoiding talking to him since you met again. With the excuse of focusing on Yikyung and scavenging through the hospital, you had plenty of reasons to act as if you weren’t seeing the person you cared the most for after a whole entire year of thinking he was dead.
But you did feel his gaze on you the whole time. It was heavy, and remorseful. You’d planned to talk to him— In fact, that’s why you decided to come over to the room he was in. You hadn’t expected things to turn out this way, however. Seems like you couldn’t talk to your friend, yet.
“It’s nice to know you care, though.” he hummed, gaze never leaving your face. “He thinks about you so much, too.”
You looked back up at him. If this was the so-called monster part of Hyunsu, then what was his deal? A lot of questions about this situation flooded your head. “What are you playing at?”
He chuckled softly, before backing up just enough to hold up his hands in an innocent gesture. “Nothing as evil as you probably think.” he said, voice steady. “I just wanted us to talk. Just us.”
“Huh.”
“You see, your Hyunsu has an interest in you.” he said, tilting his head slowly. It felt as if he was analyzing you. It was a bit unsettling, but you didn’t bother breaking eye contact this time. “But I do, too. I’d say maybe… Even more than him?” his grin widened at his own words.
“I find it hard to believe you care about people.”
“And yet.” he scoffed, expression dropping to a blank one, seemingly annoyed. He dropped his arms to his sides and sighed. “We decided to work together. Couldn’t have him die on me, it wouldn’t be nice for anyone involved.”
You decided this Hyunsu seemed to mean it when he said they made a deal, just about as much as when he said he had an interest in you. So placing your trust in his bloodied hands for the time being, you tried to be less on guard. He wouldn’t kill you, or most importantly, Hyunsu. That was enough for now.
“Okay.” you sighed, crossing your arms. “So you want to talk?”
He smiled a little. “Yes.” he stated, before taking a step towards you. Only this time, he didn’t bother keeping a safe distance. His face was a touch too close to yours. “I’ve wanted to for a while.”
“You…” you paused for a moment, thinking. “Do you usually go around talking to people while getting so close to them?”
“I don’t go around talking to people.” he mocked your tone before scoffing, a grin pulling at his lips. He brought a hand up to your face, holding your cheek firmly. His focus turned to his hand, eyes narrowing in its direction. You felt his fingers loosen a little, as if he was trying to control how tightly he was holding you.
Which he was. Now it felt gentle. Almost unfitting. Not only that but the Hyunsu you knew was never this comfortable with anything close to physical affection. It felt so out of place.
“Does it bother you?” he whispered, eyes flitting over to meet yours again. He moved in closer, just enough for your noses to touch. He seemed to be having fun switching between looking at your eyes and at your lips. “Am I too close?”
Before you could think of a way to answer, you froze. The unfamiliar color in Hyunsu’s eyes dissipated, the cocky expression you were almost beginning to get used to replaced by a soft, almost startled one. His voice, much quieter now, whispered your name. Your eyes widened and you sighed in something akin to relief.
“Hyunsu.” you breathed out. The latter looked at you with a stunned look, struggling to find anything to say for a while. He looked into your eyes like he was making sure you were okay— Making sure you were really alive. His thumb moved back and forth softly over the skin of your cheek, his gaze scanning you in an almost panicked manner. He sighed shakily, before he brought your face into his shoulder. He seemed to be almost trembling.
“I’m sorry.” he exhaled, wrapping his other arm around your shoulders hesitantly. Still terrible at hugging. You’d missed those awkward displays of affection so much. “I… I’m sorry, it’s been… A very long time.”
“God, you’re so cruel, Cha Hyunsu.”
He tilted his head down into your neck. Now you felt his tears on your skin. He really hasn’t changed, you thought. It was obvious when he came running for help when Yikyung was badly injured, when he did everything to help her and went all the way to look for that kid— Cha Hyunsu hadn’t changed.
“I’m—”
“Quit apologizing.” you huffed, holding him tightly. “I missed you, too.”
Hyunsu sighed quietly, tightening his hold on you a little. He was relieved to finally have you with him again, but he couldn’t shake off his worries.
“You talked to… Him? Right?”
“I did.” you said, pulling away enough to look at him. The concern on his features was undeniable. “And it went fine. It’s okay.”
Hyunsu’s frown deepened. “I don’t know if it’s alright. Me staying… So close to you.”
“Don’t even think about disappearing on me again.” you warned, eyes widening. “I don’t care about any reason you give me— Don’t leave again.”
The boy sighed, averting his gaze for a moment, before slowly bringing it back to you.
“I won’t.” he assured, “I won’t leave you again.”
He closed his eyes and pulled you into another hug. He had to believe his existence on its own wouldn’t cause more problems for you to deal with. He had to trust that even if it did, you meant it when you said you didn’t mind. He knew you did. You always meant it.
He opened his eyes and looked at his reflection in the glass door just a bit further away. Seeing you in his arms should have been reassuring. But the blue hue of one of his eyes and the nagging voice in his head seemed to be laughing at his naivety. He pressed his eyes shut again and buried his face in your shoulder.
This is our priority, now. (I know.) No one else comes first. (I know.) Don’t let them get hurt.
I won’t.
2K notes · View notes
romanoffsbish · 5 months
Text
Worth the Wait
Natasha Romanoff x F!R
Request | Natasha loves it when you tease, well, unless there’s nothing she can do about it… | WC: 1,896
Warnings: Minimal plot | Injury / Stitches / Blood
Smut: Free Use Referenced | Unprotected Sex (Natasha has a penis)| Breeding | Squirting | Cockwarming (KO)
18+ | Minors DNI
Tumblr media Tumblr media
“Oh my god!” You shrieked as your bare midriff was pressed into the cold marble of your kitchen counter by small, callous hands; Natasha filled the gap between your bodies, and you could feel her pulsing through her boxers. “You make me so fucking hard detka,” she rasped breathlessly as she firmed her body into yours, her warm lips trailed over your cold shoulder.
Natasha loved moments like these the most, when your body gave into her touch as if it was your haven. She could feel you warming up, and pressing into her, it was a dream come true, if only not for the knock.
——
“Romanoff, we have a mission, wheels up in ten,” Tony called from behind the door, having learned his lesson from the time before. The image still haunts his mind.
You smirked at her through the glass of your kitchen window, ten seconds ago you were going to give it all to her, but now you were going to tease her. It was a promise that your face made as you twirled in her hold and kissed her lips with feigned innocence. Your deviance shown in the way you cupped her hard-on and stroked her firmly, but only for a few times.
“Behave,” you warned when you felt her kiss you with more urgency. “Y/N, we have enough time, please.”
You leaned back, removing your lips midway through the kiss and she nearly growled at your interference. “Y/N, I swear to god, if you make me go without.”
“What?” You provoked her, “What is it they’ll do?”
Natasha backed down when she saw the promise of a month in your eyes. It was a shifty illusion, deep down she knew that but she wasn’t willing to risk it.
“I’m sorry love, I just, I get so riled up when you look this delectable,” her hands softly groped your thinly veiled breasts and your gasped air brushed across her face. “Please don’t make me wait, I need you so badly.”
“No,” you affirmed, “You need to be in tip top shape baby, and fucking me beforehand will weaken your stamina. I need you back alive and well.” The redhead was two seconds from being all over you, but she saw the genuine worry in your heart through your eyes.
“When I’m home?” You grinned, and winked. “Maybe.”
“Okay,” she conceded against your lips as she pecked them. “I’d wait forever for just the promise of eventually, I love you.” You smiled like an idiot then gently pecked her lips in return. “I love you too baby.”
You had no intention on holding out, and you also knew Natasha wouldn’t wait anyways, even if her words were sickeningly sweet. The concept of no was (consensually) removed from your dynamic, she’d never cease to wear you down into the perfect place to warm her cock and you’d pant just like a bitch in heat, needy and open. Natasha left with a knowing smirk.
Hours spent worried and horny went by in a flash. In the midst of cleaning the already spotless loft up you’d stopped to take a shower, preparing yourself for the climax of your day. After getting dressed in her favorite crotchless set you took a quick set of photos. Each one was blurry in their own right, but she could see your glistening folds between your white laced, thick thighs.
Her eyes darkened with lust, fueled mostly by fresh hot anger as she caught Wanda’s eyes widening. The way her cheeks flushed red and her throat cleared it was obvious she was having thoughts about your body. It was a direct oversight on her end, but she’d blame you.
Had you not made her leave so desperate, she never would have opened the attachment without looking around first. Wanda had already made her way to the other end of the jet, preserving her peaceful trip and trying to restore her prior indifference to your body.
The redhead stormed off the jet and headed straight for your bedroom. Opting to take the stairs in hopes of being too ahead of the nervous super soldier who was fresh on her tail with an idea for what was happening.
You two were the compounds resident horndogs as Tony drunkenly deemed you both one night. The rest of the team had cheered and you were embarrassed. Yet it never stopped you two from fucking like bunnies. Nothing would ever get in her way from having you.
So Natasha wasn’t exactly having it as Steve shouted at her, the man was only urging her to get her shoulder fixed up, but she was in far worse pain elsewhere. The man truly didn’t deserve to be tossed into a wall as if he were the size of a toddler to the woman who stood a foot below him, but he was interfering with her needs.
His pride was wounded and her shoulder throbbed, but it was satisfactory when she was able to walk away without another word from the super soldier. You had heard the commotion bleed into eery silence aside from firm footsteps. The spy’s step a calculated warning, you knew you were truly fucked; you hoped.
The redhead slammed your door faster than your eyes could register it had even opened. Your eyes fell to her shoulder and her heart considerably warmed at the way your lip trembled with concern. She caught it with her teeth as she pressed you into the counter, again.
You gasped at the way the lace tickled your back, it was relatively feather light but it made your body shiver. Her tongue greeted yours in the same breath and you were gone, mind melting into a state of obliviousness. Which is why you gripped onto her shoulders, blood gushed around your thumb and you both cried. The redhead sucked in a sharp breath containing her rage, you were already in the dog house for her festering jealousy, she wouldn’t blame you for her injury too.
“Get the first aid kit,” she groaned, pulling away with a scowl as she felt anger at the unfair loss of your touch. You were quick to appease her, after washing your hands you were back with the white tin in hand.
You nearly stumbled forward, knees clanking as you barely caught yourself at the sight of your bruised lover. The wounded warrior’s look always turned you on the most, knowing she’d left to protect you, and returned with a need for your safe touch after was hot.
Natasha had stripped down to nothing, showcasing the new bruises you’d have to watch fade from black and blue to yellow and green in a days time. You were always grateful to her bodies advanced healing, but to know she was ever in pain hurt you all the same. She saw your concern, even appreciated it, but she wasn’t going to waste the lust in your eyes over the softness.
“I’ll g-go get some anesthetic from Cho,” you gulped and the redhead smirked, then her tongue clicked as her finger curled, urging you forward. “No, you won’t.”
“B-but,” you stuttered, needy eyes avoiding hers with the hope of being able to fix her up first, but her hand wrapped around your wrist and your body lurched forward until your pussy was nearly hovering her head. Her hand pulled the first aid kit from your own, and quickly laid out what you’d need on the bedside table.
Then she brought your hand down to her throbbing tip, letting you feel her desperation before she helped you to guide it to your entrance. “The only anesthesia I need is your warmth choking my cock detka, so take a seat and offer mommy some well earned relief.” Your hand squeezed over hers firmly, then it slipped off so that you could hold onto her good shoulder as you slid down, both of her hands gripped at your hips as the pleasure wrapped around her roughed up frame.
“Ride me,” she whispered hotly against your throat, you gulped against her lips, walls clenching at the thought, but for a minute you killed the mood with a hard refusal. “Let me clean you first, just a moment.”
Natasha huffed, but shut up quick as your teeth nipped at her bottom lip. Then as your warm rag rushed over her shoulder you offered her your tongue to pacify her, you felt her raspy cries with every brush or clench.
Once finished cleaning and weakly numbing the wound with some cream you found, you pecked her lips then began to stitch her up. After a few moments you found a synchronic way to tend to her every need. With each dip of the needle that was reconnecting her skin you’d rise up, then drop back down as you pulled the thread tight. Hips connecting with each finished stitch, and you finished in sync as well, the redhead nearly burst them back open as her load shot into you without more than a twitch in warning. Then yours gushed, flushing the combination down into her lap.
Natasha’s head was leaned back as she relished in her high, dick still pulsing as you sloppily applied the salve and bandage to her shoulder. Just as you finished she was back on you, her lips crashing into yours as your body melded into the plush mattress. “I’m going to make you regret making me wait detka, might finally fill you up enough to start our family. Gotta claim your womb before anyone else can try to steal it from me.”
“What?” Natasha saw your confusion but she didn’t reply with any context, just a reminder, “You’re mine.” Her teeth sunk into your shoulder, giving you a little taste of her paralleled wound as she marked you. It only made you wetter seeing her so desperate to claim you that she forgot about her ring sat on your finger.
Your wife smirked against your skin as she felt you suck her cock in even further. Your ass now sticky as your arousal oozed out of you, her green eyes found yours and you felt your breath disappear. “I hope you remember your safe words,” she winked and you were gone. “Oh shit…” There was no hope left for you now.
There were two words you called out during sex that indicated an encroaching limit. “Stop,” was a clear word, but it wasn’t transparent as this was what you called when you wanted her to push you a bit more. It was a feigned safe word, as she sped up her attempts each time. Tears streamed down your face as she pressed a bullet to your abused clit, you gasped as your back arched before it collapsed back into the mattress.
“Fuck,” is what you usually muttered when it was time for her to give you a break, but your conscious slipped just before she could hear you cry it out. In the end she chose to fall into your body, more than happy knowing that she made you squirt. She decidedly left her cock inside of you to lessen the chance of her seed oozing out. Her consciousness slipped, but in the back of her mind she dreamed that you’d wake up wanting more.
You were sure to be parents come next holiday season.
2K notes · View notes
beiasluv · 6 months
Text
lego schumacher | m. schumacher (47)
a/n: i blame tiktok pov, now I’m obsessed with mick 🤭 enjoyy
Tumblr media
yourinsta’s story
Tumblr media Tumblr media
reply
landonorris: excuse me, you’re my racing engineerr
: going back rn 😦 stroopwafels?
landonorris: I’m going to tell Zak 😙
: I’m taking oscar next season :(
yourinsta
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
liked by oscarpiastri, mclaren and 367,552 others
yourinsta dear zak, this is my weekly report.
peace out, your favorite racing engineer.
view all 97,812 comments
landonorris why does oscar and mick get all the cool pictures??
yourinsta the worst the better! 😚
landonorris only because you’re my favorite racing engineer
yourinsta I’m your only racing engineer 😐
mclaren OUR favorite engineer! 🧡 thank you mick for joining the testing!
mickschumacher thank you for having me 😁
yourinsta come back soon!
mickschumacher 🧡
username mick is trying so hard not to send the red heart
username try not to flirt challenge
username we need them together ever since F2 😩
username we need more gen z racing engineer out there. restoring my faith in mclaren 😭
username nahhhh have you seen the “never back down never what” of hers and lando’s 😩
mickschumacher
Tumblr media Tumblr media
liked by landonorris, estabanocon and 791,519 others
mickschumacher danke to my favorite photographer yourinsta !
view all 276,317 comments
yourinsta anytime :) - your favorite racing engineer ☺️
mickschumacher 🤍
landonorris you are not leaving mclaren 😦
username mick, blink twice if you need rizz help
username pleaseeee they are so blind 😩
username is she or he blind 😭😭
username girl. mick is trying so hard
georgerussell63 great pictures, mate 👊
yourinsta ikr???
yourinsta
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
liked by mickschumacher, f1 and 517,961 others
yourinsta happy birthday seb!! thank you for being my biggest supporter/mentor/believer/personal driver 😚 thank you for bringing me joy and comfort during my path in motorsport, miss you!
Ich liebe dich bis zum mond und zurück!
view all 175,781 comments
sebastianvettel thank you, liebing ❤️ (did you use google translate again?)
yourinsta you have to teach me some more german :(
sebastianvettel I know I have someone else to teach you 😄
yourinsta fair enough :( miss you seb!
username mick is punching air rn. I know he wants to call her liebing so bad.
username are we missing the point that mick is also in this??
username WE ARE TALKING about ‘someone else’ to teach her german???
username ikrrrr obviously who??? 🤭
yourinsta’s story
Tumblr media Tumblr media
reply
yourinsta
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
liked by mickschumacher, lewishamilton and 862,418 others
yourinsta happy summer break!
view all 268,672 comments
mickschumacher I’m not a lego 😕
yourinsta yes, you are ☺️ missing angie alreadyyy
mickschumacher missing you more 🤍
oscarpiastri 👊 welcome to aus!
yourinsta thank you os!! see you next season!
username I pray to Tom holland for the manifestation that they’ll be together, amen.
username amen, sis
username going on a trip together isn’t enough to prove that they’re together???
username girl. It could be just a friendly trip, who knows?
username friendly my ass 😭
Tumblr media
comment for part 2???? 😬🤭
edit: part 2 is out peopleee
like, reblog, anything if you liked it 😃 if not, then why da fuck not? jk lolll.
today’s a great day to take care of yourself!!
2K notes · View notes
exhaslo · 15 days
Text
Corruption Ch18 (End)
(Villain!Miguel x F!Hero!Reader)
Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch8, Ch9, Ch10, Ch11, Ch12, Ch13, Ch14, Ch15, Ch16, Ch17
Warning: Minors DNI, mentions of sex, violence, blood, murder, twisted thoughts, experimentation, language, wannabe fluff, established friendship/relationship? SMUT, public sex, creampie, breeding kink
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-Day
The weather was chilly as the first heavy snow of the season finally started to flutter. Your eyes sparkled as you watched from Miguel's office window, adoring the view of the city. The city of Nueva York was beautiful before you.
Shivering slightly as you touched the window, you started to wonder if you were going to be okay for tonight. You had found out that Miguel was now Spider-Man. He secretly enhanced himself somehow and was doing who knows what.
"Yet he says I can't be a hero," You said with a soft pout.
Returning to your seat on Miguel's desk, you started to tap away on your tablet. A whimper escaping your throat as you rubbed your legs together. Miguel had been consuming both your body and mind and it was showing.
Trying to focus back on your work, you started to think about how Miguel was at home. He was such a romantic. Always taking care of you, pleasuring you and treating you like a queen. It felt so strange from someone who loved to torture people.
"(Y/N), I have another meeting in a half hour, correct?" Miguel asked as he quickly entered his office.
You snapped out of your dazed state and checked the tablet. Agreeing to his comment, you watched as Miguel cussed lowly and grabbed a drink from his fridge. Jumping off the desk, you approached Miguel and stroked his cheek,
"Are you okay? Do your eyes bother you?" You asked out of concern.
"Hah, still so worried about me," Miguel said with a smirk, "You need to start focusing on yourself."
"Mhm, it's pretty cold today," You cooed softly.
Miguel stroked your cheek before grabbing your hand. He had you follow him to the lab that was destroyed from the explosion a while back. It was being rebuilt rather quickly. To your surprise, Miguel had Lyla activate a tablet that was locked away.
"Until I set up a second location for a secret lab, this will be where I conduct my experiments for our Spider powers," Miguel said in a whisper and showed you the tablet, "Starting with a suit for you that generates warmth."
"Oh! Miguel!" You smiled brightly, hugging your boyfriend, "How long have you been designing this?"
"Since I found out," Miguel said honestly as he pulled out the suit, "You're going to need it for tonight."
You jumped in glee, pecking Miguel's cheek as you went to observe your new suit. It had some subtle changes, but nothing that you truly worried about. Miguel made you this suit and you were going to happily wear it.
-------
Miguel just smirked as he watched you get all giddy with joy. Yes, he included a heating element so you could swing in peace, but he also added so much more. That suit was to represent to the city that you were no longer a hero to them.
You were Miguel's.
"Now, I have a meeting to get to. Why don't you finish reviewing the paperwork of the restorations?"
"Okay~"
The more obedient you became, the more Miguel craved you. It started to become unhealthy and Miguel noticed, but he didn't care. As long as Miguel still got what he wanted, then he believed he was allowed to have everything.
Parting ways with you for the moment, Miguel kept a calm composure. He was debating on telling his idiot father about his new found powers. The reason? To take control of Alchemax and the shareholders.
Miguel had big plans for both the company and the city.
Everything was going to belong to him.
Everything.
---------
Your smile stretched from ear to ear as you wore your new suit. It fit you perfectly. Standing on top of the Alchemax building, you inhaled deeply. The cold weather wasn't bothering you thanks to your new suit. It was great!
"Enjoying the suit?" Miguel asked, appearing in his suit. You gasped, approaching him,
"Wow! I didn't get a good look last night, but you look amazing in that suit!"
It was hard to tell if Miguel was smiling at the compliment due to his mask. His attire was different from yours, but also quite nice. It made you wonder how long he was working on this. Giggling at the thought, you hugged Miguel,
"This is so cool. We can work together~"
"About that-" Miguel stopped you, grabbing your chin, "This will be your last night as a hero."
"Wha-"
You were at a loss for words. Miguel's fingers stroked your thumb, unmoving from his comment. You were no longer going to play a hero? There was no way Miguel could take on the role. You were hoping to guide him.
"But-"
"What did I say?"
You gave a small pout, "To do as you say," You said and gasped as Miguel pulled you into his embrace.
"Good girl," Miguel chuckled darkly, "Besides, I'll take over. I'll make sure this city is taken care of."
"Mhm....but....You've never fought before," You whispered, melting against his touch.
"Neither did you when you first started."
Touché. Miguel got you there. Agreeing to his decision, you gently tugged on his suit, wanting to go for a swing across the city. This would be your last time doing so.
--------
Miguel was holding back from laughing. How far you've come from trying to change him, to being his obedient good girl. There was something about tainting you that brought chills up his spine. Miguel enjoyed breaking you.
"Come on~" You cooed, falling off the building.
Like instinct, Miguel went to reach for you. He withdrew as you laughed and started to swing. He let out a soft sigh and followed you, making sure that you didn't go far. There was one last lesson that Miguel needed to teach.
Swinging above some reporters, Miguel just chuckled darkly. He hurried towards you, wrapping his arm around your waist before swinging you onto of the nearest building. You whined softly but stopped as Miguel started to rub against your clit.
"M-Miguel...n-not here...a-anyone could watch," You tried to protest. Miguel just found you cute,
"They won't know it's you. All they will see is Spider-Man giving Spider-Woman the time of her life."
"Mhm~ B-But-" You gasped as Miguel rubbed your clothed clit harder.
Miguel just chuckled as he looked down at the reporters. They were trying their best to get a shot of the two of you. Turning you around, Miguel undid the bottom of your suit. You were already dripping in anticipation for him.
What a good girl.
Miguel held your hips as his suit disappeared only around his dick. With a simple thrust, Miguel had you under his spell. You were gripped the edge of the building, moaning as he slapped his cock deep within you.
"Not so shy now, huh? Did you want those reports to watch me breed you? To have them watch the once hero, Spider-Woman get fucked stupid?" Miguel taunted.
"N-No~" You cried out. Miguel hummed as your pussy fluttered around his cock,
"Could have fooled me."
Miguel grunted as he held you in place. All those reporters could see was Spider-Woman getting railed by Spider-Man. This showed them who was in charge. To show them that there were no more heroes left in his city.
"Mhm~!" Miguel covered your mouth as you moaned, wanting to make sure you didn't say his name.
"I hope you're ready to answer some questions." Miguel said with a wicked smirk.
You just raised your hips and whined as Miguel fucked through your orgasm. With a few more thrusts, Miguel gave you his first load. Unamused by the amount, Miguel made sure to fill you up before your interview.
"Now, you're ready."
--------
You leaned over the building, panting heavily from Miguel's quick sex session. Your mind felt dizzy. Miguel was so mean. Fixing your suit, you shuddered as your body felt full. You were going to get pregnant at this rate.
"Come on,"
Wrapping your arms around Miguel, you hummed as he swung you over to the reporters. You couldn't think straight. All you wanted to do was behave for Miguel.
"S-Spider-Man....W-What...What are you doing here?" One of the reported asked, terrified, "A-And what have you done with Spider-Woman?"
"Hm? She seems fine, don't you?" Miguel said, motioning towards you.
"Mhm, I'm fine," You replied.
"H-How long have...have you two been together?" Another reporter asked. Miguel's hand wrapped around your waist,
"What do you think?" Miguel held you close as he snatched a microphone away from one of the reporters, "Since I have you all here, time to lay down some ground rules."
Everyone could only gasp.
"There are no more heroes left to save you. If anyone dares to confront me, they will perish. Nueva York is my city now and soon the world. Spider-Woman and I shall bring forth a new breed of advance humans to rule over you tiny incest's-"
"There's no way she would agree to this!"
"Oh? Well, what do you think, my dear?" Miguel whispered in your ear, causing you to shiver.
"I belong to him, so I will do as he says," You cooed, trembling as Miguel whispered, 'Good Girl', in your ear.
"As you can see, I have already corrupted your hero."
Humming lowly as Miguel pulled you close, you smiled as he kept speaking to the public.
"Listen to me, and you'll be fine."
A simple ask. Miguel treated you like a queen and all you had to do was listen and do what he says. Nothing crazy. Feeling yourself being lifted, you wrapped your arms around Miguel's neck as he swung away from the terrified reporters.
"Best make do on my promise."
"Yes, Miggy~"
What was once a dream of being a hero and saving both the city and Miguel, turned into nightmare.
The hero was corrupted by the villain and didn't even know it.
But, you weren't complaining. You just stayed as Miguel's good girl...
Forever
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOO-HOO!!! I hope you all enjoyed this story!!!! I, for one, will miss it truly!
I didn't hesitate to start my next story, haha! I PRESENT:
Over-Time
@tojishugetiddies @miguelsfavwife @foulsharkheart @club-danger-zone @ivkygirly @jollystrawberrycycle @amber-content @weirdothatwritess @smartyren @mangoslushcrush @nyxzoldyck6 @migueloharastruelove @sukioyakio @killjoy-nightshadow @heyohalie @the-pan-liquid @bokutosprettylittlebimbo @kpopscoups17130000 @pochapo @killerwendigo @barbiecrocs @miss-galaxy-turtle @oscarissac2099 @lazy-idate @lauraolar14 @safixiovi @migueloharacumslut @straw-berry-ghoul @daisy-artfield @sukunash0e @undf-stuff @iamperson12280 @nightingale1011 @reader-1290 @mcmiracles @keepghostly @marlyharper @jadeloverxd @daddyfroglegs @shoukanjo @cicithemess @babyprofessorsharkpalace
242 notes · View notes
dmercer91 · 11 months
Text
i would, lh43
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
you and luke really like to piss each other off.
or
four times you and luke almost kiss and the one time it finally happens
this is toxicity, angst and a little fluff all rolled into one. enjoy! <3 (7.6k) this is very much not proofread
one.
you were sure luke hughes was one of life’s greatest mysteries. to put it lightly, he was sweet until he wasn’t. 
you’d warned him before the two of you started dating in your shared freshman year that you’d been through a lot.
you warned him that sometimes you needed a minute alone, that sometimes you could self-destruct, and that sometimes you lost yourself in your brain and that someone else would take over for a while
he promised you that he’d work with you, that he understood what you were explaining and that he could surely handle it. 
he promised he’d do anything he could to help you get back into your head whenever you felt out of it, that he’d keep his head on straight for the both of you so that the two of you could work through rough stages.
clearly you hadn’t prepared him well enough, or clearly he overestimated his level headedness. 
it sucked for the both of you that you still had to see each other every day, regardless of whether or not he was on the road, cause you’d be there too. 
you’d been warned by every girl in every stage of life that dating in the workplace was a horrible idea. you promised them it was hardly work, you weren't even around that much. you were wrong again.
when the two of you broke up, you opted to stay with the team as the media intern. after all, you agreed to be friends. 
that went sour quickly, because all the arguing that took place in the confines of his dorm or your sisters apartment carried onto your friendship, and consequently in the halls of yost.
the more the two of you would argue, the more you both got petty. 
today was no different, and you weren’t trying to work him up on purpose, but when the opportunity arose you took it and ran.
a trend on tiktok had started, talking about red flags. the monday question you chose was something along the lines of ‘what is your weirdest / stupidest red flag’ 
most of the players responded as you expected them to - something like mixing jams on their toast or putting hot sauce on their bagels.
you weren’t even expecting him to acknowledge you, because since the breakup, luke had avoided monday questions, as well as your camera, altogether. 
you weren't sure what had pissed him off today, or what was going through his brain when he decided he was gonna be sour right off the bat, but his response was surely something.
“my ex girlfriend is an obsessive bitch,” you covered your mouth to keep yourself from laughing. you knew he was just being an asshole for the purpose of trying to get to you, but the words truly sounded unnatural coming from his mouth.
luke figured you would delete the video and move on with your day, get back at him with some mean comment another time, but instead you decided to take it a little further than he was intending.
after practice was over, you sat in the cubby a few down from his and began to edit the videos you’d taken of the boys together, and you saved it. then, you took the new video and added the clip of luke to the end, playing on full volume and repeating itself as you pretended to adjust the beginning to the previous clip of dylan running away.
the few guys that were left in the dressing room looked at eachother, and luke was already staring you down.
the rest of the team had learned to tune the two of you out. seeing as you were friends with most of them even before you dated luke, none of them chose sides and they all believed that eventually the two of you would get tired of pissing each other off and quit it. alternately, luke would just leave for jersey and peace would be restored. 
“what? why are you looking at me like that?” you mumbled defensively, eyeing him like he was a weirdo.
“you’re putting that in the actual video?” you raised an eyebrow, smile etched onto your face like it was drawn with a sharpie. what you weren’t expecting was for luke to take a deep breath, and look away.
you continued to edit the clip, up until the remaining players had all left yost and you felt luke’s eyes burning into your skull again.
he stood up calmly, and walked over to you.
you looked up at him and stood as well, slowly backing out of the doors in the dressing room. he followed, speeding up to keep you at an arms length
“delete that, y/n, i swear to god,” you realized he was trying to corner you, and though he physically outmatched you any day of the week, he was failing spectacularly at it.
you did your best at playing keep away with the umich media phone, and backed your way into the visitors dressing room.
“delete it? fat chance. i was actually thinking i might put it up, i can never seem to get content of you unless-“ you groaned as your back hit the wall, luke holding you against it with his hips
“unless i’m too pissed to shove the phone out of my face?” you grinned, slinging your arms around his neck and leaning into his touch, your chests pressed taught to each other so you couldn’t slip from his grasp.
“you know, if i get early onset back pain, i'm blaming you. now can we quit it with the dramatics? i have a very charming video of you to edit for the tiktok page” luke just pressed you closer to the wall, ignoring the grin you gave him to show how much you’d actually been liking the closeness.
“you wouldn’t,” he tried to grab the phone from your hands, placed behind his neck, but you were quick to tuck it into your bra so he couldn’t access it.
“i would.” his jaw clenched and you kept straight eye contact, loving how irritated he was getting so quickly.
“baby,” he stated, taking a deep breath.
“i was being a dick, and i’m sorry. but we don’t need to make that a public thing,” you bit your lip, pretending like you were contemplating it before you replied to him
“we’re using baby again?” he licked his lips, grabbing your hands from his shoulders and holding them.
his eyes softened and he paused before using what was probably the sweetest tone you’d ever gotten from him
“if you want me to use baby, yes, i’ll call you whatever you like”
“i’m not falling for that,” his soft, convincing face fell flat and his eyes went from hopeful right back to angry and endlessly frustrated
after a few moments standing there waiting for him to find a new game plan, you bit your lip and started messing with a few of his curls
“you ever miss me, lukey?” he pulled his head away from your hands, the gentle aspect of your touch giving him an unneeded reminder of  the fact that you could be a sweetheart, you were just choosing not to be
“not a chance in hell” you smiled to hide the pang in your chest, but he saw through you, holding the back of your head
“you’re always right here annoying me, hm? no time to miss you” he corrected, tracing circles on your scalp with his thumb. you poked your cheek with your tongue, looking down for a quick second before ultimately looking right back into his eyes, trying to read what he was thinking
this is what you assumed he was talking about when he used to always tell you he’d figure things out, that you’d always make up after a fight - that he’d look at you like this and see that you were struggling 
that he would feel what you were feeling for even just a split second and correct himself, even if he was lying, just to cover up the ache in your chest.
this, to you, was confirmation that he could read you like that. that he can see through any mask you put up and had truly just given up on you. 
he sighed, and you saw his eyes move to your lips, then back up to your eyes. he was leaning forward, and just like that, he was pulling away and clearing his throat.
“could you please delete the video for me? m’ sorry about how i spoke to you” your entire body felt cold without him against it, and you wished whatever thought in his mind that made him want to kiss you would’ve fucked off, so the two of you could’ve stayed pressed up against each other forever.
“i’m not that mean, lu. i’ll delete it” he smiled and ruffled your hair, walking away as quickly as possible.
it bears repeating; you were sure luke hughes was one of life’s greatest mysteries.
two
your favourite part about going to michigan, as well as being close with one of the sports teams, was the parties. 
you weren’t even sure how they pulled it off, but you couldn’t think of a single time you’d been invited to a umich party and didn’t have a night worth remembering (even if you could barely remember it).
tonight was no different, and it started with mark and ethan fighting over who got to be your partner in beer pong. 
you decided it would be a best of three challenge, and the loser was stuck with luke, who was notorious for only having aim once he was plastered enough to faint. the winner got to be with you, who had the ongoing win streak among the sophomores.
first was a game of rock paper scissors, that was promptly won by ethan, seeing as mark always went rock. 
he’d even mentioned before the challenge that he always lost since he always picked rock, so you’d told him to simply not pick rock - he did it anyways.
the second round was seeing who could shotgun the fastest, which was ultimately taken by mark when ethan got cocky and gave him a three second head start.
safe to say, mark had been almost done by the time ethan even had his lips over the hole in his can.
the third challenge was a headstand contest, mostly because you just wanted to see the two of them try to uphold a headstand for more than five seconds.
mark took that one on the guise that ethan had cheated and used the wall to keep himself up. if you could have made them both lose, you would have.
however, when you decided that ethan was in fact a cheater, mark cheered and tossed you over his shoulder, leading the group of you back to the beer pong table 
ethan was pouty about having to pair up with luke, and luke was pouty about having to be around you, but you and marks energies were off the charts regardless.
you all decided that you’d have to drink ethan’s cups, mark would have to drink luke’s, and vice versa.
luke started, and sunk one ball, but completely missed the other. 
mark quickly downed the drink and took the balls, missing the first off the rim of a bottom row cup, but sinking the second one perfectly. 
luke drank nonchalantly and handed the ball from his cup to ethan, who just barely missed both of his shots. you grinned to yourself, centring yourself to the table before taking your shot.
your turn was similar to marks, but your first ball had bounced just before the cup at the top row and landed into luke’s hand.
ethan drank the cup you got for your second shot, sending you a playful glare. 
“this should be you right now, marky. nobody said we couldn’t use the wall” you rolled your eyes, feeling mark sling his arm around your shoulders 
“i won fair and square, eddy. you’re just butthurt cause you suck at shotgunning and got too cocky” luke quickly took his turn so you’d all shut up, missing horribly on both shots.
you raised an eyebrow at him, silently wondering how his on ice hand eye coordination translated this horrendously in throwing a ping pong ball 
mark got two of his shots, but none in his balls back attempt, and luke quickly drank, a little more urgently this time around. 
ethan got one this time around, and you happily drank the contents of the cup, licking the foam of the beer from your lips once you were done. 
you also sunk two balls, but you got your second shot with balls back, leaving three cups on ethan and luke’s side and eight on yours.
ethan pouted before drinking his first cup, taking a short pause before cramming the next two one after the other. 
he caught his breath before looking over at you with beer dripping from his chin 
“i should’ve made hughesy drink your cups,” you giggled, and luke slapped him on the shoulder with a glare.
when the game came back around to you, they only had two cups left, and you got them both.
mark cheered loudly, rattling you around by your shoulders as you laughed at his reaction. 
you and mark had always been close. something about his energy just gave you the sense that you’d never have to stress about him. you were very much the ‘call each other babe platonically’ type of friends. 
he was easygoing and he just wanted to have a good time, but he was still a good friend if need be.
luke apparently hadn’t caught that memo, cause he looked like he was about ready to stab his teammate.
his jaw was clenched tight and he was just watching the two of you celebrate with complete dread on his face, while ethan finished off his beer
you picked up on it right away, and decided you’d chance luke being unbelievably pissed at you if it meant he might admit to himself he still had feelings for you.
“are we playing again?” you asked, looking up at mark who shook his head, pulling you away from the table.
“what? you want to get up to something else?” he grinned, earning a soft smile and a push to his chest.
“dance with me?” he nodded, grabbing one of the remaining cups from your side and pulling you towards the group of students essentially using the living room of soph house as a make out spot.
luke wasn’t one to dance, but mark was too drunk to care and you didn’t think he’d be leaving your side anytime soon, so you took advantage
he wasn’t half bad, the two of you mostly feeding off each other rather than the music. that was until his drink ran out, and he wanted another one.
“you want a beer, babe?” you nodded softly, tilting your head up and leaning it on his shoulder.
he smiled, kissing you on the cheek and noting that he’d be right back, quickly disappearing into the swarm of bodies towards one of the coolers.
“mark? really?” it was luke.
rather than bite back, you went with it, knowing he might be more annoyed if he thought you were genuinely going out with mark
you hummed, turning to face him. “he’s a sweetheart. maybe you could learn a thing or two” both of you knew that what you were saying was utter bullshit. regardless, luke was irked.
“are we thinking of the same mark?” he slid a finger into the belt loop of your jeans and pulled you forward, keeping you close to him and simultaneously letting you know his strength.
“handsome? fluffy hair? pretty solid with his mouth?” luke scoffed, looking behind you to make sure mark wasn’t almost back.
when his eyes came back down to yours they were dark, and he was wearing a harsh glare.
“you wouldn’t. you’re not” you smiled, almost giggling at him
“yeah, but i would, though. is your new girlfriend not at this party? thought i saw her working one of the football players. is this your thing? getting one upped by other athletes? is there an embarrassment kink im not aware of?”
before you could say anything else, his hand was over your mouth and he was grumbling at you to shut up
“not that it’s any of your business, i broke up with her. you need to start watching your fucking mouth” you pulled away from his hand, but he still had a tight grip on your jaw.
“if it was full maybe i’d stop talking,” you smiled, your facial expression almost challenging him
he licked his lips, thumb swiping over yours slightly in a way that made your heart jump out of your chest
he was leaning in and pulling your face to an angle where he could connect your lips, before his eyes flashed up and he saw mark coming back with a beer in one hand and a full bottle of liquor in the other.
“maybe your sweetheart mark will be up for that” he gave your jaw a squeeze before pushing your face away from his and walking off.
you put on a smile, turning around to see mark taking a swig of straight vodka.
“my lady,” he grinned, handing you your beer
you bit the cap off, drinking some of it before you hummed, pulling him towards you by the collar and resuming your dancing, back to his chest
“gimme some of that,” he giggled, putting the bottle in his hand up to your lips and guiding you through your swig
“luke came n’ saw you?” you nodded
“yeah.”
three
one of your favourite things to do in your free time was barge into soph house with absolutely no warning.
today, it was cause you and your other roommate had been momentarily kicked out of yours and your older sister's shared apartment so she had it to herself for her one year anniversary.
you announced your arrival when you walked in, your friend trailing behind you awkwardly while the boys shouted simultaneous greetings from the living room
“i brought a friend. it’s my sister's anniversary and there’s a metaphorical sock on our door,” your comment earned you chuckles from the group, and when you walked into the living room you scanned the furniture to see if there were two open spaces.
luke had been sitting by himself, mackie and dylan were sharing the loveseat, and ethan and mark were sharing the bigger couch. 
you tilted your head and squinted at ethan, who had been taking up two and a half cushions. he grinned in return, further stretching himself out so he’d been getting into marks personal space as well.
you opted to physically drag ethan from his spot, over so he’d just been taking up one cushion instead
he glared at you playfully, fighting back against your pushing until you were stuck pushing back against each other, causing the both of you to break out into laughter and for you to fall onto the couch
“scootch, edwards,” you worked out in between giggles, finally getting him to move over and sitting up yourself so there was some room for your friend 
when she sat, it was almost on top of you, since the couch wasn’t meant for four, and you could almost sense luke’s ears perking up like a dog being offered a treat
“you know if there’s not enough room over there i’m more than happy to share” he patted his lap, looking right at your roommate with a smirk playing at his lips.
you were quick to glare at him and shut the idea down, while mark pulled you into his own lap so your friend would have enough room, and hopefully so you and luke would drop it. 
your friend adjusted and then eyed luke, and then you
“i take it that’s luke,” you immediately slapped her arm and glared at her, knowing this would give luke enough ammunition to piss you off for however long you were at sophomore house 
you couldn’t even properly find time to warn him to forget he ever heard that before it started. 
“aw, baby, you tell your friends about me?” you smiled sarcastically, feeling mark grab the back of your shirt so you didn’t lunge at his teammate
“fuck right off, warren,” luke’s jaw ticked, and he opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by dylan 
“i’ll sit on your lap, lukey!” the group laughed, and luke tried to hide his smile. 
the sophomores had become extremely accustomed to changing the subject or interrupting you and luke when the two of you fought, seeing as you were over most days of the week
now that the room had become less tense, everyone was partaking in their own conversations.
you, ethan, mark and your friend had been talking about a class the four of you shared, while mackie, dylan and luke talked about the upcoming series against minnesota.
that continued until you felt your phone go off in your back pocket and pulled it out to see a text from your sister, telling you that you could make your way back to the apartment.
below it, to your shock, was a silenced text from luke.
from, luke hughes → kitchen?
to, luke hughes → ?
you looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed and heart pounding, and he was already looking at you.
you blinked and moved your eyes away, turning your head to mark who’d been deep in concentration listening to ethan.
“hey, my sister texted, we’re gonna get going” that caught the attention of dylan and ethan, which made mackie turn his head, and, well, luke had already been staring at you.
mark frowned, caging his arms around your waist to hug you. 
“it’s still early, you can stay,” you heard a jumble of voices agreeing with mark’s statement, and you could feel luke’s gaze burning through you.
you looked down at your roommate and she shrugged, since she’d accustomed pretty well to the sophomores already and wasn’t exactly dying to leave
“i’ll stay for free beer?” luke smiled to himself and made his way to the kitchen quietly, knowing nobody would really notice him while they were cheering at your words
you offered to go get everyone their bottles and got up, ruffling marks hair slightly before you walked over to their fridge and took out six beer, luke already sipping on one.
“you ask me over here to argue without getting interrupted?” luke grinned softly, taking three of the bottles and setting them on the island along with his own, nodding for you to do the same with the other three
you complied, and as soon as they hit the counter you were being backed up into it, his hips pinning you and his arms locking you in place 
“i just wanted to talk,” he explained, looking down at you with a sweet gaze that made your stomach turn 
“you know, you could’ve had mackie or duker sit on the other couch, fuck, you could’ve even pulled up a chair from the island or sat on the ground! but you just let him pull you into his lap like you're his?”
you rolled your eyes, trying to push his arm off the counter so you could squeeze away from him and bring everyone their drinks, but his grip tightened. 
“i’m talking to you, y/n,” he added pressure with his body so he could use a hand to make you look at him.
“how many times do i have to tell you i’m not sleeping with any of your friends?” you defended and he shrugged 
“i never said you were, i just pointed out that you two seem real fucking comfortable with each other lately,”
you sighed and cupped his neck with both hands, thumbs messing with the curls that fell behind his ears
“lu, nothings happening. nothing's going to happen. im not fucking mark just like you’re not actually gonna fuck my roommate,”
he didn’t react much, just kept staring into your eyes. 
“if not my friends then who are you with?” you smiled and shook your head 
“none of your business, hughesy.” he laughed dryly and moved his hand from your jaw around to the back of your neck, your faces so close his nose was brushing against yours.
your eyes both drifted to each other's lips, and you cleared your throat and backed your head away before he could kiss you. 
he moved off you and grabbed his beer, standing on the other side of the kitchen, now.
“maybe i’ll see you around your place, y/n,” he smirked before looking over at your roommate who was laughing at something dylan had said, and heading back to the living room 
“you wouldn’t,” you yelled after him.
“i would!” he called back, leaving you to groan to yourself and pick up the beers for everyone 
four
“adam! shea!” you smiled, trying to stand up off the bench you were on to go greet your friends, but tripping over the air and immediately deciding that you would be staying on the bench.
the two boys gave each other weird looks across the street from you, deciding to make their way over.
the two boys being luca and shea, who were obviously quite confused.
once they made their way there, they came to the conclusion that you were incredibly, extremely, outstandingly drunk.
“i want whatever she’s having,” luca chuckled, knowing he and his brother did not look alike in the slightest.
seamus slapped him up the back of the head, helping you to sit up properly and then taking his own place beside you to support your torso.
“dude, shut up. call mark, or eddy, even. we don’t know how long she’d been here” you were looking up at him, absolutely delirious and telling him about your childhood pet hamster that was named casey (like him!)
mark was down at the bus stop you were all sitting at in record time, now kneeling in front of you and trying to get an answer out of you as to why you were mind-blowingly wasted at two pm on a tuesday
when you just continued to murmur about nonsense, luca spoke up
“maybe we should bring her to luke?” seamus and mark both turned their heads to him very slowly, eyebrows raised and annoyance glaringly obvious in their eyes, and he lifted his arms in defence 
“i’m just saying! notice how all of their arguing is like, ultra petty? he never says anything that actually means shit. he definitely knows what's going on with her,”
they both thought about it, ultimately coming to the conclusion that it couldn’t do anymore harm than good - luke wasn’t a big enough dick to punch down, so maybe luca was right.
they looked at each other, “this is the worst idea anyone has ever had in the entire history of the university of michigan,” shea stated, already helping you onto your feet and having luca hold you up from the other side
“yeah,” mark nodded, texting luke a very vague message so that he’d be home and in the living room once the four of you got to soph house.
when you did, it was safe to say luke really did not want to have any part of it.
“no.” he shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest while he watched you fuss with seamus when he tried to set you on the wrong couch cushion, apparently. 
“wh-” mark tried to plead his case, but couldn’t even get a word out.
“no. not a chance, mark, just have her sleep it off, or something,” the two of them watched as luca brought you a water and you tried to convince him that you did have a water, only for him to open the lid and be hit with the smell of liquor. 
“hear me out,” mark started, giving luke a hopeful look and earning a confirming eye roll in return
“your friend needs help, and-” 
“your friend”
“fine, be like that! your ex, that you’re still in love with, by the way, needs help, and you’re the only one of us that has a chance in hell at knowing what it is that made her drink away her brain on a random fucking weekday, by herself, on the street,”
the room went silent, and even you had stopped rambling upon hearing the tone mark was using.
“so, if you could please just fucking talk to her for a minute to see if she gives you an idea? something? tells you what’s up? that would be glorious, luke,” 
luke clenched his jaw but looked over at you for a quick second, caving and nodding slightly 
“i’ll talk to her. alone, though,” he grumbled, and mark patted his shoulder, nodding to luca and seamus to go over to the kitchen 
he sat next to you, and you looked up at him, bringing your knees to your chest. 
“are you okay, y/n/n?” he asked softly, tilting his head at you. you blinked, clearly on the verge of blacking out
“luke,” you stated simply, earning a sad smile from him 
“what did i tell you about drinking to forget, hm?” he reached around you, burying his hand in your hair and massaging your scalp gently 
“said no,” you replied, barely above a whisper. you were hiding from his gaze, now.
he watched you for a moment, trying to see if there was anything on you to help him out. 
his eyebrows furrowed at the sight of your phone case, the polaroid that had been in the back of it since before he knew you now flipped so you couldn’t see what it was.
“can i see that?” he asked, pointing to your phone.
you handed it to him reluctantly, watching as he peeled the case off and slid the picture out from under it.
it was a picture of you and your father. you were just a baby, and your dad had been wearing a party hat and feeding you a bite of cake 
the back read; dads 31st birthday! 02/07/04
he turned your phone around and knocked his knuckle against the screen, reading the date once it lit up
tuesday, february 7
“oh, baby. cmere,” he mumbled, pulling you into his lap gently and holding your head to his chest.
your body shook against his as you sobbed, still painfully aware of the occasion no matter how inebriated you were
he held you still until you calmed down, and when he opened up the shield he’d made with his arms he found that you were sound asleep against him, face beet red and soaked with tears
he adjusted you slowly, lifting your arms around his shoulders so he could carry you without waking you up.
he looked over to mark who nodded with an appreciative smile, then carefully carried you upstairs and towards his room.
he set you down and took off your shoes, then grabbed a water bottle and some medicine for you, setting them down and slipping into bed next to you. 
you found your way to his chest and slept peacefully while he zoned out, brushing his hand through your hair soothingly.
when you did wake up, it was slowly and difficultly. it had been a few hours, your mouth felt dry and your head felt heavy.
you felt dizzy, but not from the hangover. from luke, holding you close to him.
you let out a noise of confusion, and luke stiffened, looking down at you.
rather than pay mind to the millions of emotions coursing through him, he decided to focus on sitting you up and getting you to drink some water.
you just listened, waiting to ask what the hell had happened until after you were feeling a little less undead.
“uh, luca and shea found you by one of the bus stops. you called luca adam, so they came up to you, n called mark” you looked down, tears brimming your eyes.
“oh.. okay,” you whispered, fidgeting with your own fingers awkwardly.
he gave you a minute to compose yourself before setting the polaroid on your lap 
“he would’ve been fifty today,” he stated softly, looking at where your eyes would have been had you been facing him.
you wiped your face roughly, groaning to yourself while luke silently begged you to look at him
“maybe we can take a little trip to go see him, yeah? i’ll stop at the store and we can get him a card n’ some flowers,” he offered, rubbing your upper back soothingly 
“you’d do that for me?”
“i would. or i can explain everything to mark, and he can take you, if you wanted?” you shook your head quickly 
“no. no, uh,” you sniffled, taking the water he’d gotten you from his night stand and sipping carefully from it 
“the whole reason i like being around him so much is that he doesn’t know everything, and he doesn’t need to know everything,” you explained, finally looking up at him with glossy eyes and a red nose
“i can zone out for a minute and he won’t ask me if i’m okay, he’ll just slap the back of my head and tell me i need a nap,” you chuckled 
you’d made it a point to keep the shitty aspects of your life away from mark. 
he knew you’d been through a lot, but he didn’t know any details and he never asked about it, respecting your boundaries 
“it’s easy around him, you know?” luke nodded slightly, a questioning look in his eyes 
“i wish it could’ve been that simple with you, but there are things that cant be kept from a partner the way they can from a friend, it’s different,” 
the two of you sat in silence for a minute, luke having opened the bottle of ibuprofen for you and handing you two to take 
once you sipped away the weird feeling in your throat with water, you gave him a hopeful look
“are you still up to take me?” he smiled sadly and nodded, slowly moving from his bed and over to his closet.
“here,” he handed you a hoodie and his varsity jacket, nodding in a way that told you to put them on. 
you stood carefully and put the sweater on, overwhelmed by the smell of him lingering on the collar 
the jacket was both too big on you but a perfect fit, the bottom landing a little above your knees and the sleeves covering up to the tips of your fingers 
you put your shoes back on and gave him a look before going over to the bathroom, scanning the counter until you found something that could suffice as a face wash 
you pulled your sleeves up and washed the mascara from your cheeks, then grabbed a clean towel to pat your face dry.
you went to go cup your hands under the cool water to drink before some mouthwash, but you spotted the toothbrush you kept here while you’d been dating luke in his corner of things 
your lips parted and you blinked, almost thinking it would go away once you opened your eyes again. 
when it didn’t, you took the cover off the top of it to find it in the same condition you left it, so you rinsed it well before using it. 
luke walked out of his shared room, now in a hoodie of his own, and froze when he saw you
you avoided his eyes, pulling your hair from your face while you spat out the toothpaste and then rinsed your mouth with water. 
you pulled your sleeves back down and walked over to where he was waiting on the stairs, flicking the light off and keeping your head down 
“i, uh, just kept forgetting to toss it,” he cleared his throat, eyes flashing over to you and quickly moving away
you just nodded, making your way down the stairs and seeing the three boys who had brought you home playing video games on the couch
shea was the first to notice you, smiling to himself at the sight of you drowning in luke’s clothes.
he nudged marks knee with his own to grab his attention, nodding over to you and luke who’d been awkwardly standing there
mark looked up and grinned at you, setting his controller down and getting up to trap you in a bear hug
“how’s the head, dumbass,” you smiled bashfully, resting your face against his chest and hugging him back 
“throbbing. thanks for coming to get me,” he hummed in response, ruffling your hair and moving away from you 
“you’re bringing her home?” mark asked, eyes directed at luke
he looked at you and you answered for him
“we’re going on a little road trip. be back in a few hours,” mark tried his best not to let glee take over his face too obviously.
he sent luke a knowing look, a callback to their earlier conversation where mark had outright exposed him for still being in love with you
you smiled and waved to shea and luca, who returned the favour, luca yelling after you as you walked away with a “you kids have fun! wear protection!” which earned him a slap on the head from seamus. 
the drive to the grocery store was quiet, luke’s bluetooth playing quietly through the speakers of his car and you humming along to some of the songs you knew.
the two of you opted to grab something to eat from the deli as well, and luke offered to pay for both the meals and the card and flowers you’d gotten for your dad.
you were reluctant, but he had blocked you away from the debit machine when it was presented to you, so you settled for slipping a twenty into the pocket of his jacket so he’d get it whenever you took it off and gave it back.
you weren’t opposed to the silence, but sharing it with luke did make it a little more uncomfortable than it should’ve been.
you were dreadfully aware that the two of you did need to have a good talk, and work out whatever it was that had torn your friendship to bits after the breakup, but maybe that's better off happening later on.
when he pulled into the parking lot at the cemetery your dad had been buried at, you looked over at him before getting out
“thank you for doing this for me, lu,” he nodded sweetly, mumbling a soft “of course, baby,” in response
your heart fluttered at his tone, as well as the genuine use of ‘baby’, and you gave him a close-lipped smile before opening the door to his car and grabbing your things, waiting for him to get out with you.
the two of you walked to your dads headstone, sitting on the grass by it and laying the flowers and the card.
“if you want a minute by yourself, i can-” you grabbed his hand before he could move to stand up, shaking your head and looking up at him with teary eyes 
“just, stay,” you breathed out, and he nodded, wrapping his free arm around you and squeezing the hand that he’d been holding 
you cried silently, staring at the stone with tears streaming down your face, leaving lines of red from the irritated skin.
you felt luke start to gently brush his thumb along your knuckles, and you grimaced to yourself, looking down into your lap to try and keep yourself together 
luke frowned, pulling you into his lap and cradling your head, one hand still holding yours 
you took a deep breath, torso shaking as you squeezed his hand like you’d been getting your first tattoo.
when you looked up at him, you saw the luke you knew at the beginning of your relationship, and not the one you constantly bickered with. 
he pushed his nose next to yours, lips nearly brushing against each others, but he waited for you to initiate it. 
instead, you pulled away and tried to move away from his hug, heart aching in your chest and guilt taking over your head 
“i’m sorry,” you whispered, opting to lean your head into his neck since he hadn’t loosened his grip. 
“no, it’s.. it’s okay, y/n,” he sounded unsure, but the words eased your mind nonetheless 
“i can’t go through what we did again, i can’t keep going in that circle, luke, we suck for each other,” you explained, pulling your hand from his and beginning to mess with the sleeves of his jacket 
“i can be better at that, y/n/n, i want to help,” you shook your head, finally managing to move off him 
“you said that last time, and you lied. i don’t blame you, luke, i was shitty too. but i think we’re better off as friends,”
he pursed his lips, nodding. he knew you were right. 
+ one
“have you ever been to an nhl game before?” ellen asked, getting soup ready for quinn, who was recovering on the couch. 
“uh, no, and i hardly had time to pay attention to any of the wolverines games, i was always editing,” you chuckled awkwardly, knowing your knowledge of crowds at sporting events was very limited and you’d likely be caught sitting with jim looking incredibly confused. 
you knew you would feel out of place, especially at a playoff game. 
luke wasn't even aware that you were in new jersey, let alone that you’d be in attendance to his first playoff game.
you had finals and things to do for the team’s media page during his first nhl games, and though you weren’t dating, you knew he wanted you there for them due to the devils jersey he had sent you after he signed his contract.
not only did you still have things to do in ann arbor, but you definitely could not afford a place to stay or plane tickets to new jersey.
then, ellen had messaged you with the news that she’d be stuck babying quinn for the next while, and offered you her ticket to the game along with help for your plane tickets.
truly, it was the least she could do, as her son hadn’t shut up about you since the moment she got to newark, and she could no longer stand hearing him complain about how much he missed you, only to correct everyone when they referred to you as his girlfriend.
the game could not have been anymore hectic. it ended 8-4 devils, but with four combined short handed goals, the canes rookie goalie being subbed in, and luke getting two points.
the rock was loud, but the energy felt less overwhelming over time and you got used to the cheers and yelling eventually.
you went with jim to wait for jack and luke, neither of which were expecting you.
jack came out first, and completely neglected his father as he greeted you with a hug, asking how you’d been and when you got to town.
you were still hugging when luke made his way out, eyebrows furrowing at the sight of a pair of arms around his brother’s waist.
when he got close enough to see that it was you, you were promptly pulled away from jack and lifted into luke’s arms, feet a few inches off the ground from how tightly he’d been hugging onto you.
“oh, jesus. hi, lukey,” you giggled, squeezing him back just as tight. you hadn’t been wearing the jersey, knowing the broadcasts had a tendency to pan to jim up in the stands and not wanting to make a big deal out of it
“how long have you been in jersey? how did you get here? where did you get the ticket, y/n, what the fuck” he rambled, a big smile etched onto his face during the whole ordeal.
he set you down but kept his arms around you, rocking the two of you back and forth while his older brother and dad watched in amusement.
your face went completely serious, and you tried to keep it that way as you spoke “oh, well, i came down to help with quinn after his tonsils and your mom offered me her ticket,” luke shook his head, ruffling your hair and holding your head to his chest 
“i hate you,” he mumbled as you laughed against him.
“no, you don’t” you pulled back a few inches, grabbing his wrist and leading him to the exit jack and jim had already started making their way to.
“no, i don’t,” he pulled back on your wrist, bringing you back into his chest so the two of you were looking at each other.
he lowered his face and kissed you, and for how long overdue it was, he was very tame.
it was gentle, and slow, and he’d been gliding his hands up and down your hips soothingly. your hands came up behind his neck to mess with the hair at its nape and you pulled away for air, but went right back in.
when the two of you finally pulled away completely, luke was blushing madly and you were hiding away in his neck.
“that’s.. certainly one way to prove it,” you breathed out, chuckling slightly.
“can i prove it some more on the way home?” he raised an eyebrow, tilting your head back up to face him.
“with your brother driving us? you wouldn’t,” he grinned, shaking his head.
“i would. you underestimate how long i’ve been waiting for that,”
2K notes · View notes
nateofgreat · 1 month
Text
"What's wrong with the Acolyte being Jedi critical? It's okay to criticize them since they have a monopoly on the Force don't they?"
Okay, let me break this down.
1: The Jedi do not have a monopoly on the Force.
Say, remember the Nightsisters of Dathomir? The dark side cult that the Jedi tolerate. They even go there to negotiate in the Clone Wars without making any threats to their continued existence. The only time they ever come into conflict is when they leave Dathomir to mess with someone else.
They're not the only ones either. The media doesn't focus on it much, but there are dozens of different Force-based organizations in SW (Legends and Disney canon) that the Jedi Order coexists with. There's also the simple fact that the parents of Force sensitive children can simply decline the Jedi's offer which would indicate that there are people in the Galaxy with the Force who live independently from the Jedi.
As it happens the only organization the Jedi are constantly fighting are the Sith and for darn good reasons.
2: What's wrong with being critical of the Jedi?
Let's not split hairs here. The "criticism" the Jedi get nowadays almost always seems to end with, "and that's why they deserved to be exterminated down to the children via Order 66." So, pro-Jedi fans are a bit on guard when they hear that a project is "Jedi critical."
Now, in theory, there's nothing wrong with characters in-universe having disagreements with the Jedi way or having criticisms of them. However, despite the show's claim to not be about "good vs evil" I think it's VERY likely to posit that the Jedi are wholly in the wrong and to blame for the conflict in some manner. While downplaying the actions of the villain on account of them being a victim.
Why do I think that? Because the trailer.
3: "This isn't about good or evil. It's about power and who's allowed to use it."
Right at the climax of the trailer is this line. Which spells pretty clearly that the show is saying that just, doesn't matter if the Jedi are good, because they're also powerful and influential in their own regard. So in the show's mind that means they're the problem.
They might offer a halfhearted condemnation of the serial killer murdering them for no reason but chances are they'll suggest that they're not really the problem: that the Jedi are for being powerful. I've even seen quotes floating around saying that show will ask the question "what if the Sith are really just the underdogs?" when they go around blowing up planets.
As for the question itself. It's likewise silly as the Jedi don't actually persecute other Force traditions or force everyone to join them. They don't even force you to stay once you've joined. So it doesn't seem like they're attempting to control the Force at all. Meanwhile, the Sith want to dominate the Galaxy and either exterminate or enslave any opposing traditions.
So the question itself is self-defeating.
Oh and while I'm here...
4: There is no "endless cycle"
Slightly off-topic but it comes up a lot as a defense of the anti-Jedi mindset. It goes something like, "The Jedi perpetuate an endless cycle of war because the Sith keep coming back!"
First off, it's not the Jedi's fault that some lunatics keep popping back up to try and control the Galaxy. All they do is stop them every time they do.
Secondly, the "cycle" only exists because new books keep getting written. Stories need conflict and thus the Sith are revived over and over again.
Thirdly, please someone try to tell me that this could be avoided if the Jedi let their members marry or something.
And fourthly, the cycle's honestly not that bad because the Jedi just win every time and restore peace to the Galaxy for a long period.
239 notes · View notes
sayruq · 1 month
Text
At the risk of overstepping, I have something to say.
Logically speaking, you're not going to get the average Jewish person to agree to the mass expulsion of Israelis from Palestine. Even antizionist Jewish people would balk at that. Mass expulsion isn't exactly a peaceful, painless process. People will die, and people will become poverty-stricken and left at the mercy of whatever country they're dumped in (ask Palestinian refugees). No one would want that for their people no matter how abhorrently they've behaved.
Plus I don't think any major Palestinian organisation has called for such a move, even Hamas, who are proponents of a two-state solution.
Let's say that Israel collapses and Palestinians manage to expel every Israeli to Europe. There are currently numerous far-right antisemitic parties gaining ground who might end up in power in the coming years. I don't think leaving millions of Jewish people at their mercy is justice.
Revenge is not justice. An eye for an eye, settling every score will ensure that the violence will never end, especially with the mass expulsion of a population of over seven million people. Palestinians won't automatically live stable lives (because Israelis haven't been able to live stable lives while trying to completely ethnically cleanse Palestinians, and they have the material support of the West).
And Palestinians deserve stability and justice. War crime tribunals, breaking apart the IDF, dismantling settlements, freedom of movement, allowing Palestinian refugees to return, restoring citizenship to stateless Palestinians, etc., all of these things will give Palestinians justice. Mass expulsion would not, so let's not use that as a litmus test to see which antizionist Jewish people are truly pro-Palestine.
I also think we shouldn't try to deny Jewish people's connection to Palestine (I'm guilty of this too, so this isn't me being sanctimonious). While many Jewish people remained in the Levant, many were exiled and endured centuries of persecution in Europe, and to a lesser extent Asia and Africa. They have historical, genetic, and identity-based ties to Palestine. Acknowledging this won't change that Israel is occupying Palestine or diminish Palestinians' claim to the land and their long history, and it doesn't make the Palestinian cause any less legitimate to do so. The Israeli project is still settler colonialism.
220 notes · View notes
lurkingshan · 3 months
Text
Last Twilight Episode 12
A month ago, I never could have predicted that I’d be sitting here trying to assemble some thoughts to explain how on earth this show went so badly off the rails. I am truly taken aback by where this story landed, and I advise anyone who wants to think of it fondly to just pretend it ended at episode 9, and even skip the finale if you haven’t watched yet. Before I get into it, let me just start with a word of praise for the cast, who did a great job with their performances and kept this show afloat when the writing fell apart. And boy, did it fall apart.
In my view, this narrative had three main threads it was addressing: 1) Day’s journey to accepting his disability; 2) unresolved family trauma; and 3) Mhok and Day’s romance. And in the end, it failed on all three of them. I am going to dig into this and I am not feeling particularly nice, so if this is going to hurt your feelings I suggest you stop reading now. 
Day’s Journey
Tumblr media
Just…wow. We have been afraid of this turn the entire time and trying to hold out hope that the show would not go there, but here we are. I started laughing out loud when we got to the end of part 3 and Mhon’s phone went off with an alert for a new eye donor, and then just stared incredulously at my screen as we time skipped AGAIN to a Day whose vision had been restored for years (last week I joked to @bengiyo and @waitmyturtles that once a drama starts using time skips it becomes addictive and they never stop, and—welp!). What was this entire show for? Why did we spend twelve episodes with Day grieving his vision loss, learning how to cope, and finally accepting his blindness only to completely undercut it at the end? The first part of the finale was so much about how he was thriving—finding a new career for himself and becoming self-sufficient and growing so much on his own—only to give us an ending that implied he could not actually have his happily ever after without his vision restored. 
And this is in fact the message they sent by coupling the return of his vision with the return of he and Mhok’s relationship, and giving us a happy ending rooted in his contentment at having his sight back. They even went back to the Last Twilight mountain to completely tarnish the thematic resonance of the original scene. Calling back to the beautiful memory of Day “seeing” the sunset and experiencing “a moment so good that you feel like you can live there forever” as he accepted his disability with this scene of him seeing the real sunset with his restored vision was so hurtful to me that I actually got angry. Day didn’t need his vision back to get a happy ending, and I absolutely hate what this communicates about disabled people’s capacity to live happy and fulfilling lives. This show has created many writing sins but this is the most unforgivable to me.
Family Trauma
Tumblr media
The show began dropping the ball on this one a few weeks ago, but this finale put the nail in the coffin. We spent most of this episode at Porjai and Night’s wedding, an event that might have felt meaningful if the show had let us see any of their romance. I’m grateful to Mark Pakin and Namtan Tipnaree for their beauty and charisma because it’s the only thing that made me care about those scenes at all. Rather than actually being about them, however, this wedding was used primarily as a clunky vehicle to deliver heavy-handed messages about “second chances” to encourage Day to get back together with Mhok (more on that in the next section). 
I did enjoy the brief nods in this episode to the brothers continuing to have newfound harmony in their relationship, but where the show really lost me was in their attempt to bring Night and Day’s dad back into the mix and imply some sort of resolution between him and Mhon. Mhon, a woman whose perspective on their split we never actually saw, whose motivation for her choices and behavior toward her sons were completely elided by the narrative, who was forgiven and made peace with offscreen during a time skip. I was never given the chance to understand her or what this relationship meant to her in the first place, so why would I care about these scenes with her making her peace with this man? I continue to be so confused about where this show chose to spend its time, and why someone with Aof’s track record on developing strong and narratively important familial relationships dropped the ball so much with her. 
The Romance
Tumblr media
Okay, let’s get into it, and remember what I said about not reading if this is going to hurt your feelings! My criteria for considering a romance successful is I have to believe the relationship is mutual, beneficial to both of the pair, and that the couple is prepared to weather future challenges. Last Twilight’s romance fails on all three fronts, and it all comes down to the total imbalance in the relationship that persisted right through the final scenes.
This entire narrative has been Mhok bending to Day’s will, giving Day what he needs, forgiving him for everything, and letting him make all the decisions about the relationship, and the finale was regrettably more of the same. In episode 11, Mhok made a mistake when he lied to Day about turning down the job in Hawaii. But he made that mistake out of grief and fear, and Day didn’t care—he unfeelingly rejected him and his pain and ended their relationship without a second thought. That was potentially forgivable as a momentary lapse borne out of instinctual hurt, and could have been repairable had Day reconsidered soon after and extended Mhok some grace. But in this episode, we find out Day blocked Mhok and refused to communicate with him again after that night, and has left Mhok completely in the cold for three years after he failed to be perfect one (1) time.
And this episode? Was on Day’s side in this conflict. Mhok is the one to return and start pursuing Day again. Mhok is the one to broach the topic of their breakup. Mhok is the one to thank Day for breaking his heart and tell him he did nothing wrong (y’all, I almost threw something at the screen). Mhok’s grief and trauma go completely unaddressed in this finale until they try to play the Rung card for one last moment of sentiment. Day cries to his mother about how he just doesn’t know if he can forgive Mhok. And in the end, Mhok makes the grand gesture, missing his flight to go to Day and stay in Thailand with him despite the successful life he has built in Hawaii.
The cognitive dissonance I felt watching this play out was extreme. I rarely see a writer misunderstand their own characters and relationship conflict so thoroughly. In order to believe in this romance we needed to see Day finally show some empathy for Mhok, take responsibility for his own mistakes, and be the one to make an effort this time. We needed to believe that Day has the capacity to be a supportive partner to Mhok even when he’s struggling. But Day didn’t demonstrate any of that, and so I simply don’t believe in this relationship. I don’t believe Mhok can trust Day not to abandon him again when some other major life event intervenes and Mhok is less than perfect. And that’s a shame, because the show really almost had something here with these two. 
Tumblr media
And that’s all I got. What a disappointment this show turned out to be. If you need me, I will just be over here in my little corner imagining the Night and Porjai romcom that we never got and pretending the rest of this show ended several weeks ago.
379 notes · View notes
mumms-the-word · 11 days
Text
Ascension, Return
Tumblr media
Pairing: Gale x You (Reader POV) Summary: You watch as Gale restores the Crown of Karsus and temporarily becomes a god before disappearing to return the crown to Mystra. And you can only hope, now that he is a god, that he will return. ao3 link A/N: I was thinking the other day about how in the ending for an Origin run for Gale, regardless of how he plans to deal with the crown business, he always shows up as God!Gale in front of Mystra before agreeing to hand over the crown or deciding to stay a god. And it got me thinking...wouldn't a romanced Tav who is expecting him to give up the crown see him ascend? So anyway I wrote this to get those thoughts out there. As usual pic of my Tav Dani because I keep forgetting to ask to borrow people’s better pictures
It doesn’t take long for you and Gale to make plans to retrieve the crown from the depths of the Chionthar River. The sooner you get this over with, the better, you think, and yet something about this endeavor has you on edge. You secretly wish you can just leave the crown down below the waters…but then, anyone could get it down there, with the right spells or the right technology. You can’t risk that.
You don’t want it in Mystra’s hands either, but what choice do you have? She, at least, is a goddess interested in balance, neither evil like the Dead Three, nor entirely good and thus subject to extreme corruption. There’s no telling what she’ll do with the crown, but she has offered one thing in exchange—a cure for your lover’s affliction.
He’ll be free of the dark hungering orb at last.
It’s enough to convince you. You retrieve your worn bedrolls from the Elfsong and shoulder your pack, ready for your next little adventure—a small boat ride to the other side of the river, and a few days spent with Gale as he searches the murky waters.
You join him on the banks of the Chionthar, well away from the bustle of the city as it is trying to rebuild, watching over him as he sits, eyes glazed with concentration, guiding simulacrums to walk the riverbeds and floors of the river, combing through the mud for the crown. He could have let his simulacrums search without him guiding them, but he wants to be sure, to search closely. He doesn’t want to waste his time turning away simulacrums who bring back scraps of metal, shrapnel from the Iron Throne, or bits from the carnage of the fight against the Netherbrain. So he looks through their eyes, seeing nothing for hours but hazy water, mud, and river plants.
Though you long to lie back and watch the sails of fishing vessels drift by like clouds on the breeze, reveling in a hard-won moment of peace, you don’t want to miss a moment where he might need you. You do not want him to be caught unawares by some curious animal, or worse, a lingering enemy. So you sit and watch, your stomach twisting into knots as you face what you know will be inevitable—the moment when he finally finds the crown.
It takes all of two days of searching. After hours upon hours of looking, he stiffens, his physical body reacting to something beyond your sight, and you know at last that he has found it. You both stand as his simulacrum emerges, dripping water, with the cold bronze of the crown in its hands. 
The Crown of Karsus.
It’s so much smaller than you remember. When you faced it on the top of the Netherbrain it had easily been the size of a large carriage. Here, on the banks of the Chionthar, it’s no bigger than a normal crown. It looks innocent. Harmless.
But you know better.
The power it releases…you are no stranger to it. You readily recall the metallic taste on your tongue as you drew near it atop the Netherbrain and the way its very aura tried to drive you to your knees. Its power is weaker now, pulsating from the bronze metal like a faint heartbeat, but you know that it won’t stay that way.
You glance at Gale, wondering what you’ll see in his face. Dark hunger, perhaps, or something bittersweet. Reluctance, dread, or tired resignation. But his expression is surprisingly neutral. He doesn’t step forward to take the crown just yet. Instead, he studies it with his eyes before taking a deep breath through his nose and turning to look at you.
“Do you trust me?” he asks.
You blink, a little taken aback. “Of course,” you say. “Always.”
“That’s gratifying to hear. It will take me some time to restore the crown and the Netherstones to their original state, fit enough to give to Mystra. The process will be necessarily delicate, given the orb I carry. I should ask you to keep a safe distance. A city’s worth of space, perhaps, just in case, but—”
You cross your arms. “I’m not leaving your side, Gale. I’m here with you, for good or ill.”
He smiles then, as much relieved as he is amused and resigned. “I know. I expected as much. But I thought it best to offer or warn you regardless.” He takes a deep breath. “Very well, then. We stay together. I just hope you’ll be patient with me.”
You reach out and take his hand, threading your fingers between his. “I will be. I’m here for you. Take all the time you need, my love.”
He gives you a grateful look, squeezing your hand affectionately before leaning in to brush a sweet, gentle kiss against your lips. You let him pull away, slipping out of reach, and watch with bated breath as he steps forward to accept the crown, the mark on his chest glowing brighter and brighter as he nears and finally takes the crown in his hands.
You don’t know what you expect. A light show, perhaps. A wave of dark, Netherese magic, or a black hole effect. You steel yourself to the fear that he will simply evaporate or fall to his knees in pain.
But nothing spectacular happens, aside from his mark glowing brightly. To your eyes, the crown acts as little more than a normal crown. To him…
You see his chest expand with a deep breath, the orb flaring brighter, watch him blow the air slowly through his lips, his face tense. But without the tadpole in your heads, you can’t guess at what he’s thinking or feeling. He closes his eyes, simply breathing, concentrating. Fighting, perhaps. Wrestling with some unseen force. The glow on his chest dims slowly until it is only a faint purple tint on his skin. Only then does he finally tighten his hold on the crown and turn back to you.
You get the sense that he has just won a silent, unseen battle within himself. It occurs to you too late that putting the crown and the orb in close proximity might actually hurt him. But it seems that the danger has passed...for now. If he’s in pain, he isn’t showing it.
“Come,” he says. “Let us make sure we’re a safe distance from the city. Just in case.”
His words don't inspire confidence, but you say nothing. You merely follow him back to your camp further up hillside. You know he has work to do.
———
You give him time. That’s all he asked for. Time to concentrate on the magic. Time to manipulate threads of the Weave. The Mystran Weave and the Karsite Weave. Sometimes you think you understand what he’s doing, but more often than not, you don’t. The magic he is performing is beyond your comprehension, guided by notes in the Annals of Karsus which lays open in front of him. You suspect some of it comes innately to him, an understanding born from carrying Netherese magic for so long. The rest must come from Karsus himself, written down as instructions or incantations. You give up trying to understand and simply make yourself useful. Or you try to, anyway.
All you can really do is linger nearby, keeping an eye out for anything that might interrupt his work. You barely interrupt him yourself, save to place some food and water near him with a soft reminder that he needs to eat to keep his energy up. He’s not a god yet, you tease, but the words taste sour on your tongue.
Yet. But soon.
You don’t feel ready for it. You know it’ll only be temporary. You hope so, anyway. But you’re still not ready.
The day passes by without you noticing. Gale sits with the crown, working, weaving, an illuminated aura around him filled with heavy magic. You leave him to his work as the sun moves slowly overhead toward the horizon, painting the sky in tones of orange, red, and purple. You lay down to watch the swirls of violet and indigo magic that gather around him as night falls, until in your exhaustion, you close your eyes for a moment to rest.
You don’t know when you drifted off to sleep, but you’re awoken in the early hours of the morning by his hand on your shoulder. You stir, blinking groggily up at him.
“It’s time,” he says softly. He helps you sit up, hands lingering on your arms, your hands. The crown isn’t with him, but sits on top of his pack several feet away. “I’ve done all I can. The stones and the crown are together again. Functionally the crown is complete, but…there is one last step I need to take.”
He kneels in front of you, dark eyes searching your face in the dim firelight. No, you realize. Memorizing. You feel a sudden knot in your throat and though you are seated safely on the ground, it feels as though a yawning void is opening up around you, threatening to swallow you whole should you tip too far to one side.
This feels like a goodbye.
“Once I put on the crown, the magic of the orb will finally combine with that of the crown. And I will…change,” he explains quietly, while you try to calm the surge of fear that grips your heart. “The magic of the crown and orb will become one and give me the power at last to meet with Mystra as an equal.”
An equal. He doesn’t say as a god. But you both know the truth.
You can scarcely breathe. You want to trust him. You want so desperately to believe in him. And he is looking at you so lovingly, but the very air seems tinged with sorrow. Nothing is certain. Nothing save his love for you, and even then, the tiniest doubt worms its way into your head and your heart.
Once he is a god…will he even remember to come back to you?
“And then?” you ask, your voice no more than a whisper.
“And then…I will hand the crown over to Mystra. And hope she keeps her word.”
You release a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. “I trust you, my love.” You use the words, saying them out loud, to dispel your doubts and fears. You do trust him. With your life, with your heart, with your all.
If only you could trust Mystra. Can she be trusted to cure him? Can she be trusted to let him return? And if he does return, can she be trusted to let him return unchanged? Chosen or not, will he still be Gale Dekarios, the man you love? You don’t know. But you hope so.
He smiles at you and brushes the backs of his fingers against your cheek, his fingertips trailing along the line of your jaw. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He leans in for a kiss and you, selfishly, wrap your arms around him and hold him tightly to you as your lips move against his, wanting to never let go. You rise to your knees, following him as he tries to pull away, kissing him deeply, tangling your fingers in his hair, until at last you are both breathless and you have to hide your face in his shoulder. You cling to him, reluctant to let him go just yet.
“Just come back to me,” you whisper. “Whatever happens.”
His arms tighten around you and you feel the bob of his throat as he swallows with difficulty. He strokes your hair and your back, pressing little kisses to your shoulder, your neck, your head. You can feel it in every touch and breath he takes. He doesn’t want to let go yet either. 
“I will, my love,” he whispers back. “I swear it.”
It’s enough for now. It has to be. You could delay this day for a thousand days and still never be ready to let him go. But you have to. If he wants to be whole again, free of the orb, perhaps even free of Mystra…he has to do this.
You reluctantly loosen your hold on him and sit back on your heels, meeting his dark-eyed gaze in the early hours of the morning. He takes your hands and lifts them to his lips, brushing kisses against your knuckles, turning your hands over to kiss the center of your palms. Each touch of his lips to your skin is a reverent confession of love and longing and it only makes your heart ache more.
Please don’t let this be goodbye.
“Wait for me,” he says.
You cradle his cheek in your hand, gazing earnestly at him, soaking in every detail of his handsome face, committing it all to memory. “I will, my love. I swear it.”
He smiles at you then, full of love and happiness. He steals one last kiss from your lips before finally pulling away and standing, taking several steps back.
You stand too, preparing yourself for what is about to happen, even though you scarcely have any idea. You expect some of what you expected before, with light shows and waves of magic at best, disintegration and death at the worst, but now it feels even more real. Even more likely. You don’t know what will happen, so you brace yourself for the worst, heart pounding in your throat, gut churning with dread, and hope, desperately hope, for the best, even though you don’t know what that will look like.
You hold your breath as he moves several paces away from you and bends to pick up the crown. This image, too, you commit to memory. The way he looks illuminated by the firelight, the lights of the city glimmering behind and below him, the stars glittering above him. The sight of him with the crown in his hands, contemplating it with an expression of deep gravity. The crown looks small and harmless, despite the sharp curls and the soft glow of the purple, orange, and pink Netherstones that are now set once more in the bronze. But he looks serious, regal even, with it cradled in his hands. Like a king mulling over the weight of his position and the choices that lay ahead. He is beautiful. Heart-achingly beautiful. You wish this moment could stretch on forever, if only because it means not losing him to the crown. To godhood.
He turns to give you one last lingering look, your eyes meeting over the distance between you, before he slowly raises the crown to his head and settles it over his brown and gray locks.
The effect is instantaneous. A blast of magic blows outward from him, kicking up wind and dust and flashing bright enough to rival the sun. You cover your eyes, shielding your face, the light blinding you. Suddenly the air feels electric, tasting of metal and ozone, as though you’re about to be struck by lightning at any second. Wind swirls around you, picking up speed, a cyclone of power and magic with you caught in the edges. You struggle to stay on your feet, your body resisting the pull into the vortex. What little you can see is naught but a haze of magic, purple, blue, and inky black, rushing around you and mixing with the wind. Threads of blue and silver lightning dance around you, passing close enough to make your hair stand on end, shocking you when you take an unsteady step backward. The vortex of wind, lightning, and magic threatens to suck the very air from your lungs until, with crack like thunder, everything around you stops.
The air grows still. It is as though you suspended in time. Held fast by magic. Your ears are ringing with the sudden silence.
You cautiously lower your hand. You have to blink a few times for your eyes to adjust, but once they do, the sight of Gale causes a flurry of emotions within you.
He stands before you as something…more. A god in all but name. He’s taller, you swear he must be, or else his very presence makes him seem bigger. His skin has turned a shade of hard silver, his hair ashen gray. The mark of the orb stands out in stark black on his chest and when he turns his head to examine his hands, his body, you see splintered blue lightning crackling at his temples and down the sides of his face. His brown eyes now glow blue-white with magic, any trace of his former warmth consumed by the light of the power within him. He’s striking, awe-inspiring…
And you can’t help but fear him, just a little. 
On instinct you have the compulsion to kneel, but you don’t. You force yourself to stay on your feet and look at him, really look at him, and try to find the man you love behind this new godly veneer. He has to be in there somewhere. He has to be.
“Amazing,” he murmurs, and his voice is layered two or three times over with a strange echo, one that gives you unpleasant shivers. Even his voice carries tiny waves of power. You already miss the warm tones of his mortal voice with its Waterdhavian accent.
He flexes his hands, raising them before his face, his expression one of wonder and awe. With but a gesture, he summons threads of the Weave together in glyphs and effects you can barely make sense of, though you feel the thrum of magic deep in your chest and know, instinctively, that he is capable of snapping your mind with a thought or destroying you with a word. He smiles, and the effect is strange. He looks like himself but he doesn’t. Something about it seems wrong to you. Uncanny. Familiar and unfamiliar.
The pit of dread in your stomach grows.
But then he catches sight of you, waiting, watching breathlessly, nervously, hoping that he’ll remember his promise to you. His smile fades and for the briefest moment you catch a glimpse of the man you love. Even his blue-white eyes, shining eerily from his familiar face, can’t hide the love he has for you.
He lowers his hands to his sides. “It is done. The crown is fully restored once more.”
You nod. You haven’t the faintest clue what to say next. You’re still trying to make sense of the man-god before you.
He smiles again, and something about it is both patronizing, as though he pities you for not understanding, and sincere, an echo of his mortal kindness and patience. He presses a hand to his chest. “Well, I’d best be off then.”
“Wait—” You reach out as if to stop him and he pauses. Your hand hovers uncertainly in the air before you lower it to your side. "One last kiss, before you go. Please."
His smile softens. "I can deny you nothing, my love," he murmurs. He crosses the distance between you with a strange grace he didn't have before. Before he was elegant, but at times a little awkward. None of the awkwardness remains in him now.
You look up as he stops in front of you, his fingers curling beneath your chin the way he does when he wants to lift your face or guide your lips to his. You stare into his glowing eyes a moment before letting your eyes flutter closed. His lips touch yours...and it's different.
There's a magnetism there now that wasn't there before. You seem drawn in as if by gravity. He tastes of metal and magic, his skin cold but not unyielding. Your lips tingle with each kiss and the moment you seek to deepen the kiss—you gasp as a blue electric shock drives your mouths apart, your teeth practically rattling, your lips suddenly hot, almost burned. You press a hand to your mouth, looking up at him in shock, but he's just as surprised as you are. He seems unharmed, despite the tiny sparks of white-blue lightning still skittering over his lips.
"Ah...what an interesting side effect," he says, touching his hand to his mouth. The lightning calms. "Are you all right?"
You nod, rubbing your lips lightly as the numbness from the shock begins to subside and the tingling begins to fade. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't unpleasant either. Still, you're wary of trying it again.
He watches you, looking torn, before a new resolve settles his features. "Then I suppose that is my signal to go. The sooner I depart, the sooner I can return." He takes your hand carefully, moving it away from your face, and presses a cautious kiss to the back of your hand. His lips impart another, smaller shock to your skin, but this time you're ready for it. Your fingertips go a little numb, but you manage not to wince.
"Wait for me, my love," he says, finally letting go of your hand. "I won’t be long."
You step back, giving him room to do whatever he needs to do, and watch as he begins to glow, brighter than your eyes can stand. You keep your gaze on his until the very last second, when the light grows too bright to stare at. You blink—and then he’s gone, disappearing in a shower of starlight that fades too quickly.
You are left alone in the cool night, with naught but a dying fire for company. 
———
You don’t sleep. You barely bring yourself to tend to the dying embers of your campfire and stoke it back into warm flames. After that, all you can do is sit.
And wait.
And wonder.
And pray.
“Come back to me, my love,” you whisper into the cool night air.  "Please."
You half-wonder if he can hear you. If, on some level, you’re praying to him, the newest of the gods. You don’t know if that thought comforts you or worsens your dread. How does he think of you now, now that his mind is that of a god, capable of seeing beyond the constraints of a mortal’s limited view? If he hears your prayers, does he think less of you, or love you more? Will he remember his promise, or will the power he now holds tempt him to break it? You want to have faith in him—you do have faith in him—but doubt creeps in despite your best efforts.
Come back to me.
You recall what it was like to wait for him at Mystra’s shrine at the Stormshore Tabernacle. How he had explained that time runs differently in the Outer Planes. How he would only be gone for a moment. Each second that had ticked by during that time felt like a year.
Now, sitting on the hillside, every second that passes feels like an eternity.
The fire crackles. The lights of the city begin to dim. One by one the stars fade out, hiding from view as the black of night begins to lighten into the blue hues of pre-dawn. And still, he isn’t back.
Wait for me, he said. And you will. You’ll wait as long as you have to.
But what if…?
No. You can’t bring yourself to put your fears into words anymore. Doing so will only make them seem more real. More feasible. There could be a thousand explanations for why he isn’t back quickly. You just have to have faith in him.
You get up and begin to pace. You start breaking little sticks and twigs into tiny pieces to feed to the fire, piece by tiny piece, just for something to do with your hands. You pluck blades of grass one by one or count the stars you can see. And you wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Your thoughts are your own worst enemy and you wish you had called an ally to come and sit with you. Even Scratch with his favorite ball would have been enough to quiet your heart and mind. But instead, you sit alone, the crackle of a fire the only sound to break the silence.
Your eyelids are heavy now and your body longs to drag you down into slumber, but you resist. You want to be there when he comes back. If he comes back. When he comes back.
You get up to pace again, rubbing warmth into your stiff fingers, amusing yourself with memories of him. His smile. His sly jests and silly puns. His hands on your body and his body against yours, yours against his. The smell of him, as much as you can remember. The way he looked during battles, magic crackling and swirling around him. The way he looked in your bed, fast asleep. Gale Dekarios in all his mortal glory, the man you fell in love with. The man you wish was at your side once more. 
Gods, but you miss him. You press your hands to your chest, feeling your heart beat beneath your palms. What is taking so long?
The first hints of pink and orange appear on the horizon as you turn to pace away from the fire again, your steps wearing a noticeable path through the grass. At this rate, you fear the sun will arrive before your love does. 
You contemplate how you’re supposed to face the whole of a new day alone when a flash of light illuminates the darkness behind you. You whirl, heart racing, to see a shower of starlight once more—and out of it steps Gale.
Mortal. Human. Alive.
“Gale!”
You fly into his arms, which he is already holding out wide for you, nearly toppling you both into the ground with the force of your embrace. You both stagger, but you don’t let go, and his arms around you are as fierce in their hold on you as yours are around him. He practically lifts you off your feet. You can’t put into words how much it means to you that he’s solid your arms—warm, breathing, alive in your arms.
“You’re back,” you gasp, the tears in your eyes and clogging your throat making it difficult to speak. You don’t want to sob and make it seem like you doubted him, but the emotions welling up inside you are hard to suppress. “You came back.”
“Of course, my love,” he says soothingly, not yet relinquishing his hold of you. “You are everything to me. I could do nothing else.”
You untangle yourself from him to wipe the tears from your face and look at him, looking for any changes wrought by his visit to the Outer Planes or from his brief time at godhood. He looks like himself again, his lightly tanned skin flush with warmth and love, his dark brown eyes as rich and deep as ever. You comb your fingers through his soft hair, once more brown and shot through with hints of gray, rather than all over ashen as it was a while ago. Your fingers linger on his cheek, noticing for the first time that the dark vein-like threads that trailed from his eye to his chest are no longer visible. 
The mark of the orb is gone.
In its place are a series of faint scars in the same threads and shapes as the old mark, appearing just below his jaw and flowing down to form a circle over his chest. The tattoo-like color has faded away entirely and there is no dark bruise at the center of the circular marking. Any trace of Netherese magic is gone, leaving behind little more than scars faint enough to be missed by any who are not actively searching for them.
You trace the circular scar lightly with the tips of your fingers. “Does this mean…?”
“It does,” he says, pressing his hand over yours so that both of your hands are pressed flat to his chest. You feel his heart beating, his pulse perhaps a little elevated, but every beat strong and vibrant. “Mystra has cured me of the orb. Completely.”
You want to hate her, and perhaps you still do, and always will on some level. But in that moment you’re grateful and relieved too. You wrap your arms around him and squeeze him tight, overwhelmed with happiness and relief and joy. Your love is cured at last. The threat of losing him to Netherese magic is at last put to rest. He is whole again. Restored. 
And he is yours. Not hers.
As dawn colors the sky overhead and spills pink-golden light over the both of you, you kiss him, reveling in the taste of him, in the warmth and weight of him, in his hands on you. Not a single spark of lightning threatens to drive you apart, so you deepen your kisses as much as you please. You simultaneously want to push him down into the grass and make love to him there and kiss him for an eternity you know you both don’t have and simply gaze at him in awe and wonder that even while he had godhood in grasp and a crown on his head, he gave it all up for you.
He gave up godhood for you.
You never realized you could love him more than you already did. But you do. Your every heartbeat sings love for him.
You lose track of time kissing him. It could be moments or hours. You don’t know nor do you care. But at last, when you finally pull away from him, it takes you a second to remember where you are, standing out on the hillside across the river from the city. The sun is rising over the horizon now, painting the world in gold and shifting the hue of the sky to a beautiful, cloudless blue. A new day is beginning. 
A whole future awaits. And it is yours to shape with your love at your side.
“What’s next, my love?” you ask. “Now that we have everything we both want.”
“Next? For us?” He chuckles and takes your hand, bringing it up to press a tiny kiss on your empty ring finger. “If you still want me, I believe we have a wedding to plan.”
“I will always want you, Gale Dekarios. Now and forever.”
“Is that a yes to planning the wedding? Because I’ll have you know that Waterdhavian weddings are quite the large-scale affair.”
You laugh, his humor clearing the air like the sunlight warming away the fog of a morning and the dew on the grass. “Yes. Come on, let’s find some food to eat and get started. I can’t wait to begin a new life together with you.”
“My love, that new life starts now,” he says, bringing you in for another kiss. You smile against his lips and allow yourself to be corrected. He is right, of course.
Your new life with him begins now.
155 notes · View notes
autistichalsin · 2 months
Text
youtube
Some of my favorite voice lines (either because of the lines themselves or because of Dave's delivery) from this collection of every line Halsin had in the game (and some he technically didn't because they weren't Halsin lines at all, but lines other characters have that they had Dave record for some reason):
5:07 "Fancy a b-oink? Indeed, you'll be hard-pressed to find a joke I haven't."
8:26 "I am Halsin. First Druid of the Emerald Grove. And I am here to VISIT NATURE'S FURY UPON YOU!" (From his revenge scene if the grove is raided- just, brilliant acting, gives me the chills every time. Give Dave an award please)
10:10 "Karlach. I am glad you can enjoy the touch of another once again. And I hope you are afforded much more time than you've been told. A lifetime and more, if I have a say in it."
17:33 "Lae'zel could not have wished for a finer companion by her side. You truly love her, I can tell. Just... keep each other safe, please."
25:05 (Tav or Durge line) "Yeah, she's not coming back."
27:44 "Shadowheart. These truths that have been revealed to you... I know they must be painful. But Oak Father as my witness, I know you are strong enough to bear them. You need not walk this path alone."
34:08 "I am sorry, Gale. You tried. Mystra was wrong to turn on you, no matter what mistakes you made in the past."
35:57 "Time can prove to be a trickster on one's recollections. What would be multiple lifetimes for others now separate me from my captivity. Perhaps I have lost perspective on what happened to me."
39:06 "Re-education. As if this sect has not mangled poor Shadowheart's mind enough already."
41:59 "I need you!"
47:08 (Shadowheart line) "Let's see what comfort we can offer a grieving mother."
47:57 "You have carried this burden for too long already. I simply do not believe that ceremorphosis is the only course left to you! Orpheus must help us." (He is so protective of the player 😭 )
52:03 "We need to be gone from here- now!"
53:10 (Tav/Dark urge line) "In my name." (Amazing acting for that line, makes me wish SO BAD we could have Origin Halsin)
1:04:13 "A mindflayer?! What foul trickery is this?"
1:04:20 "I am no stranger to the Underdark. Cruelty comes to Lolth's followers as naturally as breathing. I have seen it- experienced it." (You can tell he still holds so much grief and anger over what happened to him in the Underdark.)
1:04:32 "Do not yield, Karlach. The world has need for you yet. I have need for you yet. Please." (The way his voice breaks here just wrecks me.)
1:10:13 "Let our enemies' corpses nourish the ground!"
1:13:20 "Gale, what's troubling you? We're nearly at the end, I know it."
1:14:52 (Tav/Dark Urge line) "That's what was in there? Those little shits."
1:21:26 "You have upended nature's balance. Only your death can restore it!" (From the Halsin revenge scene.)
1:24:31 "Last Light fell because you could not control the violence in your heart. All those people perished because of what you did to Isobel. You must try harder. You must be better."
1:24:26 "There must be no more Yennas."
1:25:39 "No, it's wooden. Um. I suppose it burns if you find yourself in dire need of kindling, but I hope it does not come to that." (Referring to his whittled duck)
1:35:12 (Karlach line) "Rest in peace, Astarion. You may have been a bloodthirsty murderer, but I liked you all the same."
1:37:03 "Death is nature's final slumber. It awaits us all. Do not punish yourself over those lost, or give in to despair. Not while there are folks in need of your help."
1:40:57 "Do not yield, Karlach. Stay with us. Stay with the ones who love you." (Just breaks my heart. 😭 )
1:43:28 "You deserve so much better, but alas... I understand. Do as you must."
1:57:27 "You seem to be mumbling to yourself- aren't I enough company for you?" (To Shadowheart)
2:08:57 "GLORY?! There's no glory here! Now there's nothing here. Only shadows, and the total absence of hope!"
2:09:37 "I see. Well. Perhaps not all friendships are destined to be balanced and reciprocal. But I remain eternally grateful for having met you, all the same. Rest well."
2:13:27 "We are. Yet there is a burden to being the survivor, the witness to others' tragedies. It only grows heavier with time."
2:16:26 "You worship Shar?! That umbral witch unleashed a plague of darkness on nature! Her followers slew many of my fellow Druids!" (So much pain and anger here.)
2:20:41 "It wasn't just power this needed! It was wisdom, understanding! I suffered along with this place for years trying to understand the curse! And it seems I will continue to do so."
2:21:46 Maniacal laughter (I can only imagine this happens if you get hit with Tasha's Hideous Laughter, and this one was incredible in that it SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME LMFAO I was so creeped out. HUGE props to Dave Jones for that one.)
2:26:15 (Dark Urge line) "In Bhaal's name."
2:33:13 "Poor creature! Locked in a cage, denied her true nature. Civilization would cause her a monstrosity, yet it treats her like this?!"
2:34:54 "What are you doing?! No!"
2:39:01 "Ah, but the glory can be found in the telling! The children love tales of underdogs, facing odds most unlikely! They shall appreciate your story, trust me."
2:40:20 "The Rite of Thorns? No..."
2:42:09 "I was not here to guide them. Now they rest forever, while I carry the weight of my failings."
2:52:35 "Nature cares little for nobility- it is pure artifice. But I can still hold some respect for Wyll's accomplishment. He shall be a fine duke, I am sure."
2:53:50 "Please. Don't sully the gratitude I feel towards you by making excuses for Kagha. My choice was clear."
2:56:01 (Orin-as-Halsin) "Please, wait. I did not want this. I could not stop it."
3:19:56 "Hmm. Perhaps I can substitute the bloodlust and, well, general lust for cuddles and animals in the retelling. The children will be confused, but no matter- they will soon be asleep."
3:23:38 "I am glad to have Gale back with us. The group would be poorer without his insights- and his company."
3:27:00 "That was no killing blow- far from it. What happened?"
3:27:49 "Silvanus guard us- what have you done?!"
3:29:58 "If this is what you truly want, I shall respect your wishes. But know that you shall not die, not truly. Nature's realm shall be yours- in the air, the trees, the waters."
3:32:27 "Don't do this! Your life!" (When a mind flayer character commits suicide in the ending)
3:34:47 Pained groaning (IDK it just sounded so damn real here, I could just imagine Halsin with a giant gaping wound or something here)
3:38:53 "The machine! It's going to blow!"
3:41:12 "Come on, you useless turnip!"
3:46:43 "You can still save yourself, Karlach. You can return to Avernus- it need not be forever. Just long enough to give yourself a chance..." (His voice sounds so small and pleading here 😭 )
3:48:12 (Dark Urge line) "In Bhaal's name." (Just a really good delivery)
3:48:54 "But... friendship is no consolation trophy. I cherish the bond we have forged. Whether it should grow into something else is... not for me to predict."
3:49:20 "Vampire spawn assailing us in the night? I thought we had ample troubles as it was. At least you are safe, Astarion."
3:51:00 "I was never afforded a chance to start a family of my own- serving nature always had to come first."
3:51:07 "You thought she was an imposter- a threat. This was a trap of Orin's creation. Yenna's death is on her hands, not yours."
3:51:22 "Your rage is most impressive, Karlach. If the lesson is not to provoke your temper, consider it well-learned."
3:59:04 "Ha! I suppose I did, didn't I? I was so focused on helping Thaniel that my sense of decorum was neglected."
4:06:02 "Truly? I thought you felt the same way as me. There was a connection, I-I was sure!" (Oh my god he sounds like he's fucking CRYING here and this legitimately made me whimper out loud and hide my face. I have NEVER needed to hug a character THIS BADLY before oh my god give Dave Jones all of the awards please)
4:17:03 "Oak Father, what did I do to deserve such allies?!"
4:18:03 "This... orb. Gale carries a most dire burden. I wish he had shared it with us sooner."
4:18:58 "Time for blood!" (In bear form)
4:19:31 "Karlach has had her mortality defined to her in most cruel terms. I do not know if we can help her, but perhaps we can at least be there for her."
4:23:19 "FINE!" (He just sounds so done lmfao)
4:23:20 "And yet, she fears there are none to inherit her work, so she goes on. Long life can be a burden at times- I know that well."
4:24:45 "You shall live on. And wherever I go, I shall feel your presence, and you mine." (To Origin Karlach in the ending- this whole scene would be really beautiful if they would just fix a few things)
4:27:55 "Your power is buoyed by a sea of innocent blood! I hope you are pleased."
4:28:26 (Tav/Dark Urge line) "In my name." (Gave me chills)
4:30:59 (Tav/Dark Urge line) "What in the hells, Astarion?! You bit me!"
4:32:39 "Remember, whatever evil is trying to control you, I know you are stronger. Resist."
4:35:08 Pained groaning and cries (They just sounded so real and painful)
4:37:11 "Dominate the brain! Do it now, or all is lost!"
4:47:46 "I will not go on without you!"
4:49:18 "Perhaps try attacking the enemy!" (He sounds so done lmfao)
4:49:25 "That contraption looks set to kill you, not save you! Get clear of it at once!"
4:50:27 "A cruel blow. Astarion loved feeling the caress of the sun, only now it gouges him with its claws. Perhaps we shall meet again, beneath the shield of darkness."
4:53:23 Maniacal laughter (Truly terrifying just like the other one)
4:58:49 (Yenna line [yes really]) "Where am I? I don't like this dream!"
4:59:04 "Nature bows to none. It will fight on and survive, no matter what madness your god has inspired you to undertake."
5:03:51 "Stuck, eh? Straight out of bawdy literature."
5:09:57 "Killing Orin won't bring Yenna back, but it may give her some peace, and me... a great deal of satisfaction."
5:11:26 "No! Have you taken leave of your senses?!"
5:15:27 "This may keep the city safe, but to seal all those unfortunates away forever? Death would have been more merciful."
5:16:44 "Stay your hand, Astarion! To sacrifice so many is a tyrant's ambition!"
5:16:52 "I... cannot imagine how you are feeling, Gale. For a goddess to ask a mortal to pay such a price... I am sorry for... for your burden."
5:19:44 "Immortal... and angered. What have I done...?"
5:20:43 "The power of the bear lies within me!"
5:22:47 "In that case, nothing more needs to be said. Farewell." (Said if a player who has low approval with Halsin at the epilogue party says they have no interest in taking the olive branch Halsin extended; I like this one because he sounds like a strange combination of sad and relieved at the same time, which is such a realistic combination of feelings!)
5:26:14 "Slain and stuffed. I would like to do the same to whoever's handiwork this is." (About a taxidermy baby bear)
5:26:19 "My heart grows heavy for Karlach. She can touch once more, yet is her remaining time to truly be so short? I shall pray to Silvanus that it does not come to pass."
5:32:10 "I... cannot imagine how you are feeling, Gale. For a goddess to ask a mortal to pay such a price... I am sorry for... for your burden. Though I wish you had told us of your predicament before."
5:36:33 (Orin-as-Halsin) "I lost control. I felt the bear take over, blood-crazed. And she forced me into a cage, along with... *sobs* with children, taken from the streets." (I think this one is a slightly different version than what ended up used? The sobbing is definitely more prominent if nothing else.)
5:39:28 "I hoped my friends would save me..." (Dave manages to make Halsin's body sound dead-corpse-emotionless and yet sad at the same time.)
5:39:45 "I hoped my loved would save me..." (Same as above)
5:41:08 "Your gold and your loins. Not for me to dictate what you do with either."
5:41:20 "You were not even born when Shar's followers slew my fellow Druids, or when her shadow curse tainted the land. I can get past those... but I truly wish you had trusted me sooner."
5:52:36 "No matter how long I live, I will never get used to the cruelty that infests our world. That such evil is allowed to breathe the same air as us is an abomination."
5:57:33 (Tav/Durge line) "In my name."
6:02:56 "Of course... somehow I'd hoped for a miracle, but of course... the only miracles are those we make ourselves." (He's talking about Karlach/her engine here)
6:03:57 "I was all too eager to surrender my responsibilities towards the Grove, and now it has been sealed away from the world! Perhaps I was never meant to be Archdruid... to be a leader."
6:08:29 "NO! Cease now, before you doom us all!"
6:09:22 (Dark Urge line) "In Bhaal's name."
6:20:05 "I shall endeavor to be more tactful when trying to make friends in future."
6:22:06 "You are afraid because you are alive, and you have something to lose. Hold onto that."
6:26:58 "You will not desecrate this grove! Not while I draw breath!"
6:33:00 "This need not be a parting, so long as you fight on. You and I can each roam apart, until nature compels our paths to cross once again."
6:41:42 "I shall miss him, though I hope he proves to be a kindly god. I've had my fill of the tyrannical sort."
6:42:29 "Do as you must, as shall I. We shall meet again. It is as sure as the break of dawn, or the spring thaw."
6:44:49 "And I have been evicted from the very place I was charged to safeguard. A telling summary of my time as Archdruid, perhaps."
6:45:47 "Stay with me, my love."
6:50:36 "Do not falter, I am here!"
6:51:15 "Karlach. I am sorry. I shall not try to soothe you with gilded words, but... know that I am here for you."
202 notes · View notes
phoenix-bleh · 2 months
Note
heyyyy i saw your headcanons for shadow milk and rly enjoyed it and i was wondering if you could do yandere of him??? if not you can ignore this:>
YAN! Shadow Milk Cookie
If you aren't a fan of yandere subjects I don't recommend reading this
Warnings: yandere themes, attempt kidnapping, obsessive behavior, stalking, manipulation, etc.
Before he became evil his relationship with you was nice and peaceful. You guys enjoyed each other's company.
When he does start realizing his true potential and how much power he really has he starts slowly becoming corrupt and that has an effect on him with you.
You’ll notice he’s more possessive and way more clingy with you always grabbing you and taking you with him everywhere.
If he’s not walking right by your side he is most likely stalking you from behind. If you do catch him he’ll play off saying he was just walking and didn’t notice you were in front of him and you shouldn't assume things. (first red flag)
Like in my previous headcanon he is a jealous type, but when he’s a yandere good luck on trying to spend time with anyone other than him. Manipulates you into believing that your friends are no good for you and he’s just trying to look out for you. 
You’re just a weak lil cookie who needs someone like himself to protect you, you don’t know any better <3
Might break into your house at night and watch you sleep and quietly dotes on you saying stuff like how cute you are, how’d you guys be perfect together, and softly moves your hair out of your face.
Before he leaves he tucks you in and kisses your forehead and leaves making sure everything is back in place so it seems as if he was never there to begin with.
You wake up with the weird feeling you weren't alone last night but that can’t be true so you shrug it off.
When all of earthbread turns into complete chaos he makes an attempt to kidnap you, obviously you being aware of what is happening you ran. You couldn’t believe what was happening, this couldn’t be right, that wasn’t the Shadow Milk Cookie at least not the one you used to love and know.
During this chase he sees this as a game, like a game of mouse and cats. While you were running you could hear his distant laugh taunting you. "Where are you~ You know I’ll catch you eventually. Then you’ll be all MINE!” 
You slow down your running and try to catch your breath and hide. You couldn’t hear him anymore and you thought you were safe and he gave up trying to catch you. Oh boy were you wrong.
You feel something wrap around you. You look down and see bright glowing strings around and before you can properly react you quickly get dragged by them. 
You then feel arms wrap around you from behind. That's when you truly start panicking “hehehe HAHAHA FOUND YOU~!!”
When he gets trapped in the Silver Tree by the witches he is pissed. He’s yelling, cursing and tries to make an attempt to pull the bars apart. He’s reaching out for and begging for you not to leave him. “nononoNONONO! DON’T LEAVE ME!!”
After that earthbread was restored and had new holders for the soul jams. You're free and don’t have to worry about Shadow Milk Cookie again.
Right?.........
----Bonus----
Definitely has a secret shrine of you. There’s pictures of you and small things he stole from you and it’s all surrounded by crafts he made of you.
Has a plushie of you and him. When he’s alone he makes them kiss and makes up scenarios of you guys together.
You're literally so perfect to him anything you do like something as simple as giving him some treats you made. He’s swooning all over you saying how much he loves you. 
here you get a drawing enjoy~
Tumblr media
365 notes · View notes
plutosunshine · 1 year
Text
How to improve your self-esteem?
Venus in the houses
Venus is our self-esteem and values. The house Venus sits in can show us hints on how to help ourselves to build healthy strong self-esteem. Let’s go!
Tumblr media
Venus in the 1st house
Of course, the main key here is your appearance. I don’t mean that you must be always gorgeous and pretty. However, it is very important for you to feel that you fit at least your standards. Hair and make-up play a big role. You feel more confident when you like your look. NB!! Not others, but you! Also, your self-esteem grows when you socialize and show your identity in group settings. Don’t hide all the gorgeous talents you have! You MUST show them to the world. Be assertive when it is necessary because achieving goals and being the best is the number one key to your self-confidence. One more thing: aesthetics. Since Venus is in the first house, which makes this planet rising, that means that the qualities of Venus are important to express as well. Aesthetics, art, beautiful things, music, poetry, acting, and everything where you can show your talents. Also, although the first house is ME and my identity, Venus requires peace and balance. It is not easy, but you have to find a balance between showing yourself and being on the same wavelength as others.
Venus in the 2nd house
Here Venus is in its own house. Meaning that the themes of this house are emphasized. Your self-esteem improves when you feel safe and all is set: you have a nice place to live, you have a good salary, and your surroundings are harmonious. Defining your values helps to gain self-confidence. It is totally okay to express your material desires. They make your self-esteem improve. This is the essence of the 2nd house. Save money to have a backup but don’t be strict with yourself. If you really want something, just get it! The key to your self-esteem is your well-being. When you are fed well, dressed well, and generally feel good, you are confident. Any aesthetic activity that makes you feel calm and satisfied is good. Art and other creative areas also may help you because it develops your sense of beauty and allows you to express your talents.
Venus in the 3rd house
Your self-esteem is growing when you feel that you are an interesting companion. The worst nightmare is when people call you boring. That is why sometimes you are trying too hard to attract attention. However, it is only because of your insecurities. I think the key here is to allow yourself to be outgoing and funny personality which you are. Express your interest in communication and exploration. Your self-esteem improves when you feel knowledgeable. You need to constantly receive and share some interesting information. Also, learning something will increase your self-esteem as well. It can be anything: from cooking to science. You just need new knowledge to feel your self-worth and it is okay because it is the way your Venus feels at home. Don’t be afraid to show your knowledge, and make new friends and connections. Also, writing is very good for you. For example, you can express your feelings on paper. It might help you to build a strong relationship with yourself.
Venus in the 4th house
Your self-esteem improves when you are in touch with your emotions and your subconscious needs are met. It is very important not to suppress emotions and feelings. Also, helping and understanding make you feel needed. Sometimes it is not so good thing to seek this feeling, but for Venus in the 4th house supporting and helping someone is beneficial. Every field and place where you can express your ability to FEEL will be useful. For example, psychology, astrology, volunteering, etc. Also, as you know, the 4th house = home. Meaning that you MUST have your own safe place to restore your energy resources. Decorating and cleaning are helpful for your Venus because on a subconscious level you perceive this home as welcoming and safe.
Tumblr media
Venus in the 5th house
One word — self-expression. As simple as that, your self-esteem improves when you express yourself and your talents. If you don’t show your creativity, it will grow inside you and turn into poison. So it is so important to express that! Even if you think that the idea is stupid, please just try! Because it is not only about the result but also about the process. Also, showing others your warm and generous side will help your Venus a lot. Be yourself and don’t hide even weird and unusual sides of you because it is still you. Love yourself and respect your desires, enjoy life, and be optimistic about the world! Also, your self-esteem improves when you are the best at something. It shouldn’t be something great, it can be just a little thing that is only yours.
Venus in the 6th house
Your self-esteem improves when you build your plans and fulfill them. Yes, the 6th house here is all about working on yourself. You feel fulfilled when you follow your own rules and routines. It makes you feel like everything is in its place. Sometimes others find your little habits weird but it is who you are. Also, healthy nutrition and sport will make you feel more confident. Being healthy and put together improves your self-esteem. In addition, helping others helps you as well! The 6th house is all about service and when you help someone you feel fulfillment. It is just your essence so don’t hide it!
Venus in the 7th house
Venus here is in its own house but this placement is kind of tricky. Sometimes your self-esteem depends on your partner and you can’t find solid ground for your own personality. It can be so frustrating that you may feel even empty without a partner. However, this situation is not healthy because Venus and the 7th house are all about balance. Yes, Venus in the 7th house screams PARTNERSHIP, but you need to find balance. Give and take equally, respect each other and find harmony in this relationship. This is the main lesson for Venus in the 7th house. Your self-esteem improves when you and your partner find balance and peace in your relationship.
Venus in the 8th house
The 8th house is all about transformations so sometimes having Venus in the 8th house feels unbearable. Your self-esteem transforms constantly. Sometimes you almost don’t feel it but sometimes it breaks your heart. However, it is the essence of this placement. You need to transform yourself and the perception of your values. Life will give you a lot of critical situations that will test your values and self-confidence. Yes, this is not an easy placement to have, but this tough experience makes your self-esteem unbreakable and solid and you become wise and unstoppable.
Tumblr media
Venus in the 9th house
Your self-esteem improves when you get new experience and share it with others. It is so important for you to explore the world and build your own philosophy in life. You need to dig deep into the definition of the word «freedom». Your self-esteem improves when you feel no pressure and when you can do whatever you want with your life. Advice-giving is so good for your Venus. You have a lot to share with others so do that! Also, any kind of exploration of other cultures is good, whether it be a new language or travel. Your self-esteem improves when you can help others using your own experience. That is why you would be a great couch!
Venus in the 10th house
Your self-esteem improves when you are the best of the best in your field. You need respect and admiration from others. However, it is important to mention the difference between dependence on someone's opinion and deserved admiration for hard work. The second case is about Venus in the 10th house. Your self-esteem improves when you work hard on your goal and it doesn’t matter how big it is. You just need to build a plan and follow it until your goal is reached. Your self-esteem NEEDS to have a goal. It can be something small but also don’t shy away from big ones!
Venus in the 11th house
Your self-esteem grows when you are not afraid to express your authentic self and show your weird sides to the world. It is extremely important not to think about the opinion of others when it comes to your self-expression and creativity. Sometimes your ideas may seem strange but it is where the real innovation lies! Your self-esteem improves when you feel that your life is fully yours and you can do whatever you want. Also, like-minded people give you confidence because you know that you are not the only one. In addition, participation in some social activities helps your Venus to feel better. For example, charity or fighting for someone's rights.
Venus in the 12th house
Your self-esteem improves when you can express your deep emotions through creativity. Whether it be music or theatre, you need to find a way to free your endless feelings. It can be something small! Also, your self-esteem improves when you help those who are in need. However, be careful! Your sweet soul sometimes doesn’t understand when people take advantage of you. Everything must be in balance. Also, you need to find a field where you can use your empathic gifts to help others. For example, psychology, astrology, therapy, etc.
Tumblr media
3K notes · View notes
aclowntiny · 10 months
Text
Ateez When They Accidentally Walk In On You Changing
Requested by @jacobbaeluvr hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it bb 😘 tried to mix em up a little & keep em funny 😌Warnings: slightly suggestive just due to the nature of the scenario 😆
Hongjoong
“Seonghwa, did you close the door to our- AH!”
Hongjoong had just busted in on you changing into your swimsuit, your shorts tossed aside and your shirt on its way off, too, falling onto the bed as he screamed in fact. Hongjoong apologized profusely as he disappeared back through the door, twirling so his back was to you as soon as he physically could get it to be.
Heart thumping, you finished changing, emerging from the borrowed bedroom slash changing room to more apologies from Hongjoong.
“I’m so sorry, (y/n), that I saw that when I wasn’t supposed to. I didn’t know. I’ll delete it from my brain, I promise!”
“Yeah, if it was so bad,” you joked, “go for it.”
“You misunderstand me- it wasn’t bad at all.”
Seonghwa
You jumped the moment the restroom door opened, apologizing immediately. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were in there, Hongjoong just said I could pull aside and change in here so-”
“It’s ok, (y/n), you didn’t know. I obviously had no idea, either.”
You smiled even as you hurriedly pulled your new shirt on, shaking your head slightly in amusement. You guys had basically just had a miniature conversation while you stood there shirtless, clad at either skin- or bra-level, and his eyes had never left yours.
“You’re being such a gentleman, Seonghwa.”
“It’s what you deserve. I wouldn’t look unless you told me to. Well, wait, that is, I mean-”
Yunho
“Oh no! Oh no, (y/n)-”
You heard Yunho before you saw him, having been bent over to pick up the shorts that had fallen off the bed in the room the guys had lent you to change. Giving your intruder a very good view of your rear.
You flushed. “It’s ok, Yunho, just get out!”
“I already am!” Slam.
The door was shut once more and quite forcefully, letting you restore your modesty and make your way back out in your new clothes. The rest of Ateez smiled at the sight of you, but Yunho wouldn’t meet your eyes.
“Hey, it’s ok, it was an accident,” you comfort him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Would I make it more or less awkward,” he asked, gaze darting between your eyes and the floor, “if I said it looked nice?”
You removed your hand to swat him playfully, but you already knew what you were going to say to that.
Yeosang
There you were, reaching over in your underwear for the casual clothes you’d brought to relieve yourself of what you wore to work, as the door opened. You yelped and scrambled, ending up pulling and weakly holding your discarded shirt over what of your figure you could as Yeosang squeaked his own apology. When you finished and left the room, he was quick to apologize again.
“Ah, I’m so sorry (y/n)!”
“It’s ok,” you reply, “you weren’t trying to peep, you just saw by accident.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” His gaze got sort of faraway. “Huh, not the color underwear I pictured you wearing.”
“Wait, what?”
San
Lucky for you, you weren’t naked, but you had started by taking your pants off, so when the door swung open you still shouted in surprise at whoever saw you in your underwear. You turned. It was San. For some ungodly reason he sort of just stood there, gaze fixed forward with furrowed brows, and gave a nervous ‘heh’ until you asked what on earth he was doing, restoring motion back to his body as he turned and scurried out the door. You finished changing in relative peace, though what just happened wouldn’t stop running through your mind, and emerged from the room with your original outfit in hand, eyes glancing to San and back off of him. Why was he smiling like that?
“You have really nice legs, you know,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.
Mingi
The sound of door hinges had just begun to register as you peeled off your shirt, your back to the entry point of the room you were changing in. Practically before your heels could turn a scream echoed through the room, prompting you to really swivel. There stood Mingi, whose unceasing scream mingled with yours, though his was much louder as he barreled back out of the room to whence he came.
When you finished, walking back out to where he’d gone, Mingi ran up to you, bowing in apology and taking your hands, telling you he had no idea, the others hadn’t told him while he was gone.
“I swear I’m not a pervert!”
“It’s ok, Mingi.”
You’d noticed his eyes going up and down even though he freaked out, but there was no need to tease him any worse about it.
Wooyoung
“Oh, are we changing in here?” A voice rings out from behind you.
Emerging from behind the curtain as you tugged at your shirt���s hem, you’re met with the sight of Wooyoung standing there mirroring you, only he’d already thrown his top all the way off.
“Wooyoung?”
“(y/n)?”
You guys both exclaimed each other’s name at the same time, him pointing like the spider-man meme. You’d tugged your shirt back down and onto your body, but your pants were long-forgotten in the chaos, prompting Wooyoung’s eyes to travel down your legs.
“I thought you were Jongho!” He bursts out.
“No,” you reply, bending your knees to disappear behind the bed in his line of vision, “he said I could go in here and change! Get out!”
“I already started th-”
Reaching around the curtain, you grabbed a pair of socks and chucked them at him.
“Ok, ok, I’m going!”
Jongho
It felt so good to change out of your sweaty clothes. You hadn’t even been working out or anything, just spending some time outside, but the guys were sympathetic to your plight, offering a dorm room for you to pull into and remove some layers as well as a clean t-shirt that none of them were using. You’d almost gotten your shirt all the way unbuttoned, working them loose with a small smile, your eyes fluttering shut as air from the room’s electric fan hit your chest.
“Oh, (y/n), oh my God, I’m so sorry.” There was a hint of surprise, but that even voice could only belong to one person.
As your eyes shot open-and open wide, too- sure enough, you were met with Jongho groping blindly for the door handle as your hands fell to your sides.
“It’s ok, I’m not that undressed yet, that could’ve been worse. Sorry you had to see that.”
“Don’t be,” he says as he exits, closing the bedroom door behind him.
996 notes · View notes