#When you love someone but they're so bright that it casts a shadow over you
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The Assassin and The Sunshine
Summary: You and Yelena were the most least-likely pair, or atleast that's what the avengers (Minus Natasha and Wanda) thought. So what happens when they see how the blonde acts when you get hurt
Warnings: Gunshots, medical stuff (minorly). Angry Yelena
----
Yelena Belova, with her steely gaze and lethal precision, was the epitome of intimidation among her peers. Her reputation as a formidable assassin preceded her, casting a shadow of fear wherever she went. With every calculated move and icy demeanor, she commanded respect and evoked a sense of unease among those around her. She was a force to be reckoned with, leaving a trail of apprehension in her wake.
And then there was you, Y/n Y/L/n. With a personality as bright as the sun and a heart as pure as gold, Y/n brought warmth and positivity to every situation. Her infectious laughter and unwavering kindness had a way of melting even the coldest of hearts, earning them the affectionate nickname of "the team's golden retriever."
Your gentle nature stood in stark contrast to Yelena's, and yet, somehow, the two of you had found a connection that defied explanation.
It wasn't easy, navigating a relationship with someone as closed-off as Yelena. She was slow to trust, and her walls were fortified with layers of steel. But you were patient, willing to chip away at those barriers bit by bit until you reached the heart of who she truly was.
The rest of the team couldn't understand it. They saw Yelena as an enigma, a formidable presence to be feared and respected. They couldn't fathom what you saw in her, why you would choose to be with someone so different from yourself.
"It's just... I don't get it," Tony remarked, glancing over at Yelena and you conversing in the corner of the room. "What's the deal with those two? Yelena's like a walking arsenal, and Y/n's... well, Y/n."
Steve nodded in agreement, his gaze following yours and Yelena's interaction. "I know what you mean, Tony. It's hard to imagine what they see in each other. They're like night and day."
Clint, who had been listening in on the conversation, chimed in with her own thoughts.
"Exactly! I still can't wrap my head around it," Clint admitted, scratching his head in confusion. "Yelena and Y/n... they're just so different from each other."
Bruce chuckled softly, glancing towards where you and Yelena were sitting. "Love is a strange thing, Clint. It's not always logical. Maybe Y/n sees something in Yelena that we don't."
Clint sighed, shaking his head. "I guess you're right. I just hope they know what they're doing."
--
It was a cold autumn day, and you found yourself on another mission alongside Natasha Tony, Steve, and Clint. The tension hung heavy in the air as the team moved with practiced precision through the dimly lit corridors of the enemy's stronghold.
The mission had been intense from the start, nearly dodging attacks at almost all turns, but as you ventured deeper into the heart of the HYDRA base, the atmosphere grew even more charged. Every step felt like a potential trap, every shadow a potential threat.
Suddenly, chaos erupted. Gunfire erupted from unseen assailants, and you found yourself instinctively stepping in front of Clint, shielding him from the onslaught. The impact was immediate, a searing pain lancing through your side as the bullets found their mark.
"Y/n!" Natasha's voice was a mix of alarm and concern as she rushed to your side, her expression tight with worry.
Clint knelt beside you, his hands hovering uncertainly over your injured form. "Y/n, are you okay?"
You managed a weak nod, gritting your teeth against the pain as Natasha and Tony quickly moved to assess your injuries.
"We need to get her out of here," Natasha declared, her voice firm as she glanced around the chaotic scene.
Steve's voice crackled over the comms. "Quinjet's on its way. Hold tight, we'll get you out of there."
As you were carefully lifted onto a stretcher, the team worked quickly to stabilize you. Despite the pain, you managed a weak smile, reassured by their presence.
"We've got you, Y/n," Tony said, his tone determined as he helped load you onto the Quinjet.
Clint squeezed your hand gently, his expression filled with worry. "Hang in there, okay? We'll get you patched up in no time."
You nodded weakly, feeling a surge of gratitude for your friends. As the Quinjet engines roared to life and the aircraft lifted off, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over you, knowing that even in the midst of danger, you had your closest friends by your side.
----
As the Quinjet touched down back at the base, the team wasted no time in transferring you to the medbay. Before Yelena could arrive, the medical team swiftly brought you into the operating room, shielding you from her sight.
Moments later, the door burst open again, and Yelena stormed in, her expression a mask of fury. Kate Bishop, who happened to be sparring with her when FRIDAY had informed Yelena of the news, was right beside her, offering silent support.
"Where is she?" Yelena demanded, her voice a dangerous growl, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of you.
Natasha stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Yelena, they've taken her into surgery. They're doing everything they can for her."
The blonde's tension only seemed to escalate at Natasha's words. "They better be taking care of her!" she barked, her tone sharp and threatening.
Tony and Steve exchanged uneasy glances as Yelena's fury filled the room. They shuffled awkwardly, intimidated by the practically burning blonde.
Yelena turned her rage on them, her eyes blazing with fury. "This is all your fault!" she accused, her voice cutting like a knife. "If anything happens to her, I'll make sure you all pay!"
Steve, ever the voice of reason, tried to reason with Yelena. "Yelena, we understand your concern, but right now our priority is getting her the help she needs."
Yelena's eyes flashed with fury. "Your priority should have been keeping her safe in the first place!" she shot back, her voice sharp with accusation, her Russian accent adding an extra edge to her words.
Tony, normally quick-witted, found himself at a loss for words in the face of Yelena's anger. "We did everything we could," he insisted, his tone defensive.
Clint, usually unflappable, shifted uncomfortably under Yelena's intense gaze. "Yelena, we're all worried about her. But yelling at us isn't going to help," he reasoned, trying to diffuse the tension.
But Yelena's rage was unyielding. "You think I care about your excuses?" she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "All that matters to me is her. And if anything happens to her because of you…"
Natasha exchanged a knowing glance with Kate, silently acknowledging that it was time to intervene and calm Yelena down before her fury escalated further.
"Yelena," Natasha spoke softly but firmly, stepping closer to her friend, "I know you're scared. But yelling at them won't help Y/n."
Kate nodded in agreement, placing a gentle hand on Yelena's arm. "We're all worried about her," she added, her voice calm and reassuring. "But right now, we need to trust that Dr. Cho and Bruce knows what they're doing."
Yelena's anger seemed to waver for a moment as she looked between Natasha and Kate, her resolve beginning to soften.
Natasha continued, her voice gentle yet persuasive. "Y/n needs us to be strong for her right now. She needs you to be strong."
Kate nodded in agreement. "We're all in this together, Lena. We'll get through this, but we need to stay calm and focused."
Yelena's shoulders tensed, but gradually, the fire in her eyes began to dim as she took a deep breath, her anger giving way to concern for you. "I just want her to be okay," she admitted, her voice softer now, tinged with worry.
Natasha squeezed Yelena's hand reassuringly. "We all do," she said, her voice filled with empathy. "And Helen and Bruce will do everything we can to make sure she is."
As the tension in the room began to ease, Yelena nodded in silent agreement, her gaze lingering on the closed doors of the operating room where you lay.
Natasha gestured towards a nearby chair, silently inviting Yelena to sit beside her. Yelena hesitated for a moment before finally sinking into the seat, her body trembling with emotion.
Natasha wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders, offering a comforting embrace. "It's going to be okay, Lena," she murmured, her voice soft and soothing.
Yelena leaned into Natasha's embrace, her walls crumbling as tears streamed down her cheeks. She buried her face against Natasha's shoulder, her sobs muffled against the fabric of her sister's uniform.
The other Avengers watched the scene unfold with a mixture of surprise and understanding, their eyes widening as they witnessed a side of Yelena they had never seen before.
Tony exchanged a glance with Steve, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered under his breath, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"She's stable"
---
The steady beeping of the monitors filled the room as you blinked away the fog of anesthesia, your senses gradually coming back to you.
As your eyes fluttered open, you were met with the sight of Yelena sitting beside you, her expression soft and full of concern. "Hey," you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper as you reached out to her.
Yelena's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of you awake, but she quickly composed herself, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she took your hand in hers. "Hey," she replied, her voice gentle and full of warmth.
Relief flooded through you as you squeezed her hand, grateful for her presence by your side. But, as you squeezed Yelena's hand, a wave of concern washed over you when you noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. "Lena, what's wrong?" you asked, your voice filled with worry as you reached out to gently cup her face with your hand.
Yelena's lower lip trembled slightly as she tried to compose herself, but the floodgates had opened, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I was so scared," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought... I thought I might lose you."
You pulled her into a gentle embrace, holding her close as she cried softly against your chest, which hadn't be affected much, and was already fixing up thanks to Bruce's cell regenerator.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here," you whispered softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Yelena leaned into your embrace, her tears gradually subsiding as she took comfort in your presence. "I was so scared," she admitted again, her voice trembling slightly.
You brushed a strand of hair away from her face, offering her a small smile. "I know, Lena. But I'm okay now. You're the one who's always saving me, even when you're not anywhere near me," you said sincerely, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
Yelena's lips twitched slightly, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, well, don't expect me to always save you," she teased lightly, a small chuckle escaping her lips, as she resorted to her usual coping method of humour.
You grinned, feeling a surge of affection for the woman in your arms. "Oh, come on, Lena. You love playing the hero," you teased right back, trying to lighten the mood.
A genuine smile spread across Yelena's face for the first time since you'd woken up. "I kinda do" she chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly, before the both of you started laughing.
But as the laughter faded, a heaviness settled in the air once again. Yelena's eyes clouded with sadness, the weight of the situation crashing down on her once more.
You reached out, cupping her face in your hands. "Hey, Lena. It's okay to be scared," you said softly, your voice filled with empathy. "But we're together now. And we'll get through this, I promise."
As the Avengers stood at the door, watching the unexpected tenderness between you and Yelena, they exchanged surprised glances.
Tony raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with disbelief. " The White widow is a softie after all, what would you know?"
Steve nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "Seems like we all jumped to conclusions too quickly."
Bucky, who had been silently observing, chimed in. " I guess, they are perfect for each other hm"
Clint chuckled, shaking his head in amazement. "Never thought I'd see the day when Yelena Belova was making someone laugh."
As they listened to the laughter emanating from the room, as you and Yelena continue to make each other laugh, the Avengers couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the unexpected bond between you and Yelena. It was a reminder that sometimes, people were more than their tough exteriors.
#avengers#anon ask#anonymous#yelena belova x female reader#yelena belova x reader#natasha and yelena#yelena belova#yelena and natasha#yelena my beloved#requests open#request#reqs open
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Do you have a top 5 dotc characters line-up? Just ones you like in general
"Top 5" is really more of a... "guys I hate the least" lineup. Characters whose treatment made me so angry it's become spite-love. It's bad in here. It's REALLY bad in here.
In no particular order, the characters I like in DOTC are,
Bumble
Not JUST because of how dirty she was done, either. Bumble's amazing. She's confident, she's outgoing, she's funny! She's there for Turtle Tail when Gray Wing is treating her like shit, and friendly to every cat she meets, even when they're being dicks to her. She ALWAYS does the right thing in the end and has the best interests of her friends at heart. She's a GOOD PERSON! The ONE time she was ever ANGRY at anyone was when Turtle Tail just let her get dragged back to their wifebeater.
She's only part of TWO books but she's the BEST character in the entire arc, hands down, above and beyond the rest of the cast. JUSTICE for Bumble!
Bright Stream
She got fridged, killed in a shocking, gruesome way, with uncomfortable detail put on how the pregnant woman probably died slowly and was eaten alive, ripped to shreds by eagles... for Clear Sky's man pain. Clear Sky literally fucking broods in a moonbeam. All because Gray Wing tripped like an idiot in a horror movie.
And it was a WASTE. Bright Stream IS INTERESTING ALL ON HER OWN. Gray Wing was downplaying Clear Sky emotionally pressuring her into leaving, dismissing him going "I HOPE YOUR HUNTING SUCKS SO YOU REALIZE YOU SHOULD FOLLOW ME" with a 'good humored flick of his tail,' thirsting over how attractive Bright Stream is and how lucky Clear Sky is to have her as a mate while Bright Stream is obviously feeling upset about how her shitty husband has been talking to her. And it's actually insulting how the writers never acknowledged this-- that Clear Sky has ALWAYS been manipulative. From BOOK ONE.
And then she has these absolutely bizarre Angel Fetus Children that Gray Wing coos about on his death bed, because god for-fucking-bid a single scene go by that doesn't become Clear Sky-centric.
Snake
This arc tries SO bad to make this fucking guy a villain. SO hard. They describe his stinky breath and his bad teeth and how icky and gross he is, and they make him kill Frost during Clear Sky's Murder Party as if I'm supposed to blame HIM instead of the ESTABLISHED MURDERER WHO ORDERED HIS MEN TO KILL EVERYONE.
Then, they choose HIM to stand up against Clear Sky after he let a murderous evil tyrant into his group against all warnings. And they treat that like it's a bad thing. Like SNAKE is the one who's awful for TELLING CLEAR SKY TO SHOVE HIS HALFHEARTED APOLOGY UP HIS UGLY ASS
They even make him follow One Eye's evil lackey in the next book, like they're trying to slander him in hindsight. "Oh nonono, ackshually, Snake wasn't principled at all. He wasn't making a point about how Clear Sky let One Eye into his group and that he's sick of following tyrants. DONT WORRY. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE CLEAR SKY ARE EVIL :)"
FUCK you. I'm going to stan Snake OUT OF SPITE.
Tall Shadow
While I still can't stand what they did with her and Bumble... she's an interesting character and done SO DIRTY because the writers don't fucking respect women at all
They chose to have her go through a "self-confidence arc" because everyone nonsensically HATES her and just wants Gray Wing to lead, where she has to choose taking care of her burn-victim brother over leading because her "emotions" are getting in the way, only to clear up once her family is fucking dead because the books KEEP INSISTING that women in particular can't be leaders if they have an important emotional connection.
And THEN they have Shaded-fucking-Moss, her predecessor, descend from heaven after Clear Sky's Murder Party to tut-tut at her for killing someone after she was THROWN INTO A CROWD OF PEOPLE TRYING TO MURDER HER, because I'm DEAD serious, god forbid women do anything. Clear Sky's got a direct body count of 3 at this point, PLUS the indirect body count of a dozen people killed on his orders, but ACTUALLY Tall Shadow is the one who deserves the fucking scolding. INSANE.
And YET. She remains a practical person. She's diplomatic when she can be, and harsh when she cannot. Against all common sense, she LISTENS to Gray Wing's AWFUL advice to do Just One More peaceful meeting where maybe THIS time sucking Clear Sky's toes will work, because she is fair. I cannot help but love her.
Milkweed
I haven't gotten to her in my read-along yet but she's done so dirty, too. It makes me sick. She's revealed to be a friend of Misty and distrusts the Mountain Cats for, you know... stealing all the native cats' land and murdering her friend? But don't worry, Gray Wing's here to do Clear Sky Apologetics and convince her to go join his group.
While there she gets verbally accosted by Leaf, a recurring background asshole, who says she's useless, her stupid babies are stealing his food, and that when she gets sick she's just keeping the whole camp awake with her coughing.
So anyway, because the Erins LOVE domestic abuse, they get shipped together lmaoo. Normal book series.
Bumble, Bright Stream, Snake, Tall Shadow, Milkweed. I also have feelings about Wind Runner though, and what they did with her. But GOD, explaining my complicated thoughts on Wind Runner would take a long time. She is both a favorite and also a symbol of several huge problems in WC.
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Good evening Faithlynn. I hope you enjoy your weekend! Can we get the aftermath of John and Shortcake’s first kiss like her reaction and everything that happened after?
i’m so sorry this took me so long to get out! i hope you like this and that it answers your question!
**
“what’s she like?”
i don’t know why i keep doing this to myself. every heartfelt and sincere compliment that passes John’s lips is another cut to my heart. but i can’t stop asking questions, badgering him out of curiosity.
who does he have his eye on? who does he like?
do i know her? is she better than me?
obviously she is, if he likes her but not me.
“she’s pretty sweet, when she wants to be.” his eyes are alight as he speaks, a shy smile plastered on his lips. “and she’s gorgeous. the prettiest girl i’ve ever seen.”
oh. that one stings.
“oh, so is she like.. tall? or what?” i try and keep my tone light and joking, but my words still come out strained. “i bet you only date 6ft and above, right?”
i scrunch my nose and cock my head to the side, hoping and praying to whatever higher being there may be, that John will still think i’m teasing.
a smirk spreads across his lips and he huffs out a chuckle.
“mmm” he hums in consideration before bringing his hand up to his neck, just above his shoulders. “she’s actually about this tall.”
my height.
he teases me about my height.
he calls me ‘shortcake’.
he asked if i ‘felt safe’ after the ride operator at six flags said to ‘make sure all small items are secure’.
but he likes someone my height.
if it’s not my height that bothers him or makes him not like me, then what is it? what makes him like this other girl and not me?
my face twists in a mix of jealousy and dejection as i watch John bite his bottom lip, fighting back a smile.
“i need some air,” the words pass my lips as i stumble backwards a little. “excuse me.”
sparing him one last glance, i turn on my heels and weave my way through the event room, away from the bar.
my shoulder grazes against an arm and Dawson spins around, his hand coming to grip my forearm. at the sight of my downcast expression, his eyebrow thread together, his brown eyes filling with worry.
“you okay?” my brother asks lowly, and i nod my head.
“yeah, Daws, i’m fine.” i assure him. “i just need some air, i’m going up to the rooftop.”
he scans my face for a brief moment before letting his hand slip away from my arm, turning back to Jack and Dougie, and i walk away.
my flats smack along the marble and concrete floors as i reach the elevator, taking it all the way up to the empty rooftop of the hotel.
crossing the expansive roof, i come to a stop at the railing along the edge, looking out at the stars.
there’s less of them visible here in New Jersey than there are back home, but the knowledge that even when i can’t see them all, they’re still there, is comforting.
i close my eyes, clearing my mind before i open them again and just stare out at the stars. they’ve always been so fascinating and calming. bright lights in my life.
i’m not sure how long i stand here, basking in the night sky, before a silhouette sidles up to the railing beside me, casting a shadow within my peripheral vision. and somehow, without even looking, i know it’s John.
we both stay quiet for a while, almost daring the other to speak. the nip of the April night air sends a shiver down my spine as i break our silence.
"it's beautiful, right?” my voice is barely above a whisper. “the stars are endless. it's like no matter where you go, they're one constant that will always be there. you can't even see them all with the naked eye, there's just that many. they're everywhere, surrounding you. you're constantly being hugged by stars, even when you can't see them."
John is silent, making me wonder if i did or said something wrong. but when i look over at him, he just stares back at me, no sign of annoyance in sight.
i’m not sure if it’s just me and my hopeless romanticism, my desperate need to feel love, but it seems as if the space between is closing slowly, inch by inch.
my lips part as his nose nudges against mine, and my eyelashes rest upon my cheekbones as my eyes flutter shut.
oh gretzky, please don’t let this be a dream.
i can feel his breath on my skin, and just when i think John might pull back, his lips capture mine.
it’s slow and steady, but i can feel the passion pouring in from both sides. one of his hands grips the back of my neck, holding me to him, as the other settles on my hip, pulling my body closer to his. mine snake around his neck, toying with the hair at the nape.
he breaks away from me slowly, hesitantly. his head dipping down once as if to pull me in for another kiss before thinking better of it.
“i thought you liked someone?” i question breathlessly, panting to get oxygen back into my system.
“yeah.” he nods lowly. “you, shortcake.”
the next kiss is rougher, my hands pulling his lips back down to mine, the tips of my toes straining to hold my body weight up before his arms wrap around my waist, holding me up against him and taking the pressure off of my feet.
our tongues meet in a passionate battle and i moan into his mouth as his hand trails down to grip my ass.
“do you wanna go back to my place?” i murmur against his lips, getting a groaned ‘yes’ in reply.
we pull apart as quickly as honey drips, leisurely and drawn out.
his hand slips into mine as we walk back towards the elevator, and i can’t help but think how perfectly it fits. like his hand was meant to be in mine. like this; this love; is what i’ve been waiting for.
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Hey, hope you are well. I was wondering what you considered your finest contribution to the various shows you have worked on? The character/character moment/plot point/favourite line that, if someone invented a time machine and tried to go back and erase that specifically, you would end up fighting them on a rooftop in the rain to protect?
Oh man, that one is pretty much impossible to answer. I've written over 80 episodes of TV and worked on over 300, so it's hard for me to pick my favorite episodes let alone my favorite moments or lines, etc. I'm most proud of the body of work and how deep it is, but let's see if I can think of a few highlights:
TNG:
"A Fistful of Datas" - The title is really good! I'm happy I got Picard to play his flute. The Worf/Data kiss was me, though I wrote it on the lips.
DS9 (A lot of these are with Ira):
"Q-Less" - "You hit me. Picard never hit me." "I'm not Picard."
"The Wire" - "My dear Doctor, they're all true." "Even the lies?" "Especially the lies."
"Past Tense 1&2" - All of it really.
"To the Death" - The whole "Victory is life" bit and O'Brien's response
"In Purgatory's Shadow" - "Lying is a skill like any other. And if you want to maintain a level of excellence, you have to practice constantly." "You Cardassians are all alike. You talk too much." "How can I forget it? It was the only day."
"By Inferno's Light" - Dukat's big speech. "That space station you're so fond of was built by Cardassia." "Funny. I thought it was built by Bajoran slave labor." "I yield! I cannot defeat this Klingon. All I can do is kill him, and that no longer holds my interest." "Armageddon will have to wait for another day."
"Call to Arms" - The end with Sisko's baseball.
"Field of Fire" - Snipering the melon. Who the bad guy ends up being and what his motive is.
Also: "Hard Time" "For the Uniform" "Little Green Men"
ANDROMEDA:
Proud of creating my first show. I think the cast I had control over (everyone but Dylan) is pretty great.
"Under the Night" - "Oh, he's the guy who retired. Didn't you say he bought a farm?" "The farm. Bought the farm, Trance." "What's the difference?" "Torn pressure suit and a bad emergency seal." Tyr's entrance.
"An Affirming Flame" - "I don't care if we wake up when the suns have all burned out and the universe is winding down to die, as long as I'm there to watch."
"Angel Dark, Demon Bright" - Harper's big speech. "Those are my mathematics. I'll leave you to yours." I like the way time travel works in this one.
"Music of a Distant Drum" - Tyr correcting the kid's shooting grip
"Harper 2.0" - "My pain belongs to the Divine. It is like air. It is like water."
"It's Hour Come Round at Last" - "To hell with the odds. All that matters in life is that we try. Promise you'll try."
THE TWILIGHT ZONE:
I'm proud to have written a Twilight Zone even if it wasn't in the original run.
THE DEAD ZONE:
"Descent" - Triggering a JohnnyVision by having him brushed by a passing bat.
THE DRESDEN FILES:
Underrated show in my opinion. I'm proud of co-developing it. Production was rough so I'm proud I got the episodes done and the show on the air. I think the cast is really good. The moment when Harry has to get a wasp to sting him in the eye to use it as a spy drone is pretty memorable.
THE 4400:
Richard Tyler in the diner seeing how much the world has changed. Ali is so good in that scene. We knew we had lightning in a bottle with him.
THE GATES:
"Little Girl Lost" is pretty good.
ALPHAS:
I wrote a lot of Gary's off the wall lines. "Left!" "Are you sure? Heart left, Gary?" Gary puts his hand over his heart. "No, right!" "Respect the badge!" Also casting Tatiana Maslany before she blew up was a really good call.
STAR-CROSSED:
I came up with a lot of how the Atrians culture and biology worked and I think that was all cool stuff. I loved Teri's "hold my gold" moment in "And Left No Friendly Drop," which was something that Chelsea Gilligan came up with in blocking, but I'll take credit for it. Teri punching the drone in "What Storm is This That Blows So Contrary" was fun.
(Elementary later)
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You Can Let It All Go - Freefall, Chapter 2 | | The Bad Batch x Jedi!Reader
Summary: Can you break someone's spirit if they're already inside themselves? If they've retreated into memories of happier times, of safety?
a/n: The chapters in this series are split into sections, Before and After. The before chapters are set during the Clone Wars, before TBB, with a slight AU. This chapter is mostly set 'before'
Warnings: hints of reader being in danger, fluff, oh god so much fluff, teasing brothers, flashback chapter set in the past, cuddling, teasing, Hunter in wet clothes
I do not allow any of my work to be republished without my consent, that being said, reblogs and comments are much appreciated if you liked it!✨
Words: 4.8k
Tags: @arctrooper69
Series Masterlist | Series Playlist | Masterlist
Now
They were trying to take everything from you. Your spirit, your strength, your power. They would keep going until nothing was left.
But they couldn’t take what was in your head.
They couldn’t take your memories.
Before
Coruscant always fascinated you. The way it felt almost real up on the higher levels, bright sunshine and open sky, plants that burst with colour and even a breeze that tickled your skin.
You especially loved the night sky, when they lowered some of the lights and you could find pockets of darkness where the real stars came through, winking and sparkling in colours you couldn’t even name.
But each level down, lower and lower, the light faded, the air became choked and the denizens became people you wouldn’t want to meet on those dark streets.
You supposed that was the downfall of the whole galaxy. Look a little deeper and things weren’t quite as they seemed.
There was barely a shift in the air around you, the smallest movement that any normal person wouldn’t have been able to feel.
But you were so tuned in, so aware of him, of all of them, that you’d feel them in your sleep. Even if the intensity of that awareness did surprise you sometimes.
You felt them all the time, moving around you like moons orbiting a planet. A unit that could not exist without the other.
You’d felt him approach a while ago, then settle into a state of stillness and calm, like he hadn’t wanted to disturb you.
Initially, you had been meditating, wanting to do it up here in the setting sun, and then under the stars rather than in a closed room.
He always managed to find you, always knew exactly where you were, all the time.
But as soon as that you’d sensed that feeling of strong warmth, fierce loyalty, a steady pulse that would never ever change… How could you focus?
So it had become a little game of sorts, you watching the skyline, feeling your Force sense itch to play, to wind through his ankles and drink up his steadiness, an anchor in the storm.
You still couldn’t put a finger on why you’d felt this strongly lately, why that admiration of how he led and moved had turned into something deeper and more intense.
But, you had had enough of the game. You wanted to talk, wanted to sit with him, just… be with him, without the clamour of battle or others. “You know, if you take a holograph, it’ll last longer. Then you can stare at me all the time, even when you’re brooding.” Your voice was light, playful, even if there was some kind of floaty feeling like wings in your chest.
“Should I ask why you’re staring so intensely at that skyline or do I not want to know?” Hunter’s deep, smooth baritone broke you free of your thoughts, his broad figure casting a slight shadow over your face. Then a very faint pout touched his lips, “And I do not brood.”
You gazed up at him finally, quirking an eyebrow, “Hunter, you brood more than anyone I know. You brood more than Cross, and that’s saying something.” There was a faint laugh in your voice, one that only he could draw out of you and you patted the space next to you, reading the silent question in his eyes even from down here.��
Still, he hesitated a second as if to check you were okay with this, before he eased himself down, stretching one leg out and keeping the other up bent by his chest, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He grumbled the words but you could spy the tiny twitch of his lips, the glint in his eyes, reflecting the starlight from above.
His shoulder brushed yours with every easy breath he took, sending tiny shockwaves through you each time.
You chuckled a little again, looking out at the stars with him, just enjoying the quiet up here, the steady weight of the man beside you.
When you first joined the boys, Hunter would try and fill these silences, unsure of himself, the words sounding stilted almost. But it wasn’t until he began to learn that you liked the quiet moments with someone else, especially when you’d fallen into a non-verbal mood.
It was just… reassuring. To sit here, no pressure to talk, to just share each other's warmth and presence like the very anchor he felt like.
“Are you okay?” Hunter’s rough voice broke the silence after a moment, and you could tell he had been fighting to ask from the moment he found you up here. He was so in tune to his squad, not just from those enhanced senses but because that was his job as a Sergeant. That’s what Rex would do, and that’s what Hunter tried to do and be.
A star sparked and shot across the sky, bursting into hundreds of tiny fragments, capturing your attention and you let out a breathless smile at the sight, not caring if it was real or if this was a simulation. It was still breathtaking.
Hunter gazed down at you, wondering why you’d fallen silent but then he caught your expression, the wonder filling your eyes that gave him a glimpse of the girl beneath Ghost, the one who just wanted to see the world, without all the smoke and carnage and pain.
It hit him like a bantha tearing over his chest, the sudden urge, no the desire, to give you that freedom, that space to become the girl you really were underneath the armour the war gave you and you donned to protect yourself.
You watched the star fall toward the horizon, drawing your eyes to land on the shining Jedi Temple across the city, the beacon to all that their galaxy was protected. Of course, there was something to be said about the fact that it sat on the highest level, the cleanest level whilst everyone else toiled and fought miles below.
If he noticed you avoiding the question, he didn’t say anything, choosing instead to focus on what you were feeling right now, “Do you miss it? Being in the Temple, being with General Skywalker and the others?” He adjusted his arm resting on his knee, his shoulder brushing yours again, sending yet more tingly shocks through your blood.
Did you miss it?
That was the question, wasn’t it?
A thoughtful little hum rose from your chest, making you cock your head as you still watched the Temple, “I do miss them, being with them and getting into trouble. I miss the way it felt so easy, like it was us four against the world, you know?” You looked over at Hunter, knowing that's how he felt with his boys, “That even though everything can be turning into a mess outside, you still have that close knit bond that nothing can break.”
He nodded, a faint smile touching his lips as he no doubt thought of his brothers, “You always have each other, no matter what.” He toyed with something in his hands, a rock or something from the roof, “We could see how close you all were when we were on Skako Minor, the way you all moved without needing to see each other, the way you trusted each other.” Hunter was quiet for a moment, “You were the only one who truly believed Rex. I could see it in your eyes, you had the same look as he did.”
A cold breeze danced down your neck and you shivered lightly, drawing your gaze away from the Temple, bringing it down to where your sabers rested on the ground in front of you, “I knew. I always felt something, I felt something at the end of the Force but I could never put my finger on what it meant. I just knew he wasn’t dead… And when Rex told me what he’d found, I realised what it was. That he was alive.” You toyed with the belt clip on the end of your lightsaber, needing something to occupy your hands with, “I would have gone with Rex alone to find him. There was no way I was leaving one of my soldiers, one of my best friends behind.” A heavy breath escaped its way from your chest, because that mission was one of those that had set up permanent residence in your brain, choosing to rear its head on the nights you attempted to sleep.
Hunter brought his other leg up to his chest, swapping so the one closest to you was stretched out, opening his body up to you, giving you a space, “The way you and Rex tore through that facility, the determination in your eyes… It was what I feel for my brothers, that acceptance that you would do anything to protect them.” His brows drew in heavily, jaw clenching and the pattern of his tattoo rippled along his skin, “I’ll never forget what he looked like in there, hooked up to that machine.”
You swallowed the bitter taste that arose in your throat, that crawling sensation that skittered over your skin like a thousand tiny legs. In the darkness of the shadows, you saw Echo hooked up to those machines, saw the life being pumped out of him, the way they’d changed him, tried to dehumanise him. “Me either.” The echoed words were hollow, that sensation becoming almost too much to bear and you instinctively curled your nails into your palms, desperate to feel that sharp bite of pain, needing something to shake away that clammy feeling and the memories that followed, the way you tore through the facility and wrecked vengeance on those that hurt your best friend.
So much blood.
He didn’t say anything, just shifted closer, his hip then his side coming in to press against yours. His warmth seeped into your bones, chasing away that feeling like sunlight on ice and you sunk against him without a second’s hesitation, allowing your body to unclench as you trusted in him to hold you up.
Safe. Steady. Two of the things you always associated with Hunter, no matter the situation, even if you were disagreeing over something.
He was a sturdy shelter in the storm, so much like Rex, yet his own man too.
“What was he like? Before all of this?” Hunter’s voice rumbled gently from above your head as the weight of his jaw rested carefully against your hair, the sensation sending more of those pleasant shivers through your body and calming you.
You brought your legs up so your knees rested against his thigh, allowing your eyes to unfocus, for that part of your mind to dissociate and turn to happier memories, “Headstrong. Vibrant. A soldier so incredibly loyal to his men and Commanders that he wouldn’t hesitate to do the right thing.” You smiled a little, feeling your eyes turn a little heavy with Hunters warmth, “Much like he is now, actually.”
Hunter chuckled very softly, more a rough hum in his throat, “Yeah, you got that right.” He breathed once, twice, voice softer, “Was he happy?”
You released a sigh of your own now, allowing your eyes to drift closed, “We all were… But despite everything, I wouldn't change a thing. This was the path chosen for me by me. If I stayed where I was.. Maybe I wouldn't have been truly happy after all. I wouldn't have been whole, I wouldn’t have been myself.” The words might not be making sense, but they were important, and you needed to tell him how grateful you were, “I can be myself with you and the boys, Hunter. I don’t need to hide who I am.”
As if he felt the way your body was relaxing - which he most likely did, he carefully settled his arm over your shoulders, large hand encompassing the top of your arm as he rubbed it gently, “You never need to hide with us, Ghost. You’re one of us now.” He lightly tapped the top of your arm, where your own version of the Batch’s skull sat on your armour when you had it on, “You’re what we always needed, what we didn’t even realise we were missing.”
A happy hum lifted from your lips, your body lulled into sleep almost instantly just from his presence, his warmth. You didn’t know how he did it, how he made your brain and body give into the slumber you so desperately tried to fend off with caf and stims. But like this, with him… There were rarely any nightmares, like they didn’t dare venture out of the dark for fear of the hunter tearing them apart.
Hunter rested his chin on the top of your head, eyes closed as he felt you slump into him, heard your breathing even out and he spoke the rest of his words into the Coruscant night, “What I didn’t realise I was missing.”
~~
The change from warm body to cool sheets stirred you from your sleep, making you blink with sleepy eyes, seeing the blurry shape of Hunter filling your vision, “Hunt?” The words were incoherent, sleep still taking over your brain so all your defences, your walls… They were gone.
You felt his heart stumble through that permanent Force link you kept with the boys… Or maybe you just imagined it in this state, “I’m here, Ghost. It’s okay, I’m just putting you to bed.” He settled you in comfortably, making sure your head was supported by pillows before he brought your covers up over your body, their warm weight already easing you back down.
As he smoothed them over your shoulders, you were suddenly hit with the undeniable urge to have him stay here, to revel in that feeling of safety and the knowledge that you could let go of those walls and just be. You didn’t have to think, you didn’t have to use your head or feel or do anything. Right now, in this space, you could just be you. “Stay…” Sleep was beginning to drag you down but you fought against it, needing him to understand.
Hunter hesitated, his honey-dark eyes widening in the faint light of your room as he gazed down at you, one hand still on your shoulders, “Ghost…” He breathed the word, wondering if he heard you correctly, if this was something you truly wanted.
You managed to fight sleep enough to force your eyes open, focusing on him and you laced your fingers through his own warm, rough ones, the hands of a soldier, just like your own, “Hunt, please stay with me.” You looked up into his eyes, eyes that kept you safe, eyes that you’d seen countless times and trusted but yet they were so unique in their own right.
His entire expression softened at the nickname, the question, his neck bobbing as he swallowed and he nodded, “Of course.” He settled himself carefully on the edge of the bed, as if to perch there and watch over you but it wasn’t enough.
You shook your head a little, clutching his hand closer, fighting to keep your head upright, “No…” You squeezed his hand, willing him to understand the words you were too tired to say.
But this was Hunter, and he knew you. He didn’t need enhanced senses for that, even if it felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest and his breathing felt unsteady. It was a feeling he felt around you, but he just couldn’t put a name to it, couldn’t put a name to the cacophony of intense emotion he felt whenever it came to you. “Okay, okay... One second.” He squeezed your hand back, allowing you to move first and disentangle your fingers before he walked around the bed, hesitating again before the mattress sunk and he sat down next to you with his legs stretched out and back against the headboard.
He just hoped the darkness of your room was enough to hide how badly he was shaking right now.
You made a noise, a sleepy one as you shuffled onto your other side and rated your head over his thigh, letting unconsciousness begin to claim you once more, “Thank you…” The words were a whispered breath carried on the unshadowed truth of the nightime as you relaxed once more.
Hunter rested a hand on your shoulder, the other subconsciously carding through your hair as he marvelled at the feeling of it on his skin, “Anytime…”
And there he sat, unmoving, unwavering, watching over you and wondering where in the hell he would start to unravel everything in his mind when it came to the Batch’s Ghost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was shining brightly the next morning, the warmth feeling almost real as you wandered from your apartment toward the Batch’s usual haunt. You had a pretty good guess that they’d be at the shipyard, the clear day providing them with the chance to work on the Marauder.
With some careful words to the right people, you’d secured them a few days off under the claims of regrouping after their mission and saying you would work with them in training.
In reality, you’d asked Master Plo and he’d said yes straight away and said he’d sort everything out. Big softy.
You’d woken up from your sleep last night feeling… remarkably refreshed. There were no nightmares. No lingering effects of the stims that you used to run from the memories.
Sleep had surrounded you in its arms and allowed you to rest peacefully, no doubt thanks to the man who stayed by your side all night.
When you’d woken up, he was gone, which you’d expected.
At first you thought it had been a dream, asking him to stay. You’d never normally cross that line, but you’d been so tired, and the thought of being alone had crushed you.
Then you felt the lingering warmth of the bed beside you and caught the masculine scent of him still gently caressing the air and you realised he had stayed the whole time. Watched over you and your dreams, protecting you when you were at your most vulnerable.
He always protected you.
You were beginning to head down a path that you usually tried not to let yourself follow, lest it send you tumbling into a black hole of spiralling thoughts and realisations about your emotions, discoveries you weren’t sure you were ready to admit yet.
Luckily, your dissociation meant that the trip to the shipyard had gone quicker than expected, and there was the Marauder, sitting proudly and lovingly with her angled gleaming under the Coruscant sun.
As you got closer, your boots hit puddles of soapy water, the fresh scent of it hitting your nose as well as that particular scent of wet duracrete in the sun… It was a silly little thing that made you smile, a scent that just felt good and familiar as you approached the half wet, half dry ship.
Despite the puddles on the ground, you were still as silent as your namesake, hearing and feeling him, as well as Tech’s particular and unique force aura. You always imagined them as colours, Hunter a deep, rich red and Tech a glimmering gold.
When you were all together, and you tuned into the force around you, it was like a shimmering, shifting blanket of colour in your head. Each one mingling perfectly with the one around it, beautiful on their own but gorgeous all together. It helped to chase away the emptiness and filled you with light rather than darkness.
“... could add upgrades to make the ship faster, if I could get my hands on the parts.” Tech’s voice reached you when you finally paused in the shadow of the upbent wings, peering round the corner to observe your boys.
Hunter was… Stars above. He was the first thing your eyes landed on, in just his black flight suit, sleeves rolled up past his forearms to reveal the lines of his tattoo marking out his bones. The fabric was a little wet, clinging to him more than usual and cutting sharp lines across the broad expanse of his shoulders, not to mention the way it gave you an unaltered view of his waist.
Pull it together, Ghost!
You could practically hear Anakin laughing in the back of your head, doubled over with a hand on his chest and a teasing grin on his face as he watched his one of best friends turn into a drooling mess.
“Faster? Are you planning on getting us in trouble, Tech?” Hunter’s voice held a playful tone, eyes glittering as he passed a wet sponge over the ship above his head, arm straining and muscles rippling, “I didn’t have you pegged for such a speedster.”
Tech poked his head out of the ships inner workings, brows furrowed as he stared at his brother, “Hunter, you have known me for as long as we can both conceivably remember, and for as long as we have been in a unit, the ship’s piloting duties have always fallen to m-”
“I’m joking, brother.” Hunter cut off Tech’s word dump before he worked himself up, with a good natured roll of his eyes, “I’ll have a word with Rex and some of the others, maybe they can find what you need. Make a list.” He paused, water running down his knuckles and down his forearm, “You have a list already, don’t you?”
Head already back inside the ship, Tech’s voice came out somewhat muffled, “Of course. I had one compiled since the last mission when I noticed the upgrades would be beneficial to us.” He was sprawled out on the ground, one leg bent up with his foot planted on the ground, with a myriad of tools surrounding him.
Hunter chuckled softly, a rough noise that rumbled in his throat and chest as a smile tugged at the edges of his lips, “Of course you did.” He dunked the sponge back into the bucket of water by his feet, his head ducking down and thick strands of his umber hair falling forward, slipping over the bandana and into his eyes.
It made your fingers twitch, ache to brush it aside and follow the line of it down his jaw, to trace his tattoo again and watch his eyes flutter closed at the touch of affection all of you had been starved of.
Anakin really would be beaming at you now, that knowing look in his eyes as he nudged you with an elbow, “Daydreaming again, Sparks?”
“When I gave you your nickname, I didn’t think you’d use those skills on us, you know.” Hunter’s words, directed at you this time made you jump, heart leaping to your throat like you’d been caught because… Well. You had been caught. Caught oogling him?
You muttered a silent curse to yourself before moving around the ship and coming into view, feet splashing in the water now, “I only just got here, I think your Hunter-senses might be running thin.” Raising an eyebrow at him, you prayed that the sun could be to blame for any flush in your cheeks.
You were an ex-Jedi commander!!! You didn’t blush or get flustered!
Hunter raised a dark brow at you, those eyes of his twinkling in the golden light above, “You do realise those senses told me where you were the second you set foot in the shipyard, right?” He rose to his full height, water pooling from his hand onto the floor and he cocked his head at you, “You forget how intune we are to you, Ghost. Just like you are with us.” Had his voice gotten rougher? Deeper? Or did it just feel that way because he was looking at you with an expression you couldn’t name, one that set that fluttering feeling loose again.
You opened your mouth, then closed it again, lost for words for once and you instead focused on the pooling water by his feet, “That is.. Completely unfair.” You breathed the words, unable to stop the grin that shone on your own face, brightening your expression and revealing that same troublesome playfulness that bonded you and Anakin so closely.
Hunter stepped closer to you, the scent of him washing over your senses just as a breeze swept over the shipyard, “Unfair, huh?” He tipped his head back, gazing down his nose at you, still smiling, “That why your cheeks are flushed? Are you feeling a little warm, Ghost?” His eyes darted past you toward Tech, an almost imperceptible nod there.
Wicked, wicked man.
Damn.
You cleared your throat, refusing to miss a beat and you tipped your own head back, “In case you hadn’t noticed under all that hair, it’s rather warm and sunny today. It’s just the heat of the day, that’s all.” You resisted the urge to cross your arms, leaving them loose at your sides, even as you toyed with the edge of your saber.
“Actually, according to my data,” Tech’s voice suddenly came from a couple feet behind you, and you jumped, actually startled, “Your body temperature isn’t high enough to cause a flush from the sun. You do, however, have an elevated heart rate and your breaths per minute have increased above your usual level.”
You spun round to face him, watching as he pushed his goggles up with the hand not holding his datapad, expression neutral but you swore you could see a smile playing about his eyes and feel it in the shimmery golden aura that surrounded him, “Tech!! You’re reading my vitals?!” Even you could hear the way your voice flickered an octave higher than usual, completely destroying your mock indignation, “You two are ganging up on me!!”
Hunter chuckled softly, sharing a look with Tech as he moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother, “Ganging up on you? But if we’re wrong, surely there’s nothing for us to team up against?” His head tilted again, his expression so clear and bright, even it was full of teasing aimed at you.
Damn these stupidly attractive, smart brothers. They knew you too well. The only people in the galaxy who could reduce you to a damn blushing, wordless mess. Stars above, you needed to reign yourself in and have a word.
Tech peered down at his data pad, “Interesting. Your heart rate has increased by thirteen beats in just a few moments.” He looked back up, honey eyes imploring, “Perhaps you need to sit down, Ghost. A sudden increase in heart rate can cause a rush of blood to the head.” There. Now the smile twitched his lips, making his eyes as liquid gold as Hunter’s, matching expressions as they both stood there filling your vision.
Even you could feel the blush now, sucking in a breath and then you laughed, shaking your head and running a hand across your hair, “Damn you both.” You rolled your eyes, planting your hands on your hips, “I bet you were sitting there planning that, weren’t you? From the second you knew I was here.” You turned your attention to Hunter, raising your eyebrows at him, smile turning into a full grin now.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Tech took a step forward, leaning into it and holding up a hand, “Actually,” He cut a glance to Hunter, but carried on, “I noticed Hunter had the same reaction as you upon your entrance to the shipyard. His heart rate-”
“Right.” Hunter suddenly moved forward, shouldering past his brother - gently - and he pushed the wet cloth in your hands, “Since you’re here bright and early, you can help with the ship.” He cleared his throat, “C’mon, it won’t clean itself.” He spun round and moved back to the Marauder, picking up the dry cloth he’d been using to polish the surface after it air dried.
What was that all about?
Tech avoided your curious gaze, turning to move back to the engine but not before you caught that certain look in his eyes, the one he wore when he might have started to discover something no one else had and he needed to know the answer.
With a puff of your cheeks and another soft laugh, you joined the boys at the ship, dunking the cloth in the bucket and falling into an easy routine with them beneath the Coruscant sun.
Now
You had never been this cold before.
Not even on the missions to Hoth, or when you used to visit Kamino with the boys.
This cold… it wasn’t just temperature. It was agony. It was the type of cold that seeps into your bones, your soul, chasing away every warm feeling, every phantom touch that lingered from memory.
They were trying to break you, trying to crack that shield wrapped around your heart and mind that kept you whole, safe.
You had survived so much, so so much.
You just had to survive a little longer.
#the bad batch#the bad batch x reader#the bad batch hunter#tbb hunter#tbb x reader#the bad batch hunter x reader#tbb hunter x reader#tbb tech#the bad batch tech#the bad batch crosshair#tbb crosshair#the bad batch echo#tbb echo#the bad batch wrecker#tbb wrecker#the clone wars#the clone wars x reader#star wars#star wars x reader
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"Soft hand touches with a light comforting squeeze that instantly assures you they're there." for Avery and Joseph?
Soft Touches
Words: 804
Tags: overstimulation but not in a sexy way it's the other way, slightly possessive Joseph
Thank you so much for the prompt!! I blame listening to the choir versions of the songs for this. Why does the music have to go so hard? Also I put a face touch in here too because I can't help myself.
The world was a fraction off kilter. Some small part of her recognized it was in her head, but that thought was buried under too bright lights and a cacophony of garbled noise that Ava couldn't even begin to process. Some days Ava just woke up and the world was wrong and no matter what it didn't right itself. She just had to suffer through it—that was how it had always been.
John's sunglasses sat on her nose, baseball cap pulled down to cast a dark shadow across her scowling features. She was currently curled into the smallest possible ball she could make herself on one of the church pews, head resting on her knees as Joseph conducted his sermon. The people beside her knew to give her space, even when the church was packed full they made sure to give Ava a comfortable distance not to make her uncomfortable. She was glad for it, but didn't quite know how to express that so she just kept the sentiment to herself.
Joseph was talking, but Ava couldn't hear, words lost to her in the ringing of her ears but she stared at him like he was the sun. Beautiful—radiant—bathing all those in his holy light with warmth and comfort.
He noticed her halfway through his sermon, the smallest raise of his brow in silent question—are you okay?—as he continued to speak. His gaze drifted away over the familiar faces of his flock, returning after a few words for his answer.
Ava's stillness was all the answer Joseph needed.
It was a small movement at first, descending down from the podium step by step. If he moved too quickly Ava might bolt, she was timid like that. A wounded animal that needed to be gently approached. She shuffled back in her seat but relaxed as soon as Joseph walked to someone else and ran his hands over their shoulder, then another person with their arm and a third cradling the back of their head.
He stayed like this, walking amongst his people, giving comfort with his words and touch until he'd done enough loops to get close enough to Avery. She scowled at him from underneath the brim of her hat, knowing that he'd end up here but not wanting to be singled out.
Joseph smiled and offered his hand first, waiting for Ava to come to him. It took a minute but eventually her scarred fingers and palm slid against his own.
The world shifted back into focus, just a fraction, Joseph's voice piercing through the noise.
“-we must remember to love each other, deeply, unashamed. We must support each other and carry the burden. Let love triumph over a multitude of sins,” Joseph said, squeezing Ava's hand as he spoke. “We are not made to be islands, lost at sea with nothing on the horizon but storm clouds.”
Ava relaxed, her legs sliding along the pew and tucking beside her rather than being built like a wall between them. Joseph always had this way through to her. Ava couldn't explain it, but it didn't matter how far gone she was. Joseph could always bring her back.
“If you see your neighbour struggling, reach out to them. Let His love—my love—act through you and guide the lost and the weary,” Joseph continued. His other hand reached out, the back of his fingers brushing against Ava's cheek until the bumped against John's sunglasses. The corners of his lips pulled into a thin line briefly when he looked back over to John behind him as if to confirm they did in fact belong to his brother.
“You are not alone, you are loved and protected,” Joseph didn't miss a beat in his words despite his movements. Gently, carefully, he plucked the glasses from Ava's nose, gesturing behind him with them for John to come and claim them. When he had Joseph pulled his hand away from Ava for just a moment, despite the small noise of protest she made. Her hand hovered in the space between them, lost.
Joseph reached up and removed his own sunglasses, offering Ava a smile as he slid them on her face. That was better. He then took her hand and found her once more, tracing the rough lines of scarring with his thumb. He draw them one by one in a well practiced motion, knowing the way they cut across her skin without needing to look.
Ava stared up at him, finally calm and he could see the adoration and love writ across her features, bright—radiant—beautiful. She was the moon, reflecting his light back him. Sometimes she might hide herself away in shadows, but she could never truly be hidden.
His light would always find her.
“The storm will break. I am here.”
#joseph seed x female deputy#ship; avery beckett x joseph seed#oc; avery beckett#my writing#joseph seed#i just like writing him giving sermons someone please save me from myself#inbox#aceghosts#Joseph talking to Ava through his Sermon to support her without distracting from what he's doing skjhgskjhgsg
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How to Set up Lighting for Video Conferencing ?
You begin your video conference. On the screen, a mysterious, shadowy figure appears. It's difficult to tell who they are.
"Yikes, sorry, gotta fix my lighting," you say to your colleagues as you fumble to turn on another lamp and adjust the angle of your webcam.
Is this scenario familiar to you?
We've all been in situations where our lighting wasn't ideal.
A few too many shadows, a little too harsh light, or that bothersome backlighting from your otherwise wonderful window in your home office.
Even if you're generally happy with your lighting setup when working from home, there may be one or two tricks you could try to look more polished and professional.
We scoured the internet and spoke with our own creative director, who has worked on hundreds of professional video shoots, to bring you the ultimate guide to upgrading your Lightning for video conferencing .
We'll go over quick tips for easily optimising your space on a budget, as well as suggestions for those who want to get really technical and invest in all the gear.
Let's get started—or use the table of contents above to skip to the sections that interest you the most.
What type of lighting is best for video conferencing?
The greatest lighting for video meetings is determined by your objectives. If you're a news anchor channel from home, a professional YouTuber, or someone who gives a lot of high-profile presentations, a glossier, studio-quality lighting setup might make sense.
Most professionals, on the other hand, simply require a setup that will help them look good on calls and enhance, rather than distract from, what they're saying.
Where should the light be for a video call?
Consider the lighting in your home workspace, whether it's a desk in a corner of the living room or a dedicated home office.
If the room has a window or another source of natural light, make sure it is not directly behind your desk.
"Avoid bright rear lights," Gillick advised, noting that they will either lower the quality of your image or blow out your background.
As a result, as much as you want that big, beautiful window in the background of your video meetings, resist placing your desk directly in front of it.
"Open your shades and let the natural light in, but don't let all that light hit your back," Becca Farsace, Video Director at The Verge, advised in her excellent piece on the subject.
"The first rule of natural light is don't have it behind you," says Michael Hession, Wirecutter's head of photography and video. If you're backlit like this, your face will appear too dark or your background will appear too bright.
Place the brightest light source directly in front of you
Experts advise placing your main light source directly in front of you or at a 45-degree angle to you.
"It's wonderful if you have a large window in front of you where you work. "The majority of the work is done for you," Hession explained. "You have this lovely large, lovely light source that will brighten your face right up."
Hession suggests turning at a 45-degree angle to the window to add interest to the frame. "This will cast a shadow on one side of your face." It's a little bit more flattering, de-emphasizes your blemishes, and has a cinematic feel to it."
And what if you don't have a window or it's dark outside?
Locate the most powerful light source in your room—perhaps a lampand position it optimally, following the same guidelines as for the window.
If you don't want to fuss with angles, remember TechCrunch editor Darrell Etherington's lighting guide's simple rule of thumb:
"Ideally, you should position yourself so that the brightest source of light is behind your camera."
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hi! i don't know if you write for cedric diggory but i saw in your post that it could be any pair (and also because i love your writings!!). so if it's okay with you, can i please request cedric x ravenclaw!reader. where the reader feels insecure around ced because she's the new gf and is a bit jealous of cho (because they're both in ravenclaw), so ced comes and reassures her that she has nothing to worry about.
a/n: Thank you for your request! Definitely got off track lol.
Ordinary, that’s how you would describe yourself while looking in the mirror. No matter how many times you pinched your cheeks for a flush, pluck your eyebrows or even lather your face in expensive face masks, you couldn’t help but feel ordinary.
You see a dull girl looking back at your reflection, what could you possibly have to offer?
Bringing your face closer to the other you, you try and look. To look and see what he can possibly see.
No matter how hard you search, you find nothing. You sigh, a pout to your lips.
“What’s wrong?” A gentle voice interrupts your heavy observation. “You’ve been staring at yourself for close to an hour.”
You almost groan, you must look like a weirdo.
You turn to face the girl that was leaning against the door frame that leads into your shared bathroom.
She was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful, her eyes, her hair, her cheekbones, the shape of her lips, even her voice was beautiful. Cho had to be perfect. It didn’t help that she had such a good heart.
She was so perfect, you wanted to strangle her. How could Cedric, your beautiful boyfriend, go after you when he had a girl like Cho before?
You couldn’t possibly comprehend it.
You open your mouth to answer her, but then cut yourself off. “Nothing important.”
You pass by her concerned gaze, heading to your bed, letting your insecurities run wild once your head hits the pillows.
If you had stayed any longer you might have asked something stupid like, “am i pretty?” and you didn’t need the possibility of your fears being confirmed.
Cedric and Cho had broken up a year ago. They both agreed they were better off as friends. A few months after their breakup, he took a liking to you. He did everything in his power to win your affections, it was easy to fall for him. Cho had been supportive of it too, even helping him woo you.
So you don’t know why you have these doubts, even when your months in with Cedric.
You’re not even sure when you started the comparison of yourself. Always questioning everything you did, ‘Did Cho do this?’ or ‘Did he prefer to do this with Cho, rather than you?’
You even started comparing yourself to all the other girls that still shamelessly flirted with Cedric. Knowing he was taken didn’t seem to stop them. It didn’t help that even they were beautiful. You were scared that maybe one day he’d see it too and leave you for them. Or realize he made a mistake with breaking things off with Cho.
You felt like a shadow compared to him, Cho and every other pretty girl that glanced his way. You felt as if you were watching him live his life, while you sat quietly, watching for a little tell sign of his doubts of you.
But he gave away nothing. He gave you everything though. He gave you his love and you wondered why that wasn’t enough to kill those running thoughts.
He looks at you with nothing but love and admiration in his eyes. Yet, you still tear yourself apart every night. Thinking of solutions on how you can just be better. You pick yourself apart, until your numb.
You fell asleep with the echo of your unanswered why’s.
“Ready?” Cedric asks, taking a hold of your hand.
You hum in agreement, letting him pull you up.
You both just finished lunch and planned on heading to his dorm to hang out there. You hadn’t brought up any of the thoughts that were burning through your skull the other night and you didn’t plan to.
You focused on the path ahead, not noticing the stolen glances from the boy next to you.
Entering his dorm, you both take off your shoes and place them next to the door. You put your bag down and just take in the room. Trying to let the familiar space sooth your nerves.
“You’ve been feeling alright?” He asks, looking at you through his lashes.
“Fine.” Nodding your head, but you think the bags under your eyes speak a different truth.
“Cho’s been telling me that you’ve seemed off,” He paused, then adding “lately.”
You faintly wondered why he said it like that, but inwardly shaking it off as you processed his words.
“You and Cho talk about me?”
You wanted to ask that they talked in general, but you knew they did. You weren’t sure why the thought filled you with a sense of dread, why your chest compacted in with it.
That little voice in your head was making up all these sinful scenarios, flashing before your eyes that you almost felt like you were going to be sick.
“We’re friends,” He says gently, almost like he sees how fragile you are, how one wrong word could be the downfall. “she’s your friend also. And she’s just been a little concerned.”
You chewed on your lip, cutting up your gums, stopping yourself from saying anything you’d regret after. “Nothing to be concerned about.”
He sighs and stares at you for a second longer, it seemed like he was searching for something that you weren’t sure you wanted him to find, so you turn your eyes away.
You heard his footsteps walking to the other side of his bed, followed by the sound of his drawer opening.
“Here,” You looked up to find him holding a brown cable knit sweater, your favorite one he owned.
It brought a small smile to your face, making an ounce of relief flood his chest.
You mumbled your gratitude, then taking your leave to the restroom to change. A shadow fell over his eyebrows, you’d always just change in front of him.
He didn’t linger on the thought for too long once he heard the click of the door and your light footsteps.
You made your way to his bed, gently prying the sheets open and sinking into the warmth. You turned your back towards him, closing your eyes, and letting the sound of the changing of his clothes fill the air.
A dip to the side of you and arms enclosing in on you, dragging you into more warmth. Yet, the coldness in your chest stayed.
You clenched your eyes shut and prayed for sleep. This was your favorite part of day, these naps with Cedric, his dorm room empty and the chance to be alone without anyone in sight to compare yourself to.
But even with his arms around you and the smell of him surrounding the space you were in, didn’t stop the whispers of the troubled.
He must of felt how tense you were, different from the way you so easily melted into him.
“Y/n.” He whispers, you felt him shift behind you, his arms loosening.
You clenched your eyes tighter, trying to even out your breaths, but even you knew that it was not possible to fall asleep that fast.
“Y/n,” He hovers over you a little, looking at your face with an unimpressed expression. “i know you’re not sleeping.”
You unclench your eyes, steeling yourself, for the conversation you knew was bound to happen. Opening your eyes, you met his soft bright ones. His eyes, that spoke everything you wished you’d just believe.
“Yes?” You mumble softly, peeking at him through your lashes.
He stares at you a second longer, then kisses your cheek. “Talk to me.”
“About what?” You were never good at playing oblivious.
“About what’s going on in your head that’s making you look at me like that.”
You furrow your eyebrows, “Looking at you, like what?”
“Like i’m a stranger,” He mumbles sadly. “like i’m someone you should be wary of.”
Guilt washed over you, you didn’t know you were so translucent. You never wanted Cedric to be affected by the problems you were inflicting on yourself.
“That’s not true.” An obvious lie.
“It is.” He corrects you. “You can talk to me, you know that right? We’ll never fix anything, if you don’t talk to me.”
He was right, no matter how much you didn’t want to talk about this. You knew you needed to at some point. And it was looking as if that time was now.
“I just-“ You tried again. “Do you ever have, i don’t know, doubts?”
“Doubts?” You turn so your laying on your back now, him still half hovering over you. “About what?”
“Like,” A long sigh escapes past your lips, unwilling. “Do you ever regret getting with me?”
He gapes at you, almost looking offended of the question. “Why would you even ask that?” He sits up, causing you to follow.
“I don’t kn-“
“Do you think i regret it?” He rephrases, “Do i make it seem like regret it?”
Every scenario of him and you together flashes in blurs through your head and no he didn’t, the opposite actually. He looked at you as if you were the sun, as if you were brighter than the sun.
“No.” You mumble weakly, ashamed that even that revelation didn’t seem to dampen your insecurities.
“Then i’m confused on what brought this on.”
“Why are you with me, when you can be with someone as beautiful as Cho.” You meant for it to come out as a question, but it sounded like a statement.
Maybe you did mean to say it like that, it’s what you believed, the only thing you weren’t questioning the truth of.
You hear him get up and you feel as if your heart stopped beating. This is it, this was what you were preparing yourself for, you thought to yourself. Eyes already blurring.
Then a warm hand in yours, pulling you up. You stumble a little, but he steadies you, always keeping you grounded. Next thing you know he’s dragging you along to the bathroom. Confusion is clear on your face.
“What?” You mumble more to yourself.
He brings you in front of the mirror, the full body length one in the corner of the room. He stands behind you, towering over your smaller frame.
“Look at yourself.” He demands softly, when you don’t cast your eyes away from his.
You oblige, catching your own eyes. You furrow your eyebrows.
“What are you thinking about right now?” He asks, his hands ghosting over your waist.
“How could you possibly love me when i can’t even love myself?”
He looked pained by your words, that you could even have those thoughts.
“I’ll love you enough for the both of us.”
You give him a weak smile, “It doesn’t work like that.”
“Then i’ll help you love yourself.” He adds, desperately. “I’ll make you see what’s to love about you.”
He grips you harder, taking away the response you had.
“Look,” Because your eyes had ventured to his once again.
His thumbs brushed over your body, the side of your face, until they landed under your eyes. Covering the dark circles from view, he smoothed them out gently.
“Your eyes,” He began softly. “they have to be the most captivating eyes i’ve ever seen. They were the first thing i noticed about you, the first thing that pulled me in.”
His fingers brushed over your nose, curving in with it.
“This adorable nose,” He pinches it softly. “home to the freckles i could spend all my time counting.”
He brushed over your cheeks, leaving a pink blush. His fingers stopped at your lips.
“Have to be the most kissable lips out there.” He drags your bottom lip down with his thumb. “I could spend hours just kissing you, these lips.”
His knuckles brush over your neck.
“Where else am i supposed to leave my marks that show everyone your mine?”
He spends an hour at least, going through why he loved every feature about you. Talking about the way you bewitched him with your looks, with your heart.
“Can’t you see how you’re the cause of my euphoria?” His chin was resting on your shoulder, his eyes burning into yours, you never felt more loved than right now.
Those whispers dimmed in comparison to his loving words.
His hands were still roaming slowly over you, like he couldn’t get enough, you were sure he couldn’t get enough.
“What do you see?” He whispers, once your eyes take yourself in again.
“I see-“ You think for a second, really think. “I see potential.”
Potential to love yourself. Potential to accept the love he gave you. Potential to feel worthy to have him. Potential to see that he picked you.
And from then, every so often he would drag you to the mirror and do it again. Adding something new each time.
Until potential turned to beauty. Undeniable beauty. Until the whispers were nothing more than the self assured.
#cedric diggory#cedric x you#cedric fanfiction#cedric x y/n#cedric x reader#cedric diggory x reader#cedric diggory x you#cedric diggory x female reader#cedric diggory fluff#cedric diggory fanfiction#cedric diggory fic#cedric diggory smut#cedric diggory oneshot#cho chang#ravenclaw#lexi’s fics ◡̈
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Sweet wonderful Andrea | Andrea Marowski
Requested by anon
Andrea was making a fuss. Ursula was sure it was because of Janet's piano playing, so of course she had gone down to get to her to stop.
As it turns out, he did like music. Andrea just had a preference for the violin.
"Oh? You know, I'm sure Y/N plays," Ursula comments.
"Do they?"
"Yes. I'll give them call." Ursula leaves rather quickly to call you at the earliest convenience.
Andrea looked up at Janet with curious eyes, wondering why Ursula had rushed off so suddenly. He lay back in the bed and waited.
You arrived merely thirty minutes later, case in hand. Ursula takes you upstairs, almost in a rush. You follows her into the bedroom where you're greeted by the sight of a young man sitting on the edge of the bed. Janet helps him over to the chair as you enter the room.
"Andrea, this is Y/N. They live near by, they're going to play for you," Ursula tells him. He doesn't look as if he quite understood, but he saw your case and smiled. The ladies nod at you.
You place the case on the bed and take out your old violin. It's well used, but still in wonderful condition. You smile at the cute young man watching eagerly. You begin to play.
His smile is bright and giddy. Obviously he likes what he hears. When you finish you give a little bow. They applaud.
Andrea holds out his hands to you.
"Give me."
You hand the violin over and let him adjust it. He takes the bow too and you sit on the bed as you watch. Then he plays. It would appear everyone in the room was just as surprised as you.
He could play like a professional.
When he finished, you applauded him with a smile. He smiles up at you.
The ladies look at one another then back at the young man in his chair.
"Can I?" He asks you, holding the violin up.
"Why not," you smile and stand up.
"It will be in safe hands, Y/N." Janet assures you. You nod and leave the case on the bed. Andrea smiles at you as you take your leave.
You ask about him as Janet shows you out. You had heard a stranger had washed up below their house. She tells you very little about him, but he hadn't been here all that long, so you didn't expect they knew much themselves.
You could hear the violin through the window as you left.
You didn't see Andrea for a while for a while after that. He was still recovering at the sisters house. Though you had seen Janet and Ursula here and there. They told you your violin was being put to good use.
They didn't tell you that Andrea had been asking about you. 'The pretty person who brought him the violin,' he had called you, thought mostly in broken English.
One sunny day you sit on the beach and soak in the sun. The sounds of the waves were soothing and the sand below you was warm. It was a beautiful day.
You didn't even see anyone approaching. Before you knew it, someone was standing in the way of the sun, casting a shadow over you. You look up to see a familiar charming face.
"Andrea." You smile at him.
Andrea smiles brightly in return. He sits down beside you, placing the violin case beside him.
"Hallo."
"Hello. I see you're up and walking."
"Yes," he nods, " thank you."
"What for?"
He gestures to the case. He opens the case and takes it out. He stands up and begins to play. You listen intensely. He was so very good at it.
You clap when he finishes.
Andrea takes a bow and smiles brightly down at you. He looked so happy.
"For you," he nods at you.
"That was for me?"
He nods and puts the violin away. He stands back up and holds his hand to you. You stare at him for a moment before taking his hand. He pulls you up to your feet and grabs the case in his empty hand. He leads the way back up to the house.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Andrea opens the door and invites you in. You just hope the sisters won't mind. You step in, peering around each side only to find Janet sitting near the wireless. She smiles at you as Andrea closes the door behind you both.
"Stay for dinner?" He asks, looking between both you and Janet.
"Oh no, I couldn't." You look at him.
Janet takes off her glasses and looks at the way Andrea is looking at you. She supposes she should make the choice before Ursula shows up.
"Stay, Andrea wants you to."
You look at her.
"Alright, if it's not too much trouble."
You find yourself sitting next to Andrea, the sisters sitting opposite you. Ursula seemed a little caught off guard when she came in and found you with Andrea at the table.
You tried not to look up at him too much, but you could feel his eyes on you. Your smiles giving you both away.
After dinner you left, though not without Andrea seeing you out. He stood on the doorstep and watched you go.
The next time you saw him, he had come to your house. He had found out where you lived after asking the sisters several times about you. He liked you. They knew that, but Ursula almost didn't want to tell him your address.
You were surprised to see him at your door. He was holding out flowers to you.
"Thank you, they're lovely."
You let him inside. He doesn't have the violin with him this time. You go to put the flowers in a vase while Andrea looks around. Your home was smaller than the sisters, so there wasn't much exploring to do.
Andrea poked his head into the kitchen to see you had baked some bread. It smelled wonderful.
"Would you like some?" You ask, smiling at him. He nods and sits down at your table. You grab a couple slices for each of you and sit down with him, pouring him so tea to go with it.
"I don't remember telling you my address," you say, smiling softly at him.
"You didn't."
"Did your hosts tell you?"
"I asked them."
Andrea takes a bite of your hard work and smiles. Not only could you play, but you baked as well. He wanted to know more about you.
"This is good."
"Thank you. I see your English has improved," you point out. Over that dinner a few days ago, he had been trying his best to talk to you, but he still struggled with some words. It was cute how hard he was trying.
"Yes. I have been learning."
"Well, you're doing wonderfully. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to learn more about each other."
"Yes, I would like that. When I ask... they don't tell me much about you."
"You've been asking about me?" You ask, surprised to hear that. Yet, you were flattered.
He nods.
"Well, what do you want to know?"
"Everything," he says, smiling as happily as ever.
"Oh, I'm afraid there isn't much to tell."
"I want to know anyway," he places a hand on yours. It appeared unintentional, but you let it happen. He was sweet.
"My name is Y/N, I've lived here pretty much my whole life. I play violin, I bake, I garden. I work in a shop in town. I'm not all that interesting I'm afraid." You smile softly.
He shakes his head, eyes glistening in the light flowing through the open window.
"You are very interesting."
"Not compared to you, I'm not," you chuckle. "You're Polish, yes?"
"Yes."
"I heard whispers you were going to America when the storm hit."
"Yes." He nods.
"That must have been scary."
"A little, yes, but it brought me here," he smiles again.
"This isn't America, not even close," you laugh, "there is still a ways to go yet."
"Yes, but you're here. The storm brought me to you." He gives your hand a little squeeze. You feel your cheeks flush.
"Oh."
Andrea looks very pleased with himself. He seems to dwell on something as he looks at you. You watch him with curious eyes as he takes a moment to think. He pushes himself to the edge of his seat and leans over, kissing your cheek ever so softly.
You gasp so quietly, he didn't hear it.
He pulls away, smiling at you. He looks just as bashful as you feel.
"I should go." He stands up.
You take him to the door and open it for him. He stands on the doorstep, turning to face you.
"Can I come back tomorrow?"
You smile brightly.
"Only if you bring your violin," you tell him.
"It's your violin," he corrects.
"Not any more."
Andrea once again has a beaming smile on his face. He kisses your cheek again, a little more confidently this time, then he heads back, looking over his shoulder at you.
You wave until he's out of sight.
Your heart is racing in your chest. You lean against the door biting your bottom lip with a smile.
@ajeff855 @moonstuffsteve @sky-writes-stuff @lieutenantn @lostghostgirl94 @friday18eo @yaskna @my-blood-is-maple-syrup @gingerwriter97
Sweet wonderful Andrea. Perhaps you should thank the storm for bringing him to you.
Part 2
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halu ^_^ i randomly stumbled across your blog at like 3 am and i couldn't stop reading all of your posts ;-; honestly they're so hecking good !!! tysm for giving us these hq fics <33 anywayy, can i request for another tommy or tubbo fic wherein reader is like this badass chick and everyone is intimated by them but then get soft when it comes to tommy or tubbo :00 you can use any pronouns !! also feel free to make it platonic or romantic :>> thank you <3333
I’ve decided to put both Tommy and Tubbo in bc they’re really a one package deal. Also this can be read as either platonic or romantic I tried to leave it ambiguous for you guys! And it’s set in the DreamSMP universe bc both Tommy and Tubbo need protecting on that damn server. And thank you so much for the kind words! I hope you enjoy it :)
At Face Value
“Tubbo come with me and see the egg, it’s so big now! I’m sure you’d love to see it.” Bad’s bright eyes blink widely at the young boy, “Uh, I don’t know Bad. I’m kinda busy working on rebuilding my bee farm, maybe later?” He tries to excuse himself from the conversation but Bad merely follows him, continuing to try and convince the brunette. Tubbo stumbles with the wooden planks as Bad explains how The Egg works, “If you join our Eggpire, the egg will grant you any wish you desire! Surely you have goals you wish to meet Tubbo? Perhaps to bring L’manberg back to its former glory? The Egg can do that!” Tubbo grounds himself but Bad notices too quickly, Tubbo is considering his offer.
Bad picks up his tone advancing so that Tubbo back up until his back hits the wall of his bee farm, the boy cowering. “Tubbo, you know how important the egg is-“ Tommy suddenly exits from the remnants of the bee farm head in the clouds, oblivious for a few moments until he spots Bad and Tubbo. “Hey! You’re not supposed to be anywhere near us Bad.” Tommy bounds over with unbridled energy, eyes wandering the expanse of land around them searching for Sam. He stands a little in front of Tubbo, trying to shield him from Bad in case things got violent. Which knowing this guy and his Eggpire bullshit, it was likely to.
Bad laughs cruelly in Tommy’s face, moving closer to pinch one of his cheeks with a clawed hand. “Oh, you poor sweet thing. You don’t intimidate me or scare me, and-” Bad cackles only to be cut off as an arrow pierces the ground between them.
“But I do.” Your voice echoes off the walls of the ruined bee farm, your silhouette cast in the afternoon shadow tightly clutching your bow. Bad’s expression sours immediately, “I told you to leave us alone Bad.” You glare as you advance towards them, jumping down from the structure your lips upturned in a snarl.
You confidently place yourself between the two boys and Bad, the tall demon across from you only sighs deeply. “I’m disappointed in you. I thought you would understand what the Eggpire is trying to do. The Egg could make sure the three of you would always be safe if that’s what you wish.” He pauses for a few moments, “However, if you refuse my request who knows what kind of danger you could fall into!”
A gleeful smile crosses his face, his tail flicking out from behind his back. “Are you threatening us?” Your scowl deepens with each word, “Of course not!” He defends voice dripping with sarcasm, “I am going to take such joy in setting that weed alight.” You finally growl chest puffed futilely as if you could size up this 9ft demon. His demeanour shifts almost immediately, his posture straightening as he reaches his full height. Towering over the three of you, refusing to look weak you all stand your ground.
“Do not threaten The Egg again, or I will have to start taking some pages out of Dream’s book of tricks.” Bad snarls lowly, jagged teeth barred at you in particular. But his words sting Tubbo and Tommy the deepest, their gazes drop. No one speaks to them like that. “Yeah, taking notes from a guy who is going to spend the rest of his life rotting in jail. Sounds like a great plan to me, dumbass.” Tommy speaks before you can even open your mouth, you hope your expression conveys your barely contained fury, eyes glaring holes through the pitch-black skin of his face.
Bad’s grin widens sickeningly, the ends reaching too far along his cheeks to appear normal. “Watch your tongue before you lose it. The Egg enjoys such a muscle, finds it a delicacy actually.” Bad’s arm moves quicker than you can swing your blade, his hand clutching Tommy’s face roughly.
You raise your blade high to slash it down on the demon’s arm when a trident beats you to it. Bad lets out a cry of pain as the trident is recalled back to its owner, and out of his arm. “Sam!” Tubbo cries, the young man stands triumphantly just over the hill. “Care to pick on someone your own size Bad?” His voice booms, advancing steadily towards you all as Bad stumbles back clutching his punctured arm. He growls in the back of his throat, “I’ll be back!” And he pearls away, like a coward.
Sam eventually reaches the three of you and he implores you all to recount what happened with Bad before he had arrived. Afterwards, Sam decides to cut his visit short to keep an eye on Bad and make sure he doesn’t come back with any backup. You all bid him a thankful farewell before moving into Tubbo’s nearby house and starting a blistering fire. You all sit around it, trying to warm up as conversation flows comfortably between the three of you.
“You were really cool out there y’know.” Tommy suddenly pipes up, “I wish I was that brave.” Tubbo adds with admiration. Your cheeks flush a light pink, “I-It was nothing, really! That Bad guy is all bark and no bite.” You stammer before chuckling awkwardly, sweat gathering in your palms as the two boys watch you with amusement. “How can you be so cool with Sam, and then act like this with us?” Tubbo muses smirk evident on Tommy’s face. “I, uh, I don’t know!” You gesture wildly with your hands, trying to distract yourself and the two ahead of you with anything. “I reckon it’s cause they’ve got a soft spot for us.” Tommy teases, tone light and airy as he eyes you. “Ohhhhh.” Tubbo nods affirmatively, “I see, that makes a lot of sense.”
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Tommy and Tubbo look at each other for a few seconds, then look back and you, then back at each other. Their smiles widen and your stomach sinks. The two pounce on you, arms wrapping tightly around you in suffocating hugs from both sides. “Hey!” You cry as you topple over, the two following you helplessly as they too lose balance. The three of you end up in a pile of tangled limbs, laughter roaring along with the bright fire across from you.
“Seriously though, without you, Tommy and I would’ve been goners.” Tubbo admits from your side, smile bright on his cute face. “I would’ve been fine! But I didn’t mind the backup.” Tommy blurts blush bright on his cheeks, you find yourself giggling in response. “I’m happy to be back up anytime the two of you need it. I don’t plan on going anywhere.” You grin at the two, “Good! Because we weren’t gonna even give you the choice.”
Tommy smirks, “He’s right. You’re stuck with us for good.” Tubbo nods solemnly, “Oh, how tragic!” You gasp dramatically hand meeting your forehead as you pretend to swoon. The two only burst into laughter at your reaction, “Hey we aren’t that bad!!” The two cry from your sides as finally, you join the two in their laughter. Grins bright on all of your faces as the fire continues to roar and lick at the logs adjacent to your still intertwined legs.
~Requests are always open!~
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The Assassin and The Sunshine
Summary: You and Yelena were the most least-likely pair, or atleast that's what the avengers (Minus Natasha and Wanda) thought. So what happens when they see how the blonde acts when you get hurt
Warnings: Gunshots, medical stuff (minorly). Angry Yelena
----
Yelena Belova, with her steely gaze and lethal precision, was the epitome of intimidation among her peers. Her reputation as a formidable assassin preceded her, casting a shadow of fear wherever she went. With every calculated move and icy demeanor, she commanded respect and evoked a sense of unease among those around her. She was a force to be reckoned with, leaving a trail of apprehension in her wake.
And then there was you, Y/n Y/L/n. With a personality as bright as the sun and a heart as pure as gold, Y/n brought warmth and positivity to every situation. Her infectious laughter and unwavering kindness had a way of melting even the coldest of hearts, earning them the affectionate nickname of "the team's golden retriever."
Your gentle nature stood in stark contrast to Yelena's, and yet, somehow, the two of you had found a connection that defied explanation.
It wasn't easy, navigating a relationship with someone as closed-off as Yelena. She was slow to trust, and her walls were fortified with layers of steel. But you were patient, willing to chip away at those barriers bit by bit until you reached the heart of who she truly was.
The rest of the team couldn't understand it. They saw Yelena as an enigma, a formidable presence to be feared and respected. They couldn't fathom what you saw in her, why you would choose to be with someone so different from yourself.
"It's just... I don't get it," Tony remarked, glancing over at Yelena and you conversing in the corner of the room. "What's the deal with those two? Yelena's like a walking arsenal, and Y/n's... well, Y/n."
Steve nodded in agreement, his gaze following yours and Yelena's interaction. "I know what you mean, Tony. It's hard to imagine what they see in each other. They're like night and day."
Clint, who had been listening in on the conversation, chimed in with her own thoughts.
"Exactly! I still can't wrap my head around it," Clint admitted, scratching his head in confusion. "Yelena and Y/n... they're just so different from each other."
Bruce chuckled softly, glancing towards where you and Yelena were sitting. "Love is a strange thing, Clint. It's not always logical. Maybe Y/n sees something in Yelena that we don't."
Clint sighed, shaking his head. "I guess you're right. I just hope they know what they're doing."
--
It was a cold autumn day, and you found yourself on another mission alongside Natasha Tony, Steve, and Clint. The tension hung heavy in the air as the team moved with practiced precision through the dimly lit corridors of the enemy's stronghold.
The mission had been intense from the start, nearly dodging attacks at almost all turns, but as you ventured deeper into the heart of the HYDRA base, the atmosphere grew even more charged. Every step felt like a potential trap, every shadow a potential threat.
Suddenly, chaos erupted. Gunfire erupted from unseen assailants, and you found yourself instinctively stepping in front of Clint, shielding him from the onslaught. The impact was immediate, a searing pain lancing through your side as the bullets found their mark.
"Y/n!" Natasha's voice was a mix of alarm and concern as she rushed to your side, her expression tight with worry.
Clint knelt beside you, his hands hovering uncertainly over your injured form. "Y/n, are you okay?"
You managed a weak nod, gritting your teeth against the pain as Natasha and Tony quickly moved to assess your injuries.
"We need to get her out of here," Natasha declared, her voice firm as she glanced around the chaotic scene.
Steve's voice crackled over the comms. "Quinjet's on its way. Hold tight, we'll get you out of there."
As you were carefully lifted onto a stretcher, the team worked quickly to stabilize you. Despite the pain, you managed a weak smile, reassured by their presence.
"We've got you, Y/n," Tony said, his tone determined as he helped load you onto the Quinjet.
Clint squeezed your hand gently, his expression filled with worry. "Hang in there, okay? We'll get you patched up in no time."
You nodded weakly, feeling a surge of gratitude for your friends. As the Quinjet engines roared to life and the aircraft lifted off, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over you, knowing that even in the midst of danger, you had your closest friends by your side.
----
As the Quinjet touched down back at the base, the team wasted no time in transferring you to the medbay. Before Yelena could arrive, the medical team swiftly brought you into the operating room, shielding you from her sight.
Moments later, the door burst open again, and Yelena stormed in, her expression a mask of fury. Kate Bishop, who happened to be sparring with her when FRIDAY had informed Yelena of the news, was right beside her, offering silent support.
"Where is she?" Yelena demanded, her voice a dangerous growl, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of you.
Natasha stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Yelena, they've taken her into surgery. They're doing everything they can for her."
The blonde's tension only seemed to escalate at Natasha's words. "They better be taking care of her!" she barked, her tone sharp and threatening.
Tony and Steve exchanged uneasy glances as Yelena's fury filled the room. They shuffled awkwardly, intimidated by the practically burning blonde.
Yelena turned her rage on them, her eyes blazing with fury. "This is all your fault!" she accused, her voice cutting like a knife. "If anything happens to her, I'll make sure you all pay!"
Steve, ever the voice of reason, tried to reason with Yelena. "Yelena, we understand your concern, but right now our priority is getting her the help she needs."
Yelena's eyes flashed with fury. "Your priority should have been keeping her safe in the first place!" she shot back, her voice sharp with accusation, her Russian accent adding an extra edge to her words.
Tony, normally quick-witted, found himself at a loss for words in the face of Yelena's anger. "We did everything we could," he insisted, his tone defensive.
Clint, usually unflappable, shifted uncomfortably under Yelena's intense gaze. "Yelena, we're all worried about her. But yelling at us isn't going to help," he reasoned, trying to diffuse the tension.
But Yelena's rage was unyielding. "You think I care about your excuses?" she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "All that matters to me is her. And if anything happens to her because of you…"
Natasha exchanged a knowing glance with Kate, silently acknowledging that it was time to intervene and calm Yelena down before her fury escalated further.
"Yelena," Natasha spoke softly but firmly, stepping closer to her friend, "I know you're scared. But yelling at them won't help Y/n."
Kate nodded in agreement, placing a gentle hand on Yelena's arm. "We're all worried about her," she added, her voice calm and reassuring. "But right now, we need to trust that Dr. Cho and Bruce knows what they're doing."
Yelena's anger seemed to waver for a moment as she looked between Natasha and Kate, her resolve beginning to soften.
Natasha continued, her voice gentle yet persuasive. "Y/n needs us to be strong for her right now. She needs you to be strong."
Kate nodded in agreement. "We're all in this together, Lena. We'll get through this, but we need to stay calm and focused."
Yelena's shoulders tensed, but gradually, the fire in her eyes began to dim as she took a deep breath, her anger giving way to concern for you. "I just want her to be okay," she admitted, her voice softer now, tinged with worry.
Natasha squeezed Yelena's hand reassuringly. "We all do," she said, her voice filled with empathy. "And Helen and Bruce will do everything we can to make sure she is."
As the tension in the room began to ease, Yelena nodded in silent agreement, her gaze lingering on the closed doors of the operating room where you lay.
Natasha gestured towards a nearby chair, silently inviting Yelena to sit beside her. Yelena hesitated for a moment before finally sinking into the seat, her body trembling with emotion.
Natasha wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders, offering a comforting embrace. "It's going to be okay, Lena," she murmured, her voice soft and soothing.
Yelena leaned into Natasha's embrace, her walls crumbling as tears streamed down her cheeks. She buried her face against Natasha's shoulder, her sobs muffled against the fabric of her sister's uniform.
The other Avengers watched the scene unfold with a mixture of surprise and understanding, their eyes widening as they witnessed a side of Yelena they had never seen before.
Tony exchanged a glance with Steve, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered under his breath, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"She's stable"
---
The steady beeping of the monitors filled the room as you blinked away the fog of anesthesia, your senses gradually coming back to you.
As your eyes fluttered open, you were met with the sight of Yelena sitting beside you, her expression soft and full of concern. "Hey," you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper as you reached out to her.
Yelena's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of you awake, but she quickly composed herself, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she took your hand in hers. "Hey," she replied, her voice gentle and full of warmth.
Relief flooded through you as you squeezed her hand, grateful for her presence by your side. But, as you squeezed Yelena's hand, a wave of concern washed over you when you noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. "Lena, what's wrong?" you asked, your voice filled with worry as you reached out to gently cup her face with your hand.
Yelena's lower lip trembled slightly as she tried to compose herself, but the floodgates had opened, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I was so scared," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought... I thought I might lose you."
You pulled her into a gentle embrace, holding her close as she cried softly against your chest, which hadn't be affected much, and was already fixing up thanks to Bruce's cell regenerator.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here," you whispered softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Yelena leaned into your embrace, her tears gradually subsiding as she took comfort in your presence. "I was so scared," she admitted again, her voice trembling slightly.
You brushed a strand of hair away from her face, offering her a small smile. "I know, Lena. But I'm okay now. You're the one who's always saving me, even when you're not anywhere near me," you said sincerely, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
Yelena's lips twitched slightly, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, well, don't expect me to always save you," she teased lightly, a small chuckle escaping her lips, as she resorted to her usual coping method of humour.
You grinned, feeling a surge of affection for the woman in your arms. "Oh, come on, Lena. You love playing the hero," you teased right back, trying to lighten the mood.
A genuine smile spread across Yelena's face for the first time since you'd woken up. "I kinda do" she chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly, before the both of you started laughing.
But as the laughter faded, a heaviness settled in the air once again. Yelena's eyes clouded with sadness, the weight of the situation crashing down on her once more.
You reached out, cupping her face in your hands. "Hey, Lena. It's okay to be scared," you said softly, your voice filled with empathy. "But we're together now. And we'll get through this, I promise."
As the Avengers stood at the door, watching the unexpected tenderness between you and Yelena, they exchanged surprised glances.
Tony raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with disbelief. " The White widow is a softie after all, what would you know?"
Steve nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "Seems like we all jumped to conclusions too quickly."
Bucky, who had been silently observing, chimed in. " I guess, they are perfect for each other hm"
Clint chuckled, shaking his head in amazement. "Never thought I'd see the day when Yelena Belova was making someone laugh."
As they listened to the laughter emanating from the room, as you and Yelena continue to make each other laugh, the Avengers couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the unexpected bond between you and Yelena. It was a reminder that sometimes, people were more than their tough exteriors.
#avengers#anon ask#anonymous#yelena belova x female reader#yelena belova x reader#natasha and yelena#yelena belova#yelena and natasha#yelena my beloved#requests open#request#reqs open
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Title: Sweetheart Part 2
Pairings: Armin x fem! reader
Part One
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2000+
••••••
“Fix your postures!” you commanded, your hands are on your back as you walk in front of the Cadets. Levi stood behind you with a smirk on his face, he's been a little gentle with the Cadets these days but now that you're back to kick ass with him this would be so fun.
“Kirstein! Straighten up your back!”
Jean immediately obeyed while Connie was staring at you with wide eyes, this was not how they remembered you few days ago, you were soft spoken then, all sweet and all smiles but now they are seeing the tigress that Levi was talking about.
Levi was even more gentle in handling them because Levi rarely shouts yet his words carries heavy emotions but you, you can do both.
“She's the sister of the commander that's why she has the guts but I bet she's all cry and whine if she faced a Titan.”
You have a good sense of hearing and you heard what the Cadet has said about you, it wasn't the first time that someone underestimated you because of your gender and because you're Erwin's sister, it's one of the stereotypes, you don't actually mind but what you heard next took every single strand of patience inside you.
“Bet she's a good screamer in bed.”
Levi balled his hand into a fist, he may call you brat and have endless argumentd with you but he treats you like a sister and hearing the Cadets say those filthy words to you makes his blood boil but then when he saw how you tilted your head in both sides and how your eyes went blank he already knew that you can handle it yourself, you're not a simple girl after all so he let you do what you want.
Your eyes wandered around the Cadets, you were hurt by those comments, you hated being looked down just because they think you had it easy because of your brother when in fact you almost die a lot of times in the past and those wounds from Titan attacks heals in time but those words that serves as daggers stabbing your heart won't.
After a minute of searching you found the pair that you heard, the two men were standing beside Armin Arlert, it would've been a great view if the assholes weren't standing beside him, Armin Arlert's face screams peace, those blue eyes are calming.
“I bet she's been sleeping with the Captain.”
That was the last straw, Armin immediately threw hard punches towards the two guys who are both taller, and probably a couple of years older than him, he had enough of their dirty mouths, he knew that he's not suppose to do that but he couldn't stand them talking shits about you like that, his knuckles got red because of the impact and when he looked down at the two fellow Cadets, both their nose were broken as they lay flat on the ground.
Levi was shocked to see Armin straight up punch his fellow Cadets but he secretly smiled, he knew that the kid is promising. Everybody just need a little push to unleash their demons, seems like Armin Arlert has been unleashed just now.
Eren and Mikasa immediately went beside Armin to put a hand on his shoulders trying to calm him down silently, the blonde teen was heavily breathing, “I was taught by my grandfather to treat women right, you don't talk dirty shits about them like that, respect a woman the way you respect your Mother.” Armin growled through gritted teeth, he's surprised of the damage that he had done to the two men, those broken and bleeding nose gives him some sort of satisfaction but as he tore his blue eyes away from the two, he met your eyes.
You were frozen on your position, you were planning to do punch them first but Armin's action made you stop, you see the blonde guy as a soft one, the type of person who wouldn't even dare hurt a fly but here he is proving that he knows how to throw a good punch, when your gaze met, the anger on his eyes vanished, his face softened as his cheeks turned bright red including both of his ears.
With a small smile you made your way towards them, Connie, Jean and Sasha were standing behind Armin now too, checking up on him, you've deduced that he's like the baby in the group, suits him, he does look like a baby.
You looked down at the Cadets lying on the floor and grabbed their collars so you could lift them off the ground.
Everybody gasped at your action but no one dared to interfere. “I would love to have you two on our squad next expedition but we're the one leading the whole team which means...we're the first one to encounter titans and if we're unfortunate we'll be the first ones to get eaten too. I'll show you how I cry in front of the Titans then.” you let go both of their collars and let them land butt first on the ground.
You turned to Armin and smiled at him genuinely, “I appreciate your efforts for breaking their nose for me, Cadet. Thank you.” you smiled as you pat his head, Armin looked up at you with a smile, his cheeks flaming red, “It's natural human decency, M-Ma'am. No need to thank me.” you smiled at him and pursed your lips before walking away so you could go back to the center of the scouts.
“Captain Levi would take over now.”
Levi stood beside you and the Scouts saluted at him, “Take care of some written reports for me, brat.” he ordered and you nodded as a response as you walked away from the training grounds but before you could even went further, you heard grunts and gasps behind you.
You saw how the sole of Levi's boots collided with the face of the Cadets, you winced and bit your lower lip as you see how Levi kicked them hard.
“I'll make sure you two would learn how to respect your superiors now and women in general.”
You started to feel bad because you're damn sure their jaws would be dislocated because of Levi's signature kick but you remembered that they're assholes and they deserved it so you proceeded to go on and take care of the written reports instead of watching their ass get beaten.
°°°°
It was already dark when you've decided to take a walk to try and breathe some fresh air, you looked up at the dark sky, the moon was shining brightly.
Your eyes settled on the mysterious moon, you've always been fascinated of the moon, when you were a kid you often cry to tell Erwin that the moon is a creep because it keeps on following you, your brother would always hold back his laughter and would assure you that he'll protect you from the moon.
A part of you wishes that you two should've stayed as kids then, your brother has been seeking to find out the truth and as he gets closer to that truth, you're slowly losing him. You immediately wiped a tear away, you should just be happy for your brother and make sure he'll be safe, that would be enough.
You lifted your arms towards the sky as if reaching the moon, it is beautiful yet awfully frightening but the stars cast out those fears, as the stars shine brightly in the night sky you felt at ease and you smiled to yourself before putting your hands back to your pocket. It's getting colder now.
The cold wind embraced your whole and you shivered strands of your hair escaped from your messy hair bun. When the cold was too much for you to handle, wearing thin clothes is not a wise decision so you've decided to go back inside just to hear a hissing nearby, if you're right the hissing comes from the tree nearby.
Out of curiosity you slowly made your way towards the tree, you just silently prayed that it's not Cadets that are making out outside because you've witness a pair making out behind trees before and you wouldn't want it to happen again.
But as you got closer to the tree you confirmed that it wasn't a couple doing something nasty outside, it is an angel silently sitting down.
“Aren't you suppose to be sleeping by this time now?”
Armin's eyes widened as his head snapped on your direction, his mouth gaped open as while his brows raised in surprise. "I c-can't sleep Ma'am.” he stammered and looked away from you, not that he doesn't want to see you, it's just that the thin material that you're wearing is revealing your cleavage. He had to gulp and remind himself that it's not appropriate to look at women like that.
“Mind if I sit down beside you? I couldn't sleep either.”
“I-I don't really mind.”
When your arms accidentally brushed, Armin wanted to flinch but he didn't because he wouldn't want to offend you and when you looked at him you can still see how red his cheeks were even if it's dark. “Thank you for what you did, earlier. I don't really mind such comments anymore, it wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be my last either.” you chuckled bitterly, you've worked hard to be a skilled fighter so you could prove to everyone that you're not a woman living as your brother's shadows.
But sometimes life is fucked up, actually most of the time it is fucked up.
“You should inform Commander Erwin about it. I mean they're crossing the line, they're talking as if they know you.”
“How about you, do you know me?”
“It feels like...I do.” he silently whispered as he looked down on his hands, you followed his gaze and your mout gaped open when you saw that there's a bandage covering his knuckles. “By the walls, Armin...w-what happened? You shouldn't have done it, I could've taken care of them myself.” you grabbed his hand and examined it, not that you can see through those bandages but you just feel like doing so.
Armin could've taken away his hands from you but he didn't, feeling your soft skin against his is comforting, he's forgotten that he shed a tear when Mikasa put those bandages around his knuckles, he didn't break any bone but it's red and sore, he's not really cut out for scenarios like that but it was worth it because he was able to defend you at some way, in the little way that he could.
“It's just sore. I'm not really good at punching, you know. I used to get beaten up as a kid, they'll steal my food and Eren and Mikasa would come to rescue me but now, I finally...I finally get to do something for someone.”
“Why didn't you fight back before?”
“Because I can't and I'm not as brave. You know, when I came face to face with a Titan, I—I was frozen. Eren got eaten and it was fortunate that he's alive.”
You didn't notice that you stared caressing his knuckles as you listened but it seems ljke he doesn't notice too so you let it be, “But look at you now, I've heard from Erwin that you're a smart one. You've figured out who is the female titan right?” Armin looked at you and his blue eyes widened in shock as he saw how close you two were.
He knew that in one wrong move he can finally know how would it feel to have your lips press against his, if he'll move his head forward maybe he can feel how soft those lips are.
But he stayed back, he respects you. He's attracted to you but he knows his boundaries, his grandfather told him to grow up as a gentleman and all that and he thinks of Mikasa, if Mikasa would be treated so inappropriate by a man he wouldn't like that, he wouldn't like that to happen to his sister.
That's why he would behave himself around you and he'll choose to be contented of just staring at you, it's more than enough.
“W-Well it was a gamble and I was already late...it was—”
You kissed his cheek to shut him up. The poor guy looked at you as his whole face reddened, both his ears flaming up.
“W-Why d-did you do that?” he whispered as he looked away.
“I just want to. Can you promise me one thing?” you asked as you leaned away, Armin looked at you with curiosity before he opened his mouth to respond, “It depends, make me promise something that I can fulfill.” he told you. When he promised someone, he'll always make sure that he can fulfill because he hates it when promises are broken and he wouldn't want to break any promise to anyone, especially to you.
“Each one of us has our own expertise, I want you to focus on yours and if you find yourself in a fucked up situation, don't hesitate to go to me, call out my name or somethin', I have your back now, Armin.”
“Then call out my name too if you need me.” Armin told you bravely, he doesn't have any idea why he felt this way but the moment he saw you after bumping into you, he already know that he's attracted, he told Eren about it, Eren teased him and he's not amused, not that he hates it but he's afraid that you'll hear.
He often watch you from afar, most of the times you are found with the Captain, probably why some thinks the two of you are in a relationship but as you sat beside him under the moonlight, his heart was filled of hope.
“Good night then, sweetheart.” you whispered as you gently press your lips on his cheeks again, as usual, he was frozen and you stood up to walk away so you could go back inside already.
Armin followed you with his gaze as a sweet smile made its way across his lips, his eyes sparking with glee.
“Good night, sweetheart.” he whispered.
#aot fanfiction#aot x y/n#aot x you#attack on titan#armin arlert#armin arlet x y/n#armin arlet x reader#armin arlet imagines#armin arlet fluff#armin x reader#armin x you#armin arlet x you#aot fic#snk armin#snk reader insert#snk x reader#snk x y/n#snk x you#snk imagines#aot imagines#imagines
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as much as I'm looking forward to the Goosefeather MAPs and animations to We Don't Talk About Bruno, I know he's the most selected character for the MAP so I wanted to share at least one or two alternatives for those who want ideas for the song but don't want to reuse Goosefeather;
idea 1 -
We Don't Talk About Rock
Jaypaw, in an attempt to understand his powers and his destiny starts asking the ancient cats, including his former self, Jay's Wing, about the strange, hairless cat known as Rock
this question brings all of the ancient cats - tribe, Clans, and otherwise - crawling out of the woodworks to share their horror stories.
Jay's Wing and Half Moon talk of how Rock's ominous ways nearly ruined their relationship, him warning the two of them that their love was never meant to be, though the two still tried because they truly loved each other
Dove's Wing talks to Jaypaw about how Rock's ways affected the ancient cats - her spying on the strange tom as he would pace through the tunnels with that stick of his. [also implications about the birth of Dovewing and her powers]
Lion's Roar, likely influenced by the stories his mother Shy Fawn told him growing up, tells the most frightening tales of Rock.
[possible Townsfolk include Broken Shadow, Falling Rain, and Running Horse in that order, but you could use any ancient/DotC cats]
Star Flower sings about a strange old cat who led her to the Clans, promising her the life she always while Turtle Tail sings solemnly about her feelings towards Gray Wing and how his affections would be for someone else, as told by the same cat who made the promises to Star Flower
[aware that I am aware that it's meant to be Dolores singing about missed love, but Turtle Tail fits better here specifically]
As the older spirits all converge, the founders of the Clan begin to arrive, catching the attention of all the ancient spirits, who themselves are preparing for an important meeting discussing the prophecy itself, none of them wanting Rock to be brought up in any conversation, so they start to try to silence Jaypaw's questions while reminding him of their experiences
///
idea 2 -
We Don't Talk About Yellowfang
A Firepaw in ShadowClan AU
but with Yellowfang being exiled so soon after he was brought to ShadowClan [let's be real, he was likely kidnapped] he starts asking around about this strange old she-cat who gave him a warning before she was forced to leave ["beware the shattered shadows this forest casts"]
asking around he learns of a lot of strange and frightening stories;
Wolfstep and Fernshade tell Firepaw of a warning from Yellowfang that made the news of Fernshade expecting Wolfstep's kit's rather nerve-wracking for the couple [a warning of Badgerkit/fang's death, which hasn't happened yet]
Runningnose talks about how his former mentor seemed stressed, her mind racing with a strange prophecy that she never really talked much about and how that, in turn, had the other cats around her worried as well
Clawface is the cruelest when describing Yellowfang, making her out to be this horrible and frightening cat. He's intentionally trying to fuck with Firepaw by telling more of a horror story.
[for the Townsfolk, in order, I was thinking Tangleburr, Mudclaw [ShC], and Ashfur [ShC]?? less certain here]
Russetfur talks about her experience with Yellowfang and how the medicine cat thought highly of her and saw a bright future for the molly [referencing her future deputy position]
Littlepaw, meanwhile, more sadly speaks of how Yellowfang didn't see much brightness in his future. Probably refencing how he nearly dies before having his realization over wanting to be a medicine cat. Maybe implied future LittleCinder? idk that's the best I got.
Of course, with Brokenstar and Blackfoot starting to return, everyone starts trying to hush up, fearful of being punished if they're caught talking about Yellowfang
///
anyway these are just some ideas I've been in a weird music kick lately
#goosefeather#jaypaw#jayfeather#rock#rock wc#firepaw#fireheart#firestar#yellowfang#warriors#warrior cats#idea dump#meowsic
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Beaujester and 37 (not realising they're holding hands until someone points it out). I've never seen you write them though, and I would love to see it in a platonic way if you're not interested in writing them romantically that's fine
Surprise, Beaujes was my first ship when I started listening. For reasons involving Yasha and her absences but that's not why we're here so I won't ramble. I can write it, is the point, but be warned it does tend to veer into b/y/j territory whenever I give it a go (because Jester also cared about Yasha SO MUCH and she was never afraid to show it or feel it and I love her for it).
Update: just finished and yeah predictably I veered straight into beauyashter again. I kind of did it to myself by opening with the above paragraph haha, kind of dug my own narrative hole there.
Few hundred words, set during the time Yasha was missing and under Obann's control, angst with a hopeful ending.
She does hear thunder, is the thing. It's almost worse. There's no promise in it no matter how hard she looks, no meaning she can take from it. It's bullshit that it even bothers her this much.
It's just that Yasha has to be evil. She has to be, because if she's not and something has taken her from them, it's stronger than Beau and all of them and that means Beau is helpless to do anything about it - except keep searching, step by painful step. Yasha has to be evil because if she isn't, then she is living Beau's worst nightmare. She is in the hell Beau only escaped by being forcibly ejected, and that's enough to keep her up storm or no storm. She has to be evil. At least if she's evil, she's free.
Jester's faith never wavers, and Beau doesn't shake it. She can't find it in her to look at the world the way Jester does, but it's right that someone should. Jester's absolute certainty in Yasha leaves Beau room to doubt, casts a shadow in which she can dwell. Precious little sums up Beauregard Lionett more than this: her willingness to say yes to anything is predicated on her ability to say no, and with Jester carrying the burden of their collective goodwill, Beau is free to doubt.
One night Beau chances a glance at Jester, curled up close to Caleb in spite of the extra room. There's an empty space in the dome, smaller some nights but always there, always blank and yawning. Jester is looking up at the rain sloughing from the top of the dome above, only there must be a leak in Caleb's magic because there's some rain on Jester's face too, a streak running down her cheek and bright with the lightning. It's got to be rain, because Beau's at her limit of shit she can't fix.
Beau also doesn't sleep when it thunders, and that's fine until it happens three nights in a row. Even she has to admit at some point that maybe something isn't right, if only to herself. Her exhaustion makes her vicious and withdrawn by turns, and it's day three of no sleep when they hear about the archive in Rexxentrum.
It should be too much. It is too much - Beau can actually feel her mind grasping for something, some way to kill the ache rising in her. Drinks. Rough sex til she can't see straight. Beating the shit out of something. They're all viable, but not right this minute and that sucks because it's looking a lot like this might be the minute she loses it.
She doesn't though, somehow has a conversation she barely absorbs, somehow makes her way into the streets with the others (sans one, the space over her shoulder oddly empty despite the fact that it's been devoid of Yasha more than not). Jester's at her elbow, indigo-rimmed eyes as set as her jaw. Sickeningly, Beau believes in Yasha more now than she has so far. The reasoning is simple: whatever puts this weight on Jesters shoulders dies. That's how it works. Yasha would agree. So it can't be Yasha. Has to be the fucker she's been seen with.
It's unclear whether she's in Jester's gravity or if Jester is in hers, but it doesn't matter. Fjord hangs back as they walk on, runs a gruff eye over the both of them and doesn't say a word about Yasha - which says enough. He pulls his lower jaw in and worries at a tusk with his top teeth, then finally sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Shit, I don't know what to say here. Just...keep holding on to each other. I think that's the right idea."
"The fuck does that mean?" Beau's arms come up automatically to cross over her chest and it's only then that she clocks the weight against her palm, the warmth of it. She looks down at her hand in Jester's, then up to lavender eyes as surprised as her own. Who had reached for whom? And when?
Fjord just shakes his head and cracks maybe the first smile Beau's seen on him in a while. "I have complete faith you'll figure it out."
This group is fucking lousy with faith, huh. Sounds like a great way to get scammed, and that's not about to fucking happen for her or any of them if she can help it. But she'd be lying if she said the soft gravity of Jester's palm against hers was unwelcome, and she's working on relegating her lies only instances where something's being asked of her directly, so she just squeezes Jester's hand in hers as they walk on, hopes to whatever gods are watching that it's enough to keep her believing for the both of them.
#this went even harder on b/y/j than I meant it to#my b#it's soft tho#good angst but never hopeless even when it's jaded#beauregard lionett#jester lavorre#yasha#beauyashter#that seems the most appropriate tag#if you'd like to try beau and jes and another number I can try to go lighter next time haha#I was eager to give it a go and dove right in to this#ask game#flash fic
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m'kay so this isn't entirely related to you, nor is it an actual question, but the abundance of qnf dynamics in fics makes me so happy, especially yours. because back then, the platonic relationships in dnf fics were usually george&wilbur (or just some other random person), while dream had sapnap ofc. and there's nothing wrong with that ofc (i do love wilbur and george's friendship after all) bUT TO SEE THE GROWTH OF QNF FRIENDSHIP DYNAMICS IN FICS MAKES ME SO HAPPY. it's kinda crazy bc they're incredibly close despite only knowing each other for a little over a year, and not only are people recognizing that, but they're also implementing that into their own media!!!!!! which leads me back to you, your interpretation of qnf in elysium has me over the moon. the way you've captured their dynamic is not only entertaining, but also so cohesive and fluid. it doesn't feel forced or rushed, and you can tell that they genuinely care for each other. their growing fondness for each other is so endearing to read as well, especially since it started off so begrudgingly. also the serious parts really got to me, bc in some ways george was right, no one really understood how he felt. his friends at AGE might've had some idea but it was never the same, but that changed when quackity came along. god you wouldn't believe how estactic i was when george finally found someone who empathized with his struggles and knew how it felt to be cast out, even by your fellow peers. also their time in prison together is only going to strengthen their bond [end rant] [cue questions]
also how long has quackity been at elysium? he said his life started going to shit when he turned 15, but that doesn't necessarily tell us how long he's been imprisoned. i can't imagine how bad their ptsd will be after they break out [cue qnf angst and possible hurt/comfort hehe]
why'd you pick the name elysium? i thought it was ironic bc in greek mythology, elysium was where heroes went in the afterlife—basically like heaven. but as we all know, this version is far from that.
also why'd you pick the name aether? in greek mythology, he was the greek primordial god of light, which again is a bit ironic since in the ALU, they were a metapsychic.
also delta levels? delta-3?? delta-defficiency syndrome??? deltas????
noticing a bit of a greek theme here lmao...
also wtf wouldve happened if george never decided to break out???????? were dream and sapnap just gonna leave him there????? they didn't seem too keen on helping him in the beginning, so george probably would've stayed there for life had it not been for quackity.
you mentioned earlier that you thought george gave off main character energy, but could you elaborate as to why? this isn't meant to be rude, i'm just genuinely curious. i mean he definitely has pretty privilege (which i've fallen victim to too many times), but was there any other reason?
that's all, hope you have a wonderful day! good luck to whatever challenges you're facing right now! <3
QNF friendship dynamics are TOP TIER!!! I loooove how common they're getting too! So glad you've enjoyed my interpretation of them :D
Can't reveal how long he's been there, but I will say Elysium isn't the only facility Quackity's been at
Oooooh I LOVE THIS QUESTION! I actually chose Elysium for that reason--from the outside, Elysium is portrayed in a positive light where powerful EMs are taken to "get better" which is why the facility was named that. On the inside, however, we know it's the complete opposite, and names that are blatantly ironic have always been one of my favorite devices! Also, it just sounds like a cool name for a place like this haha
There's a very specific reason as to why I chose the name Aether and it relates to the story of the originals and what really happened to Aether. I've always incorporated this sort of connection between light, dark, and the mind in this universe (e.g. the shadow following George vs his super bright mind space), and before Aether was named Aether, they were seen as straight up evil, or just darkness I suppose, but that was never the case, so the name Aether was adopted by the people who were aware of this to sort of purify/balance the image of Aether that would be left imprinted in history.
Delta was just me being uncreative and being like what radiations exist, well there's alpha, beta, gamma, what could a new radiation type be called? Ah yes, let me just go down the alphabet lol
My former years in the PJO fandom have made me enjoy incorporating allusions from greek mythology into my writing aha
So before George was taken to Elysium, there was this bit where Dream suggested they run away and maybe even seek refuge with the Bergman Defenders, but George emphasized he didn't want to be a fugitive because then they would always be looking for him and he basically lost all hope of ever being free, so he was just all emo like "everything's hopeless" yada yada Even though Dream and Sapnap didn't necessarily agree, they respected his decision to go to Elysium (theoretically, they could've just knocked him out and stole him but idk if that's the best idea).
In "Constellations," I tried to sort of emphasize that Dream does often talk about breaking him out (“We know where he is. Why can’t we just… Why can’t we just go find him? What if he needs us?” Dream murmured, even though he knew the answer hadn’t changed since the last time he had asked it.) but Sapnap stops him because he wants to respect George's decision and I'm guessing he figures that George has to get out one day, but he does hint that if a certain amount of time passes and George still isn't out, they'll get him out themselves. (“You know living on the run isn’t what George wants. If he gets out… Elysium is going to do everything in its power to get him back in there, and it’s only going to get worse for him.” // “But… what if they don’t let him out?” // After some hesitation, Sapnap replied, “We’ll get him back one day, Dream. Even if we have to march in there ourselves to get him out. I promise.”)
Lol it's not rude at all and idk maybe it is just the pretty privilege and the way sometimes it feels like the internet bends down at his feet (even seems like some of the antis do it like what???) Tbf Dream also has main character energy with the his occasional irl deus ex machina level of luck
Thank you! You have a wonderful day as well! This ask was so fun to read and answer so thanks! <3
(side note: I love how everyone just calls elysium prison at this point lmaoooo)
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Going in blind: Watching season 3 for the first time. Random thoughts.
Episode 1: I know in the original series She-Ra was the sister of He-Man so I'm curious how much of that will be carried over to this series. Not saying He-Man has to make an appearance, same as how Batman didn't need to show up in Teen Titans. That was Robin's story, not his, and similarly this is Adora's story, not Adam's. Regardless, it makes sense why Hordak was so annoyed with the baby Adora in Shadow Weaver's flashbacks. To SW, there was something different and special about the baby, but to Hordak, whom seems familiar with the world before Mara separated Etheria from the rest of the universe, including Eternia potentially, Adora is just another "First One" child like he's seen many times before. Special in comparison to those who only know Etheria.
Great clap-back from Catra to Hordak, and not entirely unfounded. It's debatable how much he actually cares about conquering Etheria. He has others leading his forces in his war yet all his focus is on his portal creation.
According to Entrapta, productivity of the Horde is up 400% ever since Catra became Hordak's 2nd in command. I wondering how much of that is Catra's direct doing? Is she genuinely just that good of a commander? Is it because she's properly delegating and Scorpia has been handling most of the load? Or is this just because it's in comparison to Shadow Weaver? Entrapta said Catra's focus on First Ones' tech has been greatly aiding them and SW definitely focused more on magic, which was an aid mostly to herself since everyone else in the Horde seems to fight only with weapons and technology. And most of what she saw of SW while she was Hordak's 2nd was her being obsessed with bringing back Adora rather than fighting the war.
Episode 2: Let's see... Hordak's easily an adult and Entrapta is...[checks google] late twenties, early thirties. Oh good, then let's sail this ship!
But yeah, that was a heck of a backstory for Hordak. This reminds me of a video by a Youtuber named Savage Books comparing the villain Steppenwolf in the theatrical and Snyder Cut versions of Justice League and how, while he still wasn't a great villain, just a small addition made him a much better villain, that being a failure in his past and the desire just to go home. And in this case, Hordak is the much better, or at least way more developed, version of that. One of many clones of Hordak Prime but having a defect that labelled him a failure and had him cast out to Etheria, a "backwards world" as he's called it before. If he can conquer Etheria, perhaps by building a portal that'll bring forward Prime's army, he believes that'll prove to Prime that he is not a failure and that he can return home to rejoin his forces. Just this bit of backstory adds SO MUCH to Hordak, including new insights on his past interactions, and keeps him from being a flat character like theatrical version Steppenwolf. His lack of tolerance for failure makes sense when he himself is trying to prove that he's not. It gives him compelling motivation to want to conquer Etheria beyond just power and greed. Not motivation you're meant to agree with but one you can still understand.
I like the story with Huntara too. It's a nice little tie-in to something Adora was talking about with Glimmer and Bow last episode. Adora defected from the horde, not because she was different but rather very much in spite being very much like every other soldier there. She wanted to believe Shadow Weaver may have at least some goodness in her too and now we have Huntara as a fellow defector who realized the evils of the Horde, even if she chose to stay out of the war entirely after.
Episode 3: I legit thought Catra stabbed the goat lady for a second.
After Scorpia asking her why don't they just stay in the wastes I'm seeing a bit of a parallel between Catra and Hordak. They've both found a place where they can be the top dog, where they can do and have basically anything they want; her with the wastes and him with the Horde. They can be happy. ...But there's still this pull they're feeling to somewhere else. Catra back to the Horde and Hordak back to Prime. Because they feel they have to prove something; prove that they're not failures. They could be happy but they can't let go.
And that scene between Adora and Catra at the end. That was such a great line read from Catra's actor. "She left me for you. Everything that's happened is because of you." I got chills.
Minor note: While I'm only judging off the Mara hologram, which didn't have color, I do think the She-Ra outfit looks better with pants than shorts like Adora's She-Ra form. I think it makes it look sleeker, if that makes any sense.
Episode 4: Catra's spiral has turned into a drill and its taking her down as far as she can go. Though something I had to a laugh a little at myself over was that my biggest "Catra, no!" reaction wasn't to her wanting to open the portal but rather when she lied to Hordak and said Entrapta let the princesses in. She was actually a positive influence on Hordak's life and Catra with one move just destroyed that relationship and all progress Hordak had been making.
I'm guessing there's going to be some kind of long-term effect from Shadow Weaver continuously siphoning off Glimmer's magic. The woman is basically a parasite and the magic she uses is very different from the kind Glimmer does. I can't believe it never occurred to me that since Shadow Weaver trained Glimmer's father there might be a connection there between the two of them later in the story. While we don't know about anything that might've happened after she left, SW clearly had enough affection for Micah still to not kill him. I could see her trying to take Glimmer on as a student later like she did him.
Episode 5: There is something kind of hilarious about it being Scorpia's jealousy of Catra and Adora's closeness that causes her to be the first one after Adora to pick up that something is off.
11 is my favorite of the Doctor Who Doctors so naturally I'm comparing all this to the crack in Amy Pond's bedroom wall. Whatever goes in gets forgotten about and basically never existed. Though does that mean Bright Moon isn't going to remember the Horde? Basically that entire place got sucked up in the collapsing reality. There shouldn't be at war anymore because their enemy literally no longer exists.
Adora and Catra had their own little Star Trek 3 moment there.
Adora: "If we don't help each other, we'll die here!"
Catra: "Perfect! Then that's the way it shall be!"
Catra's just so far down her spiral she doesn't even care about getting her own win, just so long as Adora doesn't get one, despite just minutes ago clearly loving having Adora back in her life and on her side, to the point was trying to resist remembering the old reality. Her "perfect" world was them together again but when given the chance (another of many. I love those cuts to their past woven in there) she slapped the hand away.
I'm sure I'm wrong but I'm starting to theorize Madam Razz is actually Mara and just at some point went kind of crazy and started thinking as and Mara were two different people.
Episode 6:
"You are everything I ever wanted in a son. This... This is everything I ever wanted in a life. ...But I've got responsibilities, Van. And...I have to...go now."
-Superman, Justice League Unlimited: For the Man Who Has Everything
That was my favorite episode of JLU, where Superman is trapped in this world that isn't real but still perfect in every way, and the only way out was to give up everything he'd ever wanted, including a son he remembers watching grow up, even if it never really happened. With a similar premise, this definitely helped elevate Angela up a bit for me, whom I was kind just meh with before. I didn't dislike her but I didn't really care much for her either. This episode gave her a lot to work with though, with the heavy sacrifice she made. Not just saying behind to pull out the sword but just simply forcing herself to accept her husband is gone and not coming back. I was right that they wouldn't remember the Horde, but I definitely didn't think of the full effects of them never existing. They never exist, Bow never becomes a rebel instead of a scholar like his dads wanted. They don't exist, Micah never dies in battle against them. Glimmer gets to grow up with her father in her life. Everyone, most especially Angela, has to reject everything they would love to be real in favor of what actually is.
I'm guessing we're going to have Shadow Weaver taking advantage of this situation, trying to act like a teacher and mother-figure to Glimmer now that she's basically a orphan.
I talked before about how Catra and Hordak seem to have a parallel between them, especially regarding failure. Catra seems like she has a very hard time accepting her own failures and mistakes and thus why she more or less uses Adora as a mental scapegoat for all of it. Nothing is ever really her fault, it's Adora's, or Shadow Weaver's, or Hordak's. It makes for a great moment when Adora finally punches back, both literally and figuratively. She's not going to accept responsibility for Catra's actions anymore. She gave Catra every chance to make the right choice and she didn't, so now she has to finally live with the consequences. Heck of a glare She-Ra gave Catra at the end. Very much a "If I ever see you again..." and it certainly scared Catra, at least for a moment.
Now, someone go save Entrapta from Beast Island!
Season 3 verdict: Easily the best season thus far. I know this was technically the second half of season 2 but even in comparison to the full season 1 there was just so much that happened in this, so much that got revealed, and so, so many moments of emotion or tension. Weirdly I feel kind of disappointed that Hordak Prime is probably going to come in now and be the new big villain. I really like our Hordak's motivation and Prime seems like he might just be the generic conqueror for power that Hordak seemed like he was going to be at first. Not saying those types can't work. I love All For One from My Hero Academia and Frieza from Dragon Ball. Those guys are pure evil and selfishness, but they also have a captivating presence/charisma to them.
Naturally, since I bring her up the most out of all the characters, I'm very curious to see what happens with Catra now. She's basically nuked every positive relationship she had with anyone. Entrapta's gone, she threatened Scorpia, Hordak's not going to trust anyone including her anymore now that he thinks Entrapta's betrayed him, and Adora firmly sees her as an enemy. She has no one (those under her direct command don't count) and it's entirely her own fault.
Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PrincessesOfPower/comments/o0trfz/going_in_blind_watching_season_3_for_the_first/
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