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#some of these look out of character but eh
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Old Scars, New Blood 4
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Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, manipulation, borderline bullying, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.
This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.
Summary: Reader has accepted that she’ll never be wanted, not only by the man she’s crushed on for years, but by anyone. That is until a new player enters the game. (f!, short!reader)
Character: Lloyd Hansen, Thor Odinson
Note: Still sick but going to have to work.
As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3
Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)
Love you all. Take care. 💖
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With meal prep complete, you return to Lloyd’s office to find it empty. The remnants of his earlier spill remain speckled over the desk and floor. You clean it up, leaving a lemony fresh scent in your stead. While you’re at it, you tidy up the bookshelves.
You hesitate on your way to the door. You glance over your shoulder as something tickles in your head. You still don’t get why Lloyd didn’t tell you about Valhalla. For months, he hid that from you. You think about that day in the car and being left on the side of the road. Maybe he’s been planning to cut ties with you for a while.
You stare at the large iMac. It would be wrong to snoop. Even if it isn’t his redeeming quality, you’ve always been honest with Lloyd. You’re just confused. He’s never anything less than straightforward so if he’s going to fire you, why hasn’t he just pulled the trigger?
Maybe… you know too much. That sends a shiver through you. It may actually end with shots fired.
“There she is,” Lloyd interrupts your inner turmoil and you whip around to face him. He’s freshly showered and styled. You can smell the specialty oil he puts in his mustache, “the fuck are you doing in here?”
“Cleaning,” you reply quickly.
“Looks pretty fucking spotless,” he tosses keys at you and you flinch, catching them against your chest, “I need a ride.”
“Um, I can get Jackie–”
“He drives like an old man,” he retorts, spinning on his heel as he snaps his fingers, “chop, chop, kid.”
You swallow your agitation. Usually, you’re better at it. Today you just find him grating. Maybe you’re just a bit sore about him leaving you on the highway. Well, get over it, he’s not apologising.
You follow him with the keys in your hand. He’s several paces ahead of you as you scurry to keep up. His stride is tense as he opens and closes his fists.
As you come outside, you hear a whistle. Lloyd peers over and scuffs to halt as he faces Thor. The large blond bounds over, a shirt with only one button done up displaying most of his chest. He looks over Lloyd’s shoulder and his cheek dimples.
“Running away?”
“Business,” Lloyd says flatly, “I’ll be back.”
“What about my business?” Thor challenges. Lloyd doesn’t respond. “Relax,” he slaps Lloyd’s arm, “I’m ragging on you. Tonight, we will share some of your scotch, eh? Get you nice and loose.”
“Mm,” Lloyd grumbles, “we’ll see.”
“The little one prefers wine, I think,” Thor points over Lloyd’s shoulder, “oh, and she has quite the sweet tooth, eh? You must know that.”
“Whatever. She’s the assistant. Her job is to worry about what I like,” Lloyd sneers, “don’t wait up.”
He turns back towards the car and you send an apologetic smile past him. Thor smirks and winks, flicking his tongue out lasciviously. You blanch and swiftly follow Lloyd.
You still don’t believe what he said in the kitchen. Not only that he said it but that he meant it. You’re certain it’s all just a part of this pissing match between the men. Thor keeps stepping onto Lloyd’s territory, he’ll keep going till he gets bit. You don’t how much longer Lloyd can hold out.
Lloyd’s in the passenger’s seat of the SUV before you even get to the door. You open it and swing yourself in. You hate how big all these vehicles are. You shove the keys in the slot and turn the engine. You shift in the seat and slide your phone out of your pocket, placing it in the cup holder.
You check the time then the mirrors. It’s not unusual for Lloyd to head out later in the day but you didn’t have anything on the agenda. You know better than to ask questions. That’s what he liked about you, if he likes anything about you.
“Would you just fucking drive?” Lloyd growls.
You wince and shift into gear. You look behind you then ahead of you. Thor watches you as you ease into reverse. Or maybe he’s watching Lloyd…
You roll the wheel and turn towards the gate. Lloyd takes out his phone and slumps in the seat as he scrolls and taps. You steer through the gate and pull out onto the road. You don’t even know if you should ask where to go.
“Head northeast,” he says.
Right. You take his direction and turn onto the ramp onto the highway. He grumbles at his phone but says nothing else until you have to get into the exit lane. What is he up to?
You head into the city and he directs you through the main row where much of the nightlife thrives. You’ve been there many times before. He isn’t shy about his nocturnal activities. He commands you past his typical spot.
When he points you into the lot behind a Hilton, you frown. Is he that desperate to get away from Thor? You don’t say a word as you idle by the back wall.
“Right,” he doesn’t look up from his phone as he undoes his seat belt, “I’ll be a while.”
You look over at him confused. What does he mean?
“I’m sure you can keep yourself entertained,” he pokes his tongue out as he smirks at his phone. You catch the glimpse of a chat, a picture sent of a woman in a thong. You cringe and grip the wheel.
“I’ll just go back to the compound–”
“You’ll stay the fuck here,” he tears his eyes from the cell and jabs his finger at you, “you need to remember who the fuck you work for, kid.”
You say nothing as he opens the door and drops out of the SUV. You know this side of Lloyd. His ego is bruised. It happens after rough missions or when an agent gets mouthy. It’s worse now since he can’t do much about his problem. 
He slams the door behind him and you watch him march towards the entrance. You sigh and roll down the windows before you shut off the engine. There’s no use in wasting gas for who knows how long. You’re certain if you get bored, you’ll have enough time to get a coffee down the block.
You grab your phone and shuffle through several apps. You can’t focus on any of the time-eating games you keep for when you’re restless. You have nothing else to distract you. Your sister hasn’t answered the text you sent her a week ago and Lloyd is busy.
You open up your downloaded series and turn on the same show you’ve seen a dozen times before. Still, you’re not paying attention. You don’t think Lloyd is here for business. It really shouldn’t matter to you but it feels extra humiliating to have to wait outside while he does…whatever.
You turn off the show and let the car go silent. You adjust the seat to recline and close your eyes. You’re exhausted. All the chaos has got the best of you. 
Your phone vibes before you can get cozy. It’s Lloyd. You tap the preview so it expands.
‘Need lube. Ten minutes.’
You scoff. Is he serious? Your heart shrivels up as your stomach turns. He’s punishing you. Not because you did anything but because he can’t punish Thor. You’re so so tired.
You grip the wheel and stare at the phone. You wonder if he knows? Is this why he’s doing this? All these years, talking about his escapades, you just assumed it was his usual crassness. He talks like that with everyone. If he’s not boasting about killing, it’s fucking.
Either way, he knows what he’s doing. This is low. You are low.
You open up maps and search for a shop nearby. You fix the seat and pull out, driving numbly as you follow the automated voice directing you through the street. You park without paying attention and get out, nearly stumbling from the height of the SUV’s lift.
You stroll inside the shop with its blackened windows and enter with your head down. Your eyes scan furtively as you search for your goal. The task is made more difficult as the flesh toned silicon and shameless displays set you on fire.
“Hello, hon, can I help you find something?” The man behind the counter asks.
“Er,” you cross your arms, “lube.”
“Alrighty, are we looking for flavoured? Water-based? Oil?”
You blanch as he rounds the counter and strides towards a rack. You shrug and trail after him. You see a black bottle with cherries on it.
“That’s fine,” you pluck one off the shelf and quickly retreat to the counter. “Credit.”
You bring up your card on your phone and tap. The man behind the counter tries to break the tension but you’re not listening. You shove the receipt in your pocket and swipe up the bottle and leave.
Back in the truck, you have to hold back from screaming. What are you doing? You don’t need this shit. Why do you keep bending over backwards for Lloyd when you don’t have a chance? Why have you wasted a decade hoping for nothing?
Because, you don’t have any other options.
You turn the car on and roll out of the lot. You make your way back to the hotel in a haze. You check your phone. He sent the room number and nothing else. You walk into the hotel, ignoring the front desk clerk, and wait for the elevator. You step onto it and watch the doors shut.
You get off and follow the signs to the exact door plaque. You knock with your knuckles, your hand fisted around the bottle. You hear giggling. It’s more than one woman. Footsteps approach the other side.
A woman in an open robe opens the door. She has dark wavy hair and smeared lipstick. Lloyd growls in the background as you glimpse his naked ass.
“Hurry up, sugar tits,” he calls, “I’m starting to chafe.”
You shove the bottle at the woman and drop it. You don’t wait to see if she catches it. You spin on your heel and you’re gone. Your eyes fill with hot tears. Tears like acid. Tears of stupidity.
When you get back to the car, you keel over the steering wheel and heave. You don’t hate Lloyd. You hate yourself. You need to cut it out but somehow, you just can’t. He’s the worst person you know and yet, you want him so badly.
❤️‍🩹
As the sky darkens, you get out of the SUV to stretch your legs. You pace around and check the time. You don’t want to get back in the car. Instead, you wander down the street to the coffee kiosk you drove by earlier. You get an Americano and drag your feet back up the pavement.
You stand outside the SUV and sip from the cup. You chew the paper brim anxiously and look at your phone. Another car door opens and closes.
“Candy?” A man approaches.
You look up, the glow of your face making the stranger nothing more than a dark shadow, “not me,” you back up and press your phone to your chest.
“Oh, sorry,” he puts his hands up, “thought you were someone else.”
You shake your head as he turns and wanders off. You’re not entirely sure how he mistook you for a prostitute. That is what he thought, isn’t it? Candy? Sounds pretty tasty.
You get back in the SUV and lock the doors. You put your phone in the cup holder and it flashes. A message. You don’t bother reading it. You tap your fingers on the console and close your eyes, sipping from the warm cup.
A knock on the other window startles you. You turn on the light and see Lloyd peering in. He winks and tugs on the handle. You hit the locks and sit up.
He gets in and lets out a sigh, “ahh, I feel good.”
You don’t say a word as you slip your cup into the empty holder beside your phone. You start the car and press the gas. As you come to the exit, Lloyd yawns and stretches his arm between the seats, gripping yours above your shoulder.
“I’m fucking starving, let’s hit a burger joint,” he says as he rubs his stomach, “you don’t think I would be with how much I ate.”
He cackles and you bite down. You don’t understand it. He repulses you and yet there’s that sharp pang in your chest.
“You see the tits on Kasia? Fucking pert–”
You veer onto the next street and he hits the door with the motion, “hey, be fucking careful.” He shifts in his seat as he touches his crotch, “I’m tender.”
You sniff and pull into the drive through. You stop by the menu, “what do you want?”
“Get me some of that honey chicken and some rings. Extra honey sauce for the rings. Oh, and a sprite.”
“Sure,” you answer as you drive up to the speaker. You recite his order and the fuzzy response tells you to drive up to the window.
“What’s up? You’re not hungry?”
“I’m fine,” you insist.
“Aw, you on another diet,” he taunts, “bone broth?”
“No,” you answer flatly.
“I’m not sharing my rings,” he says.
“I don’t want any,” you insist.
“You’re fucking testy,” he accuses as you pay.
“I’m tired,” you utter and roll up to the pick-up.
“You’re tired? Fuck, my back is aching from all that thrusting.”
“Would you stop?” You snap before you can stop yourself, “I don’t want to hear about your dick anymore.”
He snorts and sits up straight, “excuse me, kid?”
“I don’t care,” you reach over and give a blunt thanks to the drive-thru worker as you take the paper bag. “Why don’t you shut up and eat?"
You shove the bag in his lap then take the cup and move your phone to plant it firmly in the holder. You follow through the lane and back onto the street. The silence is still and stolid around you.
“If you wanted to join in, you just had to say–”
“No,” you snip. You know he’s not serious, he’s teasing you. You’re a joke to him. “No, I don’t want that.” You grip the wheel tight and bite down until your jaw hurts, “I don’t want you.”
He inhales and blows it out heavily through his nose. The bag crinkles as he opens it and reaches inside, unleashing the smell of chicken that makes your stomach rage. You ignore the discomfort and focus on the road.
“Learn to take a fucking joke, kid,” he snickers, “maybe then, you’ll catch a dick or two.”
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geekundercover · 1 day
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X-Men ‘97 episode 1x3 thoughts! Just wanted to elaborate a bit on some of the stuff we saw in Madelyne’s hellscape, namely the nightmare visions for Gambit and Morph, since it feels like there’s some room to interpret with those two as compared to the other members that have had their inner conflicts explored a bit already or are pretty straightforward.
With Gambit, the vision of Rogue and Magneto does seem to go beyond ‘the woman I love is hooking up with another man’ and hits at some deeper insecurity about himself and his character. The vision of Rogue is calling him out as not a good person, not a worthy person, at least not compared to Magneto. It seems like deep down, Gambit does feel an admiration for Magneto despite their previous status as enemies; he’s convicted, he’s a leader, he’s a savior of mutants, and some part of Gambit ranks himself as lesser by comparison, just a ‘nasty, thieving critter’. Magneto is a hero, and by implication, Gambit is not. That’s kinda sad to think about, since Gambit has helped save the world multiple times at this point and has made plenty of selfless actions in the process, but he has always held himself at a bit of a remove from the team and the cause they’re fighting for. Maybe that’s finally starting to get to him, or maybe has always bugged him on some level but his difficulties with trust have never let him overcome that self-enforced distance. If this is laying the groundwork for some sort of character arc, one where Gambit does seek to become more of what he sees as a worthy man, more of a hero, and whether or not that takes a positive or negative trajectory for him, I’m super interested to see it.
As for Morph... Listen, I've been making Morph x Wolverine jokes just like everyone else, they've been Like That since the OG series, but at this point I'm genuinely and seriously sure that Morph is in love with Logan and that's the core of their nightmare vision. Sure, the obvious terror fuel is their Sinister-based trauma, but listen to what Sinister said to them and the context in which he said it: They just left a conversation where they, Logan, and Gambit were discussing relationship woes, and after Logan ditched them to go check on Jean, they looked bummed and said "and then there was Morph." Left alone. Then the visions start, and Morph gets a very naked Logan posing sexily in the shower. Sure they try to make a very "boys in the locker room" sort of joke out of it, but come on Morph, there is no heterosexual explanation (and I do not say that lightly) for going to bug your buddy in the shower by offering to help him with "hard to reach spaces." Then the Sinister quote: "Always with the jokes, eh, Morph? As if I don't know. As if we ALL don't know." I genuinely think Morph is mega gay for Wolverine and is trying to hide it from everyone badly. They may all be mutants, but it is still the 90s, and just because they all have being a mutant in common with each other doesn't mean they're all on the same page in terms of queerness. Again, if this is the case, it's sad to think about. At this point in the animated canon, Morph and Wolverine make FAR more sense as a pairing than Logan and Jean ever did. Logan never gave up on Morph after they were brainwashed in the OG series, went to the literal ends of the earth to bring them back home, so it's no wonder if Morph caught Big Feelings about it but is scared to actually be honest about them.
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staarri · 20 hours
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Hi!! Seen you write for GaMing eh? Well, i have a request for him :D!
How about GaMing with reader that is an adeptus and/or Cloud Retainer disciple?
The amount of tea that this birb auntie will spill about baby reader... Oh dear, the embarrassment ☠️
𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝?
     —   characters :   ga ming
     —   character(s) are in a relationship with reader, gn!reader, this is a work of fiction
      fluff     ,     adeptus!reader     .      word count : 0.3k
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“When Y/N was still very young,” the bird adepti said, leading the boy to the so-called lair. “–they would like to play around here with Ganyu. The two of them would play a few roles similar to… Mermaids. If one can still remember.” 
     —   Dear lord. It took a short time for Cloud Retainer to spill all the little secrets you’ve had during your childhood. Her beak just can't be kept shut. She’s very noisy, often putting more emphasis on the embarrassing moments. Though she claims that she’s just sharing your childhood with your boyfriend–is that so bad?
     —   You were too late. Ga ming was already smiling along with Cloud Retainer, sitting comfortably on the stone chair and chatting away. Your cheeks flush as the adepti greets you, telling you to drink some tea as she recounts your failure of a camping trip where you woke up and saw a hilichurl sitting by your campfire.
     —   Honestly? Ga ming doesn't find it embarrassing at all. His family would’ve done the same, always showing baby pictures, his achievements as a kid, even the moments where he first saw the dance that inspired him. There he was, just a little kid smiling wide.
     —   The embarrassment didn’t last too long. Your curiosity about things you forgot in your childhood was stronger, you found out a few things that happened before that you don’t recall at all. 
“I can get used to this.” He says, laughing. You’re still a little mad at Cloud Retainer for sharing those things, but it doesn’t matter if he feels a little closer to you. 
“I can’t. Please don’t ever do that again–” Your voice is a little quiet. Ga ming smiles at you, gives you a playful punch and tells you its fine, because Cloud Retainer looks like she had the time of her life.
You’ll let this go in the future, this whole situation healed your inner child anyway. 
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characters belong to their respective companies. everything is written by staarri - do not steal, reupload, translate, modify or feed my work to ai.
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spopsalt · 1 day
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More miscellaneous She-Ra pins I found while sorting through Pinterest that made me want to die and my commentary on them. Pt. 3 Fanart Edition.
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Something about the vice like grip Catra is using while writing on Adora’s ass is making me feel gross. Listen, if people are into that, it’s cool. It’s just that specifically Catra doing that to specifically Adora makes me sick, especially with that smile Adora is giving. Also, idk if that’s what the artist was going for, but all that combined with the writing ‘C//A Canon’, the ass smack, and Catra having that one dark spot on the dead center of her face that anime characters get when they’re being threatening… It all gives off the air of someone rubbing it in the face and being a douche about it. Like, “Look Catra is about to tear Adora’s stupid ass up because she can and out ship is canon so you can fucking suck it! Haha, you must feel so fucking stupid right now!”
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Oh look, seems like someone took inspiration form that one post Nate did with Catra wearing Adora’s shirt because she tore it up so Adora couldn’t wear it anymore. Giving off some weird ‘property’ vibes. Again, I know this can be viewed as something people are into, and it’s okay if someone is. It’s just really creepy for C//A specifically.
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Me too, Shadow Weaver, the fuck. I know SW is a shitty mom. No one’s gonna argue that point. But it takes a special kind of shitty parenting when you screw up so bad your children/teenage daughters are making out with eachother. That’s a joke btw, kind of. I think SW is to blame for some things, but C//A isn’t one of them. Hell, she seemed to be wholly against it. Not that I blame her for not wanting that.
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Eh. Not the worst one. It’s a funny joke based on a funny gif. But I’m getting real tired of the same jokes over and over. “Adora dumb” “Dumb jock lesbian” And it’s a soccer thing, so there were probably “dumb lesbian” and “useless lesbian” jokes already. I’m not even a lesbian, but I’m getting tired of it. I’m not saying it’s on the level of those outdated “wife bad” jokes. But it’s getting old. People gotta stop treating Adora like a total moron. Also, the gif this is based if isn’t inherently romantic, but the artist just had to add the blushes to make it a C//A thing. God forbid two people exist near eachother without it being a ship thing.
Oh god this fanart...is interesting.
More sexualizing! I'm going to assume they aren't minors in the art for my own sainty and faith in humanity. But still, why are Catradora fans so sexual? I do not get it, can't they just like a ship without making it sexual every 2 seconds?
Ugh. That just feels gross. Why do they think it's cute when Catra messes with Adora's propety? Is it supposed to be some cute thing? I don't get it
Honestly I'd have the same reactions if my daughters started dating. Yes Shadow Weaver was a shitty mom, but they both got raised together and have the same mother figure, they. are. s i b l i n g s
4. Why does everyone try to make Adora seem dumb? She's really smart, Catra's the one who calls her dumb, braindead, and idiot. Which Adora interlized! How cute is that?
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softguarnere · 2 days
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Like A Girl (Like A Man)
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Shifty Powers x OFC
Chapter 39 - Epilogue: Donadagohvi
Summary: She studies her husband’s face. It’s lined with age, but still as beautiful and as bright as the day she met him. A/N: Alright, y'all - we've made it! But before we get started, I've got some things I have to say. This fic was started during a very strange era. I hated what was going on in my life but didn't know how to fix any of it. Long story short, but I decided to run away one day, and ended up in Toccoa. While standing in the military museum there, I started thinking about Deborah Sampson (a childhood hero of mine), and wondered what would happen if a story like hers happened during WW2 - specifically, if she was a paratrooper. Thus, Zenie appeared in my brain, and this epilogue wrote itself in my mind as I went through the museum. I was never sure if I would share this fic until the second that I hit "post." Zenie was just a way for me to blow off steam, to escape - to fulfill my desire to be someone else for a bit. (Coincidentally, all themes throughout the fic.) I didn't know how people would respond to this story, or to this character, and I only ever had the courage to start uploading chapters because of friends like @latibvles and @liebgotts-lovergirl who showed enthusiasm for it. So I couldn't upload this chapter without a massive sgi (thank you) to them, as well as to everyone else who has read this fic and been so kind to it, and to me. Thank you for welcoming me into this fandom. Thank you for allowing me to share the Cherokee language with you. Thank you for all the support you've given me for both my writing, and as friends. Whether you knew it or not, all that kindness came at a time when I really needed it, and I appreciate you all. Without further ado, here's the last laglam update, in which the fic's title finally makes sense. Much love 💖 Warnings: language, alcohol Taglist: @latibvles @liebgotts-lovergirl @lady-cheeky @dcyllom @mads-weasley @ithinkabouttzu @mrs-murder-daddy @lieutenant-speirs
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Eugene looks just the same as he did when Zenie first met him. So do all the other men on this side of the reunion. For her part, she also looks the way she did when she first met all of them – albeit like a girl rather than like a man. For now, her hair is long, and her chest unbound.
No one seems to have figured out why they all look young again, and it has only been mentioned in passing during the reunions. There are better things to do, like visit with those they can, and pass between the ones they left behind, feeling their hearts swell with love as they watch them laugh, watch them remember – watch them live.
Another thing that no one has figured out is why they seem able to come back to this world at certain times. David Webster says he once read that the veil between their worlds thins during certain times of the year, and that maybe this is true of the Easy Company reunions. Zenie, however, likes to believe that it’s the love of the people still living who allow them to come back. All that love with nowhere to go. Love so strong that remembering the people you felt it for brings them back.
No time to wonder now, though. Gene is already smiling at her in greeting.
“Hello again,” he greets as she joins him.
“Gene,” she teases him with an affectionate poke to his ribs. “You haven’t aged a day since I met you in forty-two!”
“Eh, I don’t know about that, Tommy Boy,” Luz’s confident drawl digresses as the radioman swaggers up beside her. “You look a little taller. What, did you finally hit puberty or something?”
Zenie rolls her eyes, but there’s no malice to it. She did, after all, keep him in the dark about her secret until her very last day in Europe. Instead of leading him on, she asks, “How does everyone look?”
“Us? The same as ever. Them? – “ Luz gestures towards the reunion that can’t see them. “ – Well, I guess they’re aging with grace.”
“Have you seen – “
“Bill and Babe are at the bar, as per usual. And your darling husband is somewhere around the middle.”
Zenie takes a step forward before turning quickly to face her friends. “Do y’all mind if I . . . ?”
Gene smiles. “Go ahead. That’s why we’re here.”
Grateful, Zenie takes off through the crowd. Visiting her friends like this is something she always looks forward to, but visiting those she left behind is a rarer treat, and she would like to check up on them. Especially Shifty. 
Bill and Babe – to no one’s surprise – are the easiest to find. They’ve got the bartender in stitches with their jokes, and their own accented guffaws are like a lighthouse cutting through the crowd that makes them easy to navigate towards.
“Siyo, boys!” Though they can’t see or hear her, Zenie takes a seat beside them at the bar. “What’s new with y’all?”  
“They’re drinking everyone under the table, as usual,” a familiar voice beside her announces as none other than Joe Toye takes a seat beside her. His expression is just as relaxed and confident as when they were young, but as he watches their living friends, something like longing flickers behind his eyes. “Too bad that we can’t show them who the real champs are anymore.”
“At least we can visit them.”
Joe nods, smiling sadly. “You made your rounds yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, we got time,” her friend assures her. They have nothing but time, actually. And they use it to sit with their friends, laughing along with their jokes and making their own, even though Bill and Babe can’t hear them.
As their jokes turn to remembrances, Zenie finds herself swept up in Babe’s retelling of the time she chucked an apple at Cobb’s head back in Holland. She barely remembers the scene, able to recall only a flash of anger and a split-second decision. Babe’s version is far better – he paints her out to be some sort of knight in shining armor coming to defend the honor of her friends.
Bill shakes his head and chuckles into his drink. “Goddamn. Zee sure could make a scene.”
“You weren’t even there when her secret got out,” Babe notes. “Now that was a scene!”
“No one ever brings it up,” Bill marvels, his eyes roaming over the crowd, searching for something. “You would think everyone would talk about it all the time. I mean – shit! A woman disguised herself as a man and made it from Toccoa to the bitter end before she got found out, and no one at the reunions brings it up.”
Zenie can’t help but smile at that. It’s true – her secret got out, she had to leave in a state of semi-disgrace, but at the Easy reunions, she was usually only acknowledged as Shifty’s wife. Sure, every now and then someone would tell a funny story about Sergeant Driver before throwing a knowing wink in her direction, but after all this time, it’s like they’re still keeping her secret for her. For her own part, she never brings up her service, except to mention in passing that she met her husband during the war. Even her own children seem to be under the impression that she must have been a nurse or a WAC, using that explanation to fill in the story’s blanks. Zenie never confirmed or denied their suspicions.
“Wish she were here,” Babe sighs. He orders another round of drinks, three this time, before placing one in front of the seemingly empty bar stool beside him – unknowingly, right in front of Zenie. He raises his own glass as he offers the last one to Bill. “To Zenie.”
Bill clinks his glass against Babe’s in a toast. “To Zenie.”
“To the best friends I ever had,” Zenie adds. During her last reunion – and even during the last year or so of her life – she could sometimes swear that she could feel a presence that she couldn’t explain. An unshakable feeling that those she loved who were already gone were somehow watching her would wash over her, though she could never explain why she felt that way. Now, she wonders if her friends feel that way about her. Just in case they do, she channels all her love into those words, hoping and praying that they can feel it.
As if on cue, the bittersweet moment ends when a woman with sleek, dark hair approaches the bar, smiling. “Uncle Babe! Are you ready?”
“Luna.” Zenie watches as her daughter throws an arm around each of the men at the bar, her smile just as bright as her father’s, outshining the sun itself.
“The real question is, are you?” Bill teases his goddaughter, cocking an eyebrow. “Don’t forget, kid, that your uncle is a champion jitterbug dancer.”
Luna sizes up the man in question. “Well, I’ve been practicing.”
“Don’t worry about her.” Babe takes one last sip of his drink and waves off Bill’s concerns. “Her mom could have been a champ, too. It’s in her genes; she’ll be fine.”
“The DJ said it’ll be the next song . . .” Luna begins explaining as she hooks her arm through her uncle’s and leads him towards the small dance floor.
Bill watches them go, chuckling to himself. “Real firecracker.” He glances at the drink set out in honor of Zenie. “God, I wish you were here, little brother. It’s not the same without you.”
“I am,” Zenie assures him. She’s only been gone for two years, but things have changed. That might have scared her once. Not anymore. “I have to go find Shifty. You don’t mind, do you?”
Bill doesn’t answer, of course, but it’s polite to ask all the same. Granny didn’t teach her to mind her manners for nothing.
Zenie weaves her way through the crowd of both the living and the dead. She greets several people, stops to exchange a handshake and a kind word, and sends a nod to those who she catches lurking at the edges of the room – people like Liebgott and Captain Speirs, who only show up in the margins of the reunions, watching, but never joining in. She needs to thank those two specifically at some point. But it’s like Joe said – they’ve got time.
As Luz promised, Shifty is seated at a table in the middle of the room. Their sons, Wayne and Willie, sit on either side of him, laughing along with some story that he, McClung, and Popeye are in the middle of telling. Zenie finds a space to stand behind her husband, being as present as she can. She places one hand on Wayne’s shoulder, and the other on Shifty’s.
At the moment of contact, Shifty’s posture stiffens, and his head turns slightly. Zenie freezes, like she’s just disrupted something. Has she? Can he feel her here?
Shifty only listens to the story being told halfheartedly now. He smiles and laughs in all the right places, but it’s obvious that he’s distracted. These reunions are supposed to be fun. Sure, they can get a little emotional at times, but she doesn’t want her husband missing out on her account. He’s still got a life to live. He needs to be in the present moment and enjoy it.
Zenie bends slightly so that she’s close to Shifty’s ear. She doubts anyone else at the table knows that she’s here, but she wants this to be a private moment for the two of them.
“Shifty,” she whispers. “I’m here. I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay.” She has to pause for a moment to think about what she wants to say. It’s one thing to plan what you’re going to tell somebody, and another thing entirely to deliver the message. Sometimes things get lost in translation. She learned that during their break back in the war.
She studies her husband’s face. It’s lined with age, but still as beautiful and as bright as the day she met him. God, she misses him. She misses all of them.
“The boys look well,” she continues, looking between their sons. “I hope they’re taking care of you for me. They’ve always adored you.” She pats Shifty’s shoulder. She shouldn’t take up his attention too much longer. “Take your time. Enjoy it. I’ll be waiting for you, okay? I’ll see you soon, Shifty.”
Not sure if it will work, she plants a kiss on his cheek. When she pulls away, she watches as Shifty’s hand comes up to touch the place where they made contact. Maybe he really can feel her here.
“Gvgeyui,” Zenie says. I love you.
Gene is waiting at the edge of the crowd when she finds him again.
“How’d it go?” He asks.
Zenie nods. “Good. You?”
“Good.” Gene’s dark eyes flick over the crowd. “It’s nice we get to do this.”
It is nice. Bittersweet, mostly, but it’s good to see their loved ones again, even for a short time before they have to go back. But returning isn’t bad, either. The weather is always warm. And there are people she loves waiting for her there.
In fact, she should get going for exactly that reason. Granny wants to dig ramps soon, and Mama informed her that there would be a pie waiting upon her return. No matter which side of the gauzy veil she’s on, there is always someone waiting for her, and always a place that she belongs.
For strength, Zenie takes Gene’s hand and gives it a squeeze. He returns the gesture, and they begin to walk away from the crowd. But before they go, Zenie can’t help but glance back at Easy Company one last time. Her eyes, as always, land on Shifty. She’ll see him again. She’ll see them all again, in one way or another.
“Until we meet again,” Zenie informs them all, whether they can hear her or not. “Donadagohvi.”
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randomminty · 2 years
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Just a buncha cynthias
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amphypan · 1 year
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Little charm designs for the little buddies (husbands) :3!!!
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chiropteracupola · 1 month
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just a couple of creepy 18th-century innkeepers talking shop!
[featuring @borisyvain's lazarus mcclure and my own james webster]
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spittyfishy · 1 year
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The one thing I want in life is too see the dangrompa v2 cast singing "cookie cat" from Steven universe
Pretty please
Lol I’m not going to do the whole song bc that would be a bonkers amount of work, but have this!
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essektheylyss · 2 years
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no more "fix-it fics". enough "everybody lives au". everybody DIES au. I could make it (canon) WORSE.
#this joke brought to you hilariously not by recent events but in fact rediscovering my old ffn fics from high school#they exist and are easily findable lol#and boyyyy have i not only really not change. but i have MELLOWED on the angst.#if you think my fics are rough now...#literally wrote MULTIPLE fics for a romance-oriented procedural where one or both of the leads died and someone else had to deal with that#hilarious. like. this was 'i know they're gonna get out of this tight spot canon left them in last episode. but what if they didn't. :3'#like say what you will about some of my sadder content but the characters aren't getting MURDERED#also went out of my way to write the cockblock rival LI sympathetically in one scenario#like this character was universally reviled. MEANT TO BE in fact. and several comments were just 'icb you made him impossible to hate'#me at all times: have you considered. this character is not evil. just trying their best and not favored by the narrative but like. fine.#and also do you want to talk about GRIEF?#would love to study my high school self like a bug. who was she. fuck if i remember lmfao#ANYWAY this is genuinely so funny#also damn ffn reviewers were brutal about update times lol#also were not shy about 'WOW this is so ooc' (they were wrong. to be clear. they were mad about a ship thing)#the writing was 'eh' but the specific aspect of the characterization they were mad about was not lol#but also uwu over some of the comments i was looking through last night#some of them were like 'wow someone said this about tiefling fic last week!'
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I FINALLY FINISHED MY FELT PAPER MARIO POSTER THINGY!!!
Well, kinda. I wanted to add more enemies, other than Skrumpy, but I think for now I’m done with this and I may revisit it later. But I’m really happy with how it turned out!!! All the characters are stuck on with Velcro, so I can move them around too, if I want.
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Whisked Away 1
No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.
Part of the Sweet and Spicy AU
Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.
18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.
Summary: You get a job at a bakery but your new boss only adds to your work
Character: chubby!baker!Thor
Please comment and reblog if it's not too much. I always love getting to chat about these stories and hearing all your ideas! You all are wonderful and loved.
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The tea shop hasn’t called back. Or the grocery store. Not even the cafe around the corner. 
You’re tired. You’ve been sending out resumes for months. Reviewing and editing and sending again. You don’t get it. You have the proper credential and you have a decent amount of experience. It’s just been a while.  
You want to assume that people just aren’t hiring but that wouldn’t explain the postings and re-postings. They are still looking but somehow you’re just not good enough on paper. Disappointment knots in your throat as your inbox reveals no new emails. You need something. Even a job at the burger joint will do. 
You grab your phone and sigh. You stand and shut the laptop lid as you tuck your cell into your back pocket. You go down the short hall and knock on the bedroom door. 
“Delaney? You up?” You call through. 
You get a groan in return. Sometimes that’s all you get. 
“Alright, I’m gonna open the door,” you warn as you twist the knob slowly. 
You push inside and reach to flip on the light switch. Your sister grumbles against and covers her face with her arm. The windows are covered with dark curtains that give a blue hue even when the space is lit. She hids behind her forearm as you near the bottom of her bed. 
“Are you hungry?” You ask. 
“I’d love some coffee,” the croaks. 
“How ya feeling?” You grab her walker and move it parallel with the side of the bed. 
“It’s a rough one,” she warns and drags her arm away from her face. “I don’t wanna get up.” 
You nod and trail your fingers along the top of the walker, “if you don’t wanna...” 
“No, I should,” she insists. 
She braces herself visibly, closing her eyes as her cheeks strain and she sits up with a grunt. He arms shake and she kicks the blankets of her legs. Her movement is awkward and stiff. You hate seeing her struggle like this. You know she’s just as unhappy about you seeing it. That’s why she’s so stubborn. 
“Should be enough left for another cup but I can make a new pot?” You offer as you hold the walker steady and she grips it, pulling herself to her feet. She hunches slightly and tries to stretch out her legs. 
“My feet are numb,” she stomps one foot then the other. “Annoying.” She scowls and shakes her head as you let go of the walker and step back. She turns it sharply and lumbers forward with the aid of the wheels, “I can have the leftovers.” 
Patiently, you follow her to the door and into the hall. She wheels her way to the table and angles herself into the chair with her special cushion on it. She’s out of breath. 
You go into the kitchen to give her some time to recover. You try your best to give her space, even in the one-bedroom. You sleep on the couch while she gets the bedroom. It makes sense, especially since lately her stipend has been covering most of your expenses. 
You fill a mug for her and grab her pill box. You bring both to her and set them on the table. She takes the coffee first and swigs. She sighs as she sets it down heavily then snatches the box. She pops open the lid for that day of the week and scoops out the tablets. She sneers before she gulps them down with another mouthful of coffee. 
“So, you were up early?” She prompts. 
“You know I’m a morning bird.” 
“Eh, yeah, wish I had that problem,” she mutters. Some days, she sleeps more than she’s awake. You tell her it’s part of her diagnosis but she won’t accept that. You can understand that but you know you can’t really understand. You’re not her. 
“Yeah, well, the birds wake me up,” you shrug.  
A sudden buzzing ripple in your pocket. You pull your phone out of the loose sweatpants and look at the screen. It’s a number you don’t know. You doubt it’s important but you can’t risk missing any calls. 
“Gimme a sec,” you hold up a finger and turn away. “Probably the building or something.” You tap the screen and put the phone to your ear, “hello?” 
“Hello,” a deep voice rumbles over a calamity of noises, some metallic, others humming, “oh, apologies, give me a moment.” You wait as you hear movement on the other end and the cacophony finally subsides, “ah, much better. Is this...” 
You blink and confirm that he has the right number. 
“Wonderful, I apologise for the early call but I tend to get started with the sun,” he explains, “anyhow, I was only just reviewing CVs and you are on my list of candidates. When would be a good day for an interview?” 
You turn back and glance at Delaney. She sips her coffee as she pulls the laptop close. She opens it and squints at it before she clicks. She scrolls as you watch her. 
“Um, well, I could um, any day,” you answer, trying not to seem to desperate. 
“Today?” He asks, “it’s a bit ridiculous but I wouldn’t mind getting it over with.” 
“S-sure,” you answer, surprised by the suddenness. It's as if the universe had sensed you were about to give up. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I... got your name.” 
“Oh, yes, I did dive in head first. Thor Odinson, at Golden Crust bakery. You applied as a decorator?” 
“Y-yeah, I remember,” you assure him, “just wanna make sure I get to the right place. Uh, thanks, um, what time should I be there?” 
“Is noon doable?” He asks. 
“Noon it is,” you say, barely containing your excitement. You try not to let it overflow, you don’t want to get all worked up for another rejection. 
“Excellent, I will see you then,” he confirms, “now, excuse me, I think my sourdough has burnt.” 
The line clicks and you lower the phone, staring at it. The tapping of Delaney’s fingers on the keyboard are the only noise amidst the the stunned silence. It’s great you got an interview but what do you wear? 
“Hm, job hunt not going so well?” Delaney suggests as she leans into the screen. 
“Actually, just got a call for one,” you go to the table and put your phone down. “I have an interview.” 
“You do?” Her eyes flash as she looks up, a rare glimmer of happiness. “That’s awesome!” 
“Uh, yeah, but it’s at noon so... I’ll have to leave for a bit.” 
“Sounds good to me,” she scoffs, “perfect time to party.” 
You roll your eyes, “you’re silly.” 
“Well, you know, if you get the job, I’ll have to figure out how to entertain myself,” she says, “and I’ll get to binge all the TV shows you hate.” 
“You’re such an optimist,” you chide playfully. 
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waywardsalt · 9 months
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now bc of that one post abt zelda getting fridged whenever that one guy directs a zelda game im thinking abt tetra just getting turned to stone in ph and like. what would it have been like if she were an actual character in ph. what would she have done how would this have changed the story
#not gonna do a whole lot of tagging im just musing. if you wanna rb or reply with ideas thats great#im not the person to figure this out bc i dont actually care much abt tetra#not like oh i hate her but like. i only played ph and what i see of her beyond that has not endeared me to her#shes fine i just dont get it. ig cuz i didnt play ww but eh#cuz like. ok. pretty much the majority of phs plot relies on tetra having been turned to stone and fixing that#and me being the autistic little freak i am the psrt that also makes it hard for me to wonder what could happen if#tetra werent stone and that making the game better is like. ok what about linebeck and his arc#listen his arc is so fucking good and hes great and i dont think his arc would have been so good if link wasnt the character he was put wit#cuz link is a great foil and despite having minimal characterization has just the right personality to nudge linebeck along#cuz hes def part of what inspires some of that change in linebeck so idk what might have happened#if tetra was an active player interacting with him in ph too. cuz like idk most of the time when i see people#do stuff where they interact its usually tetra one upping linebeck or whatever and thars like. ok thats whar ciela does#maybe im reading into it too much and focusing on linebeck. idk how you couldve done and changed#the plot of ph to include tetra without just straight up rewriting the whole thing or putting link away#bc look me in the eyes. i do not think linebeck would have developed the way he did without having met link specifically#salty talks#idk i feel like linebecks arc is the best bit of story in ph so i want that to remain more or less intact bc thats where a lot of#the emotional stuff comes in at the end. his dialogue in the ghost ship battle and the final boss. its important#i dont think about tetra much cant you tell. so id leave this to someone who actually cares abt her as a character
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roraimae · 1 year
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Avery Graham, at your service.
I made them for a oneshot that never happened and then played them in another oneshot recently and honestly? They grew on me so fast. I might play them in some longer term thing sometime or at least bring them back for other mini things.
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aroaessidhe · 1 month
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2024 reads / storygraph
The Liar’s Knot & Labyrinth’s Heart
books 2&3 in a fantasy trilogy set in a Venetian inspired city full of political intrigue
follows a young woman who conned her way into a noble family, a masked vigilante, and a crime boss, who eventually become allies while juggling multiple identities
and trying to save their people and city by joining a secret society to find origins of a corrupting curse, to eventually destroy the powerful magical objects at the heart of it
tarot magic & sigil/geometry magic, dreamworlds, sentient magical disguises
#the liar's knot#labyrinth's heart#rook and rose#aroaessidhe 2024 reads#the summaries at the start are helpful. bc I forgot what happened in book one lol#I enjoyed these better - I think listening to the audiobooks helped with that a lot. They’re quite long books!#the accents in the audiobooks also enhance it a lot#I def enjoyed the series overall & listening to a whole book in a day or 2 (rather than dragging out if i did text format) is better#the overall plot and magic stuff. im not gonna lie and say i understood it all LMAO but I thought it was pretty good & def some great char#don’t super care about romance. like I don’t dislike it - & much prefer the slow burn to instalove that's everywhere - but also eh whateve#also not to be like miraculous ladybug but high fantasy. but#yeah of course the aromantic crime boss w a telepathically linked spider hosting the ghost of a dead guy as his closest companion is my fav#yeah i cried. im tearing up thinking about it now. they’re so good#his little spider gloves for his spider feet?#there's a good amount of queer characters scattered around#(vargo's aromanticism is hinted a few times; and it's pretty clear imo if you're looking; but not explicit)#i see there’s tons of people shipping him/disappointed it wasn’t polyam...I wish it was clearer bc of that. but otherwise it was fine#like. solidly developed in depth character is just as/more important to me overall#but also why'd [redacted] have to leave....nooo :(#also spider on the cover!!! i only noticed that at the end of that book sjdghsf#queer books#aromantic books#bisexual books
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neon-angels-system · 10 months
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only one 999 ending to go (true end (+ coffin end by technicality)). anyway.
#note: I am playing the DS version via emulator!#gave in to temptation and looked at one (1) thing on the wiki I thought wouldn't spoil me#...I got spoiled again#my guess about the coffin was completely wrong btw#I thought the third dead was in there. but no. they were dead.#trying to specify who I mean without spoiling it for others lol#anyway I still love Ace's design but Snake has just risen up in my favourites#Santa. I like Santa. good character. great design. one of my faves. enough said.#Clover. oh boy. her design's cute. there's a weird implication made by Ace at one point but I'm ignoring it#but there's not much to say about her? like yup. Snake & Clover's connection sure is strong#but Clover doesn't get much development outside of it. I like her but she's not making my faves list#Junepei himself? he's not a blank protagonist. I like that. however he's not that far off from being a blank protagonist#he has some good moment. his design is eh. that's all#June... I've been spoiled about her#she's nice & I love her design! her and Junepei's relationship fleshes both of them out a lot#I also find the constant interruption of the flow for June and Junepei's special romantic tension time really fucking annoying#they're cute! I get it! I get that it's plot relevant! I think that these scenes highlight Junepei's flaws!#but also shut upppp about her hair smelling good. I don't Care#they do have some good banter at points though#Seven has actually really surprised me - I thought I was going to hate him but he keeps becoming even more likeable#Lotus... I think we're supposed to think she's a terrible person. and she definitely has her moments#but although she is selfish and values her self-preservation above everything else#I think her motivations explain a lot of that#wrote these out of order then reordered them to fit the number order. was just feeling silly goofy#to finish off the cast for good measure... contestant 9 sucks in all of the ways. his design is bad. his actions are realistic#but that entire sequence feels like some kind of ableism to me. it just really rubbed me the wrong way
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