Kathrine Hastings

As graceful as Psyduck...

[pro-antagonist-deactivated20190]

Sometimes it’s really lonely being an author. Because when you’re writing, you’re doing it alone, and there’s no one there to gush over silly feelings with you.

And I suppose that’s why reader comments are important to authors. It’s not about the compliments. It’s that we’ve been alone with our thoughts this whole time. It’s an awesome feeling when a friend shows up to share them with you.

[loubuttons]

actually @ every fanfiction writer whether you wrote something that got thousands of reblogs and comments and became a staple in your fandom, or you wrote one fic and deleted it, or you write mutilchaptered fics that never get a final update, or write short fics, or long fics, or used to write and now you don’t, or you deleted/orphaned your works, or you only share with friends:

thank you.

sharing your writing is hard. and sometimes it’s thankless. sometimes it’s such a negative experience that I wonder how anyone does it at all. but you are needed; you are wanted. whether or not we properly acknowledge it, you are a vital part of fandom culture. thanks for sharing.

[kathrinehastings]

DonatelloxReader

All I ask of you

Patrol had been rather uneventful for the past few nights, and the lack if action was starting to get to everyone. Leonardo seemed worried and frustrated. Raphael was becoming restless and was going to explode any minute. Michelangelo was irritating everybody, which was not helping the situation at all, and Donatello was just bored. He was tired of going out night after night and not having anything to do. He would much rather be home, in his lab, working on his projects than out here wasting time. He sighed heavily as Leonardo ordered them to stop. Raphael twirled his sai as he paced, grunting and muttering under his breath. Michelangelo started humming and tapping his nun-chaku against a nearby metal pole. Leonardo whipped his head around and shushed them, giving them each a glare before turning back to look over the city. Donatello sighed once more and turned to walk to the edge of the rooftop, distancing himself from the tense atmosphere that his brothers were creating. He stood in the edge and looked out over the city. He listened to all the sounds and took a deep breath. Leonardo signaled for them to start moving again and Donatello reluctantly moved from the edge of the rooftop. He was about to follow his brothers when he heard music and singing. He stopped dead in this tracks, turned and tried to focus on the sound.

... Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you...

“Donnie.” Leonardo broke him out of his trance. Donatello stumbled and just about stopped his glasses from falling off of his face. “What?” He turned to face Leonardo. “We're heading back.” He stated simply. “Oh, yeah, sure. I'll, um... I'll catch up.” Donatello said as he turned back to face the direction of the distant music. Leonardo scoffed and turned around. “Be back before sunrise.” He grumbled and leapt off of the rooftop, disappearing into the shadows. Donnie waited for all of them to leave before he headed in the direction that the music was coming from.

... All I want is freedom, a world with no more night and you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me...

Donatello leapt from rooftop to rooftop, following the beautiful sound and allowing curiosity to take over. He stopped after the third or fourth rooftop, as he realized that the song was much clearer now, he must have been a rooftop away from the source of the music. He moved towards the sound, keeping in the shadows and out of sight. Eventually he saw a small CD player sitting on a side table next to a plastic garden chair, and in that garden chair sat a girl.

Her eyes were closed and she had a small smile on her face while some stray strands of her (H/C) hair blew freely in the slight breeze. She looked so peaceful and beautiful at that moment. He was so focused on her overall appearance that he almost did not see that her lips were moving. For a second, he thought that she was talking to someone. He suddenly became extremely aware of his surroundings and looked around to see if he could see anybody besides the girl and himself on that rooftop, but he soon realised that they were alone. He focused on listening to what she was saying and that she was actually singing.

... Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime, say the word and I will follow you...

Donatello was in awe at how beautiful her voice was.

... Share each day with me, each night, each morning.... Say you love me.... Love me, that's all I ask of you...

“Hey! Quit it, girly!” A voice from below startled Donatello. “Some of us are trying to sleep here!” The girl’s eyes shot open, revealing beautiful (E/C) eyes. “You have work in an hour, Mister Maloney! You should be up already and this is the only time I can practice!” She frowned and pushed herself out of her chair. “I was done anyway.” She grumbled.

Donatello watched as she packed up her things and carefully made her way down the fire escape, climbing through her open window and disappearing behind the drapes. The sound of an alarm beeping brought him back to earth. The sun was going to rise soon and he needed to be underground before that happened. He took a mental note of her address and the time before racing down to the nearest man hole and slipping back into the sewers.

He thought about her as he walked back to the lair. Her (H/C) hair and (E/C) eyes were so beautiful. Her voice... it was so amazing, she didn't really need to practice. “Wait.” He suddenly stopped walking. “Why does she need to practice?” He mumbled. He tried to remember the lyrics to figure out what the song was. “Promise me that you are true?....” He scratched his head. “No, no. That doesn't sound right.” He continued walking, so deep in thought that he walked right into the lair, passed his brothers and headed straight for his lab, mumbling incoherently and not giving them a second glance. “What's up with Donnie?” Michelangelo asked his larger, red masked brother. “He looks super spaced out, bro....” Raphael scoffed. “Don's always like that, Mikey.” He said as he chewed on the toothpick in his mouth. Donatello took no notice of them and entered his lab, closing the door behind him.

Donatello sat at his computer and tried to remember as much as he could, typing all of it into the Google search bar. He pressed enter and stared at the results. “The phantom of the opera?” He said as he sat back in his chair. “I don't think I've watched that.”

Donatello read about the movie once or twice but never really gave it a second thought. He decided to read about it again and discovered that there were two, the original and a remake. He couldn't decide which one to watch so he ended up watching both. He found the constant singing a bit unnecessary but considering that it was a musical, he just accepted it. He actually found himself enjoying the movies, the original more than the remake but the story line was quite captivating.

In the days that followed, Donatello went back to that rooftop to hear her sing. Some mornings she would stay up there longer than usual but she was always there practicing her little song. He even caught himself humming the tune every so often. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and, much to his surprise; it was actually making him happy. His change in mood was noticeable and Leonardo was starting to get slightly suspicious. He wanted to question Donatello about his late nights but didn’t want to ruin his mood, at least one of them was happy. 

One night, after patrol, Donatello got to the rooftop and the girl wasn't there. He was a bit puzzled at first but decided to wait. It was still quite early. After waiting for a while, Donatello became worried. He thought that she wasn't going to show but just as his concern grew even more, she made an appearance. She set out her things as usual and started practicing.

He immediately calmed down and exhaled with relief. He found an old air-con vent and decided to sit down but it unexpectedly gave in to his weight and collapsed with a very loud, metallic clang. The girl gasped and shot up out of her seat, startled. Donatello went into ninja mode and quickly hid in the shadows.

“Who's there?” The girl called into the darkness.

Donatello panicked. A million thoughts were running through his head at that moment. Should he run? Should he stay? He thought about staying quiet but he was worried that she would be too scared to ever come back out on to the rooftop. He’d never see her again.

“I know you're there! Come out!” Her voice broke through his thoughts.

“No.” He cringed at his own bluntness.

There was a slight pause. “No? What do you mean ‘no’?” she said, obviously confused.

Donatello was starting to get nervous. “I-I can't.” He choked out.

“Why not?” The girl asked as she took a tentative step closer.

“I don't want you to see me.” Donatello moved through the shadows, making his voice seem like it was coming from different directions each time he spoke.

“Why not?” She repeated.

“You won't like what you see.” Donatello said softly, just loud enough so that she could hear but not letting her hear the hurt in his voice.

The was another pause. He looked at her face from the shadows, she looked confused. Sad almost. “What do you mean?” She said with a worried frown on her face.

Donatello thought for a moment. He thought about the song that she had been singing and the movie it came from and he suddenly got an idea.

“I-I'm horribly deformed.” He lied.

“Oh...” She frowned again. “I'm sure you don't look that bad.” Even though she tried to hide it, Donatello could hear her voice was laced with worry.

Donatello stopped moving around and chuckled at her attempt at being nice. “I'm hardly human.” He said, not exactly lying.

“Don't say that. I'm sure you're more human than most.” Her (E/C) eyes continued to search the shadows for signs of movement. “It's not all about what you're like on the outside.” Her voice picking up a bit.

"I guess, but I still think you'll find me gross." Donatello sighed.

"Well how about we just chat then?" The girl suggested. "Let's get to know each other and maybe you'll feel more comfortable about showing yourself."

Donatello thought for a moment. "Y-yeah, okay. That sounds good." He said with a nervous laugh.

"Cool." She smiled. "Let's start with your name."

"Donatello." He said shyly, "But everyone calls me Donnie."

"That's a really cool name." She beamed. "My name is (Y/N). Pleased to meet you, Donnie."

Donatello met (Y/N) on that rooftop every chance he got. These little secret meetings went on for weeks, Donatello waiting for her on the rooftops and chatting to her from the shadows. Most mornings he would listen to her sing for a while before making her aware of his presence. There were a few times when (Y/N) would ask Donatello to show himself but each time she asked he would say no and apologise. It hurt him to see the look of disappointment on her face but he knew that it was for the best. Yet, each time he saw that look, it slowly broke his resolve.

Early one morning, Donatello sat in his usual spot and waited. The darkness in the night sky was just beginning to fade and the stars weren't shining as brightly anymore. The sun would start to rise soon and (Y/N) was usually out by now. Not a moment later, he heard the familiar sound of the rooftop maintenance door opening, indicating the arrival of the young song bird. Donatello settled down, expecting (Y/N)'s beautiful voice to ring through the air. He waited. But nothing happened. He frowned, wondering why she wasn't singing. He stole a glace to check if it was not maybe someone else that came up instead. But all he saw was (Y/N), gazing up at the fading stars. He wondered why she wasn't singing. He wondered if he should say something. He heard her sigh and could feel the sadness in it. It almost broke his heart.

"(Y/N)?" Donatello called out tentatively.

"Donnie." She gave a soft smile. "I'm sorry if I was a little late."

"What's wrong?" 

"I overslept." She stated simply.

"No, I meant why aren't you singing?"

"Oh," she paused and took a breath. "I don't need to practice anymore." She said softly.

"Why? I thought-"

"I didn't get the part, Donnie."

Donatello felt her sadness again. "Oh..." Was all he managed to say.

"Well, I got the part but I've been replaced." She added, disdain creeping into her voice.

"Replaced?" Donatello crept a bit closer.

"Yes." She sighed. "The male lead managed to convince the director that his girlfriend should play Christine because she looks more like her from the movie. They're such hypocrites!" She crossed her arms over her chest, and frowned. "When I auditioned for the part they said that everyone is welcome because they wanted to have a diverse cast and they wanted to be different. But then they pull something like this?!" She raised her voice at the last sentence. "Unbelievable." She mumbled. Donatello didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he even should say anything. She sighed again and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Donnie. I'm just venting."

He smiled. "It's okay. We all need to vent sometimes."

He heard her chuckle. "Since we're sharing, what do you need to vent about?"

"My brothers." Donatello said without thinking.

"You have brothers?"

Donatello froze. 

"Donnie?" (Y/N) called out. "You still there?"

"You weren't supposed to know that..." He said sheepishly.

"Why not?" She asked.

Donatello didn't know how to answer that. The silence dragged on for a few moments until (Y/N) spoke up, encouragingly.

"No, this is good." She sounded eager. "Please continue. I'd love to hear more about your brothers." She tried to spur him on. "What are their names? What are they like?"

Donatello fought many internal battles, trying to decide if he should reveal any more about himself or his life, not wanting to endanger the rest of his family. But he didn't have to tell her too much. Where they lived didn't need to come up yet. Yeah... And if all else fails, he could just run...

"Well, there's Leo, Raph, Mikey and I..."

Donatello spoke and (Y/N) listened. He told her as much as he could without revealing too much and answering the few questions that she had whenever he could.

"It sounds amazing, Donnie." She said a while after they fell into a comfortable silence. "You're lucky to have brothers like that. To have people you can count on."

Donnatello was quiet and thought about her words. "Yeah," he said softly. "I guess I am."

"I'd love to meet your brothers."

Donatello didn't know what to say. He knew what that implied and it terrified him.

"I don't know if that's a good idea." He said warily.

Donatello heard (Y/N) sigh. "I feel like I haven't met you properly and I don't like it. It feels so... I dunno," He heard her sigh again. "I don't think that 'fake' is the right word but it doesn't feel real, you know?"

"Yeah," Donatello's voice was barely a whisper. "I get it."

After a long pause, (Y/N) spoke up. "Don't you trust me?"

Donatello's heart clenched. He could hear the sadness in her voice and it sounded as if she was holding back tears. "No, (Y/N), it's not that." He found it difficult to tell her that it's not safe without telling her everything.

"Then what is it, Donnie?"

He stayed silent, not knowing what to say or do.

"I feel like I've finally made a proper friend, but at the same time... I feel like I'm talking to a stranger." She spoke so softly, her voice breaking slightly at the end. "I have so many questions but I'm scared that if I ask, I might scare you away."

"What questions?" Donatello heard himself say.

"Like, why are you out at this time of the night? And are your brothers like you?" She paused waiting for some kind of answer. "Why do you speak of your brothers so fondly but sound so lonely?" She added softly.

"We're all just a little stressed right now." He said after a while.

She at quietly waiting for him to continue, but he didn't, so she spurred him on slightly. "But...?"

Donatello sighed. "But I feel like they don't get me sometimes."

"Is that why you're up here all the time, talking to me?"

Donatello thought about her question. He thought about everything... And then he decided to to stop overthinking.

"I'm a six foot eight mutant turtle." He blurted out.

There was silence and Donatello panicked for a second.

"Are you serious?" (Y/N) asked. "I don't think this is funny, Donnie."

He heard her get up from her little lawn chair and panicked even more. "No! I'm completely serious!" He wracked his brain, trying to figure out a way to get her to stay. "I'll show you!"

He heard her stop and sigh. "If this some stupid joke-"

Donatello stepped out of the shadows and stepped up behind her, unintentionally startling her. She gasped and jumped a little before focusing on him. Her eyes landed on his chest first and shot up to his face. She gasped again and stumbled backwards, tripping over an exposed pipe that neither of them noticed and toppled over the edge of the building. Donatello lurched forward as her scream pierced the air and, with inhuman speed, dove over the edge after her. He reached out and grabbed her, before firing his grappling rope and pulling them back up to the roof top.

"Are you okay?" Donatello asked as soon as they landed safely. "I'm so sorry for scaring you." He felt her shaking in his arms and felt extremely guilty. "I didn't mean-"

"It's okay. I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to... you know. I-I didn't mean to react that way. I just wasn't expecting..."

"A turtle."

Still clinging to him with her forehead against his plastron, Donatello felt her nod in reply. He moved to let go of her but she held him tighter and buried her face in the crook of his arm.

"No," she said when he tried to let go of her. "I mean, can we just stay like this for a little while? Please?"

"O-Okay."

Donatello was somewhat confused but figured that she needed time to process everything, so he held on to her. After a few moments, he felt her give him a little squeeze and felt her hold loosen. Taking that as a sign that she was ready, he loosened his hold as well, and dropped his arms to hang at his sides. She took a small step back and tilted her head slowly. Donatello couldn't help but smile when her eyes meet his and she let out a quiet 'wow'. Her hand came up to his plastron, as if she wanted to touch it, but she retracted it at the last second. Instead, her hands went up to the sides of her face and she let out a breathy laugh in awe of what she was seeing.

"How?" She asked softly.

"It's a long story." Donatello gave her a nervous smile.

"I've got time." She smiled up at him but her smile faded when she glanced behind him. "But you don't." She frowned as she looked at the first light of the rising sun.

Donatello turned and followed her gaze. He hadn't even noticed the stars fade or the sky getting lighter. He grumbled to himself and turned back to her, taking her hands in his. "I'll be back tonight and I'll explain everything." He gave her hands a little squeeze before letting go and stepping back.

"Same time?" She asked, worried.

He noticed her worry and thought for a moment. "How about after midnight?" He was almost at the edge of the building.

"After midnight's great."

"Great." He said as her turned and sent a little wave over his shoulder. Leo would be so mad at him for staying out so late... early? Someone could have seen him. He stepped up to the ledge at the very edge of the rooftop and got ready to descend to the dark alley below. 

"Great." He heard (Y/N) giggle nervously. "It's a date."

He froze. "A date?" He whispered. 

But by the time he turned around, the maintenance door was already swinging closed and (Y/N) was gone.

*****

One year later 

"Donnie?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is there no frosting on this poptart?"

(Y/N) asked as they stood in the kitchen, with one hand on her hip and the other hand holding the treat up in front of him. She knew full well that it was him that had licked it off yet she still asked the question, hoping to at least make him feel guilty enough to not do it again. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged before he resumed his task of making Hot Chocolate for them. She rolled her eyes and couldn't stop the smile that crept up onto her face.

"What am I going to do with you?" She asked as she walked back towards the fridge.

"Love me..." Donnie started singing in an off key falsetto. "That's all I ask of you."

(Y/N) rolled her eyes again and started laughing as Donatello 'sang' the instrumental part of the song.

"SHUT UP!"

Raphael's booming voice rang through the air from where he sat watching TV and (Y/N) rushed to him to clamp both hands over Donatello's mouth to try and stop the noise he was making.

"Stop, Donnie." She giggled.

"He's just jealous." Donatello whispered before leaning down and giving her a light peck on the lips.

They both blushed and (Y/N) fixed his glasses before pressing her lips to his snout.

"Gross guys, we make food in here," Raphael pulled a face as he walked past them to retrieve another bag of cookies. "And I'm not jealous," he grumbled as he left the kitchen.

[kathrinehastings]

Skyrim - Argis (part 1)

Aetella and her two personal guardsmen walked through Understone Keep to meet with the Jarl.   The Jarl stood up when he saw her. "Lady Aetella Elmhollow." He bowed slightly. "It is a great honour to have you in Markarth."   "Thank you Jarl Igmund." She bowed back. "I am pleased to be here."   "I have organised a residence here in the city, as well as a personal housecarl to watch over you during your stay." The Jarl sat back down. "My steward will take you to your new home."   "Thank you." She inclined her head in the Jarls direction.   "Please follow me, Lady Aetella Elmhollow." Jarl Igmund's steward walked out and stopped just outside the room. "This will be your housecarl during your stay." He gestured to a large nord man that stood beside him. "Argis, this is lady Aetella Elmhollow of Valenwood. You are to protect her with your life."   Argis held his right hand over his heart and bowed. "Lady Aetella Elmhollow of Valenwood, it's an honour."   Aetella studied the nord man as he greeted her. He had a Nordic tattoo on the side of his face and shoulder length blonde hair that had a braid on one side. But the most interesting part of him was his left eye. He had a long scar that ran over it and his eye was cloudy, indicating that he was most likely blind in that eye.   "It is a pleasure to meet you, Argis."   Aetella turned to speak to the Jarl's steward. Argis looked on curiously. She was a rather small creature, very delicate looking She had big orange eyes and long rose gold hair. Her skin was pale and flawless with a slight glow to it. She wore a long green dress that hugged her small waist and hung loosely from her hips, falling all the way to her feet.   Aetella turned to Argis. "We are going to be spending a lot of time together, Argis. So please, just call me Lady Aetella Elmhollow. You need not use my full title." She smiled. "It tends to leave one lightheaded." She added with a light giggle.   "As you wish, Lady Aetella." Argis gave her another small bow. Aetella acknowledged him with a sweet smile.   "Shall we head to your new home, Lady?" The Jarl's steward asked.   "Yes. Please, lead the way." She replied, gesturing to the stairs that lead out of Understone Keep.   The Jarl's steward then lead Aetella and her personal guardsmen out with Argis trailing behind. They walked up and down countless steps and eventually made it to Vindrell Hall. The steward unlocked and opened the door to allow everyone inside.   "We've furnished it as best we could, Lady Aetella." The steward said as he stood in the main hall. "I hope it is to your liking."   "It's nothing like home." She stated.   The steward panicked.   "It's perfect! I love it! Thank you."  She beamed.   "I'll take my leave then." The steward bowed. "Goodnight, Lady Aetella."   "Goodnight and once again, thank you." She bowed back.   As soon as the steward closed the door, Aetella dropped into the nearest chair and sighed.   "My, oh, my. Wasn't that tiring? You can just drop that in my room, boys." She said to her guardsman while gesturing to her bags.   The guards picked up her things and left it in her room. Coming out, they gave her a quick wave as they walked towards the door.   "Be sure to tell father and mother that I was extra regal." She waved them out. "Safe travels!"   Argis looked on in confusion. Aetella turned to him and, noticing his confusion, quickly explained herself.   "Oh, Argis. You must be terribly confused. Now, listen. Forget everything I said before. Please just call me Ella. There is really no need to be so painfully formal."   Argis frowned but stayed silent, allowing her to continue.   "You see, my father is a very important man in Valenwood and my mother insists on me being very proper." She sighed. "But I hate it. So everybody that knows me well enough just calls me Ella, and they don't expect me to be so utterly boring. I really hope you'll understand."   Argis didn't know what to say. He was so taken aback, he just ended up nodding, earning a big smile from Aetella.   "Fantastic!" She exclaimed. "Now. If you don't mind, I'm off to bed. The journey was long and tiring, especially all the nauseating pleasantries." She turned to leave the room. "Good night, my dear Argis. I'll see you in the morning." She disappeared into her room.   Argis retired to his own room. Lying in bed, he thought about his new job. He figured that he might like having Ella around. She seemed like nice company and her bubbly personality was very exciting to him. He had never met such a strange noble woman before. He smiled to himself as he fell asleep, wondering what she might want to do tomorrow.     --------------------     The smell of freshly baked bread woke Argis up. He walked out into the dining room to see Aetella in custom elven armour, humming to herself as she braided her hair in a long braid that fell to the small of her back. She turned to see Argis standing near the table, bare chested, only wearing the trousers that he slept in.   "Oh. Excuse me..." She blushed.   Argis looked down at his lack of clothing. "Oh, Sorry. I'll go..." He turned to leave.   "No!... I mean, it's okay Argis. It's just I didn't hear you come in. Please, sit and have breakfast." She gestured to the table.   Argis pulled out a chair and sat down, grabbing a piece of bread and some cheese, he looked up to see Aetella smiling at him. He cleared his throat and started eating.   "I thought maybe we could go hunting today?" She asked as she sat down opposite Argis.   "Of course, all though, The Reach is not a safe place. There are Forsworn about. They're very dangerous and I wouldn't want something to happen to you."   "You're sweet, Argis, but I'm not as helpless as you might think." She said as she grabbed a apple from the bowl in the center of the table.   "Maybe we can travel further out of The Reach to hunt. Haafingar maybe? If you're prepared to make the trip."   Aetella thought for a moment, then hurried to her room. She came out with a map in her hand and, clearing a space on the table, placed the map out in front of her and leaned over it, studying it. Argis got up from his seat and stood behind her, studying the map from over her shoulder. She placed her finger on Markarth.   "We can take a carriage from Markarth to Dragon Bridge." She moved her slender finger along the path. "From Dragon Bridge, we can travel on foot to Solitude, hunting along the way." Her finger glided across the map, stopping at Solitude. "We could stay a while..." She paused. "... Or just sell any meat and furs that we have and leave. Although, considering the fact that the trip might take the whole day and the fact that we would most likely be tired... " She turned her head to look at him. "I think we should a least stay the night." He nodded and she smiled. "Then we can just get back to Markarth the same way we came. Travel back to Dragon Bridge on foot, maybe hunting along the way, then take a carriage from there to Markarth." She turned her body fully to face him.   "Sounds like a good idea. When do you wan't to leave?" Argis asked her.   She smiled up at him. "Immediately. We will be back before the Jarl even notices that we were gone."   Argis smiled at the small, excited bosmer woman in front of him. "I'll get ready." He said as he walked off to his room.   "I'll leave a note. Just in case we get delayed. Wouldn't want him to worry." She said.   Aetella and Argis left Markarth late morning. They hired a carriage that would take them all the way to Dragon Bridge. They sat in the back of the carriage and talked, well, Aetella did most of the talking. Argis was rather quiet, but he was a very good listener. They stopped quite a few times just to take in the beautiful scenery. Aetella loved the tall mountains and deep valleys that took up most of The Reach. They were coming up to a dilapidated old fort when the carriage driver spoke.   "This is Broken Tower Redoubt. A few weeks ago the Jarl had it cleared out but it shouldn't take long for the Forsworn to infest the place again."   Aetella looked on curiously. "I've never actually seen the Forsworn... What do they look like?"   This time Argis spoke. "Savages... They're all a bunch of lawless savages. They'd kill you without a second thought. So if I were you, I'd stay away from places like this."   "Oh...O-Okay." Aetella shrunk back and became quiet.   After a few minutes of silence, Argis was starting to miss the sound of Aetella's constant chattering. He looked around and noticed that they we're coming up to Robber's Gorge, a bandit camp. He told the carriage driver to stop and hopped off the back.   He turned and held out his hand for Aetella. "Would you like to help me take out some bandits, Ella?"   Aetella smiled and placed her small, dainty hand in his larger, meaty one. "I would love to."   Argis helped her down from the back of the carriage and they walked a little way down the path before hiding behind some nearby bushes. Argis surveyed the area before coming up with a plan.   "Can you take out that bandit on the bridge?" He asked Aetella in a hushed whisper.   Aetella nodded and pulled her bow off her back. She crept around the bush but stayed out of sight. She notched an arrow and aimed carefully before letting the arrow loose. The arrow found its way into the bandits neck, right on target. Aetella turned and smiled to Argis who nodded and stood up.   "Watch my back!" He said as he ran up to the encampment.   Just then, another bandit ran onto the bridge and pulled out his bow. Aetella quickly notched another arrow and took aim at the bandit. She let the arrow fly and before the bandit could pull an arrow out, Aetella's elven arrow had struck him in the chest. Aetella stood up and followed Argis into the camp, picking off lesser bandits while Argis fought the larger, more heavily armoured ones. The bandit leader came out of his makeshift cabin and pulled out his greatsword. He swung at Argis. Argis responded by bringing up his shield. The greatsword struck the shield and bounced off the metal rim, nicking Argis in the arm and making a deep cut. Argis groaned in pain, but didn't stop. He lifted his other arm and brought his sword down heavily, slashing the bandit's chest and killing him. Argis dropped his shield and gripped his wounded arm. Aetella rushed over to help him.   "Here, sit." She helped him over to a nearby bench.   She reached into the pouch on her belt and pulled out a healing potion. Argis drank it while she used restoration magic to help the wound heal completely. Once she was done, Argis looked at his arm and gingerly touched the spot where the wound had been. It was as good as new.   "Thank you." He said as he ran his finger along his skin.   "You're welcome."   He looked up at Aetella to see her smiling at him. The setting sun shined in her eyes, changing it from its usual vibrant orange, to solid gold. He only realised that he was staring when Aetella blushed and looked away, smiling. He cleared his throat and stood up, looking towards the sun setting over the horizon.   "We should get moving. It isn't safe out here after dark." He started walking back to the carriage.   Aetella hurried along, following close behind him. They went back to the carriage and made it to Dragon Bridge before nightfall. Aetella rented two separate rooms at the local inn and bought some food for Argis and herself. They sat and ate in comfortable silence, before bidding each other goodnight and going off to their separate rooms. Aetella went to bed very excited. She could hardly wait to go hunting with her new companion, who was starting to become more a friend and less than just a bodyguard.

[kathrinehastings]

Skyrim - Teldryn Sero (part 1)

I had just gotten off the boat and I hired a carriage to take me from Windhelm to Markarth. I was to see my Brother, Endon and his wife, Kerah. They needed my help with something but wouldn’t say what, said that they didn’t want to put it in the letter and that I should just get to Skyrim as soon as I could. Apparently, it was a task that required my special skills and that they could not afford to hire someone. Never mind the fact that my sister-in-law would probably not trust anyone else to take on the task, no matter how much my brother paid them. This favour better be worth my time. I arrived at Markarth stables a few days later. As I made my way to my brother’s house, I past a guard who commented on my armour. “Ebony armor, by Ysmir, tis a wondrous sight...” I must admit, I am very proud of my Ebony armour. It was specially made for me by a legendary blacksmith from Hammerfell after I had rescued his daughter from a group of bandits. He also made matching weapons, along with a shield. It really helped, getting those weapons and armour free of charge. I make a fair amount of money but nowhere near enough to be able to pay for gear this good. A full set of legendary ebony armour also helps to intimidate my foes, and the fact that I’m a woman means that they under estimate me, which is a big mistake. I am one of the best swordsmen, or rather swordswomen, to come out of Hammerfell and I’ve found that mercenary work suits me well. I knocked on my brother’s door and waited. After a while, he opened up. “Sister! I‘m glad you got here safely. You didn’t run into any Forsworn did you?” He opened his arms to give me a hug. “Surprisingly, no. How are you brother?” I asked as we parted. “Good. You must be tired and hungry. Inside, quickly. The streets of Markarth aren’t safe at night.” He ushered me inside before closing the door and locking it. I walked further into the house and was greeted by Kerah.  “Hello, Amira. Nice to see you again. How are you?” She got up from her seat and gave me a quick hug. “Tired. Hungry. But otherwise well.” I pulled off my helmet and ran my hands through my hair as I took a seat at the table. “So what have you all been doing?” I rested my forearms on the table. “Well, Adara has become quite the silversmith. She helps me make jewelry for her mother sell.” He put a tankard full of mead and a plate of food down in front of me. We spoke while I ate, catching up on each others lives. I heard small footsteps coming from the bedrooms. A tired looking girl wobbled into the room, rubbing her eyes and yawning. “Sorry, sweetie. Did I wake you?” I said across the table. She saw me and her face lit up. “Amira!” She ran and hopped onto my lap. “Hello Adara, my sweet.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a good squeeze. “I hear you’ve become quite the silversmith.” “Yeah. It’s lots of fun, I get to hit things with a hammer.” I laughed. “And I’m really good at making rings.” “Well, then. I have a job for you.” I dug into my knapsack and pulled out a flawless diamond. “Here.”I handed her the small gem.  “I want you to make a ring and put this in the center.”  She hopped off my lap. “I’ll do it right now.” “Excuse me young lady.” Adara stopped in her tracks as her mother put her hands on her hips. “It’s late. You need to get to bed.”  “Yes mama.” She trotted over to me and gave me one last hug. “Good night, sweetie.” I patted her head. She disappeared into one of the rooms and her mother then turned to me. “You must be tired too. You can have the extra room.” She led me to one of the empty rooms. “Thank you. For the food as well.”  “It’s the least we can do.” I started to make my way into the room. “Amira.” My brother stopped me. “We’ll talk about the job tomorrow.” I nodded and yawned. “Good night sister. Sleep well.” I closed the bedroom door behind me and threw my knapsack down. I stripped off my armour, placing it neatly on the chair at the end of the bed. I put on my nightgown and crawled into bed. I got a good night’s sleep that night, the first in a while. I woke up to a very excited Adara outside my room. “Your aunt is sleeping. She’s had a very long journey and she is probably still tired.” I recognized this to be Kerah. I got out of bed. “I know mama. I’m just so excited!” Adara said. I could practically hear her grinning. “Excited about what?” I said as I opened the door to my room to reveal a bubbly Adara and a frustrated Kerah. “Look! Look! I made your ring! Just like you wanted. I got up extra early this morning to make it!” She handed me the ring.  “Wow! Thank you Adara. It’s beautiful!” I admired the shiny object in my hand. “Put it on! Put it on!” “Okay! Okay! Calm down! “I slipped the ring onto my finger.  She grabbed my hand and inspected the ring. “It fits perfectly!” she beamed proudly. “You are so pretty Aunt Amira.” She hugged me tightly. “Thanks sweetie. You are too.” She trotted out of the room and I got ready for breakfast. I washed my face and put on regular clothes before heading inside to join them. Once we had finished breakfast, my brother and I took a walk to Understone Keep.  “So what’s this job about.” I asked my brother as we walked. “The Jarl has made a very strange request that his own personal blacksmith has to fulfill and he’s asked me for my help.” I was a little confused. “He asked you to help? Then why am I here?” “Err, well, he asked for my help because he heard that my sister is one of the best mercenaries in the business.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “So you brag about me in the local taverns?” “Something like that… Anyway, he hasn’t told me much yet. Said that he wanted to tell you about the job personally.” I nodded and we continued our walk to Understone Keep in comfortable silence. We walked up the many steps and the guards allowed us in without any problems. Endon led me through the great Dwemer building to the blacksmith’s forge.  I stepped into the room after Endon and saw a Orc working the forge. He stood up straight and turned to me. He examined me and then turned to Endon. "This is the mercenary?" He said, slightly amused. I decided to stay silent. I'm not much of a talker and I've realised that sometimes staying silent can be intimidating, especially to my weaker, more cowardly foes. So I crossed my arms over my chest and allowed my brother to do all the talking. "Yes. This is my sister, Amira. She's the best mercenary you'll find." My brother placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a quick smile. "She doesn't look like much." The green skinned orc said to my brother. "Looks can be deceiving." I defended myself. "Fine. Lets get this over with. I am Moth Gro-Bagol. The Jarl has requested a special sword. An legendary sword that once belonged to Red Eagle. The blacksmithing tecniques have improved since then so I will have to temper it. I've decided that the best thing to use would be Ebony. I usually get ebony from a mine in Solstheim, an island off the coast of Morrowind. The mine is in Raven Rock, but for some reason the mine has been closed down. I need you to go there and find out why. Fix it if you can." He walked over to a table, picked up a large coin purse and tossed it to me. "You'll get the rest once you have come back and have completed the job. Once you have reopened the mine, bring back some ore, not ingots. I need it to be in its raw state." I nodded. "And how does one get to Solstheim?" "There is a boat in Windhelm called 'The Northern Maiden'. It can take you to Solstheim." The orc got back to work. I sighed. "I just came from Windhelm." "I thought you were from Hammerfell?" The orc asked. "Yes, but I had been visiting a friend in Vvardenfell when I got my brother's message and left from there." I sighed again. "I should go. I need to prepare." I walked out with my brother in tow. "I'll help you get ready. What will you need?" He asked as he trailed behind me. "Not much. Just supplies, really." "That should be easy enough." We walked out into Markarth and I turned to my brother, handing him a small coin purse, I pointed in the direction of the inn. "I need you to buy food. Only essentials! No ale, mead or wine. I don't need that." I started walking away. "I'm going to the general store. I'll meet you back at your house." We went our separate ways. --------------- I walked into my brother's house and was greeted by a distraught Adara. "Mama said that you leaving!" She whined as she hugged my waist. "Yes sweetie, I have to leave as soon as possible." I stroked her hair. "But you can't leave, you just got here." "I'll be back before you know it." I kissed the top of her head and she let go of me. I walked to my bedroom and removed my clothes, replacing them with my Ebony armour. I packed the rest of my things, including the supplies that I had just bought. It was late morning by the time I was ready to leave. I said my goodbyes and gave Adara an extra long hug. I left my brother's house and walked down to the Markarth city gates. I took a carriage to Windhelm and from there, took a boat to Solstheim. --------------- The journey was long. Sitting and doing nothing for all that time made me feel lazy. As soon as I got to Solstheim, I immediately hopped off the boat and went straight through Raven Rock, looking for a fight. I stumbled across a dark elf in combat for his life with strange, ashen beings at the Attius Farm outside of Raven Rock. He appeared to be outnumbered, and requested that I lend him a helping hand. I jumped at the chance to take on something new. I pulled out my ebony swords and slashed at them. They were tough and difficult to defeat, but eventually they fell, turning into large piles of ash. I approached the Dunmer and he told me his name was Modyn Veleth, Captain of the Redoran Guard. He explained that the ash spawn have been attacking Raven Rock for some time now, and he's been trying to locate their source. His lack of manpower and reluctance to leave the town without a commander are keeping him from finding out more, so he asked for my help. He said that I could help by searching the Attius Farm for clues that might lead me to the ash spawn's source. I searched the ruin of a farm house but found nothing. I saw something glint in the corner of my eye and noticed that it come from the pile of ash left behind by the ash spawn. I sifted through the ash and found numerous gems and ores, along with a note, titled Deceleration of war. I handed my find to Captain Veleth and he read it, a worried expression painted his face as his eyes scanned the words. He said that the note mentions Fort Frostmoth, the ruins of an Imperial fort located southeast of Raven Rock. According to him, the fort's been abandoned ever since the eruption of Red Mountain. He sent me to Fort Frostmoth to kill the author of the note, General Falx Carius, before the town falls prey to his threats. --------------- I've slain General Falx Carius in the ruins of Fort Frostmoth and put an end to any further ash spawn attacking Raven Rock. Captain Veleth was very pleased with my results, and awarded me a bounty in gold. Now it's time to take care of the mine. I needed something to eat, I had no food left after the journey from Skyrim, so I needed more supplies. I found the local tavern/inn and went inside. I walked down the steps to talk to the innkeeper about food and supplies. He sold me what I needed and wished me luck with the mine. I was very unfamiliar with Solstheim and figured that I should probably hire someone as a guide. I asked the innkeeper about any mercenaries in the area. "There's one right upstairs. He hasn't had a patron in a while. I'm sure he would love to help. He's in full chitin armour, you can't miss him." I thanked him and headed upstairs. I looked over my left shoulder to see a figure, in full chitin armour, sitting on a chair near the fire. I walked up to him and stopped in front of him, resting my hand on my hip, I examined him. He looked up and me and leaned back in his chair. "Teldryn Sero, blade for hire. If you have the coin, I'm at your service." He said in a silky voice. I stayed silent and thought for a while. He must've taken my silence as uncertainty because he spoke again. "I've got swords, spells and a few other tricks up my sleeve. You'll find I'm full of surprises. Don't pass up on this opportunity, outlander. I'm worth every coin." I smiled to myself, which he couldn't see because of my helmet, and dropped a coin purse in his lap. He tucked it away and stood up. "Then let's be off!" He said enthusiastically before following me out of the door.

[kathrinehastings]

RaphaelxReader

Something to keep you warm

Today was one of the coldest days in a long time. Winter was at it's peak and you could feel the cold in your bones as you stepped out into the frigid evening air. You adjusted your scarf and shoved your gloved hands deep into your pockets, before moving off. You took a stroll to the nearest bakery and bought a huge, double chocolate cookie. You paid and walked across the street to Starbucks. The boys had never had Starbucks before and you wanted to surprise them. You knew them well enough to know (more or less) what they would like, so you hoped that your guesses weren't too far off. You got Mikey a classic "PSL", a lovely Caffe Misto for Donnie, Raph a Caramel Frappuccino and a good ol' Vanilla Latte for Leo. You ordered your usual and sat near the window, eating your warm cookie and watching the snow fall while you waited. You were so lost in thought that you hadn't noticed the coffee shop closing.

"Excuse me, miss?"

You jumped in your seat and turned to see the barista who served you with your order in hand. You made some incoherent noise and quickly swallowed the last of your cookie.

"Sorry," The barista smiled apologetically and placed your order down in front of you. "I don't mean to be chasing you out but were closed and my manager would like to lock up."

"I'm so sorry." You wiped your sleeve across your mouth to brush off any stray crumbs and grabbed the drinks. "I got... um, lost."

"It's okay." He smiled brightly and glanced down at your lips. "You've, err, you've got some..." He gestured to your bottom lip. He chuckled at your failed attempt at a second swipe and pulled out a napkin. "Here." He leaned over and gently wiped away the elusive crumb.

You blushed hard. "Oh... Thanks."

"No problem." He winked at you and walked over to the door, pulled it open and held it for you.

You mumbled a quick thank you and hurried outside, determined to avoid eye contact completely.

You walked along the street in the cold while sending Mikey a message to meet you. After a couple of minutes you turned down a familiar alley and stopped after the third dumpster.

You knocked the secret knock on the manhole cover with your foot and waited as you heard someone ascend the metal rungs of the ladder. The cover shifted and a pair of baby blues eyes stared back at you. "Ayyyeee." You drawled out "Ayyyeee." Mikey responded. "Took you long enough." "Starbucks." You said as you pointed to the cardboard cup holder in your hand. "Hold this please?" You handed him the tray and he slid down the ladder slowly enough to keep all the liquid inside the cups. You followed soon after, taking the tray again so that he could return the cover to it's proper place. The two of you chatted as you walked the short distance to the lair, having to smack Mikey's hand away from the tray every now and then. When you finally got to the lair, Michelangelo announced your presence with a loud, "(Y/N)'s here!", and you swear your eardrums were damaged after that. After greeting every one, You made your way into the kitchen with a trail of three turtles behind you, each one excited to have their first taste of Starbucks. You checked each cup and handed them to their respective recipients before pulling a large plastic tub out out your backpack. "What's that?" Michelangelo questioned while peering over your shoulder. You grinned and peeled the lid of with a triumphant, "Ta da!", once the brownies were revealed. "Finally!" Donatello commented. "You've been teasing us with how good your brownies are for months." "I know." You blushed. "I'm sorry it took so long." "Best day ever." Michelangelo sighed with a mouth full of brownie. "What's goin' on in 'ere?" You looked up at Raphael when he finally made an appearance and you couldn't stop the smile that plastered itself onto your face. "Hey, Raph." "Hey, (Y/N)." He made his way over to the counter and rested his massive forearms on the counter top. "Whatcha got there?" "Starbucks and homemade brownies." You replied. Your nerves were starting to rise, bringing your body temperature up with it. "Here's yours." You pushed the cardboard cup towards him as well as the container of brownies. "Thanks." Raphael picked up the cup and grabbed a brownie along with it. You grabbed a brownie too and took a bite out of it. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Michelangelo snickering. You turned to him and glared. He simply grinned and bolted out of the kitchen. It was only then that you realised that the others had already left, leaving you alone with Raphael. Your eyes widened and you stared at the floor, panic rising into your throat. The others knew about your crush. You've had it for months and it was starting to get out of hand. It was fine for the first few weeks, but eventually it went downhill from there, and boy did you fall hard. You couldn't think straight when he was near and you caught yourself staring on multiple occasions. You couldn't even speak to him for too long and found yourself trying to avoid him whenever you could. Michelangelo had been pestering you about it non stop and Donatello had told you to "just tell him so that you can stop being awkward". "The worst that could happen is that he doesn't feel the same way. It's not like you'll die, (Y/N)." Donatello said as he tried to console you one day. But would they tell me to do it even though they knew he didn't feel the same way? You thought. They would want me to do it if they knew I'd get hurt, right? Raphael's deep voice broke you out of you reverie and your head snapped up to meet his gaze, quickly noticing that he had rounded the counter and was standing closer now. "Huh?" You questioned with as much grace as you could. Raphael chuckled. "I said," he took a step closer. "You're zoning out again." "Oh." You cleared your throat. "Sorry." He smiled and brought his hand up to your face. "You've got some..." "Oh." you pawed at your mouth, trying to wipe away the stray crumbs before he could. You didn't want a repeat of earlier. You wouldn't have been able to handle that. Raphael chuckled. "I think ya got it." You laughed and looked up at him, beaming at him once more. An imaginary symphony played in the back of your mind and time slowed down, allowing you to make the most of this moment. He has the most beautiful eyes. You thought, suppressing a sigh. "Err... Thanks?" You froze and the 'music' came to a scratching halt as time caught up with the scene in front of you; Raphael, smirking and looking very amused... At your expense. "Thanks for the coffee, (N/N)." Raphael winked at you as he left the kitchen, making the butterflies in your stomach come alive. You clenched your hands into fists and pressed them into your cheeks, silently fuming. Mikey came into the kitchen just as you were trying to shove your fist into your mouth. "Hey!" Mikey ran to your side, concerned. "What's wrong?" He asked as he pulled your hand from your face. "I was born." You dropped your head onto the counter top and groaned. "Everything went wrong after that." "I just saw Raph leave the kitchen with a huge smile on his face." "Probably because he was laughing at me." "What happened?" You mumbled some incoherent words into the counter top and when he didn't understand you had to force yourself to say it out loud, cringing internally at having to relive the moment. "I said that he has the most beautiful eyes." You repeated, feeling the embarrassment in your soul. "Rude." Mikey huffed. "What about mine?" "Mikey," You whined. "This is serious. I completely embarrassed myself." "I'm sure it wasn't that bad, (N/N). You just gotta pick yourself up and try again." Mikey took your hands into his own and leaned down, trying to get you to look at him. You sighed. "How many times do I have to try? A girl can only take so much." You had tried to tell Raphael how you felt. Multiple times, in fact. But every time there was always something stopping you from getting the words out. Whether it was an interruption caused by someone else or simply by your own nerves. It was always something. Every time you had built up the courage for it to go wasted and you were left feeling tense and frustrated. It was really starting to get to you. "Just one more time, (Y/N). Please?" Mikey begged, still holding you. You sighed, yet again. "Okay." You relented. "Fine. I'll do it." "There we go." Mikey beamed. "You're really brave, (N/N)." You frowned at him, suddenly suspicious. "Why are you so into this? What do you get out of this?" Mikey simply smiled. "I get to see my best friend happy." He grabbed your shoulders and started steering you out of the kitchen. "Now go." He handed you the container of brownies that you hadn't realised he'd taken. "Butter him up with these." After Mikey had unceremoniously shoved you toward the dojo, you found yourself around the corner and out of Raphael's sight while you psyched yourself up for the ordeal. "You can do this, (Y/N)." You whispered to yourself and took a deep breath, rounding the corner to meet your doom talk to Raph. Almost all of your courage flew out of the window the moment you stepped into the room. Raphael had had a wardrobe change in the mean time. All of his gear was gone and he had swapped out his 3/4 shorts for a large pair of sweatpants. He was using one of the many pipes passing through the room to do pull ups. You stood there staring. Hoping that he'd notice you so that he'd stop and drop down to meet you. But Alas, you were forced to watch as his muscles contracted and flexed, effortlessly lifting and lowering his body as if he weighed nothing. He looked so intimidating that you felt your mouth dry up and you had to resist the urge to try to slip away, unnoticed. You finally found your voice and managed to clear your throat loud enough to get his attention. He stopped, mid rep and looked down at you. You could see the beginning of his signature smirk form. You watched as he pulled himself and swung his weight forward. You couldn't anticipate his move and sucked in a breath. He released the pipe and dropped down, landing in crouched position in front of you. He rose to his full height and his smirk grew when he saw you inch backwards. His eyes sparkled behind his mask. "What's up?" His voice was low and menacing. Knowing exactly how intimidating he was. You let out the breath you were holding in a huff and punched his plastron playfully. "I'm taking these brownies back." You threatened. His face fell as you turned to walk away. "Wait," Raph grabbed your wrist and you allowed him to turn you around and pull you closer. "I'm sorry." He chuckled. "You're just so much fun to tease." You huffed again and looked away. "It's not funny." Yet the smile on your face said otherwise. You felt his fingers shift from your wrist to your hand. Your heart hammered away in your chest and you sighed a little, trying to expelled your nervousness.

"Raph," you started, avoiding eye contact. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" You heard him say.

"I like you and-"

"I like you too, short stack." He said, his other hand moving to ruffle your hair.

You turned to look at him, surprised. You noticed that he had a smile on his face, not a smirk or a grin, but a genuine, heart warming smile.

"No," you looked down at your shoes and brought your free hand up to tidy your hair. "I don't think you get it. I like you Raphael." You cringed when you realised that you were about to use the age old kindergarten term for it. "I like-like you."

"I know what you meant, (Y/N)."

His other hand came to grasp your free hand and it dawned on you that you were holding hands.

You two were standing alone in a room, holding hands. 

You had just told him that you liked him and now he was standing in front of you with that smile on his face, holding your hands as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

You melted on the spot.

What now? You thought. I said it and he hasn't said anything about it... So what now?

"Um..." You struggled to find something to say. He gave your hand a little squeeze and you looked up at him. "Raph, I-"

You were interrupted when Mikey burst into the dojo, breathing hard.

"Raph!" Mikey cried. "Leo said..."

He trailed off when he noticed your linked hands.

You could practically see the wheels in his head turning and you could see the change in his face when it clicked. He gave an awkward smile and you knew he had forgotten that you were talking to Raphael.  You knew that he was sorry and you forgave him immediately. You sighed and looked up at Raphael. He was glaring hard at Mikey and you couldn't help but smile a little at how intense it was.

Mikey shrunk back and gave a pained smile. "Donnie spotted trouble. Leo told me to call you." Mikey backed out of the door and disappeared.

"Go." You told Raph, releasing his hands and steeping back.

Interrupted again.

You studied his face. He looked conflicted. He frowned and stepped closer, taking your hand in his once more.

"Leo said hurry up." Mikey's head reappeared in the doorway.

Raph dropped your hand and huffed, balling his own hands into fists and turned toward the door.

You sighed at the fact that yet another interruption stop you from telling him how you felt. He was going to walk away and you would have to wait in flustered frustration for another opportunity to present itself. But you were tired of waiting. You wanted to blurt it out so that it can just be over and done. You decided to make a spontaneous decision and take a step forward.

Maybe this is what Mikey really meant by brave. You refused to let anything get in between you and Raph in this moment. You were determined and, just like Mikey wanted you to be, you were brave.

You mustered up all the courage in your being and grabbed Raph's hand before he moved further away. You tugged on his hand and he stumbled a bit, not expecting it, and stopped in front of you. He inhaled, filling his lungs, wanting to ask a question. But he didn't even have time to open his mouth. You tugged on the tails of his bandanna, bringing him down so that you can capture his lips in a fiery kiss. You felt him stiffen but eventually he eased into it and he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer.

His lips weren't as warm as you thought they'd be, but then again they are cold blooded. Your hands traveled up his plastron and onto his shoulders feeling the firm muscle under his thick skin-

"Raph!"

You separated with a start at the sound of Leo yelling at Raph.

Raph groaned and released you, his hands lingering on your waist a little longer than necessary. "I gotta go." You nodded and smiled up at him. "We'll continue this conversation later."

He bent down to give you a quick peck on the lips and he was gone in the blink of an eye.

You walked out of the dojo and into the now quiet lair. You heard distant humming and recognised it as Splinter, but the rest of the lair was pretty much devoid of life. A quick search in the fridge yielded a juice box and the cupboard offered a packet of crisps. You made your way over to the TV with both items and you dropped yourself onto the couch.

"Y/N."

The packet flew up into the air and Splinter caught it with ease. You didn't even hear him come up behind you.

"Creamy Cheddar flavour." He opened the bag and popped a crisp into his mouth. "My favourite."

He handed the packet back and you took a sip of juice.

"So you and Raphael finally told each other, eh?"

You coughed and sputtered. There was juice all over your shirt and some of it probably came out of your nose.

"Oh goodness." Splinter frowned. "You should rinse that out. I'm sure Raph wouldn't mind if you borrowed one of his hoodie things."

You watched Splinter walk away, humming softly. You inspected your shirt and decided to take Splinter's advice.

While you were in the bathroom rinsing the juice out of your shirt you glanced up at your reflection in the mirror. The hoodie was huge, but you thought you looked kinda cute and smiled at yourself. Your mind wandered a bit and you thought about what the guys would think when they saw you parading around in one of Raph's hoodies.

Your smile faded when it dawned on you. Splinter did that on purpose.

"Dammit."

----

~ Bonus ~

The kiss made him weak at the knees and turned his brain into molasses. Wasn't he supposed to do that to you? He thought that he'd watched enough movies to know how this went but it was a pleasant surprise. He almost wanted to tell Leo to stuff it and let the rest of them deal with the problem just so that he could stay here and keep doing this. Almost.

______

There we go. Raphael’s one is done. Tell me what you think. Donnie’s one should be done soon since I started with him first, just need to complete the end bit. That’s it guys, see you soon.

KAT <3

[kathrinehastings]

Familiar Strangers

So I had this dream a little while ago...

I thought that is was quite entertaining and I thought that I'd share it with you guys.

It's kind of short but I thought that you guys might enjoy it.

------

I was confused, to say the least, when I was told that my husband was going to be coming home later than usual. Firstly, I don't remember ever having a husband but, for some reason, I had I gut feeling that I really did have one. After further investigation, I found that there were indeed traces of a male living in, what I thought was, my room and house. There were men's clothes in my/our cupboards and drawers, and various male hygiene products in my/our bathroom. And of course, the bed smelled suspiciously like a male on the one side. Secondly, why was he not contacting me directly? I don't really know who told me anyway, all I remember was a third party being involved in this exchange of information. This concerned me. And in the back of my mind I knew that what should be most concerning was the huge holes in my memory but for some reason it didn't. Not one bit. I frowned at my left hand and pulled the ring off. Flexing and wiggling my fingers, I realised that my hand felt strange without that ring. It felt like the was something missing. Maybe it was the memories that were missing. I felt lost. Not in my own house but lost in the sense that I had no idea what to do with myself while I waited. Another thing to add to the list of confusion. I usually don't depend on others to entertain me. Nor have I ever had to wait on some guy to make me feel whole or needed. But then again, I didn't know I had a husband up until a little while ago. I decided then and there that I was going to do anything I could to occupy my mind in the mean time. I could feel the anxiety start to build in the bottom of my gut and I refused to let it get to me. I read. I wrote. I drew. I sang. I even watered the garden. I tried to clean but everything seemed very much in it's place and there wasn't any dirt building up anywhere. For some reason I kept checking the door and the front of the house in general. I felt as if I needed to be near the door for the exact moment he came home. Which frustrated me to no end because I really didn't think that I would/should be this dependent on someone else. I dragged myself into the kitchen and decided to bake. Hoping that it would keep my mind occupied. I turned on the radio, put on an apron and began. An hour had passed and during that time, I had made biscuits, muffins and bread. I left everything near the window to cool, making sure to cover it all with netting to keep the bugs away. There wasn't much to clean, since I did some cleaning as I made everything, so I packed the dishwasher with the remaining dishes and cleaned the counter tops. All those cups of tea caught up with my bladder and I had to run off to the bathroom. My timing was the worst because just as I had finished washing my hands, I heard the front door open and close. I hurried toward the front of the house trying not to look too eager but trying not seem too nonchalant at the same time. I saw a figure round the corner and move into the kitchen. I followed, stopping just shy of the doorway. I gripped the wooden frame for dear life and hoped that I had been gifted with a lovely partner. I watched as he plucked one of the muffins from it's resting place and peeled the paper case away before taking a huge bite. He made some sort of hum of approval before stalking over to the fridge. I took in his appearance as he raided the fridge. The first thing that was apparent was his height. He looked to be about five foot nine, ten if you're feeling generous, and even though he was still taller than me I usually preferred considerably taller men. It didn't look like he had any facial hair either, something I found equally attractive... Not even a little stubble. I tried not to feel disappointed. I didn't want to be rude. It's what's inside that counts after all. I've always said that if he can make me laugh then I'd love him forever. The rest of his personality matters too, of course, but a good sense of humour is something that would always attract me. I hope that he has a good sense of humour. I stepped into the kitchen, releasing the wooden frame of the doorway and prepared myself. He sensed my presence and turned away from the fridge, closing the door. "Hey." He grinned. I must say, he did have a beautiful smile. It was contagious and somewhat familiar. I felt a fuzzy feeling in my stomach and I couldn't help but smile back. I suppose it didn't really matter what my husband looked like. You love someone for who they are and not their aesthetics. The person in front of me felt familiar and I felt love for this person. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that I loved this man. Although, it's not exactly how I thought I would feel. It's not as intense as I thought. Not as 'knee buckling', or as 'puddle inducing' as they make it out to be. I felt slightly confused as the feeling became familiar- My thoughts were interrupted when the man in front of me spoke up. His words adding to the frustration that had built during the day. "So is your husband home yet?" "Arg!" 

-----

That is literally how my dream ended. It frustrated me so much. So that's the end.

Or is it?

It basically is, since I haven't been able to have this dream again to continue it or anything.

But...

I was wondering if you guys would like me to use my creative brain to finish it?

You guys can even leave a few suggestions if you'd like.

You can go comment and favorite/vote on my Quotev or my wattpad account.

Quotev - https://www.quotev.com/story/11502830/Familiar-Strangers/1 (Direct link)

Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/story/169343059-familiar-strangers (Direct link)

Tell me what you think.

Kat

[scifibi]

ATTENTION: For anyone who reads fanfiction without leaving feedback

Here’s a few things you should know:

Fanfiction is a gift. 

Fic writers don’t have to share their works with you. They don’t have to write them at all. They do it and they share it because they’re fans of the show/book/movie etc. just like you, and they want to contribute to everyone’s enjoyment of fandom.

Fanfiction is hard to write. 

You need a lot of creativity and passion to write fic. You need a ton of motivation and drive to write a complete fic, let alone a good one. Fic authors write for hours and hours and hours, often staying up late into the night just to write. They write through job struggles and personal issues, resorting to phones and tablets when their computers are on the fritz, tapping away on public buses and trains just because they can’t find any other time to write.

Fanfiction is free. 

Fic writers give away thousands and thousands of words of pure fandom magic, and you get to consume all of it for the wonderful price of nothing. The only reward writers receive for themselves (besides a sense of accomplishment) is the response they get from you, the reader. Some don’t even feel that accomplishment until they see kudos and comments telling them how much their work was enjoyed. 

Please. 

No matter how much time you have, even just clicking the kudos button takes less than a second. And if you have time to read 5k words at one go, it’s no stretch at all to take a few more seconds to type ‘good job!’ or ‘i loved this!’ in the comment box and hit send. 

Still not convinced?

1. IF YOU’RE EMBARRASSED / SHY,

Fic authors LOVE hearing from you. Don’t worry about whether you think you’re going to phrase your response well. That’s literally the last thing we care about. Just knowing that you had a good time with something we made is EVERYTHING to us.

2. IF YOU STILL JUST DON’T SEE THE POINT,

I have a very special challenge for you, my friend.

Write a fic.

Go forth, and write a complete, well-structured, well-characterised fic with organic, stimulating dialogue interwoven into a proper, fully fleshed-out storyline. 

Publish your work for all the Internet to see.

And then get back to me.

[bazwillendinflames]

Also young writers - like me - need the encouragement. I’m always quite hard on myself and getting feedback helps boast my self esteem

[kieran-sw]

*Banging pots and pans* THIS. THIS. THIS. THIS. THIS. THIS. THIS.

[suthnmeh]

OwO

[jester-junk]

This. All of this. ALL OF IT!

[munted-llama]

PLEASE!

[kathrinehastings]

Skyrim - Farkas (Part 1)

I trudged on down the path that led me away from Riverwood. I had information on the dragon attack at Helgen and I needed to inform the jarl. I had not slept since Helgen and I was exhausted, but I couldn't stop. I had to get to Whiterun as soon as possible.  I continued walking and turned left at the bridge. I heard a commotion as I came up to a nearby farm. A giant. I pulled the bow off my back and quickly notched an arrow. I aimed for the head and let the arrow fly, but he turned at the last minute and the arrow struck him in the back. He roared in pain and turned to face me. I let loose another arrow and it struck him in the chest. He staggered a bit but continued to advance towards me. I slipped the bow back on in place on my back and unsheathed my sword, steady and ready for a fight. He charged at me and raised his club, I got ready to move and as he brought it down, I rolled out of the way. The move confused him (just as I hoped) and I used that small window to my advantage. I slashed the back of his ankle which caused him to fall to his knees. He was hunched over and probably couldn't get up. I jumped onto his back and climbed to stand in between his shoulder blades. I raised my sword and plunged it into the back of his neck. He let out loud bellow and fell forward.  Dead. I slid off his shoulder and landed on the ground with a soft thud. Three people walked towards me, two women and a man. The first woman spoke. “You handle yourself well. You could make for a decent shield-sister.” She said.  She was wearing armour that I had never seen before. It didn’t look very effective. She had green war paint on her face and piercing amber eyes. “Shield sister?” I asked, confused. “An outsider, eh? Never heard of the companions? An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough.” “Sounds like just thing I was looking for. Could I join you? “Not for me to say. You’ll have to talk to Kodlak Whitemane up in Jorrvaskr. The old man’s got a good sense for people. He can look into your eyes and tell your worth. If you go to him, good luck.” “Thank you. I will.” I turned to leave. The big, burly man that was with them gave me a small smile, while the second woman never gave me a second glance. I smiled back at the man and turned to make my way to Whiterun. I hurried along the path while the others lagged behind. “What’s the matter Farkas?” I heard the first woman say. “What? Oh, nothing…” He spoke with a deep, rough voice. So that’s his name. Farkas. I remembered the importance of my task and made haste to Whiterun. I reached the gates and stepped up to enter when the guards stopped me. “Halt! City’s closed with the dragon about. Official business only.” “That’s why I’m here. I have news from Helgen about the dragon attack.” “Fine, but we’ll be keeping an eye on you.”  They opened the gates and let me through. I immediately made my way up to Dragonsreach. After climbing a considerable amount of steps, I finally made it. I spoke to the Jarl, who then sent me to his court wizard, Farengar Secret-Fire. Farengar directed me to Bleak Falls Barrow to fetch something called a “Dragonstone”. An ancient stone tablet that may or may not even be there. I should leave right away. It is of great importance that I get that tablet as soon as possible. Jorrvaskr will have to wait. 

So this is short and a little to the point. forgive me but I did this a while ago, so it’s not as good as my more recent things but hopefully it’s still good enough.

I hope you like it :)

Please tell me what you think. I love feedback.

Kat <3

[kathrinehastings]

LeonardoxReader

Stress and Meditation

School had been hectic lately and it was really starting to get to you. You had a backpack full of homework and assignments that needed to be done and they were nowhere near complete. You felt overwhelmed and needed help making sense of it all. Sighing, you lifted your forehead off your desk and fixed your hair a bit before getting up. You put a pair of shoes on and crammed everything you needed into your backpack. Stuffing some pillows under your blanket, you tried to make it somewhat resemble a sleeping human and switched your bedroom light off. You slipped out of your bedroom window, closing it but not locking it and made your way down the fire escape and down the nearest manhole.

After walking in the sewer tunnels for a few minutes, you neared the entrance of the lair. As you walked in, you were greeted by Master Splinter, who had a teapot in one hand and book in the other.

"Good evening, (Y/N)." He gave a little bow using only his head. "It's been a long time since you've visited." "Hello Master Splinter. " You returned the little bow. "I know it's been a while. School has been pretty busy." "I see. So you've come here to take a break? Or maybe even celebrate?" "Actually..." You gave a nervous laugh. "I came here because I need help." "Ah." He smiled. "Well, Donatello is in his lab as usual. I'm not sure I'll be of any use to you." He said as he started walking to his room. You giggled. "Thank you, Master Splinter."

You hurried off to Donnie's lab and found him working on something small at his desk. You didn't want to startle him so you knocked lightly on the big metal door and cleared your throat. He looked up from his work, saw you and smiled.

"Hey (Y/N). Long time no see." He said as he stood up to hug you. "Hi Don." You gave him a little squeeze. "How have you been?" He released you and sat back down in his chair.

"Ugh..." You sighed. "Stressed." You hopped onto one of his open desks and sat cross-legged. "School has me drowning in heaps of homework and projects. I really think that they're out to get me."

Donnie laughed. "It can't be that bad. It's only high school."

You raised your eyebrows at him and paused before pulling you backpack off your back and dropping it from where you were sitting. It hit the hard concrete floor with a loud thud, making it sound like it was loaded with large rocks. Donnie's smile faltered.

He cleared his throat and frowned. "Have you been procrastinating again?"

"Oh my gosh, that was one time!" You cried, dropping your head in your hands.

"Twice, I believe."

You groaned extra loudly before lifting your head to look at him. "I promise this time I didn't procrastinate. Not even once. I've been trying so hard to keep up but it always gets extra busy this time of year." You dropped your head in your hands again. "I just need a break."

Donnie sighed and thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll help."

"Don. You don't have to." You said with your head still in your hands, making your voice sound weirdly muffled.  "That's not why I came down here." You said sheepishly.

"Oh, I know." He got up from his seat. "Trust me... We all know."

You groaned again and looked up at him with lidded eyes.

"I will help, but you need to get into the right mindset." He stepped up to where you were sitting and put your bag on the desk next to you. "You need to relax a little before we start." He looked at you expectantly. "Go... Refresh your mind."

"I think Master Splinter is busy."

"I wasn't talking about Master Splinter."

You sighed heavily. "You're doing this on purpose."

"Actually, this time I'm not." Donnie started clearing one of his desks. "He's in the dojo right now, meditating and like you said, Master Splinter is busy."

"Okay, fine." You hopped off the desk. "But only because you're helping."

He turned to you and smiled cheekily. "Have fun."

You scoffed and punched him playfully before walking out of the lab.

You started to feel nervous as you walked to the dojo. The thought of being alone with Leo made your heart race and your stomach do flips. You've liked him for quite some time now and everybody knew, except Leo obviously... you hoped. You walked through the lair and passed the entertainment area were you saw Mikey playing video games, yet he was too engrossed in his game to take note of you or your silent plea for help. You heard Raph's grunts from somewhere else in the lair, indicating that the was working out... And couldn't help you either. You whimpered softly and continued your 'long' journey to the dojo. 

You stopped just outside the door and noticed that it was open slightly. You peeked in, making sure that you weren't seen or heard. The lights were off but it wasn't dark. The dojo was bathed in soft yellow light coming from the many candles Leo had lit. It gave the room a warm, soothing feeling. Your eyes moved around the room and eventually fell on Leo. He had switched his weapons and armour for a simple, snug pair of sweatpants and he had his bare shell facing you, allowing you a full view of it without those huge straps or swords. The subtle flickering lights danced on the turtle's large shell, the light catching the raised edges and the shadows filling the deeper ridges. You stared at it for a while, marveling at how amazing it was and realising that they don't get to see how beautiful their shells could be... Unless they had, like, a mirror or something... But it probably just wouldn't be the same.

 You quietly stepped inside the dojo and walked closer to Leo, hoping that you wouldn't startle him.

"You can't sneak up on me."

You nearly jumped out of your skin. "Jeez, Leo." You held your hand over your heart as it felt like it was going to beat out of your chest. "I wasn't trying to."

He chuckled a bit. "Then what's with the creeping?"

You walked around to the front of him and noticed that he still had his eyes closed. "I was trying not to startle you."

He smiled, "As if you could ever take me by surprise."

He opened his eyes suddenly, staring at you intently. As if he knew exactly where to look to meet your gaze. His eyes were so blue, they were beautiful in the light that the candles were giving off. You held his gaze for a bit before pretending to study the candles, if you didn't look away you probably would have started to stare and creep him out.

"So..." You shifted your weight from foot to foot. "Donnie said that you could help me relax." You glanced at him nervously. "Help me clear my mind with, like, meditation and stuff."

"School working you too hard?"

"Yeah. Donnie said I need my mind to be fresh before I tackle the heap of work I have." You glanced at him before staring at your shoes.

"Well, you've come to the right place." He smiled. "Please. Sit." He gestured to the space in front of him and you sat quickly, crossing your legs. "Now. First, close your eyes." You did as you were told and shut them firmly. Leo looked at you and chuckled at how hard you had closed, your brows furrowed and your eyes scrunched up tightly.

"Not so hard. Just relax."

You loosened up a bit and tried to relax.

"Inhale deeply," He said softly. "and hold it for a bit."

You inhaled deeply and took in all of the different smells in the room. The first scent was of melted candle wax. It overwhelmed you a bit and almost completely drowned out any other smells, but then you caught his scent. Immediately your brain went blank and you felt yourself relax. A feeling of safety and calm washed over you and you sighed as you exhaled.

"Good." Leo exhaled as well. "Continue."

You repeated this exercise for a few minutes and felt a lot better. You cracked one eye open to look at Leo. He seemed to be in his own world, completely oblivious to the fact that you were still sitting there. You opened both of your eyes and studied him. He looked completely content to sit there for all eternity, just breathing. You watched him do his breathing exercise, how his torso seemed to expand when he inhaled and the rise and fall of his chest and shoulders.  Suddenly, you became all too aware of the fact that he was basically shirtless. You felt your face heat up and you tore your gaze away, only to look again a few moments later. You didn't want to start staring, so you wanted to ask him when this little session would end but you weren't quite sure how to do so... politely.

You thought for a moment. You couldn't just get up and leave. That would be rude. You didn't want touch him, you might startle him with the sudden contact so tapping on his knee or something would be out of the question.

You chewed on your bottom lip, and thought of something so silly, it might just work.

"... Leo." You whispered.

Nothing.

He didn't even flinch.

"Leo." You whispered a little louder but still nothing. "Leo!" You whisper-yelled.

He just sat there, borderline dead, save for the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. You leaned back and let yourself lie down, staring at the ceiling. You moved your arms up to cradle your head but accidentally knocked a stand in the process, sending a wooden bo-staff clattering to the floor.

You covered your face with your hands and cringed hard before peeking at Leo through your fingers, but he hadn't moved a muscle.

"What?!" You said, a little too loudly... Or thought it was too loud but it clearly wasn't because Leo had still not moved.

You gave up.

You sat up straight and cupped your face in your hands, your elbows resting on your knees. You frowned at him, before crawling towards him slightly. You sat back on your legs and leaned forward a little, waving your hand in front of his face.

"Boo!"

You screamed and fell backwards onto the floor. Leo was laughing hard. A loud, hearty laugh that you could feel in your chest, the sound bringing butterflies to your stomach. You quickly tried to gain your composure, scrambling to get onto all fours and pounced on Leo, tackling him to the ground. He caught you, mid-tackle, and allowed himself to fall back gently, rocking you both back and forth on his shell. 

You squirmed in his grip but he wouldn't let you go. He just held you there, chuckling to himself.

"Well, you got me." You huffed. "Are you happy now?"

"Do you feel better now?" He smiled.

"Don't answer my question with another question."

"Why not?"

"Because..." You paused, realising what he did and started laughing. "Just let go of me."

He let go of you slowly and you managed to roll onto the floor without actually falling off of him and hurting yourself.

"I feel better," you said as you got to your feet. "but the thought of going back to my homework makes me tired."

He chuckled. "How about you leave it for tonight then?" He stood up quickly for someone with a large shell on their back. "You could come back down tomorrow."

"Maybe I will."

He seemed to perk up when you said that. You smiled at him and moved to leave the dojo, but turned around again.

"Thanks." You said, playing with your hair nervously.

"Any time." He smiled.

"I'm... I'll probably head home after getting my stuff," You glanced a your watch quickly and noticed that it was getting quite late. "so... I'll see you tomorrow?" You glanced at your watch again, only just realising that it was well after midnight. "Or later, technically."

"Yeah... Later." He chuckled.

You smiled and gave him a little wave before heading back to Donnie's lab.

You walked into the lab with a slight skip in your step and a huge smile on your face.

"Hey, Don?" You called out. "It's getting pretty late and I think I should head home. I'm gonna need the sleep if I'm gonna tackle all of this work soon."

Donnie looked up from his desk and adjusted his glasses. "Did Leo help at least?"

You hoped that Donnie didn't notice the slight blush that crept up onto your face. "Yeah, a little." You said with a nervous chuckle. 

"Well, I managed to make you a schedule of sorts and left enough time for your procrastination too, don't worry." 

You groaned and rolled your eyes. "Don." You whined.

"I'm kidding, (Y/N)." He laughed. "We can continue tomorrow, if you'd like?" He gathered up your things not noticing your vigorous nodding. "Wait, you are coming tomorrow, right?"

"Hmm hmm." You hummed in agreement as you took your heavy backpack from him.

"Of course you're coming tomorrow. Why wouldn't you..." He mumbled just loud enough for you to hear.

"Donnie."

He smirked and ruffled your hair. "Night kiddo. Sleep tight." 

You huffed in annoyance and tried to fix your hair, grumbling a goodnight as he went back to his work. Walking out into the main area of the lair you noticed Leo waiting at the entrance, dressed in his gear and looking ready to leave.

"Leo?"

"Oh hey. Master splinter asked me to make sure you get home safe." He smiled. 

"Oh... That's nice if him." You looked behind you and you could have sworn you saw the tip of his tail disappear around the corner.

"Here, let me take that." 

Your attention shifted back to Leo when he gently took your backpack from you. "Thanks." You smiled.

He returned your smile and headed out. You were about to follow when Donnie popped up out of nowhere and whispered in your ear.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

You gasped. "Donatello!"

----

"Thanks for walking me home, Leo." You  climbed through your window and put your backpack down, trying not to make too much noise. 

"No problem, (Y/N)." He stayed outside on the fire escape, making sure to stay in the shadows.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow." You said without making eye contact.

"Yeah..." He trailed off.

You watched him as he shuffled around nervously, clearly wanting to say more and not making any move to leave. Slightly confused, you moved closer to the window and when he didn't say anything, you spoke first.

"Um... Do you want to come inside?"

This seemed to make whatever he was going though even more problematic. He tensed and glanced at you a few times before shaking his head.

"I'm really not very good at this." He mumbled.

Now you were even more confused. You stepped over the windowsill and sat on it, facing Leo. "Leo," You placed a hand on his forearm and squeezed gently. "what's going on? What are you not good at?"

"Asking you out."

You froze.

"W-What?" Now you were sure that you somewhat resembled a tomato and your eyes were the size of dinner plates. "Me?" He chuckled at your strange question and you mentally face palmed. "I mean..." You shook your head trying to shake your thoughts into place. "Yes!" You said a little too enthusiastically. "I meant yes." 

"Great. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He smiled and started to move away but turned around quickly and gave you a peck on the cheek.

"Wait a minute.... Who told you?" You asked him with a skeptical look.

He paused on the railing of the fire escape and grinned, keeping his back to you. "Splinter." And then he was gone.

"I knew it."

****

Sooo... This was my first attempt at a "X reader" kinda thing so forgive me if its crappy. I really wasn't sure how to do this because I didn't want to give the reader too much of a personality. I wanted to leave her fairly neutral because I didn't want anyone to read it and be like "ugh, I would never to that!"... But I did give her a little bit of substance here and there.

I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, because, like my sister says, I am a fragile piece of cheese. So please leave a comment...

Thank you so much for your support

Love Kat ❤

[succubusvenus]

I wasn’t asked to a single dance in high school and didn’t have a serious romantic relationship until I was 22. And like, yeah that shit hurt when I was younger. I had a lot of fears that I was unlovable and that I didn’t deserve to be happy. And every time I would try to talk to anyone about it, the conversation became, “you’ll find someone”, when it should have been, “you don’t need a relationship or a date, you’re lovable & complete & beautiful on your own”.

So yeah, please normalize young people not dating, and please stop shaming them for it. There’s more to life than romance, despite what the media wants us to think.

[littlebitoffanfic]

Oh my god YES! I hung about with a group of girls who lose their virginity’s at such a young age, like Im talking 12-14 to older guys (18+). I remember being so jealous and hating myself because I was the only one in the group who was still a virgin and they would always make snide comments about it. It really made me feel disgusting and shattered any confidence I would have had because I thought no one wanted me. I was pressured into dating apps at 15 years old and had some disgusting people talking to me even when they found out my age. Looking back on it now, the guys they slept with were vile. One girl was with a guy when she was 15 and he was 26! One girl got into an abuse relationship at 14 that took her from being the top in our classes down to a someone who skipped school, took drugs, failed all exams and got pregnant to a guy who already had a child he couldn’t see due to drugs and violence. Please please PLEASE don’t be pressured into doing ANYTHING while you’re young! Sex, drugs, boys/girls, anything. first person I slept with and had a proper relationship with was my current partner when I was 18 (and we have been together 4 years now) and we had known each other for 5 years before that. I was so scared to tell him I was still a virgin because I thought it made me less feminine and attractive. If you don’t feel comfortable with something, you don’t have to do it. If your friends still pressure you to do something, they aren’t your friends.

[kathrinehastings]

Wednesday Addams by hastingskathrine featuring thigh high socks

Thigh high socks, 155 ZAR / Design Lab lace up shoes, 1 125 ZAR

[spacetravels]

So you want to make an OC?: A Masterpost of Ways to Create, Develop, and Make Good OCs!

i made this masterpost in hopes that it helps you in making your own OCs ah;; it can also apply to developing RP characters i suppose! if you’d like to add more resources then go for it sugar pea (´ヮ`)!

How to Write Better OCs:

basic tips on how to make your oc even better

tragic backstory? learn how to write one/make yours great

writing specific characters

a wordier, great guide on how to develop your character

kick out those vague descriptions and make them AWESOME

Character Development:

how to actually make an OC

Q&A (to develop characters)

more Q&As

giving your character a backstory

how to write an attractive character

Diversity

adding more racial diversity

avoiding tokenism, AKA, how to add diversity to your cast not just because you “need” it

writing sexuality and gender expression (doesnt include non binary, if you have a good ref to that, please add on!)

masterpost on writing more diversity into your story

cultures of the world

guides to drawing different ethnicities (not just a great art reference, but also really helpful in appearance descriptions!)

Mary Sue/Gary Stu

Test to see if your character is a Sue

Explains subdivisions of Sues/Stus

Powerful Characters Don’t Have to Be Sues

Villains

villain generator

need an evil sounding name for your evil character? bam

villain archetypes

what’s your villain’s motive for being a villain?

Relationships

character perceptions (What your character thinks of themselves and what others think of them)

how to write strong relationships between two characters

8 ways to write better characters and develop their relationships with others

OCxLove Interest Handbook 

develop your couple with good ol’ Q&A!

how to write realistic relationships

how to write relatives for your characters (this is more OC related to a canon character, but will help in writing family members in general)

ARCHETYPES

12 common archetypes

8 archetypes for male/female characters

female archetypes (goes pretty indepth from two main categories)

a list of archetypes

NAMES

how to name your character

random name generator

most common surnames

surnames by ethnicity

APPEARANCE

tips for better design

basic appearance generator

pinterest board for character design (includes NSFW and images of skeletons/exposed muscle (?) so tread carefully!)

clothing ref masterpost

DETAILS

give your character better powers

a list of professions

proactive vs reactive characters

positive and negative traits

interest generator

skills generator

motivation generator

123 ideas for character flaws

list of phobias

again, this is to help inspire you or help establish your OCs! i hope you get a lot of info and help from this ahh ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

[turnabout4what]

CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW AMAZING THIS REF IS? PLEASE LOOK AT THIS PLEASE

[querty]

rebloging this because I didn’t know at least 12 of these options

[oc-and-otp-ideas]

hey guys, i know this isn’t a normal imagine your ocs post, but here’s some really good reference !!

[tag-ur-oc]

This has nothing to do with tagging your oc’s but this is really helpful!

[kathrinehastings]

Smoke and Magic

Azalea Blackwood has just moved back to Beacon Hills after being gone for six years. She tries to start anew while living with her uncle and cousin, who she goes to school with. A lot has changed for Azalea in the few years that she was gone, but as she has changed, so has Beacon Hills. Strange things are happening and Azalea has to help solve supernatural problems with her friends whilst solving her own supernatural problems on her own, as well as normal teenage girl problems. Being invisible is difficult when your past is trying to catch up with you, especially one as strange as hers.

https://www.quotev.com/story/7260625/Smoke-and-Magic/2

[kathrinehastings]

The sidekicks

My name is Amelia Kathrine Richards. My mother died when I was two years old and I ran away from my alcoholic father when I was eight. My uncle Kevin taught me everything he knew. I became one of the best thieves in London by the time I was twelve. I was 18 when we were doing a big job one day and my uncle got shot, he didn't die but he did get caught. I tried to help him but he said that I should go, run and don't look back. I went to America. I was trained for two years. Then I met Selina Kyle.

https://www.quotev.com/story/7120482/The-Sidekicks/1

[kathrinehastings]

Azalea becomes visable by hastingskathrine featuring an incoco nail polish

Shirt top, 145 ZAR / Zipper coat, 135 ZAR / Alo mesh insert legging, 1 745 ZAR / Bling Jewelry rose quartz crystal necklace, 340 ZAR / Incoco nail polish, 280 ZAR

[kathrinehastings]

Practicing the practice by hastingskathrine featuring halloween home decor

Knit cardigan, 680 ZAR / BKE core cotton tank top, 205 ZAR / High-waisted pants, 180 ZAR / Chunky necklace, 720 ZAR / Pier 1 Imports halloween home decor, 325 ZAR / Drinkware, 405 ZAR