your man o'war

it/its | 20 | requests open

[man-o-war-journal]

Main Blog: @yourmanofwar

Mostly in the business of x readers

If you enjoy my work and have a request, my ask box should be open! Just keep in mind I'm a slow writer.

Constructive criticism is always welcome, I'm literally begging, please if you have any critiques tell me. (note: this doesn't mean saying "this fuckin sucks" that's not criticism that's just.. disapproval)

90% of these are no beta, we die like men around here.

[man-o-war-journal]

if you saw me post a draft no you did not

[man-o-war-journal]

sonuvagun I gotta write that part 2 now

[man-o-war-journal]

AU where you and Gaster both live in the void | gender neutral reader | extremely quick drabble

can you imagine being stuck in-between worlds forever with one person?

maybe you don't remember how you got there, or who you were before, but you have a feeling. just the smallest inkling of an idea about what your past could have been, but it's a slurry of who you were and could have been. the world between worlds might have grabbed all of you at once, unceremoniously shoving every ounce that was once spread across time and space into one vessel. it's cramped, overwhelming at first as you get used to this brand new sensation. of course this is all just happening in your head.

outside, you're so still. your eyes are glazed over and vacant, overwhelm physically manifested in your frown and the way you can help but furrow your brows slightly. you're a fraction of the person you once were, and all of your potential at once. emotionally it's like if a full laundry basket could be a person.

to your left stands another figure, shoulder to shoulder. he was there when you arrived, and you didn't feel like asking questions. with time, be it a minute or a century, you got used to him. there wasn't a lot to be said between you, but you both knew your situation was bleak in retrospect. there was an impression of a melancholy feeling brewing in your gut that felt louder than the overwhelming "everything else" you felt.

cold fingers graze yours, you don't immediately react. turning your head ever so slightly, you look down to see the stranger's knuckle just a hairsbreadth away from yours. he was trying to hold your hand. usually you'd probably swat his hand away, but nothing about this was usual and in the back of your mind you knew that. after giving a moment of hesitation, your fingers slide between his. it was a rather loose hold, showing your uncertainty of the situation. the stranger decides to bridge the gap, actually taking your hand and holding it reassuringly firm.

from that moment it was obvious that all you had was each other, and you both were going to make the best of this existence.

[man-o-war-journal]

hey guys uhh.. I'm working on what hopefully will be a chapter fic and not just a one-shot of a w.d. gaster x reader.. there's like maybe 2 active authors I know but I wanna ask for advice writing him?

anything would help, but I'm more worried about dialogue.. I think I have the uncanny, slightly stir crazy, fidgety behavior down since what I've got going on takes place in the void and he's already been marinating in it for a while.

I know I could just read everything in the tag for "research" but I wanna actually pick y'all's brains for a moment what do y'all do to help write him.

[man-o-war-journal]

𝗔𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 , 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:🌺🩷🪷🦄🌸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:❤️‍🔥👿👹🔥

I kinda took this a bit further and added like 🌊🫧☀️🌺💅 to the vibe, because when I think bubbly and summer-y I think beach trips. I also sorta had gyaru on my mind.. anywho!

(A/N: I call him Someone/A Knight interchangeably, can be read as platonic but towards the end it gets more romantic, it is explicitly stated when the headcanon is romantic)

A Knight x Bubbly!Reader [GN]

Your bright and cheery disposition was absolutely refreshing to Someone. He alone was a rather determined and optimistic person, but you were all energy and smiles. To him, you were like the sunrise, all bright and warm. A promise of prosperity and good times to come.

Of course, you're also no one-trick pony. As a human, you have layers, duality. You are multifaceted, Someone found you formidable just as much as he did encouraging.

You weren't just the sun to him, but the sea as well, ever changing and powerful. A part of him felt like the horizon, caught between your duality. Your wrath was something to behold, but A Knight found it to be just as beautiful as the rest of you.

You were revelry and conquest, prideful, wearing vibrant colors and jewelry that clinked, clattered, and reflected the sun; demanding attention. And his attention you did have, A Knight even went through the trouble of making a new adornment for his sword in your signature color.

The juxtaposition of both ribbons wrapped around the cross-guard of his sword was bittersweet. An old token of affection from a friend lost to time, a fading memory. Its color faded slightly, dulling next to your ribbon, a new memory made.

The dull blue ribbon reminds him of what he once fought for, and yours inspires him to continue moving with pride and conviction.

In his spare time, Someone would write poetry inspired by you. Often the protagonist is a personified flower, storm, or simply the sea itself.

A Knight unfortunately cannot get wet, he may accompany you to the beach, but will settle for watching you from shore. Sand does find its way into his gauntlets as well, but the discomfort is greatly dulled by your presence.

He is the first to apologize if you ever fight, chivalrous as he is, but you are both very stubborn beings sometimes. It may take hours for him to set aside his convictions to find a compromise with you. Of course, seeing your rage and passion does stir an ache of longing in his heart as well. He can't stay mad at you forever, but he'd also be lying if he said he hated seeing you angry.

You're no mere damsel in distress to A Knight, he finds you completely competent, but would never pass up the opportunity to defend you. It's a very delicate matter to him though, and sometimes he can get ahead of himself.

If you insist he back down from coming to your aid, of course he'd understand, but he'd awkwardly attempt to argue that he must! Its his duty! Of course he doesn't see you as lesser, but Someone was born to serve.

He is an extremely dutiful lover, ready to submit himself to you with the vaguest of motions. If you accept his submission he is essentially clay in your hands, but of course even he has his own desires. He'll follow your whims, but following his own does take convincing. You'd have to demand he take a more dominant role in the relationship before he even thinks about not serving you to his fullest potential.

[man-o-war-journal]

I just wanna saaaay I love your work they r soooo good, thanks for all your writings 🫶😭

WAHHH THANK YOU!!!!! (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

oh also while I have you! your request is 100% doable, I haven't really drabbled in a hot minute, but as someone who love love LOVES the ocean I'm actually pretty excited to get started!

[sugarscrkfics]

How the Beasts would hold your hand

First headcanon list yay

Contains: Mystic Flour, Burning Spice, Shadow Milk, Eternal Sugar, Silent Salt

Mystic Flour

Very daintily, like she is barely keeping a grip.

Average sized hands. They feel very smooth. You wonder what kind of lotion she loses.

Would never be the one to hold your hand first. Simply lets you do so and accepts it.

May leave a remark about how "pointless" your sign of affection is, but you know full well she's the fakest idgafer on Earthbread.

Burning Spice

Call your doctor after this.

VERY large hands, VERY tight grip. Could probably unintentionally break your fingers.

You'd have to remind him to loosen up so he doesn't give you a hospital visit.

Roughest hands imagineable.

Doesn't admit it, but LOVES holding your hand. Rarely does so, however, unless you ask him to.

Shadow Milk

Holds one single finger. At least, in public. He'd cringe and stick his tongue out at you so he can make it clear to anyone watching he doesn't like it (even though he does).

You ever seen that one Disneyland clip where the Jack actor is freaking out about Sally holding his hand when she suddenly runs away? Yeah.

In private is a whole different story, though. He holds it with much more intent and with a better grip.

His hands aren't rough, but not silky smooth either.

He'll kill you if you tell ANYONE that he's being soft and mushy with you.

Eternal Sugar Cookie

Oh lord have mercy.

Probably the CHAMPION hand holder.

She'll grab your hand unconsciously, dragging you along with her. Maybe even rubbing her thumb against you.

Hands just as soft as Mystic Flour's. All natural.

As a bonus, she'd occasionally kiss it, just so she can see the look on your face.

Silent Salt

Obviously, all you're gonna feel is cold metal.

Cold metal that warms up overtime thanks to you.

He holds it tight enough to keep a good grip, but also loose enough so you wouldn't be uncomfortable.

He usually only does it when he's guiding you somewhere, but rarely, he'll ask you to hold his hand while he rests. Just so he can squeeze it to remind himself he isn't alone anymore.

[sublime-roadkill-eating-poet]

CARRIE X READER HEADCANONS

A/N:Mentions of nightmares, PTSD flashbacks, panic/anxiety attacks, and being wounded in battle. Can be read as platonic, but romantic was in mind for some of these! Might be ooc, sorry.(images credits go to @marshalllir )

With how distrustful Carrie is of other people, you're quite surprised that he is this close to you.

If you match his energy, you two are like partners in crime. If not, he'll mellow out a little bit around you, like you've knocked some humanity sense back into him

Playful teasing, punches, and nicknames are guaranteed. He will immediately stop if you ask him to, and won't do it again unless you say otherwise

Gains a better sense of self preservation. Can't really be by your side if he keeps on dying over and over again!

^ Openly denies this when you point it out. Openly denies many things like this.

"Dying hurts, believe it or not. I'm not doing this because of you. I'm not doing this because of anybody!"

You will have to deal with him saying things like that. Partially because he's still trying to keep you at a distance, partially because he wants to believe himself.

Makes a point to keep a hand on your back or shoulder at all times. Might also give you headpats if you're shorter than him.

Sneaks some of his rations to you.

^ If he's in a good mood (or scraped something extra off another soldier) he'll give you either the entire stale bread roll or a good portion of his meal. If he's feeling pissy (or he lost some of his rations in a bet) he'll still give you SOMETHING. It may be half of said bread roll, but it's better than nothing.

"You're practically skin an' bones underneath that uniform o' yours. Eat."

Keeps on sneaking off to join your group on the battlefield if you're not assigned together (He'll deal with the citations from Lieutenant Kelly later.)

WAY more worried about you than himself.

"Where's your bloody gas mask!?! Put it on, for hell's sake!" "Keep your head down! Are you fuckin' stupid!?! You want some dead bastard's face as a replacement!?!"

INSISTS on patching you up on the battlefield. Don't ask him why his hands are shaking.

"Piss off! I've got everything under control, thank you very much!"

Will let you use his bullets if you've run dry, and he may even just shove his rifle in your hand while he tries to fix yours.

Covers for you out on the field, and if you die he's searching for any sign of your corpse like a madman.

If he can't find it, he'll be dissecting bodies with an eye out for you.

Frequently practices shooting and hand-to-hand combat with you. Ignore how close he stands next to you when shooting rifles, or how he holds you when grappling. He defects any comments on it with calling you stupid.

"Talkin' an awful lotta shit for somebody who aims worse than a blind dog." "What's that? I couldn't hear that over your lack of structure! Improve your fighting stance!"

Randomly gives you things. Cigs, magazine scraps, dog tags from corpses, shiny things he thought you'd like.

"Lookit that, eh? Thought you'd enjoy something like this."

Will ask you to play cards with him. If you do, he'll gladly bet things with you. Don't mind how he won't let you gamble away your food, or how the things you lost might magically appear under your bed (<- 50/50 on that one, though. He enjoys his keepsakes.)

If you don't like playing cards or stuff like that, at least come with him and watch, he's been needing a lucky charm. And an excuse to show off.

"C'mon you, I need something in my favor tonight."

Besides the doctor, you're the only one allowed to touch his bandages or teeth. He might get a little shy if you openly adore his teeth.

"Weird one, ain'tcha? They're just teeth...not even pretty ones at that."

Will defend you at any opportunity. Other soldiers being rude to you? He's starting a fight. Getting berated by a higher up? Suddenly you're in the right.

Will try and get his schedule rearranged so he can do more in-base chores with you.

"You're the only sensible one here, believe it or not. So use that sense and stop asking me why I'm here. Didn'tcha miss me?"

If he REALLY likes you, he might try to convince you to carve some kind of reminder in your skin. A letter, a symbol, something for if you only shreds of you come back from the Machine. It's fine if you don't want to, he's already done it to himself.

He'll show you pictures and share stories from his life back home (If he remembers any.) He'll intently listen to your own stories and look at your photos with something you may be crazy enough to think is warmth.

"Ah, that's real sweet...almost jealous of ya."

Opens up about nightmares, often downplaying them. If you tell him about yours, he'll try and lighten the mood with some dry humor.

"Good thing it's not real then, eh? That would suck."

Any sort of panic attack or flashback is met with him squeezing you. It's one of the few times he lets himself be outwardly affectionate with you. Maybe if he crushes you hard enough everything bad will leak out of you and dry out on the floor.

He may not feel entirely human anymore, but you remind him of something soft and warm he almost forgot. Maybe he can care about somebody again. Maybe.

A/N:Let me know if you guys want more of this! Requests are open as of now :3 I'm soooo normal about him, trust.

[xxetherealsweetheartxx]

AUSTRIAN HEADCANONS FOR KÖNIG AND KRUEGER

By someone who lived her whole life in austria (The only reason I'm writing this is because some of the things you guys write about them just because they're austrian is sterotypical/borderline racist, google is free)

✿First of all, it’s not common for austrians/germans to call partners MEIN liebling/Schatz, you don’t have to write the meine/r. Also König would NOT call you Maus/Mäuschen, I literally heard no one ever say that in a romantic context

✿I don’t think König or Krueger are from Vienna. König strikes me as someone from Burgenland and Krueger from Salzburg. 

✿Considering König is at least 40 years old, he won’t say “Hallo” but rather “Servus/Grüß Gott”, is greeting most middle aged/old people use.

✿For football (soccer) clubs I think König would be a Rapid fan and Krueger a FC Red Bull Salzburg fan.

✿Both are avid almdudler drinkers. (A lemonade soda drink with herbs (it’s so good))

✿Kruger’s favorite food from his home country is Kaiserschmarrn and Apfelstrudel (He has a sweet tooth)

✿König loves Frittaten soup and Mohnnudeln (Me 2). His mom made the soup often and everytime he eats it, he gets the biggest nostalgia trip.

✿Realistically I’m pretty sure König’s dialect would be so fat I’d barely understand it. Krueger’s would be more understandable. ✿König wouldn't listen to anything too heavy, the most he'll listen is Rammstein, but as a teen. As an adult he loves songs like "Griechischer Wein" by Udo Jürgens and generally austropop ✿Krueger secretly listens to austrian Schlager, but his favourite radio station would be 88.6 (A rock/metal radio station) ✿König would often do ski vacation is Tirol, mostly Kitzbühl (If you're a writer and you're unsure how to incorperate their country in writing, you can DM me. Don't be uneducated and write something about austria/austrians that is not true.)

[radio-ghost-cooks]

i am once again thinking about the fact that Phillip Graves and i are the same height

but i'm also thinking abt how fun it would be to be his partner if you were like, significantly taller than him. so it's drabble time! (been a while lmao)

tags: carry that PMC soldier like a koala!!!!, it's just fluff, so much fluff, goofy Graves, height difference shit, gn reader

PICK HIM UP!!!!

fireman carry him when he's being annoying. princess carry him when u wanna tease him. koaka carry him around the house. carry him across your shoulders. just for funsies.

literally all of your shirts are too long on him. that man would put your hoodies and have sweater paws every damn time.

please cuddling would be so good,,,,,,,, wrap ur arms around him and he'd fit so perfectly

imo one of the good things abt being under 6 foot is you get the best cuddles. like having a great big cat curled around you

it's so easy to just. nuzzle his ass. forehead/top of head kisses.

meanwhile he just randomly cat-bonks you in the shoulder/ribs

i'm gonna do a version of this that's just. fluff. masc reader oriented bc i am, in fact, a masc reader

[man-o-war-journal]

hello tis i

durandal anon

no request, i just came in to say hi :)

DURANDAL!!!!!!

Lovely to see you here again lol

[veraynes-blog]

WIP Tag Game

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous.  Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have wips.

Tagged by @tenderlywicked 😊 Thanks for the tag!

Titles below:

Reclamation (HP, Harry/Draco)

The Colour of Light (Good Omens, Crowley/Aziraphale)

Saxteen Retirement AU (uhh, working title. Doctor Who, Fourteen/Simm!Master)

Tagging @imdoingawesome, @hobgoblinns and @the-reason-for-being. No pressure to play if you don't want to! 😊

[the-reason-for-being-deactivate]

Tagged by @veraynes-blog - thank you!

My WIP titles are also works in progress, so take them with a grain of salt XD

titles:

if it aint broke, break it - (Doctor Who, tensimm)

catastrophe - (Broadchurch, alec hardy & adopted cat)

tag, you're it! - @theprodigalpragmatist and @taraiha

[theprodigalpragmatist]

tagged by @the-reason-for-being (danke schön 🤩)

titles…wip titles…

“suffer 2: 2 fast 2 fur” (can’t even take credit for the title that’s all charlie) - doctor who, tensimm

“barely any ground left to stand on” - doctor who, tensimm

“get fuckt, dude” - broadchurch, alec centric

tagging @that-tired-artist and @harrowq and @radio-ghost-cooks (no pressure yall!)

[radio-ghost-cooks]

hehe I've been tagged (dank je wel @theprodigalpragmatist)

tbh I never really name things so I'm just coming up with these on the fly

"I'll never give in ('til I'm bloody and bruised)" - doctor who, master whump

"everything's fine fine fine fine" - doctor who, tensimm

"5-02-1998 (the day the music died)" - original story, character development

hrmmmmm ig I'll tag @your-man-of-war (I'd tag two more people but as far as I know ur the only writer pal ive got that I'm not gonna be anxious abt @'ing)

[man-o-war-journal]

OHHHH SHIT I FORGOT I WRITE(/hj)

"Just rumors" - Middleman wants his name out of everyone's mouth, but any publicity is good publicity

[untitled Onion Reverse 1999 fic] - it's an x reader I was requested of with the reader also being a journalist

[untitled Krueger fic] - I don't see a lot of full length Krueger fics here and I wanted to try something using his full backstory.

[has no one to tag :')]

[man-o-war-journal]

hello

it's me

the anon who requested that last a knight x reader

i'mma call myself durandal anon, you wrote really nicely :)

may i have some more crumbs please? a knight but the reader this time is just sleepy and cuddly all the time

thank you for feeding us a knight fans

Holy shit I am so sorry this took forever, life yk? Anyways tysm! Glad you liked the last one and decided to come back, these help get me out of a creative block.

A Knight x Sleepy!Reader [GN]

A/N: some slight fluff towards the end, some bad French from someone who only knows so much, and some invisible man logic

The saying goes "you could sleep through the end of the world" which may be hyperbolic but not so much when it comes to you. Someone was quite alarmed to see you nod off every so often, once even while standing.

Someone had to ask how bad your sleep schedule was, he was worried you didn't get proper sleep at night but to his surprise you actually sleep well!.. A bit too well. You sneak little cat naps when you can, finding the coziest corner or open space to lay down and just doze off for a while. You were certainly at peace that's for sure.

This sleepiness came with a very laid back personality and Someone could appreciate that. It felt refreshing to hear from someone so calm and relaxed, although your groggy mind possibly wasn't the best for important decisions. To see you awake and alert was a surprise at times, but it seemed you could do it on command. Someone liked hearing you speak in clear full sentences and being more verbose than usual but he still wouldn't trade your soft mumbles and murmuring for the world.

Sometimes he'd sigh and say: "Use your words, mon cher." When you reply in your usual low "morning" voice, but he never meant anything bad by it. With you being so comfortable around him he only felt encouraged to be more comfortable with you. He'd let his guard down and start joking around with you, both of you mutually tease the other.

Eventually you two hit a point where you'd lean against him to sleep, resting your head on his shoulder. If you could see Someone's face you'd find a man pink as roses looking away. Being a knight he knows a thing or two about being stoic but lacking a face makes you a bit more comfortable being expressive. To an extent.

The rain always put you to sleep, something about minimal natural lighting and the repetitive pitter patter pitter patter of rain set you even more at ease. The two of you were sitting together on a windowsill, you lean against Someone as he recites to you poems and stories of a time long past. It was a perfect formula, the warm cozy feeling settling in as you rest your weight on someone you hold dear as he spoke softly to you, telling you grand tales of triumph and love. As your eyes fluttered shut you whispered something to him.

"You feel like home,"

This made someone pause, if he had a tangible heart it would've skipped a beat if not several. It's a knight's duty to ensure safety, at least in terms of providing protection through combat but something about this gesture struck a chord in him. Maybe safety was more than physical like he'd thought. No response was spoken, but you could feel a head rest atop yours and an arm pull you in closer. Someone had traveled far and wide the concept of "home" felt alien and unobtainable yet you confide in him and all of a sudden it's within his grasp. The saying goes "home is where the heart is" and his is safely in your hands, in your arms, in every warm embrace you've graced him with.

[man-o-war-journal]

may i have a knight headcanons with someone that's just a bit unruly...feral gremlin, even

thank you, we knight lovers are living off of dust sized crumbs :')

we are and I'm trying my absolute damnedest to feed y'all 🫡

A Knight x Feral!Reader [GN]

Your lack of compliance and free spirited demeanor absolutely captivates him. At first he was hesitant to make your acquaintance but given time he warmed up to you and that captivation turned to admiration.

Of course you had your moments where he'd be bewildered by what you've done. Maybe he's even snapped at you once or twice in the beginning; he demanded that you behave yourself.

Before you two grew closer he'd watch you from afar and think to himself; "What a strange creature, do they not have any fear or regard?" Well, fear? Not much, but regards? Plenty.

The closer you two became the more he understood (most of) your behavior. You weren't so careless you did care, you cared a lot about your freedom and self expression. Soon you cared a lot about him as well, you were concerned for him even.

Worlds collided when you two became friends at first, Someone is loyal and dutiful; he follows orders and bows down. You quite literally have bit the hand that feeds, or so it felt that way to him for a while. It wasn't until he heard you standing up for him and insisting you look after him that Someone started to see your perspective.

Someone always takes it as his duty to fight for the meek and those who can't protect themselves, but he never expected someone to do the same for him.

You were hard to control, stubborn, and determined but gods be damned if he didn't feel enamoured about those qualities you possess as time went on.

He'd often find himself writing poetry inspired by you and what you've done, whether you decided to literally growl at someone that day or you made it clear how you don't take orders from anyone.

You left quite the impression on him and he could only dream of leaving such an impression on you.

As much as he doesn't care to be at the receiving end of your outbursts in the end he could never stay mad at you.

Someone has the patience to wait, you could be at your worst and he'll stand by you just waiting. He'll always greet you sweetly and treat you with the grace you deserve.

[man-o-war-journal]

still taking requests for headcanons and stuff for a Knight, maybe dauntless and Rainbow Six too.

[radio-ghost-cooks]

imagine, if you will, Graves taking you on a fancy vacation

tags: Graves x gn!reader, vacation, shadow!reader, use of petnames ("sweetheart", "baby", "cowboy"), WTNV reference, just really fluffy

please imagine Graves dipping into Shepard's funds to take the Shadows on vacation. Shepard can spare a couple hundred thousand to give them all a few days off (that's how Graves justified it, at least).

it's this place in the Maldives. it floats! it takes a couple of seaplane trips to get everyone out there, but once everyone arrives? the whole place is packed with your teammates. a paradise packed with Shadows.

somehow, Graves managed to get a private beach house just for you and him. you feel a little badly for the Shadows who had to cram themselves into another house for it to happen, but knowing them they probably don't really care. that's the fun thing. you all love each other (everyone just knows that you and Graves love each other a Little Bit More than the others).

it's a taste of the high life for everyone. living in the lap of luxury for a few days. for you, most of it is spent cuddled up with Graves despite the heat.

"you're comfy," Graves hummed, nuzzling into your chest. "yes, and you're hot. literally," you had grunted, snickering a little under your breath, "Phil, sweetheart, it's nearly 90 degrees out here, and you wanna cuddle?" all he did was sigh contentedly and mumble, "you know ya' love it." you really couldn't say he was wrong as you wrapped your arms around him and drifted off a little with him.

the best part of the beach house was the fact that there wasn't a roof over the bedroom. it let all the cool night air fill the house and the sounds of waves around you lulled you both to sleep each night.

Graves brought his knees to his chest and smiled as he looked up at the sky hanging overhead. "what was that thing you always quote again, baby?" he murmured, completely entranced. "what," you asked, "'mostly void, partially star?' do i say it that much?" "kinda, yeah," he admitted with a soft laugh. "m'not complaining though. s' pretty." you gave him a cheeky smile and purred, "not as pretty as you, cowboy." he just shoved his hand into your face and snorted, pushing you back a bit. "oh god, 'cowboy.' are ya' really gonna start callin' me that now?"

it's so oddly domestic that it makes you both a little heartsick. you've known each other a while, but you still feel so overwhelmingly in love. that dumb, sappy puppy love that neither of you got to have when you were younger.

honestly, you could spend the rest of your life just like that. you, and Graves, and your massive number of idiot kids who are also your soldiers.