--- ʀɨռ⋆ɮɛʟʟ ---

⋆...╚⃝  ✧⃝ ⋆ⓟⓘⓢⓒⓔⓢ⋆③⑧⋆✧⃝   ╝⃝ ...⋆

[rin-bellatrix]

💖 rin⋆bell [princess bellatrix]

🎀 03/12/88 ♓️

💝 infp | tomboy | she/her | introvert | chronic procrastinator

⋆✬☆ 𝘽𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨: rhyiona !! [join our Rhyiona Core discord server] and zamara. also I love our sweet baby boy Tim ✨️

🌌 🅑🅞🅡🅓🅔🅡🅛🅐🅝🅓🅢 🌌

𐂯⋆𐂯⋆𐂯

🟩 🅓🅡🅔🅐🅜 🅢🅜🅟 🟩

𐂯⋆𐂯⋆𐂯

❤️ 🅣🅡🅘🅖🅤🅝 ☮️

⋆✬☆ 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔 ©𝒓𝒊𝒏-𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒙 2021-2026 ☆✬⋆

Edition: April 03 2026

[incorrect-borderlands-quotes]

August: Mom am I adopted? Vallory: Why would I pick you?

[passionpeachy]

happy valentines day to the lovers and the biters 💗

[loish]

A gift for Beanie, one of my incredible discord moderators! They requested something with critters and something spaced themed, so it naturally followed that I had to draw space raccoons.

[sanzosin]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @rin-bellatrix

Have a puffy haired moustashe Rhys and a Fiona who just..looks the same cuz she baddaasssss

but i imagine this is how they look like now

AND BONUS for nostalgia

[rin-bellatrix]

GOD I cant pick which picture i like mooore~ theyre PERFECT~!! YOURE SPOILING ME SANNY~!! 😭💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 Thank you, friend 🥹💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[sanzosin]

Ink sketch Louis support commission for @rin-bellatrix

Daybreak and Bell DnD OCs of hers.

kinda wanted to sketch him in human body hope you dont mind, cuz his haiirrrstyyle is sooo cuuuuuuutee!!!!!

[rin-bellatrix]

God, they're perfect 🥹🥹🥹

my babus~ 💖💖💖

Thank you Sanny, love you!! ✨️

[rinartstruggle]

More pixel art!

This time my friends asked me to draw our DnD party on a 64 pixels and 16 pixels tall canvas

It's funny how because colour is one of the only things you see here, you can clearly point out which character is mine if you know anything about how I use colour in design

How the heck do you sign a pixel art? My first name takes half of the 16 pixels tall canvas, and it's only 3 letters! ;∆;

@zerosforks @oh-pretty-blob @rin-bellatrix

[rin-bellatrix]

Look at our cutie patooties~ they're so freaking cute! 🥰💖✨️

In order from left to right: Mwene, Loria, Rex, Bell

[forgottenflickr]

2007

[admiralsweko]

Written for my dearest friend and ship sister, @rin-bellatrix for Christmas 2025.

Merry Christmas, Rin! Your oasis awaits. 😌

Requested Tagged Readers: @plague-cure, @writeastormsblog

If you would like to be added to my tagged readers, please contact me and I'll add you to the list. ❤

This Piece of You (A Saugust One-shot)

I’ll take this piece of you 

And hold for all eternity 

For just one second I felt whole 

As you flew right through me 

Sorrow — Flyleaf

Eyes on the couple in the corner, August watched her from behind the bar as he idly wiped the counter. The rag in his hand did little to clean the scarred wooden surface since the filthy scrap of cloth was dirtier than it by far, but his lazy swipes were more an attempt at busywork than actual washing.

Although they were too far away for him to hear what was being said, he could read her body language, and he recognized the tricks in her arsenal with an irked familiarity. She’d started off flirtatious to soften up the man across from her, coyly teasing with a subtle brush of a finger against his, a smile paired with the coquettish tip of her head, batting long pretty lashes over those fathomless green eyes. But as the negotiation furthered, the act shifted from demure to dogged, her expression hardening as she sat up straighter and kept her hands on her side of the square plank of a table. Clearly their conversation was getting serious. 

“I’ll have ‘nother," Rocco said, drawing August’s attention momentarily to the sop perched with his elbows on the bar. “That is if you can spare a minute to reel your eyes back into your head, old boy.” 

August grunted in reply, pulling a bottle from under the counter and tipping it into Rocco’s tumbler. Amber liquid splashed out, turning the dingy grey of the empty glass a foggy honey. 

“Must be some sight to be pulling your focus like that,” Rocco grinned widely, pink gums shining wetly as his blackout goggles shifted with the movement of his round cheeks. “Who is she?”

“Nobody,” August muttered gruffly. Having given up a long time ago on making sense of how the old man could be so perceptive despite his blindness, he didn't bother asking the drunk how he knew it was a woman that had arrested August’s attention. “Just somebody I used to know.”

“Ah, a ghost from the past, eh?” 

“Something like that.” Making an effort to concentrate, he shifted his piercing blue gaze to Rocco. “What’s it to you, old boy?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing. No reason at all.” Rocco picked up his glass and took a dainty sip of the watery contents. “Just find it interesting that she’s driving such a hard bargain when he’s got that gun trained on her so diligently. She’s either very brave or incredibly stupid. Either way, she sounds just like your type.” 

Rocco let out a hoarse laugh, a rusty saw slicing through the relative hush of the bar. August’s attention snapped to the man seated opposite Sasha, eyes narrowing as he tried to spot the weapon Rocco had picked up on. 

Sure enough, a gray metal barrel poked out of the meaty fist balled on his thigh, hidden in the shadows under the table. 

August was rounding the bar before he even realized he’d moved. Behind him, he heard Rocco make a crack about knights in shining armor. 

“If you think you’re gonna be able to get any stock off-world at that price, you’re better off selling whatever it is you’ve been smoking lately,” Sasha was saying to her companion. Leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, the chill in her imperious gaze could have formed ice crystals on the abandoned bottles between them. 

“Listen here, you little bi—” 

August’s hand met the stranger’s shoulder with a loud thud, knocking the man’s balance off as well as his words. 

“It’s time for you to leave.” August’s tone invited no argument. 

He barely acknowledged the mute shock in Sasha’s gaze, his focus intent on the scum bag still seated in his bar. 

“What the hell, pal? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something here,” the man protested, turning his head to look up at August. His bulbous, veiny nose looked like it had been broken a time or two before and August was tempted to see how many slams against the table it would take to turn it into paste. 

“I said it’s time to go,” August growled, tightening his grip on the man’s sloped shoulder. “Bar’s closing.” 

“Funny, I don’t remember hearing the shout for last call.” The stranger stared at August challengingly, his thin lips pressed into a hard line. “And what kind of bar closes this early anyhow?”

August’s body tensed, muscles flexing as his mind blanked in preparation for a fight. He was about to make good on the idea of squashing this asshole’s fat, red nose like an overripe tomato when Rocco appeared on the other side of the man. 

Plucking at the stranger’s sleeve, he said, “C’mon, old boy. Help a blind fool find the door and I’ll buy you a drink elsewheres. I know a place nearby that’s open late. The servers might be just as mean, but they aren’t nearly as ugly, or so I’m told.”

His grating scratch of a laugh cleaved through the growing tension, effectively diffusing it. 

“Fine, whatever,” the stranger muttered as he twisted August’s heavy hand from his shoulder and stood. Small angry eyes flicked towards Sasha and he spit out, “And fuck you very much too.” 

As soon as the door creaked shut behind the two men, the loud slam of Sasha’s twin fists on the table followed. 

“What the hell, August?” 

He didn’t reply, just turned on his heel and stomped away. 

“You do realize you just cost me a huge pay day, right?” she yelled after him, quickly gaining her own feet. “Are you going to explain yourself?”

He just grunted, frustration hiking his shoulders to his ears as he kept his back to her. Adrenaline riding high in his body, his hands gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white with the effort to hold his temper.

“You heard me,” he said. “I’m shutting down early.” 

“Good luck with that, because I’m not leaving until you tell me what that was all about.”

He spared her a sidelong glance over his shoulder. As expected, everything about her screamed defiance, from the tip of her chin to the cock of her hip.

“Asshole had a gun,” he finally muttered. “Under the table.”

She let out an incredulous snort. “That’s it? August, this is Pandora. Everyone has a gun.” 

“He had it aimed at you while you were sitting there egging him on,” he sneered. “What was I supposed to do, just let him shoot you for mouthin’ off?”

Venting a long-suffering sigh, he could almost hear the roll of her eyes to the ceiling.

“Did it ever occur to you that I might have a shield in my pocket meant for just such an occasion?” Although her forethought in the matter did come as a surprise to him, she continued, the question rhetorical, “Obviously, this isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve been meeting creeps like that for a while now. It’s the cost of doing business.”

“Yeah, well, maybe you need to get into a different business.” 

A bark of a laugh burst from her, humorless and angry. “Wow, okay. You know, when I asked to arrange meet-ups here, I didn’t realize the crappy beer on tap came with free life advice and a belligerent bodyguard.”

“Why are you meeting people here?” he questioned, whirling around to face her. 

To her credit, she didn’t back up when he stalked closer, eager to hear the explanation for the mystery that had been baffling him. 

“What? What do you mean? This is a bar, right? Liquor usually makes people more willing to negotiate. That is when they aren’t getting chased out by the owner. Is that why this place is so empty? Because if that’s some new business strategy, you might want to rethink it.” 

“You know exactly what I mean. Why this place specifically? I don’t hear from you for months, and then all of sudden, here you are,” he flicked his hand at her, the gesture meant to encompass not only her presence in his bar but also in his life, “out of the blue, looking to run smuggling deals at my table. You could go anywhere on this godforsaken planet— hell, even in this shithole of a town. So why here?”

Under his unwavering scrutiny, her angry glare faltered. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it, sealing her reply behind the tight line of her frown. 

“Well?” he demanded, gratified to have her on the verbal backfoot. 

“I–” She stopped. Bringing a hand to her face, she pinched the bridge of her nose, then turned for the door. “It doesn’t matter now. I have to go.” 

“Wait a damn minute,” he demanded, snagging her elbow and spinning her to face him. His hands formed a firm cinch around her biceps to keep her from fleeing. “You were all in a tizzy for an answer from me. Well, now it’s my turn. You’re not running away this time. Tell me why you’re here.” 

She looked up at him for a moment and he was surprised to see the fiery indignation in her eyes fizzle into withdrawn resignation.

“All right, fine. I asked because…” Her head dipped down as she looked away, “because I needed a safe place to meet with clients and I…I knew you’d have my back if things ever got sticky.”

His brows knit together as what she said slowly sunk in. 

“Hang on...” He shook his head in confusion. “You’re telling me that you’re pissed because I stepped in when that’s exactly why you came to me in the first place?” 

Her cheeks were rosy pink as her head snapped up. “Well, you didn’t exactly have the best timing on when you interfered. I had that handled but you blew it. Now I have to go find him and try to undo the mess you made.” 

She jerked in a bid for freedom but he held fast. Heat unfurled in his chest, a lingering ribbon of warmth that enveloped his heart and soothed the persistent ache that had taken up residence there so very long ago. 

As with everything about her, nothing was as it seemed: a simple request was never just a favor, a smile could be a prelude to a blade at your throat, and an argument held the echo of affection. He’d been slow in realizing it — slow in a lot of things, if he was being honest with himself — but now that understanding had taken hold, he saw the signs. 

“Sasha.” 

Even spoken in his gruff voice, her name was a pretty winged thing as beautiful as she was. She stilled instantly at the sound.

Her eyes found his in the quiet that followed. Gone was the rage and fire; spirit and vigor replaced by a keen awareness. The tender teeth of her allure, that fanged bite of her magnetism that had sunk into him from the beginning, pulled him in once more, drawing him closer even while standing still. 

“You trust me,” he breathed.

It was a simple statement, a rather inane one in light of the revelation, yet August had never been one for words. Actions were his language, fluent in brute force and fists. Following that same instinct for touch to voice the emotion that overwhelmed him, he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, skimming the smooth plane of her skin with his calloused thumb. 

She blinked at the contact, clearly surprised by his delicate touch, but she didn’t twist away. Brows pulled together, a wry half grin tugged the corner of her mouth up, a sight that never failed to charm his churlish heart. 

“That’s a stupid thing to say. Of course, I d—”

Afraid of what the rest of the sentence might entail, he didn’t let her finish, trapping the last of her reply with his lips against hers. He savored the tiny gasp of her shock that whispered against his mouth, drinking in the sweet feeling of her astonishment. His other hand rose of its own accord to frame her face, cradling her like the precious treasure she was. 

He may have been a brute, but even he understood the poetry in pleasure and kissing her again was like coming home. Overcome, he wanted to bottle this feeling, to keep this bliss close for when she inevitably ran away once more, leaving him fractured and incomplete.

As if on cue, her fingers circled around his wrists, so reminiscent of the shackles of his ardor for her. He anticipated the imminent withdrawal, half expecting her to peel his hands away from her cheeks, to spit in his eye, and curse him as a fool. 

Looking to spare himself the further heartache, he pulled away first. His hands dropped, clenching into fists at his sides as he stepped back. 

In the air between them, her sharp exhale sounded like the beginning of a word. 

He swallowed a swear, unable to look her in the eye for fear of what he might find there. The unfamiliar taste of an apology thickened on his tongue, but before he could utter the foreign word of regret, she spoke. 

“Why’d you stop?” 

He caught the briefest of glimpses at the impish smile that rested naturally on her mouth. Then her hands were fisted in the front of his shirt and she yanked him down to meet her waiting lips. The return of her kiss burned away his apprehension with its feverish heat. 

Greedily, his arms slipped around her waist to pull her closer. Her lithe frame fit against him as snugly as a glove. She rose on her toes for better leverage, her kisses tenacious and bold. 

Her entire body pressed into him, forcing him to take it. His hands roamed down her back, cupping under her rear to lift her up. She didn’t hesitate to wrap her legs around his hips, enclosing him as tightly as noose. 

Rocking back to accommodate the forward shift of weight, his back hit the bar behind him and he pivoted around to place her seated on the counter. Her hands were in his hair, fisting the short locks to make him tip his head to deepen their kiss. The hot lathe of her tongue against his reawakened something inside him, a dormant but ceaseless hunger that infused him with a powerful desire to take, to feast, to ruin. 

She seemed to sense the change within him. With the practiced shift of her chin, she broke contact to bare her throat, allowing him access to the smooth column of her neck. Haunted by the ghost of deja vu, he buried himself in the secret hollow under her ear, breathing in the heady scent of her. The subtle blend of her aroma flooded his brain, feeling equal parts familiar and necessary, like a lungful of oxygen after a long dive.

Restless in the increment submission, she was at his clothes, tugging and pushing fabric with a haste that spoke to her own overwhelming need, never spending enough effort to get very far before moving on. Her questing fingers eventually landed at his belt buckle and she immediately set to work unfastening it. 

Even as he tracked harsh little nips and wet slips of his tongue against her pulse and along her collarbone, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this wasn’t a good idea. This was not the solution to his persistent yearning, nor a guarantee of security. Deep down, he wanted more than just this one time, this flash of fleeting satisfaction. 

But the future held little interest for him in that moment, while he was so immersed in echoes of the past. The time would come when he would have to answer for these actions later. For now, he gave himself willingly, stepping off that ledge once more to plummet into the swirling chaos that came from loving her so completely. 

[rin-bellatrix]

Commentary (and spoilers) below! ⤵️

Any chance I can get to revisit this absolute GEM of a fic, I'm taking! 😆😆😆 the serotonin I get from this piece is much needed these days, I'm so glad you blessed us Sasha x August shippers with this delectable meal 😌🙏🏽💖 Everyone say, "Thank you super cool and awesome Sweko~!!" 😆😆😆

[August was rounding the bar before he even realized he’d moved. Behind him, he heard Rocco make a crack about knights in shining armor.] YES boy, get your girl!! 😆🙌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 (bonus points for adding a knight reference hehe 🤭💖✨️)

[“Funny, I don’t remember hearing the shout for last call.” The stranger stared at August challengingly, his thin lips pressed into a hard line. “And what kind of bar closes this early anyhow?”] This guy was just BEGGING for some hands to be laid on him 😒🙄😤 maybe if Tector Hodunk is still around, he can help August with that lil problem 😏🙂‍↕️😆

[August’s body tensed, muscles flexing as his mind blanked in preparation for a fight. He was about to make good on the idea of squashing this asshole’s fat, red nose like an overripe tomato when Rocco appeared on the other side of the man.] August was hearing that Kill Bill siren go off in his head at that point 😂😂😂

[A bark of a laugh burst from her, humorless and angry. “Wow, okay. You know, when I asked to arrange meet-ups here, I didn’t realize the crappy beer on tap came with free life advice and a belligerent bodyguard.”] The free life advice and belligerent bodyguard are bonuses, part of the packaged deal 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️😂

[“You know exactly what I mean. Why this place specifically? I don’t hear from you for months, and then all of sudden, here you are,” he flicked his hand at her, the gesture meant to encompass not only her presence in his bar but also in his life, “out of the blue, looking to run smuggling deals at my table. You could go anywhere on this godforsaken planet— hell, even in this shithole of a town. So why here?”] He says all this, AND YET, he let her back... he could've turned her away... but he DIDN'T 😏😏😏

[“Wait a damn minute,” he demanded, snagging her elbow and spinning her to face him. His hands formed a firm cinch around her biceps to keep her from fleeing. “You were all in a tizzy for an answer from me. Well, now it’s my turn. You’re not running away this time. Tell me why you’re here.”] Imagine they both forgot someone was still in the bar, maybe sitting in the corner. And now it's too awkward to announce themselves or leave, so they just gotta sit there quietly, meanwhile they're watching all of this go down like 👀😳👀 🤣🤣🤣 that'd be me, ngl. I'd be like "imma finish the drink that I paid for before I leave-" and then bam, front row seats to a soap opera 😂😂😂

[“Sasha.” Even spoken in his gruff voice, her name was a pretty winged thing as beautiful as she was. She stilled instantly at the sound.] THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS PART~ 😫🙌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 so damn good...!! The way he says her NAAAAAAME~ AAHHHH!! 🤭🤭🤭💖💖💖‼️‼️‼️

[“You trust me,” he breathed.] I have been SLAIN- 😩🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[Afraid of what the rest of the sentence might entail, he didn’t let her finish, trapping the last of her reply with his lips against hers. He savored the tiny gasp of her shock that whispered against his mouth, drinking in the sweet feeling of her astonishment. His other hand rose of its own accord to frame her face, cradling her like the precious treasure she was.] I have been RESURRECTED!! "The precious treasure she was" YEEEEEEEEEESSSSS~!!! 🥳🙌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[He may have been a brute, but even he understood the poetry in pleasure and kissing her again was like coming home. Overcome, he wanted to bottle this feeling, to keep this bliss close for when she inevitably ran away once more, leaving him fractured and incomplete.] This paragraph alone is poetry istg 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️💯💯💯👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🔥🔥🔥

[She seemed to sense the change within him. With the practiced shift of her chin, she broke contact to bare her throat, allowing him access to the smooth column of her neck. Haunted by the ghost of deja vu, he buried himself in the secret hollow under her ear, breathing in the heady scent of her. The subtle blend of her aroma flooded his brain, feeling equal parts familiar and necessary, like a lungful of oxygen after a long dive.] Your kiss scenes - as always - are on POINT!! 😙👌🏽💖 But this one, calling back to the memory of their previous relationship, how they both still remembered this dance between them, even after so much time has passed... Call that shit Campbell's bc it's MMM MMM GOOD!! 😂😂😂

[Even as he tracked harsh little nips and wet slips of his tongue against her pulse and along her collarbone, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this wasn’t a good idea. This was not the solution to his persistent yearning, nor a guarantee of security. Deep down, he wanted more than just this one time, this flash of fleeting satisfaction.] Imagine Sasha and Fiona meeting up afterwards, and Fiona is just eyeing the hickeys all over Sasha's neck. And Fiona is like "So... How's August doing? Still selling that skag piss he likes to call ale to the unfortunate in Hollow Point?" And Sasha is like, trying to play it off. "Actually, the beer is slightly better than I remember. Which isn't saying much, but still." "Yeah... I'm sure he really knows how to SUCK his customers dry, with the way he prices his brew." "..." "That's one way to leave his MARK in Hollow Point." "..." "...He really-" "Are you done?" "Not at all - as I was saying-" "Oh. So when you do it over Rhys' tattoo, it's fine then?" "..." "...? 🤨" "...Yeah I'm done." "That's what I thought."

This whole fic is basically just me going "Now kiss" and I can't thank you enough for indulging me with this ship, and even more than that, for doing such a stellar job at writing for them! You're simply the BEST Swe, and I couldn't ask for a better ship sister (even when it's not a ship that is as dear to your heart as it is to mine lol!) I LOVE YOU BESTIE~!! 🥰🫂✨️

[tales-from-the-borderblog]

Happy anniversary, Tales! ✨️🥰

The game is now 10 years old! 🥺

[rin-bellatrix]

Ten years ago, Rhys and Fiona made a robo-baby, and her name is Gortys 💖

Happy ten year anniversary to this wonderful game, and happy tenth birthday to Gortys~! 😆🥳🎉🎂🎁🎈🧸💖✨️

[writeastormsblog]

.𖥔 ݁˖🍁 Apple Cider & Pumpkin Spice 🍁˖𖥔 ݁.

🍂A Fall-Themed Vacay🍂 Fanfic for Rhyiona Week 2025

--Day 1 Prompt: Vacation--

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆

The weather was something like autumn for an unfamiliar planet not far from Pandora, when the caravan gang were camping out in a cozy wooded area. A cool breeze brushed through the blushing leaves, and the syrupy fragrance of pine filled the air. Dusk settled as Vaughn was happily working on a large campfire. LoaderBot dragged over a large log for Sasha and August to sit on, and Athena was prepping packed skag meat to roast as Janey happily chatted to her.

“So you choose people watching, when there’s all sorts of nature to look at?”

Rhys turned to see a raised scarred brow and familiar grin. He mirrored Fiona’s smile, shrugging. “It’s been a while since everyone got together like this," he said. "I missed it.”

“Yeah?” Fiona gently nudged him with her shoulder, joining in on spectating. A comfortable silence settled between the two as Gortys wheeled onto the scene. Orange and red leaves crunched beneath the Gortys as she adorably waved some cool sticks she found to show Loaderbot. LB gave a firm thumbs up, earning a chuckle out of Rhys and Fiona. “It’s nice,” Fiona agreed. “I kinda get all warm about seeing our friends get together.”

“Heh, I didn’t think you were the sentimental type.”

“Believe it or not, underneath all my sharp wit, I do have a heart and mind for sentimentality.”

“Is that so?” Rhys raised his brows. A fun challenge crossed his mind. “Alright then. Let’s play a game.”

“Hmm, intrigued.” She tilted her head. “Do tell.”

“Let’s take turns pointing something out around us. Every time we point something out, we have to tell a memory associated with it. A real memory, by the way,” Rhys emphasized. “No creative improvised stories, miss con artist.”

“Hey, I left my con artist days behind me.”

“Miss retired, con artist.”

“That’s better.” Fiona smiled and rolled her eyes. “What’s the prize for winning?”

“If I win, you gotta brew a whole ‘nother pot of pumpkin spice for me.”

Fiona scoffed. “Again? You’ve been chugging that stuff like crazy lately.”

“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure there’s apple cider in your veins.”

“Ooh– that’s my prize.” Rhys laughed as Fiona stood up straighter. “You gotta make me apple cider. I want the Atlas brand.”

“Figured. I brought it with me.” He eyed her growing smile. She’s so cute, excited over something like that. “So, I guess I’ll start. Uhhh…” Rhys glanced around. His gold ECHO eye whirred as he scanned his surroundings and rummaged his thoughts. “Oh, okay. The pine trees: Around Mercenary day, back during my time at Helios, a conference room had a tiny potted pine tree. Employees had a weird tradition of stealing random items from each other's desks and putting it under the pine tree, and you couldn’t take the items back until Mercenary day. Accountants got theft-happy with snagging calculators, some HR managers took each other’s mugs. Stuff like that. Anything to inconvenience one another in the slightest.”

“Fascinating,” Fiona sarcastically commented.

“Hold on,” Rhys grinned.

“Okay.” She crossed her arms. “Holding on.”

“Remember Vasquez?” A mischievous gleam in Rhys’s eyes intrigued Fiona.

“Yeah,” she replied slowly. “How could I forget a douche like him?”

Rhys chuckled. “See, people were being too obvious with how they wanted to inconvenience one another. Amateurs stealing staplers, instead of just taking out the staples themselves. Vasquez had this stupidly fancy, huge monitor at his desk and pretentiously gloated about the high tech model. Some people opted to steal his mouse and keyboard, but obviously he would notice really quickly.” Rhys shrugged. “I went for the huge monitor.”

“Wait, the monitor?” Fiona’s brows furrowed. “It was huge-- wouldn’t he notice that faster than anything else missing?”

“Oh, no, I didn’t take the entire monitor…” Rhys wore a sly grin. “Just some tech parts inside the monitor. I knew my way around hacking as well as the physical components of technology. Day by day, I would take out parts that would cause his tech's operating systems to run slower and slower. Each day, he’d try to run a different program that would only lag the next day. It got to the point where he raged about it to IT, and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. It wasn’t until Mercenary day when everyone was free to unwrap all the stolen stuff that he found a paper bag with a slapped on ribbon bow, middle-finger doodle tagged with his name, and in the bag was all the computer parts and a screw driver. The look on his face, Fiona. It was incredible.”

Fiona laughed, imagining a very pissed-off Vasquez with his dramatic, wailing tone. She gave a small applause. “Okay, I’ll admit that’s clever. I’m impressed with how creative you can be when you’re petty.”

“Thank you, thank you.” Rhys bowed and puffed out his chest. “Anyways, it’s your turn.”

“Hmm…” Fiona looked at the huge campfire Vaughn had started. “Alright. Felix used to tell Sasha and I this ‘scary’ campfire story about a Rakk Hive that ate the belongings of misbehaved kids.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “It was obviously Felix’s way of trying to discourage us from half-assing our chores and skipping out on them as kids. I mean, that couldn’t be considered worse behavior than the conning he taught us to do, so I knew he was lying. Sasha was a little more naive, being a few years younger than me, so she believed him. One night, she skipped out on doing dishes and Felix was trying to scare her with that dumb Rakk Hive tale. I don’t think he knew it actually made her scared and scared enough that she didn’t sleep that night. She was paranoidly guarded about her prized water gun and a cool deck of cards we'd stolen. So, I comforted her by taking a few of Felix’s vintage sci-fi novels and wrote on the covers with a thick marker that ‘These are Sasha’s’ and left them near the campfire pit out back. That way, the Rakk Hive would eat it thinking it was her belongings.”

“Awww.” Rhys chuckled. “That’s really sweet. Well, minus the whole part involving theft, and I guess not discouraging her slack as a kid. The comforting part was sweet.”

“Mm, yeah. It was funny seeing Felix glare at me over breakfast the next morning. I could see him wrestling with himself because he knew I was also just trying to be a caring big sister.”

“You were,” Rhys warmly smiled and nodded. “Okay… my turn again.” He thought for a moment, scratching the back of his neck. “Uh, the campfire. So–”

“Hey, I just did the campfire.”

“I didn’t say we couldn’t pick the same item,” Rhys retorted, and Fiona shook her head, tsking. “Anyways, I have this real heart-warming memory of being kidnapped and ducktaped. I was kidnapped by a robot, and forced to sit by a campfire, yelling back and forth with an old friend who didn’t want to admit how much she missed me.”

Fiona snorted. “Clearly, you ran out of ideas for this game.”

“Oh, is there no denial I’m hearing?” Rhys smoothly continued. “About me, being missed by you? I knew it.”

“Hah, funny.” She still didn’t deny it, and maybe Rhys was imagining it, but her face slightly blushed. “Oh look. Dirt.” Fiona scuffed her heel on the ground and grinned. “Hey, I have this memory of kicking dirt in someone’s face once. I was ducktaped, baking under the sun and tired of rakks dive-bombing me when a huge corporate rat was dragged in.”

“Oh yeah?” Rhys shook his head with his signature pout, causing a snicker out of Fiona. “Well, yeah– dirt. I have a memory of someone kicking it into my eyes.”

“When she was trying to get it into your lying mouth?”

“Yep. Good times.”

They both looked at each other, pausing for a moment. Then, they bursted out laughing.

“I’m glad it’s funny now,” Rhys breathed a sigh of relief. “It uh, wasn’t really funny at the time.”

Fiona brushed her bangs aside and bit the inside of her cheek. “Yeah, I know.”

A little less than comfortable silence sat between them.

“I’m sorry about that–”

“I didn’t apologize before but–”

They paused again, laughing awkwardly. The silence was comfortable again as they recognized they were overthinking that moment from so long ago. 

Rhys gently nudged his shoe against hers. “Hey,” he said in a soft voice. “That moss growing near the base of that tree stump...”

Fiona was startled at the sudden tenderness he looked at her with.

“It’s got a green that reminds me of the time I first looked into your eyes. Back when we first met, but we had a chance to slow down and really look at each other. When we found the Gortys core pieces.”

Fiona’s face really warmed. She wore a small smile, fidgeting with the cuff of her jacket. “I did miss you,” she decidedly admitted. She nudged him with her shoulder again, but didn’t pull away.

He didn’t pull away either. “I missed you, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

The two fondly eyed one another, then shyly broke eye contact. Rhys cleared his throat.

"...So. You want some apple cider?” Rhys already started walking towards the caravan, and she walked alongside him.

“Hmm. Only after I make you another cup of pumpkin spice.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆

Happy Fall, my friends :)

@admiralsweko @plague-cure @rin-bellatrix @comma-tose

[rin-bellatrix]

Commentary (and spoilers) below! ⤵️

Stormy, I wanna say that the whole entire vibe that you set up in the beginning - with the blushing leaves and syrupy breeze - felt like PEAK autumn vibes, and as a certified autumn lover, I gotta tell you that your description of the scene was so perfect. Like, I wanna BE there! Saugust, scoot on over, I wanna sit on the log too lol!

[“If I win, you gotta brew a whole ‘nother pot of pumpkin spice for me.”] Reading this made me realize that oh yeah, for sure, Rhys would absolutely LOVE pumpkin spice coffee 😂😂😂 like that's practically canon now! 🤣

Rhys' whole ploy to piss off Vasquez... I can't, we love a petty king 😂😂😂👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Fiona taking Felix's books to sacrifice to the rakk hive, GIRL!! 🤣🤣🤣 Take THAT, old man lmao! 😂😂😂👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[“Oh, is there no denial I’m hearing?” Rhys smoothly continued. “About me, being missed by you? I knew it.”] Oooooooh~ they're flirting~ 😏🤭💖

[The two fondly eyed one another, then shyly broke eye contact. Rhys cleared his throat.] OOOOOOOH~ 🤭💖💖💖✨️✨️✨️

If I had to put everything I loved about this post into this review, I'd end up reposting the whole fic from start to finish bc I seriously loved EVERYTHING about it! Stormy, you have such a wonderful way of conveying the romantic tension between these two, and your skill in making it all seem so effortless and casual is absolutely perfect to indulge in from a reader's perspective. Seriously, the amount of fluff in this is way more sweet than Rhys likes his coffee - and we all know he likes his coffee super sweet 😆😆😆 Rhys' coffee WISHES it could be as sweet at this fluffy fic lol! But yeah, truly thank you for sharing this perfect little masterpiece, you're the best 💖

^ Rhys and Fiona drinking their pumpkin spice and apple cider 🤣🤣🤣

[conartistbabe]

Rhyiona week day 2

Hurt/comfort 💔 ✨️

Fiona finds Rhys after the crash

Fyi, the dividers are to indicate pov swaps! Bandit is used for fiona because I cant find one that fits for her :(

Also this might be a little rushed 😅 I hope its good enough!

Helios? Gone.

Jack? Gone, I hope.

Rhys and Sasha? Missing.

In my hand, I clutch my echo device. Sasha's signal was long dead. Only one that had a faint signal was supposedly Rhys.

I crawl through shrapnel and glass shards. Looking though every nook and crevice of the crash site for him, all while calling his name.

Then I spot him, in the heart of it all. Jack's office. He looks barely conscious, slumping to his knees.

I scream his name and run towards him. Not caring what catches my sides and scrapes my coat.

"Why did you leave me..."

Tears run down his dirty, snotty face. But I don't care as I hold his head in my hands. He looks a state. His arm is straight up missing. And his gorgeous blue eye is also gone.

"Rhys, I didn't! You have to believe-"

He slumps unconscious before I could finish my words.

Shit!

Ow

Everything hurts.

I open my eyes- eye, to a blurry mess.

I can just make out a blob of orange or brown pacing back and forth.

"Fiona?" I dont know why I said her name. Not like she would be all the way out here.

I lift my head up ever so slightly, my eye finally adjusting to the dim lighting.

It. It is her? She turns to look at me in shock before running to my side.

"Rhys! You're alive! I mean- you're up, about time sleepyhead."

She gives a weak smile and I flinch as she touches my shoulder.

"You! You left me to die up there!"

How am I supposed to know if she won't just kill me here? God damn bandits though and through.

"I didn't leave you, they took Sasha with them. I need to go find her!" Her fingers dig into my shirt.

"They? Who-" I coughs and sputter, my mouth dry. Her anger disperses into pity.

"Hey- relax Rhys, drink."

She pulls out a canteen from somewhere and presses it against my mouth.

I don't want to imagine what Pandora's water is sourced from-

She takes a deep breath before continuing.

"I didn't betray you. I took an escape pod."

I shake my head.

"But I saw the-"

She cuts me off.

"Finch and kroger took Sasha and Gortys with them. I got shot in the fucking hand!"

She holds a bloody bandaged hand to my face.

I grimace at the sight.

"How are you feeling?" She placed a hand on my forehead, only until now I realised a bandage was wrapped around my head.

"I've been better." I croaked.

"Sasha was like this when she killed for the first time. Though with alot less injury." She gave a little chuckle, remembering how simple it was back then. Pinching pockets of idiots who thought kids couldn't have the expertise to steal so silently.

"What does that have to do with anything." It sounded a bit harsher than I intended.

A beat of silence filled the room.

"You're shaken up."

"What happened back there? Did you lose your arm in the crash? Where's your eye?"

Taking a deep breath I explained the fight with Jack, having to remove my arm to stop him from strangling me, and then being forced to remove all my cybernetics to get him out of me.

"Dont you mean choking?"

"N-no thats-" I do not have to energy to explain the differences between that right now.

"Where are we anyways?" I only just realised I hadn't hallucinated everything and that I'm not still in the wreck of Helios.

"Inside of the Atlas base remember? Old haven."

"Yeah I remember. Did this place have beds?"

I look around the room. Looks strangely untouched for how old it is. Then again Athena and her murder spree all those years ago didnt give anyone the chance to find out about this place.

"No, that's why you're on a metal table."

"No wonder everything hurts" I get up into a sitting position.

"Do you... are you able to make yourself an arm?"

"If I had a schematic I should be able to. If we could also find t-"

"A yes would have sufficed." She snapped a little to quickly. Shes the most stressed I've seen her.

"...sorry."

"Are you able to still hack stuff?" I gesture to a computer I found nearby.

"Of course! didnt always have an echo-eye." He lit up a little, finally not looking like a pouting puppy.

"I'd offer you my spare eye but I lost it." He gave me a puzzled look but said nothing.

I turn around for just a second to only then hear him scream in pain.

Whipping back around because I can't leave this baby alone for a second it looks like he tried to stand.

"What's wrong?"

"My leg- i think somethings wrong."

Shit.

"Uh. Okay! I'll just carry you then." I quickly decide.

"You carried me all the way here?" He rests his hand on his injured leg.

"Yup. You're welcome. Im stronger than I look." I wink, I dont know why I did that.

Rhys scoffs playfully.

"I call bullshit on tha-"

I grabbed under his left arm and legs. Picking him up and carrying him with ease.

"Im sorry I couldn't hear you over how strong I am." His hair tickled my neck.

"Okay okay you made your point. Though I do think this is cheating without my arm."

I slowly move us to the computer. Grunting with every step. Yeah I lied about that. I mean i did carry him, but not that far. I had somehow found a vehicle nearby my crash pod.

I place him down in the chair.

"Thanks, you're an angel."

I resist the urge to punch his face and wipe the dust off the monitor.

"Get to hacking Hyperion."

Why did I say that. It's what I had said to him after we both got trapped under the shaft by sasha and Vaughn, and found a Atlas computer locked by a password.

"Sorry force of habit."

Rolling his eyes he moved the mouse around, trying to wake up the computer, at the same time kicking up all sorts of ancient dust.

"A password? Pssh. Easy."

He starts mashing at the keys. Doing all sorts of things i have never seen possible, actually. Alot of it seems useless.

"Or you could try the same password as last time?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"I mean yeah that could work. Maybe."

He imputs the following words 'AtlasIsBetterThanYou1' and presses enter.

"You're kidding. THATS the password?" I burst out laughing.

After searching through a whole bunch of useless files we decide to split up. Fiona will search though the rooms and I'll stay on the computer to try to find anything of use.

I managed to find a floor plan for this sector, which Fiona is making use of, she had already raided a kitchen.

"If you can pull up any places that have canned food we should be good to stay here for a few days."

The con artist returned with some goodies.

Somehow, after all these years some food was still in date.

We dig in, mostly it was beans but it keeps us alive so I really can't complain.

It was awkward to eat with one hand...

---------------------------------------------------

"Need a hand?" A metal arm is thrown on my lap.

I wake up with a jolt, damn it I must have fallen asleep on the chair.

"Gah! What is- how did you-?"

She puts a finger onto my lips.

"A con artist doesnt reveal her secrets."

My brain short-circuits for a second. God am I really this lonely? But quickly as ever the thought disappears.

She snorts. "Nah, just found it in a room with a bunch of robot parts. Neat stuff for nerds like you."

I roll my eyes. She's never going to stop insulting me is she?

"This'll be perfect! Thanks Fiona."

She tips her hat.

After HOURS I finally got the arm working. Nothing fancy like my old one. But its a start.

Also- my leg finally healed enough to walk around.

"Im glad you're back to somewhat normal." Her positive attitude starting to crack a little. I can see it in her eyes.

"We'll find her, Fiona. I promise." I bring out my finger to pinkie promise.

She stares confused but returns it.

"I'll hold you to it."

@rin-bellatrix @admiralsweko @writeastormsblog 🥰

[rin-bellatrix]

Commentary (and spoilers) below! ⤵️

First and foremost, I GOTTA comment on the absolutely gorgeous art! ✨️ I love seeing our community be so talented, making art AND writing stories, hell yeah!! But seriously Plague, this is one of my all-time favorite pieces from you, theres just so much emotion packed here and you convey it all easily. Absolutely stellar job, thank you for sharing your work! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💖💖💖

Now onto my favorite parts of the fic~ 😈💖✨️

["I'd offer you my spare eye but I lost it." He gave me a puzzled look but said nothing.] Not the pocket eyeball! 🤣🤣🤣 lowkey hope she finds it tho, you never know when it could be useful again lol! 👁

["Yup. You're welcome. Im stronger than I look." I wink, I dont know why I did that.] Oh I think we know why she did that 😏 trying to be strong for her man- 🤭 also, now that he doesn't have his cybernetic arm, he definitely weighs less. If she could lift him up before with it on, she can definitely lift him now that it's gone 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️💯 Impress him with your strength Fiona!! 💪🏽😤✨️

[She puts a finger onto my lips.] Let's be honest, she just wanted an excuse to touch his lips 😏😂🤭

Aahhh and the pinky promise at the end~!!! 😩🙌🏽🔥🔥🔥

I really LOVE au's where only one little thing changes from the official timeline, but that one little thing changes EVERYTHING! In this version, they'd have no time to hate each other bc all of the misunderstandings were cleared almost immediately. Imagine how their relationship would blossom while these two bonded while totally alone and relying on each other... 👀✨️✨️✨️ so many possibilities~ 💖

[admiralsweko]

Rhyiona Week 2025 Day Four

Prompt: Lipstick Kisses

Requested Tagged Readers: @plague-cure, @writeastormsblog

If you would like to be added as a tagged reader on upcoming fics, contact me and I’ll add you to my list. ❤️

(Header Art created by me. 🤭 Check out my art account @swe-made)

Branded

“Mornin’,” Fiona garbled past a huge yawn. Rhys glanced over his shoulder in surprise to see her padding into the kitchen in her stockinged feet. Despite her lack of footwear, she was fully dressed in her best suit, a gift for their recent anniversary he’d had tailored just for her. A full complement of make-up did wonders to hide the shadows under her eyes.  

“Hey,” he replied with soft affection. “You’re up early. And dressed? What’s the special occasion? You got in so late last night, I didn’t expect to see you until at least lunchtime.”

“Hmm,” she grumbled, heading around the counter where he was seated, straight to the coffee maker. “Athena.” 

She didn’t elaborate but Rhys understood. There was little that got his girlfriend out of bed before ten, especially after returning home the night before from a long venture chasing down vault clues, but the fearsome ex-mercenary was one who could do it. 

Taking a greedy gulp from the mug she’d just filled with fragrant coffee, Fiona closed her eyes in satisfaction. He shuddered at the thought of the bitter brew taken black and took a sip of his own blonde sugary concoction to wash the imagined flavor out of his mouth. 

“Are you hungry?” Rhys asked, setting down his cup. “I could make you something to eat before I go.”

He was rewarded with a sardonic half smile as she leaned across the counter from the opposite side and snagged a jellied slice of perfectly toasted bread from the breakfast plate before him. Stuffing it into her mouth, she downed half of it in one bite, all while he frowned disapprovingly. 

“No, thanks,” she said amusedly. Her mood seemed to have improved significantly with the caffeine and stolen food. “I just ate.” 

He rolled his eyes but a goodnatured smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

“So what have you got planned for the day, Mr. Big Shot?” She regarded him with her cool green gaze as she took another bite of toast and swallowed. ”Lots of hiring and firing, mergers and acquisitions, I suppose.”  

The smile on his lips deepened, touched that, although she didn’t give one hoot about the minutiae of his day-to-day worklife, she still asked. 

“Something like that.”

“You know,” she paused to lick a crumb off her finger, “I would assume, being the head guy in charge, that you would be allowed to make your own schedule. Why in the hell would you choose to get up before the sun?” 

“Well, it's actually more convenient for… everyone… if we….” his words started to trickle out of his mouth as he watched her round the corner of the counter and come to his side. The look in her eye had his train of thought completely derailed by the time she touched his shoulder, coaxing him to turn her way. His hands found her hips automatically, his knees parting slightly to allow her to slip between them. Her palms met his upturned cheeks and she leaned down to graze his lips with hers with the softest of kisses. 

Instinctively, he tried to follow her retreat, eager for more. His fingers tightened into the smooth fabric of her trousers. 

“It seems to me,” she whispered, the coffee rich scent of her breath sweetened with jelly feathered against his mouth, “That you could probably afford to be late once in a while, right?

“Wha—What about Athena,” he asked, breathlessly. 

A devilish smile spread across her beautiful face as she smoothed her fingers into his hair, tracing the shell of his ear with her thumb. The delicate touch kindled a fire in his chest, warming his heart with a pleasant ache. “She can wait. Besides, it has been a while since you and I have seen each other after all. I imagine she expects me to be late anyway. Why disappoint her?” 

He almost nodded, about to give in to the silly self-serving logic. She was hypnotic like that; the crook of her finger and he would come running.  

Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep!

A shrill buzzing broke the spell. Rhys jumped at the sound.  “Oh, sh– I didn’t realize it was so late. I–I have to get going.”

She stepped back as he silenced the alarm on his wristwatch. He said a silent thank you to his past self for setting the alert, knowing himself well enough that such an occasion like this morning was likely to occur when Fiona was home. She typically tried her best to keep him in bed with her as long as possible. It was a wonder he ever got any work done with her around. 

Hurriedly, he stood and tugged his vest from the back of his stool. Stuffing his arms through the sleeves, he dashed from the kitchen to the entryway where he’d left his briefcase, all the while muttering apologies, incoherent explanations about the busy day ahead, and hasty farewells. 

“Wait,” Fiona called to him as his hand met the doorknob. 

He paused, turning at the touch at his elbow. Her arms wrapped around him for a brief but firm hug. She leaned back and smiled up at him. 

“Rain check?” she said, cocking that scarred brow suggestively.  

A flush crept up his neck as she telegraphed her meaning with a squeeze at his rear. A goofy grin stretched across his face. 

“Absolutely,” he promised. 

“Good. Bring wine and I’ll grab something for dinner.” She rose to her toes to plant a sweet kiss on his cheek. “Don’t be late. I will eat without you.”

“Anything but pizza and you’re on,” he said as he opened the door. “I gotta go. See you later.” 

He dropped a quick parting kiss to her lips and headed for the elevator. As he walked, his attention was already focused on the holographic interface projecting from his cybernetic palm. 

“Uh, Rhys,” she called from their doorway. 

He glanced at her questioningly, just as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside. “Yeah?”

An impish smile lit her face but she shook her head. “Never mind. Have a good day.” 

The doors closed as he sent her a little half wave. 

()()()

“Good morning, Mr. Strongfork.” 

“Morning, Rhys.” 

“Good morning, sir.” 

Rhys fielded the salutations with aplomb, sending finger guns, waves, and replies as his employees greeted him. He hurried across the campus of Atlas’ headquarters, evenly splitting his time between reviewing the latest headlines on the financial times and his company’s stock portfolio on his palm interface. 

As he approached his private elevator, he tossed a glance to the helmeted guard seated behind the desk nearby. 

“Morning, Mr. Strongfork,” the guard’s voice sounded tinny through his helmet’s microphone but his tone was jovial. 

“Hey, Jer! How’s Tonya doing?” 

“Stronger everyday, sir. The treatments are working. The docs think she’s going to beat it for good this time.” 

“Really? That’s fantastic! Hey, when she’s up for it, take her to that new fusion place on 8th. I think she’d love it. Tell them it’s on me.”

“Really, sir,” Jerry began to defer, “that’s not—” 

“Nonsense,” Rhys waved away the guard’s words as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside. “You guys need to celebrate. See you around.”

“Oh, wait, Mr. Strongfork, you’ve got—” Jerry started to get to his feet, his age making him ungainly, but the doors closed before Rhys heard him. 

Rhys returned to his palm interface and started swiping through his emails on the ride up to his top-floor office. An instant message chimed, accompanied by a small envelope icon with a little F at the corner. Smiling, he opened the message. 

Hey, handsome. Looked in a mirror lately? 

F

The short message was punctuated with a red lipstick kiss emoji. 

His brows pulled together, even as a smile spread across his face. He was set to type a reply  when, having reached the top floor, the elevator dinged and the shiny metal doors slid open soundlessly.

“Ayoo, boss,” his office’s personal guard greeted him boisterously from his station beside the elevator. 

“Good morning, Steve,” Rhys returned the salutation with a grin. Opting to reply to Fiona’s message once he was alone, he closed his palm interface and nodded towards his office, “I need to run some things by you. Walk with me.” 

“Sure thing,” Steve fell in step beside him, his heavy boots sending out reverberant echoes against the plate glass walls of the aquarium corridor. “What’s on your mind, boss?”

“It’s about that incident with Knightcore. Now I know cybersecurity is not under your command but, I think we need to beef up security around the campus at least until we know for sure how they got in last time,” Rhys continued detailing his concerns as they crossed the threshold of his expansive office. Knightcore were a band of renegade hackers bent on digging around in corporate affairs under the guise of altruistic integrity. Atlas had been their latest target, infiltrating the company’s data banks, much to Rhys’ chagrin. He’d help build the firewalls himself after all.

“I don’t care about the overtime expense,” Rhys concluded. “Hire more people if need be, but I want this place locked down for the time being.”

“I’ll get on it, boss, right away,” Steve said, fumbling an attempt at a stiff arm salute. Despite the seriousness of their meeting, Rhys had to bite back the urge to smile. Steve was one of his best employees and incredibly competent at his duty as Atlas’ head of security, but as a former Pandoran bandit, he was terrible at formality. 

“Thanks, Steve.” The matter settled, Rhys turned his attention to the desk before him and pulled out his chair, ready to officially start his day. Before he could take his seat, however, he glanced up to find Steve still lingering in his office. 

“Is there something else, Steve?” 

“Well, yeah, kinda,” Steve said slowly. “Would you, uh, tell Fiona I said hi?” 

Rhys startled at the request. To his knowledge, no one knew Fiona was back in town, at least not yet. 

“Ho—How did you know she was back,” he asked. “She just arrived last night.”

His brows pulled together as Steve approached his desk and laid a crisp white handkerchief on the gleaming surface beside his framed photo of Fiona.

“You, uh, you might need this, boss.” Even through the microphone, Steve’s amusement was evident. He mimed a swiping gesture at the approximate location of where his cheek would be under his helmet. 

Hastily, Rhys touched his cheek. The tips of his fingers bore a familiar red hue. Aghast, he tugged open a drawer in his desk and withdrew a small compact mirror, curses backing up on the tip of his tongue.

To his growing horror, he saw a deep red lipstick kiss, now slightly blurred from the graze of his fingers, imprinted on the plane of his cheek. His lips held similar smudges, mercifully smeared enough to be less noticeable. He groaned as he realized he’d marched all the way across Atlas’ quad with his girlfriend’s brand upon his face, his cheeks flushing with a prickly heat. 

“Don’t sweat it, boss,” Steve tossed over his shoulder as he headed back to his post, “That shade looks good on you.” 

[rin-bellatrix]

This one is extra special bc we are treated to a two for one special with this post! We get Sweko made fanfiction AND fan art?

Hell yeah 😎💥💥💥😌🙌🏽🔥🔥🔥

LOOOVE the inclusion of Steve bc who doesn't like seeing a pillar - one of the og goats - of Borderlands every now and then? Gearbox, bring Steve back! The way you write him is so chill and casual, he's just one of the guys 💖

But my personal favorite part was that cheeky little booty grab Fiona gave Rhys in the beginning 😏😂🤭 I'm kidding, I'm kidding (or am I~? 😈), the best part is ofc Rhys realizing at the end that he's walking around with Fiona's mark on him 💋 🤭🤭🤭 I wonder if his employees were like "wow, boss man is getting pretty bold today eh?" Or if they were like "someone should tell him, I don't think he's actually aware that he's got- ya know- lipstick all over his face" 😂😂😂 Oh to be an Atlas employee, I think it'd be loads of fun sometimes 😆😆😆

[conartistbabe]

Here's more stories by bigbadwolf again!

Images are to separate the stories. All taken from the forums! Again if you come back from the dead and want me to remove please reach out :)

Sasha clicked her tongue as she wandered back and forth inside her (temporary) "room".

"Seriously," she mumbled to herself, "where are you, Fiona? I've looked for you all over. Please tell me you're okay. I'm trying to be mad at you but I'm having a hard time. Now I'm just getting worried."

She shook her head to compose herself.

"I'm getting to the point where I'm talking to myself! Unbelievable, look at what you're making me do, sis!"

She decided to look around the place again.

'Just one last time,' she swore to herself, 'for good measure. If she's definitely not around I'm alerting the guys. I'll be damned if I let my sister down.'

She glanced around every inch of their temporary abandoned shelter (she swore she even checked the closets. Who knew if Fiona had decided drinking last night was a good idea and had magically managed to lock herself in one. It was possible, right? ...Right?) and came up with...absolutely nothing

She was on the verge of a panic attack when she heard two screams coming directly from Rhys' room before the sister she had been desperate to find all but ran out the door.

Fiona was as red as her clothes and nervously adjusted the hat on her head when she spotted Sasha raising an eyebrow at her.

"Uh, Fiona?" she tried, "You've been in there this whole time?"

"I...uh, yes." Fiona moved her hair strand out of her eye, her hand shaking, "Okay, listen, I was not planning on sleeping here, don't get any wrong ideas about me, I jus-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sasha held up her hands, "I didn't say any of that. You're the one freaking out. But please tell me you were careful."

"If I was careful do you think I would have spent the night in this room?!"

Sasha gasped and covered her open mouth with both of her hands.

"Fiona," she started, "have you thought about the consequences of this?"

"Yes!" Fiona almost screamed, "Have you thought about how Rhys is going to react?!"

"He's going to freak out, obviously."

"It was his fault, I swear. I swear. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"That really doesn't matter right now, though. Sis," she grabbed her sisters hands to reassure her, "I'll be here to help you and that baby whenever you need me, okay? Just like you helped me."

"Yeah, thank you, Sas- wait, what? Baby?!"

Fiona's eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared into her hairline as she frantically shook her head.

"Yes, sis. I promise I won't let anything happen to my niece or nephew. Thinking about it, I'm kinda actually excited to be an aunt!" she clasped her hands together with a dreamy look on her face, "If it's a girl, name her...hmm..."

"Sasha, wait, you got this wrong! I slept with him," she facepalmed at the accidental innuendo, "okay, that came out wrong, I mean that I slept in there, but-"

Sasha raised a hand to stop her.

"Please no details. I don't need to know this. Too much information.

Fiona wanted to cry.

"Sasha, you don't understand-"

"Anyway, gonna get some basic stuff ready for our new arrival! Gotta let Vaughn know, gotta remember that. Oh, don't forget to tell Rhys, I'm sure he'll be super happy! Maybe shocked, but happy! Oh, man, I can't wait to be called auntie!"

Sasha kept blabbing as she walked away.

"-I just slept in the same room as he did."

Fiona ran her hands through her hair before pulling in frustration.

"Argh!"

Rhys opened the door, looking grumpy and like he'd just woken up.

"Can you keep it down?" he complained, arms crossed.

"This is your fault, you jackass. If you hadn't hid my hat-"

"That," he started, smirking, "was totally worth it. You should've seen your fa-"

"It was not funny!"

"It was! You yelled so much that you got got exhauster. I didn't have the heart to throw you out. Aren't The best?"

She wanted to punch him. Maybe kiss him. Probably not (totally yes).

"Point is," she tried to control herself, "Sasha thinks I'm damn pregnant! Can you believe that?! And now she's gonna tell Vaughn and he's probably gonna tell Loader Bot and-"

"Pregnant?" Rhys' eyes widened, "You're pregnant? We're gonna give Loader Bot and Gortys a little brother or sister? Yes! I'm so excited!"

Rhys jumped in excitement and Fiona thought she was really going to cry.

"Rhys. We didn't...do anything, how are you even thinking-"

He wasn't listening.

"I hope it's a girl, I have the perfect name!"

And with that, he ran off too.

Fiona hit her head on the wall in frustration.

"Why me?"

Rhys groaned.

He could see her smirking and he knew that expression alone was enough for her to get him to do whatever she wanted.

He reluctantly shoved his socked foot forward, feeling her grab his ankle as he moved.

Clearing her throat, she began.

"I wonder if you´re the lucky one. The one who´ll fit perfectly into this shoe. The one for me."

"First of all, that´s a boot." he opted for snark to try and cover just how embarrassed he was, "And second, of course it´s going to fit me, it´s mine."

"Oh, hush, can´t you take a joke?"

He rested his chin on his hand, grumpily muttering about how she had to make everything more dramatic than needed be.

"Besides," she kept going, completely unaffected by his complaints, "you´re the one that keeps losing your boot. I´m just taking advantage of the situation."

"By pretending I´m Cinderella?"

She shrugged.

"Aren´t you?"

He gasped in mock offense before adopting the girliest tone he could manage.

"How could I be so blind?" he squeaked, "Of course I´m Cinderella and you´re my prince charming trying to give me a better life. Oh, my love, I´m so thankful!"

He shook his head in disapproval, hoping he´d sent the message across.

If it had, he couldn´t tell, though, from Fiona´s impassive expression. Suddenly, the corners of her mouth quirked up and she extended a hand to him. He raised an eyebrow questioning her silently.

"Well, come on then, Cinderella, I´m supposed to dance with you remember?"

He scoffed, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Uh, I already lost the shoe, remember? That happens after the dance."

She rolled her eyes dismissively.

"Yeah and neither of us got an actual sex change either so not everything has to be exactly the same. Just dance with me already."

"Alright, alright, fine."

He finally took the hand she was offering him before swaying with her. He couldn´t help himself from giving her a friendly jab, however.

"You know, dancing without music is pretty weird."

He felt her shrug against his chest but she didn´t gratify him with a response. If she wasn´t going to say anything then he felt it was safe to continue.

"This is supposedly the moment where you tell me some cheesy stuff about dancing to the night´s silent melody or something."

"Ew," she laughed, "you´re the one coming up with that crap, not me."

He felt himself redden and he was suddenly thankful that it was dark.

"So..." he didn´t know what got into him but he couldn´t stay quiet for one second; not when she was standing so close. He felt his throat close up and desperatly hoped that she didn´t notice.

He envied her, how was she so calm?

"Hm?" her hum sent a shiver down his spine and he decided to be bold.

"You know," he prayed that he didn´t stutter or stumble on his own words, "Cinderella has a happy ending."

So far, so good.

"Yes? What are you getting at?"

He felt his own voice drop to a less casual tone without his permission.

"I think you know what I´m getting at."

He felt her hand grip his own a bit tighter than it had been and he knew she understood. She took a sharp breath before leaning back slightly to look at him properly.

"Do I? Why don´t you show me?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper and that´s the cue he needed to lean down and kiss her.

She didn´t pull away and he understood.

Fiona didn't know how to deal with this.

She didn't know how she ended up in this situation but here she was, holding his hand and wondering what the hell '50 shades of Rhyiona' was.

Truth be told, she wasn't feeling awkward, not quite; they'd been together for a while now and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't happy. It just wasn't usual for them to go out much. Both of them were relatively busy people (for different reasons, same objectives) and their time together was usually set to be intimate.

So she was naturally surprised when, out of the blue, he'd asked her on a date after so long. They'd never needed it. It still didn't stop her from saying yes.

She didn't know why exactly she was feeling so nervous all of a sudden but the lack of people wanting to watch this same movie certainly didn't help. She stole a glance at Rhys' face and was somewhat relieved to find he looked just as uneasy as she did.

"Hey..." she tried, her grip on him tightened ever so slightly, "don't you find it weird that we're the only ones watching this movie?"

"Uh, huh?" Rhys jumped a little bit, actually sounding more nervous than she did, "Oh! Oh, hahaha, yeah, maybe this movie isn't that good, huh? We'll...we'll have to find out for ourselves, huh?"

His happy-go-lucky forced tone didn't fool her and she suddenly had a feeling that he was hiding something from her.She decided against asking and played along. If this was a bad prank, he'd just never hear the end of it.

Eventually, they walked in, the room eerily empty, and Rhys sat down with her on the first row.

"Hey, our seats are way up."

"Who cares?" he nervously waved it off, "There's nobody else here."

She shrugged. It wasn't as if he was wrong.

She sat down next to him and, swiftly, his hand was on hers again and she noted how hard he was griping her fingers. She stole a side glance and his face hadn't changed much; still the same nervous expression that he was crying to mask. She was about to question him when a flash caught by the side of her eye indicated her that the movie was about to star.

Suddenly, all she saw on the screen were pictures of them. Dozens, dozens she never realised were even taken and she bit her lip suddenly feeling his eyes on her.

"What...what is this, Rhys?"

He tried a weak smile, his nervousness looking like it waa getting more intense by the moment and in the middle of her confusion and happiness she was worried he was going to have a heart attack.

Suddenly, he grabbed both her hands and pulled her up with him trying to maintain eye contact and failing miserably.

"I..."

"Spit it out, what's this for?"

She didn't mean for her words to sound too enthusiastic but she couldn't take them back.

He dropped on one knee and she knew what was coming but when he mumbled a hurried "marry me" she still felt a little weak in the knees and only managed a quick little nod in the middle of her daze suddenly understading the whole picture.

Years later, then married, and they haven't gone to the movies again even once.

She supposes it's a good thing.

Tales from the Atlas Coffee Shop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WidEcTA_pKM

Episode 1: A latte to handle

The Atlas Coffee Shop wasn´t an ordinary place.

Well, okay maybe in general it was. To most people. The majority of the world.

But to the group that matters, well, it sure wasn´t. Which is why three of them were sitting down right in the middle of the place being so noisy the head employee August was almost tempted to kick them out.

"Man, back when I was a teenager? I got all the women."

The bearded man took a chug out of his beer.

"What, you were a playboy, Kenny?" the gruff man next to him asked.

"I played with boats alright."

"Gross, Kenny, we didn´t need to know that." the third man piped up.

"Shut up, Jack, you just fucking told us you had a fetish for yourself."

"I´m hella handsome though."

Jack crossed his arms triumphantly.

Bigby slammed his own beer on the table.

"Whoa," Jack help his hands up, "if you wanted us to shut up you couldda just said so."

"No," Bigby pointed, "a cockroach. Gross!"

Kenny rolled his eyes and stepped on the thing, the liquid clinging to his shoe.

"Aw fuck," he complained, "that´s disgusting."

"Hey, waiter! Clean this shit up!" Jack gestured to the dead bug with a mocking grin.

"I´m not a fucking waiter." August mumbled under his breath as he moved to clean the mess, almost crying in disgust. "The customer is always right my ass."

"Uh, what´s that, honey? You got a problem."

"N-no, sir." August really hated this Jack guy.

Suddenly, they heard familiar voices as a group of six walked in. They would have passed by unnoticed if two of them weren´t robots, but it seemed like something normal for the group. Somehow.

"You guys are late." Bigby lit up a cigarette.

"Are you really gonna smoke right when I bring the kids?" One of the women in the group asked, taking off her hat and placing it on the table.

"Hey, they´ll learn to be cool like uncle Bigby."

"You´ll never be my uncle!" The bigger robot of the two pointed a finger at him, "You made me watch clowns for my birthday!"

"Aw, come on, Loader Bot, it was fun. I can take you again if you wan-"

Loader Bot covered his face with his hands and started sobbing, rocking himself back and forth.

"Enough! Leave my son alone." the same woman replied.

"You´re a party pooper, Fiona..."

"No, she´s right." her husband, Rhys, agreed, "I´m the only one who can bother my son with clowns."

Loader Bot cried harder and Fiona punched him.

"So," the other woman started, clearing the air, "what were you guys talking about?"

"Oh," Kenny started, grinning, "just rememberin´ just younger day stuff...we ain´t young like you kids anymore."

"Yes," Jack twirled his glass in his hand, "Kenny was just tellin us all about his adventures with boats."

"Adventures?" the woman, Sasha, inquired, raising a brow.

"The not suited for work kind." Jack winked at her and she felt a bit sick.

Kenny shrugged.

"That´s...that´s all?" the fourth member of the recently arrived group asked, adjusting his glasses nervously.

"That´s all." Kenny confirmed, "Unless you want details."

He wiggled his eyebrows and Vaughn shook his head as hard as he could.

"Nope! I definitely don´t want that."

Suddenly, the baby in Fiona´s arms started crying sounding like a broken toaster.

"There, there," she cooed, "it´s okay, Gortys."

Gortys didn´t stop crying.

"Okay, seriously shut up, kid." Jack crossed his arms.

"That´s right," Bigby leaned forward on his chair, "you still haven´t told us if little Gortys is a boy or a girl."

Rhys paled.

"I...don´t know."

Bigby raised his eyebrows and looked at Fiona.

"No idea."

"What the? You guys don´t know what your baby is?" he facepalmed.

"Hey, in their defense," Kenny interrupted, "it is a fuckin robot."

"...Fair enough."

Sasha was feeling really uncomfortable in the middle of these conversations; she´d noticed the employee, August, had set his eye on her ever since she´d walked in and he just wasn´t giving up despite how many times she sent him death stares.

"Guys," she cleared her throat, "can we...can we go home?"

"Why?" Jack sounded annoyed, "You just freaking got here and we were having a nice time."

"I...Loader Bot, do you want auntie Sasha to read you your favourite story? You know you want me to read you Twilight again!"

Loader Bot clapped his hands and uttered a loud "yay!" before turning to Fiona.

"Can we go, mum? Pleeease?"

Fiona sighed. There was no point in arguing.

"...Let´s go."

Jack cursed.

-

Wellington town, Pandora street. Home sweet home.

Vaughn nudged Sasha with his elbow and tried to whisper.

"What was your idea suggesting these three come here?!"

He sounded genuinely concerned and she felt a bit guilty; when the three got together, as evidenced by their extended stay in the coffee shop, things tended to get noisy. And dirty. Really fast.

"Look," she scratched her head, " I was under a little bit of stress. Chill, it´ll be fine. Besides, Jack already lives here."

Vaughn shook his head.

Jack punched Kenny in the face and suddenly they were brawling and breaking glasses over which one of them was the hunkiest.

"Yeah," Vaughn pinched the bridge of his nose, "it´ll be soooo fine."

Sasha gulped and excused herself to go read to Loader Bot.

"Gooo dad!" Rhys chanted like a cheerleader.

Fiona covered little Gortys´ eyes, horrified.

"Shut the hell up, we need to stop them before they destroy our house."

"Jack, Jack, you´re the man, if you can´t do it no one can!"

She punched her husband for ignoring her.

Gortys started crying again and Vaughn fainted.

Bigby lit another cigarette looking around him. Fiona hitting Rhys while holding a crying baby robot. Sasha reading a very bad book to a giant overly excited robot. Kenny and Jack fighting over sexiness ("I´m fucking Handsome Jack, you can´t beat me on that." he still heard) and destroying everything the family owned. Vaughn close to death on the floor.

"Yeah," Bigby shrugged to himself, "just another normal day."

This marks the first episode!

Probably a little shorter than all the others will be because it´s simply an intro and doesn´t explain much. But @Poogers555, @bloop and me have been working on this for a bit now and we´re hoping this series goes smoothly. :)

Gortys world:

"Greetings, my old friends! What do you mean we haven't known each other for that long? Nonsense, we're at the very leat acquaintances!

But let us get onto business, I'm sure you are not here to hear me ramble so onwards! Today I have a rather funny memory to share with you, I must say. As you can see, father tries really hard to make me and my brother happy. Mother usually doesn't object unless it's something severely dangerous...well, this time father thought it would be funny to literally imitate a clown. He didn't dress up per se but he acted like one...let me tell you, though, brother is scared of clowns. A lot. Father forgot. Brother destroyed half the house in fear. Mother made father sleep with our pet Skag that night.

Yes, father gets to sleep outside his bed a lot. Maybe he'll learn his lesson some day! Anyway, I'm running short on time so all I can say for now is thank you for listening and I'll see you as soon as possible, my frien- er, acquaintances!"

She lifts herself off the ground, drowsiness not quite getting to her like it should.

She glances around the room and notices her companions are in a deep slumber; she feels slightly envious for a second but an affection she would never admit to out loud stops her from really meaning it.

Silently, she heads outside the caravan, slipping her hat on in the process and sits down right at the edge, leaning back slightly to glance at the sky. The cool air hits her skin and she welcomes it, the breeze making her rub her arms to calm the goosebumps forming under her sleeves.

She doesn't know how long she's been sitting there thinking about nothing, perhaps everything, when she hears the door cringe slightly and sees a tall figure stepping outside to join her.

She doesn't talk when he sits down and he doesn't either. She knows he doesn't want to wake up her younger sister or his friend but she wonders if that's all there is to it. She wonders why he's there; he looks tired, not at all as if he can't sleep, his natural eye completely glazed.

She supposes it doesn't matter when he slips an arm around her in what she seems to read as an attempt to comfort her. She's not really down but the comfort reaches her anyway and she suddenly has a feeling something is changing between them without her consent and without her realising it.

It's not a bad thing, she decides as she leans into the embrace. She's nervous; she doesn't know where this was gonna get them.

Glancing up at the sky once more, now with company, she thinks it doesn't matter.

They'd find out together.

-

Something a little more serious than usual to make up for my goofiness. ;)

Well thats all i got for now from the forums, but remember:

[rin-bellatrix]

Rhyiona Week 2025 prompt: free day!

For the last day of this ship week, I couldn't resist trying my hand at a rhyiona version of the flower scene in the original game. Personally, in my game, I never made Rhys touch the alien flower bc you never know what could happen. But I had always thought that if he were to pick it, he'd save it and give it to Fiona so that he could tuck it into the band around her hat 🥰

✨️ SUPER special ✨️ shout-out to my darling @plague-cure who saved my ass by providing this background for me to use, thank you Plague~! 💖💖💖

Tag list: 🌸 @admiralsweko 🌼 @plague-cure 🏵 @writeastormsblog 🌺

Dividers by: blinkees

©rin-bellatrix 2025

☆ borderlands masterlist ⋆ main masterlist ☆

[rin-bellatrix]

Rhyiona week 2025 prompt: lipstick kisses!

I had to go with the classic here, bc as every rhyiona shipper knows, Fiona leaving lipstick kisses on Rhys is a KEY foundation to their relationship/flirtation tactics! 😆😆😆

Tag list: 💋 @admiralsweko 💄 @plague-cure 💋 @writeastormsblog 💄

Dividers from: thecutestgrotto

©rin-bellatrix 2025

☆ borderlands masterlist ⋆ main masterlist ☆

[comma-tose]

Rhyiona week 2025:

🧚Fairytale🧚

Rhyiona weeks current prompt is Fairytale, so here's an edit to Fairytale by Alexander Rybak! I'll be uploading an art submission for the prompt as well buuut that'll be a bit late

Requested tags: @admiralsweko @writeastormsblog @plague-cure

[rin-bellatrix]

A perfect song for a perfect couple, well done!! I always love seeing your edits and this one ended up matching the prompts completely 😆💖✨️ Not only do we get an awesome video out of this, but also a new song to add to the rhyiona music playlist? 👀🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️