#twc a

Whereas N on the other hand constantly mentioning that the detective can handle themselves well in book 1 to "at the end of the day they are still human, their life is much more fragile in comparison to supernaturals" by book 3. They don't think that detective is any less capable but their need to protect them and the realization of detective's humanity far surpasses their confidence in the detective's capabilities in book 3 (similar to A regarding humanity in book 1) they learn to reel it in but those feelings very obviously prolong to the book 4 demo.

I believe the BIGGEST catalyst of this change in dynamic was Sanja's vision abt each of them (ik not everyone goes through that route but at least in the ones who DO go to the fortune teller, it makes more sense there— to me at least) bcoz N was not as paranoid abt the detective's safety in the first half of book 2 as they were in second and then later on, whereas Sanja's revelation abt A only made them more certain abt their feelings than repulsing them back to their original stand on these things.

This is one of the best showcase of what I observed -> LT route, no relationship, book 3:

Happy ✨️🌞@summerinwayhaven🌞✨️

i couldnt decide if i wanted to make them in a series of posts so im just making a big group post

Nat/Starling

when starling takes nat to the city she used to party in. pre-engagement

Starling keeps her hands on the wheel, even as Nat's hand radiates heat down her neck, thumb pushing away the tension at her shoulders. Nat can hear her lover's breath hitch, feel the way the hair at her nape stands on end, nerves humming with every touch.

But she stays steady. Exits the town they've spent so much time in, merges into the highway like she's done it a thousand times before. Perhaps she has.

"We're lucky Farah isn't here, you know."

"Hm?" Nat is drawn from her thoughts by Starling's words.

"Farah. If she saw you doing this —" She drew her hand away, "—no, keep doing it."

Her girlfriend let loose a soft, contented sound at the pressure against the thick muscle of her neck, sending desire scorching through Nat's body.

"Thank you…If Farah saw you doing this, she'd never shut up about it."

"I give you head scratches all the time though?"

"This is different and you know it."

She does. Her Comet is all but melting into the touch, changing lanes with ease despite the way her body is practically humming. Small touches like this mean so much to her, even if she doesn't verbalise it. And this…this is temptation. Putting a treat on a dog's nose and training it to wait before eating.

"I do."

The words send Starling's eyes flicking towards her, a small smile on the corner of her lips, mischevious and knowing.

"Oh, I know just where to take you first in your tour."

"I'm getting punished for this, aren't I?"

"Yes you are, Nat."

Natalie smiles, leaning over to press a kiss to her shoulder, then settling back in her seat, hands in her lap. The loss of touch has Starling shivering, lips curling into a pouty frown.

"Menace."

"Love you too, little star."

---

Ava/Lark

early relationship (just barely established)

Ava's heart nearly stops when she feels Lark's hand slide against her hair, fingers gently massaging her scalp in a way that makes her entire body want to melt against them.

They already had her against their chest, how were they able to make her want more?

"Is this alright? You tensed."

Lark's voice is soft in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She's so vulnerable like this, and still they treat her so delicately, like she's the most precious thing in the world.

After everything, she's still getting used to this. To being together like this, touching and cuddling so casually. The voice in her head that usually screams "danger!!" is still there, warning her this paradise could come crashing down at any moment. But it's quieter now, reduced to a whisper against a crowd of sounds that have begun to sound more and more like the sound of Lark's heartbeat.

"Yes, it is…tolerable."

Their relieved chuckle sends a wave of their breath ghosting across her skin. Suddenly, Ava is very glad for how her face is pressed into their chest, because she fears she might just combust if they see the heated flush that's crept up her neck. She is acutely aware of how her body is reacting to each gentle scratch, and she would hate it if not for how thick the contentment coats her throat.

For a moment, it occurs to her:

Is this really what she's been holding back from?

Why has she been holding back for so long, when she could just…breathe?

Lark lightly tugs her closer, free hand lazily brushing their fingertips across her arm. Something about the movement has Ava settling deeper into their embrace, nuzzling into their neck, just to let herself go.

Feeling so weightless…it makes her feel so suddenly, shockingly, home.

---

early/mid relationship (established)

Ava still doesn't understand the appeal of the videos Lark likes to watch on their television, but she definitely enjoys this. The way they slowly migrate into her space as they explain a bit of context to her, and eventually end up leaning into her side. The way their chuckles are softer when they ghost across her skin.

It's something she's grown more comfortable with, over the course of their courtship. Something they've taken advantage of, finding every excuse to press close to her as if making up for lost time.

"Lark?"

The former detective shifts, resting their chin on her chest as they stare up at her with wide eyes. Ava can feel their heart skipping beats, pounding through her body like the hooves of a thousand warhorses.

"May I…?"

She raises her hand to their head, hovering, hesitating to thread her fingers through their hair.

"You know you don't have to ask, right Ava?"

Their smile is so soft, so genuine and rare, that her breath catches in her chest.

"Yes. It is still good to ask."

Lark's smile widens, nose crinkling with delight as they lean into her palm as if it were the most natural thing in the world, to be caressed by her. It barely gives them pause, their focus shifting easily back onto their show, oblivious to Ava's sudden turmoil.

Physical affection is something they offer her so freely, after months of them both painstakingly dancing around the issue. Before, it had felt like stolen currency, gold that laid guilt in her stomach. Now it feels…commonplace. Domestic. A presence she now craves whenever they are apart.

Lark hums quietly as Ava's fingers absentmindedly begin to scratch at their scalp. The sound has something in her heart twist, desiring to bottle it up and save it for an unhappy day. It pulls at something deep in her soul, telling her to adore and protect the life of the person who rests so calmly against her.

They turn back to her for a moment, babbling about something in the show that she's not been paying attention to. Still, she strokes their hair, feeling them melt, listening to them explain a plot line of a tangentially connected show she doesn't understand.

But she loves to hear them explain it, regardless of how much she understands. Because to Ava, the importance lies not in what is being said, but the joy with which Lark says it.

---

Farah/Merlina

i gave farah braids bc i think she would be really creative with her hairstyles

"If I were a pet, d'you think I'd be a cat or a dog?"

"…I feel like this is a lead-up to something naughty."

"Not unless you want it to be?"

Farah leans playfully into Merlina's chest, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, the way that makes her girlfriend laugh.

"I love you, Farah, but no, not right now."

"Then it's not."

She does give it some serious thought then, face crinkling adorably as she tips her head.

"Cat. You love a good massage."

"I would've thought that answer would make sense for dogs, more."

"Yes, but this?" Merlina drags a nail along the line between Farah's braids, carefully massaging her scalp. And oh, it feels divine, the pressure on the slightly stretched skin doing wonders for her scalp. "That is a cat response."

"How is that a cat—right there, below my ear."

"Love, you are practically pressing yourself into my hand."

She's right. Farah hadn't noticed it before, but she's tilted her head to give the former detective more access, breathing slowed to a slow, relaxed pace.

"Fine. But it's your fault for being so good at this. How'd you even know my scalp was bothering me?"

"You were doing that think where you shake your head to try and ignore a bothering sensation."

The knowledge that her girlfriend had been paying attention sends a flush of heat through Farah's body, warm and tingly the way she imagines coffee to taste. Being seen like this is still a bit new for her; usually she's the one doing the seeing and noticing about the others around her.

"Thanks."

Merlina presses a soft kiss to her nose as she strokes her head, thumb rubbing a tiny circle at the base of her neck that has her melting into the touch, eyes fluttering shut.

"…Babyyyyy."

"Hm?"

Her voice is innocent, pretending to be oblivious to the way she is making Farah feel like putty in her palm.

"I'm going to fall asleep if you keep rubbing my head like this."

It's only a partial lie. Drowsiness isn't yet crawling into her head like low-hanging fog, but she feels everything slowing down, every sound drowning to a dull hum except for her girlfriend. Her girlfriend who, at some point, has moved closer to gently remove her phone from her grip.

"I don't mind, love."

"Mmm," Farah hums as she tips her face down, reaching blindly out to catch Merlina's free hand and tangle their fingers together. "You're so sweet."

"So are you."

She laughs, sinking deeper into the strange trance she's found herself in, letting it take hold.

"You know…I think I can stand being a cat."

---

Morgan/Raven

mid-relationship. pre-saying "i love you."

Morgan admires the leather corded necklace Raven has around their neck, a small 'M' charm resting at the hollow of their collarbones. She hasn't been able to stop staring at it, feeling something tender and satisfied curl low in her belly.

"Morning, sunshine."

The reminder of the time has her frowning, nuzzling into her girlfriend's soft stomach, hiding from the metaphorical weight of the coming day.

"I don't want to get up."

"Don't worry. It's still too early for Ava to get us."

Morgan hums, unconvinced, reaching up to gently twirl a lock of Raven's hair between her fingers. The moment is peaceful, free from the sounds of the other residents of the apartment complex and the demands of the Agency. It's enough to make her sigh in contentment.

"Good."

Her girlfriend places a gentle hand on her head, then, fingers slowly moving to scratch her head that way she loves. A low growl rumbles in her chest as she props herself up on her elbows, looking down at their pleased face.

"Sweetheart, I'm not a cat."

Raven's smile simply grows mischevious as she puts more pressure along the base of her scalp, drawing that rumbling growl into something more closely resembling a purr.

"Sure sound like one though."

She leans in to playfully nip at their lip, before settling back against their stomach, willing to concede this victory. Just once. To feel her hair being stroked so softly.

"Yeah, yeah," Morgan murmurs, tugging the blanket higher around her shoulders, "rub it in, sweetheart. I'll get you back."

"I know you will, beautiful."

A wave of fluttering erupts through her body at the new pet name, enough that she'd find it overwhelming if it weren't so pleasant. It's strange, the sensation, sending heat twisting in her chest, wrapping around her heart and tugging until she purrs louder.

"Oh, you like that?"

"Shut up."

Raven chuckles lightly, fingers massaging Morgan's head as they stare at her adoringly. Her eyes flick down to the necklace again before she reaches up, unable as always to keep her hands to herself. The golden 'M' glints in the dim light as she twists it between her fingers.

…Thank you.

The words bubble to her lips, but she can't quite bear to say them. They don't feel like enough, to express whatever this softness is inside her. It's not quite…love, exactly. Something…more?

I'm too tired to think about this shit.

"I'm going back to bed."

"Don't worry, sunshine. I'm not moving anytime soon."

Morgan's lips curl into a faint smile that she hides against her girlfriend's skin, dropping the necklace to wrap her arm around them possessively.

"Sleep well, beautiful."

Raven keeps petting her head long after she falls back into slumber, her purring breaking off into quiet breathing.

adam x amelia sibling!modern! AU i guess?? they understand each other on a different level even if they did butt heads at the beginning, both in a hard leadership position, adam is actively searching for a sibling dynamic while amelia has no family to speak of (but rebecca, no 💜).

anyway, AU where they're both normal and have two loving parents, lots of cousins, they go to the beach a lot, amelia is an art major, she does painting and photography, basically documents all of adam's achievements because she's so proud of him. adam gets a job at a garage that fixes old cars and is really good at it, he fixes up one for amelia's sweet 16 because he loves her so much,, and nothing bad happens to them like...ever

My second attempt at drawing f!UB

Also sharing some versions that are less of an eye cancer since my gf asked for wallpaper versions!