#yeah two posts are coming to a dash near you

[nymphiearon]

It was meant to be Eddie Munson's year in the way that he would finally graduate and get to carry on living his life authentically, the way he wanted to.

It became Eddie Munson's year when he sacrificed himself to be the hero, despite there being no shame in running, to save these people who could have eventually become his friends, with a little more time.

[shuadotcom]

Take Me Higher | CHS (M)

🍃Summary: Yeah, your first real party was completely different than you had imagined, but it was even better than you had hoped.

🍃Pairing: Stoner!Vernon x Stoner!Afab Reader

🍃Genres & AUs: Smut, a dash of fluff, friends to lovers au, pwp

🍃Rating: 18+ (MINORS & AGELESS BLOGS DNI. YOU WILL BE BLOCKED)

🍃Content/Warnings: Marijuana usage, mention of alcohol, profanity, protective sex, cunnilingus, fingering, handjob, bathroom sex, sex while high (they’re both faded but they like each other and are consenting), multiple orgasms, dry-humping, allusion to big dick!vernon, reader has boobs and a vagina but no gendered terms are used for y/n

🍃Words: 6.1k

🍃Note: As a cannabis connoisseur myself, I love stoner!vernon fics and will read any and every single one so it was only a matter of time before I wrote my own. Truly it was a mighty need - especially blue hoodie Vernon because that's my favorite shoot of his. This is based off of a slightly true story of my first adult party years ago. Y/n has a much better partner and time than I did though 😂

I also listened to Rihanna's Anti album (aka the last album she'll give us 😭) a lot when writing this for whatever reason.

Thank you bestie @the-boy-meets-evil for being my beta!🫶🏽

Tagging the lovely @kthpurplesyou 😘

🍃Net Tag: @kflixnet

Tonight was turning out to be different than you ever thought it’d be. It’s your first-ever real party and it was turning out to be much less notable than you’d have imagined. Growing up, you had been a typical wallflower with a tiny group of friends that were as introverted as you, so you never knew people who threw parties, and you sure as hell weren’t “important enough” to get invited to them. Nothing much had changed from middle school and even through college.

It’s not until you’re well into your young adulthood that you receive your first party invitation. It comes from your oldest friend, Joshua, whom you recently reconnected with. You had practically grown up with him and when he and his family moved away, your communication eventually lessened with life and timezones in the way. It isn’t until you just so happen to move near him after college that you start hanging out again. He sends you an Instagram message after happening to see a location close to him that you tagged in a post.

You and Joshua easily pick your long-dormant friendship back up, getting along as perfectly as you had years ago. Your closeness and trust are quickly restored in him the more time you spend together. It’s why when he invites you to a party a friend of his is throwing, you jump at the chance.

Having never been to a party, you only had the tv shows and movies you watched to go off of as to what the atmosphere would be like. You imagine loud, deafening music, drunk people spread all over the poorly lit house, the air reeking of alcohol, and too many people.

In reality, the lights are on around the house as expected and the music that plays over a speaker in the living room is loud enough to get lost in while dancing but not so loud that you couldn’t hold a conversation. Instead of smelling like nothing but alcohol, the air only smelt of pizza and an artificial air freshener, with a hint of beer.

There are only a few handfuls of people milling about, most of whom Joshua and Jeonghan - his other close friend who came with the two of you - had long since introduced you to. 

One of whom you’ve spent the most time with when you hang out with Joshua and his friends and are the most familiar with. You have a ton in common and always feel comfortable around him. 

He also happens to be the friend that you have an embarrassingly huge crush on. 

“Hey, Vernon!” Joshua calls his name as the three of you file down the basement stairs where it looks like most of the guests are. 

Vernon turns from his conversation to find you three and if you didn’t know any better, you’d think his smile widened when he made eye contact with you. 

He says something to the guy he’s talking to before approaching you all.

“Hey, Josh, Jeonghan. Hi, Y/n. Thanks for coming.” 

“Obviously we’d show up! I don’t think anyone has thrown a party just for fun in months. And I knew you wouldn’t mind if I brought Y/n. It’s baby’s first party!” Joshua throws his arm around your shoulders, bringing you forward from your spot nearly hiding behind him. You’re not too flustered that you can’t pinch him in the side for exposing you so willingly.

“Of course, I don’t mind!” Vernon rushes out, maybe even a little too loud. He clears his throat, breathing out an awkward laugh. “Anyway yeah, Seungkwan and Chan were feeling particularly social this weekend so I didn’t have much of a say but it’s cool.” Vernon scans the room, pointing out his two roommates across the room as he says their names. “Tonight won’t be anything crazy so don’t worry.” He says the last part to you, a sweet smile on his pretty lips.

As if they could tell they were being talked about, Seungkwan and Chan spot the group of you and are over in an instant, thanking you for coming and guiding you over to where all the snacks and drinks are while Vernon trails behind.

Truth be told, the whole party feels as if it’s a normal hang-out session with everyone. Sure some people get a little more drunk than usual and there’s more dancing and obnoxious singing than there typically is on any other Saturday night, but overall it’s nothing like the parties in movies. No one is swinging from the ceiling naked and drunk off their asses (unless you count Soonyoung shirtless and screaming at the top of his lungs to the karaoke song he’s doing, but no one is too concerned).

You’re even more grateful that you decided on jeans and a nicer shirt after agonizing over what to wear for days. Everyone was in the most normal clothes which took a lot of the pressure you had initially felt off of you. This includes Vernon, who was in jeans and an oversized, cozy-looking hoodie in the prettiest shade of baby blue. You could barely keep your eyes off of him, not that you really tried. He didn’t make it any easier, seeing how he hasn’t moved from your general vicinity all night. 

Whether it was near the snack table, upstairs for a little while, or standing near Joshua and Jeonghan as they played beer pong, Vernon hasn’t been far, mostly talking to the two men or any other people around you, occasionally trying to bring you into the conversation. You’ve been doing your best to contribute, but your nerves about not knowing what to do with yourself, paired with the butterflies in your stomach that erupt whenever Vernon so much as looks at you, have you feeling a little out of your element.

At some point in the night, Jeonghan wanders off and Vernon disappears for a bit. You and Joshua are standing near the drinks, trying a few different shots and you hate them all. You nearly forgot how much you dislike the taste of most alcohol.

“So when are you going to tell Vernon you’re into him?” Joshua’s question is abrupt and he knows it. It’s why he snickers, watching your face contort as you choke on the shot of Patron you just knocked back, which you instantly regret. 

“When am I going to what?!”

Joshua shrugs, taking a shot himself, his eyebrows only knitting a little. 

“You heard me. And don’t act so surprised. Watching the two of you steal glances at each other all night and then act all shy as if you weren’t doing that was cute for the first five minutes, but enough is enough!” Joshua reaches for another shot, but you smack his hand, demanding why he thinks you like his friend. You haven’t told a soul about your crush on Vernon.

He’s about to say something else, but then Vernon shows up and your attention locks onto him.

“Hey guys, I’m heading outside if you want to come.” His eyes linger on yours and you momentarily forget how to speak so Joshua answers for you, letting him know that you’ll both be joining him.

It’s late and you’re not sure what time it is, but the sky is full of tiny stars, providing faint light to the group of people sitting outside. The small circle of people is sitting on lawn chairs surrounding a brightly shining lantern and a bong as they take turns passing it around. The three of you take the spots still open with you between Joshua and Vernon. 

You didn’t forget what Joshua said inside, but put your interrogation on the back burner.

You’ve smoked weed before, in fact, you do so multiple days of the week. It’d been your chosen way to destress with friends before you moved and even more so now as you quickly learned that Vernon was the stoner friend in this group. If everyone was going to be hanging out and Vernon was there, there’d inevitably be edibles or a joint passed around. In your mind, you were practically perfect for each other.

The other partygoers greet you, and Vernon immediately takes the bong from the person next to him. Joshua falls into conversation with Wonwoo on his other side which gives you time to study Vernon.

He rolls up the sleeves of his hoodie, his forearms on full display. His movements are effortless as he leans forward to grab a pinch of weed from the grinder tin on the small table in front of you. His fingers, always looking so long, nimbly pack the bowl of the bong. He uses his middle finger to gently press it down as his eyebrows knit in concentration and his lips purse just a tiny bit. 

Your eyes never leave him as he places his lips into the mouthpiece and uses his free hand to grab a lighter on the table. Vernon lights the bowl with skilled fingers, inhaling gently but confidently, then removes it. His eyelids flutter closed, as he inhales steadily, the smoke in the bong swirling as it fills his lungs. 

Once he’s had his fill, he pulls the bong away, holding the smoke in his chest for a few seconds before his red lips part, the smoke seeping out of his mouth in rings and drifting up to the dark sky. A dopey smile plays on his lips as his eyes open again, meeting yours. 

The entire act has you clenching as you watch him work, so in his element and looking absolutely breathtaking while doing so. But the look he’s giving you now has an undeniable effect on you and the want you so often feel for him.

Vernon tips the bong lightly in your direction, asking if you want a hit and you accept it. Instead of handing it to you, he holds the mouthpiece out to you, keeping it in his grasp as you lean forward and place your mouth on it. Vernon lights the bowl for you, holding eye contact as you start to let the smoke billow into your mouth, your chest already feeling warm as it fills you. He waits until your eyes close to remove the bowl, and you inhale sharply, your head already feeling lighter.

The bong is pulled away and you tip your head back, the smoke swirling inside of you before your lungs begin to burn and you open your mouth, releasing the smoke. You watch it float up and dissipate and don’t notice Vernon’s gaze still glued to you.

When you meet his eyes, neither of you moves, almost waiting to see what the other will say or do.

Joshua is the one to interrupt the moment, yelling at the two of you for not sharing. Vernon leans over you to pass the bong to Joshua’s waiting hands and he’s the closest to you he has been all evening. The smell of his sweet shampoo hits you first before the woodsy scent of his cologne follows, topped off with the faint smell of weed. It takes everything in you not to kiss him, but you hold it together until he sits back in his chair. He slouches into the uncomfortable fold-out chair, his legs spread wide in his worn jeans, practically begging you to crawl into his lap. Again, you don’t, but dear god how you want to.

Time ticks by as your small group stays outside, passing the bong around the circle every few minutes. You’ve quickly lost the conversation being held by the whole group since you and Vernon spend most of your time talking amongst yourselves. You don’t discuss anything in particular, just movies you’ve seen lately, new restaurants you’ve tried, and some of your favorite new musical releases. Conversation with Vernon always flows so naturally and easily. The two of you rarely broach awkward topics which is a miracle in itself.

At one point, the conversation shifts to you and your lack of experience in the party department.

“So, you’ve never been to any party ever? Like not even a birthday party?”

“Do birthday parties at laser tag places count when I was like ten?” Both of you giggle at that, feeling so much more at ease than you did earlier.

“I don’t think so. I mean like, in high school, you never even went to like a small house party?”

You shake your head as you sip on the soda you had dragged yourself back into the house to get earlier. “Nah. I wasn’t really popular in high school and my friends and I were all too nerdy to throw parties. We had anime-watch nights, but that’s about it.” Waving your hands dismissively you chuckle, but Vernon just shakes his head.

“I can’t believe that.”

“What, that I’m a massive nerd? I wouldn’t think that’d be a surprise since Joshua and I literally got into an argument about Full Metal Alchemist last weekend at Seungcheol’s.” A snort leaves Vernon when he laughs and you can’t help but notice how endearing it is.

“No, we already know you and Shua are weebs!” He keeps laughing even when you lightly push him at his teasing. “What I mean is, I can’t believe that you weren’t popular. I mean, look at you!” He gestures wildly to you, his eyes sweeping over you from head to toe.

“Oh, come on.”

“No, for real! You’re so damn funny and so fun to be around. You’re super sweet and kind and you’re always taking care of us. Plus you’re the hottest person I’ve ever met so like, how the fuck weren’t people all over you? You’re basically fucking perfect!” His words make you feel fuzzy all over, and you know it’s not just the weed.

“Thank you, Vernon,” you whisper, averting your attention to your drink. Hearing Vernon call you hot and “fucking perfect” makes you squeeze your thighs together. Something about him complimenting you so blatantly has you weak in the knees. With your earlier stress gone and feeling a little more carefree, you decide it’s now or never. “I think all of that about you too,” you mumble under your breath.

At first, you’re not sure if he hears you so you dart your eyes over to him. Vernon is staring at you, blinking slowly and you can almost see the gears turning in his head.

“Oh wow,” he finally breathes out. “Really?”

Oh. He did hear you.

“Yeah.” You admit. It’s already out there so you may as well just stand by it.

Vernon’s brain looks as though it’s working overtime as he stares at you blankly. Your stomach does the most violent of flips as you wait for what comes next, unsure of what you should say. 

Thankfully, Joshua barges into the conversation, disrupting the tension that hung between you and Vernon.

“Hey, Y/n, I’m tired. I’m gonna find Jeonghan and head home. You wanna share an Uber? Jeonghan’ll probably crash at my place and you can too. Or we’ll put your address in as a stop.”

“Uh…” Do you want to leave now? You just kind-of, sort-of, maybe confessed your feelings to Vernon. But, he also kind-of, sort-of maybe did the same. 

If you leave now, will he pretend none of this happened the next time you see him again? Will he blame the weed for his words that he possibly didn’t mean? Does he want you to stay and decide what to do next together?

“Y/n mentioned staying behind for a while longer. Right?” Vernon decides for you, tilting his head and looking back at you, unmoving as he waits for you to verify.

“Oh, yeah I’m gonna stay a little longer.”

Joshua narrows his eyes at you, scanning your face for something that may contradict your words. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m good here with Vernon.” Joshua seems to inspect you both, the seconds dragging on before he finally decides that he accepts what you’re saying.

“Okay, but I better get a text from you later when you’re going home and when you get there. Got it?”

“Promise!” 

Joshua throws another look at Vernon. “Everybody better stay safe.” There’s something else behind Joshua’s demand and you’re not sure how exactly to take it.

You and Vernon watch him go before the earlier silence you shared is back. It hangs in the air for what feels to you like an eternity but is more likely only a few seconds.

“You wanna, uh, go upstairs?”

“Yes!” Vernon stumbles over his words when he asks you, but you don’t when you answer him. He’s barely able to get the last word out before you’re accepting his offer. You don’t care where he wants to take you because you’ll go wherever with him.

Vernon slowly stands, reaching for your hand which you give him without a second thought. He leads you back inside the house, upstairs, and to one of the bathrooms in the hall.

“Um, my room’s not clean. I didn’t really expect anyone would be in my room besides me so…” Vernon confesses rather sheepishly when the door is shut behind you. “But, Seungkwan made us clean all the common areas so I promise this room is clean.” A nervous chuckle leaves him, averting his eyes from you.

“That’s okay,” you admit. And it is. Your romantic feelings for Vernon aside (and yes it is a lot of feelings), you want him so badly. You yearn to kiss him, touch him, and let him fuck you, no matter where it happens. Knowing that maybe your feelings aren’t unrequited only makes you want him even more. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

Vernon smiles at you, his mouth taking the shape of a heart that has your actual heart beating wildly. He approaches you almost cautiously, pressing you against the bathroom door.

“Are you sure you want this?” His question is a whisper as he’s practically nose to nose with you.

“Of course.”

“We can stop whenever you want to. If you get uncomfortable or change your mind about me or anything like that just say the word.”

“Vernon, I want to be here, I promise. Now kiss me, please.” 

And kiss you he does. Vernon dips his head to close the gap between you. His lips are a little chapped as they move against yours, but you don’t mind at all. Your hands ball themselves in the front of his hoodie while he cups your face and kisses you hard. His tongue prods at your lips and you open immediately, moaning as the muscle slips inside your mouth. His tongue wraps around yours, suckling at it and pulling another desperate sound from you. The urgency behind his movements is evident, as his hips meet yours, his body flush against you. 

It’s shallow at first and barely noticeable but when you do feel it - Vernon grinding against you - you instantly react, meeting his small thrusts.

When his clothed erection, already hard and straining through his jeans, presses against your pelvis, he makes a deep, pleased hum in his throat. Even through his clothes, you can feel just how big Vernon is. More wetness pools between your legs, already making your underwear feel uncomfortable and sticky. 

Vernon continues to hump against you, his kisses becoming more frantic and his hands have long since started wandering on you. His big hands cradle your hips, sliding down the tops of your thighs, then around you to grab a handful of your ass. He yanks you into him, his hips continuing to rut against you.

The sheer act of Vernon dry-humping you like a man truly crazy with lust only makes you want him more. You feel yourself clench around nothing, the friction of Vernon’s hard-on nudging so close to where you need him the most. He has to pull away from your mouth finally, gasping for air, but his hips don’t falter. 

“Vernon…please, I need more.”

“M-more?” 

“More. Need more.” Your words come out as more of a whine when he squeezes your ass again.

“More of me?”

“Please!”

“Fuck, yeah. Okay.”

He looks genuinely forlorn at the thought of stopping his movements, but he does, lightly panting from his exertion.

Your hands leave the crumpled fabric of his hoodie and snake down to his waist, slipping your hands under the hem. Vernon lets you undress him and then he does the same to you, pulling off piece by piece, tossing each article away without so much as a second thought and drinking in the sight of one another as you go. 

Vernon is back on you once you’re both naked, shoving your bodies together as he kisses you again. He cups your breasts, thumbs rubbing circles over your pert nipples. You moan into Vernon’s mouth, letting him work your sensitive buds, the sensation making you rub your thighs together. When your knee brushes Vernon’s hard cock, he nearly chokes. His hands knead at your plush skin as his lips trace their way from your lips to your neck.

Vernon’s teeth nip at your skin and your hands float up to grab at his hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands, keeping him at your most sensitive spot. Your knees nearly buckle when he starts to suck harshly and his hands continue their work on your tits.

Before you know what’s next, one of Vernon’s hands is inching down your body, stopping at the apex of your thighs. With a step out to the side, you spread your thighs to give him access. A single, long digit swipes at your already sopping folds. 

He eases his finger into your hole, your warmth greedily sucking him. Vernon begins pumping his finger in and out of you as he continues marking your neck, mumbling about how warm you are and how wet you feel. Your mind starts to turn to mush, your hands scrambling to grasp onto any part of Vernon you can. It happens to be his biceps - those of which are surprisingly firm. You’ve never seen him go to the gym or talk about working out, but clearly he’s doing something. The muscles ripple as he pistons his finger in and out, soon adding a second which slides in with no resistance.

His hot, rock-hard length brushes against your thigh and you reach down with the hand not clutching his arm for dear life, and wrap your fingers around his cock.

Vernon jumps, hissing through his teeth as you slowly jerk him off. Your thumb rubs over his tip, the precum oozing out and helping your hand glide over him.

His lips find yours again, the kiss bruising and messy as he finger fucks you faster and the squelching sounds you make around him echo off of the tile. His fingers scissor in you, working you open for him and when he grazes that soft, spongy spot inside of you, your legs nearly give out. 

He manages to keep you upright with his other arm locked around your waist. “You okay?” His voice is gruff, much deeper than it was earlier and you can feel more wetness seep out and around his fingers. 

“I’m s-so close, Vern, fuck.”

“Yeah? Gonna cum all over my fingers?”

The sentence is so simple but it has you clenching around his digits so hard that you hold your breath.

“Mmhmm!” you can’t manage words, only sounds, but he doesn’t ask again, instead quickening his pace. Doing your best to match his speed, you twist your wrist, letting Vernon cant his hips forward and fuck into your hand. You whimper into each other’s mouths, the only focus is each other. The only thing either of you see and think about is the other.

Vernon eventually breaks the kiss and bends down to draw one of your nipples into his mouth, his tongue flicking at the bud before sucking on it hard enough to hurt in the best way. The twinge of pain shoots straight to your belly, the tension finally snapping.

When you cum, you throw your head back, hitting the bathroom door with a loud ‘thunk!’ and your eyes squeeze shut so tightly that stars swim in the darkness of your closed lids “Fuck!” You choke out, your knees finally giving up on keeping you upright as you let go of Vernon’s cock to grab a hold of his other arm.

Your body sags against his bare chest. He has to prop you back against the door while he helps you ride out your orgasm. The image of you like this, naked and sweaty and crying out for him on his fingers will live in his mind rent-free until the day he dies.

When he finally slips out of you, he can’t help but stare in awe at your juices that drip down his fingers. His first impulse is to shove them into his mouth which he does eagerly, sucking and savoring the flavor of you.

Vernon’s eyes roll back and you watch the entire thing, struggling to keep your eyes open.

“Can I eat you out? If that’s okay with you of course.” Vernon’s eyes are wide as he meets yours, half-afraid that you’ll say no. He’ll respect you of course, but he’ll also daydream forever about the way just the small sampling of you tasted on his tongue.

Luckily, for both of you, you want nothing more than to feel Vernon’s kiss-swollen lips on your cunt.

“Please!” You shamelessly beg, droopy eyes widening at his request.

He leads you to the bathroom counter and helps you clumsily clamber up onto it. Both of you are wobbly and clumsy from the weed, but you make it without injury. Vernon’s on his knees instantly, wide hands prying your legs open, pussy on full display. 

“Holy shit, you’re so wet!”

“Vernon!” You cover your face in embarrassment, feeling self-conscious.

“Like, your pussy is fucking shimmering in the light, baby.” His face is right in front of your heat, the proximity making your hole flutter right in front of his eyes. “Fucking hell I just watched your pussy squeeze. I’m going to pass out.”

“Vernon, fucking touch me already, please! I need you so bad!” His heavy eyes meet yours, tongue darting out to lick his lips. 

“Yeah?”

“Yes, please.”

Much like earlier, he didn’t need you to tell him again as his eyes focus on you and he dips his head between your legs. 

Vernon’s tongue immediately finds your clit, the muscle flicking forcefully, sending a jolt through you. Shaky fingers rake through Vernon’s hair and grip the brunette locks for support as he takes your clit into his mouth, sucking on it in the way you need.

“Fuck! Vernon, yes!” Your hips start to buck up into his face when he changes direction and dips his tongue into your pussy, groaning low in his throat as he does.

“Mmph! So good.” Vernon drawls, his words muffled as he tongue fucks you, slurping your wetness as he does.

His tongue darts in and out of you, his nose brushing your clit every time you lift your hips. Vernon makes out with your cunt, the lewd sounds alone are enough to have you hurdling to your end and Vernon’s grunt reverberating through your body is what ultimately has you cumming. 

“Vernon!” His name erupts from your mouth in a shriek, your thighs clamping around his head. Your whole body feels as if it’s on fire, as you arch almost painfully into him. You stay that way for what feels like minutes, hips still pushed towards him as you gasp and Vernon continues to lazily lick at you.

The world could crumble around you at this very moment and you don’t think you’d care. 

That was undisputedly the best head you’ve ever gotten.

Vernon chuckles from between your thighs, finally coming up for air.

“Best head ever huh?” His nose all the way to his chin shines with your juices as he gives you a lopsided grin. 

You hadn’t even realized you said your last thoughts out loud. Only a small part of you feels embarrassed. The rest of you only focuses on Vernon as he stands up, his cock red and angry as it rests against his stomach.

“Can - can we do it on the floor? My legs feel like cooked pasta right now and I can’t stay upright.” His expression is sullen as he says this, but you can only giggle at how cute he looks, pouting at you, cradling his very thick, very distracting dick.

“You can fuck me wherever you want as long as you do it.”

Vernon’s eyes widen, blinking a few times as if your words fluster him, but he quickly snaps out of it, helping you off the counter. He grabs a bath towel hanging on the rack nearby and spreads it out on the floor before helping lay you on it. He promises that it’s clean, but you shrug his worries away. Towel or not, at this very moment all you want is Vernon to fuck you even more stupid than the weed has made you, and you don’t care what he does it on.

With fumbling hands, Vernon reaches for his pants and digs his wallet out in search of a condom. When he finds it, he opens and rolls the rubber on, hands trembling as he goes. 

He scurries back over to you, easily taking his place between your legs. He momentarily forgets what he’s doing when he catches sight of your still-sopping folds and you have to call his name to get his attention. His eyes dart up to look at you, fixating on your heaving chest and bottom lip pulled tight between your teeth, hair sprawled out around your head, eyes red and shiny, staring right back at him. 

You look straight out of all of the late-night fantasies he’s had about you and you don’t even know it.

Vernon’s cock feels as big as it looks when he finally eases inside of you, your legs quivering along the way. His hands hook under your knees, keeping you open until he buries himself balls-deep into your pussy.

The two of you share a moan, your voices harmonizing in pleasure at finally filling you and being full by him. He takes a moment before he thrusts forward, gauging your reaction. A scrunch of your brow and a nod to him lets him know to move and he anchors himself by gripping your thighs as he starts to snap his hips.

A high-pitched yelp leaves you, echoing in the room along with the wet sounds of your arousal, the sound only intensifying as Vernon starts to fuck you with more urgency. 

“Holy shit, Y/n. You feel fucking incredible.” He pants out as he drives his hips into yours, sweat already beading at his hairline.

Your shaky hands reach up to wrap around his shoulders and you pull him closer. “S-so do you…” Vernon stumbles, but catches himself, planting his hands on the sides of your head. Wrapping your legs around his waist, you do your best to lift your hips with each thrust, meeting Vernon’s momentum as he fucks into you.

Through the condom, you can still feel the most prominent veins on his cock, the friction gliding against your walls, your eyes crossing at the pleasure. The bathroom floor isn’t where you imagined your first time with him being, although you never thought that your first time with him would even happen. Your crush on him was one you kept close to you and in your mind, it wouldn’t be reciprocated. 

That thought was obviously cast aside if the way his soft brown eyes, rimmed with scarlet, are looking down at you, even as his lips press together in concentration with each drive of his body jolting yours and almost pushing you across the floor.

Even with THC coursing through his system and making every other movement so slow, Vernon is quick and determined as he rocks into you, your soft, gummy walls squeezing him harder the faster he fucks into you at a bruising pace. 

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” Vernon rasps out between grunts. 

“You’re f-fucking the last of my brain cells out of m-me and you wanna be romantic?” You manage a laugh, even if it gets cut off with a sob as soon as Vernon’s cockhead bumps into your g-spot. 

“I can’t help it. You make me wanna be romantic.” His words are accentuated with a breathy groan - the sentence a stark contrast to the way he pummels your cunt.

Tears well in your eyes, and you blame the weed for bringing emotions out of you. Raising your head as best as you can, you meet his lips in what is meant to be a sweet kiss, even if it’s more teeth than anything, but neither of you minds.

You lay back and settle when you can’t keep yourself up anymore and Vernon stays close to your face as he pivots his hips, shoving his hand between your bodies. It takes him a second, but he eventually finds your clit, eliciting a shriek from you.

The pace that Vernon finds with both his hips and his fingers has your orgasm right on the cusp, your body already sensitive from earlier. 

“V-Vernon!”

“Say my real name,” he wheezes desperately. 

“Hansol! Fuck, so good. ‘M gonna cum! So close…” His real name rolls off of your tongue just as easily as his nickname does, if not easier.

His fingers pinch at your clit between pressing against it as his other hand supports most of his weight, his sweaty forehead resting against yours. 

“Cum for me again, baby. Wanna see you cum just for me.” His voice is like honey, dripping all over you, and setting your heart and body ablaze.

You reach your high then, a needy cry of his name exploding from you, your body going stiff. Wave after wave rushes through you like an inferno, your blood rushing to your head. Through the ringing in your ears, you hear Hansol actually growl from above you, your name, and a string of curses sounding like a chant coming from him.

His mouth hangs open again as his hips stutter, riding out his orgasm until he lets out a loud huff. Instinctively, you reach your hand up, running it through Hansol’s damp strands. His eyes slip close, pushing his head into your hand more, relishing in the way your nails graze his scalp.

The air is calm and full of so much adoration even as you both harshly huff and puff, catching your breath. You relish this moment with Hansol, wanting nothing more than to stay like this with him.

The sound of his stomach grumbling cuts through the moment. “Sorry,” he snorts, causing both of you to break into a fit of laughter.

“Wanna go back downstairs and get some pizza?” You ask him as he finally moves off of you and you peel yourself up from the floor. Vernon has to help you stand, but to be fair, both of you are unsteady as you stand again.

“Hell yeah. Would you wanna bring it back up to my room? I can clean up really quickly and you can stay over. I have a bowl if you wanna smoke more. But only if you want to! You can say no and I can stay with you until a rideshare gets here.” The nervousness in his question is obvious as he pulls his clothes back on, having to concentrate on getting both legs in his jeans without falling over.

“Of course, I’ll stay over. And don’t worry about the mess. As long as there’s room in the bed for us, the food, and to smoke it doesn’t matter to me, Hansol.” You smile to yourself once you’re dressed, loving the way his real name sounds to your ears. You want to only call him Hansol from here on out.

His head snaps up and he fixes you with a wide-eyed look once his hoodie is back on. “Really?”

You nod at him, laughing at his expression - the same incredulous look he’s given you all night. Closing the small distance between the two of you, you place a gentle kiss on his lips, enjoying the way he instantly melts into you.

Yeah, your first real party was completely different than you had imagined, but it was even better than you had hoped.

Seventeen masterlist | All Masterlists

[imissjoongsmullet]

you belong to me

Pairing: Yunho x reader

Genre: idk man, soft angst, good amount of romance, and a dash of sexy

Summary: Your boyfriend takes you to a themepark with his friends but things take a turn when his jealousy takes over

Warnings: cuteness, possessive boyfriend Yunho, haunted houses?? honestly this is pretty chill, nothing too crazy babes, just read this if you like cute boyfriends that get a bit jealous ok

Word Count: 2K

Author’s Note: um yeah so first of all sorry for disappearing for so long, honestly I don’t know if i’m coming back just yet. This was just something that had to get out of my system so I wrote it (you know how it issssss), and i wanted to share with a friend so I figured I might as well post it. The writing was incredibly rushed and perhaps messy but it’s somethingggggg! I just hope someone out here enjoys it ^^

Also if you’ve left me a request that I haven’t gotten to yet, I send my apologies and one million good vibes your wayyyy

***

The sun shone bright, kissing the skin of your bare arms. You smiled up at your boyfriend, who was walking beside you — a tall teddy bear of a man by the name of Yunho. He gave a shy smile back and took your hand in his. You couldn’t help but blush a little. This was the first time he’d taken you out in a group setting and you weren’t sure how his friends would react to the two of you together.

It wasn’t long before you realized you had little to worry about. One carousel ride in, the ice was broken when the oldest of the group got so dizzy he ran into a trashcan. His friends were all really easygoing, it seemed, and they made you feel part of the team in no time. One of Yunho’s friends in particular took the time to make you feel comfortable — a dark-haired boy with a sweet twinkle in his eyes. He asked you how you’d met, where you were from, and made light-hearted jokes when the others were talking amongst themselves.

“Ever tried these?” he said, holding up a roll of candy.

You were all in line for the log ride; a 40 minute wait, and you had to admit you were starting to get hungry.

You let him drop a single gummy-like thing into your palm. “What are they?” you asked.

“They’re chewy,” he replied as he popped one into his mouth, “a bit sour at first but sweet on the inside.”

“She doesn’t like sour things,” someone said behind you.

Yunho’s hand slid slyly around your waist and he left a quick kiss near your temple.

“No, it’s okay,” you said, putting the candy in your mouth with a smile, “it looks delicious.” You didn’t want Yunho’s friends to think you were a difficult person or anything.

*

A long half hour later the entire group was facing the safety bar to board the ride. The gates opened with a creak and everyone moved toward the boat. Just as you meant to step in beside your new friend though, Yunho took hold of your wrist and bent down to your ear.

“You go sit in the front. I’ll be right behind you.”

He moved you over to the front of the ride, getting in after you, one leg of his on either side of you. Even though the front seat usually scares you, feeling his arms wrap around you tightly made you feel secure. You leaned back against his warm chest and let the scary things come.

This was the way it was with Yunho. Nothing could ever be frightening as long as he was with you because you knew he would always protect you. Just as you’d expected, he held you tight the entire ride, his large frame shielding you from wind and water alike, leaving you the only member of the group to not come out the log ride soaking wet.

*

He was being touchy, you could tell — more than usual, even. You weren’t entirely sure why but you definitely weren’t going to complain. You loved feeling his love this way. His gaze lingered on you as you chatted to his friends, his fingers coming up to run absent-minded tracks along your arm, asking for attention. You hoped he was proud of you for being social and mingling like this.

“Let’s go in the haunted house!” the dark-haired boy exclaimed, pointing excitedly to a large structure that looked like an abandoned castle.

“I don’t know about this,” you started, limbs stiffening. You meant to turn back to Yunho but before you could face him, the other boy grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you toward the entrance.

“Come on!” he said, smiling from ear to ear, “we can all go together!”

Once at the entrance, Yunho appeared before you, blocking you from the rest of the group.

“I know you don’t like haunted houses, baby,” he said, taking your hands in his, “but don’t worry, I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen. Just hold on to me,” he explained, before giving you a small peck on the forehead. Then he turned so he was in front of you and all you could see was his broad back.

Your heart pounded as you all started walking together. You didn’t want to disappoint your boyfriend, so you held onto his waist, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt, and followed.

“Shit,” you heard an animated whisper next to you, “it’s so dark.” 

A hand came to rest on your shoulder. You flinched for a second but realized it was only one of the friends trying not to get seperated from the group.

All of a sudden, thunderous clap rattled the room and everyone screamed. There was a flash of light and the next moment, sounds that could only be described as undead, roared from behind.

“Run!” the voice next to you yelled and you all scrambled forward. There was a mess of hands tugging and pulling at you as you ran and you suddenly had no idea where Yunho was. You could tell he was still around somewhere — you knew his scent and aura all too well — but soon you weren’t sure which limb belonged to who and you didn’t have the courage to care.

Another flash broke the dark for the blink of an eye, showing a zombie-like creature standing at the end of a hall you’d just entered.

More screaming and tugging and pure chaos erupted and all you could think was how you didn’t want to be left alone. You grabbed hold of the first person you could find and together you ran screaming until, at last, you came upon a large, dimly-lit chamber.

It took no less than a second for Yunho to appear. Without a word, he pressed himself between you and the dark-haired friend, forcing you apart rather harshly. A guilty hot flush ran to your cheeks but there was no time to ponder what had just happened because the next moment, a band of monsters ran into the room, sending panic through your body once again.

“Up!” Yunho ordered as you felt him tap your thigh. Without another thought, you jumped up onto his back, letting him carry you swiftly from the room and into another dark hallway. You buried your face into his neck, squeezing you eyes closed until finally, you felt a breeze of fresh air in your hair.

*

“Ahh, today was so nice!” the dark-haired friend grinned as he slid onto the bench next to you and Yunho, “I don’t want to go back home.”

The theme park had just closed and you were finishing off the day with comfort food at a nearby family restaurant. You hadn’t had a proper meal all day and were pretty much starving at this point so you ordered a large size pizza. Another good thing about being with Yunho was that he would most likely finish whatever food you couldn’t eat. Big boys need big meals, you always said.

Low and behold, you started feeling full about halfway through your meal.

“Can I have a piece?” the dark-haired friend asked, leaning close to you with a smile.

“Sure!” You nodded, allowing him to grab a piece from your plate. You were always glad to share.

“You can try some of my fries too if you want,” he mumbled through a mouthful of pizza, “the sauce is amazing.”

They did look good, you thought, so you agreed.

“Here.” He smiled and picked up some fries with his fork. Chuckling gleefully, he moved closer to feed you but before the fork could reach your lips, high-pitched shrieks rang out all around the table as one of the drink glasses had just fallen over, spilling soda everywhere.

“Sorry,” you heard Yunho say as you and the others leaned over the table to grab tissues, “my hand slipped.”

“Be careful, baby,” you said gently, noticing a whole bunch of it had spilled in your lap as well.

“Oh no,” the dark-haired boy laughed, “that’s gonna get sticky.” He started laying tissues in your lap, patting them down with his hands when—

“I think you should go clean up in the bathroom.” Yunho’s voice was strained and dead serious. Taken off guard, you stared at him. He stared right back, eyes harder than you’d seen them all day.

“Right,” you said, scrambling up, only to realize you were still sandwiched on the bench between Yunho and the dark-haired guy. “This way,” Yunho said, taking your wrist and pulling you toward himself, making you squeeze by him.

Your face was hot as you left the table. Yunho was angry, that much was clear. Feelings of guilt flooded you. All you ever wanted was to be good to him. On a deeper, more secretive level though, you couldn’t deny the look he’d just given you made your knees weak in quite a pleasurable way.

Pull yourself together, you thought as you entered the hallway to the bathrooms. You stopped for a second to catch your breath, wondering what exactly was going on. You thought everything had been going great; you were getting closer to his friends and you were really starting to—

Someone gave you a push. You gasped as a hand tugged your shoulder, turning you around and shoving you against the wall.

“Yunho,” you whispered breathlessly.

“What do you think you’re doing?” your boyfriend said in a low voice. His hands were on either side of your face and his large frame towered over you, trapping you.

“What do you mean?” you asked, staring up at him hopelessly. Yunho was not a scary guy. He was like a golden retriever; happy-go-lucky, playful and so so sweet; so the rare times something did piss him off, it made your heart thump a million miles an hour.

He shook his head, brows furrowed. “Baby girl, don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.” One of his hands left the wall to caress your cheek, gently, though his eyes were still intense as ever. “I had to watch my princess, all day, getting ju—-st a little too close to my friend.” His fingers moved down your chin, trailing you neck so lightly and so slowly you had to hold your breath. They traveled down to your chest, where one finger poked you. “Do you know how that makes me feel?”

Realization hit you like the strike of lightning. In all your anxiousness trying to get his friends to like you, you hadn’t stopped to consider your boundaries as much as you probably should have.

“Yunho, I—”

“Do you know how hard it is for me to watch you be touched by anyone else?” he said, his voice strained with emotion.

“I didn’t mean to, I swear—”

“You were going to let him feed you.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Do you know who you belong to?”

You stared at him with desperation in your eyes. “I’m yours, baby, I promise.”

“Say that again,” he said darkly, hand coming to hold your chin.

“I’m yours, Yunho. Yours only—” you let out a gasp as his other hand ran down your side to your thighs momentarily, then back up, landing at your waist and squeezing softly.

“That’s good,” he said and you could tell the fire in his eyes was dying down. He pulled you close by the small of your back and let out a breath against your ear.

“Yunho,” you whispered, barely audible. He felt so overwhelmingly good against you.

Fingers caressed your back as he trailed little kisses down the shell of your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

“You like that don’t you?” he murmured and all you could do was hum in response.

“You want more of that, don’t you?” he went on.

“Yes, please.” Your answer was automatic.

“Well,” he went on exploring your body, “if you want more of this, you’re going to have to be a very good girl for me.” He turned his head to face you, so close you could feel his breath on your lips. “Can you do that for me princess?”

You nodded and finally, he smiled again, love flooding his features once more. He gave you one soft, slow, lingering kiss that made your legs feel like they might give out, before pulling away and grabbing you by the hand.

“Let’s finish dinner quickly so we can get home soon.”

You knew what that meant, and suddenly, you couldn’t wait to leave.

[thefreakandthehair]

@eddiemonth prompt, oct 22nd:  First concert | Triumph of King Freak - Rob Zombie | Eager a/n: a missing scene from an older fic, counting stars (when I look in your eyes)! post-canon fix, eddie pov, established steddie, fluff with a dash of angst, mention of eddie's late mother read on ao3 + ao3 masterpost | tumblr masterlist

December, 1988

“Why does your acoustic have that written on it? ‘This Machine Slays Dragons’?” Steve asks as he watches Eddie strum without looking at his hands. It’s a bit mesmerizing, the way his fingers glide along the strings of their own accord. 

The song stops and Eddie slaps the body of the guitar in his lap. 

“This old girl is an homage to one Woody ‘This Machine Kills Fascists’ Guthrie. Ever heard of him?” 

“He did ‘This Land Is Your Land,’ right?”

Eddie claps his hands together and points two finger guns his way. “Ding ding ding, we have a winner. Yeah, he wrote that and a shit ton of other political critique folk music.” 

“I didn’t know you liked that sort of thing. Sounds pretty far removed from Metallica, y’know?”

“Only in delivery. You’d be surprised how much overlap there is in meaning. But yeah, my uh—” Eddie stops and pulls the guitar closer to his torso and swallows the dust in his mouth that’s gathered from years of not talking about his mother. “My mom was a big fan of it. She loved Guthrie, Baez, Dylan, Grateful Dead, Cohen. You name it, she loved it.” 

Steve’s heart tries to claw its way out of his body to run towards Eddie sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, timid smile, and fidgeting hands. 

“That’s really cool, man. She sounds awesome. How come you don’t talk about her more?” 

“It just—I don’t know. It still hurts, I guess. Which is stupid, I was eight when she died so it should get easier, right?” Eddie laughs humorlessly and stares at his strings like they hold answers to questions he didn’t know he had. He wants to crawl on top of Steve, desperate for warmth and comfort now, and looking at him makes the urge damn near impossible to beat back. So he doesn’t look up. 

Steve adjusts his position on the bed, subconsciously making room. “Hell no, that’s not how grief works, Ed. Wish it was that easy but I’ve seen a lot of death personally and with work, and it changes people. You can tell me to fuck off if I’m like, overstepping here but you were a kid. You’re allowed to be sad about her death, and you’re allowed to talk about it.” 

Eddie pauses for a long moment, considering the validation and how much he trusts Steve. He trusts him with his life, his soul, his heart, his  everything. Maybe everything could include his past, too. His voice is wistful when he starts.

“She used to sing Dylan’s ‘Forever Young’ around the house.”

December, 1974

Eddie sits cross-legged on the floor, threadbare couch behind him as he flips through a comic book gifted to him by his Uncle Wayne. The page crinkle with each turn and he traces the illustrations of each villain and superhero, the words a bit lost on him but the pictures jumping off of the page. Varying shades of saturated reds and blues disappear and reappear beneath his pointer finger and grins. He hasn’t read the story yet– he prefers to make up his own first– but he can see that the good guy is about to win. 

Happy endings are just so rare in real life. 

His mom is in the kitchen, singing softly and stirring something on the stove in a corroded aluminum pot. Eddie picks up the delicate scents of tomatoes and peppers, maybe some kind of meat. She’s been in a bright mood today, singing as she cooks, singing as she did her best to clean up the beer cans and bottles that litter the living room. Eddie even heard her singing in the shower that morning.

It’s not lost on him that his dad’s been gone for a few days. Hell, that’s the only reason he’s able to sit in the living room: there’s room for him. 

His dad is always too loud, drowning out the soft soprano of his mother’s voice. Everything she sings sounds like a lullaby, so it’s fitting that Eddie closes his eyes to listen. 

Eddie loves when his mom sings, especially the song she’s singing now. 

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

May you stay forever young

She never tells him, but he feels like she sings it just for him. 

November 1990

Steve hasn’t been this nervous to give Eddie a Christmas gift since that first Christmas of theirs two years ago. Funny enough, the gift then had been related to his late mother, too. Maybe he has a pattern. The envelope shakes in his hands as he sits next to Eddie on the couch– their couch, actually. At least as of a few months ago when they’d put down their down payment on the small, one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Indianapolis. 

Eddie glances over and sees Steve’s right hand nearly crumpling whatever his gift is, his fingertips white and his smile tight. Whatever it is must be time sensitive, since he’s insisted on giving it to Eddie so early. 

“What is it, Steve? You look like you’re gonna shit yourself.”

Steve laughs, nervous and breathy. “I actually might, and we just bought this couch, so. Just– here. Open it.”

He pries the envelope from Steve’s hand and tears it open, Steve having to caution him against ripping it in half and voiding the fucking the gift. Three rectangles fall out onto his lap, full of typewriter style font. 

“Oh shit, concert tickets!” Eddie smiles and knocks his knee against Steve’s. “Why were you so nervous? This is awesome!” 

Steve nods at the tickets. “Did you see who it is?”

Eddie’d been too excited about finally getting to a proper concert, one that he doesn’t have to set up and break down with Gareth, Jeff, and Frank. When he looks down and actually reads the headliner, his heart stops. 

University of Dayton Arena Presents: BOB DYLAN TUESDAY, NOV 13 1990 7:30 PM

“Steve… is this…?” He can’t find the words, buried and lodged behind the lump forming in his throat. 

Steve watches him carefully as he traces the letters with one finger, a habit he’s picked up on over the years, and gently rests a hand on his thigh and gives it a squeeze. “You okay?” 

Eddie nods. “Yeah, yeah, I’m definitely okay.” 

Okay is an understatement. He’s bewildered, he’s humbled, he’s ecstatic. When Eddie tears himself away from the small rectangles that sit on his lap like the gold bars they are, he looks at Steve with wonderment. First, the music box. Now, this. How is he ever going to keep up? 

“I know it’s your first concert but I saw that he was coming around and I just figured it’d be cool, y’know? I don’t know who he’s touring with or anything–” 

He does this, Steve knows. He knows that he rambles when he’s nervous or when he’s put himself out there and for some reason, giving Eddie these tickets feels incredibly vulnerable. Even years later, even after Eddie’s constant reassurance that he could never, Steve would hate for Eddie to think that he’s encroaching on special memories. 

Before he can finish his stream of thought, Eddie kisses him. Just leans over, tickets still in his lap, and claps both hands on either side of his cheeks as Eddie plants one on him. Then again. And again. And again. 

Eddie peppers every inch of Steve’s face with kisses, interjecting in between each one. 

“You’re–” Kiss to the nose. 

“So fucking–” Kiss to the cheek. 

“Perfect–” Kiss to the forehead. 

When he finishes, Eddie rests his forehead against Steve’s and wraps his arms around Steve’s neck, feeling them shake beneath him as Steve laughs. “Always so dramatic.” 

“And you love it. But, wait,” Eddie pulls back and picks the tickets back up. “Why are there three?” 

“Do you honestly think Wayne would ever speak to me again if I got tickets for Bob Dylan and didn’t include him? C’mon, man. Christmas would be so fucking awkward.”

[usmsgutterson]

Forever Never Would- Kaz Brekker 

Okay!! This is the second of two fics coming out and, while I wrote the first about two weeks back and I thought that it would take me forever, I finished writing this YESTERDAY, and I only got the chance to do a few edits before posting. 

This fic encompasses several different prompts from the 500 follower concert celebration, but hey! It’s my birthday fic and I love fics written in this style, so I decided I wanted to write one. 

Fic type- this is mostly fluffy, with a bit of angst and near-death thrown in there for funsies

Warnings- mentions of poison and stabbing, poor proofreading (we die like matthias helvar)

SEVENTEEN

Kaz found himself sighing as he woke, head lifting from one of the rare plans that he’d written down. Heists had been going awry lately due to a general lack of sleep, and the nap had snuck up on him. 

Well, it depended upon what one called a lack of sleep, really. Was three hours across seven days really a mere lack of sleep, or was it deprivation? 

Kaz didn’t know what he would call such thing as that, but damn it, was it good to wake up after several hours spent with his eyes closed. Even if those hours had been spent sleeping at his desk, they were ones that Kaz had to consider well spent. 

He glimpsed the window, noticing that it’d been left open and that it was displaying the last of the winter sunrise. He realized then, that he’d slept for a full nine hours. It was the most time he’d slept in much too long. 

He straightened his back, eyes going to the door as he heard it open.

“Morning,” you whispered. “I do hope you’re feeling well rested. Nina wants us at the Kooperom in an hour.” 

Kaz thanked you as you placed a to-go cup of coffee on his desk. “Let me guess, she wanted us there at eight bells, and you negotiated?” 

“I offered a box of the toffees that came in last week, and told her outright that it’s been difficult around here for a while,” you said. “She and Matthias have been in Ravka for three months and Wylan and Jesper will back me up if they ask. Inej will, too. She probably heard our conversation, actually. I noticed her sitting on the high point of a rooftop to get a good view of the Harbor during sunrise.” 

Kaz shrugged. “It’s better than her knowing that I’ve not slept much in the past while,” he said. “She’d offer me a sleep syrup that the Grisha Triumvirate are rolling out. Thank you.”

You shrugged. “You owe me a cup of tea, Brekker.”

“I’ll cover your breakfast and we’ll call it even?” 

That made you grin, and Kaz pushed aside the distinct way that his heart beat quickened and turned his gaze to his cane in an effort to ignore the slight pull he felt at the corners of his lips, the pull that he knew would’ve made him smile so widely that his face would’ve begun to hurt. 

“The deal is the deal,” you said. 

Kaz let a smirk cross his lips, solely for the fact that he couldn’t stop himself, as he met your gaze. “The deal is the deal.” 

You sighed. “All right. Drink your coffee, get dressed. Meet me down at the bar in thirty minutes, and if I’m not nursing a brandy, we’ll call it a miracle.”

“The water is working again, if you’re still in desperate need of a shower?” Kaz asked. The cold had frozen the pipes, and he’d only been able to get a reliable plumber out to the Slat the day before. “I’m guessing you used one of the many showers at the Van Eck-Fahey residence in the meantime?”

You scoffed. “Of course I did,” you said. “I could use a bit of water on my face to wake me up a bit more, though, so thank you for the tip about the pipes.” 

Kaz shrugged. “You and that electric kettle you’ve made space for in your room deserve a good bit of tea that doesn’t cost you eight kruge. Enjoy.”

“My tea and I certainly will,” you said, smirking. Kaz watched as you turned to go, some part of him not wanting you to leave. “Oh, and Kaz?”

“Yeah?”

“I put sugar in your coffee, and a dash of cream.”

Kaz scoffed. “That’s unnecessarily cruel, Y/N.” 

“As is the fact that I still have two of your shirts, but what adds to that is the knowledge you must have by now, the knowledge that you will never be getting those back.”

“Enjoy your tea.” 

“I’ll drink it plain in your honor. Luckily for you, it’s raspberry tea, so drinking it plain is no problem at all.” 

Kaz scoffed, head turning to his lap, grin spreading across his lips as he heard the door gently close behind you. 

He grabbed the coffee, drinking it anyway before he stood, headed back through his office and to his bedroom, where a fresh set of clothes and the promise of a warm shower awaited. 

-

Kaz found himself turning away from your gaze once again twelve hours later, as the two of you settled in an alcove amidst a bookstore that’d opened near Fifth Harbor. It was built by the merchant council in the hopes of drawing more of the academics from around the world, hoping that the academics would ignore the Barrel as a whole, ignore that the criminals in Ketterdam often travelled outside of the Barrel and the areas around it. 

“You and your jokes,” Kaz said as he schooled his expression back to what it normally was. “First, you make my coffee a sugary hell, then you steal two of my shirts and now, you’re cracking jokes at my expense.”

“I stole the shirts first,” you rebutted. “They’re comfortable nightshirts, Brekker. I won’t be judged.”

“I could lend you one of my sweaters?” They were patterned, looked like something that a grandfather would’ve worn. They’d been gifts from members of the Dregs, ones who’d moved on to bigger, more traitorous things in the year since they’d been gifted to Kaz as a lousy christmas gift. 

A few that had been gifted to him were just plain and black, and as a guy who’d fallen asleep in his button ups far too many times to count, he could attest to the fact that they were sometimes the opposite of comfortable. 

“You, Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, Bastard of the bloody Barrel, are currently in possession of sweaters?” 

Kaz scoffed. “Four. I own four of them, and if they don’t go to you, they will never see the light of day unless I find myself needing to sew myself a new pair of gloves.” 

“You’re not getting the shirts back.”

Kaz shrugged. “The Ice Court heist was six months ago. I’ve still got enough money left, buying two new ones is probably a good idea anyway. Take the sweaters, Y/N. I can imagine that they’ll look better on you.”

“I thank you for your kindness, then,” you said. You noticed Kaz’s pocket watch had fallen out of it, felt the cool golden painted metal against your pinky. Kaz watched as you took it, careful to avoid touching his thigh. You checked the time. 

“Getting late,” you said. “Sundown, abouts. Getting back to the Slat is probably a good idea. The Dime Lions and the Razorgulls have taken to jumping members of the Dregs over all of the feuding. They tend to do it before it gets light and after it gets dark.”  

“You’re going to stay here knowing that?” 

You nodded. “I need some time to think. I can handle getting jumped, if they’re smart enough to jump me at all.” 

“And if they have switchblades?”

“Then I get stabbed and stitch myself up after a bit of a walk in the moonlight.”

“I’m staying.”

“You’re going, Kaz,” you said. “I need to think alone for a bit. Please, just let me.”

“If you get stabbed--”

“I know. You won’t be the one to help me stitch my wounds. Go on home, Brekker. I’ll swing by your office with some whiskey by midnight if I’ve made it back safe, too.” 

Kaz huffed as he stood. “Fine.”

He didn’t turn to look at you as he walked out, only glowered at the ground as he left.

-

“You can admit it,” Nina said. “You’re allowed to care about people, Brekker. Even in the smallest capacities, you’re allowed to care.”

Kaz sighed. “You’ve noticed it, then?”

“Noticed what?” Nina asked. “The way that your heart races when they meet your gaze, the way that it always calms when you meet their gaze as we join together at whatever happens to the rendezvous point on one of your meticiously planned heists? The way that they’re able to make the one man who I never thought I would see so much as smirk in my lifetime, smile after they’ve cracked one of their jokes?” 

“Yep.” 

Nina laughed. “Of course I have,” she said. “Everyone who tells others that they’ve not noticed is telling a bloody lie.”

“I don’t care,” Kaz said. “I don’t.”

“You’ve cared about them since even before Inej joined the Dregs,” Nina rebutted. “You’ve known them since you were twelve. It’s fine to admit that you care about them, especially if it’s been half a decade.”

“I haven’t loved them that long, though,” Kaz said, like it would somehow come to matter.

“I have no doubt that you’ve been in love with them since you joined up with the Dregs and finally realized what love means,” Nina rebutted. “Seriously. Stop being an idiot or I’ll get Matthias to smack you upside the head over it.”

“He smacks me, I break his wrist.”

“You break his wrist, I stop your heart.” 

Kaz shrugged. “Fair enough.” 

Nina sighed, leaning back into the U-shaped booth the two of them had found themselves in. They were in the Crow Club, sitting on opposite sides of the booth. When the rest of the crows arrived, Kaz would stand, wait for the rest of the crows to file in, and sit on one end whilst you sat, arm looped through Ninas, on the other. 

The conversation would divert either to Nina and Matthias’ plans to go back to Fjerda in the coming months, Inejs voyages off at sea, or Jesper, how his training as a fabrikator was coming along.

Plans of eventual permanent residency in Ketterdam would be discussed amongst all the parties that frequently left it. 

Kaz would listen as you talked of going to Ravka, attending one of their colleges to further your education. Kaz would tell you to go, not mentioning that he would be awaiting your return or jumping at the first chance he got to visit. He would remind you that you had the money to go, and going, getting the education that you wanted so that you may stop having to use theft, arson, and other crimes as a means of income, was nothing if it was not even slightly worth it. 

You would give him a grin, Kaz would feel his heart skip a beat. You would crack a joke about how he would miss you too much, and he would once again reconcile with the fact that he had to deign himself to a lower level to tell you that it was the truth, that he would miss you an unfortunate amount if you were to go. 

He would reconcile that he would have to deign to a lower level to admit it solely for the fact that the people in Ketterdam, the criminals, in particular, saw love and romance as leverage. 

Criminals in Ketterdam saw the death of someones partner, their fiancé, their husband, their wife, their spouse, as a means of revenge. The cruellest of them did it just for the sake of doing it. The cruellest of them only saw it as a means to an end, the elimination of a threat as the threat drowned in both whiskey and their own grief. 

Eventually, the rest of the crows did come. It went exactly as Kaz had expected, and when you ended up sitting across from him on one end of the booth, him on the other, Kaz could only allow himself a moment of peace.

It happened exactly as he’d thought. Nina and Matthias were going to leave a week from then, an come back in spring. 

Inej was going to take six months to spend in Ketterdam, living at the Slat like she used to, getting Kaz the information he needed for a sufficient income. 

Jespers Fabrikator training was going well, and he and Wylan were in on the heist that was to be preformed the following month. 

You discussed going to Ravka. Nina encouraged it, Inej offered a ride there on her boat. Kaz talked about writing you letters in the meantime, said that he thought it was smart. If you pursued a business degree, there was a chance that you could help legitimize the business. If you ended up on the Merchant Council, you could hold a bit of influence, help the government sway things in the direction that favored the Dregs the most. 

You laughed, shook off everyones encouragement. You told Kaz that you would think about it. When asked why, you cracked the joke that Kaz expected. 

“You’ll miss me too much, Brekker,” you said. 

Kaz shook his head. “I resent how right you are about that.” Not the response he’d been expecting himself to deliver, but the one he delivered anyway. 

You scoffed. “Right. Sure,” you said, and then a layer of awkward silence settled. 

Jesper picked it up, asking about the heist that Kaz was planning, and things went back to normal. The conversation jumped from one thing to the next, both yourself and Kaz finding comfort in it, the fact that your friends could carry a conversation without either of you needing to interject with your thoughts for stretches that sometimes lasted more than ten minutes. 

Kaz met your gaze in the silence, and you met his gaze all the same.

A arrow shot him in the heart, embedding itself in his chest, and just like that, Kaz was once again the versions of himself that he’d always been when he would catch your gaze and all of it would come rushing back. 

He was once again the twelve year old who liked the way you smiled. 

The thirteen year old who knew that he would be willing to trust you with his life. The fourteen year old who did. 

The fifteen year old who stopped hating music played on violins because he liked the way that you danced. 

The sixteen year old who would go on night watches with you and catch himself liking the way the moon reflected in your eyes, catch himself looking at you instead of what he was supposed to fixate his gaze onto.

He was the seventeen year old boy who watched you almost die in the Ice Court even still, the one who passed you the bottom side of his cane, watched you grab on as he pleaded for you to just stay alive. 

Just hold on, he’d whispered. Hold on, please. I need you to hold on. I cannot do anything more with this life if you don’t. 

It was the one moment of vulnerability he’d experienced during the Ice Court, one of the only moments wherein one of his weaknesses came to light, but it’d only been the two of you in that room, the water flooding it from every direction. You’d been, quite literally, half dead. You couldn’t remember it, and so, the only people who had to face that memory were Kaz, and perhaps the personifications of whichever saints and gods watched over him. 

When the group of you slipped out, it was close to nine bells. The short walk back to the Slat was silent, unlike the hours of buzzing conversations that’d occurred beforehand. 

NINETEEN

You grinned as you walked into the Slat, finding Kaz at a table on the bottom floor, glass of brandy gently resting in his hand. 

You sat across from him and set your crossbody bag on the ground, watching him slide the brandy across the table. He watched you catch it, smirk playing on his lips.

“Welcome back,” he said.

You laughed as you brought the brandy to your lips. “Thank you very much. The Fjerdan palaces are no easy feat, but you’re you, so I have faith. I did a walk through during a series of Fjerdan festivals, but I also bribed someone on their staff to give me a copy of the blueprint. I know the layout, and provided that you have it memorized by the days of Hringkallah, you will, too. What’s the pay out?”

“Nearly a hundred million, spread across a crew of seven. Payout is 14.2 million. Triple what we made in the Ice Court with some change,” he said. “Not too fatal, I don’t imagine, but if it is, you’re welcome to blame me whilst you drown in your riches.”

You scoffed. “Do you mean to flatter me, Mr. Brekker?”

Kaz shrugged. “It comes with the description of the romantic part of this relationship, does it not?” 

You laughed, taking a sip of your brandy. “I do suppose it does, but then, so does the lack of black shirts you currently have in your posession.”

“I knew that was you,” Kaz said, shrugging like it was nothing. “I bought a few more this past weekend. My shirts tend to look better on you anyway.”

“So you do mean to flatter me, then.”

Kaz shrugged for a second time. “I suppose I do.” 

“And the boat for Fjerda leaves when?”

“Five days. I’ve given you the time off, so that you can relish your time in Ketterdam before leaving again. The voyage will take a week and a half. Nikolai sent us a few good boats. They came in last week. Engine powered, though the engines are slow. From there, getting to the palace won’t take long. It’s just a matter of timing it right and getting as much as we can.”

“You’ll tell me what we’re getting?”

“A few dresses that go for hundreds of millions on the markets. Ones that are said to belong to the queen, but any jewelry or things of significance that we grab are ours to keep or to sell,” Kaz murmured. “A tailor will tailor us enough to look like a few hringkallah guests and we’ll enjoy the rest of the night, get what we can from the venues, hope that none of the Druskelle catch us and kill us for it. The tailoring will wear off by the following morning, if the tailor is true to their word.”

“Wonderful,” you said. “Thank you, by the way. for the days off. I think I’ll sleep for most of them.”

“My bed is free if you need a spot that won’t make you feel as though you’re practically laying on a bed made of wood.”

“Thanks,” you grinned, finishing off the brandy. “I think I’ll head up now, actually. So much time spent at sea and all I can think to do is take a nap. I feel stupid.”

“You’re not,” Kaz said. “My bed or yours?”

“Yours, Brekker,” you said, laughing. “Might even steal a book from your shelves in the meantime.”

Kaz scoffed. “Next, you’ll say that you plan to drink my coffee.”

You shrugged as you got to standing, placing the crossbody bag on the table. 

“I know for a fact that you have a kettle, and you’ve been keeping my favorite tea in stock for the last six months. Might just use that.”

Kaz shrugged. “Do as you please.”

You grinned. “I will, love. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Kaz said.

With that, you walked up the stairs, heading to Kaz’s room, grabbing a book and settling on the windowsill with it. 

-

Kaz kept telling himself that he had to look at the positive. The heist in and of itself had gone off with very few hitches. It’d gone well, really. The items that were supposed to be obtained were obtained and put back onto the ship. Everything was fine.

Until, in typical fashion, a mistake was made. A guard who’d been knocked out had woken up, and it was just happenstance that you were the first face he saw, the face he recognized as the one belonging to the person who’d put him into a headlock until he fell asleep. 

The result was what had Kaz wiping a tear off his face, not having meant to cry at all. A book was in his lap, but it was one he hadn’t even tried reading. He kept looking at you, watching you breathe in and out. 

You’d been a part of his life for seven years. Almost a decade. In those seven years, you’d come close to death twice.

Both times were at the hands of a heist that Kaz had planned, heists that came with monetary offers that were simply too good to refuse. The first time had been the Ice Court. The second time had been the palace of the Fjerdan royals. 

Kaz sighed, leaned back in the chair that he’d taken up. He would have to leave the room eventually. He could wish that he wouldn’t need to all he wanted, but food would still eventually take precedent. He would need to drink water, would need to force himself to leave the room and take in air through his lungs, air that didn’t grow stale after a few mere minutes. 

He looked at you again, felt his heart as it ripped in two.

Your relationship had been a series of close calls, an endless network of chances that the two of you had to save one another, chances that you took to avoid losing the other person. Still, you had come close to death twice. Twice, in seven years, felt worse than none in the six months beforehand. 

“Hold on, Y/N,” he whispered. “Please. I cannot continue to live as I am if you don’t make it. I need you to stay alive.” 

He grimaced almost as soon as the words had left his lips. He felt pathetic, almost. To plead with a dying person, to ask them to stay alive for his own benefit? It felt more selfish than anything that Kaz had ever done.

Kaz sighed, forced himself to stand and leave the room.

He could handle being selfish. He could handle feeling pathetic. Your death, it seemed, was the thing that he couldn’t bare to deal with. 

-

You sighed as you opened your eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time over the course of a week and a half. Nearly half of all your days had been spent hooked up to an IV and a feeding tube. The IV had the sedative that Nina had talked about whilst you found yourself awake. The feeding tube contained meal replacements to supplement until you were well enough to handle actual food. 

You were back in the Slat, you noticed. You were in Kaz’s bed, wearing one of the sweaters he’d given you two years before. Your throat was dry, but Kaz had never been the type to have a water carafe or cups on his nightstand, so you let it be as it was.

You forced yourself to sit up, pressing your back against the headboard as Kaz walked back into his room.

You watched him for a moment, seeing his gaze soften for a split second before relief flooded his expression.

“What?” You asked, grimacing at how your voice had sounded. You could tell that you hadn’t spoken in a little under two weeks. Your voice was hoarse with the dryness of your throat and the general disuse. “You didn’t seriously think you’d lose me, did you?”

Kaz smirked. “No,” he said, but just by his tone, you could tell that he’d been lying. “Do you need some water? I meant to grab a carafe today, but I spent too much time working.”

“Did the buyer pay up?”

“Yeah. Fourteen million kruge and some change are already in your bank account,” Kaz responded. “Do you need some water?”

“Water would be wonderful.” 

Kaz passed you a glass of it two minutes later, and when you took a sip, it was a relief.

“Thank you for trying to keep me alive,” you whispered after a few minutes had gone by. “I don’t know if it was you or Inej or maybe Jesper, but thank you anyway.” 

“I’ll make sure Inej gets word of your gratitude,” Kaz said. “Until next week, at least, you’re on bedrest.”

“I am not,” you said. “At least let me work a few shifts at Crow Club?”

“How bad are the wounds?”

“I hurt--”

“Then no.”

You laughed. You loved Kaz Brekker, but damn it all if he wasn’t stubborn. 

“Fine,” you said. “But, Mr. Brekker, know that it is now up to you wait on my dumbass hand and foot for the next seven days.” 

Kaz smirked, shrugged one shoulder, and took your glass from where you’d placed it on his nightstand.

“Can’t wait,” he said. “Rest up. You probably need it.”

“I resent the fact that you’re right,” you said. You’d spent nearly two weeks knocked out with a sedative, and you were still exhausted. “Bring me a bit of water, please? My throat is drier than the air in summer.” 

Kaz scoffed, but still you heard the sound of water being poured into your cup. He placed it on his nightstand and moved into the office section of his floor. You drank the water he’d poured, placed the cup on the nightstand again, and fell asleep after a few minutes had passed, listening to the sound of Kaz’s pen meeting paper and the rain as it pattered against the windows. 

TWENTY-TWO

You laughed as Kaz sat down next to you, adjusting the ring that you’d placed onto a chain in the weeks before. It wasn’t an engagement ring, but rather, the promise that an engagement would eventually happen. He’d given it to you to celebrate your five year anniversary, and the one he’d bought for himself had joined the chain onto which he’d strung his pocket watch when that chain had broken. 

He looked at the ring every single time he pulled the watch out, and you never missed the barest hint of a smile that crossed his lips whenever he noticed it.

“Don’t tell me you’ve done something stupid,” Kaz said, looking at Jesper, who clutched the whiskey he’d ordered like it was a lifeline of sorts. The three of you were sitting at a table in the Crow Club, having agreed to met there because Jesper had asked. He’d let Inej, Nina and Matthias know, having written them letters to tell them what he was going to tell you.

“I like think I’ve done quite the opposite,” Jesper said. “I proposed. To Wylan.”

“I have been waiting three years to hear those words befall your lips,” you said, slight grin crossing your face. “I fully anticipated you proposing to him when we were nineteen. You’ve been head over heels in love with Wylan since the Ice Court.” 

Jesper grinned. “I bought the ring shortly after the heist in Fjerda,” he said. “I was just waiting for the right time. Did it last night. Felt like I would explode if I held onto the ring any longer.”

“Have you picked a date yet?” Kaz asked. 

“June 23rd. About six months out,” Jesper said. “We wanted to give ourselves a bit of time to plan everything out, but we’re gonna keep it small. You’re both invited, as are Inej, Nina, and Matthias. Outside of the crows, the invites will probably only extend so far out as our parents and a few of the others in the Dregs. We still haven’t decided much more than the date yet, though. I wanted to tell you guys in person, and Wylan would’ve been here if he wasn’t at lunch with Marya to tell her.”

“Well, we’re both thrilled,” you said. “Drinks are on us next time we all get together. Congratulations.”

Jesper gave a breathy laugh. “Thank you so much,” he said. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, I think. I’m--it’s like--it’s weird, almost. I always thought that I would spend my life with him, but now that that’s concrete, it’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m so excited to be married to that bastard.”

You laughed, and Kaz allowed a small smirk. “Well, if you need any assistance, just reach out.”

“I do need a best man?” Jesper asked.

“Abso-bloody-lutely,” Kaz said, nodding. “Of course. Thank you for asking to meet.”

Jesper shrugged. “Nah, no worries,” he said. The two of you watched him get to standing. “I’ve gotta get back home, but--”

“Congrats, Jesper,” you said. 

“Thank you,” Jesper gave you both a final grin before he left the Crow Club. When Kaz met your gaze, he looked almost happy.

“About bloody time, wasn’t it?”

You scoffed. “Oh, Brekker. Don’t even.” 

He laughed so low that only you could hear it, and the sound made you grin. 

“I love you, Kaz.”

“Ditto.” 

You scoffed once more, standing as you did. “I have to sign the contract on the new cafe. See you at home?”

“I’ll grab us dinner at seven bells,” Kaz said. “Any other things of note?”

“The contract for the cafe, the contract for the new pub, casing the house near the Zelver District, and signing the contract for the purchase of the apartment are all on my to-do today.”

Kaz nodded. “Eight bells, then.”

“I’ll bring you a coffee.”

“I’ll make you a tea.” 

With that, you left, grin pulling at the corners of your lips as you did. 

-

Six months later, you and Kaz found yourself in a small wedding venue that’d opened up near the Ravkan Embassy. You were stood behind Wylan with Nina and Matthias where Inej and Kaz stood behind Jesper. 

In the audience, there was Marya Hendriks, Colm Fahey, and a few of the members of the Dregs. Every single person in that room, save for Kaz, was smiling. Jesper had tears in his eyes, and Wylan looked like he was going to start crying any minute.

You felt your face begin to hurt from your grin as you watched your best friends of half a decade get married. 

Happiness in Ketterdam, happiness as a member of the Dregs, was something that was difficult to come by. You knew that you had to soak it up, that everyone else in that room was doing much the same. You would get drunk, probably, laugh, definitely, and that night would go down as one of the best nights of your life, though how couldn’t it? How could one not be happy, watching two people who clearly seemed to love each other more than they loved themselves get married? 

Jesper and Wylan said the ‘I do’s. They kissed, and the room broke out into applause as Jesper hugged his husband as tightly as he could. 

Conversations broke out amongst the attendees, and you all sat down to eat. After the meals came the dancing, and eventually, you found yourself standing idly, watching Jesper and Wylan dance, foreheads pressed together, smiles on their faces.

Your hand went up to the promise ring that was always around your neck almost absentmindedly, a grin crossing your face as you leaned back into the chair that you were sitting in.

“That’ll be you one day, I have no doubt,” Matthias said. “You look at them, and you know that those two are the happiest they’ll be until their honeymoon. You and Kaz are similar, I imagine?”

You flinched, laughing as you met his gaze. “I dunno, Helvar. I’m content where I am, I think.”

“Good,” Matthias nodded. “I anticipated this wedding way sooner than it’s happened, if I’m honest.” 

You laughed. “Everyone thought that they would be married with a kid by now. Two, maybe. Anika had her bets on that much.”

Matthias hummed. “Yeah, I think they’ll be parents by thirty,” he said. “I can see it that way, but I’m glad. They make sense together, I think.”

“They really do,” you said. “Yeah.”

“As do you and the ever so cursed demjin.”

“My partner is not a demon.”

Matthias only shrugged. “He might just be, Y/N. You never know.”

You scoffed. “You’re lucky I don’t hate you, Matthias.”

Matthias nodded. “Oh, I know. Incredibly lucky, I would say.”

“I would agree,” you said, shooting him a pointed look. 

He laughed. “Go find your lover.”

“Go find yours, Helvar.”

He stood, shooting you a knowing look as he walked away.

Eventually, Nina got you to dance with her, and from there, the rest of the night was spent drinking, laughing and just getting to experience the joy of not giving a single care in the world, not worrying about anything that was going on outside of the walls of the wedding venue. You felt great. For the first time in a long time, you felt great.

-

The following morning, Jesper and Wylan were on a boat to Ravka, where they would spend a month for their honeymoon. You made a good use of the day after you’d hugged them goodbye, having spent it casing a house that Kaz wanted to rob near the financial district. You made tea, you laughed with Matthias and Nina in the Slat, listened to Inejs stories that she’d collected in her voyages. 

You laughed, danced when someone broke out the violin. You were starting to accept it; after so long, after so many years spent in a limbo of moving from one painful thing to the next, happiness was in store. After so long, happiness was finally in store. It finally felt like something good. It felt like something achievable, like it had never been so far off as you’d thought. 

You turned, meeting Kaz’s gaze after a good thirty minutes had gone by. People were still dancing, the violinist still playing the dancing music as people sang old sailing tunes, but Kaz wasn’t amongst the crowd. He was merely standing by the stairs, slight smile pricking the corners of his lips.

“Having a nice time, Brekker?”

“Quite so,” Kaz said. “Seeing you get roped into dancing by Anika and Pim is always a real delight.”

You scoffed. “You love me and my pension to dance the minute I hear a happily toned violin song.”

Kaz nodded. “I do,” he said. “Really, I do.”

A grin picked up the corner of your lips. “Thank you,” you said.

“For what, exactly?”

“For being in my life for this long,” you said. “For falling in love with me. For being the guy who brings me tea when I’m sick. For being my best friend and my partner in literal crime for the last decade.”

Kaz shook his head. “The pleasure is mine.”

You shrugged. “I’m going to go upstairs. Make myself some tea, settle down with a good book.”

Kaz nodded. “I just have to talk to Inej for a minute. I’ll join you, make a coffee and go over some plans for the heist next month.” 

“Looking forward to it,” you said.

Kaz smirked. “As am I.”

You walked up the stairs pausing for a moment, and watched Kaz approach Inej as the violinist put their instrument away but the clapping, the singing and the dancing carried on even still.

TWENTY-FOUR

“This feels like a bloody meeting,” Jesper noted as he and Wylan slid into the booth. “What? Another heist?”

You were at the Kooperom. Breakfast had just been ordered, and it was mid morning. The seven of you had gotten into a U-shaped booth, and ordered coffees or teas to start out.

“It’s not a heist, Jesper,” you said. “It’s something different. It doesn’t actually concern criminal activity at all.” 

“What is it, then?” Inej asked, but she looked like she already knew.

“We’re engaged,” Kaz said.

“Since when?” Nina asked, grin crossing her face. 

“Last week. Bookstore.”

Inej grinned. “Took you long enough, bastard.”

“I was all too anxious, after I had Jesper design the rings.”

Nina shot Jesper a look. “You knew this was coming?”

“He gave me twenty thousand kruge for it nearly a year ago. I almost didn’t think he ever would,” Jesper said. “Congrats, though. I thought you would’ve tied the knot before we did.” 

Kaz shrugged. “I couldn’t find the right time. Eventually, I just brought it up whilst we were in that alcove in the bookstore that opened seven-odd years ago? I’d been carrying the ring around and it really was about time, anyway.”

“Damn fucking right it was,” Nina laughed. “All of us are married off now. Weird.” 

“Not married, just engaged,” you said. “Jesper, you mentioned that it was like--”

“A weight lifted off your shoulders?” Jesper asked. “Weird, but in the good way? Exciting, glorious, even?”

You laughed. “Yeah. That’s exactly how it feels.”

“Forever isn’t just an idea anymore. It’s bloody wonderful,” Kaz added. “I didn’t think I would like this as much as I do.”

Wylan scoffed. “Wait until you’re married. It gets even better.” 

Matthias nodded his agreement. “All saints. It really does, doesn’t it?” 

“We need to celebrate,” Inej said.

“We are,” Kaz noted, gesturing with a gloved hand around the table. “It’s a celebratory breakfast.”

“We’re meeting again for dinner,” Inej said. “Nina agrees with me on this.”

“She does,” Nina said. “Seriously. You two are getting breakfast, but Inej, Matthias and I will cover dinner.”

“Will we?”

“Kaz Brekker has been in a relationship for seven years. I didn’t expect it to last six months. We are, Matthias. The money from the heist in Fjerda all those years ago still hasn’t run out, anyway. We’ve barely made a dent in it since then.” 

“I expected you two to be married by nineteen, if that helps,” Inej said with a laugh. “Jesper expected you to be engaged by twenty, married by twenty-one.”

Kaz shrugged. “I like to take things slow. Seven years is slow enough, I think.”

You laughed. “Yeah. It’s felt like seventy sometimes.” 

“Damn right it has,” Kaz agreed. “Worth it, though.”

“More than,” you said. “I would do it all again if I got to be with you.”

“Oh, don’t get cheesy on us now,” Wylan laughed. “Seriously. It’s odd seeing it.”

You snorted, laughing for a minute before you took a sip of your tea. You and Kaz both let the noise of the Kooperom drown you out, let your friends fill up the silence. 

First, with discussions of wedding plans, the question as to whether or not you had a date picked out--you did. December 16th--and then whether or not you’d picked a venue, which you hadn’t done. 

The conversation tilted from one thing to the next. You listened to Inejs tales of the people she’d met on her voyages. You listened to her funny anecdotes with her crew members, laughed at the jokes she retold and asked questions about the places she’d visited. The big and small towns, the ones smack center on the maps and the ones so irrelevant that there was no place for them within any map you’d ever seen. 

Then, you listened to Nina and Matthias. You listened to them talk about Fjerda, about the Druskelle they’d converted out of Grisha hatred. You listened to Nina talk about the few spots in Fjerda where the food was decent, let Matthias drone on about a few new combat skills he’d picked up. 

You listened to Wylan and Jesper gush about how perfect things were with them, smiled when they mentioned that they’d adopted a cat who Wylan had named after a flutist he’d liked. 

You grinned when they mentioned the apartment that you’d bought two years prior, assured them that it wasn’t just collecting dust, though it had been. 

You and Kaz had agreed to sell it because of the fact that it’d gone so long without being used, and that was a pity in and of itself. 

And, after a short while, the celebratory breakfast was done. You all began to head back to the Slat, separating once you’d arrived. You and Kaz went to the floor you’d only been actively sharing for six months. Kaz got back to planning out a heist where you made yourself a cup of tea, grabbed a book, and settled on the windowsill. 

There came a point where you looked up, some part of you hoping not to meet Kaz’s gaze in the din so that you could have the chance to admire him for all that he was.

He was focused on the heist, glowering at a piece of paper as the cogs for the plan turned. You grinned softly, watching him think for a few moments.

“I don’t have something on my face, do I?”

“What?” You asked, snapping out of your reverie. “No.”

“Why were staring at me, then?”

“I’m admiring. There’s a difference.”

Kaz looked up, meeting your gaze with a smirk. “There is not.”

“There is.”

“What is it, then?”

“Staring is creepy. Admiring is loveable.” 

Kaz scoffed, pulling a gloved hand through dark brown hair that met the light of the sun and looked a bit closer to the color of dark honey. 

“You’re lucky I don’t have it in me to hate you.”

“I count myself lucky for that every single day,” you said. “I have as long as I’ve known you, Kaz.”

Kaz grinned, eyes turning back to the paper in front of him. “You flatter me.”

“I always hope to.” 

Kaz scoffed once more, and your eyes turned back to the book in your lap. Silence settled over the pair of you, though it was comfortable, as it always had been.

You grinned as you leaned slightly against the windowpane. The life that you lived, the romance that you had with Kaz, had been the way that you’d lived for seven years.

You couldn’t wait to get to live it forever.

-

In December, the two of you found yourselves in a a woody backyard of a house close to the city, though still far enough out for it be considered apart of the countryside. It was a house that you and Kaz had both agreed to purchase and spend a bit of time in every year until you were old enough that living amidst the hustle and bustle of the city was no longer quite so ideal. 

Kaz refused to turn into Per Haskell five decades on, so you both considered the purchase to be one on the smarter side. It clearly had been, though, considering that the backyard was the place wherein your wedding was to occur.

Due to Kaz’s touch aversion, though, you’d both agreed you’d do something different. Rather than a kiss, you would toast with champagne. It was a drink that was commonly found at weddings as things were, and it respected something that Kaz had been working on for the better part of a decade, though some days were certainly easier than others for him in that respect.

You’d chosen Rotty to officiate, and after the vows and the ‘I do’s had been said, after the rings had been placed onto yours and Kaz’s ring fingers, you toasted your marriage. 

After then, you filtered into the house, dinner began and you and Kaz both quietly slipped your rings from your fingers to either the chains that you kept around your neck or the ones that held the same pocket watch that had been in use for nearly a decade. 

You spent the night laughing, talking and enjoying the company of your friends. You let Jesper dance around your empty living room with you, laughed at his jokes and didn’t try to fight the urge to allow your hand to go up to the chain you’d kept around your neck for two years, the one that held your promise ring, your engagement ring, and your wedding ring. The three rings that meant the most to you. 

Eventually, you found yourself in the backyard, grinning as more people came out through the sliding door and engaged in conversations amongst themselves. 

You found Jesper next to you after maybe fifteen minutes, the both of you watching the sun as it began to set.

“I’ve been waiting ten years to see this happening,” Jesper said. “I was rooting for you from the moment I joined up. Kaz can pretend he hasn’t loved you as long as he’s known you all he wants, but none of the crows believe it. Not me, Wylan, Nina, Matthias, or Inej. Rotty says he thought you two were dating from the get-go, and Anika and Pim apparently placed bets upon the age you would be when you got married. It’s like--you two are the last pieces of a puzzle, the ones needed for the puzzles completion. You make sense.”

“I have loved him for more time than I will ever willingly admit,” you said, grinning softly. “I didn’t think that--this just feels like--I thought I would be dead by eighteen. Not married, not having lived nearly a quarter of a century. I feel grateful but also like I am indebted to the universe because of it.”

Jesper shrugged. “You’ve got good wine. Good people,” he said. “Drink, laugh, dance. You’re married, Y/N. It’s incredible. Don’t be afraid to enjoy it.” 

You gave Jesper a grin as Nina approached. 

“Forgive me,” she said. “But, as the one who nailed their wedding date to the T before they were even engaged, I think I might fancy a dance.”

Jesper shrugged. “I’m not their keeper,” he said. “I’m going to go find Wylan. See you lot in a bit?”

At that, both you and Nina nodded. 

You let Nina take your hand, let her whisk you out into the small crowd of people who’d been dancing along to the music of the violinist that you and Kaz had hired, let your heart be carried away with the wind as you moved. 

Eventually, somewhere in the midst of it all, you found Kaz. When you met his gaze, you caught a smirk dancing on his lips. 

The look in his eyes said all that he couldn’t say, and you knew that the expression on your face said all the same.

You let a hand drift up to the chain on your neck, finding your wedding ring easily.

You were going to live a life with Kaz Brekker at your side for the remainder of it. You were entirely sure that you had never felt happy as you did in that moment, your happiness feeling as warm as the blinding rays of sunlight as they shone through a window on a Saturday morning.

-

The following morning, you and Kaz woke in the same bed, a foot of space between you, as normal. The curtains had been left opened slightly, and as a result, you woke to the sun cascading in beams along Kaz’s frame, highlighting the sharpness of his jaw, the shape of his lips, the warm paleness of his skin. 

You grinned slightly, pressing the side of your head into the pillow as a grin began to fall onto your face.

“You’re staring,” Kaz said, voice raspy because he’d likely only been awake for a few seconds. 

You laughed. “I am not,” you said. “I’m admiring you.” 

Kaz scoffed. You’d had the discussion a number of times before, often switching places in such a discussion. 

“You’re staring,” Kaz insisted. “It’s creepy.”

“I’m admiring,” you said. “It’s loveable.” 

Kaz opened his eyes, and you felt your breath catch as you noticed how they caught in the light. They looked like seaglass, almost, the kind that has an astonishing color when they’ve been rinsed and polished just enough to make them all that more astonishing. 

“You’re lucky I love you,” Kaz said. 

“I know,” came your response. “I love you too, for the record. Always have, always will.”

Kaz grinned, one ungloved hand slowly reaching out, until his hand was hovering over yours. 

“I’ll be able to actually manage holding your hand someday,” he whispered. “I promise.”

You only shrugged, grinning a bit as you watched his hand move less than a millimeter closer to yours. 

“This is enough for me,” you said. “It’s more than enough, really. I love you for everything that you are, touch aversion included.”

A look of relief, and then one of gratefulness, and then one of love, moved across Kaz’s face in split second fractions of time, and eventually, you watched his eyes drift closed.

“I love you too,” Kaz whispered. “More than anything, if I’m honest.” 

You let your eyes close, too, grinning to yourself. 

In terms of husbands, you were pretty sure you’d won the fucking lottery. 

TWENTY-SEVEN

Kaz found himself relieved as he put the key into the lock of your small three bedroom apartment, one located near the East Stave. The relief only grew as he dropped his keys in the bowl to the right of the door, as he slipped out of his shoes, took off his hat and followed it by his coat before placing them both on the coatrack to the left of it. 

The relief was entirely replaced by love and admiration as he recognized the sound of your voice whilst you sang. It was an old Kerch tune, one that Kaz could remember Jordie singing as they walked the streets of Ketterdam.

He approached the kitchen, where he found you, humming the tune as you took bread out of the oven, somehow managing to do it one-handedly whilst a sleeping toddler was balanced on your hip. 

He let himself grin, not even trying to hide the fact that he was there.

“Who’s staring now, beloved?” You quipped. Kaz laughed, and as the sound met your ears, you could’ve sworn, some part of your heart had finally managed to find peace. 

“I’m admiring,” Kaz said. “There’s a very clear difference. darling.”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m admiring,” Kaz said as he walked further into the kitchen. Quietly, he took your son off of your hip and placed him in the small rolling crib that had been built in the living room, not having been moved since then. 

“You’re staring,” you said when Kaz joined you once more. “Admiring and staring are different things indeed, but I know what staring is, and you’re doing it.”

“I’m doing it lovingly,” Kaz said. “That, of course, is the distinction.”

You laughed, tilting your head back as you did, and Kaz could’ve sworn, it was the one thing to bring him solace, to help him find his peace, after a very long, very difficult day, of which both of you had plenty.

“I love you,” you said, giving Kaz a grin that managed both to set his heart ablaze and drown it in contentment. 

“I love you,” Kaz echoed. “I have loved you for a decade. I promised I would always do so three years ago. I have no intentions of breaking that promise. Not now, not ever.” 

You grinned, and yeah. Kaz was in love with you, wholeheartedly, just as he had always been.

You grinned, and yeah. Kaz knew he would love you as long as forever was meant to last, that he would love you even when it had run it’s course.

He just had to hope that forever never would. 

[newtonsheffield]

Anthony is a certified munch in every universe, Kate even makes him a certificate to prove it.

Post Wimbledon, Anthony got into a habit of picking his new girlfriend up after practice. He waits by the court, waving to her Mum while Kate winks at him as she hits ground strokes and her sister acting as her hitter hisses.

“Kate! You know that’s why I hate being your hitter! You could have killed me!”

“It was nowhere near your ankle!”

“Girls!” Mary sighed, “That’s enough for today.”

“A lucky escape.” Kate grinned at Edwina, who rolled her eyes petulantly back but Kate only laughed and the noise caught Anthony by surprise, just as it always did, the sound of it so much younger than she was. Unbridled joy, always.

Anthony made his way into the court, holding her bag open to place her racquet inside, each of them engraved with printed with her name on the grip and the rim. Kate hummed happily, standing on her toes to kiss him gently.

“Hey you.”

“Hey.” He could hardly breathe as she nestled closer to him, not caring about the photographers standing on the other side of the court clicking away. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” She waved back to her family, “I’ll see you two this afternoon at that… thing.”

“It’s not a thing, you’re announcing your tennis shoe line up.” Mary sighed, “Please Kate, please don’t be glib about it. You’re allowed to enjoy being successful a little.”

Kate shrugged anyway, her arm around his waist “yes yes yes. More to life than winning and all that.”

Her mother sighed exasperatedly, shooing her away, “Go on then, I can see you’re desperate to get away.”

They made their way back to his car, Anthony opening the door for her, and her hand settled firmly on his thigh as they pulled away.

“Your place or mine?”

“Mine,” Kate groaned, “I need to pick up my stuff for this afternoon anyway.”

“You looked good out there.”

Kate chuckled, “You just love the way my skirt bounces.”

Anthony’s cheeks flushed, “I wasn’t just looking at that.”

“Maybe I’ll give you a little private show.” Kate growled in his ear, “things bouncing all over the place.”

Something in the pit of Anthony’s stomach started burning whenever he thought about it, about how the muscles of her body flexed and moved powerfully against him, and her teeth bit into his neck and her fingers tugged at his hair.

“Fuck, I’ve been thinking about how you taste all day.”

Kate’s eyes darkened as they pulled up outside her building but she reached into her bag instead smirking as she pulled out a piece of paper. “An honor art award for you, now let’s go shower.”

Anthony felt his brow furrow as he read over it, I Kate Sharma, as someone with deep rooted knowledge of the necessary facts hereby welcome Anthony Edmund Bridgerton to the honorable order of-

“What’s a Munch?”

Kate’s laugh echoed around the car as she left eh paper on the dash stepping out of the car and leaning back in “You’ll figure it out. Come on.”

He scrambled after her and truly, he didn’t have much time to think about it as they fumbled through the front door of her flat.

That was until Francesca slid into his car that afternoon, fresh from school, ready for him to take her to practice “Hey, I saw Kate’s announcement today, do you think it would be weird if I bought a pair of- What’s this?”

She picked up the paper before Anthony could even think to stop her and dropped it, recoiling quickly “Oh fucking gross, Anthony! I mean, I’m glad you’re… generous good for her but fucking hell!”

“I still don’t know what it means!”

[stretchyyonko]

- the 3rd draft on my notes HAHAHA

- itallic (you) bold (kaiser) regular (others)

- idk what to put as title 🥹

- idk why I did kaiser tbh pls don't kill me

- words: visors - the helmet face shield

- beware of typos 😭

"Y/N sweetie are you going to school today?"

"yeah, but only to pass this invention of mine, yet I need to try it first, buuuttt i don't know where to try it"

"I'll be home later before dinner mom!"

"Okay then take care sweetie! By the way he's already outside waiting for you!"

"Huh? Who?....wait, it's kaiser isn't it?"

Her mother let out a chuckle as you went outside and saw kaiser leaning on his motorbike scrolling on his phone.

"Why are you here?"

He smirked along with a scoff as he put back his phone on his pocket.

"What else? I'm here to pick you up princess"

"I can manage myself to go to school"

Suddenly you thought about trying on your latest invention.

"Oh wait I can use these roller skates I just upgraded!"

He was confused to what you are saying not until he saw the roller skates you are holding.

"Oh..you mean those?"

"Mhmm"

"Do they go fast?"

"You bet they do" you said with a huff, proudly showing off your latest invention.

Kaiser looked closely on your invention and lets out a smirk.

"Okay put those on, I'm curious how fast can it go, we'll have a race"

She just look at him if he's serious or not.

"H-Huh?"

Kaiser smirked when he saw your reaction.

"You heard me princess, now put those on before I go and put it for you or are you perhaps scared?"

You glared at him as he attempted taunting you.

"NO! I'M NOT!"

"Then put those on, and let's race on the high way, our finish line is the post lamp near to the Berry Cafe"

"Ughh fine wait post lamp? The one near to the Angels Bakery?" He nodded

You sat down on the side walk as you put on the roller skates and kaiser helped you stand up and gave you your pink helmet that he always carry whenever he went to fetch you and put it on.

"Ready?"

"W-WAIT AT LEAST LET ME TURN ON THESE THING"

"fine" he rolled his eyes and it's your turn to smirk as you pushed the on button and started dashing away, leaving kaiser behind dumbfounded.

"HEY! THAT'S A FOUL MOVE!"

"WE'RE NOT IN A SERIOUS RACE IDIOT!" you replied as you gave him the blep expression.

He got triggered and pumped his pace towards you and managed to went ahead from you.

"Woah...not fair your motorbike is sure faster"

"Well you're fine I guess, don't lose to me or else punishments are waiting for you princess" he said and winked at you.

You then pressed on your phone the highest speed for the booster and it indeed went faster and you managed to surpass kaiser's speed.

He got surprised at your sudden dash beside him.

"Tch, you're cute brave enough to match this speed, I like it"

"You're about to loose though..."

He just glared at you and went even more faster. But it's already late cause you already went on the finish line.

The only problem you have right now is you can't stop.

"What? Did the buttons malfunctioned?"

Even kaiser was confused why'd you go pass the finish line. He got a little worried as he drove to you to check up on you.

He managed to catch up on your speed as he opened his visor as he multitask on looking at you and the road.

"WHAT'S WRONG? WHY ARE YOU NOT STOPPING?"

You also opened your visor to properly look at him.

"I-I DON'T KNOW THE BUTTONS MALFUNCTIONED!"

"WHAT?!"

You two are in the middle of a conversation when both of you didn't saw the downhill.

"Wha-WAAAHHHHHHHH!" you screamed from the top of your lungs as you lunged downhill but you managed to balance your body, except it added more speed to your skates.

Kaiser let out a frustrated sigh as he was thinking of how to make you stop.

*HONK! HONK!*

You look in horror as a big truck was coming on its way to you.

"H-Help...am...am I gonna die??" You said outloud as you got stiff while the roller skates shutted down yet the speed is still fast.

Kaiser suddenly thought an idea as he went to catch up with your speed.

"GRABE INTO ME PRINCESS!"

you got off in your trance as you quickly hold kaiser as he hold your waist and the other hand was busy driving the motorbike.

He managed to match your speed and slowed down to the nearby city down hill and stop by to a nearby gasoline station.

"T-Thank you.." you said controlling your tears.

He took off both of your helmets, as he just gave you a menacing look.

"You...you're so careless sometimes"

"S-Sorry.."

He just let out sigh as he parked the motorbike, as you stood there quietly which made him surprised.

"And now you're awfully quiet"

He was about to add another scolding when he heard you sniffing, when he turned he saw you huff your cheeks to prevent yourself from crying.

He let out a chuckle, and went to you wiping off your tears.

"Go on... Talk now princess"

"I-I thought I was gonna die..."

"Mhmm without me you would've been squished by that truck"

He hummed as he calmly wipe your tears looking at you.

"If w-weren't for you I-I..." You're hyperventilating at this point...

He just chuckled and hugged you calming you down, you clutched your hands on his polo shirt as you let out your cries.

"Hush now princess, what matters is you're safe hmm? Now stop crying you look like a douchebag."

You glared at him and wipe your tears and broke off the hug.

"Fuck you, you're not the one who got traumatized today."

"Oh? Still feisty despite of the incident earlier? Love that on you princess"

"Shut up Remy look-a-like"

He looked at you dumbfounded for a while before glaring at you.

"At least I'm a good cook"

"No you're not"

"I basically cooked a Schnitzel for you last time"

"Still, shut up"

"Tch, should've not rescued you a while ago"

"I'M JUST JOKING!"

Kaiser let out a laugh at you change of answers..

Suddenly his phone buzzed, he seemed to got a text from noel noa.

"Princess we need to go back right now..Noa needs me to go for practice"

You suddenly got sad that kaiser is already leaving.

"Can we go to the beach for a minute?"

Kaiser contemplated at first but it's just minutes, it'll not hurt him if he's a minute late right?

"Yeah sure but only for 10 minutes okay?"

"YAAYYY!"

He snorted when you cheered like a kid who their favorite toy.

"LET'S GO!!"

You pulled him on the seashore but hesitated.

"No princess, I'm not going..I'll stay put to watch you here..."

"Tch, bummer"

"Off you go now, you know you only have 10 minutes."

"Oh shit right"

You then quickly took off your roller skate invention and wemt running on the shore as the chill wind blew by to greet you.

You're enjoying yourself splashing on the sea water like a kid.

Meanwhile kaiser was watching you from the distance with a smile on his face, he took out his phone and went to take pictures of you.

He was admiring you from afar his heart thumping freely and he's relieved that you're far or else his secret will get out.

His little secret.

That he's been pinning you for so long.

His only problem is you're dense behavior, despite of his flirting attempts.

But what got him questioning is you not minding him calling you princess or is he delusional?

10 minutes have passed and you went back to him carrying 2 seashells.

"I'm baaaacckk! By the way I just saw these seashells"

"Hmm? Ohh those are very pretty..."

"Yeah-"

"Like you..."

You got surprised at his words and looked at him.

"Wha-"

"L-Let's go back now princess?"

"Y-Yeah"

You two awkwardly went back up as kaiser went to prepare his bike.

"Uhm i'll hold beside your motorbike.."

"You sure princess?"

"Mn"

Kaiser then started the engine of his motorbike.

"You can star-"

You got surprised when he pulled you to him by your waist and gave you a light kiss.

"Y-You-"

"Shush now princess, let's talk about this tomorrow okay?"

You didn't argue further and simply nodded.

"Good girl, now hold tight behind okay?"

"HEY WAIT! DON'T GO ON FULL SPEED!"

"Haha I'm just kidding princess, i'll just go slow this time"

He then started driving in medium speed as you hold on him for dearlife.

He took you safely at home as he then again kissed your cheek goodbye as he went to their daily training.

And yes noa did scold him for arriving late.

Is it worth it? Yeah its worth it.

- uhhh hope you like it mwehet

[hephaesta]

Study session...

Question: Where to first?

Response 1: Bug Deema while she's in a good mood.

Response 2: Library.

You give Deema some time to mellow in her feelings before you say, 'Remember Dessa? She had some questions about weather inland.'

Deema cracks an eye open and closes it again. 'She should have her own resources.'

'Well, yeah, ideally... but she said they were hard to come by - most stuff's written by and for us on the coast. She said she does most of the work herself.'

Deema sighs. 'Where is she based?'

'Not far off the south end of the Great Alpine Road, near the mountains.'

She nods thoughtfully. 'She won't find much there. But I have some works by Tiffany of the Spurs that may be of interest. What does she need?'

You flip through your notebook to find the page with Dessa's much neater handwriting. 'Information on heat fluctuation and air flow. And calibrating tools, because they're all built along the coast.'

Deema takes her time turning the questions over in her mind and then, as close to uncertain as you've ever heard her, says, 'I can't help with that.'

'Woah,' you whisper.

'My time inland wasn't extensive enough to give sufficient answers,' she amends.

She sits up. 'Go to the library. Borrow *On Mountain Winds. I gave it up to them after I lost one of their books,' she adds bitterly.

'Sounds like a sore memory.'

She scowls.

'Doesn't this make fun bonding? We're like two investigators.'

'Get out.'

--

The treatise remains out of reach despite your best efforts trawling the library shelves. You admit defeat and talk to a librarian.

He drums his fingers on his desk thoughtfully. 'That doesn't seem like something many people here will have a use for. It may be held in the town archives. Let me have a look.'

He leaves you alone at his desk. You take great interest in the wood grain.

You're close to giving up when the librarian returns with a narrow, pale green book. 'I think this was donated by your...'

'Uh... yeah. We'll bring it back,' you say awkwardly.

'Be sure you do.' You can only hope the amusement in his voice means there's no bad blood.

You resist the urge to swing your legs as he writes out a receipt.

'Thanks,' you mumble as you slip the book in your bag. 'See you soon.'

'Happy reading,' he replies, still amused.

--

Deema's spent the time you were out collating booklets from her own collection. 'Your friend can have these.'

She may be Deema's new favourite. 'And I have this,' you say, holding the thin book between your fingers.

Deema grimaces.

'I think I'll take some notes before posting these out.'

Your plan was to leave Deema alone to read while you took notes but those plans are dashed when she reads out points for you to jot down while you try to summarise the information in her booklets.

It's a small mercy when she announces her fingers have had enough of turning the pages.

[serosluv2]

hi love! idk how long ago you posted that you wanted sero requests but here i am.

tattoo artist!sero and it’s like your first time getting tattooed and he talks you through everything that’s going to happen and everything that he’s doing and just making sure that you feel safe. i acc love it so much honestly it could be his partner or a complete stranger but honestly OBSESSED with this idea rn it’s doing my head in i just NEED it on paper

thank u sum for the request & i love tattoo artist!sero !!

You've been thinking about this for quite some time. Ever since you saw your eldest cousin with their first tattoo when you were much younger, you’ve been dreaming about getting your own.

On an impromptu girls' trip into the bright city of Tokyo, your closest friends, Momo and Ochako, convince you this is the time! “but I need to do so much more research about what place I want to go to! what sized needle I should get, and… SO MUCH MORE!” you say in the dimly lit bar, tipsy enough to even be thinking about this idea but not so much that you’re stumbling. “Oh, com’on Y/n !! my girlfriend knows this guy who owns a tattoo place, I think it’s near here, and he’s like, so legit ! she only goes to him and his people.” Momo chimes in. This made you even more unsure. You love Momo’s girlfriend! She is cool and funny but the crowd she runs with is… a wilder than you’re used to. “Is this the same guy that almost got us arrested at that house party?” you say back, reminding her of that night year or two ago. “oh my lord no !!! That’s Denki. this guy is Sero, he is super chill, an amazing artist, and can do anything. even those super small, dainty ones you like.” After about 3 more drinks, the three of you guys are outside by the bar, and Momo is calling this Sero guy, asking if his place is still open. and it is.

After about a 10 minute walk, you arrive at the place. “Tokyo’s Ink” looks cool enough. Rustic and dark enough to draw in the right crowd but oddly clean and tidy enough so no one thinks it’s some sketchy dump. you stumble in with the help of Momo and are greeted with a tall male at the front desk. “uh.. Momo, are you sure she’s ok to like do this?” aww sweet. you think. he clearly cares about his clients which makes you more open to trusting him like this. “yeah yeahh she’s fine. not as bad as ochako though.” momo replies, laughing before she notices- oh shit. where’s ochako? after mumbling you can’t understand between the two tall dark haired people, she dashed out, assuming to look for her. “so, y/n right? i think we met a couple times when you went out with momo and jirou.” oh yeah. You remember seeing him in the crowds with Jirou’s ragtag friends group. “oh yeahhh. you used to have a lip piercing, where’d that go?” you ask, peering up at his face. “oh i uh, got into a fight and it got ripped out.” he says so nonchalantly, leaving you stunned, wide eyed. “holy shit!” “yeah, so you’re thinking of getting a tattoo?” he says and sits back on the desk in the entry way. You can see him a little more clearly now and he’s gorgeous. His hair looks clean and soft, a little outgrown mullet but it looks good. His hands show the ends of some complex artwork going up his arms. even though his lip ring is gone, he still has a lot of other jewelry hanging from him. Earrings and bulky silver rings and a thin chain around his neck. “um yeah i’m definitely getting ones,” you say a little louder than you intended. “but i need to know you are like, legit.” you say and he laughs. It’s a nice, deep laugh that makes your heart do flips. He says he can take you to the chair where he’ll go over the procedure and you can ask any questions you want. “so hopefully you’ll come back when you’re in a better, state and we willl start by sketching out some designs of the tattoo you want. we’ll work on that untr it’s perfect for your pretty self,” your ears perk up and blush at his comment. He notices and smiles back at you, “then i’ll print it out as an outline and trace it with a marker on the spot you want, once that placent is where you want it to be then we will start inking.” he says.

Sero starts talking again. About needle sizes, ink color, if you wanted shading and color or just an outline, blah blah blah. As much as you wanted to, you couldn’t focus on his words when he looked like that. he sat directly in front of you, legs slightly spread, you could see the tension his muscular thighs were putting those tight black jeans through. Sero, with his pericings almost glistening in the overhead light, a light that contorted the muscles of his arms, was slouching and leaning forward ever so slightly so that you could see down his thin and baggy white t-shirt to his chest. He stopped talking but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from his torso. god he looks so good.

He said something. Your name maybe? Then he was standing. It only took half a step until he was towering over you. His hand reached up to caress your jawline and lift your chin up to him. You could smell him now. Not the sandalwood that aired in the shop but him. He didn’t smell like a cologne, more like fresh sheets, warm vanilla with a hint of that manly musk. “you got it, princess?” he said. you could feel his warm and calloused hand against your hot, soft skin. god he definitely works out. you don’t get calloused hands from tattooing. you thought. “um yes. i-i- i’m sorry what do i got?” you replied. Suddenly the buzz you felt in the bar was back but this wasn’t from alcohol, you were high off something else. He laughed softly before saying “i asked if you understood everything i just told you. we you want i can schedule you for an appointment tonight.” his hand dropped from you face and planted on the table behind you. He was leaning down, closer to you. You could practically feel his breath, his lips on you. Sero’s eyes darted down to your lips, then slowly back up to you. His eyes were determined. Searching for any discomfort in yours as he slowly, and i mean slowly, attempted to close the distance between you two until,

ba dingg !

the bell above the door jingled, causing the both of you to retreat quickly. “Found her !!” Momo exclaimed as she was dragging a very sad Ochako, face covered in ice cream, by her side. “O-Oh great !” you said standing up. Sero stood and backed up, giving you room to walk to your friends. He went behind the front counter and grabbed his scheduling book out from under it. Opening it he look at back at you, “so are you free next friday?” he asked clicking his pen, looking at you. “um, oh yes. yes i am after 4pm!” you replied. he scribbled something down and looked back up at you. “great then. i’ll see you at 5:00pm next friday.” he said with his million dollar smile. Momo then proceeded to tell you how late it was and how your group should probably turn in for the night. “I’ll walk you guys out!” Sero jumped into the conversation following Momo and Ochako already half way out the door. Then he put his hand on your lower back, guiding you out of his shop. You turn your head to thank him for letting you come in way past business hours. “don’t worry about it princess, it was my pleasure.” he whispered back to you. his lips softly kissing your neck for the first and last time that night before leading you out.

god you can’t wait until friday. now you just have less than two weeks to figure out what kind of tattoo you want.

[itspdameronthings]

Benny The Rookie Cop Ch4

Summary: Has been awhile since my last post. Had soo many ideas for this one! At long last its done! This chapter has some drama, Benny being a big baby. Finally ! the mystery women in Sant's room!

Santi's POV: 

That voice. Sounded familiar to me,but for the life of me I couldn't place it! Turned around to see her! Can't it be?! Thought.. oh fuck! Am I dreaming? Lilly? After all of these years? Here!? Taking a step forward,” Sure you can. What are you doing here?” Sat down to tell me why she is in rehab. Same reason why I'm here. Not saying too much about it. Heard my voice earlier this evening when she first arrived. Seeing her reminds me of our childhood. Going off on our own,and looking after Gracie while ma was working. After highschool we lost touch. Till we met up again at basic training. Then we parted again. She went to the med core. Then things went to shit after endless relationships ended badly. Okay, we have something to share in that department. Took her hand,” We will lick this together. Hopefully this time we can overcome this addiction. Gracie would love to see you when I tell her “ When she heard me mention Gracie made her tear up. Always wondered what happened to her. Told her about being married to Benny. Also her being a nurse. Hearing that made her tear up again. We chatted till both of us fell asleep. Forgot about the rule about no patients in the room after a certain hour. Helped her to her room. Till I heard her whispering,” Just like old times Tang.” 

Yeah like old times. Times when we walked home from a party because my truck ran out of gas. Oh those highschool days. Followed by that time during basic when we got kp duty because of a prank gone wrong. Sorry Redfly! Took her hand,” Get some rest now lily pills. Another day in rehab land. Especially with Dr. Relationship wrecker.” Lilly looked at me all confused,” Why is that who’s” Whispers the answer in her ear as I walked towards my room. Not till I see another familiar face . Fish’s wife, Redfly 's ex,” What are you doing on this floor? Thought you were in labor and delivery?” Molly practically slugs me on the shoulder. While rolling her eyes,” I'm on my rehab rotation you jackass! Did your sister tell you anything? Oh right her mind is on her husband right now. Poor guy being shot in the ass.” Rubbing my shoulder as I opened my room door,” Yeah , that smarts . Wanna say congrats to your marriage. Glad you are happy. I mean it. Both of you need some happiness. Also wanna ..” Molly knew what I was gonna say. Took her a while to process the information about Tom. Glad the trust fund has helped to continue with her nursing school. Want to work not to live off the trust all that much. Saved portion of it for the girls’ education. Frankie finally got his pilot license,and now flies for the fire department. Proud of you man. Molly leans against the doorframe telling me that she has faith in me. Also she has my back on the doctor issue. Since she is gonna be helping her. More importantly to give her two cents. Love her spunk! 

Gracie’s POV: 

Forgot how much sleep one loses in the hospital Nurses come in to check on his vitals and such. Now they know about his lower back tattoo! Beautiful rose bud. His way to have me near him. So sweet! Have one same location, boxing glove. Which he loves so much. My thoughts were dashed when Benny moaned for me. Poor baby boy having a bad dream. Calmed him down by touching him ever so gently and slowly. Followed by me singing softly to him. He opened his eyes ever so slowly,” Hmm … such a sweet little voice ya have. Perfect thang to hear right now. Wished …” Kisses him slowly,” I know baby. Wished we were in our bed. Hopefully that will happen. Hope I can convince the docs for me to tend to you rather than someone else. Can't have that.” 

No he doesn't want that. Have another nurse to take care of him. Lay next to him facing him while touching his face ever so gently till a nurse from the ER comes in to tell me that I'm needed! Hello! My shift is over! 

Benny's POV:

Nurse’s work is never done! Poor rose bud. Tired rose bud. Heard her out in the hallway,but quietly telling a nurse that she needs to be with me! In her tired state won't be a good idea! Darn tooting it isn't! You tell her darlin. Hate the fact I can't  lay on my ass. Not complainin . Okay! I am! Ass fucking hurts. Need more meds! See, my iv bag looks like a prune! Heard Gracie mumbling as she pressed the call button. Good girl! Give me more of that stuff. Sound of the same nurse comes in with an IV bag. Closed my eyes since the light was bright as fuck! Hurry the fuck up! Turn that light off! Moments later the room is dark again. Moonlight shines through the window. God she looks beautiful. Kiss her soft lips,” Rest my wife. Gonna need some strength to give the ER a what for,and see if I'll be sprung out of this joint. “ 

Morning finally comes. Oh fucking great! 7am my doc ,and a few med students are at attention as he checks my ass wound. Sayin it has healed up pretty good. Yeah yeah! Get to the part when I can get out of here already sheech! Heard him sayin that I'll be gettin out of here sometime this morning! Finally! Seeing my wife smile. Till two familiar voices fills the room! Frankie and Will! Gracie closes the door as she and the doctor,and students chit chat out in the hall. 

Both of them try not to tease me all too much about my wound. That's fine! I'm a big boy! Can take it! Will begins to ease my pain by tellin funny, childhood stories till Gracie comes in,” Looks like I'm gonna be someone's private nurse, handsome husband of mine.” Hell fucking yeah baby! 

Note: I'll be doing a mini chapter. I know y'all wanna know what happens when Benny gets home. As for the next chapter? Flashforward few weeks when Benny picks Santi up from rehab. Spend time together. Meanwhile Gracie is in danger all because of Lucy's stupidity.

@dameronscopilot @rhoorl @romanarose @musings-of-a-rose @crookedbreadtimemachine

[writerbythewater-blog]

They had been at the movies watching some cheesy romcom, because she thought it would be the best way to get his mind off the demigod world and what happened that summer when it happened. Gunshots rang though the building and people panicked everyone racing for the exit. She had frozen in fear sure she had faced monsters but her hair brush wouldn't do much against a gun. Percy had tilted his head listening for the next shot and watching the crowd fight their way outside. She sank into her seat. There was no point in going for the exit doors, because the panicked crowd wouldn't get though.

Percy grabbed her hand squeezing it lightly. When she looked at him he gave her a soft smile before pulling her to her feet. She tried to ask what he was planning, but he held a finger to his lips and she understood he needed he to stay quite. She trust Percy. He guided her to the entry doors and leaned out looking for the shooters. Their theater was close to the end of the hall and she thought she remembered seeing an exit near them. Maybe Percy was planning to lead them there.

He stepped into the hallway fully before pulling her out after him. He put himself between her and where the gun shots were coming from. Keeping close to the wall she looked for the exit and saw it at the end of the hall. Slow the two made their way there Percy stopping them a few times to check the area before they continued. They were almost to the door when she heard a shout. She stopped and looked out of pure instinct, but Percy was already pushing her to the floor out of the way of the gun shot that came as soon as the shout was over.

The gasp of pain and warm blood dripping onto her was her only clue that he had gotten hit. He pulled her up right away carrying her weight as he dashed out of the door they were heading for. He didn't stop until they were behind a different building out of sight of anyone who might leave the theater looking for them. He carefully but her down before sliding down the wall looking at his shoulder.

She blinked moving so she could see the wound better. There was an entry and exit point so it was unlikely the bult was inside him. That was good. She remembered the drink Percy and Annabeth had with them on the quest. She wasn't sure if it would work if the bult had still been in him, or if she would have had to dig it out.

"Do you have any of that drink that healed you on the quest?" She asked.

"Nectar? No I didn't bring any with me to hang out with you." Percy shook his head while holding the wound.

"How can I help?"

"Do you know if there's a pond or lake nearby?"

She looked around trying to remember how to get to the park she knew was nearby. There were hiking trails there and she was sure one led to a lake. It couldn't have been far.

"I think I know how to get to one. Can you walk?"

Percy pushed himself up and used the wall to steady himself when he stumbled. "Yeah I think I can."

She nodded taking his hand and walking toward the woods nearby. She was sure one of the trails let out near the theater. She remembered taking it one day with a friend and watching a movie before hiking back to the park. Walking along the tree she found the trail and led them down it. Percy was looking paler than normal, and she worried about blood loss but he just smiled at her when she looked back at him.

"I'm fine Rach. Don't worry."

Nodding she looked back at the trail looking for the turn off. It would have a map posted at it, so that hikers wouldn't get lost in the wood. Right now she could use it to find the lake she thought was here. She could just make out the edge of the large map when someone stepped in front of her.

"Does that hurt?" The green skinned child asked dancing around her to look at Percy. The girl got close looking at the blood soaking Percy's shirt as they walked.

"A little bit. My friend here is leading me to a nearby lake."

The child tilted it head before turning to look at her. They seemed to be judging her for some reason.

"Follow me. There's a lake the humans haven't found yet that would be better for a child of the sea."

Without waiting to make sure they followed the child left the path. With a reassuring smile Percy stepped off the path after them, and not wanting to be left behind she followed. Off the worn path Percy stumbled over roots but she was right next to him to steady him again. The walk was longer than she thought it should be but at last the trees gave way to show a blue pond. The child that led them there was speaking to a woman with skin as blue as the water of the lake.

"Hello child of the sea. I see you are in need of the healing that water can offer you. Step into my waters." The woman said smiling at Percy.

With a nod he stepped away for her and sank into the water. She watched as the wound closed itself and the blood washed off of his skin. By the time his head resurfaced the wound was gone and he looked better than before the first shot even went off. He stepped out of the water before turning to the woman and giving a small bow.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. Now you should head home."

"Of course." With that Percy grabbed her hand and led them out of the clearing.

He kept leading them until they left he woods all together. Once out of the woods he looked at his shirt still clearly blood soaked and sighed.

"I guess I'll have to tell mom I got shot." He sounded so upset that she couldn't stand it.

"I can get you a new shirt at the store. Come on." She said grabbing his hand and looking for the closest store.

By the time she had her driver pick them up the blood soaked shirt was dried and hidden in her purse. She promised to get it cleaned and back to him by the end of the week, but he also when home with seven shirt to replace it.

[beevean]

What I furthermore find annoying about the current shipping mentality is that characters are not even allowed to stand near each other's vicinity without it immediately being taken as them being shipped and thus the ship being Totally Canon. God forbid they talk. Even more if they do anything the franchise is known for, like shaking/holding hands, bridal carries, stuff like that. Even more if it is a queer ship but again, it's Tumblr, so. Like, I fully understand that seeing your two favourite characters interact is amazing if you ship them!! But I personally always keep in mind that Sega will never let anything be truly canon except maybe some Sonamy here and there, so the two characters interacting in a positive way legit only means they are friends in the comic and nothing more. It'll never go anywhere ship-wise, and honestly? I greatly prefer it that way. The fandom is already tearing itself apart every other day, if one ship got actually canon with Sega's clear approval I think the carnage might just make the internet implode.

Sometimes posts cross my dash that boil down to "you should learn to stop expecting your ships to be canon, stop harassing writers to force your ships in canon, it's okay to simply ship for fun"

and i'm here like

you guys actually expect the game you play with your dolls to become official? Written by someone else?? But why???

I don't even speak from a "canon is stupid and I can do so much better" perspective, but no, I want to have my fun! (then again I mostly engage with dead/finished media so I don't have many expectations anyway...)

Incidentally it's why I don't understand the criticism against Boom Sonamy that "it was never going to become canon anyway". Yeah, I know. I didn't really care personally lmao. I never expected them to kiss or anything, I sort of... imagined that those two were dating off screen, and that was enough for me. Dunno, it's just how I see it.

Anyway, you're right. Sonic is not the kind of series that focuses on romantic love. Look, they tried with Sonelise, and we all know what the reception was. Archie was a completely different beast, and that may have shaped the mentality of some fans :P

Personally I'm like... going apeshit over two characters holding hands depends on the context and also on how popular the ship is. I doubt Sonadow fans are so starved that they'd cling onto "bedroom eyes" that are actually Sonic being the smuggest piece of shit :V hell Sonamy has plenty, plenty of canonical food to eat, you don't need to be like "holy shit Sonic carried her!!". You're also right that Sonic as a character seems to be comfortable with hand touching, so coming from him it doesn't immediately mean he has a crush or anything.

I guess my point is, shipping is supposed to be a fun pasttime. You're smacking dolls together, and it's undeniably a very entertaining game considering its wide appeal, but that's it. It's not representation, canon doesn't automatically elevate it, and you're allowed to dislike a ship for any reason but for god's sake do not judge other people for it.

[idlyfretting]

Yet another fic idea I've been toying around with. I've got a vague idea of where I want to take this, but nothing too concrete.

..........................................

Gareth was hallucinating. 

That was the only explanation that made sense. He wasn’t sure he’d ever gone this long without sleeping, so it made sense that his brain was starting to go a little wonky. 

Steve Harrington just burst into Eddie’s hospital room, reached under the couch by the window, pulled out a bat full of nails, and dashed back out into the hallway.

Gareth stared at the door for a moment and then looked over at Jeff who was sitting on the other side of Eddie’s bed. Jeff was looking at the door, mouth open and appearing just as confused as Gareth felt. Wayne, who’d been standing beside Gareth’s chair near Eddie’s head, had flinched when the door slammed open and raced to the foot of the bed, but paused when Harrington had made for the couch instead of Eddie. 

Wayne had been tense ever since Eddie had gone missing. Gareth had only spoken to him once during the week after the first murder and before Eddie turned up at the hospital. He’d been stoic and silent since Gareth had shown up at the hospital yesterday, and other than a quiet greeting and a few questions about how Gareth’s family was holding up after the earthquake, he’d stayed that way. Jeff got the same treatment when he’d shown up a few hours later. And Dustin Henderson had popped in a few times to sit with them for a while, but other than that, they’d been left alone. 

The image of Eddie’s missing poster, graffitied with devil horns and accusations, came to mind. Hawkins was clearly still under the impression that Eddie was responsible for the killings, but the police had seemingly backed off. There was no officer posted outside the door, nor had any stopped by the room in the past twenty-four hours. There was no way that could last, even if they’d dropped Eddie as a suspect. Someone was bound to come by at some point, asking questions none of them had answers to, unless you counted the unconscious Eddie. 

But Harrington hadn’t stuck around, hadn’t even looked at any of them in the scant few seconds he’d been in the room. 

And where the fuck had that bat come from?

“What in the–”

The door swung open again, cutting Jeff off mid-sentence. Robin Buckley stood in the doorway this time. She glanced around the room, focusing in on Eddie for a few seconds before walking up to Wayne.

“Mr. Munson, right?”

Wayne stared at her, but did nothing to respond. Buckley didn’t seem to care.

“There’s a bit of a situation downstairs. I don’t think… it should be okay. We shooed them off earlier, and it shouldn’t be any different. Except this time Lucas said he saw two trucks pull up instead of just the one, and he couldn’t see super clearly because it’s dark out, but he thinks they were holding…” She trailed off and then shook her head. “Anyway, the cops aren’t really around, so maybe that’s why they came back. But like I said, it should be fine.” She looked at Eddie again and her eyes hardened.

Gareth moved toward her. “What are you even talking about? Who’s downstairs? What’s going on?”

She looked up at Gareth and then back to Wayne. “Nothing good.” She reached behind her back, moving her shirt aside to grab at something. “Like I said, we should be able to handle it. But just in case…” 

She held a handgun, grip pointing toward Wayne, who gave her a baffled look. Buckley shook the gun a bit, waving it in Wayne’s direction until he slowly reached out to take it from her. She nodded and backed away.

“It should be fine. And one of us will come back and let you know that everything’s good. But I should… yeah.”

And with that, she bolted out the door, presumably following Harrington.

Gareth felt like he’d been hit by a bus. Jeff didn’t look much better.

Wayne stared down at the gun in his hand for a moment, before doing something with it that Gareth couldn’t put a name to, but made it clear he knew how to handle it. He looked back at Eddie for a moment before walking over to the door and locking it. 

“What the fuck?”

[astrobei]

hi about to expose myself so hard for being nothing more than a giant sappy ball of sentiment and mush under a suni astrobi mask but ! apparently i’ve written over 250,000 words this year and that + all the positivity on the dash today has got me in a Mood okay!! (continue for proof of me being a Loser ⬇️)

ok yeah so according to my ao3 statistics i wrote over 250,000 words this year alone which is. that’s insane. especially considering i didn’t post anything until august so that’s EXTRA insane. you’re telling me i wrote 250,000 words in FOUR MONTHS? for reference, in all my past fandoms i wrote maybe one or two works and then dipped. mind you, the longest fic i wrote before this was 12k words. (yeah. i know.)

anyways!! not to be gross and mushy and weird on main but i just wanted to thank everyone who follows this blog or has read my writing ever for literally being the Best <3 if you asked january suni what she thought she’d be doing in december, writing fanfiction would not have been anywhere near her list of guesses. so much changed for me so fast this year and i started writing again over the summer as a form of escapism, but i never expected to be welcomed into a community so fast !! coming on here and talking to people has literally been life changing and i’ve made some of my best friends ever in my whole life through this website and i am so thankful for that 🫂 it honestly blows my mind whenever someone tells me they look up to my writing or that they find me intimidating or if they express shock at me following them back or anything like that because i’m just me !! just some gal who cringes writing kiss scenes and can write tens of thousands of words on her phone but not a laptop. for some reason. (?)

i know i would not have been nearly as inspired if i hadn’t met all of you and i literally cannot express how grateful i am for all the friends i’ve made here !! just know that if we’ve ever talked, even just once, or if we’re mutuals or even if you’re here reading this !! i appreciate you all so so much and i can’t wait to go into 2023 with you guys <333 and let’s see if we can hit 500k words next year 🥳🥳🥳

[jlf23tumble]

I read through your larry post and you mentioned the peace ring. Harry wore it last over a year ago in September and on the anniversary twitter larries were waiting for it to come back, they even wanted a harry london walk with him wearing it. That pap walk they would tolerate. When it didn't happen, they turned to louis. He had a show that day and wore a green shirt, olive green, olive like offering an olive branch, like asking for peace, bam peace ring was back! I cringed so hard when I read that but I used to be like that too so I couldn't even be mad. But then I started questioning my sanity and if everything else i believed about clues and messages larry was sending was wrong and made up. probably most of it. But then i think about the louis maison shirt on harrys house release day and I question it again. But I'm chill about all this. Maybe they broke up a long time ago or maybe they're on off, maybe still together, maybe in an open relationship. Whatever we'll never know so why stress about it. I think mostly on Tumblr everyone is more relaxed about it. It's the new larries who don't grasp any of this and think management is still controlling them and larry are blinking more code at us that are annoying as fuck.

anon 2: Not that anon, but thank you for your that brilliant long ask answer you just gave. I joined in this crazy H&L world only last January after I caught wind of the second E breakup and it really felt like "holy shit, there might really be something here, they really might be about to come out, etc." It's been an interesting time so far in the fandom, and I think I'm more in line with your way of thinking recently. Things just feel...meh. There's a weird coldness to the fandom right now, almost a forced belief like you mentioned in your previous answer. I'll always believe there was SOMETHING going on, but to this current day? Probably not. Thanks for your sanity. :)

-----

Amazed anyone read that long-ass answer, lmao, but thank you! As for thinking people on tumblr are somehow more relaxed about it, beg to differ, anon 1, based on a quick lurk just this sec, but kudos to you for keeping that dash locked down! Without much going on at the moment, it's quiet in the deep, so to speak, but make no mistake, it's out there, waiting! Even today, there are people out there saying, ooooh, tons of larry signs at Louis's show near the stage, and you could see how happy he was compared to last night!! Like, it's some kind of GOTCHA, ipso facto, and uh, yeah, that's not cause/effect, bb, but okay! Spread that shit! Live your version of the truth! For real, you can make ANYTHING a reach if you have the arm capacity for it, give me two pieces of something, and I'll stitch it for you, whole cloth, there's a 28 in it, I just know it. It's always so tempting to whip up a sideblog that goes full hog unhinged, like, jesus, it's not hard, lmao

[hexellent]

So far I've mostly just seen your Tails on display, so I gotta say that's why I followed, but man I gotta gush about how the way you write him is so unbelievably killer. That older portrayal you've got going on is so good, I adore how chill he is. One moment that stood out to me was a post where he was basically like "yeah i recreationally smoke weed, it helps me chill out and get more sleep. what's so crazy about that." and I was so instantly like. Oh yeah, this Tails is good.

You can really see that he's leveled out and come into his own over time. But he still has snark and attitude when it's time to defend against someone or something brushing up against him in a way uncomfortable to him, he hasn't lost any edge. It's only gotten more honed as he's gotten older and gained more confidence. He's so undeniably himself! I legitimately love it!

Haven't been following you long and I'm already beyond thrilled to see you on my dash every time you post. Waggles two big thumbs up.

@skyfcx // Why u here tho-

NOW YOU WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE THERE BUCKO!! THIS IS SO FUCKING NICE? WHAT?? HOW'D YOU CLOCK THAT MUCH ARE YOU IN MY NOGGIN OR SOMETHING??

FR THOUGH, I've been thinking about Tails as he grows up for some time now, and Tails has been my favorite since I was like 12-13?? So I've always had my feelings on him and how much potential he has as a person. Dude was beyond college level smart at Eight Years Old. But at the same time, he was still a kid. So of course his intelligence doesn't mean he's perfect at everything. And on top of that, being a child of war so to speak, thats gotta leave you with some lasting effects, hence the insomnia.

He's not perfect, he knows that. And mostly accepts that. He gets jealous. He gets rough and out of hand. He has his highs and lows just like anyone else. He won't pretend like he's on some mighty high horse about useless things like drugs or petty brawls. However he still has a strong sense of justice when it comes to the distruction of other people's lives that didn't deserve it. (Sonic's cocky nature also rubbed off on him which is both hilarious and awful depending on the situation LMAO)

I take a lot of inspo on this from Steven Universe: Future, because I always think about how realistically, the hero should not just be chillin after so many near death experiences. And seeing the Post-'Good Ending' thing where Steven basically had to relearn who he was outside of saving the world/galaxy was like my favorite thing.

I applied this to Tails with my own spin on it. Like he's generally understanding of his situation, regardless of how unfair it really is. And while I haven't touched on it yet, he did have to come to terms with Sonic's methods of dealing with villains. Long story short, he's not always a fan, but he understands why, and does not want to change that, because that would mean changing Sonic as a whole, and thats not for him to decide.

BUT UH THIS IS GETTING LONG!! I HOPE YOU KNOW THE ADMIRATION IS RETURNED 100% BECAUSE I LOVE HOW YOU WRITE TAILS!! It's so spot on for his character and how he thinks, I love it sm.