#// they're so excited to be able to share food with Glass

[r0se1111]

can i get uhhhhhh domestic life in retirement with Ford where we grow old(er) together please and thank youuuuuu 🙏

Yessss >o<

Guys he's sooo domestic-husband-coded you don't understand....

OKok so. Keeping with canon, I do think Stan and Ford still go on their brother boat adventure™️ even with you in the picture, and you kinda hang out at the Mystery Shack for a bit. You help keep things afloat while they're gone etc etc. BUT of course this man calls home whenever he's on land and had access to a phone. He also writes you letters with drawings, photos, and little souvenirs of his travels.

When he returns you are soso happy to see him and he gives you a very cliched swept off your feet kiss. He tells you he's a bit out-adventured for a bit and just wants to stay at home with you for a bit and make up for those lost 30 years.

Get ready for the most wonderful cozy warm domestic bliss you've ever experienced. Waking up in the morning to his fluffy hair all askew as he blinks at you, smiling and calling you beautiful despite not being able to see a thing without his glasses. Stealing all his sweaters (including the turtleneck) to combat the cold pacific northwest mornings and nights. You take turns making coffee for each other in the morning, and on days where you have plans and really need some food in you, he makes his pancakes (a recipe he's been perfecting since he's been back. He loves you, but no he won't tell you what's in them).

Omg you guys sometimes have a little breakfast in bed moment and geez you're so old (affectionate). Him in his glasses, you with your hair all messy, both of you bundled in robes as you read together to get the sleepy groggy cobwebs out of your eyes and heads. Sitting side by side in bed with your breakfast trays and digging in while chatting about whatever.

He insists on still getting a physical morning paper, so most of these mornings are spent sitting at the dining table with coffee and waffles, your feet propped up on his lap as he fills out a crossword puzzle in record time with one hand and rubs your feet and calves with the other.

Gosh you guys are attached at the hip at this point in your lives. Grocery shopping? He's there pushing the cart as you meticulously scan shelves for all you need, occasionally piping up with his own personal preferences on pasta sauce brand or validity of certain buy 2 get 1 half off coupons. Quick stop at the mall? He waits dutifully outside the changing room, ready to give you glowing reviews of whatever you're trying on and holding up his own suggestions with a smile and a quick "this color would look wonderful with your undertones dear!" Yes he's color analyzed you

He's so helpful and genuine in his excitement to do these mundane tasks with you. One night he admits when times got hard during his interdimensional travels, he would daydream about just going to do laundry with you at a dingy coin-operated joint, sitting on the counter next to you and watching your clothes swirl round and round, intertwining with each other until you couldn't tell where his started and yours ended.

Your evenings are either spent on a date or making dinner at your place. If it's a date, he will have asked you out in advance and you better believe he's bringing you flowers or wine or chocolate or something cheesy like that. If you guys decide to stay in, you scan old cookbooks for something tasty sounding and dance around each other in matching "kiss the cook" aprons while one of you prepares a side and the other sets the table. Neither of you resist the temptation of kissing the other cook (ba-dum-tss) or of darting a tongue out mid-kiss to taste your partner's progress on their glaze or sauce.

Ford still is getting used to the idea of sharing a bed with you, but in a very sweetly nervous way. He knows his sleep schedule is a bit messed up still and he really doesn't want to worry or bother you. Some nights you fall asleep and wake up to him passed out on his desk with about 4 mugs of coffee surrounding him. On lucky (and increasingly more common) nights, he sleeps in bed with you. How he's so warm you have no idea, but you're not about to complain when he pulls you against him and rubs his hands down your arms and hips, all the while rambling about some documentary he'd watched that day which "you would really have found so fascinating, love." His clear and calm voice normally lulls you to sleep, but if he's unintentionally keeping you up with his roundabout descriptions, this is easily remedied with a kiss.

A kiss anywhere really, from as innocent to his forehead (you gently push back the stormcloud of his hair to press your lips as close to his wonderful mind as they can get) to something more suggestive like his neck or chest (left deliciously exposed in those relaxed V-necks you'd bought him one Christmas, a completely unselfish gift, might you add) is enough to get Ford to pause and glance over at you with a sort of are we gonna...???;) look. Whether you do or don't, any sort of physical affection is enough to have him sleepy soon. The two of you curl together, sharing breath for how close you are. And every night he gets to hold you like this and think about your wonderfully mundane and predictable lives, Ford thanks whatever higher power that put you into his life that he's back, and that you're his.

[mahs-dumpster]

"Happy 100th anniversary"

a/n: this is soooo self indulgent please. It's a vignette (written only in dialogue) for Daisy's (my Yuu) birthday jacket card that I just made! I'll be linking it here once I edit this post!

cw: oc x canon (Ruggie x Daisy; they're established to be in a relationship and Daisy has already made her decision to stay in twisted wonderland); dialogue heavy; poor attemps at making this look like a fake translation from a vignette bc I'm delulu

The template for the frames of the paintings can be found here.

Words: around 1k

Happy birthday, Daisy!!

Daisy: To think I'm able to visit a museum like this! I wonder what sort of paintings I'm going to see…

Daisy: I'm expecting to maybe recognize a few from the stories mom used to read to me… let's see if I actually can recognize them!

Daisy: I wonder… is she someone I'm aware of? A lady who constantly cleans her house…

???: That's the princess who inspired the glass slippers you always wear.

Daisy: Huh? Oh, Ruggie! I thought you were all the way on the other side of the museum! 

Ruggie: I was, but then I met Trey and we kinda ended up wandering around until I got here. 

Ruggie: What a coincidence that I found you looking at the painting of the lady who inspired your favorite shoes, shishishi~

Daisy: I guess it is a fun coincidence. Oh, right! Would you mind explaining more about her to me?

Ruggie: Fine! But don't go walking around telling people I've gone soft…

Daisy: No need to worry, I wouldn't even dream of it. 

Ruggie: *sigh* anyway… This lady is the princess that inspired your shoes, do you know the story behind it?

Daisy: Sam only explained to me that the princess who wore them danced with them until midnight… so I guess I don't know much more than that.

Ruggie: Right. Legend says she was an orphan who was forced by her stepmother to become basically a servant.

Ruggie: She cleaned the house all day everyday, was forced to hear awful things by her step family and when she wanted to go to a ball her stepsisters tore down her dress. 

Ruggie: A Fairy Godmother – well, her Fairy Godmother – decided to help her get to a ball, she gave her a gown, a carriage and everything! 

Ruggie: the Prince fell in love with her almost immediately and when she ran away and left her glass slipper fall, he tried it on every lady in the kingdom to find out who his beloved was. Then they got married and she never saw her family again.

Daisy: That’s basically the story of Cendrillon. 

Ruggie: What? Oh– one of the fairytales from your world?

Daisy: Yes. I’ve always admired her story, I reread it a lot growing up because I related to her. 

Ruggie: Ah… you did say your stepmother treated you horribly.

Daisy: She… treated me as best as she could.

Ruggie: Which wasn't anywhere near good enough. 

Daisy: Haha… I guess you're right. 

Daisy: What I mean is just… she treated me badly, but I don't hold grudges. 

Daisy: Whatever she's doing, I forgive her. And now that I'm somewhere better and living a happier life… I hope that her and her children manage to grow as people.

Daisy: That's what my mother taught me. 

Ruggie: …sometimes I really do wonder how I fell for such a goody-goody.

Daisy: W-what’s that supposed to mean?

Ruggie: I’m just saying, you're way too naive and nice to forgive someone like that.

Ruggie: if it were me, I’d never forgive them. No way someone's gonna step all over me and I'll forgive them.

Daisy: because that's exactly what you did to Leona-senpai, huh?

Ruggie: besides the point. 

Daisy: Ruggie, isn't this painting depicting that story you told me about? The ones about the dogs sharing spaghetti?

Ruggie: Oh, that one, yeah! I didn't know they actually painted the scene, who would've thought.

Daisy: They're so adorable, I see now how romantic this is.

Ruggie: I guess? It's still just spaghetti…not only that but it's outside in the middle of the night. I guess for dogs it would be cool but for people? I’d honestly just be excited because it's free food.

Daisy: Oh, come on now! This is super romantic! It's a candlelight dinner under the night sky! 

Daisy: If someone did that for me, I know I’d be pretty happy and satisfied.

Ruggie: You’re just trying to convince me to ask you on a date, aren't you?

Daisy: …

Ruggie: Should’ve figured, shishishi!

Daisy: You can't blame a girl for trying, I’ve been pretty lonely these past few weeks since you’ve been working more than usual.

Daisy: But jokes aside, this right here is already enough. I’m already way less lonely just by walking around this museum with you, it's practically a date!

Ruggie: I don't think a date would consist of everyone from our school coming with us…

Daisy: You get what I mean…

Ruggie: Tell you what, once we get back I’m cooking us both some spaghetti and lighting some candles if that's what you’d like.

Ruggie: If my flower is feeling lonely then I better give her a proper date so she can feel loved, right?

Daisy: You really don't have to… but thanks. I would love to. 

Ruggie: Ah, this one's actually a very famous painting, I’ve seen pictures of it around quite often.

Daisy: R-Really…?

Ruggie: What? You don't believe me?

Ruggie: It ties with Sunset Savannah’s history and with The King of Beasts’s story! 

Daisy: Well, forgive me for not understanding the historical significance of a monkey holding a lion cub…

Ruggie: *sigh* Alright. Lemme explain.

Ruggie: This is a ceremony often done by members of royalty when a new child from the royal family is born. 

Ruggie: It goes so far back even the lions from The King of Beasts’s story did that. They basically present the baby to everyone else in the kingdom… it's kinda hard to explain.

Daisy: Oh, I get it now!

Daisy: I see why it's so famous, seeing how it portrays an aspect of the royalty of Sunset Savannah. 

Ruggie: Eh… I never went to one, as you can imagine.

Daisy: Never? Is it not open to the common folk?

Ruggie: Well yeah, but back when there was one for who I now know is Leona-san's nephew, I was trying to survive.

Ruggie: I didn't have the time to go to a ceremony just to watch a new baby I didn't care about being presented to the whole kingdom.

Ruggie: I’d learn about him regardless, so I just didn't care much.

Daisy: I guess that makes sense.

Daisy: Still, it must be super interesting to see it happening. How cute would it be to see a baby cub being shown to the entire world just like that, hahah! 

Ruggie: Ah– sorry, before I got here I told Leona-san I’d go fetch something for him at the cafeteria in a few minutes… if I don't go now he’s gonna be pissed.

Daisy: Why didn't you tell me sooner?!

Ruggie: Well, ya know– it's impossible to resist spending time with you~

Daisy: Alright there, Romeo, enough! Go before he gets upset. I'll be looking around this area for a while more if you want to come back.

Ruggie: *sigh* ‘kay, I'll be off then! 

Daisy: Hm? Ah, this is another painting of Cendrillon.

Daisy: She looks so much free... I'm happy she got her happy ending.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Hi, is it possible to have M6 hcs with an MC having a depressive episode please? Thank you in advance, I love your work <3

The Arcana HCs: M6 with an MC struggling with depression

~ apparently you guys' new favorite thing to do is send me requests that I can relate to a little too well. Have some comfort, my darlings, and remember to be kind to yourselves. Healing is slow but it is happening - brainrot ~

Julian

Caring for you during a depressive episode is more instinctive for him than the day-to-day part of living with depression

He knows what it's like to be really emotionally low, but he doesn't know what it's like to be permanently stuck there

And for someone who runs on emotional energy, not having any at all doesn't resonate with him

Which is why he's quickly becoming Vesuvia's leading medical expert on the condition. What he can't understand right away, he'll study until he does

And oh dear, the more he learns, the more he aches for you. It's the emotional equivalent of chronic pain/fatigue and nobody will make you feel more valid in that than he will

There's just one problem - he can't keep a schedule to save his life and he's sometimes more empathetic than is good for him

It's an important growing moment for him. He'll have to learn how to better himself to help you without feeling responsible for your troubles

He keeps a checklist to go over with you every day, somehow without ever making you feel judged if you didn't do everything

Healthy amount of food? Check. Healthy amount of sleep? Check. Sunlight? It was raining. That's okay, we'll go on a picnic tomorrow!

It's also his way of being able to tell if it's getting bad again

When that happens, he'll encourage you to give yourself the freedom of a few days of rest. No expectations, no to-do lists. A good doctor knows the value of bed rest

It's really good for him too - since he wants to check up on you regularly it means he's taking consistent breaks and actually getting enough sleep for once

You bring him so much joy just by being there when he wakes up in the mornings. Being able to help you keep that sparkle in your eyes means so much to him

Asra

They aren't very depression-prone themselves, but they know how hard it is to carry a heavy heart. It's why giving you half of theirs was one of the easiest trades they ever made

And it's also why he gets what you're going through better than anyone else does, because he can literally feel what you're feeling, if you let him

The first time you let them tap in to your shared bond on a fairly bad day, they said it was like trying to dance with fogged-over glasses and weights on every limb. No wonder you're tired!

He doesn't mind doing things a little differently (since when did he do them normally anyways?) so he likes getting the important tasks done with you

They get up with you on workdays and turn breakfast and dinner into daily dates. Wherever their whims take them while you run the shop, they'll always be back in time to help close and take you on a long sunset stroll

Baths used to stress you out - it was the last hurdle before finally getting to sleep - and now they're the highlight of your day

It's not nearly as overwhelming when the bath's already drawn with some new random luxury product to try out and a fluffy-haired lover who insists on lifting you in and out (it makes him happy, let him have this, MC!)

Weekends are for sleeping in, cuddles on the roof in the sunshine, and hours of reading books in the pillow pile

When a nasty episode hits, they'll take you on vacation to Nopal. They notice how much effort you put in, it makes sense that you need rest and they want to make sure you have it

So many hugs and snuggles, all the time, every day. He's so proud of you and he tells you that constantly

Because he doesn't need you to be happy or energetic or exciting for him to love you. He just needs you to know that you're loved.

Nadia

Nobody knows what it's like to feel stuck and unable to get one's life back like she does. She spent three years comatose like that

She's a little horrified when she gets a clear picture of what life can be like for you. She had a way out, and a Devil to blame and subsequently defeat. You're running on your own determination

She thinks you're one of the strongest people in the world for that

It shows her why you seemed to know how to pull her out of her sleep. And she's determined to do the same for you

She pulls you out of bed to do yoga with her every morning. If it's sunny (and it often is) she'll take it onto the balcony so you can kill two birds with one stone

It's okay if you need to go back to sleep after. Just let her do this with you

She has a reason to schedule breaks into her day now to spend half an hour with you and make sure you're both getting what you need

Because lunchtime gets so busy and dinner is often an important event, she makes sure to have a late morning tea with you every day, from 10-11 AM

Fresh fruit, some dried meats and cheeses, juice and tea, and the most delicious baked treats. It's light and filling and nourishing enough to get you through the day if you can't manage much else

It's easier to act like it's not getting bad again when you can save your energy just for your shared moments. It's why Nadia feels so guilty for the first few times she didn't notice until it was too bad for you to do even that much

Fortunately for you, there's a palace full of employees who have you to thank for getting a competent person in charge again

They want to see you flourish too, so one word from housekeeping is all Nadia needs to whisk you off to the seaside for some R&R

You pulled her out of her daze and are the strongest person she knows. Returning the favor for her beloved is her greatest honor

Muriel

Oh yeah, that thing where life feels like walking through sludge and all you want to do is hide and sleep, so that's what you eventually end up doing all day? Yeah he does that too

Or at least he did, until you dragged him down a continent with the scariest woman he's ever met on a wild goat chase

It's starting to make sense to him now. You knew to reintroduce him to the fun of comfortable clothes and good food and the safety of companionship because that's what you needed too

And he's not leaving that fog behind without bringing you with him

He doesn't want you to force yourself into a busy, colorful life of excitement and adventure. He doesn't want that for himself either

But he's learned the value of a life that can move as slowly as it needs to as long as it doesn't get stagnant

You can sleep in if you want to. But he's bringing you breakfast in bed. He won't say anything but he won't leave to start his day until you eat at least half of it

You don't have to go on a walk if you're not up for it. But he'll leave the door and windows open and move the bed right below them

You don't have to take a shower. But he'll hold you in his lap by the fire with a clean rag and a bucket of warm water and some soap and a big, fluffy towel

It's okay if you can't feel anything. It's okay if you can't stop feeling everything. Sit with it as long as you need to. He'll just be next to you with a glass of cool, fresh water from the nearby spring

Of course, things aren't always that bad. You have good days, and better days, and great days, and tired days, and gray days, and everything days, and nothing days, and quiet days, and loud days

Sometimes you're the one bringing him a glass of water and opening the windows

But you're both slowly having more good days than bad ones, and life is starting to get lighter. And neither of you are fighting alone

Portia

Depression and burnout can look pretty similar. The big difference is that one of them is something you generally bring on yourself, and the other one tends to show up uninvited and unannounced

She's plenty familiar with burnout. Depression not so much

She's quick to notice when you go several days in a row without smiling very much. And when you can't pull yourself out of bed one morning, she's so sympathetic and on board to help

But it's hard not get upset with her when her first question is, "so what were you doing for it to get this bad, MC?"

It makes it even harder to talk about, but Portia is the palace's honorary librarian at this point. Between the research she does there and the general medical description and advice Ilya gives her, she'll come back with plenty of notes

She will feel so bad about what she said earlier that you will definitely need to hug it out

She's such a get-up-and-go person that she doesn't have to think twice about helping you keep a schedule. That's how she lives already. Now she's just cooking a full breakfast for two, not one

She still takes you on her ambassador trips, but the plans she comes up with take your energy levels into account as well as hers

You're having a better day? Time to go sightseeing and find an adventure

You're not doing as well? Take a day on the boat. Nap on the deck in the sunlight. The crew love you too, they'll bring you fruit and she'll get all the boring meetings out of the way while you rest

It can be a little daunting being a partner to someone who is sunshine personified when you feel like mud most days

And it's tricky for her to learn how to sit with someone in pain without feeling like a failure for not being influential enough to fix it

She sees you as the best part of her world and thinks, no wonder you're tired. Take a rest. She'll keep things running

Lucio

At first he's worried that you're falling sick very, very slowly

You don't have energy for the things that he knows you enjoy, you're sleeping more, and the dulled look in your eyes makes him wonder if you're in pain

You're trying not to let it get to you because being an adventurer is fun! Exciting! And it's Lucio's fresh start on life, so you're scared of ruining it. You don't want to drag him down on his way up

But finally one morning you just can't get yourself out of bed. And he's increasingly worried, so you explain it to him

It ends up lifting his spirits more than anything. He could tell you were ill, but this illness doesn't seem fatal. It's just something you have to live with that makes some days a lot harder than others

He doesn't have a lot of intuition for taking care of sick people, but he's getting better and better at learning from his mistakes

You say taking care of your body helps? Every time he gets hungry he makes sure you eat something too. Every time he bathes he pulls you in. Every time he goes outside he invites you.

If you say no too often he will pout. Which will quickly give way to his unexpectedly adorable puppy eyes, because he loves you and doesn't want your sickness to hurt you MC!

Of course, healing is never linear. There are still times when the only thing you have energy for when you open your eyes is closing them again

And as much as he worries for you during those times, Lucio isn't burdened by them. It's a chance to show you he loves you and to return the favor you showed him by sticking by his side

It's also his moment to be the magnanimous, powerful Count he wanted so badly to be. He'll protect you, he'll take care of you, he gets to be your hero and let you be comfortable!

You are his best. If that means you need to take a break and sleep, then go ahead. Precious things are meant to be treasured

[dentiststoothfairy]

Hello! I see you're on a break, but may I place a request for an Identity V matchup whenever you're up for it? I'm pretty new to the fandom and still getting to know the characters but I'm v curious! I have no preferences for gender or surv/hunter.

I'm an INTJ and enneagram 6w5, if those help.

I'm also an only child to parents who worked a lot to make end's meet, so I'm used to having a lot of space and time to myself. I dont do well with crowds or long social events, but I am very good at adopting myself to socialize with different kinds of people in smaller bursts. I get along with just about everyone I meet, but the social masking means I'm a bit slow to make genuine friendships. I'm VERY loyal to people I can share my quiet decompression time with. On the flip side, I'm impatient with people who intentionally ignore my boundaries because I'm used to the alternative of being alone.

Im an anxious person who doesn't handle heated confrontation well. Regular disagreements are fine, but raised voices set me on edge and I'd rather take time away from someone so we can both cool off before we have a conversation.

Acts of Service is my favorite LL to receive, even just little things like cleaning my glasses for me. (I'm independent, but not having to be makes me feel loved) Physical Touch is probably second, and also probably the one I'm best at giving.

I'm more of a homebody and my main hobbies are reading, writing, and just relaxing to music, but I also enjoy outdoor activities like camping and hiking when I have company. I have a weak spot for low-budget horror and science fiction films! I enjoy trying new foods too--i think I'm a pretty average home cook, but I'm not a picky eater and I do my best ☺️

I like animals, and I have a couple bunnies as pets! They're v well behaved and have free run of the house.

I work in a management role right now because the money is pretty good, but it's draining and my dream is to publish my first book and make that my career!

Thank you in advance! -🐇

I match make you with...

💌 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐙 🐶

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

If you need someone to give you gentle encouragment to grow out of your shell or quiet refuge from extended social events. He's your go-to guy.

He's more than happy to be your support.

Your adaptability matches well with his ability to match his attitude to his letters. You both would be able to blend well into the right crowd, but would need a safe haven to recover from such. Unlike common belief, Victor doesn't like people as much as you'd think.

I feel like your struggles to make genuine friends would sort of bring him comfort that he's never been able to tell if certain people would make poor or good friends.

You wouldn't have to worry about Victor pressing your boundaries since he has very similar boundaries to you. He'd understand that sometimes, being on your own is the best thing a person could be.

I hope you like dogs. Because Wick would be pretty excited to meet you haha. Wick is Victor's dog that has been through hell and back with him. So because of that, he's been pretty attached to Victor and that's the only person Victor feels comfortable around.

Honestly? Victor is one of the most chill survivors in the manor. I don't think you'd have to worry about arguments with him. If you ever did argue, I think he'd initially struggle to communicate about it first. It'd be a bit of a climb but if he trusts you enough, you two will be just fine. But, I wouldn't worry about that at all. He's literally just happy to be here.

If you're looking for Acts Of Service as your favorite love language? This boy literally delivers letters because he loves to. He would absolutely do little things like that for you. He would be more than delighted to do small things for you.

He's also such a sweetheart so he'd probably melt at your touch. He'd adore it very much.

Wick requires the pat tax

And with your cooking? I don't imagine he'd be too picky either. BUT he'd adore some Steak Diane if you wouldn't mind 🙏

And since you have bunnies? You'd be great with Wick! Since Wick is also very very well behaved. So much so, that Victor brings Wick into matches and he does exactly what he is told! So, not only would Victor love your buns, but Wick would probably love new friends to play with. (He will be gentle with them I promise)

He's also pretty independent since he acts as a postman. He literally ran into a fire to save Wick, so yeah. He wouldn't be leeching off your absolute girl bossing it. But just know. He will be the first person to read your book. He'll run around it and deliver little advertisements to help get your career off the ground (most likely as a secret) because he knows you're talented <333

[ladyazulina]

Birthday(s)

So, after my Birthday's Eve post, I thought I should do one about the birthday per se, as a minimum. But I can't really talk about my twenty-fifth birthday without sharing my perspective—not about birthdays in general, but—about my birthday. So here it comes.

I don't remember ever liking it, but that's not even fair because I don't remember most of them.

I know it was properly celebrated when I was a child, things were different then, and proof of it was in memories shared from my mom and a unsuccessfully erased pink eight-shaped silhouette of the foam sculpture that was atop my cake that year from the wall. I have grown up with that shape still carving my wall. But one thing that has always shaped my day was sadness. From different sources:

I grow up without my dad. My mom kicked him out when I was six because he was still cheating on her, and one of the first things I remember around my birthday is from one year later if I'm not mistaken (and I can be), being in this weird and unknown place with this kid almost one year younger than me that I didn't like and this woman that tried to be nice to me. My half-sister's birthday is, in fact, 28 days earlier than mine. And I've seen my dad in them. What he had left in mine was this awful feeling and a craving for ice cream, which also made me sad because it was the go-to thing to do during the scarce moments of my teen years when he came to spend time with us.

My mom did the best she could, I know that, but I still grew to be a quiet, timid, and reserved kid. It didn't go well socially for me in school, and my birthday has always been on winter break or right away the last day of exams. There was one year, after a circle of friends adopted me and did their best to take me out of my shell, that my classmates allegedly threw the Christmas party in my honor because of my fourteenth birthday. The friends ambushed me on the last day of classes and made me call my mom to have her permission to go to the sleepover in the house of one of them, I didn't want to go but didn't feel brave enough to be honest, so I went against my wishes. They dolled me up, took away my glasses, put on makeup I didn't want, (created me a Facebook account), and we went all together to the party. I didn't like the food and there were two cakes I didn't touch, one with a picture of the gang of the person giving the house, and one with "all the classmates". I hope you assumed I wasn't in either, so it was hard to believe that it was even 1/3 for me. The worst part is that my house was close to the one where the party was held, but I wasn't able to be left out to go to my house, so I had to go through the sleepover anyway. (It was 2012, I believed the world was ending on December 21st, and was mad because my lil sister was sad with me, not being able to give me the gift she chose for me.)

I don't remember when I noticed I didn't like cakes (unless they're homemade), give me ice cream instead. But I think I was adamant after that party about not wanting any birthday party for myself. Brace yourselves: the year after I had a surprise party. Yearly, we have my mother-side family gathering for Christmas, so some particular characters of the family decided to use that gathering to give me a party I vehemently said I didn't want. People not excited or interested in my birthday. Wifi cut out because my sister was mad at me for wanting to chat with my boyfriend. Three rented adult dresses to change into. Makeup to bear. Five to ten centimeters of heels to break my feet with. Lots of photos, with the one using a white dress making me look like a bride with my cousin of life seeming my spouse. Of course I smiled and feigned happiness and let them drag me in whatever, my mom asked. But I took off as soon as I was able, knowing that not even that was for me.

Goddess, that sounds kind of sad.

Two years ago, my dad decided to take me on a trip for my birthday, with all his daughters (my sisters and his other two). A tourist destination. A rented house. Three days, two nights. Walking day and night. Going to beaches. Looking and sightseeing. It wasn't a trip made for me because I don't like any of that, my half-sisters do, the planners of the trip. It was cold, the water was freezing, and we didn't have a lot of sun. I discovered my birthday was only an excuse for them to go there again, and for my dad to unload one night some of the burden eating him from inside. It wasn't nice, but I still hold onto the fact that at least the rented house was nice.

All of that made me reconsider that having a vendetta against my birthday was only making me suffer, so last year I started planning to make me look at it better.

I didn't have a lot of time to do something grand, but I asked friends and some groups I felt comfortable talking to, to do something nice for me on the day (it could have been something as little as just spending some time talking with me), because that was the important part. It wasn't a good day, but thanks to their help, it wasn't totally bad. I decided then to have a date with myself the next year.

This year. Two days ago.

I'm not sure if I said everything I wanted to say about birthdays here, it feels like a rant and some reminiscences, but I'm short of words, so I should do you a favor and just stop. The summary is that I never liked my birthday and the feeling just increased with every attempt, but I'm trying to give it a 180º for myself, and this is the second year trying.

And I'll come back soon to talk about my Birthday Spree, so don't tune off.

[ariaintaiwan]

Day 7: Dragon Boat Day

Today was the second day we had off for Dragon Boat Festival, and today was even more filled. My whole class went together to watch the dragon boat race and climb Elephant Mountain. We all took the bus together and went to the vendor area to get food. There was a vendor selling fresh-baked mini pizzas, and once I saw a margherita pizza I had to get it. I also got an honey tea drink from the bee farm's stand next to the pizza stand and talked to the lady running it for a while. I wasn't able to follow everything she said, but it was a really fun interaction. She asked where I was from, how long I'd been in Taiwan, how I felt about the weather, etc, and I mentioned how I really like bees and think they're very important. Shortly after getting that drink, the races began and we all went over to watch. I stood under the tent for a while to stay out of the sun. There was seating, but it was all wet so I decided to just stand until a nice old man next to me saw and grabbed a folded-up cardboard box and put it by where I was standing so I could sit and not get wet. It was cool to get to see the race, but the part I remember most about the whole event was just everyone being so nice to me. After the race ended, we all went back to the buses to go to the train station and ride to Elephant Mountain. By the time we got there, it started raining, and I didn't have my umbrella, but luckily my classmate let me borrow one. It wasn't an easy climb up the mountain either way, but it would've been a lot worse without the umbrella since I have glasses and wouldn't have been able to see. While the rain was slightly inconvenient, it also made for a very pretty climb, and something about rain is just magical to me, so it was a great time. After we got back from Elephant Mountain, the same people from yesterday were continuing the parade. I was hungry and went with my classmate to get lunch, but afterwards I went to see the parade. Whenever people in the parade noticed me or one anyone else they could tell was a foreigner walking by, they were always excited and greeted us, so I asked a group of them if I could walk with them for a while. They said yes and that was a very fun moment, but it was short lived. A traffic cop saw me and gestured at me to get out of the road. I think it was probably because I was walking off the to the side to not get in the way of the drummers, but it was still disappointing. Interestingly, they didn't shut down the road fully for the parade, so there were still some people in cars that were just going very slowly, and also people on motorcycles just going around the people. After that I went back to my hotel and had planned to stay in my room for the rest of the night since I had already had an incredibly packed day, but one of my classmates ended up inviting me out since they hadn't eaten yet, and so I went with them. We went to get mango shaved ice and had a really nice conversation. The classmate I was with is one of the less experienced ones, so I let them try to order but ended up helping them. We shared a mango shaved ice because they were really big, and I tried to pay for half of it, but they ended up treating me since I helped them order. After that point, I finally got back and got to sleep since I had to be up the next morning to move in with my host family.

[wishmcker]

She almost immediately pushes herself away from the table, standing up so that he will listen to her when he begins to walk away. She expects him to dismiss her, but she doesn't want him to. ❝ That's not it at all, ❞ the brunette cries, perhaps louder than she should. She slinks back slightly and laughs at the passion that had overcome her to the point where she felt like she needed to make him aware of her thoughts. Her gaze softens and she shrugs, sinking back into her seat as she listens to him.

❝ I did like them, ❞ she replies sincerely, offering a proper smile this time that is not watered down by the burning sensation that had crept up her cheeks. She takes the glass and curls her fingers around it, making sure to keep her pinky fingers from making contact. She's a little embarrassed by her outburst, but she enjoys being able to make her friends happy. And if trying food she isn't used to yet allows her to spend time with Bakugō and bring that sweet smile that he had offered to her in response to speaking about her own favourite snack.

❝ They're a little spicy right now, but maybe I can train to get used to them, ❞ she muses offhandedly, eyes drifting back to the jar. The bright colours are so prominent, and they easily remind her of her companion's more zealous side. ❝ I like sharing the things you enjoy with you. ❞ Her gazes rises to him to watch him, and she smiles as well. ❝ I like doing that with all of you. ❞

She laughs openly at his crassness, leaning back in her share. It's clear she is excited at the prospect of getting another sweet, especially if it will help them cool off.

❝ Do they have flavours you like too? ❞ Ochako asks, and she can't help but wonder what flavours Bakugō would like since gelato was typically sweet. It was clear he hadn't liked the mochi. ❝ I'd love to go! I haven't had a popsicle in a while. I can pay you back for the mochi! ❞

❝  happiness  in  a  bun,  ❞  katsuki  repeats,  staring  quizzically  at  that  sugar-filled  bun  he  detested  so  much.  he  supposed  the  airiness  of  it  was  kind  of  like  biting  into  a  cloud  —  a  tooth-rotting  cloud,  but  a  cloud  nonetheless.  he  still  doesn't  understand  the  appeal,  but  it's  obvious  that  it  brings  his  classmate  immense  joy.  she's  always  so  bright  and  cheerful,  but  her  smile  is  somehow  even  brighter  now.  despite  his  own  disgust  at  the  snack,  katsuki  finds  himself  smiling  (  not  his  usual  confident  grin,  but  a  genuine,  soft  and  slight  smile  ),  and  he  realizes  that  gifting  his  classmate  something  that  makes  her  so  happy  makes  him  weirdly  happy.  he  makes  a  mental  note  to  buy  the  sweet  bun  again  when  he  stops  at  the  convenience  store.

it's  hear  turn  to  try  his  favorite,  though,  and  he  honestly  feels  a  little  bad.  the  surprise  is  evident  on  her  features,  and  there  goes  ochako,  trying  to  be  polite  about  his  pick  even  though  he  knows  the  kick  it  has  overwhelms  her.  he  kind  of  expected  that,  so  he  laughs  and  shakes  his  head.    

❝  love  ‘em.  but you  don’t  gotta  lie,  uraraka.  you  look  like  your  head's  gonna  explode.  is  it  really  that  bad?  you  should  try  some  of  these  spicy  american  chips  someday.  i  love  hot  shit,  but  damn,  at  least  this  candy  has  a  little  sweetness  to  it  mixing  in  with  the  spicy.  those  chips  are  just  brutal,  ❞  while  katsuki  speaks,  he's  moving  about  the  dorm's  kitchen,  grabbing  a  small  class  and  pouring  out  some  water  from  the  fridge,  which  he  offers  to  her.  he  knows  it's  not  that  bad,  but  maybe  it's  different  for  her.  he's  just  practicing  being  more  helpful  and  nice.  aizawa-sensei  told  him  he  needs  to  do  that  more  if  he  wants  to  be  number  one. 

yeah.

❝  you  know,  since  you  like  sweet  shit,  you  should  come  with  me  to  this  place  that  sells  gelato  popsicles.  you'd  probably  love  it,  especially  since  it's  starting  to  get  hot  as  the  devil's  asshole  outside.  ❞ 

[one-pissed-off-child]

More Encanto Hcs

Because I'm procrastinating

Madricest bitches know that I'm mentally punching you in the throat

-Antonio is a little shit to Camilo every day. Little Shit behavior started as soon as he could walk. Camilo took it as a challenge though so they have mini prank wars that no one knows about

-The more negative Bruno feels when performing a prophecy, the more negative the prophecy is. If he really doesn't want to do it, he's more likely to show you a vision of your dog dying than meeting the love of your life. The reason the vision worked for Mirabel was bc he started to get excited once he saw the butterfly

-Both Pepa and Dolores are extremely blunt, sometimes to the point of offense. They'll look you in the eye, tell you your face looks like crap and walk away. Dolores does this because she Does Not Care and never will. Pepa does this because she cannot read a room for shit

-Luisa has very soft and fluffy hair

-Agustin can actually be incredibly smooth on a good day. When they first met, Julieta thought he was just a cute, clumsy nerd until one day he rolled up to her table, pulled out the cleanest one-liner ever and left her a flustered mess. The illusion was immediately broken when he tripped on air while walking away but she had already fallen hard by then

-Isabela, Dolores, and Pepa have days where they'll meet up in one of their rooms (usually Dolores') and gossip for hours.

-At some point in their lives every grandkid has accidentally called their tia 'Mami'. Pepa and Julieta absolutely adore it when this happens and it usually leads to a lot of cooing and smothering kisses as the grandkid in question tries to escape with their dignity

-Felix is a chess grandmaster

-Pepa and Bruno used to beat the shit out of each other on a daily basis for literally no reason. They would be walking down the same corridor, share a Look and immediately start squaring up. It baffles everyone to this day

-Luisa loved being held but she grew very quickly and soon no one was able to pick her up or give her good hugs anymore. The solution Julieta was to lay Luisa's head in her lap and gently stroke her face and hair. It works every time and different members of the family will do this if they notice she's feeling stressed out

-Mirabel got away with absolutely everything as a kid bc she was so damn cute. Her puppy dog eyes were especially lethal since the glasses amplified them.

-Luisa has a love of reading that she got from Alma who read to her nearly every day at one point.

-No adult in the Madrigal household has ever laid hands on their children and no adult ever will.

-Every Madrigal has an extremely deep-set sense of loyalty, Alma and Luisa especially. If you can worm your way into their hearts they're pretty much ride or die for you unless you mess with their family.

-Dolores is the type of girl to step away and call the cops if anyone even thinks about trying to touch her. But that doesn't mean she can't fight

-Isabela on the other hand will throw down all day and every day. As soon as anyone gives her a reason she pops tf off. She doesn't even use her powers, just 16 years of pent up aggression and a slowly building tolerance for pain

-Julieta has said "when I was your age..." to her triplet siblings at least once

-Isabela can create sentient potato people because fuck Disney for cutting that out

-Pepa looks a lot like her Abuela. Alma wasn't able to save any pictures of her when they fled but she often talks about her.

-Luisa and Agustin have daddy-daughter book clubs

-Pepa doesn't actually need to feel any particular emotion to summon weather. She can just want it to rain and boom, rain. However, she can't control it at all when her emotions get the best of her.

-Bruno is quite the fan gossip himself. He doesn't usually speak much but he'll listen in on the Pepa and the girls' sessions and they do his hair

-Julieta can just touch anything edible and it will become magical. Her logic is why wait for someone to make the food and go around putting her hands in everybody's plates afterward when she can just make the meals herself

-Pepa is one of those people that will say she can do something she absolutely cannot do and practice it everyday until she gets good at it out of spite. Because of this she is surprisingly versatile. It's one trait Isa and Mirabel picked up from her

~Angst~

-When they were teenagers, the triplets promised each other that they would not outlive one another. When Bruno vanished without warning, everyone initially assumed the worst. For the next few weeks, Felix and Agustin glued themselves to their wives' sides to make sure they didn't do anything...drastic.

-Alma had to do things...she isn't proud of in order to ensure her family's saftey when the Encanto was risen, especially after the triplets got their gifts. Most people were more than happy to follow her lead but there were many who saw a naive young woman with three magic piggy banks. And they were more than willing to hurt to get what they wanted

-Julieta can't heal herself. Everyone found this out the hard way when she tripped on Bruno's stairs and cracked her head on the steps.

-Pepa accidentally killed a man with lightning once. Alma stroked her hair as her daughter sobbed into her chest and said she would take care of it. Anyone who asks about the man is told he left to visit family. Anyone who pries further gets a visit from the town leader. No one asks about the man

-Isabela had an identity crisis a few years before canon where she constantly questioned whether her family actually loved her or if they just loved the front she put up. This caused her to be snappish and cold towards them for a few months, especially Mirabel. She eventually made up with almost everyone. Mira though? Not so much.

kthxbai

Part one

[warabidakihime]

Invisible Strings Chapter 10

Characters: Uzui Tengen x Reader | Modern AU Synopsis: Sequel of Parallel Lines Content Warnings: profanity, smut, sleep paralysis, eventual violence, blo0d, slight manga spoilers (tho i strayed away from the original plot but yeh), can be a bit psychologically triggering for some so proceed cautiously.

Previous Chapter: Prologue Next Chapter: Chapter 2

How, exactly, did things come to this?

Everything was going swimmingly.

You gazed up at the clear, blue sky and resented the beautiful weather since it had no business being so pleasant on a day like this.

It was another field day for you, Nezuko, and Yushiro, and you were all eager to get this over with. It was exciting at first, since you got to go around the city and eat delicious food, but it quickly grew tedious.

First, it was scorching outside; second, there was still so much work waiting for you at the office, but you couldn't even begin since you hadn't finished your present assignment yet; and third, you don't get to spend as much time with Tengen.

He's also quite preoccupied right now because Gyoumei has already approved his proposal.

That was a major weight off his shoulders, but the task it implies is tremendous and daunting even for him.

He and Zenitsu had also begun their fieldwork as they went, looking for the perfect material to use for the venue's interior design. However, they are at the office today to do other errands. They will go out again as soon as possible tomorrow.

They're only window shopping right now since they're still waiting for your team to select the ideal location.

And, well, it's taking a bit longer than anticipated.

It's not that you have to get everything done right away, but everyone thinks that it's best to get as much work done as possible so you don't have to cram in the future.

"So, this is also a no-go, huh?" Yushiro grumbled, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah, they're asking for too much for such a small room, and they won't even let us decorate the place however we want," you grumbled, wiping away your own sweat.

“Even if they allow us, I'm not going to get them. That geezer's obnoxious as hell," Nezuko remarked as she boarded the company van.

The owner, with whom you were speaking earlier, reminded you of your previous boss. Stubborn and vexing.

You're in charge of the conversation because you suggested this location, but to be honest, you almost feel awful for even recommending this spot in the first place. With the way he was speaking to you and your friends, you almost saw red, but fortunately, you were able to hold your temper at bay.

Though, if Giyuu, one of the board of directors, had been with you, he could have persuaded the geezer to drop the price and allow you to design the complex, but he was called away for an emergency meeting with Kagaya, so he couldn't accompany you today.

"Alright, where to next?" Nezuko asked, settling into her seat and fanning herself.

Yushiro pulled out his phone, scrolling through the list of potential venues. "There's one more place on the list for today. It's a bit out of the way, but it's supposed to be spacious and well within budget."

"Let's hope this one works out," you said, sliding into the van beside Nezuko.

As the van pulled away from the curb, you glanced at your phone, hoping for a message from Tengen. It was moments like these that made you miss him the most—when the work felt overwhelming and the days seemed too long. But knowing he was there, even if just a text away, made it a bit more bearable.

The drive to the next venue was long and filled with idle chatter. Nezuko kept the mood light, sharing funny anecdotes and making you and Yushiro laugh despite the heat and exhaustion. It was one of the things you loved most about her—her ability to lift everyone's spirits even in the most trying times.

When you finally arrived at the next location, your hopes were cautiously high. The building was modern and stylish, with large glass windows and an inviting entrance. It looked promising, at least from the outside.

Inside, you were greeted by a polite and professional staff member who took you on a tour of the venue. The space was indeed spacious, with high ceilings and an open floor plan that would be perfect for the gala. Best of all, the staff seemed flexible and eager to accommodate your design ideas.

"This place is perfect," Yushiro said, nodding in approval. "We should definitely consider this one."

"I agree," Nezuko added, her eyes shining with excitement. "It's exactly what we've been looking for."

You smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. "Let's finalize the details and secure the booking. I think we finally found our venue."

As you wrapped up the meeting and made your way back to the van, you couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of energy. The day had been long and challenging, but finding the right venue made it all worth it. You pulled out your phone to send Tengen a quick message, sharing the good news.

"Guess what? We found the perfect venue! I can't wait to tell you all about it later."

Hitting send, you leaned back in your seat, a smile playing on your lips. 

*

You awoke in the office's sleeping quarters, disoriented and groggy.

How long have you been sleeping?

When you attempted to sit up, a wave of dizziness hit you, forcing you back onto the mattress. Your head pounded with pain, and each breath felt like a struggle.

Tengen entered the room and hurried to your side at the sight of your struggle. "Nezuko-chan told me you weren't feeling well," he said, gently taking your hand in his, his thumb soothingly stroking your palm.

"Yeah, I got a migraine from being out in the sun for too long," you admitted with a sheepish chuckle.

Tengen's expression darkened as he touched your forehead. "You have a fever, my love. You should go home and rest."

"Don't worry about me; there's still so much work to be done here," you protested weakly.

"No, I won't let you overwork yourself. Your health comes first," Tengen insisted firmly.

You were about to argue further, but the concern in his eyes silenced you. With a resigned smile, you relented. "I guess I'll never win this argument, huh?"

Tengen returned your smile, shaking his head. "Never."

Defeated, you pretended to sulk.

"Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to obey my boss."

"You really should," he teased, but his expression softened as you pouted.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"It's just... I've missed you all day, all week, and I was looking forward to hugging and kissing you when I got back today, but now I can't because you might get sick too," you lamented.

Tengen chuckled, affection evident in his gaze as he gently ruffled your hair. "I promise to give you all the hugs and kisses you want once you're feeling better. For now, just relax a little longer while I grab my phone, and then we'll go home, okay?"

"Okay," you agreed softly.

"Good girl," he praised before pressing a sweet kiss to your lips, catching you off guard.

"Savor that kiss until you're feeling better," he whispered before leaving to retrieve his phone and car keys.

As he left, a mischievous smirk played on your lips. "You cheeky son of a bitch. I'll get you back for that one."

Tengen dropped you off at home and shared lunch with you before heading back to the office to tackle the mounting workload on his desk. Now, you find yourself alone in the penthouse, focusing on recovering as quickly as possible.

Although you entertained the idea of doing some cleaning, Tengen had explicitly instructed you not to exert yourself.

"If I catch you up and about, acting recklessly, you can bet I'll give you a good smack on the ass. So behave while I'm gone, okay?" he had warned you before leaving for the office.

As tempting as the prospect of being spanked by Tengen sounded, you didn't want to add to his worries. He already had enough on his plate.

The promise of a playful punishment would have to wait for another day. For now, you resolve to support him by obeying his instructions and resting in the penthouse.

However, relaxing isn't something you're accustomed to. You've always viewed lounging and unwinding as luxuries, having grown up in an environment where constant movement and action were valued over rest. But you acknowledge that now is the time to prioritize your health and recuperate.

Lost in thought, you find yourself reminiscing about your hometown and your family. It's been nearly five years since you last saw them. The memories stir up conflicting emotions within you—sadness at the distance, but also a sense of necessity for leaving in order to survive.

As thoughts of Tengen fill your mind, a smile instinctively graces your lips. You're moved to tears just thinking about him and the support he's shown you. Placing the ice cream aside, you wipe away your tears with a chuckle.

"It's unlike me to cry over such trivial matters," you mumble to yourself, trying to brush off your emotions.

But deep down, you know that suppressing your tears has been a learned behavior from childhood, ingrained by the belief that crying is a sign of weakness. You've become adept at hiding your emotions, even when you feel like breaking down.

With tears still streaming down your cheeks, you compose a heartfelt message for Tengen and hit send. 

Feeling emotionally drained, you decide it's time for a nap. Tidying up the living room, you make your way to the bedroom, seeking the rest your body desperately needs.

*

"What the fuck did you just say?"

Sanemi's outburst shattered the calm air of the conference room like a thunderclap on a clear day.

His words hung heavy in the air, leaving the others in stunned silence. Tengen's face remained stoic, but beneath the surface, emotions simmered.

Is this some kind of sick joke?

When he spoke again, his voice was as cold as the blade of a sword in winter.

"I won't repeat myself," he said, his words sharp enough to draw blood.

Before anyone could react, Sanemi's anger exploded into violence, his fist meeting Tengen's face with a sickening thud.

"You traitor, don't get clever with me!"

Sanemi's accusation echoed through the room, cutting through the tense silence like a blade.

Yushiro's inquiry hung in the air, his wide eyes betraying his dread. "Is it true, Tengen-san?"

Tengen rose, wiping away the blood from his face as he confirmed the unthinkable. "It's true. Y/N was a demon in her past life."

Sanemi's anger boiled over, his words dripping with disdain.

"So while we were risking our lives battling demons, you were out frolicking with her?! And you dare to call yourself a demon slayer, a Hashira?!"

Tension crackled in the air as accusations flew like arrows in a heated skirmish. Sanemi's rage burned brightly, and his gaze fixed on Tengen with a mixture of fury and disbelief.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Tengen had intended to share the truth with the other Hashiras, but amidst the preparations for the Gala, the right moment had eluded him.

The meeting regarding the Gala had concluded, and the conference room emptied out, save for Tengen and Zenitsu, engrossed in discussion about you and the complex situation surrounding your identity. Little did they know, their conversation had not gone unnoticed.

Sanemi, of all people, had inadvertently overheard their exchange, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events. As tensions mounted and accusations flew, the once tranquil room transformed into a battleground of conflicting emotions and fears.

Now, gathered once more in the same space, the focus shifted entirely.

You.

And the possibility of Kibutsuji Muzan's revival.

And its implications for the fragile peace they had fought so hard to secure.

"Sanemi, please, calm down." Kagaya's voice was a soothing river, but Sanemi's stormy emotions refused to subside.

"How can I calm down?!"

Sanemi erupted, his frustration boiling over.

"We poured our sweat and blood into securing this peace, sacrificing so many lives along the way! And now, it's all threatened because of him!"

Kagaya attempted to reason, "But if we turn on each other now, we play right into the hands of our enemies. We must unite to find a way out of this mess. Tengen's warning may be dire, but we must not let fear divide us."

Giyuu added his voice, "Y/N may not remember her past life, but she remembers the moments before her transformation. She's haunted by them. She's not our enemy; she's a victim too."

Shinobu's inquiry cut through the tension:

"Does Y/N remember her past?"

Tengen shook his head.

"No, but she recalls the moments before Muzan's curse took hold. She dreams of it sometimes, but she doesn't know who she was or what she did."

"What now?" Muichiro, still dressed in his university uniform, asked Kagaya. The uncertainty in his voice echoed the collective confusion in the room, seeking guidance from their wise leader amidst the chaos.

Because, to be honest, they were all too stunned to react.

Fear had creepily seeped into their veins as well.

The mere possibility of having to go through that again sends chills up their spines.

The Master's response was firm, a beacon of resolve in the swirling uncertainty: "We do what we've always done: protect humanity from demons. Y/N's safety is paramount."

"I'm not going to sacrifice my life for a monster," Sanemi said immediately.

Nezuko's tear-filled eyes met his. "You risked your life for me. Why is Y/N any different?"

Sanemi's retort was swift, "Because Y/N served Muzan directly. She's a threat that needs to be eliminated."

But Giyuu wouldn't hear it, "Y/N's not our enemy. She's a victim, just like us. We can't turn on her."

Sanemi's fists clenched in frustration. It wasn't easy for any of them to accept the truth. They'd suffered too much at the hands of demons to trust easily, but something about you had touched their hearts.

Tengen's words cut through the tension:

"Did Y/N ever seem like a monster to you? She fought alongside us and helped us defeat Upper Moon demons. She's earned our trust."

The Sound Hashira continued, "As you were all once full-fledged demon slayers, think back. Was there ever a moment you felt threatened by her? Even in her past life, she carried the weight of her sins, striving to make amends. Remember when she aided us in defeating an Upper Moon Demon? Without her intel, I might not be standing here today. She played a crucial role in humanity's victory over Muzan. This is undeniable truth. Of course, if she proves to be a danger, I'll take action. But until then, I will stand by her."

Tengen's words resonated with conviction, urging them to reconsider their judgments amidst the uncertainty.

*

"Sanemi-senpai!"

Sanemi glanced up from his computer, greeted by your warm smile as you approached him. "Oh, Y/N. What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to give you this," you said, handing him the coveted video game his brother had been longing for, a small act of kindness in the midst of chaos.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, surprised by your gesture.

"I stumbled upon a video game shop in town and remembered your brother's wish. Luckily, it was owned by an old friend who gave it to me for free," you explained.

Sanemi's lips twitched into a rare smile. "You didn't have to, but thank you."

"The pleasure's mine, Senpai. Consider it a thank-you for rescuing my presentation from that glitch," you chuckled.

*

"I heard it's your birthday today," Gyoumei remarked casually as he passed by you in the pantry, his presence commanding yet comforting.

You offered a timid smile, feeling a bit nervous under the scrutiny of the Finance Department's Head Honcho. "Yes, sir."

"How old are you now?" he inquired, his tone gentle, seeking to connect despite his imposing stature.

"25," you replied, your voice soft but steady.

"Oh, then Tengen is three years older than you. Is everything well with you two?" 

"Yes, he's been fantastic," you assured him, grateful for his interest.

"I'm glad; he's a little rambunctious, but he's a great guy; I wish you two happiness," Gyoumei offered warmly.

"Thank you, and oh—" Suddenly remembering something, you rummaged in your bag. Gyoumei's curiosity was piqued.

"I felt now would be a good time to give you this," you explained, presenting him with an envelope containing a check.

"What is it?" Gyoumei's curiosity was replaced by surprise as he accepted the offering.

"During one of our weekly meetings, you mentioned that you have a charity that you support on a regular basis, and I thought it would be a great idea to give a little something that could help you with your cause, even if it's only a small amount compared to the ones you get from other donors," you explained earnestly.

"Any help is much welcomed, Y/N. Thank you," Gyoumei expressed his gratitude, his affection evident as he ruffled your hair in a brotherly gesture.

"I'm glad," you replied, a sense of satisfaction washing over you at the opportunity to contribute to a cause close to Gyoumei's heart.

*

"I got you. Just sit tight and let me handle this, okay?" you reassured Tanjiro, your voice calm and steady as you tended to his wound.

It was your first day of fieldwork, and both Giyuu and Tanjiro had tagged along, eager to explore the locations you had recommended. However, a misstep led Tanjiro to fall into a disused fish pond, resulting in a nasty cut on his forearm.

Despite the mishap, the injury wasn't severe, requiring only minor treatments. While waiting for the van to arrive and transport you back, you covered his wound with your scarf, applying pressure to stem the bleeding.

"How are you feeling now?" you asked, concern evident in your voice.

"I'm a bit lightheaded, but otherwise okay. I'm sorry for the trouble," Tanjiro apologized, his guilt evident.

You shook your head with a smile, reassuring him, "Accidents happen. Don't worry about it. You're good."

*

"She's not mad at you anymore, you know?" you informed Obanai, catching him outside your department floor.

He turned to face you, a mask of disinterest hiding his true feelings, but you saw through it. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied coolly.

"Mitsuri-chan has been sulking in the office all day, waiting for you to chat with her," you deadpanned, momentarily forgetting his position as your supervisor.

"Really?" Obanai's facade cracked slightly, revealing a hint of concern.

"Yeah, Yushiro-kun even snapped at her because she was practically melting his ears off." You nodded in confirmation.

Obanai's indifference softened as he acknowledged his fault, "It's my fault; if I had kept my cool, we wouldn't have ended up in this mess in the first place."

"Well, all you have to do is apologize. Knowing Mitsuri-chan, she would undoubtedly forgive you, and I'm sure she knows you were simply overwhelmed that day," you reassured him.

In the hectic days leading up to the business expo, tensions ran high as everyone scrambled to meet their deadlines. You practically lived in the conference room.

Obanai, deprived of sleep and rest, grew unusually irritable, but Mitsuri remained oblivious, laughing with him despite his mood. However, his frustration reached a breaking point when he snapped at her.

"You should really quit being tough around her, you know?" you advised him gently, prompting him to reflect on his actions.

"Despite being the HR Director, communication isn't exactly my greatest suit," Obanai confessed, his vulnerability showing.

"Practice!" you encouraged with a smile, your words laced with warmth.

"Aren't you becoming a little too casual with your supervisor?" he teased, flicking your forehead playfully.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," you replied innocently, shaking your head.

"Cheeky brat," Obanai chuckled, his demeanor softening before he retreated back to his office. But before he disappeared entirely, he called out a heartfelt thank you.

*

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts until Zenitsu decided to take a step forward, casting Tengen a quick glance before addressing the group.

"I'm all for protecting Y/N," he declared, his usually anxious demeanor replaced by determination. "I will defend her not just as her friend but also as a demon slayer sworn to protect mankind from demons."

His bold proclamation snapped everyone out of their stupor. They looked at him, partly startled and partly impressed to see the usually timid Zenitsu being so serious.

"Me too," Tanjiro chimed in with a smile. "I trust Uzui-san and Kagaya-san's judgment, and I also want to believe in Y/L/N-san."

"Yeah! She bought me coffee once, so I think she passed!" Inosuke added, drawing a chuckle from Tengen and a faint smile from the others.

Much to everyone's surprise, even Obanai stepped forward.

"I'm in because I owe that brat a favor," he stated, his typically cold demeanor softened by his unexpected support.

"We never forsake family! We will protect Y/N!" Rengoku's words rang out, echoing across the meeting room and bolstering everyone's spirits.

One by one, everyone else pledged their allegiance, leaving only the Wind Hashira.

Sanemi sighed bitterly and turned to face Tengen. "If she endangers even one person, I'm coming for your head too," he warned.

Tengen simply shrugged, a grin playing on his lips. "By all means."

"As expected from my wonderful children," Kagaya said proudly. "But don't worry, we defeated Kibutsuji Muzan once, and we will do it again. I have faith in all of you."

Tengen bowed respectfully, offering a heartfelt vow. "I will never let you down, Kagaya-sama."

"I know you won't," Kagaya replied, giving him a fatherly pat on the back.

Once the impromptu meeting concluded and everyone dispersed, Tengen and Zenitsu remained behind.

"Hey, come on, let's go," Zenitsu said gently, patting Tengen's arm.

"This is all my fault," Tengen lamented, his guilt weighing heavily on him.

"It's not. No one saw this coming. This was a totally new dilemma that no one foresaw," Zenitsu reassured him, urging him to let go of his self-blame.

"There's no point in dwelling on this. Focus your energy on protecting Y/N," he continued, offering guidance when Tengen remained silent.

"Y/N is waiting for you at home. As the Master stated, we will protect her and everyone else. There's no use in dwelling on this now, so just focus your energy on protecting your woman," Zenitsu concluded, his words carrying a sense of resolve.

"You're right, Zenitsu. Thank you," Tengen finally muttered after a few moments of contemplation.

"Good boy. Now let's get you fixed up so you can go home," Zenitsu said, taking charge and leading Tengen to the infirmary.

Throughout the journey, Zenitsu cracked jokes to lighten the mood, lifting Tengen's spirits, if only for a moment.

Back in his office, Tengen sank into his chair, feeling the weight of his responsibilities. He massaged his temples, seeking solace in the solitude of his thoughts.

As he checked his phone for messages, he noticed your text. With each word, his heart swelled with emotion, and tears pricked at his eyes.

"Hey, my love. I just wanted to thank you for escorting me home. You didn't have to do that, but thank you. I'm resting well now, enjoying a tub of ice cream, which is kind of bad because I have a sore throat right now lol. I don't mean to catch you off guard, but I want to say this to you right now. Thank you for everything. For your kindness, thoughtfulness, your unconditional love, and the friendship you gave me. You truly are a blessing to me. I am incredibly lucky to have someone like you in my life. I love you~ See you later, my love!"

Tengen gasped for air, overwhelmed by your words of love and gratitude. He covered his lips, stifling a sob as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Thank you." 

TAGLIST: trishiepo0 @babygirl-panda19 @hypnocountrymusicfunnyfan @exodarkwolf16 @qdreamueen @vesta-ro

[helloalycia]

The Wrong Lifetime – Two // Wanda Maximoff

chapter one | story masterlist | main masterlist | wattpad | chapter three

author’s note: thank you so much for the feedback on chapter one, everyone! i really appreciate and I’m glad you’re excited for more. hope you enjoy :)

"What do you think of this one?"

I pulled a face, shaking my head. My brother sighed dramatically before moving along the display cabinet, searching for the perfect ring.

Just as he'd said at dinner the other night, we were browsing engagement rings for Wanda, and I was (obviously) hating every second of it. My parents thought it would be good to help Y/B/N whilst also getting me more involved in the whole wedding thing; and I couldn't exactly say no to them, so here I was, half interested in what we were doing.

"What if I can't find anything?" Y/B/N asked, chewing the inside of his cheek as he continued to look. "This is the third jewellers we've been to, Y/N."

Figuring it was time to actually make an effort and be a supportive sister, I rested a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You'll find something," I told him confidently. "It just needs to come to you, y'know? She'll love anything you pick."

He smiled at me. "Thanks. I just don't want to disappoint her. The last thing I want to worry about is her hating the ring."

I chuckled, rounding the cabinet to get a look at a different display. "I doubt she'll hate any of this. Girls love jewellery. This is pretty good jewellery."

"Y/N, you hate jewellery," he pointed out with amusement, and I rolled my eyes playfully.

"I don't hate it," I defended. "I'm just not a fan of shopping for it."

He snickered as he continued to peruse the cabinets. "Well, Wanda seems to love it. D'you see how many rings she was wearing that night?"

I breathed out through my nose, definitely remembering. It was hard to forget when her ring-adorned fingers were brushing the top of my hand every few minutes. But obviously I wasn't going to say that to Y/B/N, so I hummed in response.

It went quiet as I tried to find a ring that would suffice. Rings weren't my taste, personally. I was more of a necklace person, so this was just as difficult for me as it was for Y/B/N. They all looked similar to me though, upon closer inspection, had different engravings and patterns in the gold and silver bands.

"So, what did you think of Wanda's brother?" Y/B/N asked, earning my attention.

He was smiling cheekily as he awaited a response.

"Pietro?" I asked with creased brows. He nodded and I continued, "He was nice, I guess. Has a sense of humour."

My brother gave me a knowing look as he looked at the glass display once again. "He's unmarried you know."

"No, thank you," I answered instantly, not particularly fond of discussing my potential marital future with my brother.

"Oh, don't be like that, Y/N," he said with a laugh. "I'm just looking out for you!"

I drummed my fingers on the cabinet top. "Well, I didn't ask you to. I'm perfectly content as I am."

Y/B/N cocked his head to the side as he glanced at me. "You know you can't stay unmarried forever." I opened my mouth to say something, but he was quick to continue. "And no, not because a woman should marry no matter what. But rather because you will most definitely give mum a heart attack."

I closed my mouth, trying to come up with a response, but my shoulders sank at the truth to his words. He half-smiled when he knew I knew he was right.

"I don't want to think about this now," I decided, waving my hand. "Ring. Look. Now."

He laughed again but nodded and stayed quiet. We both continued to have a look around until I was surprisingly certain that I'd found the perfect ring. There was a case filled with rings holding precious gemstones and a particular one stood out to me.

"Hey, Y/B/N, come here," I called him over, eyes never leaving the ring as I moved closer to inspect it. "What about this one?"

Pointing to the glass case, I chose an elegant silver band with a small, non-dominating emerald gemstone sat on top. It wasn't too flashy nor too plain and something told me that it might just be Wanda's taste.

"It'll match her eyes," I said, watching him as he leaned forward to get a better look. "She'll love it."

My brother seemed confused as he straightened up. "I thought her eyes were brown."

I rolled my eyes, taking a step back. "Fine, get a brown ring."

He tried not to laugh as he raised his hands with defeat. "Okay, okay, I believe you, no need for the sarcasm!" He proceeded to call the shopkeeper over to get the ring and glanced at me once more. "You're one hundred percent sure she's got green eyes?"

"Well, they're hazel, but this will definitely compliment them," I assured him, making him shrug as he looked back to the shopkeeper.

To my own dismay, I was certain her eyes were hazel. They were very inviting and the dinner the other night was evidence of that, as I found myself unable to look away whenever she found my gaze. Hopefully she'd like the ring, I guess.

—

The bothersome thing about my brother's engagement was just how many celebrations that followed. A week after the dinner came the engagement party, a celebratory evening with all of our family and friends and my brother's many admirers. The Maximoffs invited their friends, too, sadly not having any extended family to invite as it was only them here in England.

It was an expensive affair, but so was everything when it came to my brother. There was food, drinks, dancing, gifts and much more for the newly-engaged couple, and I once again found myself dressed in an uncomfortable dress of my mother's choice.

If that wasn't enough of a punishment, I was also reunited with my extended family whom only showed their faces on glamorous occasions such as this one. It's not that I didn't like them, but I felt like I rarely knew them, especially when they shared stories from when they used to see me as a baby and expected me to remember the memory like it was yesterday.

I found myself victim to yet another relative at the start of the evening. This time, it was one of my aunties from my father's side whom I vaguely recognised from my childhood. She'd found me by the snacks table where I was recovering from a previous encounter with a cousin of mine, and immediately began pulling my cheeks and reminiscing on how chubby and cute they were when I was – you guessed it – a baby.

"Auntie, I think that–"

"So grown up, but still so cute!" she gushed, cutting me off and proceeding to yank my cheeks so hard that they began to hurt.

I winced, trying to back away, but she dragged me closer by the face, making me groan with displeasure. 

"Y/N, there you are!"

The only reason I knew it was Wanda who called for me was because of her Russian accent, otherwise I was still unable to turn and check because my auntie had me trapped. When Wanda came into sight, stopping by the two of us, my auntie finally let go, now distracted by the brunette. I exhaled gratefully, hands rubbing my cheeks to relieve the ache. I had no doubts they were red from the pinching. God, I hated family reunions.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt," Wanda apologised with an endearing smile as she looked to my auntie, "but please may I steal Y/N away from you for a moment?"

My auntie nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, dear! You're family now! Do whatever you like."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as she said that. Wanda flashed her a final smile before tugging me away, near some deserted high table.

"What did you need?" I asked, quirking a brow.

She was looking around the room when I asked her, before her eyes focused on me. Unlike me, she seemed very comfortable in this environment, and the dress she wore was perfect for her. A scarlet-coloured gown that put anybody else's clothes here to shame. Did she just look good in everything or something?

"I didn't actually need anything," she answered, licking her lips. "I just saw your auntie harassing you and figured you'd like the escape."

Surprised at her observant nature, I cleared my throat and relaxed my shoulders. "Oh, well thanks."

She smiled widely, teeth shining and eyes sparkling and I was now beginning to think she truly had no flaws.

"You look beautiful tonight by the way," she said, and there was nobody around to hear it which made me think she wasn't trying to kiss up like I'd assumed initially.

"Thanks," I returned with a small smile. "I– er– so do you. Is that your favourite colour?"

She was wearing a similar colour the first night we met, so I could only assume it was. Which was a good choice, since she looked good in it.

She glanced down at her dress and nodded. "Something like that."

I leaned on the table as I watched her curiously. "Shouldn't you be with Y/B/N?"

Looking back up, she grinned mischievously. "You trying to get rid of me already?"

Shaking my head, I tried to find the words to say that I wasn't and she'd misinterpreted, but she was doing that thing again where she wouldn't look away first, her eyes glowing with amusement. If I wasn't certain before today that her eyes were a bright hazel colour, I definitely was now.

"I'm kidding," she finally said, laughter spilling from her lips. It was a sweet sound and I suddenly envied my brother for being able to hear it whenever he pleased.

"I just thought that you would be together since it's your engagement party," I explained, a little more flustered than I'd wanted to be.

Her lips pressed together in a suppressed smile as she nodded behind me. I spun around, following her gaze, and spotted my brother across the room charming some guests with, no doubt, another epic tale of his career.

"He seems to be doing fine on his own, milaya," Wanda whispered into my ear, making me freeze at the warmth of her breath tickling my skin.

Shivers ran down my spine as she was close enough for her perfume to infiltrate my nose. Swallowing hard, trying not to be very much attracted to her accent when she spoke English but also Russian, I took a moment to breathe out and clear my head of thoughts containing the Maximoff woman. When I was sure I was okay, I craned my neck to speak to her, only to feel my mouth go dry.

She was stood very close to me still, a teasing smirk on her lips. Up close, her eyes were intoxicating, drawing me in and making me forget where we were and what we were talking about.

"Do I make you nervous, Y/N?" she asked quietly, feigning innocence, her accent thicker than usual.

My lips parted as I tried to say something, but her eyes were distracting and her lips were curved upwards perfectly and I suddenly forgot how to speak English.

She chuckled, stepping back slightly, and I wiped my sweaty palms on my dress as Wanda watched me with amusement.

"Your mother is calling you," she said, nodding behind me. And then I heard my mother indeed calling my name. "I'll leave you to it. Try not to fall victim to another family member."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, eyes falling to her mouth as she bit her lower lip to contain a smile. What was she getting out of this? Did she find joy in making me flustered or was she actually flirting right now? The latter couldn't be possible... she was going to marry my brother. This was her engagement party for crying out loud! She was definitely enjoying making me stumble over myself.

"Right," I spoke, finally finding my words.

With a quick nod, I looked away and followed the sound of my mother's voice. I was unsure why I felt the need to look over my shoulder, but when I did, I saw Wanda watching me still, eyes gleaming even with the distance. I looked away instantly, hoping this weird, flirtatious behaviour of hers would cease soon. I wasn't sure I could take anymore of it.

—

The evening was going well following Wanda's (what I was now calling) tormenting. I stuck to myself when my mother wasn't dragging me around, forcing me to mingle with family friends.

Tucked in the corner with a book I'd managed to sneak along was a good pastime, until halfway through the evening, everybody was brought to the front of the room for an announcement. I almost missed it if it weren't for Pietro finding me and trying not to laugh at my complete disconnect from the event around me.

"They're exchanging the rings," he told me, pulling me from my table and to the front. "Family's got to be there. Including you, Y/N."

I rushed to put my bookmark between my pages as he tugged me along, finally stopping by the front of the crowd alongside our mothers. Standing before everyone were our fathers and the engaged couple themselves, all smiling and putting on the perfect show.

"We are privileged to announce the engagement and union of my beloved daughter, Wanda Maximoff, and everybody's favourite author, Y/B/N Y/L/N," Oleg announced proudly, glass of champagne in his hand.

Both Y/B/N and Wanda exchanged smiles before looking out to everyone. When my brother's eyes met mine, I smiled encouragingly, and when Wanda's eyes met mine, my smile faded as she grinned my way, eyes saying a thousand things, none of which I could decipher.

"They will now present each other with the rings," my dad said, making the crowd chatter excitedly amongst themselves.

All eyes were on the couple as they presented their rings. Wanda had gotten Y/B/N a plain silver band, perfect for the guy who wasn't a fan of jewellery, and he wore it with pride. Then Y/B/N offered up the ring we'd picked in the store and Wanda's smile was as wide as ever when she saw it.

He placed it on her ring finger and she studied it once more, the emerald sparkling under the light and making all the women in the crowd jealous. She pulled him in for a grateful hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek, and I found myself looking away, not particularly a fan of them getting cosy.

"Gross, right?" Pietro asked, nudging me in the arm slightly. He was trying not to laugh as he avoided looking at the couple up front. "Like, we get it, you're engaged."

A smile appeared on my lips as I glanced at the silver-haired publisher, appreciating his attempt to make me laugh.

"Gross indeed," I agreed.

He rolled his eyes playfully before looking forward again, watching as my father continued to make a speech about how great it was to unify our families.

I listened in, though I'd heard the same spiel several times at home when they'd initiated the idea in the first place. Judging from the look on Pietro's face, he'd heard the same, and I was glad it wasn't just me who felt icky about this whole thing.

This evening couldn't end any sooner.

—

"I just don't understand why I need to go," I complained to my mother.

She was sat before her mirror, finishing applying her makeup and looking presentable for the girl's trip she'd planned for Iryna, Wanda, herself and I.

"Because you're going to become Wanda's sister-in-law and we are all going to become a family," she said like it was obvious, not bothering to look my way. "It'll be fun, Y/N."

I groaned quietly, leaning against the doorframe. A servant fussed around my mother's room, tidying up the mess of clothes she'd left in her wake from picking an outfit. I watched her with boredom, knowing I'd take that job over today's plans any day.

"You might make a new friend with Wanda," my mum continued delightfully. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

I tensed my jaw, eyes narrowing into the window ahead. "Yeah, really nice, mum."

"Good, now go and w–" she began, but was cut off when the doorbell rang from downstairs. Waving her hand, she said, "Go greet the Maximoffs whilst I finish up here, dear."

I sighed, straightening up. "Do I have a choice?"

"Don't forget to smile!" she called after me.

Making my way downstairs, I saw one of our servants opening the door and greeting the Maximoffs politely before letting them inside. Upon spotting me descending the staircase, Iryna smiled brightly.

"Y/N, dear, how lovely to see you!" she exclaimed, and when I got to the bottom, she pulled me in for a surprise hug. "How are you doing this morning, my dear?"

After recovering from the surprise hug, ignoring the way Wanda stifled laughter from behind her mother, I stepped back and gave the older woman a genuine smile.

"I'm doing good, Miss Maximoff," I said, and when she gave me a stern look, I backtracked, remembering her words from the engagement party a few nights ago. "Iryna– right, sorry. I'm doing good. And yourself?"

"Very good now that we're here," she said cheerfully, before nodding for Wanda to join her side. "Wan, what are you doing there? Come and give your sister-in-law a hug the right way!"

I gulped as Wanda did as her mother said, stepping forward without hesitation and pulling me in for a quick hug. Not wanting to look like an idiot, I wrapped my arms around her torso, hoping I wasn't as stiff as I felt. Once again, she smelt really good and I forgot how to breathe.

"Good morning, milaya," she muttered in my ear before pulling away with a harmless smile.

"Morning," I got out, being sure to avoid her gaze as I looked back to her mother. "Can I offer either of you a cup of tea? Or a drink? My mother is just finishing getting ready."

"No need, Y/N!" my mum called as she walked down the stairs behind me. Wearing an apologetic smile, she looked to Iryna and Wanda. "Sorry about that, ladies. I'm all ready to go if you are."

After sharing a greeting with them, my mum led us all outside to the carriage that was waiting to take us into town. We got in and were soon on our way to have the time of our life! (Cue the sarcasm).

"So, Y/N," Iryna said, and I looked up to see her sat beside Wanda who was sat opposite me. "What are your thoughts on this whole engagement? It was quite the affair the other night!"

I forced a smile as I nodded respectfully. "It was a great evening, Iryna. A great start to a successful marriage, I'm sure."

That seemed to start Iryna on a tangent about the engagement and how lovely the evening was and all of the new family members she met on our side. A sigh escaped my lips as I practically relived it with her retelling, making my mum nudge me in the arm gently but scoldingly.

"...and the ring!" Iryna enthused, not noticing my disinterest. "Don't get me started on the ring. Is there anything Y/B/N isn't good at?"

I could name a few things, yes.

With difficulty, I pressed my lips together to stop myself from cracking a knowing smile. Iryna told Wanda to hold out her hand so she could take another look, and as she did, it was the first time I'd seen the ring up close since she'd been given it. I glanced between the ring and her eyes and knew I'd made the right decision.

My mother began to shower Wanda in compliments – "Oh, it matches your eyes, dear! It's like it's meant to be!" – as I sat back and wished we'd arrive at the shops already.

"Between us ladies," my mum said playfully to Wanda, "is it good enough or did you expect something better?"

Wanda chuckled, shaking her head. "I didn't have any expectations, Y/M/N. I would have been happy with whatever Y/B/N picked. But this... this is absolutely stunning. He clearly put a lot of thought into it."

Yes, of course he did. So thoughtful, isn't he? Especially his attention to detail, like when he remembered the colour of your eyes.

Oh, wait.

After what felt like forever, we finally reached the shops and could escape that shrinking carriage for a few minutes before heading into a dress shop to suffocate yet again.

As usual, I followed my mother around like a lost puppy, letting her take the lead with picking some clothes. She was deep into conversation with Iryna, the two of them bonding instantly as they talked about their interests and marriage and their children's engagement.

At one point, I left them to it, resorting to browsing through a rack that had some pretty pastel dresses hanging from it. I didn't have plans to buy anything since I didn't need anything, but it didn't hurt to look.

"Hey," Wanda's voice echoed from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to see her joining my side.

"Hey," I replied, continuing to look through the dresses.

She browsed through the rack also, going through each dress slowly as she smiled to herself. "So, you don't like shopping I take it."

I hummed in agreement. "Not really."

She nodded, continuing her browsing. "You don't like parties either. Or dinners." I hummed again and she continued, "And you don't like it when your brother gets all the attention."

I hummed subconsciously, before realising what she said. Stopping my browsing, I looked to her with furrowed brows. "I never said that."

Mischief dancing in her eyes, she glanced me way and winked playfully. "You didn't need to."

Clenching my jaw slightly, I busied myself with going through the hangers, hoping the heat creeping up my neck would disperse. I wasn't going to let Wanda get to me yet again. It was like she had some kind of magic spell on me, making me unable to think straight whenever she was in my vicinity.

"I know you picked my ring by the way," she said after a moment of silence.

I licked my lips and played dumb, not looking her way. "What do you mean? Y/B/N chose it."

She snickered. "I know it was you, Y/N. No man in the world is that thoughtful."

I stayed quiet, figuring it was my best option. She seemed to find this entertaining as she turned to face me, leaning against the rack and watching me curiously.

"I must ask though. Why emerald?"

Fingers playing with the fabric of the dress before me, I shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not?"

She laughed, and it was the second time she'd done so so freely, making the pit of my stomach flip uncontrollably at the sound.

"You don't seem like the type to just do things," she observed. "There had to be a reason. Please enlighten me."

Once again, I shrugged as I made sure not to look her way. I wasn't planning to get sucked in by her killer eyes yet again.

"I'm not blind," I told her casually. "I saw it and remembered that you have hazel eyes that sometimes look green. I thought it would suit you. A mere artistic observation."

"Ah, I see," she said with a nod, playing along. "Well, you have good taste. Thank you. I adore it."

"It was nothing," I assured her, hoping she couldn't hear my heart beating ever-so-quickly in my chest. The longer she watched me, the more flustered I got.

Suddenly, she stepped forward, her hand resting on the small of my back. The simplest of touches had me paralysed, at a loss for words, frozen in place. Mentally I knew that it wasn't right that she made me react like this. But my body wouldn't listen to my brain and Wanda seemed to realise that, clearly revelling in my misery.

"So, you remembered my eye colour after just two meetings, huh?" she asked lightheartedly, leaning in, her hand still pressed to my back gently.

Finally finding the ability to stand my ground, I said, "I'm very observant," and I turned to look at her to show her that whatever game she was playing wasn't going to work anymore. Of course, that was a huge mistake, because as soon as my eyes locked with hers, I lost all resolve.

"That you are," she noted with a smirk, before her hand dropped to her side and she nodded to the long-forgotten dress in my hand. "You should get it. It suits you."

And with that comment, she left me alone to join our mothers yet again. I breathed out shakily, realising that Wanda Maximoff was becoming a bigger issue than I thought. 

After purchasing some new dresses from several stores (no, I didn't buy the dress Wanda wanted me to), the four of us stopped by a café for a spot of lunch. Despite the flustered mess I became whenever Wanda gave me more attention than we both know she should have, I was having an okay time.

Iryna was very sweet, wanting to get to know me since we would be family soon, and made me feel at ease whenever she could. My mother was too distracted by her and Wanda's presence to tell me off for complaining, and it was just genuinely kind of nice to get out.

I was drinking a cup of tea as we waited for our food order when my mum tried to get the details on Wanda's newly-planned date with my brother in a few days.

"You're going to the theatre, right?" she asked Wanda eagerly, as if she didn't already know everything anyway.

Y/B/N had talked about this literally last night at dinner. It was to be Wanda's and his first official date, and the first real opportunity away from family and prying eyes to get to know each other better.

"Yes, he got tickets to see a new play I've never heard of," she admitted with a chuckle. "It'll be a chance to get to know him better. The only things I know of him are what my family have told me and what I've learnt from everyone around us."

Iryna smiled as she watched her daughter, whilst my mother waved her hand optimistically.

"Oh, I'm sure the date will go splendidly," she assured Wanda. "It's no secret that you're both very attractive, young adults. If there are no sparks between you, then we're all done for."

At this comment, Iryna and my mother both erupted into laughter, like it was some kind of joke that only middle-aged women seemed to get. I raised my eyebrows and dropped them behind a cup of tea, figuring it was best to stay quiet.

"I'm sure it will," Wanda said in agreement, though her voice was quieter, unable to be heard behind their laughter.

Surprisingly, I found myself intrigued by this rarely seen version of Wanda. It was a similar version to the one I'd seen the night of the dinner, when I showed her around upstairs and the conversation of my brother crept in. It wasn't hard to forget her ability to dance around the question to whether she liked him or not.

And now, she seemed to wear a false smile as she mulled over their date. I guess it was strange to see since I naturally figured she'd want to marry him – pretty much any woman in the city did – but maybe that wasn't the case.

"...tell her what he's like," my mother insisted, pulling me away from my observation. "You're his sister. Who better than you to give her an idea?"

Realising what she was saying, I tried not to choke on my tea. I lowered the cup and shook my head calmly, though the intent was very much urgent.

"She should just see," I said uncertainly. "I mean, what better way to know than to just speak to him?"

One deathly glance from my mother and I straightened up, looking to the Maximoffs before me.

"But if I was to say something," I continued smoothly, making my mother relax at my words, "I'd say that my brother has always been a very respectful man. He's kind-hearted and he's caring."

Iryna was hanging onto my every word whilst Wanda stared at me but seemed elsewhere.

"And he's really excited to get to know you better, Wanda," I said truthfully, looking to the oddly-quiet brunette with a small reassuring smile. "He really likes you."

Iryna mentioned something about Y/B/N being just the man her Wanda deserves, but I was barely paying attention as I looked to the girl in question. She returned my smile, void of teasing or mischief like usual, and nodded quickly before looking down to her own cup of tea.

She was certainly a strange one.

[limitsofdoubt]

Of course I remembered.

It's the first thought that comes to mind, but Kyle doesn't voice it. Because it's not that obvious at all. His memory was always bad. There is a reason he carries a notebook anywhere he goes after all, but when it came to Bradley, Kyle never had any trouble recalling his coffee order, or the way he liked his food cooked. Kyle likes to pretend it's because Bradley specifically likes things in a way Kyle doesn't. And Kyle still bristles at the way Bradley drinks his coffee.

That's not coffee, that's coffee-flavored milk with sugar.

It's a debate they've had for as long as they've known eachother and Kyle still isn't convinced Bradley isn't doing all of this on purpose. Kyle would order his fries with mayo, Bradley wanted ketchup. Kyle drinks whiskey neat, Bradley would order a frilly drink just to piss him off. And of course the tiny umbrella from Bradley's drink always ended up in Kyle's glass somehow, because Bradley loved to mess with him and wouldn't ever led him brood in peace.

— I'm not brooding.

— Tell that to your face, pal.

Same old same old.

Kyle joins Bradley on the bed and together they make short work of the breakfast. Kyle wrinkles his nose at the sugary concoction he had to order for Bradley, but the smile on his partner's face does pacify him. Still, he can't let him get away with it. "Always with the excuses." Kyle retorts before turning back to his own food. "Just drink your milk." He says with a shake of his head, smiling into his own black coffee.

Reality comes knocking in the shape of the news. A murder investigation pulls them back to it. Nothing about it suggests Nile specifically, but he can practically feel the tension that's crept into Bradley from where he is sitting. Kyle glances at Bradley a few times throughout their shared meal, brows drawing together in worry when he keeps wincing and shifting in pain.

You don't need sugar and calcium, you need painkillers and preferably another 20 hours of sleep. He thinks, but then watches as Bradley stands with some difficulty.

We're headed to California?

Kyle nods. "Yeah, unless you have a better idea." But it's the only place they can go really. The only place Kyle can provide Bradley the quiet and safety he needs right now, or so he hopes. It's true that Nile has been making themselves scarce for about a year now, but Kyle just pulled a person of interest from their cluches, he doubts they'll let this one slide just like that. With some luck they may even be able to find some help in Ed. But after this stunt Kyle pulled with abandoning the assigned job and now days of radio silence he doubts it will be easy to get him on their side.

He really needs to call Rachel and Ed, but for now Bradley is still his highest priority.

Bradley, who seems to be a little to happy, too excited to come back with him to Los Angeles. It makes his gutt twist in a way that makes him wary. Despite the previous night he'll make sure to keep an eye on Bradley in case he plans on doing something stupid, like giving him the slip again.

But he keeps his suspicions to himself. "You might want to take this more seriously. It's not exactly just some roadtrip." They're on the run after all. But admittedly, in all ways except the reason for driving to L. A. it may as well be a roadtrip. "It'll take us about three days worth of driving and no, I'm not letting you drive while high on the painmeds I intent to get you."

Maybe Bradley will manage to sleep some more in the car, too. Not the most comfortable of places for it, but better than nothing.

Kyle gets to his feet now and finally collects his notebook off the beside table. He shoves it into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. When he looks back up it seems his words have struck a chord, because the previous smile on Bradley's face has faded, the light in his eyes once again dimmed with something Kyle suspects to be guilt or something similar.

Kyle realizes he must have come across harsher than intended. It's still true, but maybe he shouldn't have said it, and instead let Bradley have a modicum of normalcy for now.

He takes a few steps towards Bradley, pulling the Red Crown jacket from the back of one of the chairs. He holds it up to help Bradley into it, a peace offering. An excuse to touch him. He smoothes the jacket out across Bradley's shoulders when he slips into it and then gives his one of them a light squeeze, because he doesn't know how to diffuse this odd tension otherwise.

Then, he lets up and collects the rest of his things. When he passes the bathroom he sees Bradley's clothes still hanging in there. "You sure you want to keep these? Maybe you should just toss them."

When Kyle wakes he does so to the gentle rhythm of a heartbeat beneath his ear and the slow rise and fall of Bradley's chest. It takes him a while to fully realize where he is and who is with, but only in terms of conscious thought. It seems his subconscious is very aware that he's with Bradley. He has his scent in his nose, the solid line of his body pressed against his and the small almost inaudible sound of relaxed breathing just above him.

Bradley's arms are wrapped around him, one of Kyle's arms slung over Bradley's middle, the other wedged between them. He feels warm and comfortable in a way he hasn't in years and it's unsettling how familiar this feels, even though he cannot recall a time where they'd been tangled like this.

Full consciousness comes to him all at once when Bradley moves beneath him, not so much to suggest that he is waking up, but enough that Kyle can feel his leg shifting between his own. He also feels his hand winding into his hair and his hold tightening somewhat on his form as if Kyle's nothing more than an overgrown stuffed toy to snuggle up to.

It would be endearing, if Kyle didn't feel the entirely inappropriate sparks of sensation travelling up and down his spine at Bradley's unconscious touch. He swallows thickly, angling his body away as best he can to not have this day start with more awkwardness than necessary. A part of him wants to just stay where he is, warm and comfortable and held in a way he hasn't been in well over a decade. His last relationship is well in the past at this point.

Kyle squeezes his eyes shut and bites down on the inside of his cheek when thinking of Bradley and a relationship within the same moment makes his gutt tighten and his heart flutter. That feeling is quickly replaced by a sense of guilt at taking advantage of his sleeping friend to combat his own touch starvation. He can't look too closely into this. Can't allow himself to even consider what this means.

It means nothing. He reminds himself. It's winter. Bradley was shivering like a leaf and Kyle isn't willing to blame their current situation on anything other than them migrating together to combat the cold.

But to avoid having to explain any of this to Bradley or himself, Kyle carefully extracts himself from Bradley's hold, making sure not to pause and marvel at the peaceful expression on his face.

Kyle manages to get out of the bed and to his feet without disturbing Bradley overly much. In fact, after the other man turns over after Kyle got up he doesn't make any indication at waking anytime soon. And this time Kyle does look at his face, chuckling quietly at the small furrow between his brows. His lips arepursed in a slight pout, too after being robbed of his source of warmth and Kyle almost feels bad for it, although it really couldn't be helped.

Kyle tucks the previously disturbed blanket closer around Bradley's form again and watches as the other man burries deeper into the covers again.

He tears his eyes away when his pager starts beeping faintly in the pocket of his suit jacket which he left over by the chairs. He hurries over to silence the little device, only glancing at the display. Rachel. Of course.

Shit... How is he going to explain all this to her? And Ed. Especially Ed. He'd basically just dropped everything on his previous job when some things about Bradley's whereabouts started to fall into place, and now he'd been ignoring the pager for almost three days. Ed would have his head for this. Or maybe he'd fire him again... who knows?

He glances at the bed again and with one look at Bradley's peaceful expression he decides that whatever tongue-lashing Ed's got in store for him, it can wait another few hours. And it will be worth it, too, because otherwise he'd not be here, he'd not be able to see Bradley peacefully sleeping in that bed.

He still goes to pick up the receiver of the phone, to dial the front desk. He figures he may as well order them the breakfast that's included in their stay. He paid good money for it after all.

The conversation is brief and quiet, but he gets confirmation that they'll be around with the food before long and Kyle can already hear his stomach grumbling in return.

Once that's done, he walks over to his suitcase, rummaging around in there for something Bradley can wear. It's still chilly, the winter air makes him shiver, despite the fact that he didn't even change from the clothes he was wearing the day before. He looks it, too, the shirt crumbled and pulled from his pants in some places. But nothing that can't be hid by his suit jacket or coat.

So, he decides to just keep wearing this set of clothes, which leaves Bradley to wear his spare shirt and pants. After having decided this, Kyle moves to the bathroom to splash some water in his face and brush his teeth. This hotel provides some of those disposable toothbrushes with toothpaste already on it, too, which comes in handy because he forgot his own is still tucked away in his suitcase and wandering back and forth too often would likely wake up Bradley and he'd rather let him sleep as long as possible.

But it seems Kyle is worrying too much, because by the time he gets back Bradley is still sleeping soundly. He really must have been exhausted. No wonder, considering, but it only supports Kyle's claim from the day before, Bradley would not have made it far if he ran from him. They may have to get him checked out at a doctor, maybe get something stronger for the pain those bruises likely cause him.

Bradley only stirs when Kyle eventually makes his way back to the bed to pick up his notebook, meaning to gather his things so they can leave swiftly after breakfast and be on the road as soon as possible. He stops by the side of the bed.

"Morning." Kyle says, the warm smile on Bradley's face enough to pull the corners of his lips upward as well. "A while." He answers honestly and with a shrug of his shoulders.

Kyle's smile widens when Bradley asks about breakfast. "Way ahead of you. Someone should be round with some grub soon." He leaves the notebook for now when he sees Bradley sit up in bed, upper body still bare, instead moving to hand him some clothes to put on.

"Here." He says. "Put these on before you catch your death." He puts the pants and shirt on the bed between them. "You sleep alright?"

[vdlest]

Each Other's Home

Characters:

Husband!Bucky Barnes x Wife!Reader

Summary:

You just got home from your shopping and spa day with Wanda and Nat, and you found your loving husband cooking dinner for both of you. Just a normal sweet night with the love of your life.

Warning:

Fluff

After a long day of nonstop shopping and bonding with your friends, Natasha and Wanda, you finally got home.

You, Wanda, and Natasha agreed to reserved this day just for the three of you, especially now that Natasha's getting busier in planning her upcoming wedding with Bruce. She's the last single among the three of you since Wanda was the first one to tie the knot with Vis a year before you and Bucky got married. The three of you have been friends ever since you joined the Avengers, they were your sisters from another mother and it may cliche as it sounds, it is real. They're your number one defenders.

As soon as you finished parking your car inside the garage, you went inside your two-storey modern house and you noticed that the lights are dimmed. There are also candles lighted around the living room. You and Bucky have been living in this modern house for a year now, right after you two got married. You both agreed that you won't hire any maid so that the solemnity of your house will remain no matter what. After all, the two of you worked hard to be able to achieve this dream house of yours.

You heard noises coming from the kitchen, so you left your bag and the things you bought from today's shopping in the living room and walked up to the kitchen.

Upon walking inside the kitchen, you smelled something delicious from that, you heard someone singing and after hearing what song was playing, you knew instantly that it was your dear husband, Bucky.

When you finally entered the kitchen, you saw your husband placing the foods he cooked on a plate. You also noticed the set-up he made for both of you, there are rose petals scattered all over the kitchen, you saw an expensive bottle of wine placed on top of the table where he was setting everything up.

"I'm home," you said to let your husband know that you're already behind him, admiring his sweet surprise.

Bucky turned as soon as he heard your voice. He is topless and there's a towel hovering around his neck. He's wearing his favorite pair of pants that matches his vibranium arm. You don't mind seeing him like this, you admire him more whenever you'll see him this confident and relax.

He walked up to you, smiling, "Finally," he wrapped his arms around you as soon as he reached you, leaning closer to you to give your lips a quick kiss, "My wife is just in time for dinner," he said.

His wife — it still feels too good to be true. But you got to believe it one way or another. You are Mrs. Barnes and he's your husband for the rest of your life and that's the best thing about your life.

"I hope you're hungry," he said, his arms are still wrapped around you.

You chuckled, "I am and even if I'm not, I'll still gonna eat whatever you prepared and cooked for me, for us," you said. "What's the occasion anyway?" you asked him, forming a small frown on your face.

"Nothing. Come on," he grabbed your hand and the two of you walked up to where he set up your dinner. He pulled the chair for you and once you sat down on it, he handed you a glass of wine and a red rose, "I just want to make my wife feel extra special tonight."

Bucky kissed your forehead before he grabbed his own glass of wine and toast with you.

It is not unusual to come home to Bucky's surprises, and surprises have been part of your lives ever since you two got together. Sometimes he would surprise you with quick out-of-town or getaways just the two of you. The two of you are still enjoying the time that there's just only the two of you because once you and Bucky finally agreed that you're both ready to have a baby, everything will change.

"How's your day with the girls?" Bucky asked as he made his way to get your plate with food, "Did you guys had fun?" he added.

"Oh, yeah," you took a sip from your wine before telling Bucky how your day went, "Wanda and I are so excited for Nat and Bruce's big day. I can't believe it's only a matter of weeks before they are finally Mr. & Mrs. Banner," you excitedly shared.

Bucky smiles and nodded, "It's about damn time," he commented. He placed the food he cooked for you in front of you, "For my lady," he smiles at you.

You're still amazed by the fact that your husband is not just an Avenger, he is a damn good cook, as good as how good kisser he is.

"Thank you," you grabbed his left cheek to give him a quick kiss on his lips, "Love you, baby."

"Oh, I love you more," he said, giving you another kiss before he went to his chair to finally start your dinner.

The both of you start eating the dinner that Bucky made for the two of you, and the two of you can't stop talking about how your day went.

The whole time you were with Wanda and Nat, Bucky was in the compound with Steve, Sam, Tony, and Rhodes. The five of them are working on a mission in Florida, but they all agreed that they'll go to Florida only after Bruce and Nat's wedding. Bucky also told you about Steve and Sam's question about your future kids.

And that's something you and Bucky haven't talked about again. But the both of you already have an understandingabout it.

"What?" you asked Bucky when you noticed the way he looks at you, "Why are you looking at me like that, Mr. Barnes?"

He chuckled then shook his head, "l just can't believe that you are my wife and our friends are already asking us about having kids," he reached for your hand and felt the warmth of his touch, "I didn't know what I did to deserve this good and beautiful life I have with you."

If you will be asked about what you love the most about your husband that is he is the most understanding person you have ever met in your entire life. He never questioned your love for him. He never asked anything in return. He will always choose to understand you. And these are only the few reasons why you believe and why you will always believe that he deserves everything he have right now.

You stood up from where you were sitting and you went on his lap and sat down on it, "Love, you know how much I love you. I mean, the fact that we have come a long way already, we should know by now that we are meant for each other and that there's no other man in this world who deserves but you alone, my Bucky," you put your hands on his cheeks, cupping his ever charming face, "I love you more than life itself."

Before he replies to your sweet words, he planted a quick kiss on your lips, tasting the sweet wine from it.

"l can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with you," he began, "I don't think forever is enough for me to show how much I love you."

You think of it either. You think that you and Bucky could live forever just to show each other how much you love one another.

"I love you, my wife," he kissed your forehead afterward.

You pressed your forehead against his, "I love you too, my husband."

And just like that, you found a home in each other. That's how you both knew that you'll forever have a home with each other.

-v.dl

[milkybonya]

6 Drinks with Hyunsuk

-> this is completely inspired by @daybreakx 's "Five Drinks to Share with Yeonjun" , so please give that a read too! It's so amazing... arguably even better than this hehe

-> Warnings: food mentions+alcohol/drinking mentions and mentions of stress

-> Pairing: college!Hyunsuk x (gn) reader

1st drink ♡ iced coffee

"Okay, okay! Let's get this meeting started!" Hyunsuk announces, passing around iced coffees to all of the club members. You take one from the tray that's handed to you before passing it along. The bitter taste makes you wince slightly, but the cool texture leaves you feeling more awake.

"So, I'm sure you all know why you're here. I'm glad to see all the new members too! In case you've forgotten, this is our college's event club. We'll help with the organization and running of events on campus. Sound good? Now let's start planning for the first event!" Hyunsuk explains.

You admire how dressed up he is for such a simple event while you wear nothing but a hoodie and sweats, having woken up too tired that morning to properly get dressed. In fact, you aren't able to focus on the meeting as you grow excited over how his accessories and clothes match so perfectly -- not too over the top, but not too simple, either.

It's only after the meeting ends that you find the courage to speak to him, approaching him after the people who were asking him questions finally step away.

"[y/n], hello!" he greets you, gesturing for you to sit beside him. He lounges comfortable on the café couch.

"Hello! I uh... this is a little random, but I just wanted to say I really like your style," you say, shyly pointing to his outfit.

Hyunsuk smiles and opens his jacket, fanning himself like he's the coolest person on the planet.

"Thank you!" he says, blushing slightly. "I prefer your style, though. Very comfortable... these skinny jeans are killing me!"

2nd drink ♡ orange juice

"I don't think I'll be able to drink orange juice again for the rest of my life," Hyunsuk groans, sipping the last of the juice out of an orange juice box before tossing it to the side of the event club room.

"Seriously.... why did we buy so much orange juice, again?" you ask, also throwing an empty carton to the side.

"There was a sale... I can't believe they're all gonna expire tomorrow. No wonder it was so cheap!"

"We didn't even have time to use them at the event," you complain.

The two of you collapse side by side on the rug you've been sitting on, your faces right next to each other even though your legs are sprawled in opposite directions.

After a moment of silence, the two of you look at each other. Your heart races with how close your face is to Hyunsuk's, but you can't help but laugh at how sleepy and full he looks.

He laughs along with you, scrunching his eyes shut.

"My stomach hurts so much," he wheezes.

"Mine does too!"

"How about we take a nap?" he suggests after calming down, resting his head on your stomach. You wonder if your friend can feel the butterflies that he's stirred within you.

"Sounds good," you agree, laying your head on his stomach, too.

3rd drink ♡ strawberry milk

"How in the hell am I going to learn everything in this book for my exam?" you complain, picking up a heavy textbook and letting it thud back down. As you sit alone in your dorm room, trying to study, you feel incredibly overwhelmed. It's exam week again :(

Then, you hear a knock at the door.

"Delivery for [y/n]!"

You could recognize that voice anywhere.

After opening the door, a giddy Hyunsuk enters your room with some strawberry milk in his hands. He opens the carton for you and encourages you to take a sip.

"Refreshing?" he asks you, and you nod.

"I ran all the way here so it would stay cold!"

"Hyunsuk, it's winter, anyway."

Hyunsuk pauses, realizing his mistake. Then, he laughs it off.

"I know our event planning session went terribly last night and you have some exams left to work on still, but you're gonna get through this, okay? I'll be here with you," Hyunsuk tells you, stretching his arms out and offering you a hug.

His jacket feels cool on your cheek, but the hug still feels warm. Your boyfriend only pulls away to cup your face in his hands and ask if he's allowed to kiss you. When he does, he does so ever so softly and for a long time.

"Tastes like strawberries," he smiles, touching your bottom lip with his thumb.

4th drink ♡ water

"I'm so thirsty!" Hyunsuk groans as the two of you run along a trail near campus.

"I told you to bring some water for yourself," you pant, scolding the boy. He laughs while continuing to run.

"[y/nnnnnnn]," he sings a few moments later, approaching you from behind.

"Can't you let me have a sip of yours?"

"The bottle is so small, Hyunsuk!"

"PLEASEEEEEEE?!"

You sigh, slowing your pace until you both stop running. You hold out your water to him and he takes it with a smile, taking huge gulps.

"Hey, stop! Leave some for me!" you whine, slapping his arm.

He rubs the spot where you hit him, acting as though he's hurt while continuing to drink.

"Thanks for the water," Hyunsuk says after handing you your bottle back. He gives you a wink and a kiss on the cheek before starting to run again.

"Slowest person has to pay for our lunch!" he yells.

"Get back here! You didn't even give me time to drink my water, too!" you shout, quickly taking a sip before you follow behind him.

5th drink ♡ milk tea

"So the instructions say that now we leave them on medium heat for as long as we like," you say, reading out the instructions on the back of the tapioca packet.

"For as long as we want?!" Hyunsuk asks, looking up from the pot of boiling water with some pearls floating around in it.

"Yeah, if we want the pearls to be softer, we leave it in longer!"

"Okay, I guess we just wait a minute or two," Hyunsuk says, putting the lid back on the pot and slowly walking towards you. He rests his head on your shoulder and you reach out to ruffle his hair with your free hand.

Before you know it, you've overcooked the tapioca into a squishy mess, but the two of you still eat your soft boba pearls and milk tea.

"I like my boba soft 'n squishy anyway!" Hyunsuk declares after taking a sip from your shared cup.

"I'm glad you do," you say, taking a sip after him and laughing at his attempted positivity.

There's some silence between the two of you until Hyunsuk speaks up.

"Wanna buy some boba from the campus boba shop?" he asks.

You nod, laughing because you had predicted this, yet you couldn't have said no to Hyunsuk earlier when he asked you with a pout if you could try making boba together.

6th drink ♡ alcohol

"Cheers!"

All the glasses hit each other before meeting their owners' lips, their contents being downed by everyone at the table.

"I just want to say that it has definitely been hard for all of us this year, but we've all done a great job," Hyunsuk says. His hand rests on your thigh after he talks, gently stroking it to reassure you in this hectic environment.

"You did a good job too, Hyunsuk," you tell your boyfriend, placing your hand on his. He smiles at you shyly in response.

As the alcohol takes its effect, many of the club members start to get quite rowdy and annoying. Hyunsuk senses that it's making you uncomfortable, and he whispers into your ear.

"Wanna go out for some air?"

When you nod, he takes your hand in his and guides you outside.

"Where's the club leader going?" someone whines.

"Just getting some air!" Hyunsuk responds, quickly rushing you outside before anyone begs the two of you to stay.

The two of you giggle as though you're children sneaking out.

Under the street lamps outside, both of you stand quietly side by side, just holding hands. There's no need for either of you to say anything: just being there together is enough. Hyunsuk rests his head on your shoulder and you rest your head on his, or try to at least. You feel his soft hairs tickling your cheek and it makes you smile.

[tooweirdforyou]

HELLO! I just read your post and they're so fantastic and beautiful😍 If you don't mind make a headcanons for Law, Ace, Kidd and Monster Trio Ideal Girlfriend? If you only don't mind... THANK YOU and GODBLESS!!!🥰🥰🥰

Ideal Fem! S/O For Monster Trio + Law, Ace, Kid - HCs

A/N : this is super cute, this might be short so I hope it’s okay, and thank you! 🥰🤍 enjoy!

Summary : Headcannons for these One Piece Boys and their ideal girlfriend.

Luffy

Definitely someone adventurous. Luffy loves to go out and explore new things, to go on adventures and enjoy the experience, so he’d want someone who loves to be outgoing as him.

You’ll have to be strong. Not crazy strong like the monster trio, but be able to handle and take care of yourself while he’s busy. Of course, Luffy will always protect you, but he doesn’t want to see you get hurt. He won’t be able to stop that if he doesn’t get there on time, so someone who can fend for themselves for even a little bit is nice.

Fearless and bravery is always a plus. He loves people who have no hesitation nor doubts to go through with something, since Luffy tends to go into battle without thought.

Fearless and bravery is always a plus. He loves people who have no hesitation nor doubts to go through with something, since Luffy tends to go into battle without thought.

Share his excitement and joy for childish things, but please be more mature than him. A relationship with two Luffy’s would never get anywhere, considering how stubborn and reckless Luffy can be, so someone who can be serious when time calls for it is preferred.

Love his brothers, please. If you don’t respect his brothers or get along with them, he might not really be too interested in you. And his crew. If you don’t appreciate his crew and hate on them, he won’t hesitate to kick you off the ship. That’s how much he loves and cares for his brothers and nakama.

-

Sanji

Like Ace, Someone who truly cares about him and understands the real him. Someone who knows of his flaws and his personality but still love him for him.

Love food, never waste it. And if you ever cook or want to cook, he’ll be so happy and excited to share tips or teach you, he loves you so much.

You’ll have to understand his tendency to love all women. He grew up to respect women so he’ll treat all women lovingly and dearly, like glass. He’ll treat you with special affection, yes, but that won’t stop him from caring for the other women he meets, but he will try to not go overboard.

Heartfelt and deep conversations about each other’s pasts and sweet memories. He loves this time because he can be close with you and spend time, whilst learning about you and hearing you talk for hours and your sweet voice is music to his ears.

You’ll have to love and be okay with how affectionate he is. It might be overbearing or a little too much, and he’ll try to tone it down, but understand that he loves you and he never would have imagined he’s actually dating someone, y’know? He’s a romantic but he IS inexperienced for a bit.

-

Zoro

Someone who’s strong, of course. He’ll want to be reassured you can handle yourself and he won’t need to be there 24/7, because he won’t always be available. But will definitely risk his life for you, just like Luffy. Luffy’s more important though-

Zoro focused on training and following Luffy, so if you support him, he’ll love you. Don’t try to stop him from pursuing his dream nor from being by Luffy’s side. He’ll be cold-hearted in seconds.

Zoro does forget many things though, so having you there to remind him to eat and remember to rest and not overwork himself too much is always appreciated, he feels loved.

As much as he complains about Luffy being stubborn, I believe he actually likes that aspect. Stubbornness can be a cute trait.

As long as it’s not too annoying, he thinks it’s cute when you get all pouty, stubborn or annoyed at him, or tend to get violent to him when he teases you.

-

Ace

Someone who truly loves him, even knowing true identity and all of his personal flaws and weaknesses.

Someone who gets along with his brothers for sure, and understand that Ace will never stop loving his brothers. They will come before you, it’s a fact.

If you join the Whitebeard Pirates, he’ll be glad in knowing that he can protect you better and even have his brothers to support him and help him to protect you at all costs.

He prefers someone small and adorable, who can give cute reactions when he teases or flirts with them, and even better if you try to flirt back, whether you fail or not.

He loves someone who can share deep conversations with and stay up all night talking about anything and never be bored. He loves jokes too, so making each other smile is much preferred.

-

Law

Someone who’s extremely calm and collected in serious situations.

He needs a level-headed significant other who can keep him relaxed because lord knows how stressed this boy can get.

Someone who can understand his need for peace and personal space, whilst give him the touch-starved love he wants and needs, even if he doesn’t say it aloud.

Law is often busy so he does forget to eat and sleep every once in a while, so a nice reminder for him, someone who cares quietly by leaving him snacks or offering small massages to relieve his tense muscles.

Doing the little things for him without him even asking can get his heart beat going and he’ll fall in love with you slowly but surely.

-

Kid

Someone who’s bad ass as fuck. A bad chick who’s strong as hell and isn’t afraid to show off their skills and properly represent what it means to be a pirate.

He likes a girl with some-self confidence and maybe a bit of violent tendencies? Someone with a sharp tongue maybe, but if you overdo it and try to pick fights with him, it’s over.

He’s not into the ones who complain or whine too much, so none of that for him.

Betrayal is a huge no. He wants someone loyal, who, even though is bad ass and rather bold in actions, to understand his life as a pirate and still deeply love and care for him,

whilst understanding that Kid may not know how to properly give affection back, since he’s rather rough and can be harsh even though he doesn’t mean it sometimes.

-

A/N : short HCs but I liked them, hopefully you did too! :) I’m sorry they’re not very detailed. But I wanted this out quickly!!

[bornbreathless-archive]

It's not that she doesn't enjoy getting dressed up and going to these things with Beau, it's just...art isn't her thing. It's something that she's never really connected to, just one more thing to add to the list of things that doesn't make her feel what everyone else seems to; hell, she's recorded audio tours for museums and galleries and still wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a Warhol and a Rembrandt. It's a miracle she even remembers the names, if she's perfectly honest.

So yes, she'll go with him and eat the food and drink the wine and blag her way through whatever small talk she might (but hopefully won't) have to make with the other attendees, but it's just not something that excites her the way it seems to excite them. Especially Beau.

The grin that she offers when he slows things down to her speed - painting old, very good - is nothing short of fond, and she shakes her head a little as he starts to guide her away from the exhibit. "You don't have to stop, I like listening to you rave about this stuff, just...maybe aim a little lower with the level of expertise." Because she does enjoy it, watching him get passionate about the things he loves and wanting to share that with her, but she struggles to take it in sometimes. She's more suited for neon lights and pounding bass than the soft classical music and polite conversation of a gallery.

But they're moving on and there's a glass of champagne in her hand and her brow creases for just a second at Beau's momentary panic. She follows his gaze, trying to figure out what might have caused it, but the expression is gone as soon as it had arrived and Char offers only a brief quizzical look before she allows that to fade, too. Giving way to a teasing smile as she bumps against his hip. "Promises, promises, you should be careful what you agree to."

@bornbreathless sent: "I beg you, Beau. Pretend I'm very stupid. Small words." / accepting

i let out a slow breath, slowing down my train of thought and breaking down what i wanted to say into small, easy to digest snippets of information. it was my own fault, i knew that, but i’d needed a date and char was always a willing participant as long as i promised that after the boring stuffy opening i’d take her somewhere much more fun. but a gallery was a gallery, and even if i wasn’t technically working - although the possibility of finding something was always present - i had slipped into an information fountain, and even before char’s plea, i could sense she was starting to switch off.

i shot her a grin, sheepishly apologetic, and shrugged one shoulder. “ it’s okay, it’s not that important. ” i admitted, although to me it was, to me it all was; there wasn’t much point in building a career around art if you didn’t understand it, at least enough to know what it was worth to those who would do anything for it. “ in small words - painting old, very good. ”

my arm slid around char’s waist turning us both away from it with a small huff of breath that was almost a laugh. “ look, i just have one more thing to do and then we can leave, i promise. ” my free hand expertly plucked two champagne flutes from a passing server’s tray, and i proffered one to her, “ thank you for doing this, by the way. ” there was a burst of laughter from behind us, one rattling wheeze more familiar than it should have been, and my head snapped round. the flash of concern faded instantly from my eyes as i forced myself into sense once more, the similar sound belonged to someone i had never seen before, and i scolded myself internally for my paranoia as i glanced at char once more.

“ alright, twenty minutes max, then i’ll take you anywhere you want to go. ”

[muffindaddystyles]

Hearth.

A/N: I dunno if I've got any desi/brown/poc readers but if you're reading this I love you so much and you (us) deserve the same validation and representation others get.

Here's a blurb as to what it feels like celebrating Eid with Harry! Enjoy!

Warning: none — just loads of fluff.

More Inspos, Masterlist, Let's Talk

The night's pretty with murky clouds and thick layer of moon's brightness as Y/N cleans her flat, from scrubbing her Persian rugs to deep cleansing her vases back from her homeland. The flame evaporating from her candles scented like springs of Kashmir, flickers from her blowing sheer curtains due to the zephyr flurring outside.

She feels content, at peace waiting for Harry who promised that he'll be at her place by 11. He always comes an hour early helping her in setting the table before the iftari, they've been doing it together since the start of ramdan until today when he texted her he's busy along with a sad smiley.

It was fun. He fasted with her once or twice and would make sure she's hydrated enough once they break it, his love for rooh-afzah (it's a drink red in color made from essence of roses and some sweet herbs) will never fail to make her giggle as he'd demand for more after gulping two glasses already.

Then showing her his tummy along with his food pregnant jokes.

Her classes are online so it gave her time to experiment some cooking. They'd make samosas together and she always had an urge to hold back her cooes as his tongue used to poke out in concentration everytime his diligent fingers folded the samosa sheets skillfully.

"Did a pretty go'job here, innit?" He'd grin raising it like a summat trophy.

The moment he used to leave her flat (ofcourse after giving a tight hug before doing so) they both missed eachother terribly, y/n doesn't like the way her home falls into an abyss without his presence.

He's like a sunshine that warms her insides up.

The whistle of kettle and several raps of knocks on her door drags her from her fond memories of them together, she slings her feet down from the coffee table rushing to open it.

"Angel."

Harry says breathlessly prolly because he climbed three flight of stairs to get to her or that he's utterly flustered.

Her eyes remain struck at the thingies piled in his arms, a box of chocolates, many brown bags and stems of freshly blood ripped roses tucked between his knuckles.

He bought all of these gifts for her.

To make her feel like home.

To be her home.

What the fuck, nobody has ever done that for her —-- she just mighty cry.

Her mouths gupples like a fish too overwhelmed to react her emotions out and he gives her a sweet smile kicking the door shut with his feet -- gestures her to wait when she almost jumps like a cub to hug him and puts everything on the sofa knowing the things inside them's too delicate.

"C'mere, baby." He grins and she doesn't waste a moment falling in his embrace. Her cheeks smashes against his taught chest and she fists the hem of his shirt smiling too hard for her own sake as he sways them with his own rosy cheek squished against her temple.

"I love you so much, thank you." She murmurs gazing up at him with glinting eyes -- arms still lopped around his waist and his chin doubles adorably as he gives her his signature bunny grin kissing the tip of her nose, "Love you too bubba ... don't want ya homesick, at alllll."

The aggressive whistle of kettle parts them away, "Cuppa cha? Then we'll unwrap these pleasanteris." She points at the paper bags.

He nods flopping onto the floor cushions beside the large oak window of the balcony where they could bathe in moonlight.

"Thank you." He quips, kissing her fingertips while slipping his fingers under the handle of mug and takes it from her as she sits infront of him. He admires her for a second —- fawning over how she's looking so soft and cuddle-able wearing a baggy mauve kurta and some mismatched shalwar.

The tearing open of the stuffing tissue brings him back to focus --- this, he wanted to see this happiness dance over her features as she clutches the ethnic traditional dress he bought for her infront of her and when lifts it down he's met by overly excited eyes.

It's ethereal with golden details, handmade wire work and sheer fabric.

"It's gorgeous, pups." She squeezes his hand and he takes the sip of his cha smiling against the rim of the mug shyly, "Wasn't s' sure -- Sarah helped me in collecting stuff." Sarah's Y/N's bestfriend who was the only desi/brown in her filming class.

"No wonder she was being a lil sneak." Y/N chuckles already rummaging for what comes next.

He wanted to make sure he gets her everything they do traditionally in her culture and ate Sara's ears off to help him buy the most special thing and it's right there creating sweet noise when they touch eachother, dangling from her fingers.

"Churiyan .... " She whispers bitting down a smile. She loves glass bangles. Their colourfulness cheers her mood up and she'd always go with her Nani a night prior eid to select the most flamboyant pair of them from a bazar (market).

"This -— " She gestures to the gifts scattered around them, " —-- all of this and you, means alot to me." She sighs giving him a wet smile and he smoothes his thumb against her cheek like she's the most fragile thing to exist.

He watches her in a tad confusion when she stands up with a giggly squeal putting everything away and comes back with a tube of henna in her hand.

"It's chand raat t'night 'cos tommorrow is eid -- usually I spend it with Sarah and we apply henna to eachother, we're horrible at it honestly but now she isn't here 'm gonna bite yours ears —-" He cuts her off. Ushering her to sit back on her spot. He couldn't be more glad to spend all of his time with her whether it's just watching her make designs on her hand with henna.

"Your cha's waftin'." He shakes his head bringing it to her lips, "It's hot." She tells him drawing a circle on her palm and filling it with beautiful darkness of henna.

"Okie then ... " He blows at the hot beverage to cool it down and again brings it to her lips, "Now." He croons softly to her. She holds his wrist taking a sip from it -- he tucks the strand of her hair back and she smiles up at him making him chuckle when she takes a huge sigh as if her soul just woke up.

"What do we d'tommorrow?" He asks. Knowing most of the time they went to Zayn's house on Eids his mother used to fill the whole table with delicious dishes and the whole day was spent having fun.

"We do nothing but have loads of nice time -- I already made a dessert 'cos I know I'll be too lazy in the mornin', and invited your friends if that's okay?" She glances up at him done with her left palm.

"Perfect then," He nods, "D'ya need help with the other one?" He asks grabbing her right hand and the tube of henna from her.

"Yes, please." She shows him her hand covered with with henna and since it's wet she could do one thing wait or let him do it. The second options sounds more good.

"Not on me if it gets messed up." He warns her nonchalantly following the same pattern of her left hand. Stealing glances of her attractive face every now and then, dotting her moles with his intense gaze, he just thinks her brown eyes look more intricate – it's specks as if the forests soil on the first rains when they dilate with her racing heartbeat.

They're like an open book to him and at the same time mysteriously dark that he feels like burning a match to melt in them.

"You did it way better than me," She snorts examining it closely and turns the other way round to lay down on the carpeted floor and rest her head in his lap. He wipes his own hands watching the dark henna leaving a swipe of color on his fingertips.

He pets her hair, dimples milking into his cheeks when she raises her both hands infront of him -- blocking the moonlight that's falling on her, "When I was small I always used to end up getting it on my face and lemme tell ya. Having a yellow blotch isn't even a tiny bit fascinating on the only day you could dress up fancy."

His chest rumbles with giggles and he brings her hands closer to her lips blowing raspberries at them to get them dry early.

Comfortable silence envelopes them in to the point where they could hear crickets singing outside and moonlight sparkling on their skin —- she breaks it cuddling up into his chest.

"I really appreciate this, Harry." Her voice hushed whisper and her cherry stained lips couldn't resist but to patch kisses where his heart lays and she could sense it kicking a pace, "The fact that you did so much just for me -- is beyond my thought. I really feel like home." He let her speak. Squeezing her shoulders to convey the fierceness of his emotions he holds for her. His silken lips pressed to her temple and his eyelids flutters with each spurt of breath she inhales.

"I'll keep making you feel like home, till the day you'll allow me." Today. He for actually felt that his home was never a building or the luxurious furniture adorned inside it, but her. It's always gonna be her.

Because the moment he gets lost in those eyes all he come across is their shared laughter, their moments spent on this balcony right outside sipping onto their chas and watching the city wake up infront of their eyes, going to places he has never been to before, doing things he never thought he'd do in hundered years —- he isn't a big fan of spices but he still pretends like a big boi infront of her while eating pani puri she's oh so obsessed with.

The times she was never embarrassed to introduce him to her community or her friends, and getting soaked into rains even though they could've just used his car, having days planned to make him try new desi dishes, going to buy candles of many scent and shapes with him but then never feeling like leaving the store until he warns her that he'll throw her on his shoulder infront of everyone.

Going to Turkish markets together. He's a bread lover and so all this time he doesn't feel like leaving the shops filled with different kiln and tandoori breads. Eating Simit and drinking black tea in the amardu cups sitting outside the cafe –- he likes it with cheese while she might sound bland she just likes a bit of butter.

Them deciding for hours and hours which Persian rug to buy -- but never buying it apologising to the shop keeper.

Giving eachother head massages from the organic rosemary Morrocon oil that one of her friend gifted her, (Y/N) thinks she's one hell of a masseuse but Harry thinks otherwise —- though he would never ever break her heart so it's better keeping it a secret.

His nose creates a purring sound while he sleeps leaning against the wall, he doesn't even remember when he fell into the deep slumber with his large hand still wrapped around her wrist in a protective manner to keep her from moving.

It's cute.

Though when she stirs to regain consciousness with the birds chirping outside she feels remorseful finding him sleeping in such an uncomfy position just because of her and he wakes up with a loud wheeze —- blinking rapidly to see what just happened only to visibly relax back when she shushes him gently.

"Baby .... shit." He grogs out, knuckling at his eyes pointing at her jaw which's covered into a orangish streak, "Don't tell me." She groans bumping her head against his bicep.

A moment later they burst into fits of hoarse giggles and chuckles. She'd try to suck in air to not to snort and would do it nonetheless driving them more into belly aching laughter.

"Eid Mubarak, I guess?" He cackles loudly. Dimple coveting in to his velvet of skin. Rubs the tip of his nose against her's affectionately and swoons her in his arms to hug her warmly.

"Now -— go 'n dress up, c'mon." He cups the nape of her neck playing with the baby hair there and she whines smushing her face against his chest, "No. Lemme sleep some more."

"Heyyy none of that, c'mon sleepy girl you'll regret it later." He boops her nose smiling down at her fondly and she grumbles mumbling something in between you're so annoying or you're being so much like my mum.

He waits for her laying on the sofa with his arms folded and eyes closed. Prolly took a mini version of nap only to perk his head up grabbing the back of sofa when she returns with wet hair, soft clean face and lips tinted cherry wearing the dress and bangles he bought for her.

An enchantress from head to toe, he wouldn't even complain if she bewitches him.

He needs someone to pinch his bum because he thinks his eyelids might have struck. He takes a dramatic breather mischievously, pupils dilated cutesly and heart shaped lips parted with the sweet loving words in praise of her beauty burning at the tip of his tongue.

His fawning gives her butterflies. Expanding her chest with warmth and she does a three-sixty when he spindles his nimble in the air demanding her to show herself from every angle.

Her head falls back. An echo of happy giggles resonating in the room when he smacks his hand against his chest and flops into heaps of sofa cushions.

"You're fuckin' beautiful, a total knockout." He walks towards her with his hands spread open and takes her's to kiss the inside of her palms, "So are you." Her voice small with shyness. He sits on her on sofa and stays beside her with his chin perched upon his knuckles staring at her like she hung the moon -- as if she's a prayer come true.

"Did you get me ready to d'nothing?" She turns towards him. The curled up fringes kissing the apples of her cheeks same as his fingertips are dying to do so.

"I might sound selfish but it was a trap to get you ready early so I could admire you till everyone squeeze between us ... " He smirks and she huffs sinking deeper into the sofa throwing her limbs in air and his breath hitches when her bangles clanks together producing a beautiful noise.

"Harry!!" She whines.

"Okie, time to fill some grumpy kitten's tummy." He announces standing up to head to kitchen and she shakes her head with a silly smile trailing behind him.

All she knows is that. This Eid she'll have the best time of her life, as she could already feel his energy and love radiating in every corner of her home.

.

@harryforvogue idk why but everytime I'd sit to write this blurb you'd pop in my mind, hope so you're not hiccuping wildly.