#[ hot cocoa and hot chocolate are DIFFERENT ]

[ssour-apathyy]

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ between moonlight and you

caitlyn kiramman x reader, tooth-rotting fluff! very brief mention of blood, kissing, reader gets a small injury, use of y/n

word count; 1,249

summary; a routine that you aren't mad about starting: being snuck into Caitlyn Kiramman's bedroom

a/n; oh to be a young woman in the arms of Caitlyn Kiramman. also "hot chocolate" is what brits call cocoa (?) just an fyi. warm chocolate drink. that thing

The night air was cool and crisp. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft glow over the city of Piltover. The streets were unusually quiet, save for the occasional passing of an enforcer on patrol.

The Kiramman mansion was large and imposing, and there was once a time that it would send a chill through your body, and a twist in your gut. Recent events, though, had resulted in the building causing your stomach to flip for a different reason.

You had waited by the tall, imposing fence for what felt like hours now, your heart thumping wildly in your chest every time an enforcer got a little too close, causing you to dip behind the pillar. You squinted up at the moon, checked it's position with your hands, and made your move. The bars were a little slippery thanks to the dewey air, but you were becoming a seasoned pro at scaling the metal. Slinging yourself over the top, you winced a little as one of the spikes caught your thigh, tearing your pants and nicking your skin.

You let out a little hiss as you landed, quickly checking the damage before moving forward, re-tracing the all-too familiar path in your head. You dipped into a small space between two perfectly sculped hedges just as two enforcers passed by, waited 10 seconds, and continued on your way.

Once you got to the spot below the window, you took a little pebble from out of your pocket and threw it, the stone bouncing off the glass with a quick tap. You waited, and waited, shuffling your feet a little awkwardly as you glanced around to make sure the coast was still clear.

The sshhhhtt sound of the window sliding open caught your attention, and you looked up to see Caitlyn peering down at you. "You're late" she whisper-yelled, arching an eyebrow.

You gave her a sheepish grin, gesturing down at the torn material. "I had a... uh, mishap."

Her eyes gave you a once-over before she rolled them, a smile taking over her face as she leaned away from the window. She was only out of view for a moment before the makeshift rope-ladder cascaded down the side of the building. You grasped hold of it and ascended, taking hold of the hand she offered to help you inside.

She moved quickly, pulling the ladder up and sliding the window shut, the room falling into a comfortable silence after the soft thud of it closing. The room was dimly lit by the lamp to the side, the grand marble pillars causing long shadows to dance across the walls. The first time you entered it was intimidating, but now there was nowhere that you felt more comfortable.

You were drawn out of your thoughts by warm hands sliding around your waist, settling to wrap across your stomach. You smiled to yourself as Caitlyn hugged you from behind, resting her chin on top of your shoulder. "I missed you" she confessed, her voice soft and hushed.

You breathed out a soft laugh, leaning yourself back into her touch. "You saw me a few days ago" you teased, resting your hands over the top of hers and tilting your head to look at her.

She mirrored your movement, her nose brushing against your own as she turned to look at you. The look in her eyes made your breath hitch in your throat, the air growing heavier — as if the entire world had shrunk down to the space between you. Her eyes traced over your face, drinking you in as if she was committing every line and bend to memory, and in that moment — you felt infinite.

"A few days is too long" she murmured, lifting one hand to cup your face and softly drag her thumb across your cheek bone. She tilted upwards, and your eyes fluttered shut as she pressed her lips to the space between your eyebrows. It was sweet, tender, and caused every muscle in your body to relax as you basked in her affection.

She took a half step back and grasped your hand tightly in hers, pulling you with her as she led you to her large bed. She maneuvered you to sit at the end and knelt down in front of you, moving your leg to the side slightly so she can take a look at where the fence caught you.

Her eyebrows creased as she spotted the small dribble of blood, and she delicately swiped it away with her thumb. "Are you hurt?" she breathed out, the warmth from her palm seeping through the material.

You shook your head. "No. S'just a scratch" you mumbled, cupping her cheek with your hand and drawing her gaze back up to you with a soft smile.

Caitlyn slowly surged upwards and took your bottom lip between her own, kissing you with such softness that it caught you off guard. You held her face between both your hands as you flopped backwards against the soft sheets, pulling her with you as she took the opportunity to crawl up your body and settle herself on your waist.

The way Caitlyn kissed you was intoxicating. It was slow and steady — assured — like you had all the time in the world and there was nowhere else that she'd rather be than with her lips on yours. It was full of hunger, but not the hurried and all-consuming kind that you'd often find associated with foreplay, no. There was no expectation here. Kissing you wasn't just a gateway to something more, Caitlyn would happily spend hours like this, slotting your lips together like they were designed to fit perfectly.

She pulled away from your mouth to pepper kisses across your chin, pressing her lips to the underside of your jaw as you let out a breathy laugh. She mimicked your sound, pulling away from your skin to gaze down at you with a sultry smile, slowly leaning back in to—

Knock Knock Knock

Caitlyn pressed one finger against your mouth and bit her lip, sitting back up on top of you.

"Caitlyn" her mother's voice echoed through the solid doors, and your heart pounded in your chest as you prayed to Janna that they didn't creak open.

"Yes?" she called back without a single waver in her voice. It was always impressive how she could switch on when she needed to, as if she wasn't straddling a girl that she had snuck into her room, and wasn't just inhaling your soul through your mouth five seconds ago.

"There is hot chocolate ready for you downstairs, come and get some before it gets cold" Cassandra called out from behind the, thankfully, still closed doors. It was quiet for a moment, and you thought maybe that she had already left.

"and there is a spare mug for your — friend — too" she added, before you heard her footsteps fade down the hallway.

It was like slow motion as Caitlyn turned to look back down at you with a gleam in her eyes. Your lips were parted below her finger, eyes as wide as saucers as you choked out a disbelieving laugh.

"Nothing gets past that woman" she grumbles, her lips quirking upwards. You let out another soft laugh, firmer than the last, and she follows you down into a fit of giggles. Both of you laughing together, as she moves her hand from your face and leans down to kiss you again.

[pukefactory]

Astro x Reader headcanons please :]

Thank you!!

Certainly! I hope all you Astro fans enjoy these.

──✩₊⁺⋆ LATE NIGHT DELIGHT ⋆⁺₊✧──

⏾⋆.˚ Summary: A compilation of headcanons featuring Astro as your boyfriend

⏾⋆.˚ Character(s): Astro Novalite (Dandy’s World)

⏾⋆.˚ Genre: Headcanons, Fluff, SFW

⏾⋆.˚ Warning(s): None - Completely Safe!

✦ Astro is naturally a solitary toon, but after meeting you, he gradually started to open up, especially in your presence. Even if you’re not particularly outgoing yourself, you bring him a sense of comfort that makes him more willing to be honest and expressive. When you’re around, his anxiety feels less overwhelming, and the world becomes a little less daunting. For that, he is endlessly grateful, even if you never realize just how much of a difference you make. Your presence alone allows him to feel more at ease, making conversations with others feel less intimidating.

✦ If you struggle with insomnia, Astro has an almost magical ability to help you fall asleep effortlessly and stay asleep for hours. He insists he doesn’t have any special talents in this regard, but you strongly disagree. On restless nights, he will lay beside you, humming gentle lullabies that lull you into a deep, peaceful sleep. His voice is soothing, and combined with his countless soft blankets and the cozy atmosphere of his room, it doesn’t take long before you drift off. Once he knows you’re asleep, he isn’t opposed to pressing a light kiss to your forehead, a quiet gesture of affection.

✦ Since being with Astro, your dreams have become significantly more pleasant, and you have no doubt that he’s the reason. Your nights are filled with warmth, love, and familiarity—most of your dreams consist of simple yet meaningful adventures with him, sometimes even mundane, but that’s exactly what makes them so special. For Astro, joy is found in the little things, and with dreams like these, sleep no longer feels like an obstacle but rather a comforting escape.

✦ One day, Tegan casually mentions that Astro loves iced tea, and that’s all the encouragement you need. You eagerly ask Tegan to teach you how to make it, determined to surprise Astro with his favorite drink. It takes a few attempts to perfect the recipe, but learning from the best (and doing it for someone you love) keeps you motivated. When you finally get it right, you present the drink to Astro, who looks both surprised and touched. The moment he takes a sip, his expression softens in pure delight. As you recount your efforts—how you learned of his taste, how Tegan guided you—you swear you catch the faintest hint of a deep blue blush behind his shy smile. It’s clear that this will become a new tradition.

✦ Iced tea isn’t his only favorite drink. On occasion, you’ve noticed him sitting alone, quietly sipping a cup of hot cocoa, lost in thought. Inspired, you decide to make some for both of you, and thanks to your training with Tegan, the result is nothing short of perfection. This quickly turns into a cherished ritual—sitting together under a shared blanket, sipping hot chocolate, and gazing at the stars through Gardenview’s glass ceiling. You don’t speak much during these moments, but words aren’t necessary. The comfortable silence says everything.

✦ Astro has an aversion to being photographed, and you respect that boundary without question. Still, you find yourself wishing for keepsakes—memories you can revisit in a tangible way. So, you get creative. Regardless of your artistic skill, you begin drawing moments you’ve shared together in place of traditional photos. When Astro discovers what you’re doing, he chuckles softly, clearly flustered but also deeply touched by your effort to preserve your time together. Before long, he joins in, helping you color and decorate the sketches, occasionally even drawing a few himself. Eventually, your collection of drawings grows too large to keep in one place, but Brightney comes to the rescue, gifting you a photo album to store them in. You often find yourself flipping through it alone, reminiscing on the countless memories with both love and amusement. However, what you don’t expect is to stumble upon a hidden drawing tucked inside—one that you didn’t make. It’s a picture of the two of you, surrounded by crudely drawn hearts, in what appears to be a marriage ceremony. The realization sends your heart racing. It seems Astro has been thinking about your future together more than he lets on.

[fernkeey]

Wanpanmas day 1: Hot cocoa

[blujayonthewing]

of all the Extremely Helpful Hot Takes I thought I might get about this, 'do you even like chocolate to begin with?' was admittedly not one I expected

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@lovehungered asked: ❛ you look good like this. ❜ ⇶ Ace && Sanji (modern verse)

As much as he detested ( or claimed to ) the sweater pulled over his head, Ace was grateful that the incessant chattering of his teeth stopped. To contain violent shivers, he was practically vibrating while he stood before the blonde. Even his words seemed to waver as he did his best not to succumb to the shakes. Clearly, he did not dress nor pack appropriately for their holiday. That must have been why people gave him such strange looks at Bern airport. Evidently, Ace realized the second he stepped out of the terminal that he had grossly overestimated his tolerance for the cold. After settling in their chalet, the sweater was a welcomed surprise . . . even if he ( often ) voiced his displeasure with it. "I look ridiculous," he replied flatly, "but thanks for this. How did you know to bring a sweater for me?" At the very least, this knitted eyesore was in a flattering color. Alright, alright . . . maybe it was not so bad. "Now can we PLEASE make some hot cocoa with some of that famous Swiss chocolate?"

[guinevereslancelot]

i love christmas yet i'm dreading it bc i can never stop spending soo much money i do not have on little gifts for my friends and family 🥲

[mrghostrat]

I’m deciding to go anonymous all together, or at least for asks and stuff, so nyahaha! >:3 /random

Anyways, QUESTION! What do you like most and like least about drawing or writing? Are there also specific steps you do writing? I’m curious!

(I might said I will go anon, but I’ll be specific!)

- Snake Anon 🐍

gasp omg my very own thing!anon 🐍 haven't had one of those since my hot cocoa anon from high school. simpler days. 🥰

my fave thing about drawing is the tactility of it. eeghh hard to explain. i love line art the most because i love watching the lines come into existence, all the texture and the silhouettes n shit that i can mindlessly carve out. sketching requires too much brain power and colouring (my method) (digitally, at least) feels very clinical and lacklustre.

for that reason im so fucking amped to try different mediums like painting and inks and wood working and clay sculpture at uni soon

[dracolizardlars]

Yesterday I made brownies but made a crucial error and now they are literally Plain Brownies. Like, they barely taste of chocolate at all. Turns out Plain Brownies taste vaguely of burnt sugar. They do in fact have a really lovely perfect brownie texture, they're just... Plain. Weird experience.

[crispyasaurusxx]

Hey, whats your favourite hot drink?

Hot chocolate is my life🙏

[the-manderville-mambo]

"Mug of Cocoa" honey that is coffee with cinnamon. There is no cocoa. Why is it called cocoa.

[elssbethtascioni]

Would you rather drink hot cocoa or hot cider?

i don't think i've ever had hot cider 🤔 so i'll go cocoa

[osaemu]

GOJO SATORU: ❛❛ IS IT OVER NOW? (IT ISN'T) ❜❜

.ೃ࿐ streamer!au: all good things come to an end, including your relationship—but don't worry, broken hearts can be mended, but only if you're both willing to try.

contents: fem!reader. you two break up and make up! you guys fight/break up over something that coulda been resolved with better communication. kinda suggestive ending, maybe i'll drop a part two if this does alright. satoru announces your break-up on his stream. longest fic i've posted so far, 4k words (kms).

author's note: the long awaited angst has finally arrived.. big thank you to @screampied for beta-reading!! tagging @yunymphs who read it early and @sutorus + @kentopedia who i both miss very much!!

ever since you first joined satoru on his stream, it’s gotten way more popular than either of you could’ve ever expected. before he brought you onto his live, he was averaging about eight thousand views per stream. now, his average was well over fifteen thousand—and that wasn't even including the publicity he got from other websites. when satoru accidentally left the camera on while you two made out, you two went viral on twitter. and when another user tried to swipe him away, the clip got over a hundred thousand views on youtube.

at first, satoru didn't mind the change his stream was going through—in fact, he welcomed it. but lately, things have been… different.

last week, while satoru was playing in some competition, he won first out of hundreds of equally proficient players. had it been anyone else, their comments would've been filled with congratulations and good job's, but in his case, all satoru got were messages asking where you were. that wasn’t the first time—ever since that very first day, when you showed up on his stream, satoru’s audience has entirely shifted. and honestly, if you were in his position, you'd be a bit annoyed. anyone would be. 

but you had never expected that it would be so big of a deal that you and satoru—the "cutest couple on the internet"—would break up over it.

you walk along the chilly, suburban sidewalk up to your boyfriend’s house. satoru had just sent you a message asking if you could come over, and like always, you answered with an immediate yes. a flock of crows fly by, raven feathers providing a stark contrast between them and the pale gray sky around you. it’s gray and gloomy, but not unpleasant. 

a sweet, romantic song plays in your ears as you knock three times on satoru’s front door. his familiar voice calls out “coming!”, and you can hear his footsteps grow louder and louder until he swings open the door. satoru smiles down at you, cheeks already rosy from the cold winter air. “hey.”

you tilt your head and smile back at him. “that’s all i get? hey?” you huff, walking into his living room behind him as the door closes behind you. “d’you have any hot chocolate? i’m freezing,” you say, licking your lips. satoru turns and pauses, an unreadable expression on his face. “satoru?”

after a moment, your boyfriend snaps out of it. “oh, yeah, sorry,” he says ruefully. satoru rubs his eyes with one hand and uses the other to open the door to his bedroom, and as you follow him in, you’re hit with a blast of warm air. “i’m just kinda tired, but yeah, i have some hot cocoa in here. c’mon.”

“anything i can do for you?” you offer, sitting down on the corner of his bed. you’ve been to his house so many times that it feels like home—maybe even more so than your own place. everything about satoru’s room is comfortable, from his plush chairs to the faux-fur blankets draped over every single piece of his furniture. you could probably fall over at any given point and it wouldn’t actually hurt—you’d just land on something soft and/or fluffy.

but that wasn’t all that made you so in love with his home. it was just the way it felt—words couldn’t describe the way everything was just so right and just so perfect, and you really did hope that you’d never have to see a time where you wouldn’t be able to spend time with your boyfriend here.

it really is a shame that all good things had to come to an end. at least, that’s what you kept telling yourself as satoru finally told you why he called you over. unlike nearly every other time, it wasn’t because he missed you or wanted to cuddle—it was quite the opposite, really.

“i don’t think this is working.”

six words that shattered the life you had come to know and love.

“is this a joke?” you try, an unnerved smile spreading across your lips against your will. he doesn’t reply instantly, which is so out-of-character for him that it makes you stiffen up. “satoru, this isn’t funny—”

“i’m not kidding,” satoru murmurs, looking away. he refuses to meet your eyes, and some part of you is still desperately trying to find reason in the chaos that’s slowly taking over your mind. how could it be that everything was just fine two minutes ago and now it’s anything but that? did something happen? did you say the wrong thing? did you—

“it’s not funny,” you insist, still somehow clinging onto your slowly-dwindling hope. maybe you’re in denial, but still, you were sure that everything was fine—no, that everything is fine. there was no past-tense, right? how could the glass home you’d built with your bare hands just crash down at the throw of a pebble?

satoru finally meets your eyes, and your breath catches in your throat. there’s no amused glimmer in his eyes, no “just kidding” in sight, and even worse, you can’t even see an ounce of the love or adoration you’d come to grow so attached to in just a couple months.

“what happened?” you whisper, miraculously managing to keep yourself together. you’d never forgive yourself if you just started crying over a breakup you weren’t even sure was happening—what little’s left of your pride is holding on. you allow yourself to wrap your arms around your chest, curling into your own embrace. 

satoru doesn’t reply for a long second. right when you’re sure he just won’t reply, he does, and it all comes spilling out in a messy stream of words. “it’s just… i can’t do this anymore. i can’t keep going online and seeing everyone on my stream talking about you. i love you, i really do, but it’s just—” satoru shakes his head frustratedly. “i don’t know how to say it, but you know what i mean, right?”

your eyebrows furrow and you shake your head. “you’re breaking up with me because you’re tired of seeing me?”

“no, fuck,” satoru groans, running a hand through his hair. his previously cool and collected demeanor starts to fall apart as he takes a step back. “i don’t know how to explain it, but— shit, you wouldn’t understand.”

you swallow and start to stand up, still willing to try. “then help me understand, satoru, i—”

“you’ve seen the comments, and you’ve seen all the posts on twitter,” satoru says, tilting his head back and glaring at the ceiling. “it’s not your fault, but i really just can’t stand everyone disregarding me and turning my own stream into a youtube channel starring you.”

his words sting like alcohol in an open wound, and you fight the battle of your life to prevent the thousands of tears hiding behind your eyes from being visible. even so, your voice wobbles ever so slightly as you say “that’s a bullshit reason to break up, satoru—”

your boyfriend—is he even still your boyfriend?—scoffs and shakes his head, stumbling back and falling into his chair. "for you, it isn't. you wouldn’t understand. for me, it's like everyone's just... invalidating the three years i've spent on this shit. and i can't do it anymore, i just can't."

you blink slowly, backing away towards his bedroom door. "what does that mean?"

satoru exhales a bitter laugh and turns away, the back of his chair facing you. you think you can hear him take a soft, shaky breath as the room falls silent. neither of you make a sound before satoru turns back toward you, a blank look on his face.

he looks up at you, azure eyes devoid of the sparkle you've become so familiar with. satoru smiles sadly, but to your dismay, there's no real emotion behind it. it's almost like he's already accepted it when he says, "it means we—" he pauses and looks away. "this is over."

you reach out toward him, desperate to hold on to him—to the invisible string that ties you and satoru together, but he's just out of your grasp. "satoru, it isn't even that big of a deal, why are you—"

satoru turns and fixes you with a stern glare, and just like that, the string that kept you and satoru together for months, maybe years snaps, and you're left with a limp strand of what it once was. taking the hint, you walk out of his room in a daze, hardly noticing the way he says "i'm sorry".

and the worst part? he said he still loved you. but apparently that wasn’t enough.

satoru has every right to be annoyed that his stream is only growing because of you—his stream was the way he made money, and after all, it was never meant to be about you. 

and maybe he was never meant to be for you either.

the walk home is cold and lonely. you slip a hand into your pocket—the pocket of satoru's hoodie, which you should probably return to him—and extract your earphones. it probably isn't a good idea to wear both outside as you walk home, but you do it anyway—this day can't possibly get any worse.

a soft voice murmurs words of sorrow and encouragement in your ear as the music takes you to another world. maybe this—the breakup—was meant to happen. maybe it was a mistake to date a boy with thousands of fans.

as soon as you get home, your phone dings softly. you pick it up and frown when you see it's from toru. you'd have to change that name later.

toru: idk if u blocked me already but i still have a lot of ur things, do u wanna come pick them up later?

toru: or i can drop them off tmrw ig

you miss the way he used to text you—with an obnoxious amount of exclamation points and an even worse amount of emojis. now, it's like all of the flavor's gone from his words, and it hurts. that's when it actually settles in, that this is really over. it hurts like an icicle being driven straight through your heart, and it stings like one, too.

satoru's texts are left on delivered for five whole minutes before you reply, and it's only with an "i'll come by tmrw". he likes the message less than a minute later, and you're left to wallow in your misery alone until you finally drift off to sleep.

the next morning, you open your phone to a notification alerting you that satoru’ll be live on stream in ten minutes. curiosity kills the cat, but in this case, maybe it’d be worth it to see what he tells his viewers about your breakup. after all, there’s no way he wouldn’t tell them—he always had something to say about you, and he’d probably rather tell them for sure rather than let them come up with ridiculous theories on their own.

so you hastily make a new account using some email account you haven’t touched since middle school, trying a couple different passwords until you remember the one that works. the website hits you with a hundred questions, asking you about your favorite games and who’d you like to subscribe to first. you choose satoru, albeit after a second of hesitation. two minutes later, sparklingzebra672 joins your ex-boyfriend’s stream. you wait a second, holding your breath as the live loads. a brief moment later, satoru’s painfully familiar face appears on your screen.

“hey guys,” satoru says, forcing a smile on his face. even from behind a screen, you swear you can feel his eyes on you. “how’s everyone today?” 

the already unstable smile on satoru’s face falls when he opens the comments and gets greeted with a flurry of where’s your girlfriend’s. had you been anyone else, you probably wouldn’t have noticed the way satoru’s eyes dulled ever so slightly or the way he curled into himself, but being the girl who once knew him best, you could tell.

“oh, she won’t be back on here for… a while,” satoru starts, dancing around the topic. he leans back against his chair and tilts his chin up, azure eyes focused on the ceiling. “we broke up.”

nothing could’ve prepared you for the way satoru’s comments explode. it’s almost like you can hear the shocked gasps coming from all fourteen—no, twenty thousand viewers as the words nobody thought would ever they’d hear from satoru are spoken.

suguru-geto: holy shit im so sorry 

toji-fushiguro: wait wtf r u kidding?? that's fuckin crazy

yuuji-itadori: omg i thought u guys were together forever :(

inumaki: chat is this real??

satoru shrugs, averting his eyes from the hundreds of comments pouring in, but you scroll through and read them all. everyone, even satoru’s haters, seems genuinely shocked. in fact, had this not been your own breakup, you would’ve been one of them, begging and pleading satoru for more details.

“yeah, we did,” satoru murmurs, eyebrows furrowing just enough for you to read his expression. now that you’re looking closer, you can see the subtle redness underneath his eyes—had he been crying too? and maybe you’re imagining it, but his hair seems a bit dishelved too. your ex-boyfriend shrugs, forcing his face back into his usual lighthearted expression, but it’s not fooling anyone.

satoru scowls at the new flood of comments asking him why you two broke up. some people are already hypothesizing—maybe it’s because you got jealous of his fame, or maybe he got sick of you. maybe you left him to go date some other streamer, or maybe—

“i’m actually gonna end the stream here, ‘cause i don’t really want to deal with all of this right now,” satoru says with a frown. his eyes are narrowed irritably as a couple users protest, still begging for more details. “you guys know that i’m a real person with my own life, right? fuck off.”

and just like that, the stream ends. you’re left with a blank screen and a message saying that satoru’s ended the live, so you shut your laptop. your stomach turns as you groan, just remembering that you have to go over to his place later to retrieve your things, and somehow, you’d have to pretend that you didn’t just stalk his stream to see if he’d say anything substantial about the breakup.

a couple minutes after the stream ends, your phone blows up—every mutual friend you and satoru have is messaging you about what he said, but you can’t bring yourself to open any of them. except for one.

suguru: r u ok?

you: yeah ig

suguru: do u want anything?

satoru’s best friend’s question catches you off-guard—there are a lot of things you want. you want this whole situation to go away. you want the world to disappear. and most of all, you want satoru back, without the online world attached.

but suguru can’t do any of those things, can he? so you leave him on read. 

somehow, you fall back asleep, tossing and turning in your bed without satoru’s steady arms to accompany you. a couple hours later, you wake up again, wincing from the dim sunlight that pours through your windows and directly into your eyes. it’s just past five, so you figure that you might as well go down to satoru’s house and get your things. better to do it now than drag it out for an uncertain amount of time.

the walk is shorter than you remember, but maybe it’s just the absence of music pouring into your ears that makes it seem that way. you watch the wilted autumn leaves flutter in the wind, falling down onto the sidewalk like pieces into place. once upon a time, you had walked these very streets with satoru—it’s a fond memory you remember only all too well.

when you finally step onto your ex’s doorstep, the door opens before you even have a chance to knock. and there he is—the boy who’d once been the love of your life. satoru looks down at you with an unreadable expression. “hey.”

you think you’ve seem this film before, and you didn’t like the ending.

satoru spares you from having to reply by opening the door wider and beckoning you inside. “i already put most of your stuff into a couple boxes, but i thought you’d wanna check on your own. just in case i forgot something.”

you nod and walk past him, not trusting your voice to be steady. this was harder than you expected—much harder. in fact, you’re practically on the verge of breaking down when you step into satoru’s room and look around and see just how different it looks without the touches of you everywhere.

the fortnite poster you’d given him as a joke for the second anniversary of his stream was gone from his wall, and so were the two mini succulents that used to sit on the corner of his desk. the white cat plushie that used to rest on his pillow was gone, too—probably stuffed somewhere in one of the boxes outside his bedroom door.

after nearly a minute of looking around, you decide that whatever satoru possibly could’ve missed wasn’t important enough for you to have to stick around any longer.

you turn and start to exit satoru’s room so fast that you nearly crash into him when he suddenly appears in the doorway. “shit, sorry about that,” you mumble, trying to walk around him. but of course, because the universe is actually praying on your downfall, you and satoru both walk the same way at the same time. you awkwardly try to go around each other, and eventually, the humiliation is over.

“so, you got everything?” satoru asks, walking beside you with his hands in his pockets. you nod, bending over to pick up one of the two boxes. it’s pretty heavy, but not unmanangable. you just don’t really seem to know if you’ll be able to carry both back home at once. 

“oh, uh, i’ll be right back,” you say tentatively. a flash of confusion appears in satoru’s eyes, so you clarify, “i’m gonna go grab my car. that’ll make it easier.”

satoru’s eyebrows furrow and he shakes his head. “no, it’s alright. your place isn’t far from here at all, i’ll just take the other and walk back with you.”

“no, really, it’s alright.”

“it’s the easiest option, ba—” satoru cuts himself off, stopping himself from calling you baby for the first time since you two had started dating. “sorry.”

“let’s just go.”

the walk back to your house is brutal. you walk side by side with satoru since the path is wide enough for you to do so, and you two just keep bumping into each other. had you still been dating, satoru probably would’ve dropped the box and scooped you up instead, kissing your cold face to warm it up. of course, that would’ve added five minutes to your walk, but it would’ve been better than the tense silence dividing you and satoru right now. 

the wind whistles around you, brushing at your skin and making you shiver with every gust—there’s nothing more you’d like than to go home, plop on your couch and cry while watching the titanic for the hundredth time. 

after what seems like three hundred awkward hours later, you and satoru finally make it to your house. “thanks,” you say quietly, setting down your box in front of the door. 

satoru places his next to yours and slips his hands back into his pockets. he nods and replies, “no problem,” but still doesn’t leave.

you cross your arms, and tilt your head, meeting his eyes hesitantly. “umm, do you need anything else?”

satoru coughs tensely and shrugs. “oh, uh, not really, just—” his eyes drift down to your top, and your face grows warm when you realize you’re still wearing his hoodie. 

“shit, my bad,” you mumble, internally cringing and resisting the urge to say every curse word you know. could this day really get any worse?

well, at least satoru looks equally as embarrassed. he shakes his head and gestures for you to keep it on. “it’s fine, it’s kinda cold anyways. keep it.” satoru hesitates, shuffling his feet before continuing, “if you want something… to remember me by.”

what you say next was done entirely against your will. “do you still love me?” you ask suddenly, not sure what otherworldly force prompted you to do so. you instantly regret it when satoru’s face goes even redder, and you can tell it’s not from the cold the way his blush spreads to his ears.

“i— uh, i mean—”

“answer me, satoru, i think i have a right to know.”

he looks away and mumbles something about needing to go back home, to feed his fish or something (he doesn’t have a fish), and you grab his hand just as he starts to turn away. “please, satoru, i need to know,” you breathe, squeezing his hand harder when he flinches. 

ten silent seconds tick by, but you still don’t let go. so satoru sighs, a soft white puff of air coming from his lips. “yeah.”

your heart breaks again.

“then why did you—”

“because i don’t know how to do this,” satoru says, blue eyes darting all over the place. “i love you, i really do, but i just can’t— i don’t like having thousands of people thinking that i’m only worth looking at if i’m with you, it’s annoying and it pisses me off and i don’t want to accidentally take it out on yo—”

you cut him off with a kiss, ignoring the way he yelps a little in surprise. but thankfully, he doesn’t push you away—instead, his arms instantly wrap around you and pull you closer into his warm, warm chest. satoru’s lips are a little dry, but still minty as ever from the peppermints he’s constantly munching on. he kisses you back like a man starved of affection, and when you two finally break apart, his eyes are just as hungry.

“you idiot,” you whisper, trailing your fingers through his hair as tears prick at the corner of your eyes. “you shoulda just talked to me about it first.”

“i know,” satoru mumbles, looking down bashfully. “‘m sorry.”

“you should be.” you pause, watching satoru’s lips curve into a pouty frown. “i’m sorry too,” you murmur, and he looks up, confused. “i should’ve seen this coming.”

satoru shakes his head and presses his lips to your forehead, lingering for a couple seconds before pulling back. “i missed you.”

“i was gone for less than a day, satoru.”

“oh, so you didn’t miss me?”

“i did,” you admit, exhaling a puff of air when satoru smiles smugly. “shut up, it’s not a competition!”

“yeah it is, but fine, you win,” satoru gives in with a dramatic sigh, reaching down and twining his fingers with yours. his hands, which are significantly bigger than yours, instantly warm you up. “but only ‘cause i don’t want you to break up with me next.”

“i hate you, y’know that?” you grumble, leaning into his side and letting satoru kiss the top of your head. he hums in agreement, reaching out and opening your front door. 

“i’m sure you do, baby. now c’mon, let’s get inside n’ warm up. i wanna make it up to you,” satoru says with a grin, bending over and scooping up both boxes. 

“oh, yeah? how do you plan to do that?” you challenge, going inside first and holding the door open for satoru. once he’s inside, you close the door and instantly get pinned against it by satoru, whose hands are already creeping underneath your clothes. “satoru, your hands are col—”

he cuts you off by pressing his equally cold lips to yours, smiling against your mouth as he tugs at your clothes. “i know, baby. but i’ll keep you nice n’ warm for the rest of the night, i promise!”

[vanilladove]

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ christmas w/ the bsd men .ᐟ

⍋⋆*❅ pairing: various bsd men x gn!reader [dazai, atsushi, ayatsuji, ranpo, fukuzawa, kunikida, chuuya, akutagawa, oda, ango, nikolai, fyodor, sigma, shibusawa, jouno, tecchou]

⍋⋆*❅ genre: fluffy headcanons (some crack again hehe)

⍋⋆*❅ content warnings: none! also headcanons are focused more on cultural/winter festivity aspects of christmas, not the religious ones (except for mentions in fyodor's part)

⋆˙ ☃︎ — 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐘

⁺⋆*❅ dazai osamu

you both decide to go out and explore the city!

purposely stops under every mistletoe around town to makeout with you (he somehow knows where all of them are...)

you go bar hopping to try different holiday drinks like spiked eggnog, cranberry mimosas, and whiskey sours

after you both get super drunk, he takes you out to the town square and twirls you around so you're both dancing under the fresh snow and moonlight

you make christmas cards for everyone with custom stamps and bake christmas cookies to gift (he sets aside the ugly cards + burnt cookies to give to mori/the port mafia)

⁺⋆*❅ atsushi nakajima

something cute to heal your inner child

he takes you sledding, and you scream the whole time from how fast you both go

atsushi tries to help all the kids at the bottom of the hill who wipe out (awwww)

you don't tell him, but his nose gets super red from the cold and you think it's really cute

you get hot chocolate on the way back and spend the night talking by the fireplace (he got you both matching pjs)

⁺⋆*❅ ayatsuji yukito

christmas = the perfect opportunity to dress you up, either as a slavic doll or mr./mrs. claus

escorted by security and a sniper ofc, you both go to the mall and shop around (mostly so he can buy more clothes and accessories for you)

you both get some eggnog and take photobooth pictures at the mall

before he gives you your presents back at home, he pulls you into his lap and makes you tell him if you've been naughty or nice like he's santa lol

does the pocky thing with you but uses a candy cane o///o

gifts you all the shopping bags full of clothes he bought for you at the mall

⁺⋆*❅ ranpo edogawa

ofc it's all about sweets so you build gingerbread houses

ranpo can't build one so he ends up eating his and all of the candy you bought

you both make more sweets from scratch (ranpo probably quits halfway through bc he burnt the gingerbread cookies), so it's just you lol

you decorate christmas cookies and make candy cane hot cocoa and eggnog

after voicing your concerns about having too many sweets and baked goods, ranpo assures you that they'll be added to his snack collection/vault and there's no need to share them with everyone else

⁺⋆*❅ fukuzawa yukichi

doesn't like to celebrate much--he originally wanted to go to a cat cafe, but it was closed bc of the holiday :(

he planned on having a cozy christmas dinner with you and some other members of the doa instead at the office (definitely not bc he also still has work to finish)

somehow, ranpo convices the both of you to dress up as mr. & mrs. claus and you have a whole photoshoot at the office

you end the night at a secluded onsen with some warm tea 😌

⁺⋆*❅ kunikida doppo

basically the karen/soccer mom of christmas. he has an itenerary planned out and you're sticking to it.

you start by unwrapping presents by the tree⎯he gets you something you've had your eye on for a while, since he knows you wouldn't buy it with your own money (so he bought it for you)

i can't explain it but he def has the perfect ugly sweater that he only pulls out and wears on christmas

you then go to do something cute outside, deliver presents to the other doa members (he gives dazai bandages + coal...)

probably the type to refuse to go into their houses/apartments bc he doesn't want to waste too much time (he lowk caves in tho)

at the end of the day, you both visit a pretty christmas lights show

⋆˙ ☃︎ — 𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐅𝐈𝐀

⁺⋆*❅ chuuya nakahara

chuuya is extra so he goes all out with decorations. he fills the house with poinsettias and a huge christmas tree (he has to use gravity to put all the ornaments on it lol)

you make a special mulled wine together

he takes you out a nice fancy dinner (ofc he bought you a beautiful red suit/dress to go along)

sings for you by the fireplace hehe

the tree is full of gifts when you get home (don't ask him how much he spent, just be appreciative that chuuya's your lover 🤫)

⁺⋆*❅ akutagawa ryunosuke

lowk hates the cold but wants to make u happy so he goes out with you to a christmas market

you both get a matching black scarf and glove set

u go to a curios and antiques store (one of his fav places!) and stop to get some hot tea

akutagawa is constantly blushing bc of ur cuteness, and when u kiss him under a mistletoe, he turns beet red but insists it's just the cold

periodically hugs you "for warmth" and definitely not bc he gets jealous of other people looking at you

when you get back home, you both take a warm bath and cuddle by the fire, and he gifts you a special antique item he secretly bought from the store ♡

⁺⋆*❅ oda sakunosuke

christmas dinner with the kiddos

gets everyone matching ugly sweaters and you both fill the kids' stockings while they make snow angels outside

you go to the mall to take the kids to meet and take pictures with santa

you all bake and decorate gingerbread houses and christmas cookies together

his present for you is a wedding ring, and the kids are beyond excited to have you as their other parent

you all fall asleep watching a christmas movie

⁺⋆*❅ ango sakaguchi

he was forced to take work off bc of the holiday, but he's relieved that he gets to spend more time with you

he takes you to a fancy christmas ball that's being thrown by some government officials

he gets a little tipsy and can't stop complimenting how nice you look in your dress/suit, and how grateful he is to have you as his partner

when you finally dance together, you swear it's the most lively you've seen him look⎯he has that glow in his eyes ^u^

firm believer that he gets super clingy when he hasn't seen you in a while, so during dinner he pulls you into his lap to eat and always has a hand on you

when you both finally go home after a long night out, he gives you a present, which is a nice watch/bracelet

⋆˙ ☃︎ — 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐒

⁺⋆*❅ fyodor dostoevsky

obviously takes you to church first

listens to christmas carols from the church choir (he's lowk an old man so he likes them)

you then go to a ballet show to watch the nutcracker

he makes traditional russian dishes for dinner like meat pies, vegetable fillings, and fish, and drink some sbiten (a warm honey + spice drink), which he prefers over hot cocoa

you end the night reading books by the fireplace as he strokes your hair

gifts you your favorite books and some warm winter clothes/coats

⁺⋆*❅ nikolai gogol

christmas is one of his fav holidays after halloween

after decorating the house and the tree, you both go to a christmas wonderland attraction

other visitors/children keep asking if he's santa bc of his white hair, and you giggle innocently as you take pictures of him

makes Sviat Vechir: A 12-dish meal with kolach, cabbage rolls, and other traditional ukrainian dishes for dinner

gifts u a white sweater he knit himself (awww)

⁺⋆*❅ sigma

it's one of his first christmases, so he lets you plan what to do

you make him some cinnamon rolls + eggnog for breakfast

you both bake and decorate some christmas cookies⎯he's surprisingly good at making intricate patterns and designs, and his cookies are so pretty you almost don't want to eat them

you go skiing⎯sigma definitely struggles at first but he gets the hang of it pretty fast

after you get cold, you both go back inside to get some hot cocos and eat some fondue

you both watch the sunset on the ski lift, which is the most beautiful view against the snow-covered mountains (he secretly can't talk his eyes off you tho)

at home, you unbox presents!

he gifts you plane tickets to a nice getaway vacation ( ๑ ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و ♡

⁺⋆*❅ shibusawa tatsuhiko

(honorary doa girlie lol)

not particularly interested in the holidays, but he likes flashy things so i think he'd enjoy seeing light shows/big christmas displays

however, he likes to spoil you, so he gets you an advent calendar with an assortment of nice clothes, fancy jewelry, and more

watches as you unbox each day's gift and relishes in your cute reactions

lets you paint his nails red, white, and/or green as you sit in his lap

decorates the christmas tree with gems instead of ornaments since he has so many laying around

⋆˙ ☃︎ — 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐎𝐆𝐒

⁺⋆*❅ jouno saigiku

another winter cabin getaway bc he hates how crowded and noisy the city gets during this time of year

you go iceskating on the lake together

he can hear the position of you feet and corrects your form so you don't slip and fall on the ice

even if you're good at iceskaing, he keep his arms linked with yours the whole time or holds onto your hand

at one point, he feels like showing off and spins you around and throws you up into the air like a figure skater, and he giggles maniacally while you scream

makes snow angels with you

once you get back to the cabin, you both roast some s'mores over the fireplace and enjoy a warm cup of hot cocoa

you snuggle by the fire and fall asleep in eachother's arms

⁺⋆*❅ tecchou suehiro

he takes you to go hunting + ice fishing

you probably get freaked out by the thought of shooting the animals, so you both end up just doing a nature walk in the woods instead lol

while looking for the perfect tree, you find a clearing and build a buff snowman (tecchou insists he's more muscular tho)

tecchou chops the tree you decide on and hauls it back home himself bc he's that strong lol

he decorates the tree while you cook some of the fish he caught for dinner

you also make some berry tarts and jam cookies with some berries you foraged on the walk (.◜◡◝)

[wroteclassicaly]

Eddie Munson loves the way that you pick at the chipping polish on your nails until it’s dangling from the cuticle. Enjoys how you only shave the bottom half of your legs but let the top grow out. Oh god, and when you chew and bite your straw to an unusable puncture, leaving lipgloss all over. The times at lunch where you’ll find him to ask, “Can I play with your hair?” You aren’t in Hellfire Club, but the group has taken to adopting you as a seat mate.

Well… you had simply settled down there before Eddie’s group approached. He’d leaned in to inform you that this was a private table. To which, you shrugged and asked who usually sat where, following suit with finding your own space - which just happened to be right beside the dungeon master himself. You’d put on your headphones, took out your spiral, and began writing, everyone free to converse as you let yourself get lost amongst new company.

Soon… things changed. It went from, “What’s she doing here?” To “What are you listening to today?”

Eddie often lets his thoughts scatter from campaigns conversations, the band’s music — all because he ends up watching you get lost to yours. Ink pen tapping, eyes fluttered closed. Every single bit of cafeteria commotion ceases to exist, footsteps echoing, Eddie’s heart thrumming in his ears (fucking tinnitus).

Vibrating your way into everyone’s affections, Eddie remains awe struck & jaw slacked that you can’t see how easy it is to connect with you, to feel like everything is okay when you’re around, how there’s not one single person on planet earth and beyond that is like you. You wear what you want, model a personal style that belongs to you, have prepared more comebacks than he’s seen in his twenty years of life (that would shrivel any man’s ballsack and make all the other girls envious). It’s how you tried to make red, white, and black knit scarves to match their shirts for Christmas, and it ended with balls of fabric, your bloody thumbs, and Eddie helping you fix each one with a gentle hand (because everyone has to have something, Eddie). How can he forget that you’re not a baker, but your boxed brownies are Eddie’s favorite, especially when you wrap them in Christmas paper, serving hot chocolate to go along, making your way around the table to plop marshmallows in each styrofoam cup, that way no one is forgotten.

“Something for you and the group to have during tonight’s campaign. Oh! And my mom actually taught me how to make the hot chocolate in a crockpot, so…”

Eddie Munson has tried convincing himself that you’re just another sheep to protect. His stomach isn’t fluttering like a hoard of bats are shredding his insides, his knees aren’t growing weak everytime you smile, his breath isn’t getting caught on the wall of his chest on days that your full figure wears a skirt or a dress to accentuate features you love to possess, but can’t see their beauty with your eyes. He’s seen you in the morning, in the sun, in the rain, in the dark, and now, as it’s snowing outside the walls of this school. You’ll get up to retrieve something in the lunch line and Eddie will peer into your notebook, ringed finger scanning the lined page of your latest short story.

A guy and a girl, one small town, looking at the simplicity of various Christmas lights. It’s traditional, differing from what you usually let him read. You’re a sheep, lost from your flock in the manger. An angel so soft that feathers have nothing on you. A fucking Christmas star, shining so bright it burns the entire town to the ground.

By the time you’re carrying a bowl of cheese fries back to the table with two forks, Eddie has already picked you up in his van, a thermos full of his mom’s famous hot cocoa recipe. Eddie loves the way that you - oh… fuck… he loves you.

Merry Christmas…

[heyjwi]

“movie” night | pjs

synopsis: you and your boyfriend watching a christmas film, hot cocoa and matching pjs. everything was perfect

_________________________________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

bf!jisung x fem reader

warning : smut, unprotected, sadist! jisung

it was finally your favourite time of the year. jisung wasn’t as busy and had all the time in the world to spend with you.

he’d planned out many activities for you to do together and watching christmas movies with matching pjs was his ultimate wish since this would be your first christmas together as a couple.

after making the hot chocolate and snack bowls, you and jisung sat on the couch of your apartment,

“what should we watch baby.?”, he asked with an innocent smile, pressing back and forth on the remote.

“uhhh let’s watch that”, you said pointing at the grinch accompanied with a chuckle. jisung nodded and pressed in the movie, cuddling you as the intro began.

after about 40 minutes, the snacks were half way gone and jisung was getting more and more touchy. his hands brushing against your thigh when he “stretched” and the ever so innocent tug at your hair. you let out a small sigh and looked at him with warning eyes before turning back to the movie.

at that moment, he’d had enough and held your chin to face him. his lips brushing against yours softly before claiming them in a possessive, harsh kiss. his hand moved from your chin to your waist, pulling you closer to him.

you smiled against his lips and kissed him back, trying to catch up to his quick pace. encouraged by your response, he deepens the kiss, his tongue seeking entrance into your mouth. his free hand finds its way up your thigh, massaging softly as he continues to plunder your lips. jisungs body presses against yours, leaving you no doubt about his intentions.

you slowly wrapped your arms around his neck and he pulled you into his lap. feeling your grip on his neck, jisung moans lowly into the kiss, his body shuddering with desire. his hand moves higher on your thigh, close to where your most sensitive. he breaks the kiss, panting heavily into your ear.

“what? you can’t take it anymore?”, you laughed out breathless, wanting to bring a reaction out of him. jisungs eyes darken further at your laugh, filled with lust and possessiveness. "no," he growls, his voice rough from your intense exchange.

"i want more."

you couldn’t help but feel flustered by his tone. the sweet jisung turning into a whole different persona. you hadn’t really gone further than touching eachother and having long make out sessions but it seemed that today would be different.

jisung leans in again, claiming your lips in a hungry kiss, his hand finally reaching your core. he groans into the kiss, his hands rough pulling at your pants and underwear.

“fuck," he breathes out against your lips. "you’re so wet for me." his hand slides easily inside you, finding your soft, warm folds. he begins to tease you, rubbing in small circles, his free hand holding you tight against him.

you let out soft moans into his ear, gripping onto his broad shoulders. jisungs eyes darken even more at your moan, his desire skyrocketing. with one swift movement, his fingers plunge into your tight warmth, his other hand on your hip holding you in position. he thrusts his fingers in and out roughly, claiming your tightness as his own.

“shit ji… it hurts..” , you moaned out loudly, feeling his fingers curl inside you. his fingers slow down, but only slightly, as he groans against your neck. "say it again," he pants, his breath warm against your skin.

“tell me how much it hurts."

your eyes slightly widened at his statement, feeling his fingers slide out of you finally. he pulled his shirt off, his toned abs and muscular arms catching your eye. jisung tugged at your shirt, pulling it off, as his hands danced around the clasp of your bra. after stripping the both of you, jisung shoved his underwear off , letting his hard spring out.

his grip on your hips tightens, jisung yanks you against his aching length, grinding your bodies together in a primal display of possession. "don’t look so frightened.. it turns me on fuck.”

you bit your lip at his statement, whining at the lack of contact between the two of you.

“ji i want you inside me..”

he positions himself in front of you, desperate to feel every part of your body. jisung slams his hips forward, driving his thick length deep inside you. the head of his cock, already stretching your tight entrance, brushes against your cervix, sending shivers of mixed pain and pleasure through your body alongside a loud and long moan.

“so fucking tight for me..” he groans, his body trembling. he pulls out almost all the way before slamming back in, his hips snapping against yours. he sets a brutal pace, taking you roughly and claiming you over and over again.

you couldn’t help but scream at his roughness, hands slowly slipping away from his shoulders. groaning , jisung thrusts harder, his movements jerky and unrestrained. "gonna cum.. shit" he pants, driving his words into your ear. "tell me you like it..”

you couldn’t speak, seeing stars at the roughness applied by jisung. he smirks, admiring your fucked out state. his thrusts become even more forceful, pounding into you with his entire weight. one of his hands leave your hip to fist your hair, pulling your head back to force your connection.

you let out a string of pained but pleasure filled moans. “m’ gonna cum ji…”, you gasp out. his eyes flash with triumph as he feels your climax approaching. he thrusts harshly once more, pushing you over the edge, and fills you with his seed. as you convulse around him, jisung finally releases your hair, his body shuddering with his own climax. your moans were caught inside your throat, feeling your eyes roll back as you took all of him.

jisung growls, his voice low and rough. "that’s it, baby. take it all." his hips slow, but not enough to fully pull out, leaving your slick insides clenching around his cock. he pants heavily, bracing himself against you. you gently wrap your arms around his waist, feeling his hot body against yours.

both of your breathing ragged, he leans into your touch, his body still trembling from the intensity of your shared experience. "shit," he mutters again, more of a groan than a curse.

you pressed a soft kiss onto his ear as jisung cuddled into you. “i love you..” , he whispered into your neck.

“love you even more ji”

© heyjwi

[steveseddie]

hot chocolate, on me

written for @steddieholidaydrabbles | prompt: hot chocolate | rating: g | wc: 995 | tags: different first meeting, babysitter steve, steve is a sweetheart, pre-relationship read on ao3

The same shitheads that dragged Steve into an interdimensional fight less than two months ago have now dragged him to the Christmas market. 

It’s definitely an improvement– at least Steve won’t get a concussion here. But that doesn’t mean this is how he wanted to spend his days leading up to Christmas. 

At least since his reputation already took a tumble it doesn’t really matter if he’s seen herding a bunch of nerds– or, in this case, wandering between carol singers and stands decked with lights all by himself after the kids he oh so kindly drove here ditched him and wandered off on their own. 

Whatever. It’s not like they’re starting to grow on him or anything.

He still keeps an eye on them since he’s kind of responsible for their asses. Right now he can see Byers and Henderson trying on dorky Christmas hats, Wheeler with his arm around El as she stares at the big Christmas trees and Sinclair and Max huddled together, drinking hot chocolate.

As a shiver runs down his spine, Steve thinks the last two have the right idea so he looks for the stand selling hot beverages. He stands in line, tuning out the people asking for hot chocolate, mulled wine, and apple cider. 

“What can I get you?” The woman asks the guy directly in front of Steve. 

“Greetings, fair lady,” he says with a dramatic flourish of his hand. “Might I have a warm draught of spiced cocoa, sweetened and brewed with hot water?”

Both Steve and the woman stare blankly at the guy, who laughs and asks for a hot chocolate.

While the woman prepares the drink, Steve looks him over. The moment he turns around to dig in his back pocket for his wallet, Steve recognizes him. 

Eddie Munson. 

His usual mane of black hair is tucked under a black winter hat and his familiar vest has been replaced by a green jacket but his voice and his showy way of talking are impossible to miss.

And his laugh– Steve remembers hearing it one day during lunch and surprising himself by immediately wishing he could hear it again. 

Right now he tries to pay attention in case Eddie decides to laugh again but all Steve overhears is him cursing as he pats the front of his jeans. “Shit– I, uh– I think I forgot my wallet, sorry–”

Eddie sounds embarrassed and when he pivots to leave, his cheeks are bright pink, his forehead pinched in a sad frown. 

Cute is what Steve thinks first before feeling bad for him. 

The woman has to clear her throat to get his attention.  

“Sorry,” Steve says sheepishly, still staring at Eddie as he disappears into the crowd. 

He gets an idea. “I’ll get that guy’s hot chocolate and another one for me, please?”

When the woman gives him both drinks, Steve goes looking for Eddie. 

He finds him staring up at a big Christmas tree, the bright multicolored lights reflecting on his face and making it glow. Steve can’t help but think he looks pretty. 

“If you’re planning to throw that on my face, Harrington, at least let it cool first,” Eddie says, startling Steve.

“What?”

“Isn’t that why you’re lurking?” Eddie asks, raising an eyebrow at him. “Or maybe you got that for your date? Has the King moved on already?” 

Steve ignores the last part and holds out one of the paper cups. “Actually this is for you.”

Eddie’s eyebrows knit together. “For me?”

“Yeah, I was behind you in the line and heard you forgot your wallet so I got it for you.”

“Why?” Eddie asks warily. 

Steve isn’t about to admit he wanted an opportunity to talk to Eddie so he just shrugs. “I don’t know, man. Blame the Christmas spirit or something.” 

Eddie narrows his eyes. “So this is– what? Charity?”

“No! No, no–” Steve shakes his head. “I just wanted to be nice.” 

“Nice? To me?” Eddie asks skeptically.

“Yeah.” 

Eddie’s nose scrunches up. “No, thanks.”

“What?” Steve says, dumbfounded. He didn’t expect Eddie to turn down free hot chocolate. 

“I don’t need you to pay for my stuff, Harrington.”

“It’s just hot chocolate, dude,” he says, keeping his tone light, friendly. “It doesn’t have to mean anything.” 

“It means I’ll owe you.”

Steve lets out a heavy sigh. “If it’ll make you act like less of a dick you can just pay me back.”

Eddie purses his lips but when Steve stretches his arm out again, offering him the drink, Eddie takes one teeny tiny little shuffle of a step towards him and grabs it. 

“Fine,” he mumbles, grabbing the cup with both hands and blowing on it. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Steve says, a smile settling across his face. “Was that so hard?”

Eddie glares half-heartedly. “Don’t push it, Harrington,” he says but his voice is teasing, and when Steve chuckles, the corners of Eddie’s lips tug up in a smile.

So Steve decides to push. 

“Are you, uh, here with someone?” 

Eddie freezes mid-sip, narrowing his eyes again. “Why? Are you gonna make fun of me and call me a freak?”

“Dude, no,” Steve says, rolling his eyes. “Just- there’s this Christmas show happening soon and I thought we could see it together? It’s probably not your thing but I heard there’s gonna be music. You like music, right?”

“Do I like–” Eddie laughs and there it is- that happy, delighted little sound. “Yes, you could say I like music, Stevie.”

Stevie. 

The nickname makes something warm flutter in his stomach that has nothing to do with his hot drink. “So do you wanna? See it with me?”

“Why?” 

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. “Are you going to be this difficult every time I’m nice to you?”

“Yes. But only because you’re cute when you’re annoyed,” Eddie winks.

Oh. That giddy fluttery feeling in Steve’s stomach gets stronger. 

Maybe that hot chocolate will mean something after all.