#( & thr — splash! )

[finalgirlmorgue]

ᰔ・︴ Jason is cold ｡°✧

𝜗𝜚 Genre: Smut 𝜗𝜚 Warnings: nsfw, mentions of female anatomy 𝜗𝜚 Jason Todd x Iceberg lounge waitress 𝜗𝜚 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REQUESTS 𝜗𝜚 Pussy eater Jason Brainrot -----------------------------------------------------------------------

𝜗𝜚 You're responsible for your own media consumption :)

Winter is cold, but Jason is colder. You thought you two had made notable progress. Maybe that was just wishful thinking. You had helped him before in a heated interrogation about some high profile criminal. In which he stood over you. Donning the sleek armor, helmet, and hood. Sharp jagged edges of his words, accusatory and calculated. He never touched you in those 6 minutes. Never raised a hand at you. A few words was enough to make you spill. To make you spill information you were not aware was stored in your brain. From then on you were his preferred server. His little spy who delivered everything he wanted to know. You sought his praise, you learned what he needed.

The clientele phased in and out. You brought out plates of caviar and daiquiris with olives and offered kind smiles and an ear to listen to the Gotham elite's rants about criminal life. Their troubles were yours too when they tipped you rent money for the week. You listened with an eye to their wallets.

That was a waitress's manifesto. Hospitality is an art form.

And so, when you saw the Red Hood that bleak night, all you could do was nod politely at him as he slid into a booth. He was a large man, he dwarfed the plush corner table that was supposed to provide privacy. You swerved in between servers. Dodging plates with drinks balancing delicately on them. You approached his table, sliding him a menu from under your arm.

"Hi there," You nodded curtly at him as you set the menu on the table. "Can I get any drinks started for you?" Your eyes glanced back to his face. He was watching you intently, like a shark scenting blood.

"I'll just have an old fashioned. Thanks."

You mentally jotted it down. It was common practice to memorize orders. professionalism was a highly respectable talent, especially in such a large venue. You moved off toward another group. A few tables away you noticed that he had not taken off his helmet or mask. But, his eyes kept following your every move until you disappeared into the crowd.

The slits of his eyes disturbed you the most. The mask dehumanized him. It was like talking to an unfeeling machine. The way he observed, how he held himself. A machine. There was no warmth in his eyes. You watched his fingers twitch, and the knuckles go white as his hands flexed around the curve of the table. He was capable of breaking someone like a Barbie doll.

When you returned with his beverage you set it down on a coaster, a bit of liquid splashing over the edge of the glass.

"Gonna take a few cents off for that?" He asked. Maybe it was a cruel attempt at humor. You didn't smile, still debating on his sincerity. Your eyes widened slightly and he chuckled beneath the breath. Like he knew what you were doing, panicking internally. You tried again, offering him a pleasant expression, "Apologies, Sir." You said. You waited for him to say something further, anything that indicated he would talk to you, but his eyes stayed on your own. He watched you silently until the silence got to be too much.

"They've got you trained like a dog."

"Sorry?…" You were staggered at the comparison but you tried to play along. "Like a dog," he repeated, "trained to obey orders. You're a yes woman for Gotham's Illuminati." He mocked. His fingers fidgeted, the gloves on his right hand slipping slightly.

"Well, I enjoy my work.." And now you had his full attention, looking at you expectantly, waiting for you to elaborate. "I've met a lot of interesting people."

"Honesty, If you would." He cut you off abruptly. He seemed amused by your answer. You took a deep breath and spoke.

"While it is… stressing," You admitted. You wanted to tell him that you had been through more stress than the average college student, and you had also faced far more threats than Gotham's most notorious mobsters, "it's nice knowing the ins and outs of it all." His lips quirked up slightly at this admission. But his attention turned to the rest of the restaurant. The diners seemed oblivious to your conversation, the noise drowned out by the music. No one seemed interested in what you had to say, save for the occasional patron who had heard the comment.

The Red Hood tilted his head towards the bar where a bartender was mixing cocktails. They looked delicious and colorful even as the light reflected off the glass surface. "Let me see if I can make you feel better." He rose gracefully from his seat and made his way towards the bar, taking care not to step on anyone as he passed. You followed him.

"Oh I can't drink on the job-" You began.

"Then don't. This will only last 5 minutes." He interrupted, waving off your protest. You followed to the bathrooms behind him, Hood entering first. After a few seconds, he came back and gestured you inside. Inside was a small area, dimly lit but clean and modern. With sinks that looked more like counters. On the opposite wall there were mirrors. Hood motioned at the counter. Not getting the message he grabbed you by your waist, pulling you forward and hoisting you onto the cold marble. You squeaked, your thighs sliding against the smooth surface as you landed on your ass. When you caught your balance, Hood was already moving across your thighs, his hands reaching into your pants. Your mouth went dry as you stared. He yanked at your zipper, your body jerking in surprise. You gasped, as you watched the black fabric slide downwards. Hood pulled off the slacks and threw them into one of the sinks.

He pushed his thumb into your underwear, pulling roughly at the cloth. "wait--" you managed to mutter between gasps. "H-Hold on. The.. um- door." You stalled.

"Locked tight. I checked." He assured you. A smirk twitched at the corner of his lips. He dropped down to one knee, spreading your thighs farther apart as he pulled the masked down, shielding his lower half from view as his mouth was buried in your cunt. His tongue flicked out, tasting your wetness as he worked you open, gliding deeper each time. You whimpered as he nipped at your clit gently, tugging the sensitive flesh in the process.

"Oh god… this is so- a lot.. so much-"

You squirmed in embarrassment. He smirked at you as you struggled to find some sort of control. He continued to flick his tongue against your clit, making you pulse against the leather of his glove. A warm wet spot formed in his palm. Hood paused, licking his lips as he eyed your pussy hungrily. "I thought I was overworked.." He murmured. His thumb traced a line down your inner thigh until he reached the apex of your thighs. You arched up towards his mouth. You were panting now, "You seem tired."

"Mmm.." you mumbled and you could hear the grin in his voice

"Can't fuck you to sleep, not unless you clock out early." He teased, using his other hand to hold your hips tightly. "Call this a private service."

You nodded. As his tongue lapped at your pussy again you felt a rush of desire shoot up your spine, a shudder coursing through you. He pressed his face against the moist heat, letting out a groan. He slipped two gloved fingers inside you slowly as you moaned. You arched your pelvis into his touch. One of his hands slipped free from your thighs, resting over your knee, pushing them apart. You felt hot and feverish, sweat dotting your forehead, making your hair damp and sticking to your skin.

"should be paying me." He mumbled against your pussy, vibrations thrumming from his lips. He thrust one finger deeply into you. It sank all the way to the hilt before he withdrew it. You cried his name. That was all it took for you to lose the control you had over yourself. All of a sudden you couldn't think straight. All of a sudden you felt your muscles spasm as orgasm slammed through you in waves. You gasped loudly as you rode out your climax, your whole body shaking. Your legs fell open, allowing his nose to poke at your clitt. It felt slick with spit and your juices. He rubbed it against your folds, leaving a trail that tickled your sensitive tissue. You moaned quietly as he lapped up the salty moisture dripping down your folds and thighs. He licked at his finger before wiping it across his lips.

"There we are~." He purred. You shivered as his fingers stroked over your sex.

Reblong + Like if you got this far or Jason dies again

[brookebroski]

Coolin' Off

here's part 2

author's note- I do not write often and I share my work even less. However, Pope has been on my mind nonstop thanks to ShawnHats in The Pitt and also being extremely active on TikTok lately. Any feedback is encouraged, and thank you for reading!

Warnings- sexual themes but no sex, just tension mainly.

word count- 974

Kachow<3

______________________________________________________________

It was always summer in Oceanside, a fact that you became attuned to after the first couple years of no fallen leaves or snow to bring in the winter time. Sunny and seventy-five had nothing on the blistering heat that radiated down on you today, laying back by the pool.

It wasn’t that you missed Appalachian winters, that wasn’t the case at all. You were quite fond of not getting stuck in the snow or making your trek to work in the freezing cold wind, so safe to say you appreciated the heat. However, the heat would be more tolerable if you weren’t also dealing with the intense gaze of Pope, which only made the sweat roll down your body faster.

He had been minding his own business for all of five seconds when you had bid your leave to the others at breakfast and made your way to the lounge chair by the pool. He hadn’t eaten with the rest of you, preferring to smash the old fireplace out on the patio; whether he was doing some serious renovations back there or just breaking shit to break it, you weren’t sure. What you were sure of was that if his eyes didn’t leave you soon you were going to catch fire and burn through both your bathing suit and the towel you had laid over your legs attempting to hide any evidence the impact of his gaze had on you.

“Have you always had a staring problem, or am I just special?” you ask, lifting the shades from your eyes to squint at him in hopes he’d get the point and stop drilling a hole into you. You get no verbal response, just a short breathy laugh and the slightest up turn of his lips. You roll your eyes and let your shades fall back down on the bridge of your nose, leaning back into the lounge chair.

You eventually hear the clanking of metal on brick again and finally feel like you can actually relax. That is until you are suddenly soaking wet. You sit up quickly looking for the culprit to find Pope popping his head back up out of the pool and wiping the water and hair from his face before glancing up at you. He takes in your shocked and now wet appearance and chuckles under his breath.

“Are you fucking crazy?” you yell at Pope, his slight smile fades into the usual Pope stare.

“Yes,” he says matter-of-factly, the amusement in his eyes is apparent and only makes you angrier.

“Why the fuck would you do that, Pope?” you stand and make your way over to where Pope is now leaning, his chin rested on his folded arms over the edge of the pool. He keeps one eye on you as you approach, the other scrunched shut to block out the sun’s rays. When you’ve made it to him, you jut one leg out and fold your arms across your chest.  

“It’s very warm out here.”

“So you needed to splash me?” you say incredulously.

“Figured you’d wanna cool down too,” his eyes not leaving you. “Sun’s bad for your skin, you don’t wear sunscreen.”

“It’s called getting a tan dumbass,” you kneel down in front him, leaning your hips to one side and your legs to the other, resting your upper body weight on one arm.

“Tan’s no good if your skin burns off,” Pope moves his gaze to your legs, moving his hand to hover a finger over the leg closest to him. There’s some water left over from his dip in the pool and he lets it gather at the tip of his finger. Before the water droplet falls from his finger he glances back up to you, his cheek now resting on his bicep, watching for your reaction.

“What are you doing?” you ask, accusingly. Pope shrugs slightly looking back to his finger. You look as well.

“Coolin’ you off,” the bead of water falls and you watch it drop. When it hits your leg, you suck in a quick breath as a chill runs through you. You turn your heavy lidded eyes back on Pope, where a devilish smirk rests on his face, satisfied with your reaction. You take a deep breath, attempting to ground yourself.

“What do you want, Pope?” you question him, knowing there has to be some ulterior motive to this insane display he’s putting on.

“What do I want? You came over here to me,” you know he’s trying to ruffle your feathers and instead of letting him, you decide to play his game.

You swing your legs toward him, resting one on either side of Pope leaning against the pool. His eyes widen and he straightens, keeping his face from being enveloped by your thighs. His eyes glued to your center before he gathers himself, clenches his jaw and huffs out a breath. His eyes slowly run up the length of your torso until he meets your eyes; his chin angled at his chest and looking at you through his eyebrows with a predatory gleam. The two of you leer at each other, Pope daring you to continue, you not backing down.

“If the two of you would fuck already the rest of us could get some goddamn peace,” Craig yells as he makes his way to the gate, you startle, jumping back as much as you can with your legs still in the pool. You look back to him and see him throwing a peace sign over his shoulder before leaving the patio. You exhale, turning back toward Pope to see him in the exact same position, still staring you down only now with a smirk. You don’t need to ask to know that his eyes never once left you when you’d turned to look at Craig.

[iseullgc]

unfortunately it doesn't seem like this is a legacy-mandated prank of any sort, and he sighs and reaches out to touch the liquid that's on his shirt. hopefully it's not something bad, but he's sure if it had been something that could be dangerous it would've been hurting him (and sori) by now. it seems to just be water, or maybe pocari sweat, considering it feels a bit sticky like there was sugar in it.

he sighs again, and moves towards the water fountain to refill his water bottle anyway, since he'll probably want water even if he's just going back to the dorm.

"are you in a group practice right now?" iseul asks, thinking she might have more important things to do than trek back to the fabula dorms. this wasn't how he thought he would be meeting any of the debuted members but he guesses this takes any awe out of the situation.

"i could run to my dorm if you don't mind waiting and bring you back a shirt ... i'm sure your practice is more important than mine, anyhow," he says, shrugging. he has a lot of spare tshirts and wouldn't care too much about losing one if it helps her.

iseullgc

"no," he shakes his head as he answers her, staring down the hallway at the person that was long gone. the culprit wasn't someone he recognized, which wasn't too strange despite his tendency to befriend a bunch of people. there were new trainees twice a year and even he couldn't keep up with it sometimes. he stares down at how they both have parts of them that have been drenched and he lifts his sleeve to sniff at the liquid. "i can't tell what it is," iseul comments, deciding against attempting to taste it and sniffs at it again before he sighs. "i was only coming out to refill my waterbottle but i guess my practice is over now," he sighs again, shaking his head as he thinks about having to make the trek back to the dorms to get a change of clothes. there was also the idea of washing it in the bathroom and then just wearing it while it dried but it isn't a very appealing one.

sori is a fast runner, has been running basically her whole life (or since she was like fifteen, but for sori it feels like her life begun at fifteen), she could’ve most likely easily caught the culprit who just pranked her? or whatever this was? but the surprise managed to shock sori into standing completely still, quite wondering what just happened, and when she finally figured out what happened, the person who did this seemed to be long gone.

“oh?” neither of them knew the person who did this? she looks around, it doesn’t seem like there’s some filming crew who will jump out and yell ‘it’s just a prank!’, what exactly was the purpose behind this? “weird” sori finds herself poking her clothes, an attempt at figuring out what exact liquid has swallowed her clothes.

“what exactly are we supposed to do now?” she turns to look at the other, then checks her phone for the time “doesn’t seem like practice is over yet” she pouts. “i don’t-- i don’t think it would be ideal to just… practice naked or with wet clothes”.

[kaeinvy]

𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐇 ! + 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘰 ; 𝘫𝘫𝘬 𝘴𝘮𝘶𝘵

warnings : afab reader + no pronouns used, choso x reader, vampire ! reader + choso, vampire x vampire + biting + blood drinking, dick riding, bathtub sex, flowers in bath + candles, romantic sex, unprotected sex + slight breeding kink, smut + fluff, grammar mistakes(?)

notes; love choso sm, don't ask why a male is making afab reader smut, k. Just enjoy this! also doesn't a romantic bathtub sound so lovely? Like I could give you a romantic time in a bathtub & who wants to recreate Queen of the damned with me/hjjj

Your head was spinning, and your throat felt dry, your groan in pain, you tried your best to hold in your bloodlust. Choso had a suprise for you, you didn't know what yet but he said for you to try hold in your hunger, for him. Of course you did, you took off your coat and shoes, the house was dark and light was appearing from under the door. "Choso, baby?" You said, you heard a yelp form inside the bathroom, you can hear splashing of water. "G-ah! Hold on, darling!" You can hear footsteps from inside, you can see the doorknob turn and it reveals him. Your sweet boyfriend, Choso. He was kinda wet, his black hair down and he smiled sheepishly at you, you can see his fangs and you groan slightly before hugging him. "So where's the suprise, is it you wet?" You chuckle slightly, his face flushes red and he rubs the back of his neck, he sighs and looks at you. "A-ah no! Sorry, is that what you wanted..?" He says, slightly confused, his eyebrows furrow in worry, you shake your head. "N-no, just- nevermind. So the real suprise?" You ask, he grabs your hand gently, his cold skin touching your skin, he walks in and the bathroom is in the dark expect the candles as lights, there are beautiful rose petals and flowers in the bathtub. "Woah" you let, it was beautiful, he smiles and kisses your cheek gently, he rubs your knuckles. "I hope you like it..!" He says, looking excited, you forget about the hunger in you, you kiss him, you found it lovely. "About... We take a b-bath together..?" He suggests, it was obvious that it was ships original plan but he wanted to make sure, you nod and take off your clothes. Freeing your body from your clothes, he gulps and looks away, you smile at him before going in the bathtub, the hot water warming your cold body, the petals float around your body. You go to the other side of the bathtub, your head turns to look behind you, choso gets in. His face still red, you grin and go underwater. "Uh..? Sweety?" He asks, confused, the water moves so does the petals, you pop up, infront of his face, he flinched before he blinks at you, you look at his neck and your hands go up his chest.

Your nails softly rubbing against his skin as your hand goes up, you lean more closer, your cunt clenches around nothing as your mouth touches his pale skin, kissing his chest, he holds your hips as you suck softly on his skin, your fangs glazing over his skin. "a-ah" that's all he can mutter out, your hand goes behind his head as he leans backwards, your mouth goes on his neck, you bite down, he yelps and grips your hips harder, you can feel his dick twitching against your stomach, his hardness standing tall, you suck on his neck, you slowly fill your hunger with his blood. "Choso, 'm love your taste.." You mutter out which he blushes on return. He softly grinds his hips against you. You suck him harder. You softly let out a moan against his pale skin. Your hunger turns into hunger for lechery, you lift yourself by grabbing his shoulders, he moans and opens his mouth when you slide yourself down on him, your wet warmthness clenching around his dick, his moans turn to whimpers, you move. "Ah-, fuck." You moan, his hands are still on your hips, you move up and down, he whines when you stop, teasingly. "Baby, please move, 'm want you.." he whines, you move slowly, after some minutes of teasing, his nails dig into your skin as he moves you, himself. You throw your head back, one of his hands go up to grope your chest, playing with the soft mush, rubbing your nipple by and down by his thumb, you bite your lip, your bottom lip hurts due to your fangs, he holds you closer, thrusting in you even more faster, it makes calling noise, the water splashing around you both, the petals and flowers move around in the tub. "Ag-ah.. 'm love you so much!" He whispers, biting your neck, you let out a small scream, he pulls out of you and thrusts back in, not stopping his harsh thrusts, you push his chest as he slowly gets up, his butt resting on a step in the tub, water drips down both of your bodies. He grabs your ass, using it to thrusts into you, your legs tremble slightly and his mouth finally moves around from your neck, focusing on your anf his pleasure, the light of the candles shine on your bodies. "I love you, Choso! 'm want you forever, s' mark me as yours!" You say, hpace, e nods his head and he goes more faster, his hand going to your clit, rubbing the bud with his thumb, his cold and wet fingers make it feel better, your nails dig into his skin. His dick hits spots in you, that one spot which makes you see stars, your and his head are thrown back, mouth open as you let out a silent scream, eyes are rolled back, and Choso doesn't stop his pace. Continuing to thrust inside of your cunt, his mind goes hazy so does yours and you both don't think about anything else, your mind is cock-drunk and he is pussy-whipped. He is only thinkin' is cumming inside of you and your thinkin' is cumming all over his cock, which you both do so, you being the first one to cum on his dick, you cumt clenching around his hardness as you do, his mouth opens and he lets out a slight moan, his dick twitching and cumming inside of your warmthness, you lean against him and bite his shoulder as he is pumping his semen into you, your cunt is fill his dick and his cream, he moans and pants, you weakly get up, semen dripping form your cunt, onto his legs and into the water. "Fuck..." You say and he holds you, breathing on your hair, you swallow your saliva, his shoulder covered in bite marks and some blood left on his pale skin. "What you say about round two?" You say. "Wha!? I mean sure.. if you want to.."

[mikaazune]

Created 3/7/2025

ᓚᘏᗢ `` Muse `` ᗢᘏᓗ

⭑.ᐟ Malleus Draconia

... gn!reader

⭑.ᐟ Reader is a painter employed by the Draconia family.

⭑.ᐟ Dark romance, stalking, obsession, worshipping if you squint.

⭑.ᐟ I originally was going to make this fluffy, but then my mind took a different route. I might make a fluff version if I feel so inclined. Not proofread by the way.

You adjusted your paintbrush in your fingers, humming to yourself. You glanced around the side of your easel. You were sat in an unoccupied courtyard on one of the less commonly traveled sides of the school. It was the perfect spot to paint: rays of unbroken sunshine bathed the lush plants in their light, and the small marble fountain in the center was topped with a chiseled white statue — of what was anyone's guess. You'd managed to capture all of these factors quite well with your paints, but still the centerpiece remained unfinished.

Your eyes caught his bright green ones and you ducked back behind the safety of the large easel. You knew he'd seen your cheeks flush. Shaking your head, you got back to work. Your hands worked quickly, your strokes blending into inky black and midnight hair, eyes shining in shocking hues of emerald and shamrock. You normally took your time during your painting sessions, but it was lunchtime and it wouldn't last forever. Soon, scores of students would flood the school's halls, distrupting the quiet atmosphere. In those moments, you found yourself missing the relative quiet of Briar Valley, where you could find some hill to set up your equipment and paint however long you liked. But, you reminded yourself, you weren't in Briar Valley now, so the hour-long periods of your alloted lunch would have to do.

"I'm done," you said, setting your brush and palette down on the bench beside you, careful to keep the bristles from touching the surface. You picked up your now finished portrait and, holding it by the top with your fingers hooked underneath, turned it around. Malleus' eyes lit up with delight as he looked at it, a pleased smiling gracing his features. You could see two small pointed teeth poking out from behind his lips. "It's wonderful," he complimented, still engrossed in the details. You could see his gaze slowly traveling up and down your work attentively. Then, the bell clanged, signalling the end of the lunch period. Malleus snapped out of his stupor and straightened up. "Your artistic talent is envious, Y/N. Unfortunately, it seems our time together has been cut short." You nodded in agreement as you packed up your brush and palette — you'd wash them later.

You didn't share your own opinion about your work to the fae. It was... ugly. Not the contents of it. No, what the portrait depicted wasn't the problem; neither was the quality or your skill. You couldn't describe it. The closest you could come to describing the itch in the back of your mind, that insatiable, unachievable itch was that it wasn't enough. Nothing you painted ever quite satisfied you, it just never looked right. But you kept your thoughts to yourself. You forced a hopefully neutral expression onto your face and waved goodbye to Malleus.

You let out a small sigh of contentment. You slowly combined together two seemingly identical colored paints. They'd long since gone past named colors, the closest ones to describe them were black. But they weren't just black. See? That one had the faintest tinge of green, but the darkness of it swallowed it up like ink. You picked up your thinnest brush and dipped it into this new color, then applied it to your newest masterpiece. The background was boring, just blended splashes of color that blurred into each other so that you couldn't tell where one ended and where the other began. But the focal point, the highlight of your painting, was anything but.

This piece was special. It finally dulled that itch in your mind, an invisible hand that ripped right through your head and deep inside your brain to tear at that little spot deep inside. After all your dismal years of painting, of frustrations hidden by tightly clenched fingers as other praised your works, you truly felt satisfied. You remembered what it was that you'd felt when you first picked up a paintbrush — that burst of creative energy. You could paint anything in the world! You smiled to yourself, each stroke making your art piece more beautiful than the last.

Malleus stood by a wall, his head craned up to observe a gargoyle high atop one of Diasomnia's walls — he'd personally had it installed just a few months prior. You observed from afar. You reasoned that he'd look more stiff if he were to be aware of you painting him, so it'd be best not to tell him. That was the problem, you had concluded. When people knew they were being painted — or photographed for that matter — they became like an object in the background. Their posture changed, bearing a closer resemblance to a mannequin in a storefront rather than a person. They always seemed so fake compared to candid depictions. And that's all you were doing, just doing a candid painting. Maybe you were hiding, but that was just so he wouldn't spot you. He'd go fake, and then your work would be ruined.

You leaned back slightly and glanced around, though you weren't really sure what for. Lilia had gone off to meet Kalim and Cater for some club meeting, you'd seen Sebek enter his room some half hour before, and Silver was probably passed out somewhere swarmed by bats or whatever nocturnal creatures resided around the castle. You returned your focus to the task at hand You slowly added texture to Malleus' horns, making sure to add that sheen of mint green at their tips. Once you'd finished, you made your way back to his outfit, which was the last part before you were finished. The dark seaweed green of his shoulder plate began to take shape, and with a fine brush, you detailed the thorny vines that were engraved into its surface. Your hands shook. Everything had to be perfect, you couldn't mess this up. Your hand, as if with minds of their own, breezed through the rest of his attire. The points of the silver spools provided a challenge, and getting the proper sheen on his boot's heels was an interesting dilemma, but you took your time.

Masterpiece now completed, you shook your hand to relieve the tension and ache in your wrist and fingers. No one ever said painting was easy. Scooping up your things, you hurried to carry your precious cargo back to the safety of your room. You received a few odd looks as you scurried back to your dorm room, but you brushed them off.

So maybe your methods were a little deceptive. But it's not like anyone would see this painting. No, you'd keep this one hanging on a wall, safe and sound in your room. You swiftly had your newest work hanging from a nail on an open area of your wall.

Soon, it was like an addiction. Once you'd gotten a taste of the freedom from that ceasless itch, you had to do it again. You spent more time that you'd ever admit observing him from various places, paint practically spewing into the canvas as you worked. You were the artist and he was your muse.

Another thing you'd discovered. A muse. Everyone good artist had their muse. Albeit their muses might be a little more in the know of their status, but that just made the end results more ugly. No, better to keep your muse ignorant. He had, once or twice, noticed you. Those days, you'd had to hurriedly scrap whatever you'd been working on and you'd have to paint flowers or whatever scenery was around. Not that any wilting rose was comparable to your muse. You happily handed your more unsavory, undesirable works to Ruggie, who undoubtedly would turn around and sell them for his own profit. But you didn't care about them, so he was welcome to do what he liked. Once they were out of your sight, you couldn't care if they burned. After all, they didn't depict Malleus.

Your room had undergone a drastic change in decoration. The walls were covered in your canvases and sketches, and when the walls ran out of space, easels began to take over the corners. You recognized that you were far off of the deep end, so to speak, but strangely, you didn't care. All that mattered was that itch. Luckily no one stepped foot in your room. You'd set that boundary when you'd first stepped foot inside on your first day, your intentions blissfully innocent back then, but now you were glad that you had. No one could see how far you'd spiraled.

Your... situation didn't prevent you from leading a relatively normal life. It certainly made sure that you missed almost every major social event the school threw, but that was fine. Malleus didn't attend those either. Aside from them, you didn't miss out on much. You rarely adventured outside of the companionship of your Diasomnia crew anyways.

"Y/N, do you want me to get you something to eat?" Silver asked, standing beside you at the group's usual lunch table. You nodded, pretending to be focused on a sketch you were working on. The drawing was a classic, some random assortment of fruit in a bowl. Dreadfully boring for you, while to the untrained, unartistic eye, it looked like you were putting in some effort. But it didn't scratch that itch. You shook your head, momentarily forgetting about it as you looked up, your gaze locking with Malleus' who sat opposite of you. Lilia yammered about his day to no one in particular beside you, while Sebek, forced to sit with Ace, Deuce, and the rest of their little freshmen group by Malleus, was absent for once.

Your heart skipped a beat, his slitted pupils trapping you. You could feel your cheeks starting to heat up. Then Malleus smiled and the moment was over. By the time you recovered from what you could only equate to stage fright, his smile had disappeared and he was listening to Lilia once more. The room was loud. How you wished you could be back in that courtyard again.

You jumped slightly as a tray was placed in front of you, then two more in front of Malleus and Lilia. You'd forgotten already that Silver had gone to get your lunch. Silver spoke up. "Are you feeling okay? Your face is red."

You turned away, replying, "I'm fine," as you shoveled a bite into your mouth so you wouldn't have to answer any more questions. What kind of a question was that anyways? You were fine.

Sometimes you debated telling him. Malleus. But you always gave up on the idea not long after. It was selfish of you, yes, but if he was always watching for you wherever he went, you wouldn't be able to scratch that itch. And maybe, after all this time thinking of him, you should think of yourself. Well, wait, that didn't make sense. No, of course it did. Everything made sense when you were painting your muse.

TWST taglist: @tako-cafe @cookiesandbiscuits @xen-blank @edith-is-a-cat @officialdaydreamer00 @casp1an-sea @creatorbiaze @nightmare-in-the-woods

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[anhonestliar]

just went through the etoile tags, cause even thought i'm still completely devastated by its cancelation, i feel like i'm going to forever be attached to it. i was already a fan of few of the cast members, and all of that. so i wanted to go down the memory lane of this short but really fun few months (i was actively campaning for it -outside of tumblr, i'm a silent user here- since march 6 when the first looks came out, but i've been looking for it since 2023!!) and god. i want to point out two things.

PEOPLE SHOULD WANT BETTER FOR GENEVIEVE! she's been through it, guys. and her character didn't even scratch the surface, she had a whole fucking healing path ahead of her, regardless of men. i feel like others have a difficult time with love and affection, all of that, but not her, it was much more about her selfsteem. she couldn't even stand herself to not wear heels, which she clearly hates, imagine the rest? for an example, i completely agree she wasn't trying to be nasty with cheyenne, she was simply on her limit and she for once stood up, but unfortunately cheyenne was the wrong outlet, as i don't think nothing that happened was her fault, she was just as well dealing with consequences of a whole situation splashing at her, and in her case beyond her control, bc the swap wasn't her choice. but that's good, its not perfect nor linear, it has layers and nuance and we should always want more of that!! (i also wanted to see more of them together so bad, those two are powerhouses) so like, who gives a fuck about what she had with jack? she has so much unresolved things and i don't think its beneficial to be around him like that, nor do i think she has to pat his back outside their friendship. he is a person who needed to identify what a friend is and stick to that, bc with him is either a transaction or a marriage proposal. and i could go ooooonnnn and oooonnn about how he uses her to his own benefit while playing the sad boy, meanwhile she actually tries to help while seeing things for what they are, but at this given point, i think its useless. (and no, i do not hate jack. but people here don't really seem to gaf about him, so i'll just stick to that but i do have i lot to say about him too, just not in a sense of contradicting anyone.)

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SHIT YOU WATCH, PLEASE. Althought the number of completely misguided people who seemed to be watching a completely different show here was INFINETELY smaller than other places, I saw a few completely blindsided people with absurdly obvious things. and i am NOT talking about not liking how something happened, nothing in my words reflect on that. the thing is WHAT HAPPENED TO WATCHING WITHOUT A PHONE IN UR HAND AND ABSORBING THE DIALOG AND NARRATIVE PRESENTED IN FRONT OF YOU? seriously, as a lifelong tv fan this is a modern issue that derrails me from my reasoning. there wre so many things pinpointed during the season so we could form the full picture of a puzzle in the end, but somehow i heard (and read a thr review saying it too lol) about how the finale completely differs from the rest of the show. what?

then i have to see completely lame and lazy shows being praised, while a show with a clear path ahead like this is left behind bc of people who refuse to read subtitles and then thrown in the trash bc their plataform dont think is worth it or profitable whatever the fuck that means meanwhile the worst piece of YA you'll ever see is showered with promo. not every show needs to be 100% approval ratting with 18 emmys on the first season, or an instant hit on a video plataform. we need to meet in the middle, the nuance is what keeps the arts going. it was what made good television decades ago.

like, don't get me wrong. it's not a perfect show. but the issues were completely fixable, and none of them were the story, nor the characters. so many lifelong master pieces have a rough first season but were salvaged by their concept and figures, and i strongly believe it was the case here.

i'm repeating myself a little in this second half, but what i mean is, give things a real chance. if you want to just have something as background noise, put on a reality show, a youtube video or a music video. (don't cuss me, i know i'm not your parent to demand anything, but believe this old gal, its just a tip for a better enjoyment) if you're consuming a piece, good or bad, the least you can do is give your attention and absorb it because otherwise, is a waste of your time, and now, more than ever, let me be cliche once more, time is our most valuable thing.

[riaki]

thrifted romance | megumi fushiguro x reader

synopsis: you’ve never really spoken with megumi before, so when your friends leave the two of you behind on a snowy night, you take the opportunity to get to know him.

wc: 6.2k... SO SORRY I GOT CARRIED AWAY cw: swearing, college au, noncurse au, i don’t thjnk there’s anything else ??

this got way longer than i intended it to be and i rushed to grind it out so it may not be coherent.. if so i apologize :’3 and this one’s late but i hope the content makes up for it ! enjoy meemow barely proofread!

it's a late winter evening when you meet up with megumi and your friends on the side of the street— cozied up in puffy layers and a long blazer stained with coffee splashes and a few hot chocolate smudges here and there.

fall had melted away with the slow gradient of leaves from the trees, sinking into fluffy piles on the sidewalk that soon became coated and replaced with light snowfall; the first of many problematic inches. midterms were just around the corner, and with it meant late hours spent pulling all-nighters that left you exhausted, eyes dark around the edges with a lack of sleep; breaths of minty hot chocolate and coffee from the amalgamation you'd concocted to at least pretend to get into the holiday spirit.

(a fruitless effort, though— if not for your failure that warned you to stay out of mixology, but the way your roommate's cat had knocked over your mug and ruined the flashcards you'd been wrestling with and looked completely smug with itself.)

really, though, there was absolutely nothing jolly about school, or exams. so when your favorite inefficient, sidetracking study buddy had offered to spend the weekend out, who were you to say no? nobara had offered to go find a club, but it was far too cold out to frolic around in skimpy clothing and your expensive winter coats were much too valuable to risk being stolen in the haze of drunken students and sweaty bodies. so, you'd decided to go shopping, because what else is there to do with her? besides the usual karaoke session with the upperclassmen she seems to like so much, of course.

turns out, it'd had been a group endeavor. or, more accurately— a group of four, unlike the duo you had previously thought you'd be going out in. yuji and megumi were there too— friends from separate majors; you'd heard that yuji was involved in the uprising surge of software engineers and computer science majors clambering for a shot in the world of big AI tech companies, even though he supposedly was about as computer-smart as your teetering old grandma ripe with age, permanently stuck in her rocking chair crocheting the days away.

megumi, on the other hand, was a mystery. you'd shared a few classes together; his chipped dark nails that shone the same blue as his esoteric eyes beneath the warmth of the glowing sun, and his inky black hair that spilled over the collars of his simple gray sweatshirts like effortlessly graceful calligraphy on paper had captured your attention as smooth and seamless as the daylight turned to darkness, days cut short by the onslaught of cold. even so, you'd never brought yourself to interact much— he seemed like he'd prefer to keep to himself, if the way he'd disdainfully scoot away from anyone who tried to approach him and turn up the volume of his headphones indicated anything. you had laughed to your friend and called it introversion to its finest, only to promptly shut up when his unmoving gaze landed on you, leaving you feeling like a clown on the stage, rimmed by rich dark red curtains and a wooden floorboard as the beaming spotlight shines upon you imaginary button nose, hot and glaring under his gaze. 

even though you'd approved of his music taste once you snagged a few notes by the ear, you'd really thought his taste in fashion was too bland to be the type of person to shop with nobara— her meticulous style and image were much brighter and more flamboyant than megumi's jaded attempts at a splash of color through the occasional blue argyle or layered turtleneck. still, those were better than yuji's paltry attempts at fashion; at least the myriads of color on nobara's figure were coordinated. the pink-haired boy with funny scars on his face would probably have been better off learning graphic design or art, with the disasters of clashing colors on his person.

and he'd gotten the opportunity to demonstrate his questionable tastes on the chilly evening, when black ice had begun to form on the roads and the soft light of boutiques with slow jazz flowing from the speakers filled your frost-bitten red ears as you walked up to the shade of a nearby lamppost. once you'd all met up, nobara had hooked an arm around your elbow and dragged you off, leaving the boys to follow along like it was walking dogs.

honestly, you wouldn't be surprised if you were— at least, with yuji. he carried nobara's bags like she was the next princess in line, without complaint and with the little fearful quivers that dogs get in their legs whenever their owners scold them for barking or misbehaving, much like how nobara would yell at yuji if he dropped a single cream linen sweater or ruffled pink cami.

megumi, on the other hand, was far too lethargic and quiet to be considered any kind of canine. although the weaved bracelet on his left wrist with a cute little puppy charm you caught sight of when he'd rolled his sleeve up implied otherwise. the only reason he'd even had to do that was to rub the sickeningly sweet orange blossom hand sanitizer nobara had spritzed on each of your palms after you took turns petting a stray cat, one that seemed to take a great liking to you and megumi in particular.

the night seemed to drag on forever; pale yellow lights and holiday decorations blurred into swathes and bubbles of color in your vision as the hours passed and the caffeine from the cute little coffeeshop you'd stopped at earlier began to wear off.

but there had just been something magical about that evening; spending time with friends (albeit, more like acquaintances) had granted you a much-needed break from cramming your mind with an overflow of information that was sure to spill out the moment you answered the last exam question. so, when it was almost midnight and it was time to retire to your bed, you'd insisted on staying out for just a little longer while nobara and the rest returned to their dorms to catch some sleep. yuji had complained something about his legs cramping, but you were feeling giddy, and the stars were twinkling just as bright as the light in nobara's eyes were when you told her you had to soak in the fresh air for as long as you could before being locked in to study again as she laughed and headed home with her pink dog-boy escort in tow.

megumi had mumbled something about staying with you since it was late and he wanted to make sure you were safe. you didn't think too much about it, because if you did, you were sure you'd end up with a faced even more flushed than it was frostbitten from the cold.

so, here you were, strolling down the quieter side of town, a brooding boy with inky dark hair and hands pale with blue veins shoved into the pockets of his jacket trailing behind you. he had one airpod tucked into his pierced ear; you assumed he hadn't brought his headphones because yuji would be there to prattle and babble. even so, you were content not to say anything, so there was plenty of opportunity for him to wear both. but he wasn't. you decided not to linger on it.

you'd just finished writing a silly little note out of the crisp snow gathered on the windshield of some stranger's car; the flakes were cold and biting on your skin, leaving it feeling numb with little droplets of icy water when you pulled away to admire your handiwork.

"actually, maybe i shouldn't be doing that." you decided after a moment, mumbling under your breath. it was just a little message with a whiskered smiley face, but the headlights on the car and the bumper seemed to form a frown at you when you stepped back, shaking its motorized head at your vandalism.

"you think?"

megumi's voice sounded from behind you, a little weighed down by the cold with a wisp of warmth leaving his lips like a powdery exhale, curling into the prickly night air. he was standing on the sidewalk, observing you all prickly-like as if you were some flagrant toddler he was babysitting. you still had to get used to the way his voice sounded after rarely hearing it; the few crumbs you got when your professors forced obligatory presentations onto struggling students had sent this warm, fuzzy feeling collecting in your stomach at the rich tone of velvet it held. not rough or overly deep, but smooth and reassuring. the kind you could fall asleep to; like there was a lullaby just waiting to be poured from his tongue with little scratches in the indent of his tone.

of course, you hadn't heard enough of it to make such an assumption, so when you heard the little quip framed with irritation at the edges, it wasn't all sugary sweetness like you imagined.

"yeah, well, sorry i like to live a little," you huffed, rubbing your hands together in an attempt to resuscitate some warmth back into them with a small little sigh.

"you call that living?" he scoffs a little, cocking an eyebrow at the vandalized toyota behind you. now, it just looked a little sad; imaginary eyebrows over the red lights droopy in disappointment. you followed his gaze, before looking back at him and making a sour face as you stepped onto the sidewalk.

"maybe we just have different tastes, y'know? doesn't mean we don't have to get along like this," you mumbled, shaking your hands out a little to get the remaining snow droplets off before stuffing them back in your blazer pockets. "just like itadori and nobara. one has terrible taste in fashion and the other doesn't, but they both like their bright colors." you feel satisfied with yourself for that one, but clearly, megumi doesn't feel the same. but the corner of his pink lips seem to quirk up just a tiny bit, and you feel pride blooming in your chest.

there's just something about the way it looks— an almost implausible smile coaxed onto his lips by something particularly amusing, reaching his dull blue eyes in a way that made their usual tedious apathy morph into something like fondness, or appreciation. adding a shine to his navy irises the lamp light overhead could only hope to mimic. then again, you didn't let your mind linger on it for too long like usual— so instead you chalked it up to the one other thing that had caught your eye besides the sharpness of his jaw and the handsome slimness of his face: his jacket.

you take back what you said about his style and its blandness before— it would be unfair to what he was wearing right now. just a simple black turtleneck (one that you were sure he'd worn to the early morning wednesday lecture you had a few days ago, when the sun was still bright enough to catch on the condensation of the cup of lemonade your white-haired, oddly sweet-toothed professor had), and black jeans, but the vintage racing windbreaker hanging from his shoulders brought it together in a way that was unfairly seamless; all dark blues and stripes of checker; a neutral grayblue that reminded you of the sky on rainy afternoons, trudging about the shopping districts in tokyo. there were a few brand patches here and there, some red bubble lettering of names you didn't recognize in patches of color that brought out the shade of his eyes. maybe the labels of those energy drink brands you often caught him running on when the shadows beneath his long dark lashes seemed heavier than usual.

all that to say he looked good. like, seriously good. you didn't know how you hadn't noticed all night— but now that you had, it was hard to keep your eyes from his slim and tall silhouette (not that he minded). the jacket really complimented it.

"that's a neat jacket. where'd you get it?" you asked after a moment of chilling silence; he'd probably noticed you looking, and you prayed he didn't think you were checking him out. although, if that meant getting your hands on one of those windbreakers, you wouldn't really mind. he glanced up at you, tearing his attention from the sad snowy toyota camry that seemed worn past its years at the newfound attention on megumi's racing jacket. he blinked a little, and you didn't miss the little flake of frost on his eyelash; probably caught from brushing past a windowsill earlier. by now, most shops were closed; even so, the street still felt warm and safe. well, maybe it was to be credited to a person rather than the concrete— but like you had been all night, you ignored it.

"oh, this?" as if he was wearing more than one jacket (it was cute), "i thrifted it." and for some reason, you didn't expect to be surprised, but you were. him? thrifting? the few western-fashion tailored thrift stores you'd been to with nobara had been lacking— not like you'd been able to stay in them long; the artificial ginger had this... beef with reused clothes. she liked her clothes clean and fresh from the press, even if you reminded her they could just be fresh from someone else's press. megumi must be familiar with the antiquated racks of varied worn graphic tees and frayed pants if he could fish something that classy from a thrift store.

then again, it's not like you had any experience to go off of at all.

"really? y'know, i've always wanted to go thrifting," you sighed, stretching your arms out, watching the fabric of your blazer wrinkle and curve to follow the movement of your muscles. a light dusting of snow coated the surface, like powdered sugar on tiramisu. that makes the coffee stains fitting. "but i feel like i'm bad at it." you said, stepping over a crack in the sidewalk, the rubber bottom of your sneakers brushing against a little clump of pine green weeds.

"bad at it?" megumi echoes, following you with a faint ruffle of smooth fabric, like the sound of a zipper sliding down. before, the world had been a cool shade of gray, like smoke rising from a cigarette or the blurry blue of the sky from the window of a speeding bullet train. but now, you let yourself soak in the sound of his voice, like grinded coffee beans and a smooth, soothing honey medicine for your throat on a sick day when you get to cozy up in your bunk bed and watch the clouds drift by.

it's nice.

"yeah. like, i wouldn't know where to go, or what to find, or what to look for..." you trailed off, rubbing your cold fingers together again as your breaths leave in little exhales of coagulating mist in the cold night air. now that it was late, it the temperature would only continue to drop.

you walked in silence for a little longer, listening to the scuffles of shoes against concrete, glassy with ice that had begun to creep up on the roads like a steady stream of seafoam from the tides.

"why don't we go thrifting now, then?" he asks out of the snowy blue.

you paused, and you almost smacked straight into a pole. "now?" you spluttered, turning around to face him. the look on his face was unreadable; a mix between exasperation, amusement, an attempt at stoicism, and something like affection in the corner of his lips as they curved upward. it was like a CPR compression; the smile that sent fuzzy electricity through your veins and reinvigorated your heart.

"yes, now." he said it like you were stupid, which you might just be, the way you stared dumbly at his face. "the place i got this jacket from is just over there," he said, jutting a ring-adorned thumb behind him. you had to lean up and peek around his shoulder to see it; you wouldn't've noticed if he didn't point it out. it was tucked between two buildings, a stairway downward into the store. the only thing indicating its status as a retail and thrifting store was the broken neon sign and painted red arrow that gestured towards the staircase.

"looks really shady. and it's late." you grumbled after you got over yourself, and he shot you an irritated look. that was all he really seemed to be doing tonight; that downward knit of his dark eyebrows and the slight pout weighing his lips down. not very suave, you think.

he swallows hard, and you aimlessly watch the bob of his adam's apple. "well?" he prompts, a hard edge to his voice despite the situation. you stand there for a little while, marinating in the growing cold until you cant feel the tips of your fingers.

"fine."

one accidental slip on the crosswalk and a few minutes later, you're stepping down the last wooden stair of the thrift store and into the building's basement; it's much bigger than you would've thought, with an expanse of layered clothing racks that obscure your vision, the corners of the walls clogged with cobwebs and years of dust build up. there's a faint lingering scent of cigarette smoke and cologne; something vanilla that you've caught clinging to megumi's wrists and neck on the rare occasion you brush past him. faint jazz spills from the speakers, something in a swing rhythm with the signature lilt of saxophone that makes you think you should be out enjoying a romantic fancy dinner instead of being cooped up between old wrinkly moth-bitten clothes. but you're here with megumi, so you convince yourself you don't mind either way.

"you sure this is the right place?" you asked, trying (and failing) to keep the obvious distain from your voice as you kick a folded 'floor-is-wet' sign from your path and step into the store. you can't even see the cash register from where you're standing.

"yes, i'm sure. can you stop complaining?" you can practically hear the eyeroll in his voice, and you're sure you could see it too if you just turned around. "trust me. it's not all shit." his voice softens, and you freeze up a little as he brushes past you; the corridors and margins are tight, so he has to turn sideways to fit. even so, a tag on your coat manages to snag on his jacket, and you hasten to unhook it before he can notice. he almost disappears into the racks, and you have to follow him, pushing your way through thick coats and worn graphic tees that have cracked logos and balls of lints clinging to them.

you're no thrifting expert, but you're pretty sure the store's supposed to be in better condition than this.

"hey." megumi's voice soon snaps you back into reality, and you look up from the mustard yellow top you were eyeing warily to meet his sedate gaze. "the good stuff's in the back. c'mon." he doesn't give you much room to argue even though it sounds like you're here to do drugs rather than find clothing, and before you can react he's reached forward to grab your wrist and tug you along. a yelp of protest almost spills from your lips, but you bite your tongue and let him drag you along, trying to extinguish the hue of cherry you know is making a home on the tips of your ears.

you brush past patchwork coats and a few leather belts that've tangled with the lace from the silk shirts next to them, but nothing really catches your eye, until you realize that he's let go of you only because of the lack of warmth around your skin and you focus yourself on the current again. you glance up at him, but he already has his back turned to you, sifting through a rack of black shirts that all look the exact same. maybe you have an untrained eye, though.

still, you can't help it when your gaze lingers over the back of his neck; one strand of dark hair has caught itself beneath the collar of his turtleneck, and it irks you. and you decide to do something about it because you'll know it'll bother you if you don't.

time seems to move in a liquid slow; things are blurring and there's no mothballs or ugly recycled coats to get in your way as you reach over and swipe your hand across his neck, hooking a finger beneath the strand and pulling it out of his collar. it takes you a moment to realize what you just did, and when you do, it's like there's a permanent mark seared into your index finger just from the touch of his skin against your own. you think he might have whiplash because he turns his head around so fast to catch your gaze before you can slink away, eyes wide and eyebrows knit, and you notice his bottom lip is snagged between his teeth.

he raises an eyebrow, but before he can utter a shaming word that'll only make you feel more embarrassed you shake your head vigorously, apologetically.

"sorry— it was bothering me. i hope you don't mind." you managed to say, the words spilling out in a rush before you turned away and slipped past him, disappearing into an aisle of dresses. you can feel his gaze burning cold holes into your back as you distract yourself.

you don't let yourself linger on what you just did— you seem to be doing a lot of that, lately, especially with him as you go through a few batches of clothing. by now, it's far past midnight, and you're feeling much more sluggish than you'd like to admit. you haven't seen megumi in a good twenty minutes save for the few times you picked up a few shirts and a cute diner jacket you thought would look good on him. he just thanked you bluntly, taking the bundle of clothing from your arms before walking away to the fitting rooms. you wished he'd stay to let you see the jacket.

you'd tried on a few things, discarding your blazer in favor of a cute knitted cardigan you grabbed, but nothing seemed to stick the way you'd like them to. it would be a great help if you had nobara to assist, but you were sure she was snoring away at home right now, and at the thought of your warm, inviting bed, your knees wobbled a little and you balanced yourself on the wall.

"hey— oh, you alright?" it's an unfamiliar voice; you lift your head up, looking for the source. it's a young boy— he looks to be about your age, maybe a little younger. there's a blue lanyard around his neck, and he's got a spattering of freckles on his hands, which are curled around the collar of a white linen shirt. he must be the one who's tending to the store.

"yeah, i'm okay. sorry," you said hastily, pushing away and rubbing the back of your neck. how embarrassing— he didn't seem to mind, though. he just smiled, big and bright and toothy. cute. reminded you of how toddlers would grin up at parents with those huge red lollipops in hand.

"no worries. i just thought i'd let you know that we're closing soon, since it's almost 2am." he said, shifting his weight on his sneakers. you nodded, about to give a hum of confirmation before another voice cuts through the slow jazz filling the stifling air above, all familiar in its smoothness.

before you could respond, though— "[name]?" megumi's voice rang out in the quaint little store, calling for you, and so you give the employee an apologetic nod before you turn and start toward the noise. you pass a mirror with a coat draped over the top, peeking your head around a tall rack of long skirts to catch sight of the raven head, in all of his glory. you notice that he's taken off his windbreaker.

"what’s up? we have to go soon," you reminded him, yawning a little and rubbing your eyes as you straightened up and stepped over to his side. there was another mirror in front of him, you noticed, with fading stickers pale in the dim yellow light stuck to the wooden rim. even so, with the smudges and the bare sheen of the silver, he looked good. that black turtleneck really suits him.

"i know. i just wanted to ask for your opinion." he said, glancing at you from the corner of his eye. you tilted your head curiously, and he held up a deep mauve sweatshirt, with some varsity logo branded on the fabric. it had a nice touch to it; a warm color that reminded you of red wine and slow evenings. you were sure it had been one of the pieces you'd picked out for him, but you were too sleepy to recall. "you should try it on. i think it'd look good," you said, gesturing toward the mirror.

you think you must've said something wrong, because he looks at you for a moment too long before he seems to catch himself staring and he nods, a choked little sound leaving his throat which he hides by ducking his head down and covering his face with his long bangs. you think you're hallucinating the pink on his cheeks.

after a moment, he glances at you. "hold this," he shoves his jacket towards you, and you have no choice but to take it. doesn't seem like he's used to taking no for an answer, but you're certainly not the one complaining when he tugs the sweater over his head, ruffling his soft black hair as he steps a little closer to you, observing himself in the mirror while straightening out the folds and fixing his turtleneck. you were right— it does look good on him. almost unfairly so— you don't know how he manages to rock granny clothes so well, like he was born a retirement home's runway model.

unlike him, you're not a reticent shut in— and although you'd like to say you have no problem telling him how good he looks, it's still a little difficult when the words feel like they're lodged in your throat in order to prevent you from making a fool of yourself again. but you ignore it and push on.

"you look great. i think it really suits you," you breathed, shaking your head as your hands tighten around his jacket in your arms. he blinks, adjusting the collar before glancing down at you. you take a moment to really appreciate the sight— him, bathed in the soft yellow glow of the chipped lights overhead. despite the dilapidated store and the antiquated, worn clothing surrounding him, he still manages to look like some ethereal angel boy you'd stumble upon in a bookstore on a dreary winter's afternoon and never be able to get out of your mind again.

ink black eyelashes flutter when he blinks, framing his eyes like the bangs falling over his face when he turns around again to observe himself in the mirror once more before he takes the sweatshirt off. it catches on his turtleneck, which rides up when he slips the mauve sweater over his head, tussling his hair and exposing the dip of his pale hips, all muscle and flesh and bone, and you pray he chalks up the red on your face to the cold. the end of his belt dangles from the buckle as you hand his jacket back to him, fingers almost brushing— just barely out of reach.

a meager conversation flows between the two of you; you follow him through the endless maze of used clothing until you somehow stumble upon the cash register and he buys his sweater; the only thing he manages to buy after all this time spent milling about in a dusty, dinky little retail store. the boy from earlier helps check him out, and the icy glare he receives from megumi when he glances at you seems to fly straight past your head as you pick at your cuticles. the tips of your fingers are still red from messing with the frosty snow earlier. you wonder when the car owner will find your message.

it's almost freezing when you get out of the dusty shop, emerging from the smoke-stained alleyway stairs and into the cold night air. your breaths almost seem to form a precipitate, and the thought reminds you of the chemistry conversions waiting for you on your desk beneath the lamp, and you cringe internally. staying out for a few hours longer seems way better than succumbing to the never ending stream of worksheets and documents calling your name. you wonder if your charismatic professor will let you get away with a few assignments if you call in sick. are papercuts excuse enough?

the click of a lock behind you signifies the store's closing— the employee left through a back exit, it seems. and you realize too late that you left your blazer in the dressing room when you turn around and a sigh falls from your lips. megumi, paper bag in hand, glances over at you.

"you okay?"

you almost forgot he was there, in his brooding vintage racing jacket glory. you shake your head, before sighing forlornly again. he notices this, making a little face; his lips press together and his pretty eyes narrow. he thinks you sigh far too much. you'd look prettier if you smiled some more. he likes it when you do.

"i left my blazer in there, but he just closed it and it's so fucking cold out," you whined, bringing your hands to your face and rubbing your eyes tiredly. you're cold and your fingers are going numb again, and there's light snowfall. so much for not losing your coat at a club. you can't tell which one's worse. "sorry to complain so much, but do you mind if we—"

you're promptly cut off; the words on your tongue left unsaid, burning with the taste of bitter black coffee. your gaze trails from megumi's hand, the clink of his silver ring against the zipper rail of his jacket as his fingers curl around the fabric, up his arm to the sleeves of his dark turtleneck, rounding the curve of his shoulders and up his neck to his face. he's not looking at you.

the words that leave his wet lips are so small and hurried that you think you're hallucinating them; when you inevitably looked back at this moment later, you'd realize that he was being shy. he mumbles something under his sweet breath, and you ask him to speak up.

"i said, you can use mine." he repeats, louder than necessary as he finally brings himself to look down at you from under his lashes, biting the inside of his cheek. his voice is a little strained, and a soft breeze carrying the smell of cinnamon and fresh ice rustles his hair. you blinked, feeling like a deer caught in headlights over a layer of thin ice, ready to shatter at a moment's notice.

"oh— okay. um, do you have anywhere else you need to go..?" you said tentatively, reaching forward to take his jacket again. it was exactly like how you'd done back in the thrift store, but the vague sense of deja vu you get is accompanied by an endless fluttering of warmth in your stomach that melts away the winters and tiring exams, and the night seems to become a soft warm orange, as if someone's drained the cool hues from the landscape.

megumi just shook his head, reaching into his bag and taking out the sweater he'd bought earlier. he slips it on again, adjusting it over his shoulders and refusing to meet your eyes as he crumples the paper bag in his hands. you notice they're slightly trembling as he does it, fingers digging into the material with much more force than is really needed. his hair follows each movement of his head; the strain of the muscles in his neck when he swallows again and gestures for you to follow him back down the empty street, past cars coated in melting snow and jaunty yellow lights twinkling over the awnings of closed store windows, shut down for the night. the sweater suits him really well, you think; not too loose, but tight enough in the right places to send your heart racing a mile a minute.

you pull his jacket over your arms, tucking your sleeves in and zipping it up. it's big on you— that's no surprise, and you can almost taste the vanilla on your tongue, his cologne lingering on every fold of the insulated fabric. it's warm, and it feels like being enveloped in a tight hug. in megumi's head, he hopes— prays its him you think of if you ever feel that way again.

you walk in a stiff silence; both of you want to say something, but you're dancing around it, letting your words linger unsaid until the other breaks the ice first. it's only ever cracked once you reach the dorms, where you part ways. there's light snowfall, and a thin layer of white has coated his hair when you turn to face him. you reach forward, learning onto the tips of your toes to brush off the ice. his hair feels unimaginably soft beneath your fingers, slightly damp from the snow. but he's the furthest from cold when you pull away; his face is burning up.

by now, you can't bring yourself to mind.

"thank you," you said softly, sighing contentedly. you move to take his jacket off your shoulders and return it, but he stops you, holding a hand up. the expression on his face is unreadable, but his lips are pursed together in a way that makes you think he's pouting.

"don't worry—" a pause. " you can, uh. keep it. i know you wanted one. just... give it back when you want, yeah?" he says, curt. almost prude, if it weren't for the way he was avoiding your gaze out of embarrassment. it was like trying to play the world's most difficult game of whack-a'mole, attempting to catch his eyes and see the iceberg that's melted into pools of warm glittering affection in his blue irises. at the thought, you wonder if he likes arcades, and you make a mental note to suggest an activity to nobara the next time she has the urge for an escapade.

you don't bother asking him whether he's sure, because you don't want him to take his words back. so you linger there in a moment of silence, letting it hang over your heads like a warm throw blanket, cozied in front of a fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate in your hands. maybe a coffee mix like you'd attempted before.

angel boy clears his throat first to speak, all honey that links the syllables together like christmas ribbon; rich like orange flavored dark chocolate. "i'll see you later, then." it's short and sweet, but your heart is already flying so high on euphoria you can barely bring yourself to care, or suppress the giddy grin that's spreading across your lips.

yeah, you're tired. yeah, you're still a little cold and you think you need to thaw at your desk for a week until exams, but at least you've got his jacket to accompany you when your study buddy passes out first and you're alone on all nighters. frankly, you can't bring yourself to care— your head is spinning with the events of the chilly night, from crude messages in the snow to thrift store mothballs and lanyards, to one checkered racing jacket. but you don’t think it’s so bad when it threatens to stick to your memory, like chewed up gum under your professor’s desk. whether it’s from the students or the professor, that’s a mystery you’ll never solve.

"yeah. see you around, fushiguro." you can’t say the same about the mystery that megumi is, though. in fact, you think you’re already one step closer when you turn around and part ways, catching sight of him in the reflection of a frosted window. he’s slipping both of his airpods back into his ears, crimson at the tips.

the sound of your shoes against the rug stairway fills your ears as you clamber back up to your dorm, eyelids heavy with drowsiness and face flushed a pleasant warmth. even when you finally get to bed, you can't stop your eyes from drifting over to the bundle of lapis blue fabric sitting on your desk, and your mind from the soft spoken boy with eyes like the night sky and inky hair like calligraphy.

you decide you don't think his style is too bad, after all. and when you tell him that the next morning when he's still sleepy and his lashes fall slow when he blinks the weariness from his eyes, you get to enjoy the steady flush that stains his cheeks and prompts a hoarse cough from his throat when he ducks his head away and grumbles something under his breath, probably about being offended you even thought he was boring in the first place.

and if you ever ask, the only reason he lent you his windbreaker that night was to replace the scent of mothballs and dust with your sweet-smelling perfume.

so, as it turns out, you're able to get your hands on one of those pretty vintage racing jackets— except, it wasn't a new one; it was his. nobara hasn't stopped pestering you with questions since you showed up to class the next day; the only thing you hear for the next week is how much she regrets leaving early.

apparently, it's all yuji's fault.

my (riaki) stuff. don’t repost and/or plagiarize !

[sw33tl1es]

Drafted Kokichis design as well,came out a bit edgy but i like it lol i think im gonna nap and then try and do the splash arts to finalize the designs

I need another name for him, help me I hate this so much, so lazy i just slapped royal on there just because his name translates to royal horse 🫠 it doesnt fit him at all but im out of ideas

Also yeah,im very original, I made him soda themed

Only thing im not sure is the leg, im gonna use a similar pattern on the weapon so i thought itd be cool but idk we will see

I tried to make him see fritzy on more place than just the hair (i do have a pet peeve in cookie run when the food theming is literally just thr head, I think im just petty tho) hope its noticeable and i tried to mix the dictator look with the straightjacket

I do love just how similar yet contrasting their designs are when put together, the foils ever you guys

Same thing as Kaitos,feedback welcome just be nice!!

[cak3o]

If you don't mind the question, who's your favorite robot master from each game?

Hi! Not at all ☺️ thanks for askin!~

Hm. I have actually been asked this before, but I think some of them have changed- so its a good tike for an update.

1-Fireman (lol)

2-Crashman or Flashman (they are duking it out in my head)

3-Topman or Sparkman

4-Brightman

5-Hm. I don't really have one still (very sorry

6-Centaur...probably. (Hes very fun to write, I have a thing with him and guts)

7-ERM...this ones tough. Junkman or Turboman tho.

8-Searchman...(I like his design and quirks)

9-ALSO TOUGH....Splash..or hornet.

10-Uhhh I'll say chill for now.

MM&B-coldman nods (I think he's cute and also I like that hes a lil dumb)

Hm. much to think about. Majority are admittedly chosen purely cuz I've drawn them the most in their group...time will tell if they get swapped out hehe.

Thanks again for the ask ☺️✨️

EDIT:

she was so proud of herself and then she forgot thr fucking 11th game

11- Imapctman...teehee or blast hes working his way up

[sarahsmi13s]

Duckie

Chapter 9

pairing: jake ‘hangman’ seresin x bradshaw!reader; bradley ‘rooster’ bradshaw x twin sister!reader

characters: y/n bradshaw, nick bradshaw, jake seresin, penny benjamin, serenity hart, denver miller

word count: ~10.7k (don't kill me i know the chapter lengths are all over the place, i'm sorry)

warnings: language, parental doubts, canon character deaths mentioned, drinking, thunderstorms, jake being an absolute sweetheart

a/n: i want to apologize that is has been 8 months since i have last updated the main story, i really didn't think it would take that long... but i just wanted to make sure i was proud of the chapter and i really do think i am proud of it. so thank you for your patience and i hope you enjoy 💜

series summary: daughter of goose and carole and twin sister to bradley ‘rooster’ bradshaw, y/n bradshaw also got her papers pulled when she tried to enlist in the Navy. which turned out to not be as bad as she thought.

chapter summary: a week after duckie and jake went on their "not-date" she is seriously regretting not getting jake's number before he left -- considering they haven't seen each other since. though, as fate would have it, that weekend they see each other at the beach and as duckie is walking away jake gets a push from his friends to get her number. little does he know he'll be getting much more than that from her

'duckie' universe

previous chapter || next chapter

It had been a hectic week since your ‘not date’ date with Jake and honestly… you were missing him. Nick was missing him too, hugging the cowboy manta ray every afternoon when he napped. You were really kicking yourself for not getting his number, you had no way of talking to him. And you both were busy, you with school stuff and softball practices and Jake with his Top Gun classes. So you just had to bet on the off chance of running into him again.

Late that Saturday morning, you and Nick were walking the beach, occasionally splashing in the surf. You wanted to tire him out so when Serenity came over later to babysit, he wasn’t too much trouble.

At some point when you had been distracted, Nick had run off without you noticing, most likely seeing something he liked or wanted.

When you do notice his absence, it’s because you don’t hear giggling and splashing. You look down next to you and panic shoots through you when you see that your son isn’t right at your feet. 

“Nick? Nick! Nicky!”

Your chest heaved with your panicked breathing, thoughts running through your mind a mile and a half a minute as you shouted and ran across the beach like a mad woman – shouting for your son.

How could this happen? How could you not notice that your toddler wasn’t right next to you? What kind of mother gets that distracted that she doesn’t even hear her child run off? How did you not notice? Why didn’t you hear him? Why did you let something else pull your attention away that fast and for that long?

Maybe those middle aged mothers in the store were right? Maybe you were too young to be a decent mom… Maybe you shouldn’t–

“Han’man!” 

The small, but excited voice shut your thoughts off in an instant, relief flooding your entire body as you ran in the direction you heard your son – nearly tripping over your own feet in the panic. 

You spotted the classic beach volleyball court and saw Jake pick him up, looking equally as confused as he was happy. 

“Nick where’s your-” 

“Nicholas Jacob!” You called, adrenaline still pumping through your body.

Your son yelped a little and turned into Jake’s neck upon hearing you shout as the pilot cringed. The first and middle name? Never a good sign. 

“Oooh, someone’s in trouble,” he mumbled, instinctively rubbing the child’s back in order to keep him calm. 

The other aviators noticed this and gave Hangman a confused look. They were in the middle of a volleyball match and then boom a toddler’s running into the pilot's legs. And now he was comforting said child, not something they would expect from him usually.

Nick threw his arms around Jake’s neck, not turning to look at you as you ran over, sliding a little as the sand shifted under your heavy steps. “You can’t just run off like that! Do you know how worried I was?!”

The other pilots probably should have looked away, minded their own business. But now they were very intrigued as you came up to Jake as he held your son. 

And by the time you got in arms reach you had calmed down slightly, trying to channel your mother to help you handle this situation.

“Nicky,” you coaxed, as you got closer and reached out to rub his back. He just buried his face into Jake’s shoulder, a small cry coming from his lips as he hugged the pilot tighter. He hates yelling, he doesn’t like it when people are mad at him. You played with his curls, knowing that he thought you were angry, “Baby, I’m not mad… You just worry me when you run off like that. You are too much like your Uncle.” 

Nick looked at you finally, but still rested his head on Jake’s shoulder. His eyes were red and you sighed, knowing that he still thought you were mad. “I’m sorry I shouted, Nicky. Mama’s not mad at you. I promise.” He sniffled and reached out for you. You smiled softly and took him into your arms, then he promptly buried his face into your shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, guys,” you apologized, looking around at all the pilots. “I don’t know how he got away from me.” Jake shook his head, waving it off with a flick of his wrist, “It’s okay. I was winnin’ anyway.” You laughed, bouncing Nick instinctively, “Alright, well, we’ll leave you to it.” You adjusted Nick on your hip, smiling at the men before walking away.

Jake watched you walk away before turning back to his classmates, clapping his hands together and ready to start the next match. But he was met with crossed arms and expecting looks. “Okay let’s – What?” 

“You’re in so deep, Hangman,” Denver, also known as ‘Ransom’, said with a teasing scoff. “Have you gotten her number yet?” 

The blond shook his head, “No but I figured she’d offer it when she was ready.” The other pilot rolled his eyes. “Seresin, since when have you ever waited for her to make the move?” Jake huffed, “She’s different. I don’t want to move too fast. I want her to know that I’m all in first.” 

Denver crossed his arms, “Hangman, go ask her. Show her you’re all in. She won’t know if you don’t tell her. And I’m pretty sure she’s a little nervous to ask you. You know… given that she doesn’t know!” 

Jake’s eyes widened in realization, making the brunette laugh as Jake jogged after you, “Hey, Y/N, wait up!”

You turned as he called out to you, Nicky looking up as well from his spot on your shoulder. Looking up at him as he slowed down to a stop in front of you, you tilted your head a little, “Yeah?”

He took a few deep breaths, talking with one hand as the other rested on his hip, “First I want to preface, it’s totally cool if you say no. But we’ve been getting to know each other, and I was wondering if I could get your number?” 

You looked at Nick then back at Jake, thinking about your response carefully. “I’ll be at the bar tonight. Come by and we’ll talk about it.” 

Jake nodded, and smirked, “I look forward to it.” He ruffled Nick’s hair before going back to the group.

You smiled, eyeing him as he walked away – a little more confidence in his step as he walked up to his friend. 

You know you were kicking yourself before for not getting his number, but now that he’s asked you… you were hesitant, you felt like you had a lot you needed to tell him before you took this step. Sighing a little, you adjusted Nick on your hip again and made your way back to your car.

During the drive home, Nicky was quiet and played with the shells he had found on the beach.

You knew he was still upset from when you yelled, and you knew that he didn’t quite understand why you were so worried. He was only three after all, and he had so much wonder that it was a miracle he didn’t run off to squash his curiosities more often.

He did need to understand why you had shouted and why you were so worried, it was important that he knew that.

But neither of you were ready to give nor receive that conversation. You were still thrumming with that anxiety from the 90 second eternity it took to find him and he was still upset from when you yelled at him. You just needed to wait for when you got home after you both calmed down.

When you got home, you gave Nicky his bath in near silence as you made sure all the sand was gone and he was clean of salt water.

You had thought through your side of the conversation and decided on how you were going to talk to him.

After getting him bathed and getting some comfy clothes picked out, you knelt in front of him as you helped him dry off.

“Nicky? Can we talk about what happened at the beach?” 

He sniffed, nodding his head under the little shark hood of his towel. 

You smiled softly at him and gave a gentle squeeze to his arms. “You know Mama isn’t angry right?” “You yelled… people yell when they’re angy…” His voice was soft and timid, he was trying not to cry again. 

“Oh baby…” You tilted his head up and cupped his cheek. “Sometimes people yell when they’re angry or mad. But not all the time.” Confusion flashed over his tearfilled eyes and you sighed. 

You sat back on your heels, wiping his tears away with your thumb. “People can yell for a lot of different reasons, Nick. Sometimes we yell or shout because we’re excited, we’ve done that before haven’t we? Like when you saw Hangman and shouted because you were so excited to see him.” 

He nodded, using the towel to wipe his other eye as you gave him an encouraging smile.

“It all comes down to how we say something, and I know that might not make sense just yet, because you’re three, but it will and we’ll talk more about it then. But I know you don’t like yelling when people sound angry or mean, it’s loud and it can be scary, right?” He nodded again, sniffling a little, “Yeah…” 

You nodded, dipping your head a little to look him in the eye. “And Mama’s sorry if she sounded angry or mean, that wasn’t my intention. But you running off like that scared me, it really really scared me. I didn’t know if you were hurt or lost.” 

“But I was safe with Han’man… I was okay Mama…” 

“I know that now. But in the moment I was really worried about you and I didn’t know where you had run off too. That’s why I shouted.” 

You rubbed his arms, making sure to hold eye contact. “You can’t just run off like that without telling me. It makes me worried for your safety.” 

The dam finally broke and Nick started sobbing. “I’m sorry Mama… I-I jus’ saw Han’man an-and wa-wanted to s-say hi…” 

“I know, I know baby,” you cooed, wiping his tears as they fell. “And Mama forgives you, I know you didn’t mean to. And I know there will be times where you’re really really curious and you want to explore, but you have to tell me so I, or someone else, can make sure you’re safe. And there will be times I’m gonna yell, but I still love you okay? And I will do better to control my tone in the future.” 

He sniffled and hugged you tightly, his little arms wrapping around your neck in a grip that rivaled a grown man. You smiled and adjusted your legs, crossing them before wrapping him tighter in his towel and pulling him into your lap.

You sat on his floor for a while, holding him close and rocking back and forth as you pressed kisses to the side of his head.

It wasn’t too long after that conversation that Serenity was using her spare key to come in, finding you and Nick giggling in the living room as you watched Kung Fu Panda.

“Looks like I’m missing all the fun,” she laughed, sitting her backpack down on the bar. 

Nick sat up, a wide smile on his face, “Ren!” She smiled and walked over, her arms out wide for a hug, “Nicky J!” He got off the couch quickly and ran to her, hugging her with a high pitched giggle. 

You smiled as you stood up, “Oh I don’t know about missing the fun, just a little late to the party.” 

“Well, I guess I have some fun to catch up on,” she said as she ruffled Nicky’s curls. “And Mama can relax a little bit.” 

You nodded because now that she was here you could take a shower and get ready to go to the bar. You needed the moment of solitude to collect yourself after your mild panic attack on the beach. Needed to take a second alone to let the parental mask slip and just let yourself feel.

“Yes, and I will be showering and getting ready to go to the bar. You both can finish the movie and give me the rundown when I come back.” 

Serenity nodded, “You got it, we’ll take notes. Won’t we buddy?” Nicky nodded, “And we can act it out for you too!” You smiled and played with his hair, “Yes you can, and I look forward to it.” Nick giggled, running back over to climb on the couch and continue watching the movie.

You looked at the college student, brows raised as you let out a breath. She arched her eyebrow inquisitively, “Mama need me time?” You nodded, rubbing your hands on your thighs. “She needs so much me time. Had a bit of a scare at the beach and I need a minute to process it, without him two feet away… God, that sounds so bad doesn’t it?”

She shook her head, grabbing your wrist gently, “Not at all. You need space to breathe, that’s why I’m here – well, and cause I love that little man over there.” You both laughed, glancing over at the couch where Nick was zeroed in on the TV. 

Her grip tightened momentarily to gain your attention again. “And you’re doing great, Y/N. Don’t ever question that.” 

A rush of tears filled your eyes, a weight you hadn’t realized was sitting on your chest lifting ever so slightly and allowing you to actually breathe again. Biting your lip to keep from crying in front of your son, you hugged Serenity letting out a heavy exhale that released the obsessive thoughts that rattled in your head. 

“Thank you…” 

Your voice was no louder than a whisper, but your gratitude was nothing short of a scream. 

Serenity rubbed your back, “And I will fight anyone that says otherwise. Even you. Understand?” She pulled back only when you did as you nodded and wiped your face. “Good,” she nodded towards your bedroom with a smile. “Now go shower.” 

You nodded, squeezing her shoulder in thanks before jogging towards your room.

She smiled after you before turning to your son, clapping her hands as she walked over, “Okay Nicky, let’s make sure we get all the details for Mama.” 

After your much needed shower, taking the solitary moment to breathe and let more tears fall to just release the stress, you got dressed in a pair of jeans and an old band t-shirt you had held onto from when you went through your mom’s things. And you added a black jacket because it had clouded over while you were in the shower. 

And of course, Nicky gave you the rundown of what you missed of Kung Fu Panda while you got ready before going back to let you finish up.

You took a deep breath as you clasped the guitar pick necklace behind your neck, letting the engraved gold rest against your sternum. Kendall had gotten it for you for graduation, having your favorite lyric of Great Balls of Fire engraved on the front – because he indeed drove you crazy and vice versa. For Christmas, Penny went and had Kendall’s initials engraved on the back, knowing that you’d be giving the necklace to Nicky once he was old enough.

Letting the breath out and calming yourself down, you stepped out of your room and slipped your jacket on as you walked to the door. “Okay, I’m heading out. It looks like it might rain, so just call me if anything happens or you need me to come home, okay?” 

Serenity nodded from her spot on the couch, popping a goldfish cracker into her mouth “Got it, go have fun.” 

You squatted down and Nicky ran over to give you a hug. “Bye Mama, have fun with Han’man.” You smiled and rubbed his back, “I will. Be good for Ren okay? I won’t be back until after you go to bed, so I love you baby.” You gave him kisses all over his face, “Mwah, I love you sooo much.” He giggled and kissed your temple, “I love you too Mama.” 

You shared a smile and he ran back to the couch to curl up in his corner.

“Okay, you know all the numbers Ren. If I don’t answer, call Penny or the bar. Okay, I’m gonna head out now, see if I can beat the rush of pilots that are gonna get grounded soon. I love you both, bye.”

They both waved at you as you grabbed your purse and walked out the door.

About 90 minutes and one Amarello after you arrived, you watched Jake stroll into the bar, his green eyes finding you leaning on the bar immediately despite the crowd in front of him. 

“Howdy,” you greeted with a smile as he walked over and leaned on the bar next to you. “Hi, Darlin’,” he replied, grinning down at you.

You glanced around, the bar wasn’t as packed as you thought it would be, but it was still full of pilots since the surprise showers grounded their classes for the rest of the day. 

You looked back at Jake, remembering his question from earlier today on the beach. As you drove over and the hour and half you had to yourself at the bar, you had tried your best to prepare your speech, get everything you needed to say in order so you didn’t fuck anything up and miscommunicate your feelings.

Sighing, you closed your eyes, recalling everything you had lined up to tell him. You didn’t look in his eyes, keeping your gaze centered on his chest, knowing his green irises would wipe your memory. 

“I’m gonna be honest here Jake…” 

He held up his hand, gently interrupting you, “I get it, Y/N. If you still aren’t ready for a relationship, I understand. But I still want to be a friend that you can call, whether it be just to talk to me or if you need help.” 

You sighed, relief filling your chest knowing that he was willing to wait, but you still wanted, no needed, to tell him how you were feeling. 

You finally looked up in his eyes, swallowing the word vomit of emotions that wanted to escape, “Jake, you have done a lot these past few weeks. You’ve taken the time not only to get to know me but to get to know Nick. That means so much to me, more than you know. And I can tell that Nick already likes you, so I can’t just let you out of our life easily.” 

Jake smiled, bashfully looking down at the bar as a chuckle broke through his lips, “I try my best. And I’m a little offended that you thought getting rid of me would ever be easy.” 

You rolled your eyes before continuing. 

“And I do like you, Jake. I like you a lot. While you are cocky as hell, you’re sweet and a gentleman. It’s just…” You rocked on your feet, thinking of everything you needed to say but couldn’t put into words – your rehearsed lines disappearing into thin air now that Jake was here. Damn those eyes.

You hung your head, trying to see if looking away from him would help re-materialize the pre-coordinated words. 

But Jake ducked his head to meet your eyes, showing you he was listening and chasing away your coherent thoughts, “It’s just what, Y/N?” 

You glanced at Penny, receiving a reassuring nod from her and sending a short one back. “I’m gonna step outside really quick Pen, watch my drink?” She nodded and gave you a small, encouraging smile. 

“Follow me,” you patted Jake's shoulder, and slid your hand down his arm to grab his hand. 

You pulled him outside to the covered deck and leaned on the railing, taking a deep breath to inhale the scent of the rain – trying to reign in your racing thoughts.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Jake’s whiskey smooth voice asked as he leaned on the railing as well, his back facing the clouds.

You cleared your throat, dropping your head to look at the damp sand as you pieced together the puzzle of emotions and words in your head. 

“My dad died when I was 4… He left my mom alone to raise 2 kids that were too much like their father. I told myself that I need to stay away from service men, definitely pilots. But you, and your perfect teeth and perfect hair, those damn green eyes…” 

Jake was flattered but he could feel how this was going to end. You’d build up his ego to cushion his fall when you turned him down.  

“You have become an exception to my one rule.” Okay… Jake certainly wasn’t expecting that. “A rule that I gave myself on my own. I’m just scared, Jake. Nick and I have grown so… close to you and I’m afraid–” 

Jake lifted your chin, cutting you off, and quietly spoke to you, noting the thin line of tears in your water line. “Hey… I understand. But I’m a damn good pilot, I ain’t goin’ down easy.” You laughed, shaking your head fondly before smiling up at him, “There’s that ego.” 

He chuckled softly, his trademark half-smile flashing a canine, “What can I say? But seriously, I will do whatever it takes to get back to you both safe. If that’s what you want.” 

You nodded, stepping closer, unconsciously straightening your back to be closer to him, “I want it, I do.” You bit your lip, a shuddering breath escaping your lips. 

His soft gaze hardened slightly, reading your body language, but it softened again as he tilted your chin up. “Then why are you hesitating?” You shrugged, shaking your head subtly, “I don’t know.” 

You knew why, deep down you knew why you were holding back. Why you wanted to spray the butterflies in your stomach with vinegar. Your brain knew why. But your heart was pounding on your ribcage, trying to get to your brain to tell you it was okay. That you could love again, and it would all be okay.

Jake leaned down, seeing the fight in your eyes. “Is this okay?” You nodded, your breath mixing with his as you looked from his eyes to his lips and back again.

There was a soft eagerness, a puppy in those green eyes waiting to run around, bouncing as he waited for his command – a command only you could give. It was familiar but completely new at the same time. But it felt safe.

Instead of giving him the words he was looking for, you rested your hand on the side of his neck and pressed your lips to his – letting your heart take the wheel.

The kiss was soft, but it didn’t change the fact that butterflies went wild in both of your stomachs. Jake couldn’t help but smile against your lips as he cupped your jaw and tasted the hint of Amaretto on them.

You pulled away, needing to get air into your lungs but Jake chased your lips, catching them in their minty trap. It was clear he came prepared for anything, not that you minded. 

Your free hand fisted in his jacket, wafting his cologne into the air – an all consuming, but not overwhelming scent.

You both finally pulled away from the chaste kiss, light headed and breathless. You stayed close, your noses brushing against each other. 

“What’s gonna happen when you leave?” 

Jake smirked, his breath still tickling your lips as he pulled out his phone, “Well, I’m not sure, but it’d be a hell of a lot easier with your number.” You laughed and finally looked up at him, stepping back a little to take his phone, “Smooth Lieutenant. Very smooth.”

As you and Jake held eye contact a smile settled across your face before you looked down at his phone, typing in your number and sending a text to yourself.

Jake couldn’t help the blush that darked his tanned cheeks at the sparkle of your smile that not even the rain could dim. 

You weren’t like anything he’s ever seen before; a strong, single mother that did everything for the sake of her child and someone that had gone through so much at such a young age.

“You’re amazing…” 

Jake hadn’t realized what he said out loud until you giggled and looked down at the deck with pink tinted cheeks. 

“I said that out loud, didn't I?” He laughed at the end of his question. You nodded, “You did. But I’m flattered, so thank you.” 

You messed with his jacket, “And you’re good, Lieutenant. Maybe too good to be true.” 

“You’re stroking my ego, Darlin’.” You giggled and gave him a quick kiss, “I better head back in.” He grabbed your waist, “Do you have to?” “Do you want to have fun or not?” He bit his lip and you patted his chest and walked in. 

He watched you walk in and shook his head. Laughing to himself he adjusted his posture and went in and straight to the pool table.

You and Jake hung out at the bar for hours after that, having the time of your life. 

You danced to the music that came from the jukebox, played darts and you watched him play pool. You drank and ate, Penny keeping an eye on you both because you had to drive back home to your son and Jake did not need a hangover in the morning.

But you didn’t need the drinks to have a good time. Like right now. Jake had suggested another round of darts, but this time, you added a few spins before your throw. Almost like kids getting ready to hit a pinata at a party.

Jake grinned as he spun you around a few times. “Okay, now that you’re properly dizzy, why don’t you try and get a bullseye?” 

“You’re kidding me,” you giggled as you swayed a little on your feet. “I doubt I’m gonna hit the target. I can’t hit it when I’m standing straight, what makes you think I can hit it when I’m dizzy?”

He shook his head and turned you by your shoulders to square up to the board. “Who knows, maybe you’ll be better?” You snorted as you raised the dart, “I highly doubt that.” He scoffed playfully, “Just throw the dart, Y/N.”

You giggled, “Okay okay.” 

Your tongue poked out of the seam of your lips as your vision swam a bit and you lined up your shot. 

Taking a few balk throws, you finally get ready to actually throw it when there is a harsh crack, followed by a loud, booming sound – loud enough to rattle the windows.

“Oh shit!”

Any attempt you had made to actually aim the dart didn’t matter, because when you jumped at the harsh thunder the dart was sent on its own journey.

You laughed at your reaction to the sudden thunder and leaned back against Jake, “I can blame that horrible throw on the thunder, right?” He looked over your shoulder, seeing the dart about a foot and a half under the board in the wall.

“You sure it was thunder?” 

Your jaw dropped and you smacked his chest with the back of your hand, “That was uncalled for Seresin. But I walked into that one.” You both laughed as Jake nodded, “Yeah, I guess I can give you another shot Bradshaw.”

“Well, thank you oh so gracious Hangman,” you sassed a little as you readied another dart. “I’m actually gonna try this time.”

He chuckled and crossed his arms as he watched you repeat your process, his eyes drawn to your lips as your tongue once again pokes out. 

You managed to throw the dart just as the lights flickered out. 

“Are you fucking serious? The weather really doesn’t want me to hit this board,” you grumbled as you pulled your phone out to use your flashlight. 

Jake did the same, him immediately shining it at the dart board.

“Look at what we have here, you actually hit the board,” he teased as he walked up to the board. “Not a bullseye, but you hit it.” You flipped your hair, “Look at me go. Mama’s still got it.” 

Jake gave you a look, his face deadpanned and his brow low. You held his eyes, yours playfully squinting. 

It was a standoff for about 20 seconds before you both started laughing.

“C’mon Mother Goose, let’s go to the bar,” he chuckled as he grabbed your hand gently.

You froze for a second, confused as to where he got that nickname from – forgetting it was just a nursery rhyme to everyone else at that moment. 

He looked at you, frowning in concern, “Hey, sweetheart, you okay?” 

You shook it off, swallowing as you nodded, “Yeah, yeah… I’m okay.” 

With a furrowed brow, he stepped closer, tilting your chin up with a crooked finger, “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?” 

His light tease pulled you back fully. 

“N-No, I’m fine, it’s okay,” you said softly as you shook your head. He cupped your cheek, “Are you sure?” You nodded, “Yeah, yeah, just thought of Nicky… He’s not the best with storms sometimes.” 

“Do you wanna check in on him? Make sure he’s doing okay? Especially now that the power’s out.” 

You chewed on your lip, your thumb and pinky tapping rhythmically on your thigh. “Are you sure it’s okay?” 

Jake nodded, “Of course it is! That’s your baby, do not question if it’s okay. It’s always okay.” You immediately open your contacts, “Thank you.” 

He smiled, squeezing your hand, “I’ll be at the bar when you’re ready, if you gotta go home, that’s okay.”

You gave him a smile and mouthed a ‘thank you’ as your phone rang, waiting for Serenity to pick up. 

Jake nodded again before going over to the bar.

Penny and Jimmy were turning on battery powered lanterns and setting them up around the bar. 

“You guys need some help?” Jake offered as he leaned on the bar.

She looked up at him as she sat a lantern down on the bar, “You don’t think you could get the power back on, could ya?” 

Jake laughed lightly, “If my call sign was Sparky, I might be able to give it a shot. Unfortunately, it’s not.” Penny shook her head with a laugh, “It’s alright Hangman, once we get these set up, we’ll hopefully get the generator up and running.” 

He nodded, “In the meantime, I’ll take two waters, if you can spare them.” She nodded with a smile, “Coming right up.”

As she got the bottles out of the ice bucket she prepped after looking at the forecast, you came over after finishing up your call.

You sighed a little as you sat down. 

“Hey,” Jake greeted as he rubbed your knee. “How’s the little man holdin’ up? He alright?” You nodded, smiling as you rested your hand on his, “Yeah, Serenity said he was snuggled up on the couch with his turtle and his manta ray, watching movies with plenty of goldfish crackers.”

Penny popped up, “You have power?” 

“Nope,” you laughed a little awkwardly. “He’s watching it on Serenity’s laptop. Which I told her she didn’t have to let him do that. She’s got stuff to do for summer classes but mine was dead. I just hope she doesn’t get behind.”

She gave you your water, “She’s a good kid, I’m sure she’ll be okay for one night.” You nodded and sipped your drink, “Yeah.”

You looked around noticing that everyone started to mellow out since the place was practically pitch black – save for the lanterns.

“Man… seems the lights weren’t the only thing the storm took out. How long until the generator is up and running?” You asked, leaning on the bar. 

Penny shrugged, “I don’t know. It depends, we haven’t used it in a few years. It shouldn’t take too long, I think Jimmy checked on it after the clouds rolled in and the forecast changed.”

You nodded and looked around, “Well, maybe some live music can hold everyone over until then.” Penny and Jake furrowed their brows as you grabbed a lantern and went over to the piano.

“What? Did you seriously think that Bradley was the only one of my father’s kids that could play? C’mon now Penny, you should know better than that,” you teased with a playful wink over your shoulder.

Jake furrowed his brow, “Have you been holding out on me Mother Goose?” His tone was entirely playful as he came over to piano with his phone flashlight on as a fresh toothpick hung from his lips.

Penny blinked and looked up, a rush of nostalgia hitting her, “Wait did you just call her ‘Mother Goose’?” Jake looked up at her and nodded as he rolled the toothpick to the other side of his mouth, “Yes ma’am I did.” She nodded and glanced at you as she wiped down the bar, “And um… w-where did that nickname come from?” 

He shrugged, “She’s got a little duck on her keychain and she’s a mama. Just kinda makes sense, I guess. Why do you ask?” 

You couldn’t help but smile a little as you tapped the keys. 

“Oh I was just-” Penny started but you cut her off gently.

“Goose was my dad’s call sign, Jake. A lot of his friends from the Academy and flight school called him ‘Mother Goose’,” you said, emotion present in your voice but you weren’t sad.

Jake stumbled over his words a little, “Oh I-I had no idea. I can stop if you w-want me too.” 

You shook your head, a smile gracing your features as you looked up at him, “No no, it’s okay Jake. It definitely shocked me when you called me that earlier, but it’s… nice.”

He smiled back at you and sat down, “I’ll call you whatever you want, Darlin’.” 

A giggle slipped past your lips and you were now thankful that the poor lighting hid the blush on your cheeks as you tested more keys.

You took a breath and readied your fingers on the right keys, “Okay okay, let’s get these people fired up.”

Jake arched his brow but then you played the opening notes to a song he heard non-stop in flight school when the class went out to a bar.

“Jerry Lee Lewis? You really are Bradshaw’s sister,” he laughed, gently nudging your shoulder but not so much as to mess you up.

You just rolled your eyes before jumping into the song. “~You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain!~”

Jake chuckled as people in the bar began to cheer, a few patrons jumping in to sing with you. He looked around, seeing that the flashlights on phones had been turned on and everyone’s moods seemed to flip on dime.

“~You broke my will! Oh what a thrill!~”

“~Goodness gracious great balls of fire!~”

His eyes landed back on you, watching you play the piano like he had only ever seen your brother play. It was lively, bringing an energy to the bar that got zapped out with the electricity. Almost as if the lightning hit you and you soaked up all the energy in the bar, and now you were returning it when it was needed.

He felt himself singing along, unable to escape the way that your infectious voice seemed to latch on to everyone that heard it. 

Jake had always fought the urge to ‘feel the music’ when it was your brother. Be the one person in the bar unaffected by him. But here with you, he didn’t fight. He didn’t want to fight it. And he was unashamed to be sitting next to you on that piano bench, singing a song that you were sure your brother had played to death. 

He saw you smile at him when you noticed it, feeding off of his energy just as much as he was feeding off of yours.

You found yourself looking only at him to see if he was enjoying himself, using him as a reference point for how the rest of the bar was feeling. That your attempt at entertainment was working.

It felt good to see everyone having fun because of you.

Now you could understand why your dad and Bradley did this so often.

Your smile never left your face as you continued to sing, though you hated how the song was coming to an end so soon.

Jake met your eyes as you started the last verse, his smiling matching yours. 

“~I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs!~”

“~Real nervous but it sure is fun!~”

He watched your eyes light up as he sang the words back to you and the blush crawled up your neck. You clearly weren’t expecting him to sing that line to you – telling you how you made him feel through the song.

So, he continued to look at you, holding eye contact as he sang through a wide, infectious smile, using the lyrics to convey what he had trouble putting into words once again. 

“~Come on, baby! You’re drivin’ me crazy!~”

His heart fluttered when you seemed like you were at a loss for words, despite them already being written for you – all you could do was smile as your muscle memory continued to play.

“~Goodness, gracious! Great balls of fire!~”

You played the last string of notes, your face dangerously close to Jake’s as the soft glow of the lanterns and phone flashlights illuminated his features almost angelically, the lights creating a halo around him and blurring the crowd like a camera focusing in on the subject of its image. His green eyes, though casted in a shadow, twinkled softly as he looked your face over like you were the only thing in the room – and to him, you were.

He was seeing the same thing. The blues of LEDs and the yellow of the lanterns created a harsh but gorgeous contrast on your face as your chest heaved when you attempted to catch your breath and the light sheen of sweat made your skin shine in a way he never thought about before. Your eyes were illuminated, but they held a shine of their own when you looked him over.

The cheers behind him all melded into one sound, one that Jake could confuse for his own heartbeat if it wasn’t pounding against his ribcage.

There was no hesitation this time as he pulled you close by the nape of your neck and pressed his lips to yours with breathless passion.

Your outside hand fisted in his Henley shirt, the fabric warm but a little rough under your fingertips. His heart was thumping rhythmically against your knuckles, giving the butterflies in your stomach a beat to dance to.

His hand moved down to the side of your neck, his thumb finding your pulse point. The sensation of your heartbeat under his fingertips was mesmerizing.

The kiss felt both like an eternity and not long enough when you finally pulled away, both of your lips damp and as your breath mixed as your foreheads rested against each other.

Around you, the crowd was still buzzing with energy, talking to each other as they started mingling again. 

But you and Jake couldn’t hear them, not when you're so consumed with one another right there on the piano bench. You were in your own little world, a small sanctuary in the middle of the bar. Just you and him.

Smiling, you can’t stop the giggle from escaping as you try to smooth out where you had gripped his shirt. “That was um…”

“Electrifying?” Jake offered, his dimple appearing as he smirked playfully.

“That’s one way to put it, yeah,”  you said with a light, slightly breathless laugh.

He chuckled and opened his mouth to say something else, but the overhead lights flickered for a split second before they stayed steady and the sound of the jukebox started up again.

You both sat up straight, looking around the bar as the patrons started back up in their games they abandoned.

“Would you look at that – one song and you managed to light up the whole bar, literally,” Jake said as he looked from his surroundings and then back to you, taking in how you smiled at everyone having fun again.

You hummed, turning your head with a playful glint in your eye, “Well, thank goodness it was only one song. I don’t know if I could’ve played another one. Unless Twinkle Twinkle Little Star counts.” 

Jake laughed as he stood up, offering you a hand to pull you to your feet. “Well, if Nick was here, I’m pretty sure he would have a blast if you played that.” 

“Oh, yeah, he definitely would,” you said with a laugh as you pushed some hair out of your face. “Another drink?”

He nodded, fluffing his shirt a little. “I can go for another.”

You grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bar, “Penny!”

After you got your drinks, you and Jake went to a booth by the windows.

“That was really impressive, Y/N. I knew Rooster was good, but he’s not that good,” Jake complimented as he sipped his fresh beer. The bitter liquid soothed his throat, his voice a little raw after singing.

You shrugged and sipped your Amaretto, the warm liquid warming you up from the chill of the rain outside. “I don’t know about that. He’s been playing since he was little. I started getting into piano in, like, middle school. And then in college I um.. I picked up a little guitar.”

Jake watched you bite your lip, your nails tapping against the glass of your drink. He wasn’t entirely sure what caused that far off look to appear in your eyes, a fogginess he wasn’t familiar with. But one thing he did recognize was that flicker of love, a shine of longing and admiration peaking through the fog – like a lighthouse on the shore.

He didn’t know much about Kendall, just what you had told him. He knew that you had met in college, you had been friends before you began dating, and that Kendall played the guitar – his favorite one tucked into the corner of Nick’s bedroom.

You cleared your throat, blinking the fogginess away and pulling Jake out of his thoughts. 

You rubbed your hands on your jeans before resting your elbows on the table to talk with your hands, desperate to keep the conversation flowing.

“But like I was saying, Brad and I are very different when it comes to singing and playing the piano. He definitely channels our dad a little more than I do.”

He chuckled and leaned forward, resting his upper body on his forearms, “Well, I think I’m a little biased when it comes to that. But don’t sell yourself short, Darlin’, you put on quite the performance.” He added an unnecessary wink, but it didn’t stop you from smiling and looking at the table to hide your blush.

You lifted your head and smiled at him, sniffling just a little. “Thank you, Jake. That means a lot.”

Jake reached over and squeezed your hand, “Anytime.” He cleared his throat, “If you don’t mind me asking, that song clearly means a lot to you and Rooster, why-why is that?”

Tears stung your eyes a bit, again, but your smile didn’t falter. “Our dad, he um… he played it all the time. And I mean all the time. I’m surprised our mother stayed sane.” Jake reached up and wiped a tear that slipped through. You leaned into his warm palm slightly, as you continued.

“One of our last memories with him was sitting at the piano as he sang that song. Our mom in his lap singing with him without a care in the world about who was watching…” Your voice was a little heavier as you neared the end of your sentence, the memory making you a little emotional.

He smiled and squeezed your hand again, his thumb rubbing your knuckles, “That’s beautiful.” You gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand back. 

“Can I show you something?” He asked softly, not wanting to disturb the moment too much.

You nodded and sat up a little straighter, wiping your eyes as you spoke, “Of course.” 

Jake nodded his head towards the window and your eyes followed the direction. 

The glass was a little foggy, sweating as the cold temperature of the rain was meeting the warm air of the bar and the glass acting like a mediator between the two.

Your brow furrowed in immediate confusion though you weren’t going to question Jake just yet. There was certainly much more to it.

And he proved your suspicions by bringing his finger up to draw in the condensation.

It was a quick drawing, a simple sun with a smiley face and a little heart next to it. But the look on Jake’s face told you it was so much more than just a little doodle on a window.

“That’s really cute Jake,” you said softly, as you smile at him.

His grin widened and he shifted in his seat. “When I was little, I was never good with storms. My sister was even worse. She was scared and I was upset because I couldn’t go play in the rain.” 

You couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up when he said that, the picture of a young Jake pouting in his room as he watched the rain out of his window in your head – he definitely picked out two droplets to race against each other, maybe even him and his sister picked one and had a competition.

He just smiled at you before continuing.

“My grandma and my mom had this routine with us where they would have us by the bay window in the living room and we would draw in the condensation. And I, of course, rubbed my wet hand on my sister’s face,” he said with a small chuckle.

“That I’m definitely not surprised by. Bradley pestered me too, still does, it’s a brother thing.”

Jake nodded, “Oh yeah, for sure. But aside from that, there was a purpose to why my mom and grandma had us do this. Because as you can see now-” He pointed to the drawing, seeing that it was already dripping and disappearing, more condensation taking its place. “-it’s already going away.”

Your brow furrowed in confusion. You still weren’t exactly sure where Jake was going, but it was clear this was something he held onto and cherished. Especially for him to bring it up now, years later. Plus, he had you roped in now, you were invested in this little smiling sun. 

“The whole point of drawing in the fog was because it doesn’t last forever, and neither would the storm outside. Or any storm, really. As I got older, we stopped the window drawings, but my mom kept it up with us for little things. Like when my sister was going through a break up, she drew a sun with a little heart on a note and put it in her backpack. I can bet you that she still has every note, because I know I do.”

Tears pricked your eyes a little bit, “That’s really really beautiful, Jake. Your mom and grandma sound like very wise women.”

Jake nodded, a proud smile pulling at his lips, “They are, I’m lucky to have them.”

You mirrored his smile and you both went back to conversing with each other, planning out ideas for your next ‘not’ date.

“There’s so much to do here, so much it’s like there’s nothing,” you said, laughing as you sipped your drink.

You had listed off a lot of places to go nearby and all the things you could do together, but it all sounded so fun that you were having trouble deciding.

Jake nodded, rubbing his face a little as he laughed, “Yeah, seems like it.” He glanced around, noticing a pool table nearby. “Hey, how about we think on it some more later and just play a game of pool?”

You hummed a little and glanced over your shoulder at the pool table. 

A sly smile came over your face as an idea popped into your mind. 

You turned back to face him, biting your lip a little, “I um… wow this is embarrassing, I haven’t really ever played pool before.”

Jake squinted at you, almost analyzing you to see if you were just fucking with him. But you just played it up by hiding your face in your hands, hiding the grin that you knew would give you away if he spotted it.

“You’re serious? You’ve never played pool before?”

His tone was inquisitive, but it also had a laugh behind it that he was hiding as best he could and it almost had you laughing.

“No no, I have played before. But it’s just been too long. Last time I played it was maybe 10 years ago when I was in high school, and I was awful.”

Jake’s laugh finally broke through at that.

“Hey! Don’t laugh!” You whined, holding back giggles of your own.

He nodded, trying to stop himself by clearing his throat. “You’re right, you’re right. It’s not funny. It’s… it’s kinda sad actually.”

You dropped your jaw and reached over the table to swat at his shoulder. “Oh shut up!” 

He chuckled as he dodged your hand, and you couldn’t help but smile as the corners of his eyes crinkled and his dimples poked through. “Okay okay, I’m sorry. But c'mon let’s play at least one game,” he proposed as he slid out of the booth and stood. He offered you his hand, a wink accompanying his next words, “And I promise I’ll go easy on you.”

You rolled your eyes and took his hand, “Fine, one game.”

A victorious grin crossed Jake’s face as he pulled you to your feet, squeezing your hand as he turned and pulled you to the table. Your lips pulled up in a similar fashion as you stumbled a little when he drug you behind him. 

“Okay,” he said as he came to stop at the pool table. “I don’t have to explain the rules, do I?” His brow arched with his question, only using it to further his teasing. You rolled your eyes, hand going on your hip, “No, I know that much, Seresin.” The sass in your tone made Jake laugh, “Alright, Bradshaw, let’s play.”

You nodded and grabbed the two pool cues, “Let’s.”

He chuckled and shook his head playfully as he quickly racked the pool balls. Once they were all in order, he took the triangle off and tossed it on a table as he walked over to you.

His fingers wrapped around the taller cue, his warm hand encapsulating yours. 

How had you not realized how large his hand was until now?

“Y/N?”

You shook your head, not having realized that you froze, “Oh um, sorry, sorry.”  You let go of the pool cue, clearing your throat as you pushed some hair behind your ear. He chuckled at your sudden shyness, “It’s alright, darlin’. It’s cute when you get all blushy.” You huffed, though a smile pulled at your lips as you shoved his shoulder. 

Jake laughed and held his hands up in defense, only slightly jostled by your shove. He gestured to the table and grabbed the cue ball, “Okay, okay, you wanna break?” He punctuated his question by putting the ball on the table with a *clack*.

You bit your lip, still feigning nervousness as best you could. You nodded and walked around to the end of the table beside him. 

Tossing the cue up and catching it lower, you leaned over and nearly fell into muscle memory – letting the end come down and rest easy in the dip between your thumb and pointer finger.

You rolled your shoulders a little bit, moving your hand much lower on the stick so you would have less control of the cue. You relaxed your shoulders, letting them drop as your right hand tightened its grip. The maple cue rested on the walnut of the table, using it as the support for the middle of the stick. 

Jake tilted his head, taking in your posture. It was… unconventional, and maybe a little awkward. But he wasn’t going to step in just yet, because maybe that stance just worked for you. And the look of concentration on your face was just too cute for him to interrupt.

Much like earlier at the dart board, your brow furrowed and your tongue poked out from between your lips. Jake grinned at the sight, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Nick made the same face when he focused on something. Like if his nose crinkled like yours did when he colored or if he stuck his tongue out when he did a puzzle. 

Then his mind wandered a little further. 

The image of a little girl appeared in his head, basically a clone of you in your lap as you sat at the piano. You guiding her hand along the keys, then having her repeat the order on her own. Her tongue sticking out as she tries to remember. 

But before he can fantasize any longer, he shakes himself out of it once you take your shot.

He watched the tip of the cue whiff the ball as the butt nearly became perpendicular to the floor. “Woah there!” 

You covered your mouth with your hand, doing your best to feign embarrassment at your ‘failure’. “Oh.. my.. gosh.. I can’t believe that just happened,” you snorted, laughing at yourself as you looked up at the ceiling, hoping that a blush was covering your cheeks to really sell it. 

Jake came over to stand next to you, chuckling just a little. “So um… is that how you held it in high school?” He leaned against the table, the cue snug against his side as he crossed his arms, looking down at his boots as he crossed his ankles before looking up at your profile.

You swallowed as you kept your eyes on the ceiling, and Jake couldn’t help but watch the column of your throat move with the action. 

Sighing, you looked at him, “I mean, kinda, like I said, it’s been awhile. But that felt so wrong.” You looked away from him and focused on your cue. “And now I’m embarrassed… because you just saw that.” 

He sighed gently, a smile pulling at his lips. While you were embarrassed, he couldn’t help but admire the blush on your skin. He didn’t like the reason, because you shouldn’t be embarrassed, but you looked cute.

He reached out and turned your head to face him, smiling softly at you. “Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed. It happens, and I guarantee that is not the worst shot I’ve seen.” 

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” 

He sighed and propped his cue against the wall, “C’mere.” He adjusted the cue ball again and gently pulled you to him when you hesitated to move closer. “I don’t bite, unless you ask,” he whispered the last half of that in your ear, his accent slightly thicker as you felt his lips curl into a smile against the lobe of your ear.

His warm breath raised goosebumps on the skin of your neck, a shiver going down the nerves of your spine. He chuckled, his chest rumbling against your shoulder and making you giggle as a genuine flush covered your face and neck.

“Okay,” Jake said, turning you gently so your back settled against his chest. His hand rested on your hip and everything just felt right. Both of you slotted together like a puzzle piece, it was comfortable.

He looked down at you, “Am I too close?” 

Your head shook almost embarrassingly quickly. If anything he wasn’t close enough.

“No no, you’re okay.”

He nodded, smiling at you, “Alright, just let me know, okay?” You swallowed, nodding back, “I will.”

“Alright, now, I’m gonna show you how to properly hold a pool stick. Do what you were doing before.”

You nodded, bending back over and mimicking the stance you had done previously.

Jake looked at you gaging what to adjust. “Okay, so one issue is, your back hand is too low. Don’t shake hands with the bumper.” He took your wrist and tried to slide your hand up but it barely moved. “And you don’t need a death grip on it, it’s not going anywhere unless you move it.” You nodded and relaxed your grip to let him adjust your hand placement. 

He moved it to about the middle of the weight and watched your guiding hand adjust itself to a bit more of a natural position.

Smiling, he glanced down at you, “There we go, how does that feel?” You nodded, “A lot better, definitely more comfortable.”

“Perfect, and that’s how you know you’re doing it right. Before you were uncomfortable and it threw off your control. You guide the cue, it doesn’t guide you.”

You snorted a little, hanging your head as you laughed, “You sound like a therapist, or a yoga instructor.” Jake laughed along with you, “Unfortunately I’m neither of those. Not qualified nor flexible enough.”

You arched a brow and looked at him over your shoulder, a cheeky smile on your lips, “Not flexible enough? Oh, that’s a shame.” His eyebrows raised, almost as if he was sizing up a challenge, “Oh is it now? I mean, I’m sure with enough stretching, I’ll be good to go.”

You laughed before shaking your head, “Okay okay, let’s stay on task, Lieutenant, yeah?”

“Right, right, of course.” 

Jake cleared his throat as his fingers wrapped around your shoulders, “Okay, being relaxed is fine. But you’re too loose and that makes it awkward.” He slowly pulled them out from their slouched position, straightening your back a little in the process. “That’s better.” 

You swallowed a little, the heat of his chest against your back making you both nervous and excited.

“Do you feel more in control?” You nodded at his question, not trusting your voice to be steady. “Good, now, let’s test this.”

Worry shot through you for a moment, afraid he might step back and let you do this on your own – squashing the mini fantasy that you created.

But your worry was smothered when Jake adjusted his own stance, his knees nudging the backs of your thighs. His right hand encased your own as his left hand acted as a stand for yours – keeping your guiding hand steady.

“Loosen your grip, Duckie. It’s not gonna change your power. In pool, the speed determines the power.”

Jake’s voice was steady, but it was raspy as he spoke in your ear again. His breath fanned along your ear lobe and your jaw, raising goosebumps once again.

He felt your wrist and hand relax a little, and he just hoped you couldn’t feel his heart beating against your back. 

“Alright, there we go. Now, all you gotta do is bring it back and–”

His sentence fell short as the felt tip collided with the cue ball and he felt a vibrating sensation against his hip.

“See? So much better. And now, if that’s your phone in your pocket, I think you’re getting a call.”

He stepped back and let you stand straight as you pulled your phone out.

Your heart dropped slightly when you saw Serenity’s contact flash across your screen. 

Did something happen to Nick? Was he okay? Did something happen to the house? What went wrong?

Jake must have noticed that your face changed on dime, because his face fell into one of concern. “Y/N? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” 

Was it Serenity? Was it Bradley? Was it a chaplain? Or hell an NCIS agent?

“It’s Serenity,” you said as you pressed the green answer button and brought the phone to your ear. “Hey Ren, what’s up?”

Jake sighed in relief, his worst thoughts going off to the wayside in favor of just worried thoughts.

You brought your hand up, chewing on the edges of your nails as she spoke.

“Hey, Y/N, everything’s okay–”

Jake watched your body visibly relax, your hand rubbing at your mouth much like he’d seen Bradley do when he was stressed.

“Nicky’s okay? Nothing’s on fire?” 

“No, nothing’s on fire. But Nicky is not wanting to go to bed without you here. I think it's the rain, the storm I should say. He doesn’t want to go to his room. Won’t even get up off the couch.”

You sighed but nodded, “Okay, I’ll be there in a little bit. Get his turtle and his manta ray, then get my body spray and lightly spritz a blanket and let him curl up on the couch until I get there.”

“I’m so sorry Y/N, I know you wanted to have a fun night out… I just didn’t know what to do.”

“Don’t apologize, I’m glad you called. I’ll be home in a little bit.” 

You hung up and looked at Jake, “I’m so sorry, Jake. Nicky is–”

He held his hand up, “Nope, no apologies, go be with your baby. We can meet up later. Tell Nicky I said ‘hi’.”

Your heart skipped a few beats as you smiled at him. He smiled back and nodded towards the front door, “Now go Mother Goose, you got a duckling waiting on you.” 

The look in his eyes was nothing short of fond, the yellow overhead lighting making his eyes a comforting shade of green. 

He wasn’t upset at all, no disdain for your sudden departure on his features. Was he disappointed? Yeah, but you were always going to be a mother first. He couldn’t and would never get in the way of that, or try to change it.

You hugged him, and he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around your waist in reciprocation. 

“Thank you,” you kissed his cheek in thanks as you pulled away from the hug. “You don’t have to thank me, Darlin’. Just text me or call me when you get home safe, okay?” He said with a smile, gently squeezing your shoulders.

You nodded, matching his smile, “Of course, as long as you do the same?” He winked, “You got it.” 

He grabbed your purse for you, “Drive safe, Sweetheart.” You nodded, “I will. Bye Jake.” “Bye Y/N.”

You smiled at him again before going over to the bar, patting the top with the palm of your hand. You opened your mouth to get Penny’s attention but she was already smiling at you. “Heading out?” Your head tilted as you nodded, “Yeah, how’d you know?” She shrugged, nodding down to the bag hanging off your shoulder, “Lucky guess.” 

Chuckling, you pulled your wallet out, “Nicky won’t go to bed, the storm is keeping him up.” You pulled out a fifty, “For my drinks and Jake’s, the rest is your tip.” Penny shook her head, pushing the money back towards you, “That’s way too much, Duckie. 25 is plenty. Plus, Jake’s tab is open and your drinks are on it.” 

“Penny Benjamin–”

“Y/N Bradshaw, don’t argue and go home to your son,” Penny pointed to the door to punctuate her order, the damp towel swaying slightly from her movement.

Huffing out a ‘fine’, you put the fifty away and put a ten on the bar, “I’m still tipping you, because I love you. Not as much as you deserve, but you’re gonna fight me on it.” She smiled gratefully at you, taking the bill, “Thank you, now go home. Text me when you get there.” 

You patted the bar again, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you later, don’t let Jake get too drunk.” 

With that you walked to the door, though Penny stopped you with a shout. 

“That was an Oscar worthy performance by the way!” 

You rolled your eyes, waving to her as you slipped your jacket on, “Bye Penny!”

phew!

that was a long one huh? but hey, we finally got a kiss! they kissed!! and before hand we got a little peak into duckie's insecurities as a mom. though we can all agree she's pretty great right?

i hope you guys liked this chapter and are ready to see where the next chapter takes duckie, nicky, and jake!

hi darlings i know it's been a long time, too long, but like i said before -- i wanted to make sure this was a chapter i was proud of and lately my creative battery just wouldn't behave and it's been hard to write and like what i write. but i think... i think i did it here.

my ducklings <33:

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@horseshoegirl @startrekfangirl2233 @babyreads​ @amatswimming @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @hangmansgbaby​ @callsignwidow @kmc1989​ @goodstuff28​ @pjngpp3501​ @lunamoonbby​ @joyfulpandamiracle​ @craftyinfluencersandwich @averyhotchner​ @emily-roberts​ @teenwolf01 @sunderland-6​ @bethabear12

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[naffeclipse]

I HAVE THR GREATEST IDEA!! Raindeer centaur!Y/n with orca!Eclipse and she finds two calves of sun and moon raindeer centaurs and bring to eclipse how would he react??

Oh my gosh, Reindeer Centaur Y/N!! You'd have a thick, brown coat and velvet horns. Strong and stout, you traverse the ice and snow with a silent forbearance.

Eclipse sees you before you ever see him. He's immediately enamored by the beautiful centaur trotting around snowbanks—he has to see you up close! It takes patience, but he follows from the coast, and he's rewarded. He finds you. He introduces himself the only way he knows how.

You kneel at the water's edge, hooves folded underneath your body as you wash your hands in the thick salt. The taste warns you to not drink it, but it does well cleaning away the sweat and grime from constantly moving. You lower your hands, cupping a gentle handful to wash the fine, velveteen fur of your neck when you realize a face is staring at you from below the surface, grinning.

You slowly straighten where you sit and he follows, emerging from the water in soft splashes and a gleaming gaze. He sizes you up as if deciding where to take the bite first. You, calmly, regard him, and listen to his gushing of how beautiful and handsome you are! He flicks his tongue over his teeth when he tells his name. When you share your own, you study how his claws thrum against the ice and how intently he locks eyes with you.

He often calls you 'my dear' and adores touching your antlers and stroking your thick, velvet fur. You take your time letting him close. When you're not racing along the ocean shore, you'll watch Eclipse breach, showing off with grandiose splashes before he pops up to catch your reaction.

On one rare occasion, he convinces you to lie down on your side, four cervine legs sprawled out, and lay your head on his stomach. You're both quiet the sight, a centaur and a siren, sprawled close together, but you don't mind his claws petting through your hair and scratching between your antlers so long as he's gentle. He sings you lullabies that lull you to sleep (you swore you wouldn't drift away so easily but he had other plans.)

When you're ready, you stroke his head fins and touch his flukes. He's practically beaming under your interest and snowflake-soft palming. He melts when you allow him to press his cheek against the velveteen fur on your reindeer half. He's clingy, but you gradually settle into his constant touches and affectionate affirmations with your treasured time.

Later, much later, when you cross a field, and discover two small bodies with bumbling cervine legs struggling through the snow, you calmly take a calf of beige and buttery yellow colors, and the other, blue metal and silvery, under your arms. They're just old enough to hold themselves up. They bawl, not yet having found their words. The twins nuzzle into your fur. It's not a pretty picture—two abandoned centaur young, but it's nothing you and Eclipse can't handle.

He accepts them without hesitation as you thought he might. It's not a question of acceptance but a matter of finding the right manner in which to tend to the children. You gently point out to Eclipse how the nub markings show how the buttery-yellow babe will have horns like a blossom of petals or a fan of sun rays, and the blue metal babe will have a singular horn like a shooting star or the crescent curve of the waning moon.

(He names them Sun and Moon, and you agree; it fits them fine.)

Eclipse watches over the three of you at night, quietly lapping at the ice's edge while you hold the babies close and provide them with warmth. (Eclipse laughs when the babes attempt to suckle on you, much to your bemusement.) During the day, he stows away though never too far and you find good moss and ferns that Sun and Moon can nibble on. You watch over them, minding predators and coaxing them to stabilize their gangly legs and hold themselves high. Evening falls, and you reunite. Eclipse plays with them tenderly, keeping them from falling into the sea but stimulating them to build their strength and their mind. They take to you both, much to your silent fondness. It's an odd little sight, but you're a family.

You wouldn't have chosen any other.

[beom-s-author]

txt reactions-when you got injured- hyung line

warnings: blood,broken bones,crying,fear,tears,cursing,

Choi Soobin

It was an extraordinary day. It was Txt's off day. Unlike other days, you woke up with Soobin in the morning. You decided to do something together. You decided to do something different today other than normal dates. Soobin took you ice skating. You put on your skates and started skating. The teacher came to you and showed you something. You didn't notice how time passed while you were laughing with Soobin. At the last moment, Soobin made a goofy move. While you were laughing at him, you didn't notice the training pad in front of yourself. It was too late for everything when you tripped and fell. You hit your leg hard on the icy floor. When Soobin turned to you with the voice, he saw you lying on the ground and writhing. The teacher came to you immediately. He noticed that your leg was starting to swell and was bruised. He guessed your leg was broken. It was like that anyway. They put your leg in a cast at the hospital.

Soobin was next to you in the hospital and was holding y hand. You looked at him and he was trying to sound reassuring. However, his concern was evident on his face. When you got home, Soobin dropped you on the couch. He placed your plastered leg on a pillow. When you looked at him and smiled, he gave you a soft smile that showed that he was there for you.

Choi Yeonjun

You were both sitting at your dorm. You were laughing to the tv show. Yeonjun was too loudy and you are also. You got too hungry while watching the film. You and him were trying to persuade each other to bring snacks. You played rock paper scissor. And you lost it . You all laughed .You got up to bring snacks. You opened the fridge. You put the snacks into the bowls but it slipped from your hands and fell down. You flinched with sound and stares at the floor. Your feet got some glass pieces into it and she stares at it. You saw some blood on it. You whine with little pain and slowly sit back. Yeonjun came when he hears the splash sound. "Honey..Okay okay don't move. We should go to hospital. It can be inside of your feet also. Let's go." You nodded and followed him. As they reach to hospital, the nurse examined you and picked some glass from your feet and bandaged. After all, you both went out. Yeonjun was all over you and babying you. He was hugging and pouting all day after you got injured. He was taking care of you like you hurted yourself too badly.

Choi Beomgyu

It was a very sunny day. You and him was outside with the guys. Hueningkai and Taehyun offered to make a football match. You made team as 3. You,Yeonjun and Hueningkai to Beomgyu, Soobin and Taehyun. You were always playing football with your dad until you started university. You thought it would be easy. But they guys are too much taller from you. You were looking at them while lifting your head. And now, you were playing football on the grassy place. You were running to the goal. Until Beomgyu bumoed at you. You fell onto your wrist. You whined with your pain. You got shocked when you looked at your hand. Your little finger discolated. You were shocked but not more than Beomgyu. Beomgyu run to you and picked you up. He stared at your little finger and rushed to the hospital. Thr nurse placed your finger back it's place and bandaged. You all went to your dorm. Beomgyu was still apologizing you even you said it is all fine. He was worried about you. He was holding your hand kissing it. You smiled at him...

[elennemigo]

★ Let´s start with more press junket for Eric!

Cinescape / Buzz / NME / Heart / Yahoo UK / Splash

2

★ Benedict Cumberbatch breaks down Eric's twists and turns: “It's about the mess of being human” - (GQ Interview.)

4

★ Eric Duo Benedict Cumberbatch, Gaby Hoffmann on Exploring Parental Guilt and Grief - (THR Interview.)

★ Kate McKinnon And Andy Samberg Join Benedict Cumberbatch And Olivia Colman In The Roses At Searchlight.

★ Benedict Cumberbatch Battles Inner Demons in Eric. - Netflix Tudum Interview (including new photoshoot! my post)

5

★ Eric's Benedict Cumberbatch breaks down making of Netflix series puppet .

★ Eric promo played in Times Square, shared by Abi Morgan.

Made by Create Advertising Group

6

Benedict joined the cast of next Wes Anderson film, The Phoenician Scheme.

7

★ Benedict and Olly Tylor rehearsing the dance scene for Eric.

8

★ Benedict Cumberbatch: My family, going grey and the joy of playing miserable roles.

★ Collider´s article about one of Benedict best performances, Patrick Melrose.

11

★ First look at The Roses from the set in Salcombe. (Galleries) (my posts 1 2)

★ SAG-AFTRA Foundation´s Q&A with the cast of Eric, from last month.

12

★ Benedict and Gaby Hoffmann broke down a chilling Eric scene

13

★ A short with Benedict doing voicework for Eric.

★ As its president, Benedict attended LAMDA gala as the host. (clip)

15

★ Benedict Cumberbatch & Gaby Hoffmann Break Down The Story Behind Eric.

16

★ New bts pics shared by Photography Director, Benedict Spence.

21

★ Benedict looked back to iconic roles.

(Confirming as you do, he's back as Doctor Strange bc he's gonna start shooting Avengers 5 next year!)

25

★ Benedict and his wife Sophie, attended the Serpentine Gallery Summer Party, in London. (my post)

Gallery. / Clips: x x x x

✧ ── ⋅ FIN ⋅ ── ✧

Happy to report another busy month! ☺

[poe-dameron-fandom]

Chapter 4

Warnings: Mentions of death, injury, suggestive content, angst and a lot of fluff!

Word Count: 2.1k

Past Day:

You feel the cold air hit you as soon as you walk out onto the landing bay, you feel a sudden urge of anxiety raiding through you. “Where are we going?” you question to the Commander as he leads you to his X-Wing. Poe doesn’t provide a response and continues to hold your hand and guide you towards his ship. “Poe isn’t the ship off limits unless you are going on a mission? You are going to get into trouble” you inquiry. At this point Poe drops your hand and turns to face you, he caresses the side your cheek “you are worth it Princess” he winks causing you to shake your head in response.

“I’m not a Princess” you snap. He raises your hand and kisses the back of it “in my eyes you will also be a Princess” he smirks. You can feel the butterflies radiating through you. “smooth Dameron” you giggle. Poe directs you to the steps of his X-Wing, you begin to hesitate. “Aren’t x-wings 1 pilot? How the hell are we flying? I have only flown the Millennium Falcon with my dad, I have never flown a ship by myself?” you begin to panic. Poe puts a hand on your hip and rubs circles into it, this suddenly puts you at ease. “Relax Princess.. I would never put you in danger. I am going to climb up and then you come and sit on my lap and I will help you guide the ship, I want to show you how to fly.” You watch as his face drops as you try to wipe the panic look over your face “we don’t have to do this but you said ‘if I go on a date with you, you best make it memorable' so here we are” he shoots you a smile which makes you go giddy.

“Okay” you replied “so how are we doing this” you gesture towards the ladder leading up into the ship.

“Okay so I will climb up and sit down once I am in I will shout down and then you climb up and sit on my lap. I will control it for now and as soon as you feel confident I will let you lead, I will be here to help”. You slowly nod understanding the instructions. “Wow so first date and you already got me sitting on your lap Dameron, what kind of girl do you think I am?” Poe stops half way up the ladder and looks down at you and laughs.

“Come up!” Poe shouts down now that he is settled in the cockpit. You slowly climb up the ladder and slowly lower yourself on top of Poe and settle between his legs. “Is this okay?” you check. Poe nods slowly and starts to blush, you move your hips again getting comfortable which causes a low groan to escape from him. You turn sniggering at him and raise your eyebrows as you feel the evident bulge between you both “really? This was your idea” you laugh. Poe rolls his eyes “its not my fault I have the most beautiful women in the galaxy sitting on my lap what do you expect?” he giggles, this time its your turn to blush.

Poe turns his attention to the controls in front of you, his arms are wrapped around your waist as he begins to take off. You can feel the ship slowly lift you up in the air, Poe slowly starts moving directing the ship through the air. You are overwhelmed with the view, your eyes are darting everywhere as Poe travels through the sky, With that Poe quickly pulls you away and swoops down and as he turns the X-Wing the wings splash through the water beneath you, you scream with happiness and shut your eyes as you both soar through the sky. “Don’t you dare close your eyes!” Poe shouts as he uses one of his hands to remove your hand from your eyes “this is the best part” he announces as he flips the x-wing upside down.

Once Poe gets you at a steady level you can feel yourself relax in his arms “you wanna take over?” you can feel your heart pounding in your chest. “I’m not sure if I trust myself” you giggle. “Come on Princess when did you last let your heart decide?”

“Okay..Okay give me the controls Flyboy” with that you take over the controls from Poe, you slowly get a grip over Poe’s hands as he slowly lets go. “Whooooo!!!” you both scream as you begin to fly through the sky “you are a natural!” Poe shouts.

“Its getting late I best get you back before your mother tells me off. Did you want to land or did you want me to land?”

“I think you can land, I really don’t want to crash your x-wing the first time flying it” which you both giggle and Poe takes over the controls from you. Once landed you slowly get off his lap and climb down the ladder and wait for him. You both look into eachothers eyes, “thank you Poe with everything going on that is the most fun I have had in a while” Poe gives you a grin and wraps his arms around you and embraces you into a hug, his strong arms wrapped around you feels like home, you don’t want to let go. As you pull away you both gaze into eachothers eyes, he tucks a stand of hair behind your ear that fell our of your ponytail and places a small peck to your forehead. “Let me know when you want your next flying lesson Princess!” Poe shouts as he starts to walk away towards the direction of his quarters.

“Who said you will be lucky enough to give me another lesson flyboy” you wink as he shoots you a glare. You both stand on the other side of the landing bay just gazing at eachother, before you know it Poe rushes across the landing bay wraps both hands on either side of your cheek and engage in a deep passionate kiss. You wrap your hands around his neck to bring him in closer, just for a moment you forget where you are and forget about the worry of being caught, in that moment all that matters is the both of you. You begin running your hand through his hair which you take advantage of the open mouth moan that he makes to slip your tongue into his mouth. As you both pull away for air, your eyes are glazed with lust. “You make me crazy Y/N Solo” Poe whispers into your lips, he places another longing kiss to your lips and pulls away “I will see you tomorrow gorgeous” he walks away, at that instant you knew you loved him.

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

Present

You wake up to the sound of the beeping to the side of you, you slowly open your eyes and you instantly regret it due to the bright lights of the med bay. You turn and see the hologram of your sats to your right showing that you have a stable heartbeat. Suddenly the pain overwhelms you, as your groan in agony you see Poe to your left start to stir from his sleeping state. “Have you been asleep there the whole time?”  you asked trying to hide your discomfort. Poe is quick to sit up in the chair next to you and grab your left hand and runs his fingers over the top of it.

“Of course you really think I would leave your side in this state? Y/N I told you not to go and now look you almost bloody died, I-I thought I lost you Y/N you need to stop thinking you can fight him!” Poe begins raising his voice which has causes your eyes start to water.

“Poe we are both fighting a war, we both put ourselves in danger everyday. Maker how many times have you been in here after almost risking your life. So why is it okay for you to fight but n-no I-I have to sit here and do nothing- Uggghhh” You scream in discomfort as Poe stern demeanour has now turned soft as he wraps himself into you and places a soft kiss to your head.

“You told me you would be careful then I find out you are our there trying to fight Kylo Ren with a bloody lightsaber. I get you are a Jedi and there are certain things I will never understand but that wasn’t the fight that needed to be made”

“Poe h-he killed my d-dad I-I watch him die” you start to sob “B-Ben he had to pay for that” you now cannot control the tears that are falling down your face Poe has wrapped your injured body into his whilst you cry into his chest.

“I know that baby and Ben will pay I will promise you we will fight to bring that First Order down but I cannot lose you in the process. Can you promise to just be safe for me please” Poe pleads with you.

“Will you promise to be safe Poe, will you promise not to be reckless and not put your life in danger” Poe slowly shakes his head “you know I cannot promise you that”.

You gave him a small smile “well you know then I cannot promise you that either”. Poe shakes his head knowing you are as stubborn as him. “Where’s Finn and Rey are they okay?” you now start to panic as the memories of the fight come back.

“Finn hasn’t woke up yet they said he is okay though, in all honesty you were in a worst state then him if you have woken up then he will be fine.”

“Okay so wheres Rey? I cannot sense her?”  

“We found the Map to Skywalker. R2 woke up-“

“R2 woke up?” you butted in

“Yes if you would let me finish” Poe jokes “He had the missing part of the map so when put together with the part that BB-8 had it made the map to your uncle. Rey has gone to find him”.

“I should of gone with her to find Uncle Luke, she is strong with the force but she cannot go on her own. I need to find her, I need to go with her” you start taking off the wires attached to you and begin trying to get out of bed.

Poe grabs you with force and slowly lowers you back down to the bed “you are not going anywhere Princess. I almost lost you, I need to spend some time with my beautiful  fiancé before we both get sent out on another stupid mission where we both could possible die”.

“Wow so romantic Poe” you sarcastically laugh as you roll your eyes. Then you quickly realise you haven’t got your ring on. You go to grab your necklace as you always wear it on that when out on a mission but that’s not there either. “Oh my Maker, Poe where’s my ring, no no no”. you start to panic but Poe doesn’t look worried.

“Calm down baby. Its here” he takes his necklace of his neck where he has his mums ring and undoes it to release your ring into his hand. “Your necklace was damaged, as I carried you off the Millennium Falcon it fell onto the ground I didn’t want to put it on your finger and you know risk the nurses losing it whilst they did their tests so I thought that would be the safest place”. You whisper a quiet thank you as Poe slowly pulls your hand up and carefully places the ring back onto your ring finger “back in its rightful place” Poe smiles and places a soft kiss to your cut lips.

“I love you so much Princess, honesty I have never loved anyone the way I love you” you lean in places another kiss to his lips but this time it is desperate and full of passion. You wince due to the pain in your side and Poe is quickly to pull away and gives you a sympathetic look. “I love you Poe Dameron, I have loved you since that moment you kissed me, from that moment I knew you were mine”.

“Oh believe me Y/N, I knew you were mine from the second I saw you. My first day at the resistance you were sitting there bossing people around like you owned the place, the confidence radiated off you and your beauty I knew from that instant I was going to marry you and now look your mine forever now. Just promise me Y/N that you will always come back to me, because I cannot do forever without you.”

“That I can promise Poe, I promise to always come back to you”. 

[flagellant]

I've been idly daydreaming about that Bacchlaet for years now and I think the only thing that's really shifted over that time was the set dressing. In its current daydream imagery the main setpiece is a central triclinium. During the first act it's set traditionally. The second act begins immediately succeeding Bacchus laying his curse upon the king; in it, the entire table is covered in the goblets and glasses of wine and red grapevines growing over and consuming it in a tangle. The third act has it almost entirely emptied of the glasses (taken away as theyve been splashed around by the silent servants, the literal cupbearers), save for one--but often thr bodies of the dancers drape and lie over and across its vines, either exhausted, dead, entrapped in a dream of divine ecstasy, or some combination of the three (of course also implying that the dancers themselves are both feasters and also feast, another blurring of those lines)

[urlocalloser10191]

this song reminds me of you- (look at the lyri-) WAIT WHO SAID THAT HAHA

Listenint now and awwwwe i love the beat + I LOGE THR LURICANTKDJFMMF