#(( did someone order angst with their dessert? ))

[eternalchiyo]

𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕜 ~𝔻𝔸ℝ𝕂 07~

Summary: Kitchen Nightmares but actually it's just Chiyo trying to make food.

Word Count: 2209

Yui and Ayato came back a bit over an hour later. Chiyo had occupied herself with watching the fire die in the fireplace of the living room. She’d have liked for it to be warmer in the house since she grew extremely cold at times. At the same time, ever since that one day she felt a bit uneasy about fires. Not scared, but she would rather not get too close to one.

Yui, who was tucking away the umbrella in the holder at the entrance, came to greet Chiyo. “Chiyo-san, we’re back, oh? The fire is almost out, aren’t you cold?”

She hurried to the fireplace and rekindled the flames by getting some more firewood in there.

“Hey, Chichinashi, what are you doing? I thought you were going to make me Takoyaki?!” Ayato complained from back in the door frame. So that’s how she kept the guy happy. Chiyo wondered whether Yui’s cooking was really that good. They did say the way to the heart was through the stomach and Ayato did exactly seem like the type of guy to fall victim to that.

“Yes, yes, Ayato-kun,” Yui said. She really was enthusiastic in everything she did. Chiyo watched them with piqued interest.

“Oh right, Chiyo-san,” Yui turned to her, “I didn’t know what your favorite dish was, so I bought a bit of everything. We can make something together if you’d like?”

Chiyo raised her eyebrows. She never cooked before; they had servants for that. Before she could answer anything, Ayato cut her off:

“Hellooo? Are you coming or what?”

Chiyo rolled her eyes and followed the two of them after looking into Yui’s pleading face. She supposed she didn’t have many better things to do, so she might as well take part.

Ayato was suspiciously accommodating to Yui’s request of passing her the ingredients she needed. Chiyo supposed it was because there was something in it for him. She watched with curiosity as the other girl prepared the octopus and batter. While the pan was heating up Yui prepared the other garnishes. Clearly, she was quite skilled with a kitchen knife. Suddenly she turned towards her.

“So, Chiyo-san, what is your favorite food after all?” she asked.

Chiyo felt her own cheeks get warm. Sharing something like her favorite food with someone seemed like a very personal question. The obvious answer should have been ‘Why? Blood, of course.’. That has always been her answer; a lie. Something she pretended to love for appearances sake. She had no idea what convinced her to tell the truth this time.

“I… uh, really like crepes,” she said, “the ones you can buy with whipped cream and fruits.”

Ayato, who was sitting on the edge of the kitchen table started laughing loudly. This was the exact reason why Chiyo usually kept everything to herself. Alas, it was too late to take her words back now. She had to make do with frowning at him.

“Oh, don’t give me that look little miss “I-only-ever-suck-blood” hahah, though, I guess I would also keep my favorite food a secret if it was something as ridiculous as girly crepes.”

She hated it when Ayato made fun of her. She hated it when anyone made fun of her, really. The big kitchen knife Yui used to cut the green onions was laying on the counter next Chiyo now. She grabbed it.

“I swear, Ayato, if you don’t shut up right now, I will shove this down your throat!”

“What was that?! You wanna fight? Come at m–"

Yui cut him off by popping a Takoyaki ball inside his open mouth. “Here, Ayato-kun, try this,” she said. Chiyo could hear Ayato grumble something while he chewed but she couldn’t make out any coherent words. “Chiyo-san, you too.”

Yui handed her a Takoyaki skewer. Chiyo eyed it suspiciously before taking it.

It tasted really good.

Come to think of it, Chiyo had never been offered food in a way like this before. She thought about it while she was chewing the octopus-ball. Being distracted like that, Yui swiftly took the knife from her hands. It was a bit comical. Was that girl worried about Chiyo getting herself in trouble or was she worried about her hurting Ayato? Who knew. She didn’t really care, as she never meant to actually attack Ayato with it in the first place.

The boy in question eventually took off with a full plate of Takoyaki, leaving the two girls alone in the kitchen.

Chiyo helped Yui take care of the dirty dishes as well as she could. Meaning she ended up being the one to dry them off and put them inside the cabinets. They did that in silence until Yui spoke again.

“Chiyo-san, have you ever made crepes before?”

Chiyo shook her head. She didn’t exactly like not having as skill that the other girl had but at the same time concluded that it was a useless skill to have anyway.

“Let’s try making some then. I think this could be fun. Ayato and I also bought a bunch of fresh fruit and it would be a shame if it went to waste.”

“But I don’t– “

“Don’t worry, it’s not that hard,” Yui said, “we can start by cracking these eggs in a bowl.”

She handed Chiyo one of them and nodded her head to the glass bowl she took out a few moments ago. Chiyo tried her best. First, she tapped the egg gently against the rim of the bowl – nothing happened. She tried again, harder this time, but this only caused the egg to burst in half immediately and coat both the counter and Chiyo’s hand in egg yolk.

She groaned in frustration and shook off her hand in the sink.

“Obviously this egg must have been faulty,” she said pout audible in her voice.

Yui let out a giggle at seeing the other girl struggling.

“Do you have a death wish?” Chiyo asked.

“No, s…sorry.”

She took a damp cloth and cleaned up the mess, before taking out another egg from the carton.

“Here let me show you how to do it best.”

Yui took the egg and tapped it a few times against the bowl, forming a small crack in the shell. Then she took her thumbs and pushed the two sides of the shell apart, making the contents of the egg fall into the bowl. Chiyo was fascinated, the shell was perfectly sliced into two halves.

Timidly she took the other egg that Yui was handing her and tried to mimic Yui’s actions. She succeeded in cracking it open without wasting half of it like the previous time, however the shell did not crack open evenly and a few tiny pieces fell into the bowl along with the yolk.

“Damn it!”

Chiyo was about to throw the whole bowl away when Yui stepped in.

“Ah! Don’t worry about it, this happens to me sometimes as well, here, let me take care of it quickly!”

She fished the little eggshell pieces out with a teaspoon. “See? Nobody can tell that they were ever in there.”

Once again Chiyo could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. She let her emotions get the better of her and she hated it. She always tried so hard to appear in control, it was hard for her when she lost it. Though, along with the obvious feeling of shame and feeling inferior there was also a sliver of a warm and fuzzy feeling. Was she having fun?

“Cheer up, you did pretty well for your first time,” Yui said. Her tone was cheerful.

Chiyo looked at the girl who was now putting in milk into the bowl and mixing it with a whisk. She had never met such a strange person before.

“How do you do that?” Chiyo asked.

“Hm? Oh, you just need to firmly grasp the bowl in one hand and– “

“No, not that,” Chiyo said, “how do you… stay so happy? Here of all places.”

This mansion was depressing. Everyone living inside it hated each other or had some sort of other issue with one another. On top of that Yui was the only human here, making her an easy target for blood sucking attacks, even from up there Chiyo could see the fading bite marks from some of the brothers littering her white skin in bruises. Her being a girl put her in an even more precarious situation, Chiyo was sure.

Yui bit her lower lip in thought and suddenly stopped whisking the milk and eggs. She smiled at Chiyo but all it did was make her sad.

“It’s not like I didn’t try to run away, you know?”

Yui recalled how she tried to run in the beginning, but all that got her was a broken phone and more bruises, so she eventually decided to make the best out of her situation. Chiyo felt as if she began to understand the girl better. She didn’t have anywhere to go and with the whole household being Vampires it was easy for them to just find her by scent. Even if she ran again, she probably wouldn’t come far.

“Besides… the others are not as bad as they seem,” she said and started to put in flour into the bowl little by little, mixing in between.

“Oh yeah? Like whom? Ayato?”

Yui nodded. “Ayato-kun, Reiji-san and Subaru-kun. Laito-kun and Kanato-kun as well.”

Chiyo looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

“And Shuu-san is– “

“Shuu-san is an asshole,” Chiyo completed for her.

And I am the one who made him that way, she thought.

Yui shook her head. “Mmm, Shuu-san is a kind person. I can tell, even if he wants people to think something else.”

Chiyo looked down and felt like crying. She could feel the other girl look at her, probably deciding whether to poke further or to leave it be. Apparently, she decided to leave it be because she didn’t say anything else until the crepes were ready.

It was Yui who took care of putting the batter into the pan and making the delicious thin base that could be filled with all kinds of things later. Chiyo mostly watched as she was sure she would set the house on fire accidentally if she had to do it herself.

They let the crepes cool down a bit before moving on to fruit selection. There were all kinds of different fruits inside the shopping bags. A mango, many bananas, strawberries, raspberries and… apples.

Chiyo meticulously picked out the apples and put them aside.

“You don’t want apples inside the crepes, Chiyo-san?” Yui asked.

“No. I hate them,” Chiyo said.

Looking at the other girl’s quizzical expression, she added: “They remind me of someone - a dead person.”

“I see, yeah I can see how it could be a sad memory, if it was someone that really liked them.”

Chiyo didn’t confirm her statement, but she also didn’t deny it. It really was not the time to put the mood down even further than it was. She wanted to finally be done with the crepes so she could get out of the situation. It was making her feel more and more on edge.

She ended up picking bananas and strawberries for her crepe and Yui helped her with rolling it up properly. Then they filled some of the other ones and left a few for being eaten plain if anybody wanted.

When they were almost finished Yui looked happy again.

“I am sure Kanato-kun will be thrilled when he sees what we made,” she said in a very cheerful tone.

“Hey maybe if you offer one to Shuu-san, you two could make up already?”

Chiyo looked at her with a frown.

“If I give him one of those, he will probably take it as an insult,” she said.

Shuu hated sweets, always had.

“Besides, I don’t think this can be solved by a piece of fried batter.”

“Maybe not but you gotta start somewhere, right? Or do you plan on fighting with him for the rest of your lives?”

‘The rest of your life’ sounded extremely long if you considered the fact that Vampire lives were eternal. At least Shuu’s was, her own, Chiyo was not sure. How would she know anyway? She was the only of her kind. A weird mixture of human and monster. Her life has been long already, but she had no idea when it would end.

“Shuu-san always looks at you with those sad eyes, I don’t think he means to keep fighting with you,” Yui said.

Chiyo sighed.

“It’s sad to see people fight.”

“It is sad isn’t it…” Chiyo said.

But no matter how much Chiyo regretted what happened in the past, there was no way to undo it. Edgar was dead and so was Shuu. The old Shuu had died alongside the human boy in the cursed fire that Reiji set to the village. He hasn’t been the same ever since.

She couldn’t help but feel as if it was her who murdered him.

The crepe was sweet. Sickeningly sweet, just the way she would like it. And yet… And yet it almost made her choke.

[heavyhitterheaux]

Back to You

AN: angst with some fluff!

Synopsis: It's the first game of the season, and you promised your boyfriend that you would be in the audience cheering him on. But when you don't make an appearance at the game, Joe quickly grows annoyed at you until he learns the reason why

Pairing: Joe Burrow x Reader

Requested by: a lovely anon 💕

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

“If you keep giving me kisses, you're going to be late.” You told your boyfriend of two years as he continued giving you small pecks and you peeked past him to look at the clock that was hanging behind him on the wall.

“Not you complaining that I need my good luck kisses.” Joe responded while turning up his nose at you.

“I'm not complaining by any means. I just don't want you to be late. You know how much I love giving you kisses.” You told him as your arms wrapped around him as he kissed your forehead.

“I love giving you kisses somewhere else too and you’re wearing my jersey tonight, correct? I love seeing you in it and I love it even more when I take it off when the game is over.” Joe asked and you rolled your eyes.

“No, I'm wearing Ja'Marr's along with the hoodie he gave me.”

Now it was Joe’s turn to roll his eyes and suck his teeth.

“Babe? Seriously?”

“You're the one asking stupid questions, not me.”

“There's no such thing as a stupid question.”

“Hmm, Joseph, I beg to differ. Now please go so you won't be late. I love you.” You told him as you reached up on your toes to give him one more kiss which he gladly accepted.

“I love you too and I'll see you when you get there.”

“I'm going to need a huge mountain of mozzarella sticks when I do. Probably throw some nachos in there too for good measure.”

“Did you forget that you ate yourself into a food coma last week and fell asleep in the last 10 minutes of the game?”

“Nope, and I'm getting ready to do it again.”

Joe just shook his head at you knowing that you would be complaining about it later.

“See you when you get there, babe.” He told you as he played with your necklace that he had gifted you with his name on it.

“Can't wait to see you win this one.”

After Joe had gotten into his car and pulled off to make his way to the stadium, you took the steps two at a time to head to your master bedroom in order to get ready to head to the game. Your sister was coming with you since she was able to get off of work because someone switched swifts with her. Even if she was the owner of her own shop, she needed someone she could trust to handle things when she wasn’t going to be there. She was actually the reason that the two of you were together in the first place, but it was definitely a love at first sight type of situation.

Your sister just so happened to own a bakery and was very surprised when Joe walked in one day and was casually browsing the display case of treats. That day she was short staffed and you were helping her out for a few hours since you loved to bake in your spare time and knew your way around a kitchen. Natalie just loved it even more to eventually make a career out of it. As Joe was asking about the different desserts and pastries, your sister Natalie kept seeing his eyes wander in your direction.

“She’s single and I need for you to take me out of my misery because she is always all up under me.” She told him as she nudged her head in your direction. She knew how big of a crush you had on Joe with you being a huge football fan and thought it was hilarious that you hadn't recognized him yet being in the very same store breathing in the same air. She knew it was only a matter of time before you turned around and saw him.

Hearing this, Joe's eyes went wide and he began to stutter.

“What? I… um…”

“She's my baby sister. Go over there and talk to her.”

Ever since that moment, the two of you had been inseparable.

You told Natalie that you were going to pick her up so that she didn't have to worry about driving through the city which you knew that she despised and would try to avoid at all costs. Knowing her if she drove, she probably wouldn’t even make it to the game until halftime since all she liked to take were backroads.

You- Getting ready now! Leaving the house in about twenty minutes!

Natalie- Okay! Just text me when you get here. I'm excited and can't wait to eat ourselves into a food coma lol 🤣

You- Will do! And Joe will just have to deal with it

Your shower had been taken with Joe an hour and a half before so all that was left for you to do was to get dressed. Slipping on Joe's jersey as promised, you then slipped on your jeans before grabbing your black and orange converses. As you sat down at your vanity, light makeup was applied before putting your knotless braids into a high ponytail with an orange bow holding it in place.

Taking one last look in your shared bedroom, you made sure that nothing was left behind that you might need as you slipped your crossbody up over your head to rest on your shoulder.

It would take you about fifteen minutes to get to Natalie's house and then it would take another thirty in order to get to the stadium coming from that direction. As you made your way out of the neighborhood and stopped at a red light, a quick text was sent to let her know that you were on your way. The light then turned green and you promptly entered the intersection before your head suddenly slammed against your driver's side window knocking you unconscious.

There were only mere minutes until the game started and there was no sign of either you or your sister in the stands which made Joe extremely nervous. He knew you didn't mention stopping anywhere except to get Natalie so he didn't quite understand.

You had mentioned that you would leave the house about twenty minutes after he did, so you should have been there by now with Natalie and he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that he was having. A feeling that something was incredibly wrong. But on the other hand, maybe something important had happened because he knew for a fact that the last thing you would ever do is miss one of his home games.

Kickoff had now begun with the defense taking the field first. Joe was constantly looking over his shoulder every few minutes hoping that you would suddenly appear, but every single time he came up empty. Ja’Marr could tell that Joe was distracted and made it a point to ask him about it.

“You good?” He asked, breaking Joe out of his thoughts.

“Y/N and Natalie aren’t here yet and I don’t know where they could be. She literally told me that she was going to leave the house about twenty minutes after I did to get her sister and then that would make her only be thirty minutes away. She never misses a home game if she can help it. I’m worried, but also starting to get annoyed at her because she promised she’d be here.”

“Hey, I’m sure that there’s some type of explanation for all this. Hopefully they’ll be here by the time the first quarter is over. But for now we need to focus to get this win.” Ja’Marr told him and Joe simply nodded his head. Ja’Marr could tell that he was obviously still annoyed, but was hoping that this didn’t cause Joe not to focus on what was happening in front of him.

The game was now over with the Bengals winning over the Chiefs 38 to 31 and Joe was now more than annoyed with you. Pissed off was more like it as he began to get dressed to head home after taking a shower.

“Joe, get your phone, it’s been going off nonstop.” Tee told him as he walked by making Joe quickly pick it up to look at it.

Staring back at him was a total of seventeen missed calls all from Natalie as well as an unknown number that he didn’t recognize. Seeing how many there were instantly made his heart drop as he picked it up to call your sister back. One thing that did stick out to him was the fact that there weren’t any missed calls from you and the sinking feeling that he had gotten in the pit of his stomach was now more prominent.

Natalie didn’t even give the phone a chance to ring before she picked it up to answer.

“JOE! THANK GOD!”

“Natalie, what…. What is going on? Why didn’t the two of you come to the game?”

She wasted no time and was talking a mile a minute.

“Y/N was on her way to get me and I know that because she sent me a text telling me, but she literally never made it here.”

“What do you mean she never made it there?” Joe asked with a lump in his throat forming.

“I literally just got a call from the hospital. I had been trying to call her for hours, but she didn’t answer. Someone hit her car while she was crossing the intersection by the light closest to where you guys live. She has you listed as her emergency contact, but since they couldn’t get a hold of you, they called me. I’m on my way there now and oh my God, I hope she’s okay. They wouldn’t tell me anything over the phone. Joe, she is my only sister and there is no way I can…”

“Okay, Natalie. I know this is the last thing you want to hear right now, but you need to calm down and breathe. You’re driving so I want you to get there safely. Just focus on the road and I’ll meet you there. Which hospital is it?” Joe tried to comfort your big sister as best as he could when he was falling apart at the seams himself.

“University of Cincinnati Medical Center.”

“I’m on my way now.”

With a shaky hand, Joe quickly hung up the phone and got dressed in under two minutes. There was literally no time for him to do a press conference because seeing if you were okay was his main priority. Grabbing his bag, he practically ran out of the stadium and heard Tee yelling behind him.

“Joe, where’s the fire?!”

“Y/N got into an accident and I don’t know if she’s okay or not. They’re going to have to do the press conference without me and get the fuck over it.”

As Joe was driving, he started to feel guilty about being mad at you before he found out what had actually happened. He was simply praying for you to be okay when he got there and you not being at the game was now the least of his worries since there would be plenty more.

It only took him about fifteen minutes to get to the hospital as he weaved in and out of traffic and quickly parked before practically taking off running to the emergency room entrance. Once he passed the threshold and signed in at the security desk, he saw your sister down the hallway talking on the phone and quickly went over to her. Her face was red and puffy from crying, but she immediately took the phone away from her ear once she saw Joe.

“Where is she? How is she?”

“She’s okay, thank goodness. It just looks worse than it actually is. Just talking to my dad. She’s in that room right over there.” She told him as she pointed.

Joe quickly nodded his head before walking down the hallway to your room. Once he got there, the door was open and he saw your eyes closed while the television was on a low volume in the background. Your face was covered in streaks of blood and scratches as bruises were taking form on your arms on the skin that was exposed. Your Bengals jersey had splatters of blood covering it and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It hurt Joe to see you in that state, but he was simply happy that you were alive.

Hearing footsteps, you quickly opened your eyes to look towards the door and let out a sob when you saw your boyfriend who immediately embraced you in a hug.

“I’m sorry… I…” You started to say, but he promptly cut you off.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re alive and that’s all that matters.” He told you as he rubbed small circles along your back.

“But I broke my promise. I told you that I would be there.”

“Baby, that is the last thing we need to worry about and besides, this was in no way, shape or form your fault. Do you remember what happened?”

“A little bit. I was at the light and it was red, so I sent a text to Natalie telling her that I was coming. The light turned green and I proceeded to go and that was when someone hit me. I hit my head on the window and that’s where all these little cut marks are from apparently. Next thing I knew, I woke up and I was here. They got your number out of my phone, but I told them that you were a little busy and to call Natalie.”

“I am never too busy for you, you know better.”

“I just… I wanted to be there for you, first game of the season and I missed it.”

“You have the rest of the entire season to be there for me. I needed to be there for you today.”

“There’s one more thing…” You said as you looked down and played with your necklace at the same time.

“What is it, babe?”

“My car….. Is probably totaled from the impact. He was going at a high speed and I was told that it’s a miracle that I’m even still alive to tell the tale because the car is unrecognizable.”

“As soon as you’re all healed from this, we’ll go and get you a new one. But once again, that is the last thing that we need to be worrying about. Until then, I’m driving you everywhere and I don’t want to hear any complaints.”

“Oh good, I’m probably going to make my first stop at Sephora.”

“Wait… hold on…”

“And Target too.”

Joe simply sighed before nodding his head because he knew that he would do anything to put a smile on your face.

“It looks like you were the one who needed the good luck kisses today.” He told you and you scoffed.

“Oh wait! Did you guys win?!” You asked as the thought popped up into your head.

“We did.”

“So, it looks like the good luck kisses worked both ways. I need to give them to you more often.”

It was another hour and a half before the doctor cleared you to leave the hospital and you convinced Joe to get you McDonald’s before heading home since you weren’t able to get your nachos and mozzarella sticks at the game.

After taking a shower and washing off the day's events, you quickly put your hair up and slipped on your comfy black and orange Bengals pajamas as you slid in bed next to Joe who promptly put his arms around you and kissed your forehead. He glanced down at you to see that you were looking back up at him and he reached down to kiss the tip of your nose.

“Your mind is racing, what are you thinking?” You asked as you held onto him tighter.

“That I came very close to losing the love of my life today and how thankful I am that I still get to hold her.”

You sighed and simply nodded, not really knowing what to say.

“And it made me feel guilty when I did find out what happened and why you weren’t there because I can admit, I was upset and pissed off. I just thought ‘why would she promise me that she was coming and she’s nowhere in sight?’”

“You know that I always keep my promises whether it’s big or small. But, it didn't happen today.” You softly said to him and he simply nodded.

“You came back to me and that is literally all I could have asked for.”

Taglist:

@hoodharlow

@nattinatalia

@wickedfun9

@a-moment-captured

@dandelionwrites8

@keiva1000

[gothamhappiness]

You are my heaven (Bruce Wayne x f!reader) Part 2

It was supposed to be a little imagine of a dark and lonely Bruce Wayne switching place with another Bruce Wayne from a parallal universe, but I wrote more than I thought. It'll be into 2 parts, except if you ask for more. <3

You can find part 1 of this here.

Warnings: no proof reading, language, mention of blood and killing, angst/comfort

He met you up at the Italian restaurant and loved to place a hand on the small of your back. He loved even more how you instinctively leaned into his touch and side. He really couldn't go back to his world. This place was heaven, and he was going to take such good care of his new people.

He listened to everything you said and actually answered. He never checked on his phone and didn't show any sign of being in the rush. You noticed how relaxed he seemed. Just before the dessert, he even reached for your hand and gently kissed it. He openly flirted with you and did his best to make you laugh. It was his favourite sound, with your moans of pleasure.

"You're in a good mood today," You finally commented. "You even took the time to talk to the kids this morning. And not to order them stuff about patrol, " You whispered

It hit Bruce. Of course, the "kids" were the vigilantes he saw working with Batman. He couldn't imagine how amazing it must be to work with other people. To be the mentor of those people, too. Their leader. Maybe even their father? They were all so young, they clearly needed someone to be there for them. And you cared for them, like a mother.

"I... Last night was a little bit complicated, and I realise how lucky I am, that’s all," Bruce replied, hoping you might know something

"Yes, Dick and Cass told me you got attacked by that mad scientist and that he threw at you some weird potion. Luckily, nothing happened. You were a little bit dizzy when you came back home, and you instantly went to bed. I helped you undress, and you fell asleep on me, " You hummed. "Anyway, I'm happy if things…” You trailed off

“If things?” Bruce tried to get you to finish your sentence

“Could... be better, " You admitted and looked away

Bruce was speechless for a few moments. Were you saying that the Bruce of this world neglected his people? His own people? You? He fucking didn't deserve any of this then. It was making things so easy, no guilt, no mercy.

"What do you mean, love?" He asked with a tilt of the head. You still refused to meet his eyes as you answered:

"Well... You haven't been around a lot lately. I can't even remember the last time we had lunch together. And you... you aren't the nicest with the children... Jason came to see me for comfort after another argument with you. Steph had a nap with me on the couch after you pushed her too much during training..." You explained. 

You didn't want to ruin the moment, but you weren't too sure when you would be able to tell him about all of this. For once, he seemed open to the discussion and wasn’t distracted with his work. However, his silence worried you a little bit. Actually, Bruce was angry. It was obvious that the Bruce of this universe didn't know his luck. He was going to be better - oh, so much better - than him. It was a promise. He kissed your hand again

"I'm so sorry. I'll do better. With everyone." He told you, and you finally looked at him, astonished. You had expected some justifications or denials, not this.

"I'm so... relieved. Maybe you could have a little talk with all the kids? And I know that your relationships with the members of the Justice League were getting tense, too. We haven't invited the Kents at home in so long." You babbled. 

Bruce could tell how much you cared about the family and that you decided to push your luck. You wanted your children to be happy, and you wished for Bruce to do better with his friends as well. You were so caring. Bruce was falling even deeper in love with you, and he didn’t think that was possible.

"I will. I promise. What about us?" He asked. 

Of course, he was going to do his best for all those people he didn't know yet, but what he wanted the most was to be a good husband to you. He had fantasied about your life together so badly, and now that it was happening, it needed to be perfect.

You didn't reply right away, trying to quickly think.

"What about us?" You finally said

"I haven't been the best to you either," Bruce guessed

"You saw the divorce papers I asked from our lawyer, didn't you?" You internally cursed yourself. You should have been better

Bruce silently panicked but didn't show anything. Oh the fucker was really ruining everything. He needed to make you forget about this divorce. You were finally his wife, he wasn't going to lose you or let you go. You were his, like he belonged body and soul to you.

"Love,..." He started, but you cut him off

"I was just thinking about it, but I... I don't want to leave the family. It was just in case things went downhill, " You explained, a little bit concerned of what the man was thinking

"It won't," He reassuringly smiled at you

"What?"

"It won't go downhill. I'll do anything you all need from me. I'm so lucky to have all of you in my life. I can't take this luck for granted. I'll do better, " He promised

You weren't too sure Bruce wasn't lying, but you wanted to believe him so badly.

Bruce found a folder with information on all the people in Bruce's life on the batcomputer, and he was grateful for that. It allowed him to know about his history with everyone and to act on consequences. He did talk to everyone and tried to make things better. He apologised and offered his help. He took some time for everyone. He showed he was eager to make an effort. He showed he wanted everyone to be happy around him. He showed he was there for his people.

He also found the mad scientist.

He interrogated him in Arkham Asylum. The man hadn't thought a new Batman would come. He just thought it would send the Dark Knight into another world, and that was it. Bruce asked if there was a way to get the real Bruce back. The mad scientist refused to answer at first before admitting that yes, there was. After all, portals could go both ways. Bruce went to the scientist's repair and destroyed everything before paying hitmen to kill the man. There was no way he would come back to Hell. No way. He would even kill the former Bruce himself if he had to.

The night he came back from the scientist’s repair, he was his most charming self to you, bringing you a beautiful necklace full of diamonds. As he helped you put it on, he complimented you and kissed your skin. He seduced you all night.

In the bath with you, his hands never left your skin. He gently washed your body and hair. He tenderly massaged cream onto you. He covered you in kisses until you would giggle under his nonstop attention. You truly hoped Bruce would keep acting like that because you were falling back in love with him. Hard. You were happy, and you clearly didn't want to get a divorce anymore.

A few days later, you and the children had lunch all together. Without Bruce.

You all decided that a conversation was a necessity because “what was going on with the man for fuck's sake?”. It was impossible he changed that much in such a short period of time. It was obvious something happened with the mad scientist. But weirdly enough, he was now dead and his work was destroyed...

"It's not Bruce," Tim finally said

"What do you mean?" You frowned

"It's not the Bruce we knew. From what I've been able to find, the scientist was studying portals through different parallel universe" Tim added

"You're saying that... He switched of Bruces from two different worlds?" You asked

"I think it's what happened, yes." Tim nodded, and you all stayed silent for a little while

"What do we do?" Duke asked

"This Bruce is nicer," Jason commented

"And more caring," Stephanie added

"But it is not our father." Damian frowned

"But he is acting like one..." Dick replied

"And like a husband." Cass added "His body language... He is so in love with you, Y/N… Like he would do anything for you."

"I... I know.” You paused “Maybe we all deserve some happiness"

“Are you saying we should pretend we don’t know anything? Barbara asked “It’s true that the Bruce we had was… challenging, but he all saved us. And kinda took care of us. We don’t know what this man will do in the long run” she added, and you were forced to agree with her

“Let me talk to him” You offered, and everyone agreed.

You weren’t too sure when it would be the right moment to speak with your new husband about the situation.

One evening, as you were snuggled up in his embrace, you felt like it was the right time. It was only the two of you, and the day has been quite good for Bruce, so he was relaxed. You kissed his collarbone to bring his attention back to you. He instantly put his book down to look at you.

"Yes, love?" He hummed

“Who are you?” You whispered with a bite of your bottom lip

“What? You know who am I” Bruce pretended to laugh it off, but he tensed a little bit

“You’re different. The kids are little detectives, and they think you are coming from a parallel universe. And… I can believe that” You explained

“Why?” 

“Because my husband liked me, but never worshipped me like a divinity of love” You softly smiled

“Well, he should have” Bruce groaned

“So, this is true, right? You came from another universe. And the man I married is there, instead of you?” You asked

Bruce cupped your face and leaned his forehead against yours. He had been the happiest man in the world the past few weeks. He finally had everything he ever wanted and needed. He would sell his soul in exchange for keeping this life. He was terrified you would cast him away.

“He didn’t deserve you. Any of you. I guess he’s there, yes, but I don’t really know. And I don’t care. I want to stay here. Haven’t I been good to you? Don’t you want to keep me? Haven’t I been better than he was?” He pleaded.

You heard the fear and despair in his voice.

“Your world isn’t as nice as here then?” You asked 

“My Alfred died when I turned 18, so I never had the time to adopt any of the children. I did my best as Batman and CEO of Wayne Enterprises, but I’m alone and lonely. Maybe I fucked up too, because my life is a just a mess. I don’t know, but this is Heaven and my world is Hell.”

“We’re not married either?” You wondered

“I’m too much of a loser to interest you. No matter how madly in love I am with you. No matter how much I’ve always wanted to worship you. I’m so happy to finally have you as my wife. I’ll always cherish you.” He admitted and promised

You stayed silent, not knowing what to do anymore. This place was clearly a fresh and happy start for the man in front of you. But what about the Bruce Wayne of this world? Wasn’t it a cruel punishment to leave him in such a lonely place? At the same time, you weren’t sure the man you married would even take care of you like you now were. And you would miss that very much. The children deserved a better father, too. Jason actually started to hang out with this new Bruce. And now Jason knew it wasn’t the same man who betrayed him. Their relationship would be even better. There were so many advantages...

“Keep me” The man begged you “I’ll do anything you want” He whispered again

“I… do want you to stay. But I feel awful knowing he is in your world. Alone.” You admitted

“I can make you forget about him” Bruce offered before kissing you, his thoughts on ways to make everyone forget about the “real” Bruce Wayne.

He was going to stay in Heaven, no matter the price, no matter the sacrifice, no matter what. You kissed him back before gently pushing him away.

“What if he comes back?” You asked “Would you hurt him?” You continued

Bruce didn’t answer, so you knew he would kill him without hesitation. He was a love, attention, and touch starved man. He knew what it was to be so broken that nothing could work out. 

“Barbara and Damian… They need some convincing to not find a way and save the Bruce we knew. I still feel bad but… if I loved him, I know I’ve never felt for him what I’m feeling for you” You whispered

Bruce’s eyes lit up. Being loved by you because he was Bruce Wayne was a thing, but being loved by you because of who he was was so much better. He didn’t know what to say, so he deeply kissed you over and over again.

“Love you, love you so much. You’ll be happy with me. Everyone will be happy with me.” He whispered in between kisses

“You promise?” You breathlessly asked 

“I promise, my love”

--

Part 3

--

Taglist for all my work <3

@blublock404

Taglist for this series <3

@bat1212

[phas3d]

All I Wanted Was You || Slytherin Boys

type :: angst

tw/cw :: insecurities, slight yandere (tom), mention of abuse (mattheo), sexual things implied (theodore)

contains :: draco, tom, mattheo, theodore, lorenzo

summary :: inspo by paramore's "all i wanted was you" cause it's forever a banger. basically, different situation the guys would be in for this song. kinda inspired by tara yummy and jake. i literally know nothing about them besides that tara is hella pretty but yea! - 🐍 :: masterlist!

DRACO MALFOY (enemies)

It's just impossible for Draco to like anyone that he does not hate because his brain just does that

He's a straight bully for you, awful in every way possible

Spilling milk down your book bag, writing mean messages on your desk, and more

His entire group would join him on this, making your years at Hogwarts miserable

That was until you finally had someone stick up for you, the most surprisingly person ever, Tom Riddle

Tom was the only person that Draco was ever scared of since Tom was one year older than everyone plus he was the strongest player in the entire school

Instantly, Draco backs off, running away like a pussy when he makes eye contact with Tom

But Tom doesn't help you up or even touch you, he just simply tells Draco to piss off and find a new hobby

You decide to thank Tom for his action, making him a batch of cookies with little smilely faces on it with chocolate

The next day, you hand them to Tom and he's slightly surprised

He's never had someone be kind to him before out of pure want, normally it's out of fear

From this, you two begin to talk about baking and different desserts that you both love, Tom has a major sweet tooth which is ironic for a scary intimidating guy

Draco sees this all, feeling so angry but he's not sure exactly why

He gets huge balls all of the sudden as he marches up to you and Tom's shared potions table, tossing the entire basket of cookies on top of your hear

But before Draco can laugh at you, Tom's wand is in his hand he casts a spell to prevent the cookies and basket from falling

Tom gives Draco a death glare, silently telling him that if he ever does that shit again, Tom WILL beat the shit out of him

From this, you once again gift Tom more sweets the next day in order to thank him again

And Draco can't do anything but watch bitterly from the other side, biting the skin him his cheek until he bits off a small piece

As the months pass, you and Tom get even closer, enjoying each other's silence and small sweet gestures

Draco hates this since it spoils his favorite hobby, tormenting you, and it also hurts his heart to see the person he's obssesed with begin to forget him

In order to stop this, he makes a huge masterplan with his goons to catch Tom off guard and completely embarrass him by spilling a disgusting, smelly, sticky potion all over him

The first step of the plan requires Draco to distract him while his goons wait for his signal to spill the liquid all over him

But as Draco got closer to where you and Tom usually sit, he saw Tom and you kissing, breaking the kiss as you giggled while Tom gave you a small smile

Instantly, Draco was heartbroken. He wasn't sure how to treat his crush or what to do, and now he lost you

He can feel his heart strings rip and disconnect from the different veins in his body as he stares at what could have been his

If he was just a bit nicer

He doesn't even know why he's mean, he's never liked being mean to you

TOM RIDDLE (best friends)

Befriend Tom Riddle was one of the most impossible tasks in the world but you somehow did it

Ever since year 4, you two were the two duo - a grumpy x sunshine duo

It was odd since you were popular, well liked, smart, all of the traits of a literal goddess

While Tom was a brooding, mean, know-it-all that didn't care for others

But maybe that's the exact reason why you two were best friends, opposites that completed each other

Tom's not good with emotions, he struggles to identify anything he feels without looking into a textbook as to why he feels that way

But he knew that you would be a good wife and mother, creepy to say but in his mind "crushes" are simply just "likely mating option"

He's weird asf for that, but that's the only way he can process a crush in his head

Cutely enough, he goes to not Mattheo or Draco, but surprisingly Theo

I think that Theo and Tom get along great due to them both being quieter and the most level-headed out of their entire group

Theo is a renowed quiet fuckboy who draws people in with his mysterious aura, which is like Tom but without the "drawing people in" part

Overtime, Theo gives Tom some advice on how to get you to like him and how to show his feelings for you

But it constantly fails due to him not being able to break out of his emotionless face and dull tone

He gifts you flowers, but mentions how they were on sale and how he picked the colors he liked despite you hating those colors

He does all of your homework as a gift, but talks about how he's surprised you're even passing in Hogwarts with how stupid you are

You get the idea... He has the right idea but horrible execution

But you're used to his meanness, making you see his attempts at romance as just "Tom being weird" as usual

So when you mention to him that you think you have a crush on someone, Tom instantly is destroyed

He wants to support you, since he loves your smile and happiness, but he can't bring himself to pretend that he likes this idea

He asks who it is, and you say Theo... The exact guy who was helping him try to get with you

Tom dismisses himself from the room without saying anything, you see this as Tom not caring for romance

But in reality, he's running down into his chamber of secrets to calm down

He throws his robe off of him in anger, slamming it into the ground

He whips out his wand and yells, blasting the beautiful snake statues that he bought

His breakdown causes him to destroy everything beautiful within his radius

The feeling of grief and pain is so odd and overwhelming to him, he doesn't understand why he feels like this

All he knows is that he wants- no needs you. And he's willing to do anything to get that

MATTHEO RIDDLE (exes)

Being friends with your ex is one of the biggest red flags ever, you never thought you would be that type of person

But here you are, still best friends with your ex, Mattheo

You two broke up over him cheating on you with some random girl, but somehow Mattheo snuck his way back to being your friend after months of apologies

He always wanted to get back together, regretting his actions every day, but you knew better than to give him two chances

You've always been popular with the guys, attracting a lot of them but turning them all down since you were still healing from Mattheo

But now, you were much more confident and content with yourself, feeling ready to get back into dating

Mattheo laughed at this thought, thinking it was just an attempt to make him jealous and that you would finally come back to him

But when he saw you walking down the hall alongside Harry Potter, he instantly felt like a bullet shot him a million times

You looked so happy with him, laughing and joking with him as if you've known him for ages - just like you do with him

Once you and Harry split up, Mattheo pulls you aside, completely ignoring the fact that you have class in about 2 minutes

"What are you doing with him?" He hissed, gripping your arm kind of aggressively

"Ow! What the hell is your problem? It's just Harry??"

"It's not "jUsT hArRy", what the hell are you doing with him?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because you're MY girlfriend???"

"No I'm not! And I never will be again!" You shouted at him, shoving him away as you stepped into class, leaving him in the empty hallway

His heart shattered, a raw and gut wrenching feeling that he's never felt before over anyone besides his father

The pure disappointment and hurt he felt was scary - he's supposed to be big and tough, a bad boy, yet you had him wrapped around your finger against your own will

So many emotions hit him, the feeling of guilt from ruining it all, self-hatred because of how stupid he was, the jealousy, the insecurities, the fear of being so deeply in love with someone who may never reciprocate it back

He won't ever admit it to anyone, but he skipped all of his classes that day and hid in the forest by himself, smoking and crying until either his lungs or heart gave out first

THEODORE NOTT (situationship)

You two had a weird relationship that was almost like dating but you two never put a real title on it

This went on for about 2 years: Making out, going on small dates, always hanging out past curfew

You both loved each other, but Theo wasn't able to fully commit and neither could you after seeing all of Theo's flaws and toxicity

You never told Theo this, but if he ever confessed to you, you would still accept it despite knowing how awful of a boyfriend he is

And Theo never told you this, but he's always wanted to confess to you but he knew he wasn't in a good spot mentally yet to be a good partner for you yet

A small pinch of right person, wrong timing because I'm such a sucker for that trope UGHH

Theo was yet again messing around with another random girl, something you got used to

At first, it used to make you really upset and make you have full on breakdowns, but now you're used to it and have fully accepted that you have no control over Theo

But you still couldn't help to feel a tad bit jealous of the situation

You ignored Theo and his new girl toy for a week, knowing that Theo would probably come back to you sooner or later

But a month passed, and you two still haven't spoken...

Maybe Theo did actually like this girl, but if he did, then why hasn't he told you he wants to fully cut you off?

You shrugged it off, it's not unlikely that he just completely forgot you (he would never be able to do that, but you don't know because AGH I love the misunderstanding trope idc idc idc)

Since you thought he wouldn't come back, you decided to move on to no other than Lorenzo, one of Theo's closest friends

Lorenzo has always liked you but he never made a move since he knew you were basically with Theo

But he's always kept close tabs on you and saw how you were secrectly lonely since Theo moved on from you

With Lorezno, it was so different, DRASTICALLY different

He was so sweet and kind in public which Theo never did

He was possessive over you but he still let you have freedom, something that was so complicated with Theo

He was easy to converse with and actually replied to everything you said, completely unlike Theo

And most importantly: he didn't seem to care much about your body at all

Overtime, you slowly forgot about Theo as you focussed purely on Lorenzo

But Theo never forgot.

He was so angry at first, wanting to beat up Lorenzo for taking you and wanting to yell in your face for cheating on him

But he was thinking all of this whilst gripping his new girl toy's waist

He was just messing with this girl since she was so easy and innocent, something that Theo loved about you before he corrupted you slightly

As he watched you accept Lorenzo's ask to be his valentine, Theo felt his jaw tense up as he watched you smile brightly at Lorenzo

Lorenzo was exactly the man Theo wanted to be for you, but Theo wasn't that man yet

And it broke him to know that maybe in a different universe, a universe where he was shown healthy relationships, a universe where he didn't only feel value from sexual acts, maybe in a universe where he just tried harder - That could have been him with you

LORENZO BERKSHIRE (best friends)

You've been Lorenzo's best friend ever since you two got into Hogwarts, you two were rarely ever seen apart

People always confused you as a couple but you were very quick to state that you two were just friends

But Lorezno always hoped that one day you two could date

He's loved you for ages, literally 1 year after being your best friend he realized he was madly in love with you

But since he's been super busy with quidditch, you were left to do your own things

That's when Cedric started to talk to you while you waited for Lorenzo to get out of practice

Instantly, you two clicked and shared so many interests together

Lorenzo couldn't do anything but watch as you laugh at Cedric's jokes and playfully hit him, something he thought you only did to him

His entire heart feels so heavy that his broom starts to sink to the floor without him noticing

Once his practice ended, it was time for Hufflepuffs to use the field

"Alright let's go get some food! I'm so hungry." Lorenzo whined to you as he packed his jersey into his gym bag

"Um, actually I was wondering if I could stay behind?" You said, blushing lightly still from your interaction with Cedric

"What? Why???" He was so confused, but he knew deep down what you were going to say.

"Cedric said he would take me out to get some dinner after his practice. He made a bet that for every goal he scores, he'll owe me that many chocolate frogs!"

You smiled happily, breaking Lorenzo's heart even more

"O-Oh. Yeah that's fine uh... I'll see you tomorrow then." Lorenzo said, he was doing his best to hide his emotions but he couldn't stop his eyes from watering up

He turns away from you, speed walking away to his dorm

Once he's in his dorm, he breaks down heavily

He always thought it would be you two in the end, that you two were the perfect fictional slow-burn relationship that he's always dreamed of

But now you liked Cedric? Someone who was objectively almost better than Lorenzo in every way

Cedric was smarter, WAY better at quidditch, made you laugh within seconds, and even had the confidence to ask you out??!?

His tears wouldn't stop, he felt so stupid for crying but he couldn't control it

All he's ever wanted was you, and Cedric took you away so easily

thank you for reading ! 🐍 :: masterlist!

[iruiji]

SAGAU but Creator Reader has been tagging along with the Gourmet Supremos.

If you didn't know or have forgotten, Gourmet Supremos are one of those quest series that is randomized because some part of the questline can only be accessed with dailies (like Whispers in the Wind or Snezhnaya Does Not Believe in Tears or Garcia's Paean).

This questline spans from Inazuma up to Sumeru. I think there were 6-7 quests in total? I forgot. (it's 8).

(These are Julie, Parvaneh and Xudong in order.) There are more characters that made a cameo in here but we'll just limit it with these three.

Context dropped, onto the short HCs.

• Okay so, I didn't really read the whole story of this one so I'm just going to make some random HCs on the fly. I'm aiming for a goody-feel with this one so no heavy angst will be involved.

• Alright, so. Xudong is the leader of the Gourmet Supremos, and he only found you because when you land in Inazuma, you literally dropped into their camp and was about to steal a sausage from Julie's backpack (but there were so many ingredients there!!!)

• Xudong was fuming, lmao.

"THIEF!! SOMEONE, HELP!"

• Aight, geez, made you run a marathon there.

• The next time you've met, all three were together and they saw you roasting some lavender melon in some dilapidated tent you found while walking aimlessly. Hey, better than no shelter at all. For some unfathomable reason, your inventory only consists of food materials - with everything, and I mean everything, missing.

• God damn. It's like the heaven is telling you something. 🙄

• Anyways, yeah. So for some reason, the only access to the goddamn ingredients are locked, and you can't use it and you don't know when you would be able to use it, so you have to scrounge up whatever pitiful sources you can get.

• Sadly, it's mostly lavender melons.

• Like, you already made several dishes from this and it's really starting to grind on your gears, so you took a dive in one of the caverns and found some meat and was happily grilling it with the melons when the trio came out of nowhere.

"Thief!"

The hell. "I didn't get the sausage, though."

"But you still tried to!"

"I mean, I was dying of hunger, so.. you know."

Julie, bless her heart, gets in between you two. "It's fine, Xudong. They needed help, did they not?"

"But-"

This time, Parvaneh chimes in. "As they've told you, they didn't get anything, so let it go. And you." She points at you with calloused finger. "Who are you?"

That caught you off guard a little. Told them your name and, to Xudong's bewilderment, started chatting amicably with you. Some time later though, he softened a bit but still a little cautious. They traded cooking tips with you, and, to their utmost surprise, you exchanged many tips on cooking as well.

"How do you know all this?" Xudong asked as you finished explaining the difference between sauteing onion and garlic first.

"Oh. I'm uh, a professional chef back in our place. Been years though, so yeah." You replied as you took a bite of their chicken. "Holy shit, why is this so good?"

Julie and Parvaneh just smiled proudly.

• So like, you became a new addition to their team - but you actually specialize in desserts. Xudong has many a great views in cooking, as well as the two ladies, and together you journeyed the whole of Inazuma for rare ingredients and made some two or three journals that have been since published and loved by people. (The fangirling/fanboying is real when you saw Xiangling's message drooling about your own version of Tiramisu).

• One day, however, you lot came across a shrine - it doesn't look abandoned, oddly, but it looks really, really old. You asked them what's the deal with this one, and they explained about the Creator.

Oh.

You're in SAGAU?

Shit.

"People said they've come back, but we don't really know.."

Double shit.

• With that knowledge, you try and avoid the main cities as much as possible and only let the three buy on populated areas. Thank God they didn't really notice you suddenly covering half your face with a mask - which you only shrugged when asked.

"I like masks."

Fair enough, they suppose.

• ..oh fuck, is that Yae Miko?

"Ara, and who is this?"

Xudong, Julie and Parvaneh bows and you hastily followed.

"She is our new companion, Lady Miko."

She looks at you with an impish grin. "Oh?"

Dont act suspicious. Don't act suspicious.

"..yo."

Nice.

• Coming across the main characters from the game are very, VERY rare. You can actually count on one hand the characters you've met:

Yae Miko;

Thoma (he was going around asking for favors as usual and you bump into each other and only had quick apologies as interaction);

Kujou Sara (she was patrolling the area and asked about your mask - which you replied that it's part of your outfit. damn, her glare was fucking menacing!);

Kuki Shinobu (you were side to side buying groceries once), and lastly;

Kamisato Ayato (you actually didn't meet - you just saw him giving speech in a podium for some event you just came across).

• You figured, hey, maybe you're NOT the creator or whatever. And just tried to live normally after some time. The mask stayed though, because you just survived the pandemic back here and was cautious.

• About a year and six months with the team, Xudong suggested you come all to Sumeru to expand your knowledge. Holy shit, yes please!

• ..and then you met the Traveler on your way.

"Your Grace..?"

Triple shit.

😭 sorry for disappearing for about a year - i was too lazy finishing anything. And now, I added another idea not to finish on the list 💀 wrote this whole thing in like 30 minutes motivation really is a wonderful thing, huh?

[bunny584]

Thinking about our boys this fine evening,,

What would their reactions be if you bought them a present?

TURNING TABLES

A/N: My love, I’ve been sitting on this ask for MONTHS. Just chomping at the bit to do it justice. I hope it’s everything you wanted. Enjoy this fluffy fluffy drabble with a lil sprinkle of angst 💕

C/W: Nada, the boys just being adorable. Established relationship. I hope this gives y’all as many delulus as it did me.

GETO

“You’re never going to guess what I got you for your birthday, dimples!” 

Your pretty finger digs into the crater in his left cheek that you’re so fond of. 

Suguru swallows a grin. 

Two things. 

One, you’re the only human in this lifetime and the next, who could call him that and wake up the next morning. 

Two, he knows exactly what you got him. 

Because you’re oblivious in a way that made him fall for you in the first place. 

To you, birthdays are sacred. And must be treated like National holidays. All week you’ve been padding around the apartment, glee in your footsteps. 

You’ve been staring at him. A whole galaxy in your eyes. Precious little giggles escape you at every turn. Because there’s a secret only you are privy to. 

Or so you think. 

Suguru has heard you badgering someone over the phone. 

“No no, it can’t be purple. His favorite color isn’t purple. It’s indigo. The shade between royal blue and violet. Blue. Indigo. Violet. ROY-G-BIV. Rainbows. Indigo.”

You almost flung your laptop off the balcony   two mornings ago. 

Instead of just closing the browser displaying shipment confirmation for the silver analogue watch with the indigo face and chrome bezel. You tossed the entire laptop away and Suguru had to lunge to catch it from shattering.

You are clumsy. 

And terrible at surprises. 

And he adores you. 

More than he knew possible. 

Suguru shrugs out of his grey peacoat. Dinner was phenomenal, yes. But now he needs you on his tongue for dessert. 

He watches you step out of your heels, somewhat upset you didn’t let him take them off for you. 

“On the couch and close your eyes!!” You squeal before disappearing into your bedroom. 

“Yes ma’am.” Low chuckle spilling from his lips. 

You’ll be the one following orders in a second. 

Suguru does as he is instructed. Back against the plush couch. Legs spread a little further than usual. 

You’ve had him stiff as a board the whole night. Doting over him. Petting his thigh. Pretty lips full of quick kisses and “Happy Birthday baby” and “I love you.” He almost took you at the dinner table. 

But he’s a gentleman. 

At least, before you get behind closed doors. 

“Are you ready for me, birthday boy?” You call out. And your voice alone strips him of manners. 

“I’m ready to be inside you, gorgeous.” Suguru palms the length of his shaft. 

“Suguru!!! Behave.”

In a matter of seconds, your full body weight lands on his lap. You straddle him and his hands fly to your rounded hips. 

You are wearing significantly less clothes than you were 2 minutes ago. 

Suguru eyes flare open. The zipper on his suit pants nearly breaks. 

“Ohhh, my pretty girl.” 

His eyes violate every inch of your negligée. Lacy. Delicate. Riding the gentle dips and curves of your beautiful frame. Saliva pools in his mouth. You have no idea what he’s going—

“Eyes closed!” Your tiny palm can barely span his face. 

“Alright, alright.” Suguru hikes you further onto his hips. His rod thundering against his fabric. 

“Before you start, baby. Reach into my jacket pocket for me?” 

“What?” Suguru always loved how pretty you sound when you’re shocked. 

“Do it.” 

Your fingers scramble to follow his order. Always so compliant. His name, tangled with an airy little gasp escapes next. 

“Suguru Geto, what is this?!” 

Eyes still closed, Suguru flashes a mischievous grin. You’re so pretty when you’re stern with him. You punish (reward) him with a quick slap on his chest. 

Suguru pulls his lids open. He finds you holding 2 nearly identical boxes. A bigger one in the right, a demure one in the left. 

You’re flushed up to your ears and Suguru hasn’t ever seen a woman so beautiful. 

“What is this?” You probe again, eyes glossed over. 

Suguru gently works the smaller box out of your hand. 

“A present,” he plants a chaste kiss on your pouty little lips. 

“But it’s your birthday. And I wanted to surprise you. I saw this—“

“—silver analog watch with an indigo face and chrome bezel, I know baby.” Suguru’s lips find your flushed, warm cheeks. 

“Suguru…”

“So I got one for you too.” He opens the smaller box, just as you reveal his surprise. 

Yours is daintier. Scaled down to your small wrist. Both of your initials inscribed at the base of your watch. 

“Baby.”

Mist coats your eyes the way it does. The way your love coats him. In all places. All at once. Gentle. Refreshing.

A blessing. 

“You are the love of my life. In this lifetime and the next. Thank you for the birthday gift, sweet girl.”

                                 ——

GOJO

“Satoru, Jesus Chri—are you kidding me right now?” 

“What’s the matter, baby?” 

Your boyfriend was born with a silver spoon and a silver tongue. 

An expert at rolling, whipping and twisting words until they’re saltwater taffy. Sweet on the mouth. Sticky in reality. And at its worst, kryptonite to the person consuming them. 

As if he didn’t just steal the pink satin bow, from your head. And your hair falls in a slow cascade around your face. 

Satoru slides into the seat across the dinner table. Candlelight kissing his high cheekbones. Tonight makes it three years from the day he asked you to be his. 

Not that it matters, really. Because time crumbles to stardust around him. 

Every minute, every second with Satoru feels like the first. Your heart can’t tell the difference, and you’ve stopped trying to. 

A mischievous grin reaches his 10-carat diamond eyes. Razor sharp, and a reminder to everyone within a 1 mile radius that he’s not of this world. 

“You’re gorgeous.” Satoru toys with your hair tie. Deftly knotting it into a bow on his wrist — an egregious accessory next to his cuff links. 

“Save the pillow talk, Satoru!”

 “What?” He retorts, slinging his elbow over the back of his chair. Dangling his newest prized possession in your face. 

“Is it so bad that your boyfriend wants to feel close to you? You won’t let me sit next to you — I’m desperate.” 

You feign a gasp and lean over. Hushed because what you’re about to say is sacrilegious. 

“The Strongest Sorcerer in the modern era won’t survive sitting across from his girlfriend instead of next to her? Don’t let the bad guys hear that.” 

Bellowing laughter erupts. His base low and clear as an alpine lake. Your soprano a feather light harmony. 

Unbridled joy that is so unique to your relationship echoes throughout the dining room. Waiters and waitresses send fond smiles your way because the restaurant is dedicated to your celebration.

Satoru’s lips find the back of your hand. Embers from the candle catch the golden flecks of sunset in his Mediterranean Sea. Eyes with still waters, tonight.

He’s beautiful, your boy.

“Happy anniversary, princess.” 

“Happy anniversary, my love. I have something for you.”

 You glide your hand out of his grasp before he locks it in. Eyebrows already crawling to the center of his face. 

“I told you not to get—“

“Hush!” 

Always one to give, never one to receive, Satoru narrows his gaze. You know that look — he’s planning on tripling his retaliation gift. 

Satoru reluctantly takes the box out of your hands, while you watch on bated breath. 

His full lips hang open. Cotton candy dusting the tip of his nose, blooming to his ears. He’s never like this. Taken aback. Full of surprise.

Your full name tumbles out of his mouth. Almost foreign to your ears, but indulgent when coated in his rich, loving tone. 

Satoru pulls the leather bracelet out of the box. An infinity symbol woven in the center with your initials and his initials flanking either side. 

Before you get a chance to breathe again you’re standing in his arms. In the middle of the empty room. Face nearly eclipsed by his large hands.

“Baby,” Is all that escapes him before he crashes his lips onto yours. 

His tongue immediately begs for entry. Faint taste of mint chocolate ghosting your taste buds. 

It’s comforting. It’s dizzying. It’s Satoru.  

“L-let me explain the gift.” Panting out of his embrace. A light sheen already coating his eyes. He’s statuesque except for his thumbs that strum the apples of your cheeks. 

“Of course.”

“You’ll probably live forever, fighting demons and such—“

“Curses, baby. The demons are just personal.” He laughs. 

Satoru flashes another smile, but this one is blue. Melancholy in a way that tugs on your heart strings. You draw him in for a quick kiss. 

A mere bandaid on a lifetime of third degree burns.

“I know I’m not invincible like you and your friends. And you spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with the fact that I’m a Normie.” 

Satoru’s nose crinkles. “It’s not a crime to not see curses.” 

“I rather you not see them. I don’t want you subjected to that.” Grit in his voice and his eyes glaze over. You know that Satoru is watching gruesome memories on his mind’s big screen. 

“I know, handsome.”Your hand cups his face and he subconsciously unravels in it.  All but purring into your warmth. 

“But that doesn’t change the fact that the world needs you for far greater things than it needs me.” 

“Do not talk like—“

Your finger presses against his lips. Your boyfriend has a real habit of cutting you off and at this rate you two will never get to enjoy your dinner. 

A small chuckle escapes him. He’s sorry. And you continue.

“I got you that bracelet…because..” Suddenly shy under his undivided attention, you drop your gaze. Thumbing his new gift instead. 

You pause. He pauses. Everything around you halts.

Then it all tumbles out at once. 

“You’re it for me, Satoru. The One. Forever and always. In every life we’re reborn in, even if I can’t stick around as long as you can in this one.” 

Cheeks incinerated by your confession, you muster the courage to lock eyes with him once more. Nearly flat lined at what you see.

A crystal tear sliding down one side of his face. All of his sharp lines and angles, like melted butter. Mouth ajar. Moused. Imperfect. Like his heart is splayed open on his chest for the world to see. 

“Satoru…?”

Hearing his name jumpstarts his engine. Satoru lifts you into his arms and strides toward the exit in milliseconds. 

You toss your head back. Full of breathy giggles because this is the man you know and love. The modus operandi that made you fall so deeply for him in the first place. 

“Dinner! Baby our dinner!” You squeal a little too late, given that he’s 4 more long strides away from the door. 

“It���s taken care of. I’ll have them send it to the house.” Eyes straight ahead. A man on a special grade mission.

The two of you come to an abrupt stop just shy of the front door. Satoru rakes his glassy eyes over your flushed face.

“I would die for you. You know that, right?” His voice cracks. Actively staving off the flood threatening the rim of his eyes. 

“You and me…you know that I…I lo—, I’ve…you’re the only…fuck.” 

Satoru draws in a frustrated sigh. Tossing his head to the side. Hopeful that looking at anything else in the room would make this easier.

 “You know why I cant.. I can’t say it baby I—“

“I know, Satoru. I know.” 

‘Because love is the most twisted curse of all.’

And he believes that the moment it falls off his tongue, you’ll be taken from him. 

Your lover’s presence is grandiose. Demanding. Loud. Noticed from miles away. Earth shifted on its axis when he was born. 

A loan from Heaven’s stash. He’s a gift to mankind and your personal Moon.

But his love is the opposite.

Found only in quiet moments. Moments when his shield, breast plate and sword clamor against the hardwood floor after saving lives time and time again. 

When you wake up to him staring at you, caressing your cheeks. A gentle wake up call because he needs a kiss. A temporary reprieve from his nightmares. The demons that haunt him day in and day out.

When he comes home early from every single mission. Just to get back to where his heart is. 

His love is woven into your satin pillow cases, that hold his triumphs with students, his frustration from work, his regrets. 

His love is painted on walls of your apartment. The walls that could barely contain his grief. Wails loud enough to shift earth’s tectonic plates. That heard him scream in your arms. For months. All because he lost his first love at his own hands. 

His love glows under the moonlight. When he is buried deep inside you. Rambling about giving you a son first, then a daughter. Because he has to teach his boy to be strong. Strong enough to keep up with him. Strong enough to watch the world burn for his sister if it has to. 

Satoru Gojo is not soft, but he loves you softly. 

Another tear glides down his porcelain skin. Somewhat ashamed that he can’t swipe it way with his hands full of you, he flashes a lopsided smile. It makes his otherwise ethereal coalescence of features so boyish. Tangible. 

Human. 

Satoru presses a salty kiss against your lips. And it’s the sweetest he’s ever tasted. Pulling away briefly, to affirm you in a way that only he can.

“Infinity, baby?”

“Infinity, baby.”

[holylulusworld]

Dinner for one (1)

Summary: You eat alone. You like it that way. Someone disturbs your dinner.

Pairing: AU!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, grumpy Bucky, pushy Bucky, a hint of fluff, mentions of dead relatives, cheating ex-boyfriend

Dinner for … masterlist

“A table for one?” The hostess looks you up and down. It’s not the first time you have dined at the fancy restaurant. Every once in a while you treat yourself and go out to have dinner at your favorite Italian restaurant.

“For two,” you splutter and curse yourself for it. “I mean…uh…I brought a friend.” You drop your gaze and take a deep breath. “I meant that I brought my stuffy. Is it okay that he’ll sit with me?”

The hostess eyes you up and down. You can see the wheels in her head spinning. “That’s a little odd, don’t you think?”

You expected her to act like that. “Did you know that in Japan there is a restaurant trying to make dining alone less awkward? They seat patrons with giant stuffed animals if they are alone. I had the opportunity to see it myself.”

She blanches at your response. “Japan? You’ve been to Japan?”

“Yeah, I had the chance to live there for a while. My boyf—” You bite your tongue and shake your head. “I accompanied someone. He wanted to start anew in a foreign land.”

“Cool,” she looks around the restaurant, searching for a table for two. “I can give you the one in the corner. It’s not the best table, and usually taken by a regular. But he won’t come this week. He canceled his usual reservation.”

“That would be very kind of you,” you wring your hands as she guides you toward the table. “I’ll be right back with my…uh…”

“It’s fine,” she says. “I’ll reserve the table for you. You can order in a minute.” You nod and walk back outside to get your fluffy friend.

While you are busy unlocking your car, the hostess talks to the waiter. “Please don’t ask questions and try not to stare. The guest will bring her plushie to keep her company.”

“A plushie?” The waiter furrows his brows. “Oh, like in Japan! I saw something about it on the internet the other day.

“Well, she’s a regular and lonely. For almost a year she has come here every few months to dine alone. She always looks sad. Let’s help her have a great evening.”

“I’d like to have the chicken parmesan, and for dessert, I’ll take the tiramisu.” You close the menu and give the waiter a shy smile.

“Do you want wine for your chicken parmesan?” The waiter asks. He doesn’t look at the huge bear you placed on the free chair at your table, only at you. “Miss?”

“Can I have apple spritzer?” You shyly glance up at the waiter.

“Of course, miss,” he nods and gives you a soft smile. “I’ll get you an apple spritzer. Your food will be ready soon.”

“Hmm…that smells great,” you inhale the scent of your food deeply. “What do you say, big bear? Do you think this is a nice restaurant?” You look at your bear, giggling as it stares back at you with its plastic eyes.

You take the first bite, moaning at the taste. Chicken parmesan always had a special place in your heart. Or rather your stomach. “So good, big bear. I wish you could have a taste too.”

“What do you mean my table is taken?” A grumpy man wildly gestures toward you and your bear. “There is my table, and it’s occupied by some woman with a teddy bear? Are you out of your mind?”

“Sir, Mr. Barnes. We are sorry. Your secretary called and canceled the reservation,” the hostage tries not to lose her composure at the man’s rude behavior. “We can offer you a table for one right over there.” She points toward a spare table.

“Do I look like some lonely loser eating alone?” He cocks his head to glance your way again. “I want my table, and I want it now. Let her sit at the table for one.”

“She has company, Sir,” the hostess tries to stop the man from storming toward your table. He stops right in front of your table, glaring at your bear.

“That’s a teddy bear,” he sneers and dares to poke your bear with his index finger. “Is this some crazy kink?” He looks at you, expectantly. “Lady?”

“I-I,” you stammer. This man angrily stares at you, and you are too scared to answer him. “I…try to eat, Sir.”

“Cat got your tongue?” He cocks his head to look at your food. “I need you to sit at the table for one. I’m waiting for someone…” He sighs as you keep on shoving food in your mouth to avoid talking to him.

“Sir, she’s having dinner. We can have the other table ready for you in a minute.” The hostess tries to get the man to leave you alone. “Please. She only wants to eat in silence.”

“With a bear,” he points out. “Fine, if she won’t sit at the other table, I’ll sit with her.”

“What?” You sniffle as the man tries to take the bear off the chair. “Hey! Don’t touch big bear! Please just leave me alone!” Your lips wobble and tears well up to your eyes. “It’s my birthday and you are ruining it!”

He puts the bear back down and wrinkles his forehead. “Why are you dining alone on your birthday, only a bear by your side.”

You shrug. “I got no one who wants to celebrate with me. My parents are dead, and my boyfriend found someone better and prettier in Japan. I had to start anew and didn’t find friends in this town so far.”

“You’re all alone on your birthday?” His features soften and his shoulders relax. “Hmm…” He looks at the bear on his chair again. “How about we eat together? I’m hungry, and you are alone.”

“I got my bear,” you insist. This man is too pushy and grumpy for your liking. You don’t want to eat with him, nor share your table. “Why don’t you sit at the table for one?”

“I-“ he licks his lips. “I don’t want to eat alone. My date stood me up and…uh…eating alone is…it sucks.”

You look at the man. He holds out his hand, telling you his name as you shyly glance at his offered hand. “I’m James…or Bucky. Uh-you can call me Bucky.”

“Y/N,” you murmur and shake his offered hand. “And that’s big bear. He…”

“He helped you through hard times,” Bucky offers. “Can I sit at your table? Is that alright with you?”

“Uh-sure,” you hold out your hand for your bear. “I can put it in my car and come back.”

Bucky shakes his head. He calls for the hostess and asks for a table for three or more. He grabs the bear and holds out his hand for you. “We can eat at the table over there and your bear can sit with us.”

“What…you,” you sniff. “You want the bear to sit with us?”

“Why not?” He shrugs. “He’s your friend and helped you through hard times. I get it. I have a good friend too. Steve.” Bucky smiles now. “My friend helped me through hard times too.”

You watch him take off his glove to reveal a metal hand. “Oh.” You say and carefully touch it. “I didn’t know.”

“Please have dinner with me,” he asks again. “I know I’m a little loud and grumpy, but I didn’t want to ruin your birthday too.”

You look at your bear tugged under Bucky’s arm. “Okay…” You breathe. "If you want to waste your time on me."

"Doll," he softly says, "spending the evening with you is not a waste of time."

Bucky and you will talk for hours, and enjoy your food.

He tells you about his friend Steve, and you talk about Japan, your ex-boyfriend, and how you got big bear.

When you finally part ways, you promise each other to meet at the restaurant again to spend every Friday evening dining together...

Part two: Dinner for two

Tags in reblog.

[vainvenus]

꒰ The Café ꒱

Hello! Well to Vainvenus' Café! I'll be your host, Vee. Make sure to order a nice beverage to go with any desserts you end up choosing, don't be scared to ask for a little something extra on top of that dessert or in your drink!

The current fandoms that I'm writing for and that you can request characters from are: Formula one, OBX, PJO, TBOSAS, Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Black phone, The Outsiders, Marvel and DC. You can request characters from other fandoms, these are just my favorites/what I'm familiar with!

Make sure that when you're requesting you include the Driver/character, who you want saying the quote and which pronouns/gender you would prefer for the reader! Do not request smut/lime for minors or drivers ( I just don't feel comfortable with it lol ) and don't request anything extremely weird! I will not write pedophillia, incest, dubcon or any extremely weird/illegal kinks!

꒰ Beverages ꒱

Hot Chocolate: Fluff

Cold Brew: Slow-burn

Black Coffee: Angst

Chamomile Tea: Hurt + Comfort

Latte: Lime

Coffee Cocktail: Smut

Amaretto: Royalty Au

Cappuccino: College/University Au

Chocolate Milk: Soulmate Au

Lemonade: Fantasy Au

Water: Au of your choice

Americano: Strangers to Lovers

Espresso: Enemies to lovers

Frappuccino: Friends to lover

Latte Macchiato: Opposites attract

Flat White: Fake dating

Earl Grey Tea: Secret Relationship

Green Tea: Unrequited Love

Mocha: Dark!Driver/Character

꒰ Desserts ꒱

Chocolate soufflé: "I trusted you. How could you?"

Blueberry muffin: "Just tell me the truth."

Banana nut muffin: "Are you breaking up with me?"

Strawberry-nutella crepe: "I'm sorr-" "I don't want your apology."

Strawberry cheesecake: "You don't mean that."

Strawberry shortcake: "I don't wanna say goodbye. Not now."

Raspberry cheesecake: "Shhh. It's okay, I'm here."

Classic cheesecake: "Look me in the eyes and tell me it meant nothing."

Strawberry rhubarb cake: "We're not friends anymore."

Molten lava cake: "Can we still be friends?"

Coffee cake: "You promised."

Caramel cake: "Just leave."

Blueberry bundt cake: "Are you...crying?"

Angel food cake: "Don't look at me like that." "Like you love me."

Carrot cake: "I wish you could see yourself like how I see you."

Red velvet cake: "Did you ever mean it when you told me you loved me?"

Chocolate cake: "I can't lose you."

Tiramisu cake: "I wish we never met."

Fruitcake: "For what it's worth, I'm proud of you."

Pumpkin pie: "Can I...hold your hand?"

Cherry pie: "Please don't say you love me."

Apple pie: "Don’t. Don’t promise me anything. It’s not like you keep them anyway."

Pecan pie: "You still love me?" "I never stopped."

Key-lime pie: "Shhh don't apologize."

Lemon meringue pie: "Stop pushing everyone away!"

Coconut creampie: "You're dead to me."

Tres leches: "You liked me this entire time!?"

Parfait: "Staring is rude." "I'm just admiring."

Macaroons: "I could be a better boyfriend/girlfriend than them."

Cinnamon rolls: "Do you want me to stay?"

Oatmeal cookies: "Please don't leave me alone."

Chocolate chip cookies: "For someone who hates me you're not pulling away."

Snickerdoodle cookies: "Stop looking at me like that..it's hurting my feelings."

Gingersnaps: "I love you so much, do you know that?"

Chocolate donuts: "How long has it been since someone hugged you?"

Hazelnut donuts: "Please don't be scared. I won't hurt you, I swear. I'm here to help."

Pancakes: "Breathe, just breathe."

Butterscotch pudding: "Are you sure you're fine?"

Brownies: "Do you hate me or something?"

Blondies: "Does somebody have a crush on me?"

Vanilla ice cream: "You're my priority."

Chocolate ice cream: "I'm not crying, I have allergies."

Strawberry ice cream: "But I don't want them! I want you!"

Neapolitan ice cream: "I got you cherry perfume!" "They like vanilla."

Cookies n cream ice cream: "You're cute when you get angry."

Mint chocolate chip ice cream: "Me? Jealous? Don't make me laugh."

Churros: "I'm gonna fuck you until the only word your little brain can form is my name."

French toast: "That's it, fuck, that's a good girl/boy."

Cream puffs: "You look so pretty like this."

Lemon bars: "Oh c'mon you can give me one more."

Nanaimo bars: "Uh, uh, look at me."

Scones: "Use your words."

Biscotti: "On your knees. Now."

Belgian waffles: "Please, I need you."

Banana pudding: "You'd sound so good begging for me."

Banana bread: "Go on, fuck yourself on my cock."

Banana split: "Is this okay?" "Yeah, that—more than okay. Please—keep going."

Chocolate truffles: "Relax, I've got you."

Chocolate covered strawberries: "Don't do that, I wanna hear all the pretty noises you make."

Puff pastry: "I can't-” “Yes you can."

Baklava: "You're such a fucking slut."

Chouquette: "You either get off on my thigh or nothing."

Creme brûlée: "You're so in for it when we get home."

Flan: "Swallow. All of it."

Chocolate eclair: "That's so fucking hot."

Beignets: "Let's put that mouth to better use."

Chocolate mousse: "So noisy tonight, do I need to gag you?"

Chocolate croissant: "Just relax for me, I'll make it feel good."

Croissant: "You're mine. All mine. Say it."

Strawberry tart: "Please stop teasing me."

Peach Cobbler: "Look at you. Taking me so well."

Madeines: "Oh c'mon you can be louder than that can't you?"

꒰ EXTRA ꒱

Espresso: Rough Sex

Creamer: Gentle Sex

Whipped Cream: Possessive/Obsessive behaviour

Chocolate Chips: Cockwarming

Strawberries: Dumbification:

Coconut shavings: Semi/public sex

Hazelnut drizzle: Dirty talk

Caramel drizzle: Praise

Strawberry drizzle: Degradation

Vanilla drizzle: Edging

Chocolate Drizzle: Overstimulation

Nutella: Kink of your choice

[genderfluid-insomniac]

IDEA!!

riddle, ace, and malleus (separately) x fem!reader (u can make it gn!reader if you’d prefer tho!) where the reader is about to leave twisted wonderland but she’s clearly hesitating and then the character asks why they don’t just go, and reader tells them through tears that she loves him, and asks if he feels the same n that if he does that will be the only reason she needs to stay. he does and she runs into his arms immediately. so a little bit of angst but ends with cute comfort. if this is unclear at all PLS LMK and i will clear it up!! brain is rotted atm bc i finished the worst essay of my life a little bit ago

Riddle, Ace, and Malleus (separately) x fem!reader who’s hesitant to go back home because of their crush

Riddle

You were looking at the mirror in front of you the hazy outline of the world you know and turning back to see Grim trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. He’d tried several times to stop you like rallying the ghosts in ramshackle to help him or using his fire magic in the least destructive way he could or moving all the furniture to block the door.

Ace and Deuce nor Epel, Jack, or Ortho didn’t want to force you to stay since you’d tried so hard to find a way to get home and now you had. It was right in front of you but you couldn’t bring yourself to take a step forward. Your heart refused to budge and rooted itself despite your mind's logical reasoning. It pushed the one reason you had been trying to ignore out to the front of your mind.

Tears brimmed your eyes and you did your best to blink them away to no avail, using your hands to wipe them and felt them fall down your cheeks. You sniffled at the thought of never getting to see your crush again. Someone who you’d loved with all your heart and who helped you through all the trials and terrors that you’d experienced since you arrived in Twisted Wonderland.

You held your bag by your side and stared at the silver shining mirror that glowed signaling that its destination was fixed to the location the user wanted. Your home or rather somewhere close to your home as Crowley couldn’t exactly get the mirror to transport you to your country and reluctantly let Ortho and Idia help so its arrival destination was a lot closer.

Behind you were your friends along with your crush the dorm leader of Heartslayble Riddle and they watched bittersweetly as you walked closer to the mirror. In front of you was the hazy view of a city near where you lived and you were supposed to feel ecstatic that you could finally go home, and see your parents, and your friends but you didn’t. Ever since you stepped foot in Twisted Wonderland you felt like an alien but over time it began to be your home and one person held your heart through all your time here.

You loved Riddle dearly and after his overblot, you were there for him much to his confusion since he was horrible to you and the others but you relented. Riddle has grown so much from his freshmen year and saw nearly every day now, walking between classes or hanging out in Heartslayble and helping him paint the roses red or tending to the hedgehogs. The way he talked to the hedgehogs or flamingos was adorable and it was always impressive when an Unbirthday party was being set up and he was in his formal uniform staff in hand ordering people where each dessert went. In your hand was a specially made strawberry tart for you with a queen of hearts card sticking out of it and a fondant miniature hedgehog in front.

When Riddle tutored you because you needed help with some of your classes you sometimes tried to make the sessions last as long as they could since Riddle had such a strict schedule you would practically have to schedule or make an appointment his free time. Riddle of course upheld the rules for everybody even including you but he would sometimes bend them because your pout was too cute or your smile was perfectly bright. You both loved each other so much without the other knowing and it appeared like it would stay that way since you were leaving for your real home.

Riddle noticed you hadn’t moved for the last couple of minutes and seemed to be in deep thought however you were shaking. “Are you alright or worried? You’re shaking. Is there something wrong?” he asked and buried the twinge of hope in him that thought your hesitation was because you weren’t going to go back. You felt the hot tears drip down your cheeks and sniffled, turning around so your friend and everyone saw you were holding back the wave of tears threatening to fall. “I don’t want to go back… I don’t want to go back because that means I won’t get to see my friends or you! I love you so much! I have since the first unbirthday party I ever attended and I don’t know if you love me back but I don’t want to leave!” you cried and opened your eyes to see Riddle crying silently, tears unknowingly escaping his eyes and face a blushy pink.

You both stared at one another in silence for a couple of moments before the dorm leader spoke and wiped his face noticing his tears. “I didn’t want you to go back but it’s not my choice and it would be wrong of me to cause conflicts in you. I love you and want you to stay here with me. I can’t promise everything will stay calm but I promise I’ll always be by your side.” he said and his eyes widened when he saw you drop your things, running over to him and tackling the poor short Riddle to the ground. You cupped his face and kissed him softly, his face blushing scarlet but intertwining your hands and cupping your face in turn. “How about we make a new tart in celebration or salvage the fallen one I made you, my rose?” he asked and eyed the dropped slightly damaged dessert in its frail simple packaging.

Ace

You were looking at the mirror in front of you the hazy outline of the world you know and turning back to see Grim trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. He’d tried several times to stop you like rallying the ghosts in ramshackle to help him or using his fire magic in the least destructive way he could or moving all the furniture to block the door.

Ace and Deuce nor Epel, Jack, or Ortho didn’t want to force you to stay since you’d tried so hard to find a way to get home and now you had. It was right in front of you but you couldn’t bring yourself to take a step forward. Your heart refused to budge and rooted itself despite your mind's logical reasoning. It pushed the one reason you had been trying to ignore out to the front of your mind.

Tears brimmed your eyes and you did your best to blink them away to no avail, using your hands to wipe them and felt them fall down your cheeks. You sniffled at the thought of never getting to see your crush again. Someone who you’d loved with all your heart and who helped you through all the trials and terrors that you’d experienced since you arrived in Twisted Wonderland.

You held your bag by your side and stared at the silver shining mirror that glowed signaling that its destination was fixed to the location the user wanted. Your home or rather somewhere close to your home as Crowley couldn’t exactly get the mirror to transport you to your country and reluctantly let Ortho and Idia help so its arrival destination was a lot closer.

The charm of an ace card that your crush Ace had given you was dangling from your phone and a replica of his magic pen held tightly. You looked at your phone once more and saw the goofy picture of both of you running from Riddle with the tart in hand as your lock screen. Letting a couple of tears fall and bringing your phone to your chest, trying to come to terms with that you would have to deal with never seeing your best friend and crush ever in exchange for being on earth again.

Ace and your other friends behind you grew worried as they saw your shoulders shaking and hands clutching your stuff tighten. Why were you hesitating? He was devastated that he would never get to see you again, assuming that texting you in your world didn’t work, and putting on a mask of happiness for you. He never even got to tell you he loved you but he knew now wasn’t the time as it’d make you hesitate. To the others, it was crystal clear how hard this was for both of you.

He ordered his voice to be steady even though it came out shaky. “Why don’t you just go? This is what you have wanted since you got here right? We’ll all miss you so much and you know we support your decision right?” he asked and heard the others murmur similar statements or agreement. You let out a sob and turned around to the group, tears falling down your red cheeks and bordering on a breakdown. “I can’t go knowing that I’ll never see any of you ever again. That I’ll never see you again, Ace. You’ve been with me since I got here and always stuck by me. I can’t leave because I love you and I’d never know if you loved me back if I left now!” you cried and hiccuped, dropping your bag and wiping your wet cheeks with your sleeve.

That was the breaking point for Ace and he stopped pretending to be glad you were going home, knowing his crush someone he loved ever since he saw you come through that mirror and go through all the crazy hijinx of this school year loved him back. He sobbed and held his uniform sleeve over his eyes to hide the onslaught of tears pouring out of his eyes. “I never wanted you to leave not when you already became a girl I could depend on every day. It’s selfish but I didn’t care because I loved you too. So seeing you happy to leave… it broke me.” he said and let the sad emotions overcome him.

You smiled albeit a bit wobbly and dropped everything you were holding, running to Ace and tackling him in a hug. Both of you fell to the ground with you on top of him and he cupped your face, kissing you softly and wiping the tears falling with his thumb. You parted for air and rested your head on his chest as you caught your breath. “So would my hot girlfriend be up for snatching a couple of sweets from my dorm?” he asked cheekily.

Malleus

You were looking at the mirror in front of you the hazy outline of the world you know and turning back to see Grim trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. He’d tried several times to stop you like rallying the ghosts in ramshackle to help him or using his fire magic in the least destructive way he could or moving all the furniture to block the door.

Ace and Deuce nor Epel, Jack, or Ortho didn’t want to force you to stay since you’d tried so hard to find a way to get home and now you had. It was right in front of you but you couldn’t bring yourself to take a step forward. Your heart refused to budge and rooted itself despite your mind's logical reasoning. It pushed the one reason you had been trying to ignore out to the front of your mind.

Tears brimmed your eyes and you did your best to blink them away to no avail, using your hands to wipe them and felt them fall down your cheeks. You sniffled at the thought of never getting to see your crush again. Someone who you’d loved with all your heart and who helped you through all the trials and terrors that you’d experienced since you arrived in Twisted Wonderland.

You held your bag by your side and stared at the silver shining mirror that glowed signaling that its destination was fixed to the location the user wanted. Your home or rather somewhere close to your home as Crowley couldn’t exactly get the mirror to transport you to your country and reluctantly let Ortho and Idia help so its arrival destination was a lot closer.

Malleus had specifically arrived at Ramshackle to go with you to the Hall of Mirrors to spend the most time he could with you and convinced Lilia to stop Sebek from going with him since he knew it meant so much to his draconian friend. He desperately didn’t want you to leave. Who would he spend his nightly walks with or have interesting conversations about gargoyles? But most importantly, how would he fill the hole in his heart if his favorite student he loved left?

You held your bag in one hand and in the other was a replica of Malleus’ magic pen along with a small orb with the illusion of Ramshackle dorm with its gargoyles and you, Grim, and him outside pointing to different parts of the worn down dorm building. Just looking at it brought tears to your eyes. It reminded you of what you were leaving and how you were leaving the one person you loved behind.

Malleus and your friends noticed your hesitation and looked at each other worried if you were okay, wondering if they should speak up or say something. He went to take a step forward but stopped and gripped the sleeve of his blazer, unable to form the words he wanted to say. You looked at the glowing mirror in front of you and saw the hazy reflection of a familiar landmark smiling a bittersweet smile. Letting the tears fall down your cheeks and sniffling.

Your mind waged war on both sides of your mind wanting to come out on top and win. You didn’t want to leave the person who you’d slowly grown to love and who piqued your curiosity the moment you saw him. You couldn’t. Your crush spoke up after what felt like an eternity. “Are you alright? This is what you want isn’t it?” he said with a hint of solemnness. Turning around and letting everyone see your teary sad sad face. “I can’t go because I love you and if I go I’ll never get to see you again. I don’t want that. I love it here and I love being here with you. I love you and I don’t want to leave even if it means you don’t love me back!” you said through tears.

He let a few tears fall down his cheeks and smiled warmly. “I was hoping you would say something like that. I love you too and want nothing more than for you to stay here with me. I’d miss our walks and nicknames. Everything about you has captured my heart.” he said and brushed budding tears with his thumb. You sobbed hearing his confession and dropped what you were holding, running into his arms and holding him tightly. Both of you held the other like they would disappear if they let go. You laughed and leaned into the hand cupping your face, kissing him sweetly, and resting your forehead against his. “Shall we get something to eat, my beloved?” he asked charmingly.

[cocomanga]

To DeServe You. - Ch.01

Pairing: Choso Camo x Fem!Reader,

CW: JJK AU, Angst, Good Boy Kink, Praise Kink, Size Kink, Oral, BDSM, Unprotected Sex, Edging, Drunk Sex, Aggressive Sex, Overstimulation, Yan(dear)y Choso🖤

Note: please block me if my work is not your cup-o-tea. I do not own any of the character art. Please respect my blog art.

Total WC : 9.6K

TDY Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad | Playlist

Synopsis: Reader is working hard, meeting new people in a new town, and runs into someone she never thought she'd see again. After she left an impression on him that he never forgot, he vows to do anything he can to solidify a connection between them that will cause her to stay by his side for good.

So.... OMG y'all... I decided to just let it go. lol I would have edited, and edited, and edited until I made myself an entirely different story😩 I hope you guys enjoy. 😊

..... Minors: You have no business here. Love you, but please don't ....

▶TDY Playlist

Ch.01 - Unexpected

↞ ··· ↠

There he was again. 

That guy, “Mr. Kamo,” in the same spot. 

Curiosity bloomed more inside you every time you walked by and saw him sitting there. He sat alone, as always, nestled at a table in the corner of this fine dining restaurant.

It’s been nearly four months and he never missed an opportunity to show up, the light gleaming onto his face from his laptop as he sat comfortably in what appeared to be gray designer medical scrubs and black Pumas.

He ordered a light meal since it was late evening, just as he did every week: a Hibachi Steak appetizer, a side spinach salad, and a Hennessy XO.

He seemed to be a considerably quiet man: kept to himself, and was always polite and respectful to the staff and other customers. Yet, though the walls of the front half of the restaurant were lined with windows at each table, he made sure to sit at that one, specifically. Your table, every time he arrived.

At this point in the night your body was really starting to hurt. Two doubles, twelve hours each, and it felt like you’d been on your feet, shocking them with pressure from each step on the cement tile every second of each day.

“Girl, your table is ready to leave,” Shoko muttered, rushing past you.

“Okay, thanks! I’m bringing them their check now,” you replied with a quick huff, as you ripped the receipt from the printer at the computer and grabbed one of the puffy checkbooks from the stack next to it.

Finally, I can get out of here.

You whined to yourself as you rushed over with the thin piece of inked paper in your hand, along with the hope of receiving a fat tip.

“Hey! When do we get our dessert?!”Your customer at the last table yelled. They’d ordered it less than two minutes ago.

Two tables left in your section, and you, Shoko and Yuki were the last three on the shift. You turn to your frustrated customer, apologetic since you knew desserts were made-to-order. Like they care.

“I’m so sorry for the wait. It’ll be out in just a moment, sir,” you replied, hoping they’d calm down.

“My dude... relax. She’s working on it.” A kind and familiar voice is offered up as you set the book with the check down on the customer’s table.

You look over to see your regular, the handsome “Mr. Kamo”, addressing the customer in an attempt to correct their rude behavior.

You were surprised to hear him speak that way, since he was usually so quiet and reserved.

“That’s not my problem!” The customer griped.

“It kinda is your problem, though,” Mr. Kamo advised as he sat back in his chair, legs stretched out, feet firmly planted flat on the ground as he spoke with his hands. “You asked for a made-to-order dessert. So yeah, waiting for it to be made is part of the process, right?” He continued. 

You smirked in his direction, appreciative of him sticking up for you.

Shoko then emerges from the kitchen with his plate. You breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks,” you said gratefully as you took the plate from her hand and set it in front of the customer.

“No problem girl. Done and done,” she mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes toward the table as she handed you a new check without the dessert on it.

“Tough night again, right?” Mr. Kamo muttered, his voice as deep and buttery as always as he tucked his signed credit card slip in his book, handing it over to you. No doubt with another large tip scribbled onto the total in chicken scratches.

“Yeah. You know how it gets around here when there’s a concert downtown. It’s always good to see you though, Mr. Kamo,” you reply, accepting the book from his outstretched hand.

“Just ‘Choso’. I’m sure we’re about the same age right?” He said, smirking as he glanced up at you from his laptop.

You’d never seen a man up close so beautiful and mysterious. His layered, jet-black hair was thick and healthy, hanging past his large eyes in long strands, the sides and back stopping just at his shoulders.

He’s pretty tall, with a perfect athletic build, solid and noticeable even with his baggy clothing. As gorgeous as he was, he had ... a scar... on his face, stretching clear across the bridge of his nose, a scar that oddly intensified his appearance, making him even more of an enigma and, somehow, even more attractive. You glanced down at his bare ring finger, wondering what his story was.

“Here you go,” you turned to slide the dessert guy’s new check to him. “Thank you so much for waiting, sir. Your dessert’s on the house. ““

He huffed as he snatched the checkbook from your hand.

You turned to see Choso glaring at the customer. If looks could kill, the guy would legitimately be dead.

Hot and protective sure is a hell of a combo. You lock eyes with Choso, flashing him a warm smile with a blush, mouthing a ‘thank you’ for helping make your night at least a little better.

A smile curled up into the corner of his full lips as he asked, “Got big plans after work?

“Uh... Well, I can’t say yet,” you reply with a sigh, “since my girls usually have what we’re doing in mind already by the time I finish my shifts.”

You shoot a quick glance up at him from the money you’re counting after you’ve pried it from the pocket of your apron, and notice he’s watching you intently with his hands interlocked in front of his mouth.

His intense gaze often puzzled you. Possibly making you a bit ... uneasy? Though, you couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. He was a stunning man. And seemingly as sweet as they come, but there was something so familiar about him... A familiarity that seemed to cause a shyness to creep up into your belly in the form of butterflies.

You began folding the cash, stuffing it back into your pockets as you glanced toward him again, “My back and feet are really killing me so I may just ... go home.” You sighed as you sat down at his table, crossing your foot over your knee.

It was common for him to sit there for a bit after most of the customers had gone home. You’d make small talk with him, mostly about random nonsense, and he’d close down the place with the last stragglers, the regulars that received free drinks here and there.

As a result, you, and a few of the employees got to know him a little, though he rarely, if ever, offered much personal info about himself. Most of the time, your collective questions were met with just “yes” or “no” answers.

“You should do some stretches before you go to bed tonight,” he advised as his eyes traveled up and down your presence.

You frowned as you squeezed your foot through your non-slip shoe. “You think so? I try to do them in the mornings.” You muttered through gritted teeth as you pressed on a particularly painful area.

“That’s good too, but considering how hard you work here, and the pain you mentioned, stretching before bed will help with blood flow and relax your muscles. Might also help you get some better sleep,” he continued, observing your tired, glazed over eyes.

“Oh, okay,” you frowned, cocking your head to the side. “I hadn’t considered that, especially since I’m usually so exhausted by the time I go to bed. At that point, all I can think about is sleep...Thanks. I’ll try it tonight,” you said, as your smile spreads a little wider across your face.

If you didn’t know any better, you might have thought you’d seen him blush a bit as he averted his eyes back down toward his computer.

“So... I’ve been kinda curious about you,” you prompted, “What do you do, Choso? I see you come here in scrubs most of the time,” you inquire, genuinely interested.

“They’re actually Masseuse tunics,” he replied, glancing down at his clothes, then back up at you, resting his cheek in his hand.

Your eyes brightened at the information you’d gained, “Really? Are you a Massage Therapist?”

“Hey!” Shoko interrupted, yelling across the empty restaurant toward your table. “Are you gonna get clocked out or are you staying here to lock up?”

She turned her attention to Choso, “Mr. Kamo, we’re trying to get outta here!” She whined.

He chuckled, looking over to you. “Guess we both better go huh?”

“Yeah,” you turned back toward him with an apologetic smile as you raised your index finger to Shoko, gesturing to her to give you a minute.

Choso closed his laptop and grabbed his things from under the table. “You guys working tomorrow?” He asked, standing tall as he whipped his bag over his shoulder.

“Actually, no. Thank God,” you rolled your eyes, “I can’t imagine being here again tomorrow. I’m off from both of my jobs for the next couple days.”

“Both jobs? You have another one?” He quizzed, surprised.

“Yuuup. Well, most of us here are working toward other things. Shoko’s in medical school, Yuki’s training to be a mechanic, and I’m a social worker at a non-profit nearby.”

“Wow. That’s... amazing. And a lot,” he says with his eyebrows raised.

“Well, this place is a damn good side hustle,” you chuckled as you stood with him.

“Seems like it,” he uttered, appearing intrigued by your words as he smiled, his gaze softening. 

His anxious eyes traveled over to where Shoko stood, quickly averted to the floor, then back up to meet yours. “So... I'm uh... I'm having people over tomorrow night. You think maybe you'd wanna come by?” he offers.

Your head snapped up to face him as a wrinkle formed between your eyebrows and your lips flattened into a hard line. You slowed your pace to nearly a halt, as you walked him toward the front.  “That's different... you've never invited any of us out...”

“Yeah, I know...” he muttered shyly. “But since I've been coming here, I noticed you seem to be a pretty chill group of girls. Believe it or not, I've been wanting to for a while.”

“Really?” You asked, curious what kind of gathering he had in mind.

“Yeah. You, Shoko and Yuki,” he shrugged, “it'll be just a handful of friends. Nothing crazy. A few people, a few drinks.”

You take but a moment to deliberate. You figured you'd seen him and chatted with him more than enough times to accept his invitation, and the idea of being that much closer to him seemed to flare a spark inside you.

“Sure.” you shrugged. “Why not? I'm in. I'll ask the girls if they wanna come.”

He nods, a shy smile gracing his face, “Cool. Why don't you plug your info in my phone? We'll keep in touch.”

You paused for a moment, taken aback by the idea of exchanging info with him suddenly as he passed his unlocked phone over to you. You always wanted to, but it never dawned on you that he'd actually initiate it so casually.

“Um... Okay...” You take his phone gently and add your info, handing it back as your eyes travel up toward his face, his hooded gaze and vacant expression locked on to you as you place the device back into his hand.

Your big eyes glanced up at him and back down to the phone in intervals as your lips disappeared into your mouth and blood flooded your cheeks.

His eyes seemed to survey every one of your features before he finally spoke. “See you later then?” He asks with a subtle smirk as he moves toward the door, pressing in the golden handle to leave as he waved back toward Shoko's agitated glare.

You walked over to her with a wry smile on your face as you approached.

“What were you guys over there talking about for so long?” She asks as you follow her out the back door for her end-of-shift smoke.

“He was inviting us out tomorrow night.”

“Really?” Her face mimicked the same confusion yours did. “Out where?”

“His place, apparently,” you shrugged, shaking your head, “said he's having people over and wants us to come by.”

“Wow. Sounds cool. Seems like a great guy, too,” she lights up and takes a puff as she finds her stool she kept outside to sit on. “'Cept I think he's just trying to get you over there.”

“Huh?” You uttered, “What makes you think it's just me?”

“What do you mean?” She huffed, “He's been sitting in your section every week, consistently, for the past few months. You're telling me you haven't noticed he's into you?” She asks, as she takes another drag of her already half gone Newport.

“Oh come on. I mean, for all I know he just likes the window seat,” you shrugged. “It'd be kinda arrogant for me to assume he's just there for me.”

“Tch... How much did he tip you?” She asked, with her eyebrows raised.

“Oh, damn I didn't even see. You called me over before I could look at his check,” you dug inside your apron and grabbed the last black book you had inside and opened it.

Your lips parted slightly mimicking a jaw drop when you saw the number. “Shoko...” you said, as you looked over at her, wide-eyed.

She glanced over your shoulder at the check. “Are you kidding me?!” Shoko chuckled, nearly choking on her cigarette as she saw his tip was two-hundred dollars, on top of the mere eighty-five bucks he'd spent on food.

“What the hell?” You said, frowning as you slapped the book shut.

Shoko giggled, “That's damn near five-hundred dollars he's spent on you this month, just coming to eat at your restaurant,” she murmured.

“He tipped you too, when he first started coming here!” You whined, a poor excuse to justify your position.

“Girl, please,” he gave me like forty bucks that night, and it was only because you weren't here!” She retorted, laughing. “Meanwhile, he's made you a regular monthly expense.”

You sat there in shock, realizing she's probably right, but not understanding what the hell he's doing. “Who does this? And … If that's the case, why hasn't he just asked me out? It's been nearly four months.”

“He just did, right?”

“Yeah, but after that long? I don't get it,” you said, completely perplexed.

“Look, let's just show up tomorrow night and see how it goes. Maybe you'll get some answers then,” she opened the back door, staring with raised brows, holding it open for you.

“Just exactly how long did you plan to have me waiting in here?” Yuki asked as she saw the two of you coming back in from the rear patio.

“My bad, Yuki. You know, you could've just come outside with us.” Shoko grumbled.

“And end up smelling like cigarettes? No thanks,” she retorted. “Can we please get out of here, I don't like hanging out where I get paid.”

Shoko huffed, “Oh my god, woman, alright. Let's get home.”

↞ ··· ↠

“Are you sure this is the place?” You asked Shoko as she drove down the dark road full of trees.

“That’s what’s in the GPS...” she said, frowning. “Unless he gave you shit for directions.” She let her window down a bit as she lit another cigarette.

“It’s awfully dark back here,” Yuki complained, with a turned-up nose, barely making out the trees whooshing past the window though the pitch black.

“Yeah it is...” Shoko squints through her smoke and the faint glow the headlights provided, regardless of the brights.

“Looks like we’re finally close at least,” Yuki interjected, peering at what was a glimpse of a few lights in a house at the end of the road as she rolled her window completely down. “Shoko, God. I really don’t wanna smell like cigarettes when we get there.”

“Oh, be quiet, you’ll live,” Shoko retorted.

“Oh ... my god,” you replied, picking up on what Yuki saw, the building finally coming into view. “Looks like we’re ... here?”

Shoko was seemingly just as shocked as you. ”Whoa,” She muttered.

As the headlights of the car illuminate the property, you pull up to a beautiful, eclectic, mini-mansion nestled away in the middle of this thick forest. The wheels of the car rumble softly as you roll up onto the smooth bound resin driveway of a three car garage.

“What does he do again?” Yuki asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “You said he was a massage therapist?”

“Well, we were getting to that part but...” you started, as you shook your head, your eyes darting every direction, taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Shoko shifted the car into park, then turned it off. You all paused, gawking at each other, ears perked as you made out distant sounds.

“Hmm, I hear music... let’s go in. I’m a hell of a lot more curious now.” Shoko grins as she makes her way out of the car.

You all exited the vehicle, then walked slowly up the stairs to the front door as the tall glass windows displayed a perfect view inside the house.

An adorable young guy with pink hair flung the door open, wafting the cool air around as it seemed to pull you in. “Hey, what’s up? You guys friends of Cho’s?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Shoko says as she introduces all of you.

“I’m Itadori, Cho’s younger brother. Come on in,” he said with a bright smile as he stepped aside to let you through the door.

One of the first things you notice is the scent. It was a fresh, yet herbal aroma with a hint of dark musk. Strong enough to be obvious, but not overwhelming; lightly overpowered by the smell of the food.

You step into a huge room, onto the beautifully finished hardwood floors of a space so vast and open, you could see straight back into the kitchen, and beyond to more large windows connected to a door leading to the back of the house. 

The second floor was also visible from there, and as your eyes traveled upward, you notice a huge, wooden, intricately carved chandelier fixture mimicking tree branches, hanging from the ceiling, it’s lights brightening the entire space.

There were plants everywhere. Hanging plants, potted ones on the surfaces and a few large houseplants strategically placed about, a couple of them mini trees, stretching up nearly ten feet. There were even dried herbs hanging in the open kitchen.

The place was lit dimly but sufficiently, as the bulbs from the chandelier reflected beautifully off the windows. The entrance opened to the living room. A staircase along the exposed brick wall to the right of the door lead up to the next floor, the wall adorned with a few abstract paintings.

The kitchen, where Choso stood talking to two handsome guys, was full of modern stainless steel appliances, and every area was spotless. The taller guy was making drinks with a huge smile on his face.

The atmosphere was breathtaking. Warm, and inviting. You’d only just arrived and already didn’t want to leave.

“That’s Todo and Ino in the kitchen with Cho,” Itadori said as he locked up the front door behind you. “Make yourselves at home.” he walked over toward the quartz top island bar in the kitchen where the boys stood.

“Holy sh-...” Shoko mouthed to you, amazement plastered on her face as she looked around. “Let’s see how these drinks taste,” she says, smiling widely.

The three of you wander over to join them. You’d never seen Choso this way before. He looked so happy and relaxed in his element.

“He seems a little different here, right?” Yuki whispered to you.

“Yeah,” you agreed.

“Hey girls. Thanks for coming,” Choso’s face seemed to light up as he popped what appeared to be a piece of dark chocolate into his mouth.

That smile, though small, formed a tiny dimple between his cheek and his mouth. You didn’t see that often, if ever, considering his usually quite stoic expression. But you sure as hell wouldn’t mind seeing more of it.

“Thanks for the invite,” Yuki said cheerfully. “This place is gorgeous.”

“Thanks,” Choso replied. “Did you find it okay?”

“We did, though we were a little worried when we realized it was back here in the trees,” Shoko jokes.

He chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, sorry about that. It can be a little confusing. Especially in the dark.” He looked over to you, his eyes slightly hooded, piercing. His smirk still playing at his lips as he leaned against the counter. “You want a drink?”

“Sure,” you answered, trying hard not to keep gazing curiously at him as if you’d never seen him before. He somehow felt even more familiar now that you were in his space. You really did feel almost at home.

His eyes softened even more, blinking once sleepily as he spoke. “What do you drink?”

Gah... that face would surely be the death of you.

“Uh... I guess it depends. I should probably take it easy though, since I didn’t really eat much for dinner.”

“Hmm...” he said, contemplating as he finished his chocolate. “Ok... one Bloody Mary, coming right up. I’ll even add a celery stalk.” He said, his eyes almost refusing to tear away from you as he turned to make it.

You pressed your smile in, flattening your lips into a thin line. Fine and clever. “That’s actually perfect. Thank you”.

“Of course. I hope you can relax while you’re here.” His demeanor emitted a quiet confidence, but was contradicted by the slightest bit of timidity, making him all the more beautiful.

You tried focusing your attention toward your friends, yet Shoko and Yuki had already become preoccupied with talking to the other guys. It was becoming a little more obvious that Shoko was right.

You watched as he meticulously crafted your drink in a metal shaker first, then poured it into a small mason jar with a handle, adding a salt mix to the rim, then dropping in a celery stalk and ... a skewer... with food on it?

You frowned in confusion, having never seen anyone make a bloody mary look so ... delicious. He added chicken breast cubes, black olives, and cheese from the snack plates he had out. It was crazy.

“Wow. How did you learn to do that?” You asked, fascinated by his ease.

“My mom,” he responded with a small sigh, “she’s brilliant in the kitchen.” He’s quiet for a beat, then asks, “Come outside with me?” as he nodded toward the back door.

He grabs both glasses and walks toward the door behind the kitchen, which led out to his enormous fenced backyard, the entire area surrounded by even more lush green land.

On your way out, you eyeballed the girls so they’d have an idea of where you were headed. “So... I’m more curious than ever now, Choso. What is it that you do again?”

“Yeah, we didn’t exactly get to finish that conversation, did we?” He blushed as he looked down at the drinks in his hand, passing one to you.

You shook your head, taking a sip. Your eyes brightened, brows furrowing as the flavor hit your tastebuds. “Wow, that’s good. Even a little spicy. Yum...!” You giggled, sipping more.

“Thanks. I’m glad you like it,” he said with a grin, obviously pleased with his handiwork.

He sits down on one of the chairs in front of a crackling fire pit. You sit at an angle next to him on another chair. He took a sip of his drink, minus the food.

“So... I actually have a doctorate in Hematology and own a Massage Clinic.”

Your eyes grew wide as you sipped. “What?” Surprise and genuine interest gracing your voice. “Wow... Y-You own one?” One of your eyebrows shot up. “Well, that explains the sound advice you gave me before,” you huffed, smiling brightly.

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “I worked pretty hard in college. Nothing mattered to me more than getting out on my own to make enough to take care of my mother.”

“Your mother?” You echoed, curiosity growing behind your eyes and voice. “Where is she now?”

“Well, she and my father separated when I was in college. Things were... difficult. But she’s doing well now. I actually got this place relatively cheap off of her. It belonged to both my parents. She moved back home and didn’t want to sell it outside of the family,” he explains to you.

You nod slowly as he elaborates and you hum, “I’m glad she’s well now. This house...it’s immaculate. Looks like they put a lot of work into it. But so did you, right? Now that I know what you do, it definitely suits you.”

He looked up at you with a warm smile, “Thanks. It’s pretty convenient for work. A lot of the herbs I use for tinctures and aromatherapy are here on this land. I even work from here when offering services to some of my VIP’s.”

You raise your brows, intrigued, “VIP’s, huh?” It was proving to be exciting getting to know him. Turns out he was far more interesting than you thought, but you wanted to know more.

“Yeah, some of my clients I went to school with, and some I met at events. Business just grew from word of mouth. I can’t say I’m good at networking.” He looked up at you after a pause. “But...I’m actually curious about you, too. How did you end up getting into social work?”

“Well, after I finally chose a major at college, I studied for the degree, then received an opportunity here in this city to work at a great place.” Another smile spread across your face as you looked out into the dark green of his vast backyard. You took a deep breath and continued, “It’s good money for the time I’m there, but I’m not as often as I’d like to be. I do love it, though.”

“So, at your part time job you help people, and at your full-time job you serve people?” Choso asked, his lips turning up in one corner.

You glanced down into your glass with a huff, “Yeah. I guess I do.”

“Who’s serving you?” He asked, his eyes burrowing into yours as he peers up at you from his position in his chair, one eyebrow raised.

You return a shy glance in his direction, your brow furrowing a bit, eyes fluttering as you search your brain for what felt like an answer to a trick question.

“I uh... I dunno,” you sighed, and silence falls between you. “I suppose I could ask you the same thing, ’Doctor’.”

“Touché,” he murmured, letting out a small chuckle.

You laugh softly at his reply. “But... there’s something else that I don’t understand. I mean, you’ve been visiting us nearly four months now, and never invited us out. Why tonight?” You squinted, “And ... What’s with the crazy tips?”

He smiled, looking down at his drink, his feet planted flat on the ground, resting his elbows at his knees. He took a deep breath and looked up at you as if you already had the answer.

Your head cocked to the side, curiosity obvious on your face, not to mention, your apparently very strong drink was starting to kick in.

“What’s a guy like you doing coming to a restaurant on a weekly basis, just to drop large bills on a woman you just met?” You press further.

He continued to hold his head down toward his drink as you spoke, swirling it around in his hand. His eyes flick up suddenly towards you. “Tch... You’re just as fiery and tenacious as always.”

“Always?” You echo; the buzz in your head created by that delicious drink traveling quickly through your system, the smell of it, even the fragrant greenery outside complimented it.

The more you relaxed in that atmosphere, the more you noticed about him, his features grew more attractive to you by the second.

Aside from the effects of the alcohol, a warm feeling washed over you. It was as if his meticulously curated environment had created a sense of relaxation that enveloped you. Clearly, he’s good at his job.

“Yeah,” he says, eyebrows raised, nodding. “Do you recall your last year of college?”

“Mmm...” you hummed, taking another sip. “Yeah. Well, most of it. I dealt with a complicated situation back then.”

“What kind of situation? If I could ask,” he requests gently.

You let out a soft sigh, strangely not finding it hard to open up at this moment, “I ended up in a coma for three months of it,” your brows formed a hard line in the center, “I really don’t even recall the reason. I just know I ... woke up in the hospital after having been out of it for that long.”

Choso frowned as he turned his gaze toward to you. “I’m sorry something like that happened to you,” he said as he looked out into the lush yard in the back of his house. “How badly were you hurt?”

“Well ... I had a concussion, a broken leg, and a fracture in my ribcage,” you tell him. As you took a breath, the aroma of burning wood blended in with the fragrance of herbs and the taste of fresh tomato, basil, and ... something else on your tongue. “According to my mother, I had been... attacked... by some of my classmates.”

“Attacked,” Choso uttered, still peering out into the yard, the word reverberating much more like an echo as opposed to a question.

“That’s ... awful,” he frowned, “You’re okay now though, right?” He asked, his gaze now raking over you as if searching your body for wounds.

“So far so good... I have a few scars though, of course,” you huffed.

He paused, slowly nodding. “Did uh... did you have a lot of friends back then?” his voice, lower and softer than before.

“I’d say I had a few. One in particular that I was really close to: Utahime. She’s still living in my hometown. I did have one other ... acquaintance ... of sorts. But... before we could get close, we kind of separated.”

“What do you mean ‘separated’?” He asks. You’re too buzzed to notice how seemingly interested he is in this topic with the endless questions.

“Well, he was a shy guy. Super smart and a bit of a mess. Wore glasses... He took a class with me, Psychology, but was one grade below me. I tried talking to him from time to time when I’d see him around since he was alone so often. I even tried helping him once. But it didn’t go well.”

“What happened?” He inquires almost immediately.

“Uh...” you frowned, sighing, lips scrunched up in one corner. “It’s kind of a blur...” you said, squinting as you shook your head. “I can’t even remember his name at this point. I don’t remember much at all about him except that I felt so...” you looked over at Choso, “comfortable with him.”

Your eyes darted back out into the yard, your expression softening as you spoke, thinking about this old friend of yours as you sigh softly. “He was brilliant, too. And quiet. I remember admiring how well he grasped the material.”

You stirred the remainder of your drink with your bamboo straw, continuing on, your frown deepening as you remembered the not so pretty parts of college...

 ”Some guys with a fraternity...ugh, they were such jerks... ridiculed him all the time. Masked it as joking around,” you scoffed quietly, shaking your head, “They kept taking his glasses, mocking him... It was so childish. I remember they broke a pair. It pissed me off ‘cause he never bothered anyone. I reported them but it was brushed off.”

Choso’s eyebrows jumped as he rolled his eyes. “Yeah... it was kind of a mess there,” he grumbled.

Your eyes flicked in his direction as he sat on the chair, “Did I tell you what school I attended?” You asked, now swaying a bit as you peered at him. Maybe you mentioned it in passing, but you didn’t recall doing so.

The crackling of the fire rang louder than his voice in your ears. He prompted you to continue. “But ... What happened to him after that?” He asked, taking another sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving your face.

You cocked your head to the side, “I don’t remember,” you said, as you ripped your gaze away, turning it toward the floor, in hopes that the blank canvas would help refocus your mind and maybe trigger a memory.

It’s silent for a beat, as your gaze trails over the floor, then back up to the vast forest ahead. He does the same, both of you just basking in the silence of the surrounding nature. Fragrances and flavors seemed to come to life in you senses, a tinge of particular floral and musky aromas surfacing in your palate.

You sit with your last sentence for a moment, thinking about how people come and go in life, the alcohol really making you dwell on it, and you bring your gaze to him.

As you begin to speak, he looks back to you curiously, “Isn’t it both beautiful and heartbreaking how people can come and go in your life? How they exit after they have fulfilled their purpose? Kind of like... hah, like a theater stage being life. And they exit the stage once they have finished their role, and you don’t see them until the credits - the credits being when you die, but even then, you probably won’t acknowledge them if the font is tiiiiiny,” you squish your thumb and index finger together with a little giggle, but Choso doesn’t share your humor in the matter.

He looks hurt. Pained, even.

“I’m sorry,” Choso says quietly.

“What?” You said, squinting in his direction. “That was so long ago. It’s really nothing to be concerned about now. Thank you, though.”

Choso put his glass down and stood, walking over to you, stopping a foot in front of you. “No, I mean, I’m sorry,” he said firmly, staring into your eyes with an intensity you hadn’t seen before.

“I um ...” you looked up, gazing at his concerned face. “It’s okay. Seriously. It’s ... not that big a deal anymore...” you breathed, wondering why or how this conversation suddenly became so much heavier.

“I’m sorry I did nothing,” Choso grimaced a bit as he spoke, cringing at his own admission. “I was a coward,” he held his head down in shame, as if in confession, as if spilling secrets that had been hidden, concealed in dark places within his heart.

“What?” You whispered again, gawking at his face - that pretty face - and your head tilted slightly, “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You were so good to me,” he says, his eyes moving to meet yours. “Those assholes... they called me ‘So-So’. Tch. After everything, I really worried about you when you didn’t come back to school.”

You peered at him through your lashes for what felt like far too long. He holds your gaze, and you can see fear, hope, and regret swirling in those dark eyes of his. 

What does he mean? He sees your internal battle, and he breaks the eye contact, casually looking down to his shirt where there were a pair of glasses sat snugly over the first fastened button. 

You blink, slowly, the expression on your face morphing into one of shock.” Oh my god,” you gasped, unable to believe what... who you’re seeing.

Choso remained frozen in front of you, a slight hunch in his back, his eyes surveying your features which finally appeared... scared? Or just confused.

At that moment, it was impossible to know what to say. You found it very strange that you hadn’t registered the fact that a pair of glasses had been present there the entire time, though you acknowledged that your attention was drawn mostly toward his face since you’d arrived. Had he ever worn those to the restaurant?

It was as if you’d been under a light form of hypnosis, a daze of sorts that you’d somehow found comfort in. Though somewhere deep inside you, you were relieved the familiarity you felt toward him could now be traced back to a source.

“It’s been a really long time. I know,” he spoke softly as he hovered, no, towered over you. “I’m really sorry... for what happened.”

You were stunned, yet tipsy as you stood there, letting the revelation stew inside you of just exactly who had been sitting so close to you, having conversations with you, practically just paying you for the past few months.

Your breaths passed through your lungs much faster now as your eyes widened, taking in each part of his face, his body, his appearance, not knowing whether to be pissed, or to ask him how he’s been and be happy you could see him again.

The fact that your perception of him had completely shifted, that he’s now an entirely different person, someone you vaguely knew, weighing a thousand pounds on your chest as you took in this, “glowed-up” version of him.

“You asked me a question earlier,” Choso says, “That’s um...” his lips flattened into a thin line, “one ... of the reasons I’d been going to the restaurant. I came to see you every week because... I wanted to repay you.”

“Repay me?” You stood, staring, completely taken aback. “For what?”

“I feel... responsible,” he said as he straightened up. “Responsible for what you went through...for what happened.”

“How are you responsible?” You ask, heart hammering in your chest.

“It’s my fault. If you hadn’t been friends with me...” he shook his head. “I just have to make it right.”

“Friends with you?” Your face contorted in confusion. “You think that somehow caused a problem?”

Choso kept his head down, the look on his face a mix of sadness and frustration.

“Choso, I don’t even remember what actually happened. There were witnesses, but... It could’ve been a complete misunderstanding. Or even a total accident. To be honest, it’s a lot to rehash. Based on what I do know, I don’t understand your ... perception.”

The tipsiness in your body had numbed the feeling of revisiting this topic somewhat, and it hits you all of a sudden. You looked around, beginning to feel slightly dizzy, but very confused, not realizing you’d allowed a couple of tears to fall from your face.

“I um... I have to go,” you finally manage to get out.

You looked around for somewhere to put your glass down as you stood, shocked it wasn’t already shattered on the ground.

Choso stepped toward you, “Please–”

“No, it’s okay,” you interrupted, your hand raised as a silent request for him to keep his distance. “I just... I need to leave,” you tell him, shuddering as you exhale.

Your eyes darted back and forth as you attempted to gather your thoughts, remembering that Shoko and Yuki were inside. You turn to grab the handle of the door and push it open, walking straight past the four souls in the living room who now had terribly worried looks on their faces once they processed the look on yours.

“Shoko... um... will you...” you swallow thickly, “will you please take me home?” Your voice quivered as you worked to keep your flushed, teary expression to yourself.

Shoko panics a little, confused as you cross the room to the front door where she follows you, “Of course.”

Both her and Yuki’s attention turn to Choso, his expression pained as he stands at a ‘safe’ distance from you, yet making sure you get out okay.

“Is everything alright?” Yuki asks, obviously worried.

“Fine,” you nodded, “Totally fine. I just need to go,” you said, forcing a smile as you headed toward the door, both of your friends in tow.

Choso nods gently at her and Yuki, averting his eyes downward, then toward his friends. He walks over to the front door and locks it as he watches you get into the car and disappear back through the woods heading home.

↞ ··· ↠

You had actually lost sleep last night. Your brain was riddled with thoughts that kept churning repeatedly in what felt like an endless loop.

You never imagined running into anyone from your past, and of all people, him. Especially after having moved to an entirely different city. You had all but forgotten the heartache that came with that experience and now...

It happened a long time ago. Nearly ten years. But the PTS attached to it took years to shake, especially since there really wasn’t much closure, only questions and confusion.

No one had ever bothered to apologize for what happened, and up till now, the only ones who acknowledged it were your parents and the police who had investigated based on eyewitness testimonies and hunches.

Not to mention your hospital bills and time lost, having to retake missed classes, and the embarrassment of having gone through something so horrible. And since you transferred schools immediately after that, you never imagined anyone from there would be back within your proximity, and such close proximity, at that.

How did he even know where I was? I’ve been here over a year.

You couldn’t make sense of why this was happening. As you completed your morning rituals, your phone rang. A call from Yuki.

As you answered, you noticed a single text message from Choso.

Choso: ”Please forgive me.”

Your heart thumped once, heavily in your chest. I can’t believe this.

You answered the call from Yuki. “Hey.” 

You had briefly yet vaguely explained things to the girls in the car on your way home last night.

“Good morning, how are you feeling?”

“You know, I really don’t know?” you huffed, staring at the message he sent. “He texted me this morning. This feels so strange. I thought that whole experience was far behind me.”

“What did he say?” She asked.

“‘Please forgive me’. That’s all.”

“What is he asking you to forgive him for?”

You let out a heavy sigh as you processed that. “I really don’t understand it myself. And to be honest I’m not sure I wanna know.”

“Why?”

“Well, I don’t recall why things happened the way they did. After what it took for me to get past the stress of it, I can’t say I have the desire to dig it all back up again. I don’t get why after all this time he’d show up here.”

“Is your gut telling you something’s wrong?”

You took a moment to consider it, “Actually, no. I don’t remember ever having a single negative feeling around him during school.”

“Well, he’s been pouring money into you for a while now, do you think he has an ulterior motive or something?” She inquires.

“I truly have no idea,” you sigh.

“Maybe just talk to him a bit more? Find out what he wants. That’ll give you some more answers at least. Then you can decide whether to cut ties if necessary.”

“Yeah. I guess that makes sense. I mean, it’d be great to know that much.”

“I’m curious what the hell was going on with the fraternity. Were they really so wild at this university that this behavior was blatantly ignored?”

“Well, he definitely wasn’t the only person to experience them, they were just meatheads being assholes as far as I know. It was frustrating, though. That’s one of the reasons I bothered to intervene. Even I got tired of it.”

“Yeah. Can’t say I blame you for that. I would, too. But look, don’t allow yourself to feel pressured to deal with it all right now, though. Just...take your time and handle it the way that’s best for you,” she says gently.

“I’ll do my best not to wrack my brain over it.”

“Will I see you tomorrow at work?”

“Yeah, but only tomorrow night. I’ll be at the center in the morning.”

“Alright. Relax ok? Make sure you sort out exactly how you feel first.”

“I will. Thanks, Yuki.”

You bid each other goodbye and hung up. Your eyes flicked around a bit as the wheels in your head turned, already neglecting to keep your promise to Yuki not to worry. You gripped your coffee by the handle of your favorite mug, curling your legs up on the couch as you stared at his text.

You: When I was hospitalized, why didn’t you come to see me?

Choso: ...

It took a while for him to answer, you watched him type, then delete, then type, then delete again, evidenced by the bubble appearing and disappearing. You weren’t sure if he was making up an excuse, or actually having a hard time with the question.

Choso: I couldn’t face you.

Choso: Not after everything. Not until I could repay you.

You feel your heart clench and start to beat faster as you read his messages, and you type your response quickly with the first thought that comes to mind.

You: It happened long ago. The damage is done.

Choso: And it’s my fault. I’m sorry.

Choso: I’ll work to make things right. As long as it takes.

Choso: I could never make it up to you but please let me try.

Choso: Please.

The more honest you were with yourself, the more you were able to simply admit that you weren’t quite sure how to navigate this situation.

You: Why did you take so long to tell me? At the restaurant...

Choso: I wanted to talk privately.

Choso: In a better environment. & I didn’t want to scare you.

You sit and stare at your phone, and then up into space as you visualize his face in your head. It’s so crazy that it’s really him.

The guy you helped gather his things after he fumbled his books. The one who sat at the library studying alone only to be harassed by a group of random students with apparently nothing better to do.

What happened to him was pretty fucked up. He didn’t deserve that.

But of course, neither did you. 

Who is he now?

He’s older, maybe wiser, but ... what could you expect from him?

He’s been to the restaurant many times, and was never stand offish, or fearful... not to mention his appearance. He was practically unrecognizable as your old classmate.

But... he was still warm. Still sweet. Still brilliant.

It was just so strange seeing him again. Being in contact with him again. And it seemed that you’d spoken more in these few months than you had the entire time you were acquainted with him during college.

Choso: I just want to do right by you.

You: ... I gtg for now Choso. Ttyl ok?

Choso: Ok.

↞ ··· ↠

You were already tired by the time you went back to work the next day. You suspect it was mental exhaustion. You had talked to a few kids at the Center earlier in the day, and they had actually lifted your spirits, but you couldn’t help how difficult it felt to just get back to normal.

After a few hours there, you had finally made it to the restaurant, walking in through the back door, just in time to pick up a full section of four tables.

“I’m sorry about this,” Shoko apologized as you were wrapping your apron around your waist. “Mahito is an asshole. He talked to the customers at the door and sat them all at your tables even though we told him you weren’t here yet.”

“Ugh! What the hell is his problem?” You griped.

“I wish we knew,” Yuki answers, “Don’t worry though, we got all of their drink orders. We’ll just transfer all of the checks to you when you’re ready.”

“Oh, I have the best friends everrrrr! Thank you!” You gave them a grateful look and smiled softly as you grabbed a checkbook from her.

“You’d better remember that when it’s time to pool tips,” Yuki quipped.

“Ha,” Shoko laughed, eyeing you playfully, “For real.”

“Oh don’t worry I won’t forget!” You called out as you rushed toward the front. You were already a little tired from having worked that morning, but your second wind was coming on.

You check yourself in the mirror in the doorway to be sure you’re straight before you head to your section, scraping any lint from your crisp uniform and apron. You saunter over to your section, and...lo and behold.

A familiar face sitting at your corner window table.

He was breaking his routine.

He had just been there a few days ago and wasn’t scheduled for at least until the rest of the week was over.

Yuki walks by you, raising her eyebrows as she heads to her tables and mouths, telling you with her eyes as well, “Talk to him.”

Neither of your friends had bothered mentioning that he was there.

 You quickly cut your eyes at her before you approach him, your smile fading as you drew closer. “Ahem ...” You clear your throat as his head is buried in his laptop. He was wearing all black today, relaxed and casual with black combat boots and a hoodie, hair down, looking particularly ravishing.

“What can I get you tonight?”

“I don’t need anything else but this right now,” he says as he nods toward his Hennessy, his dark locks falling over his face, quickly swiped behind his ear as he stares up at you.

“Okay,” you reply, turning away. “I’ll be back in a few min–”

“Except...” he grabs your arm to stop you, “you can tell me what I can do for you.”

“Um...” you laugh nervously as you look down at his strong hand wrapped completely around your tiny wrist. “Choso... come on... I’m a little busy right now.”

“Okay, okay. I know. But if you’d just tell me real quick, I’ll be cool,” he says, taking a sip of his drink, using his free hand, his eyes raking over your form.

“We’re ready to order,” another table calls over to you.

You glance over to them before turning back to Choso. “I have to go...” 

“Alright,” he says, slowly releasing your arm, causing your hand to slide through his, his fingers tracing your palm as you pull away.

Choso sat there. All night. Just as he had the last time he was there.

Ironically, his presence made your night easier, considering you didn’t get other customers sat in that spot.

You were finished with work by 9:30, feeling completely drained as you cashed out. You walked toward the front to leave, only to see Choso sitting at a table close to the door, waiting.

Your stride slowed as you approached, “You know you could just text me, right?” You mumbled.

“Obviously. But why, when I can see you in person?” He stood up from the chair, causing you to look up at him as he slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder, both of you, just standing there for a moment.

“Come to my house. Have dinner with me.” He paused, “I just wanna... talk,” he gazed down at you through his darkened eyes, taking in your form and your sweet face as his eyes landed on your lips.

“It’s late,” you sighed, averting your gaze down to the floor as you tried to hide the heat rising in your cheeks from his intense stare, “And I’m tired.”

“This weekend, when you’re off,” he suggests.

You took a deep breath, figuring you may as well hear him out. You nod once and exhale slowly, “Okay.”

Choso nods, towering over you, savoring your presence one last time with a hint of satisfaction on his face. “Cool. Friday night then,” he says, his smile warming your heart as he disappears through the double doors.

“That looked like a positive interaction,” Shoko jokes as she heads toward the front door to take you home.

“Well, we’ll see about that. I have no idea what to expect from him honestly. Besides more apologies,” you laugh a little, making light of the situation.

“That’s a start, right? I mean, he’s been on your ass for months now,” she teases, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. He’s definitely persistent. I’ll give him that,” you mumble, watching him through the windows as he hops in his car and pulls off.

Shoko chuckles at you, an unlit fresh cigarette between her lips, “Alright. let’s go.”

↞ ··· ↠

Choso picked you up in his deep green Rivian. As he opened the door for you, he had to help you to hop up inside. Another pleasing aroma, cedarwood, perhaps?, filled the space of the ride, the lights softly illuminating the interior against the dark of the night, the soft music adding a sweet touch to the atmosphere.

After you’d settled into your seat, he closes your door and walks around to his side and climbs in, looking as amazing as always, his glasses tucked  in a black henley with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and gray sweatpants.

His hair was down, his tattoo peeking out from under the sleeve of his right arm, his muscles flexing as you watched him shift the truck’s gears. The way he lit up your insides, you’d definitely call him hot. But, you remembered, that wasn’t always so.

However, he was always sweet, making his sexiness even more attractive now.

You tried keeping your eyes on the road, stealing glances at him every so often as he took control of the car, and of where you were going. There seemed to be a sense of comfort and relaxation that came with that, which you loved.

You glanced down at his legs as they stretched out underneath the dash, one knee waving back and forth as he kept his right hand on the wheel, the other pressed against his pretty lips, his focus straight ahead.

If only things weren’t so complicated.

You arrived at his home, and as you walked into the beautiful foyer, you could already smell some of the food he’d begun to prepare.  

“Dinner will be ready in a minute. Make yourself comfortable.”

“Thanks” you replied, following him through the main room to his grey quartz island as you sat on the opposite side, observing him closely while he made his way around his kitchen. 

As beautiful and strong as he was, Choso had a grace about him that was almost mesmerizing. Every movement, intentional. Every intention, deliberate. He lifted each vegetable up to take in it’s aroma before cutting, as if the fragrance was the final quality assurance test it was required to pass before use. 

His tendons flexed clearly against his muscles as he carefully chopped each one, their juices barely spilling onto the cutting board by way of his razor sharp knife. Choso calculated every motion, and savored every moment as he moved, as if the journey toward the end of his process was equally as pleasing as the reward he would receive for the final result.

He served the plates on the corner of the island, as he sat across from you. “Enjoy.” he prompted.

He’d prepared a perfect Kobe steak, medium rare, with seasonal veggies and truffle mac and cheese. And boy, was it divine. The steak practically melted in your mouth, seasoned perfectly with herbs, the veggies were crisp and fresh as if he’d picked them himself, and the mac and cheese was decadent and rich. 

“That was ... so good.” you raved, one eyebrow hiked up. “Did your mother influence your cooking skills also?” You ask him as you finish the last of your drink and set the cup down gently.

He smiles softly, his gaze traveling up to yours, “Yeah. She told me, ‘A man’s gotta know his way around his own home’. I learned plants from her, too.”

“She seems like a wonderful woman,” you reply, the tender look of nostalgia on his face making your heart skip a beat, and his deep voice vibrating you to your core.

“I’m glad you agreed to come,” he murmurs, that beautiful smile peeking again.

“Yet ... I really am still wondering why you invited me,” you tell him, “Choso, I hate to sound too... forward. But...is there something you want from me? I’ve been trying to figure it out, and I just ... can’t.”

He glanced up, locking eyes with you for just a moment, looking away quickly as if the contact had somehow triggered him. 

“Look... I know I can’t change the past. And I’m actually genuinely happy that ... despite how fucked up everything was back then, we’re in good places in life. I just... I can’t help but feel like I’m indebted to you.”

“Indebted?” You shook your head, rolling your eyes in a huff, upset that he feels so much guilt still, “Choso, I’ll admit. I was shocked when you told me who you are. It really threw me off. I spent a lot of time getting over what went down back then. So yeah, seeing you here, now... it was... debilitating. I don’t know. Maybe I realized I needed something...some kind of closure? But you’ve apologized... for whatever it is you think you’ve done. We can leave it at that.”

He leaned against the island, his body facing in your direction, his eyes studying your face, following your every gesture, his gaze sorrowful. “I really am sorry. I wish you could understand how sorry. I regret not standing up to them on my own to begin with, but I regret even more that I wasn’t there for you.”

You purse your lips for a moment and let out a soft sigh, and he continues.

“It’s crazy how this kinda shit follows you into adulthood. For a long time, I let what they said about me shape who I was. And not being who I wanted to be made it worse. I was fucked up. For many reasons.”

He stood from his chair and walked over to you, and you feel your breath hitch as the distance between you grows shorter. “You don’t know this … because I never told you. But... your presence in my life meant … the world to me.”

You turn the stool and your body toward him, your legs propped up by your feet as you observed his expressions. His sincerity remained at the forefront as he spoke, sparking memories of the sweet guy you were once so kind to.

“You were one of the only people who made me feel like myself. Like someone who mattered. Like who I was meant something. All I want now, is to repay you for what you were for me. I’d like to do the same for you.”

Your heart clenches and you swallow as your brain processes his words.

He stepped closer, “You were always sweet. Always helping. Always kind. Even now. You haven’t changed. After everything that’s happened to you.”

You blink, your eyes glassy as tears cloud them for a moment.

“But...Choso, what have you been doing all this time?” You think aloud, your eyes shrinking into a squint, “You created a great career, a home...why haven’t you put this behind you?”

He shrugged, lips curling downwards a little, “I found out that you’d moved here after I started my practice. My mother had already been planning to move out of this house for a while.” he spoke softly, “I got busy focusing on my work, building this life,” his eyes scanned the room.

“I came here...” he continued, “hoping to be closer to you.”

↞ ··· ↠

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Special thanks to the lovely @ashasdiary for not only beta reading for me, but for her wonderful support and helpful notes that pushed me to take this story to the direction I'm currently so in love with! 🥰😘 .

. Thanks for reading! ✨🩸✨

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M.List | Ch.02 (Coming Soon) ↠

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Fanart by: @Arekushisu11 Ombre Caution/DNI & Animated lines: Courtesy of @CafeKitsune Additional dividers by @CocoManga

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[alcoholfreenayeon]

Cruel

Mina x Reader

CW: Angst, suggestion of infidelity

Word count: 2600

Synopsis: The happiness of love lasts for seconds but the pain of love lasts a lifetime.

You took a deep breath as you twisted and turned around in your bed, trying to find the perfect position or at least the most comfortable one. The perfect position was of course when Mina was here with you where one of you would lay on top of the other, cuddling and spooning all night long. Your pillow would have to do for now though.

But it’s not enough, an hour passes by, and you are still restless, trying to sleep. You sigh and sit up, its useless to keep doing this, you pick up your phone and look through your texts, she still hasn’t seen your messages. ‘She must be really busy with the final show I guess.’, you conclude. You scroll through your various social media apps for the next hour or so before you receive a text back from her. You can’t stop smiling all of a sudden, her tour is over and that means she’s going to be back home soon. You don’t even bother seeing her text and just straight up facetime her. She doesn’t pick up. That’s a bit odd. You ring her again and this time she picks up, immediately you can tell that there is a lot going on, you hear lots of cheering and chatting and finally her face appears, and you feel your world light up, she looks really beautiful but also seems tired. “Hi”, Mina finally says with a small smile.

You bombard her with questions, and she does her silly little laugh as she updates you on some things that happened today and then explains she has to go and quickly ends the call. You feel a lot more at ease though despite the abrupt ending, after all her smile is all that you need, as you think about all the things she said, you drift off to sleep.

The next day you can’t stop feeling excited, Mina was going to be back home. You had made her some dessert and planned to order food from the favorite place, knowing she would be home soon. A few hours later she finally comes back, and you immediately jump at her, hugging her tightly unwilling to let go. It had been a month, a little more than a month even and now finally she was here again. She seemed a bit surprised by your sudden display of affection, but she did hug you back and let go after a moment, eager to come back into the house. You let her get changed and soon enough the two of you are on the sofa, cuddled up, ready to watch a movie when both of your stomachs growl and you realize you didn’t order food yet. You look for your phone but can’t find it and remember it was on your bed.

“You want the usual?”, you ask her, peeking through the doorway.

“Y-uh-yes!”, Mina answers hurriedly with a polite smile and puts her phone down. Odd. But anyway, the food arrives sometime later, and you both eat well. You hold her lovingly from behind and start to give her quick kisses but she pulls away looking…disappointed? You couldn’t tell, you hadn’t seen Mina like this before. “What?”, you ask confused by her lack of reciprocation.

“Nothing, I am just tired” she says, getting up, “I think I’ll go to bed”.

You give her a smile, but it did sting a bit to get turned down like that. But you give her a break, she’s been travelling a lot and her tour and everything, it does make sense that she’s a bit on the edge and just wants some rest. You finish the movie and head off to bed too about 30 minutes later only to find Mina wide awake, smiling happily while seemingly texting someone. “Baby, you aren’t asleep yet?”, you ask, offering her a small smile.   

Mina suddenly looks up in a bit of panic like a deer staring at headlights, you hear the click of her phone as she shuts it down and just gives you an innocent look, but she might as well have stabbed you right there because you knew that look. That’s the look she has when she’s caught doing something doesn’t want you to know about. What was she trying to hide? Like, yes, granted, the last time it was your birthday present but that time all you felt was playful curiosity. This time you didn’t feel any time of playfulness or even curiosity, just dread. Your birthday was a couple months away so it’s not your present and your anniversary happened already so it’s not that either.

But you say nothing, you were being probably paranoid anyway. You get in bed and Mina shifts a bit towards you and you put your arm around her, your paranoia disappearing as you feel her skin and warmth and fall asleep with her.

The next couple of days went by smoothly, no more incidents and you were really beginning to think that you were just being extremely paranoid but for some reason your gut kept telling you otherwise. Today, you didn’t have work and were going to be extremely bored because Mina had to go for a meeting. You decide to play some video games to pass the time and in between rounds you notice Mina had put up a story but before you could see it the round started, and you focused on that instead. After the match you went to look for it, but it was gone…? Maybe something she posted by accident.

Anyway, the hours fly by and soon you hear the doorbell ring and it’s Mina, you open the door for her but before you can even smile, she just rushes past you, avoiding you. You are really taken aback by that, was she ok? You go behind her only to see she’s already in the shower. You feel panic building in your chest, something was wrong, you could feel it but what. You couldn’t tell what exactly was wrong, but you intended to find out, you think about how she just wouldn’t use her phone around you since she came back and decide that maybe the answer is on her phone and look for it. It was of no use, Mina had taken it with her in the bathroom.

But now you were certain that she was hiding something, she had to be, her sudden bursts of coldness, her lack of affection, her secretiveness and what she did just now. It was almost like she didn’t want you here, like she didn’t love you as much anymore.

You waited for her to shower, sitting in the living room, thinking what you should say to her when you hear the door open, she was finally out. But now that the moment of truth was awaiting, you couldn’t move, it felt like your feet were sinking into the floor, the air was heavy, and everything was just telling you to stop. You couldn’t move and then Mina came down to you, hugging you tightly, “Y/N im sorry. I feel like ive been a bit cold with you recently. I don’t know if you noticed that, I’ve just been tired and now my social battery was really low. I’ll try to do better now.”. Her words sounded reassuring, but you felt no sign of reassurance, instead you felt even more dread. Her words felt so hollow. You pulled away from her and she gave you a small smile. But why did that smile have no sign of happiness in it.

“Mina be honest with me.”, you say seriously. Why did she become so stiff upon hearing that. “Are you hiding something from me?”.

She doesn’t say anything, she doesn’t meet your eyes and she takes a heavy breath like she’s trying to calm herself down, “Well no, I told you I was just stressed these-”, there’s a buzz on her phone and you both turn to look at it, its just a notification from some app but she quickly turns her phone away. Not because of the notification itself but because of what was behind it, her wallpaper, a picture of her with someone very familiar, someone who Mina previously admitted to having a crush on. Someone who she said wouldn’t ever be a problem between you both. She purses her lips nervously while you look at her in disbelief. Is that why she immediately kept her phone shut upon seeing you? Deep down you knew that wasn’t the entire truth, but you couldn’t bring yourself to accept it. It just couldn’t be true, right? You didn’t do anything wrong. You loved more than you loved anyone ever, you cared for her, you did everything for her. So why…why did it feel like it wasn’t enough. Why did it feel like it was all for nothing. You feel tears building up and you look at her in pain and Mina finally decides to speak.

“Y/N listen, don’t cry, don’t be upset please. Just listen to me. It’s not what you…think.”, she didn’t sound very convincing, “Its nothing, you don’t have to worry about it. I still love you and care for you and don’t ever think otherwise. I hope it’s the same for you towards me too”.

“Why would it be different for either of us”, you ask shakily.

“It’s just…during one of our after parties, I-she may have kissed me”, Mina admitted, and you felt your heart break.

“Did she kiss you or did you kiss her?”, you ask, your fists clenched.

Mina kept quiet. “I don’t remember…”, she replies, looking away.

You couldn’t believe it, you try to stand up, but she stops you, “Y/N please, don’t be mad, it was a mistake, we were drunk, it didn’t mean anything”, She pleaded.

“Why should I believe you anymore”, you ask her, your voice breaking, and you begin to cry.

She tries to hug you, but you push her away, she wasn’t even trying to defend herself anymore. She just kept repeating that it meant nothing and was just a drunk thing to do but you didn’t believe her. And it looked like you were right for that because when Mina saw that she wasn’t convincing you her defensiveness stopped and she began to lash out. “FINE. Believe what you want. You don’t know what happened. And if it bothers you so much, maybe”, she hesitates, “Maybe we should take a break then. So you can clear your head”.

You nearly began to sob again upon hearing that, how could she say that. How could she keep on refusing to accept that she was wrong and keep making excuses. Did she not love you anymore? Did-did she love her more? Did it even matter anymore?

As you tormented yourself with these thoughts, Mina stormed off to the bedroom. You just wanted the world to stop, why was this happening. What did you do to get so much pain inflicted upon you. You heard the door to the entrance open, and then slam shut.

Did Mina really just leave? You get up weakly, another feeling of dread and even regret passing over your entire body as you search for her in the house and indeed, she had gone. She was serious about the break.

The two of you didn’t talk for the remainder of the day. It was only the next day that you received a text from her. It didn’t say much, only that you should take the week to think about it and if you saw sense as she put it, she would move back in or else it would be better for something to happen. She couldn’t even say it to you. But it didn’t matter to you anymore. Nothing did really. You feel like you just lost everything. She kissed her, she hid it from you, she wanted a break, she stormed off and she seemed to have stopped caring at all and even then, she couldn’t bring herself to say that she wanted to break up. Why. Why did she want to put that burden on you. To make it look like it would be your doing. What went wrong. What happened to the sweet girl you fell in love with. This wasn’t her, this couldn’t be her. The Mina you knew, the Mina you fell in love, where was she...

You didn’t get out of bed for hours, all you could do think. Finally, you decided to play some games to distract yourself. It had only been a few minutes, but you received a notification. You ignored it. Then you received a text and as you tried to keep playing your game to keep yourself distracted, you got yet another one. You didn’t even need to see it to know what it was, this was almost like a 6th sense for you. And upon checking it, it was what you expected…Mina posted another story with that girl again. The one who you didn’t have to worry about. The one who was just a friend. The one who had her heart. And of course, you felt shade thrown towards you. And that hurt so much. How? How come it’s so easy for her to move on. To find happiness. To forget…

You decide to check your texts too and to your surprise it was from her, “Can you make your mind already? Mina wants to move on but only if you agree. It’s kind of annoying really. Just forget about her at this point and back off. She’s mine”. You felt anger rise and your heart break once more, this just made it sound like a lot of what Mina said was a lie or just a half truth. Yet, you still couldn’t bring yourself to tell Mina that it’s over.

The cruelty of love is so unforgiving and cold yet if she told you she loved you right now, you would take her back right away, knowing full well that it’s just a matter of time before she smashes the shattered pieces of your broken heart once again….

You decide that you need to talk to her, maybe give her one last chance, maybe she’ll see some sense, realize her mistake, and apologize. Afterall weren’t you her darling, weren’t you her other half? Shaking, you call her and surprisingly enough, she picks up almost instantly. “Hello…”, you greet her weakly.

“Y/N”, she says calmly, “I think…it’s best if we stop the break”.

“R-really?”, you say in shock, was Mina coming back?

“Yes. I think its best if we just break up instead. I feel like you’ve changed a lot recently and I don’t like it. Don’t stress about it too much. It’s not entirely your fault but yeah. I think it’s done. I’ll come to collect my stuff soon”, she announces without any regret. She waits for a few seconds for you to say something, but you were too stunned to speak. So, she just cut the call and left you there all alone once more.  

You feel tears flow down your face and you fall back against the wall, crying. Why is doing your best not good enough? Why is your love not strong enough? Why is your heart not hers? You would do anything, anything to stop the two of you from falling apart. Even if it meant taking on the entire burden yourself. Even when she hurt you. You still loved her. All you wanted was for her to love you back the same way you loved her and she didn’t. She wouldn't even do that...

[weirdsht]

Platitude (Cliché pt. 2) - LoTCF & Venion Stan! Reader

notes: I didn't plan on making a pt. 2 but the idea has been haunting me even in my sleep. If you haven't read pt. 1 I recommend you do. Most of the context in this fic will be seen there.

tags: Reader will be referred to as Venion, Raon focused, mention of torture, mention of vomit, hints of eating disorder, angst (not really I think), hurt/comfort(?), hopeful ending

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

Constructive criticisms and any kind of interaction are more than welcome

Requests are currently closed but my ask are still open (read navi)

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Navigation Masterlist Cliché (pt. 1)

He is great and mighty.

The dragon believes– knows that he is great and mighty.

He has known it since his he hatched from his egg. Knows that his kind is the greatest existence to ever grace this world.

Despite all those things, he can’t show just how great and mighty he is. 

And it’s all because of these stupid chains that shackle him down. Chains that restrict his movement. Chokers that rendered him unable to speak and use magic.

It doesn’t make him any less great though. He’ll be even more great and mighty once he can use magic but he is plenty great and mighty now.

That’s what he tells himself every day. What he tells to comfort himself as this atrocious noble named Venion Stan tortures him. What gets him by day by day without giving up. Without succumbing to the pain.

Words that he whispers to himself might be words of comfort, but it is not unfounded. Even at merely 3 years old. Even without magic. He is still a majestic existence. 

For he still has his wits. 

Hence why he noticed that Venion Stan is unwilling in the things he does. At first, the black dragon thought someone else was ordering him and he had no choice but to follow. Perhaps someone like the Marquiss, his father.

“Sto– ugh!”

“Did you say anything, young master?”

“No. Something just got stuck in my throat.”

That was the moment the dragon decided to look at it from a different perspective. 

He was sure Venion Stan was about to say “stop”, but was unable to because an unknown force was physically stopping him.

After that day he decided to observe the noble’s actions. 

Slowly but surely he connected the dots. Saw the signs of unwillingness in his eyes. Noticed how he would deliberately twist his words to sound evil because something would stop him if he didn’t. Felt the way Venion would secretly care for him. 

Witnessed how his eyes died a little more every visit.

The baby dragon is the one being tortured. However, he can’t help but feel pity for his torturer. Venion Stan’s mental anguish is deep. So deep that those green eyes of his almost look black from how soulless they are.

Both of them are unwilling victims in this situation. 

Once the dragon realised this fact, his heart could let go of some of his hate a little. It’s not fully gone. It can never be fully gone until he gets his revenge. Because how dare lowly humans capture and torture someone great and mighty like him?

However…

He is not irrational. He knows how to give credit where it is due. 

And in this situation that credit mostly belongs to whoever is controlling Venion Stan’s body. That and he once overheard that a secret organization is responsible for capturing him.

The black dragon believes that they must be the ones to pay the price of his wrath. 

Which was why he has decided to look kindly upon Venion. 

Over the course of the year, they have spent together, the cell the black dragon lives in has become more comfortable. Pillows and other soft objects are placed everywhere. Warm lighting replaced the white, cold ones. His chains are not as heavy and even have soft fur in them. Sometimes, he can even eat delicious and filling meals.

His living conditions are great. Well, great for a prisoner at least.

The same thing can’t be said for his torturer.

Venion Stan looks like he's the one being tortured. And honestly, the dragon also thinks so. He has gotten skinnier. The bags under his eyes have gotten deeper, as well as the despair in his eyes.

His not even eating anymore. At first, the black dragon thought that it was just an excuse to give him the food.

“Young master, I’m sorry to interfere but you did not eat dinner. You also barely ate during breakfast. This lowly servant of yours urges you to eat more.”

Oh…

It wasn’t just an excuse to give him the food.

The black dragon had at least hope that Venion Stan was eating his fill. He needed it, with all the vomiting he does. It’s bad for him to not eat anything…

Bleurgh!

Speaking of vomiting. Another thing the dragon had noticed was how there seemed to be blood in his vomit nowadays. He hypothesises that it has something to do with the young noble pushing the unknown restrictions to make him more comfortable.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

“Young master! Are you okay!? I’ll go call for a healer!“

“No need. This is just from the heat outside.”

The black dragon observes as blood drips down from Venion’s nose. It happened almost immediately after he ordered his men to lessen their business in the back alleys.

Blood must be the payment whenever a restriction is violated. However, Venion Stan doesn’t seem to be aware of it. It looks like he truly thinks it’s just from the heat.

Luckily it doesn’t happen again.

The blood in his vomit was still there, but he didn’t have a nosebleed after that incident.

Not that the dragon cares of course. He just thinks that it will be a pity if Venion drops dead before he can get his revenge.

Venion Stan must stay alive until he can get his revenge.

“I promise after tonight everything will get better…”

The fool whispered in his ear one random night. He was merely resting his eyes but Venion must’ve thought he was asleep and begun whispering a bunch of nonsense in his ear.

But he lets it be.

He doesn’t know why, but his instincts are telling him to pretend to sleep and see what Venion will do.

It was silent for a few moments, but then he suddenly felt a soft hand stroking his head. The hand was skinny. Boney even. It wasn’t the ideal head pat. Nonetheless, the black dragon felt an odd sense of comfort as Venion stroked his head.

Plop

Plop

He felt two lone tears wet his horns. Tears that are full of suffering. The tears of someone who is carrying a different shackles than what the dragon does.

After that, like a dream, Venion Stan goes out of the cave.

When he opened his eyes again he could see servants removing the decorations that adored his cell. Turning it back to how it used to be; cold and uncomfortable.

For a moment the dragon thought Venion Stan was abandoning him.

The thought alone makes him feel a sense of dread. But he doesn’t know why. For surely, it can’t be because he has learned how to care for that cold-hearted bastard.

‘But he isn’t really cold-hearted…’

He pushes his thoughts away as this mysterious red-haired man carries him out of the cave. Showed him what the night sky looked like for the first time.

The mysterious man sets him free. He doesn’t try to keep him. Tells him to live his lie how he wants to.

And that’s exactly what he does.

He felt a sense of attachment to the man named Cale. So he follows him around. Hunts food for them to eat.

But that’s not the only thing he has been doing.

One night, for just one night a few days after his escape. He doesn’t follow Cale Henituse.

Instead, he follows Venion Stan.

It was easy to track him down. Both men are going to the capital after all. It merely took minutes for the toddler to find out where he was.

Honestly, he has no good reason why he would visit his torturer. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was to ensure he didn’t drop dead before he got his revenge.

Nonetheless, the dragon visits Venion to see the terrible state he is in.

Terrible doesn’t justify the state Venion is in.

As the black dragon peeks at the windows he can see the blonde sitting straight in his bed. With nothing but a singular candle to accompany him in his large, and lavish room.

Venison Stan looks horrific. There’s nothing behind his green eyes. No emotions whatsoever. His eyes were green but they looked like black holes.

He looks like those creepy things On has told stories about. The ones possessed by ghosts and don’t know who they are anymore.

Yeah, that was it. 

Venison Stan looked like someone who has lost his sense of self.

He looks like a puppet waiting desperately for his strings to be cut off.

“One more year… Just one more year and everything will end… I have laid out everything. Have done everything I could.”

Venison Stan started muttering to himself.

“But why? Why must I suffer like this? Was I that bad in my past life?”

His voice was emotionless, yet the dragon could hear his despair loud and clear.

“I think I lived decently… I did, right? Maybe I thought it wrong? Maybe I was atrocious… Maybe I deserve this. Maybe I’m meant to not be able to have free will. Maybe the gods thought that giving me free will is a bad idea…”

Venion did not spill a single tear. But the dragon could tell he was weeping.

Unable to hear anymore, he flew back to where Cale and the others were.

That night he feels his heart become as heavy as the choker that used to chain him down.

“...It’s okay. I said it’s okay”

The black dragon mumbled to himself as Venion Stan walks by.

He may feel a sense of kinship with the noble but it does not erase the trauma he has experienced. Even if he knows it was traumatizing for Venion too.

But just like he couldn’t stop his shaking limbs when Venion approached them with that vicious look he had. He also can’t stop himself from checking how the blonde is doing.

‘He still eats so little… His dizzy, he grits his teeth like that whenever he feels dizzy from not eating enough.’

The emotions other people had mistaken for anger... only the black dragon could decipher what they truly mean.

Maybe time really brings a sense of familiarity.

But he keeps his mouth shut. Doesn’t tell anyone, not even Cale, of Venion’s real state.

Because he doesn’t care. He shouldn’t care.

He doesn’t care but he still checked on Venion during the terrorist attack. Makes sure that he is alive and in one piece. 

He doesn’t care but still thinks about him every night. Thinks about those mutterings he heard that night.

He doesn’t care but he hopes and prays that Venion has not dropped dead yet. Hopes that his eating as well as Raon is doing.

He doesn’t care, it’s all just part of his revenge. He must get the perfect revenge.

But the sweet, young dragon could only lie to himself for so long.

“Human…”

Raon spoke the night before they were supposed to kidnap Venion Stan.

“There’s something I haven’t told you about that bastard.”

Cale opens his ears as Raon spills everything. Listens to every word coming out of the toddler's mouth. 

And after all that Cale asks him.

“What do you want to do now?”

If he doesn’t want to proceed Cale wont force him. That’s what he likes the most about his human. Cale respects every decision he makes. Attentively listens to everything he has to say.

“I still want to kidnap him. But… I don’t want to torture him. He has already been tortured enough.”

Raon buries his head on Cale’s chest. He stops his tears from flowing.

“Human, his still suffering. Even after my chains got removed, his shackles remained.”

“Okay, we’ll do what you want.”

Cale doesn’t fully comprehend what he means but he respects his decisions. Raon knows that Cale doesn’t understand.

“You’ll understand what I mean once you see his eyes.”

That was the only thing he said to his human. He wanted Venion’s gaze to tell the rest of the tale.

Venison Stan did not disappoint.

He delivered exactly what Raon wanted to show everyone.

Showed everyone just how much melancholy his eyes held.

In fact, there’s so much anguish hidden behind those eyes of his that even Raon was shocked.

If Raon thought Venion’s state was terrible a year ago, he has no words to describe him now.

The man looks dead. No, he looks like his desperately waiting for death.

And it brings a sick feeling to Raon’s stomach.

“Do you have any questions left for him?”

Cale asks after the blonde man faints from coughing blood. He says no, his curiosity has been quenched. The answers he provided and the clear repercussions of his restriction satisfied Raon.

“Human ask him for Venion’s servant! The granny that wears her hair in a bun! She knows just how little that punk eats!”

“Tell him about how he can’t control his words and actions! Tell him about how doesn’t want to do most of the things his doing!”

“Human what sentence did Venion Stan get? Is he okay? You told them to not send him to prison right? You told them he didn’t have a choice right?”

“Human, are you busy? Can you call Taylor and ask him how Venion is doing?”

“Are we going anywhere this week? If not can we go visit the Stan territory?”

“Maybe if I bring him apple pies he’ll eat more?”

Raon doesn’t even know what his doing. He doesn’t realise just how much he is looking after his supposed torturer.

However, no one calls him out on it. They just indulge the child and let him do whatever he wants.

“Venion is inside that room young master. You can try to speak to him but it’s unlikely that he’ll respond… Are you sure you want to go in alone?”

Taylor Stan asks one more time and Cale just nodded in affirmation.

“If you need any assistance a servant will be waiting here.”

With that Taylor leaves leaving Cale to enter Venion’s room alone. Well, he and Raon but Taylor doesn’t know about the dragon’s existence.

“He also looked like this when I visited him that one night.”

As soon as the door closed, Raon turned off his invisibility and flew over to the bed where Venion was sitting up.

“But that time he looked more alive. He looked like he was looking forward to something. Turns out he was looking forward to his death but that it was still a better look than what he has right now.”

Cale clicks his tongue but Raon ignores him. Instead, he directed his words to Venion.

“That night, before the human got me out of that cave. I’m sure you remember it. Did you know that I heard what you told me that night?”

Raon feels like Venion is listening to him.

“You told me that after that night everything will get better. And it did, after that night everything did get better for me.”

The toddler placed his paw on top of Venion’s still hand.

“But what about you? Why did nothing get better for you after that night? Even now you’re still being tortured. You’re shackles are still holding you down even after you broke mine.”

Raon raised his shaking paws to hug the man. From the side, Cale merely observes, ready to step in when needed.

“Consider this as payment for patting my head that night.”

The black dragon feels a lone tear grace his head. He doesn’t say anything about it. He didn’t even raise his head to look at Venion.

They stayed like that for at least 2 minutes. At some point, Venion’s arms had also embraced Raon. His hold was weak and lifeless. Like when you force a teddy bear to encircle his arms around you. 

But it’s the best he can do right now, and Raon will take it.

“We have to go, but before we go I’ll leave you one of my apple pies.”

Raon places a lone apple pie on the nightstand.

“Beacrox made it! He makes delicious food! Maybe if you eat something that tastes good you’ll eat more! Next visit I’ll try to save some of the Crown Prince’s cookies for you to try!”

With that, Raon waved his hand goodbye after promising to visit again.

A few days after that meeting, Cale receives an update from Taylor Stan saying that his brother is eating a bit more now. He excitedly tells Cale how he's been eating the desserts Raon sends.

Cale smiles at the thought of Raon’s happy face once he hears how Venion Stan is slowly recovering.

And indeed Raon was elated at the news. He immediately urges Cale to go visit Venion again.

He may not be fond of the guy, but Cale smiles a little as his kid frantically packs a bunch of things to bring to the Stan territory.

[lilhealthybean]

Cheesecake

“The truth is, I came to this place every single day and ordered the only cake I dislike because I’m into you.”

Tags: nanami :))

Notes: jjk angst as always

“You should stop doing this, it’s scary,” Hana said. “Just tell him you like him.”

You frowned and shook your head. She sighed and continued cleaning the tables.

Did you really scare her? You knew Hana said it to tease you, considering you've been working together in that bakery for years. Maybe she was right.

Maybe you should stop preparing his order and wait for him to appear at the door, like an impatient puppy waiting for their owner.

You gazed at the clock. It was already 12:00. He must have appeared within this minute.

"Good morning," Nanami said as he entered the room, causing your heart to skip a beat.

“Hi Nanami-san! How is your work going?“ you asked him.

Nanami simply smiled at you.

“It could be better... Can you give me the same thing as always?” You nodded happily and pretended you were doing it, when in reality, you had done it five minutes before his arrival.

After a few more minutes of pretending, you carefully closed the box, tied it with a small yet cute ribbon, and offered it to him.

"You didn't have to prepare it so nicely. I'll eat it on my way to work," Nanami said in a monotonous voice.

It took you a while to realize that this was his way of taking care of you, and it wasn't a critique.

“Don’t lie, Nanamin. You hate cheesecake so much,” you turned towards the source of the voice, almost choking when you found the owner to be as attractive as the voice.

Where are all these cute guys coming from?

Nanami just adjusted his glasses, embarrassed.

“Why would Nanami buy cheesecake if he dislikes it?” you asked with a curious expression and feeling guilty for recommending him that dessert the first time he appeared at the bakery.

The white-haired guy approached both of you and leaned in closer.

“Maybe because he finds something else attractive,” he answered with a smirk, lowering his sunglasses to focus his gaze on you. “Or maybe someone else.”

Nanami sighed and gestured to the new guy.

“Gojo, that's enough," the blonde guy declared. "Get out.

The man named Gojo complied and left the area. Now it was just the two of you and him; with Hana eavesdropping while pretending to tidy up.

“The truth is, I came to this place every single day and ordered the only cake I dislike because I’m into you.” You were on the verge of fainting when you heard his confession.

Was life really smiling at you? Impossible.

Yet since that day, you began hanging out and having dates with Nanami, it doesn't seem so impossible.

Everything was going well; after a month, he asked you to be his girlfriend. After six months, both moved into a comfortable and humble apartment. Two years later, he proposed marriage to you.

As the lovebirds you were, the moment you agreed to his proposal, the preparations for the wedding started.

However, not everything was smooth. Your relationship was in danger the moment he revealed his real job. At first, you thought he was joking.

After he lent you some magic glasses, you realized he was more serious than ever. Entering into the sorcery world wasn’t easy for you, nor was it for your relationship. How could you cope with the feeling of him leaving every morning without knowing he could get hurt?

It was agonizing to wait for him every single day, but he had a strict routine, so he always arrived in time for dinner.

“I'm leaving the sorcery life. I applied for a job at a company and they accepted me," you dropped the pen, surprised by the bomb he just dropped. "The pay is going to be less, but this change will improve our quality of life.

Your vision started to get blurred.

Does that mean you no longer have to wait for him on those lonely nights? You won’t have to fake that morning smile anymore, pretending not to worry about him all day? Could you finally move to another place and read books together until you grow older?

“I thought you were going to get happier. I can still work as a sorcerer if that's what you want,” Nanami said as he noticed tears falling. You shook your head violently.

“It's just... I didn't expect that type of news, not a month before our wedding. I thought the good news were over for me in this year. There has been too much luck," you admitted, covering your face as a method to hide your tears. "I am happy, I really am."

“Don't hide yourself. You are gorgeous even when you cried.

He kissed you on the head, patting you softly, and smiling. Nanami only wanted the best for you, even if he preferred to work as a sorcerer, he knew you weren’t having it. Thus, the change of job.

“Although... they won't let me quit until next month. Sorry, but I will still be a sorcerer until November 1st.

“It's okay, just one more week. I can handle it.”

Little did you know that within that week you would lose him in the Shibuya incident. Your whole life fell apart, how couldn’t it?

You somehow expected it, noticing how he didn't show up for dinner on Halloween, and how you waited for him until sunrise with no sign of his arrival.

However, you were still delusional that he would appear the next morning. When the bell rang, you ran towards the door only to find one of Nanami’s companions holding a big envelope containing some papers and keys.

It took you just seconds to realize what those keys were. They were your wedding gift.

Not only did Nanami give up the career he loves to buy a house for both of you to spend your lives together, but he bought them in Malaysia, one of your favorite places.

That is why you find yourself at the beach, calmly sitting in front of your house, reading one of the many books he bought for you, with a piece of cheesecake waiting for him on the small table.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 Love in the Dark: Chapter Nine

Love in the Dark: You discover an intense connection with a dream lover, yearning for a love beyond physical appearances. As your encounters blur the lines between the waking world and the Dreaming, your grapple with the complexities of desire, friendship, and mortality. Can you truly love in the dark?

Warnings: Angst, Heartbreak.

To Note: Morpheus/Dream x NAMEDFem!Reader.

Word Count: ~6.6k

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The warmth of the palace sitting room envelops you, the familiar scent of old books and tea a comforting presence you’ve long since come to adore. You settle into one of the plush armchairs, your body sinking into the soft cushions as Fēlix busies himself with the tea.

"You've been spending quite some time in the waking world," Fēlix comments, pouring a cup of steaming tea for you. His eyes are curious, almost mischievous as they meet yours.

"I'm from there, remember?" You point out with a small chuckle. Fēlix pouts.

"Well I know that," he says with a tone of 'duh' in his voice. "But you clearly enjoy being in the Dreaming more. So why don't you tell me more about what you've been up to that I am not already aware of."

"I went on a date." You state softly, your eyes flickering to one of the windows to enjoy the view. Fēlix's eyes grow wide as saucers and the cardinal compass on his chest glows with excitement.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," Fēlix leans forward, eyes glimmering with curiosity. "How was it?"

"Disastrous," you admit, setting your cup down with a sigh. "He ordered everything for me, talked about himself non-stop. When I made it clear it wasn't going to work, he blew up. Called me all sorts of names."

Fēlix's eyes widen in shock. "No! What a cad. How did you manage to sit through the entire evening?"

"I didn't," you say, leaning back into the chair. "I left before dessert arrived and a nice sense of accomplishment after I dumped my wine on his head. Waste of a surprisingly good vino but I was at my wits end listening to him insult me and women in general."

Fēlix's face distorts into a grimace as if he's just tasted something sour. "Sounds like a complete nightmare," he says, shaking his head in disbelief. "I know actual nightmares that would grovel at the feet of any woman they find remotely attractive. I mean, how dare he? Ordering everything for you as if you're incapable of deciding for yourself and a salad? That's like mean girl's dating manual for men, bad."

You snort your next sip of tea and it burns in your nose as you cough, but that doesn't stop Fēlix from continuing his tirade.

"And don't get me started on his ego," he continues, clearly on a roll. "Sounds like he's got enough hot air to inflate a parade float and then some. I'd rather listen to Matthew crow about his shiny feathers all day than endure a dinner with such a boor."

You chuckle, feeling lighter at Fēlix's animated ranting. He always knows how to lighten the mood, one of the many things you appreciate about him.

"So what did you do after your grand exit?" Fēlix asks, looking at you expectantly. His gaze is soft and understanding, like he already knows you've had a tough time.

"I went home," you admit, the memory of your lonely apartment filling your mind. "I didn't even bother with a glass." You add, recalling the cool touch of the wine bottle against your lips. "Drank the entire bottle."

"Gods, babe," Fēlix winced, knowing when you went that far it had to be bad. "Tell me your dream man rescued you that night."

"He was... agitated," you start, trying to find the right words to describe his reaction. "When I came back to the Dreaming that night, he snuck up on me and made some accusations… which weren't entirely false."

Fēlix leans forward, hanging on your every word to a point that even his floating hair was standing on end in anticipation. You take a deep breath and continue.

"He asked me if I really sought out love from someone else," you explain, feeling a familiar ache in your chest. "He sounded hurt, almost betrayed. Also somewhat pissed." You take a deep breath, feeling your chest tighten with the memory. "I reminded him of what he'd said to me about not belonging in the Dreaming."

Fēlix's eyes are soft with understanding as he reaches across the table, offering his hand for you to take. You do, squeezing it lightly as you continue.

"I told him that no one has made me feel the way he does," you confess, your voice barely above a whisper. "That he's the only one who makes me happy."

"And?" Fēlix prompts gently, his grip on your hand firm and reassuring.

"He... he apologized," you say, the memory bringing a soft smile to your lips. "He told me he only meant that he didn't want me to miss out on opportunities in the real world. That he wants me to be happy, wherever I am."

"And?" Fēlix prompted yet again, perched on the edge of his seat.

"And then we had smoking hot make up sex right after I greedily sucked his cock." You tell him with a frank expression on your face. Like Fēlix expects any other result after an argument between you and your dream man? As you sit there in the plush armchair, Fēlix's infectious laughter fills the room, bouncing off the tall bookshelves and high ceiling. His eyes twinkle with mirth, and you can't help but join in, his laughter contagious. The sound of your combined laughter echoes in the sitting room, filling it with a sense of warmth opposed to the almost somber atmosphere it had started with.

"You really know how to live your best life in the Dreaming, don't you?" Fēlix chuckles, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I must say, I never thought I'd see the day when a human would be the one teaching me about drama."

Your cheeks flush with warmth at his words. "Well, I'm glad I could be of service," you respond playfully. "Just don't go spreading my sexcapade tales around the Dreaming."

"Your secret's safe with me," he assures you with a wink.

Walking alongside Fēlix and his nymph girlfriend, Petunia, the halls of the palace echo with their light-hearted chatter, a stark contrast to the usual somber atmosphere. Petunia's lilting laughter fills the air, her hand resting lightly on Fēlix's arm. Every now and then, she glances up at him with such adoration that it makes your heart swell. Fēlix looks at her with a softness in his eyes that you rarely see, a stark contrast to his usual mischief, and it’s like witnessing a different side of him—one that feels almost sacred.

You feel a happy warmth spreading through your chest at the sight of them, a happiness that seeps into your very bones. It’s infectious, soothing the edges of your own worries and making you forget your own troubles. The way they move in harmony, effortlessly attuned to each other, fills you with a sense of peace. For a moment, you allow yourself to be swept away by their infectious happiness, letting it envelop you like a cozy blanket against the chill of your uncertainties.

"You look like you've got something on your mind," Petunia says, her voice gentle as a summer breeze. Her eyes meet yours, filled with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," you reply, offering a small smile. "Just... thinking about everything."

"Everything?" Fēlix chimes in, raising an eyebrow. "Or someone?"

Your cheeks heat up at his insinuation, but you don't dignify it with a response. Instead, you focus on the intricate patterns of the marble floor beneath your feet.

"Leave her alone," Petunia scolds Fēlix playfully, nudging him with her elbow. "She's allowed to have her thoughts without your constant teasing."

Fēlix feigns hurt, clutching his chest dramatically. "Oh, how you wound me! But fine, I'll be good... for now."

You chuckle at their antics, grateful for the distraction. The truth is, your mind keeps drifting back to him and the confusing whirlwind of emotions he stirs within you. Your relationship is getting to be more hot and cold, and that worried you. As you turn a corner, you nearly collide with Matthew. He flaps his wings in surprise, cawing indignantly.

"Watch where you're going!" he squawks, ruffling his feathers. "Almost made me drop this book!" Your eyes drop to his feet to find a leather bound book dangling from a strap.

"Sorry, Matthew," you apologize quickly, trying to suppress a laugh at his flustered state.

"What's got you in such a rush?" Matthew eyes you suspiciously before his gaze shifts to Fēlix and Petunia. "Ah, I see. The gossip trio is on the move."

"We're not gossiping," you protest with a sniff, knowing full well that Fēlix's curiosity about your dream lover has been a hot topic lately.

"Right," Matthew drawls sarcastically before hopping onto Petunia's shoulder. "And I'm not a raven."

"No, you're just jealous that you aren't with us to listen in." You shoot back in correction. Matthew sputtered and puffs his feathers in indignation. Petunia giggles softly as she strokes Matthew's feathers soothingly.

"Come on now, let's not gang up on Kora." Matthew sighs dramatically but relents, settling comfortably on Petunia's shoulder.

"So," Fēlix starts again as you resume walking down the corridor. "Any plans for tonight?"

You hesitate for a moment to think, before answering. "I was thinking of going to the swamp to participate in the mud fight with the kelpies"

Petunia's eyes light up with excitement. "Oh! That sounds like so much fun! Do you have an outfit planned?"

"An outfit for a mud fight? Uh, that would be a firm no," you admit sheepishly.

"Well," Fēlix interjects with a mischievous grin. "You'd better find something stunning because I have a feeling someone special might like to indulge in a mud bath." Fēlix's words spark a laugh from Petunia and even Matthew lets out a caw that sounds suspiciously like a chuckle. You roll your eyes at their amusement, your cheeks flushing with warmth.

"Can we please stop talking about my love life?" you groan, only to have your words drowned out by a shockingly familiar voice floating down the hall from the throne room up ahead.

The voice, smooth as silk and soft as the nights caress, sends a shiver down your spine. It’s like a ghost of a memory, too elusive to catch but too persistent to ignore. Your heart stutters in your chest as you freeze in place.

"Who is that?" you ask, your voice barely above a whisper. Fēlix and Petunia share a confused glance before Fēlix turns to you with an expression that's hard to read.

"That's Morpheus," he answers, his usual light tone taking on a more serious note. "You know, Lord of Dreams? You've met him before, Kora."

You feel your heart pound against your ribcage at his words. Morpheus? The same Morpheus who rules the Dreaming? The same one who you've barely interacted with? Who is so untouchable?

"Are you sure?" you question, struggling to keep your voice steady. The name rolls off your tongue like it belongs there, like it’s always been there. You can’t help but feel an inexplicable pull towards the sound of that voice, the allure of the mystery that is Morpheus.

"Oh yeah," Matthew caws from Petunia's shoulder, his beady eyes blinking at yours. "I'd recognize that voice anywhere, being his raven and all. Come on, let's go see who he's talking to. He only uses that voice when he's talking to kid dreamers or baby dream and nightmares. Ya know, being super nice for once…"

Your heart is in your throat as you numbly take a step forwards, and then another, and another. You do so, following your friends down the hall and to the archway of the throne room.

Stepping through the archway into the throne room, you see Morpheus. He's seated on his throne, talking to a small group of children who are hanging onto his every word. His voice washes over you, a soothing lullaby that pulls at your heartstrings in a way that feels achingly familiar.

Suddenly, it clicks.

Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, Prince of Stories, Shaper of Forms, Dream of the Endless. Him.

The realization hits you like a freight train. The man you've been seeing in your dreams, the one who makes you feel loved and cherished like no one else ever has, the one who makes such passionate love to you, who kisses you with such devoted adoration, who holds you ever so close... it's him. It's always been him.

The room spins as you take in his ethereal beauty. His dark hair frames a face that is both handsome and gentle, his eyes sparkling with a softness that makes your heart ache. The cheeks and jaw you love to trace your fingers along, your eyes unseeing. He's even more beautiful than you could have ever imagined.

His gaze lifts from the children and finds yours across the room. Sparkling silver blue eyes glide over your group of friends before settling on you. Your heart stops in your chest as Morpheus' gaze locks onto yours and something within you cracks, radiating sharp pains from your chest. You know that gaze, have felt it upon your being thousands of times before, basked in it unseeing.

Reality sets in and you're turning around to bolt out of the throne room, not a word leaving your lips as you flee from the truth. You run blindly through the palace corridors, ignoring the confused calls of Fēlix, Petunia, and Matthew. You need to get away before your tears start rushing down your cheeks.

Your feet carry you through the sprawling corridors of the palace, each step echoing off the stone walls. Your mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, your heart pounding in your chest. The palace gardens are ahead, a haven of tranquility amidst the chaos. You stumble into the garden, gasping for breath as you lean against a nearby tree for support.

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over. You blink them back, your hands clenched into fists at your sides. It feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest, a painful realization sinking in. Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, is your lover. The man you've been seeing in your dreams, who makes you feel cherished and loved like no one else ever has, is the son of Night and Time.

You slide down against the tree trunk, pulling your knees to your chest. You wrap your arms around them, burying your face in the folds of your dress. Your tears fall freely now, dampening the fabric.

Why him? Of all the dreams and nightmares in this realm, why did it have to be him? A simple dream or nightmare you could have enjoyed while living out your life, but Dream of the Endless? It's too much. It's overwhelming.

You feel a profound sense of loss and despair wash over you. It's not just about him being unattainable, it's about the fact that this love you've found is so much bigger than anything you've ever known. It's too big for you to handle. Your sobs echo through the garden, a haunting melody to accompany the rustling leaves and chirping birds. It feels like a piece of your soul is being torn away from you with each passing second.

A warm breeze caresses your face as if trying to comfort you in its own way. You let out a shuddering breath, feeling your tears slowly subside. You remain huddled against the tree, your mind still reeling from the revelation. He was right, he was always right. Your love didn't belong in the Dreaming. Because in the end, mortal love doesn't thrive within dreams, it flourishes in the sun and moon light of the Waking World. Perhaps it is time for you to go home. And right now, that's all you can do. So you do, your huddled form fading to ash in the gentle light of the Dreaming.

Date Published: 10/14/24

Last Edit: 10/14/24

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[domxmarvel]

3K follower Boba shop event-My hero academia edition

Inspo:bestbakubros

Guidelines 

Start: March 1st 2023 End: March 20 2023

Please submit all request in the form of asks

Order:

Size

Base

Flavor

Topping

Dessert 

Please let me know what gender or pronouns you want for the reader

(Click to zoom in.If you're having difficulty reading anything you can find them in text format under the cut)

Size:

Small-Headcanon

Large-Imagine

Base:

Milk tea-fluff

Green tea-angst

fruit tea-Smut

Flavor:

brown sugar-Shoto todoroki

Matcha -Izuku midoriya/Deku

Strawberry-Mina ashido

Green Apple-Tsuyu asui 

Orange-Tenya Iida

Lemon-Denki kaminari

Lychee-Eijiro kirishima

vanila-Mezou shoji

Plum-Kyouka Jiro

Peach-Momo Yaoyorozu

Taro-Tamaki Amajiki

blackberry-Fumikage Tokoyami

Mocha-Dabi/Toya todoroki

Watermelon-Himiko Toga

blueberry-Tomura Shigaraki

Mango-Hawks/Keigo takami

Coffee-Shota Aizawa/Eraserhead

Caramel-All might/ Toshinori Yagi

Banana-President mic/ Hizashi Yamada

Pudding (flan)-Fatgum/ Taishiro Toyomitsu 

Lavender-Hitoshi Shinso

acai-Gang orca/Kugo Sakamata

Coconut-Mirko/rumi Usagiyama

Passion Fruit-Vlad king/Sekijiro Kan

Raspberry-Mei Hatsume

Topping:

Boba-Gender neutral

Popping boba-Female 

Jelly-Male

Dessert:

Croissants- “You look really good in my clothes”

Pie- Short quick kiss,followed by pulling them in for a longer kiss

Macarons- “I love you”

Éclair-“You’re the most beautiful being on the earth”

Cannoli-hero x villain

Tarts-“Come back to bed”

cheesecake- "why did you do that?" "Because I love you!" 

Sponge cake-“You’re the only person I want to spend my life with”

Brownie-Cuddling 

cake pop-Sick 

S’mores-Birthday

Strawberry Shortcake-“This reminded me of you”

Gingerbread-“Can I kiss you?”

Honey Bun-“I know you had a bad day, so I made you cookies”

Churro-“You promised!”

Cinnamon Twist-Praise 

Cookie Dough-Patching  them up 

Cotton Candy-Wedding

Caramel Apple-“You lied to me” “I did” “You told me you loved me” “I do”

Caramel Popcorn-spy

Carrot Cake-Fake dating

Cookie Sandwich-“What if someone sees us?”

Waffle-only one bed

Crepe-“I’ve never kissed someone before”

[simpforchuchu]

For Todo, what about a sequel to the amazing piece were he was dating Kohei's twin. More angst but ends woth some fluff. Like he meet Kohei and they talk.

Todoroki x Amagai!Reader | Part 2

a/n: Hello! I know it took so long but finally i finished it 🥰 It is so long and idk why i wrote this too long but sghehdh Hope you like it ❤️🌸 Thanks to @your-hannahbanana for helping 🌸💕

Sorry for the grammer or spelling mistakes.English is not my main language so...

Thank you and love you 🥰

Warnings: blood, injury, fights, scars, swearing and usual hnl warnings

Part 1

Todoroki looked nervously at his reflection in the glass door of the cafe. He straightened his shirt and took a deep breath before opening the door.

They were slowly healing with y/n after their long talk in the park. There was no anger or resentment, but it wasn't easy to be the same after such a big fight.

They talked often and tried to feel like they used to. Today, they were going to meet for dessert at the place where they went on their first date.

When the young boy entered the cafe, he unintentionally smiled when he saw his girlfriend at the table where they were sitting on the first day. She looked like a fairy with her sweet flower-designed dress and flower-shaped clips in her hair. But when he noticed that she too had a nervous expression on her face, he pulled himself together to make him feel comfortable.

As he slowly walked towards the table, y/n felt someone approaching her and turned her head to the right and saw her boyfriend. To hide her nervousness, she smiled broadly and stood up.

Todoroki hugged the young girl tightly, placing a small kiss on her hair, which still smelled of shampoo, and y/n closed her eyes happily.

They were getting better and everything would be better.

As always, they both talked about how their days went. They ordered their favorite desserts and milkshakes. In fact, Todoroki shared his with her, as y/n finished her dessert too quickly as usual.

It was a beautiful day, Todoroki felt like the old days. But he could clearly see that the young girl occasionally tensed and looked uncomfortable.

Did he make her feel uncomfortable? Or was she afraid of him now? Was it too early to meet?

He had many questions in his mind, but when he examined her a little more, he realized that she was looking around. Something else must have made her feel uncomfortable. He slowly reached for her hand on the table and looked at the girl who turned her head towards him.

"Is there a problem ?"

The young girl smiled and placed her hand on the hand holding her.

“I was just watching around, it's okay.”

Todoroki immediately recognized her fake smile. But he still didn't say anything, nodded and tried to enjoy their date.

***

After a sweet day, Todoroki was walking home with y/n. Todoroki looked at her in surprise as the young girl stopped her steps and held the hand that was holding her hand tighter.

“Yosuke… I have something to tell you, but please don't be mad at me.”

Todoroki turned to the young girl and squeezed her hand, trying to reassure

“I feel like I've been followed by someone for a while.”

Todoroki looked around as Y/n said in horror. When he couldn't see anyone, he shook his head and stroked the young girl's cheek.

“Do you have any idea who they are? Did you see anyone?"

Y/n quickly shook her head.

“I haven't seen anyone I can describe or feel suspicious about, but that's just how I feel. I think it might have something to do with Kohei.”

Todoroki frowned

"What do you mean ?"

Y/n sighed.

“After the fight with you… you know he pissed off a lot of people. I don't think I'm the target, but I'm afraid they'll do something to him."

As much as Todoroki hated Amagai, he was y/n's twin brother. He could understand her concerns. And they could hurt y/n to hurt him. He nodded and hugged her tightly.

"Let's go home okay? I will deal with his."

Y/n nodded and they continued walking.

When they got to the front of the house, y/n looked at him sadly.

“I ruined our day, I'm sorry.”

Todoroki shook his head and smiled at the young girl.

“You didn't ruin anything. I wouldn't want you to hide this from me. I'll find a way, okay?"

Y/n smiled and nodded, rising on tiptoe to place a kiss on the young boy's cheek. She waved with a smile and Todoroki responded with a sweet smile.

When Y/n entered the house, he turned to leave and ran into the last person he wanted to see. Amagai was getting out of the car and walking towards him. His brows were furrowed and he had a disgusted expression.

"What are you doing here?"

Todoroki looked at him with one eyebrow raised. Really, not punching him was harder than anything

“I left y/n home.”

Amagai rolled his eyes when he answered in a cold tone.

“She could have called me”

Todoroki took a step and stood in front of the young boy.

“You better admit that I'm her boyfriend. I don't know how much longer I can ignore you so that she doesn't get upset."

It was really bad when two egoists came face to face. For the first time, Amagai felt someone's gaze and cold voice crushing him.

"Stay away from my sister-"

Todoroki spoke angrily

“You care about your sister now? You knew she was dating me for months. And even she didn't know anything, you used her. You were about to ruin both of our lives. How can you speak now?"

Todoroki had a hard time holding back when he walked up to the blond boy. Amagai, on the other hand, continued to get nasty even though he knew what he was saying was true.

“Y/n will be in danger next to a punk like you-“

Amagai's words were cut off by Todoroki's sarcastic laugh.

"You don't know anything, do you?"

Amagai did not understand.

"What are you talking about ?"

“Y/n thinks someone is following her. She’s always nervous, haven't you noticed?"

As Amagai looked nervously at Todoroki, Todoroki continued.

“You got in trouble, didn't you? Whatever the fuck you're doing, keep y/n away from it-"

Amagai was enraged, the tall boy didn't react when he grabbed Todoroki's collar hard.

“I'm right, right? You know who they are. If they hurt her-"

"Shut your mouth. Protecting my sister is none of your business. Stay away from her."

Todoroki slammed his hand down his collar and pushed him away.

"I'm warning you Amagai, if anything happens to her you will find me in front of you"

Todoroki left without looking back. He was worried about Y/n, but he thought that Amagai wouldn't put his own sister at risk from now on. At least he wanted to believe it.

***

Next day

When Todoroki entered the hospital, he didn't even know how he got here. His normal day had turned into hell with one phone call. When he went upstairs with the information from the info desk, Tsuji and Shibaman were running after him.

What he feared had happened. Y/n was hurt. When the hospital could not reach her family, they found him on the emergency numbers and informed him.

Y/n was hospitalized. She was brought to the hospital unconscious. And Todoroki didn't even know how.

When they came to the front of the said room, Todoroki saw that there were several doctors inside. Y/n had scars on her face and her arm was in a cast. When she wanted to go in in fear, the nurses took him out.

“Todoroki, calm down. The doctors are here and she is in the regular room. She must be in good condition.”

Todoroki let out the breath he had been holding for minutes as Tsuji patted his friend on the shoulder. He shook his head and sat down in the seats behind him. He was silent for a while and spoke with his fist clenched.

"I knew. I warned that bastard. I knew he was in trouble."

Shibaman looked at Tsuji. Neither of them understood anything.

"Who are you talking about?"

Todoroki spoke angrily.

“Her twin. Amagai. He didn't admit he was in trouble, but I knew. I warned him, y/n was nervous. I told him to be careful. He didn't listen to me."

Todoroki's voice was shaking. His whole body was shaking with anger. He was afraid. Y/n looked good but it could have been much worse. He was going to find her stupid brother before he find out who did this to her.

***

The doctors said that the young girl was in good condition and had a car accident. But Todoroki didn't believe it. He was waiting for Y/n to wake up.

It was true that it was a car accident, but he had a bad feeling. He could sense that there was another reason.

After a while y/n woke up. When she opened her eyes, seeing her boyfriend's face, the young girl tried to smile. She wanted to sit up slowly on the bed, but Todoroki didn’t let her.

“You need to rest, you just woke up.” Todoroki smiled as Y/n nodded. "Are you ok ? Are you in a lot of pain?"

Y/n hated the worried expression on Todoroki's face. But she was afraid of fighting again if she doesn’t tell the truth. She couldn't break his trust once again.

"I am okay. It doesn't hurt that much. Sorry for scaring you."

Todoroki took her hand and kissed her palm.

“All that matters is that you're okay baby. Didn't you see the car? Was it too fast? What happened ?"

Todoroki kept his voice very calm and soft. He wanted to know the truth, but he didn't want to scare y/n if it was really an accident.

Y/n nervously shook her head and looked into her lover's eyes.

"It wasn't actually an accident." Todoroki was listening to her, frowning. “Someone blocked my way. They asked about Ko-chan. It was clear that their intentions were not good. That's why I tried to escape. But I couldn't see the car when it suddenly jumped onto the road.”

Y/n nervously waited for her boyfriend to react. Todoroki, on the other hand, did not give an expected reaction. He shook his head and smiled.

"I'll find out who they are but right now you just need to rest okay? I'm here, if you want to sleep you can sleep."

Y/n was surprised that he remained so calm, but didn't say anything. She was safe with him, she loved the feeling.

***

When Todoroki came out of the room while y/n was sleeping, he sighed to see Tsuji and Shiba still in the hallway and fell asleep on the seats. He shook his head and nudged Shiba with his foot. When Shibaman opened his eyes and looked at Todoroki, seeing that he was calmer now, he poked Tsuji and woke him up as well.

“Y/n is fine, you can go home”

Tsuji smiled at his friend's relieved voice and shook his head.

"How are you ? You look tired, you should get some sleep. We'll go when you wake up-"

Todoroki quickly shook his head.

“I am fine. I don't plan on going to sleep until Y/n leaves the hospital."

Tsuji stood up to protest, but just then, in the hospital corridor, a blond and nervous boy was approaching them. Todoroki recognized him as soon as he saw him and Suzaki right behind him.

He couldn't hold back any longer as Amagai came towards him—he didn't want to—and punched the blond boy hard.

Amagai looked at him in surprise, and Suzaki couldn't understand what was going on either. Todoroki, on the other hand, was not satisfied with a single punch and wanted to strike again.

But Shibaman and Tsuji had kept him. That's why he started shouting.

"I warned you! I told you she was nervous, something was wrong. Instead of protecting her, you didn't believe me and she is hurt because of you!”

Amagai was holding his face. Todoroki's words hurt him more than the punch he had taken, and he had nothing to say.

“You didn't even try to protect your own sister! Y/n got hurt because of your stupid ego!”

Amagai wanted to answer, but the boy was right. What would he say? What could he say?

Suzaki did not react after hearing it. But he stepped forward to protect his friend.

As Todoroki and Suzaki looked at each other angrily, the hospital room door opened and y/n walked out, clutching the cast on her arm. When Tsuji let go of Todoroki, she walked towards her twin brother and stood in front of him.

Amagai was disgusted with himself when he saw the scars on his twin's face and body. He was so sad and remorseful that his eyes filled with tears. When he wanted to approach Y/n, the young girl stopped him with her hand.

"You knew and didn't care, did you?"

Y/n didn't have her usual sweet voice, it sounded rather cold.

“Y/n-“

“You used me. You didn't care that I was upset. I ignored all.I forgave you. But you didn't do anything even though he warned you, did you?"

Y/n looked at her twin with teary eyes.

“It is said that twins share the same feelings. But I don't think you have any feelings, Kohei. We are no longer just two strangers living in the same house. Please get out of here.”

“Y/n-“

"Leave!"

Y/n couldn't remember raising her voice to her twin before. Or that her heart has never hurt so much. But when Kohei left the hospital, she was sure that he too had grabbed his chest.

Clinging to the wall wearily, Todoroki quickly grabbed his girlfriend by the waist and pulled him towards her. The young girl leaned her head on her lover's chest and began to cry, holding on to his shirt.

Todoroki was thinking as he tried to calm her down by stroking y/n's hair. He was afraid that Amagai would do something stupid.

***

Kohei had not come to the hospital since then. Todoroki was taking care of y/n. Except Tsuji and Shibaman, Oya students had also come several times to wish the young girl get well soon…

But he knew that the young girl was quite upset. What she said to him more upset her than what he did. He knew that she didn't say the words willingly. But she had said.

When he came out of Y/n's room to buy something to eat, he didn't expect to see Suzaki coming towards him down the hospital corridor. He looked quite worried and tired. Todoroki stepped towards him and stood in front of the boy.

"What are you doing here ?"

Suzaki tried to catch his breath. He put his hands on his knees and bent down.

“Ko-chan, is he here!?”

Todoroki looked at the black-haired boy in surprise.

“Last night, he found out who attacked y/n-chan last night. I can not reach him. He didn't go home either."

Suzaki looked like he was about to cry. The two of them had no one left but each other. The more Todoroki thought about it, the more he thought how lucky he was to have all Oya.

Todoroki grabbed Suzaki's arm and dragged him out of the hospital. Y/n shouldn't have found out about this. He was sure that Kohei had done something stupid.

While Suzaki and him were sitting on the benches in the garden, Todoroki took a bottle of water from the vending machine and sat next to him. He handed him the water, asking him to explain what had happened from the very beginning.

Suzaki took a deep breath. He capped the water bottle and gave a small thank you.

“After leaving the hospital that day, he could not even stand. He did not speak to anyone for several days after he went home. Then he came back and started investigating the case yesterday. It wasn't too hard to find out who they were, but I know they're pretty crowded. He told me he was going home, but he never went home."

Todoroki clenched his fist in anger. He had anticipated that he would do something like this. He quickly called Shibaman and asked him to come out of y/n’s room. He explained the situation to him and asked him to stay with her. But Shibaman wasn't going to listen to him, of course.

***

When all Oya gathered in front of the school, Todoroki looked at them in surprise. Fujio smiled as Suzaki looked at the crowd in shock.

“Did you really think we were going to let you come here alone?”

Todoroki shook his head laughing and looked at Shibaman.

"Actually we were only going to come with Tsuji but you know"

While they were all smiling, Fujio approached Todoroki and punched him lightly in the chest.

“Usually you'd be the one to stop us before we did something stupid, but today we're switching roles.”

Todoroki smiled and nodded. Fujio turned to Suzaki and grinned.

“Don't think we're here for Amagai, after the fight I'll punch him too.”

***

The crowd had dwindled. It wasn't a tough fight, but it was too much for one person. When it was all over, Suzaki, Todoroki and Fujio were checking the rooms.

When Todoroki found Amagai injured on the floor in one of the upstairs rooms, he checked his pulse, frightened. When he took a pulse, he gently shook the boy on the ground.

"Don't die, don’t fucking die Amagai, don’t hurt y/n more!”

He looked nervously at him as he saw the young boy move. When Amagai opened his eyes, he didn't say anything even though he was shocked by the person he saw in front of him. No matter how much Todoroki hated him, he could see the regret on his face. Slowly, he lifted the young boy off the ground and put one arm around his shoulder to carry him.

When they went downstairs to the school, Todoroki looked at them in surprise with the person he saw at the door. What was she doing here?

Y/n had heard Shiba and Tsuji talking. She literally had escaped from the hospital soon after them. Seeing her twin injured walking with the help of her boyfriend, she rushed towards him in fear.

Both Todoroki and Amagai were stunned. As Y/n approached them, Amagai pulled his arm and faced the young girl.

Y/n just stared without saying anything.Amagai tried to speak, frightened.

“Y/n… I-”

What interrupted the young boy was the sudden embrace of his twin. He couldn't even care about the pain in his ribs. Y/n hugged him tighter as he laid his head on his sister’s shoulder and started to cry.

“You are a fucking idiot. You are a real idiot. But despite that, you are still my other half.”

Everyone in the room was quiet as the young girl softly stroked her twin's hair. Y/n had already forgiven him but could Amagi forgive himself ? Nobody knew that…

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