#(which. yeah we don’t have time for all that right now)

[littlegrapejuice]

Too Vanilla | FC43

Pairing: Franco Colapinto x Reader

Summary: Franco is very open about his past sex life - maybe a bit too much for you, which eventually makes you insecure.

Author's Note: this is super short but i got the inspo after seeing a small extract of franco on the nude project (i then proceeded to watch the entire thing even tho i barely speak spanish lol) and yeah, I'll say more in the end notes lol but iykyk😭

F1 MASTERLIST🏎

“You’re quiet tonight”, Franco pointed out. “More than usual.”

Shit, was the only word now echoing in your mind. You didn’t think you had been that quiet. Franco and you were having a peaceful night in, cuddling in bed while watching some stupid show whose laughing track was way funnier than the actual jokes.

“Just enjoying the time with you, that’s all.”

Franco knew better. He knew from the way his arms were around you, your hands on your lap and not holding his like you usually did. He knew from the way your body wasn’t entirely relaxed against his.

He just knew you.

“I kinda wanna call bullshit on that, I know you’re lying. Or at least hiding something,” he clarified.

“And what would I be hiding?”

“I don’t know”, he admitted.

And that was it. You both stayed silent for several minutes after the exchange. But now that it was out there, you could feel Franco’s eyes on you. And with the way that he was now holding one of your hands in his, his thumb gently stroking your skin? It was just a matter of time before you were spilling whatever secret you were hiding. Which you did, when you felt him hugging you a bit tighter from where he was sitting behind you.

“It’s about the videos”, you eventually blurted out.

“The videos?” Franco repeated.

“That one video where you did the put a finger down thing”, you explained. “And the most recent podcast.”

“What about those?” He asked, slightly straightening up, before muting the TV.

“Well, you talked about having had sex in a car before, and the podcast…”

“Did I say something wrong in the podcast?”

“It’s not something you said, it’s just how I felt about it.”

“Okay.” Franco nodded, still a bit confused. “Please communicate with me, how did that make you feel?”

“You were talking about pre-race sex somehow helping with your performance, because it was like– relaxing. You also mentioned that having sex on the first date was more than fine for you... And then, I got insecure about it.”

“You got insecure because I’ve been whoring around?” There were certainly better ways to form the question, but at least Franco was trying his best. “You know it all happened before we got together, yeah? I haven’t done that in a while.”

“And that’s the issue!” You exclaimed as you shifted a bit away from him, your side profile now facing him.

“What? You’re saying you’d want me to do those things again?” Safe to say, he was lost. “I'm not sure I get it, what’s the real issue regarding us?”

“The sex, Franco!” You had raised your voice a bit, immediately regretting it. You moved again to sit cross-legged, now actually facing him. “Or more like the lack of it.”

“And that’s the issue because…?” He encouraged you to keep going, still not getting your point.

“Because I’m not having sex with you?” You tried to make him understand. “Because I will probably never have sex with you? Because everything between us is just too vanilla – even more than a middle schoolers’ relationship?”

You expected any reaction from Franco, literally anything. Except him laughing. But that’s what he was doing right now. He had just bursted out laughing.

But you weren’t laughing, far from it. You were just looking at him, widened eyes at his reaction.

“Oh my… oh God…” Franco did his best to calm down, slowly breathing in and out to stop laughing. “Since when is the lack of sex in our relationship an issue? You never brought this up before.”

“I mean, we did talk about it when we got together.”

“But still, I thought we were on the same wavelength? Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?”

“It’s not like– important…”

“Kinda seems like it is”, Franco interrupted.

“Okay, maybe it is. But it’s just that– like– yes, we had agreed that it wasn’t necessary between us… but just watching the podcast and seeing you talk about it, seeing people comment on it–”

“Fuck the comments.”

“Yeah, I shouldn’t be paying attention to them…” You admitted. “But I just got in my head, and then I started overthinking…”

“And you thought that us not having sex had become a problem for me? Without asking me what my actual opinion was?”

“Bingo,” you confirmed with a dry laugh.

The silence settled once again between the two of you, but it wasn’t as heavy as earlier. Franco took your hands in his, squeezing them in reassurance.

“How much of the podcast did you watch?” He eventually asked.

“The segment of you talking about pre-race sex, obviously.” You rolled your eyes at him as your voice was full of sarcasm. "And the sex-on-the-first-date moment.

“But did you watch what I said after?”

“Yeah, a bit.” You tried to recall how long the extract had been. “The whole thing wasn’t entirely subbed so I didn’t actually watch everything but–”

“So you remember what I talked about after that?” Franco waited for you to nod before he continued. “About the difficulty of creating real bonds with people, finding a connection, something that matters… That’s you”, he claimed. “You’re the person with who I share an actual bond. The person who I know is here for me, who loves me, and who I love back. What’s between us is precious, something I wanna cherish and care for until you’ll stop having me.”

“I’ll never stop, though.” You tried to avoid Franco’s gaze, ashamed of having doubted his feelings.

“Well, I hope so.” Franco squeezed your hands once again, before he let go of them to cup your face and wipe your cheeks. “You shouldn’t be crying because of me.”

“Bro”, you said with a deadpan tone. “You’re out there declaring your love for me and I’m not supposed to cry?”

“When you say it like that…”

He laughed. But this time, you enjoyed hearing it. And it made you laugh too.

The situation shouldn’t have been a laughing matter – not for most people – but still, you were laughing together. Then, Franco leaned in, his hands still on your cheeks. You leaned towards him as well, and he closed the space between you to kiss you.

For every insecurity you would ever have, Franco would be there to appease them. And for every dumb insecurity like this one, Franco would just have to remind you that the ‘vanilla’ relationship between the two of you was worth so much more than any pre-race sex he could ever have. And maybe he would also remind you that despite not having sex, the make out sessions between you two were sometimes far from being vanilla.

..........

Ok so this one's a bit more personal than others (not counting that one logan fic in which i poured my heart lol)

Ik there's this franco persona we all see as being the epitome of no pr training bc bro is sharing loads of private stuff - and it ain't even that deep tbh like he's just a guy🎀 (btw i did watch the entire pod which was super interesting bc i didn't know that much ab franco before f2 so i recommend!!)

But yeah, this one's for my ace girlies out there who, like me, might think that it's impossible to find love bc most people will expect sex in a relationship💜

This was just a short n' sweet fic that i thought went well w franco (who's the green flag we all need in our lives) - mostly written for my own mental health bc i needed some self love & reassurance🤍

Thanks for reading<3 I'll see you soon, take care of yourselves, i love y'all xx

[pazzispizookies]

— — GUARDED — —

Hiii y’all!! This is nearing the end of the series, but don’t worry, I have manyyyy things in the drafts rn ;) I hope y’all enjoy this chapter…….sorry for last chapter lol. Give feedback and ily guys, all 500 of you!! Especially all who are mine and @izzih22 kids lol. ☺️🤞🏽barley proofread, if u see spelling mistakes lmk

It had been a chillingly quiet practice, the notable absence of Azzi.

1 day, 27 hours, 13 mintues.

That was the last time anyone on the team had talked to azzi, last time anyone on the team had seen Azzi.

Her mom told their coach that she was “sick” but no way in hell, the way that girl lived; 2 showers a day, washed her hands at least 50 times an hour, always kept safe distances from people. It was more likely she got “sick” from the party her mom didn’t know she was going to.

Their coaches didn’t know about the post, yet.

Paige had called her manger she’s only had for about 2 months and told him what happened.

He was shocked, obviously. It was embarrassing to say the least, telling a 30 something-year-old man that you were caught making out on a car with your teammate. Even worse being she had to come out to everyone she talked too about the situation, explaining that it was Azzi.

But that didn’t matter. What did matter was wiping the internet of the photo.

The photo that was the reason she hadn’t smelled her favorite scent of vanilla and lavender in a day and 27 hours, seen the smile that could kill an army in a day. It was the reason she hadn’t seen her Azzi.

Practice was a struggle, shots weren’t falling like they should’ve, she was dragging her legs to run, each step a thought about Azzi.

The team whispered, they had mixed reactions.

Some saying sorry about the situation in awkward ways, some pretending they didn’t know what was happening, but only one teammate really helped; Caroline.

Caroline knew how down bad Azzi was for Paige, how she cried in her car, breaking down at the raw emotion that stirred in her, knowing the power it had to destroy her. And now that it did…she worried just as much as Paige.

So when practice came to a close, they headed out to Paiges car to talk.

***

“Still nothing, right?” Paige asked Caroline, knowing it was stupid to be hopeful,

Caroline sat in her passenger seat, shaking her head, mumbling out a small “no”

They sat in silence for a beat, both minds working overtime.

“This cant happen, I just—I need to fix this. I mean, can you imagine her right now? Just the thought of what she’s feeling makes my chest hurt.” Paige admitted, the emotion from her heart pouring into her words.

She had worked hard and tirelessly with her team to get everything wiped, though they still didn’t tell her who had taken the photo. They got into contact with the instagram page who posted it. Threatening to sue if they didn’t take it down.

Along with that, her team worked to take down all repostings of it, which thankfully there weren’t many.

She had immediately put all this into work after racing home that day.

Even though it was definitely still floating out on some corner of the internet, it wasn’t mainstream anymore.

But Paige saw it, she felt it still.

The way her name was trending on Twitter, on the list right below Azzis name.

She knew their school was talking, the way people looked at her in the hallway.

It wasn’t mean or cold hearted for the main part—just talk.

They were teammates, and two girls, along with being stars. Most people were curious.

“What if….What if we just go there?” Paige whispered, pulling back from her thoughts.

“Go to where-Azzis house?” Caroline replied.

Paige nodded, gripping the steering wheel on the parked car, “Yeah,”

Caroline scofffed, “No way in hell that’s a good idea.”

Paige knew she was right, Azzi hadn’t responded to any texts, any calls, anything.

“I know, but I need to talk to her, tell her I got it taken care of, tell her I’m sorry.”

Paige swallowed, knowing she would do anything to see Azzis face again. To be in her presence.

“I know. Listen, how about you try tonight, maybe think of an idea that can help your situation without breaking into Azzis house?” Caroline added, knowing Paige could get to Azzi better than she could.

Paige nodded, looking out the window, her mind going 100 miles per hour. “Yea, I’ll think.”

Caroline hummed in agreement, the painful silence of worry draped over the car once again.

***

“Azzi, love? You need to eat something.” Katie called softly from outside Azzis room.

“In a second,” Azzi responded back, using all her strength just to say those words.

She laid in bed, phone powered off and locked in her desk, like it had been for the past day.

she hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten, hadn’t had a moment where Paige didn’t control her mind in almost 2 days.

The photo was ingrained in her mind. Worse then that, the memory of what was happening in that photo.

The kiss had changed her,

She knew she was into Paige,

But that kiss? It was more than a crush.

She felt like a different person after the kiss.

It was life changing, but with that came the consequences.

Everyone knew she kissed her, it wasn’t just her memory, it was shared with thousands of nosy people now.

From guys saying gross shit, to guys saying they could “Change her,”

Or from one particular guy.

His name was JJ.

He had DMed Azzi Last night.

She didn’t know him, but when she clicked on his profile, seeing that Paige followed him, along with Ash and a few UConn accounts, she knew he was probably at the party.

Opening it, she was faced with a strange message.

JJ: Hey Azzi, I know you don’t know me. But I wanted to be a man, I wanted to apologize. I took that photo. I was drunk, along with high. I wasn’t thinking…especially that Paige would threaten to sue over it. I kinda was crushing on her, we did a shoot together for Nike. I was thinking with my dick, I’m really sorry.

Azzi hadn’t responded.

She couldn’t.

Wat did she have to say to a the guy who had seemingly ruined her life?

She took a screenshot of it, along with his profile, then blocked him. Shutting down her phone and locking it in her desk.

This stupid message laced with false apologies replayed in her mind.

It was clear he didn’t really give a shit over her, or want happened.

Only reaching out because he was scared for himself.

But Paige..threatening to sue him?

Azzi knew Paige, knew that if this had happened with anyone other then Azzi, she wouldn’t have gave it 2 thoughts, just brushing it off.

But Azzi knew that Paige knew her, knew how this would affect her, and she handled it.

Even thought they hadn’t talked, she knew Paige cared.

She knew Paige was worried.

Which made it all worse for Azzi.

Because Paige was showing up through her actions, she was caring, she was calling, texting. Trying.

And Azzi couldn’t.

She couldn’t talk to her.

Not yet.

She just wished it was easier, wished Paige would just show up. Hold her, force her to come back to reality.

But that’s too much to wish on a person, Paige had to be struggling too, dealing with the consequences as well.

But god—Azzi wanted her.

She wanted her to be right next her in bed, wanted her to grip her waist and whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

But she was embarrassed, because if she had that, it came with being out in public, loving a girl publicly.

Which was terrifying.

It wasn’t that she was scared of Paige, but scared of what came with Paige.

She would always be known as a basketball player—but now with that, a gay basketball player who dated her teammate.

It wasnt the worst thing in the world world, but people were cruel.

They would never look at her the same as if she was with a man.

Now people would focuse on her, her personal life, her sexuality and relationships.

And she’s not dumb, she’s been online her whole life. Seen the commments, seen the slander, hell—it had already started on the post.

even though most where just comments on how this was unexpected, some even excited.

There were the negative. The ones saying that she would go to hell, and how much of a sin it was to love.

She didn’t know how people could just say that.

How people would ignore every positive of her—her selflessness, her down to earth personality, her on court performance. And outweigh it by who she loved.

Calling her a sinner, but, wasnt everyone a sinner?

So why did her sin outweigh all of the others,

And why did it sting so much?

These are the quetions that kept her away,

The what-ifs in her head.

She didn’t have the answers.

So she stayed where she was. “Sick.”

In bed, thoughts swirling, missing the one person that came with confusion.

***

Paige rested on her bed, glancing over at the clock; 6:30

It was still bright outside, the sun dimming slowly.

Everything seemed to move more slow now, almost like the universe was teasing her.

Saying “Look at all this time you can’t spend with her”

She wanted to jump off the bed, get in her car and speed to Azzi.

But she had to think it thorugh, think about everything that could happen.

Azzi might be mad, or she could be depresssed.

She could hate Paige—or need Paige.

Or both.

She scrolled on her phone, not paying to much attention.

Till a notification popped up.

A Dm.

From…JJ?

The guy she was at Nike with, the UConn recruit.

Curious, she clicked on it.

A soon as she read halfway through the paragraph-her stomach seemed to drop to the floor.

“Paige, I use wanted to come to you directly and apologize. I took the photo, of you and Azzi at the party. I already apologized to her, she probably told you that already. But I was just stupid for that, I was really drunk, and high. And I was I was jealous, so I sent it in. I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would go viral so quickly, I didnt even think people would care. But at least it’s removed now right? Have a good night. I’m sorry again”

What the fuck?

She…

What?

JJ?

why on earth would he do that.

Then give a fucking half-assed apology like he bumped into her.

And he had the fucking nerve to text Azzi?

Bullshit.

Before she could stop herself she was typing.

“Yo, I don’t give a shit if you were high, dunk or both. That was shitty as hell. You dont even know what you did. Grow up before you get to college, your skills aren’t gonna take you that far if you’re still a dipshit.”

Sent.

Blocked.

She didn’t care to get another apology, she wanted to tell him off then cut him off.

That was all she needed, she needed to go to Azzi.

So that’s what she did.

Grabbbing her shoes, spraying a small amount of the cologne Azzi had complimented. And leaving for her car.

She fumbled with the keys for a second, not even caring to tell her dad where she was going.

As soon as she started the engine, the roar of the car coming through, she took off.

Going 50 in a 25 she pulled up to Azzi house in 4 minutes flat.

She stopped the car, slamming the door to get out.

She feet planted but moving fast towards the door.

The pavement of the her path to her house clicking against her Jordans.

she stepped up, knocking on the door.

She knew it wasnt gonna be Azzi at the door when it swung open, but she hadn’t thought that far.

“Hi, Paige right?” a woman, Katie, Azzis mom said looking up at the blonde slightly.

Paige offered a polite smile, pretending to be to be at ease, “Yeah, um-I’m sorry to just show up, I just really need to talk to Azzi.”

Katie sighed, looking her up and down, hesitating for a moment, “She’s….well. She’s not doing well right now.”

Paige knew that, but still she didn’t like hearing it aloud. “I know..I know why she’s not herself right now. I just think she might need to talk,”

Katie smiled, touched by the way Page was caring. “Okay, but if she gets upset, I warned you.”

She stepped back to let Paige in, “Thank you so much, and got it.” Paige said with a brethless laugh.

Katie pointed to the direction of Azzis room, not knowing that Paige already knew exactly how to get there, and everywhere else in the house.

She walked quickly towards the door,

The floor creaking under her.

It had only been 2 days since she’d seen Azzi.

But it felt more like years.

Her heart was racing, her chest tightening.

Was this stupid?

Just showing up?

Before she could spiral more, she knocked,

Three taps on the door,

a soft, slightly broken voice called out, “Go away mom, I’m not hungry.”

Paige felt her chest tighten more, a lump in her throat with her heartbeat.

She cracked the door open, “Sorry, not mom, just me.”

Azzi knew that voice,

Her glossy red eyes looked over at the door,

She met the blue eyes waiting there.

Then she broke.

Paige shut the door, rushing over to the bed.

She grabbed Azzis shaking body, heavy with tears.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I promise. I’m here.” Paige whispered into the top of her head, pulling Azzi to her chest.

Azzi let herself be pulled, burying her head deep onto Paiges chest.

Tears that stung streamed out of her eyes while Paige brushed her fingers through her still straightened hair,

Her body warm against Azzis, feeling her heartbeat through her chest.

It grounded her.

It felt Iike home.

She cried, she let herself be vulnerable.

Because Paige came.

she knew she needed her, and she cared enough to come.

She was here.

Paige whispered into the top of her head again, “I’m not going anywhere, I promise, I won’t.”

Paige was scared, she was scared for Azzi.

But she mattered to much to let herself be scared, she neeed to be stable. Present.

Azzi gripped her shirt, pulling Paige impossibly closer, neededing her close.

Feeling this, Paige pulled the blanket over her and Azzi, gripping on to her waist with one hand, one still cradling her head.

Azzis cries turned to hiccups, slowly, calming herself down.

Paige stayed there through it, whispering into the top of her head, planting kisses along with it. Just being there.

Azzi sniffled, her cheeks red, her eyes glossed over with emotion and exhaustion.

“Hey Pretty” Paige whispered as she felt Azzi stirr.

Azzi looked up at her, meeting her eyes for the first time since Paige had walked in.

The soft blue to hurt brown.

Paige looked into her, reading her, still smoothly stroking her hair.

Their faces close.

“I’m sorry.” Azzi mumbled out, her voice soft and broken.

Paige shook her head immediately, hand still in Azzis hair, “No, don’t. Don’t apologize.”

Azzi felt it in her chest.

At that moment she knew.

She loved Paige.

How could she not?

here Paige was, sitting comforting her, holding her, waiting for her.

“Paige..”

Paige still looked in her eyes, “Yea?”

Azzi got scared, she’d never say this to anyone.

But Paige wasn’t just anyone.

“I love you”

A beat passed.

Then, Paige closed the gap.

Their lips met slowly, softly,

The kiss unlike the one that night.

This one was sure.

Positive.

It was home, it was love.

It was theirs.

when Paige pulled back slightly, a little dazed, “Are you sure?”

Azzi laughed for the first time in what felt like forever, “yes. I’m sure.”

A smile broke out on Paiges face, her thumb caressing Azzis jaw softly.

“I love you too”

Those 4 words were all Azzi ever needed to hear.

She felt like there was now 3 stages to her life.

Before the kiss. After the kiss. And those 4 words.

Paige didn’t say anything for a moment, still inches away from Azzi.

Looking down at her, the curve of her pink lips, the way her blown out hair fell softly against her Carmel skin.

“You’re so beautiful,” Paige whispered out like a prayer.

Azzi didnt even know she could feel this way. The way those words made her feel.

She’d been called beautiful tons of times.

But that hit her deep.

Like Paige was calling every bit of her beautiful, because she was.

her soul, her face, her personality. everything.

Azzi laid her face down on Paiges chest, her heart beating slower now.

“We can talk later, just stay with me for a bit?” Azzi asked,

Paige held her closer, “yeah, I’d like that.”

Azzi closed her eyes, not meaning too, just far too at peace to not drift off.

Paige followed her, the grounding sounds of Azzi breathing, and this time, she wasnt sacred of Azzi being gone when she woke up.

They both fell softly into sleep, the warm sunset guiding them.

Their bodies tangled together, trusting each other.

***

Katie hadn’t heard noise come from Azzis room.

She was concerned to say the least.

She knew Azzi and Paige hit it off, she’d never seen Azzi spend so much time with a person before.

And every time Azzi came back from being with her, she seemed to buzz with happiness,

So when Paige showed up, she let her in, call it a gut feeling. but she knew Paige could help.

She knew she cared for Azzi by the way she made her happy,

“I’m gonna go check on the girls,” she said to Tim,

He barely even noticed, just nodding.

She got up off the couch, softly padding towards Azzis room,

Reaching the door, Pressing her head against it, she heard nothing.

Concernd, she cracked open the door, peaking in.

And there it was.

Paige holding Azzi tightly,

Azzi sound asleep on her chest gripping her shirt.

Barely air between them.

Shocked at the sight. She looked for a second longer,

But, somehow, she knew.

This was going to start something.

So she closed the door.

Smiling.

Knowing something she hadn’t before.

[loveinhawkins]

ao3

Robin’s double-triple-quadruple checking that Steve is okay—well, okay as he can be, gritting his teeth as Nancy wraps hastily made bandages around him—when she sees Eddie turn away out the corner of her eye.

She follows the movement unconsciously, but then she really looks, and at first she thinks it’s just this god-awful place draining the colour out of everything, but wow, he looks bad.

“Hey,” she says as brightly as she can, “you just checking out the scenery over here or…?”

Eddie shakes his head, and that immediately seems like a bad idea because his face gets even paler, which Robin didn’t even think was, like, possible.

“Just needed to—” he says faintly.

And that’s all he gets out before he weaves where he’s standing, and Robin reaches for him instinctively, grabs a hold of his hand; his palm is cold with sweat, and she suddenly finds herself thinking that the rumour going around a couple years ago, that Eddie passed out in the middle of a dissection in Biology, must have some truth in it.

“Okay, we’re okay!” she says quickly, and holds on as tight as she can. “We’re just gonna stand here and breathe.”

She says it a few more times, “We’re just gonna breathe,” and she’s got no idea if it’s the right thing to do or not, whether it’s just deeply annoying or making everything worse.

Eddie closes his eyes, and she worries about that initially, but the grip of his hand gets stronger, and he doesn’t sway again, and when he opens his eyes and looks at her, they’re clear and focused.

He squeezes her hand twice. “Thanks.”

He doesn’t let go, and he looks embarrassed about it, so Robin says that her sense of balance is so incredibly shit, and this is very helpful of him, thank you.

It works at least a little bit; he almost laughs. Then he swallows, and she can feel his urge to look back over despite himself. He stops the motion just in time.

“Is he—” His fingers twitch uneasily. “Is he okay?”

“Yes,” she says immediately.

She really hopes it doesn’t sound like she’s pacifying him. It’s just, she knows by now what to watch out for, she doesn’t even really need to be looking; an awareness of Steve in her periphery is enough.

She rushes to try and clarify, “Like, I know it seems like I was panicking with the rabies thing, I mean, I kinda was super panicking, but I got it all out my system, like I’m a worrier first and foremost, that’s my secret default emotion, you’re welcome, so when I say there’s nothing to worry about, obviously there are plenty of things to worry about, look where we are, but I promise nothing major currently in the Steve department, and I can tell you, like, instantly when that changes, it’s a sixth sense.”

Eddie blinks, looking slightly stunned. Shit, she forgets sometimes that it’s only really Steve who’s used to these monologues.

A big breath. “And I know it seems like I’m panicking because I’m rambling which—okay, that’s sometimes true, but in most cases—this one included, I swear!—me talking way too much just means I’m comfortable with whoever’s listening.” Eddie’s eyes widen. “So, um. Congratulations? Sorry? Take your pick. Does that, um, make sense?”

There’s a pause before Eddie replies—he’s probably still processing just how many words were thrown at him.

“I don’t think you talk too much,” he says in a taken aback kind of way. Then, “And yeah, sure, that makes sense. Just, uh, questioning your judgement.” A slight self-effacing smile. “I’m not typically the kinda guy folks are comfortable around.”

“Is it really so shocking?” Robin says, meaning it as a tease but—

“Yes,” Eddie says, and while he matches her tone, the word teeters between a joke and something vulnerable.

They both turn at a sudden grunt of exertion—Steve’s standing up, supporting himself with one hand leaning on the rock he’d fallen against. Nancy watches his movements with an anxious intensity; Robin follows her eyeline and notes with relief that the bleeding’s stopped.

“We can go to my house,” Nancy says like she’s trying to convince herself it’s a good idea. “There’ll—there must be some bandages or something just. Just in case.”

Steve lets go of the rock and stands up to his full height. It’s a deliberate show of reassurance, Robin thinks, as much for himself as it is for Nancy.

“Sure,” Steve says. “And guns too, right?”

Nancy’s startled into a laugh. For a second, the weight of concern leaves her face. “And guns,” she repeats.

Eddie catches Robin’s eye with an air of bewilderment. “Guns?” he mouths.

Robin nods.

Eddie looks, if possible, even more lost. Then his eyes slide away from Robin’s, and his expression changes; he starts to frown. At first Robin can’t tell what he’s noticed except that there can’t be any more blood, thank God, because he doesn’t look away. Then she sees it too as Steve takes a step forward with a nonchalant, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go,” like the determined normality of his voice can somehow hide the fact that he’s shivering.

Nancy bites her lip, looking like she’s come to the same unwelcome conclusion as Robin: that no matter what they say, it’ll just result in Steve arguing against it.

There’s a rustle off to the side. Robin glances over only in time to see a blur of denim; Steve catches it against his chest. Eddie’s vest.

“For your modesty, dude,” Eddie quips like it’s no big deal, but Robin can instantly sense the care he’s taken in how he’s said it, that he’s guessed intuitively about the kind of person Steve is: the kind who, when Robin once forgot her umbrella, shared his and made sure she was fully covered, despite him getting soaked in the process.

It’s like she can physically see the path that Eddie’s flippancy has opened up. This way Steve accepting the vest is just continuing the joke; he doesn’t need to admit that he actually needs it.

And it works. Steve expertly sidesteps around the vulnerability and shrugs on the vest, echoing Eddie’s levity right back at him.

“Oh, my modesty, sure. Well, in that case, don’t wanna offend you, dude.”

“You know me, propriety is my middle name.”

Steve laughs. He fiddles a little with one of the buttons on the vest then says lightly, as if an afterthought, “Didn’t know you cared.”

It still walks the line of a joke, but Robin can hear his sincerity, and from the look of surprise on Eddie’s face, so can he. And it’s not like Steve being genuine is a surprise to her, but—

The ground gives way beneath her feet; her stomach lurches as she loses her balance, and it’s only when she accidentally catches Eddie’s shoulder that she realises she’s not going to fall through an endless chasm, that the world is just shaking violently—still not a comforting prospect, but she’ll gladly take it over the alternative.

She barely has time to feel the relative relief before another shudder sends her straight to the ground; she’s too caught off guard to even protect her face with her hands. But her landing isn’t nearly as painful as it should be—as everything finally grows still, she finds the reason why: Eddie, who from the awkward twisted position of his legs looks like he was caught equally off guard, and yet he’s still managed to fling an arm around Robin, bracing to keep her from the worst of the impact.

“Did anyone touch the vines?” Nancy asks breathlessly.

Robin and Eddie shake their heads.

“Any, uh, particular reason why?” Eddie says in the tone of someone who’d really rather not find out.

“It’s a hive mind,” Steve and Nancy say simultaneously, in a very hive mind like way.

Robin hums the theme to The Twilight Zone; everyone laughs, some pressure finally released.

“So killer demon bats weren’t enough, we’ve gotta deal with booby traps too,” Eddie says.

Steve snorts. He glances childishly to Robin as if looking for approval; she rolls her eyes with an irrepressible smile. Seriously?

There’s a split second of disbelief before Eddie just grins in delight. “Real mature, Harrington.”

Steve shrugs. “Sorry, man,” he says, not sounding sorry at all. “Just providing what Dustin would’ve done.”

They sober slightly at the reminder that their group’s been split.

“You think they’ve figured out that we’re…?” Eddie wiggles his fingers vaguely. He’s slower at getting to his feet than everyone else had been—he’s still hunched over slightly, rubbing at his knee.

“They will,” Nancy says with conviction.

“Don’t underestimate them,” Steve says mildly.

“Oh, I’m not, believe me. They’re kinda terrifying.”

“Terrifying?” Nancy echoes, laughing again, right as Steve says, “Exactly.”

As if in response to their laughter, there’s a distant growl punctuated with ominous clicking. Steve and Nancy both go rigid, and Robin thinks of the night after Starcourt, when Steve stayed over at her place because neither of them wanted to be alone; and he told her how everything started for him, his voice tripping over the words like he was reliving it all over again: running back to Jonathan Byers’ house, hearing the snarl of a monster.

“Yeah, I’m all for going to the Wheeler sanctum,” Eddie says weakly.

But he doesn’t move initially, so Steve and Nancy end up leading the way. Steve repeatedly sweeps the beam of his flashlight back and forth, making sure that the path is lit up for everyone, and Robin wonders whether he’s so focused on that that he hasn’t yet noticed—

“You’re hurt,” she tells Eddie softly. She’s up and looped her arm through his without thinking—which is kind of a big deal considering she nearly threw up with nerves when dancing with a boy at her middle school Snow Ball—and she realises that, for once, she forgot to be nervous about it.

“It’s not that bad,” Eddie says dismissively, but she can feel him leaning on her so it must be at least a little bit bad. “Hey, we kinda even each other out like this, huh? Your balance is pretty good, actually.” He pauses, then, “I’m okay, promise, just didn’t wanna…” He shrugs, nods towards Steve. “Gotta prioritise, y’know?”

Robin doesn’t push back on it for now, just slows her pace so Eddie isn’t jostled. “Thank you,” she says instead, lowering her voice. She nods toward Steve too. “For the…”

“Style improvement? Yeah, you’re welcome.”

This time Robin only lets him get away with belittling it for so long; it’s important, she thinks, that he knows.

“I mean it. He wouldn’t have taken it if you hadn’t—he’s…” She sighs. The greatest Tammy Thompson impersonator. Stupidly funny. Serious, when he has to be. Caring. Selfless. My best friend. “Stubborn.”

Eddie laughs under his breath. “Oh, and you’re not? What the hell was that back there?” He drops into a gently mocking impression of her voice, “I made that shit up.”

“I was just being honest!”

“Way to give me a heart attack.” She feels him squeeze the crook of her elbow. “Don’t do it again.”

And there’s that balancing act again, joking but not. Robin hears it for what it is. Don’t leave me alone. She squeezes back.

“I won’t.”

She expects Eddie to change the subject quickly. Instead he laughs—smaller, sadder. “Shit, sorry. You must think I’m—”

“No,” she says firmly. “I don’t.”

Eddie looks down like he’s just watching his step, nothing more. But his hold around Robin’s arm tightens again. He clears his throat.

“Thanks, Buckley.”

“Hey, Robin, Eddie,” Steve calls; Robin feels Eddie jump. “There’s vines up ahead, like…” He turns around and indicates where with the flashlight. Then he catches Robin’s eye, knits his eyebrows slightly. You okay?

She smiles in reassurance before subtly tilting her head towards Eddie, wrinkles her nose. 

Steve’s forehead relaxes. The tiniest nod. Yeah, I know. Got my eye on it.

Because of course he’d noticed the hurt knee despite Eddie’s attempt to hide it; Robin recalls now one of Steve’s rants about his time at school, how he’d often clock injuries during basketball games before the borderline neglectful coach.

And then she realises that Steve’s been walking backwards throughout their silent conversation, alternating between lighting the way for Nancy, and for her and Eddie.

She rolls her eyes, briefly draws a circle in the air with her finger. Now you’re just showing off.

Steve grins, waggles his eyebrows ridiculously. Oh, yeah? What’re you gonna do about it?

But he obligingly turns around, as Nancy gives him a sidelong, questioning look. He answers, too far away to hear, points behind him with his free hand like he’s explaining something. Then his hand goes to the vest, rubbing his thumb absentmindedly over the denim near the collar; Robin smiles.

“So, uh, how likely is it that I’m gonna get that back?” Eddie asks. He sounds amused, like he’s just noticed the same thing as Robin.

“Like, out of ten?” She pretends to think about it. “Two point five.”

Eddie snorts. “Wow, thanks.”

It’s a compliment, Eddie, she thinks, recalling the select few sweaters that Steve fiddles with in winter. He only does that with clothes he really loves.

“You’re not the first. He steals my sunglasses all the time.”

Eddie bursts out laughing. “Figures. He’d look good in anything, it’s so unfair.”

And it doesn’t sound serious; it’s said off the cuff, like it doesn’t have to mean anything. But Robin’s growing more certain that she can hear what’s hiding underneath—that, however hesitantly, she’s being tested.

“Yeah, but we’re not supposed to actually tell him that, he’ll never shut up about it.” As Eddie laughs, she elbows him gently, reaches across to tug at one of the zippers on his sleeve. “So are you providing a permanent service with your clothes? Cause I call dibs on your jacket.”

Eddie laughs again; the mix of disbelief and joy in the sound is familiar—Robin’s heard it come from herself not all that long ago. It takes a while to sink in, that friendship can be found so easily—an uncomplicated, earnest type of love once thought lost to kindergarten; it doesn’t have to hurt.

(“I didn’t need the truth serum to say it,” Robin had confessed during a terminally slow day at Family Video. “I think, deep down, I trusted you.”

“Oh,” Steve said softly and watched the rest of the movie they’d thrown on dewy-eyed.)

There’s a spring in Eddie’s step now despite the limp. He calls out like he’s on a summer hiking trail, “Are we there yet?”

Nancy chuckles. “No. Are you five?”

“Wheeler, I’m shocked that you’d repeat the baseless lies of the school faculty.”

Steve turns, his grin caught by the flashlight—and he looks younger suddenly, Robin thinks, like he’s in class, sneaking a look at someone in the seat behind.

“Wow, dude, I’m so sorry. Are you bored? I forgot to book the entertainment.”

“Did you, Steve?” Eddie asks, all innocence. “I thought you were the entertainment.”

And as they go back and forth, it’s as if the darkness of the woods can’t reach them anymore—as Steve starts a game of I spy, and Eddie encourages Nancy to come up with equally outlandish guesses, the two of them barely keeping their giggles under control, violets, vixen, velociraptor?

“Vines, you losers!” Steve says, still grinning, walking tall like he’s totally forgotten about his injury; and Eddie turns to Robin like that had been his aim all along, “Your turn, Buckley.”

Oh, you’ll fit right in, Robin says to herself before jumping into the game—as they all, at least for a little while, leave fear behind.

[yumelatte]

His Highness, Your Meowjesty - Chapter Two

Guard Cat

As the car’s headlights flashed in your eyes, you thought of one thing: In your next life, you wanted to be rich. You had said that, but you didn’t want to be a cat!

In which you wake up in the body of a cat with your past memories and befriend the kingdom’s crown prince, Mydei.

Fantasy Isekai AU

AO3 Link

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Slowly regaining consciousness, your eyes opened, surprised at the sharp vision of the dark room. 

That was right; you were a cat, and as one, your eyes were better than humans. 

You didn’t realize it had become so late. 

So much for a nap. It was more like a sleep. 

Standing up from your comfortable spot, you stretched out your body to alleviate the tension in your limbs. 

The uncovered window provided faint moonlight to the dimmed place, and you wondered why there were no barriers. 

Wasn’t it dangerous to leave it open like that? 

You pondered that question, staring at Mydei’s peaceful expression while tilting your head. 

He doesn’t seem concerned about it, so neither should you. 

Maybe your new owner had no enemies. That was a welcoming thought because if he had no enemies, that means no one would try to kill you. You could live a long and prosperous life being his feline companion. 

Purring at the realization that you have chosen well, you hopped off Mydei’s chest and nimbly landed on the floor. 

It wouldn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with your surroundings; after all, this was where you were going to be living the rest of your life. 

Observing the different furniture in a new perspective was weird, but you mapped them out in case you needed the knowledge. 

As you explored the rest of the area, your ears twitched, hearing a slight noise coming from the window. 

They say curiosity killed the cat, but you say satisfaction brought it back. 

Blending in with the shadows and sneaking your way over to under the wall’s opening, you remained there, patiently waiting to hear more. 

After a moment, you heard something… or someone…

With your ears perked up, you heard indistinct voices coming from outside. 

“Did you bring everything?” 

“Yeah, do you think I’m dumb or something?” 

“Yeah, I do. Last time, you forgot to bring the knife. How do we kill without a weapon? That was embarrassing. We had to retreat.” 

“Well, we have our hands, don’t we?” 

“Yeah, and I’d like to see you choke out someone like him without him waking up.” 

Assassins? This late in the night? No… 

You had been wrong; Mydei did have enemies, and they were at his doorstep.

No, you couldn’t let them take him away from you! He was your saving grace from the streets. You need to stop them right now. 

Pressing yourself against the wall, you waited until they stepped foot into the room. 

Once you saw feet, you swiftly darted to stand in their way. 

Not expecting an obstacle, one of them fell to the floor, pulling the other with them, and they both landed with a huge thud. 

“Ow!”

Turning around, you hoped Mydei heard the loud ruckus, but his form was unmoving and unaffected—sleeping soundly. 

…How can this guy sleep this well knowing his life was constantly at threat? How did he survive this far? 

“You clumsy HKS. Why did you fall and take me with you?” 

“It wasn’t on purpose. There was something in my way.” 

“What was it?” 

Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, seeing a small shape before them—you. 

Realizing you’ve been seen, you arched your back, hissing to try to alert your owner, making noisy meows. 

If he didn’t wake up from the sound of them falling, he probably wouldn’t wake up from your noise, but there was an attempt. 

“What the? Since when did he have such a disgusting animal?” 

Disgusting? You were very dignified, thank you very much. 

“Let’s just kill it and be on with it.” 

“First time I’m agreeing with you.” 

One of the assassins made a swing with their knife and you dodged it with your quick reflexes, scratching their hand with your claw.

“Y'ouch!” 

The other one tried to grab you by ducking down with outstretched arms. 

Easily moving out of the way, you slipped through their legs and sprinted towards Mydei in hopes of waking him up. 

But before you could reach the blonde man, you felt pressure at your scruff. 

Crap!

Letting out a hiss, you struggled as the hand maneuvered you to face your capturer, unable to move because of your weak spot. 

“Got it. Now we can deal with it.” 

You weren’t going to go down without a fight. It didn’t matter if your movements were restricted, your mouth could still move.

Loudly meowing, you continued to make their lives harder.

Mydei, please wake up! You refused to believe he wasn’t awake with all the commotion. 

“Can you hurry and shut it up? We’re running out of time…”

“Too late.” 

A familiar unamused voice rang out, silencing the intruders. 

The assassin that was holding you, dropped you at the unexpected noise, cowering when they realized the person they were trying to dispose of was wide awake.

Landing on your feet, you rushed behind Mydei’s legs, hissing at them from your cover. 

Finally, your savior! Show them, Mydei! If you were in your human form, you would be sticking out your tongue in victory. 

Mydei towered over the two trespassers, darkly staring them down with crossed arms. 

“Trespassing on royal grounds. Do you know the consequences?” 

“...Uh, yes…” they dumbly let out. 

Shaking his head, Mydei frowned, “If you two know what it is, you should know better. I am letting you go, but know that I am not doing it for your sake. It is for mine.” 

Nodding without another word, they returned from where they came from—the window. 

And you were bewildered at their obedience. It was as if they had gone through this same song and dance before. 

Wondering what that was all about, you weaved through Mydei’s legs to sit before him, meowing for his attention. 

You wanted to ask him if he had done this before, but all you could do was make cat noises. 

Damn your inability to speak. Losing your way of communicating greatly pained you; however, you weren’t sure if Mydei was ready to see your human side. Also, you weren’t sure if you were ready for the process. 

What a way to change between forms…

Picking you up, Mydei held you outstretched before him, scanning you for any injuries. “You are quite the brave one, Kitty. Might be more than a lion.” 

You knew. You wanted to protect him. “Meow.” 

Suspiciously looking at you, he asked, “Do you understand me?” 

Yes. “Meow.” 

Slightly laughing with a glint in his eye, Mydei admitted, “If you do, your efforts in defending me were not in vain. I must confess I was awake the whole time. I wanted to know why you ran off from me in these late hours. I had thought you were proving the merchant’s belief to be true, but you are just a naturally curious creature, aren’t you?” 

Your cat instincts were hard to ignore… “Meow…” 

“Don’t worry about me. I have gone through these attempts many times before. I am used to it. Luckily, they were all amateurs.” 

But you didn’t want him to go through it anymore. “Meow.” 

“Are you on my side?” 

Yes, no doubt about it. He saved you from being a stray and from those people even if he waited before coming to your rescue. Besides, you wanted to live comfortably, so getting on his good side would be beneficial to you. “Meow!” 

“Then let us head back to sleep.” 

No complaints here. Purring as he carried you to the mattress, you nuzzled into his arms. God, he was so warm and inviting. 

Mydei climbed back onto the soft material, gently depositing you besides him. 

Softly petting you, he wished you a good night. “Sweet dreams, Kitty.” 

Curling up against him to steal his heat, you didn’t stop rumbling until you fell unconscious.

You could get used to this life, assassins and all—as long as his hand never leaves you. 

“Eurypon!” 

An enraged woman marched her way through the intricate hallways of the palace towards the throne room with a purpose. 

A bored man drifted his eyes over to her as she slammed open the doors, anger as clear as day on her face. 

“There was another assassination attempt on our son, and you are not doing anything about it? Do you not care for him?” Anguish evident in her voice. 

“Hah, another one? Mydeimos is old enough to handle those problems on his own. You are just coddling him.” Dismissive. Cold. 

She fought. “How can you say that of our own flesh and blood? Where is the man I married at the Kremnos Festival?”

He deflected. “I am still the same man. Now, I have different priorities.” 

“And what are they? Tell me. What is more important than our family?” 

“Gorgo, please. There are more pressing matters to attend to than some lowly peasants trying to kill a grown man capable of returning the favor tenfold.” 

“Like what?” 

“Like expanding our territory and strengthening our numbers.” 

Gorgo couldn’t believe her ears, disbelief crossing her expression. Those were more important than keeping their son safe and alive? She couldn’t stay in this room any longer. 

With no room for argument, she firmly stated, “This is not the end of this discussion.” Retreating for now, Gorgo stomped back to the hallway, fuming at her husband’s behavior. 

Mydeimos—Mydei—was their kin, her precious son. If he was taken away from her by such force, then she would have failed as a mother. 

These assassination attempts… Gorgo had a hunch that Eurypon was behind it, but she had no proof except for his nonchalant attitude. 

…How can she obtain evidence? 

Gnawing on her fingers, she was too focused on formulating a plan to hear Mydei greet her. 

“—ther.” 

Think, Gorgo, think. There must be some way to get her hands on incriminating proof. 

“—other.” 

Biting her lip, she groaned in frustration. She had no way of exposing her husband…

“Mother!” 

Hearing her son, she quickly snapped out of her daze. “Mydei?” 

He was standing before her with furrowed brows and worried eyes. “Are you okay?” 

“Fine, thank you. I was just—” Cutting herself off, Gorgo took in the sight of her son with an unfamiliar creature around his shoulder—it stared right back at her, slowly blinking. 

She had never seen you before.

And she had never expected to see her son with an animal such as you. 

“You have…” Pointing, Gorgo continued, not knowing what to say. “...That is…” 

As if he forgot you were there, Mydei glanced at his shoulder, realizing you were casually lounging on him. Pausing for a moment, he thought about his next words before saying, “She was the one who saved me from the assassins last night.” 

A mere cat saving her son? How silly, but she will humor it, wondering how it came to be with him. 

“Did you name it?” 

“Kitty.” 

Furrowing her brows, she frowned. “That is no name for someone who saved your life.” With a hand on her chin, she studied you—you matched her gaze. 

You are technically a kitty, but you deserve an actual name. 

She wrung her thoughts for a name, carefully thinking. 

Hm, what about… no…

…This then…? 

No, it didn’t fit you. 

How about…

Finally, Gorgo said your name—your name from before you woke up here, and she could have sworn your eyes brightened at her suggestion. 

Mydei tested your name on his tongue, savoring the sound.

Nodding in approval, he agreed with his mother. “I like it. She will be called that from now on.” He scratched your head while repeating your name to you, and you purred as one of your eyes kept itself on Gorgo. 

You seemed to be more intelligent than you let on. 

Maybe…

An idea sparked in her mind. 

“Mydei, may I borrow her for a moment?” 

Stopping his hand with you protesting with a brief meow, Mydei looked at her with confusion, unsure of his mother’s intentions. “Why?” 

“Please! She’s adorable. I want to spend some time with her.” 

“But I have not spent much time with her either…” 

“She’s yours, so you will.” 

Defeatedly sighing, Mydei conceded, removing you from your perch on his shoulders to give you to Gorgo. “I will be outside if you need me.” 

Not lifting her eyes off you, she nodded, acknowledging him. 

Mydei walked away, and Gorgo dashed to her separate room with you letting out a surprised sound at her enthusiasm. 

Once in a safe spot and away from prying ears, she plopped you on a chair across from her. 

Clearly saying your name, she watched for your reaction. 

With you resting on your front two paws, you readily responded, “Meow.” 

Gorgo hadn’t been lying; you were very cute. 

Smiling, she lightly tapped you on your nose, and you let her. “You’re smarter than you let on, huh?” 

“Meow.” 

“Mydei says you saved him last night. Is that true?” 

“Meow.” 

“I must thank you for that. Even if it’s not true, I can tell you probably did your best to protect him—call it intuition.” 

“Meow!”

That last noise sounded a bit proud. You were so darn adorable; no wonder Mydei took a liking to you. 

Holding back a laugh, she politely asked, “May I ask you for a favor?” 

Tilting your head, you made an inquisitive sound between a chirp and a meow. 

“...I have a sneaking suspicion Mydei’s father is the one behind the attempts on his life. May I ask you to watch over Mydei and keep an eye out for Eurypon’s schemes?” 

To her surprise, you nodded, throwing her off and having her question if she correctly saw that.

Rubbing her eyes, Gorgo looked at you again. “I must be going crazy…” 

A cat that understands human language? Preposterous. 

You shook your head as if you disagreed with her.

More likely than she thought… and the notion you were not an ordinary feline briefly popped into her mind. 

“...What are you?” 

You blankly stared at her, not giving anything away. 

Of course, if you were anything but a cat, you wouldn’t want her to know. The fact still stands that you had tried to help her son, and you were agreeing to continue to do so.

Understanding your kind intent, she reasoned, “Well, as long as you are on Mydei’s side…” 

Sliding a hand over her face, she couldn’t help but be stressed over recent events. 

Sensing her distress, you jumped off the chair, going over to her.

Feeling a nudge at her feet, Gorgo looked down to see you, asking for permission to go up with two paws on her knees.

Gorgo patted her lap, and with you taking it as a sign, you quickly hopped up, curling into a ball and parking yourself there. 

She continuously ran her hand down your back in a petting motion, feeling some tension release from her shoulders. 

At this point, you thrived from being doted on.

Closing her eyes and relaxing at this therapeutic act, she softly thanked you, “I needed this. Thank you, Mydei’s little guard cat.” 

And well, you guessed you are now.

[sthilarions]

(We’re working in a slight AU where cats can see ghosts but can’t talk because otherwise this would get weird. I considered a bunny or a ferret to avoid the issue but - whatever. Anyway)

Charles faced Edwin’s empty chair behind the desk, addressing it, in the empty office. “Edwin. So - I know you’re going to be kind of mad. And I know about the Puppy Debacle. And that was bad all around, you were all the way right that time, I’m not saying you weren’t. But after the case at the shelter today - it’s just, he reminded me so much of you, with that little head tilt, yeah?”

He paused. “And we have Crystal and Niko around now anyway so it’s not like we’re still keeping the no living rule, at this point, and, he’s got this little marking on his neck like your bowtie, and he came right up to me to play but then this big guy came in and he curled up against the wall and he looked just like you did in - and there’s no version of this where I don’t come get you, is there, even if you’re a cat, and - ”

He smacked himself, hard, on the head, with his free hand. “Fucking stupid, Charles, why would you even say that? You’re gonna have to come up with something way better than that. Fuck.”

There was a sound from behind him and Charles jumped violently and hid his cargo in his coat. He did not turn around.

“Charles,” Edwin said, from behind him. “You are not stupid, fucking or otherwise. However - ” he paused. “I don’t suppose you could turn around?”

Charles shook his head. “I’d rather not just at the mo’, mate,” he said, holding his coat shut.

“As you wish. As I was saying, to you instead of to an empty chair, I will note, I, ah, I know I was the one to initially stand against the Infamous Puppy Debacle of ‘94, but it has been thirty-one years since then, and our lifestyles have shifted, and the circumstances are rather different now than then. She’s not a hellhound, to start with - ”

“Wait, hang on,” Charles said. “Whaddayamean, ‘she’?”

Edwin took a deep breath. He was getting better at doing that without being told. “When we were separated, at the shelter. And I was looking in their Special Care area. They said she had been - ” Edwin broke off.

“Hurt,” he continued, “for a while, but she’s ready to adopt now, they just hadn’t moved her out yet to keep things familiar for her. And she came up to me immediately, even though she looked so scared when I walked in, and you know dogs can’t see our disguises so she must have had a near-death experience before, and she licked my hand, which was a very slimy experience but we can find a way to protect the books and ingredients and other items, I’m sure there must be an anti-drool charm somewhere, and when the poltergeist started attacking she tried to get in between it and me even though she was trembling, you may have heard the barking before I got back to you? And they said that Saint Bernards are actually quite good in flats, so long as they get walks, and - ”

Sometime partway through that monologue Charles had spun around. He wasn’t quite sure when, because he’d immediately had his brain go almost completely blank at the sight of the absolutely massive dog standing, jowls in what looked kinda like a loose grin, dangling long trails of drool, at Edwin’s side.

Edwin finally cut himself off, looking down towards Charles’s chest, where his coat had fallen open when his arms loosened as a result of his shock. “And they said she’s very good with cats,” Edwin concluded. “So that’s all right.”

Charles bent over in delighted laughter, careful not to squeeze the cat in his arms. “Well,” he said, after getting the laughter under control a bit, “they told me this little guy was very good with dogs. So I guess that works out.”

Charles looked at the dog for a minute, and Edwin looked at the cat for a minute, and then they both spoke at the same second. “Crystal’s going to be furious.”

[celestialtarot11]

𝜗𝜚 What will they tell you? How will things move forward?

Hi friends! Welcome back to another PAC! Any and all likes, reblogs comments are appreciated! Do enjoy <3 let me know if ya’ll want an 18+ spicy tarot reading 👀

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𝜗𝜚 Pile 1

knight of swords, the sun, 2 of wands

Hi there pile 1! Your person wants to message you right away. You two could’ve been talking about vacation, a getaway, traveling to see each other. Or in laws is what I heard. Meeting the family. Your person is super excited about this trip and to be planning it. If you haven’t heard from them it’s a yes! I see plans moving forward really fast so expect there to be a sudden rush of energy from your person. Maybe you two live at a distance right now and you two are planning a meeting. Maybe you guys want to talk about “where are we heading with this relationship” kind of talk. They are open to it and want to make this relationship go deeper <3. They are open to working with you. I don’t know if you or your person have a different cultural background, but there’s a lot of admiration here for it and a sense of “im learning so much from you” thats so cute 🤍 they are thinking of buying you flowers for those of you who are physically together with your person! They just are worried “omg so many flowers which are their favorite” 😭🤍 its so cute. They’re a little anxious in an energetic way, they have trouble sleeping because they’re so excited. I feel like this person is so nostalgic and sappy but in a cute way lol. Or—for some of you—you’re being told you received the father’s blessing of some kind. Whether in marriage, or the father approving of your connection, or an enthusiastic relationship with the father :) there will be good news and welcoming arms! Thanks so much for being here ya’ll I appreciate your support!

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𝜗𝜚 Pile 2:

justice, page of cups, 2 of wands

okay pile 1 also got 2 of wands lol, but hey! Welcome to your reading 🤍 your person is thinking of reaching out—some of you may be in the early stages of this connection, or not much has happened in terms of hanging out or moving things forward. Some of you went on a few dates but it sort of fell off, due to each others schedules being different is what im hearing. Its a busy time. But you’ll be receiving a text soon about “hey, dinner?” And plans :). There’s this warm feeling, they miss you. They see this moving forward and now their schedule has cleared up. I dont know if you two are going out in a group setting or a party, but there will be an opportunity to celebrate here. Could be your birthday, or theirs, or a friend of a friend! But either way you two are excited. I see a sense of “yay I’m happy to see them again!” And its quite cute. They may surprise you with how well they can dress. I feel like your person usually is composed and put together, but with you they’re a simp. Total simp. Lmao. They can’t help it. They truly miss your energy! I also got a spicy message: “dont stop doing what you’re doing, keep doing what you do. Do you. Do you like the way I put it down on you?” It’s do you by Jay Sean. They really wanna put the moves on you!! They also really want to take their time and not mess anything up with you, i feel as though this connection is authentic to them and speaks to their inner child. Expect there to be flirtation, playfulness, making plans, etc. Thanks to everyone who helped me and this blog come a far way! <3 feel free to comment, like and reblog!

Craving more insights? I do personal readings too—deep, detailed, all about you. Tap [here] to get your own magical reading today! Limited spots, and I love tuning into your energy.

𝜗𝜚 Pile 3:

The emperor, 9 of pentacles, 10 of pentacles

Holy mommy & daddy energy. Lmao. Hey guys, right off—yeah you two have a really big dominant energy. I feel like you two are seen as a very strong couple, or have very strong potential to be a couple. But you two value your independence! This is not something you both want to compromise, and this is something you both agree on. Your person wants to continue building a stable life and relationship with you, and they may be telling you about a promotion they got at work :) either that or, “we hit xyz amount of savings we can afford a house,” or to move out! Very happy, good news. This is coming in fast, this message. I feel it’s something you both already knew would happen because you two are financially set and stable, and now its just a matter of saying yes. This could be you two moving to another place together, traveling, getting married, engaged (i didn’t wanna ruin the surprise if this is the case for ya’ll) but the big rock seems more and more likely…😂 if ya’ll aren’t going to be married yet, i see your person and you at least putting your foot down on a living space and actively working together to create a sustainable life. You two have worked so hard. I feel that they may want to take the stress of your shoulders by cooking you a nice meal, having a romantic dinner night with wine (if you drink) and food. They want to take charge for the night and show you that you don’t have to do it alone. Orrr this could be a conversation about kids. Maybe a family business. Having pets 👀 but anyway, thanks so much for being here ya’ll! Appreciate all your support.

Craving more insights? I do personal readings too—deep, detailed, all about you. Tap [here] to get your own magical reading today! Limited spots, and I love tuning into your energy.

[hell-drabbles]

I can imagine that this is the type of open back outfit that Angelified!Companion would wear cuz 1. We don’t allow regular shirts in this house and 2. I thrive for imagining Companion as a Model for some outfits

[THE ARTIST IS NIHONEHO ON X AND TT, I FORGOT TO CREDIT THEM 😭😭😭😭]

That is a real nice shirt. Yeah considering the way I have some of the angels in my mind, this would probably be a thing that would happen, though they'd have to time it right with the angelified companion, and also concede with the fact that the shirt they're making them wear? It's probably not going to survive for long. But, as they continue to spend more time around the angelified companion, they do become more and more wasteful, more indulgent, and just falling farther and farther from the general norms they have established into their social customs.

Anyways, for some reason this gave me big brainworms and I thank you for sending this because it got me writing something that I'm actually proud of!!!!!

Read pls!

It was rare of you, to be this silent, this still. When your eyes overflowed with colors of hymns, when your shattered halo spun, reformed and broke once again with the sounds of all manner of prayers, everything within your…unsightly human soul would rebel. Would roar to be the loudest voice within the mourning cacophony you're drowned in.

Gabriel once thought it ugly. It still is, in fact, but even ugly things can become cute, if one listens it long enough. And, lately, sounds have becomes so much more tolerable when it's you making them.

The sound of pearl strings clicking together, the silky rub of gossamer sleeves as they brush against the delicate lace, the strain of pulling ribbons upon crooked, melting, and mending wings. Sounds that angels have made, have heard first, before humans were created and were able to make such things. They have stolen what God had made beautiful to Gabriel.

And now, while the process was excruciatingly slow, Gabriel was finally reclaiming what was taken.

"These pearls were difficult to shape," Gabriel said as he threaded his fingers through the glittering strings, letting them click against his nails, "they had lumps, but what would I expect out of the creatures they came from?"

He'll never forgive those clams for smelling as horrible as they do. But, at least they were easy to get through.

It was just you and him, within this white room high above the clouds. The sun poured in through the glass-stained windows, multi-colored light being absorbed by the white drapery. You liked color, evidently, as this was the only room you're willing to sleep in. It was also the only room where you can be kept calm, in all states of being.

And about the only place Gabriel could even attempt to put clothes on you. You don't quite deserve the fabrics of Heaven yet, so he had no choice but to compromise and have these clothes fashioned in your home. The transformation will eventually be complete, there's no harm in testing the waters and seeing which would suit your figure best, even if the fabric of human origin would be subpar at best.

"There we go, now don't we look better?" A calm mind leads to a calm figure, leads to a calm beast of Heaven to be decorated. "While I doubt it'll last long, this suits you better, since this is by my design. You're getting closer to perfection."

And farther from your origins.

"Though, make no mistake," while your wings don't leave much room for your back to breath, Gabriel has long since learned the particular way they like to crowd, and his fingers had no problem finding and stroking your spine, "you're far from being one of us, but you can no longer call yourself one of them, now can you?"

You bent lower, as if in reverence.

Then, you spoke.

"You designed this?"

…your voice rolled over his ears, stroked his ribs and cascaded down the entire length of his body. Gabriel did his best to suppress a shiver and focus on the fact that you still haven't given yourself up to that beautifully burning light. And it annoyed him that, beneath that disappointment, was a little spot of relief.

Perhaps boredom of the same, bestial behavior from all the other angelified creatures was getting to him. Yes, that was all.

And yet, he can't get his mouth to move. All he can do is watch your face.

Your hands grabbed at the fabric, lifting it closer to your face to view all of the delicate details sewn within. Your eyes narrowed and your halo sparked an angry light, "it smells like you."

Your fingers gripped at the collar, then you pulled. Your body flexed, your wings twitched and fluttered beneath his fingers as you ripped the shirt up. Months of work, month of waiting for this special commission to be finished, and you tore it up without a second thought. You threw the strips of fabric and strings of pearls away, tossed it as you would a clump of hair from a shower drain.

You were bare once more, and the anger simmering beneath his belly gave Gabriel his voice back.

"No gift pleases you, it seems," You didn't even give him an answer. "Well, that's fine. I simply need to make something that you can't rip apart."

[hoemainexpansion]

Chapter Six: HOUSE OF BALLOONS: Satoru returns home and you try to adjust to life with him again as he tries to gain acceptance from you and your circle of friends as you finally get an explanation as to why he left you.

Also on AO3

It’s like a Mexican standoff, but instead of guns being drawn, everyone’s just looking around at each other trying to figure out who’s going to make the first move. But that doesn’t make it feel any less intense. 

You feel like the elementary school sister who has two senior year of high school brothers ready to defend you from the neighborhood bully. It’s sweet, but you have absolutely no idea how to handle this situation.

Your brain is just going in circles. You don’t want to talk because you don’t want to end up in an argument. However, you have questions that you want answers to, but you don’t know if you’re in the right state of mind to not get too upset. You know your two companions, or guard dogs, as you should probably start calling them, are probably ready for all the shenanigans.

Choso decides to break the silence first and ask the question that you know Suguru is thinking as well, “what are you doing here?“

“I wanted to come home to my wife,” is all Satoru responds with and if you’re being honest, it does make your heart flutter a bit.

“You don’t even sound like you believe that,” okay, so Choso woke up today and chose violence, clearly.

“I do believe it, I just…“ Satoru starts to respond before getting cut off.

“Just what?”

Oh my goodness. This is so fucking uncomfortable. Someone please make it stop. Literally anyone. You don’t even care if the Kool-Aid man burst through the wall like this is a family guy sketch at this point. 

“This is an awkward situation okay,” well, Satoru isn’t wrong about that. This is the most uncomfortable. You’ve been in a while. “I just wanted to come home and try to make things work.“

“Are you really going to try? Or did you just get in a fight with your girlfriend and needed a place to stay for the night?“ Oh fuck please make this stop because everything is so tense. 

“She wasn’t my girlfriend. She was just a friend who helped me out. And yes, there was a bit of a fight. But I don’t look at this as temporary. I’m here because I wanna be here and I have every intention of staying.“ There was no shaking in his voice compared to when he first got here and you’re starting to believe him.

Choso turns to look at you to see if there’s any signs of discomfort or anything. But you just nod to indicate that you’re okay with seeing how this situation plays out.

“Well, welcome home then,” Suguru adds to try to diffuse the situation. “Did you bring anything with you?“

“Oh yeah, just that bag you brought me.“

“I’ll show you… To where… You’re gonna be… Yeah.” You’re struggling to even form a basic sentence right now. But you’re also trying to figure out how you’re gonna tell him that he is 100% absolutely staying in the guest bedroom until you guys work out these kinks. Guess you’ll just tell him when you actually get to said room.

You walk with him back to the front door so he can retrieve his bag and leave your friends behind to chitchat a little bit about how fucking crazy this situation is. You lead him down the hallway and start pointing out various rooms with the most bare minimum descriptions possible for the time being

“That’s your office. That’s an additional bathroom.” He just follows along as you point stuff out without even stopping. “I’ll give you the full tour tomorrow. It’s just been a long day.”

“That’s fine. I totally understand.”

Good. Now here’s the uncomfortable part. “That’s the bedroom that we share, but I would like it if you stayed in the guest bedroom at least for tonight. It’s just a little fast at the moment.”

“I completely understand.” He nods and seems to accept that pretty well which makes you feel better. 

You walk a little more and then point out another bedroom. “That’s the guest bedroom, it has a tv and a bathroom and everything so you don’t have to wander about to find what you want. You can, obviously. But this offers you some privacy so that you can get comfortable.” You open the door and allow him to walk inside. “If you see random stuff in here like clothes and whatnot, it’s probably Suguru’s and I can have him move it out of the way.”

“It’s fine. I don’t wanna cause any trouble.” He sets his bag on the bed and starts to unpack everything. 

You watch as he starts laying different things out on the bed and your anxiety immediately spikes when he puts the box of letters on it as well. You know what’s in those letters and you’re incredibly curious to know if he’s read any of them. 

“It’s no trouble,” you assure him. “If you need anything, just let me know. You can have whatever you want in the refrigerator, you don’t have to ask. If we run out of something or you need something, you can just write it on the whiteboard.” 

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll try not to bother you too much though.” He seems more nervous to talk to you now then when he felt it was his first time meeting you in the hospital and it’s fucking weird. 

The both of you just stand there in an awkward silence for what feels like an eternity. You don’t want to create any conflict now that he just got back, but you have to address something that’s been gnawing at your brain since he got here.

“Mei’s not allowed over here,” is how you decide to start the conversation that you really don’t want to have. “If you’re going to have a relationship with her, this is a temporary place for you to stay and she’s not allowed over.” You make sure to infuse those words with the hate you feel towards the situation because you don’t want him to think that this is some light-hearted situation where they get into a lover’s spat and he just sleeps on your couch until they inevitably get back together. 

“I have no intention of even remaining in contact with her, let alone going back to her. That’s over,” he pauses before continuing. “Also, that relationship wasn’t what everyone probably thought it was.”

“Oh? What did we think that it was?” You can’t help but ask because hey, he brought that part up.

“We weren’t romantic. She was just helping me out when I was in a tough spot.” 

You find it hard to believe that she would be so territorial over a man who she wasn’t dating or sleeping with, but whatever. “Let’s save that talk for another day because it’s kind of late tonight. I just wanted you to know how I felt regarding that.”

“Okay. I just want you to know that there’s nothing between me and her and there never will be. I came back for you and to make things work between us, no matter how long it takes.” His words are nice, but you’ll wait to see if his actions back them up.

“Alright. Well, I’m gonna head back out there for a bit before going to bed. So I guess, I’ll see you a little later.” 

You quickly make your way to the door and when you step out, you see Choso and Suguru hauling ass back to the livingroom. They must have just started going back when you said you were coming out and eavesdropping the entire time. You want to judge, but you can’t because you’d do the same thing.

Once you get back to the living room, you see Thing #1 and Thing #2 sitting on the couch trying to act like they weren’t doing what they were doing even though they’re literally in opposite spots. 

“You silly kids couldn’t even remember to get in your original spots?” You can’t help but laugh because it’s just so unnecessary to hide this. They knew you were going to come out here and tell them everything anyway.

“Sorry,” is all Choso says.

“It’s fine. So, you guys heard everything?” You ask while taking a seat on the couch in between them. 

“How do you feel? You want me to throw him out?” You appreciate how fast Suguru is willing to go to bat for you. 

“Thank you, but I’ll wait to see how things go first.” You decide to sink into the couch because you don’t know what else to say. You didn’t think Satoru would ever come home so you didn’t mentally prepare for how to handle this.

“I bet it was awkward as fuck for him to walk into a home that still has all his welcome home decorations hanging everywhere.” 

Even though they’re everywhere, you completely forgot about that. You begged your friends to leave everything because the cleaning would give you something to do. But, you haven’t gotten around to it because you wanted to have a peaceful couple of days. But Suguru is right, there’s literally still banners, balloons, signs, etc everywhere. Even his cake is still in the refrigerator, untouched. 

“Hmmm. Probably. Sucks for him then,” is all you can say because honestly, you hope he does feel a little bad at seeing everything. You hate that you feel that way, but you do. You don’t want him miserable, but you do want him to see what he’s missing and the hurt that he’s caused by making the choice that he did.

“Choso,” he turns to you when you mention his name, “will you still stay the night?” You didn’t think that would be what potentially caused you to cry tonight, but it is.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” He looks completely befuddled by your question.

“Well… I know that you were only staying here because Satoru was gone and now that he was back, I assumed that you’d be leaving tonight.” 

He grabs your hand to try to calm you down, “I’m not leaving you until you ask me to. I’ll stay for as long as you want and you don’t have to worry about me leaving. I know that he’s back, but he’s not really home.”

Good point.

That causes the tears to stop so you take the opportunity to ask a question that you already know the answer to, “would you guys hate me if I went to bed?”

“No.”

“Obviously not.”

You thank them and then go to your bedroom. Now that Satoru’s back, it feels like a completely different room even though he hasn’t been in it and he’s not staying in here with you. If things work themselves out, eventually he’ll be back in here, but it just feels like it’s no longer his place. Choso has practically moved in to always stay by your side and it feels like more of his room than Satoru’s at this point.

“Life is so fucking confusing,” you say to yourself getting comfortable in bed. You felt like your heart was starting the healing process and now all of that has been thrown out the window.

And now it’s time for you to make a decision. Do you allow him to stay and the two of you work on your relationship? Or do you tell him that you’ll help him out until he gets on his feet but that you’re too hurt to figure things out? Is it fair to feel that way? Is it fair to place so much blame on someone who didn’t even know what they were doing? 

Before you can spiral for too much longer, your phone goes off and you immediately recognize the sound as Satoru’s text tone. 

Satoru: Thank you for letting me come home. I really want this to go back to where it was and I wanna make everything up to you. 

Satoru: I know this may be hard for you to believe, but I really missed you. 

Even though you don’t want to be rude, you choose not to respond. Honestly, you don’t know what to say and you’d rather ignore it and go to bed instead of being up all night texting back and forth. You decide to just put your phone on the charger and lay down for bed. 

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

It’s the first day that you’ve woken up with Satoru in the home since before he went missing and you’re not as ecstatic as you thought you’d be, you’re more confused than anything. 

This morning, you weren’t feeling too great. Not in a physical way, but more a mental way. You don’t usually do full hair and makeup to walk around the house, but you decide to do it today. You just wanted to look in the mirror and see a glow, even if it’s from highlighter, instead of bags from lack of sleep or red eyes from crying. You even put on your sheer, black robe, that’s covered in bats so that you can feel dramatic and glamorous and you walk around. 

You leave your bedroom and make your way straight into the kitchen to find something to start the day with. There’s nothing that you want more than a Red Bull, but unfortunately you have to protect this little being growing inside of you and you’ll still have to sacrifice that for a little while. You decide to settle for making waffles and topping them off with Boysenberry syrup. 

Right as you’re about to plate your food and sit down to eat, Satoru strolls his lanky self into the kitchen.

“Good morning!” Okay, he’s too fucking jolly because it’s not like it’s a holiday. But you’re not going to rain on his parade.

“Good morning. Why so jolly? Sweet dreams?” You’re a little curious.

“I guess you could say that.” He was dreaming of you but he’s not going to admit that to you. He already feels that you have too much power over him and you don’t even realize it.

“Want a waffle?” 

“I’ll do it myself so that your food doesn’t get cold.”

“Do you remember how to do it?” 

“It can’t be that hard… right?” Okay, fair point.

He walks around the counter to the waffle maker as you take a seat with your food and start to pour syrup on everything. You kind of feel like you should make his waffles and put him to work for the bacon because you don’t want to get popped. But you’ll wait to see how things go before giving him orders.

Just as you’re about to take your first bite, you notice how confused he looks. “We have a waffle maker that makes heart shaped waffles?” 

“You got it for me. It’s Paris Hilton.” He continues to stand there looking around as if he’s deep in thought, but you know he just has no idea what to do. “Do you need help?”

“Would you hate me if I said yes?” he says, with those bright blue puppy dog eyes of his. If this was any other day, you might throw a fit. But you knew that if he came home, this was the role you were going to have to play for a while, so it’s fine. You walk over to him and start mixing more batter. “Go eat those ones before they get cold and soggy.” 

“I’m so sorry about this. I’ll learn again, I promise.”

“Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault.”

“What did we used to do?” You just look at him hoping it’ll signal for him to clarify because that’s vague as hell. “I mean, on days like this, where we’re both at home. What did we use to do?”

You start pouring the batter in the waffle maker and pretending that you’re really focused so that you can take a moment to think on how to respond. The truth is, the two of you would usually spend the entire day with Satoru trying to get you pregnant, but that may be awkward to say right now.

“Uhhhh, it depends. If we had errands to run, we’d always go together, no matter how mundane they were. Otherwise we would usually hang out at home and watch movies or play games or something. About twice a month we go down to the park and feed the ducks and occasionally we’d go to the arcade where you’d end up claiming that you’re not mad that I beat you because you let me win.”

“Maybe I did let you win,” he says with a laugh. Of course, even with no recollection of those times together, he still has to be the best. Silly goose. 

“We also used to go to the amusement park pretty frequently which was nice because you always won the mini games and got me the biggest stuffed animals they had.”

“Is that why there’s a blue bunny that’s basically as tall as me in the corner of the guest room?” 

“Absolutely. You spent twenty minutes playing ring toss before you qualified for the largest prize. And now we’ve had Tiffany for three years.”

“Tiffany?” 

“The bunny? We named her Tiffany from the Child’s Play movies.”

“We name our stuffed animals? Nice.”

Once your waffles are done, you plate your food and start to walk around the counter to sit at the bar but then you start to feel a little apprehensive. Do you sit right next to him? Or do you sit a space apart? Or even on the other side? You can’t wait until things get to the point where you don’t have to overthink these little things. You decide to sit with a space in between you two and you catch his reaction right away.

“I don’t have cooties, ya know?” 

“Don’t you?” Fuck. You already wish you could take that back. This was a nice morning and you don’t want to start it with negativity. 

“I don’t. I swear. She and I never did anything like that.” You want to believe him, but your insecurities surrounding the situation are making it difficult. However, you have nothing else to go on so you’ll have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Okay, but you still smell like her.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose, it’s just that our clothes got washed together and–”

“Satoru, it’s fine. I didn’t mean to make this a big thing,” you try to reassure him that you’re not as mad as you may have sounded.

“I’m sorry. I’m running out of clothes anyway so I’ll wash it all.”

“I’ll do it for you, it’ll give me something to do. You still have stuff in our closet and dresser in case you need something for now.”

“Thank you,” he expresses in what you think is probably one of the most sincere ways you’ve ever heard someone say something, and it’s just laundry. “Can we do something today? Maybe do one of the things you said we did? The doctor did say that getting back to routines could be helpful.”

“Satoru, if you wanna spend the day with me, you can just say that. I wouldn’t blame you, I’m fantastic,” you remark with a flip of your hair for dramatic effect.

“Yeah, you are,” he responds in such a serious tone for what you thought was an obvious and silly comment.

“I was kidding, Satoru.”

“I wasn’t.” He doesn’t say anything else, he just looks you up and down and then takes another bite of his waffle.

You feel your whole body warm up because you didn’t expect him to say something like that so soon, but you love it. 

You continue to sit in silence and eat your breakfast together and just enjoying the time. It’s so weird because you already reconciled with yourself that this was never going to happen again. But now he’s not only here for breakfast, he wants to spend the day with you. 

After finishing breakfast, you take him to your shared bedroom so that he can finally see it and he can gather what he needs to start the day. 

“This side of the closet is all of your stuff. It’s mostly suits hanging up and more casual clothing and pajamas are in the drawers below. If you need help looking for anything let me know. I’ll go start getting your shower stuff ready.” You go to the bathroom and pull out his extra bottles of shampoo and conditioner out from under the sink and set them up in the shower for him. You even turn the shower on so that it can start heating up for him. “Everything is ready for you.”

He stands there looking confused for a moment and you have no idea why. But then you start to internally freak out wondering if you’re doing too much too soon.

“Is everything okay?” 

“Yeah, I just… is it okay for me to take a shower in here?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well, last night you sent me to the guest room so I just assumed that you didn’t want me in here.” Shit. Maybe you handled that wrong. Or just too vague.

“I just didn’t want you to sleep next to me last night because it was awkward. But you still have access to your bedroom whenever you want it or need something. I’m sorry that I made you feel excluded.” You avert your gaze because you definitely feel bad for how you handled this.

“Okay. I just don’t wanna make you uncomfortable so let me know if I do.”

You nod and then he goes in the bathroom and closes the door. 

You take the opportunity to go to the guest room and grab all the clothing that he brought with him and throw it in the washer. You’ll probably have to wash them twice because her perfume is so strong, you can only assume that she actually sprayed his clothing as a way of marking her territory. 

After starting the laundry, you go back to the kitchen to wash the dishes from breakfast and try to come up with a game plan of what to do today. You have no intention of going out today, but you don’t want Satoru to be bored so you don’t know what to do. You know that you guys always had fun watching tv and arguing over Monopoly but he doesn’t remember those times and you don’t want him to feel like your life together is boring as a first impression. 

You’re not sure what he wants to do so you just grab some blankets and pillows to throw on the couch because regardless of the activity, it’ll still be comfortable. 

You also make a trip to your bedroom to grab your phone off the charger and check your notifications. You wanted to be in and out really quick because you didn’t want Satoru to think that you were waiting on him for some reason. But you end up sitting down and checking everything after you get a reminder for your upcoming doctor’s appointment on the eighteen week mark of your pregnancy.

You end up completely lost in thought because the topic of the pregnancy still hasn’t come up between the two of you and you don’t know if you should bring it up, or how. Now that he’s here, should you tell him? Should you wait it out? You feel your pulse start to race when you remember that you gave him the box of letters and there’s more than a few in there that include details of you being pregnant. But he hasn’t said anything about it so you don’t know if he’s read any of them or he’s just waiting for the right moment as well. 

And if he did read some, it’s possible that he read them out of order and just by sheer luck, missed all the ones regarding the baby. This is confusing.

You hear the bathroom door open and you look up to see Satoru walking out wearing some pajama pants hung low on his hips and nothing else. You can’t prove it, but you swear he’s trying to make you fall apart. He stands up straight and starts shaking his hair out like a wet dog getting water everywhere and you can’t help but laugh.

“Damn. Sorry,” he says while not looking too sorry at all.

“It’s okay. I’m used to it. You do it everyday” You just laugh it off because it’s one of those little things that drove you crazy until you missed it when he disappeared. You’ll gladly take water spots on your vanity mirror instead of nothing.

“Did I really?” Looks like old habits die hard.

“Yup. I stopped leaving certain things out due to your little pool party.”

“Mei had me cut my hair because she hated the water,” he admits in a slightly sad tone.

“What is she? The Wicked Witch of the West? Can’t handle a little bit of water?” You respond in an attempt to keep the tone light because it’ll bring the mood down if you just say that she’s an awful bitch which you do believe with your whole heart.

He just chuckles and then walks across the room to sit next to you on the bed. He leans over to get a look at what you’re doing on your phone. If he stretched his neck out any longer, he’d probably break it. 

“Whaaaatcha dooooin?” He drawls while doing everything to stare at your phone except extend his eyeballs like this is an episode of SpongeBob and he’s looking for treasure on a map. 

“Just checking my notifications Satoru. That’s it,” you try to make it sound as boring as possible, because you know that the curiosity is killing him.

“Anything interesting?” he tries batting those beautiful blue eyes at you so you just pretend that you don’t see what he’s doing. You’re not gonna fold like a load of laundry this fast.

“It’s mostly just people asking how things are going with us and then there’s Choso asking if there’s anything we need him to pick up from the grocery store on the way home.”

“More waffle stuff. They came out so good today.”

“Of course the first thing that would come to mind would be sugar for breakfast,” you laugh and send a couple of things to your friend. “What do you want to do today?” 

“I wanna hang out with you,” he says without missing a beat and it makes your heart skip one. It’s almost like he was waiting for you to ask. 

“But, anything you wanna do in particular?“

“Hang out with you,“ he replies while resting his head on your shoulder. Damn this fucking cutie pie and his ability to swoon you. “Let’s watch a bunch of movies so we can have snacks and I can cuddle you on the couch.”

“How about we start with the movies and then work our way up to cuddling later?” As much as that sounds like something that you would love to do, you don’t wanna move too fast. You really want to make sure that the cord between him and her is completely broken before you completely open yourself back up to potential heartbreak.

You know that if you ask him what he wants to watch, he’s just going to respond with, “whatever you want to watch.“ So you decide to go through your movie collection and pull out things that he always said he wishes he could watch again for the first time And take the opportunity to give him that experience.

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

You’re about a half hour into Killer Klowns From Outer Space and you’ve caught Satoru sneak at least 10 glances at you since you’ve gotten comfortable on the couch. It’s so weird seeing your husband revert back to his shy schoolboy ways after years of him being such a dominating presence. But if you’re being honest, you love it.

When you were in school, you didn’t know that he had a thing for you so this behavior didn’t stand out. But now that you know, it’s easy to spot these things and it just makes him even cuter. A part of you wants to tease him by flirting with him a little bit, but you don’t want to drive him completely up the wall.

Even though you’re still perturbed by the Mei thing, you can’t deny how badly you want this man in all of the ways. You really wish that you could click your ruby heels together and everything would go back to normal and if you told him, that’s what you wanted, he seems like he’d do it.

Even though this is one of your favorite movies, you can’t stop your mind from wandering. You keep going back to the box of letters and wondering if he read any of them. If he did, why not say anything about the pregnancy? You kind of wanna tell him about it in case he doesn’t know so that he has the option to come with you to the doctors appointment coming up. You just don’t know how many changes is too much for such a short period of time. But based on how long it’s already been, you’re gonna start showing in ways that you can’t hide soon and you don’t want it to make it worse by you holding out for so long.

Ugh. Confusion. Confusion.

Just as you’re starting to spiral into your thoughts, you catch your not so sneaky husband looking over at you again. Fuck it, you are going to give him a bit of what he wants. Without looking away from the TV, you stretch your legs across the couch and rest your feet in his lap, trying to discreetly catch his reaction from your peripheral vision.

It was worth it.

You can see him trying to hide his smile, but he’s completely unsuccessful at it. Even though he seems a little reluctant at first, he slowly starts to rest his hands on your legs/ankles. When he realizes that you’re not going to move him away, his smile grows even wider. You’re not even going to lie, having this power is awesome.

After a couple of minutes, he starts to massage your ankles and your feet and you decide to finally look right at him and smile. 

“Is this okay?” He sounds so unsure. It’s adorable. 

“It’s nice.” His smile continues to grow at those words and you never thought something so simple could seem so fulfilling.

“Will you tell me something?” Oh no, please don’t let whatever question he has fuck up this peaceful afternoon.

“About what?”

“About us. You told me a little bit about when we met, but not how.” Ooooh, not that. You spent years loving that jealousy out of him. “What was our first date? Or any? You said that our anniversary just passed, did we have any plans?”

“Slow down Speedy Gonzalez, I’m not gonna remember all of these,” you cut him off. You appreciate his enthusiasm, but damn. “Did I tell you how you smeared sandwich condiments all over my dress on our first date?”

His eyes shoot over to you immediately and he’s completely shocked. “How the hell did that happen?” 

“For our first date, you picked me up and drove me to the park for a picnic. However, you were so nervous that it turned into one of those ’if it can go wrong, it will days.’ You started to set the basket and other comfort items up before putting the blanket down. And then when you remembered and put the blanket down, you forgot other stuff. And once everything was finally set up and you were starting to loosen up, you stretched your legs out and kicked a plate that caused sandwiches to fly off and land on my dress and all the condiments got smeared in the lace. That’s all.” 

“What do you mean ‘that’s all?’ And you went out with me a second time, even after all of that?“ He asks you.

“Yeah, and the second time was probably worse, in your eyes at least. The second one, you took me to an ice-skating rink since I used to skate a lot for fun. But somehow, you fell in the most awkward way, which resulted in you cutting yourself on the blade of your own skate to the point where we had to leave early and spend a couple hours in the hospital due to the wait time and with you getting stitches. That’s what that scar on your wrist is.“

He lifts up his arm to inspect his wrist, “this one? I just assumed I got scratched by a cat or something. After two failed dates, why the hell would you go out with me again?”

“I didn’t consider them ‘failed.’ I could tell that you were just nervous because you were trying too hard. So, I planned the next one to take the pressure off of you and it seemed to work.” 

“What did we do that time?”

“Uhhh… we went on a double date with Kento and some girl he recently asked out and we just went to this little pop up festival that had a bunch of cultural foods and games and stuff. Anyway, teenage Kento showed up in a band tee and some emo combover hairstyle and you kept making fun of him saying that you can look at his family and tell which one forces the rest of them into a Hot Topic against their will.”

“He was that guy??? The one that looks like an accountant?!”

“He used to be one actually,” you pause because Satoru starts to laugh and completely interrupts you. But you’ll let him have his fun. “Anyway, you ripped on him the entire time and the girl he liked ended up not wanting to go out with him again. So, he’s found you annoying since and constantly makes the ‘you could do better’ jokes when referring to you being my husband.”

“Damn. He hates me that much huh?”

“He’s just kidding. He actually interacted with the detectives on your case more than I did to take the stress off.” He nods and you take the opportunity to get a reaction out of him, “he just thinks all your jokes are shit.”

“Hey!”

You couldn’t pass up saying that and it was absolutely worth it. 

“So…” he looks completely serious and it starts to make you nervous. You really hope he’s not going to ask about any fights you’ve had because they’re incredibly petty. “I read the letters.”

It feels like your heart starts to beat twice as fast. You’ve been dying to know if he even opened the box but you didn’t want to make things awkward, now you know.

“Really? How many?” 

“The first eleven.”

Your mind starts to race as you’re wondering what’s in the first eleven letters. You’ve written over forty and now it’s coming back to bite you. You know that a few have pictures in them, but which ones? How much did you include?

He must sense your brain working overtime and reveals why he brought it up, “why didn’t you tell me about the pregnancy?” 

Shit. He does know. Let the awkward conversation commence. 

“When I got to the hospital and got your diagnosis, I thought it would be better to not overwhelm you with too much new information at one time. That’s also why it was only Suguru, Kento, and myself visiting you because I thought too many people would be too much. I’m sorry.” 

He doesn’t say anything at first, he just leans back and exhales. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I understand your dilemma, but what about you?”

“What about me?”

“You’ve been handling so much alone because you’re too worried about stressing out other people, but what about you? On top of me not being there, you’ve had to handle a growing life inside of you and from the little I’ve seen and heard, it seems like you have a habit of putting your emotions last. I’m sorry that you’ve had to do this alone.” He seems so sincere, you’ve missed him so fucking much.

“You don’t have to apologize either, it’s not your fault. What happened… happened. We just have to work past it.”

“I know. But I couldn’t imagine looking at the person I love leave with someone else to go home and experience the biggest event in my life without them.” Aaaaand you’re crying. “But I promise that you’ll never have to go through that again. I’m here and I have no intention of leaving unless you throw me out.”

“Okay.” You sigh before asking the question that you really want an answer to, “why did you leave with Mei that day?”

“She made me feel like I had to. She was there when I didn’t know if I had anyone else and was doing everything for me. When I told her I was going home with you, she seemed receptive to it, at first. But when the day came to do so, she kept saying I was abandoning her in her time of need after she sacrificed a lot for me and I just felt bad. But if it makes you feel any better, I regretted it the entire time.”

“It does, actually,” you respond with no hesitation. 

“She was already clingy before, but when I found out she was planning our wedding…” He notices your eye start to twitch and goes into damage control right away, “no! No! No! I didn’t propose, she just started this on her own. And then she saw me reading your letters and wanted me to trash them if I wanted to stay with her, so I packed them up and I left.” You nod in response. “She also implied that you were sleeping with your friends and I got crazy jealous.”

You can’t even try to stop your laugh before it comes out. It’s not the first time that someone has accused you of sleeping with your friends, to be fair, they are really beautiful. But the nerve of her grasping ahold of a married man but claiming his wife doesn’t need him cause she’s sleeping around is absurd.

“I’ve never had sex with anyone but you Satoru,” you make sure to look him right in the eyes when you say that because you don’t want those insecurities popping up. “Choso has been sleeping in the bedroom with me since you’ve been gone because it’s been hard, but it’s never been sexual. There have been many times where you guys even fell asleep together after making giant forts and playing games so don’t even worry about that.” 

At first he looked a little surprised, but he doesn’t look like he’s taking anything personal so that’s good.

But you have one more question to ask him before you can move past the Mei topic, “did you ever have sex with her?”

“No.I swear on everyone I love that nothing sexual ever happened between me and her.”

“You don’t remember anyone Satoru,” you say in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“I remember you.”

Your heart.

Your fucking heart.

If this keeps going on, you’re going to fold like a paper airplane.

Now that he knows that you’re pregnant, you have just one more question, “do you wanna come to the next doctor’s appointment with me?”

“Yes,” he says with a giant smile.

“It’s on–”

“Yes!”

Alright, looks like he’s in on this journey with you. 

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

It’s been a couple of days since Satoru has been home and you’ve started to fall into a pretty comfortable routine. 

You wake up and make breakfast for the two of you even though he insists on learning to help you. You decided to put him to work for dinner since there’s usually more components to that. Then he washes the dishes while you start working on other things. 

He was really happy with the movie choices on the first day that you hung out, so he asked you to keep picking things out. You have just been going through his list of favorite movies and put those on so that he can experience them for the first time… again. Although, he was remembering parts of Death Proof so you know that his memory is coming back, even if it’s slow and a little spotty.

You’ve even been playing board games together even though you can’t win Monopoly to save your life. He thought you were just letting him win, but you had to admit that you’re just really bad at it. It’s still fun spending time together so you indulge him anyway. You even pulled out some jigsaw puzzles because you read somewhere that they can help people with memory issues. 

You even worked together on cleaning up the ruined welcome home / belated birthday party and you promised him that you’d make up for his birthday in the future. He said he didn’t want you to do anything except grant him permission to dig into the cake. Of course that’d be the part he’s harping on the most. He took about a dozen photos before the two of you practically inhaled it.

You’ve been outside together a few times doing little things like taking a short walk around the block or stopping at the ice cream shop across the street. Everyone who knew you two before everything happened had been welcoming him home and wishing him well. But some people have been maybe a little too enthusiastic about his return. When he apologized to the woman at the ice cream shop for not remembering her, she said, “since you don’t remember your wife? Does that mean I have a chance?” She giggled and you assumed it was a joke but it still activated your jealousy antennas. But Satoru shut her down immediately and said, “just because I can’t remember all the times with my love, it doesn’t mean that I don’t still feel her.” He’s so sappy and you love it.

And speaking of being sappy, you know that he’s going to be today. Today is the first ultrasound appointment that Satoru is attending with you and you’re excited. You’re not usually a morning person, but today you are because you can’t wait to see his reaction.

After doing your normal morning routine, you get dressed and head to the kitchen to see if Satoru is awake. As soon as you open your bedroom door, you can tell he is because the smell of bacon is wafting through your home. As you walk into the kitchen, you can see him plating the food and it makes you hungrier than you were before.

He smiles at you once he sees you walking in and that’s how it is everyday. It’s like he can’t believe that he gets to be here with you.

“Good morning! Hungry?”

“Yeah. But you didn’t have to do it, I could have cooked for you Satoru.”

“You cook everyday,” he says while pouring juice into glasses. “This is a big day and I wanted to take a load off of you.”

You thank him and take a seat at the bar to start eating. After serving you, he takes a seat right next to you and starts eating as well. That’s another thing, physically, you get a little closer everyday. You no longer sit on the opposite side of the room, and there’s a little bit more physical touch. Not much, just resting on each other and some hand holding which is nice. But it still hasn’t moved onto kisses and stuff just yet, but you probably wouldn’t be too upset if it started happening soon.

“Are you nervous about today?” You ask him.

“Mm-mm. I’m excited. I can’t wait to get there.”

Your biggest fear about him finding out you were pregnant was him not feeling like he was ready for a baby. But at least in that regard, it’s like you picked up right where you left off and he’s been gushing for days about how excited he is about going today. Suguru volunteered to drive seeing as you hate it, and it’s probably not good for Satoru to start driving yet seeing as he’s still having the migraines and it’s bright as fuck outside which can contribute to them.

After finishing breakfast, you attempt to get up and wash dishes before Satoru snatches the plate out of your hand and does it for you. But hey, you’re not gonna complain. You decide to go back to your room to get your coat and your shoes since Suguru should be here any minute. 

You spare a minute to check your phone and see a bunch of messages of your friends wishing the two of you well on your appointment today. 

They’ve all been exceptionally supportive as you update them on the progress that you’ve made with Satoru and that makes you feel good. Although Utahime feels that you should have made him feel bad for at least a week for what he did. But after speaking to him about it a little bit more, you can’t hold a grudge towards him. Mei really is the fucking worst and you genuinely hope that she’s at home feeling miserable that he’s no longer there with her.

“Knock knock. Suguru’s here. Ready to go?”

You grab your purse and the three of you make your way out and to the elevator. Once inside, Suguru asks the question that’s been on your mind for the past few days, “when do you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“I was told that they can start determining that at the eighteen week mark and that’s where we are now, so… maybe today.” You were debating on waiting until they’re born, but after all the uncertainty you’ve had in your life as of late, you’re desperate to know.

“I hope it’s a little girl!” Satoru yells like it’s not just the three of you in an enclosed space.

“Why is that?”

“I wanna put her in one of those onesies that says ‘Daddy’s Girl.’”

He’s so fucking cute.

Once you reach the car, Satoru climbs into the backseat with you. 

“Damn. You guys are just gonna treat me like I’m some replaceable Uber driver and leave me up here by myself?” Damn Suguru.

“I wanna sit in the back with my wife!” Awwww. That’s another thing, he gets a little bit more clingy everyday, but that’s hardly the worst thing. It feels more like what the beginning of your relationship was like instead of the uncomfortable situation you thought it was going to be. 

“Fine. But no hanky panky in my car.” No WHAT?

“Yes, grandpa,” is all you can muster because what the hell is with the slang from the 1950’s?

The ride to the doctor is relatively quiet, but Satoru does scoot a little closer to you so that he can hold your hand. If he keeps being this adorable, he might have your clothes off by lunch. Unfortunately the thought makes you a little warm and he notices the temperature change in your hand and asks you if you’re okay. You explain it away as just being nerves because that’s not a door that you’re opening right now. 

You arrive at the doctor’s office and Suguru decides to wait in the car, so you lead Satoru inside and he’s so excited he’s practically skipping the entire way. 

There’s not a lot of people when you arrive so after you give the receptionist your name, they take you back almost immediately and that’s when your nerves kick in. You know that he’s been happy thus far, you just hope that he doesn’t get scared away when he sees everything up close. 

“Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Gojo,” the doctor says as she comes in.

“Morning!” Satoru practically shouts in response. This fucking guy.

“How are we today?”

“Good… and very excited.” Before continuing, you give her a short rundown on the situation. She knows that he was missing since you had a checkup while he was gone, but nothing since he came home. So you take the time to explain that if it seems like he doesn’t know anything, it’s because he doesn’t, and why.

“This must be a really big day for you then Mr. Gojo.”

“It is. But I’m excited. When will we find out the sex of the baby?” With the positivity he’s displaying, maybe the two of you should start working on the nursery when you get home.

“If all goes well, I may be able to tell you today. Would you like to know today?”

“Yes,” the two of you say in unison.

You pull up your top and she starts to apply the ultrasound gel on your abdomen and you wince at first from the cold. It’s the one part of this process that you still hate. She grabs the transducer and begins the exam right after.

Satoru stands right beside you and he’s intently staring at the screen to make out whatever he can. 

After about a minute, she points the baby out to him, “that’s your daughter.”

You look at Satoru to see his reaction and he looks like he’s completely in awe. He even starts to tear up and that’s when you realize what she said, she pointed out your ‘daughter.’ You’re having a little girl and then you start crying with him. 

“Congratulations you two, she’s looking real good,” she says and the both of you start crying more. “I’ll print up more pictures and dvds because I know you want to put everything into a baby book and I’ll give you a minute.” She steps out of the room and you’re grateful because this feels like an ugly cry moment.

“Satoru, how do you feel? You’ll get your ‘Daddy’s Girl’ onesie.” 

He looks at you, but he doesn’t say anything and you’re almost wondering if you’ve said the wrong thing. But before you can take it back, he leans down and kisses you. It was quick, but it was everything. It’s been so long since he’s kissed you and it’s everything you’ve missed and more.

“I’m so happy. Thank you for letting me come today,” he says in such a serious tone and you realize that you’ve probably been overreacting the entire time. You’ve been terrified that you were going to scare him away but it seems like he’s working so hard to get closer to you  and this moment confirms that he’s going to be there for you. And now, your little girl as well.

The doctor comes back in a couple of minutes later and gets you cleaned up so that you can go back home. She made sure to give you both a copy of the photos and dvds before you leave and Satoru is holding onto them like they’re made of gold. Hell, you don’t think he’d even protect a gold bar by the way he’s gripping onto his baby’s mementos and it’s super sweet. 

Once you get back outside, you see Suguru standing outside his car and a group of girls a couple of feet away staring him down. You can’t really blame them though, his hair is literally blowing in the wind like this is a fucking music video. Satoru runs over and hands him the photo like a giddy little kid who can’t wait to tell a story that makes no sense. 

Suguru smiles at the picture, but probably more at his friends' flare for the dramatic. “Did you find out?”

“It’s a girl!” The both of you say.

He hums. “Congratulations. We’re gonna have to get that onesie.” He hugs you and you hear a collective gasp from the girls who were probably just planning their future with him. Satoru leans in to give him a wet kiss on the cheek and honestly, it feels just like old times. “Ugh. I was hoping that when you lost your memory, you were going to forget that you do that.”

You just laugh at his antics and get back into the car. Satoru slides in next to you and holds your hand causing your heart to feel like it’s not going yo make it. 

Just for fun, you look back to see if those girls are still watching Suguru and you swear that they’re glaring daggers at you instead. “Suguru, it looks like your fan club hates me.” 

“Fuck them,” is all he replies with. 

“Maybe you should. Then they won’t look at me like that.” 

“Mei kept telling me that I should bring my ‘cute friend’ around in reference to you,” Satoru adds. 

Suguru scoffs at that. “Absolutely not, she has the same energy as those people who refer to themselves as Bentleys and I want no part of that.“

You completely forgot that people did that until he brought it up. You appreciate confidence, but you still kind of feel like there’s a limit.

Suguru drops you both off at home and once you’re inside, you start rummaging through a box of picture frames you got specifically for the ultrasound photos so that Satoru can put up his new favorite.

He writes 18 weeks on the back, slides it into the frame, and then puts it up on one of the shelves in your living room in between other family photos. “Is it okay to put it here?” 

“Of course, it’s your home too.” 

“Eventually, we should put them all on display, “he says beaming with pride.

“We can do that. I only have the few ultrasound photos, but besides them, I’ve been taking progress pictures everyday.” 

“Every day?”

“Yeah. It was important to you to take progress photos to watch the baby grow, so I’ve been making sure to take at least one a day.” You can tell that he wants to ask you to see them, but for some reason, his shyness is taking center stage. So, you decide to take the pressure off of him. “Do you want to see them, Satoru?”

“Yes!” He exclaims, barely giving you a chance to finish your sentence.

You pull your phone out of your coat pocket, open up the album you’ve been saving all these pictures to, hand your phone to Satoru and then take a seat on the couch. He sits down right next to you and you can tell that the more he learns, the more excited he gets about the entire situation. You were terrified that you were going to have to raise your baby alone, but that’s clearly not the case. You doubt there’s ever been a more excited father-to-be in existence.

He reaches the photos where it looks like your belly has started to grow and there’s nothing in his eyes except for pure adoration. You haven’t even gotten that big yet but you’d swear he’s happy like you’re going to give birth tomorrow.

The feeling of his hand on your stomach is what pulls you from your thoughts. But once you look at him, he shies away, “I’m sorry, was that wrong?”

This poor baby. “It’s okay, you can touch.” 

He places his hand back on your stomach and you rest one of yours on top of his. The two of you sit in silence and take the opportunity to just enjoy the moment. When you told him about the baby, he disappeared the next day, so he didn’t really get the chance to experience any of this with you. But now, you have all the time in the world because you’re going to fight for this and enjoy what you have. 

It finally feels like you’re parents and you can’t wait to meet your daughter.

The daughter that not a single soul on the planet thinks is going to inherit your genes. 

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

Although things have been going really well with Satoru, one thing has remained the same, Choso.

Even though you and your husband have been spending all your time together during the day, Choso has still been coming by at night, cooking dinner, helping clean, and staying with you. 

While you enjoy your time with Satoru, you’d be lying if you said weren’t constantly a ball of nerves. It’s not his fault, things are just still feel a little off as you two try to adjust to each other again. So, having Choso come by at night helps relieve some of that stress and allows you some time to not overthink.

Satoru has been nice to him and they’re getting along the same way that they did before, but you have noticed that he looks a little less vibrant once Choso shows up. You can’t really blame him. You’ve been getting along so well and then another man shows up and he eventually goes back to the guest bedroom by himself can’t be the best feeling. But you plan on changing that and soon. Honestly, you’re missing the intimacy of sleeping next to your husband and you feel like you might be ready to take that step.

Ugh, how weird is life that you have to get used to your husband again?

“Chosooooo,” you say while helping him clean up after dinner.

“Hmmm?”

“So… I’ve been thinking… about… something…” you drawl. You don’t know why you’re so nervous, it’s not like he’s going to get upset with you.

“What have you been thinking about?”

“I’ve been thinking about asking Satoru to sleep with me.” Choso raises an eyebrow and you start to backtrack. “Not in a sexual way! I just meant to sleep next to me.’”

He cuts you off before you start to ramble, “chill out. You’re acting like your parents just caught you in bed with a boy.“ He pauses and takes on a slightly more serious tone, “are you sure you’re ready for that?“

“I think so. I thought I was going to need more time, but things are going really well between us and I don’t want to kill the momentum. Plus, I just really miss being able to wake up next to my husband. I also feel bad that after everything he went through, he comes home to a wife who sends him to another room.”

“Well, to be fair, he did make a pretty big choice that hurt you,” he says. 

“I know. And since he’s been back, we’ve talked about it and I understand why he did it. I just don’t want to actively hold a grudge when things feel like they’re in a good place.” 

“Well… then I think you should go for it.”

“You do?” You ask in surprise. He and Suguru have been the most upset about the Mei thing to the point where you thought he was going to suggest holding a grudge for a little longer.

“Yeah. I agree that if you feel like something is going in the right direction, you should follow it. I’ll stay in the guest bedroom for tonight and if things keep going good, I’ll move my stuff out tomorrow.”

“Are you sure that you don’t want to sleep between us like a kid that got scared of a storm?”

He scoffs. “Maybe between you and Kento. But now six foot three Satoru who kicks in his sleep.” You giggle in response because that’s the one complaint you have about sleeping next to him. “Speaking of, what’s going on with Kento?”

“Now that the investigation has slowed down and Satoru has come home, I demanded that he return to work. He canceled a few big projects for me and I’ve been feeling bad about it. He was offered a shoot in Italy and I begged him to take it, he should be back in a few days.”

He hums in response and you head to the guest room to talk to Satoru. You’ve been thinking all day about asking Satoru if he wants to take this next step, but now that you’re outside of the room, you start wondering if you’re moving too fast. But you decide to just go for it. You knock on the door and when you hear a response, you step inside.

When you enter the room, you see Satoru laying in bed, one arm behind his head, as he plays around on his phone. If you didn’t have any self control, you’d be riding him into the sunset before he realized what was going on. The doctor did say that during your second trimester, your sexual desire is going to increase. Maybe that’s what’s making you feel so feral lately. 

“Can I speak to you about something?”

Instead of responding, he tosses his phone to the side and gives you his undivided attention and you take that as a cue to continue.

“So… I was about to go to bed and I wanted to know if you wanted… to sleep with me?” 

His eyes are wide as saucers and even though that reaction shouldn’t surprise you, it still does, a little bit. “Sleep with you?”

“Yeah. I’m not really ready for anything sexual, just yet.” That’s hilarious to say considering the fact that you’re pregnant. “But I was thinking that we could try sleeping in the same bed again.”

“I’d love that. But what about your friend?”

“He said that he’ll take the guest room so that you can sleep with me. So, what do you sa–”

“Yes!”

He follows you out of the guest room and back to the bedroom that you’ve shared for years and even though you can’t see him, you can tell that he’s practically skipping down the hallway behind you. 

Once you step inside your bedroom, you see Choso coming out of the closet.

“I’m just getting work clothes,” he looks right past you at Satoru who must have had a sour face. “See you tomorrow,” is the last thing he says before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him. 

You turn to Satoru and smile before starting your bedtime routine. You have dual sinks in your bathroom so he’s able to join you while you brush your teeth and wash your face and it’s nice to feel like things are returning to normal. You never thought something so mundane as getting ready for bed would make you feel like you’re falling in love all over again.

You go to your walk-in closet to look for something to wear to bed. You end up settling on one of Satoru’s tee shirts because honestly, when was the last time that you wore anything else? When you step out of the closet, you see that he’s already laying in bed.

“What if that was my side of the bed, Satoru?”

“Then I was a shitty husband because the man is supposed to sleep next to the door.”

“Awwww. Thank you for offering to be my human shield in case anything happens.” You crawl into bed on the other side, plug your phone in, and then roll over to face him.

He turns to face you as well before taking your hand in his and you two sit there like that for a little while. You thought that this might feel weird, but now you kind of regret not doing it sooner.

“Tell me something,” he prompts you. 

“About what?”

“Us. What was it like the first time we did this?”

“Mmmm.” You think back on the day as a fond memory, but it was definitely filled with his chaotic energy. “The first time that we spent the night together like this was right after you moved out. You got your own place the second that you turned eighteen because you didn’t want to risk your parents walking in on you in the bed with me and then them having a bad impression of me. You ended up getting a place pretty close to my school so that I could go over whenever I wanted and it soon became our first home.” You take a break to giggle thinking about how silly he was when you first went over there. “You asked me to spend the night and quickly emphasized that you didn’t mean it in a sexual way to do damage control even though I didn’t accuse you of anything. And then when I got there, you had literally no furniture except for a lamp and a mattress on the floor.”

“And you stayed?!” He almost sounds more in shock than your friends did when you told them.

“You also had enough clothes for a few days in the closet and some snacks in the pantry. But as soon as I was about to enter the room, you panicked and blocked it off like you were human caution tape. I kept trying to ask you what the problem was, and all you could say was’ it’s not ready!’ And I was like, why the hell did you bring me over here to spend the night if you didn’t want me to spend the night in the apartment that’s not ready? Finally, I got you too move and you immediately started to apologize for not having it more set up.“

“Did I ever explain why this sounds like such a mess?“

“You said you were just too excited, so I didn’t hold it against you. I thought it was cute that you wanted to spend so much time with me that all rational thought went right out the window.“ He starts to laugh at the absurdity. “Anyway, I had a phone stand in my purse, and we ended up ordering food and then falling asleep to something on our makeshift tv. It was cute. Even though you like to kick a lot in your sleep.” 

“I’d hate to ruin my chances here, but you could probably raise your standards,” he says with a chuckle. “What happened after that?”

“The next morning I went with you to go furniture shopping. But that just resulted in you getting everything that I picked out even though it was your place. People used to make jokes saying that they couldn’t even tell that you lived there. We ended up staying there all the way up until we got married and moved here.“

“Hmmm. From what I’ve heard, the beginning of our relationship sounded so clumsy.” You giggle a little bit because, well, he’s not wrong. “Thank you for giving me all those chances. And thank you for giving me this last one. I may only remember bits and pieces, but I can’t imagine not being without you.“

You squeeze his hand to let him know that you feel the same. Being in bed with him now makes it feel like everything you went through was worth it. Yeah, it’s nice to hang out with someone, go out with friends, etc. But it’s the intimate moments like this that matter the most to you. You’re just so grateful that it’s not taking months for you to get back to where you were.

He scoots a little closer and places his soft lips on yours causing your breath to hitch. This is not one of those hot and heavy tongue down your throat moments. But it is one of those ‘I can’t live without’ kisses and you move to kiss him back. It’s sweet, slow, and he lets out a soft moan causing all of your feelings to flood down to your sweet spot. You don’t want to move too fast when it comes to sexual things, but you are going to enjoy this. 

He pulls his hand away from yours and brushes your hair away from your face. He cups your face and you lean into his touch even more as if parting would cause you physical harm. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he says once he pulls away from your lips. But before you can respond, he’s kissing you again and you can’t remember what you wanted to say in the first place. 

You pull away because you know that if you don’t do it now, you won’t do it at all and you want to spend a little bit more time with him before you dive head first into that part of your relationship again. 

“Goodnight,” you whisper. 

Then you turn around and lay facing away from him. He’s still for a moment before you feel him scoot closer to you and wrap his arm around your waist, exactly how he always used to. He pulls you a little closer and tucks his face into your neck and you decide not to fight off the smile that’s forming because it’s not like he can see it anyway. 

This is it.

Pure bliss.

[hearts4sammonroe]

could you write a little fluff of raising two daughters with james, him being the best husband and girl dad despite his past maybe some super cute moments between him and the kids and him and reader. only if you’re comfortable with that of course!

pairing: dad!james kelly x mom!reader

contains: fluff, girl dad James, typical kid behavior.

a/n: thank you izzy!! I’ve never wrote anything like this before, and I don’t have a good relationship w my dad so I pray this is accurate girl dad stuff 💀 i hope it’s okay 😭🫶 also I got the names off of Google lmao.

divider credit: @kodaswrld

James Kelly was trying his best to do his daughter’s hair. You tasked him with getting your daughters ready for the park while you packed lunch. James was miserably failing. Of course, he’d done their hair a million times, but your oldest daughter suggested pigtails. He only knew how to do a ponytail.

“Ah, shit I’ve— I mean shoot I’ve messed it up again.” He sighs.

“Mommy, daddy said a bad word!” Your three year old, Charlotte says.

“Nooo, I said shoot.” James rolls his eyes playfully. After ten minutes, he finished your 7 year old Amelia’s hair. “All done.”

Amelia skipped over to the mirror just to look horrified. “Daddy…”

Thankfully you walked in. “James, what in the world did you do?” You ask, the big grin on your face trying to suppress a laugh.

“I did pigtails!” James shrugs, a smile creeping onto his face.

“Oh, my goodness.” You sigh. For the next twenty minutes, you spent showing him how to do pigtails on your daughter.

Finally, you made it to the park. You had a small picnic lunch which surprisingly wasn’t messy then headed to the playground.

“Mommy, can you push me on the swing? Pleaaaaaase?” Charlotte asks with that gap toothed smile. Of course you oblige.

As you were swinging, James was helping Amelia on the monkey bars. “You can let go now!”

“Are you sure?” James asks.

“Yes, daddy. Promise.” Amelia smiles.

James hesitantly lets go. The poor kid lasted five seconds before falling down onto the mulch, letting out a cry.

“James…” you call out, already knowing the incident happened with him. He was a great dad, the best dad even! But one of those kids always got hurt with him.

“She said to let go.” James shrugs helplessly before picking up his crying daughter. “You okay, doll?”

“Yeah.” Amelia sniffles. “My knee hurts.”

“All right, let me see.” James says, setting her down on the bench and taking his backpack off. Yes. James is a backpack dad.

You walk over, Charlotte on your hip. “It’s okay, baby, see it’s just a little scratch.” You console.

“Yeah, daddy has these magic bandaids. Gonna make it all better.” James says, putting the bandaid onto the girl’s knee.

You, James, and your daughters were now at the grocery store. You were pushing Charlotte in the shopping cart, while James walks hand in hand with Amelia.

“And goldfish, and pudding, and cookies, and ice cream, and…” Charlotte was going on and on with her own requests for snacks. You were just smiling and nodding.

“My knee is all better so I think—“ Amelia stopped to gasp, pointing to the box of cake mix. “Daddy, daddy, daddy, can we pleeeaaaase make a cake?”

James looks over at you, like he’s asking permission. Last time you all tried to make a cake it was a disaster, but you always had to give it a second chance. “… all right.”

“Yay!” Amelia cheers. James grabbed two different cake mixes, mainly because he knew the first one would probably fail.

As you guys were heading into the house, the girls were walking together hand in hand. Just happy to be there. In their own innocent little world.

You look over at James, to see him with a big grin and fishing his phone out. That phone he’s had for years, barely works. But he was taking a picture of the girls, proudly, even with his bad angles.

“Look at our sweet girls.” He smiles.

Surprisingly the baking was going really well! The girls were doing great! But then James messed it up…

“Babe, can you open the bag of flour?”

“Uh-huh.”

He didn’t open it. He ripped it. The flour went flying everywhere. Everywhere. Not just the counter. It was the floor, the wall, the stove, and all over your daughters.

You look up to see your two little girls covered in flour. You didn’t even know how to react until they bursted into a fit of giggles.

“Daddy messed it up this time.” Amelia giggles.

“Yeah, I did.” James nods with a sheepish smile before getting a puff of flour blown at him by Charlotte. He got her back by tickling her, sending puffs of flour giggles everywhere.

You laughed, rolling your eyes playfully and trying to clean up the kitchen counter. And those three menaces… they saw their opportunity. They all threw flour at you.

“James! I just washed my hair!” You squeal, trying to be mad but you couldn’t with the way he was laughing and the girls were giggling.

“Now we all look like that pillsbury doughboy, huh?” James laughed, wiping flour from his eyebrow.

You all indeed looked like the pillsbury doughboy. It was like if he came in extra small, small, medium, and large. Crazy.

Bath time was rough. Getting flour out of two little girl’s hair was hard but you and James worked together. Then had to clean yourselves up for the second time.

You were all snuggled on the couch, in pajamas, freshly clean bodies, all cozy in James’ arms. James had one arm around you, one arm around Amelia, and Charlotte in his lap.

You were watching sleeping beauty. James claimed that he wasn’t interested but he definitely was. He was so invested.

Once the movie ended, he realized you were all asleep and he had been watching it by himself for thirty whole minutes.

He shook his head, chuckling quietly at himself before pulling a big blanket over you all. He glanced down at you with loving eyes, a small smile on his face.

“My favorite girls.”

@anakinstwinklebunny @haydenismyman @anisangeldust

[electricbluebutterflies]

kisses on the cheek + abbot/mohan

PG-ish and also on ao3.

Samira has never been a particularly talented liar.

In fairness, she’s never needed to be. She lives a quiet life, and she’s learned how to be tactful while still telling her patients what they need to know – a skill that’s gotten her a reputation, yes, but also the most consistently glowing patient feedback the ER has ever seen – and she doesn’t really…

Fine. So she’d never seen herself as a workplace-romance kind of person. Nobody ever does until it happens to them, right?

Point is, Samira is convinced that a casual entanglement with someone on a different shift who has no formal power over her is ethically fine, and Samira is also convinced that no one else she works with has any idea it’s happening. Samira is correct about one of those things, not both of them.

To her credit, she’s done alright keeping it hidden. She’s been seeing Jack for a few months now, and other than the fact that she stopped picking up random night shifts, she’s pretty sure nothing has changed at work. They’ve always had a comfortable dynamic, she’s convinced herself – she wouldn’t have gone for it and asked him out if she didn’t like the man, and-

Shift change, start of day. She needs to get through today and then she’s supposedly off three in a row – she knows better than to think that’ll actually happen, as far as everyone else here knows she has no personal life, so she’ll get two out of three scheduled days off and that’s still something – and so help her she is going to get through the next twelve hours without crying and-

“See you tonight?”

Correction – Samira is doing what she thinks is a great job keeping her relationship hidden. Her sorta-boyfriend – they have not had the define-the-relationship conversation yet – is barely even trying.

Samira is, and she has been told this by too many people so she knows it’s true, not naturally a confrontational person. Samira is not the kind of person to, say, pick a fight with her partner over something she knows was done with good intentions. This is a line for her, yes, but it’s not a line she’s bothered to bring up before, and-

“Careful. Someone might-“

“They know. They’ve all known for weeks.”

“I thought we were-“

“You really didn’t-“

“No?”

“I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to. You’ve been here long enough, you know the vultures, and-“

“How badly is it going over?”

“Wait, no one’s said anything to you?”

Samira takes a deep breath, steadying herself against the lockers. “No. No one has said anything to me.”

“The vultures must like you. Last night alone I got three different threats of what exactly will happen to me if I even accidentally break your heart and I know for fact all three will follow through and-“

“You’re not planning to break my heart, are you?”

“Wouldn’t dare.”

“Good. I like you.”

If everyone knows, Samira decides – or if enough people know that everyone might as well, which is probably closer to accurate – then she has nothing worth hiding anymore. This is enough to justify her leaning in and kissing her partner’s cheek, nothing that counts as PDA but-

“Surprised how fast you changed your mind on that.”

“Did I mention how any times I’ve gone through the employee handbook to make sure-“

Jack returns the gesture, feathering a few kisses across her face, and there’s just something so playful about their dynamic sometimes and-

“I like you too. Whatever that’s worth.”

She’s pretty sure she’s going to melt into the floor, and this is not ideal timing, and-

“I think I’m okay with other people knowing abut us. I realize I don’t have a choice here, but… don’t tell anyone what I’m like in bed and I’ll get over anything else.”

“Understood. Any other…”

“No? I wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t trust you.”

He takes a heartbeat of a mouth kiss, and when he pulls back he’s got that amused look in his eyes that first got her curious about him, and-

“Go get ‘em.”

“See you when I get off, then. I assume I’m coming over…”

“Yeah. If you still want to.”

“I may end up asleep on your couch, but-“

“Worse ways to spend an evening.”

Not many she can think of offhand – as far as she can tell, that couch was a curse of a wedding present, and Jack’s been widowed for a decade – but…

“See you then.”

[kiokos]

A GIRLS NEWFOUND PROBLEMS

Sypnosis: Y/N L/N, a girl rejected by everyone due to her ‘unusual’ appearance, had met up and become friends with a boy who was obsessed with soccer when she was 13, without knowing he would be the reason that she got to meet with the 3 people who would make her life shine brighter than ever before.

Genre: slight romance, crack, strangers to 4lifers, suggestive sometimes (?)

A/N: okay guys I swear I have a reason for not being online for like. Err.. two weeks..?😭 FIRST OF ALL LAST WEEK + TODAY WE HAVE BREAK FROM SCHOOL SO AYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY.

Anyways… SO YEAH I TRIED TO ENJOY MY TIME W MY FRIENDS AND STUFF :3!! Also I kind of added fine shyt. He’s cute and he’s so nice and JSJSJSHWHHSEBEHWBHSBEHSBWJQJWBDBSBSBSB He’s lowkey JAHSHSJAHQHWWHWHSHSJSBHSBDBDBXBXN

Anyways.

Warnings(?): kys jokes, kind of ooc karasu(?), ooc otoya(?), petnames (doll), you and karasu sit on the same bed, lowkey jealous karasu, idk what else to add lolz

Taglist: @ihe4rtme @x3nafix @sapphireillusions

(Comment to be added.)

You groaned and you finally got the last baggages into your room, with a smug karasu behind you carrying two massive ones as if it was nothing. You rolled your eyes as you saw the look on his face. Before you could say anything, he went, “yer’ overreacting. They ain’t that heavy, ya dimwit.”

And there did the flying sandal go! Straight to his face. “YOU SHOULD LEARN TO SHUT UP!” “OUCH- THAT HURT YA IDIOT!” You rolled your eyes before huffing out a, “just help me unpack, will you? Also don’t touch that bag.” “Why?” “My underwears are in them. DO NOT TOUCH.” “Sounds interestin’.” “TABITO.” “OKAY-OKAY.”

When he started helping you unpack, he noticed a particular picture you two took years ago. He gently picked it up from your bag, being extra careful not to break it before turning to you with a big grin on his face, before saying, “reminds me of the old days. Remember when ya once grabbed a boy by his ear and forced him to apologize to me?! That was frickin’ hilarious!” “THAT’S BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO MUCH OF A WUSS TO DO IT YOURSELF!” “WAS NOT!”

You rolled your eyes as you took the picture and settled it down on your desk. “Ya know, ya should probably put that in an.. errr… what’s it called again?” “Picture frame?” “Ya! That!” You let out a laugh and said, “yeah. You know what, maybe I should.” You could barely even say something else before shidou came in the room.

He was looking for karasu - and grinned when he saw you two together. “Dang, didn’t know she was taken, karasu.” “Shut up, you dimwit. We’re just friends.” “Thats what they all sayyyyy;3” “you little-!” Shidou grinned and ran out the room as karasu chased after him and you simply sighed. You were about to call karasu back to help you put something up, until otoya came into your room.

You paused when you saw him. You did as karasu asked and didn’t really speak to otoya - setting aside all the normal stuff such as ‘goodmorning’, ‘bye’, ‘hi’, things like that, but other than those moments, you barely spoke with the guy. As you were about to speak up, he went,

“Heard you calling for karasu, but he’s busy chasing down shidou right now… what did you need?” He said in such a nonchalant tone it almost pissed you off, but you simply sighed and answered his question. “Err, you see, I need to set up something and needed karasu’s help..” you admitted, to which otoya replied to with, “I can help. What is it you need to put up?” He said, tilting his head slightly.

“Ah, just something for my closet,” you said as you opened the closet doors as to show him. (not sure what to call them), you pointed at a pole(?) you’re supposed to put up (the kind in which you need to hang your clothes on). “Ah, okay, I see. Let me help.” He said, slightly hesitating to come in the room, as if asking you for permission to enter. As you nodded, he entered and started working.

—————-

“Alright, all done.” He muttered after a few minutes, turning to you. “Ah, thanks. How can I repay you?” You said as your gaze met his. “Hm, you don’t need to. ‘S what roommates do, right? Don’t worry ‘bout it.” He said before pausing, and then he went, “if you really wanna repay me, you could come with me to visit this new record shop that opened last week?” You hesitated for a little bit before choking out a, “yeah… sure.” He nodded as he left the room.

What you didn’t expect to see as he left the room, though, was a very-much-not-pleased-karasu. He scoffed as he entered the room. “Are you mad at me?” You said, turning to him. “Mad at you? ‘Fcourse not. Could never be mad at you.” He then paused before saying, “mad at otoya, tho.”

“He seems like a nice guy, tho.” You replied, turning to karasu. “Tch. Sure. Whatever floats your boat, doll.” He snarked pack. You rolled your eyes before hitting his shoulder playfully. “Ouch! What was that for, ya dimwit!?” He squeaked, rubbing his shoulder.

“For being jealousssssss~” “I’M NOT JEALOUS.” “AM!” “AM NOT!” “AMMMM!~~~~” AM NOT!!!” He rolled his eyes before muttering, “yer a dumbass. Why would I be jealous of YOU- OUCH!” He once again squeaked out as you hit his shoulder. “Why’s my shoulder the victim here!?” “Cuz you’re being rude, that’s why!” “AM NOT!” You rolled your eyes before just plopping down on your bed and sighing.

“Come sit here, tabito.” “Tabito? No tabi?” “I called you that ONCE in middle school, tabito! Get over it!” He chuckled before settling down on your bed and letting out a, “eh, I liked it. You should call me that more often, Y/N.” He smirked before looking down at you.

You scowled and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at him. “And YOU should stop wearing that god-awful hair gel!” Karasu was about to snark back before getting a notification. Looking at it, he once again sighed, standing up before saying, “gotta go. Got work to do. Can I get a goodbye hug?” “Not even in your dreams, you doofus!” You say as you stand up and hug him.

“Okay.. don’t forget to come down to the bar tomorrow night, ‘kay? Me and the rest of the guys are gonna be there, so unless you come, you’ll be alone in the house.” He reminded you as your warmth melted away as you settled back on your bed.

“That sounds delightful and peaceful.” You grinned back as he rolled his eyes before going, “right then, I’ll be off. If shidou annoys you, tell rin.” “Yeah, okay, I’ll remember that.” After that, he walked out of your room.

As he left, you stood there, pondering about what you could do. You decided to dress up and go to a library! Surely nothing would go wrong, right?

You just now realized how terribly wrong you were as you spotted a few of karasu’s teammates in the library.

[tarithenurse]

Pillowtalk

Fandom: MCU Pairing/starring: Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader Word count: 679 Content: Drabblesque. A little bit of smut (oral, fingering), family planning, talks A/N: My mind wandered and this happened. Sorry for the start? Please comment, reblog, like if you read.

Pillowtalk

Your toes are curling tightly and your hands grasping at the sheets and the red shock of hair nestled by the apex of your thighs.

“Nat!” you cry out.

She just hums against your folds and you can feel the smile on her lips even as she keeps lapping at you, fingers steadily pumping in and out with that wriggle she knows makes your world shatter.

“C’mon, babe,” she mumbles before latching on to your clit.

And yes, you cum...cum on her tongue and fingers in a rush that floods your body.

She helps bring you down, slowly pumping into you while her suckling gets lighter until she stops completely, just holding still against you and allowing you to breathe, trying to get your heart rate down even if your body is still singing with the delight you’ve just experienced.

“Be right back,” Natasha promises.

She gets out of the bed and disappears into the bathroom.

You’re hazily aware of water running and moments later she’s back with a damp cloth and she cleans you gently even as you writhe at the slight overstimulation.

Then she disappears again only to return with two bottles of water. You can’t drink yours, all you can do is lie and stare at her until she nestles down next to you, head on your shoulder and an arm around your waist.

“I love you,” you mutter into her hair.

“And I love you.”

It feels good to lie like that, soft and cozy.

Your life with Natasha has brought you so much joy, perfected by the wedding a year ago and you can’t ask for more. Almost. There’s a secret desire that’s been growing stronger and stronger but you know it’s a lot to ask and especially with the horrors Natasha went through as a child and teenager, you don’t want to be the painful reminder of what she lost...what she never will experience herself.

“Babe?” her voice breaks through to you, “I’ve been thinking...”

For a moment your heart stops as the worst fears flash through your mind, uncalled for and unrealistic but bright and glaring like neonlights nonetheless.

“Yeah?”

“...you’d look so pretty pregnant,” she mumbles into your skin as if afraid of how you’d react – as if Natasha ever feared anything.

With a shaking hand, you tilt her face towards you to see her eyes and you find them serious and full of love.

“Are you suggesting...?” You can’t even voice the idea that you’ve harboured for a while now.

But Natasha nods even as a shadow comes over her face. “I can’t...you know that. But you...you could and you would be an amazing mom and -”

Rather than letting her ramble, you bend to kiss her. Natasha’s lips are quivering until they are flush against your own.

“Round with our baby?” you ask against her mouth after a moment.

Again you can feel her smile.

“We’d have to move somewhere bigger...” the logical side of you points out.

She nods, understanding that you really are planning because you have accepted the idea already. “We’ll find a little house near a forest. Clint can help us fix it up.”

You nod thoughtfully. “Move out of the city...”

“The nursery bright with colours.”

“Yellow and green like a summer field.”

And you can imagine it: sunshine filtering in through white curtains, motes of dust dancing in the light before settling on stuffed toys like elephants and bears. The crib angled in the corner with a canopy and a little, living miracle sleeping soundly.

She runs a hand lazily over your stomach. “Imagine...the first time we can feel the baby kick.”

Something flutters in your chest at the image of Natasha lying like now, hand on a round baby bump and smiling dreamily.

“I imagine you teaching our baby all sorts of tricks which will backfire on us when they grow older...” you worry.

But it just makes her smile proudly. “They’ll be the best and smartest.”

And you know she’s right – nothing else is possible with Natasha Romanoff as a mother.

[fluemsiie]

time to go [d. winchester ]

synopsis. dean finds you high at an after game party notes. mentions of cheating, getting high, romanticised drugs, being a crappy boyfriend, all charachters are eighteen in their senior year, samjess!! — comments & rbs appreciated. ++ second part coming super soon

“hey, stop it!” you turn around as dean’s grip on your wrist tightens and he pulls you into his chest, “why the fuck are you acting like this?”

you smile, “like what?” a small giggle, a flirty hand on his abs, a sniffle from the cocaine.

“like— i don’t know, a slut.” it’s mean, and something dean’s never called you, but still, it didn’t deter you so completely that you pushed him away, just rolled your eyes. his eyes do a once over. “what is this,” his finger comes up to just below your nose, rubbing the white powder off. “are you on drugs?”

“oh my god, d, you are such a baby! james is selling them for really cheap. just a blowjob.” you take your hand back and blow him a kiss. you feel too good right now to even be remotely affected by anything he says. this is unlike anything you’ve ever felt.

your cheerleading outfit is doing something to every single guy at the party, and they’re not afraid to show it. a few of them are so touchy, you’re pretty sure someone finger’s are in your panties.

your drunk giggle catches dean’s attention from across the room where he’s talking to his brother. “yeah, we’re leaving, grab jess,” sam nods and walks to the bathroom to grab his girlfriend while dean makes his way over to you. you’re technically his girlfriend’s best friend but tate is nowhere to be found right now and he’s sure she’s fine, you’re all he cares about.

“hey, guys, c’mon, leave her alone.” dean winchester, star of the high school basketball team. his word goes in an instant, well, with some groans. the boys let go of you and your pout turns more of them on. dean intertwines your hands together. “yeah, how about ice cream, sweetheart?”

and god, you couldn’t be happier about that.

when all four of you are in the car, and a friend of tate’s informs her you’re gone, dean starts driving to the winchester’s beach house, much closer than any of your homes. jess’s parents have long given up on knowing their daughter’s whereabouts and your parents haven’t seen you since you became a freshman. you’ll be fine.

sam complains in the beginning that he’s in the back but then a quick kiss from his girlfriend shuts him up, which is great because dean wants nothing more than to keep an eye on you. you’re choosing different songs, changing the radio and then sticking your head out of the car window.

at the beach house (thank god your head’s still intact), everyone is stumbling up to the beds. sam and jess take the guest room, you and dean take his room. he’ll probably end up sleeping in the master anyway so he places you down on the bed, fully intending to leave before you catch his wrist. “you’re leavin’?”

“yeah, we need to go to sleep.” and you’re so fucking out of it he’s scared to even look at you right now. dean’s a decent guy, despite what people say. he’ll cheat on tate but he won’t force himself on a girl. there’s a balance to these types of things.

”i don’t want you to leave, d. stay. please?” and god, he tries so hard to resist that damn pout.

“the bed hardly fits me, let alone the both of us—” your uninterest is obvious as you pull him done on top of you with a laugh and he only groans. “god, you’re killing me.” when he situates himself, sliding next to you, close enough that you push yourself into his space. “why’d you take drugs, cheer?” the dumb nickname makes you let out a small laugh but it isn’t much to hide your tears.

yeah, so what if you’re moody when you’re high? “‘s fun. you know that, you did shots off of three girl’s stomach’s today.”

“yeah but i didn’t get high.”

“yeah cause coach has these testy things for you guys! otherwise you would’ve done it. and it’s so good, d,” you bite your bottom lip, already happy again, looking up at him. it’s not enough so you sit up, you hands on his chest as you look into his eyes, “it’s was amazing, and i felt everything the guys were doing, every touch and noise and i also felt nothing at all, i swear—”

yeah, the problem is that he believes you. “i know, i know.” he wraps an arm around your back so you settle down, head under his. he sighs, pulling you closer. “we’ll talk in the morning, okay?”

“mm. i have cheer practice tomorrow.” yeah, he knows. he has a date with a furious tate.

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - Week 16 - Endgame Fixits

Yesterday was the 6 year anniversary of Avengers: Endgame, and since I’m still in my Tony and Steve lived happily ever after era, here’s some Endgame fixits! Enjoy and feel free to share your favs with me! 

And Time Can Do So Much by JenTheSweetie

"I really shouldn’t be talking to a figment of my imagination,” Steve said. “Sam would be reading me the riot act. I can hear him now. Therapy works wonders, you know.”

“Sounds like Wilson,” Tony agreed. “And therapy does work wonders. You might want to look into it, once it becomes a thing in a couple of years.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Steve said.

A few years after Steve moved permanently back in time, he started having conversations with Tony again.

Down in Lonesome Town by resurrectedhippo

“Why do I always find my way back to you?”

Maybe Tony didn’t necessarily return to Steve, but fate is a funny little thing, and after living a life of loss, Steve wants something that’s his to keep.

After the universe is restored, Steve is lost without any direction. Retiring from the Avengers, he moves across the country and ends up building a house by a misty blue lake. Across the bridge is Tony Stark’s new workshop.

home is a four-letter word by meidui

“My apartment got demolished,” Steve protests, but the look on Tony’s face tells him that he’s about to get it. He tries again, “They’re building a condo.”

“I don’t care if they rezoned Brooklyn for wildlife preservation. Why are you living in a hotel?”

Endgame, Not Checkmate by geekymoviemom 

“Tony?” Steve asks as Tony immediately taps his screen to life, calling up the specs for what looks like a new set of his nanite armour.  “Um… aren’t you going to take it easy for a while?”

Tony frowns at Steve over the top of the screen.  “Ah, no?  Why would I do that?”

“Maybe because you almost died?” Steve blurts out.  “I mean, just yesterday you were—!”

“Yeah, you're right,” Tony cuts in.  “But that was yesterday.  And since now it’s today, and, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine, then I need to get back to working on some stuff.” He shoots Steve a grin, like that somehow makes it okay.  “You're welcome to stay and watch if you want.”

Against all odds, the Avengers have beaten Thanos. But when Tony fails to see that victory for what it is, Steve decides the only way to get him to see reason is to confess the secret he’s been harbouring for way too long.

since i've memorised your face by meidui

Tony waits until they're out of eyeshot to turn the wooden duck over in his hands. “Does reconciliation mean something totally fucking different on their planet?” Tony asks.

Steve manages a laugh. It's funny, because it's a misunderstanding, because Steve is never going to get to marry Tony.

something to live for by Areiton 

“It’ll take time,” Tony says. “Steve, it--it could take years.”

He says it softly, almost a confession, and Steve--

He nods, and says, “All we have now is time, Tones.”

burnt toast, sundays by Lesty (penguinwithitsarseonfire)

Tony stared at the bike as it spluttered pathetically on the side of the road. He had to admit, when he woke up deciding he was going to have pancakes, he didn't see his morning turning out quite like this.

Dammit. All he wanted were some goddamn pancakes, and this was turning into a Tolkein like quest.

--

In which Tony really wants to make some pancakes, Steve wants some eggs, and somehow, they find love instead.

[ancha-aus]

Bitty Surprise - Chapter 11 - Pov Killer

It is Sunday once again! That means another update! we continue with the bitties <3

First Chapter: [Here] AO3 link: [Here]

*-------------------------------*

Life is great and perfect!

Killer is living The Life and you can’t say anything to change his mind.

How could anything be better?

He is dating the two perfect guys. Like, Killer somehow got both Cross and Nightmare? That amount of luck is probably illegal somewhere but no take backsies!

And!

And!

Just the two most adorable bitties.

Killer has even made some progress with getting to snuggle and kiss Renegade’s tiny skull! And he only got a hiss and one swipe of sharp phalanges from Renegade and only got a suspicious look of Axe in return!

That is so much progress!

It is amazing.

Killer whistles a song as he skips over to the bitty housing. A package in his hands.

Look. Don’t sue him, he just wants to see how far he can stretch his luck.

He was checking out some bitty stores in their usual neutral universe and saw so many cute outfits and he just thinks they would both look great in them!

Killer sits cross legged by the housing and grins widely.

Renegade and Axe are both relaxing by their tiny pool. Renegade looks up at him and immediately looks guarded as he eyes the box.

Killer grins and shakes it a tiny bit “I got you a present!”

Renegade keeps frowning at him. Axe looks up and stares at the box for a moment “What is it?”

Killer grins “I got you two some extra outfits!”

Axe slowly looks down at his clothes. Which are dirty.

Look. It may have been a tiny oversight to just give them a few outfits, which Killer is fixing right now!

Killer nods as he lays the box near the edge so they can easily look inside.

Killer nods “Okay. Who first? You want to go first Renegade-”

“Dust.”

Dead silence and Killer stares at Renegade “What…?” had he… just spoken? Renegade hadn’t spoken since the near soulbreak.

Renegade rolls his eye lights as he looks at him bored “I am Dust. Not Renegade.” And he looks at Axe for a moment. And raises a brow.

Axe just nods and turns “I am Horror. I don’t mind Axe too much but prefer my name.”

Killer blinks slowly.

Oh…

Oh stars…

Killer grins “Yes! Of course! Good to know!” Dust and Horror. Horror and Dust. D and H. That does fit with the writing in that bottle cap!

Killer wiggles and just grins widely at them.

Dust frowns a tiny bit and looks at Horror. Horror tilts his skull and looks at the package “What is it?”

Killer blinks before sitting up right. Right! Present!

Killer grins as he raises the present and opens it slowly, he can see Horror watch with clear interest. While Dust just glances over from the corner of his socket.

Score he got both their attention! Killer grins and raises the first bright blue jacket “Obviously. The blue jackets are already a hit. So I figured some backups would be welcome.” He hands over four copies of the jacket, all large because Horror is a big bitty and honestly it seems like Dust likes to drown in his clothes anyway.

Killer has yet to see him wear any of the stuff actually his size.

Killer grins “Also gives us the chance to wash your dirty jackets.”

Horror frowns “It is fine. We swim with them.”

Killer just stares at them but neither Horror nor Dust seem to think what Horror said was wrong.

Killer takes a deep breath “When… euh… was the last time you guys.. bathed?”

Horror tilts his skull as Dust snorts “We swam this morning.” And nods towards the pool.

The normal sized monster sighs “Yeah, no. That isn’t bathing or cleaning…” Killer wonders if he will lose a phalanges if he cleans either bitty… He thinks he will be relative safe with Horror but Dust tends to go for the kill, not to forget that Horror has been highly protective of his mate and he may attack if Dust gets taken for a bath.

Problem for future him. First clothes.

Killer shows multiple shirts and tiny pants. Most of it is large size but quite a few are also medium. He picked stuff with funny designs and also some bright coloured ones. Killer wants to see if either bitty likes those type of things and give them options. He also got quite a bit of just neutral colours in case they prefer to go with those.

All in all. Killer is very proud of himself.

He pulls out some PJs “And here some pyjamas! That way you can sleep more comfortable in softer stuff!” he hands the first few sets over. Horror tilts his skull as he feels the soft fabric before looking at Dust. Dust frowns at the t-shirt and Killer grins.

“Of course, as Dusty here prefers his hood.” Dust pulls a face at the nickname but remains quiet as Horror nuzzles him. Killer grins as he pulls out the bunny onesie “With hood!” and very cute bunny ears.

Dust stares at it before a blush covers his face and he hides more in his hood. Horror however stares with a lot of interest as he looks between the onesie and Dust.

Killer grins as he hands it over “I got a grey one! With the nickname Horror has for you I figured it would be a nice match!” Dust remains very quiet and Killer can see the tiny blush.

Killer grins “I think it would look cute! A tiny dust bunny!” Horror nods in agreement while Dust makes a very interesting high pitched noise.

Killer frowns “I was wondering. How did you even give Dust that nickname? Like… I immediately thought of dust bunny but I don’t know how often you guys have to deal with cleaning up dust bunnies and stuff from under furniture.”

Horror blinks as he looks at Dust before answering “The way he jumps.”

Killer blinks and looks at Dust “What?”

Dust shrugs but Horror nods “Jumps like a bunny.”

Killer knows his excitement is obvious “Really? Can I see? Pretty please?”

Horror turns to Dust “Please?”

Dust grumbles but gets up as he walks towards the side of the bitty housing, he looks up at the side before nodding as he crouches low and launches himself up and easily on top of the bitty housing. Dust turns to him before snorting.

Killer just stares with his mouth open. Because Dust just did the equivalent of jumping straight up the height of a two floor building, and nailing the landing with room to spare.

Horror nods “Bunny hop.”

Dust sputters and glares as the blush returns.

Killer can’t stop himself as he grabs Dust and coos at him “You are so cute! And that jump! Holy shit! That takes some serious leg strength!” Dust tries to get loose and his blush gets worse with each word Killer says.

Killer coos and puts Dust back down next to Horror, Dust is quick to let out a hiss and hide behind Horror. Still blushing madly.

Killer coos as he leans on a hand and just watches the two “No wonder you were fine outside and in the wild. You could just climb anything you wanted and launch yourself upwards. Serious strong legs there.” Dust having been a full size monster would have been terrifying.

Horror nods and nuzzles Dust “Amazing.” Dust’s blush still hasn’t gone away as he grabs his hood and pulls it even further over his skull to try and hide.

But, Killer can hear that! That very soft purr! That is Dust! Killer grins as he watches the two.

Honestly there is no denying he loves and adores the two bitties. It isn’t even a secret honestly and Killer doesn’t feel bad about it. It is hard not to love the two.

Killer is also very lucky both his partners are in agreement with Killer’s opinion and adoration for the two bitties. Killer had found Cross staring at them both wishfully before. Neither of them had said anything out loud about it before but Killer and Cross had had an understanding between them.

Nightmare ended up sighing and just pointing a chapter in the bitty care book out to them. Cross and Killer had both glanced at it before feeling embarrassed. As it was about how bitties form relationships.

Turns out. That while bitties are small, they are very much still able to consent and feel as normal sized monsters do. It is just rare that a monster or bitty grows interested in each other.

The three of them had spoken about it and how they thought about it with their own very new relationship. And all of them had agreed they wouldn’t mind to involve both bitties on whatever level they wanted. Most likely, only emotional. If they even grow interested.

So… Killer had been trying to push a bit. See where their boundaries lie.

Horror seems fine with most things as long as he gets food for himself and Dust and he gets returned to Dust in the end.

Dust is a bit trickier to figure out. He doesn’t always like being picked up but doesn’t mind getting a ride from one place to the next. He is also a lot sneaker than Killer thought he was. Killer had already tried to grab something out of a bag only to find Dust in there, without ever realising that Dust even left the bitty housing. Killer doesn’t mind being a taxi for the tiny bitty though. It just means that Dust trusts them enough to even allow himself to get near. Which must be very difficult for the previously wild bitty.

Killer watches the two take their time as they shift through all the clothes Killer left for them. Killer must admit he sneaked more cute and pretty clothes in there but that is for them to find and decide for themselves. Even if Killer thinks Horror will rock that little lumber jack outfit he sneaked in there.

Dust has actually gotten his hands on the bunny onesie and seems to stare at it as he feels the material. Horror is obviously just shifting clothes around as he keeps glancing at Dust as Dust inspects the offering.

And yeah, Killer can admit it is pretty much an offering. He just wants them both to love him like he loves them. Is that so much to ask?

Horror tilts his skull at Dust “Bunny?”

Dust seems to get out of his staring as he shrugs before pushing the onesie to the side. It is still in one piece and not pushed out of sight in some corner so Killer will take it as a success for now!

Killer takes some more time to just watch the two bitties interact and do their thing before he goes to the couch and starts up a game. He waves the controller and a second controller into their direction “If either of you want to play let me know! I will start up multiplayer and help you guys get used to the controls.” And he turns back to the game.

Killer plays a few levels as he manoeuvres his character around the dungeon. Looking for items to use and treasures to claim. He plays a few levels and gets lost in the game.

The door opens and that snaps him out of it. Killer blinks and looks around confused at the dark room.

A sigh “Killer.”

Killer looks up and sees the even darker form of Nightmare and he smiles “Mare!” he leaves the game on pause and rushes his partner and hugs him before planting a kiss on his face with a large grin.

Nightmare chuckles and holds him and nuzzles him “Hello love. It is good to see you. Please tell me you haven’t been sitting in this dark room for a long time.”

Killer blinks at him. Looks back at the room. And back at him again “It was light out when I started gaming.”

Nightmare sighs and Cross echoes the noise as he turns on the lights for the room “Seriously Kills. You got to make sure you don’t strain your eye lights so much.” Cross rubs the area under his sockets and Killer leans into the touch with a purr.

Killer hums happily “Sorry.” Even as he says it he tries to get closer for more of that fantastic affection. Cross snorts but happily hugs him as he strokes his skull. Killer sighs before asking half hearted “How did the meeting go?”

Nightmare lets out an even deeper sigh then he did before. Killer shoots him a worried look but Nightmare just shakes his skull and walks towards the kitchen. Killer shoots Cross a worried look.

Cross sighs “Same as always… Dream wanted to talk afterwards and from what I could hear Dream was… pushy about Nightmare having to let himself get purified of his corruption.” Cross shrugs at the horrified look “I know. He just… doesn’t want to hear it.”

Killer huffs as he looks at where Nightmare disappeared to “Maybe… time to bring out the big guns.”

Cross looks over with a confused look.

Killer continues “Some nice wine and cheese. We get pleasantly buzzed and lay together in his bed. Let’s go! I will grab the cheese!”

Cross snorts and nods “Okay. I will grab the wine from the cellar.” And he rushes off.

Killer grins before quickly rushing to the bitty housing. He spots the bitties in their own little storage area where they are still messing with the many clothes Killer had given them. Tomorrow he would try and bath the two and get them dressed in something clean. Killer grins at them “You two need anything? We will be busy for the rest of the evening.” Nightmare always takes the meetings with his twin hard even when he tries to act as if they don’t bother him. Killer and Cross both know it hurts their mate a lot. They will need to help him through it.

Dust frowns up at him “Why go to these meetings?”

Killer blinks “It is our job.”

Dust nods and Killer thinks that is it but then Dust continues “Find a new job.”

Horror looks curiously at Dust and Dust answers the unspoken question “Most large ones have jobs. But they can always switch jobs.” Dust nods into his direction “These meetings make them unhappy. The meetings are connected to their jobs.”

Horror lights up “Which means, to fix that unhappiness. They should change their jobs.”

Dust nods and looks at Killer “When will you switch jobs?” his voice saying the sentence as a fact more than anything.

Killer looks between he bitties. Part of him melts at the fact that these two had clearly been worried about them and had been thinking about a solution. Killer feels sad that… “It… it doesn’t work like that sadly. This isn’t a job we can quit.” Well, Cross and Killer could technically quit whenever they want. But they won’t leave Nightmare behind. Never. Nightmare helped them out of their own personal hell and never gave up on them. Like hell Killer or Cross will give up on him.

Dust frowns “I don’t understand.” He seems deeply offended be this fact.

Horror looks at him as well “Why can’t you stop when it makes you unhappy?”

Killer sighs as he sits down by them “We never really… went into detail about our work because. It gets complex. Remember how after we got you from the store” and yikes just thinking about the fact you can just buy bitties even when they are just as sentient as monsters gives Killer the creeps “We went through this glowy portal door thing?”

Both bitties nod.

Killer nods “Well… it was a portal. To another universe.” The blank looks make Killer rethink his explanation before grabbing a piece of paper “Okay. Imagine your whole life is. This line.” He draws a line. “Now. This is your life as it is now. This is who you are what you do and so this is your universe or timeline. But sometimes. There are very big choices that effect big things like… like…”

Horror nods “Dust following after me instead of staying in the forest.”

Killer grins “Exactly! That is a big choice. So, if you were to have made a different choice.” He makes another line appear halfway out of the other line and shows a split “It can cause a split in your timeline. It leads to a future that is very different from the one you have now, and most likely will make the you in this other timeline or universe another you.”

Both bitties nod again.

Killer continues “That, is what we call an alternative timeline. These splits are not always caused by your own choices either. Like, how Dust decision to follow after Horror didn’t just change Dust’s own life but also Horror’s. And, in the very long run, ours as well.”

Now it takes a moment longer for them to wrap their heads around it before nodding their understanding. Horror has taken to gripping Dust’s hand and Dust rubs Horror’s hand with his thumb, reassuring the bigger bitty.

Killer smiles “Sometimes… things are so very different that the two possible timelines don’t seem to have the same origin at all, maybe somethings look alike or seem to reference each other but it is all so fundamentally different that it just isn’t possible to be the same world. This, is what we call alternative universes.” He waits a moment “Technically, Cross and I are the same person, just from different universes.”

Dust blinks and frowns as he stares at him with disbelieve.

Killer grins “See? Our worlds were so different that there is hardly anything that truly marks us as the quote unquote same. We, those who travel the universes and meet each other, just treat it the same as meeting someone who has the same name by coincidence or who looks like you.” he shrugs.

Horror frowns “This is… interesting. But why tell us? What does that have to do with the work that makes you three unhappy?”

Killer sighs “Nightmare… Nightmare isn’t like anyone in the multiverse, the combination of universes, he is honestly one of a kind. Nightmare and Dream are twins who were born with a very specific role for the multiverse. Guardians of emotions, Nightmare guards the negative ones and Dream guards the positive ones. They… They have been through a lot and had a very bad falling out. Nightmare had been hurt very badly and took that out on Dream.” Which is honestly the easiest way to explain the situation with the villagers attacking Nightmare and the tree and Dream faulting Nightmare “And they have been at each other’s throat for centuries. Not too long ago they finally settled on a truce. They are both needed to keep the balance as there can’t be positivity without negativity and the other way around. The problem is…”

“Dream can’t accept that Nightmare is still the same Nightmare that Dream grew up with. Dream keeps trying to prove that Nightmare… That Nightmare needs curing or help to be better when Nightmare just wants to be, do his job, and be allowed to relax without having others hate him at the first sight of him…”

Killer sighs as he shakes his skull “I know it is a lot… it comes down to that, Nightmare can’t quit. He is unable to quit and… and Cross and I are not going to let him have to deal with all of that alone. He deserves better.” he deserved so much better than the past and childhood he got.

Killer looks back at the bitties and both frown back at him. In the end Horror nods “Okay. Good luck with cheering him up.” he nudges Dust “Come bunny.”

Panic goes through Killer “Wait!” both stop and look at him. Killer searches for the right words “Please… please don’t… dislike him for that…” Please. Please. Please. Killer can’t have ruined this for Nightmare. Nightmare deserves to have people like him. And the bitties had been doing just that!

Dust huffs but Horror just tilts his skull “Why would we dislike him for something he can’t change? Something that wasn’t his choice? Seems unfair.”

Dust nods in agreement but doesn’t add anything.

Killer feels relieve “Thanks you guys. You two are amazing and if you need anything you know how to get it and let me know if you guys want something from the store. I need to run now to get things.” The bitties both nod and turn back to do their own things. Killer grins as he rushes to the kitchen. He grabs the cheese and quickly cuts it in nice pieces. He also grabs some chips, crackers, and some fruits to share between him and his datemates.

Killer wishes the bitties a good night before rushing upstairs.

------

“Those people in those meetings are idiots.”

“I agree bunny. But there is little we can do.”

“… There is one thing…”

“You have an idea?”

“Just one for now. It may not be the best idea.”

“I am sure it is a good idea.”

“Heh, thanks H.”

“You are welcome bunny.”

*--------------------*

Next Chapter [Here]

[sweetiecelin]

About a Tot

For that one Anon who requested little brother!reader but taking place during 'About a Boy', and instead of Dean being aged down it was reader. I really had fun writing this and I hope y'all like it!

Summary: basically Sam and Dean were able to baby their baby brother once more.

-

Sam and Dean were very confused when they got a call from the police station about a 4 year old who claimed to be their brother. Hell, the kid even gave the cops the right phone number too. Having to face the inevitable, they headed out.

You were sitting there kicking your feet back and forth, waiting for your brothers to come and get you. Dear lord, you remember being this age and it was kind of shitty. It was the year before Sam left, he started distancing himself from you and your family. It hurt because you didn’t know why he was doing it but in retrospect you understood he didn’t want it to hurt you too much when he left. But then you had to grow up with Dean and your Dad bickering over the smallest thing. Sam leaving hurt you more than he expected, growing up you had to watch John drinking himself beyond recognition and Dean finding any excuse to get away, even if that meant leaving you with the drunkard of a Dad you shared.

You started crying, tears swelling in your eyes and lip quivering. Shaking your head, mentally thinking to yourself ‘Man up, you don’t get to cry’ as you’ve heard so many damn times growing up. You snapped your head in the direction everytime the door to the station opened, but this time it was them

“Sammy! De!” You jumped out of the chair and started running towards them with your arms open. They looked confused at first, but then a recognixed you. There was their little brother; looking the same as when Sam left(for the first time) and Dean had taken care of when he could.

Dean bent down and picked you up, “Hey buddy,” glancing around at the officers that were staring at the scene. “We’re gonna take you home now, alright?”

“You’re going to need to sign a waiver and sign him out. What were you thinking letting a child walk around all by himself?” The snippy secretary cut in.

Sam apologized and signed what he needed to while Dean carried you to the impala. He placed you on the hood just staring at the sight. Why the hell would a witch do something like this?

Sam walked out and joined the two of you over by the impala. He looked between you and Dean. You were just so little, he forgot what it felt like to see you like this. You just sat there with a pissed off look on your face, which was really hard to do being a 4 year old.

Clearing his throat Sam and called your name, “Did you see anything it’ll help us? Did you see who- or what- was doing this?”

“No, I was-was leaving a bar and then this f-flash of wight, SHIT. I can’t speak right,” You struggled to say while trying to sound serious. “A bright light just happened and then I’m like this!”

Dean chuckled a little, “So what, big flashing light and bam you're a tot again?”

“Well, yeah! But that’s not all, I woke up in this woom. Dammit. And there was this guy, a big scary guy. He took the girl in the other room next to me, she was kicking and screaming.

Sam was following tentatively but on the other hand, Dean was trying to control his laughter, “Dude you can’t even speak right! It’s hilarious!”

“De, now is not the time. We’ve got to get to everyone-” You tried to continue but again were cut off by your older brother.

“No, you’re not going to help with this one. You’re literally too young to handle this one,” Sam ordered, raising his hand up, “You’re a four year old for god sake.”

You threw your head out of frustration, starting to kick your feet up, “This is so unfair! I didn’t ask to be turned into a kid!”

“Yeah, well you’re actually throwing a temper tantrum right now,” Dean retorted and cocked his head to the side.

“Can we just go to the motel room and discuss this there?” You pleaded with them.

Sam and Dean nodded. The three of you hopped in the impala and went back to the motel. There, you discussed the case with your brothers

You yawned, stretched and then rubbed your eyes. Sam and Dean shared a look and quietly chuckled. They missed seeing this; their little brother just being a kid.

Dean walked over and placed you on the bed, “Alright champ, get some sleep. Looks like you need it.”

“I don’t wanna. We were getting close-”

Sam shook his head, “No, seriously you need to sleep. Gotta be well rested if you want to grow being and strong.”

“Now you guys are just being assholes.” Muttering you laid down on your side, trying to keep your eyes open, “Can we get lucky charms tomorrow?”

Your two older brothers shared a look, then Dean softly agreed, “Yeah kid, we can make sure you got lucky charms in the morning.”

“Good, we can share ‘em,” you yawned, finally getting some sleep.