#AND HAS HAD LITTLE TO NO CHANGE SINCE THEN HONESTLY

[noperopesaredope]

For me, it honestly shows me that you don't actually enjoy my writing nor truly like anything I create. I and many others do put a lot of love into what we write, even if it's simple. Even if someone might not put a lot of "work" or "effort" into the fic they wrote, they still took time out of their day to come up with the plot, beats, flow, tone, writing style, etc. Not to mention actually sitting down and writing the damn thing.

Even if the fic's concept came from a writing prompt, they still had to come up with a lot in order to make it. And if they didn't get a prompt, then they literally did a lot of work from scratch. And if they didn't take any story beats/arcs/subplots from canon, that's even more impressive. Even stories the writer felt they didn't put effort into took some form of effort, no matter how small.

So not only is it insulting for all the reasons everyone else has stated, but it tells me you don't actually enjoy my work itself. You don't truly want to know what happens next because it will have no actual intent or thought behind it, even just a little. It won't take into account anything I may have set up or established beforehand, or any of the twists or surprises I had planned.

My current fic (which might take a minute to update since I'm making some changes) has a lot of story beats and stuff I'm proud of that AI won't be able to predict or think up, not will it have any unique ideas I may have been planning to add that the reader and AI didn't see coming, but that the reader might honestly have liked/loved. And I feel like the reason they love my fic is because of that kind of stuff.

I hear that art is about the process and the enjoyment/emotion of creating, that it is enriching for the artist. But I think that it also indirectly applies for the reader as well. I come to a fic/book because I want to see the ideas that the writer will come up with, the way that they plan and plot stories or make characters or their writing "voice".

Personal sidenote: The "voice" is something that AI can actually have a really hard time capturing even with the patterns and whatnot, since tone and stylization are really important in a lot of ways. It may capture the flow of a sentence and common word choices/usage, but not things like the writer focusing more on descriptions and inner monologues more than action, or the other way around.

Anyway, an AI could not give me a plot twist. It'll never look into the author's notes and see the unexpected plans. It'll never comprehend foreshadowing. Generative AI would not be able to write the end of a mystery novel that is already halfway finished, since it could not think up a satisfying conclusion all on its own based on the clues and whatnot that have already been introduced/established.

I come to read because I want to hear someone else's ideas and stuff, even if it's slightly predictable at times, because nobody can write their work but them. And even if someone else might, it certainly wouldn't be Gen AI.

This is the worst timeline. (x)

[mrsfudd]

Say yes?

You were the all around high school student. Perfect grades, cheer in the fall and winter then track in the spring. 3.9 gpa and early acceptance to all your favs. Of course you knew Paige, she was one of the best basketball players you ever seen and you always knew to cheer louder for her. Its almost time for senior prom and theres a rumor that Paige is thinking about asking you.

“Does Paige know your stalking her?” Your best friend teases.

Ever since Paiges friends has started talking to you more and shes suddenly outside of all your classes you started to believe the prom proposal stuff was true. Paige had put you in her close friends for some reason which caused you to spend more time than usual on her account.

“Dont ignore me y/n, I know your feeling her” Your friend continues to nag on.

“Please stop, its just all a big joke. It has to be.” You say trying to disregard her.

“So the rumor of her having a crush on you freshman year and sophomore year AND junior year has just been all a big coincidence?” She asks.

“Yes now leave me alone” You say still watching her highlights.

The next day at school you had a track meet at around 5-6 pm. You weren’t too nervous, the 100 was always your event. The pressure only started to kick in when you realized that Paige and her friends were sitting on the bleachers. All her friends were laughing and talking but not Paige. She was dead focused, focused on you.

You get into your lane and it was your routine to wish yourself luck, rub down your thighs and blow yourself a kiss. You were superstitious when it came to sports and it gave you the confidence to be able to finish strong.

You hold your breath as you feel the fake gun set off. You control your body and breath as you repeat “win” and “dont stop” in your head.

You finish first and with a new PR. You are beyond proud of yourself and see your best friend running to hug you.

“GIRL that was everythinggg and your butt looked good” She joked grabbing your water for you.

You were taking off your spikes and changing into something more comfortable when your friends taps you and says “girl look who it is 4 o clock”

It was Paige and her friends walking towards you. She was constantly hitting and shushing them.

“Holy shit” You friend says.

You quickly shush her as they get closer. Paiges friends push her closer to you and your friend gives you a little nudge.

“Hey, y/n right?” Paige says.

“Who else would I be” You say looking up at her. You immediately started overthinking, was that mean? Just try to be cool, dont panic you think to yourself.

“Uh your right” Paige clears her throat and looks back at her friends who are gesturing to keep going.

“I was wondering if you um maybe wanted to grab something to eat after this was all over? I’ll drive.” Paige said while placing her hand on the back of her neck. She looked so nervous.

“Yea that sounds cool” You say trying to keep your composure.

Paiges face becomes a soft baby pink and is trying to hide her smile.

“Here, put your number in my phone” Paige said almost dropping it.

Your hands start to sweat as her finger brushes yours.

You walk closer to her and hand the phone back. She leans down to your ear, but not too close and says “ That kiss should’ve been for me”.

Heat flushed through your body as her and her friends walked away.

“Bitch if you sit here and tell this shit is still some quotes on quote big joke I will murder you” Said your best friend.

“Oh my god stop” You say playfully hitting her.

You put on a school hoodie that was 2 sizes too big and had your black nike pros on with some comfy shoes. Your best friend had went home and but you had to stay and watch the rest of your teammates events. You cheered them on and was trying to have a good time with your teammates on the sidelines but honestly you couldn’t stop thinking about what Paige said. Does that mean she wants to kiss you? Where is she taking you to eat? Do you smell like sweat? You sat and pondered these questions until you realized the meet was finished.

The sun was going down and it left a beautiful pink tone in the sky.

You were walking to the parking lot, thankfully your best friend drove you so you didn’t have to leave your car anywhere. You keep walking looking for Paige until you see her and your heart drops.

Shes leaning against the hood of her car, phone in one hand and keys in other.

“Hey track star” She said as you got closer.

You grin at the nickname and ask “ So where you taking me?” You walked up to her, maybe standing a little too close.

“Hmm, chickfila?” Paige said looking down at you.

“Lets go” You say avoiding eye contact. She made you a different type of nervous, like you could feel it in your whole body this time not just your stomach.

Paige opened the passenger side for you and made a silly face that made you giggle.

Her car was clean and tidy, small but big enough. It smelled and felt like her. Her sports bag and extra sneakers in the backseat. A basketball rolling in the truck. A picture of her baby brother on the rear view mirror. She put on one of your favorite drake songs. It was all over your instagram, she did her research.

You start to sing along and weirdly felt comfortable with her in the car. This was the first moment alone you had with Paige since middle school. You two were in a friend group together and were constantly shipped. Paige and you were still in the closet so you always brushed it off. You wondered if Paige still remembered that.

She pulls into the restaurant and again rushes to open the door for you, she even held your hand as you were getting out. Her hands were strong and soft. They felt safe, a feeling you could get used to.

You order and Paige insisted on paying for you. Paige sits across from you. The slight small smile and pink never left her face.

You spend way too long in the restaurant, food finished at least a hour ago. Conversation with her felt as easy as breathing air. She was naturally funny and your personalities coexisted, constantly complementing each other.

Paige had went to the bathroom for a second and you decided to clean up. It was pitch black outside and you definitely still had to shower and get ready for school the next day.

“Ready to go?” Paige asked.

“Mhm” you say and you stand up, Paiges had meets the small of your back guiding you out the door. You aren’t mad at it and if you were being completely honest with yourself you wanted feel more.

As you were walking out you see Paiges friends and your best friend holding a big sign with fairy lights around it.

“You were in on this?” You say to your best friend with wide eyes.

Paige grabs the sign and stands in front of you. Your hands immediately find your face as Paige asks “Y/N, will you go to prom with me?”

“Yes, YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES!” You say running and jumping on Paige.

She picks you up and your legs wrap around her waist. Her heart was racing and she had the biggest smile on her face. Your breathing synced as you were in her warm embrace. A one minute hug felt like hours and honestly you didn’t want her to let go.

“Oh my god, prom is in a week Paige” You say as she puts you down.

“Yea so” She giggles.

“I wasn’t even planning on going, I need to find a dress!” You say immediately going into prom planning mode.

“Saturday 3 pm, got us a appointment at that dress store” Your best friend says behind you.

“ Oh i love you, thank god” You laugh.

A week later.

It was prom day and you were just coming out of your makeup appointment. Paige had came with you dress shopping, zipped and laced the backs for you and everything. She insisted on this purple dress for some reason but you got a hot pink one instead.

Paige got a matching suit and designer sneakers. Had her hair curled and nails painted.

You and your best friend were in your bedroom. She didn’t go to prom because she just didn’t care enough. She got asked out last year by her boyfriend and went as a junior, since he’s off to college now it didn’t feel right for her to go without him.

She laced the back of your dress and helped with your heels that almost made you Paiges hight. Your parents rented out a all black hellcat for you and her.

You walked down the stairs, holding the bottom of your dress trying not to fall and you catch Paiges eye. Shes in awe. At that moment she was sure you were the prettiest girl in the world and made sure you knew that.

You make it to the bottom stairs and Paige says “Holy shit Y/N like- wow- I- you look so nice”

“You don’t look look too bad yourself” You say as you giggle at her stuttering.

She was seriously taken aback and for good reason. You looked seriously hot.

Yours and Paiges family came to send you off. It felt like you were taking pictures for hours and your heard “aww” “smile guys” “how’d she get so big so fast” at least a thousand times.

“Guys come on, we’re gonna be late” You say trying to rush everybody.

“Okay okay be safe” A family member yells out.

Paige helps you in the car and drives you two to the venue. The car is sleek and sexy, making you feel like royalty. At least a thousand tiktoks were made of you and Paige while she was driving.

Her hand rested on your thigh, she was barely focused on the road, just your beauty.

As you pull into the prom, Paige helps you get out, making sure you dont trip. You heard so many “Is that who I think it is” “Oh my god look at them” “ Y/N looks so good” “ Look at Paige” “ I knew they liked each other”. All the comments made your heart warm and you walked hand and hand through the doors.

“Ooooo look at them y’all” One of Paiges friends said recording you and her walking in.

The whole night was honestly a blur. You had a few smuggled drinks and danced your heart out. Paige never took her eyes off of you. She was mesmerized.

A slow song started to play, you looked for your date and got a little nervous when you saw her walking towards you.

Her hands rest on your waist and yours on her shoulders. Dancing felt like it was only you and her. She was the only one you wanted to be with. She was a smooth dancer and made sure to never step on your toes. Shes so careful and considerate. What took you so long to realize what was here all along.

Paige leaned in, you felt her warm breath on your cheek as she whispered “ Your the prettiest girl here”

You look at her and say “ You too D1”.

Paige chuckles at the nickname and looks down at your lips then back to your eyes.

“What?” You ask getting nervous.

“Can I kiss you track star” Paige asked.

Without even replying you connect your lips to hers. The kiss is soft and tender. You’ve been waiting for this for years and so has Paige. You were finally together. Years of rumors and shipping, here you were with the girl whos been in the back of your mind since you were 12.

3 days after prom.

You missed Paige, with the school year ending everyone was so busy. Paige called you with excitement telling you she got into Uconn. You were beyond proud of her. You finally confessed that you got in as well and her excitement multiplied.

Your just laying in bed, picking at your nails until your phone lights up with a notification. It was Paige.

D1 💕: Y/N

You: yes hi

D1 💕: if i were to ask you to be my girlfriend would you say yes?

[yzzart]

Hii, I just watched the anime and I was obsessed with Dante's demonic form 👀 could you write something that has him in this transformation? I trust your creativity!

⋆˚࿔ ARM ON FIRE, VEINS BURNING RED..! ── HEADCANONS

୭˚. ᵎᵎ content warnings: references to anime, mention of Devil Trigger and Enzo, reader making puns, light content.

⭑.ᐟ Okay, you should start getting used to, it seemed, your boyfriend's new appearance; — or rather, transformation — it was merely a matter of keeping calm. — Acting like the most normal thing that could happen; and you really took your little “goal” seriously.

⤷ Of course, your boyfriend, now nearly 3 meters tall, besides the huge red wings and horns, was still the same; nothing had changed. — Well, just his temper, but sometimes. — He continued with his terrible jokes, that was the focus.

⭑.ᐟ It was all kind of new to him; Dante didn't know how to properly control or learn to resist his transformation; however, it wouldn't be that complicated, it could take time, obviously, but he wouldn't stop delving deeper. — you, too, would join in during his “learning” — And, honestly, that damn hunter was enjoying it.

⤷ He didn't mind you comparing him to that red bird from “Angry Birds,” because of his reddish and black coloring; and, to make matters worse, Enzo laughed with tears in his eyes, repeating your words. — Oh, he was dating a comedian and didn't know it.

⭑.ᐟ Whenever there was a chance, Dante would poke you, caress you, with his big wings; after gaining your attention, he would welcome her, embrace your body, keeping you as close to him as possible. — He liked doing this, more than he should, actually. — You had never felt so much safety, care, security in your life; never at all.

⤷ Dante had no idea — it was on purpose, and you knew it — of the size he had become during his transformation; he acted as if nothing had changed, not his weight, his height, nothing. — So, it was normal that, while his devil trigger was activated, your boyfriend covered your body with his long, strong arms, squeezing your skin with his claws, accompanied by his wings; by the gods, you had disappeared among that demon. — It was as if you were a simple and mere plush toy.

⭑.ᐟ Dante felt a little strange, perhaps, desolate; although he enjoyed the new adrenaline, learning to have fun with his skills, he couldn't help but feel that unusual, unusual feeling in his chest. — In few situations, he could be honest, sincere with his own feelings; something he also learned to deal with. — He didn't want to show it to anyone, he hated feeling so vulnerable.

⤷ However, that half-demon could not, nor would he dare, lie to you; nor let things pass under your nose. — His eyes, now that had obtained a yellowish coloration, together with an orange one, reflecting lava, conveyed his true thoughts.

⭑.ᐟ Oh, if Dante thinks he's earned the title of greatest amateur comedian or best punner — a title he invented — he's finally gained a competitor; you've elevated your creativity since his first devil trigger.

⤷ Come on, he was losing his biggest role and profession of his life; it sounded so ridiculous, but Dante took it seriously. — Even Enzo started to cheer, laughing at your puns.

“Did you know that demons love's first class? They say it’s devilish luxurious!” — Dante wondered how he hadn’t thought of this before.

“Why don’t demons need jet fuel?” — You questioned, trying to contain your laughter, biting your lips, like a child planning a prank; Dante, tilting his horns towards you, knew what was coming.

“Why, cutie?” — ​​His tone of voice, a little altered, more hoarse and serious, exclaimed in your ears.

“Cause’ they run on pure evil energy..!”

“Please, stop trying to steal my work.”

[7ndipity]

Their Crush Likes Them Back

Ot7 x Reader

Summary: What would happen if the members were so deep in their belief that their crush is one-sided that they're oblivious to the fact that the feeling is very much mutual

Warnings: lil angst, suggestive, swearing, not proofread

A/N: Thanks to @coffeedepressionsoup for this request! This honestly was so fun to write, and really helped me beat back my writer's block. I hope y’all like it! Based on this post

Masterlist

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Jin:

He’s been so focused on trying to hide his feelings and just being a good friend to you, that he doesn’t realize that you’ve not only caught onto his feelings, but that you’re also very into him and are actively flirting with him😫

You keep trying to subtly tip him off, giving him extra compliments and calling him petnames that make his ears turn bright red, but he just keeps brushing it off as you’re just being a really sweet friend.

You even tried triggering his jealous streak in an attempt to get him to speak up, like “If they’re not good enough, then who is, hmmm!?” but it always just ends with him mumbling something you can’t understand and him driving you home in frustrated silence.

It’s after one of these such nights that you end up blurting out your own feelings, since he won’t do it! 

When you finally tell him how you feel, he just sits there for a solid minute completely dumbfounded before managing to speak. “...are you sure? Like you’re not just saying that to make me feel better?” “ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!”

Honestly not that much changes after you’ve talked everything out and made things official, at least at first. He’s very gradual in his shift into ‘boyfriend mode’, starting with smaller but sweet gestures like bringing you flowers.

The one thing that changes immediately tho is he now holds your hand/arm/waist everywhere you go. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, he has to be holding onto you. You’re the most valuable thing in the world to him, and now that he has you, there’s no way he’s letting you go.

Yoongi:

As good as Yoongi is at hiding his feelings, you're the complete opposite, showering him with compliments and praise at every opportunity, turning him into the shyest lil meow meow, but you can’t help it, he deserves to know how amazing he is

You know you’re one of the only people that he feels fully comfortable being vulnerable and open with, which is why it hurts so much when he pulls away or gives the silent treatment after fights or gets too into his own head. 

This leads to more than a few arguments between you where you all but spell out how you feel about him, but he somehow still manages to twist it around in his head to be platonic.

It becomes abundantly clear that anything short of straight up kissing him on the mouth is just gonna be met with ‘oh, they didn’t mean it like that.’ Like mf I said you were ideal husband material! Get your head out of your ass!

When you finally do get him to understand that you like him, he gets soo quiet(you know that lil confused look he does where his eyes just go everywhere? that) like Yoongi.exe has stopped working, please reboot.

Once he’s had time to process and y’all talk everything out, he becomes the softest and most dedicated boy. Liike, now that he can actually show his feelings, he’s a fucking SIMP, constantly surprising you with little gifts and gestures, and just always staring at you with the softest heart eyes.

Hobi:

Very much like Jin in that he’s soo focused on being a good friend and not making you uncomfortable that he somehow misses how you’re very much simping over the man. Like it’s not even subtle, you’re always looking at him with literal stars in your eyes.

He tends to mirror your energy/behavior to match your vibe tho, which becomes a bit problematic bc you end up acting a lot more ‘couple-y’ than either of you initially realize. Like, it’s totally normal for him to snuggle and kiss you on the cheek, pay no mind to the fact that he doesn’t do it with anyone else but you.

(Jungkook thinks it’s hilarious tbh and keeps finding ways to put you two in forced proximity situations in the hopes that y’all will finally get a fucking hint and confess already!)

He kinda realizes he’s pushing the boundaries of what’s ‘okay’ for just friends, but he can’t help but be selfish when it comes to you, wanting to be as close to you as possible, even if he thinks it will never go anywhere, not realizing that you’re doing the exact same thing.

When you finally talk to him one night about how you actually feel, he doesn’t even think and just tackles you, kissing you until you both forget how to breathe

Instantly the most devoted boyfriend in the world. Texts you constantly, brings you flowers for every date or snacks when you hangout at each other's places. He kisses you constantly, always mumbling about “making up for lost time” when you tease him about it.

Namjoon:

I totally see this happening to him tbh. Like as in tune as he can be sometimes, he’s kinda oblivious when it comes to your relationship, even if it’s obvious to everyone else in your friend group..

He never really questions why you always happen to be free when he wants to hangout, or the fact that you always answer his texts regardless of the time of day/night.

What he does see however is how much it hurts you when he tries to pull away when he starts to get too into his own head about everything, making his will crumble almost immediately and coming back to you soo apologetic.

He doesn’t understand why you’re always so forgiving and willing to stick beside him through everything, no matter how many times you tell him it’s because you love him

I see telling him how you actually feel going one or two ways: you sitting him down and talking everything out super calm and maturely. or-

You blurting it out in the heat of the moment during a fight, resulting in a brief stunned silence and then you getting pinned to the nearest surface and kissing each other till you can’t breathe and then dragging each other to the bedroom…

You don’t really address it anymore after that night, you’re just dating now and thats it. (Tho, you may have forgotten to notify the rest of your friend group and so they don’t realize you’re together until you kiss him goodbye in front of them and Hobi drops glass in shock, lol)

Jimin:

It would be almost funny how oblivious he is, if it weren’t soo fucking frustating.

Like usually he’s the one flirting up a storm, flustering and confusing people left and right, but with you he’s turned into a complete mess, trying(and failing) to hide how shy and blushy you make him with just the smallest gestures.

Which you would think would help the two of you to realize that you’re both into each other, but nope, you’re just dancing around the obvious and driving everyone else in your friend group insane(Tae and Yoongi have a bet on who will actually make the first move)

Like he notices some of the little cues that you’ve been dropping that you might be into him too, but he honestly just feels like he’s imagining things because that’s what he wants to happen

(tbh he thinks you’re trying to kill him with how close and touchy you get sometimes because he wants to kiss you soo fucking bad)

When you finally get the courage to tell him, it’s quiet and intimate, at one of your apartments in the middle of the night while you’re laying on the couch or bed together talking about whatever, and he goes so still and quiet for minute you think he fell asleep or something before he suddenly rolls on top of you, grinning like an idiot and wrapping you up in the tightest hug ever and kissing you breathless.

You two dating isn’t that much different than when you were just friends except you’re somehow EVEN MORE CLINGY with each other(who knew that was even possible?! lol) constantly touching or holding onto each other or stealing kisses when you think no one’s looking

Taehyung:

Honestly? He’s lowkey aware of your flirty behavior, but he keeps trying to brush it off as “they’re just being cute” because he doesn’t want to accidentally misread things and fuck things up between you by trying to make a move that’s not wanted.

Nevermind the fact that you are very openly making your interests known. Like there’s nothing to misread here my dude, everyone and their grandma can see that I am absolutely smitten with you.

Notices your more jealous/clingy moments, but doesn’t quite recognize them for what they are or the reason for them. All he knows is that you’re hanging onto his arm and giving him attention, which he soaks up like the happiest lil sponge. Who cares if you’re a little overprotective of him? He thinks it’s cute.

Similar to Hobi in that he worries sometimes that he’s overstepping what’s okay for just friends for his own benefit, even though multiple friends have pointed out that you were actively initiating those moments with him too, it’s not just a one-sided thing

He fully refuses to believe it tho until one night as he’s walking you home and you admit to him that you wished that he was your boyfriend. He turns into the smiliest bean ever at your confession, latching onto you like a giant koala bear and refusing to let go for the rest of the night as you talk and share how you’ve both really been feeling.

Instantly shifts into teddybear boyfriend mode, super cuddly and calling you every petname he can think of. He jokes that he’s just catching up on all the stuff that you missed out on before, but he’s lowkey always been like this with you, he’s just free to finally give into those impulses and kiss you anytime he wants😊

Jungkook:

God bless this boy, he’s soo fucking blind it’s absolutely infuriating

Like neither of you are exactly subtle about your feelings towards each other, but he somehow always manages to miss your hints or flirtations. Like you could be walking around wearing a neon sign that says “I’m in love with you” and he would just be like “oh cool necklace Y/n!”😑

He notices how you tend to stick close to him whenever the two of you hangout together, which he loves, but somehow he misses the gooey-eyed looks you keep giving him.

He also doesn’t realize that one of the only reasons you put up with his possessiveness is because you keep hoping that he’ll fess up and admit his feelings, but he never does, always backing off at the last moment because he’s terrified of fucking things up with you.

Meanwhile you’re practically beating your head against the wall because he’s driving you insane.

Man literally doesn’t catch on fully until you grab him by the face and kiss him one night after an argument, freezing in shock for half a minute before reciprocating very enthusiastically.(everyone immediately knows what happened the next day tho because you’re both fucking covered in hickeys like 👀)

Refuses to leave your side from that point on, he’s now your personal bodyguard/house husband/assistant/ etc. Anything you need, he’s on it immediately. Always finding little excuses to touch you until you point out that he doesn’t actually need a reason anymore, and then he’s just touching/kissing you every time you’re in arms reach

Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @whitefoxgirl @bethanysnow @coffeedepressionsoup @feminympho @classicalelephant @dfqcsqueen @mother2monsters @comingupwithacoolnameishard @bo0ghol @seleneacyoflove @k4ngelz @universal-travel-er

[gakukitty]

I mean… !! if you want to write smut… !! Shin nagumo & heisuke w a reader w a hiiighhhh sex drive? Like before them they were a little sex repulsed but now all they want to do is jump their bones.. no pressure but its stuck in my headdffh

again ?! — ★ smut mdni ! !

featuring . . . heisuke mashimo , nagumo yoichi , shin asakura <3 ( multi character , separate )

heisuke mashimo ★

heisuke really doesn’t know how it got this bad. when the two of you both started dating, you didn’t seem all that interested in sex. that little scrunch in your nose whenever he’d mention it told him everything he needed to know; until your first time. ever since then, it feels like you’re trying to make up for all that time lost ! your hips shift against his, your body perched on top of heisukes as sunlight filters through the blinds from your bedroom window. you just hum as heisuke wakes up, pressing a soft kiss to his nose.

“heisuke,” you mumble quietly, your breath brushing lightly against his ear. the man in question makes a small sound him response, his hips snapping up slightly against yours. he lifts his hands, clutching at your waist.

“huh..?” he trails off sleepily, eyes slowly blinking awake. that’s when he realises what’s going on— you’re on top of him again. just like you were last night; “heisukeeee, stop looking so goooodd..” you had said. his cheeks flush lightly at the memory— hold on, how are you already horny this early in the morning? heisuke doesn’t really mind it, your sex drive that seems to get higher and higher each day, but he has to admit it makes him feel a bit embarrassed.

he doesn’t question it, though; and he’d never, ever dare to assume that.. maybe you’re just horny for him. either way, he’s happy to let you use him to get off whenever you please :33

nagumo yoichi ★

your boyfriend was more than happy to respect your wishes when you told him that sex wasn’t exactly your thing. the man flashed you a smile, assuring you that he wouldn’t make a big deal out of it and force you into anything that you didn’t want.

so, it’s safe to say that he was caught by surprise when your hands found his belt one night. nagumo was even more surprised when he found out you’re surprisingly good at this all— you rode him like a fuckin’

champ! even the memory never fails to being a smile to his face.

so why are you crawling back onto his lap right after? and how come this has become a common occurrence? nagumo rarely gets a break now— he almost feels like a damn fucktoy for you!! but to be honest? he wouldn’t have it any other way. not when you’re moaning his name every night, hands clutching at his chest and shoulders, lips kissing at his jaw and neck. yeah, this is the life.

shin asakura ★

“again—? name, this is the third time today— oh,” shin’s cut off by your lips on his neck, and the poor man lets out a soft moan at the feeling. his hands find your hips, the tips of his ears flushing lightly. honestly, shin doesn’t really understand how you made such a big change in such a small amount of time— but he has a vague idea that makes his cheek burn a cute shade of pink. so, shin’s alright with giving into your little requests whenever you ask. “one more time.” the man mutters softly, leaning in to give you a small kiss on the lips.

unfortunately; it wasn’t just one more time. as soon as shin thought you were finished, you’re already rising up like a damn zombie ! though, he has to admit— it’s sort of endearing seeing you so excited to please him— and yourself, of course.

shin gets a little flustered with it all, but he loves you— and he is always happy to give you what you want. even if he feels like his dick is falling off by the end of the month.

© gakukitty please don’t copy my work , repost it and claim as your own , translate , or use it to train ai ♡

[cj-the-random-artist]

Hey y'all I'm trying to cure my perfectionism and refresh my brain to make stuff generally so have some mid quality Leshycat doodles because I was thinking about them this week I also have some bonus thoughts about these two but I'm gonna put it under the cut so that this post doesn't become too long:

I don't remember what I talked about in my last Leshycat post, but I've had some more thoughts about them that I want to throw out there. First and foremost, Annamer is technically in charge of both the farm and the medicinal garden (which are technically two different things in my AU, since Kallamar is very particular about that stuff), and though they are mostly just... in charge of keeping the farmers / gardeners on task, they also just really like being in the dirt and actually doing stuff so they do a lot of personally working in the farms. If we're getting technical, Leshy is arguably a better gardener, given he has a few thousand years more of experience, but he eventually took a bartending job over the farming job because he wanted something fresh to do. Also he and Annamer had to be separated after they first entered their romantic relationship cuz they kept sneaking off during the workday to... snuggle. Let's go with that. I also feel strongly that they can both pick each other up, just because I think it's funny.

I do think previously I mentioned both Leshy and Annamer being grey / demi aroaces, thus Leshy is completely blindsided by his crush on Annamer since it's been so long since he's had one, which is the vibe I wanted to give off with the teensy little mini comic there. Idk how well it comes across but that's what I was going for lol

Tbh most of what I ended up doing with these was trying to solidify Annamer's design, I've been thinking for a while that the jester costume just... doesn't really vibe with the way I imagine them in the AU? So I wanted to give him some warm weather farming clothes.

Also tangentially related I wanted to change up the way I've been doing lineart lately, I feel like it was... better a year ago, and I wanted to try going back to that thicker / chunkier and more varied lineart I was doing previously, and honestly I'm here for it, I think it looks more interesting than what I've been doing lately, and it just feels more fun to draw, too.

Anyways. Enjoy my rambles and these ridiculous silly strange doodles and have a good day <3

[moni-logues]

Pairing: Bangchan x reader (afab)

Genre: friends-to-lovers but mostly just smut

Summary: Chan has just returned home from tour and you hope you aren't wrong that something has changed between you. Only one way to find out…

Word count: 7.8k

Content: hand job, oral (f receiving), chan pov in the last part

me: i won't repost stuff from the old blog Also me: ....

anyway, @minisugakoobies reminded me that this fic exists yesterday and I have been writing for Chan recently (don't ask, it's gonna take ages) so here we are. unedited. {note this was originally written as a single drabble and then I wrote two more parts to it so if any bits feel a little disjointed, that's why.}

* * *

It wasn’t weird and it wasn’t uncomfortable. But it was different. It was definitely different this time.   

Chan sat in front of you, between your legs, his back against your chest and his head in the soft space between your shoulder and collarbone. You leant against the arm of the sofa with your hands on his stomach-   

That was different. You had the hem of his T-shirt between your fingers, toying mindlessly, while your other hand rested on his warm, soft skin beneath it. He had one hand resting over yours, his fingers not exactly entwined with yours, but not exactly not.    

You’d held hands before. On occasion. Entirely casually, platonically. Except for the part where you wished it wasn’t casual, wished it wasn’t platonic.    

You’d had feelings for Chan for as long as you could remember, since you first set eyes on him. Honestly, you were used to it. Comfortable with it even. You knew you weren’t going to do anything about it and that meant it didn’t worry you. It would be your little secret and you would soak up all the time with him you could, you would enjoy all the friendship privileges he offered you and you would clutch them close to your heart in the absence of any actual body to hold.    

It was only before he went away this last time, a couple of months ago, that you felt something change. Something about how clingy he had been the night before he left, a little more tactile than he usually was. He was ants-in-his-pants fidgety and wouldn’t sit still. He was wrestling you into a hug one minute and then pushing you to the other end of the sofa the next. He held you so tightly and for so long when you hugged him goodbye that you had joked it was like he was going off to war. He had laughed only half-heartedly, which, for Chan, might as well have not been laughing at all. He had pulled back and looked at you intensely with his hands still on your waist and you had waited and waited for him to say or do something else but he just kept looking.   

“Are you going to like, actually leave?” you had asked.   

He snapped out of his trance and ruffled your hair.    

“Course I’m going! Why? Trying to get me to stay?”   

You weren’t, because you knew he was going to leave, anyway, that he had to go, but he sounded hopeful (or were you imagining it?).   

“Yeah. I did consider locking you up for a second, but taking care of one animal is enough; I’m not sure I could cope with having to feed and care for you, too!”   

He had done a proper laugh then and you were reassured that whatever had just happened, it was a blip, a glitch, nothing more. He had hugged you one last time, shorter, looser, and then turned to leave with a salute.   

Then he was back, hugging you just as hard, fresh off the plane (rather un fresh, actually, and he had the cheek to ask to use your shower!).    

And it was the same as it had ever been.   

But it was also different. Because he had told you so many times while he was away that he missed you; he had said ‘wish you were here!’ so often that you actually believed it; your gallery was full of ‘found you!’ photos of ugly statues and ‘thought you’d like this’ shots of architecture and souvenirs—souvenirs he’d actually bought and brought home for you. He didn’t usually do that.    

And now, there you were, with your hands on his skin and your cheek resting lightly on the top of his head and he was laughing at the film you were watching and taking your hand from the hem of his top, crossing it over his torso and holding it there. He closed his fingers over yours. Holding hands. You flattened your palm over his stomach and stroked sideways, the circle of your arms tighter around him, and you wanted to ask what this meant. Did it mean anything? Had he just been lonely on the road? Did he just want some physical contact? Were you just... there?    

You weren’t one to be stuck in indecision. You didn’t have the patience for it. You decided, when you first met, that you weren’t going to act on your feelings because trying to date an idol was an insane thing to do. And you didn’t need the stress.    

But you also didn’t need the long, drawn-out stress of a ‘will they? Won't they?’ scenario with one of your closest friends.    

And, if you were going to be really honest, you kind of did need a good fuck. And you’d thought about fucking him a lot, one might say too much. And if he was interested, if something had changed and he saw you differently now, well, then the bedroom was calling for you.    

“Chan?” you said quietly.   

He twisted his head a little. “Yeah?”   

“Can I... touch you?”   

You drew your fingers back, softly grazing your nails against his abs. He giggled.   

“What do you mean? We already are touching!”   

You slipped just the tips of your fingers beneath the waistband of his jogging bottoms and the waistband of his boxers.   

“No, I mean... touch you.”   

“Oh, sh-… Uh.”    

You didn’t move your hand; you felt his heartrate quicken, thumping back against your chest.    

“You don’t have to say yes. It’s ok if the answer’s no.”   

“Yeah, no,” he said. “I mean, the answer’s yes. It’s ok.”   

“Are you sure?” you asked.   

He swallowed and nodded and put his hand over yours, carefully encouraging it lower. “Yes, I’m sure.”    

His hand left yours as it disappeared beneath the fabric of his clothes and you couldn't breathe as your fingers ran over the velvet skin of his soft cock, which twitched on contact. As you pushed his trousers and his boxers down, you almost couldn’t look, couldn’t bear the thought of disappointment, after all this waiting, after every fantasy, but you needn’t have worried. Of course, it was fucking perfect. Just like the rest of him. You wrapped your fingers around his semi-hard length and he shifted.   

“You don’-” Then he hesitated.   

“Don’t what?”   

“Uh, you don’t have to be gentle...”   

Then he wrapped his fingers around yours, squeezed a little tighter, and your thighs squeezed, too. You chuckled, a little embarrassed, a little shy actually, a little over-awed.   

“Channie likes it rough, huh?”    

You didn’t need to see his face to know he was blushing; you could feel the heat radiate from his cheeks.   

“Um, well, uh-”    

He was stammering now and you were amazed that he could be bashful with his cock in your hand, shy even though he was directing you.   

“I like it,” you whispered and you felt a shiver go through him.    

He kept his hand over yours and you smiled to yourself because you should have expected this. Control freak Chan, perfectionist Chan, Mr ‘I’ll just do it myself’ Bang. It was cute. But you weren’t going to let him get away with it. You let him control you, let him show you how he liked it, let him get himself to the point where his breathing was heavy and his bottom lip was bitten between his teeth and his brows were furrowed.    

“Hey,” said, nudging his head with yours. “Who exactly is giving this handjob? You want me to just leave you to it or...?”   

He spluttered and stopped and immediately let your hand go. “Sorry, I-”   

“You don’t have to apologise; I know you. But I want to do this for you, y’know?” You turned your head and gently bit the top of his ear before pressing a kiss to it.    

“Yeah, got it. All yours.”     

“Thank you.”   

You had him panting again in seconds, because he had already given you his secrets, and when he tipped his head backwards and whined, it made your cunt pulse.   

“Ok, you’re right, you’re right,” he gasped. “This is better. Fuck... Oh shit.”   

He was moving like he couldn’t help himself, his hips snapping up, fucking himself in your fist and you could feel his thighs twitching, feel the tension coiling in his body.    

It was building in you, too, as you soaked through your underwear. He wasn’t quiet and every moan, every grunt, every gasp of your name made your head spin. You hoped it wouldn’t stop here. After all this time, something was finally happening and you needed it to keep happening, you needed him to feel you, too. A moan fell from your own mouth as you imagined him fucking you, imagined that it wasn’t your hand around his cock but your cunt. That he liked it even rougher when he was inside you. That the deep black intensity he had inside him came out. That he fucked you like he danced, with every inch of his body and every ounce of strength.    

“I’m-.. I’m-…"    

You didn’t need him to tell you. “I know, babe. Go on, make a mess. Make a mess for me.”   

With a shudder and a cry trapped low in his throat, he came, over your hand, over your fingers, over his stomach and his T-shirt. He was gulping in air with his eyes closed and a hand clenching and unclenching at his side.    

“Oh, shit,” you whispered as you swiped a finger through the mess on his skin. “Who’s going to clean all this up?”    

You raised your hand and brought it almost to your own mouth, then pretended to think twice before pressing down on his bottom lip. It was a bold move, you knew, but you were feeling emboldened.    

Then he opened his mouth and took your cum-sticky fingers in without a second’s hesitation. Would the night’s surprises never end? He licked your fingers clean and ran his tongue over your palm before he swiped his finger through the mess on his stomach and lifted it to your lips. You laughed.   

“I can do you one better.”    

You shuffled and climbed out from behind him, pushing him down and straddling him. It was the first time you had been face to face; you both blushed when your eyes met and you couldn’t stop the giggle that rose in your throat. He giggled back and you recognised that you were on the verge of hysteria; if you let that giggle become a laugh, it wouldn’t stop until you were both crying. You tried to rein it in, this strange, self-conscious shyness that was gripping you, this wild giddiness that made you want to scream with laughter and cry ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!’. You were looking at Chan and you knew he felt it, too; his eyes glittered and then all but disappeared as his smile widened. He bit his lip to try to keep it in, but it was no use.    

He snorted and covered his face with his hands as a loud laugh bellowed forth. You never could resist his mirth. You were helpless to it at the best of times. He was curling over, his whole body shaking, and you were climbing off him, flopping to the floor, weak with it, the laughter sapping your strength and overriding any capacity for being serious. It was too absurd. That this had just happened. That one day—one moment —you were friends and the next you were making him come over himself, that he was licking his own cum from your fingers. That you had wanted this for such a long time and sworn off it. That you had no idea it might be something he wanted. That you never even thought to ask! That it could have been this easy? All this time?    

Your brain was elsewhere as your breath shuddered and tears streaked your cheeks. You thought you had got yourself under control: your breathing was shaky and your stomach hurt but your eyes were dry and you sat yourself up. Then you looked at Chan, face also tear-streaked, flushed with glee, and you both collapsed again.   

“Don’t look at me,” Chan said, his voice thick and wobbly with laugher some minutes later. “Don’t look at me, please, I can’t laugh anymore, but can you get me a fucking tissue or something?”    

You shut your eyes, scrunched your face, and pressed your fist to the bridge of your nose; you couldn’t laugh anymore, it would kill you. But you knew that if you turned to look at him, helpless and messy on his back, that another fit would catch you. You crawled to the end table and threw the box of tissues in his direction.   

“Thanks.”   

You leant back against the edge of the sofa and let your breath resume its normal rhythm, let your heart slow down, let Chan wipe himself up and tuck himself away. You felt him sit up as his knee knocked your shoulder and you turned so you could just see him out of the corner of your eye. He looked down at his cum-stained T-shirt and gingerly pulled it over his head. Then he looked at it, displeased. 

“This was clean on like, an hour ago.”    

“Oh, shit, sorry, dude. You want me to take the handy back or something?”   

He looked alarmed for a second. “Do you want to take it back?”   

“No.”   

“Good, neither do I.”   

“I would kind of like to know where the fuck it came from though.”   

“What are you talking about? You started it! You offered!”   

“Chan, you were holding my hand . We don’t hold hands! Look at all this shit you bought me!” You gestured broadly to giftbags and boxes, trinkets and jewellery on the coffee table. “Besides, I’ve always wanted it; you haven’t.”   

He stared at you, mute, looking like you’d just asked him a long division question. “You always wanted it?”   

“Yep.”   

“Why didn’t you say anything?!”   

“Because you didn’t want it!”   

“How would you know?! You never asked!”   

“Ok, well, did you?”   

He looked up; he looked down. He looked thoughtful. He looked a little apologetic. “I don’t really know,” was his eventual answer.   

“Well, there you go. That’s why I didn’t say.”   

Silence reigned and you didn’t want this to collapse, to fizzle into awkwardness.    

“Do you want it? Now?” you asked.   

“Yeah.” At least he sounded sure about that.   

“What changed?”   

When he looked at you and caught your eyes, there was a look there you hadn’t seen in them before. It was almost painfully soft, tender in a way that pierced your heart. He didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked at you like he was looking at something precious, something sweet. Then he shrugged.   

“I’ve never been away from you that long before.”    

“And?”   

“I didn’t want to be. It made me not want to go at all. And I couldn’t work out why it mattered so much. I’ve been away before. I’ve been here , even, and just been busy and not seen you for a while. But it felt different this time, somehow. I really didn’t want to go. And I talked about it and everyone told me I was like, the world’s biggest idiot. They all apparently thought—or knew?—I had feelings for you already and they all just said ‘tell her! You’ve got to tell her! Go for it!’ and I wanted to. I was going to, the night before I left, but then I realised I’d be confessing all that stuff and then just... fucking off. I didn’t want to do that. So, I... did nothing, I guess.”    

“Fair enough.”    

“You wanted it all this time? Me, you wanted me?”   

That he even had to ask was adorable, broke your heart a little. Who wouldn’t want him? He was everything you could have asked for and more; he ticked every box; he made your sad little heart sing like a songbird. And he still had to ask.    

“Since the moment we met.”   

“Shit.”   

“Shit.”   

“I had no idea.”   

He looked like he meant it, too: a little dazed, a little confused, just a hint of wonder on his face.    

“So, what now?” he asked.    

You shrugged. “You mean right now, or general future ‘now’?”   

“I guess both?”   

“Can I be honest?”   

“Yeah.”   

“Right now, I would really like to do something about how badly I want to fuck you.”   

And he was bashful Chan, again, his eyes wide and the tips of his ears pink, his mouth slightly open with surprise. You watched his Adam’s apple bounce as he swallowed.    

“I... am amenable to that.”   

“Want to try that again with something even slightly sexy?”   

And he blushed bright, covering his face with his hands. “Fuck, ok, give me a second.”   

You laughed and moved from the floor to sit opposite him on the sofa, your knees touching. You waited patiently for a second or two, then tapped his leg.   

“I’m flustered, ok!” he cried. “You’ve got me all... flustered. I don’t know... I-.. Agh. I swear I’m not this bad usually. I promise. I just--… this has really taken me off-guard! Fuck, I didn’t know. I-”   

You interrupted him to climb into his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck. He lifted his face to yours and you kissed him, just a light peck on his petal pink lips.   

“How about you let me lead, then?” you asked, your voice soft and low. “Can you do that? Can you let me take control?”   

He looked at you pleadingly, his eyes round and wide, and you were worried that it meant no, that he was going to say he didn’t want that.   

“Yes, please.”    

Fuck.    

With your hands on either side of his face, you pulled him closer and kissed him again, deep this time, deep and slow and breathless. He tasted of honey butter chips, which you had never liked before that moment. His tongue rolled with yours, soft and sweet and every bit as good as you had imagined. He whined quietly, just barely, when you pulled back, when you sank your teeth into the plush pink of his lower lip. When you looked at each other, nose-to-nose, his eyes were wide again, sparkling and bright and looking at you like you were the whole world.   

It wasn’t weird and it wasn’t uncomfortable and it wasn’t awkward; it didn’t feel like crossing a line or pushing a boundary; it felt like you should have been doing this all along. It was different for the two of you, sure, it was different. But you’d been ready for this change since you learnt his name, since he held his hand out to you and smiled politely. This different was good. This different was everything you’d ever wanted.    

* * *  

You could have kissed him forever. Would have were other parts of you a little more patient, a little more willing to take things slow. But you’d wanted Chan for weeks, months, almost years, and now he was finally here, beneath you, kissing you, hands skating softly up the curve of your waist, hesitating at your ribs.   

You weren’t hesitating. Not anymore. You pulled back from him so you could strip yourself of your top and you threw your bra with it. Didn’t give him a chance to react, to take you in. Just took his face in your hands and his bottom lip between your teeth again.   

“Touch me,” you mumbled, mouth still pressed against his, and you guided his hands upwards, cupped them over your breasts, prayed you wouldn’t have to keep coaxing action out of him.   

Because he had said he wanted it. He was kissing you like he wanted it. He had said so. Well, he had said he ‘was amenable’ to sex, which wasn’t exactly gushing enthusiasm but you would take it.   

“Chan,” you whispered, taking a beat.  

You sat back on your heels, inhaled deeply, and looked at him. He looked at you, colour high on his cheeks, ear burning, a little dazed, a little unsure.   

“Are you sure you want to do this?” you asked.   

You were crossing a line. That was certain. You were pretty sure that, if you stopped now, you could take it all back. You could rewind this evening and just be friends again. If he wanted. But going forward meant going forward . No returns. You would rather have him as a friend than nothing else, so you needed him to be sure now, right now at this moment, with your toes just over the line.  

“Yes!” he said, urgent, emphatic. “Yes, I do. I’m just...”  

 He groaned and dragged his hands down his face. He didn’t look at you when he spoke next. “I’m fucking nervous.”  

“Why?”  

“Because it’s you.”  

“What am I?”  

He looked at you then, wide and open and the cutest he’d ever been. His hands hesitated in the air, not quite reaching out for you, but not not. You held them, shuffled yourself forward on his lap again, pushed his hair from his forehead.   

“Hmm,” you said, contemplating his brow. You tapped it lightly with one finger. “I think you might be thinking too much about this.”  

“That doesn’t sound like me,” he laughed.   

“Close your eyes, Channie.”  

You didn’t. You kept them trained on his face. You needed to think now; you needed to slow yourself down so he could catch up. You’d had months to think about this, fantasise about it, dream about it: a thousand scenarios, a thousand acts, a thousand kisses... You had had time, you reminded yourself, to wait for this. Much longer than he had.   

And you still had time. This wasn’t a race. The ache in your core was persistent, was impatient, but you didn’t have to be.  

You put your lips to his and kissed him. Slow. Deep. It didn’t have to go anywhere, you told yourself, hoping that Chan was somehow getting the message, too. He didn’t have to be nervous, because you wouldn’t do anything he didn’t want to.   

You just needed to know what he did want and you would give him the time to tell you.   

Eventually, you felt his body relax a little; he leant back, shuffling down on the sofa and pulling you with him. He let his hands roam, grazed a nipple with his thumb a little experimentally until you moaned into his mouth for more. His hands were warm, like his heart, and firm, kneading at your breasts, pinching at your nipples and then pushing you backwards.   

With no hesitation this time, no nervous giggles, no shy glances, he put his lips around your tight bud and sucked. He kissed and he licked and he carefully grazed his teeth over you, fully absorbed in the moment. His hot breath against your skin made you shiver and his wet tongue made you wetter.   

When you felt as though he had traversed the peaks and valleys of your chest quite enough, you gave a tug at his hair and he finally flicked his eyes to yours. They were black and glazed and the look in them was like nothing you had seen from him before. It sent a thrill racing up your spine and you were about to tell him: how much you wanted him, how good that mouth was, how you wanted it elsewhere, but he spoke first.  

“I want to go down on you.”  

You choked, shocked out of your lustful stupor. You laughed. “I thought you were nervous!”  

His eyes lightened then, eyebrows raised. “Are you? We don’t have to- I-”  

“No!” You were quick to cut him off, desperate not to let him start thinking again, very happy with where his feelings were leading. “I want to. I want you to. Just... wasn’t expecting you to say it like that.”

The blush was back on his face but he wasn’t so bashful this time. Not quite. There was too much desire there, too much greed.   

You stepped off from the sofa and, in one smooth motion, pushed your leggings and underwear to the floor. You kicked them off your feet and rejoined Chan on the sofa, swinging one leg over him, leaning down onto your elbows to resume where you had left off. Your lips were almost touching when his hands came down onto your hips and he swore.  

“Fuck! Fuck, you are naked.”  

“Yes, that tends to happen when you take your clothes off.”   

His touch rounded your backside, another curse escaping on an exhale as his hands roamed this undiscovered territory. You took the opportunity of the distraction to kiss him, but it didn’t last long.  

“You’re fucking naked ,” he said again, as if it were really a wonder.  

“And you’re not ,” you countered.   

“Fair point.”  

And he slapped lightly at your bum to encourage you off him, so he could push his own trousers down, discard his own underwear.   

“Now we’re both naked,” you pointed out.   

When your eyes met, there was a frisson of tension that you’d felt before, and you knew where it was going, but you forced the laughter down, couldn’t collapse into hysterics – not again, not right now.   

“Is this weird?” he asked, thinking again. Always fucking thinking.   

“Only if you make it weird! Do you want it to be weird?”  

“No.”  

“Because it’s going to be if you keep saying it is.”   

You sat back in his lap, arms draping over his shoulders, as he rubbed at his face again.  

“It’s just...”   

He swore quietly as he nuzzled his nose into your neck, dragged it down your jaw and across your cheek until his lips found yours again. 

You could feel him beneath you, stirred, re-awakened, and it sent a spasm through your walls. You’d held him in your hand but what you wouldn’t have given to squeeze him in your slick cunt.   

“Chan,” you breathed out. “I want to fuck you.”  

He was kissing you in reply, moaning for half a second before he stopped. “Wait- no. I want to go down on you.”  

“Can’t we just fuck first?”  

You pressed your forehead against his, rolled your hips over him to make the point for you.   

“I just want to fuck you,” you whispered. “Please.”  

He shook his head slowly, carefully, still pressed against yours. “Later. I want to go down on you.”  

And you couldn’t deny that hearing those words, not once, not twice, but three times now, made you want it, too. Made you think about his lips and his tongue and fingers and the piercing, blinding reality of this. That it was happening. That none of this was a dream.   

“I owe you one,” he continued and you paused.  

“Owe me what?”  

“An orgasm. I had one. You haven’t.”  

“Are we counting?”   

He snorted and denied it. “No, I just think- I just want it to be even.”  

You smacked a kiss against his cheek. “Well, if we’re keeping score, we’re going to need some kind of chart.”   

He couldn't stifle his laugh and you joined him, letting a little of the tension go, aware that this could easily careen out of control, abs still hurting from the fit you both had earlier that evening.  

“I don’t want a chart, I just...”  

He looked at you and you looked back. The merriment fell away, discarded in an instant. Because this wasn't actually funny. Not really. It was hot. It was thrilling. It was frightening. You could see him thinking in those dark eyes, trying to find the right words; you wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to try so hard. Not for you.    

You could see him thinking in those dark eyes, trying to find the right words; you wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to try so hard. Not for you.   

“I want this to be good for you.”  

You resisted the urge to scoff, because you knew he meant it, and because this meant something to you. Something. Everything.  

“It is good for me,” you told him, lips close enough to touch his. You closed the gap and kissed him, firmly. “I want you so fucking badly.”   

He tightened his arms around you, crushing your body to his as he latched his mouth to yours. He still tasted like honey butter chips and you knew you’d never be able to eat them without thinking of him, thinking of this. You were definitely crossing a line. The line. And you could not contain your excitement. It smeared between your lips, slick beneath you as you rolled over Chan’s hot, flushed cock.   

“I want-” Chan broke away, breathing heavily, “I want to go down on you,” he said, with greater determination this time. “I want to eat you out.”  

Without waiting for a response, he tipped you carefully, moving out from under you, pulling your hips to the edge of the sofa and pushing your thighs apart.   

“Oh shit,” he breathed, just looking at you.   

His hands squeezed at your inner thighs as his jaw clenched. You had seen this kind of focus in him before: on stage, powerful and performing and dripping with sweat, determined to leave everything he had out there, to die before he gave up. A shiver of anticipation rippled across your skin and no sooner had it settled than Chan shifted closer, dropping a surprisingly chaste kiss to your thigh. Another followed it, then one more on the other side. He kissed you all over, some barely there, some that you knew would leave a mark.   

“You know you’re literally dripping?” he asked and there wasn’t so much as a hint of his former nerves, his bashfulness, but there remained a quiet awe, a slight disbelief at what was about to happen.

There was also his cheeky, little smirk, and eyes black as pitch, wide like an open mouth. Hungry.   

“I’m very fucking aware,” you retorted, the admonition undermined by your breathlessness. “Get on with it.”  

He rolled his eyes at you, playfully, like he had done a thousand times before. Then he did something he had never done before. With one hand gripping each thigh, he put his mouth to your lips and licked a broad stripe up to your clit. You quivered, whimpered, swore when he did it again, when he gathered all your arousal on his tongue and swirled it over your swollen bud.   

It made you forget every fantasy you’d ever had. You couldn’t remember if you thought he’d be like this or not. Couldn’t remember if you’d imagined correctly the soft, sweeping pad of his tongue flat against you or the hard flick of its tip. Couldn’t recall for even a second if you’d thought to imagine the way his hands would squeeze and pull at you. Had you guessed that he would moan like that? Had you dreamt the feel of his hair between your fingers?   

Your hips were moving on their own now, uncontrolled by you. Uncontrollable. You couldn’t stop them rutting against his mouth, couldn’t stop the noise resounding from yours.   

“Chan, fuck ,” you gasped as he sealed his lips tight around your clit and slipped two fingers inside you. “Like that, oh shit, like that. Please... Please...”  

He moaned in response, continuing precisely as he was, like that. Just like that. His tongue flicking at your clit like a switch that only turned on. His fingers curling, pressing hard inside you, pushing and pulling in one direction only. He was firm and precise and confident.   

You remembered the way he had, just minutes ago (was it really minutes ?), taken your fingers in his mouth, sticky with his own cum, after he had finished. You shivered with the heat of it. The thought of the taste of him mixing with the taste of you sent fresh arousal flooding into Chan’s hand; he was quick to catch it, his lips popping as his tongue slipped down to swipe at his sticky fingers pushing the juices from your pussy. The slick sound of it all made you blush, the noise of his enjoyment deepening the heat in your cheeks and your core.   

He let his fingers work for a second, his breath washing over your flushed cunt like a hot wind.   

“Fuck,” he panted, leaning back on his knees and tipping his head towards the ceiling.   

You opened your eyes when you felt his other hand leave your thigh, watched him squeeze at the base of his cock – so dark, so hard, so wet with precum.   

“You ok?” you gasped, still rolling your hips against his hand.   

He nodded, still looking skyward. “You’re so fucking hot,” he replied.  

His head fell forward and his eyes caught yours, the look in them making you suddenly shy, a giggle slipping out before you could stifle it. Though you needn’t have worried it would start the hysterics again because it was stopped short, cut off by the gasp elicited by Chan’s tongue, licking up your lips, circling your clit, teasingly light and then harder with every rotation.   

You gripped the sofa cushions tight, knuckles white, as the slow ticking of the pleasure bomb inside you grew faster, accelerating towards explosion with great intention. You knew it all too well: the tightening, the quivering, the deep, heavy drag that, in a split-second, sprang high, ricocheting from head to toe, gushing forward in a scream of delight.   

You flopped back into the cushions, sticky with sweat, chest heaving, head lightly spinning. Chan left a playful trail of kisses up your torso, onto your chest and your neck and then your mouth. He grinned at you, dopey and sparkling.   

“One all.”  

* * *  

“Please,” you gasped, voice still high and tight, breath caught in snatches. “Please, can we fuck now?”   

And the starting pistol was fired. You moved off the sofa and Chan moved with you, stumbling towards your bedroom, though he didn’t know why. Didn’t know why the sofa wouldn’t suffice, why it was somehow sullied now. Didn’t care. As long as this happened, kept happening, as long as he got to see you and hear you and touch you some more; his desire yawned open in his chest, awake and hungry. Let out of its cage.  

These past months, away from you, Chan had thought was for the best. His confusion and these feelings that he didn’t believe, didn’t understand, he didn’t want to face you with them. Didn’t want to face them at all. Because it wasn’t what you were. You were friends. That was all and he didn’t want to ruin it. Thought that he was sure to, somehow.   

But now it was a tangle of limbs and sticky skin against sticky skin. All sweat and salt and a kind of feverish urgency he hadn’t expected, hadn’t even dreamt of. He had kept his feelings on lock-down, thought they might go away if he didn’t prod at them, didn’t acknowledge them, but he couldn’t ignore them now: now with your mouth on him like that, with your hands roaming his body, as he swallowed your moan down his throat.   

This pent-up desire was free and he was dizzy with it. Tripping over his feet and tumbling to the mattress on top of you; making up for his clumsiness with kisses on every inch of skin his lips could reach.  

And you, asking, begging, again, one more time, still, even when his lips crushed yours and cut off your words; the second you broke free, you were saying it again. Fuck me. And he was going to, was about to, was pushing himself to his knees and then it hit him.  

“Oh shit,” he breathed, sitting back on his heels with a sigh, hands braced on his knees to try to catch his breath.  

“What?” you asked, similarly panting. “ What?”  

“Condom?”  

“ Fuck!”  

He watched you twist, your legs trapped between his, to scramble at your bedside unit. He watched your hand search and come up empty, drag open the second drawer and repeat its motions.   

“Do you have one?” you asked, head turned away, struggling to get to the bottom drawer without moving off the bed completely.  

“Why would I have one?” Chan asked back in a squawk though he wasn’t sure why he suddenly felt self-conscious, defensive even.   

“I don’t know; don’t guys carry them in their wallets or something?”  

“You’re my friend ; wouldn’t it be weird if I came here with a condom?”  

You turned to look at him, then. Sat up, naked, still squared in with his knees either side of you. You looked at him. Blinked.  

“I don't know, dude, you tell me what the fuck we’re doing here, then.”  

And it came out harsh. Chan blanched. Because what were you doing? Were you really asking? Had this ruined it? Because he felt guilty that he didn’t have a condom in his wallet. Like he usually did. Always did, though he couldn’t really have said why. It was the same fucking condom he had in his old wallet that he transferred over to the new one. The same one that he looked at before coming here tonight. That he wouldn’t have thought twice about before—wouldn't have even remembered it were there. But it was you and something was different and something told him that he shouldn’t go to your place with a condom in his wallet as if he expected something. As if something could ever happen between you. It was presumptuous. It was arrogant. It was foolhardy.  

But nothing about the night had gone the way he had expected it to and now... That fucking condom. If only he had it.   

“Sorry, you’re rig-”   

Apologising on reflex, his chin dipping to his chest, because he’d only gone and fucked it up by overthink-  

Then your hand was on his face and your lips on his, your fingers sneaking into your hair.   

“It’s fine,” you murmured. “It’s fine.”  

And he didn’t know if it was, but you kept kissing him all the same, so he kept kissing you back. Was it fine if this was as far as it went tonight? His cock said one thing and his head said another. Maybe it was better this way, he thought. Maybe rushing headlong into sex would be a bad idea. Mayb-  

You pulled away.  

“I’ve got some,” you whispered, your urgency returning as you scrambled off the bed. “One sec.”  

Oh, thank god. He watched you walk away, the fingers of one hand encircling his hot, heavy shaft, unconsciously, automatically, unable to stop himself. Unable to stop his heart racing as he looked down and remembered your own fingers around him. The softness of your skin. The jolt of arousal when you had teased him, like you usually did but also nothing like that.  

You returned before he had time to think more and extracted one shiny packet from a box which you then let fall to the floor. There was something about you that was shy: lips a little pursed, eyes looking away. He knew you well enough to tell that much.   

“Forgot I had these,” you said quietly, still not looking at him as you knelt on the bed and made your way towards him. “Bought them earlier.”  

Chan’s shock made him laugh.  

“In anticipation of this...?”  

“No!” your denial was swift. “No, it wasn’t like that! I wasn’t planning anything! I just-”  

But he didn’t care. Was laughing because it was he all night who had been flustered by this. It was he who kept saying the wrong thing, wrongfooted all the time by the turn the night had taken. He enjoyed it being you. Enjoyed that the dynamic between the two of you didn’t have to be entirely different. You could still tease him. He could still tease you.  

“I didn’t plan this,” you said, performatively sullen, pouting.  

“But you want it, right?”  

You laughed and pushed him back towards the head of the bed, not bothering to answer with words. You made him sit, made him once again cede control of his cock to you; he let your fingers wrap around him, watched as you stroked him slowly, as your wrist twisted. His eyes fluttered closed for a second, just a second, and when he opened them again, you had the condom packet between your teeth, tearing it open with your free hand. It was boring, really—a mundane gesture—but his dick throbbed, a drop of precum leaking from the top as you spat the empty packet away from you.  

“You sure about this?” you asked, with the tip of his sheathed shaft at your entrance.  

He nodded eagerly, barely able to stop himself lifting his hips to push into you himself. Then he stopped nodding, flicked his eyes to you because why were you asking?   

“Aren’t you?” he replied, a swoop of doubt flying through his guts.  

You nodded back. “I’m sure.”  

A swoop of relief. “I’m sure.”  

And then he placed a hand on your hip and used his other to hold himself steady, so you could sink down on him, slowly, with a long moan stretching to the ceiling. And, truth be known, if he could have, he might have asked for a second, just a second, to get used to it. The feeling of you. All warm and wet and tight and your burning skin so soft, and your lips so sweet and your eyes dark and sparkling like the brightest night sky. And his heart hammering in his chest like time was running out; his blood boiling, reduced to a thick, sticky syrup that he told himself wasn’t love, not exactly, but wasn’t entirely not. Just a second to gather himself not just because you felt so good but because it was you .  

You didn’t give him a second. No sooner than you had lowered than you raised yourself up again; you set an impatient pace, urgent, running towards something at breakneck speed. Chan, too, then was running. Chan, too, was urgent in his kisses, in his praise, in the way your name caught at the back of his throat when he felt your walls squeeze around him.   

He wished he’d had longer to think about it. Because he hadn’t given himself the chance to imagine this, to get used to the idea of it, to think about how good you would feel, how sweet you would taste. He hadn’t had the opportunity to picture you in his head before you were right there in front of his very eyes. Real. More than real. A kind of hyperreal that made him able to smell the sound of you and hear your taste. He could feel every one of your gasps in his chest. He could moan out the taste of your skin. He could smell your hair and it would feel like satin.   

It would’ve been less overwhelming, he thought, if he’d given himself an imaginary dry run-through. He would be doing better if he’d had a second. If he got a second to get himself together, he’d be able to get over the shock of it. He’d be able to get a hold of his senses and-  

You slowed. Sank down on him, as deep as he could get, and took his face between your palms. Took his lips between yours then slipped your tongue between them. Rolled your hips and moaned into his mouth. It was the tiny bite of pain when your teeth sank into his bottom lip that brought him to his senses. Like the tug on his hair before, the little jolt was enough to bring him around and he pulled back, determined once more to make the most of this for you.   

“I wanna move,” he said, mumbling the words against your mouth in a final kiss before you slipped off him.   

The fact that you then knelt, waiting to be told where he wanted you, made his guts clench. He traced his fingers lightly over your face and then pushed at your shoulder, encouraging you onto your back. He slipped his hands beneath your ankles and lifted, your knees bending as your thighs reached your chest.  

“This ok?” he asked.  

You nodded, settling your ankles over his shoulders, then crossing them and using them to pull him towards you. He laughed, because it was just like you, to never let him get the last word, to never quite let him be in control. He laughed because he liked it, in this capacity even more than any other. In the seconds before he sank himself back into your hot, wet cunt, he imagined you testing him, pushing at that boundary because you could, because he’d let you, because he knew that you liked this as much as he did and if tussling for control was the game, he wanted to play. Even if he let you win.  

As he snapped his hips with his hands tight around your calves, as your walls spasmed and clenched around him, as his ears filled with the slick squelch of his cock in your heat, his head felt clearer. Still hyperreal but in a way that made sense. When he tasted the sound of his name on your tongue, it tasted right. When he smelt the brush of your soft skin against his like roses, he knew. All his anxiety about fucking it up, ruining your friendship, everything that he had been hiding from while he was gallivanting about the globe, it was pointless. It was wrong. It was useless noise in his brain. Because he’d always believed he wasn’t worth it, wasn’t worthy of you, wasn’t worthy of getting what he wanted. But there you were, beneath him, every bit what he wanted and more. Every bit his.  

*   

“You know there’s no going back now,” you said, lying on your bed, stretching your arms and legs long, still naked and glistening.   

“What do you mean?” he asked as he returned to join you, condom neatly disposed.  

You turned on your side to snuggle into him, pressed a firm kiss to his lips.  

“This,” you answered. “We’ve had sex now so you can’t turn around to me and say you actually just want to be friends.”  

He laughed. It was preposterous to him that you might think he would be the one to change his mind. “I don’t want to be your friend.” 

“Good.” Then you piped up again. “I never really liked you much anyway.”  

He chuckled, knew it was a joke; knew it because it was followed by a smile that was all syrup, that left a sticky sweetness on his mouth after you kissed him.  

“Fat chance I’ll believe that. Horse is out of the barn, mate; you just said it yourself: you can’t take this back.”  

“Fuck. I guess you’re stuck with me.”  

“I think I can live with that.”  

[renskaji]

a quiet place to land

ren kaji x hiragi!sister reader, wc: 3k, req? yes! find it here.

You know it’s a bad day when Ren Kaji shows up at your front door. 

It’s not like you don’t like him. You’ve known him since middle school, back when his hair was still dark and your friends warned you to stay away from that Kaji boy because his temper was unleashed and uncontrolled. You ignored them, stopped hanging around those who refused to see how hard Kaji tried to keep himself sane, and watched the changes happen in him from start to finish. 

It’s bad, because Ren Kaji is standing in front of you, and your brother won’t be home for hours.

“Toma isn’t here,” You say upon opening the door. He’s standing on your front stoop, hair a little disheveled and something that looks suspiciously like a fresh set of bruises littering the skin of his cheeks and jaw. Sure enough, one glance at his hands clenched in fists at his sides, you see the skin torn from a fight. 

It doesn’t scare you. You’ve been watching your brother get in fights since elementary school. What you are wary of is the fact that something went down, something bad enough to bring Kaji to your door, and Toma isn’t there to help fix it. 

“I’m not here for your brother.” Kaji’s voice is harsh, but that’s his normal. You twist your lips to the side, chewing on the inside of your cheek as you study him carefully. His headphones are resting around his neck and he has a lollipop sticking from his mouth, which is nothing of note. You’re more concerned about the way he’s clenching his jaw and how his gaze seems hidden, ducked to the side and refusing to meet your evaluative stare. It’s almost protected. Like he’s worried about you seeing what he’s feeling, despite the fact that he showed up at your house. 

And he’s not there for Toma.

You sigh, pushing open your front door wider and leaving him to enter on his own. He’s been over enough times to know the rules of the house, to know how to navigate himself to the living room. You’re suddenly way too conscious of the fact that you’re only wearing a random hoodie you quote unquote borrowed from Toma and athletic shorts you’ve had for far too long. 

Not that it should matter. Because under no circumstances can you entertain the idea of anything with Kaji. Nope. Absolutely not.

And it’s not like this is the first time he’s ever come over without intending to see your brother, either. There have been a handful of occasions, like the one you’re currently in, where something happened, where life got too loud, and Ren Kaji found himself on your doorstep wanting to see you. 

It’s really no wonder you fell in love with him along the way, honestly. 

“Sit,” You throw the order over your shoulder carelessly as you retreat further into the house than the living room, gesturing vaguely towards the couch as you go. Kaji follows your command without fuss, which is just another sign on the long list of red flags he’s already flown that something is wrong. Usually, he’ll grumble out a ‘don’t tell me what to do’ before complying regardless. But now he’s silent, and you’re struggling to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

The first aid kit is well stocked and kept within arms reach in your household. It takes less than a minute to collect it, but by the time you return to the living room, Kaji’s already retreated into the sanctuary of his headphones blaring rock music to drown out whatever was bothering him. 

You don’t think anything of it. You’ve known Kaji for years, and you’ve come to understand how to exist in the same space as him without overstepping. Which is why you know enough to grab your own headphones on your way back into the living room, and you busy yourself with connecting them while you settle atop the coffee table directly in front of Kaji’s position on the couch. It’s cramped, but you make it work with your knees slotted between his casually spread legs and a blush burning the tips of your ears. 

As soon as your own music starts playing, you set your phone to the side and look to your patient for the time being. He’s staring at you, but you know he’s not really seeing, so you nudge his foot with yours and stick out your hand, palm up and fingers splayed. With the music playing in both your ears, words are useless. 

Kaji knows to set his own hand in yours, because he’s been through the routine too many times, too. You’ve lost count of how many nights you patched up Toma and his gang, Kaji included. You’re pretty sure even Sako still knows the drill, and he hasn’t shown his face to you since junior high graduation. 

The alcohol wipe stings, but Kaji is already tensing his jaw so tight that he doesn’t show a visible wince. Regardless, you know it doesn’t feel good, so you make quick work of cleaning the torn skin on his knuckles. He watches you work carefully, obediently switching hands without you even needing to tell him to. 

The scratches on his face aren’t anything serious, either, so you finish disinfecting in a matter of moments and apply necessary bandages to smooth skin. He’s still watching you carefully, but you know he’s finally seeing, and the recognition that he’s coming back to himself makes you let loose the tension you had been unknowingly holding in your shoulders. 

Your mind inevitably drifts while doting on him, and you find yourself studying his face too closely for just simply looking for injuries. Especially when you’re looking at his lips more than his bruises. 

He’s still wearing his headphones when you finish packing up the first aid kit, so you know he needs more time until you can bother him about what happened. He’s not running off, which is an improvement from middle school, when he would tug his hoodie over the top of his head to block out the world. Now, he’s drowning out sound while scrolling through his phone on your couch. 

The thought makes your cheek twitch with a smile. You know better than to comment on his growth. 

Instead, you stand from your seat on the coffee table and return the first aid kit to its rightful home. When you make your way back to the living room, you choose a spot on the couch with a comfortable distance between yourself and Kaji. In place of badgering him, you pull out your own phone and begin to scroll. 

There’s no message from Toma about a big fight happening in town, which makes your face twist in silent confusion. Your brother has always been good about warning you about Bofurin’s actions in a bid to keep you away from the trouble. The lack of a text makes you glance at Kaji, trying to piece together how he could’ve gotten so injured without a noteworthy Furin fight having gone down.  

But the blond seated beside you offers no answers without you having to dig for them, so you fire off a message to Toma and shut down your phone, tucking it between your leg and the couch cushion. You twist in your seat until you’re leaning back against the arm rest, feet pulled up on the couch to give you something to wrap your arms around and rest your chin on. 

You study Kaji’s profile for as long as it takes for him to notice you’re waiting for him. Or maybe, for as long as it takes for him to work up the resolve to take off his headphones. He sets them on the coffee table, and you know that means he’s ready to talk. 

“Thanks,” He mumbles out to break the silence. You’ve never known Kaji to be an overly talkative person, so you take the opportunity he’s given you with both hands and ask the question that’s been bugging at you since he arrived. 

“So, who’d you fight this time?” You keep your voice light, non-accusatory. You’ve never loved all the fighting, but you know they’re doing it for a good cause. And you also know Kaji is too good of a guy to get in fights for no reason. 

“Dunno their names.”

Kaji shrugs, attention fixed on his abandoned headphones on the coffee table. Now you’re confused, because there’s something far worse than a regular fight wrong with him. He can handle scraps with random troublemakers on his own, without needing to see you. Something about this fight in particular is bothering him. 

“Kaji,” You try again, a bit more forcefully. He finally looks at you, but he’s just as quick to glance away. You frown, and shift further down the couch until you’re directly next to him, your sock clad feet only a few inches away from his leg. Part of you thinks you see the tips of his ears start to turn bright red, but part of you knows that would be ridiculous. “What happened?” 

There’s a telltale crack as Kaji’s jaw clenches over the lollipop he’s been savoring since before he arrived. His face is stony, completely giving away the fact that whatever did go down before he arrived at your door was bad. 

“I really don’t know their names. But they were wearing the uniforms from your school.” He explains, though it sounds like it’s taking a lot for him to get the words out. Like each one has the same feeling as poking at an unhealed bruise. Your face twists in confusion, but you stay quiet, hoping that encourages him to keep talking. “They had some stupid shit to say.” 

“About you?”

“About you.”

“Oh,” You’re not sure where to take the conversation from there. Toma has always told you that you’re too headstrong for your own good, which you never thought was a bad thing. You’re not oblivious to the fact that some of your classmates don’t like you, but you never thought that they would talk so poorly about you that Kaji would fight them. 

It makes a heavy weight settle in your chest, and you look away from Kaji with a frown anchoring the corners of your lips downwards. You wonder what they said, if the boys he’s talking about actually knew you. 

There’s a few unsavory thoughts running through your mind, but you’re abruptly dragged back to reality when Kaji nudges your shin. You know you’re still frowning when you glance at him, but it all melts away to surprise when you see what he’s offering you. 

It’s one of his lollipops. The peach kind, too, and distantly you think that he said one time that those were his favorite. It makes your throat tighten and your sinuses clog with emotion you really hadn’t expected to feel when you opened the door twenty minutes earlier. 

“Thanks,” You sigh as you take the candy. The shake to your voice is hard to ignore, but Kaji is good enough to not comment on it. You’d almost think he doesn’t notice the way your eyes are a bit shinier than usual, but the candy he’s offering is proof otherwise. “You didn’t have to do it, though.”

“Huh?” He’s turned fully towards you, now, and it’s hard not to burn up under the total weight of his attention. Most days, you’d love to revel in his focus, but now it feels too hot, too close to something you’ve never been brave enough to address. 

“You didn’t have to fight those boys just ‘cause I’m Toma’s sister,” You clarify, voice quiet and close to shattering. It’s the only reason you can think of that explains why Kaji would bother dealing with some random assholes. You busy yourself by popping the gifted lollipop in your mouth, savoring the taste of peach on your tongue, folding the wrapper into a neat triangle, then half it again. 

Under different circumstances, it would be almost amusing to watch him process what you’re saying. It’s almost like his brain stutters, then stalls, before needing to reboot and start over. You watch as flashes of confusion shine in his eyes, then disbelief, before finally settling on annoyance. 

“You stupid or something?” He asks, and you snap out of your self-pitying to glare at him, mouth already open to retort with your own insult by the time he barrels on. “I didn’t do it ‘cause of your brother. I did it because I like you, a lot, and those assholes don’t get to talk about you like that.”

You’re still a little pissed off at the stupid comment, so it takes you longer than it typically would to realize he just confessed to having feelings for you. 

In the stretch of silence you foolishly let build after his admission, Kaji groans and reaches for his headphones to hide from the world again. His blush is crawling up his neck, and all you can think about is how adorable you find it as you hand shoots out to grab his sleeve. 

His focus snapes to you the moment your touch finds his sleeve. He’s frozen, half leaning forward to grab his headphones off the coffee table. You’re convinced that one wrong move will send him flying out the front door and avoiding you forever. 

“You’re really shit at this kind of stuff.” You find yourself saying before you can think about it. It falls under the category of a wrong move that will send him flying out the front door, but you’re holding the sleeve of his sweatshirt so tightly he can’t go anywhere without dragging you with him. 

“Just forget it.” He grumbles, a glare he doesn’t mean fixed on something over your shoulder. You can’t help the way your grin finally breaks free, but he misses it by avoiding your gaze. 

“Now you’re the one being stupid.” You tease. “The guy I like just beat up bullies I didn't know I had and confessed his feelings for me. I’m not just going to forget it.” 

You’re leaning closer towards him now, hoping he’ll get the hint that you want him to kiss you. The lollipop is plucked from your mouth, held by the stick in your hand that isn’t currently bunched in the fabric of his sweatshirt. You think you’re inching closer towards your goal when you spot his gaze tracking the way your tongue darts out to wet your peach flavored lips. 

“Your brother—” He starts, but you’re quick to interrupt. 

“Now it’s finally about Toma.” You tease with a playful roll of your eyes. “My brother loves you. And he trusts you, too. He’s not going to be bothered by us.” 

Kaji’s ears burn impossibly brighter at the mention of an us, which makes you grin and lean even further into his space. This is so not the direction you thought your afternoon would go, but you’ll take it. 

He’s quiet for a moment longer, so you decide to give him another nudge, another tease that will hopefully push him over the edge towards action. 

“If you really want, we can call Toma and ask—”

You’re interrupted by his hand suddenly cradling your jaw, angling your face just right in the seconds before his lips crash against yours. It’s a little sloppy, a little inexperienced, but it makes your head feel dizzy all the same. You press towards him the moment you get your bearings, desperate to show him how much you care for him. 

It’s nearly embarrassing how breathless you are after the kiss ends. But Kaji’s panting too, so you know you’ll be alright. Your smile is a little dazed, but there’s no way for you to miss the determined look in his eyes. 

“I owe your brother so much, but it’s never about him for me. It’s always you.” There’s a weight to his confession that you’re not quite sure how to unpack. Kaji has idolized Toma for years. But to think that as deep as that devotion goes, Kaji’s commitment to you goes deeper—

You’re not sure what else to do but kiss him again. 

It’s shorter than the first kiss, but no less meaningful. You see the way he’s blushing under your touch, your attention, and you wonder how you went so long without drawing that reaction from him. He’s too adorable, and it makes you decide that you’ll do whatever it takes to keep him blushing, always. You’re smiling, and it’ll take a lot to keep you from doing so.

“We still have to tell my brother, you know.”

“Don’t remind me.”

+ bonus

“Have you heard from Kaji lately? Word is he got into a brawl in town and no one’s seen him since.”

Toma Hiragi groans at his vice captain, reaching into his jacket for both his phone and stomach medicine. It’s one thing for Kaji to get into a fight while on patrol, but it’s another to disappear after. 

He pops a gaskun-10 pill into his mouth while opening his phone. There’s no texts from his underclassman, but he has one from you, his younger sister. 

Kaji showed up at the house. I patched him up but he seems off. I’ll talk to him and figure it out. Oh, and get me that bread Ume was talking about before you come home. 

Toma huffs at your text before turning off his phone and shoving it back in his pocket. He doesn’t actually remember what bread Umemiya recommended to you, so he’ll have to ask and endure a ten minute lecture on bean sprouts. 

But you’re cleaning up Kaji for him, so it’s the least he can do. 

“Kaji’s fine.” Toma explains to the small crowd of Bofurin that had gathered while waiting to hear about their teammate’s whereabouts. “He’s with my sister. She’s taking care of him.”

And maybe you’ll put him out of his misery and finally admit you’re in love with each other.

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One Thirteen

NSFW

“You want to listen to it while we fuck?”

“Ah, no, honestly I’ve jerked off to that song so many times now I’ve Pavloved myself and I’ll come in three minutes and twenty four seconds exactly.”

Eddie laughs. He can’t help it, which is silly really, considering he has his hands down the back of Steve’s pants. He can’t stop laughing, face pressed against Steve's solid chest, shoulders shaking with laughter. Steve’s ass is meaty and solid in Eddie’s hands, and Steve just wraps his arms around Eddie and waits for him to get it out of his system.

Eddie thinks he’s done laughing, but when he finally looks up and sees how serious Steve’s face is, he cracks all over again. Steve’s laughing with him now though, finally losing it, his chest moving against Eddie’s cheek.

It finally tails off, Eddie sighing, letting himself relax into Steve’s arms. He gives Steve’s ass a little jiggle. It’s a good ass. He can feel Steve scenting at the top of his head, that’s followed by a very firm chin rub, right across the top of Eddie’s head, Steve’s throat rubbing across Eddie’s face.

If Steve was an Alpha, it would be a definite declaration. If Steve were an Alpha, Eddie might have even reflexively tried to stop it from happening. Steve’s not though, so it just leaves Eddie with his soft Beta scent in his nose, and a sense of loose calm spreading all the way to his fingertips.

It’s different, that scent. Completely sets itself apart from every experience Eddie’s ever had. There’s no cross over, nothing from sense memory to send him back anywhere unpleasant. Just a fresh start, right under his nose, literally and figuratively. It’s a sobering thought though, and it’s not anything they’ve ever spoken about before; suddenly it feels relevant, “I’ve been with a lot of people, you know that, right?”

“Can we not discuss it when you’ve got your hands down my pants?” Steve answers, but he’s smiling, light and unbothered.

“Actually, I feel like every single conversation we have from this point on should be conducted with my hands down your pants.”

Steve snorts a laugh, looking away for a second to gather himself, Eddie gives Steve’s ass a jiggle, and Steve sighs, but it’s mock put upon and Steve's still smiling, “I know you’ve been with a lot of people, but the past is the past...it doesn’t change anything now. We both have a past, and we’ve both done things we’re not proud of...but I don’t see why it should hurt either of us now. Not when we’ve both come so far, you know?”

“Yeah but...you’re not the one out of us that’s fucked, like, a thousand people. I’d understand if...that was a problem.”

Steve sniggers, “pretty sure you haven't fucked a thousand people...but. Since we’re talking about it,” Steve suddenly tilts his head, looking proud of himself, “you’re probably fondling the guy with the highest body count in his high school and college.”

Eddie can only shake his head fondly, “so you’re okay with it?”

“Yeah, I’m okay with it. It’ll be different because it’s us.”

“Pretty sure there’s a finite number of ways to fuck and I’ve already hit ‘em all, sorry.”

Steve huffs, “firstly, I didn’t mean that literally, and you know it...and secondly…” Steve leans forward, takes Eddie’s mouth slow, soft. Gentle touches of tongue until Eddie opens up and lets Steve in. Steve pulls back, leaving soft, pecking kisses on Eddie’s lips, he uses the waist of Eddie’s pants to pull Eddie closer, both of them hard and pressing together. He whispers against Eddie’s mouth, “so you’ve had someone hold your hand and look into your eyes the whole time while they fuck you deep and slow?”

Steve follows it with a harsh, dirty grind, pressing them together. Eddie makes a breathy noise that he will deny for the rest of his life, “no?” he finally manages, weak and whispery. No ones fucked Eddie, not ever. It’s probably the one thing he’s never done.

“It’ll be different then, won’t it?” Steve whispers.

“Jesus,” Eddie looks away. Can’t possibly keep looking at Steve or he might explode or something. He chooses to scent Steve instead, chooses to try and retake a little control by letting his Alpha out for a minute, being a little territorial. He rubs his scent thoroughly across Steve’s neck and shoulder. Steve just takes it, letting Eddie work it out of his system before he settles into Steve’s hold again. Just, standing there, holding one another.

“I kind of imagined this differently,” Eddie admits quietly. They’re rocking together now, no music, just swaying slowly in each others arms in the middle of the room.

“Yeah?”

“Uh hu...I, uhm, imagined making it really special.” When Steve wasn’t in the picture, Eddie just liked to imagine simple things. Liked to comfort himself with sad but easy imaginings of Steve kissing him goodnight. Now, since they’ve been together, Eddie’s been imagining much more explicit scenarios very regularly. It doesn’t help that Steve has made them ‘take it slow’ and Eddie could die of blue balls at literally any moment.

Steve grins down at him, “so eating our weight in snacks at Gareth’s isn’t your idea of romancing me? Honestly I’m glad, I was at least expecting dinner-”

Eddie huffs at him. They’ve had a nice day. Steve clicked with the guys straight away, and Eddie can’t really express how glad he is that they all get on. Eddie was pretty sure they would; the guys are easy going and Steve is...well, Steve about everything.

But still, even though Eddie got teased pretty relentlessly, he’s calling today a win. The guys knew who Steve was, kind of. Even with Eddie’s recovery going strong, they knew something was up. Something other than the whole dealing with alcoholism and drug addiction and figuring out how to move on with his life despite all of that. The guys still knew.

They knew Eddie was pining. And Eddie didn’t know really, how to explain that he’d kind of fallen in love with some guy he spent less than two weeks with. Some guy who, actually, was a total professional through the whole thing and just...shouldn’t have attracted that kind of attention.

Completely Eddie’s fault that he caught feelings.

A guy who had to distance himself from Eddie because of Eddie���s own stupid choices. And, if Eddie’s being honest, for Eddie’s own good.

Gareth and Jeff seemed to get it though, when Eddie explained. Even though Steve was a guy, and Steve was a Beta, Steve was still just...Steve. And Chrissy still didn’t seem to believe that Eddie’s feelings were really real, not for a while, at least. But months later, when Eddie was still missing Steve and ended up, one really, really fucking tough and lonely night, writing Boy Scout...she seemed to get it after that.

They all got it, once they heard Eddie sing it, playing his acoustic for the recording. Eddie had struggled through tears for the recording, made his voice sound even more rough, harsh and undeniably brimming with emotion. That's the recording that made it to the album though. That's the one they used.

They all knew then, how Eddie felt. And if record sales are anything to go by, a truly considerable number of people also know how Eddie feels about Steve. Even if they don’t know who Steve is.

Eddie’s going to do his best to keep it that way; but they know they can’t keep it a secret forever.

These things have a way of coming out.

He didn’t need the guys spending all day teasing him for mooning over Steve, though. Steve had absently linked their fingers together at one point. Steve had been mid conversation, and Eddie happened to be standing next to him..and Steve just, took his hand. Like a totally normal, affectionate boyfriend would. Eddie hadn’t known what to do with himself, not really, he’s still getting used to being treated this way, and for it to happen in front of the guys...well, Eddie’s sure he’d been blushing like a virgin.

And then Steve had lifted their joined hands, and pressed a soft kiss Eddie’s knuckles.

Again, no thought to it whatsoever, just easy affection. The guys had all clocked it, staring at them. Eddie’s pretty sure he’d gone red as a tomato, but, thankfully, despite all the knowing looks they’d thrown his way, the guys had been merciful and not said anything.

Probably because they all seemed to like Steve so much.

“No...when I was daydreaming about this I wanted to whisk you away to Italy.”

Steve goes still, holding Eddie tight but leaning back, a hand in Eddie’s hair pulling Eddie around to look at him, “tell me about it.”

Eddie immediately pulls free and goes back to hiding, resting on Steve’s shoulder now, “you know, usual daydream stuff. Private jet. Roses. Strawberries and champagne, that kind of thing. Well, not the champagne but you get the idea. Rent a villa for a week, somewhere really nice. Take you to see all the places you want. Naturally I’d let you do all the talking, and I’d be incredibly impressed.”

“Well I do my best for the green owl...and I am absolutely terrible at taking my PTO, and the gym is pretty kind with it’s time off, I’ve probably got loads.”

Eddie pulls back, “wait...you’d let me take you?”

Steve smiles, kissing Eddie’s nose, “just this once. I’m not waiting until we’re in Europe to have sex though, just to be clear.”

It’s not really the done thing, when there’s a Beta in the mix, and it’s selfish to ask. Steve isn’t built the same as Alpha and Omega, when Steve bites Eddie, Eddie’s going to feel mated. He’s going to feel good; he’s going to be so flooded with endorphins he’s probably going to have one of the best orgasms of his life.

All Steve is going to feel is pain.

But Eddie is selfish, and he can’t resist, and so when the need suddenly rises up inside him, he asks anyway, leaning back in so his nose is practically pressed to Steve’s barely there scent gland, “you going to bite me, one day? Let me...bite you?”

“Only if you let me put a ring on it.”

Eddie doesn’t even need to think, “deal.”

“I want to get married outside,” Steve tells him, bending down and dislodging Eddie’s hands, hooking him under the thighs and lifting.

Eddie is an Alpha, he should not get off on being manhandled. He finds himself getting off on being manhandled, since it’s Steve, “that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

Steve walks them over to the bed, throwing Eddie bodily into the middle somewhere, Eddie bouncing a little on the mattress, “late spring? Early summer?”

“Just as long as it’s not too hot, I don’t mind. Whatever you want.”

“Robin will be my best man,” Steve says, pulling his shirt off over his head.

Eddie stares at Steve’s bare chest, “I don’t want to talk abut your best friend right this second, funnily enough,” but Steve’s grinning, stripping off, then crawling nude up the bed, grabbing Eddie’s pants and boxers and peeling everything off in one smooth move.

Eddie pulls his shirt off, and then he’s naked. And Steve’s naked, kneeling at the bottom of the bed. And...they’re staring at each other. Steve is like...a golden fucking Adonis. He’s toned in the way you only really get when you have an active job. His chest is hairy, his skin is golden, and he’s got more moles than Eddie could have predicted but Eddie wants to find and take note of every single one of them.

Eddie’s still a little on the skinny side, he’s pale and his muscle is ropy rather than strong like Steve but...he doesn’t look ill any more. Doesn’t look sickly like he did at his lowest point.

Steve seems to like what he sees, if his cock standing to attention is anything to go by.

“Lube? Condoms?”

“Yeah,” Eddie points vaguely at the bedside table.

Steve crawls over there, rummaging, and Eddie felt like he was aiming too high when he bought supplies. Kind of felt like he was tempting fate, that the moment they got delivered Eddie would somehow be immediately punished for wanting this.

Steve grins when he sees what’s in the drawer, pulling out both boxes. They’re both brand new and sealed, and Steve peels the cellophane off both, one box of Alpha condoms, one box of regular. “You want to try?” Steve asks, holding up the regular kind.

“We could.” Eddie’s thought about it a fair bit, since the very first time Steve mentioned it, and he figures if there’s one person he’d be willing to try this with, it’s Steve.

“We don’t have to, we don’t ever have to.”

“Do you like it?”

“I...do. But I could live without it,” Steve answers honestly, or at least, Eddie hopes it’s honest. He’s got no idea how this will go. But it’s best they give it a try...Eddie can’t imagine that Steve is the kind of guy who would end a relationship over it...but he doesn’t really want to risk Steve becoming unsatisfied because Eddie won’t ever let him top. It feels like a small sacrifice to make.

“Then lets try, I’m about as far from my rut as I can be, my cycle’s leveled out...so it’s probably the best time to try for the first time.”

Steve nods, crawling back over, leaving a single condom and the lube next to them, “you should probably be on top though, for this first one, just in case.”

“Okay,” Eddie might be familiar enough now with Steve and his scent that he’s fine with being pinned by him sometimes, but being pinned with a dick in him? Eddie has no idea how his Alpha will react.

“Plus I’m not up to much for a little while once I’ve taken a knot, so if you want round two later then I’d better go first.”

Eddie wants to focus on the ‘round two’ part of the statement, because honestly, that sounds awesome. What actually happens is Eddie’s instincts become concerned with Steve taking someone else’s knot, and he rumbles out a little warning growl instead.

Steve settles next to him, all beautiful and naked and unbroken lines of muscled perfection, and he’s grinning, “what was that?”

“Apparently I don’t like the idea of you taking someone else's knot.”

“Ooooh, possessive huh? That’s nice. Well, don’t worry, it was a long time ago when I was young and dumb and willing to do anything to get what I wanted.”

Well that...that is a lot. Another small part of Steve’s past that Eddie didn’t expect. They don’t talk about their past much, neither of them do, and Eddie doesn't know about Steve’s motivations for that but...he just hasn’t felt the need to volunteer anything. It’s done now. That’s not who he is any more, not really.

“Hey,” Steve thumbs away Eddie’s frown, “don’t do that, it’s fine. I was still enjoying myself, even if I wish I could go back and give myself a talking to. Nothing bad happened to me Eddie, not like that.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” Steve smiles, “good,” and then he leans in for a kiss.

They have made out a lot over the last few weeks. Like, a lot a lot. Like horny teenagers with their first beau kind of a lot. But...this is the same but different. Still soft, still nice, still...a little bitey sometimes. But still Steve. Except now Eddie can roll Steve onto his back and slide a sweeping hand across Steve’s stomach and over a naked hip and thigh. The head of Steve's cock brushes Eddie’s forearm as he does it, leaving a hint of stickiness there.

“You want me to open you up?”

“Yeah,” Eddie answers, “never...you know.”

“I know,” but Steve's grinning like he’s won something. “Come on.”

Steve rearranges them both, sitting himself up a little on a comfy pile of Eddie’s collected bedding, pulling Eddie after him to straddle his thighs. Eddie goes where Steve sits him, watching avidly as Steve cracks the seal on the new lube and pumping a fair amount out onto his fingers. He rubs his fingers together, spreading it a little, before he seems to be satisfied and slips his hand down between Eddie’s thighs.

Steve’s fingers are warm enough, and slick, but still the first touch makes Eddie yip and lean away reflexively, gripping at Steve’s shoulders, “sorry. Ready this time.”

“Just tell me anytime you want to stop, okay?”

“I ain’t a quitter,” Eddie replies confidently.

Steve raises an eyebrow, and then Eddie realizes what he just said. It’s not funny, it isn’t, but they both laugh anyway. “Okay,” Steve goes in again, and this time, knowing what to expect, Eddie lets him touch softly, rubbing at Eddie asshole for a second before pressing in with one finger. Which goes pretty easily, actually. It goes all the way in, right until Steve’s hand is pressing against Eddie’s body, “okay?”

“Yeah, yeah that’s good,” doesn’t feel like much, just a weird wet little intrusion. The second finger should just feel like twice as much, but it definitely doesn’t. Eddie is suddenly very, very aware that he has Steve's fingers in his ass, and he breathes out slowly.

“Still good?”

“Yeah, yeah I think so,” Eddie’s found himself staring at Steve’s chest hair, but Steve’s angling his head down, seeking eye contact. Eddie makes himself give it, he didn’t realize just how hard he’d been concentrating.

“Kiss me then?”

Eddie does. He has to keep hold of Steve's shoulders and lean down, but he does, kissing Steve slow while Steve gently fucks him on two fingers. The palm of Steve’s hand is pressing up tight behind Eddie’s balls, and it feels so good that when Steve pulls his fingers out, Eddie whines a little and tries to chase it.

He has to watch while Steve pumps more lube onto his fingers, and Eddie knows three fingers is coming. He braces a little, but there’s no need. The pressure is slow and even, and Steve’s used enough lube that there's no sting, just a little burn as things stretch to accommodate Steve.

Feels good, even, and Eddie’s panting a little into Steve's mouth when he goes back for more kisses. Steve eventually speaks against Eddie’s mouth, “put the condom on me?” he asks quietly, slowly and carefully pulling his fingers free of Eddie’s body.

“Yeah,” Eddie knows what it can be like opening one of these things with slippy fingers, so he’s happy to do it for Steve, holding his cock upright with one hand as he carefully rests the condom on the exposed head of Steve’s cock, like a little hat. Eddie deftly squeezes the air out of the end before sliding his hand down, unrolling the condom with it.

Steve’s pumping more lube onto his fingers while Eddie works, and without either of them needing to speak, Eddie keeps hold of Steve’s cock, keeping it upright so that Steve can slick himself up.

It’s suddenly very real, what they’re about to do, now that Steve isn’t distracting Eddie with his hungry kisses. Eddie’s scent must signal something, because Steve’s eyes flick up to Eddie even as he’s still working slick over his cock. It’s a little obscene to watch, really.

Maybe Steve will jerk off sometime for Eddie. Put on a show.

“Come here baby,” Steve guides Eddie’s face to rest in the crook of his neck, where the scent is strongest. It’s soothing; relaxing. Comfort. It has changed a little; subtle. Eddie probably wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been scenting Steve a lot for weeks now but...this must be what horny Steve scents like. A little brighter, something in the organic parts that give it a little zing, almost citrussy but too subtle to really identify as anything. It’s just...a little sharp. A little fresh.

Still nothing at all like an Alpha or an Omega. Totally different, new, fresh, safe.

Eddie’s gone a little soft through this, kind of sporting a half chub now, but Steve’s scent helps, the wet head leaving a sticky trail on Steve’s skin. The drag feels good.

Eddie takes a greedy lungful as Steve notches the head of his cock at Eddie’s hole. He stills then, nothing happening for long enough that Eddie’s gearing up to say anything, but then he realizes; Steve’s waiting on Eddie. Eddie has the control here, Steve’s giving Eddie the power.

Eddie just has to take the first step. It’s up to Eddie to choose to act. It’s so quintessentially Steve...Eddie gives a gentle nip to the side of Steve’s neck, and then sinks down just enough that the head of Steve’s cock pops inside him.

It feels...big. Like, it’s a lot. Eddie has to wait, just after that, to let himself acclimatize a little bit, “Jesus,” he breathes out low, “did your cock get ten times bigger while I wasn’t looking?”

Steve snorts, “you just got a tight little hole baby, that’s all.”

“Yeah because it ain’t designed for this,” Eddie replies grumpily.

Steve bites his lips together, holding in a laugh, but he doesn’t say anything. Probably the smart move, and Eddie shifts a little, Steve keeps rubbing comfortingly along Eddie’s thighs as Eddie lets himself sink down a little.

He’s not going to say how big Steve is again, he’s not. There’ll be no living with the smug fucker if he says it again.

Eddie breathes out slow, it’s a terrible moment to be reminded of all the stupid yoga breathing Steve’s been doing with him, but, hell, if it works it works. Steve’s cock feels like a fucking tree branch by the time Eddie is seated in Steve’s lap, and he’s dragging Steve’s scent across his tongue like his life depends on it but...he’s done it.

He lets himself have a moment to settle, Steve’s hands roving across Eddie’s back now, “you good?”

“Yeah. Yeah, just a couple of minutes.”

Steve kisses Eddie’s hair, and waits. It feels like it’s in Eddie’s lungs, and Eddie is...still kind of skeptical about this. But...he’s tried a lot of shit, and this isn’t any different. Plus he kind of loves Steve, so he’s going to give this a fair try.

The knowledge that Eddie’s never going to have sex with another person, all being well, ever again, prickles along Eddie’s skin. One final deep breath of Steve’s scent, and a tiny, possessive rumble on the exhale, and Eddie lifts himself up. Steve’s hands move with Eddie, sliding down to cup his ass. Not holding, not guiding, just following the movement.

Eddie slides down again and...oh. There’s a little zing of something, where Steve must have brushed against his prostate. Eddie lifts again, sitting up now so he can watch Steve’s face. He suddenly regrets hiding in the crook of Steve’s neck, because Steve looks wrecked. Eyes are totally blown, lips red and shiny like he’s been biting at them, mouth open a little, skin flushed and the hint of a prickle of sweat at his hair line.

Well if that isn’t going to encourage Eddie, nothing’s gonna’.

He sits down again sharply, and Steve can’t hold it in any more, he moans, eye’s sliding shut and then popping open again, like he doesn’t want to miss the show. And, well, if there’s one thing Eddie knows, it’s how to put on a show.

He shifts again, more confident now, tucking his shins closer to Steve’s thighs so he can move more comfortably, he rests one hand at the back of Steve’s neck, leaning in for the kiss and he lifts himself back up. There’s that zing again, that little pop of pleasure that has Eddie huffing a noise into Steve’s mouth.

Eddie’s rhythm is probably pretty slow, and he’s maybe working the end two thirds of Steve’s dick, but it’s just the right place to touch on his prostate on every pass. It’s just the right amount of slippy drag on his hole. The condom is smooth, but Eddie finds himself wanting it gone, he pulls back a tiny bit, watches as Steve licks his lips, Steve’s fingers tightening briefly on Eddie’s hips, “we're going to loose the condoms at some point, right?”

“Yup. Yeah. Lets do that. Get tested.”

Eddie hasn’t been with anyone since he was at the center, he hasn’t been with anyone since he was last tested for everything. But he doesn’t know about Steve, and quite frankly, he doesn’t want to ask if Steve’s been with anyone in that time.

It’s not his business, and it feels like the answers going to hurt either way. Eddie puts it out of his mind.

Eddie just crashes his mouth back against Steve’s instead. Steve’s fingers slip to Eddie’s dick; he’s grown hard again at some point, probably those little touches of pleasure he’s been feeling. Steve’s fingers go straight for the base, following the rise and fall of Eddie’s body easily, he massages at the sensitive skin Eddie’s knot will pop from, Steve’s sure fingers encouraging it.

Eddie might be exercising more, but the burn in his thighs is getting pretty real. He doesn’t stop though, taking panting breaths against Steve’s mouth since he doesn’t have the air for real kisses any more. The pleasure helps, gives him something to work for, the feeling of being full of Steve, that little wave of pleasure every time Eddie moves, Steve’s two fingers and thumb, gripping Eddie tight now at the base of his dick, pulsing pressure there right on Eddie’s growing knot.

Eddie looks down; the head of his cock is red, leaking precome all over Steve’s skin. Another fat drop pools in his slit for a second, before a squeeze from Steve’s fingers has his cock twitching and it slides off the end to splat on Steve’s stomach.

“I’m gonna’ come,” Eddie breathes, Steve just makes a noise in answer, and then keeps making it, huffing little noises of pleasure. His head is thrown back, long line of his throat completely exposed to Eddie as Eddie rides his pulsing cock. It’s different, there’s no intense wash of scent with a beta orgasm, no splash of slick or knot to go on. Just Steve, huffing through his orgasm.

Eddie’s knot pops in the tight band of Steve’s fingers and Eddie bites softly at Steve’s shoulder, because god he fucking needs something in his mouth. Needs the feel of Steve between his teeth, and it takes all of his control to keep it light.

Well, it might bruise a little.

Eddie’s orgasm is a pulsing, live thing, his body squeezing and clutching at Steve’s cock desperately. Steve hasn’t even touched the head of his dick, just keeps firm pressure on Eddie’s knot until the final, weak spurts of come drip off the head of his dick.

Eddie sighs, lapping at Steve’s shoulder, relaxing a little.

And then Steve squeezes. Eddie cries out, mouthful of Steve’s flesh, body clenching so hard it pushes Steve’s now softening cock out of his body, making him whine and wriggle on nothing. Another thick spurt of come splatters Steve’s already messy stomach, and Eddie’s left a panting mess in Steve's lap.

“Jesus,” he finally croaks out, body still twitching with the aftershocks of his orgasm, his cock resting in it’s own mess against Steve. It must be a little awkward, but Steve still hasn’t let up the even pressure on his knot, and Eddie settles into the feeling of connection, Steve’s salty sweat addictive on his tongue.

The nice thing about this having sex and being a couple and all that good stuff, is that now Steve is in the bath with Eddie while he washes his hair. Eddie’s glad he went for the silly sized bath really, Steve can comfortably sit behind him, Eddie cradled between Steve’s thick thighs.

Once he’s all washed and rinsed, he lies back, both of them spread out, Steve’s soft cock pressing against the small of Eddie’s back, “how did you know?”

Steve makes an inquiring noise. He sounds sleepy, and Eddie almost feels bad for disturbing him, but it feels important.

“How did you decide I was ready now?”

Steve yawns, “told you, I saw the interview.”

Eddie turns in the water, repositioning so he’s laid out on top of Steve, facing each other. Can’t really resist giving their cocks a little rub together while he’s there, making Steve huff, “yeah, but what about the interview?”

“Oh. Oh, you were helping people. That was...it was kind of the last conclusion I came to, when I was...you know, recovering. I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to stay okay if I didn’t...have purpose. If I didn’t do something that felt important. Helping people was...it got me through everything, at the end. Kept me...once I started helping, I knew I’d never go back. Not ever. I knew you’d released the album, and what it was for...obviously I bought a copy, so I was...thinking about it a lot then. Listened to the album a bunch of times...and then I saw you talking about it...and I just knew. I knew it would be okay if I tried.”

“What if I hadn’t called?”

Steve shrugs, “then you didn’t. I’d have...been sad about it, you know but...we’ve got to do the best thing for ourselves, and I had to trust you to know what that was. So I would have taken your answer, no matter what that was,” Steve kisses Eddie’s forehead, “I was just happy for you.”

Eddie nods. Pressing his cheek against the damp hair of Steve’s chest, Eddie rests.

[terraswallows]

Diary of an Awkward trans-girl : Day 16 - A Friend Like No Other.

You know how you sometimes have that one friend—the one who's just always there, no matter what? For me, that friend is Francis.

He's a cis white dude, and honestly? I can say without hesitation he’s had my back more fiercely and more consistently than almost anyone else.

For some context: Francis was the very first person I came out to when I began my transition.

He looked me dead in the eyes and asked—serious as anything—if this was truly what I wanted. If it was something I needed. And when I told him yes, he didn’t hesitate. He just nodded, calm and steady, pulled me into the biggest bear hug, and said, "If you ever back out, I’m gonna bitchslap you... then hug you all over again."

Because that's what real support looks like—someone who's ready to fight for you and hold you when you need it most.

He didn’t just support me—he showed up for me. He drove me to my first endocrinologist appointment, refused to let me pay for gas or breakfast, and even celebrated with me afterward. And because he had experience working in the medical field, he helped me navigate a system I was absolutely lost in—guiding me to where I needed to go for bloodwork, for meetings, for everything. I would’ve been a terrified little lost sheep without him.

When I told him the name I wanted to go by, he just smiled, asked for my pronouns, and promised that whatever changed, he'd be there—no hesitation. From that day on, he has never called me anything but my name. Not once. Even better, he corrects people when they slip up, without making a scene but making it very clear. He's fought for my name and my identity in rooms I wasn’t even in.

Beyond that, he’s just… Francis. He buys me little drinks and snacks for no reason other than vibes. He hands me Magic: The Gathering cards just because he knows they’ll make me smile. He gives me lifts home when things are tight without even blinking. He talks to me. Confides in me. Listens when I need to scream or cry or just exist.

Today was no different—but also, it kind of was.

He’d seen my posts online about how rough things had been lately. So he showed up at my work, unannounced, just to hang out and keep me company, casually doing his usual thing—buying me little drinks, joking, handing me random nerdy treasures because that’s just who he is.

Later, as he was driving me home, he glanced over and said, "Hey Terra, what meds do you still need this month? I noticed you’ve been stressing about money." I tried to brush it off, tried to tell him it was fine. But he pressed, gentle but firm: "Okay, what’s the important one? What do you need to top up next?"

I told him it was my blockers. He just nodded and said, "Done. Don’t even stress about it. I’ll buy your blockers this month, no questions. You need them. Consider it your birthday present from me, since your birthday’s next month anyway and I suck at gifts."

I tried to protest. He cut me off, voice soft but steady: "Terra, you need this. This is your life. And if it helps you get where you need to be, even a little bit faster, then it’s not even a question. I got you, girl. Always."

I cried a little when I got home, not gonna lie.

I guess I just needed to say it somewhere: I’m so fucking lucky to have someone like Francis in my life. Someone who doesn’t just say they support me, but proves it, over and over again. Someone who sees me—the real me—and never flinches.

I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend like that. But, am I grateful. More than I could ever put into words.

[sirxaibs]

⋆˚✿˖° ❝𝗜𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗱❞ ⋆˚✿˖°

YOU ARE A COUGAR

────୨ৎ────

Geto Suguru X Reader

Gojo Satoru X Reader

────୨ৎ────

₍^. .^₎⟆ Synopsis: In a world of curses and power struggles take center stage, you’ve always kept to the simple aspects of life. Focussing on your studies, your friendships and life in the dorms. Though everything changes when Geto challenges Gojo that he can’t win your heart and what happens when Geto realizes that Gojo needs to lose.

MASTERLIST

has it been a while since I updated this series? since getting back to canada from the philippines, being a responsible adult and working all the time means i only had time to post my little one shots. BUT I HAVE A FEW CHAPTERS ALREADY WRITTEN IM TRYING

₍^. .^₎⟆ The four of you stood in front of Principal Yaga’s desk, waiting for what was clearly going to be a Very Important Mission. Shoko looked like she was three seconds from falling asleep. Geto had his arms crossed, already preparing himself for whatever was about to come. You just stood there, waiting patiently. Gojo, on the other hand, was leaning back, hands in his pockets, already looking bored. “When was the last time we had a mission with all 4 of us? He knows if im here it doesn’t really matter ”

Yaga exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple like he was already losing braincells with having you all here. Then, with a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and spoke. “Your next assignment is training with the second and first years.”

“…That’s it?” you asked.

“That’s it,” Yaga confirmed.

Gojo blinked, then recoiled like he had just been physically assaulted by the information. “Training with the kids?!”

“Yes,” Yaga said, voice flat.

Gojo turned to Geto, grabbing his shoulders. “We’ve been set up.”

Geto sighed. “It does feel that way.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Gojo turned back to Yaga, waving his hands. “Why do we have to do this? We’re third years! Why are we suddenly getting stuck with mentor duty?”

Yaga crossed his arms. “Because you four have more experience, and they could benefit from learning from you.”

Shoko yawned. “Sounds fake, but okay.”

You tilted your head. “Wait… who exactly are we training with?”

“Nanami Kento and Haibara Yu.” Gojo groaned so loudly it echoed. “NOOOO?!”

“You wouldn’t know them,” Geto said looking towards you. “You’re always running off to other countries.”

Gojo threw his hands up. “Exactly! So why are we getting stuck with this?”

“Wouldnt that be a better reason? For Y/n to know more of the sorcerers?” Yaga deadpanned.

You crossed your arms. “I mean, how bad could it be?”

Gojo turned to you so fast it was a miracle he didn’t give himself whiplash. “How bad could it be?!” He grabbed your shoulders, shaking you lightly. “You don’t understand! You weren’t here when we had to deal with Mei Mei treating us like free labor! You weren’t here when Utahime existed in front of us for five hours straight! We’ve been through too much!”

You blinked. “…It’s literally just training and we are the one that are in charge.”

“That’s what they want you to think!” Gojo hissed.

Yaga sighed, rubbing his temple. “Go now. Before I make you babysit panda.”

Geto grimaced. “Ugh. Let’s just get this over with.”

Gojo whined all the way out the door. “This is so unfair.”

Shoko started leaning on gojo and muttered, “We’re already suffering.”

You just shrugged. “Still don’t get what the big deal is.”

Gojo pointed at you, eyes wide. “You will.”

As the four of you walked away from Yaga’s office, Gojo was still pouting, muttering to himself. “This is so unfair,” he repeated, dramatically flicking his hair out of his eyes as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “Honestly, how much can we possibly do with those second and first years?” Geto mumbled, clearly irritated but not as loud about it as Gojo.

You shrugged. “I still don’t see the big deal. We’ve all trained as underclassmen before.”

“It’s different when it’s you four!” Gojo whined, flailing his arms. “Do you know how many people would kill for a mission this week? And what do we get? Babysitting wit our other option ALSO being babysitting!”

Shoko, still unfazed,. “We’re not actually babysitting. You’re just dramatic.”

Gojo threw up his hands. “I’ll show you dramatic when I’m stuck with them! You know how I work, I need to be doing something, not sitting around listening to people talk about how to punch a curse!”

You rolled your eyes at him but couldn’t help but smile. You were used to Gojo’s over the top complaints. Then, suddenly, Gojo stopped in his tracks and looked at you with wide eyes. “Wait.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What?”

He grinned mischievously, like a lightbulb had gone off in his head. “You!”

“…Me?” you asked, confused.

“Yes, you!” Gojo pointed at you, nearly poking your nose in the process. “You’ve got that magical power of yours, your insane ability to always be on missions! Maybe you can finally get us something good while we’re stuck playing teacher’s pet with the underclassmen!”

You blinked. “You do know I don’t have magical powers, right? Also gojo… do you have something wrong in the head? we’re literally walking there”

“Sure you do! It’s like the luck of the draw or something! You’re always out of the loop when it comes to stuff like this because you’re always on a mission or off somewhere else! That’s your power! You’re the best at missing things!” completely ignoring what you said.

“I don’t miss things on purpose…”

He ignored you completely, grabbing your arm. “You have to get a mission! I’m begging you. Please. Do whatever you have to do. I can’t be stuck with Nanami and Haibara for an entire week!”

You couldn’t stop yourself from laughing at how frantic he was. “You’re really asking me to use my ‘powers’ to help you skip out of training with our underclassmen?”

“Yes!” Gojo practically fell to his knees in front of you, hands clasped together like he was praying. “Please, put me in your bag! Take me with you! I’ll do anything! I’ll even”

“No,” you interrupted, laughing harder. “I’m not dragging you around in a bag just to escape training. It’s not going to happen.”

Gojo groaned and flopped on the ground dramatically. “This is the worst.”

Geto rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m stuck with you two.”

Shoko just shook her head, exhaling smoke. “At least we can relax while they’re busy with the first years. You’ll be fine.”

Gojo lay on the floor with his arms splayed out. “I’ll never be fine again.”

₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆

The girls’ locker room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the overhead lights. You had just finished changing into your towel when it hit you you forgot your gym clothes.

“Seriously?!” you groaned, facepalming in frustration.

You quickly scanned the locker room, hoping to find something, anything, that could help. No luck. All your clothes were neatly folded in your bag, but… no workout gear. Shaking your head, you cursed under your breath. “Great. Just great. I’m going to look like a total mess today.”

But then, you remembered: Gojo. You knew the men’s locker room was just down the hall, and Gojo always kept a spare set of clothes for emergencies like this. Sure, you weren’t supposed to be in the men’s locker room, but he was your best friend. You’d shared stuff since you were kids, this was nothing new. Without hesitation, you marched over to the door to the men’s locker room. You knocked loudly, pounding your fist on the wood like your life depended on it. “Gojo!” you yelled, voice echoing through the hallway. “Gojo! You in there? I need your spare workout clothes!”

You waited a beat. Nothing. You knocked harder, this time adding a few choice words for emphasis. “Gojo! Are you seriously going to leave me stranded here? Come on, I’m not asking for much! Just some spare clothes!”

Still no response. You leaned your forehead against the door, muttering to yourself. “He better not be napping in there or I swear”

BANG! You gave the door one last solid knock, pushing all your frustration into it. “GOJO!!!”

Finally, the door creaked open just enough to reveal a disheveled Gojo, still half dressed in his gym gear, “What?!” he groaned, clearly not thrilled with the interruption.

“Don’t give me that look!” you shot back. “I need your spare clothes. You’re the only one who comes prepared for this kind of stuff.”

Gojo sighed dramatically and ran a hand through his hair. “you crazy lady why am I the prepared one,” he grumbled, pulling a pair of athletic shorts and a plain shirt from his bag. “If it were anyone else, I’d say no. You’ve got some nerve showing up at my door like this.”

You smiled at him sweetly. “You do this for me.”

“Don’t get cocky.” Gojo handed over the clothes with an exaggerated flourish. “Here. Don’t mess them up, okay?”

You raised an eyebrow. “I’m not the one who would be messing up your stuff.”

Gojo leaned against the doorframe, looking far too pleased with himself. “Just remember, I’m a generous guy. And you owe me one now.”

“Oh, please,” you muttered, taking the clothes from him. “Like I’d ever forget you gave me your old stuff.”

Gojo grinned smugly, hands on his hips. “Exactly. You’ll remember this every time you put them on. Now go change and don’t take forever. We’ve got training to do.”

Rolling your eyes, you turned and made your way back to the girls’ locker room, a sense of relief washing over you as you got ready to train. You didn’t even mind that Gojo always seemed to find a way to be both annoying and helpful at the same time. It was just so him.

Though on the Inside the men’s locker room during your knocking crusade, the usual pre training bustle was happening. Gojo and Geto were leaning against lockers, talking about a really annoying bug called utahime. Haibara was rummaging through his bag, searching for his gym shoes, while Nanami stood at the mirror looking at himself.

Gojo, as always, was the first to notice anything out of the ordinary. He smirked and leaned back, eyes hidden behind his blindfold. “You hear that?” he asked, half smiling.

“Knocking?” Geto murmured, looking up from his phone with a raised eyebrow. He wasn’t nearly as fazed by the interruption as Gojo, but he was intrigued nonetheless.

Haibara, hearing the louder than usual knocking, looked over his shoulder. “Is someone outside? Should we check?”

Gojo tilted his head, pretending to consider it before giving a dismissive wave. “Nah, it’s probably nothing. Maybe some cursed spirit knocked on the wrong door. If it were a real emergency, they’d just barge in, right?” Geto rolled his eyes but didn’t look away from his phone. “If someone’s knocking on that door this loudly, it’s definitely not just a mistake.”

The knocking grew more persistent, and then a familiar voice echoed through the room, sending a shiver of realization through everyone. “Gojo! Are you in there? I need your spare workout clothes!”

There was a moment of stunned silence. “Wait a second ” Gojo’s smile widened, a mischievous glint flashing behind his blindfold. “That voice…”

“She’s seriously knocking on the men’s locker room?” Haibara asked, blinking in confusion. He knew you well enough from your shared missions but never thought he’d be hearing you demand clothes from Gojo in such an… unusual way.

“It’s just her,” Gojo said, still grinning. “give me a moment”

Nanami, who had been silently adjusting his uniform, frowned. “hmmm.” He glanced between Haibara and Geto. “Should we do something about it?”

Geto just shrugged, clearly more used to Gojo’s antics by now. “Nah. She’s been doing this kind of thing for years. She and Gojo have no boundaries.”

Haibara snickered under his breath. “I didn’t realize that was a thing…”

Gojo let out a loud sigh as the knocking continued, growing more desperate now. “Gojo!!! I need your spare clothes!”

Haibara couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. “Does this happen often?”

Geto raised an eyebrow, his face a picture of nonchalance. “More times than you’d think.”

Nanami sighed, crossing his arms. “She really knows how to make an entrance.”

Gojo, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying himself. “This is gonna be great,” he said, turning to Geto. “You know she’s going to make a scene when she comes in.”

“Yeah, I’m sure we’ll hear all about it during training,” Geto replied dryly, finally setting his phone aside and preparing to grab his gear. “We’ll just pretend we didn’t hear her until she comes storming in here to yell at you, huh?”

Haibara, still laughing, looked between the others. “I feel like I’m missing something here. Why does she keep coming to you?”

“Because,” Gojo said, crossing his arms and grinning widely, “we’ve been best friends forever, and she knows I’ve always got her back. And extra clothes, apparently.”

“Of course, you do,” Geto muttered, knowing full well how often Gojo would come to the rescue with something random, like extra gym clothes.

As the knock echoed one last time, Gojo walked over to the door, his grin widening. “I’ll be right back, boys. Gotta go save the day again.”

With that, Gojo opened the door just enough to pass the clothes through. On the other side, you stood there, looking far too confident, hands on your hips.

“Finally,” you said, clearly relieved.

The guys inside the locker room shared a look. Haibara raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the casual intimacy you and Gojo shared, while Nanami just rolled his eyes, still more focused on his gear.

Gojo handed you the clothes with a flourish, his grin teasing. “There you go. All set, bestie.”

Haibara couldn’t help but laugh, glancing at Nanami. “I think I get it now. It’s like a lifelong partnership or something.”

“Ugh, don’t even start with me,” Nanami muttered, clearly unimpressed by the antics. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand them.”

Gojo, still grinning, turned back to face them. “You’ll get used to it. We’re just that special.”

You strolled in, looking like you were swimming in Gojo’s oversized clothes. The bright white shirt, two sizes too large, hung loosely around your frame, and the athletic shorts were practically falling off, held up only by the drawstring. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up, but still, they almost reached your elbows, and the whole ensemble looked like it could swallow you whole. You had clearly taken Gojo’s extra clothes without a second thought.

The silence lingered for a moment before Geto was the first to break it, raising an eyebrow. “Did you really have to wear that?” he asked, unable to suppress a smirk.

You grinned at him, completely unfazed by the attention. “What? It’s not like I had any other option. Gojo said it’s his ‘emergency backup’ set. his stuff is basically my stuff so it doesnt matter now” You tugged at the fabric, making it bunch up around your waist in a way that could only be described as absurd.

Haibara blinked, completely taken aback by the sight. “Whoa. I didn’t know Gojo’s clothes were that… big.” He stifled a laugh, clearly impressed with your choice of fashions.

Shoko snorted from her spot on the sideline, rolling her eyes as she leaned back. “You look ridiculous.” Her voice was lazy, but you could tell she was trying not to laugh. “But Gojo’s clothes being your option is so stupid, you could’ve just come get me”

“Shut up,” you said, still grinning. “It’s too late now… I’m rolling with it. Besides, Gojo’s just mad because I look better in his clothes than he does.”

“Hey, I’m right here!” Gojo called out from the corner, where he had been stretching. He had a huge grin plastered on his face, though, clearly entertained by the sight of you swaying around in his oversized gear. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not a part of this!”

You turned to face him, hands on your hips, still unapologetically drowning in his clothes. “Well, if you didn’t have such giant clothes lying around, I wouldn’t have to make do with your fancy leftovers.”

Shoko chuckled, her gaze sliding from you to Gojo. “The best part is that he doesn’t mind you wearing his stuff at all. Can you imagine if anyone else tried it? Gojo would probably lose it.”

Gojo just shrugged, a playful smirk on his face as he approached you. “I’m a generous guy. Plus, I have to make sure my best friend is always prepared, right?” He placed a hand on your shoulder, the sleeve of his shirt hanging off his arm in a dramatic way, almost like he was trying to own the moment.

Geto, clearly amused, raised his hands. “Alright, alright, no need to show off. We get it, Gojo. You’re a walking charity case for your best friend.”

“Exactly!” Gojo said, his grin turning teasing. “I’m just too kind for my own good.”

You shot him a playful look. “And I’m way too cute for my own good.”

Haibara laughed, his energy returning as he clapped his hands together.

You rolled your eyes, but the smile never left your face. “Okay, okay. I’m done here.” You threw a quick wink at Gojo before turning toward the training mats. “Let’s get to it before Gojo finds any more of his ‘emergency backups’ for me to wear.”

As you walked toward the center of the training ground, you could hear Gojo calling out to you. “I’m serious! You do look better in them!”

Geto, shaking his head with an amused smile, looked at Shoko. “I think we’re going to be hearing about this for a while.”

“Yeah,” Shoko replied with a lazy grin. “I’ll bet five yen that Gojo’s gonna ask for his clothes back before the day ends.”

“only 5?”

You could hear Gojo’s dramatic sigh from across the field. “I can’t believe you don’t think I look amazing in those clothes,” he shouted, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

It was definitely going to be a long day. Your gaze shifted to the two unfamiliar faces standing across from you Nanami and Haibara. It was clear they were second and first years, respectively, though they carried themselves with maturity and confidence.

Gojo, as always, was casually leaning against a nearby post, grinning like a Cheshire cat. He’d somehow convinced you to show up in his clothes, and now he was basking in the aftermath of his “success.”

“You’re all probably wondering who the new guys are,” Gojo said, interrupting the silence as he gestured lazily toward Nanami and Haibara. “Well, let me introduce you. This is Nanami Kento, secondyear extraordinaire. And this is Haibara, my fun loving first year protege.”

You turned to face them fully, giving them both a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you both! I’m Y/n” You started,

Nanami gave a polite, composed nod. “I’ve heard of you. It’s an honor to work with someone as experienced as you.” His tone was calm and respectful, and you appreciated the sincerity in his voice.

Haibara, on the other hand, gave a bright grin and waved a bit awkwardly, clearly the more approachable of the two. “I’m Haibara! It’s awesome to meet you! I’ve heard all kinds of stories about your missions!” He seemed excited to be working with someone more seasoned.

You chuckled, brushing your hair back with one hand. “Stories, huh? Well, I wouldn’t say I’m that special more like I’m just always on the move for missions.”

You took a step closer to Nanami and Haibara, giving them both an appraising look. “But I’ve got to say, you two are way nicer than Gojo made you sound,” you added with a smirk, casting a sideeye at your best friend who was still standing off to the side, acting like he owned the whole training field.

Gojo made an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest. “Ouch, that hurts! I’m so nice, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” He grinned wide, clearly trying to downplay the jab.

Haibara laughed softly at the exchange, clearly amused by the dynamic between you and Gojo. “Yeah, he makes everything sound way more dramatic than it needs to be,” he said, giving Gojo a playful look. “I mean, come on nice is an understatement when it comes to you.”

You nodded in agreement, crossing your arms with a smirk. “Exactly. Look at this guy,” you said, gesturing to Gojo. “He acts like he’s the only one who can be ‘fun,’ but honestly, I think you two are way easier to talk to.” You directed the compliment toward Nanami and Haibara.

Nanami gave a small, almost imperceptible smile, his usual stoic demeanor softening just a little. “I suppose we have our own way of approaching things. We prefer to focus on the task at hand.”

“Yeah,” Haibara chimed in enthusiastically, “but we’re still here to have fun! I think I’ll like working with you.”

You raised an eyebrow, impressed by their reactions. “I think I might too,” you said. “You’re both way less dramatic than Gojo it’s refreshing.”

Gojo, ever the dramatic one, threw his arms in the air. “Why does everyone gang up on me? I’m such a good person!” His voice was full of mock offense, though it was clear he was enjoying the attention.

“Maybe we’ll see how good you are once we start training,” you teased, turning back to Nanami and Haibara. “But seriously, it’s nice to meet you two. I’ve been out of the loop with missions, so I don’t get to interact with many of the underclassmen.”

“We’ll make sure you don’t regret it,” Haibara said with a wink. “And hey, maybe you’ll teach me a few things?”

You chuckled. “I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from you two as well. Though, I warn you, Gojo’s the one with all the dramatic stories, not me.”

Gojo crossed his arms, feigning a pout. “Hey, I’m allowed to be dramatic! It’s part of my charm!”

You rolled your eyes at his antics, earning a small laugh from Haibara and even a slight smile from Nanami.

“Well,” you continued, turning back to Nanami and Haibara, “looks like we’ve got a good team. No drama just pure talent.”

Geto, who had been quiet for most of the exchange, looked between you and Gojo before smirking. “You know,” he said, “if you keep defending Gojo like that, you’re going to make him insufferable.”

Gojo immediately grinned and winked at you. “See? They get me.”

You just shook your head. “I’ll stick with you guys, as long as Gojo doesn’t start talking too much.”

Gojo gasped. “I’ll take that as a compliment, but I’m not sure if you’re actually joking!”

Laughing, you turned to Nanami and Haibara. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. But, seriously, it’s great to finally meet you both in person.”

It was clear that Gojo and Geto were in their usual mood mischievous, but with a hint of cruelty. You had seen this before, especially when they started ganging up on someone, and you could tell that Nanami was in for it. He was a bit too serious for their liking, and you both knew how much they enjoyed poking fun at anyone who didn’t quite fit their mold.

Gojo was the first to break the silence, his grin wide and devilish. He took a slow step toward Nanami, sizing him up with an exaggerated scrutinizing gaze. “So, Nanami, you really think you can handle this, huh? I hope you’ve been training hard, ’cause I don’t go easy on anyone.” He clicked his tongue and raised an eyebrow, feigning disappointment. “I mean, I guess you’re okay for a secondyear, but we both know you can barely keep up with me.”

Nanami, who had been standing calmly with his arms crossed, gave Gojo a cool stare. “I’m not worried,” he replied, his tone neutral but firm. He wasn’t one to back down easily, and that only seemed to fuel Gojo’s amusement further.

Geto leaned in from the side with a knowing smirk, folding his arms across his chest. “You know, Gojo, Nanami might be too uptight for this field. His whole ‘serious’ vibe isn’t exactly the best for fighting. I mean, I can already see you wiping the floor with him, but maybe we should make this fun.” His eyes flickered with mischief, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was provoking Nanami.

You could already tell they were about to turn this into something personal. Gojo and Geto had a way of driving people insane with their teasing, pushing buttons until it was almost unbearable.

Gojo snickered, tilting his head to the side. “I gotta admit, though, Nanami, it’s pretty cute that you think you can hang with us.” He looked over to you, his grin widening. “Don’t you think so, Y/n? You’ve seen this before. Nanami’s so stiff. I mean, if I wanted someone to train in perfect posture, he’s the guy, but in a fight? Not so much.” He made an exaggerated motion with his arms to show how rigid Nanami seemed.

Geto let out a low laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe we should give him a proper warmup before he gets embarrassed in front of everyone.” His eyes glinted with something darker, something that said he wasn’t going to stop unless someone intervened.

You stepped forward, raising your hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, knock it off. You two are really pushing it today. You know Nanami can hold his own.” You threw a protective arm around Nanami’s shoulders, trying to shield him from the escalating teasing.

But Gojo wasn’t having it. “Come on, Y/n. You really think he can handle me?” His voice was loud and dramatic, clearly trying to get a rise out of both you and Nanami. “You know, you are a secondyear, Nanami, but you’ve got a lot to learn. A lot.”

He moved closer, standing right in front of Nanami now. “Maybe you should take notes. I mean, look at me. I’m basically the perfect fighter. And you” Gojo poked Nanami’s chest in mock sympathy, “you’re just… well, Nanami. Not quite as impressive, huh?”

Geto chimed in, his tone more biting now. “Yeah, Nanami, maybe you should just stand to the side and watch. It’ll be safer for you, trust me.” He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “We wouldn’t want you to get too bruised up by the time this is over.”

Nanami’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. You could tell the teasing was getting under his skin, even if he was trying to hold it together.

You stepped in front of Nanami, this time making sure to get in Gojo and Geto’s faces. “Enough,” you said, your voice firm. “You’re crossing a line.” You were trying to keep things light, but it was becoming obvious that they were being needlessly cruel now.

Gojo clicked his tongue, clearly not used to anyone standing up to him like this. “What’s the matter, Y/n? He’s a secondyear; this is just how we help people grow. You know that, right?” His eyes sparkled with his usual playful glint, but there was an edge to it now.

Geto smirked, pushing his hair back with one hand. “Yeah, we wouldn’t want Nanami to get soft, would we? It’s for his own good, really.”

You felt your irritation building. “You’re not ‘helping’ him. You’re just being assholes.” You turned to Nanami, giving him a small nod of support. “Don’t let them get to you. They like to joke around, but they’ll cross the line if no one stops them.”

Nanami let out a deep breath, seemingly unfazed. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.” But his clenched jaw told you it wasn’t that fine. You could see he was about to snap, and that was exactly what Gojo and Geto wanted to see just how much they could get under his skin.

Before anything else could escalate, you moved in closer, putting a hand on Gojo’s shoulder and giving him a playful but firm shove. “Cut it out, Gojo. You’re not funny anymore. And Geto” You shot a glare at him, “You’re no better.”

Gojo sighed dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine, we’ll be nice. I guess we can’t have any fun around here, huh?” He shot Nanami a wink, his teasing not quite done but pulled back just enough.

“You know, Y/n,” Geto drawled as he leaned back, “You really are soft when it comes to your friends. I didn’t realize you were such a defender.”

You glared at both of them, turning back to Nanami with a more gentle smile. “Ignore them, Nanami. You’re way better than they give you credit for.”

Nanami gave you a halfsmile, clearly grateful for the support. “Thanks. And I can handle them. I’ve seen worse than these two.”

You nodded, but you knew that Gojo and Geto had left their mark, and that meant you’d have to step in even more if they kept going down this path. But for now, it was over at least until they decided to start again.

“Alright, enough talk,” Gojo finally said with a teasing grin. “Let’s get to training. Nanami, I’ll go easy on you maybe.”

“Maybe?” You said, a hint of sarcasm in your tone. “Go easy on him? That’s rich, coming from you.” You looked at Nanami. “He’s full of it, you know.”

Shoko, still lounging around lazily on the sidelines, yelled out, “You’re all too dramatic. Just spar already!”

With the pressure momentarily off Nanami, everyone shuffled into place to start the sparring. The air had a lighter tone, though you knew Gojo and Geto wouldn’t let up entirely. But at least for now, Nanami had you backing him up, and that was enough to keep them in check. you decided it was safer (and more productive) to spar with Shoko.

Lazy as she was, she was no slouch when it came to combat. The moment you threw a strike, she blocked it effortlessly, twisting her body with a smoothness that made it clear she wasn’t just relying on her reversed cursed technique to stay relevant. You had to admit, for someone who complained about effort, she sure knew how to handle herself.

“Damn, Shoko,” you whistled as she sidestepped another attack. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you actually like training.”

She rolled her eyes, exhaling through her nose. “I don’t. But I also don’t like getting my ribs shattered on missions, so here we are.”

You laughed, stepping back before lunging at her again. “That’s a good point. But, you know” You grinned, pivoting midswing to test her reflexes. She blocked it easily, her movements as fluid as ever. “We don’t have to be those doomed yuri tropes.”

Shoko blinked at you, unimpressed, before immediately twisting your arm behind your back and shoving you forward.

“Ah Shoko, please, my pride”

“You’re the one who started flirting midspar,” she deadpanned, finally releasing you with a lazy shove.

Rubbing your wrist dramatically, you turned to her with a smirk. “Can you blame me? You’re cool, capable”

She sighed, shaking her head. “Don’t start. You already have too many love interests.”

You paused, tilting your head. “What?”

Shoko waved a hand vaguely, as if dismissing the entire concept. “In another universe, maybe you’d actually focus on me and the female gender instead of collecting admirers like a shonen protagonist.”

You narrowed your eyes at her. “…What?”

“Nothing.” She yawned, stretching her arms above her head before shooting you a side glance. “Just saying, if you ever wake up one day and decide men are too exhausting, I’m available.”

Your grin widened. “Noted.”

Before the conversation could go any further, a loud thud interrupted you Gojo had just sent Nanami sprawling across the ground, laughing like a maniac. You both sighed in unison.

“…Do we help him?” you asked.

Shoko rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Let’s give him a minute. Maybe he’ll start fighting back and finally shut Gojo up.”

Unlikely, but it was a nice thought.

₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆After parting ways with Nanami and Haibara, the four of you walked back toward the school. It was unusually quiet too quiet. Normally, Gojo would be running his mouth, filling the air with nonsense, but instead, he just sulked beside you, arms crossed, sunglasses slightly crooked like he was deep in thought over something profoundly lifealtering. Whatever. You stretched, feeling the soreness from sparring with Shoko settling into your muscles. “Man…” you sighed. “Nanami has a really attractive face.”

Dead silence.

“COUGAR!” Gojo practically shrieked, spinning toward you with such force that his sunglasses nearly flew off his face. Geto stopped walking altogether, staring at you like you had just committed the ultimate betrayal. Shoko, who had been lazily walking beside you, hummed in amusement but said nothing, clearly just waiting to see where this went.

You blinked. “What?”

“A COUGAR!” Gojo repeated, pointing at you like you were some sort of criminal. “You’re a whole thirdyear and you’re out here checking out a secondyear?! This is a scandal! A DISGRACE! I’m gonna have to tell Yaga that you’re out here preying on underclassmen”

“Oh my god, shut up,” you groaned, shoving his face away. “He’s, like, one year younger than us. I just said he has a nice face. That’s an objective fact.”

“No, no, no,” Gojo shook his head wildly, grabbing Geto’s shoulders for support like he was about to collapse from shock. “Suguru, are you hearing this? Is this real? Is this real life?”

Geto, who had been staring at you like he was still trying to process what you had said, exhaled heavily. “Yeah, I gotta admit, I didn’t think you were capable of acknowledging anyone was attractive.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Gojo pointed aggressively. “All these years, and Y/n’s never once said anything about me… uh, us! And suddenly, Nanami’s stupid, serious face is worth talking about?”

“His emo blonde hair is kinda nice,” you added, just to get under their skin.

Gojo let out a fullbody gasp, stumbling backward like you had physically struck him. “THE AUDACITY!”

Geto crossed his arms, now fully invested in slandering you. “You’re really out here thirsting over underclassmen, huh? That’s crazy.”

“I didn’t say I was thirsting, I said he has a nice face,” you defended.

“Oh, no, no, no” Gojo wagged a finger at you, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. “You can’t take it back now. You said it. Out loud. With your mouth. In front of witnesses.”

“Witnesses?” you repeated, deadpan.

“Yes. Three witnesses, in fact,” Geto added, smirking.

“And Y/n, be honest with us,” Gojo said, stepping uncomfortably close. “Was it just his face? Or was it also that cold, brooding, businessmaninthemaking energy? You like ‘em serious, don’t you?”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, please, I’ve known you my whole life, and you’re the exact opposite of serious.”

“Exactly!” Gojo threw his arms up. “Yet somehow, Nanami is getting all the love?! I’m beautiful!”

“Yeah, and I’m charming,” Geto added, flicking his hair back. “Yet somehow, you’ve never once looked at us and said anything like that. And then along comes little Nanami Kento with his serious face and his ‘I hate working overtime’ attitude, and suddenly, you’re interested?”

“You two are being so dramatic right now,” you groaned.

“We’re heartbroken, Y/n,” Geto sighed. “Absolutely devastated.”

“Tragic, even,” Gojo agreed.

“Completely betrayed.”

“Oh my god,” you muttered, rubbing your temples. “For the last time, I just said he was attractive. That’s literally it. Do you two want me to start commenting on how nice your faces are? Would that make you feel better?”

Gojo and Geto immediately stopped talking. They exchanged glances. Looked at you. Then at each other again. And in unison

“…Maybe.”

You groaned. “Unbelievable.”

Shoko, who had been silently observing the mess unfold, finally leaned over, her voice barely above a whisper. “Y/n, you’re getting so many love interests.”

You shot her a look. “Don’t start.”

She smirked, lighting a cigarette. “I’m just saying. Another universe, maybe you go for me instead. it’ll make tour life easier”

Gojo made another strangled noise, and Geto clutched his chest dramatically like he was about to faint. You, fully regretting everything, walked ahead. This was never going to end.

₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆₍^. .^₎⟆

Gojo’s room was honestly not too horrible today. Clothes were thrown over his desk chair, an empty cup of instant ramen sat on the floor, and at least three pairs of sunglasses were scattered in random places. The sheer mess of it was something you had long since stopped questioning. You sat crosslegged on his bed, phone in hand, lazily scrolling as you replied to a text. Gojo, on the other hand, was lying upside down on the floor, feet propped up against the wall, a lollipop in his mouth as he tossed a ball up and down.

It was peaceful.

“Who are you texting?”

You barely glanced up. “Nanami.” The sound of the ball hitting the floor was immediate.

“WHAT.” Before you could react, Gojo launched himself onto the bed, nearly knocking the phone out of your hands.

“HEY!” you yelped, holding your phone out of reach.

“You’re texting Nanami?!” Gojo shrieked, eyes wide with betrayal.

“Yes?” You raised a brow. “Why are you acting like I committed a war crime?”

Gojo dramatically flopped onto the bed beside you. “Oh my god, Y/n. When did this happen? When did you two become texting buddies?!”

“Literally today.”

“AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO CONSULT ME?” He rolled onto his stomach, staring at you like you’d personally destroyed his worldview. “What could you possibly have to text Nanami about?”

“Books,” you replied simply.

Gojo stared at you for a long moment. “Books,” he repeated.

“Yes.” “That’s it?” “Yeah.”

He groaned, flopping facedown into the mattress. “You’re so boring.”

“You asked.”

Gojo turned his head dramatically. “Wait. Wait. Hold on.” His sunglasses had slipped down his nose, blue eyes squinting at you. “Are you… flirting?”

You blinked. “I just said we’re talking about books.” “But are you flirttexting about books?”

You stared at him. “What does that even mean?”

“You know, like ‘Oh Nanami, I simply adore the way you analyze classic literature~’” Gojo put on a terrible impression of you, complete with dramatic hand gestures.

You smacked his arm. “Shut up.”

“Oh my god.” Gojo sat up, eyes wide. “You like him. You think he’s hot.”

“I literally already said he has an attractive face,” you deadpanned.

“But that was in the moment!” Gojo gestured wildly. “Now you’re thinking about him. Texting him. This is a whole new level!”

You rolled your eyes, shoving your phone in your pocket. “You’re so dramatic.”

Gojo grabbed his chest like you’d just stabbed him. “I just never thought I’d see the day,” he gasped. “My best friend, my precious best friend, betraying me like this.”

“Oh my god, get a grip.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” He collapsed backward onto the bed. “Go on, text your boyfriend. I’ll just sit here. Alone. Forgotten.”

You stared down at him before shoving a pillow over his face. Gojo immediately started flailing. “HELP! I’M BEING ATTACKED BY A TRAITOR!”

You groaned, shoving him off the bed. “If I knew texting Nanami would get this reaction, I would’ve done it sooner.”

Gojo, lying facedown on the floor, groaned. “I hate you.”

You pulled your phone out again “Nanami’s way more pleasant than you, anyway.”

Gojo screeched. This was never going to end. Gojo groaned dramatically from the floor, limbs sprawled like he’d just been hit by a truck. “I cannot believe this. My best friend, my one and only, has been stolen from me by a second year emo.”

You rolled your eyes, scrolling through your phone. “calm down big guy.”

Gojo peeked up at you, then, with zero warning, launched himself back onto the bed, flopping down beside you. The mattress bounced under his weight, and he made no effort to respect personal space, lying close enough that his shoulder pressed into yours. “I’m being serious,” he whined, dramatically resting his head on your shoulder. “What does Nanami have that I don’t?”

“Selfrestraint,” you said without missing a beat. Gojo gasped. “Excuse me?” He lifted his head to squint at you, affronted. “I have so much selfrestraint.”

“You just threw yourself onto me because I texted someone.”

“Okay, but that’s different,” he huffed, rolling onto his side to face you. “You never text people first.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh yeah?” He raised an eyebrow. “Name one person.”

“…Shoko.”

“Shoko doesn’t count. She texts you first.”

“…Geto?”

Gojo scoffed. “You text him, like, twice a week.”

“That’s still texting someone.”

He groaned, rolling onto his back and dramatically covering his face. “Ugh, whatever. I just think it’s suspicious that the first person you suddenly feel like texting is Nanami.”

“You’re just mad I called him attractive.”

“Because you never call people attractive!” He flailed a hand in the air. “You refuse to acknowledge anyone���s hotness! Then suddenly, you meet Nanami, and it’s all ‘Oh, what a nice face he has~’”

“I don’t sound like that.”

“That’s exactly how you sound.”

You let out a sigh, tilting your head toward him. “Okay, would it make you feel better if I said you were attractive?” Gojo immediately sat up, looking down at you with an unreadable expression.

You blinked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just processing,” he said flatly.

“…Processing what?”

“That was the first time you’ve ever complimented my looks.”

You frowned. “That’s not true.”

“It is true,” he deadpanned. “I compliment you all the time. I tell you you’re pretty, I hype you up”

“And you sound insufferable every time,” you cut in.

“and I get nothing in return,” he continued as if you hadn’t spoken.

“Meanwhile, Nanami shows up for one training session, and suddenly you’re swooning.”

You groaned, rubbing your temple. “I am not swooning.”

Gojo flopped back down beside you, still pouting. “If you start dating Nanami, I’m gonna die.”

You snorted. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah. Just drop dead on the spot.” He sighed dramatically. “My fragile heart won’t be able to take it.”

Rolling your eyes, you turned your attention back to your phone. “You’re ridiculous.”

Gojo tilted his head toward you, watching as you lazily scrolled through your messages. He didn’t say anything for a moment, but then, in a much quieter voice, he said

“…You really think I’m attractive?”

You sideeyed him, unimpressed. “Don’t push it.” He grinned, his usual dramatic energy returning in an instant. “Oh, I’m pushing it. Say it again. Tell me how handsome I am.”

“No.” “Say it.” “Gojo ” “Saaay iiiit.”

You grabbed a pillow and smacked him in the face. Gojo laughed, grabbing his own pillow and swinging back. And just like that, the teasing shifted into fullon mess, the two of you whacking each other like children, the earlier conversation long forgotten.

Gojo had you in a headlock. Not a real one more like a loose, ridiculous mess of tangled limbs and pillows as the aftermath of your impromptu pillow fight. His sunglasses were long gone, lost somewhere in the depths of his disaster of a room, and his snowwhite hair was a mess, sticking up at odd angles.

You huffed, lying sprawled out beside him, out of breath from all the laughter. Your head rested against his shoulder, and neither of you had the energy to move. The room was quiet now, save for the occasional sound of Gojo shifting beside you. Then, after a long pause, he murmured, “You know… you never answered me.”

You cracked one eye open. “Answered what?”

“If you think I’m attractive,” he said, voice teasing, but there was something else beneath it. Something more serious.

You closed your eyes again. This was a trap. If you said no, he’d call you a liar. If you said yes, you’d never hear the end of it.…But also. You weren’t a liar. So, with an exhale, you muttered, “Yeah.”

Gojo stiffened. You felt it immediately the slight tensing of his arm beneath you, the way his breathing hitched just a little. Then, because you weren’t about to deal with the consequences of that admission, you immediately went limp against him.

“…Y/n.” You didn’t move. Gojo poked your cheek. “You’re not asleep.” No response. Another poke. “You literally just talked.” Nothing. Gojo groaned, shifting so he could look down at you. “You’re the worst.”

Still, you remained perfectly still, face neutral, pretending to be deep in sleep. For a moment, he said nothing. Just stared at you, his arm still around your shoulder, your body still leaning against him. You weren’t sure what he was thinking, but you could feel the intensity of his gaze, the rare stillness in his presence.

Then, in a voice much softer than before, he said “Go out with me.”

Silence. Your heart did not just skip a beat. That was just… a bodily malfunction.

Gojo nudged your side. “I know you’re faking.” Nothing. “You’re such a coward,” he muttered, though there was no real bite to it. Just amusement. Maybe a little fondness.

He sighed, letting his head fall back against the pillow. Then, instead of pushing you away, he tightened his arm around you, pulling you closer.

“You’re gonna have to answer me eventually,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

You didn’t move. Didn’t react. Didn’t let your face betray anything. But you felt everything. Gojo didn’t let go.

The soft sound of Gojo’s steady breathing filled the room as you slowly woke up, the weight of his arm still draped across your shoulders, pulling you in close. The sunlight had shifted, casting a warm glow through the blinds. You blinked a few times, your mind foggy as you tried to get your bearings. You were lying against Gojo’s chest, his body relaxed, his head resting on the pillow. The way he had wrapped himself around you in his sleep made it feel like he had no intention of letting go anytime soon. His presence usually so present and overwhelming was now replaced by the calm of someone who’d finally let himself rest. You let out a quiet sigh, shifting slightly but careful not to disturb him. His breathing didn’t change, and you realized he was sound asleep. Your thoughts wandered, and before you could stop yourself, the words slipped out.

“…I’m not stupid.” You spoke softly, not intending to wake him up. It was more of a mumble to yourself. But as you muttered those words, something inside you shifted, like a weight that had been hanging in the back of your mind finally settling into place.

“I see it now,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “Both of you.”

You let your eyes wander over to Gojo’s peaceful face, watching the way his features softened in sleep. Then, your thoughts turned to Geto. They were always together. The way they acted so close, so constantly wrapped up in each other’s orbit. Too close. It was almost like a competition for your attention, only you hadn’t realized it until now. It wasn’t until they both started acting so ridiculously possessive that the pieces finally clicked together.

You chuckled bitterly, shifting again and trying to untangle yourself from Gojo’s arm without waking him.

“Honestly… how did I not see it sooner?” You muttered to yourself, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “They’re both so obvious about it.”

Gojo shifted a bit in his sleep, his arm tightening slightly around you as if in response to your movements. You stilled, eyes wide for a moment, but then you relaxed, biting your lip.

“You know, it’s honestly kind of embarrassing,” you continued, still not fully processing how much you were revealing to yourself out loud. “Both of them… acting like they’re fighting for my attention. Like I’m some sort of prize.”

You laughed under your breath. “But I’m not stupid. I can see what they’re doing.”

The realization was so simple and yet so unexpected. Gojo’s flirty teasing, his relentless need for validation, and Geto’s cool demeanor that had a little too much weight behind it when it came to you it all clicked. They weren’t just being weird. They were being deliberate. You looked at Gojo again, his face serene in sleep, the playful, arrogant grin from earlier now replaced by a quiet, almost vulnerable expression. He was the same as always, but in a way, he wasn’t. You realized you couldn’t quite figure out what was going on with him, and it made your heart race just a little faster than you wanted to admit. With a sigh, you mumbled to yourself again, though the words felt heavier this time.

“I should be annoyed. I should be, right?”

You let the silence hang for a moment. But you weren’t. Instead, a quiet warmth spread through you, making you feel both frustrated and comforted at the same time. Gojo had always been the one to keep things a mess. But with the way he held you now his fingers loosely tangled in your hair, his breathing soft against your skin it almost felt… intimate.

You knew you couldn’t let yourself fall into the trap of his teasing, not this time. You had to be rational. But then again, you couldn’t ignore it either. You found yourself slowly letting your eyes slip closed again, not yet ready to face the mess of thoughts swirling inside your head. You barely realized you were drifting back into sleep until you felt Gojo’s hand gently rub circles on your back, as if he’d woken up without you noticing.

“…You’re not stupid,” he murmured sleepily, his voice rough with sleep. “I’m just really bad at hiding it.”

You froze, eyes snapping open as you realized he was awake. He shifted again, his arm sliding around you in a way that wasn’t exactly innocent. His face was still soft, though there was an unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. “You heard all that?” You asked, your voice a mix of shock and mild embarrassment.

He just smirked, the same playful smirk you’d known for years. “I always hear you, Y/n.”

You sat there in Gojo’s room, the weight of everything you’d said hanging between you. Gojo sat next to you, his usual carefree attitude nowhere to be found, though he tried to keep it together. He had his hand resting on the bed beside you, but the tension in his posture was clear. He’d listened quietly as you tried to untangle the mess of your feelings, but there was an undeniable frustration brewing inside him. He couldn’t deny it. A small part of him the selfish part was frustrated. He hated the way you were caught between him and Geto, like some kind of tugofwar. He had always been the one to be there for you. He had always been the one who made you laugh, who kept you grounded. And now, he was sharing you with someone else, someone who didn’t get to be your best friend in the same way he did. He wanted to tell you how much he loved you. How he always had. But instead, he was holding back, trying to be supportive, trying to be the best friend you needed, even though it was tearing him up inside. You weren’t making it easy on him, though. And maybe it was selfish, maybe it was wrong, but the thought of losing you to Geto or anyone else made him feel like his insides were twisting in knots. But Gojo wasn’t going to let that show. Not yet.

“You’re my best friend, Gojo,” you said, your voice quiet. Your words were like a balm, but they didn’t ease the frustration that was bubbling inside of him. Not yet. “You’ve been my best friend for so long, and I I love you. I do. But…” You trailed off, and Gojo held his breath, desperate to hear you continue, desperate for something anything that would tell him you felt the same.

“But then there’s Geto, too,” you finished, and Gojo had to fight the urge to grit his teeth.

His heart was pounding, and for a moment, he had to resist the urge to blurt out everything he had ever wanted to say. But no, he couldn’t. Not yet. He stayed silent, giving you space to work through it. He could hear the quiet pain in your voice, the way you were trying to figure everything out, but it was frustrating. So frustrating.

“Gojo,” you continued, meeting his gaze, and for a brief moment, his mask almost cracked. You looked so vulnerable, so unsure, and he couldn’t help but feel protective of you. But that little selfish part of him still wanted to yell, to make you choose him. “I don’t even know if romance is something I should be thinking about right now. Everything’s so messed up lately. Both you and Geto started, like… vouching for my affection out of nowhere, and it just…” You stopped, looking down, and Gojo swallowed hard, trying to push the frustration aside for now. “It’s made my head spin.”

He wanted to say something. To tell you that it wasn’t like that, that he had always been here for you, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, he exhaled deeply, forcing himself to be calm, to just be there for you. He had to, even if it was tearing him up inside. “You’re not alone in this, Y/n,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady, even though the jealousy was gnawing at him. “You don’t have to figure it out right now. You never rush into anything. You always take your time. So don’t let all this pressure you.”

You shook your head, running a hand through your hair in frustration. “I know. I just ” You exhaled deeply, turning toward him. “It’s just hard. When I’m with you, I feel… safe and seen. And when I’m with Geto, I also have that feeling. And both of you are important to me.” And there it was. The words Gojo had been dreading to hear. Not that he didn’t understand. He did. He knew what it was like to have different people give you different things, but for him, it was hard to hear that you felt seen by someone else.

“Y/n,” he said softly, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. But his mind couldn’t help but flash to the thought of Geto touching you, of being with you in a way that Gojo couldn’t. He wanted to push those thoughts away. He had to. He was being the best friend you needed. “You’re not going to lose us, okay? Ever. Whatever happens, we’re still your friends. No matter what.”

But his mind was still reeling, and a small, selfish part of him wanted to say, Screw that. I don’t want to be your friend anymore. I want you to choose me. He couldn’t, though. He wouldn’t say it. Not yet. You met his gaze, your expression softening, but there was still that uncertainty there, lingering. Gojo could tell you were still processing everything. And that was fine. He would give you the time you needed, even if it was killing him inside.

But when you spoke again, your voice quieter, more tentative, Gojo felt his heart race, but this time, it wasn’t out of frustration. It was out of something else. “Thanks, Gojo. You’re always there for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

His chest tightened at your words, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit of relief. It wasn’t everything he wanted to hear, but it was something. He reached out, his hand resting on yours, his fingers curling around your hand gently. “Don’t mention it. I’ll always be here for you. I’m your best friend. That’s what best friends do.”

But deep down, there was still that selfish part of him that wanted more. That wanted to be the one you chose. And maybe, just maybe, he would get that chance. But for now, he could only wait.

Gojo: [leaning casually against your desk] So… when are you gonna realize I’m in love with you?

You: Oh, you’re in love? With who? Tell me! I’ll help you!

Gojo:

Gojo: [wheezing] No one, actually. I’m dead inside.

taglist: @pandabiene5115 @inthedarkshadows000

[lesmisshippingshowdown]

Steal-Off 2: just checking in with you....

Hi guys! Hope you are all having a pleasant Sunday :))

First of all, before I hop into the meat of this post, let's have a little update on how our leaderboard has progressed since Friday:

🥇 Éponine/Cosette (168) 🥈 Enjolras/Combeferre (89.1) 🥉 Valjean/Javert (77.9) [+1] 4. Jehan/Montparnasse (77.1) [-1] 5. Éponine/Montparnasse (27.4) 6. Turning Woman #3/Musichetta (21.2) 7. Courfeyrac/Marius (18) 8. Enjolras/Grantaire (15.6) 9. Enjolras/Feuilly (6.6) 10. Combefere/Courfeyrac (5.5) 11= Marius/Cosette (5.3) 11= Joly/Bossuet/Musichetta (5.3) 13. Combeferre/Grantaire (0.7)

Congratulations to Valjean/Javert for narrowly overtaking Jehan/Montparnasse for a provisional place on the Steal-Off Podium!!

Now, to get to the point - we are over halfway through the submission window, 32 different ships are eligible to have works submitted (NOT even counting the theoretically infinite number of ships you could steal for as part of the newcomers' tournament!!) and currently we have only had submissions for five ships, zero of which are new entries. Additionally, of the 25 submissions we've currently received, TWENTY of them (that's 80%!) are for one of two ships - Éponine/Montparnasse or Valjean/Javert.

Now, I MUST stress that I am NOT saying this to criticise or attack Valvert & Montponine nations. On the contrary - I am absolutely THRILLED that these ships' fanbases have gotten so thoroughly into the spirit of Steal-Off 2, and you can all give yourselves a pat on the back!!

However, I would have loved to see this level of participation across a larger number of ships. After all, that's why we announced Steal Off 2 weeks in advance - to give you all time to prepare your works and give us a steady flow of new and exciting content throughout the week!

I might be worrying about nothing - people get busy, some of you might have loads of fanworks in the pipeline that just haven't been submitted yet, there's still 3-ish days left in the Steal-Off, anything can happen. But if I can get to the bottom of any potential causes for what is currently a rather unusual stealer turnout pattern, hopefully we can come up with some solutions that work for everybody!

So, I just wanted to have a quick and low pressure and honest check in with any potential stealers for currently underrepresented Steal Off 2 ships (especially fans of the 19 ships who saw no works submitted during the actual tournament too!) and ask:

(please note there’s no see results option except for the mods; please do not vote unless the question being asked applies to you!)

Your feedback is greatly appreciated - if we get a good idea of what, if any, issues lie in the way of you submitting the steals your OTP deserves then we can take the appropriate steps to make Steal Off 2 a more accessible and inclusive fanwork party for all of the fandom, not just the fans of 2-5 ships who've gotten really rightfully enthusiastic about the whole thing! <3

[jack-of-heartstrings]

More thoughts on El Toro de Piedra, specifically on Juleka's side.

First and of course, I do really wish we'd gotten to see more build-up and more screentime for Juleka getting a big moment, though I'll never complain about her getting any focus. (Fingers weakly crossed for episode 6 when we get it...? my hopes are low but not-zero I guess.)

For me personally, juxtaposing the song with the fight made the fight harder to follow. Part of that was just that I struggle to watch both subtitles and the action, so that's not a fault or anything. And I fully respect the decision to not include fight sound effects alongside the song, as that DOES make it much easier to watch the song on its own later, but I think it would have felt nicer AS part of the episode itself if it had included at least some of the fight sounds.

HOWEVER, I do think it was a WONDERFUL decision to also throw her in with the theme of this episode.

We have three characters— Ivan, Adrien, and Nathalie— all with very complicated relationships with their dads, all of whom are/were really shitty and want their kids to go down the same shitty paths.

But then we've got this girl who barely knows her dad, met him for the first time less than a year ago, who also has a really complicated relationship and hasn't gotten over the ways in which he was shitty. And unless it's changed in the last few months, her greatest fear is presumably still him hating her and discouraging or breaking her dreams. But her dream IS to be like him, and has been since before she learned he was her dad. And honestly I think that's so much nicer than anything else they could have included. Someone like Marinette who just has a good relationship with her dad or even another dad that used to be bad but improved wouldn't hit nearly as hard as a dad who used to suck, who's improved but still has an at best tenuous relationship, yet whose legacy is still what one of his children wants more than anything in the world.

Just. What a good contrast. Sometimes a parent's legacy is imposed against your will, and sometimes it's embraced enthusiastically, but sometimes it's something you want despite your relationship. Sometimes it's actively something that helps connect you and can lead to improving the relationship.

And on a separate Juleka note, of course LET'S GO JULEROSE, but specifically...

Given Juleka's reaction to the kiss, I think I've decided the funniest interpretation of the ship (and thus the one I'm choosing to believe) is that they weren't dating before, and might still take a little longer to Officially get together now. Imagine. Imagine for me.

They're that cuddly all the time. They talk about how much they love each other and stare deeply into each other's eyes. They give each other cheek kisses way more often than other friends do, more than either of them gives other friends. Rose kisses Juleka on the mouth during the Zombizou incident and Juleka is super flustered by it but that was clearly just an akuma thing and she never mentions it afterward, or if Rose remembers since she wasn't akumatized herself then they just choose not to talk about it. They watch Marinette and Adrien be clueless all year and Rose keeps complaining about why won't those two just get it already. Rose marches down and tells the idiots if they don't kiss already then she's just gonna kiss them both. Nobody has this same problem watching Juleka and Rose be clueless because everybody genuinely though they were already together. Except them. They still took months to realize, and then both of them were like "but what if she doesn't feel the same way and then I make it weird" until Rose just went for it this episode. Absolute disaster sapphics if I ever saw them. 12/10.

[chzdavmpr]

So after listening to and loving the most recent That Handsome Devil album I had 2 thoughts. 1: More people should post about them on here. 2: Since I liked this new album so much I should listen to the rest of their discography, like obviously there's a handful of songs I listened to even before this new album but I know next to nothing about their older work.

So that's what this post is, me going through their entire discography album by album, song by song, and giving my thoughts. I'll spend a few days with each album in order to get my a proper opinion of each song. (Disclaimer: I am very unknowledgeable about music so a lot of what I say will be wrong. For example I am very bad at telling if something is guitar or bass. But in general if you get angry at people not knowing music stuff then scroll past)

I'll also be rating each song from 1-5 for funsies. However given that I am a fan of the band that scale is a very positive weighted one, so a 1 here is like a 5/10 on a normal scale.

That Handsome Devil (The Album)

Standing Room in Heaven

The first song of the band's self titled first album goes for a bit of a slow feel, giving vibes of a 20s gang speakeasy filled with cigar smoke. We of course have the great vocals of Godforbid that really just hit all those great notes that help this be a good smooth jazzy song. The main problems I have with it are that the bits of energetic drums in the first half feel likee they come and go out of nowhere. Also the song is just a bit long if you ask me, could have had 1 less chorus and maybe a little less instrumental at the end. 3/5

Yada Yada

Yada Yada is an odd one. For this song Godforbid adds a certain wobblyness to his voice that… kinda works. It adds a memorable sound to the song and doesn't sound bad, but it can sound a bit like he's a cartoon goat. However this song has an amazing beat that always has me bobbing in my chair. And the bit with the backup vocals is just superb. I feel like the score for this one could fluctuate a lot based on my mood but for now I will give a 4/5

Sleep it Off

If the previous song made ms bob in my seat this one makes me want to get up and do a groovy little walk down the street. There is just so much that I like here. The multiple different vocalizations in the background, what sounds like violin during the chorus. I feel like this song accomplishes what it sets out to do perfectly. 5/5

Elephant Bones

From what I know this is the most recognized song in this album (apparently it's even guitar hero. wow.). And I can see why, it's the most danceable song on the album. It's also got a lot of interesting layers with I feel a large difference in energy between it's high and low energy parts. That said, I might just be burn out on this song since I actually found it before I started this whole listen though, but I find I want just a little more something from it. Still great but I think only 4/5 great instead of full score.

Dating Tips

I don't think I get this song. To me it feels less like a song and more poetry with a simple melody in the background. Also the background vocals on this one are notably- well- bad. It's some good poetry tho and I can definitely see this being a song that a different person loves, but for me it's 1/5

Miss America

Our first real somber song gives a great feeling of melancholy, really showing that Godforbid can also put quite a lot of emotion into his vocals instead of just funky energy. Honestly I kinda wish it leaned more into the slow and quiet, but as is it's still a good 3/5!

James Dean

I do not know about music theory to explain why this song works for me. It kinda sucks. 4/5

Closing thoughts: I feel like my opinion on this album changed a lot in a very short time. On the first listen or two Elephant Bones and Yada Yada would have been a pretty easy top 2 for me, but I feel now that they've fallen behind Sleep it off and James Dean. It's a very consistent album if you ignore Dating Tips, but I feel like the band can for sure reach higher peaks than this.

A City Dressed in Dynamite

Damn Door

This is another weird one. Like you know when there's a song that's carried a lot by the chorus and the rest of the song is fine but it's not what you're there for? This song is a song made only of those parts. Nothing is bad but it leaves me wanting for a good part that doesn't come. I wouldn't skip past it in an album listen-through but it ain't going in the shuffle. 2/5

Wintergreen

We got a hint of surf rock here. This is kinda the kind of song I was talking about with the last one, where most of the song is unimpressive but then the "sleepin on a subway! sittin up above me! runnin since the day I was bawn!" hits and it gets stuck in your head. Other than that I also feel the drums are notably good in this song. 3/5

Rob The Prez-O-Dent

I haven't talked about lyrics much but this one is just very fun conceptually. Who wouldn't want to get drunk with the boys and rob the prez-o-dent for completely apolitical reasons? This feels like the soundtrack of a goofy yet violent cartoon comedy. (I've seen a meme of this song with the tf2 mercs and that feels perfect) The song also has a very good sound, with a constantly high energy and incorporating things like alarms and shotgun blasts into the instrumentals in a really good way that adds a lot of spice. 5/5

Pills For Everything

If I could describe this song in a word it would be "smooth". The guitar does a lot this song, especially to make the intentionally tired-sounding "oooh"s and "aaay"s sound actually good. I also don't know enough about music to describe it well but I think the meter of this song does some really cool things. If someone who knows more about poetry or music could describe why this song does it well please let me know. 4/5

Cry

If ever there was a song I expected to be a somber song based on the title it was this one. But I was a fool cause this is a bop. Whenever I listen to this song for the next 20 minutes I'm saying "alone in my appartment- eating all the garbage" to myself, which isn't the lyric but I like it. This song is just firing on all cylinders. Good drums. Good brass. Good guitar. Good vocals all around. 5/5

Kiss The Cook

I feel like this song does what it's trying to do well, but what it's trying isn't my taste. It's quite atmospheric aside from the vocals, and I feel it does a good job of getting across the feeling of slow prolonged rot and emotional numbness the song is going for, but that leads to it not coming at you with any strong emotion which is how I personally like my sad songs. If I was rating quality it's a 3 or 4 but I'm rating more on opinion so 2/5

Viva Discordia

I feel like this song gets mad overshadowed by the sequel song. Which honestly- yeah. Deserved. This song is good but (spoilers) the other one is better. On it's own this song has a fun sense of old school rural folk song (at least to me. but that may just be the banjo). It has lyrics that almost tell a bunch of short stories which is fun. 3/5

Squares

Ok so you know how a lot of THD songs will have little bits of audio at the end. I don't know if they're clips from old tv or radio or what. But I think they are good, they give you a wind down and since they are at the end they are easy to skip by just going to the next song. I bring this up to nitpick that this song has one of those at the start, which is WAY worse since they are much harder to skip. You just have to wait like 20 seconds after you start the song before the song actually starts. The actual song is fine I guess. It's got a weird thing I assume is a keyboard in the background. Other than that my feelings are basically the same as Damn Door, except I usually end up skipping this one because of the 20 second startup, even if the song is a bit better. 2/5

Mexico

This song is hype. To me it gives vibes of triumph, of being the coolest badass, and an "all my fellas" type companionship. If I actually read the lyrics it that probably wouldn't be the vibe at all but for now this song is the vibe of that hype moment when the hero confidently walks up to the bbeg, now having the power to wipe the floor with them. 5/5

Reagan's Kids

This is another song where I wish I knew more about music theory in order to explain why I love that song. All I can say is listen to this song, and if you can't help but join in with the vocalizations at about the 1:50 mark, and just harmonize with it, then we are on the same wavelength. You get this song like I get it. 5/5

Treefood

I feel like I've been complaining a lot about the more sadder or melancholic songs, so I feel it's important to point out that this is the kinda song that does that in a way I can really get behind. I like it when a song can use the entirety on it's sound to grab your heart and make you feel a way. This song does that. The grief. The longing. The acceptance. It's purely gripping. And it all comes together with the ending vocalizations followed by somber strings and accordion. This isn't quite a song that will make me cry but it's a beautiful piece of music. 5/5

Ok so this is written quite a bit after the paragraph above, about when I'm finishing up my thoughts on D&G4E. I just discovered that apparently this album (and as far as I can tell only this album) has a whole bunch of sneaky secret tracks that aren't on Spotify. So I guess I should go over those as well. (ps the closing thoughts for this album were written before this and I will not be bothered to change it)

Atom Shell

Weird thing about this one is it's the same upload as Treefood on the YouTube playlist I found of these, and it's just separated by some silence. I imagine that with physical releases of the music if you let it play for a while after Treefood ended that's how you were supposed to find this hidden track. As for the song itself it's a pretty standard but very good rock song. And of course it has the anything but standard vocals of Godforbid to set it apart. For me this was a first listen 5/5

Karaoke Burial

Very strong beat. I feel the vocals can clash with it a bit at times, but just a bit. I feel this one is ripe for getting stuck in your head, but I'm going through these a little faster than others so that hasn't happened yet. 3/5

Power Drunk

Very understated. The bass is good, but other than that all there really is is some mediocre bongos, some quite weak vocals, and noises that kinda just cover up the song. Low 2/5

Powderbomb

Yeah I can jive with this. I can get behind this. It's just got a great energetic feel that really makes you wanna move, especially that second half. Love when a song goes boom. 5/5

Romance is Dead

The slower parts are kinda just a weaker version of Inside You which we'll get to later, but the rest is a completely different song. It's loud, it's got some good brass in there, it's bombastic, it's really good. Not the best but really good. It's so weird how it keeps weaving between these 2 completely different sounds. The average of the song is like a high 3/5 but let it be know that this is a very odd song to rate.

Closing thoughts: This one is quite a lot less consistent than the last one, but I guess that comes with having a lot more songs. But when this album hits it HITS. Those last 3 songs especially are better than anything on the first album. And tbh I prefer an album with a few huge bangers compared to one that's just decent from top to bottom. (side note added later: but why is like a 3rd of the whole album secret?? Like I get 1 maybe 2 but 5/16???)

Enlightenment's For Suckers

Bullet Math

Decent instrumental on this one but the vocals are little weak. There's a part in the chorus where Godforbid sounds like Squidward, and depending on who you are that might make the whole song unlistenable or it will be the part that gets stuck in your head for some reason and you'll come to like it. I'm in the later half so I think it's an alright song. 3/5

Stockholm Syndrome

Very consistent song this one. It's pretty strong all around, a very nice beat, a bit of that jazzy brass. It's a bit repetitive I feel tho, with only that one bit about 2 minutes in that I feel really breaks up the song. 4/5

Disco City

OOooohoohoo! Take me down to the Disco City indeed! I'm a very big fan of the energy with this one. It's also got some great variety in sound, avoiding the problem of the previous song, yet still feels very coherent. 5/5

Eristocrats (Discordia pt. II)

This is the song that pretty handily overshadowed the og Discordia, and as I said earlier, I think that's quite justified, this is a great song. It trades out the previous honky tonk instrumental and "ooooo" background vocals for chanting and more rockabilly instrumentals (I think. I haven't really listened to rockabilly but that's the vibe I get). Point is that this song has upped it's energy to where instead of hearing stories round a campfire in the woods you're now hearing them from the crowd around a carnival barker. Does any of what I just said make sense? I dunno. 5/5

Johnny Wouldn't Die

Perfectly passable song. I think the kinda underplayed vocals give this one a very unique voice. However it loses all the points for that from the "go johnny go" part, which is a low of the album for me. Perhaps that's hypocritical since I liked the squidward singing in Bullet Math and this is kinda similar, but it's my list and I do what I want. low 3/5

Closing thoughts: There's a very important reason I gave each of these albums a few days to really sink in instead of giving my literal first impressions, and that's because I'm someone who's opinion of a song can change a LOT over repeated listenings. One of my favorite albums is Mouth Dreams by Neil Cicierega, and I hated it on my first listen. And honestly the majority of THD songs are like that for me, where it takes at least a few listens before they really click for me. I bring this up now because wow I did NOT jive with this album on first listen (except for Eristocrats, but I've been listening to that one for a while now). I literally remember thinking "wow it's a shame that I'm going to be so negative twords nearly this whole album". But then I listened to it a bit more, and it really grew on me. Disco City in particular went from real zero to hero, but even the rest of them went from 1s and 2s to 3s and 4s.

Oh btw I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but this and one other album we'll get to and another one later are technically EPs. But I don't care and I'm just calling them albums.

The Heart Goes to Heaven, the Head Goes to Hell

Adapt

This one flips a lot between the more "boogie" side of the THD sound and the more "pretty" side. I think they make it work pretty well tho. The bit at 2:45 is a particular highlight, so much so that it almost makes this otherwise 4/5 song into a 5. Problem is that the song definitely should have ended at the end of the section, at about 3:23. But as is the song just kinda continues with more of the same and feels like it more stops than ends. So close to full marks, so much so that I could make a full marks version by just trimming the audio file myself, but as is it's a 4/5.

Becky's New Car

I honestly get almost the vibes of slam poetry from this one. Maybe that's because I feel the instrumentals are definitely not the strong part of this song. But other than that I love this song. The vocals are just beautiful. It's subdued but still dripping with emotion. Even there's a line or two where it almost sounds like a voice crack, this is such an amazing vocal work that I think it carries this song to a 4/5 on it's own.

Twist the Knife

I wanna say this one has vaudeville vibes but I have no idea if that's accurate. It's a fun and bouncy little ditty. I feel like this would be great music for a stroll in the park. 4/5

The U & I in Suicide

There's a 8 note loop that the bass guitar is doing in this song. It reminds me of something but I can't quite place it. Other than that my feelings on this one are pretty tepid. It's not really bad but I don't really like it either. 2/5

Charlie's Inferno

Great song. 5/5. Ok now that that's out of the way I'm gonna rant a bit.

I'm glad that at least one of THD's songs hit semi-mainstream-in-niche-online-circles. It means there's tons of cool fanart, discussion, and even animatics about this song. I've also heard that this song's success may have led to THD making their 2 most recent albums, which if true is great! Buuuuut- it's still kinda frustrating how much this is like the only song that people talk about. Part of that may be that there aren't really any other songs in their discography that sounds like this (some are kinda close but not quite), so people who came to the band from this song didn't stick around for the rest. Part of it's also definitely people not even trying the rest of their songs. And it's just a bummer sometimes to search the tag on here and only see stuff about one of their songs. Sorry if you were waiting this entire time to hear my thoughts and takes on this song but the entire reason I made this massive post was to talk about about every song other than this. Again tho, great song. 5/5.

Karmakaze

What even is this? There's some decent parts but like 70% of this song is the words "c-c-c-c-cultural k-k-k-kamekaze". And even the decent 30% would still be like 2 or 3 if the whole song was that. Worst one since Dating Tips, maybe worse. 1/5

Loving Parasite

Last third is a little weak but the rest is astounding. Great beat. Great bass. Excellent chorus. Very standing-up-in-the-middle-of-those-spinny-things-at-playgrounds-while-a friend-spins-you-core. 5/5

One More Try

Back to the slam poetry vibe but in a very different way (honestly more fitting descriptor here but I write these in order and don't feel like rephrasing the last one). Out of all THD songs this would be one you could probably put in the background and have it not be too distracting. Which isn't really what I'm looking for with THD but I guess the song is good at what it does. 3/5

Buyer's Remorse

Grungy. A little dirty. It starts with a real thunk and then gets floatier throughout the song before going right back to the weighty stuff at the peak. The thunk part is the best. 3/5

Bored

Ok so you know that one rhythm heaven minigame with the rocket where you need to go donk donk? That minigame's grizzled dad became part of this song. Anyway this song is really good. Got a sleezy, kinda shadowy feel. 5/5

My Pen Is a Shiv

Another song that kinda goes in a lot of directions, rarely repeating itself. But all the different places it goes are good and work. Great song if you like Godforbit just holding a note with the vague suggestion of words while a good beat happens, cause that's the only vit that repeats. 4/5

Inside You

I feel this is the rare combo of slower song with high energy. Said energy builds pretty satisfyingly to a peak near the end. 3/5

Party's Dead

Another beautiful emotionally resonant song. The song tells of hopefulness to change, but uncertainty of if the singer has the strength to make those changes and I think that vibe would come across even if you didn't understand the lyrics. Plus this one actually has some really good instrumentals, so I give it 5/5

Closing thoughts: I'm very mixed on this one. There's some great stuff here like Charlie's Inferno and the emotional songs, but there's also like 2 and a half stinkers which isn't bad but is more than this band normally has. But what sticks in my mind most is just the feeling that this album has a lot of good songs that just a little pizzazz away from being amazing.

Drugs and Guns for Everyone

No Roots

Generally just a great energy with this one. Very strong chorus that really gets stuck in your head. Lyrics are pretty repetitive honestly but other than that it's good. If I were to assign this song an action, it would be doing a big kick into the air. 4/5

The Cops!

Dire. Threatening. Hints of grandiose. That's the vibe I get from this song, and given the subject matter I imagine that's intentional. This one isn't much of a dancer but definitely a head bobber. Best part I think is the end where it really drills into you the haunting line "your freedom don't belong to you". 4/5

Throwing Up

I had the unfortunate experience of this coming up in shuffle while I was listening to music with my mom. That aside this song has some really good drums, guitar, and vocals (which to be fair is kinda a given for THD but this one I think is even above normal). Once again the airy-er part about near the end is a highlight but the rest of the song is also stellar. If you avoid my mistake of listening to this when your parents are present this is a 5/5

$=♡

(had to copy paste that Unicode heart) Stellar song here. Comes out fists swinging and slowly mellows out before getting into this album's first instance of "pretty instrumentation that I don't know how to describe" which we'll be seeing a few times in this album. It almost feels like this song shouldn't work, like it should clash with itself, but I feel that having it start so high makes the more subdued later parts feel a lot weightier than they otherwise would have. 5/5

Party Mom and Invisible Dad

Has that "song doesn't start until 20 seconds in" problem I talked about with Squares but here I think the song that follows is good enough to where it doesn't bother me as much. Speaking of good music, this is debatably that. It's got 70s infomercial vibes which just sound like a bad foundation but they make it work. It's almost got a Charlie's Inferno vibe. It also has some of that "pretty instrumentals that I can't describe" in the chorus. If someone hated this song I would absolutely get it, but for me this is a high 4/5

Junkies In Love

I bet there are people who headcanon that the titular junkies in this song go on to become the parents in the last song. This one has a wonderful old school romance song vibe, with of course the THD edge painted on. Gets especially strong in the later half. The piano also adds a lot. 5/5

The Face For It

This one I feel has each element just a little off. The vocals are weak, the beat is bland and the rest of the instrumentals are awkward. Any one on their own would still have it be a fine song, but since EVERYTHING is a little off it ends up having the song as a whole being pretty not good. 2/5

70's Tuxedos

Buttery smooth it also has a few seconds of that "pretty instrumentals that I can't describe" near the middle with is a nice shake up that prevents the song from getting repetitive. I also feel like there's something weird going on with this song music theory wise, but I think it works and helps the song sound nice. 4/5

Goldfish Brain

It's ok. Instrumental could be a bit stronger. Backing vocals noticeably above par. Most 3/5 song so far.

Time Machine

Oooh. OOOH. Takes 21 seconds to start this time but honestly I think this song uses it kinda well, with the instant drop into this song's aggressively strong piano. Said piano also gets the vibe of going back in time all on its own. I imagine it may be a common chord progression in reverse or something (reminder: still don't know music. if that's embarrassingly wrong I'm sorry). The harsh parts are epic and the gentle parts are emotionally gripping. Easy 5/5

A Drink To Death

It's got a unique sound. Not one that I particularly care for tho. I struggle to really say anything about this one. Not really bad- but as the ratings I give are based on my own opinion I have to give it a high 2/5. The ytp-like bit at the end is neat and kinda funny, but that's not song.

The Last Ones

15 seconds. This one's got a great almost western style guitar that leads into the gentle somber vocals that drip with emotion, all the while backed by a very strong beat. The bits with the bells is also partially good. If we were to divide THD's songs into danceable and non-danceable this would be one of the very strongest in the later category.

Closing Thoughts: I feel this is the most unique sounding album so far. I feel like I could identify any song from here just based off the distinct vibe they all share. Quality wise tho it's pretty standard; a few greats, a lot of good, and a few ehhs.

History Is A Suicide Note

Savages

Pretty sure this is THD's second most popular song, and I think it definitely earns that spot. The lyrics got a nice flow to them, the chorus is great, the instruments are unique but not overpowering at all. You don't need me to tell you this song is good. The only reason I wouldn't give it full marks is just because I've listened to it so many times that I'm a little burned out on it. But let's not kid ourselves. 5/5

Fake

If I could describe this song in a word, it would be heavy. Not in terms of subject matter (but being a THD it isn't entirely light in that regard) but this song is heavy in the way that every note has a real weight to it. It's soo bassy. I feel like this is a song music snobs would hate but for me this is another 5/5

Emergency

Very early 2000s emo kid brand of metal, or at least that's the vibe I get as someone who doesn't know what I'm talking about. It's got a nice sense of building, it only really goes down in intensity once in the whole song. 4/5

Echo Chamber

Pretty man voice 👍 4/5

Pendulumonium

This song is like if Karmakaze was good. It's a LOT of the same words repeating over and over, but it has excellent vocals and the way he says "swoop" just gets in my brain just the right way. 4/5

Closing Thoughts: If you ask me every single song here is good. I think ACDID is still my favorite release because of how high the highs of that are, but this is the album with the least low lows by far. Any song with this album cover shows up in shuffle and I am happy to hear it.

Your Parents Are Sellouts

Intro

Not much here is there? Ohh I know! I have nowhere else to put this so let me go more in depth with how I choose my rating for each track! There are 2 main ways I listen to music; going through a release in order, start to finish, and my own person shuffle (usually based off the artist, so for example I have a shuffle of every THD song I like). On my scale a 1 is a song I actively dislike. I skip these on album listens. 2s are inoffensive. I still don't like them and they are not allowed into the shuffle, but I don't skip them. 3s are allowed in the shuffle, but when I play it I may skip past the 3s to get to the good stuff from time to time. 4s are a good song. When skipping past 3s in a shuffle I'll see this song and say "this is good". 5s are the premium beef. These are ones where I hit the loop 1 option and listen to this one song on repeat for who knows how long. With these definitions this into is technically a 2. It adds to the album and is so short skipping it isn't really worth the effort, but it also isn't a song so there's no way I'm putting this on shuffle.

The Unpossible

Oooh! Oooh Yeah Yeah! Oooh! Oooh! Oooh Yeah Yeah! Additionally; this song has a nice bounciness. And while the bass isn't doing anything flashy here to make it the center of attention, it does what it does great and makes the whole song work. 3/5

Dinosaur

Groovalicious! … Man I should have made this like a "reviewing every song in 10 words or less" type thing. It is very hard to come up with unique things to say about each of these. Like what song are we on? By my count like 60. So yeah my review of this one is "Groovalicious." 3/5

Shutup You're Stupid

Has vibes of both margaritaville-esque romance song and the adrenaline deliciously crunchy evil guitar. 4/5

Hoodlum

A relaxing day strolling through the park. A wonderfully pretty song. Obviously that's in contrast with the lyrics but that doesn't make the song sound less pretty to me. 4/5

Guys Are Gross

I really dig the synth making the womp sound in this. Wonderfully jazzy, with some unique instruments that help it stand out, not only among the rest of THD's discography but this album which tends to have songs of a similar vibe. 5/5

Date Rape U

Man I am glad I'm doing this on Tumblr and not one of the social media where I would get in trouble for just saying the name of this song. Anyway this one feels to me less like a song and more some freestyle poetry overtop some instrumentals. It's a decent instrumental but there isn't really any flow or rhythm for me to get into. 2/5

Everyone's Trying To Kill Me

A song where the bass goes unreasonably hard? From THD? Why I never! (the joke is that this is common. especially in the next album. Shout out to Jeremy Page). Anyways this one has a bit of a spy movie vibe, if that makes sense. Or at least the instrumental does. 4/5

Bad Vibes

The keyboard is actually the carry here, which you don't see much from this band. This song also has a good amount of flavors but I think they blend quite well. 5/5

F2F

Tango vibes. The woody percussion is really pleasant. 3/5

Punch In The Face

Ok so as someone whose experience with music reviewing consists of the contents of this post; a lot of time my tactic is to point out a part of the song that stands out. Like the vocals, the beat, a specific instrument, etc. With this one I can't do that, because quite frankly there isn't anything that stands out, each piece of this song is pretty standard I think. And yet; this song is amazing when put together. It's so much better than the sum of its parts that it's almost mind boggling. Out of all the songs so far this is the one I would most wanna hear from someone who knows music theory on why this works. 5/5

EVL PPL

It's got an almost lullaby quality. It's pure distilled vibes. The instruments really just have a dream like quality. (can you tell I'm writing this while very sleepy?) And I feel it's probably the song the shows off what this album is like best. 5/5

La Di Frickin Da

It's almost a high 3/low 4, but there's that one bit in the middle where the lyrics just have no rhythm. There's just way too many syllables. It honestly ruins the whole song for me. Could maybe still be a 3 on a good day but for now 2/5

Outro

Not a song. 2/5.

Closing Thoughts: This is probably the album that's best at having a consistent vibe. Which is bad for this review thing because describing vibes is like one of my 2 ways I can think of to talk about most songs. But I think it makes the album work better when viewed as a whole. The heavy bops aren't absent but there's a lot more pleasant melodies and chill times, and while that may not be the first I think of from this band I still love this album and think it was executed great. Even the "lows" of the album I think still add to the overall experience.

Exploitopia

The Age Of Men

Definitely starting off the album strong. It of course has an amazing baseline, but spoilers; that's true of pretty much every song in this album. As for this song's specific merits; it has a certain ephemeralness that I think really complements the theme of time passing. And the end has a great syncopation to it. Even the way it transitions to the post song old-timey audio is particularly good here. 5/5

A Million Bots

Pretty standard punk rock song but it does it great. By now you should know I love a crunchy guitar. 4/5

Everybody's Robbing Everyone

Excellent flow to this one. The words just string together in a way that just works great. The funky synth also gives this song a unique sound. 5/5

You're Doing Too Much Cocaine

I wonder what the message of this song is. Anyway the drums are really good in this one. But that guitar bit at the end is just sbwgdtdbskwkls, one of the best few seconds of the whole album. The guitar bit is 5/5 but the song as a whole is 4/5

Gravity Of The Situation

Has vibes of those songs that manual laborers would sing to keep rhythm in the olden times, you know the type. The brass is really good here. 3/5

Before You Were Born

Great sorrow and rot vibes. An angsty animatic of this song would go hard. The drums are going off. There are some slower parts that I think go on a bit too long or get repetitive, but overall still a good song. 4/5

Tonight

The ultimate crunchy song. Anthem of bad decisions. 4/5

About You

Weirdly I think the chorus is the worst part of this song. Something about it is just slow, but not in the good way like songs from the last album. The rest is decent tho. 3/5

Buddha Was A Rich Boy

This is one that you can really move to. And I think that it manages to keep the energy up without being at 100 the whole time and burning itself out. 5/5

Kill The Rat

The beginning is a little slower that I would have liked but one it ~45 seconds in it goes so hard. It just has such a climatic sound to it. This is an end of a character arc song. 5/5

Cleanse My Algorithm

Appropriately techno sound to this one. Something about this one makes it so infectious to sing along to, especially the "our nervous systems weren't supposed to stretch around the earth" part. 5/5

Crooked Heart

Way different vibe to this one. Almost sounds like it would fit better in Your Parents Are Sellouts. If it was in the album tho I think this one could stand alongside the best of that album. The backing vocals are especially good, as well as the twangy strings. It also builds to a very satisfying crescendo (I think I'm using that word right). 5/5

The Toilet That Killed Elvis

Oh hey it's been a while since we got a really good melancholic song. This one I feel is a little too up tempo to make it a sad song tho. Still sounds great tho. It also brings out some amazing brass at the end. 5/5

Closing Thoughts: This should be obvious just based off my ratings, but this is my favorite album from THD. If you remember it was the pure peak that was this album that got me to do this whole big project. I honestly wish I could say more about the songs in this one but at this point I'm really running out of steam on how to talk about music.

Well there we have it. That is every single album and EP covered. It's also everything that's on the bands page on youtube music so that's probably everything. Buuut there were those bonus tracks that weren't listed normally, so I should double check. Let me look up their discography on Wikipedia…. I'm sorry there's how many?

The Singles

Face in the Sun

For the most part I don't go back and edit stuff in this post because if I edited it every time my opinion on a song changed it would never be done. The reason I bring this IP is because this is pretty much what I said I wanted Miss America to be, way back when I talked about the first album. This is a very similar song (which checks out since I think this came out around the same time) except this one is a lot more slow and mellow. And despite this being exactly what I asked for I think this is the inferior song. It has some really good strings but other than that it just doesn't have enough emotion to make a song like this work. 2/5

How to Get Money

It's an odd one, but also weirdly kinda nothing. Like a lot is going on but none of it is particularly noteworthy. As an example the way the backing vocals say "money" is nice, but they use that same voice clip too much. It doesn't ruin the song but it's still pretty mid. 2/5

Don't Go

This one feels like a failed experiment. It's going for this smooth groovy jazz, similarly mellow to Face in the Sun. But the problem is that this kind of song works best when you have a buttery smooth vocalist. And while I love Godforbid's vocals I would never describe them as smooth. So this ends up feeling kind of like someone singing karaoke. Also the instrumentals are nothing impressive. 1/5

Steady and Slow

Sorry that so far all of these singles have just got the reaction of "they aren't very good" from me, but I'm afraid this one is just the same. It has vibes of the song a band of highschoolers would make as their rock band in a garage. Which has a certain appeal, especially since it's definitely better quality than a genuine garage band, but it still has that vibe. 2/5

Lucky Me

Finally a single with some energy. Like this isn't the best song, the horns are whatever are really good and it uses them a lot, which is good. And even the stuff that isn't horns is decent, but man after those first 3 singles a 3/5 like this is nice.

Chicken Claw

The chorus is pretty good. 3/5

Marilyn Loves Heroin

Great instruments here. The trumpet(??) is quite good and the flute(?) works excellently as a garnish that doesn't overstay it's welcome. The song is a little too long but it's still a low 4/5

How to Get More Money (And Not Have to Shoot Somebody)

This came out 7 years after How to Get Money, and it is definitely just a more refined version of that song. It's better than that one is pretty much every way. 3/5

Ode to the Scumbag

Ok so this is interesting; the last single came out in 2011, and this one came out AS I WAS WORKING ON THIS POST, so 2025. No idea why there's such a big gap there. Anyway this song is pretty good. It feels like it could go alongside the songs in Exploitopia, which you should know is high praise. The best part is probably the chorus, with the high note "up"s and low note "down"s all the while the main lyrics have a very nice flow to them. 4/5

Closing thoughts: so most of these are pretty bad. like some of them are decent but not enough to go seek them out, since if you use Spotify or something you won't even see any of these except Ode to the Scumbag. I recommend checking out Marilyn Loves Heroin, but other than that you can skip these. Oh also we still aren't done. when I checked the Wikipedia earlier there were also 2 more EPs!

Hating New People

Talk Dirty To me

For these EPs I'm listening to them in a YouTube playlist of unofficial uploads, and for some reason the title of this one is capitalized like that. I'm not going to go through the effort to see if that's wrong so I'll just assume it's correct. As for the song, most of it is pretty mid, except for the short rockabilly bits like the one at the end. I like those bits. low 3/5

Hey White Boy

Wow. This song uses a certain something as a sort of base. And I don't want to spoil what that something is, because I think the shock that comes from hitting play on this song and hearing what you hear is just too good. It has to be experienced. The only thing more surprising than what this song does is that it does it well. Like they really did just make a bop out of [redacted] huh? This may be contentious but this is a 5/5

also for some reason there is a month old comment on the 14 year old upload of this song that reads "I want him im ovulating come here god forbid". I just wanted to share that.

I'm Too Sexy

I'm not super familiar with the song this is a cover of, but from what I vaguely remember this is quite different. The instrumentals are really good, but the vocals are just kinda... too much for most of the song. Depending on who you ask this could rank very high or very low, for me the good and bad parts average out to about 3/5

It's a Man's Man's Man's World

Grandiose feel to this one. Unique sound but doesn't stray too far from the sound of THD. 3/5

Mr. Grinch

The backing vocals add a nice layer, but other than that this is a very similar song to the original Mr Grinch which this is a cover of, nothing major is changed. Godforbid even has a similarly deep voice to the original. Like; if not for them adding the word bastard in I feel like you could convince someone who hasn't heard it in many years that this is the original Mr Grinch. eh I dunno 3/5?

Fairytale of New York

ok so when I look up this EP, some of the only things on it are from like review sites, and on all of them it's only the above songs, this one is never listed. And yet it's here in this youtube playlist I found and I have no idea where it came from. May as well talk about it here. So this song is pretty good. Feels kinda like something from a musical. It's also nice to hear more substantial lyrics for Naoko Takamoto, who normally does the excellent backing vocals. But yeah good energy to this one. 4/5

Closing Thoughts: I feel like on the That Handsome Devil iceberg we are definitely quite low down. So far there hasn't been any covers as far as I can tell, and yet this one has quite a few. Too Sexy and Mr Grinch I knew immediately, but Man Man and Fairytale I only know are covers thanks to youtube comments. For all I know Talk Dirty and White Boy are also covers, but I couldn't find anything on that. Quality wise it's pretty decent. Most of it is still debatably not worth the effort to go find it, but Hey White Boy is definitely a stand out that I recommend all THD fans check out.

The Jungle Book

Intro

not a song. 2/5

Friends

Good beat to this one. Good marching music, very cheery save for that bit at the end. 4/5

Trust

It's just him saying "trust in me" for like 3 minutes. 1/5

March

Forget what I said about Friends, now THIS is marching music. Or really just workout music. It still has a distinct identity from Friends tho even if they both have very strong beats. This one also has some really good guitar. 5/5

Fire

Wait oh my god how did it take me this long to realize this is LITERALLY The Jungle Book from Disney. Admittedly it has been a while so things like the elephant's song I didn't recognize. But yeah this is literally all covers of songs from the movie. Well since this song is based on arguably the most iconic song from said movie this one is obviously pretty good. It goes for a bit of a more sinister sound than the original, while still keeping the nice catchiness from the original. The scatting at the end is also really nice. 4/5

Bare

The direction of this is... interesting. It kinda rains on it if that makes sense, really brings the mood down. I don't think it works. 2/5

Home

It has been so long since I watched The Jungle Book. I don't remember this at all. But this feels like an exposition song with a music box motif used to introduce a very high society character in a show. Not really what I'm looking for from THD. Better than the last but still 2/5

Closing thoughts: Man what a weird note to end on. A Disney movie cover album of all things. Overall it's pretty good tho. The last 2 are a little eh but the rest is good. If you wanna see THD do take some Disney songs in some unexpected directions I would say give this a listen.

Closing Thoughts for this Whole Dang Project

That was... way more songs than I expected. Like when I had the idea for this I looked at their discography on Spotify and it was bigger than expected, and then I figured out there's even more than that! So this project in turn is way bigger than I would have imagined. It took me like 4ish months working on and off on this. And frankly I do not think my music critique abilities were up to this level of challenge. Finding things to say for some of these songs was quite tricky. But it was still enjoyable to go through all these songs, see how the band evolved, and just learn about a lot of good music I otherwise wouldn't have. Like by the end of this my THD shuffle has 76 tracks.

But I hope at least some of you enjoyed reading through all these words I wrote. See you again sometime. I'm off to listen to literally any other band.

[fancyfeathers]

We've seen how the Yandere JL members are when it comes to their Darlings and their kids (although I can't wait to see more because there are some of them who haven't got "screen time" yet)

But how are the Young JL members about it? Like, we know Dick and Tim are yanderes, but the others? Like, is Wally equally overprotective of Blitz? Roy and Artemis with Apollo? How are they with their "younger siblings"?

No need to mention Kaldur because we already know..👀

Burn It All Down Spoilers

To answer your question, yes they are.

Wally and Blitz in this universe aren’t related since Barry didn’t marry Iris in this universe, so rather I think Wally is a friend and classmate that she has known for years, the boy next door that caused them to grow up like siblings, the families only getting closer when Wally got his speed. Blitz is like Wally’s little sister; he loves her to death, and nothing is going to change that, even when she gets upset that he gets to become Kid Flash when they were younger,r even if she is ten times faster than he is and the biological daughter of the actual Flash. That really pisses her off, it’s not like she wanted to become a super hero at the time, but she has the same powers but wasn’t even offered the opportunity to try, only being taught how to manage powers to seem normal in day to day life.

As for Apollo, his relationships are interesting to say the least given that Roy was kidnapped and cloned. After the original Roy was kidnapped and replaced by Will, Apollo’s birth mother was murdered, and Apollo was almost murdered as well. In his grief, he got close to Will, like Apollo being an honorary little brother to Will, with how close they got, closer than Apollo was with the original Roy, and Apollo was the only one Will kept in constant contact with when he became Red Arrow. The only time Will and Apollo became distant was when Will threw himself into finding the original Roy Harper; they didn’t get into contact much unless it was the odd phone call from Will to check on how Apollo was doing.

During the time when Will was getting somewhat self destructive, Apollo got close with Jim, when Oliver and Dinah were on missions or looking for the original Roy, Jim came to stay with Apollo since Apollo has not been in a very healthy mindset until the beginning of the story due to his birth mom’s murder so he really could not be left alone. Then by looking after Apollo it helped Jim figure out parts of himself and who he really is outside of the identity Cadmus gave him.

Then there is the original Roy Harper who was frozen for years after being kidnapped by the Light, and he honestly can’t comprehend that Oliver’s little son is now all grown up, older than him now, and a vigilante now though without Dinah and Oliver’s consent. It is strange for him to see Apollo like that, missing out on a huge chunk of his life and now it is like looking at a completely different person.

Artemis tried to get close to Apollo since he was the son of her mentor, but when she first met Apollo, he was heavy into his grief and only let a few people into his life; really, she was just another person he saw whenever she came to train with Oliver. Eventually, Artemis and Apollo would get close, two or three years before the story, long conversations, training sessions when Oliver and Dinah were not home, of course, even a little book club between the two of them. She was the one who inspired him to be a hero, pushing forward after everything that had happened to him, taking the name Apollo after the god of sunlight and archery, and the brother of the goddess of moonlight and the hunt, Artemis.

Conner and Supergirl, their relationship is nice but weird in a way. Genetically, she would be his half sister, but how their family ended up being, he is her uncle, an uncle she met when she was already a teenager. The two are definitely somewhat close, maybe not as close as Apollo is with Will or Blitz is with Wally, it is like a mutually understanding relationship, learning to be comfortable in silence, Conner coming to sit with her, just sit with her in silence after she got in a fight with her dad, she doesn't have to say anything if she does not want to, but if she does then he is there to listen.

Then, of course, there is Zatanna and Hex; he is her baby brother, but she has a view of him of before their father put on the Helm of Fate to save Zatanna; she does not know how much Hex has truly changed since Hex decided to leave home shortly after what happened. She honestly has a hard time understanding why he keeps on pushing her away, but the longer he is away from home and the more he keeps her at an arm's length and more she wants to pull him close, he really is the only family she has felt, since their father put of the Helm of Fate and their mother had fallen into a deep depression. She wants him to come home, wants to be a family again, while Hex just wants to figure out who he is.

There of course is Tim and Dick, Songbird is like their baby sister, a baby sister who ran away from home for years, becoming a vigilante in Gotham right under their noses and then leaving to stay with Green Arrow and Black Canary and then running away all over again. Songbird is a headache for all of them, but they love her all the same. She just needs a little bit of guidance to bring her back home.

Then there are Kaldur and Pisces, not going to say much on that now, but they may one day... one distant day, get their happy endings.

[dreamsy990]

Sooo... about your ghost roxas au, are there, mayhaps other ghosts like riku replica or Xion or is it just Roxas?

OH OKAY SOSOSOSOOSO THIS COULD BE SUCH A COOL CONCEPT !!!!! sadly its not within the scope of this specific au? but theres definitely a lot to play with with xion or repliku,,,,,,, anyways im going to explain a bit of the lore:tm: being ghost roxas au here since i never really properly explained whats going on in this au i think?

so the explanation of how this au works is kind of 90% "whats an explanation that allows my idea to happen while also seeming plausible in terms of kh lores uhhhhhh. im going to call it "narrative flexability" (bending like a rubber ruler to let whatever nomura wants to happen make sense) so the idea is at the start of kh2 when roxas "returns" to sora it doesnt like. fully work? leaving roxas in a sort of frightening liminal space between life and death !! dfgbhgfrerfhg anyways. sora is the only one who can see him also (hence the last comic where he was asking if he was hallucinating).

this au is like. entirely self indulgent i dont think its particularly interesting with like. whats actually going on more with the relationships which was always the focus to me. so theres not really that much to explain with the plot? its mostly true to kh2 but roxas is there and its a lot less focused on the actual events. idk it is but a humble character drama to me because thats what i like to read and write! i am SO fucking serious when i say the xion or repliku concept could be cool as hell however,,,,,,,,,,,,,, someone else should go insane about those guys and write that