#But don't worry we know they are meant to be

[x-wondertoast-x]

My struggle with this take is that it seems like you're implying that queer stories aren't good or meaningful unless the queer characters are suffering. Like, queer culture as we know it only really exists out of suffering. And while we hold our culture dear, I think I could safely say most of us would gladly give it up if it meant the violent, tragic history behind it never had to happen - if all the targeted murders, hate crimes, riots, homelessness, and the behaviors that developed out of fear for those things could be traded out for just... existing and being happy and no one caring about your sexuality.

Like, stories about queerness and homophobia are important because people need to tell the stories of their lives and the world we live in (whether through fantasy or realistic fiction or biography) to relate to each other and reach out to form community. But those stories aren't inherently more important or meaningful than stories about the lives and world people *wish* they were living in. And it's not just about escapism either. I mean that's a big thing for a lot of people, sure, but at its core the concept is also a commentary on how shitty the real world is for queer folks by comparison.

Normalizing queerness =/= erasing queerness, it's just cutting out all the othering and fear, and it's just as important to show what the world could be like without all that as it is to talk about the world as it is now. Neither of these methods of storytelling are better or more important than the other, and no one is really arguing that except for you. People just have their preferences, and for most, that preference is for stories where people like them don't have to worry about getting hate crimed for holding hands in public.

I know previously people took issue with me describing a lot of queernorm fiction as feeling assimilative and reimagining queerness as an aesthetic variety of straightness but man a lot of that stuff really does frame it as an inarguable positive that the characters are "no longer gay" that they live and behave as "normal people", and that "gender or sexuality is entirely incidental and not a plot point" in a way i find really alienating. You know, like, this is the common language when talking about it:

again i don't think it's wrong for people to read or write stuff like this, but I do find it a bit irking that it's often treated as the inherently more empathetic and desirable way to write queerness...

[katsu28]

oooh kait i love the list!!

what about lando + 50. putting a hand over the other's mouth where lando is yapping abt smth?

got a little carried away with this but fuck it we ball

lando norris x sainz!reader, 1.7k. request something from here :)

“Fancy seeing you here.” 

You glance up from your phone to see a grinning Lando leaned up against the wall next to you, and you raise an amused brow. “It’s my brother’s wedding.” 

“Yeah, I know, I was just—” 

“Why would I not be here?” 

“Jesus, I was just trying to be funny, you don't have to be mean about it,” He huffs, bumping his shoulder against yours with a roll of his eyes. 

“Sorry, Lan. You’re just too fun to mess with.” You tease, reaching out to pinch Lando’s cheek. 

He scowls, batting your hand away haphazardly. “Carlos said you were gonna be here early to help get everything settled.” 

“Aw, were you waiting for me?” 

“No, I wasn't.” You shoot him a disbelieving look. “Okay, maybe I was. I had to work with your great aunt, and lemme tell you, that woman is handsy.” 

“Oh, you poor thing.” 

“I know. All because you abandoned me.” 

“I had to help Rebecca with some last minute adjustments. And besides, It takes time to look this good, Norris,” You tut, gesturing towards yourself. The bridesmaid dresses Rebecca had picked out are absolutely gorgeous. Hopefully gorgeous enough to get you what you want. 

“You do look amazing,” Lando murmurs, eyes not-so-subtly raking up and down your body a little too long to be considered innocent. Mission accomplished. 

“You don’t clean up too bad yourself,” You reply, letting your gaze do the same. His tailored suit fits him wonderfully, and his hair is styled to perfection. You fight the urge to run your fingers through his curls and ruin it by pulling him close. 

Things between Lando and yourself are…complicated, to say the least. You were both young when you’d met, all the way back in 2019 when Carlos had done his time with McLaren. Since then, you’ve both grown up, kept in touch, and somewhere along the way, you’d come to a realization. 

You like Lando. A lot. And you think he might like you back, but neither of you have done anything about it. You flirt with each other like people who have feelings for each other and tease each other like friends, dancing around the elephant in the room whenever you’re in the same vicinity. 

It certainly doesn’t help that Lando is one of your brother’s best friends. He looks up to Carlos, respects him as a mentor, and wouldn’t dare make a move against his baby sister. But honestly, you wish he just would. This back and forth is starting to get a little old. 

Now is as good a time as any, with Carlos distracted on his big day. And what was that again people said about weddings being the perfect chance for blossoming romance? 

Someone with a headset and a clipboard comes up and whispers something in your ear, cutting your moment with Lando short. You stow away your phone in your purse, already prepared to follow them to attend to whatever needs doing. 

“Duty calls. I’ll see you later, Lan,” You say, straightening Lando’s tie with a sweet smile aimed at him. “Don’t miss me too much.” 

Lando chuckles, looking equal parts fond and amused. “I’ll try my best.” 

The next time you see him is right before you're meant to walk down the aisle together. You take your mark right next to him, smoothing out your dress one last time before looping your arm through his. 

He leans towards you, lips almost brushing your ear with his whisper. “Missed you.” 

“Thought you said you’d try your best not to?” 

“Guess it wasn't good enough. Listen, can we talk later?” 

He sounds uncharacteristically serious, and it has you giving him a cautious sideways glance. “Of course,” You say. You nudge him gently with your elbow. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, it’s good. Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry.” 

“Well, now that you tell me not to worry, I think I might,” You reply, brows furrowing. 

“Then don’t.” 

“Seriously, Lando? You couldn't have waited until after the ceremony for this? I mean, honestly—” 

Suddenly his lips are on your cheek briefly, causing your outburst to die off mid sentence. You stiffen momentarily at the unexpected action. When you turn to gawk at him, he’s looking straight ahead, a satisfied little smile gracing his face. 

You don’t have time to process anything any further before you're being guided towards the beginning of the aisle. Straightening up, throwing your shoulders back, you tighten your fingers around your bouquet of flowers. 

Now isn’t the time. 

The ceremony goes swimmingly. There isn’t a dry eye in the place at seeing just how much Carlos and Rebecca love and cherish each other. Every so often, you’ll catch Lando’s eye across the aisle and he’ll wink back at you, settling your nerves at standing up there in front of everyone. 

You start to wonder what he wants to talk to you about. Your mind immediately goes to the worst possible thing, but surely it can’t be too bad. Right?

Lando doesn’t bring it up until well into the reception. He catches your eye from afar, tilting his head towards the nearest exit. Everyone is on the dance floor now, nobody would notice if you left. 

He slips out of the large hall silently and you follow a few seconds later, only startling a little bit when he grabs your hand and leads you further down the corridor until you can’t hear the lively music anymore. 

“What’s going on, Lando?”

He drops your hand in favor of starting to pace, rubbing his palms over his thighs nervously. “I’m gonna be really honest with you right now. Probably brutally honest. And it might fuck things up, but I think I might explode if I keep it in any longer.” 

“Uh…okay. That sounds concerning,” You say hesitantly, shifting on your feet. 

“It is. I mean, no, it’s not, it’s nothing but, I just…” 

“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you all night, because you look absolutely stunning,” He blurts. “But not just today. I wanna kiss you all the time, and I know—I know I probably shouldn’t because Carlos is one of my best mates and you’re his little sister and he’d likely kick my ass if he ever finds out, but I don’t care, I—” 

“Lando,” You interrupt, fighting to keep your voice level. Finally, finally, something is happening. 

He continues on as if he hadn’t heard you at all. “—can’t keep doing this…this whatever thing we’ve been doing. I really like you, and I need you to know that even if it ruins our friendship.” 

Normally you’d entertain his yapping tendencies, but you want to tell Lando you feel the same way and he just keeps on talking like he’s the only one in this conversation, so you’re left with no choice. 

You push him back against the wall behind him with one hand splayed across his chest, the other hand coming up to cover his mouth. Lando’s ranting dies off the moment your hand touches his face, like you’ve just found his off switch and powered him down. 

“Can you please just shut up for a second?” You say exasperatedly. He nods quickly, completely doe eyed under your palm. “You gonna let me talk now?” Another nod, this one a little slower. “Good. I like you too. Have for ages.” 

Lando’s fingers curl around your wrist, prying your hand away from his mouth with furrowed brows. “You—you do? Really? Why’ve you never said anything?”

“Why haven’t you?” You shoot back, cocking your head. 

“Because…because!” He says incredulously, wrinkling his nose. “You’re Carlos’s little sister, I—he’d have my head.” 

You scoff. “Carlos isn’t my keeper, Lando. I’m an adult, I can make my own choices without having to consult my brother. If I want to date you, I can!” 

Lando’s gaze sharpens, the edges of his mouth curving into a smug little smile, and you know you’re in for it now. 

“Then let me take you out. On a proper date,” He proposes. It’s a bold move, considering you’ve still got him pinned against the wall with one hand, but his bluntness makes your focus flicker. 

Lando takes the opening and makes his move, now suddenly you’re the one with your back against the wall and he’s pushed himself closer than you’ve ever been before. For someone who was just worried about Carlos finding out mere seconds ago, he seems quite confident. 

“You’re sure you want to do this?” You ask softly, searching his face for any trace of doubt or uncertainty. What you’ve wanted for a long time is finally happening, but that doesn’t make you any less wary. If anything, it feels even more daunting. 

Slowly, Lando’s hand comes up to cradle your cheek almost delicately, like he’s afraid you might disappear into thin air if he moves too fast. His tongue darts out to wet his lips just before he leans in, deft fingers shifting from your cheek down under your chin, tilting your head up just enough to meet him in a gentle kiss. 

His lips are softer than you expect, tasting a little like the rum and cokes he’s been nursing all night mixed with something else sweet, and definitely living up to every dream you’ve ever had about this very moment. 

Lando’s thumb rubs along your cheek, a soft smile playing across his face when you break apart. “Believe me, I’m more sure about you than I’ve ever been about anything in my life.” 

You smooth out the lapels of his suit jacket from where your fingers had bunched into the material, beaming at him happily. “Always such a sweet talker, you.”

“Worked on you, didn’t it? I mean, it took years, but I’ve got you now, don’t I?” 

“Depends on where you take me on our date,” You joke. 

“Oh, I’ll take you anywhere you want, baby. Name it and it’s done.” 

“A sweet talker and a smooth talker. That could come in handy for when Carlos finds out.”

“No, it—why?” His voice squeaks on the last word, eyes widening almost comically.

You give his chest a firm pat, ducking out from under his arm to return to the reception. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see, hm?”

“Sweetheart, c’mon! He won’t try to fight me, right? Right?” 

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[pittrabbit]

warning: angst, fluff, resolution of feelings yay, kissing, a lot of smut, p in v sex, not proofread!!!!, age gap (think 28 and 49), horribly incorrect medical terminology, made up lore about jack's former wife.

summary: after finally snapping at jack, he does something he'd never done before: he grovels. finally allowing himself to let someone in, he chases after you in hopes of doing things right this time around.

word count: 4.3k

part 1

only a few days passed after that last, unfortunate, encounter with you before another harsh day made its way to the ER.

jack couldnt help but worry about you on the harder days at the job. you'd gotten to know each other well enough for you to know each other's coping mechanisms. you knew about his therapy, about his habit of coming in to work when sleep couldn't find him. and in turn, he knew of your loneliness, of your inability to decompartmentalize your emotions after a particularly difficult shift.

this worried him as soon as a massive casualty hit the ER. it had been a car crash. a blunder involving a drunk driver and a truck packed with a family of six. only one survivor — a six year old little girl. it had taken the entire day, with tireless attempts at saving the family, at saving the drunk driver and his passenger, but it was all futile.

you worked along each other, ignoring any issues between you as you attempted to save a young 12 year old boy with head trauma. it was grueling, an impossible case to deal with. and it all proved useless, resulting in the outcome jack saw coming within an hour of working the case. but he continued upon your insistence, realizing you were crashing out and wanting to be there to catch you.

after it was all said and done, he trailed after you, watching from afar just in case. he wanted to ensure you were fine, even if it was from a distance.

it was a selfish need, but he seemingly couldn't help his selfishness when it came to you.

it was surprising to him when you accepted princess' invitation to join the crew in some after-work drinks at the park. it meant he no longer had to keep his distance. it meant he could at least save himself from worrying about your mental state as you went home alone, that he could make sure you could decompress before heading home.

and so now he sat there, beer in hand as he actively avoided looking your way.

he didn't want to be obvious, didn't want to make you uncomfortable or like he kept you under close watch. he had already been scared that you'd leave as soon as you realized he was tagging along. so he wanted to keep his distance, or to at least make you think that he was.

one by one, people began leaving, all while you stood there, mostly quietly nodding along to people's jokes and commentary about the hard day.

in the end, it was only you, jack, robby, and collins left. the more people that left, the harder it was for jack to not zero in on you, to not want to go up to you and grovel, to take the chance that you were finally in his vicinity to make things up with you.

robby — a smart man — and collins — an even smarter woman — took his silent pleas into consideration, eyeing each other before getting up from the bench they were sharing with jack. collins went to give you a quick hug as a goodbye, insisting you take her seat on the bench. knowing you'd hesitate, she guided you despite your lighthearted objections.

robby was the last to say goodbye, offering his friend a subtle nod in encouragement before leaving you on your own.

the silence was heavy, creating warmth in the otherwise chilly atmosphere of the park.

jack remained silent for a few moments, still facing forward as he sipped at his beer.

"kid," he broke the silence, giving you space to speak.

"can we ... can we not talk? i just, i don't know if i can handle talking to you right now," your voice was broken as you said it.

it made jack's heart clench, in pain at the fact that today's events weren't the only reason why you were hurting. it was because of him too.

his body turned to yours on the bench, finding you shelled off, shrinking into yourself as your legs pressed together and you looked down at your lap. it took him a moment to realize you were crying, small sniffles leaving you before a sob escaped your lips.

"fuck, kid ... c'mere," he grabbed his leg off the bench, scooting to your side and wrapping his arm around you.

surprisingly to him, you leaned in, allowing yourself to nuzzle into his chest while he pressed kisses against your hair, humming in a comforting manner as he remained pressed into your hair.

"i- i don't-"

"you don't gotta say anything. just stay here," he reassured, "i'm here, kid. i'm always here."

you stayed silent for a beat or two, "are you, jack? because it really hasn't felt like it lately," you pulled away just enough to look up into his eyes, finding them glassy just like yours.

his gaze averted, swallowing as he attempted not to let the shame show in his features. thing was, you had a point. jack was very well aware of how hot and cold he'd been with you, how little explanation he'd given you for it.

and though he'd been trying to make up for it, he had felt too ashamed to even try and be assertive about it all. communication, something he valued incredibly (specially after all those visits to his therapist), had failed him any time he tried to let himself get closer to you. he felt like a hypocrite telling robby all about therapy and letting himself be vulnerable, all while he did anything but.

truth was, it had been a very long time since he'd felt like this. it had been twelve years since the passing of his wife, an event that had altered his life beyond belief. it had only been a year since he'd stopped wearing the ring to work, advice given with some hesitation by both his therapist and robby. something about needing to move on, to stop being stuck in the past.

it didn't prove useful for a while. it certainly opened up doors for women flirting with him any time he found himself at a bar or outing with his coworkers, but he never really engaged with it, not feeling quite ready for it.

but then he met you.

the effect of meeting you had been almost immediate, he just hadn't realized it until later. and it was this realization that led to him ruining everything.

he cared about you far too much far too quickly. when he finally came to realize it, he knew he was in too deep and completely unprepared for his feelings. attempting to bring it up during therapy had been futile, as he had already made up his mind to let you go, to keep you at an arm's length even if it ended up hurting you both in the process.

you were too young, too new, too polished — and that was completely ignoring the fact that you were his subordinate. being with him would mean dirtying you up with all his issues, forcing all of his trauma on you, showing you the ugly parts of himself that had not seen the surface since his wife had passed. and even then, he'd only gotten worse with time, even more closed off. even his wife wouldnt have been able to handle the dark cloud constantly hanging over his head.

he kept it hidden. he told jokes, encouraged students, was there for his friends, but beneath the surface was too much for him to unravel in front of you.

but pushing you away clearly hadn't been the solution.

because now he found himself even more miserable than before. and even worse, he found you destroyed by his actions, crying as he held on to you late at night on a public park.

"i'm here, kid. i'm always here, you know that," he finally answered your question, pulling you even closer, perhaps more for his own sanity than yours.

you continued looking at him, a knot in your brows and a pouty lip sticking out, giving him the look of a petulant child.

"you can't do this, jack," you shook your head, correcting yourself, "i mean, doctor abbot. sorry, force of habit."

he shook his head slowly in return, lifting up a hand to your cheek and making you turn to him, "hey, it's jack to you, okay? none of that formality bullshit."

you scoffed, "how- how am i supposed to read you, jack? how do i know when you're doctor abbot to me or when you're jack? i'm ... i'm so tired of this. i don't think i can do this anymore," you paused, scooting back slightly so you could look at him better. you swallowed and looked away for a brief moment, as if you needed to build up the courage for what you were going to say next, "i applied at a hospital next town over to continue my rotation there. they, uhm, they called me yesterday. i just need to sign the papers and then-"

"what?"

he turned serious, harshly grabbing his prosthetic off the floor and putting it on before standing up with conviction. chuckling with bitterness, he ran his hand down his face, turning to you as he paced in front of the bench you'd been sitting on.

"you're, what, you're leaving? its- it's that easy for you?"

then you turned serious, anger invading your features before you got up and stood in front of him, chin tilted upwards as you spoke.

"easy? you think this shit is easy for me? i've been here for almost a year. i love everyone here, but you- god, you're driving me fucking insane. what do you even want from me?," you ranted, hands flying up and down as you spoke with conviction, "first you teach me, you take me under your wing, you treat me as your favorite, and you- you make me think that maybe you might even like me" you paused, looking away for a second with insecurity behind your eyes, "but you were too much of a coward to admit it to yourself and decide to shun me instead? you push me away, refuse to teach me, fuck, you acted like you hated me — no, but here's the kicker! when i do the same in return, that's when you decide to switch it back up on me? what am i supposed to do with that, jack? i can't deal with this anymore, i can't-"

jack had heard enough. truly, he had heard enough five seconds into your rant, but he'd never seen you speak with such emotion. he knew you needed this, to get all your anger for him out of your system so you could complete the cycle of emotions you were going through because of him.

it was just that he needed to get something out of his system too.

taking two determined steps towards you, his hands went up to your cheeks, engulfing almost the entirety of your face in between them before pulling you towards him.

kissing you had been the most decisive thing he'd done since meeting you. no overthinking, no faltering, just doing what he'd been too ashamed of even picturing for the past months in which he'd known you.

the kiss turned intense almost immediately, invading his every sense as he coaxed your lips open with his tongue before slipping it inside. you sighed, finally allowing him to feel your hands on him when you brought them up tot he back of his head, toying and pulling at his hair any time he'd suck on your tongue.

the sounds you released against his lips had him breathing in deep, almost as if buffering at the effect you had on him. his hands came down to your lower back, pulling you against his body, ensuring no space would be left between you.

admittedly, jack was not expecting you to pull away within mere moments of what he would've called a life-changing kiss. his lips chased yours for a few seconds before realizing what was happening, opening his eyes to find your eyes on his.

"n-no, jack! i can't do this, i can't just- i need something better than this. i deserve better," you reprimanded, but you didn't pull away. you stayed in his hold, with your hands now lying on his chest.

jack took a deep breath, giving himself a moment to enjoy the light breeze around you before zeroing in on your eyes. it was imperative to him to always look you in the eyes, to have his entire focus on you as he spoke to you.

"you're right. you deserve better," his hands went up and down your back in a comforting manner, "and i'll give you better. i'll give you anything you want."

"how am i supposed to believe that?"

you looked away, staring down at your feet due to the intensity of his gaze, but he wasn't having it. his hand went up to your chin, encompassing it between his thumb and his index finger as he lifted up your chin so you'd face him again.

"hey- hey, eyes on me. i- i cant explain what i feel for you, okay? i've been a fucking idiot, and i know i don't deserve another chance, but i do care about you. more than i can even understand," he began, not once leaving your eyes, "i did this all wrong. i didn't want you wasting your life with an old man like me, with someone who doesn't even know how to love anymore," his hand went up to trace your cheek with his thumb, "but i was wrong. and if you let me, i'll prove it all to you. what do you say, kid? will you give me another chance?", he practically pleaded, taking a deep breath before speaking again, "i love you, kid. i need you to at least know that."

you stayed silent for a few moments, scaring the fuck out of jack as you did so, but then you looked back up to him with a smile.

"you know, if we're gonna do this, maybe it's time you stop calling me kid, you old man," you nodded at him.

in disbelief, he laughed, shaking his head at you, "yeah? that's all you got out of this?," he laughed unlike he usually did, with jubilation that was unfamiliar to him, "hmm, how about 'baby,' then? huh? or 'honey'? 'sweetheart'? you gotta give me ideas here, kid. i don't know what the youth's saying nowadays."

laughing along with him, you nudged him in faux annoyance, "stop talking like that, you're not 70!"

he interrupted your teasing by burying his face in your neck, kissing it lightly a few times before reaching your lips, shutting up your laughter with his tongue in your mouth.

you fell into the kiss easily, moaning into his mouth when he deepened it and pulling him closer by twisting your fingers in his hair.

"hmm," you hummed when you pulled away, "i love you too, by the way. in case that wasn't completely obvious by now."

"i think i might need some proof, kid," he teased.

rolling your eyes, you scoffed, "again with the kid-"

but he interrupted you again with another kiss, this time heavier, this time more lustful. his hands traced your jaw, holding it in place so he could explore your mouth as he pleased.

your reaction to his touch, to his kiss, were nothing but euphoric to jack. you melted into him, humming and sighing at every swipe of his tongue against yours. jack pulled you closer by your hips, causing an incidental grace of your hips with one another. this pulled a groan from jack, who was already beginning to harden and knew he was a gone man upon the very first touch of lips.

"kid, i-"

"take me home, jack," you sighed, eyes closed and lips scraping by his own, not allowing him an answer before your tongue snuck out and licked at his top lip, sucking it lightly afterwards.

jack lost his sanity then, but he was fortunately well trained for such moments. he had a soldier's ability to remain stoic whenever necessary.

but the military didn't train him for how to deal with you.

so he caved.

"are you sure?", he tried to keep his composure, to think reasonably for the two of you.

your lips went south, reaching his jaw and then his neck as you kissed and sucked at it, moaning into his skin as if you were the receiver of the pleasure.

"please, jack," you reached his ear then, teeth scrapping his lobe, "i've been waiting for so long."

for the first time in more years than he could count, jack shuddered, a heavy exhale leaving him at your tongue suddenly licking at the shell of his ear. his hands gripped your hips, pushing you up against the hardness between you as he groaned.

"you want to kill me," he huffed, giving in.

"take me home so i can finish the job," you continued, relentless in ruining him.

he nodded, breathless, utilizing herculean effort to separate himself from you and grabbing your hand, leading you in the direction of his car parked a couple blocks away.

once in the car, you didn't want to keep your hands off him, pulling him in for another kiss before he could even fasten his seatbelt.

"you're going to make us end back at the ER, honey," he grumbled between kisses, hand on your wrist as you pulled his head towards you.

"fine, i'll calm down," you sighed dramatically as you pulled away (much to jack's hypocritical dismay)

౨ৎ

"you know, i always pegged you as someone a someone a little more shy," jack attempted to speak as you pushed him up against the wall of his apartment.

"yeah? you feel i'm taking advantage of you, doc?", you jested back, a cheshire cat smile on your slips as you had your way with him.

jack's hands remained on your waist, pulling you close while you peppered kisses down the length of his neck. they reached under your scrub top, feeling the warm skin at the dip of your back, groaning at the softness found there.

"take as much advantage as you want," he hummed after a few moments of silence, just taking in every touch you blessed him with.

your mouth creeped north reaching his ear, hands now under his shirt and tracing at the skin of his abdomen. breathing against his ear, you kissed it, whispering into it, "but what if i want you to take advantage of me?"

"fuck, kid ... you're going to kill me," but despite his words, his hands wrapped around you, nudging you up so you could wrap your legs around his waist.

it was a bit of a messy trek, but you made it to his bed in one piece, being settled down on it with gentleness. refusing to let jack get too far from you, your legs remained around him as he threw off his shirt, hastening in removing his prosthetic, shoes, pants, and leaving only his boxers on. he watched you intensely as he undressed, all while you made sex eyes at him, biting your lip and swallowing at every new sliver of skin uncovered.

"you look like you want to eat me," he chuckled, climbing the bed and kneeling on top of you, using his hands to lift himself up above you.

"there's a lot of things i want to do to you," you sighed back, lifting your head so you could steal a kiss, pulling him down by grabbing the back of his neck.

desperate for more, your legs fully wrapped around his back, pulling him down so your middles could connect. this earned a groan directly into your mouth along with a whine of your own. luckily jack took the hint, beginning to gyrate his hips against your own, giving you the desired friction despite your scrub pants and his boxers being in the way.

"oh, god, jack ..." you sighed, mouth open and allowing jack access to suck your tongue.

your hands became antsy, scratching at his back in anguish at the pressure you were craving in your stomach. meanwhile, his own hands slipped under your shirt once more, hesitant in pulling it up before you aided him in the act, lifting yourself up a bit in order to throw it off.

under it, he found a lacy bra, baby pink and contrasting against your skin perfectly. it was comfy, not too much, but it had a cute little bow in the middle, giving jack whiplash as he stared down at you dumbfounded.

"fuck, kid," he shook his head in disbelief, "i dont know if i can handle you," his lips lowered, kissing at your collarbones, dragging his kisses to your sternum and ending up at the top of your breasts.

"what, old man, you're gonna tell me you're out of practice?", you teased as you reached behind you to pull your bra off, making jack freeze against your chest for a second before allowing himself to look at your nude upper half.

"you're a fucking dream, kid," he huffed, voice in a complete state of incredulity. he then leaned down again, kissing at your breasts, licking and biting and sucking, taking in every moan that left your lips while his hips took on a slow and steady pace as they ground into yours, "don't even know where to start with you."

"just fuck me," you cried, pulling his head back up to your lips, "i want you so bad, jack."

he groaned at this, but even more so when he felt your hand reach down to his boxers, one hand slipping inside and gripping his dick while the other scratched at the hem, pulling down the fabric.

"you sure, baby?" he had to check one last time, though he knew he wouldnt be able to take it if you made him stop now. he had never felt this needy, like he'd die if he didnt get more of you.

you nodded with desperation, furrowed brows and pleading eyes staring up at him in a ruinous manner.

shuffling so you could remove your scrub pants and panties from under him, you finally ended up fully nude and ready, gasping when you felt his fingers run through the wetness between your legs.

jack grabbed at himself, positioning his dick right against your cunt and finally pushing in with a heavy grown.

dropping his head against your neck, he took a deep breath, groaning at the feeling of finally entering you.

"jack ... fuck, jack, you feel so good," you were delirious as you said it, nails already running down his back.

in the meantime, jack was in heaven. he hadnt felt so lightheaded in years. your mere touch already had his heart going a mile a minute and his brain turning off, but the feeling of you like this — warm, wet, welcoming — made every bit of misery in his life become worth it.

"fucking perfect ... that's it, baby, take it for me," he began moving, hips creating that slamming sound of skin that he'd grown so unfamiliar with.

the man above you lost himself in the pleasure, grunting in tandem with every thrust and wrapping his arms around your waist to pull you as close to him as possible, breathing in the natural scent of your skin.

and even though the pleasure was unimaginable, jack simply wanted more, wanted to have you louder, more broken for him. he'd always been a bit of an overachiever, after all.

softly, he pulled out, shushing you when you whined at the separation and getting you on your hands and knees. his hands massaged the skin of your hips, dipping your back lower so you'd arch it even more for him and groaning at the sight.

"look at you ..." he mumbled almost to himself.

then he entered you again, now deeper, heavier, adding more pressure to your belly and making you immediately wail at the feeling. that's when jack truly lost himself. completely drunk on the feeling, jack hammered into you, huffing and puffing at the overexertion of energy he was currently displaying.

"i'm gonna cum, jack, shit ..." you said with an uncharted desperation, only making jack speed up, knowing that the moment you came, he was gone.

and he'd been right. as soon as your climax took over you, you pulled him right down with you, forcing him to spill inside you without the ability to even warn you. you'd taken him by surprise as per usual.

there were, once more, complaints from you when he finally pulled out of you, leaving the warmth of your skin to clean himself up and wipe up any of his remains that spilled out of you. he just tutted at you, but still hurried himself up so he could finally lay down with you, have that intimacy he'd craved from you since day one.

side by side, jack felt offended by any amount of distance, pulling you as close as possible while his hands traced at the curve of your hips, grabbing your leg and throwing him over his waist so any distance would be eliminated. your hands played with his chest, fingers tracing figures at the expanse of it while you smiled shyly at him.

"how you feeling, gorgeous?"

you muffled a giggle by pressing your face into his chest, kissing the skin once, twice, before leaning up for a kiss on his lips.

"better than i've felt in a very long time. how about you, old man?", you hummed into his lips.

"never felt better."

"you just had to one-up me, didn't you?" you scowled falsely at him.

he tsk'd at you in fake annoyance, a very common display from him, "gotta keep you on your toes, kid."

note: did not know how to end it lol and its also not proofread but i hope you enjoy anyways!

[websterss]

THE HAND THAT’S FORCED — ROBERT REYNOLDS

SUMMARY: You hadn't meant to get attached to Bob, much less fall in love with him. You hadn't meant for things to slip out right from underneath your grasp. Out of your control, much like Valentina holding your love for one another over your heads.

WARNING(S): angst, a slur, mentions of pregnancy, mentions of death, a bit of a graphic depiction towards the end, Valentina being terrible

WORD COUNT: 2,739

PAIRING: Robert Reynolds (Sentry/The Void) x fem!reader

A/N: Hope you guys like it.

MASTERLIST

"What is this, Bob?" Yelena was curious as they all watched a new illusion appear before them.

"M-My memories..."

"Whose the girl-"

"J-Just watch." Bob silenced John.

-

"Hi Bob, remember me?" You smile up from your chart.

"You're Y/n." Bob answers.

"Yes, that's me. Would it be alright if I could draw some blood from you today?"

"You're asking." Bob's head remains faced down. You're highly aware of the two former doctors he's turned into shadows right behind you. "The other's never asked..." His brows crease in wonder.

"Well, I...I think we all deserve to be shown some bedside manners. Some respect for our boundaries. You more so than others..." You trail off.

"Do you think you do?" Bob finally raises his head to look at you.

"Do I think I deserve to be shown respect?"

"Mhm."

"I would like to think so."

"Why's that?"

"I haven't given you any reason to believe otherwise. I'm not here to poke and prob you. I don't have ill intentions, Robert."

"Why should I believe you?"

"I like to think we're a bit alike, honestly."

"Alike...you think we're alike?" He releases a dark chuckle.

You nod. "We're both here against our own will." You place the chart beside him. "My reason, albeit in contrast to your own, I'm under contract to see that you succeed in our experiments. Though if I fail...to meet certain requirements." You inhale shakenly. You muster your best smile, though it's far from meeting your eyes. "My family gets killed. So I can't afford to mess up."

"I don't want to be pricked by anyone anymore..." Bob finally admitted.

"I can work around that." You nodded in reassurance. "Needles isn't the only way. There are cotton swabs we could try..."

"But blood is what you need, though, right?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Blood samples are more effective for the test we want to conduct."

"You got a knife anywhere or a scalpel?"

"What for?" You tense.

"So you can get your blood sample..."

"Oh, yeah, I do!" You scurry around the room in search of something sharp. You instead find a sewing needle, something you found similar to the needles he didn't want anymore. "There's a needle, but I can step out if you want the scalpel."

"That'll work." He gestures it over.

-

"Where are we going?" You peer over your shoulder as Bob guides you into a broom closet. You hold your breath as heavy boots hurry past the door he shoved you both in. You peer at him in curiosity, in wonder as he strains his ear. "Valetina will have my head if she finds us alone-" You gasp as he cups your face. His lips silenced your worries in a matter of seconds. You sigh into the kiss as he backs you up against the metal storage shelves. You raise your hands to rake them through his locks.

"Bob, we can't stay in here-" You push back slightly, only for him to chase the kiss again.

"Shh-"

"Bob, I'm serious we can't risk this-" Your whisper is muffled by another kiss. You go to protest only to see he was quieting you once more with precaution.

"What do you mean you can't find him? Well, where's Dr. Y/L/N? She was the last one to know about his whereabouts?" You both pull back in time to hear and see Valentina's shadow fall below the door. You hold your breath again. "Well, page her now!" You begin to panic as you reach for the device tucked into your scrubs. Before it could emit its alert tone, you feel Bob reach forward and crush it in his hand. "You're all useless!"

-

You had been a former member of the team of scientists that had run tests and experiments on Bob when the team was only at the beginning of their trial runs.

Heavily emphasized as former, when Valentina viewed your empathy towards the man, incompetent to her wretched morals. Your perspective on your team's ethics and your reluctance to keep sticking needles in his veins had guaranteed you your very own enemy. A target on your back if you didn't comply with her wishes.

Bob had grown fond of your sweet nature, having made a friend out of you during your time spent in the lab. That friendship, though, the closeness you garnered, had cost you, cost him your company.

Valentina proposed access to you if he did what was asked of him. He too fell victim to Valentina's manipulation. What small but significant leverage she dangled over your own heads like dogs. You were his demise, as much as he was yours. But you would ensure the safety of one another, go to certain lengths, of what was asked of you to see each other. Then and only then would she bring you up the tower to see him. And she did for what felt like a month's worth of waiting to see him. Though it wasn't like any of the other times she dragged your cuffed hands towards the top floor. Dragging felt like a misconception; she all but shoved you face down onto the ground before Bob's feet. He knelt, brushing the disheveled locks back behind your ears as your fear-stricken gaze met his bewildered one.

This wasn't like your regular visits.

"Your lip?" Bob pointed out. It was busted.

"Bob, don't listen to her-" He helped you onto your feet before the clock of a gun triggered his fight or flight.

You turned cautiously towards Valentina, who directed the end of her pistol right onto you. Bob shoved you behind him, his hands out before him as though to tame a wild beast, in your case, Valentina, who always felt like the devil incarnate.

"Here's what's gonna happen, you two...I'm gonna send some people your way, Bob, and you are gonna deal with them for me, cause I'm getting real tired of having to put up with them. If you don't comply. I'm gonna shoot her dead. Right here." Valentina grinned, thumping her forehead with the butt of her weapon for her example. "And you'll never see her again. Though to be honest, I should have shot her the second she got attached to you. I'd have shot you too, but this won't do shit I'm afraid." Valentina sighed, tired of over-explaining herself. "You just had to go and let your heart win." Valentina glanced at you over his shoulder. Your face was reminiscent of a lost child, scared. Fearing the unknown. Like, where did your future lie in her hands?

"You broke your contract, you little bitch. What was the one thing I asked of you?"

"To not get-"

"What was that?" Valentina turned her face, cupping a hand behind her ear to mock you. "Oh, that's right, to not get attached, to not make a connection. Now look at you." She feigned a gag of disgust towards you both. "I hope you've been smart enough to keep your legs shut. Otherwise, that's a whole other problem that I don't have time for." Though the faint dread that crossed your face had her paling at the sudden realization. "Oh...you didn't, please tell me you didn't? When would you two have even found the time?"

"What kind of people?" Bob tried to shift her attention to anything else besides you.

"No, now I'm mad. When the hell did that happen? God, you're not pregnant, are you?"

"N-No." You promised.

"Well, good. At least you weren't stupid enough to conceive a baby of destruction. The press would have a field day with this!"

"What people?" Bob asked again.

"You'll know when they come. Let's go!" Valentina gestured for you to come over with the gun.

"I don't get my hour with her?" Bob circled an arm around you to keep you behind him.

"No."

"I've done everything you've asked of me..." Bob pleaded.

"Your lover hasn't. Why don't you tell him what I found out today? It'll help explain your fault for ending up shoved against the ground. Let him in on why I decided to bust your lip open."

"Y/n?" Bob turned to face you, confusion written across his features. Hoping your truth wasn't some form of disloyalty towards him.

"I tried to..." Your gaze averts Valetina's, feeling the water works begin. "I tried outing her plans...to the public, what they've done to you. The public should know of her cruelty. I tried reaching out to a contact of mine, but he was struck down in the air last I heard, going through therapy and training, so I was on my own. V-Valentina broke into my house this morning."

That explained your pajamas. His gaze shifted to your slippers.

"And that is why we are here today. Maybe I will give you your hour, to remind you of the good I do to allow you both to be together, since both of you comply so well." Just as she said this, her phone rang. Her mood shifted into one of ease and joy. "Ah, I've got to take this. You get an hour." She waved you off. As soon as she entered the elevator and the door closed behind her. Bob broke the cuffs, freeing your trembling hands that now circled around his neck to hide yourself in the nape of his neck.

"Hey, hey, you're with me now. She's gone, we have an hour again." Bob hurried you off to his enclosed case that remained open now. The single mattress on the ground welcomed you. Bob pulled you down with him. His lips colliding with yours in a desperate rush. Valentina hadn't let him see you for a month. Sometimes a month expanding into three, and before he knew it, three months had turned into more if he acted out. That solemn year without you had set him off. He was on his best behavior now, desperate to even catch a glimpse of you if Valentina was in good spirits.

Your tears hadn't stopped even if Bob kept wiping them away. Whatever grief you were withholding had broken your resolve. He could feel it in the way you gently ran your hands through his locks. Foreign to your usual wanting grip.

He'd never coax it out of you like Valentina would. He'd wait, and he'd be patient with you-

"I-I'm pregnant." You choked back a sob amid another kiss.

Bob's breath hitched at the sudden confession. His gaze neutralized as he continued to caress your wet cheeks with his thumbs. His only response in the moment was to kiss you sweetly, then lift the hem of your shirt, just enough to place a faint whisper of a kiss against your stomach.

His words of comfort only being. "I don't want her to use it against me if she finds out."

"She won't find out..." Your eyes space out as Bob reaches up to push back your hair. His gaze settles over your cut on your lip before he cups your jaw as he begins his light descent of kisses.

"If she touches you again. I'll raise hell. No one would be safe."

"It should just be Valentina. What does anyone else have to do with it?"

"I don't think I'd be in the right mental capacity to determine whose good and whose bad. I'd be too angry to try to be coaxed out of seeing any good morals in anyone."

"All because Valentina touched me?" Your heart felt overwhelmed by how deeply he felt about your safety. It warmed you as much as it almost concerned you.

"Because she hurt you." Bob's soft gaze hardened.

-

“That’s Y/n. My love.” Bob tilted his head with a smile as he showed the thunderbolts another memory of you. “I haven’t seen her since this day. I’m lucky enough to get any time with her throughout the month. Y-You guys haven’t seen her, have you? Valentina said she would bring her by today, but she hasn’t come.”

Yelena felt like throwing up at his words. If your discarded self, which she saw in the broom closet, wasn’t enough evidence to indicate your demise, then she hated the idea of telling him where you really were even more.

Yelena turned her gaze to close her eyes. The heaviness weighed down with the guilt that tightened in her throat. You poor thing. You only wanted to be with him, nothing more than wanting to see him again and again. You were innocent, a helpless life that Valentina took.

"You don't think she's done something to her, right?" Yelena looks up this time to find his gaze has settled onto her.

Bob's gaze was solemn yet imploring as he searched Yelena's expression for reassurance. His hands clenched involuntarily, a visible sign of his anxiety and concern. Her silence only fueled his unease, making the air around them feel heavy with suspense.

"Valentina wouldn't. She wouldn't go that far, right?" Even as he asks, the lingering doubt in his voice exposes his inner turmoil.

Yelena knew the truth, and the weight of that knowledge pressed upon her conscience. The guilt churned within her, and she wrestled with the difficult task of finding a way to break the news to Bob.

"No..." Yelena finally replied, shaking her head as her voice was soft and filled with hesitation. "I hope not..."

You're a bad liar, you know? Bob’s voice appeared in her mind.

Yelena's heart sank as she heard him breakthrough her mental walls, the weight of her deception settling heavily on her conscience. She knew her lie had been detected, and the realization hit her with a pang of remorse.

I know. Yelena silently admitted, unable to meet his gaze. The weight of guilt threatened to overwhelm her, knowing she couldn't bring herself to reveal the truth to him. I don't know how long she's been there...

Bob's expression shifted, his eyebrows furrowing as he read the guilt in her eyes. He could sense the internal conflict that plagued her conscience, the secrets she was wrestling with. It made his heart ache to witness her torn by the burden of his ignorance.

"You…do you know where she is then?" His words cut through the tension like a knife, his voice a mixture of desperation and urgency.

"Know where who is?" John's confusion was evident in his voice as he looked to Bob for clarification. "No one's said anything?" John and the others looked over to Yelena, who kept looking down at her chipped nail paint.

"He just read my mind...Bob, I'm so sorry, but I found her body in a closet. By the looks of it, it could be the same one you dragged her inside of."

Bob's expression paled as Yelena's words hit him like a ton of bricks. His mind struggled to process the news, the weight of her revelation crashing upon him like a tidal wave.

"W-What...? You're not saying-" His voice trembled as he searched Yelena's face for any indication of falsehood.

"I do think Valentina would go that far, and she has."

Bob's emotions flared, a mixture of anger, despair, and disbelief swirling within him. The revelation that Valentina had gone to such extremes struck a chord deep within him.

"Damn it!" The outburst escaped his lips like a strangled cry, his fist clenched tightly as he struggled to come to terms with the harsh reality. "How?" He stopped to glare at her. "How'd she leave her?"

"Knowing won't change any-"

"Tell me!" Bob's voice rose. An echo of darkness mixed with grief, his emotions on the edge of uncontrollable. He was demanding answers, desperate for anything that could help him piece together your tragedy. “Just tell me.”

"T-There was bruising around her neck-" Yelena shook her head, not wanting to think about the state she found you in. "Her face was beaten..." Yelena's shoulders fell. She shook her head at Bob. "It looked intentional. Like it was done out of spite. If she fought back, I don’t think she stood a chance. I'm so sorry, Bob." Yelena's voice cracked.

Bob's world shattered around him as Yelena's words painted a haunting picture of your fate. He couldn't bear the thought of you gone. His anger flared, mixing with a profound heartache, as he processed the cruelty inflicted upon you.

"Out of spite…" He repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. The thought of someone, particularly Valentina, intentionally causing you such pain made his blood boil.

[amortsukii-writes]

May I request forbidden romance trope with Zayne (LADS) please?

STOP DRAGGIN' MY HEART AROUND

♡ summary. You and Zayne both know it's unethical, that he could lose his job. But some things are just meant to be.

pairing. doctor!Zayne x f!patient!Reader

word count. 3.3k

warnings. Maybe OOC Zayne, Making Out, Implied Sex, First Dates, Pining, Slight Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, One Mention Of Y/N

authors note. Hiya lovely! Thank you for the request 🩷 This is my first time writing for Zayne (and I haven't been playing the game very long) so hopefully I managed to pull off writing his mannerisms well. [PS. This is best viewed on mobile!]

song. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Steve Nicks w/ Tom Petty

masterlist. | request info.

"Doctor Zayne?" Your dulcet voice calls from behind his office door, one he could recognise anywhere. A gentle knock quickly follows and a small smile makes its way onto the doctor's face involuntarily.

"Come in." He replies, focusing his attention on the figure opening his door instead of the pile of paperwork he had been tasked with completing. You, his patient and girl who's been occupying his mind for months, walk in; smiling and taking a seat in the chair opposite him.

"I'm here for my monthly check-up. Though, Yvonne said she already told you." Your smile turns sheepish as you fold your hands on your lap, an action which causes Zayne's eyes to flick to them— his cheeks blushing a soft pink.

He clears his throat, "Yes, she informed me before she left. I apologise for how late it is, i've been busy all day with surgeries."

You nod in understanding, eyes flickering over his face and frowning at the dark rings under his green eyes. "I'm sorry. Are you tired? We can always reschedule."

Zayne's heart flutters, the blush on his face darkening at the sweet gestures he's so used to hearing from his crush patient. He shakes his head slightly with his lips turning upwards. Despite the fatigue he feels, and the longing to be back in his bed, he would do anything to spend more time with you.

"It's alright. Your health is more important."

You blush and shake your head, waving your hand as if to brush away his sweet remarks. "You matter as well, Doctor Zayne. I insist we reschedule. I'm pretty tired myself."

Zayne feels a pang of sadness, mind instantly thinking that you're making excuses and don't want to see him. And you, of course, see the changes in his usually expressionless face and figure; the downturned corners of his lips, the sudden slump to his shoulders, and an annoyingly cute pout.

"Do you... not want to see me?" His monotonous voice now sounds hurt and you quickly stand up, alarmed and shaking your head and hands in panic.

"No! No- no. Doctor Zayne, I just thought you might be tired. I would love to see you more, for whatever reason, so please don't think otherwise. I just worry for you!" You ramble, mindlessly rounding his desk and setting a gentle hand on his shoulder. You don't see when he looks up at you, eyes wide in surprise with a light blush on his face. Only when you stop talking do you realise your accidental predicament.

"Oh, I- I'm so sorry!" You stutter, blushing deeply and try to take a step back but a large hand shoots out to grasp at your waist. You meet his eyes, noticing how lidded his have become— how dark they look, different.

"Don't apologise." His voice comes out raspy, almost breathless. Zayne stands up from his chair, now towering over you, still holding onto your waist. His other hand slides along the curves of your body, up past your chest (you think you feel the tips of his finger barely brush against the side of your breast) and gliding across the smooth skin of your bare collarbone. You quietly gasp when his soft hand touches your neck before it quickly moves to caress your jaw. He firmly holds your head still— tilted up to look at him.

"Doctor Zay-" You're out of breath, already feeling hot and bothered from barely any touch. And he's gentle, as always, yet something about him is different. Commanding and... dominating.

"Just call me Zayne." He all but growls, fingers digging into your cheek and waist. Your faces are centimetres apart now, hot breath mingling, lips so close to touching.

He moves before you can even think of replying. Hesitantly pressing against you, your eyes fluttering closed and arms moving to drape over his shoulders. You hear him groan as one of your hands slip onto the back of his neck, gently playing with the ends of his black hair. What was once a sweet, emotional kiss now turns sloppy. Lust filled and passionate.

Seconds go by, lips still attached in desperation and longing. Your mutual feelings have been reciprocated for months, and you both have known that. All obstacles were thrown out the window when you touched each other— and you are so glad.

Seconds turn to minutes and minutes to almost an hour. Before you know it, you're straddling Zayne's lap, perched on the edge of his desk, and gasping for air.

"Zayne-" You whine at the feeling of his hands roaming your body, "W-we shouldn't..."

"Nothing can stop me from having you, sweetheart. As long as you want me, I'm not worried." He murmurs, voice husky and hoarse.

—

You wake up the next morning in your own bed— vaguely remembering Zayne driving you home some time past midnight and walking you to your door with a loving kiss before leaving— not before promising to take you out on a proper date sometime soon. You remember your neck and collarbone aching and you already know you'll have bruises in the spots he attacked.

You groan with a stretch, before deciding to check your phone. And when you turn it on you see a few notifications— namely from Zayne. You open one of them, bringing you to your text messages, and quickly read them before replying with a shy smile on your face.

< 17 Doctor Zayne ❄️ 📷 >

Today 06:15

I hope you're sleeping well.

I just wanted to message you and make sure that we're still on for Saturday night?

I also hope I wasn't too rough last night.

Goodmorning! I'm definitely free saturday

I'd love to see you. And don't worry about me, i'm alright

I'm heading off to work now. Maybe we can call later?

Delivered 08:35

———

You go through your morning routine with a radiant smile on your face, daydreaming and fantasizing about Zayne. When you get into work, your coworkers point and stare whilst whispering about the marks on your neck (which you, embarrassingly, forgot about).

Though no amount of unwanted attention could shatter your happiness and excitement. The man you've been pining over for months finally asked you out! Safe to say, by the time you get back home you're shaking with excitement of seeing Zayne's response to your messages.

[ Doctor Zayne ❄️: I would enjoy that. Message me when you get off work and we can discuss plans for our date. I already have an idea and would like your opinion. ] [18:30]

Your grin widens as you read his response, flopping onto your sofa and preparing for the call.

—

Saturday afternoon rolls around and you're halfway into doing your makeup when a knock comes from your front door making you freeze. You're lost in your thoughts for a few seconds before a familiar voice calls your name and you scramble up from your vanity.

"Just a second!" You announce, shoving things into a small bag before hurrying to open the door. You're slightly out of breath from rushing around so suddenly and the sight of Zayne, standing in your doorway wearing a black button up and matching trousers whilst holding a bouquet of your favourite flowers and a picnic basket, does nothing to help you recuperate.

You had agreed to go on a picnic date in the nearby park, the sunny spring weather making it the best option. You picked out your cutest summer dress— flowy with lots of layers in your favourite colours— and did some subtle matching makeup.

"You look beautiful." Zayne remarks with a slight blush on his face, extending the bouquet in his arms out to you. You smile, bashfully, and admire them for a few seconds before deciding to reply.

"Thank you... are those for me?"

At his nod, you carefully take them from his hold and open your door wider as an invitation. You turn around and amble through your house with him close behind. When you reach your kitchen, you pick out a vase and quickly arrange the flowers.

"These are so pretty, thank you so much! Do you know they're my favourite?" You question, placing the full vase on your windowsill and turning back around to face him. He leans against the counter, watching you intently.

"Of course I do. I remember you telling me before."

It's your turn to blush now, and you quickly turn away to avoid embarrassment. Behind you, Zayne knowingly smirks, following as you exit your house to start the walk to the park.

—

"This spot should be good."

Zayne lays down a blanket that he procured from the picnic basket, straightening it out and then sitting down. You copy, deciding to rest opposite him and watch as he starts pulling out food from the basket.

From sandwiches to salads, fruits to homemade desserts, and a jug of your favourite iced tea. You grin at the effort he's put in, your chest fluttering and cheeks blushing.

"I wasn't sure what you like." Zayne speaks up, voice mixing with bird song and nearby children's shouts. You notice how hesitant he looks, uncertain and almost nervous, so you reassure him.

"This is perfect. Thank you for all of this." You reach over to gently grab his hand, soothingly stroking your thumb across the scarred skin. Your eyes meet, matching smiles on both of your faces.

After a few seconds, you decide to eat. Starting off with one of the sandwiches, stuffed full with some fancy cheese and ham, that you have to say tastes amazing. You try some of the salad— greens and reds mixed together with lemony dressing and topped with croutons— and feed each other chopped-up fruits. Mangoes, berries, watermelon (you both laugh when the juices drip down your chin), and your favourite.. chocolate covered strawberries.

As Zayne feeds you the sweet covered fruit, skewered on a cocktail stick, you practically moan from the taste. "This-" You cover your mouth with your hand and finish chewing, "This is so good-"

The doctor chuckles, placing the skewer into a box with a gentle smile. "I'm glad you like it."

—

After digging in to at least one of every bit of food he bought, you thoroughly compliment his cooking skills and decide to have a break from eating to instead chill out in the comforting presence of Zayne and the nature surrounding you both.

You help Zayne gather up the rubbish, then sort any leftover food back into the basket and place that aside as he returns back from his short trip to a nearby bin. You smile at him and then decide to stretch out across the blanket, basking in the warm rays of sunlight shining down through the trees above. He copies your actions, lacing your hands together as you move to rest your head on his chest. You feel his heartbeat, steady and comforting. Hear the soft badump, badump!, that reigns loudest over the sounds of nature around you. The bird song, leaves rustling from the breeze, dogs barking and children playing.

You both stay like that— quiet, embracing each other— for a long while. And you barely talk, besides pointing out the occasional funny-shaped cloud ("Look, Zayne, that one looks like a snowflake!") or an interesting bird. Hours go by, you even manage to fall asleep briefly, until the blue sky starts showing signs of reds and oranges.

"Come on. I'll walk you home." Zayne's voice breaks the serene scene when he sees the sun start to set. He moves to stand up (retrieving the blanket from the floor and folding it into the basket), then holds out a hand that you take, and follow after him as he walks you back to your house. You admire him in the setting sky, orange and red hues flitting across his calm face. Hazel eyes shining beautifully, scanning your surroundings. Black hair tousled from your previous ministrations and tickling his forehead, windswept and dishevelled.

He walks you to your door, kisses your lips softly just like he did last week, and wishes you a goodnights sleep before leaving. You watch, still standing in your doorway blushing, as he gets in his car and drives off. And you stay standing there for the next ten minutes, fingers touching your lips with a gentle smile on your face.

—

It's Monday morning, Zayne has just gotten into work and now is settling into his office, going through paperwork. A brief knock bangs against his door. Strange. It's unexpected for him to be disturbed this quickly— usually he has at least half an hour before being whisked away into a surgery or meeting.

Zayne calls out a welcome, the door opens and in walks Doctor Greyson— who quickly shuts it behind him. The Doctor sits down opposite Zayne, folding his hands over his chest with an unreadable face. There's a few moments of silence before he speaks.

"Doctor Zayne." He nods, the other doctor silently copying his movements. He continues filling out some paperwork, waiting for Greyson to explain his appearance.

"I saw you on your date. With Miss L/N." He hesitantly starts, "You know this is a bad idea."

Zayne frowns, pushing his work to the side and crossing his arms before responding. "This is none of your business."

"I know." Greyson retaliates, "I thought I should warn you. You could lose your jobs if anyone finds out. You should know this already."

"Yes, I know. You don't need to warn me, I know of the consequences should anyone find out." Zayne narrows his eyes at the other doctor, "Will you tell anyone?"

"No, of course not. But you need to be sure that what you're doing is really worth it."

Zayne is quiet for a few moments, thinking through everything. The next time he speaks, it's awfully vulnerable.

"I really like her. Do you... have any advice?"

Greyson's eyes widen slightly, before a teasing smile appears on his face. "You're asking me for love advice? The Doctor Zayne is asking me for advice." He chuckles as Zayne shakes his head, regretting ever asking.

"Okay, okay. When I saw you the other day, you looked happy. Genuinely happy, which is something I've never seen before. So I think... you should do whatever your heart says. And I really hope it all works out for you both in the end." He stands up and extends a hand across the desk, one that Zayne quickly shakes.

Greyson leaves with a hesitant nod towards his fellow doctor, slipping through the door like he was never there. The office is left silent as Zayne thinks. For the first time in his life, he doesn't know what to do. So he does the first thing he thinks of, even if it's stupid.

He turns off his notifications for you and switches off his phone, tucking it away in his office drawer for the remainder of his work day. Even though ignoring you is bound to be painful for him, it's for the best. He thinks.

—

< 24 Doctor Zayne ❄️ 📷>

Monday 06:20

Good morning. I'm off to work now.

I hope you have a good day

Stay safe, sweetheart

Morning! You as well 💕

I have nooo idea what you're talking about!

I'm always safe

Delivered Mon 07:55

Hey, you off work yet?

Delivered Mon 19:00

Hope you're okay. Goodnight <3

Delivered Mon 22:30

Are you alright?

Why havent you messaged me back?

Delivered Tue 08:05

Tara said i should leave you be

So i'm gonna do that

Just pls message me asap.

Delivered Tue 20:17

Istg if you're injured or dead ill be pissed

So u better be alive, Zayne.

Delivered Thur 21:48

i talked to Tara & Simone again

they think ur ignoring me

either that or ur dead

Delivered Fri 12:54

i'm coming over

Delivered 19:48

—

A week goes by with no sign of Zayne. Memories of your date flash through your mind as you panic, thinking you had possibly done something to offend him. But the day went well. He seemed happy— which, for someone who is usually nonchalant, was unusual yet enjoyable— all of Saturday and even when you called him on Sunday. But that next day when he went to work was where it all seemingly went wrong.

Worries fill your overthinking mind. What if he regrets it? What if he got hurt somehow? What if—

You groan. Fuck this. You think, standing up from where you're sprawled on your couch and moving to grab your keys. You shove on some shoes and quickly exit your house, jumping onto your motorbike and driving in the direction of Zayne's apartment.

You arrive, park haphazardly, and climb the stairs— quickly reaching the top floor and knocking on the door of his penthouse, a familiar voice calling out before the door swings open. The man himself stands there, shirtless with some baggy black pajama pants, one hand on the door and the other in his pocket. He seems momentarily surprised at your sudden appearance, eyes widening and mouth opening, before schooling his expression back to its normal blankness.

"Why are you here?" His voice is calm, deadpan showing no emotion. You frown, crossing your arms before replying.

"I was worried. I haven't heard anything from you in a week."

Zayne sighs, but moves from his spot in front of you and invites you in. You follow him into his living room— a random movie playing quietly in the background and you spot his laptop open on the coffee table. You sit down next to him on the sofa, facing him.

"I apologise. Honestly... I was scared." He looks down at his lap, avoiding your eyes.

"Scared? Why? What happened?" You question, reaching out and taking his hands in your own, making him look up at you. Suddenly, his body lurches forwards and his head's supported on your shoulder— hot breath tickling your skin, voice muffled when he talks.

"Greyson saw us. On our date. And he gave me a warning. And- I know, I know that we shouldn't do this- but this last week without you was horrible. I can't live without you. Even if I lose my job." He's desperate, begging and apologetic, head rested in the crook of your neck. It's so out of character for Zayne, you've never seen him like this before, it makes you freeze. His hands grip onto yours like a lifeline, eyes squeezed shut as silence rings through his penthouse— even the movie he had been watching earlier ended, credits rolled through and screen stuck on a new recommendation.

You whisper his name, soft and reassuring, as your hands release his to take purchase in his dark hair. You lean back into his sofa, his body following yours and a weight settles against you. "We can make it work. I'll request a new primary care physician. I'll do anything, okay. I want you too."

He sighs, any worries he had releasing and leaving him content— snuggled against your chest, wrapped in your comfort. You murmur quiet words of longing and affections into his ears, aiming to reassure him of your love. Love.

A foreign feeling but one that fills his chest nonetheless, drowning him in overwhelming sudden feelings that he just has to confess. He has no worries of it being unreciprocated— for your actions and words have lulled him into a delirious, sleep-ridden, love filled state. He can feel himself drifting off into the realm of sleep, your hands repeatedly running through his hair as a comfort, but forces those three words to escape his mouth. Despite it being nothing but a whisper, croaky and slightly slurred, you hear it all the same.

"I love you."

[the-kr8tor]

For my second potion can I please get cardamom in ❣️bottle of r and hobie hanging out at the park and messing around on the equipment? i think it would be really funny because most of the equipment is kid sized and hes so tall 🤣🤣

🕊️anon

I've been giggling at this request for so long because I keep imagining him playing on the tiny playground 😂 thank you for the adorable request! ❤️

Pairing: Hobie Brown x fem! Reader/ Spider-Punk x fem! Reader

Tags: No use of Y/N, no specific physical description of the reader, established relationship, fluff!

Navigation

One year celebration 🎉

“Hobie, you're too tall!” Your guffaw echoes around the empty playground as the night air breezes by and flutters your lashes. You watch him with fond eyes, smiling widely at his antics that's half fueled by the cold pint he had at the pub.

The swings under you squeeks as he runs towards the slide meant for toddlers. You already know what he's about to do. The whole scene reminds you of your childhood days playing in the playground with a friend you just gotten to know and will probably never see again after the fateful playdate. This time though, your playdate is your actual date, one who you share your life with, and who's currently racing to make you laugh with his shenanigans.

“No, ‘m not!” Hobie says while climbing up towards the slide and not climbing behind it on the ladder like a normal person would.

“You're gonna slip and fall on your ass!”

“I'll be fine—” his boots skids on the metal slide and he falls face first on it with a thud. His whole body fits perfectly well in the slide while his arms are tucked on each side. Whole body frozen and the lack of laughter from him has you genuinely worried.

“Oh shit!” You cross the distance to check on him, his body is still, face squished on the metal. He's planking on the slide, and the only indication that he's still conscious is the muffled groan he let out. With a palm on his back you coo at him softly. “C’mon, you big baby, let me see.”

With a pat on his back, he rises up to his elbows and faces you. His nose is bleeding, not too much, just a tiny drop while he frowns at you like you didn't buy him ice cream. Brows furrowed, he wobbles his pierced lips for added effect.

“Lovie…”

“Oh, Hobie.” Your teasing is tossed away as you gaze at him softly, palm cupping his cheek gently and careful not to touch his injury. “Are you okay?”

“You told me so.” He pouts and sniffs, immediately wincing. “Fuckin' hell.”

“Come on, let's go home and put some ice on your nose.” It doesn't seem broken as you warm him with your touch. If only your hands could heal his aching nose.

“I don't want to go home yet…” Hobie sits up fully, unable to slide down due to him being the same height as the slide under him. “They should make an adult playground.”

“That's a million pound idea, Hobie. But maybe change the name a bit since it's… y’know.” You rub his back affectionately while you wipe the speck of blood on his nose with your sleeve. He gazes at you with love, fingers looped around your belt loops as he sighs.

There's a twinkle in his eye. “Don't have a scooby doo what you mean, love.”

“I mean, ‘adult playground.’” You make air quotes around the word. “There's gotta be a shop named like that in downtown.”

“Why, you've been there?” A smirk appears on his lips as he leans on the slide.

“Don't make me push you, Hobie.” You say through chuckles.

He raises his arms up, smiling lopsided at you. “Please do, lovie.”

Instead, you take the opportunity to poke his side, making him flinch and bring down his arms. “Come on, it's getting cold out here.”

“We haven't tried the roundabout yet.” He flashes his puppy dog eyes at you, and it's super effective as you groan and yank him up to his feet.

“Just don't make it go around too fast, I'll fall!” You relent and he smiles and hugs you with a hefty kiss on your cheek.

It's safe to say that you two went home with a few scratches on your arms and gashes on his knees as the equipment flung the both of you towards the gravel. But you two had fun, and he had his ice cream to quell the aches.

[ilions-end]

"I HATE when people try to characterize Paris and Helen's relationship as love. Like, what about her saying, wish that you had died out there, defeated by that strong man who used to bemy husband: Says LOVE? THIS WAS NOT MUTUAL" More and more often I come across such statements about Paris from Illiada, what do you think about it? Thanks for the answer!

i think paris and helen's relationship in the iliad can be read in several ways, and there are strong cases on both sides. helen wouldn't be helen without some ambiguity, i think.

looking at helen's constant self-deprecation, the way she pushes back against aphrodite, how she tells paris how loathsome she finds him compared to menelaus... i feel the interpretation that she hates paris and doesn't want to be there is definitely supported by the text.

but also personally i read their relationship as a little more complicated than that. like i find it very intriguing that aphrodite herself is so involved in their union, and literally brings them together in book 3 for the purpose of sex. helen famously argues with aphrodite, and later her consent or non-consent is never explicitly stated, but i do have to wonder when the actual personification of love and sexual desire prompts characters to have sex, is that something that can be done against their will or is it how desire naturally functions within that world? would aphrodite induce sexual desire in paris and not in helen, when aphrodite really wants them to be together?

there's also the context that in the iliad we get to know helen on what has to be one of her most emotionally demanding days in a decade, because both the war and her place was meant to be resolved by the duel that day, and then whoops, because of aphrodite everything is still the exact same unresolved mess. i can't help but see helen's extreme bitterness, shame, and antipathy towards both aphrodite and paris as at least partially influenced by the events that day.

i think some people worry that the idea of acknowledging any kind of love or desire in helen for paris makes her the bad guy, or the cause of the war, or it sanctifies helen and paris' relationship in some way, or it means that she can't feel love and desire for menelaus too. again, i think things get complicated when the gods are this involved (and i think one of the recurring themes of the iliad is just how helpless mortals are when the gods are directly influencing things). i think helen is still a victim even if she does find paris irresistibly attractive, if she both loves and hates him, or if she once eloped with him willingly but 10+ years of conflict has soured their relationship. maybe i just don't like the idea of her being that unhappy for all those years, and i want to believe that when paris asks her to bed by reminding her of the time he "lay with [her] in the bed of love on the island of Kanaë" he's referring to an event they both remember fondly.

[beef-brisket]

Adam: Yeah, but... it's a boring two hours-.

Charlie: Boring?!

Angel: Ooh, Adam's in trouble.

Adam: Hey, I'm drunk. I say stupid shit when I'm drunk.

Angel: Babe- you had two shots.

Adam: You know I've been completely sober for over 8,000 years.

Angel: 8,000? What happened to those 2,000 years?

Adam smirked: Eve found out what happens if you ferment grapes.

Lucifer: A'hem! Don't you too have something to say to Charlie?

The sinners looked between themselves before looking at Charlie.

Adam: I would say sorry... but we did technically help someone.

Charlie: Wait- you did?! That's great! Who did you help?

Angel: I helped a poor sinner loose his sad wittle virginity~!

Charlie: That's... kinda helping- but not what I had in mind- and Adam? What did you do?

Adam: ...What do you mean "what did I do?" I exist, girlie! You wouldn't have a clientele if it wasn't for me! So, you're welcome~.

Charlie: I... are you two serious? THAT'S what you consider helping? What about- volunteering, or cleaning the streets, or helping protect someone in trouble?

Adam: "Cleaning"?! Fuck off.

Lucifer: Adam! Don't speak to my daughter line that!

Adam: Fucking- fine! With all respect- fuck off. I'm the first man, not the first bitch. She's shacked up somewhere in Heaven.

Charlie: Who's... that?

Adam: Oh uh- no one... don't worry about it. Look, I'll... help Al improve his taste in music. There. Done.

Charlie sighed: How are you guys meant to get into Heaven if you don't have a basic understanding of being... selfless, kind, and caring?

Adam: Seriously? I'm literally all of that!

Angel: Bitch- you're the most selfish cunt I know. You'd make yourself cum first then roll over and say good night!

Adam: Fuck you! It's not my fault if they don't cum- maybe they should be better at sex. Losers. Come on, asshole. Let's fucking go- if I'm out here too long I'm afraid I'll catch something.

The princess sighed as the two sinners walked off, arguing. She looked at her dad as Lucifer touched her shoulder.

Lucifer: It's okay, hun. I'll deal with Adam if you want to handle Angel.

Charlie: Yeah... I'm cutting your bar privileges!

Angel swung around: What?! I helped!

Adam: Ha!

Lucifer: And you're helping Nifty with cleaning duty!

Adam: What?! She fucking killed me!

Lucifer: You'll be fine!

King of Depression

@beef-brisket

Lucifer had been helping around the hotel or he tried to at least. There wasn't much he could really do, but he couldn't help with any of the actual redemption planning. That was more Charlie's area of work and he just trusted that she knew what she was doing.

Adam had been staying at the hotel and over the last few months they seemed to have gotten back on friendly terms, which was nice. But he's been going to therapy with Charlie and doing his own thing.

Lucifer made them pancakes....... There's only so many pancakes someone can make before people get sick of them.

He felt that familiar feeling of darkness creeping into him, it felt like he was a bump on a log just getting in people's way. Like he wasn't wanted there and that he was useless.

Maybe he should go back to the manor, Charlie hadn't been asking for help for anything and he didn't want to bother Adam........ He probably didn't want him around much anyway.....

No one did.

Maybe a couple days at home will be fine, he can check up on his work and get some things done.

That was the plan anyway.

-

Adam came knocking on Lucifer's door at the hotel, it's been two weeks since he's since the little guy and he's actually starting to worry a little.

Adam: Open up shortie!

The door opened a little bit and opening it more Adam could see that Lucifer wasn't even there. And by the looks of it he hadn't been there for a while.

Adam: The fuck?

He went back down to the lobby to talk to Charlie, she was organizing her binder.

Adam: Yo girlie, where's your old man?

Charlie blinked: He's not in his room?

Adam: No, he hasn't been here for a while.

Charlie: Hmmm, he might be at home. Would you mind checking up on him?

Adam: Yeah I guess.

Charlie smiled and thanked him, she opened a portal to the front of the manor.

Adam: ..... Why is this place so fucking big?

-

Lucifer groaned and pulled the blanket up to his face, the curtains in his room were drawn but there was a sliver of light making it in. He doesn't remember when he left his bed last.

Maybe he could have a nap, he was just so tired.

[my-castles-crumbling]

Hey Cas.. about your last ask. I am not that anon, but I used to be religious.

Please don't take this as a hate message or anything, I swear I don't mean anything bad.

I just wanted to ask something about something you said.

You said , 'you know religion and bible is created by humans right' correct me if I am wrong. I just want to point out, you know some people doesn't believe that, right? I mean, i think it's not correct to say it like it's a fact, because it may not be for other people.

Most of the believers believe religion is sent by god, so saying it's created by humans are like, wrong for many people. For most people, the books are god's words. And it is not created by humans.

Bible changed through the time, yes.

But for example Muslims don't think the quran didn't change, and it's the word of god. Religion is rules set by god, not humans.

At least that is how it is for people.

Meanwhile I agree belief depends on people and no one have to live according to religion. They can believe it's made by humans. And I agree you don't need a church or any temples, but in most religions praying places are needed, and it's okay to believe you need a church.

I believe religion is made by humans too.

I believe the bible is written by humans.

But I used to be religious, and I want you to know it's a belief. And i saw a lot of people who believes this. And just like they can't prove god exists or they can't prove religion is sent by god, we can't prove it's made by humans either.

I hope I didn't use a rude language, I tried to tell my point only, and I understand if it's surface level of words, therefore if my language is not enough to explain myself. my English is not that well.

Hi!

I'm so glad you wrote in to me about this. You definitely weren't rude, please don't worry! I'm honestly happy you said something <3

To you and anyone else who follows me who's religious, please know that I didn't intend to offend. I haven't been to church in a LONG time and even though I have a surface level understanding of some religions, I certainly don't understand them on a personal level. I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable for their beliefs at all- I think religious freedom is so important.

I'm putting an explanation for what I meant below the cut if you're interested, because I feel like maybe I didn't word it properly, but also like...these are just my beliefs and I'm one person so I am NOT saying I'm unequivocally right.

I guess what I meant is like...even if someone believes the bible/quran/torah/etc is the word of God, to my understanding, it's not a belief that he sent the physical book here, right? People; humans; wrote down his words? (Please, genuinely, correct me if I'm wrong. But I have a vague memory of someone writing some words on a mountain?) And then, these books have been translated and re-translated by humans hundreds of times. It's like a game of telephone--things get lost in translation. So what I meant was more that people, who have flaws, are interpreting for God. And as people have flaws, they make mistakes, or can be biased.

Same thing with religion. I'm not familiar with the organization of all religions, but with catholicism, you have the Pope, Bishops, etc...they're all humans. I think some people believe they're blessed by God, but they're not all-knowing like a lot of people believe God is. So, even unintentionally, they can make mistakes.

And absolutely, I didn't mean that you shouldn't go to church! I think churches, temples, mosques cane be wonderful places that offer safety and security for people. I know some religions require attending church/temple/mosques for prayer. But what I meant was that if there are no safe places available, I'd like to think a higher power isn't just listening in those buildings, she/he/it's listening everywhere.

I hope all of that makes sense? I really didn't mean to offend anyone, so thank you so much for saying something <3

[cursed-charms]

you should draw Tomura playing with Mon :3 <3

...i got sidetracked and drew something else. still tomura with mon though....but not playing :(

pls forgive me

"For the last time,"

[Tomura gets one last chance to meet with someone from his past as Tenko for one final talk. He chooses to talk with Mon.]

(written continuation below the cut)

"...Hey there, Mon."

[Mon pounces on him eagerly, barking with glee.]

"Woah! Buddy, wait, hold on!"

[Mon doesn't stop licking his face off and it makes him laugh from how ticklish it feels.]

"Sheesh, do you just greet everyone like this now or is this just because you still recognize me?"

[Mon barks as if to answer, but Tomura doesn't know what it means. It doesn't matter, he's the one doing all the talking soon anyway.]

"Mhm, just going to guess that means you're happy. Well, I'm happy too."

[Mon lies flat on his back to ask for belly rubs from his favorite person, and of course Tomura gives them to him. Five fingers land on Mon's body, but this time nothing happens. No crumbling, no dusting - just like the good old times.]

"I'm sorry for what happened, Mon."

[Tomura watches as Mon simply closes his eyes to enjoy the belly rubs he was given - well, that was what he expected. Dogs don't really understand what humans say, no? Not to mention how Mon has that look in his eyes, where it's clear that there's not a single thought behind them. He lets out a soft chuckle, realizing he just chose to talk to a dog who's incapable of understanding what he felt and experienced that day.]

"...I wonder what you thought about that day. Hell, do you even remember?"

[Tomura stops rubbing Mon's belly, which causes Mon to stir and prop himself up again. He looks up at Tomura with that same thoughtless gaze, seemingly content with just existing in this moment with his favorite person.]

"...Maybe you don't need to remember. What's done is done. Remembering everything wouldn't change anything. At the end, we all end up here together."

[Tomura smooths down Mon's fur and prepares to stand up. With a soft smile, he gives Mon one final pat on the head before pointing to the far end of the space.]

"Go there now, Mon. Where the light shines the brightest, you can play fetch with Hana."

[Mon might not be as bright as other dogs, but he does recognize certain words. "Fetch" was one of them - his favorite game, after all. He bites at Tomura's pants, trying to tug him into the area he pointed.]

"I'm sorry again, Mon. I can't join you - I'm being punished just like before with dad. Dad's not the one punishing me this time though, which is good."

[He crouches down to Mon's level, emphasizing his apology with more pats on the head.]

"Don't worry, okay? This time I have friends with me. I'll be fine with them, so you don't have to come with me anymore."

[He wraps his arms around Mon, hugging him tight as their time starts to run out.]

"Thank you for being there for me, Mon. I promise to play fetch with you when my punishment's up. Until then, play with Hana first, okay? And if you can, you know, speak over there...tell her I don't care about what happened - I don't blame her. You're the best boy, Mon. Now go."

[With that, he releases Mon. Mon starts walking to the light, but not without glancing back. It could be meant as a goodbye, or maybe a see-you-soon, but who knows? Tomura considers it as a promise, and he keeps that in mind even as he starts walking to the darkness, side by side with his allies.]

[aceecee]

Insatiable - Author's note

Hey,

I was not expecting this series to get the love it has and your compliments have me combusting. Thank you all for the love and support you've shown.

I just wanted to let you know that the next few updates might be slow, I have to revisit the main storyline to get a better understanding on the characters. I also have to look online for videos on the boy's second myths because I only have Caleb's, I don't even have Xavier's first one (he won't come home!!). I have an idea to get reader involved in them but it might not end up happening. I also start classes again next week and I have a job too.

These are some things I wanted to explain:

Ever is not the organisation that took reader. the organisation has its own goal. I did this because the main story is so rarely updated and a lot of the lore isn't explained. also the game at the same time is packed with lore so remembering it all is difficult

expect things to take dark turns with the organisation, i haven't expanded much on them because the focus is on the cast right now. this is where the non-con warning takes place because of non-consensual acts. I'm clarifying that I don't mean rape in this case, I am never writing that. That being said, I apologise now if I don't end up handling these dark themes properly. I am still very much a novice writer, this is my first work. I'll put more detailed warnings when we get to it but it won't be for a while. Expect plot holes as well, I get carried away in my writing sometimes and write things that I never end up expanding on. I'm trying to fix that.

in case you haven't realised, people noticed that reader isn't meant to be a part of their world, it's also why the main cast feel such a pull towards her. It's also why I've given reader a nature evol, it felt fitting.

this your reminder that is a yandere series so there are already warnings for that put up - also a 18+ fic so if I don't see your age in your bio, I will block you. Despite it being a yandere fic, reader is very much into it - mostly because she's so desperate for love thanks to her first life that she takes their obsession as a compliment but the relationships will be like 50% healthy. Also the character's themselves are labelled as ooc before anyone comes for me.

speaking of reader, she's meant to be very flawed. She's egotistical while very insecure. Loving while a very hateful person. weak and strong etc there'll be moments you don't agree or relate to her and that's fine! I've put her through so much and I will continue to do so! also she's meant to be tall, it's for my tall girlies out there.

there's been hints of the cast not having issues sharing reader (MC and Caleb), this is a poly fic. If that's not your cup of tea, don't worry I plan to have seperate endings for each of the characters.

If anything in this story doesn't appeal to you, it's not my problem. I'm not going to entertain comments like 'ew I don't like poly' etc, thankfully I haven't gotten any yet (only love from my lovelies). The block button exists for a reason, use it and move on.

I'm appreciative of criticisms for example I received comments letting me know it was hard to dictate who was who in my writing so I've been making sure not to do that. It was so helpful so please give me advice, just be nice about it.

Let me know if you want to be on the taglist

[carpekeoghan]

Maybe that's what it was but Barry couldn't see her with someone like that. Obviously she was but the artistic side of her had to feel underwhelmed since she was used to being with people that were creative that she could talk to and bounce ideas off, connect with not only personally and physically but professionally. Her question brought him out of the dark well that he was falling into but he didn't hesitate to answer. "No, I would never cheat on her again. She wouldn't have to ever worry about that. I don't care if she was out of the country or not. I learned my lesson about that. " It had been a hard and painful lesson but nothing compared to how she must have felt knowing he had betrayed her. "I think you're great and I enjoy fucking you but we both know there's a difference when you're with someone you're passing time with to get over someone and someone you're in love with. I love Sabrina just like you love Chase." The difference was she had never betrayed Chase and stepped out on him where Barry had. He was sure it was trauma too but he couldn't expect Sabrina to keep taking it. She had gave him a second chance which was something younger her thought she would never do. That just showed how much she loved him and didn't want to let go of their relationship. She wanted them to work even if she had to be like her mother and forgave him... but he did it again. He couldn't expect her to keep begging him to stop when he didn't. He had hoped them reconnecting at the afterparty and her admitting she still loved him and belonged to him had meant something. That she was going to give him another chance but then he and Chris got in a fight over her. The fight seemed to seal both men's fate and hand her to Max on a silver platter. "My son will grow up and learn what a dick I am. It's all there for him to read and watch. He'll finally understand why the woman he keeps looking for is gone, why we're not at the house he knows and as he gets older and listens to her music, it will only confirm those thoughts." He had no idea what her next album would say about him but it couldn't be anything nice. This album was more about Shawn and how he hurt her, with some love songs to Barry thrown in. The next one would be all about him breaking her heart. Something told Barry that she wouldn't be releasing another album for awhile. She was still healing, her emotions all over the place and surely still writing but she had to work it all out in her head before she could give it to the world. She was a perfectionist and she would take her time to make sure it was what she wanted it to be.

Kelsea shrugged, "maybe that's what she needs. Someone out of her industry, who has no idea what's going on in her world. Might feel like a life of normalcy for her, I'm sure she hasn't felt that in a long time." She wasn't going to argue with him, there was a chance that the blodne knew she belonged to him. And maybe the two would find their way back to each other. "So if you got back with her, cheating wouldn't happen? Like if I popped up at her house in nothing but a trench coat; you wouldn't jump at the chance to fuck me?" She inquired. Not like she would do that, especially knowing he was in a relationship. "I'm sure it's trauma. Trauma makes you do some shit you wouldn't expect yourself to do. It fucks with your head, but you also have to find a way through it all." She looked at him as he started talking about how people deserved better than him. "That's not true. Your son doesn't. He only gets one father. He'll love you unconditionally." It seemed like he was a shitty partner, but a good father from what she could tell.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

"Did you see him? Did you see what he did?" Sirius snapped "God! I can't believe he did that. It was humiliating. What is Benjy going to think?"

James was quiet as he placed a glass of water on his hand "Here, drink up"

"I'm sober!" Sirius spat "I don't need this. Remus is the one that needs it"

James pursed his lips "Lily already gave him some. She is taking care of him. I want to talk with you"

"About what?"

Sirius was furious but not with James. Never with James. He had been excited to plan a party for his friends for Halloween. Not only his lifetime friends from Hogwarts but also his new friends from art school.

Sirius just hated how insecure Remus had gotten. They had been dating for almost two years. They shared an apartment. They loved each other. What else did he need as proof?

Sirius had never loved anyone as he loved Remus. He was so freakingly in love that sometimes that feeling scared him. Sirius could never stop loving him. He was sure of that.

But when Remus got like that, drunk and jealous, Sirius didn't recognize him. He hated when Remus acted all possessive.

Remus had gotten so drunk in fact that said horrible things to Benjy.

"Remus is seeing things where there are not" Sirius said as he took a seat but he was too energetic so he stood up again and began pacing.

"I am the one to blame all the time! But he is the one who got drunk and started insulting Benjy!! In front of everyone! We were supposed to be hosting a party together. I am bloody right to be angry, aren't I?"

James took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up, something that made him look more mature. Maybe he was more mature. He was a father now.

"Do you want me to tell you you're right because I am your best friend and practically brother... Or do you want me to tell you the truth?"

Sirius frowned and stopped pacing.

"What do you mean?" he asked "What truth?"

"Remus got like that because of your attitude" James explained "And I think he's right..." he shook his head "Not about getting drunk and attacking Benjy but about getting jealous"

Sirius was about to reply something to defend himself. But he decided not to contradict James.

Yes, Benjy was a good friend. They had gotten close really fast. He was wild and passionate like Sirius himself. And Sirius had fun with him all the time. It wasn't his fault Remus never wanted to come to the parties or raves. He was more a person to stay home and enjoy a good book. But Sirius was constantly changing. He was in the peak of his youth. Long gone were the days when Sirius was too scared of getting out of the closet or confront his family. He felt young, full of energy, more queer and open with himself. Art School had opened for him a whole new world for him.

James and Lily had a Harry, and they never had time for fun anymore, always busy with baby things. Everyone was invested in their own lives. Sirius barely saw his old friends.

Benjy was fun to be around. He didn't have commitment with anyone or anything. Something Sirius admired from him.

"You do spend a lot of time with that bloke" James added "You talk about him a lot"

"He's a good friend" Sirius replied.

"Really?" James raised an eyebrow. He was being patient "Because Remus is not the jealous type. He doesn't get jealous of me, even if we are close"

Sirius groaned putting his head back.

"That's different" he said "He knows nothing could happen between us, you're like my brother"

"Cheers for that" James grinned "So you're saying something could happen with Benji?"

Sirius didn't know what to answer "I..."

"He's bisexual, isn't he?"

"Yeah but I am in love with Remus" There was no doubt in his words. Not anymore. He had fought with his feelings for so long until he couldn't take it anymore. And bam, Sirius fell in love for the first time "I love Remus"

James nodded, but he didn't seem so convinced.

"Remus wouldn't get jealous out of nowhere, though" James said carefully "Sirius...be honest with me" he leaned closer "Do you have feelings for Benjy?"

It would be easier if James didn't know him this well, if he didn't know when he was lying or avoiding a subject.

There was something that Sirius could only describe as a silly crush. There were moments when his heart began beating a little faster when Benjy touched his arm. Or maybe how much he liked when Benjy teased him. He wasn’t handsome or good looking but his attitude towards life was so attractive. He was so easily queer and just a rebel. Something that Sirius wanted to be.

But he loved Remus and he would never do anything to hurt him.

"Maybe you're confused..." James said seeing Sirius’s expression "But Remus feels insecure is because you don't give him security"

Sirius snorted "Well, I'm always trying to do romantic things together. It's Remus that doesn't want to join"

James shook his head "It doesn't work if you're only doing it because you feel guilty of spending less and less time with him. It has to come naturally"

Sirius wanted to say something but when James said the things as they were, not even Sirius could deny them.

"Remus is not stupid, Sirius" he added "He is realizing something is going on"

Sirius couldn't sleep that night. He felt like the worst piece of shit. His worst fear had been hurting Remus and that was exactly what he was doing.

The thing was that nothing felt like before. They weren't in school anymore. The friend group was all over the place. And Sirius wasn't that kid who thought the Hogwarts castle was his whole world. The rivalry between houses. The pranks. Rugby matches. The Marauders.

Sirius was almost twenty and he felt so tired of trying to dissipate Remus's insecurities. But he did so because he loved him. Although everything felt so wrong lately.

Sirius didn't want to be a bad boyfriend and decided to bring him breakfast to bed.

He usually wasn't the romantic type. And yet once he had been so in love he did all these cheesy things. He was still in love.

"Good morning, Mr. Lupin!" Sirius chanted as he placed the tray on bed and sat next to the sleeping bult of his boyfriend "Waky Waky! There's a delicious breakfast waiting for you"

Remus groaned before opening his eyes. He looked dreadful.

"Hangover, aren't we?"

Well, with everything Remus drank last night...

Remus looked confused.

"I thought you were angry with me"

"I was" Sirius sighed, then grabbed the cup of coffee to put sugar on it "But it is a new day and I want to start it with the right foot" he said "Also, I need someone to help me clean the mess"

And also, you feel guilty, don't you? A voice that sounded too much like James said in his head. Sirius ignored it.

"Pineapple?" Sirius said as he grabbed some pieces with the fork.

Remus was waiting for Sirius to snap at him again probably. However Sirius kept smiling.

"I spoke with Lily last night, I remember" Remus said touching his forehead "She thinks that the way I acted was not okay..." he sighed "And I agree... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything... I was..."

"Jealous?"

Remus nodded "Yes"

Sirius snorted. He didn't want to be angry anymore. But he didn't like the way Remus had acted.

"What's so funny?"

"Your jealousy, Remus" Sirius spat "I don't understand it"

Remus shook his head "Really?"

"Really? Really, what? I don't like that you're constantly thinking that I am going to... I can't stand your insecurity" he was actually not over it

"So I am crazy enough to see ghosts, yeah?" Remus was getting angry.

"You humiliated Benjy last night in front of our friends. I just wanted you to get along with them. With Benjy. I wanted my two worlds to collide"

"Okay I might have stepped over the line"

"Might have" Sirius mumbled mocking.

"But what do you want me to believe? I'm not crazy, Sirius!"

"It's about love!" Sirius replied "It's about trust and maturity" God, they were fighting again "I thought you wanted to be with me forever"

"You're the one who is not mature enough not to keep this relationship afloat"

"I'm doing everything I can!" Sirius almost screamed of fury. It had been exhausting actually. "I don't say anything when you speak hours on the phone with your friend, Grant"

"It is not the same and you know it"

"Right" God, they were so pathetic.

"Grant is like my James"

Sirius simply made a face. He knew Grant wanted to get into his boyfriend's pants all the time. He was just too good to admit it. And oh damn, he was acting the same way than Remus. All jealous and stupid.

"It's not only about Benji, Sirius" Remus said with tears in his eyes "It feels like you don't love me anymore, that I am a burden to you"

It felt like that when Remus behaved like this. Which made Sirius feel guilty again.

"Of course I love you" he said with tears in his eyes as well.

Remus leaned closer.

"Then swear to me you don't feel anything for him"

Sirius swallowed. He had to sound convincing. He had to stop feeling this way. And feeling sort of attracted to Benjy. He felt like he was with one foot in and one foot out of this relationship. He wished he could feel the same way when they started dating. On the top of the world. So happy and so in love. But lately his love was based on pure memory.

"I swear, Moony, yeah"

Remus smiled and kissed him then. And the way he did it felt so wrong and desperate. As if both of them were trying to prove something.

Then Sirius’s phone rang in that second, and as if it was a curse, Benjy's name appeared on the screen.

When Remus saw it, he immediately got hurt.

Sirius ignored the call and blocked his phone.

"Are we okay, then?" Sirius asked, surprisingly desperate.

Remus seemed tense.

"Thanks for breakfast" he said as he got out of bed "But I have to go to work"

And Remus was angry again. This was a cycle that never ended.

Sirius didn't say anything else than "Okay" as Remus entered the bathroom. He even slammed the door closed.

Fuck! Since when did this relationship felt like hell itself?

[kindahoping4forever]

📸: Ryan Fleming

[wardensantoineandevka]

on a scale of Charlotte "I pretended I didn't know who Auggie was in front of a Lightkeeper" Eaves to Nathaniel "Candela asked if I knew anyone with the mettle for difficult work, so I looped in two of my war buddies, who are childhood friends, seen as surrogate sons by another investigator, and one of whom has a whole thing with the other investigator" Trapp, how much is your circle's Face worrying over the thought that Candela may not want people with close prior connections working together

[edgeworthscowlick]

I agree with a lot of this and disagree with some things.

I guess the main thing I don't really agree with (although it's a widespread belief) is that Edgeworth is always 'running away'. It feels like a fanon trait to me - how many times, in canon, do we actually see him do this? To my recollection - once. In order to kill himself (yes I am a 'meant it literally' truther).

I can see that from Phoenix's perspective he feels repeatedly abandoned, but it's not Miles' fault he left in 4th grade! Or that his job takes him abroad.

On the other hand I don't blame Phoenix at all for his reaction when Edgeworth reappeared, and I doubt Edgeworth did either. Edgeworth was probably kind of surprised by it but let it go.

I think Edgeworth just saw himself as a burden ('All you seem to do is worry about me') that Phoenix and everyone else was better off without, at least until he'd stopped being so (in his opinion).

Edgeworth lives in his head a lot (which is a fault when it means you're not really seeing how other people are feeling)! I agree that it was totally inconsiderate, but in the state he was in, I doubt he had room for consideration, and I think Phoenix would accept that when he'd calmed down, so ultimately I don't find it unrealistic that he appears to forgive him so quickly. He would for Edgeworth's sake, I think.

I do agree with the fan assumption that it has a long-lasting effect on their relationship from Phoenix's side, which he mostly tries to repress (and of course that we don't see explored in canon. like most things tbh).

What I absolutely agree with is what you're saying about Investigations Edgeworth. It's interesting that the creators actually answered questions about why Edgeworth seemed more put together. We're not seeing him through Phoenix - that makes so much sense! That definitely goes along with how I felt about it playing the games.

Personally I love Investigations Edgeworth. I actually find him hilarious in AAI1, a game I enjoy a lot. But I know some people find him under-animated (literally). I just think that's in character for him in a professional setting, not with Phoenix or his sister.

And yeah, everything you say about Phoenix. He's a whole other thing!

Always interested in the Edgeworth discourse. I just love Edgey and Phoenix and could (and do) spend all day reading and thinking about them the infuriating darlings that they are!

I’m gonna just copy and paste my “Miles Edgeworth Chooses Death” yap session from my broadcast channel on insta! Go join that if you want my Talk Show in real time LOL

BEGIN!

I wanna talk about my interpretation of the “Chooses death” sequence and what i think about Miles and Phoenix in it bc i feel like people get me wrong when i talk about it.

I often say that I would not have forgiven miles as quickly as phoenix did, and that i believe phoenix should have punched him for what he did. A lot of people say that phoenix was in the wrong for basically saying “You should have never come back from the dead!” and interpreting that as like phoenix basically telling miles to khs.

A lot of ppl wanna give miles more grace because they believe it WAS a “game over” note but he decided against it last minute, and i like that interpretation too!

Some believe phoenix knew what the note meant and still got pissed givibg phoenix less grace, because he was the one who told miles to “Kill the old prosecutor in him” or smth like that in the Skye case

And i’m not saying any of these interpretations are wrong! I like a lot of these interpretations!

But a lot of people miss my point when i say that i believe no matter what, phoenix had every right to be pissed and mad at miles.

1) This does NOT mean i hate miles as a character, no this flaw of his, constantly running away rather than facing problems or believing that he doesn’t leave much of an inpact on others Makes me like him MORE!!

I love when characters have an inherently unlikable flaw about them! Usually when people write character flaws they tend to be more sympathetic flaws, and i like those too! But when they have something about them that is just Ambiguous and unlikable like, they have a tendency to run away, they deflect and lash out at others, they have a problem with commitment, etc. I LOVE THAT. I love when a character has traits that are UNLIKABLE IT MAKES ME EXCITED TO SEE “Ooo how are they gonna grow from this!!!! :D”

2) this also does not mean that miles or phoenix are totally at fault here. Both of them are pretty messed up guys who are trying to communicate in the only ways they’ve ever learned how.

Phoenix is a very emotional person up until AA4, who is a representation of how a “normal” dude would react to absolutely batshit scenarios, but ultimately is really never talking about himself. He reacts to other people. He’s emotional about other people. He was sad and angry at miles, he’s silly and strong for the lil sisters/kids that he has, he’s exasperated and fond of his friends and he’s static with those he doesn’t know all that well. Phoenix is a very interesting character with his emotions which is why i find every interpretation of him so interesting!

Miles on the other hand:

Miles is a reserved person who is intimidating upon first glance and awkward at a closer look. Phoenix even says himself “A lot of people dont get edgeworth, do they.” and i believe the investigations games are a big indicator of this! Throughout the investigations games, so many people find the first one boring because Miles doesn’t react as much, because we are SEEING through his persona that he puts on in the courtroom!

We are finally seeing what got him the title of the prosecutor to call when there is a high profile case. We see him exasperated, we see him stressed, we see him angry, stoic, calculating and at certain times we see him show a little bit of a lack of empathy for others, including himself.

But we also see inside his mind, we see him fawning over steel samurai merch, we see him thinking of Phoenix when he’s lost which could factor in on why he kept calling phoenix over to europe during phoenix’s disbarment. We see him fondly looking after Kay and growing his friendship with Gumshoe.

He never says these feelings outloud, he shows them in roundabout ways that go over a lot of the characters heads until they start to understand him and know him more.

In an interview, the authors explain some things about miles and why he’s so less vulnerable in the investigations games, and they said “Its because we aren’t looking through the eyes of phoenix anymore” (paraphrasing. would you believe me if i told u my paraphrasing made it LESS gay?)

Phoenix seems to see miles in a way that no one else does, that is to say that miles shows more to phoenix than he shows other people.

But this also goes vice versa

In a scene in Hazakura temple (the famous bridge case) Miles says something about how phoenix is feeling. Miles then says something along the lines of “Not that i expect to get any clarification out of you” with a fond side smile. Phoenix then apologizes to miles about this. (this is slightly inspired by a tumblr post lol)

So it can be inferred that phoenix is NOTORIOUSLY dodgy with the details of his life. Mia points out that she thought phoenix had a twin because of how different he was from the “Feenie” she saw on the stand during the first dahlia trial where phoenix eats a necklace.

all this to say that miles KNOWS phoenix deflects topics when they are about himself, so for him to be so open about something personal means all the more of how dire it can get for him.

BACK TO THE NOTE! Because yes this all started with the note i go on tangents alot LOL

The note has a lot of significance for how miles was dealing with his whole life being flipped inside out, because he resigned himself to a tragedy when suddenly a side character from his past RIPPED THROUGH THE PAGES OF THE BOOK and changed the narrative to a redemption story. He wasn’t expecting anything of that. He looks at phoenix the way he remembers his father in a way, a shining light. He never realized that phoenix saw him the same way. So when Miles came back, he did everything in his power to try and live up to that. But once again, phoenix turned the pages of the book and scribbled all over it.

Miles understands phoenix because he is so blatant about how he’s feeling and why he feels that way. Despite being secretive about the facts of his life, He’s an emotional person, which is probably why we don’t see much of miles during apollo justice. It’s new territory, its unnerving. He’s so hidden and miles needs time to interpret that.

Also don’t think i’m skimping out on phoenix’s flaws. We have a whole ass game for that called AA4

In the trilogy he is so quick to floor the gas pedal on ANYTHING like yes i’ll change my entire life to see one dude bc he looked sad/stressed

Yes i’ll run across burning rope bridges, take the execution, tank an explosion, all for maya

yes i’ll break into a place (Gant’s office, Engerde’s house) and almosy get killed (50,000 volts, mafia, redd white, assassin, etc,) to prove you’re innocent!

He’s idealistic and sometimes gets upset when they dont match his ideals

he’s a master at deflection and many other condescending traits. and thats what i love about him.

Anyways yeah what miles did was a dick move but thats why i like him LOL

Phoenix had every right to be mad bc yeah. God forbid phoenix be a little upset and yell at the dude who tried to execute him and maya LMFAO