#He look kinda handsome 👉👈

[benedictsamuelfan]

Day 27

Movie : Childhood's End

Just watched episode 1 (screenshot by me ✌️)

He played the role of a drug dealer for the character of Bridget Rodricks (Zahra Newman)

[wayfinderships]

Good morning gamers! Hope you're all doing well!! As for me, I'm ping ponging between multiple f/os this morning!

[pianocat939]

Hi! Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening! How are you? Hope you're having a pleasant time and don't forget to hydrate with water!😊✨

Oh and could you write a blurb about the Yan.Rise!Turtles' reactions if they saw MC who is video-chatting them, went into an animal expo and found their designated species and MC just excitedly compares or mocks or teases or bullies them lovingly like… 👉👈

MC: Hey check it out! It's you guys! HAHAHA!! Oh mi Gosh! Is that the big buff red Raph? He's so bulky! pats the shell Awww look at the Mikeys, they're so cute! scoops out one of them Hi Donnie! whispers shouts Leo! What are you doing there??/jk

And are their reactions gonna be jealous? Enjoys MC's excited blabbering? Laughs along with them? Give fun facts? I imagine one of them saying like "Why love that when you can love this very handsome turtle instead?" hehehe maybe Leo would say that stuff! 🤔

Sorry if this blurb is kinda confusing/awkward to you! Hehehe it's my first time so I'm nervous since I love your posts for a long time now! Have a good day/noon/night! 💖😄

~ ☁️ Anon

At first I was confused af but after reading it 3 times I just realized how simple it is-

I'm slowly but surely getting my inbox cleared- just randomly working on it.

Tw: Leo gets so pissy over a mini-version of himself

Reaching New Homosexual Autism Heights:

He finds it cute that you're teasing him. Although, he is a bit worried you might get your finger bitten off considering his species tends to be violent sometimes. If you like to nerd about his species, he's quite surprised. He ends up learning more than he knew about himself.

Last RuPaul Runway:

HOMIE IS NOT HAVING IT. Like man's getting beefy with a turtle of his own species. He’s like trying to maintain his smile but at the same time he’s like “Listen- I know they’re cute and all, but aren’t I cuter? I mean…I can at least do some cool tricks.” He will glare at the turtles.

Daily Banana Swallowing:

He’s deadpan the entire time. He occasionally might give a warning to be cautious of being bit. But other than that he’s just listening while occasionally sharing another fact. He’s much more interested in you rather than himself.

Marinated Fungus:

He’s calling the turtles cute, and listening the entire time. He laughs along to all the teasing…Internally, he actually doesn’t really care much for the turtles. But if you like them, then he’ll happily join. He’ll find the facts about him interesting though.

(AHA- Did you guys miss the funky names? I sure did. It's been a good while)

- Celina

[lace-coffin]

Thomas hewitt with mommy kink 🥺👉👈

Or/and some tiddy sucking 🧏🏼‍♀️☺️

Thomas Hewitt with a mommy kink x afab!Reader (nsfw)

You really should have seen this coming, considering the non existent relationship between Tommy and his birth mother. In your defence you had more important things to be considering when stranded in the middle-of- fucking-nowhere Texas. Thankfully a handsome tree of a man and his uncle found you and towed your car back to the run down family owned gas station down the road. You weren’t sure if now being deeper into the town was a blessing or a curse…no time to dwell on that now. Atleast you were in civilisation…..kinda?

Cut to a few months later and things had evolved from there, car in need of more than a few major fixes. As Hoyt, you’d come to find his name was, put it, “your lucky that shit can didn’t blow up on you 50 miles back” go figure. With no place to stay whilst your car was out of commission you ended up staying in the Hewitt house. A few days turned into a week, a week turning into ‘staying a few extra days to help around the house, to pay your debt back’ your bond with Tommy and his family developed deeper and your now up to scratch car gathered more dust outside. The whole ‘how I found out my emotionally repressed boyfriend kills and eats people’ story happened is for another day.

In the present day you lay spread lazily across the double bed you share, book in hand and eyes beginning to become unfocused from fatigue. Maybe it’s time to put the book away. Just before you can finish that thought, Tommy stomps in, making quick work of his boots and kicking them towards the door. The bed dips from his weight as he slumps down onto it.

“Hard day, big guy?” You question, setting the book aside on pushing yourself into a sitting position by his side. You only receive a grunt for confirmation.

“Hoyt been busting your ass?”

A longer exhausted groan comes from behind his hands. Ah, it’s one of those days. Thankfully you have a way to help with a 90% success rate, even if he doesn’t feel up to it you can offer a warm bath and a cuddle.

Shuffling closer to Tommy you gently slide your hands under his head, raising it to meet your gaze in the process.

“Do you need some pampering time baby? A little time with mama?” You coo, lazily drawing patterns over the leather half mask adorning your partners face.

You can tell by the way the larger man’s eyes seem to almost mist over and get more distant that it’s a yes, already falling into the headspace and wanting to let go. Tapping his cheek to get his attention you speak again.

“I’m going to need clear consent baby, are you sure you want this? If not we can try something else ok? I won’t be angry or disappointed”

Eyes shifting back to focus on you Tommy signs an “I’m sure” and waits for you to take the lead.

“Good job honey”

Pulling the pair of you down onto the bed you position yourself so Tommy is resting his face onto your chest, feeling the way it rises and falls with each breath. For now you just lay there in eachothers comfortable presence, whispering sweet nothings and praises into his long unruly hair. It’s peaceful and sweet while it lasts but you know Tommy never lasts long before getting wound up like this. Sure enough your hand not so subtly finds its way to his crotch, battered work trousers tenting in the front.

“Are you all pent up down here baby? You need mommie to take care of it?” You ask in a sickly sweet manor, it’s a rhetorical question, you know how bad he wants this, wants you. Tommy lets out a shudder and a muted groan, bucking into your warm hands.

“How about this, I take care of you and you take care of mommie ok?”

His head raises, looking you in the face as if it will answer what you’re implying, almost looking like a big lap dog with his head sat on your chest like that. His questions are answered as you start to unbutton your shirt, revealing your naked chest to his hungry eyes. Giggling at his reaction you lean to take Tommy out of his trousers, eliciting a gasp from him as it’s exposed to the air.

“Be a good boy and suck on mommies tits will you? I’ll treat you right if you can be a good boy for me and keep your hands to yourself”

Wasting no time at all Tommy dives into your chest, cupping both breasts in his calloused hands. You let a small sigh escape, practically melting into his palms as he begins to lay kisses onto the meat of your tits, teasingly avoiding the nipple, keeping you on edge and waiting.

Tugging his hair you hiss out after a particularly hard suck.

“Stop being a brat and get to it, you do want to be touched, don’t you?”

Groaning at the delicious sting in his scalp he nods fervently, plump lips finally latching onto your sensitive nipples.

“Shit..hah..perfect, just like that baby”

As a reward for his efforts you finally bring your hand back to his cock, slowly working it over in languid strokes, not slow enough to tease but not fast enough to let him cum so soon, you aren’t that kind.

With a last nip to your right breast he finally switches to the other, giving the now lonely one an equal amount of attention with his large hands. The way he moves his tongue should be illegal, it’s sloppy and dirty, laving over your abused nipples like a man starved.

Arching your chest into his mouth you speed up your ministrations, you can tell by the way his breath is beginning to hitch and his hips twitching that he’s close. Paying extra attention to the spot under the head you decide he deserves his reward. Pulling your hand away you pat him on the flank to gain his attention that’s currently focused on your panting chest.

“You’ve done such a good job making mommie feel good baby, how about you come up here and get your reward?” You giggle devilishly, patting your chest and tugging Tommy a little to encourage him to perch himself on your chest. You bite your lip as his thick cock slaps onto your chest, leaving a smear of precum to run into the valley between them.

It doesn’t take long at all after Tommy begins to fuck your tits, If he was barely holding on before then he definitely isn’t now. The noise his cock makes between your slick tits is disgustingly lewd and only spurs him on further. Before he knows it he’s on the edge, a quick “please?” is Clumsily signed out in desperation. He’s so cute still asking permission even like this, such a good boy.

“Are you gonna cum for me baby? Gonna mark me up and get me all dirty? Go ahead, you’ve earned it for being such a sweet little thing” you coo, encouraging him into his orgasm. With one final pathetic whine his cock twitches and paints your tits in warm cum, thick spurts dripping down the sides or pooling into the centre.

With few final weak thrusts, Tommy effectively collapses onto your now sticky chest, it should gross you out to have the quickly cooling cum pressed between the two of you but you’re both too blissed out to really give a fuck. Sitting in quiet again you run your hands through his hair, easing over his scalp that you abused earlier as an apology. As much as you want to stay like this forever you both need to get cleaned up before it becomes annoying.

Patting Tommy’s back you speak up again.

“Ready for that bath handsome?”

You get another tired grunt and a thumbs up from your boyfriends face down fucked out form. Stifling a laugh you continue.

“If you’re quick I might let you return the favour…”

Suddenly he’s up and into the bathroom, you don’t think you’ve ever seen him move that quick.

[marvelsswansong]

wait bestie... i just wanted to say that i really loved your corio fic 🥺🥺🥺 and wondering if you're going to write more fics on him any time soon 👉👈

look at how handsome he looks here

AWWW NONNIE you're so sweet! I'm so glad you liked it. And yes, I am writing more :) At the moment, I've got two WIPs for Corio: one that's an academic rival themed enemies to lovers, another one that's a forbidden love kinda vibe where r is Highbottom's assistant.

Tbh, I'm honestly torn about which one I wanna post first (any thoughts?) though it will also depend on which one I manage to finish first haha

-> read "show and tell" here

[hawkepockets]

Can we hear about prem and Rama or is that still being developed 👉👈😶 prem has a personality that makes him so funny in romance with people like Rama or canach it's entertaining to read

ok sorrysorrysorry i have been sitting on this ask. i have so much to say about these two but didn’t wanna drop it as an unbroken word wall without any new doodle comics … PRAMA NATION LETS GO !!

prama nation lets pause to note prem & canach have been broken up since mid icebrood saga. F. but prama nation, thats another story. LETS GO !!!!!!!!!!

prem met rama in seitung while the commander was still unconscious in jail. since he’s visibly canthan & zephyrite, prem could walk freely around the province, getting the lay of the land and passing as more or less local. obviously people knew he wasn’t from seitung, but they figured he was from some close-ish island. the mystery of who he was, how he’d been scarred, whether more zephyrites would be coming soon with goods to trade, was local gossip but not something that tripped any minsec alarms. lacking gold, provisions, and information, prem spent a week or so sweet-talking local merchants and fishermen into telling him about the area and giving him free food.

he also batted his eyes at rama, bc a cop is a juicy source of intel, and bc rama’s handsome! their conversation turned into a really long, really nice skiff riding date, rama bought prem crab rangoons, ran his mouth a little more than he should’ve about working for minsec, and went back to his office blushing to the ears like

but of course prem wasn’t from a close-ish island. he was an outlander who’d been here under minsec’s nose. he’d let rama think he was canthan-born and only casually interested in minsec, lying big time by omission, and he’d used rama to find out where they were keeping gorrik and the comm. all of this was a sucker punch to rama when he found out, and he naturally assumed prem had faked his interest in rama and the whole date was a trick.

he was hurt, pissed off, betrayed, humiliated… but didn’t want any of that to come across, so settled on acting just kind of disgruntled and sticklery about government rules.

(the whole date wasn’t a trick. prem honestly liked him.)

when rama warned dragon’s watch that their unsecured comm channel was basically a public radio show, prem took it as encouragement instead of the “shut the hell up” rama intended. like what better way to win over ordinary canthans while kas handled the imperial court !

he started actually treating it like a podcast, taking canthan commoners’ questions live, talking about the guild’s exploits, and airing extended jokes and bits with his friends, and he’s funny, he’s fun to listen to, so every time he tuned in on his radio, rama would be taking torment damage trying to decide whether or not he likes prem despite it all, like

and the more prem talked on the comm about things he’d done like wrestling a mordrem axemaster in the shell of a wrecked pact airship, following a dead dragon’s memories to find the lost city of kesho, seducing a mummy on istan to break out of a mordant crescent prison, using glamours to infiltrate the moon palace of gandara, out-talking jormag… the smaller rama felt by comparison to prem’s stories, and the smaller prem’s betrayal of him seemed, and his temper cooled but it also sort of felt like shit.

in person, though, it’s different. when they’re out on the skiff in new kaineng’s canals, prem is interested in everything rama says, leaning forward, eyes meeting his squarely, laughing at his jokes, asking about how he ended up at minsec, making him feel large and deep and attractive again, like he’s one of the most important people prem’s met in all that traveling.

in person prem also feels so much less daunting. kinda washed up. rama hasn’t seen him fight, since the monastery is dedicated to dwayna and prem swore he’d never enter one of her places of worship again, so he wasn't at training. looking at him out of combat it’s easy to believe he exaggerated his past adventures, or at least that his grace has faded now.

so rama opens up about being kurzick, his childhood in the slums that drove him to become a cop. and prem surprises him again by really getting it! because he grew up zephyrite in kryta, he joined the shining blade in part to bring gold and honor to his mothers in the soon-to-collapse canthan district, he bought into the copaganda too ! and as they’re passing the grub lanes prem’s looking at the reflection of the buildings in the water, saying how much rama’s neighborhood looks like where prem grew up, and rama stops short and asks if he wants to get out of the boat and explore the place, but prem says no. he’d rather just look at the reflection. because the canthan district is gone forever and he doesn’t want his memory of it to get confused with new, similar streets.

and rama is possessed to tell him about the love tunnel.

when things get real, though, is after minister li comes out as a purist and gets his ass kicked. prem & rama see each other in action for the first time, and the only surprise that could follow up rama activating his gunsword is prem becoming a dash of colorful light as he uses zephyrite aspect crystals to navigate the rooftop battlefield and take apart li’s task force armed only with his hands, feet, and a single war fan. there’s no longer any doubt in rama’s mind that this dude is still one of tyria’s best martial artists, but whether or not prem’s out of his league is not really a concern as he reckons with finding out his mentor/second father figure is a career racist who always held rama’s background against him, and that the ministry he’s been working himself to death for at the cost of every other relationship is corrupted to the top. of course gorrik and the comm feel bad, but they’re too focused on ankka and soo-won to slow down and take care of him.

so prem does that, staying behind on the rooftop after min takes li away, to offer rama a distraction.

he catches a crab and makes it into a (small, and honestly just mid) dinner for the two of them at rama’s apartment. then they break into the soju. a tipsy prem lets a progressively drunker rama talk about li and pretends not to notice as he cries it out. and then,

prem finally talks about why he left the shining blade—the corruption, the bad orders, the impossible expectations, finding out anise was messing with his memories—and about dueling his own mentor for his freedom. he doesn’t like talking about it, but he wants rama to feel less alone. at this point rama hypothesizes—not correctly, but close enough—that anise gave prem his scars as punishment. out of it and overwhelmed, rama starts making out with him…

aaand cuts it short in a second as he’s SEIZED by paranoia that purists will find his apartment and kill him for what he knows about li and they shouldn’t have been drinking bc at any fucking minute the assassins could break in !!

prem reminds him that the fight happened on public rooftops, and there’s nothing rama knows about li that min, minsec, the pact commander, and half of new kaineng don't also know already. rama feels foolish, and freshly devastated bc he thought he did know li better than anyone else in cantha, and that’s been taken away from him and the memory ruined. he calls himself stupid. prem says he's not. rama says fine, he's confused, and he's calling it a night. he asks if prem needs money for a raptor cab. prem declines, and rama crashes into bed. dead asleep before prem can stand to go.

at 4 am rama wakes up needing to take a leak, and when he opens his bedroom door prem is asleep on the floor right outside it, stretched out across the doorway like a guard dog, hand loosely over his war fan. just in case.

rama doesn't forget that casual act of devotion, or how nice the kiss was before he freaked himself out, and after soo-won's death, min's promotion to security minister, and prem's decision to stay in cantha with the "friends' detective agency" until rama's ready to travel, there's a growing feeling between them of like, "you're half stuck on canach. i'm half waiting for min. in the meantime can't a couple of messed-up ex-cops enjoy each other's company?" they start flirting and sizing each other up and testing out how much they can joke about a relationship before it becomes real.

this is long enough so i'll leave off there at the end of core EoD, with the final thought that i think prem works with serious characters romantically because he doesn't always take them seriously, he thinks a straight face is funny and a sharp tongue is cute, and having their stoicism laughed at and their moments of silliness and vulnerability rewarded gives them a chance to act more rounded. the same way his insistence on treating people like braham very seriously when everyone else is laughing off their expertise as a joke lets them feel more whole.

and who's not into that?

[viilli]

"Are you ready?" Kia asked, waiting for Jack to pack his bags so that they could hit the roads for their cabin. It was a long drive, with few places to stop - but that was okay. "Just a minute" he said, and so she put herself into the passenger seat. Well prepared, with snacks and coffee for the ride. He was handsome when he drove, she thought to herself. She liked the way he held the steering wheel, the way he suddenly slipped his hand down on her tigh and let it rest there. The roads where slippery, with ice and snow, but he kept the car steady and nice. Sipping on his coffee, that she had made just the way they liked it. Black, and strong, and nice.

A while into the ride he started to shift in his seat. "You okay?" She asked, "Yes" he said, continuing to sip on his coffee. She leaned back, let her hand sneak its way to his crotch. Felt his cock through his pants, it was nice, feeling the outline against her hands. Outside they were still on the highway, with walls to keep the wildlife from launching into the road. He was moving around, shifting in his seat. "Are you okay?" "Yes, I'm fine!" He shrugged. "We could switch if you need?"

"There is no places to stop" and he was right. There weren't. Maybe for a smaller car, but not for their truck. "I - I just have to pee, that's all, but I'll hold it" he said, not sounding to convinced. She could not help but feel a slight twinge in her pussy. She did like such things, but he did not know. He could not know, she thought. "I - I'm not sure how long, but there should be a rest stop any time now"

She let her hand rest on his crotch still, and slowly unbottoned his pants. "I can help" she said. She knew it was harder with a hard cock. She let it slide out of his pants, and he was, hard. He didnt say anything, but she could see that small leaks were escaping out of him. It would be hot having that inside of me, she thought. "I'll help" she said, lowering her head and putting his shaft into her mouth. He was hard, and he felt so good. "Did you not hear what I just told you?" He asked, his voice shivering. She let her tounge play with his foreskin before slowly letting it out and keeping his cock in her small hands. " I said I'll help, just let go, it won't stain the car or anything"

"I really cant hold much longer" he admitted, slightly embarrassed. He shouldnt have had that much coffee, he really shouldnt. She could see small, small leaks escaping and running down into her hand. "Let me help you" she said, putting his hard and leaking cock into her mouth again. She could feel his dick twitch, and his body giving in to the sensation of desperation and pleasure. She keept sucking, and swallowing the spurts away. It was a lot, but she liked it. The taste of his fluids inside her mouth. And she could hear him moan too, giving in to the sensation.

She felt herself getting more and more wet, and his moans became stronger and stronger the more he let himself relax until he suddenly came hard, in her mouth. "I'm - I'm sorry" he stuttered. "It's okay, I said I'll help you" he let his hand sneak down into her pants. It was easy to access, she didnt wear any underwear. Never did. "You're wet, like really wet" he said, his voice soft and tender. She couldn't deny it, her body told him all he needed to know.

"I like that you're wet, and you were such a good girl, helping me and everything" he told her. She looked at him, his features, his hands, he was such a guy she didnt know how she ended up with him, but she was thankful. "Yeah, no problem" she told him, in her head all she could think about was him putting his hard cock inside of her and leaking into her so that she could feel the warm sensation. The thought of that made her even wetter. "I didnt gross you out?" She asked "No, no you didnt" "I - I kinda liked it, in a way, I dont know"

👉👈

[sanguineslave]

HI HELLO I SAW YOUR POST ABOUT GIVING U A PROMPT AND I LEAPT TO SUBMIT THIS

so uhh is it ok if you write some fluff about my bard Tav, Severin (he/him) having Astarion as the muse for his music? except Astarion doesn’t know this until after he shows the camp a song he wrote (and i didn’t add gale because i didn’t think to, i got the other main ones in cano though lmao). also this is Severin

tysm for reading this!!

Okay, I sort of went overboard with this because I haven't written anything longer than a few paragraphs in AGES, and I've literally never written fluff, but I hope this is alright! Your Tav looks so cool 👉👈 I was kinda afraid to write about him too much cuz idk his personality eksjejsjj

Misunderstandings

Content style: angst, fluff (???), comedy, probably ooc

Content warnings: mild references to violence and problems with sexual boundaries

Astarion is used to people staring at him. The past two centuries of his life had been filled with wanton gazes; his life's purpose was to attract attention everywhere he went, and he did it very well. He knew he was beautiful, tempting and handsome. He even revelled in it.

...So why was Severin's stare sending chills up his spine?

It had been going on for a few days, now— this awkward little situation. Astarion would sit and read, or pretend to read and eavesdrop on others' conversations. This was the routine he'd adopted since he first arrived at camp. But, now, anything he did was accompanied by fleeting little glances from the camp bard. At first, Astarion figured the man had fallen head-over-heels for him, that he was hot under the collar and desperate for some attention. Now, he's not sure if Severin is crushing on him or plotting his murder. His gaze is too fiery, too trained on the features of his face to be lustful. He never directly approaches him, either; just watches from behind his tent flaps, crossed legged and only ever looking away when Astarion meets his gaze.

Confronting Severin about all of this had crossed his mind, but he'd decided against it. Avoidance, Astarion figured, was probably the best course of action, at least until Severin finally snapped and put a blade to his throat. After all, he couldn't exactly prove that the bard had murderous intentions. Maybe he was just shy. Maybe, he was working up the courage to ask for a fuck and had no idea how ridiculously creepy his staring was. He wouldn't be the first man to be so oblivious...

"Tonight, we feast!" Wyll's booming voice rips Astarion from his thoughts, head snapping around to see what the warlock was fussing over. Beside him, Lae'zel holds up an elk by the antlers, the creature's eyes lifeless and clouded. There was an arrow sticking into its neck, weeping blood fresh enough to smell on the air.

"Fuck yes! I'll start the fire," Karlach rubs her hands together, the heat generated between them enough to create flickering embers.

"I'll fetch our wine," Shadowheart adds.

All at once, everyone is bustling around the camp, grabbing pots and emptying baskets to find fresh vegetables. Everyone except Astarion, of course, who bristles in place. A camp get-together was the last thing he needed; declining the invitation would make him look sulky in front of his companions, and joining them would entail a night full of Severin's awkward stares. The Hells was he supposed to do?

"Astarion?" Wyll calls his name, pensive. He hadn't realised he was scowling, fangs just barely peeking out from under his lip. "I was going to leave a hunk of the meat raw, in case, you know..."

Aha! An opening!

"Oh, no, dead meat is of no use to me. I like my food... Very fresh. I'm afraid I'll have to hunt for my own meal tonight." He plays his best pout, eyes gleaming with insincerity. For once, his vampirism was a benefit; it was an excuse to hunt, to leave camp for a few hours while everyone else talked amongst themselves. Moreover, Severin wouldn't be able to chase after him with everyone else around him, watching. Most likely, he'd be the night's entertainment, strumming songs on his lute until his finger pads were raw and everyone was full of stew. Yes... Yes, this was the perfect excuse to get some peace and quiet!

"You're not joining us tonight?" Severin's voice is like honey, smooth and warm. There's a hint of... Disappointment? Sadness, perhaps, in it as well. Astarion regards him with a courteous nod, jaw clenching slightly. How could such an innocent face belong to a killer? Well— actually, that was a stupid question. Everyone in this camp was a killer; everyone had killed goblins and bandits and gods-know-what-else along their journey. Astarion mentally rephrased his sentence: how could such an innocent face, a face that had so openly welcomed his vampirism weeks earlier, be planning his demise? The idea seems preposterous now that he's up close to the other for the first time in days. Hells, there was no way it was true.

If he had the ability to, Astarion might've blushed in embarrassment. This paranoia was unbecoming of him; it was childish, something his siblings might've engaged in. Of course Severin wasn't planning on killing him!

"...not tonight," is all he manages before scampering away.

---

A small boar and a few hares. The forest was almost empty tonight. Lae'zel, all brutish and ugly as sin, must have chased all the game away in her hunt earlier...

Or, maybe, he's just sloppy tonight.

Astarion can't think of much besides Severin. Like many a man and woman before him, he was enchanted by his looks. Unlike most, though, he wasn't direct enough to proposition him for sex outright. He was more like a blushing maiden, or one of those gruff, bearded Gur he'd find in taverns— too scared to approach a man for pleasure but clearly interested in the idea. Confessing his vampirism must've put him on edge, blinding him to reason. Guilt pools in his stomach. Not only had he made assumptions about an ally, but he'd been depriving him of a service he wanted. What a horrible person he was.

---

The walk back to camp is more like a shuffle, his feet heavy and slow. Part of him hopes that everyone will be asleep when he returns, but he knows that chance is slim. And, sure enough, when the gleam of their campfire comes into view, he hears bouts of boisterous laughter and drunken conversation. Astarion steels himself, paints a confident facade over his face.

Before he can step into the clearing, Severin interrupts him.

"Alright, alright, I'll play it for you. It's not finished yet, though, so you mustn't judge it!"

Then, a gentle, melodic tune thrums to life through the strings of his lute. Astarion pauses, watching through thick tree branches. He sings gently, quietly— like he's embarrassed of his own work. The lyrics are hard to make out from behind the camp, but a few words make their way to his ears.

They make his jaw slacken.

Sanguine eyes, hair of silver, something something... Adventures, tales of legend, something...

Astarion kicks himself internally. He'd never been so wrong about someone. The tadpole in his head, clearly, was eating away at his intelligence and leaving him stupid. Of course Severin, a bard, was using his environment as inspiration for his music. The staring, the lack of conversation... It was all because he was observing him from afar. Every arrow he let loose, every book he nestled into after a long day— he was being immortalised in song, in poetry.

He releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. A deep dread, seated in the bottom of his unbeating heart, evaporates all at once and he feels a little lighter. Happy, even.

When Severin finishes, Astarion comes into the firelight and claps slowly, his usual confidence restored with a renewed vigor.

"Bravo, bravo! What an inspiring performance, darling!" The others seem to agree with him, nodding their heads and cheering with varying degrees of sobriety. "If I were a goblin, I'd lock you up like that Volo character and have you sing about me all day long." He makes sure to hold his gaze with those words, eyes radiating a sincerity he can't portray through words. Thank you, they say. Thanks for what, exactly, he isn't sure. But he's thankful nonetheless.

Thank you, Severin.

[nessanness]

HIA 😉😉

- what do you prefer to be called ?

- your favorite childhood memory ?

- your favorite animal?

- your favorite color ?🐧

OKE I HAVE MEMORY ABT THE PREV Q

(sorry for grammar mistakes 🏃‍♀️)

• call me annes! (ah-nes) or nes, or maybe you wanna make nickname(s)?? im ok too!

• chara i think has best bg -> i like vasco backstory! one of my fav arc actually. i also wanna know abt goo's backstory, and wanna know more abt mary's and vin jin's

• chara i think has the best design ->

1. JACE! bro lookin super fine now. seriously i didn't realize before (SORRY JACE). actually jace stay the way he is, i mean the face feature. i used to think he became handsome bcuz the art improvement hehe. i mean, yeah the improvement did something, but actually, he just change his hairstyle. his eyes, for example, not changing. do you get it?? wht im trying to say is he's fine from the start and i realized it after reread some old chapters (I FEEL KINDA BAD AWKSKWK). alsoooo his piercings cool af mann, and his tattoos!!!! i... i like that chest tatto 👉👈 and that 'my hero man' ahem and his mama friend personality hahahah

2. IM LUA! shes so prettyyy and i love her haircolor. also the way she approached yohan lmao cutee. look i found lua irl

3. WARREN CHAE AND OLLY WANG. i like warren's hairstyle and especially his eyes shape, personally i find it interesting. i saw really realis fanart of him and he looks... interesting hshshh, i think this 'interesting' different to 'attractive'. and for olly basically i like his locs. im not really into korea, but korean with locs are rare right? besides i always wanna try draw locs but i <dont have time for it>

4. ofc my fav MAGAMI KENTA. idk which part, but he looks v adorable to me. like kenta is kenta idk how to describe it.... his eyes, his scar, his expressionless expression, everythings perfect!!

see 🥺

• fav child memory huh... idk.... i dont remember things.... this not fav but i remember my 3yo birthday, me, my mom, and babysitter i guess?? or there was no babysitter idk, we were waiting my dad back home from his job around 10 pm, we celebrated it together after he arrived and the photo still here. or ohh i guess 6 grade include to childhood memory. i have a crush back then, and im closer to him than me and my crush now wth. yeah maybe i dont have fav childhood memories 😔

• fav animal hmmm, i like dogs, they're cute. ohh adorabilis octopus!! guess i dont have fav animal either, but adorabilis >>

• fav color is black! and earth toned colors. i like soft colors and natural color (this one for outfit :p)

[regensia]

@lightofaether​ said . . .

‎# ‎ 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐇   𝐎𝐑   𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒  || for whoever wanna answer : “ Shanks, Law, && Katakuri “ 👉👈 fhfhghfhfh

Smash or pass!

“He’s too noisy, isn’t he? Maybe if I got to see him cry and be miserable with my negative hollows, he could be kinda handsome that way. Besides, I wanna be spoiled! Something tells me Shanks isn’t like that! I’ll pass!”

“Kind of a gloomy guy, but he’s Luffy’s friend – so he can’t be too bad! I trust my brother’s taste on who he surrounds himself with. He’s always had a good sense for that.” Ah, Sabo was about to go on a tangent about his incredible little brother... “Looks-wise, I’d say Law’s got it for sure. I’d smash. Besides, maybe I’d get to see that neat submarine of his.”

Whoa... it’s not too often he sees anyone taller than himself. He’s always considered himself fit but this guy was absolutely ripped in a way that complimented his lengthy limbs. More than that, he certainly made some bold fashion choices between the tattoos and the leather... 

Coughing a bit on nicotine, Corazón waved a hand in front of his face to clear the smoke before replacing it between maroon-painted lips.

“... smash.”

[music-my-beloved]

3/28/24 (16) -

First Entry: Sooooooo I might relapse on that crush I had ? I started the diary entries a little late but I had (still have) the biggest crush on Rylan Garcia like, EVER ! He looks like a young Robert Kennedy !! Gosh he's so so so handsome. I walk around the hallways at school in the morning just to see him. I used to be so obsessed with him and I would see him everywhere and I would just stare at him non-stop I was insane. I told his friend (my friend too) William that I had a crush on him and he was like, "Oooo uh, he's got a girlfriend -_- and not only that but he's going to leave for the Marines soon as well." GIRL . I was devastated ! His girlfriend and him broke up (woohoo!) but that doesn't fix the Marine problem .. anyway like, girl he was walking to his government class and Oh. Em. Gee. He looked drop dead gorgeous! He was wearing a black belt and high waisted pants with a tight black shirt and I could see his pecs through his shirt oh my lord it was CRAZY. So now I might definitely be totally absolutely walking with a purpose in the morning just to see a certain somebody idk 👉👈

Second Entry: So the guy that I keep making eye contact with isn't here today . I kinda wish he was though. it would give me something to think about. Today is kinda boringgggg. BUT it's the last day before my 4 day weekend so yayyyy :)))))

Third Entry: I'm going to the movies tomorrow with my friendssssss !! We're watching Dune: Two. uhhh the only problem is I haven't seen the first one. Personally I really have no interest in watching it because uh, I hold my own personal prejudices against timothee chalamet and zendaya but whatevs. I'm going out with my girlfriends so of course I feel bad not watching it but stilllllll. I don't wanna do it :P think I might just watch one of those 30 min recaps on youtube or something idk.

Fourth Entry: hiiiiiiii I had peter piper pizza for diinnneerrrr. Erm, the color of the dough kinda concerned me though 'cause it was the same shade of golden brown all over the back and it like . looked artificial to me. like plastic. Still ate tho !! It's giving me some anxiety though 'cause what if something was wrong with it and what if I get food poisoning tomorrow morning ?? I literally CANNOT survive another food poisoning incident . I WILL get suicidal it's not even funny. I get suicidal when I'm nauseous and cold and sick and in pain and bored and anxious and and and and.. sorry I'm crazy :3

[yoshis-island420]

I'm sure you've already noticed, but a lot of my buddies and kinda myself included think that you're Phantom is kinda.... 👉👈

Also, it may just be shading, but I noticed that half of Phantom's face is lighter than the other half. Is this supposed to reference the mask from the Phantom of the Opera musical?

i’m glad y’all think he’s handsome!! I just like me some very big, dramatic and goofy looking man.

and yes!! Im very glad someone noticed! I’ve been meaning to do that for ages, and i’m glad I finally did :) it just looks bad bc of the face angle but yeah, it is a reference to the phantom of the opera

thought it would have been a nice detail!

[kazhan-draws]

Thanks for the tag @desperate-not-serious 💜(gentleman Billy holding the door, gasp?!) I'm actually writing again so I can finally participate in one of those, ha. I'm mostly focusing on one WIP at the moment but here's the list of my most recent files:

Semper Eadem

more ww stuff ugh

firestarter ch 2

handler/ww

A little bit from Semper Eadem (The "Billy pining hard for Eddie Munson while trying to be Normal™️" fic) I wrote yesterday under the cut, CW: crude language, teenagers making out (spoiler: it's not Eddie and Billy 😔).

“Hey,” he rasps quietly.  Tiffany looks up and he leans in to slot their mouths together. He doesn’t hate kissing her. It doesn’t make him feel anything special, but it doesn’t make him feel nothing either. She’s a good kisser, it’s a nice balance between tender and teasing; it doesn’t light a fire inside Billy the way pushing Stan against the wall to devour his mouth did, but it feels pleasant enough.  Fucking her was kinda like that, too. Maybe Billy could learn to enjoy it more.  “You’re pretty,” he tells her as he bumps their noses together.  She blinks at him, pulling back a bit like she wants to study him better. Her face lights up with a bright smile. “Yeah?” Her cheeks are a bit red, it’s mostly the cold because her nose is too, but Billy kinda likes the idea of making her blush a little bit. “You’re not too bad yourself.” Billy snorts. “Not too bad, huh?”  “Slightly above average,” she says with a shrug.  Billy grins and spins her around until he has her pressed against the wall, one hand squeezing her hip. “Like you’d settle for slightly above average,” he purrs, leaning in until their foreheads are touching.  She puts her hands on his chest and drums her fingers with a thoughtful look on her face. “I wouldn’t,” she agrees. “Alright, you’re pretty too.”  “Watch your mouth, doll,” he growls. Tiffany laughs and wounds her arms around his neck. “Handsome,” she coos. “Handsome boy.”  Billy’s breath hitches, he seals their mouths together and lets go of her hip to slide his hand down and grope her ass. She lets out a little throaty sound he swallows greedily as he pushes a thigh between hers and kisses her until she’s flushed and trembling against him. “You’re terrible,” she pants against his mouth. Billy grins wolfishly and lifts up the hem of her skirt just a little bit. “Wanna skip and fuck in my car?” he asks, nuzzling her cheek. She pulls on his hair hard enough to tear a groan out of him. “Absolutely not,” she says firmly and pushes him off of her. She straightens up and adjusts her skirt, Billy leers at her openly. “No,” she says, wagging a finger at him like he’s a dog. Billy’s grin widens and he snaps his teeth at her. She shakes her head, but she’s clearly holding back a laugh as she spins on her heels and starts walking away.  Billy catches up in two big steps, slaps her ass, making her yelp, and throws his arm around her shoulders before following her inside the building.

Sorry, no Eddie in this, only Billy being a gross shithead while breaking my heart with how hard he tries and his amazing girlfriend Tiffany. I'm not tagging (I'm shy 👉👈) but if you wanna hop on and play too, please do!! 👀

WIP Wednesday Game

It’s WIP Wednesday, time for a little accountability, sharing your work, and getting a kick in the pants.

Here’s how it works:

In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to play!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post. I’ll be searching the reblogs to find people to send asks to!

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

If you see someone posting a WIP Wednesday Game snippet, send them an ask! Make them write.

Requested/Friend event mentions under the cut! If you'd like to be pinged next week, let me know!

Friends @fiore-della-valle @redbirdblogs @greenbergsays @idkfandomwhatever @luckyspike

@obaewankenope @mad-madam-m @anonymousdandelion @geometricfractal @prettybirdy979

@eriquin | Requests @aparticularbandit @madnessfromthemountains @makeroftherunes @1attheedge

@whimsicalmeerkat @kidsomeday @lizhly-writes @skyderman @adhdavinci

@owlbearwrites @anachronismstellar @anyctibius @rilannon @lazinesswrites

@zyrafowe-sny @dreaminghour @blue-eyedbeta @candyskiez @dreamerking27

@kalira @virgulesmith @i-want-delfeur @selkies-world @exceedinglygayotter

[sugawarassoulmate]

PEACH WE NEED VIRGIN!ATSUMU SJDBDJD I HAVE NEVER NEEDED ANYTHING MORE IN MY LIFE PLS 🧎‍♀️ Atsumu is such a cute lil attention seeker ofc hes a total poser when it comes to chasing girls 😭 and then there's corruption kink reader who shows him literally 0 interest and *oh* he kind of likes getting ignored djdbdh. In my head idt corruption kink reader is mean- just aloof and completely over it 🙄 but Atsumu ohhh hes just begging to be ruined. Sweet boy won't know whats coming 👉👈 when is it his turn to get the girl 🥺

answering all of these!

it's so easy for atsumu to get a girl's attention. they practically fall over themselves to get a chance to talk to him. but when it comes to sealing the deal, he always has some kind of excuse. "baby, ya know i'm a busy man..." he tells them, earning himself the reputation of being a heart breaker.

but you could really care less. the supposed "golden boy" meant nothing to you and, of course, atsumu is drawn like a moth to a flame. his constant need to be validated and liked by others fuels his obsession with you.

however, when you finally decide to give him the time of day, you notice something's off. he hesitates to touch your shoulder or how you refuse to look him in the eye the one time you wore a low-cut shirt.

it comes to a head when the two of you are making out at your place. you're kicking yourself for letting this happen but you were drunk and, hey, he's kinda handsome. atsumu's kisses are sloppy but you just chalk it up to the liquor. but when you bring his hand to your breast, atsumu pulls away, breathing heavily.

"you've never touched a boob before?" you chuckle but atsumu doesn't meet your eyes, a deep scarlet forming on his face. it takes you a second, and then it dawns on you. "atsumu...are you a virgin?"

"ya can't tell anyone," he says suddenly and you can't believe it. everyone's favorite boy, the sex god of the court, is a dumb little virgin, getting flustered by a kiss.

he's pathetic. he's a loser.

he's so cute.

running your hand down atsumu's chest, you feel him shudder from your touch. oh, this is going to be fun.

[just-a-creep-babe]

Ohmygod I swear I *tried* to make it cute but it. It Did Not turn Out that Way. Uhhh hopefully it’s still kinda cute though, like in a bit of a fucked up angsty kinda way? 🌸🥺👉👈

Requests are closed but commissions are open!

Masterlist: x

He gets back from work, and he’s exhausted

It’s no surprise, really

It never is

He’s covered in wounds and bruises; dried blood staining his ripped clothes and drenched bandages wrapped around his broken skin

He collapses on the couch and closes his eyes

You should let him rest

You know you should

But he’s always gone, and you’re always missing him

You know you’re being selfish when you get on top of him, straddling him

You don’t think you care, not really, anyways

He opens one eye to look at you, and the corners of his mouth tilt into a grin

“Hey gorgeous,” he murmurs, the exhaustion clear in his voice

“Hey handsome,” you answer

You let your hands wander up and down his chest, being extra careful not to press down too hard on any of the bloodier spots

Whether it’s his blood or not, you aren’t sure

You suppose it doesn’t matter, either way

He makes a noise at the back of his throat, something like a pleasant hum, and closes his eyes once again

There’s a quiet in the air as you touch him; a soft, gentle stillness in the cabin room

It’s a rare moment

You don’t want it to end

You lean in to press a kiss to his jaw

He hums again, almost like a content sigh, and tilts his head up so that you can reach his neck

You trail your lips down to his throat

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows thickly when you start sucking on his skin

You use your teeth, scraping them against his flesh, and maybe you’re a bit rougher than you should be

Maybe you’re frustrated that he’s always gone, that you’re always missing him, and maybe this is your way of getting back at him

It’s not his fault, you know that all too well

But you also know that he doesn’t mind it, doesn’t mind the pain—not even when you draw blood

He’s used to it

He likes it

You shift your weight above him, and feel his growing erecting twitch against your thigh

Your bites grow rougher, faster—more needy

You mark him up until he’s panting and hissing his breath in through gritted teeth

The jealousy and anger turns his skin red, coaxes possessive blue and purple flowers to bloom along his flesh

Jealousy reaped from his work always stealing his attention, anger sewn in from his refusal to choose you over everything

You move back up once you’re satiated, hungry eyes admiring the mess you’ve left behind

His gaze mirrors your desire

You tug up the hem of his hoodie, exposing his bruised stomach all the way up to his wounded chest

And in return, he slides his hands up your shirt to cup your tits, his thumbs teasing at your nipples, pinching and squeezing and rubbing

Your touch moves back down his torso, at the bulge in his pants

It doesn’t take long for you to free his cock from his jeans, nor does it take long for you to strip your pants and underwear

Your legs straddle his hips, positioning the head of his thick member twitching eagerly at your entrance

And then, all too slowly to savor it, you sink down onto his full length

He feels so, so good

The pleasure hazes your mind, lighting your skin on fire, and you swear it‘s better than ecstasy

His groan spurs you on, as does the lovesick look in his deep brown eyes, and the way his hands come to rest on your thighs—firm but gentle

You grind down onto him, and he reaches so deep, his cock deliciously hard and pulsing against your sensitive spots that you can’t help the way you sigh his name

“Fuck,” he cusses under his breath, his voice low and tired and gravelly

And you suddenly remember why you don’t leave him—why you can’t leave—even when you don’t see him for days at a time

You rock your hips against his, and his mouth parts, another groan escaping, as his eyes briefly squeeze shut before fluttering open again to admire you

You lean, kissing his pretty lips, and when you clench around his length, he sighs into the kiss

His reaction has your body moving on its own accord

You bounce onto him, driving your hips down faster and harder to feel more of him

His grasp tightens on your skin, squeezing flesh, but he makes no attempt to control the way you’re moving

He lets you ride him, use him at your own pace, his body means to an end for your enjoyment

Maybe it’s his way of making it up to you

His way of apologizing

You don’t know

You don’t care

He feels too good for you to worry about it anyways

He bites his lip, teeth digging into flesh, as his dark eyes trace up your body

You love the way he looks at you

Love the way he worships your form

His thumb reaches up to press snugly between your folds, right against your clit

And the way you clench in response has his hips bucking to meet you halfway for every thrust

You lose yourself to the feeling

Your thoughts scatter, unable to think, unable to focus on anything else but him and how good he feels

He rubs circles into your pearl, and when your movements stutter, he only speeds up

Your legs shake around him, your moans and pants mixing with his as you desperately whimper his name

When your orgasm crashes into you, it’s pure bliss

You ride out the high, every nerve ending in your body on fire, and he murmurs something about how beautiful you look when you cum around his cock

His hands reach up to grab your tits, flicking at your nipples

And when you cry out his name again, he cusses, cock twitching, and he pushes his hips as close to yours as he can so he can cum deep inside you

You feel it—warm and thick and oh so filling, and it’s almost enough to make you cum again

But instead, you slow your movement down, until you’re just grinding against his still-pulsing cock

His touch travels up and down your body, slowly, softly, memorizing every curve, every dip and bump of your skin

You don’t know how long he’ll stick around before leaving for his next job

So when you lean down to press your lips against his, you try to make it last as long as you possibly can

It’s not enough

It never is

But you know you’ll just have to accept it one way or another

[danses-with-dogmeat]

I just have to ask you for a few characters 👉👈 Porter Gage, Hancock, Raul, Charon and Gob ack don't call me out for my ghoul loving ass just getting showered in praise. I just feel the ghouls don't GET enough lovin', they are all wonderful, handsome and great men.

Porter Gage is the odd one out because I just love that raider man and been playing Nuka World recently-

Select FO Companions React to Sole/Lone/Six Giving them Praise

I'm back!! Oof, so I've officially finished moving and unpacking and all that junk, and I'm ready to get back to the important things lol. Alrighty, so just an update, I've decided to just get back to regular posting. I only had a few more for the 1k event to do, but I knew it would take another few days to get to if they were going to be any good 😅 So, I apologize if I didn't get to yours, but I'm SO thankful for all of you who participated, it was such a blast, and I hope to do more events like it in the future 😊

Anyways, now, let's get back to it! (Also, just one more reminder that requests are closed for the time being so I can catch up on the ones I have now, but I will let you know when they open back up!)

ALRIGHT, so now to the actual post. This is so sweet, omg! 😩 These guys all really do deserve more loving, like... Always. As usual, let me know if you wanna see anyone else for this at all! Cuz goodness knows there are plenty of Fallout folks that deserve to hear a compliment or two much more often.

Included Below: Charon, Gage, Gob, Hancock, Joshua, & Raul

Also, just a heads up, this isn't explicit, per say, but it does get kinda steamy in some places, so just a little NSFW warning for ya. 😉

I hope you enjoy!

Charon:

“Oh my god.” Lone’s mouth hung open as Charon stepped down the stairs and towards the living room. 

“What?” He paused his movement, brow scrunching more than usual as he looked down over himself to see if anything was amiss.

They only shook their head at first, finally managing to close their mouth to gulp before they began to answer him verbally. 

“Look, I know you just, like, just put on the armor and everything, but Charon, I think… I think you’re gonna have to take it off.” 

Lone’s eyes drifted hungirly over the ghoul’s large frame, the way the dark, freshly polished leather clung to his muscular form forcing a blushing heat to flush over their face. 

He only scoffed at them, continuing his descent into the room to drop his bag by the door. Lone stood up abruptly from their place on the couch and turned to face their partner with a hard expression on their face. 

“What? I’m not allowed to be attracted to my boyfriend?” Their hands came to their hips as their voice took on a distinct hardness that he was always trying to avoid. 

That’s never a good sign. Charon thought with a frown. 

“No need to act for my benefit.” He grumbled, “I’ve seen myself, Lone.” 

He tried not to notice the way his partner flinched at his words. 

They can’t be serious, what delusions do they think I’m under?

“Clearly not the way I have, then.” They said firmly as they took a step closer. Charon stood his ground as Lone approached him with slow intent, something unknown to him written in their expression. 

“Forget what I said,” they continued, “No need to take off your armor.” He set his jaw as they gazed up at him, their hands brushing up over the leather on his chest until their fingertips grazed the skin of his neck. 

“I’ll just do it for you.” They began to work at the fastenings of his armor, the metal buckles glinting in the low light that streamed through the meager windows of their Megaton house. 

“Lone…” 

“I want to show you. If you won’t listen to what I say, maybe what I do will have some influence on you.” Charon made no move to assist them as they began to pull the leather cuirass over his head, undoing the laces at his sides before reaching up as far as their arms would take them, the collar of the armor failing to come any further up than his jawline as they strained on their tiptoes. The ghoul sighed, ducking down to allow them to finally wrench the leather free of his bulky frame. 

They set the piece on the couch with a huff, and despite his reservations, Charon took a few steps closer to them, his icy stare boring into his partner as they turned and knelt alluringly before him, their hands grazing up over his thighs as they moved to his center. 

“Do you want this?” Lone brought their gaze up to him, fixing their partner with hooded eyes darkened with their lust for him, as their fingers rested delicately over his leather codpiece. Charon hardly had to think before responding hastily.

“Yes." He growled, "Show me.” 

A relieved smile touched their lips, and they quickly turned their attention back to their work below his waist. 

The ghoul's chest shuddered with anticipation as he felt the pressure release around his hips, fighting to hold back a groan as Lone meticulously removed each piece of polished leather he’d fastened onto himself not half an hour ago. When he was freed of his armor fully, standing before his partner in loose-fitting trousers and a black crew neck, Lone looked him over quickly from head to toe before descending upon him, delicate fingers moving hastily to pull his shirt from his sculpted torso. 

This time, Charon did assist, lifting his arms and practically ripping the thing at the seams as he brought it over his head. Despite both of their haste, once he was free of the shirt, Lone paused, the palms of their hands warm against his chest where they rested with their fingers splayed, grasping slightly at the taut skin there. Their hands rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing, noticeably faster than usual, as his anticipation grew. 

“You’re so handsome…” They let slip. It wasn’t more than a whisper, and Charon wasn’t sure whether they’d meant to say it aloud at all, but it escaped them nonetheless, as their transfixed stare grazed over his semi-bare form. 

Whether they meant to voice the compliment or not, their words took Charon out of the moment, his smoky gaze sharpening within the confines of his narrowed eyes. He even let out another snort of disbelief that managed to catch Lone’s attention and draw their gaze to meet his own.

“Sorry, I just… I do mean it though. Not everyone may feel similarly, including yourself, and I don’t know that I can ever really change that, but Charon… I see you that way. The way you can’t seem to.”

Lone’s voice became desperate as their gaze fell to capture the movement of their fingers fidgeting over his skin, the digits absent-mindedly tracing over the rough grooves upon his ravaged chest with absolute care.

“It’s no lie, either." They whispered, "Not me trying to convince you otherwise, or make you feel better– well, if it makes you feel good, that’s good, and I want that, but that’s not the only thing I’m trying to do by saying– or, by complimenting you, I want you to–”

“Lone.”

One of Charon’s large hands closed around his partner’s shoulder, forcing their restless hands to cease their frenzied rubbing over him, and silencing Lone’s fragmented explanations. 

Their eyes met his once more, glistening orbs of earnestness and desperation against cold, dark windows reflecting back their own form of desperation in turn. 

Enough. He meant to say, but the vault dweller’s stubbornness in this matter left him no room to voice his concerns with their speech. 

“Charon.” They said firmly, “Please don’t. Don’t shut out what I’m telling you. Even if you can never believe what I say for yourself, know that I believe it. I’m mad for you. All of you.” 

Their voice lowered an octave at their final confession, and Lone surged forward, their hands grasping forcefully at his shoulders, and pulling his lips to theirs as they tasted him in earnest. Charon meant to say their name again, but all that escaped him was a groan as they crashed against him, the firmness of their insistent pressure a stark contrast from the pillowy softness of their lips.

They pulled away breathlessly before quickly moving their lips lower, the smooth petals of their mouth tickling against the sensitive skin of his neck, his collarbone, and chest. 

“I’m mad for this.” They growled between fevered pecks, “And this, and here. All of it.”

Like the volts of a live wire, violent shudders shocked the ghoul’s spine as Lone’s lips and tongue delved lower, hastily passing over his ribcage, their nose tracing a teasing line down his center as they knelt down and settled their attentions just at his naval, hungry fingers finally releasing the pressure exerted on him by his own damned zipper, and the painfully tight fabric of his briefs.  

“I’ll show you, my love. I’ll convince you to see yourself like I do. Whatever it takes.” They promised, and Charon’s neck arched as his head hung back in sheer bliss at their next heated action. 

“Show me.” He groaned.

Gage:

“Will you cut that shit out? S’not funny, boss.”

“No, Gage. I really do. I know it’s not funny, I’m not fucking joking." Their eyes bore into his as they tilted their head towards him, their voice as desperate as it was irate, "I honestly don’t care about that patch, or how old you are, how bad you think you are, any of it. You’re good for me. You’re incredible. You're strong, and dependable, you make me smile and laugh, and–” 

“Yeah, alright, I think you’ve had enough of that.” 

One rough hand reached out to grab at the bottle in Sole’s hand, but they snatched it away before he could pull it from their grasp.

“Quit it, Gage! I’m your Overboss, and that’s an order. Now let me finish.”

Gage huffed and rolled his good eye, folding his arms over themselves gruffly as he leaned back against the worn couch cushions. Sole only shook their head, setting their bottle down on the side table and scooting closer to the raider. They placed a hand on his thigh and fixed him with an uncanny sort of look, depleted of their frustration with him, and full of something else entirely. Their muted smile and the gleam in their eyes made for an expression he’d only ever seen reserved for family members, for the closest of friends, or for… for lovers. His own eye narrowed suspiciously. 

I know we’re together ‘n all, but… When has anyone looked at me that way before?

Whatever, must be whatever’s in that drink of theirs. 

“Well, get on with it then, since you made such a fuckin’ fuss.” He growled. Sole only broadened their smile softly, their one hand increasing its pressure on his leg as they scooched even closer to him. Gage felt the heat of their body through the thin fabric of his trousers and wife-beater as they pressed closer to him, their free hand sliding up the swell of his chest to rest heavily on his shoulder as their lips met his in a brief kiss. 

Gage only had an instant to close his eye, to savor them, before they withdrew, just far enough that the pair's contact was severed, but close enough still, that he could make out the distinct and enticing glisten of their lips.

“You really don’t see it, do you?” 

“What’s that?” He breathed. 

“How much I care about you. How good you are for me. How attractive I find you. Even when I try to tell you.” 

Sole’s hand moved downward to brush over his chest, feeling the play of muscle beneath his thin shirt as he threw his head back in a barely contained scoff. 

“Yeah, alright there, Sole. Look, don’t feel like you’ve gotta say all this shit for my benefit. I’m a damn raider, I don’t need t’hear all that flowery, romantic sorta bullshit. I’m a sure thing, boss. I’m easy.” 

As if to emphasize his point, one hand moved lower to grasp around the swell of Sole's hip firmly, pulling them closer, even as their expression hardened.

“You shouldn’t be.” They said firmly, their hand stilling over him. 

Gage’s brow creased low over his eye as Sole pulled away from him roughly. 

“You deserve a lot more than you give yourself credit for," they continued, "I don’t care what you think. You gave me a chance when no one else would. You've always got my back, you support me like nobody else has, and dammit, you deserve that same kind of dedication, Gage.” 

His eye widened at their words, and the raider found himself at a loss for any kind of response. 

I’m really not used to this kinda shit. What am I supposed to say to that? 

Sole sighed at him, a sad smile touching their lips as they hesitantly reached both hands up to his face. Gage had to stop himself from flinching at their tender touch, but they held fast, palms warm against his cheeks as their eyes pleaded with him to just fucking believe what they told him.

Gage swallowed.

Slowly, their hands moved, and their fingers worked their way to the metal secured to his head, fidgeting with the fastenings there until he felt the entire piece loosen and give way. 

“Sole, I don’t think–” He tried, but they silenced him with a look and a whisper. 

“It’s okay. I want to see you.” 

Gage took in a breath. 

No. You don’t.

“It doesn’t hurt, does it?” 

He shook his head slightly, and Sole finally pulled the patch from his skin, and set it on the couch beside them. Gage’s jaw clenched as he flinched away, and his gaze flitted to everywhere but Sole, unnervingly afraid to see the repulsion on their face.

He felt their hands on him again, the soft skin caressing his cheeks, and he fought the urge to pull away as his heart increased its thumping in his chest. Gage closed his good eye, trying to turn his marred face away from his partner’s scrutinizing gaze, but their hands held his head firmly in place. 

A brief moment of silence passed before Gage found himself jerking away involuntarily as the feeling of Sole’s… lips? He guessed, ghosted over the scarred flesh of his newly uncovered cheekbone. 

“I meant what I said.” Their warm breath caressed his face as they spoke. “It’s not bullshit, and it’s not a lie.” 

He released a sigh as he opened his good eye once again, the resistance and disbelief effectively gone from his exposed expression, if only just for this moment. 

“I really do, Gage. I love you. And I love all of you.”

Gob:

“What do you mean?” 

Gob paused, Lone’s voice clearly meeting his ears as he stepped outside the back door of Moriarty’s Saloon with two heavy trash bags in hand. 

“Look hon, I’m not trying to be rude or anything, I’m just curious, that’s all.” The scent of cigarette smoke and cheap perfume drifted through the ghoul’s meager nose, even from where he stood behind the building, he knew it was Nova that Lone was speaking with.

Something in his head told him he should go out to greet them, but a gut feeling held him back, keeping him in place as he slowly set down the garbage bags and continued to listen in. 

“It’s just that, well, Gob an’ me have been real close for a long time,” Nova’s silky voice continued, “An’ I’ve met lotsa folks you couldn't believe. Look at him like he’s some kinda novelty or somethin’, like the scumbags who look at me like a juicy slice of brahmin. I just wanna be sure you ain’t one of ‘em.” 

The ghoul’s eyes widened as he listened in, his grip tightening on the metal jutting from the side of the building as he awaited Lone’s response. 

Do I even really wanna hear it? A small voice asked in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away, instead leaning forward to hear what his partner had to say. 

“You really think I could be like that?” Panic tightened their voice as it left their throat, less accusatory, and more fraught with worry than he would’ve expected. “Gob doesn’t think that way, does he?” 

“No.” He whispered, shaking his head despite the fact that he was as good as alone on this side of the saloon. 

“Nah, I don’t think so. Gob would never see the bad in you. That’s what he’s gotta have me for. Too many people try to take advantage of the poor guy. Like he hasn’t been through enough.”  

He smiled sadly at that, silently thanking whoever it was in charge of his fate that he met Nova. Without her, well… Moriarty’s would’ve been all the more unbearable. He's not sure he would've made it this far without her, and now, if he didn't have Lone, if he somehow lost them...

Don't wanna even think about that. Maybe I should stop listenin' in, in case... What if they--

“I know.” Lone said, almost too quiet for him to hear, but loud enough to pull him from his troubling thoughts, “It’s true. Everything Gob’s been through… That’s one of the things that drew me to him from the start. All that Moriarty’s done to be cruel, to make his life hell, and he’s still so kind, so sweet and genuine.” 

“Hm.” He heard his friend hum with approval at Lone’s declaration, and something tightened deep in Gob’s chest. 

He held his breath as his partner's voice carried on.

“And so incredibly strong, to persevere through all of this, all that he’s been through for his long life, with Underworld, leaving it all behind and then coming to this, only to end up here. Still, selfish as it is, I'm glad he is here now. If I hadn't met him, I don't..."

Gob heard them chuckle, more a nervous sound then an amused one.

"I really don't want to think what it'd be like if I didn't have him, y'know? He really is incredible. One-of-a-kind out here, and in the vault. I’ve never met anyone like him.”

“You’re smiling real big when you talk about him, you know that?” 

Gob grinned himself as he heard Lone’s giggle echo down into the town, the lovely sound fading with a sigh from them and a moment of silence that had Gob leaning in even further, very nearly exposing his hiding spot to the pair as his anticipation grew. 

“... Well, what can I say? I love him.” 

Gob's breath caught in his throat, and he tried desperately to keep from choking as his grip on the side of the building tightened painfully, his bony fingers digging into the metal with such force, he was liable to bend it.

Nova whistled long and low at that, the butt of her cigarette flying off the balcony as she turned to face Lone, and Gob shifted hastily back against the building once more, hoping he was still concealed. 

“That’s quite the declaration there, hon. You tell him that?” 

“Well, no, not quite… But I plan to, and soon, I think.”

“Hm. Just be careful. Dangerous thing to tell a man.” The door to the saloon creaked open as the sound of Nova’s voice shifted, “Though actually, since it’s Gob, I take it back. Lord knows he needs to hear that more than most. And from you? Poor guy won’t know what to do with himself.” 

Lone laughed again, more genuine this time, less embarrassed, and Gob’s heart thudded hard against his ribcage, a feeling of chills erupting over his ruined skin as he tried in vain to keep his labored breathing quiet. 

The door to the bar slammed to a close, jolting the wall Gob was still leaning against.

But he hardly even felt it. 

They love me? Love?! H-how.. How can they? Why? 

How could he possibly pretend he didn’t know what they’d said when he saw them next? Even now, he found it impossible to contain himself, his entire body vibrating with a giddy energy he didn’t even know he was capable of possessing. 

Lone loves me.

Gob stood shakily from where he was kneeling beside the saloon, his mind going into overdrive as he realized Nova, and soon enough, Lone, would notice his absence in the bar. He turned back to the garbage bags, reaching for one as he took a step forward, but his foot caught on the first step up to the back door, and he fell forward, cringing less at the pain and more at the loud clang that rang out over the town as the better part of his body crashed into the metal building. 

“Aw, dammit.” He grumbled, glancing over his shoulder rapidly in search of Lone. 

The ghoul held still a moment, sighing in relief when he didn’t hear a sound beyond his own breathing. He stood up and brushed himself off brusquely. 

Still need to get in there quick.

“Gob? What are you– Oh, are you okay?” 

The ghoul’s blood ran cold.

“F-fine, Lone, I just– um…” He stuttered out as he turned to face them with a nervous smile.

Dammit, I was right. 

The ghoul’s mouth refused to cooperate as his thoughts scattered in every direction at the sight of his partner. 

Of the one who loved him. 

He gulped.

“You didn’t hit your head, did you?” They asked, reaching a hand out as if to brush it over his head, but he shook his head firmly, stalling their movement. 

“You look so… So red… Are you sure you’re not hurt?” He nodded to them, willing his body to cool down, willing his tongue to untangle, willing himself to meet their eyes, but he simply couldn’t. 

“A-are you blushing? Sweetie, I didn’t know you could blush. What’s going on?”

Finally their hand met his face, and the world seemed to quit its confusing spinning, his heart stilled its frantic pounding, and he could finally meet their concerned gaze. His eyes were apologetic as he looked at them, swallowing hard as a few fragmented words began to creep into his mind.

“O-oh. Oh no.” Lone’s eyes widened, and Gob didn’t have to say a word. “No, you didn’t! Tell me you didn’t… You heard it?! How much did you hear?” 

They pulled their hand away from him, their voice desperate and loud as they questioned him with panic etched all over their face.

Gob tried to stay calm, his skin feeling warmer than coals as the words of explanation formed on his tongue. 

What if that does it? What if this is it? What if I just ruined this?  

“Not, well, I don’t think, I just–” He stuttered out awkwardly, willing his voice not to crack with the fear he felt bubbling up in his chest, “Well, I don’t think that I heard all of it, but… Yeah, I did, ah, I heard that last part.” Gob’s head hung low at the end of his confession, as he saw the disappointment in Lone’s eyes. 

Had they ever really planned on telling me? Were they just saying that to Nova, to make her feel better? Did they really even mean it?

“I’m so sorry, Lone.”

“You don’t have to be sorry.” They told him gently, and he raised his eyes hesitantly to meet theirs. 

“I just… I wish I could’ve told you in a different way. Made it really special.”

“It was. Lone, honey, it was special.” He said quickly, both of his hands reaching out to grasp one of Lone’s, before he even realized he was doing it.

“It means the world to me. Nobody’s ever- I mean, I haven’t ever- I just…” Their eyes shone as they waited for him to finish, and Gob took a deep breath.

“Lone,” He whispered, “I feel the same way.”

Hancock:

“Your eyes, John…” 

“Hm?” 

“Your eyes… They are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” 

Hancock smiled as his partner looked on, reverent in the haze of the Day Tripper they’d taken. They leaned forward from where they were seated, practically in his lap, with one hand against his chest, and fixed him with their appreciative, half-lidded gaze. 

“My eyes are black, Sunshine.” He pecked their nose with his meager lips, taking full advantage of their close proximity to him. “And not kill the vibe or anything, but I think you’ve had enough of these for today.” His hand gently pulled the Day Tripper bottle away from their grasp, but his partner hardly seemed to notice. 

“They are not ‘black’ in that dismissive way you just said they are." They pouted, "Your eyes… They don’t have color, really, but they have depth. Texture.”

“Uh huh.” Hancock tried to withhold the broad, toothy grin that threatened to spread across his lips as Sole looked at him in complete seriousness. 

Damn, they’re cute. 

He raised a hand to the side of their face, caressing it lovingly as one thumb stroked over the soft swell of their cheek.

But should I really have let them take two of those pills? Hm. 

“They’re like space." Sole continued, one hand waving dramatically towards the sky at their declaration.

"Like galaxies and nebulae and a trillion twinkling stars. All wrapped up in a velvety, dark blanket. Not black, but like an inky fabric draping over itself, light catching at each fold, every angle. Full of life, and light, and emotion, and truth.”

“Sunshine, I don’t think–” 

“Shhh.” They brought a finger to his ruined lips, nose nearly grazing the crevice where his once was as they leaned forward with a whisper. “Don’t interrupt, love.” Their lips followed the lead of their finger, brushing his in a light kiss before they pulled back again. 

“I’m not nearly finished.”

Hancock’s apparently mesmerizing eyes widened as they fixed him with a scrutinizing gaze, blown-out pupils sliding their hazy vision over every line of his face, every wrinkle and fold, each scar, and all the complexities of his multi-colored complexion.

Though, as Hancock was much unused to, there was no judgment in their scrutiny. No disgust, no flinching or cringing, not even some morbid kinda curiosity he tended to see in some.

His face couldn’t be chalked up to mere flesh and blood in their eyes. They didn’t see the lines as he did. It was less of a physical entity, and more a mosaic of his person. His character.

In everything, Sole saw the way he had smiled all his life, the way he had frowned, all the speeches he’s given, the manner in which he once combed his hair, and in the way he moved differently once it was all gone.

Sole saw his childhood, the closeness with his family, and then the heart-wrenching pain as they were pulled away from him and made estranged. They could see the years of relentless abuse he’d wrought upon himself, before becoming who he was today. In the emotion written in his scars, they could see his failures, and in the glimmer of his eyes, his successes, and they told him as much.

All of it they said, not with so many words, as they formed and flitted away before their lips had a chance to speak them, but they spoke with their eyes, with their own emotion Hancock couldn’t help but read too deeply into. The intensity of it all forced his hand, inspired his mind to draw connections from nearly nothing at all. The dense subtleties and micro expressions any sane person may have failed to read into, but Hancock wasn’t sane.

He was in love.

And they were too. Of that, the ghoul had no doubt at all. He wasn’t even sure if he’d known that before this very moment. Sole had told him before, sure, but never like this. Saying everything without a voice to back it. The most honest of confessions, and he couldn’t help but confess right back. 

“Damn, Sole…” He breathed over them, inspiring a blink of those brilliant eyes that broke the tension that had grown between them. “I’m so in love with you.” 

To his surprise, his partner looked at him with a flash of disappointment. 

“What is it, baby?” 

“I haven’t even said anything yet. That was supposed to wait for the end.” They pouted rather dramatically. 

“Aww, you didn’t hear all that? Everythin’ you just said? I heard it, loud and clear. No worries there. And no words needed, sunshine, trust me.” 

“Hm.” They pursed their lips, unconvinced. “I think I’ve still gotta tell you anyways.” 

“Sweetheat, there’s nothin’ I’d love more than to listen to your pretty voice sing praises to me all night long, but all that talk just about my eyes? I don’t think you’ll finish before the sun comes up.” 

“If that’s how long it takes for you to quit making all those comments about your ‘ugly mug’ and ‘boring, black’ eyes, then so be it. We’ll be here all night, and into the next day, and all the night after. I’ll keep telling you next week, next month, years from now, when I’m old and wrinkled and a new civilization has risen from the ashes of this ruined world of ours, for this whole lifetime and any others that come along, I'll keep insisting, I’ll keep talking, and kissing, and touching, and loving you until you believe every word with every part of you. And I fucking mean it John Hancock, you know I do.” 

Most of this talk was definitely the Day Tripper. Had to be. At least a little bit. Sole didn’t talk like this, didn’t make big confessions like this, didn’t command him to take their praise so adamantly, but still... every word rang true in their glazed-over eyes.

Whether they were foggy from the drug, or from their affection for him, Hancock didn’t completely know, but he did know that the words people spoke on Day Tripper tended to be true. It was one of the main reasons the drug was dangerous. It helps limit your inhibitions, makes confessions come easy, lessens your anxiety, makes the world seem more open and accepting to whatever strange, deep-rooted, or wholly secret confession your heart and mind held onto far away from the liberating threshold of your mouth. It’s why Hancock doesn’t usually do this one with friends, with people he doesn’t want to lose, with people he’s afraid to trust to stay in his life if they knew all the secrets of his past. He’d told Sole all of this, the dangers of these little pills, and yet, they’d still wanted to try it with him by their side. 

“I do.” He rasped, the words making him shudder as he thought of what they might sound like in some other context, some other promise, down the line of his and Sole’s journey together. 

If I should be so lucky they’d say yes to a promise like that. To a man like me gettin’ down on one knee and making a commitment more serious and binding than being Mayor of Goodneighbor. 

Shit, and I would mean it just as much with them as I did with this town of mine. More so, even.

“I know you mean it, Sole. And I’m gonna really hold you to it one of these days.” He hinted with a half smile as he pressed his lips to their cheek and wrapped an arm around their shoulders tightly, until they yielded in their gathering exhaustion, falling back to rest against him, and sighing softly with sheer contentment. 

“You’d better." They grumbled, "I’ll be waiting with bated breath.” 

“Don’t you worry. You ain’t gonna have to wait too much longer.” They leaned their head against his shoulder, nuzzling into him a few times to get comfortable, and Hancock leaned back, his head resting against theirs as he took their hands in his, his midnight eyes falling to their left hand in particular as his fingers grazed over theirs in a delicate caress, and he daydreamed about the future he'd promised, and they'd promised him.

No. Not much longer at all…

Joshua:

“Joshua?” Your voice carried smoothly over the sand, through the hot, dry air. But Joshua didn’t stir, he didn’t even seem to register his name. 

“You okay?” You pressed forward, craning your neck as you took a couple steps in his direction, trying to see what it was in the creek that had caught his attention so fully. 

“Did you… find something?” You bent down as you reached Joshua’s side, noting the way his unblinking eyes seemed glued to… nothing. Nothing, but his own reflection, staring back with the same intensity. 

The sand shifted beneath you as you settled by Joshua’s side. He noticed you, out of the corner of his eye, but remained silent. 

What could he say? 

How could he speak all that he was thinking, as he peered down at his scarred and bandaged face? Could he voice the way that he feels? So unworthy of your devotion to him, so confused as to why you stay by his side, so appreciative that you care for him the way you do, but so wholly afraid that if he speaks his fears, that they will come true. That, as soon as you come to your senses, as soon as the novelty of being with him fades, you will leave…

Who could love a face like mine? And more… Who could love the man that this face belongs to? A man who has done so much wrong, that his sins could only be absolved through the most violent forms of suffering? And even still… Am I truly free of them? 

He did not feel it. 

“I... am not worthy…” The missionary began quietly, and saw your head snap towards him as the words met your ears. “I am not worthy of even the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness you have shown me.”

“What?” You asked, your brows furrowing as you shifted your body to face him, rather than the stream of water below. 

“It’s a line from Genesis." He attempted to clarify, "Jacob is speaking to God, speaking to him of his own humility in response to the devotion that the Lord has shown him.”

Your brows didn’t unfurrow. 

“And that… That has to do with…?” 

“I’m not…” Joshua’s jaw clenched as his eyes finally left his own watery visage in favor of hiding behind his downed lids. 

“I’m not sure why I said it. The quote just… came over me.” He lied, knowing full-well that the words had everything to do with you. 

If I tell you that I feel unworthy of you, will that start something? Will that plant the idea in your mind that I don’t deserve you? Will you then act on that idea?

“Hey.” 

He felt your touch upon his shoulder as your voice met his ears, it was light, but unyielding as your fingers clenched at the bandages insistently. 

“You can talk to me.” You smiled as Joshua’s eyes opened and his gaze landed upon your face, and he wasn’t immune to it. Nor your words, and all that they promised. 

Love rejoices with the truth.

“I’m humbled by you, Six. Humbled by the love you show me every day, and I feel… As Jacob did with the love of God. I feel unworthy of you.”

He felt your grip tighten upon his shoulder as sadness flooded your expression. It pained him to know he was the source of the strife he saw in your eyes.

“Sometimes it’s easy to forget who I am, what I’ve done… What I look like, when I’m beside you, but then, my reflection finds me. Then as I look upon your face, as I remember your deeds and your devotion to me, your kindness to others... I cannot help but feel confused.”

“Joshua, I–” 

He continued insistently, his scarred brow hardening over the intense blue of his eyes as you saw them spark with fire from within.

“I have erred more times than I could possibly count, and yet, each is written upon me, like a shouted word, etched into my very skin for all the world to see. For all who gaze upon me to pity me and my failures, to hate my deeds and to agree that I am unworthy of compassion and repentance. That I am unworthy of happiness, and certainly, of love. They see you beside me, and they know, simply by seeing me, that I am unworthy of you.” 

Joshua’s hand traveled slowly up to grasp at yours. Your eyes were wide and glistening as he gently took hold of you, and removed your touch from him. 

The air was utterly caught in your throat as your partner released your hand from his grip and stood beside you, his gaze resting back on the reflection in the running water that marred his covered features even further with each ripple over the small, jagged river stones that weren’t yet smoothed over by the current. 

“But it seems that you’ve failed to note this. Whether by choice, or simply because you are too righteous to see such things, you’ve still stood by me, even despite all that I’ve done, and that I am... I had to be sure you know the truth, Six. So that you can make your own decision about me, about our relationship… And you can find the words and inspiration you need to leave me behind, and to move on to better things. To be with someone who deserves you.” 

And truth will set you free.

The thought sprung unbidden into Joshua's mind.

I don't feel free.

But perhaps... Perhaps, now, Six can.

Still, you sat in the sand, in shock at everything that had just left your partner, the man you love, and have loved happily for the months you’ve been together.

Where had it all come from?

One moment you’re making camp, waiting for Joshua to collect water, dusting off the fabric of your tent, laying out the bedrolls close enough to later rest in his embrace all through the night, and now he… what? Wants you to leave him?

What changed?

Joshua made a move to step away from you, to leave you kneeling there, alone, beside the river that had apparently inspired these harsh words that encouraged even harsher actions, but you would not stand for it.

You could not. 

“I won’t leave you, Joshua.” You got to your feet as he paused his steps, and he tilted his head towards you, to better hear your words. To hear the justification that he was sure would be well-meant, but ultimately, unfounded. 

“Why?” He whispered, and you got the sense that he was going to speak more, that he would continue monologuing until he convinced himself further that you do not belong with him, even when you know that, beyond all reason, you do.

“Because Joshua, because..." You took a breath as righteous words filled your mind, "'You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and… I love you.' That quote comes from the book of Isaiah. And it’s God speaking to Jacob, telling him that this is why men are worthy of him, and why, even if they’re not, they’re still deserving of unconditional love, even by one as divine and perfect as God.” 

Joshua’s eyes were the ones widening now, and his body turned so that he could face you fully once again. 

“Now, I’m not saying that I’m perfect, but… If God can stand to love you, if he can keep you here, after all you’ve been through, if he can promise you life, even after going through what should’ve meant your death tenfold, then can’t I do the same? Can’t I promise you a life with me, can’t I love and accept you for who you are, no matter what anyone else thinks?” 

Joshua’s light eyes were glistening as they fixed on the sand below him, and you couldn’t help but step forward to try and draw his attention back to you. 

I had to sit through your monologue of self-hatred. Now it’s your turn to listen to all the reasons your words were wrong.

I won’t have you tuning me out.

“After living a life so devoid of it, there’s no one I can think of who’s more worthy of love and compassion than you.” 

You placed both hands on either side of his face, gently urging his eyes to meet yours. 

“Everything you’ve done, Joshua… You’ve been made to pay for. Just as you said, it’s all written upon your body, but it’s here too.” You dragged one palm down to rest over his chest. It was warm to the touch, even through the layers of his bandages and clothes. 

“And here.” The fingers of your other hand brushed over his temple, then his forehead. 

“You’ve paid for it enough. With these horrible thoughts, these feelings of unworthiness plaguing you, every mark upon your skin, all the pain you feel every day. Trust me, my love, you've paid for it. Now… I think God and I both just want you to know peace.” 

Joshua’s hands rose to delicately collect yours, to pull them down in between your bodies. But he didn’t release them from his grasp this time, only held them there, embracing you as much as he could allow himself as his mind still swirled with turmoil. 

“But why?" He asked, "You don’t have to be with me. No one is requiring it of you; and with another, everything would be so much easier. You could be happy… Happier than I can make you.”

“Why you?” You almost laughed at him, it seemed so obvious within the confines of your own mind, the mind that was almost always occupied with thoughts of him only. “I love you, Joshua. I love how you speak to me, how you respect me and want me in your life. I love that I’m able to help you, but you… You’ve helped me more than I think you know.” 

“How?” His voice was so desperate for an answer, it was almost demanding.

“Ever since I woke up from that grave… I didn’t really have a purpose. I didn’t know who I was, didn’t have anyone in my life to turn to, I didn’t have a path... but you gave me one. With you, I could help people in ways I never imagined. You were always so sure of your own path, that it inspired me to be sure of it too. To become a part of your path.”

You could feel your hands shaking where he held them between you. Your whole body was trembling with insistence, begging him to take your words to heart.

Everything about this night that the two of you were sharing once pointed to normalcy. Making camp, divvying out duties, feeling the warmth of the fire against the cool desert air, hearing the wind sweep over the dunes of sand; it was like so many other nights spent with one another. You hadn’t expected to have this conversation, hadn’t thought you’d be fighting tooth and nail to get your partner to understand how deeply you cared for him, how much you couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him, let alone ever consider it without his knowledge. But it was happening, and now this night was so much more important than all those others, because if you fail… It could be the end of all of this. This bliss that you’ve taken for granted. 

You’d survived without him for months before you ever met him, you could find happiness without Joshua, you knew that, but… With him, you didn’t have to look for happiness. With him, it surrounded you. 

“You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,” You said quietly, and even with the linen wraps covering Joshua's visage, you could see the way he softened at your words. “You made me love you more with every word you spoke. I can’t imagine who I’d be now without you, and I don’t want to.” 

Your hands tightened within his grasp, and you pulled his body closer to yours as your eyes stayed locked to his mesmerizing gaze.

 “Darling… in all my life, I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you. Believe me.” 

You insisted, and then you leaned forward even further, and kissed him. 

The thin linen obstructed you a bit, but it didn’t matter. You could feel the heat of him through it, sense the shape of his lips as they moved against yours, as they relented to your touch, and to your words. As he let you love him. 

Joshua’s hands released yours, allowing you to press yourself closer to him as you felt his touch upon your hip, and around the nape of your neck. In the same movement, your arms smoothed over his chest to grasp at his shoulders. He took a deep breath in through his nose, as though he’d been devoid of oxygen until you pressed yourself to him, and you felt the warm puff of air pass through his bandages and caress your face as he exhaled. Subtly, you could taste him through the barrier, the sweetness of cactus fruit, and the tartness of the healing powder he mixed into the water he drank. You sighed into him at the familiarity of it all. His touch, his taste, his burning warmth that sometimes felt unnaturally hot. Enough so, even, that it could scar you in return. 

And though it never had, Joshua hadn’t ever left any physical blemishes upon your skin from his touch, from his love of you, you were certain that you hadn’t gone completely unmarked by him. Like the words he spoke, like the thoughts and actions he inspired, like the emotions that surrounded him in your mind, his mark was within you. And all of that, all of his influence, his own love for you in return, that you felt was as permanent as any scar left upon his own skin. 

“Thank you,” You felt Joshua whisper against you as you parted, but remained pressed to one another. “Thank you, Six, for all that you have given me. I… I still do not feel worthy of it, but, I will do what I can to change that. No matter how long it takes.” 

“Mm.” You hummed, a grin touching your lips as you pressed your forehead to his and closed your eyes, soaking in the simple feel of him. “And I’ll be right here. Right beside you, all the way.” 

You felt the outline of his own smile as Joshua leaned forward, and captured your lips with his once again.

Raul:

Raul ran a roughened hand over the smooth surface of the wood, a half smile plastered to his lips as he sampled his own work. He gave the record player console table a satisfied nod as he overlooked the polished wood and properly set needle. There weren’t too many records left standing after all was said and done with those bombs so long ago, but still, what he and Six could find, they could now enjoy, and quite stylishly, he’d say. 

You liked these ones, huh? He remembered his partner asking as they held up a pair of record sleeves in an old run down shop near the strip. Dean Martin and Perez Prado… Oh, Raul knew them alright. Then we’ll have to find a way to listen to it one day, won’t we? You could teach me how to mambo.

Though the thought made Raul chuckle at the time, the idea picked at his brain for days after, and this became his project. When Six told him they’d be gone for a few days, running some mission with Arcade, he’d taken that as his opportunity to finally finish it. 

A click of a door lock sounded behind him, and the ghoul turned in time to see his companion enter the room, their face lighting up, first, at the sight of him, and then that of the table and set of tools beside him.

“Hey! It’s so good to see– Oh. Oh my god. Raul, did you… Did you make this?” They stopped briefly beside him to slide a hand over his shoulder, but ultimately, passed him completely as they were taken by the sight of his handiwork. 

“Nah, boss.” He fibbed, “Some crows flew by and dropped it right out of the sky outside the casino. Think they were takin’ it to their nest.” 

Six looked back at him with scrunched brows, even as they kept one hand glued to the glossy surface of the table. 

“But the birds never came back for it. So, I figured it’d be fair game. Thought it looked nicer in here than on the curb, anyway.”

His companion walked forward with a smile, shoving him playfully with one arm. 

“What? You think I’m lying? They were big crows, boss. Guess they like music.” 

“Yeah, guess so.” They shook their head at him, and Raul couldn’t deny the grin that spread across his face, crinkling his dark eyes and making them shine with mirth. 

“It really is gorgeous though, Raul. You’re not just a handyman, you’re a craftsman. An artist. And you never told me.” The ghoul didn’t know really what to say to that, he’d never really thought of himself that way before. 

An artist, eh?

“This detail is just incredible.” Six continued to regard the piece of furniture with awe as they lay their head against his shoulder, and grasped one of his hands in theirs.

“It’s just a table, boss.”

“It is not.” They pulled away abruptly, looking him hard in the eye, “It’s a beautiful table. And a record player! Are you kidding me, Raul? This is amazing. You’re amazing.”

Something tightened in the ghoul’s chest at his partner’s insistence, but before he could respond to them properly, they were pulling away, turning back to the table with intent. 

“Now, let’s hear how she sounds, shall we?” 

Six knelt to inspect the full shelf below the record player, stuffed with the vinyls they had both collected, but never had the chance to play. 

“It’s really no big deal.” Raul insisted, still hung up on his partner’s generous praise. “You were gone for a whole week, mi amado, I had time, that’s all.” 

Their hand floated by the albums slowly as they inspected the titles, finally pausing when they reached that first one they had found all those months ago, and they pulled it free. Six turned back to him as they slid the record from its sleeve and prepared to play it. 

“Even if I had a hundred years I could never make something like this.”

“But I had two hundred. Remember? I've been around a long time.” Six rolled their eyes at that, and though their grin persisted, there was more than just amusement at the root of their expression. 

“Whatever, even two hundred, and I could never do something even close to this. You’re incredible.” 

“You said that already, boss.” 

Before they could drop the needle down onto the record, they turned to face their partner, a prevalent fire blazing in their irises that Raul couldn’t fail to notice, even from the other side of the room. 

“Well, I mean it! You are. And not just at this. You don’t give yourself enough credit, Raul." 

The ghoul's smile perked up at that, and suddenly he wanted to move, to reach out to his partner and show them his appreciation for their words, but something kept him rooted where he was standing. There was a tightness in his chest that seemed to hold him in place. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had spoken to him this way, even if it was with so much aggression. 

“I’m not your partner because of your handiwork, you know." They stepped towards him as they spoke, only halting when they were at a point where they could wrap their arms up and around his shoulders to meet his gaze properly.

"I’m with you because I love being around you. You make me so happy, I couldn’t imagine not having you in my life. Even just this one week apart made me realize how much I love being with you, even when we just walk beside each other, when we just talk. The things you say…" One hand came up to stroke over Raul's cheek, their thumb running smoothly over his roughened skin.

"You always make me laugh, or blush, and the way you look at me… Don’t you notice when I look at you too?” 

“No I… I guess I never did." He stuttered, "I didn’t think…” 

I didn’t think anyone could ever look at me the way I look at you.

“I don’t know, amor.” He said, resignation plain on his face as the words left him with a sigh.

“Well, then I guess I need to make it more obvious.” Six smirked, and Raul felt a rush of heat wash over him, even as his partner backed away from him, back to the table. To his surprise, they didn’t reach for the needle of the record player, but for the flat bit of the table beside it. 

“So, this part? What’s this for?” They asked as they ran a hand over the smooth wood.

“‘S just the table part." He shrugged, "Could put your drinks on it, or something, no sé.” 

Raul rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, feeling as though he just got whiplash.

How can they just say all that? An' then go back to this? To the table? Ay, ellos me vuelven loco.

Six considered the surface further, reaching both hands to press down on it firmly. Raul narrowed his eyes.

“Drinks’r not normally that heavy, Six.” 

“I wasn’t thinking about drinks… Why don’t you come here?”

With the way their voice dropped at their request, Six didn’t need to ask him twice. Raul took the few steps forwards as his partner hopped up onto the table, their legs dangling down and feet grazing the floor as they leaned forward. 

Raul kept moving towards them, filling the space between their opened legs with his hips as their arms slid over his chest, clasping tightly around the back of his neck.

“Think it’ll hold me?” They whispered with a smile and a raised brow, their firm hold only pulling him closer with the barest hint of pressure.

“Hmm… Depends.” He whispered, as he relented, leaning in close.

“On?”

“On how much we do.” Raul practically growled as he lost himself in his partner’s alluring gaze, their want for him seeping through every brush of their lips against his, the truth in their words of praise evident in the way their hands grazed over the nape of his neck, over his chest, tugging impatiently at the fabric of his jumpsuit; and in their eyes, closed tightly in pleasure and bliss, and opening only to look at him in a way he’s never been looked at before.