#I always call him that in the tags but in truth we’re not sure

[lumiambrose]

✰ open hand

kinktober 24 - day twentysix

featuring: sae itoshi x f!reader x ryusei shidou

summary: shidou wont shut up about you, to the point where sae starts to doubt you even exist. finally getting the chance to meet you, you leave an unforgettable impression on him

tags: smut, cucking, exhibistionism/voyeurism, implied threesome, petnames (sweetheart, kitty), slight degredation

wc: 1.8k

sae cocks an eyebrow as the door of the hotel suite clicks open. he’s been lounging on the loveseat for the past hour, waiting for shidou to show up with his supposed girlfriend. honestly, sae’s not too sure why he even agreed to this.

ever since shidou got together with his girlfriend, he refuses to shut up about her. always finding new ways to mention her or remind him of how hot his girlfriend is. it’s reached the point where sae is unsure if she even exists. calling shidou out on this, shidou offered to introduce her, which is how sae found himself in his current predicament.

shidou’s the first to enter the suite, loud as always, going on about how uninteresting the casino below the hotel is. although what takes sae by surprise is the pretty little lady entering the suite behind him, hand in hand with shidou. he does a one over on you, taking in all your features and curves. he can’t lie, shidou was nothing short of the truth. if sae were to ever date, you were the standard.

once spotting sae, shidou was quick to emphasise that you did, in fact, exist. “see, look at her. ain’t she stunning?” he says as his hand snakes it’s way to your waist, pulling you closer to him. you and sae briefly exchange pleasantries before settling into the suite. the next few hours we’re full of small talk. you got to know sae and his relationship with shidou, as well as their work. the exchanges were quite pleasant. despite sae’s unapproachable demeanour, you found him quite easy to talk to as he’s quite a good listener. with your boyfriend in the conversation too, it was nothing short of interesting.

you’re a couple drinks in, slightly tipsy, as your conversation gets interrupted. the comfortable atmosphere of the suite gets interrupted by an annoying ringing. turns out, sae’s manager is calling.

“give me a moment,” he says, stepping out onto the balcony to take the call, leaving you and shidou alone in the suite.

“so, whatcha think?” shidou nudges you, excited to question you now that sae has left the room.

you pretend to think long and hard at his question, “hmmm…” you feign. “he’s actually quite nice company, not to mention he’s good-looking.”

shidou’s eyes narrowed at your response, not expecting your answer but taking the opportunity to tease you a bit. “is that so?” he tuts, his right hand finding it’s way up to your chin, holding you in place. “don’t tell me you think he’s hotter than me,” he exclaims in an over dramatic manner, keeping your gaze focused on him.

you can only giggle at his reaction before you lean in, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “ryusei… are you jealous?” you mutter. your boyfriend, ever the shameless, holds you firm as he traces your bottom lip. “how could i not be, sweetheart? wanna be the center of your attention.” with that, he closes the distance, capturing your mouth with his own. shidou’s kisses are always intense, today is definitely no exception. his lips meet yours with hunger and passion as he bullies his way past your lips, playing with them as he invades your mouth. “keep your eyes on me. ok?” he groans against your lips.

seconds turn into minutes as the two of you continue your messy make out, until the sound of the balcony door sliding open wakes you from your trance. to be honest, he was watching for a while. it’s not like his manager had anything important to say, so he quite appreciated the show. sae is leaning against the doorway, his brow cocked as his expression falls nothing short of teasing as he watches your heated exchange.

your body is still pressed up against shidou’s, his arm is still tightly wrapped around your waist, not letting you go. you expect him to release you after noticing sae, but to your surprise, he hoists you up onto his lap so that your straddling him. you open your mouth to protest, but sae’s smirk says it all. “what’s wrong, kitty? don’t let sae here ruin the mood. i know you want this, and i’m sure he doesn’t mind.”

you do a one-over on the situation. you glance at shidou, then turn to sae, who’s making himself comfy on the loveseat again, and then back to shidou. he’s grinning with mischief, seeing as he knows you want this. he knows that the thought of being watched turns you on and he’s just waiting for you to cave.

if this were anyone else, you would probably decline, clean yourself up, and pretend nothing ever happened. but this is sae itoshi, the japanese prodigy, and someone your boyfriend considers a close friend. so you swallow your pride, let out an exaggerated sigh and crash lips with shidou once again.

despite this kiss being just as intense as the last one, there’s something different about it. something igniting a fire inside you, which makes you push shidou onto the bed, now lying on top of him as you continue your heated makeout. he holds you close, so that your breasts are squished against him as he slowly rocks you up and down on his body. before you can even process it, your shirt is ripped off, and shidou is wriggling you out of your skirt and underwear. you then help him out of his clothes, leaving you both naked in front of sae.

you spare a quick glance at sae, he’s almost unreadable. he’s lounging on the loveseat, legs spread and champagne in hand as he watches you. his expression is unreadable, if you had to guess, you’d say he even looks uninterested. but the way he’s watching you and shidou with such detail makes you think otherwise. since you and shidou continued your session, his eyes have never left the two of you once. from the way you grind on shidou’s lap to the way he holds you firm from the back of your throat, he’s watching it all, not missing out on a single detail.

the sounds you and shidou make fill the room. your lips smashing against each other and your quiet moans keeping sae fixated on you. watching as you get more desperate, pulling away from the kiss to focus more on grinding on your boyfriend.

“you enjoying this, sweetheart? you like it when sae watches you whore yourself out for me?” he teases from beneath you, his large hands sliding up your body to palm your breasts. “what a naughty girl.” he flicks your hardened peaks, earning a moan from you that goes straight to his dick and also to sae’s, which is evident by the clear tent in his slacks. his cock feels heavier than normal, pressing against his boxers, aching for release. although, instead of giving in and relieving his stress, he chooses to ignore it, his grip on the champagne flute tightening. shidou notices this, deciding to tease him, “you seem awfully frustrated, sae. no need to restrain yourself, enjoy the show.” he grips your face, forcing you to turn around and lock eyes with sae in your fucked-out state, “i won’t take offence. she’s quite the sight for sore eyes, isn’t she?” with that, shidou fully turns you around, so that your body is facing sae. he hoists you off him for a second, giving him enough time to free his cock. letting it slap against his abs before he pulls you back.

still facing sae, he slowly sinks you down on his length. making you squirm with every inch and moaning at the penetration. sae’s eyes darken as he watches you sit down, his gaze fixed on the point where your bodies connect. the way your face contorts in pleasure, the sounds that escaped your lips—it’s too much for him to bear. he can feel his cock throbbing—begging for release. giving in, he finally unbuttons his slacks, letting out a needy sigh as he finally frees his member.

shidou guides your hips, helping you ride him, and sae can’t help but notice the way your breasts bounce with every movement. the sight was intoxicating, licking his lips unconsciously, as the sight of you goes straight to his cock.

"fuck, look at her," shidou groans, his hands gripping your hips tightly as he thrusts up into you. "she's so fucking tight, I can feel every inch of her.”

sae cocks a brow at his words. the way your walls clench around shidou's cock, the way your body trembles with pleasure, it’s a sight to behold. he can feel his cock twitch at the sight, leaking with precum. sae slides his thumb over his slit, collecting the leaking liquid, shuddering at the sensation before starting to stroke his cock, imagining your warm walls squeezing him instead of his fist.

"you like that, don't you?" shidou growles, his eyes boring into yours as he continues to thrust into you. "you like being watched, like having sae see how well you take my cock.”

your moans only grow louder, and sae finds himself even more enamoured by you, watching you intently as he matches his strokes to the rhythm shidou sets. he sees the pleasure etched on your face, the way your body moves in sync with shidou as the sound of skin on skin fills the room. he's mesmerised, unable to look away as every movement makes blood rush to his dick. but to his dismay, it seems this little show you put on for him wont last long. shidou’s thrusts slowly become more desperate, opting to hold you above him as he drills into you while you’re babbling incoherent sentences about how “you’re close”.

before you know it, you’re orgasm is crashing over you, screaming out shidou’s name as your body is trembling in ecstasy. even if you want to, any shame left in your body leaves as you ride out your high in front of the two men. shidou, not far behind, finds his own release deep inside of you. spilling his hot cum in your cunt, before sitting you back down on his lap. leaving sae the only one unsatisfied.

shidou, taking advantage of the situation, lifts you off him. letting his cum seep out of you before walking over to where sae is seated and occupying the space next to him. “would ya look at that, kitty,” he coos as you shakily make your way over to them, collapsing inbetween the two men's laps. “seems like our little performance wasn’t enough for sae.” shidou takes your right hand, directing it towards sae’s hard cock, replacing his hand with your own. “how about you be a good little slut and finish him off, hm? can’t have our prodigy missing out on all the fun, can we?”

taglist: @ryescapades @143-ilyuu @maruflix @pixelcafe-network

©lumis kinktober 24' ─ do not translate, repost, copy any of my works

[sidekick-hero]

In Loving Memory

Written for @steddieangstyaugust Day 4, prompt: Angst with Happy Ending

Tags: Modern AU, rockstar Eddie, plane crash, HAPPY ENDING, minor character death

words: 3.3k | AO3 | mature

“Good afternoon, Mr. Harrington. My name is Elizabeth Quinn, and I’m part of the cabin crew today. Thank you for choosing to fly with us. I hope you're enjoying your flight so far.”

Steve looks up at the owner of the soft voice to his right. It’s a young woman in a stewardess uniform with big brown eyes that instantly remind him of Eddie.

“Oh, hello. Uhm, yes, everything is fine, thank you.”

The stewardess smiles warmly. “I'm glad to hear that, sir. I wanted to discuss a situation we’re currently facing. As you may know, flights can sometimes be overbooked, and today we have a few more passengers than seats available in first class. We’re looking for a volunteer to move to another section of the plane. In exchange, we’re offering a significant compensation package, including a voucher for a future flight, a complimentary upgrade on your next trip, and a gift card for our in-flight shopping.”

She looks apologetic, and he can tell she hates asking him this. It’s not a particularly long flight, and he mostly booked first class because that’s what his father’s secretary always did for him the few times his parents had him fly to wherever they were. So giving up his seat for a four-hour flight doesn’t seem too bad.

“Yes, I can move to another section of the plane. That’s okay,” he tells the stewardess and is rewarded with a bright, genuine smile adorned with dimples. Another thing that reminds him of Eddie. He pushes the ache in his chest down and returns the friendly smile with one of his own.

“Thank you so much for doing this, Mr. Harrington. If you have any specific preferences or questions, please let me know. Your understanding and cooperation greatly help us ensure everyone has a comfortable flight.”

With that, she leads him to another part of the plane, presumably Economy class.

“This one right here, Mr. Harrington. It has extra legroom and is situated next to an emergency exit. I will make sure you have a pleasant flight with us. You can call me with the call button or find me at the front or back of the plane.”

Steve nods with another smile that falls as soon as she walks away to prepare for takeoff. His thoughts wander back to the reason he’s on a flight to LA today.

Eddie.

He still wonders if this is a good idea. When he bought the ticket to LA, he was sure of it. The panic that had constricted his throat had lessened as soon as he pulled up the website of the airline and he felt like he could breathe again for the first time when he got the confirmation mail.

It’s a long shot, he knows that. Surprising Eddie in LA after everything that happened but he hopes it’s a grand enough gesture that maybe Eddie will forget how much Steve has hurt him. Robin suggested to just call Eddie and apologize, explain to him why Steve was so reluctant to take the next step with him.

The truth is, Steve doesn’t think he could handle it when Eddie didn’t pick up the phone or just hangs up on him before he can say his piece. If Eddie decides that it’s too much for him, that Steve’s too much, too damaged, then be it. But he needs to see Eddie one last time, drink in those beloved doe eyes one more time.

Steve thinks about why he and Eddie fought the last time they saw each other. Growing up in a very conservative household, Steve always suspected he might like men as well as women, but he denied any attraction toward men because of what his parents might say. He knew they wouldn’t accept him.

He was 31 when he walked into a bar in Chicago with his best friend Robin and locked eyes with the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. Eddie was the first man he ever kissed, ever slept with. He couldn’t help himself, not when Eddie flirted with him, wooed him, and made him laugh with his whole body. Steve always assumed what they had was strictly physical, just some fun between two single guys.

But Eddie wanted more than that. He wanted a relationship with Steve.

Eddie had asked Steve to be his date on the red carpet in LA for the Grammy Awards. Eddie was actually nominated with his band, Corroded Coffin, and he wanted to show the world who he loved. But Steve was scared. Everybody would know he was in a relationship with another man. So he declined, and Eddie left Steve’s apartment heartbroken.

Steve can still see the look on Eddie’s face, the hurt in his eyes. It had shattered something inside him, but his fear was stronger. He had watched Eddie walk away, the love of his life slipping through his fingers because he was too afraid to hold on.

Steve’s thoughts are interrupted by the plane's PA system crackling to life, announcing their imminent takeoff. He leans back in his seat, staring out the window as the plane begins to taxi down the runway. The memory of Eddie's face, the pain in his eyes, is as vivid as ever.

He had tried to justify his fear, telling himself it was about protecting Eddie, about not wanting to put him through the scrutiny and judgment that would come from being seen with another man. But deep down, Steve knew it was about protecting himself. He was scared of what his parents would think, what the world would think.

As the plane ascends, Steve closes his eyes, replaying that last conversation with Eddie in his mind.

"Steve, I love you. I want us to be together, really together," Eddie had said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I want you by my side at the Grammys. I want to show the world who I love."

Steve had felt his heart pound in his chest, a mix of fear and longing. "Eddie, I can't. You know how my parents are, how everyone will react. It's not that simple."

Eddie's eyes had filled with tears. "It is that simple, Steve. Either you love me enough to be with me, openly and proudly, or you don’t. I can’t keep hiding us. I can't keep hiding you."

Steve had stood there, silent and conflicted, as Eddie walked out the door. The sound of the door closing behind him had felt like the end of everything.

The plane levels off, and Steve opens his eyes, blinking back tears. He knows this trip to LA is a long shot, but he has to try. He has to make Eddie understand how much he means to him.

Steve takes a deep breath and pulls out his phone, opening the notes app. He starts typing, trying to find the right words to say when he sees Eddie.

The flight attendants come by with the beverage cart, and Steve looks up to see Elizabeth smiling at him. “Can I get you anything, Mr. Harrington?”

“Just some water, please,” Steve says, returning her smile.

As she hands him the bottle of water, she says softly, “It looks like you have a lot on your mind, if you don’t mind me saying.”

Steve looks up at her as he accepts the cup of water and finds that he actually wants to talk with someone about what he’s about to do. He needs someone to tell him that it’s going to work out.

“I do. I’m on my way to win back the man I’m in love with.”

There, he said it. He admitted that he was in love with another man and now he’s fighting the urge to hide, scared of her reaction. But he holds her gaze, heart pounding in his chest.

“Oh,” she says, her eyes softening, “that explains the look on your face. I think you’re very brave, Mr. Harrington.”

Steve takes a moment, contemplating how much to share. But he feels a strange sense of comfort in Elizabeth’s kind eyes.

“His name is Eddie,” Steve begins, his voice barely above a whisper. “He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met. He’s kind, talented, and makes me laugh like no one else can. But I let my fear ruin everything between us.”

Elizabeth listens intently, her expression encouraging him to continue.

“We fought because he wanted us to go public, to be together openly. He wanted me to go with him to the Grammys, to be his date. But I was too scared of what my parents would think, what people would say. So, I said no. And he left,” Steve explains, his voice cracking.

Elizabeth nods, understanding in her eyes. “That sounds really hard, Steve. But it also sounds like you care a lot about him.”

“I do,” Steve says, his eyes filling with tears. “I love him more than anything. That’s why I’m going to LA. I need to tell him how sorry I am and that I’m ready to be with him, no matter what anyone else thinks.”

Elizabeth places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It takes a lot of courage to admit when you’re wrong and to fight for what you love. Eddie is a very lucky man to be loved so much by you, Steve. I hope he sees that.”

Steve smiles, feeling a bit lighter. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I really hope he does.”

Elizabeth gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze before moving on to the next passenger. Steve watches her go, feeling a much needed sense of hope. He’s made mistakes, let fear dictate his actions, but he’s ready to make things right.

About two hours into the flight, Steve decides to stretch his legs and walks up and down the narrow aisle. He passes families with little kids, an elderly couple working on a crossword puzzle together, and two young women chatting and laughing. It’s fascinating to see so many different lives intersecting in one place.

On his fifth lap, Elizabeth appears next to him, gently touching his arm.

“Steve, could you please take your seat and fasten your seatbelt?”

He looks at her, puzzled. “But the seatbelt signs are still off.”

“That’s true, but from experience, I know the signs could come on any minute. I just wanted to give you a heads-up before the aisle gets too crowded with everyone returning to their seats.”

Steve nods, appreciating the heads-up. “Thanks for letting me know.” He heads back to his seat.

As Steve settles in and fastens his seatbelt, the plane suddenly lurches violently. The cabin shakes with a gut-wrenching turbulence, hurling passengers and their belongings through the air. Panic erupts as screams fill the cabin, and Steve clings to his seat, trying to stay calm amid the chaos.

Elizabeth dashes down the aisle, her face pale and eyes wide. She spots Steve and rushes over, her voice barely audible over the cacophony. “Steve! Call Eddie! Now!”

Heart pounding, Steve scrambles for his phone. His hands tremble uncontrollably as he dials Eddie’s number. The turbulence makes it nearly impossible to hold the phone steady, but he manages to keep a grip.

The call connects, and Eddie’s voice comes through, thick with confusion and worry. “Steve?” He asks and then he must hear the chaos in the background because he immediately adds, “What’s going on? Is everything alright?”

“Eddie,” Steve’s voice cracks as he fights back tears. “I’m so sorry. I should have been braver. I should have been all in. I’m on this plane, and it’s really bad. I wanted to come to LA to talk to you. I wish I could have done all this in person. I wish I could kiss you one last time.”

Eddie’s voice trembles with desperation. “Steve, what’s happening? Why does this sound like a goodbye?”

Steve’s eyes dart around the cabin, the plane shaking violently as alarms blare and panicked voices rise. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t want this to be a goodbye, but I think it might be. I needed to tell you how much I regret being so scared, and I’m sorry for hurting you. I love you, Eddie. I should’ve told you when I had the chance.”

The turbulence worsens, and the plane begins a terrifying descent. The noise in the background grows louder and more intense. Eddie’s voice, filled with panic, tries to reach him. “Steve, stay with me! Please!”

But as the plane’s descent becomes more violent, the call goes eerily silent. Steve’s heart pounds in his chest as the only sound now is the relentless, chilling dial tone. Tears stream down his face as he grips the phone tightly.

Elizabeth returns to Steve’s side, her eyes filled with kindness and urgency. She places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Hold on, Steve. It’s going to be okay, but I need you to fight. For Eddie, okay?”

Steve nods, trying to steady himself amidst the chaos. He closes his eyes, focusing on Eddie’s voice and the love they shared, holding onto the hope that somehow, somehow, he’ll get another chance.

The last thing he hears is the deafening roar of something massive hitting the ground way too fast.

When Steve opens his eyes, he’s immediately overwhelmed by blinding light and searing pain. He groans, wishing for unconsciousness to take him away again so the agony would stop.

“Steve?”

The sound of Eddie’s voice pulls him from the sweet embrace of nothingness. The panic in Eddie’s voice is palpable, as if he’s on the verge of breaking down.

“’ddie?” Steve mumbles, his mouth feeling like it’s stuffed with cotton and his tongue heavy.

“Yes, I’m here, Stevie. I’m here.” Suddenly, Eddie’s beloved face appears above him, his eyes red-rimmed and watery. “Hi, baby.”

Steve manages a smile, the pain momentarily overshadowed by the sight of Eddie’s face. How he’s missed those eyes.

The thought brings Elizabeth back to his mind, the stewardess with the same eyes. Reality crashes back, and Steve gasps with the sudden realization that he should be dead.

“What… happened?” he croaks, his voice barely audible as his strength begins to wane.

“I promise I’ll explain everything, Stevie, but first we need to get your strength back. I’ll let the nurse know you’re awake.” Eddie reaches for the call button next to Steve but stops to press a gentle kiss to Steve’s forehead. “I’m so glad you’re here. I was terrified of losing you.”

That’s the last thing Steve hears before darkness pulls him under once more.

The next time Steve wakes up, he feels a bit better. The pain is still there, but it’s dulled by the medication, making it manageable. He’s strong enough to talk more than just a few minutes, and he uses that strength to repeat to Eddie what he had said on the phone during the crash.

Eddie is holding Steve’s hand between his, his tear-streaked cheek resting gently on the back of Steve’s hand. His eyes are still red and puffy, but he speaks with a steady voice that is thick with emotion. “Steve, I could never just walk away from you. I knew you weren’t ready, even though it hurt. I planned to talk to you when I got back to Chicago, to tell you that I would wait for you, as long as I wouldn’t lose you. But when you called and I heard all that screaming… Fuck! I can’t even think about it without wanting to throw up. The crash was bad—most of the front was completely destroyed. It’s a miracle you survived.”

Steve blinks, trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. “How… How did I survive?”

Eddie’s gaze is intense as he searches Steve’s eyes. “From what they told me, you were supposed to be seated in the front, but you weren’t. No one could explain why. Your seat was right next to the emergency exit, so they got you out quickly. And you had your seatbelt fastened, which probably kept you from being thrown around too much. It’s almost like fate that you survived. Only twenty-three people made it.”

Steve’s eyes widen as he absorbs Eddie’s words. The thought weighs heavily on his chest: If it hadn’t been for Elizabeth’s warning, he might not have been so lucky. He’s sure she’s the reason he’s still here.

A flicker of concern crosses Steve’s face. “Elizabeth… she was a stewardess on the flight. She moved me to this seat, told me that first class was overbooked and asked if I’d be willing to switch. And she also made sure I fastened my seatbelt just before we started going down.”

Eddie’s eyes grow wide with shock. “But… they said on the news that casualties were below a hundred because first class wasn’t as full as usual. They said no one in that section survived.”

Steve’s heart pounds as he starts to realize the gravity of Elizabeth’s actions. “I need to find out if she survived, Eddie. She saved my life, and I need to thank her.”

Eddie’s eyes brighten with resolve. “We can do that, Stevie. I need to thank this woman, who saved the man I love. What’s her name? I’ll get Chrissy on it—she’ll find out in no time.”

Feeling his love for Eddie surge, Steve lets it overflow for the first time without restraint. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

They share a long, tender look, like lovesick teenagers, before Steve remembers Eddie’s question. “Her name is Elizabeth Quinn.”

Eddie’s expression changes abruptly. All color drains from his face.

“What did you say her name is?”

“Elizabeth Quinn. Why, do you know her?”

Ignoring the question, Eddie asks, “What did she look like?”

Steve describes Elizabeth, including her big brown eyes that reminded him of Eddie’s—one reason he bonded with her almost instantly.

As Steve finishes, Eddie looks even paler. Wordlessly, he pulls out his phone, navigates to an article from the airline, and hands it to Steve. The headline reads: “Airline Grieves Loss of Crew Members on Flight 731.” The article features a picture of a stewardess who looks just like Elizabeth. Her name is listed below the photo: Elizabeth Quinn.

Steve’s heart sinks as he reads the name. “That’s her. Elizabeth Quinn.”

Eddie’s voice trembles as he looks at Steve. “Elizabeth Quinn was my mom. She was a stewardess, and she died in a plane crash when I was eight.”

Steve’s eyes widen in shock. “I’m so sorry, Eddie. I had no idea.”

Eddie’s eyes are glassy as he looks at Steve. “She was the best person I knew. She loved her job and loved helping people. And now it seems she came back to help two more people: me and you.”

Steve reaches out weakly, placing a hand on Eddie’s. “I wish I could have thanked her in person. But I did tell her about you—how funny, smart, and amazing you are. How much I love you. And I should have known, because you look just like her. The same kind eyes and dimples when you smile.”

Eddie squeezes Steve’s hand, his voice breaking. “I’m glad you got to meet her. God, this is so crazy. I was so angry for so long that she left me. I know it’s unfair, but that’s how I felt. I miss her so much.”

“She knew you loved her. She made sure you wouldn’t lose another person you love, because she loves you too. Even if she’s no longer here, she’s still watching over you.”

“Over us, you mean. I’m pretty sure this means you’re part of the family now.”

Eddie still asks Chrissy to check the airline's list for Steve’s savior. He’s not surprised when Chrissy reports that there was no Elizabeth Quinn on that flight.

[wannab-urs]

Pedro Pascal Character Fic Recs | Vol 39

AO3 | Kofi | Main Masterlist | The Spreadsheet Masterlist

Howdy folks!

Welcome back to the Spreadsheet Digest! It's been.... a while. In order to make up for that, I have a nice long list of fics to rec. Also, surprise! I'm posting this on thursdays now.

All tags and summaries provided by the authors unless they didn't provide one, in which case I filled it in.

Wildest Dreams a Dave York series by @janaispunk

You meet your father’s new friend for the first time, but he’s a lot different than you expected.

explicit smut (18+ only, mdni), dbf!Dave, unhealthy relationship dynamic (reader becomes very dependent on Dave), dom/sub dynamics, angst, feelings, daddy issues, secret/forbidden relationship, corruption kink, able-bodied reader, reader has hair, no use of y/n, divorced Dave, Dave doesn’t kill people in this

the hitman’s guide to getting the girl a Dave York seriesby @kiwisbell

It's just another job, until Dave York decides to kidnap an enemy’s wiseass daughter. It’s just another job, until he falls in love.

kidnapping, murder, violence, the world being horrible to women, reader having a very terrible sense of self-preservation, unprotected piv, oral sex (m and f receiving), dave york finding his second calling as a pussy-eating god, pining, possessive sex, jealousy, daddy issues, (stockholm syndrome?), dirty talk, actually filthy talk, hitmen and politicians, revenge, scary man with a soft spot for his woman, philosophical foreplay, tramp stamp worship (you'll see), a little sprinkle of breeding kink if you look hard enough, obsessive behaviour, anal fingering, anal sex, implied age gap, light dom/sub vibes, light bondage

Obscenery a Dave York/Tim Rockford series by @sin-djarin

Dave is worried about the day ahead and Tim offers him some advice.

M/M, Established D/s dynamics, edging, orgasm delay, these two come with their own warnings - in particular Tim's mouth and how much Dave really likes it.

Heaven is Hell a Dieter one shot by @inept-the-magnificent

Writing prompt: “I don’t get it,” says the demon, “This person’s lived a perfectly good and virtuous life. Why are you sending them to hell?” The angel nervously rubs the back of their head. “Honestly? We’re pretty sure they’d be happier in hell than heaven.”

demon!Dieter, Angel!marcus pike, mild angst, fluff, mention of drugs, alcohol, orgies, etc. The usual dieter rabble.

Scars and All a Din series by plaidamoosette (AO3)

Hidden away in the desert land of Jakku, you are slowly chipping away at the debt that you and your mother had accumulated following the death of your father to the horrible Denga Niima. But, after the recent passing of your mother, the debt has fallen on your shoulders. Using your skills as a mechanical engineer, you accumulate wealth for your slave master in the hopes that one day you will be free. Free to explore and live as your parents had always wished for you. But things change when you meet a certain bounty hunter when he comes to you to repair his ship. But, nothing is as it seems, and as the lies that were built around your life begin to crumble, you find yourself sucked into a journey of truth, betrayal, and... love.

Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Canon-Typical Violence, Angst, Drama, Deceased Parents, Indentured Servitude, Soft Din Djarin, Soft Dominant Din Djarin, POV Alternating, Din Djarin Removes the Helmet, Protective Din Djarin, Intimidation, Male Masturbation, Touch-Starved, Loss of Virginity, MC doesn't know how to take care of herself, Female Masturbation, Burried Trauma, Readers knows how to fight back, Mandalorians (Star Wars), Mandalorian Culture & Customs (Star Wars), Some Canon material, A whole lot of other made up stuff

Just Can't Say Goodbye a Din one shot by @saradika

a final night is spent in the arms of your bodyguard, before your arranged union the next morning.

sorta medieval vibes, references to antiquated societal expectations, mentions and references to virginity, arranged marriage, technically infidelity because of said arrangement, light angst, sneaking around, first time, fingering, PiV, creampie

Back to You a Din series by @kyberblade

You’ve been friends with Mando for years, and he drops by your hole in the wall bar from time to time to catch up. This time, however, he’s carrying an extra little green passenger with him. They are on the run, which is unsettling because Mando doesn’t run from things. Things run from him. A tracking fob, a dead body, and a confession later, all three of you set out to help the child find it’s kind. (Aka: a really typical Din x Force Sensitive reader plot, but instead of the going from stiff scary Mando to friendly Mando it’s gonna kinda go the opposite way. Not in a bad way but she’s gonna finally get to see what exactly he was running from all those times he came back to see her.)

Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Angst, Humor, Friends to Lovers, Introspection, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Romantic Friendship, Emotions, Grogu | Baby Yoda Being a Little Shit, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Protective Din Djarin, Good Parent Din Djarin, Soft Din Djarin, Force-Sensitive Reader, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Spicy thoughts, but no smut

Familiar Strangers an Ezra one shot by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin

When your boyfriend's band opens for Familiar Strangers, you get the chance to meet the lead singer. A man whose work you've long admired. A connection sparks a flame that may change your life forever.

Rockstar!Ezra, Infidelity, reader's boyfriend is a huge asshole and deserves it though, Smut, Mildly Dubious Consent, everyone is consenting but they are impaired by alcohol

Brat a Frankie one shot by @freelancearsonist

You've been torturing Frankie, so he decides to return the favor.

short and filthy lil giflet, unprotected p in v sex, power dynamics kind of

Down the Hall a Frankie one shot by @frannyzooey

Your bedroom, just down the hall from his own, proves too tempting for Frankie to resist - even if he is your mother's boyfriend.

age gap, explicit smut, mom's boyfriend!frankie

All Through the Night a Jack one shot by @baronessvonglitter

after it's made clear that you're not welcome as a Junior Agent for the Statesman organization, Whiskey takes you under his protection for an unforgettable night

18+ Only! Mature and Explicit, mentor/mentee relationship, forbidden relationship, vandalism, nightmares, 'only one bed', first time, oral sex (f receiving), unprotected p in v sex, no use of y/n

Is Joel Okay? a Joel one shot by @djarinmuse

Based on this edit that @/iamasaddie shared, and the tag by @/wannab-urs, thanks Gin for the input "#Joel has a menty b and shaves his head". Reader is there for him. No idea who did the original edit but thanks.

Joel cuts his hair, the utter horror of that alone. No explicit smut but 18+ physical intimacy. Depressed Joel, soft Joel. Established relationship but no background given.

Unearth a Joel one shot by @ezrasbirdie

When your normally strict parents go out of town for two weeks and leave you on your own for the first time with little warning, you're left reeling and afraid of being on your own for so long. Luckily, Joel Miller, your father's best friend, very generously offers to let you stay with him. Your long time crush on him shouldn't be a problem at all.

smut, yearning, Joel is a little manipulative, loss of virginity, dad's best friend, nice big age gap (reader is 21, Joel is 40), liberal use of baby girl, religious trauma of the Christian variety (no denomination noted), reader wears a sundress, shaming of sexuality, bad relationship with reader's parents, insecurity, flirting, trouble orgasming, pussy pronouns (she/her), humping/grinding, masturbation, unprotected PIV, oral sex, references to early 00s media, soft Joel

What it is to grow a Joel one shot by @burntheedges

Joel knows he can't keep running from it – from Her – forever.

angst, hurt/comfort, hope, mentions of the canon depths of Joel’s depression (pills, alcohol, darkness, etc.), canon character death (Sarah), AU with Greek lore/gods & goddesses in the TLOU universe, character study

Birthday Boy a Joel one shot by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin

Even with a house full of party guests, Joel can't resist when he finds a moment alone with you in the bathroom.

Masturbation, Frottage, light d/s, orgasm denial. Just general Joel Miller filth. There's like a smidge of plot right at the end.

Duality of a Man a Joel series by @wildemaven

A woman shows up at your door looking for your boyfriend

Mentions of food, Mentions of killing, death, birth, birth trauma

Consider it a Favor a Joel one shot by @chaotic-mystery

Your AC breaks in your car and the one person around to help is your neighbor, Mr.Miller.

Age gap (Not specified but I put Sarah in college) DILF Joel mowing his lawn, reader is able-bodied and is wearing a swim suit/coverup, reader has hair Joel can pull, kissing, swearing, (1) blowjob, size kink go brrr, pet names (good girl, sweetheart, baby) facedown ass up, babey, a little manhandling, unprotected penetration (don't look at me okay, the whore in me jumped out), dirty talk, Joel hyping up his ego, pussy ownership, creampie, a little glimpse of aftercare and what really happened to your AC.

Absolution a Joel series by @pedgito

Moving in with your soon-to-be stepfather under the roof of his brother, Joel, ends up being a turning point of change in your life.

DDDNE - stepcest, religious trauma, parental trauma. addition warnings: no outbreak, step-uncle!joel (reader's mom is engaged to marry tommy) age gap (20/late 40s), inappropriate relationships/behavior, slight dubcon (voyeurism), eventual smut (will tag with specific on each chapter), skewed morals, joel using alcohol to cope with life and loss, reader is in the depths of deconstruction.

Imperfect for you a Joel one shot by @joelscruff

you never thought joel miller would accidentally call you baby.

age gap (joel is mid 40s, reader is 23), fluff, very brief instance of blood, tending to a wound, joel is eepy, soft kisses, cuddles

rotten a Joel one shot by @alltheirdamn

Sharing land with Joel Miller has always been infuriating, but when your bad attitude finally gets his attention...things get messy

No-Outbreak AU, banter and arguing, explicit language, brat taming, semi dark!joel, dubcon elements, degrading, choking, rough spanking, hair pulling, face slapping, throat fucking, touch of dacryphilia, rope/bondage, rough unprotected piv sex, hint of a subspace moment, orgasm denial, squirting, creampie, no aftercare because joel is an old, grumpy asshole

Lost Cause a Joel one shot by @Joelalorian

Joel thinks you shouldn’t waste your time on him. You disagree.

Explicit MDNI; Jackson-era Joel; canon-ish but also not; drinking; mentions of cigarettes, drugs, dark thoughts, and death; unprotected p in v; oral (m and f receiving); interesting use of red wine; unspecified age gap; despair and hope

rosemary by the garden gate Joel/Tim Rockford/Dio series by @marisferasiop

(set in an approximate late nineties/early aughts timeline) Shane, turned out by his family after being outed, is sleeping rough when he is abducted by a sex trafficking ring. Joel is Tess' lead enforcer in her gang. His twin brother, Tim, is a highly decorated detective in Major Crimes for the NYPD. Together, they help Tess and her investments navigate both sides of the law. When Shane is given to Joel one evening at a truce meeting between Tess' gang and their rivals, a human trafficking syndicate, he calls Tim to initiate a bust on the opposition. His one request: he wants the kid. Problem is, once Tim meets him, so does he. Most importantly: what does Shane want once his freedom is granted? Or does he even want his freedom, if these two are holding the reigns?

dead dove!! Human trafficking, unhoused gay minors/unhoused gay youth, abuse (physical, sexual, mental/emotional), sex trafficking, sex work, homelessness, food insecurity, stealing to survive, abduction, sex slave trade, gagging/choking (later consensual breathplay), rough oral, "painal" kink, non-con drugging, enemas, forced sex work, bondage for sex and for binding/imprisonment, non-con sex/rape, mafia-esque work and associated unpleasantness (gore and violence), mean but soft Joel, face slapping, spanking as foreplay, caning as punishment, orgasm delay/control, spitting in mouth, body modifications, marking, cum play, all the soft life-affirming gay sex after rescue (Joel and Tim are twins and don't fuck e/o but they do fuck Shane together at one point) a mention of the Meat Rack, the gay sex worker alley where serial killer Des Nilsen abducted his victims.

Win a Date With Javi G + Part 2 a Javi G/Jack Daniels/Reader series by @absurdthirst and @wardenparker

You and your best friend are huge fans of Spanish pop star Javi G, and she managed to convince you to enter a contest to win a date with the singer himself. No one is more surprised than you when you actually win. / Going home with Javi and Jack after the Grammys might be the most important decision you've ever made...

Cursing. Food/alcohol. Pure fluff and flirting. A little dirty talk/dirty flirting toward the end./ Dom/sub dynamic. MMF threesome. *This story features an established MM relationship!* Sex toys, collaring, dirty talk, enthusiastic use of 'Daddy', oral sex (f and m receiving), hand job, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, dom!Jack, sub!Javi, cumplay, rimming, light choking, spanking, double penetration, double vaginal penetration, after care, exploration of power dynamics.

Waffles and Cigarettes a Javi P one shot by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin

After you are attacked during a night out, your ex boyfriend comes to your rescue

Attempted sexual assault (not Javi), violence, descriptions of blood and injuries, fingering, spit as lube, unprotected PIV, kinda rough sex, creampie, angst. absolutely feral, protective ex boyfriend Javi

Midnight Rainstorms a Javi P one shot by @thundermartini

Javier is coming home late, escaping from a storm. You’re trying hard not to drown in the incessant rain.

no y/n, female reader, reader is not physically described (except she has long hair), javier and reader are married, mentions of anxiety, mentions of trauma, mentions of guilt, mentions of narcos plot but it’s a blur, nightmare so it may be triggering, grief, no beta.

Crawl a Max Phillips one shot by @proxima-writes

Gym owner Max Phillips offers to let you use the sauna. In return, he uses your mouth.

explicit sexual content (18+ MDNI), no use of y/n, able bodied reader, dirty talk, crawling, oral (m receiving), no aftercare, semi-public sex.

Dancing Phantoms on the Terrace an Oberyn one shot by @janaispunk

You show up to Oberyn's party

(somewhat) modern!Oberyn, able bodied reader, reader has hair that wind is "whipping through", no use of y/n, alcohol consumption, once again it's all aboard the angst train i'm sorry babes

Happy Reading!

[jeankluv]

When the cherry blossoms bloom - Fushiguro Megumi & Itadori Yuji

summary: Tsumiki once told Megumi that if he was able to catch a cherry blossom petal he could make a wish and it would come true.

“Please wake up Itadori…” He said against his closed fist. “Come back to me…”

words: 1,4k

tags: Megumi centric fic, fluff Itafushi, post canon, canon fix, manga spoilers, Gojo-Megumi father son duo, everyone lives (except tsumiki I’m so sorry princess), angst, hurt/comfort, happy ending, two teens starting to fall in love with each other

notes: this my first time writing something that is not x reader/oc, so it’s kinda new. But after 266 i had the NEED to write about Itafushi and here it is. Btw tomorrow I will post a new chapter of the Geto fic

Jujutsu Kaisen materialist | ao3

The cold winter of that year welcomed spring. Japan in general was still recovering from the disasters of sorcery, Sukuna, the merger, etc., but the atmosphere seemed happier since the cherry blossoms had begun to bloom. Megumi stood in front of one of the trees and extended his hand, hoping to reach one of the many petals that fell to the ground.

His fist clenched as he picked up the petal and brought it to his chest and closed his eyes. Tsumiki had taught him that if he caught a petal and wished for something, it would become real.

Megumi wanted to wish for a lot of things, he wanted his sister to be back with him but he knew it was impossible. So he wished for something else.

“Please wake up Itadori…” He said against his closed fist. “Come back to me…”

Megumi pursed his lips and let go of the petal in his hand. It was a foolish wish, but his heart still held a small hope that Itadori might wake up from the coma that had trapped him on December 24th.

He tightened his grip around his backpack and continued walking back home. He had started a new school grade, in a normal, completely normal high school. With Sukuna's death, sorcery had completely disappeared and so had the Jujutsu school.

Megumi no longer had his ten shadows with him, he no longer had his shikigamis…

He blinked as he realized he had arrived home, a house that despite everything still felt empty. With a long sigh, he entered the key and the sound of the door opening filled his ears and he entered the apartment.

“I’m home…” He said taking off his shoes.

He heard footsteps approaching him and subtly looked towards the sound. “Don’t take off your shoes, we’re leaving.” Megumi raised an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Shoko called me, Yuji woke up.” Megumi felt a chill run through his body and if it weren’t for the fact that he was leaning on the ground he probably would have fallen face first.

Megumi only nodded. “But you don’t have…”

“Ijichi is waiting.” He said. “I called you, your phone was off.”

“It probably ran out of battery.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Megumi…” He sighed.

“What?”

“Nothing… just things will get better alright?”

Megumi simply sighed, not sure about trusting the words of the man he met all those years ago in front of his old house, making that weird face.

Gojo sighed as he leaned to the elevator wall. “By the way, until when are you going to keep calling me Gojo? I’m not your sensei anymore, so drop the Gojo-sensei, okay?” Gojo patted his head.

Megumi stayed in silent, looking at the man that over 10 years ago gave him a chance to live more time with his dear sister.

They had barely spoken about what had happened that winter. Gojo Satoru had broken down in front of him as soon as it was over, Megumi had been so in shock that he didn't know how to react when he saw the man who had always been so strong, hugging him and telling he was sorry for everything, while crying.

They both sit in silence in the car. Megumi, thinking about everything. Gojo has told him to call him by his name, that they knew each other for long enough. But Megumi felt heavy whenever he tried calling him Satoru, even Satoru-san. And the truth is that he tried, the first time he was around 12 when he tried calling him but the words ended up stuck on his throat.

And years later he still finds it hard, despite wanting to do it.

Megumi turned his attention to the outside of the window, seeing how the scenario started to change and they approached the familiar place he had been visiting for so many days.

Ijichi’s voice sounded inside the car and Megumi opened the door, leaving the car and walking fast to the familiar room.

“Megumi…” Gojo called him again. “Listen, Yuji might not be in the best state, okay?” He explained as he got near him.

“I understand…” He whispered.

“You…”

“It was never your fault.” Megumi cut him off.

Gojo opened his mouth and looked at him with surprise. “I…”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For you know… your eye.” He looked at it.

“This?” He pointed at his now blind eye. “That’s not your fault Megumi, I made this decision myself.”

Megumi only nodded, but still feeling kinda guilty. They both started to walk through the room, in silence. And when the room number appeared on their faces, Megumi felt nervous.

“I will go to talk with Shoko, okay?” Gojo told him.

“Okay…” He said and he watched as the white haired man walked away. “Wait!” Gojo paused and looked at him. “Thank… you Satoru-san.”

Megumi felt embarrassed and as soon Gojo’s name came out of his mouth he regretted it and he did it even more when he saw Gojo’s expression. “Me… Megumi!” He cried.

Megumi rolled his eyes and he entered the room, sighing. When he opened his eyes he was met with the figure of Itadori watching outside the window. He was still unaware that Megumi was there.

Megumi's hands trembled and, careful not to surprise Itadori, he approached him.

“Ita…”

“I’m so glad you are okay, Fushiguro.” Itadori turned to look at Megumi.

Megumi felt his heart begin to cry when he saw Itadoria's warm smile greet him so brightly again. Not only did his heart cry but his eyes ended up filling with tears as he sat next to Itadori’s bed.

His whole body started to shake and suddenly he felt Itadori’s touch on his shoulders.

“Don’t cry Fushiguro.” Itadori try to calm him down.

“Itadori…” Megumi murmured, he could barely see anything due to his eyes. “I… I… thank you for coming back.” Megumi looked at Itadori’s eye.

Itadori chuckled with tears also rolling down his eyes and he shook his head. “Thank you for not giving up, Fushiguro.” He smiled. “Thank you…”

Megumi couldn't hold back any longer and hugged Itadori tightly but with gentle touch, afraid of hurting Itadori. He felt Itadori's arms wrap around him and he closed his eyes, enjoying Itadori's warmth.

He doesn’t know for how long they both stayed like that, but Megumi felt like he was back at home. He was safe.

“Ita…”

“Megumi…” Itadori said and Megumi looked at him with surprise. “I… it’s fine if I call you by your name?”

Megumi’s heart fluttered and his cheeks reddened slightly. “Yes… yes it’s okay… can… can I call you by your name?”

Yuji nodded happily. “It would make me really happy.”

“Okay…” Megumi smiled slightly. “Yuji.”

Itadori moved on the bed and started to play with his hands. “Ummm… how is everyone?”

Megumi looked at him. “You saved everyone Yuji.” He said softly.

Yuji nodded. “Is Kugisaki alright?”

Megumi nodded back. “She is visiting her grandmother… Everyone is fine Yuji.”

“I just…”

“If it’s anyone’s fault, it was…”

“No!” Itadori cut him off. “No, it’s not, it was Sukuna’s fault. Not yours Megumi.” Yuji took Megumi’s hand on his. “You were going through something really though, what happened was never your fault.”

Megumi scanned Itadori's face and determined gaze and nodded. “It wasn’t yours either…” He whispered.

They both fell into a comfortable silence, their hands still held together, unbothered by the act.

“Megumi…” Itadori broke the silence and Megumi looked at him. “It’s spring… eh… would you like to go see the cherry blossom?” Yuji’s cheeks were slightly red as he asked that question.

Megumi felt his face burn and he nodded. “Yeah… yeah I would like that.”

Yuji nodded and smiled, they both did.

“OH! Shoko, look at my children!” Itadori and Megumi looked to the door where Gojo was standing making a dramatic expression.

Megumi rolled his eyes and Yuji smiled wildly. “Gojo-sensei!”

“Yuji-kun! How are you?” Gojo approached the bed.

Megumi watched the scene and a small smile formed on his lips. He had tried all his life to make Tsumiki happy, but that had not been possible. Nothing would ever be the same again, his sister was no longer there and he would have to start living without her.

But Megumi felt at that moment that he had enough reasons to keep living and be able to be happy. He didn’t want to give up anymore, there was something that made his heart feel alive again.

“Megumi?” Megumi’s eyes met that sweet and warm smile that belonged to Yuji, and he confirmed that feeling.

[marigold-hills]

June 28: cowboy | @wolfstarmicrofic | word count: 564

PREVIOUS PART • NEXT PART • FIRST PART

“I suppose we could just… apparate back to London,” James says, as they all stand on the train platform. Little first years running around excited for the summer holidays (and were they really that small, when they first started at Hogwarts? It didn’t seem possible).

“Would be quicker,” Peter agrees.

“The trunks would be a bit of a pain though,” their Moony, as always, voice of reason.

“No way,” Sirius, appalled, “it’s our last time. I want to buy my weight in candy and deface the walls of our compartment. Leave a mark: here were the Marauders, first of their name.”

“Poignant, Padfoot.”

“Have to leave a legacy.”

“I thought the Map was our legacy?”

“Can have more than one legacy, Wormy boy.”

“Right you are, Pads. Train it is then.”

“Prongs,” Moony asks as they’re levitating their belongings onto the train, “don’t you have Head Boy stuff to do anyway?”

A shrug, careless: “It’s not like they’ll put me in detention if I skip.”

“You’re incorrigible, Potter,” Lily chimes in from behind them, grabbing James by the arm and dragging him off with her. “Come on, we’ll get over with it quick and then I promise I’ll let you go back to your band of rascals.”

“Oi! That’s not what we’re called.”

“Sure, sure. My mistake. Buccaneers.”

“You’re a terrible woman, Lily Evans. Pads, if the trolly lady comes by before I’m back, get me something would you? Get your Moony to choose though, your taste is weird.”

(Your Moony, he says. Most natural thing.)

“Come on, cowboy,” Regulus chimes in, waiting for Lily and James at the end of the train corridor, eyebrow raised in something too fond to be mocking. Sirius waves at him.

“He’ll be alright, love,” Moony tugs at his hand as the three walk away. “It’s just a year.”

Because his Moony always knows when he’s getting worried, even before it really registers.

It’s a bittersweet thing, to be in the train, in the same seats they occupied when they first met and every year since. Sirius remembers the first time he spoke with James, the instant connection between them. The first time Peter shared food with him, a too-warm ploughman’s sandwich. And Moony, scared out of his wits and trying to hide it behind put upon brashness, as if his big eyes didn’t show the truth.

“We’ll be alright, too,” Sirius responds and Moony smiles like he finally believes it.

“Merlin’s balls, I thought it was bad when you two were pining,” Peter cuts in, “is this what it’s going to be, living with you?”

“Don’t begrudge us our love, Wormy boy,” Sirius dramatically flings himself against Remus’ side.

“Course not, mate. You’ve just become… mushy. Sappy.”

Remus kisses the side of his head, such a natural gesture (like it’s something they’ve done for years, like it wasn’t new), Sirius feels almost silly at the pleased blush he can feel heating up his face.

The trolly comes, and they buy more than is probably necessary. James comes back, hair in a disarray, pleased as a punch, clearly haven’t gotten a snog after the prefects meeting. (“I don’t kiss and tell, gentlemen.”)

Sirius doesn’t deface the walls of the compartment, but he does carve the underside of his seat, where it won’t be spotted and shouldn’t be removed.

All is well.

P + M + P + W

NOTES

And they all lived happily ever after because there were no evil wizards ever.

The last two chapters will be fluffy epilogues.

thank you so much for sticking with this story so far <3 <3

moon-girl88 @digital-kam @tealeavesandtrash @sweetstarryskies @alltoounwellll @hunnybeemarie @hoje--aqui @annaliza999 @hihimissamericanbi @gipitothefrog @shamelesswolfstarshipper @a-pine-cone @cosmicweeds @cocoabutterandbooks @bloodoffire @residentdisaster @shamelesswolfstarshipper @ravenwordss @prancingpony42 @themoonlovesthestars @starving-marauder-lover @weirdtinkerbellversion @deadcupcakehere @theprettieststarfr @dumbass-gryffindor1960

(let me know if you do/don’t want to be tagged in next parts)

[andreafmn]

Truth | Embry Call

Word Count: 5.4K Paring: Embry Call x Female!Reader Requested: Yes [@come-on-darling-honey | @treatiseofselena | @pinkdragonfandream-blog] Story Description: Embry and (Y/N) getting together was inevitable, and it seemed that the universe concurred. A/N: The requests didn't have any details so I grouped them together (hope that's okay.) I've never gravitated toward Embry so at first I had no idea what or how to write this.But I hope I did him justice with this fluffy friend-to-lovers. Now, I will definitely post more about him because I fell in love with my version of him 🤭🤭 Also, I'm trying to organize myself and my writing to upload more consistently, but chronic illnesses, family, and life always get in the way. Thank you to all of you who have bear with me for so long 🤍🤍 My content will always be free, but if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can leave a tip on any of my posts to support me and my love of writing or buy me a coffee TikTok • Instagram • Business | MASTERLIST If you’d like to be tagged in any other story: click here Make sure you have my notifications on so you know every time I post!

Truth | Embry Call Oneshot

For the longest time, it had always been Jake, Quil, Embry, and (Y/N). The four of them had been friends since their childhood and had quickly become inseparable. If one was in sight, the probability that the other three were close behind was high. The group was simply thick as thieves. 

But there were two in particular that grew closer than the others. 

(Y/N) and Embry seemed to gravitate toward each other. Even when the four friends were together, the duo would be standing side-by-side. They understood each other in a way that Jake and Quil did not. Even without words, they could speak a language that no one else could understand. 

“You guys should just get together already,” Jacob had teased one day. “I mean, we all know it’s gonna happen sooner or later. Any day now you’ll tell us you’re a couple.”

“Oh please, Jake,” Quil laughed. “These two would be single their whole lives before they admit they like each other.” 

(Y/N) had thrown pieces of popcorn at them, chuckling dryly at their statements. “We’re just friends, guys,” she retorted. “With that logic, you and Quil should get together too.” 

“It’s just a joke, (Y/N). There’s no need to get so pissed.” 

“I’m not,” she quickly defended. “It’s just annoying that you guys bother us so much about it.” 

At that moment, Embry walked into the living room. He was quiet, as always, but vigilant. His eyes fell quickly onto (Y/N)’s. He could tell in an instant that something —more like someone— had made her feel embarrassed. 

“Guys, leave her alone already,” he quickly defended. “Can we not go one night without you guys bothering her?” 

“You don’t even know what happened!” Jake whined. “You always take her side.” 

“Well, 99% of the time you guys did actually do something to her,” Embry responded. “And I would bet everything I have that it’s not a 1% kind of occasion.” 

Quick and Jake slouched into the sofa, crossing their arms over their chests in defeat. Even though they were all similar in age, there was a sense of maturity in Embry that was unparalleled. At the end of the day, he was the voice of reason within the group. 

“There we go again. Her knight in shining armor,” Jake grumbled. “And they say they don’t have a thing for each other.” 

After the movies were done, Quil had long gone, and Jake mumbled something about going to bed, Embry offered to walk (Y/N) home. It was something he had accustomed to doing but it still made her stomach do a turn on itself. 

“So, what were those idiots talking about?” 

“The usual,” she sighed. Her hand was inches away from his. A simple stumble and she could have intertwined them. “How one day you and I will become a couple because of how well we get on.” 

“Oh,” he said coyly. 

“I know I should be used to it by now, but it can get pretty annoying, pretty fast.” 

Embry’s heart started to race as he listened to her words. He knew just how infuriating their friends could be, especially when it came to bothering people. But it only upset him because he did like her. 

At some point in time, his best friend had turned into the girl that he loved. She had become the protagonist of all of his fantasies, the reason for having a smile on his face, what he looked forward to every day. Somehow, she had become his center.  

“Why do you find it annoying?” Embry managed to croak out, suddenly finding his hands more interesting than the road ahead. “Like would it be that terrible?” 

“No,” she answered quickly. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was repulsed by him. Because all she wanted was him. 

Much like Embry, she didn’t know when that shift had happened. He was her best friend, her closest confidant, the only person that knew her better than she knew herself. But somewhere along the line, her heart would flutter at his nearness, a smile painted on her face at the mention of his name, her eyes trailed to his in every room they were in. 

“I don’t, uh. I don’t think it would be terrible,” she spoke meekly. “Do you?”

They stopped in their tracks, finally facing each other. 

“I could never find being with you terrible,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. With a surge of bravery, his hand lifted to her face, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “It would honestly be a dream come true.” 

(Y/N) gasped quietly at the sudden touch. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand flew to grasp at his forearm. “Embry, w-what… what’re you saying?” 

“I like you, (Y/N), and I have for a long time,” he told her. His brown eyes stared intensely into hers, looking for any sign that he was losing her. “I’m not sure when it happened but one day you slipped into my head and you have not left it since. That’s why it doesn’t bother me. Because deep down I’ve always hoped that day would come.” 

“Embry, I…” She stammered searching for her words, but nothing came out. 

“I understand if you don’t feel the same way,” he said sadly. “But I had to tell you already. It’s been eating me up inside for a long time and I had to confess before it consumed me completely.”

“No, Embry, I do,” she choked on her words, feeling the knot in her throat tightening as she spoke. Even if he was saying exactly what she had wanted to hear, emotions overwhelmed her. “God, I like you too. For a while now. I just never had the courage to say anything because I didn’t want to lose your friendship. You mean a lot to me.” 

“So we’ve been tip-toeing around each other for no reason then?” Embry laughed. “Are we seriously that oblivious to feelings?” 

“It appears so,” she responded with a chuckle. “What does this mean for us, Em? Where do we go from here?” 

“Well, first, I was thinking I could kiss you,” he smiled. “Can I?”

“I would die if you didn’t.” 

His hands cradled her face softly, his thumbs caressing over the apex of her cheekbones. He nuzzled his nose against hers, teasing her lips with his. He ghosted over the pink of her skin, wishing to the gods that he wasn’t in another one of his dreams. 

When he finally gave in, his lips crashed into hers and he could swear he felt the earth around him stop. There was no gravity, no air, no cold or warmth, it was simply him and (Y/N), and that was all that existed on Earth. 

“What’re we gonna tell the guys?” (Y/N) said as soon as they parted for air. “They’ll never let us live this down. And, honestly, I don’t think I could stand their pestering once they know they were right.” 

“We don’t have to tell them,” he responded, intertwining his hand with hers comfortingly as they continued their walk to her home. “We can have this just for ourselves for the time being. It will be our little secret.” 

“As much as I would love to shout it from the rooftops,” she smiled brightly. “But I like this too. Having something that is just for us. Something they can’t ruin.” 

“That does sound great, actually.” 

“Good. Because I don’t want anyone to ruin this. Especially not those two.” 

And for a couple of months, it was perfect. To their friends, it was business as usual. They were as friendly as ever, always by each other’s side, and taking Quil and Jake’s teasing with a grain of salt. No one could have known just how true their jokes had become. 

They got around with stolen glances, hidden corners, and nights. And how they loved their nights. They would spend hours curled up in each other’s arms after Embry would sneak into her room. They would talk about nothing and everything, they would sleep, and they would kiss. 

It was an easy routine to follow and they fell into it quickly and perfectly. In the morning, they were the best of friends. At night, they were falling more and more in love. 

At least, that’s what (Y/N) had thought.

She had fallen for him. Deeply. He meant everything to her and she thought the feeling was mutual. But when the first week of the second semester of their junior year came to a start and Embry had disappeared, she knew something was wrong. 

Not only had he missed school, but he also had completely iced out Jake, Quil, and, most importantly, (Y/N). He wouldn’t answer her calls, he stopped coming over, and he was nowhere to be found. Even his mother had told her that he wasn’t acting like himself and she was very surprised at his behavior. 

What none of them knew —what she didn’t know— was that Embry was going through the most surreal of transformations. He wanted to tell his friends, he wanted to tell her everything. 

Yet, bringing them into a world where the stories the elders told around the bonfire were real was something he could not do. Even if it meant that they never talked again, he would make sure to keep them safe from the dangers they did not know were real. 

He did everything he could to avoid (Y/N) specifically. He would never say it, or even think it now, but he was scared he’d do to her what Sam had accidentally done to Emily. Love wouldn’t protect her from what he was and what he could do to her. Avoiding her hurt, but not as much as it would if he did anything to her. 

But that Friday, after he had missed a whole week of school and he’d expertly avoided his group of friends for the past four days, everything had changed. As Embry walked the halls, careful not to run into any of his three friends, his eyes caught hers. 

That’s when it happened. The moment that changed his entire world. It hadn’t been meeting his friends, it hadn’t been his first kiss with (Y/N), and it hadn’t been his first phase as a shapeshifter. It was the universe telling him that it was her, and it would always be her. 

And it scared him. 

As she tried to move through the sea of students to get to him, all he could do was run away. Though deep down he hoped it was her once he knew what imprinting was, his fears of repeating history had grown. 

“Embry!” He heard her call out. “ Embry, wait!” 

But he was already out the doors and running to the only place he could think of. His brain was going a million miles a minute and his heart was tugging at his chest, begging to be with the piece that was missing from it. 

He opened the door to the small house, hoping anyone was inside. His breathing was staggered and his chest was hammering. He was panicking and had no idea how to make it stop. 

“Woah, Embry,” Sam called out. “I’m gonna need you to calm down, okay? You’ve gotta breathe, Call. Breathe.” 

“She’s… and I didn’t… I don’t,” he tried to speak. 

“Slow down, Embry.” 

“I can’t… I can’t do this to her,” the boy managed to croak out. “Not her.” 

“Is this about you imprinting today?”

“How did you…?” 

“Mind link, Embry,” the alpha reminded him. “I know everything that happens to you. Who is she?”

Embry sighed deeply, taking a seat at the dining table. “She’s my best friend,” he said. “And these past few months she became so much more.”

“She’s your girlfriend then?” 

“Well, we never labeled it as much,” he responded. “But kind of. Yeah.”

“Then why are you so worried? This is the best-case scenario.” 

“I don’t want to put her in danger. And her knowing the truth would put her right in the middle of it.” 

“And you don’t want what happened to Emily to happen to her,” Sam said softly. Embry’s eyes went wide as he realized what the man had said, quickly struggling to find a redeeming answer. “Don’t worry, Call. I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone, for that matter. And as scary as it is to tell her the truth, you have to. As the days go by, you will both find it harder and harder to keep away from each other. It will be physically painful to stay apart.” 

“I can’t do that to her. She deserves to be safe,” he silently sobbed. “The further away she is from me, the better it will be for her. I can’t hurt her if I’m not with her.” 

Sam couldn’t help but feel pity for the boy. He had been in that very position not too long ago, running from the people he loved, fearing the hurt he could cause them. But he also knew how he could cause just as much pain by staying away. 

“Look, Embry, I won’t tell you what you have to do,” he said. “But speaking from experience, running away does more harm than good. Whether you like it or not, she is now a part of this world and the best way to protect her is by telling her the truth. Unlike with your mom, the secret of our tribe has to be shared with our imprints. She’s gonna need to understand why it hurts so much to stay away from you.” 

“What if things go bad?” Embry asked dolefully. “What if telling her pushes her away regardless?” 

“That is just something you’ll have to leave to chance,” Sam sighed. “But if you need any backup if you choose to tell her, you know Emily and I are here and happy to help.” 

“Thanks, Sam,” the boy responded. “But I think this is something I have to do by myself. I’m gonna tell her tonight and hope for the best.” 

“Well, I’ll be doing patrol tonight. So, if at my point you need me, just call out.”

---

“Wait, you actually saw him here?” Jake asked that afternoon as the three friends left the school. “I heard he was back but I have not seen him the whole week.” 

“He was standing in the middle of the hallway this morning and I tried to get to him,” (Y/N) explained. “But he ran away and literally disappeared. What the hell is going on with him?” 

“Apparently he’s been sneaking out of his house for a while now,” Quil added, making (Y/N)’s heart wrench in her chest. “And his mom says he wasn’t home that week he skipped school.” 

“I heard he’s been hanging out with Sam Uley’s gang,” Jake whispered. “That could explain why he’s acting so weird. He got involved with some shady shit.”

“Guys, this is Embry we’re talking about,” the girl defended, holding onto any hope that he was still the boy she loved. “Do you really think he would do something like that?” 

“You keep trying to defend your little boyfriend but it’s clear he wants nothing to do with any of us,” Jake spat. 

“He’s our friend, Jake,” (Y/N) seethed. “Sorry for actually believing there might be something else happening other than he might have joined a dangerous gang and has left us for dead.” 

“(Y/N)…”

“Whatever, guys. I’ll see you on Monday.”

She left both boys dumbfounded and disappeared into her home. Once inside she crashed against her front door and allowed the tears that were stinging her eyes to flow free. 

(Y/N) couldn’t accept that she had truly lost Embry. She couldn’t admit that she had fallen for someone that could act like she meant nothing to them, that could forget every moment they spent together, that could ignore everything they had admitted to her. She had trusted him with her heart and he had decided to shatter it without another thought. 

Somehow she had made her way to her bedroom and had crashed on her bed. When her eyes fluttered open again the sun had completely set and the moon was shining brightly in the sky. In the darkness, she searched for her phone, feeling the need to apologize to Quil and Jake for snapping at them. 

Yet, her screen lit up with Embry’s caller ID, showing her that it was the fifth call in the last twenty minutes. She debated answering the phone, wanting to make him feel just like she had the last two weeks. 

But her resolution was too weak.

“What?” (Y/N) spat. 

“Come to your window.” 

She walked to her window, her gaze falling on his figure on the road. Tears were quick to form in the corners of her eyes, her emotions close to their bursting point. “What do you want, Embry?” she asked through the phone, careful to keep her voice from cracking. “It’s late.” 

“I know, but I really need to talk to you, (Y/N).”

“So, you show up after two weeks of dead silence. Your hair is all chopped up, you’ve got a tattoo, and apparently, you’ve been hanging with Sam Uley’s gang. And you just come here and tell me now you wanna talk,” she scoffed. “Give me one reason why I should give you the time of day after all that?” 

“I know I don’t deserve another chance and you have every right to turn me away right now,” he told her. “But I promise if you give me a couple of minutes I can explain everything to you. After that, you can decide what you want to do. Please, (Y/N).” 

She kept quiet for a second, knowing that she didn’t have much to think about. Her heart knew exactly what she would answer before she could say it out loud. “Fine,” she said. “You’ve got ten minutes.” 

“Alright,” he smiled. “Come down.”

She couldn’t help the eagerness that overtook her as she wrapped a jacket around her and silently slipped out the door. And once she was face to face with him, it took everything in her not to run and wrap her arms around Embry. 

“Hey,” he smiled softly at her. “Been a while.” 

“Not really in the mood for jokes, Embry,” she responded. “I came out here to hear you explain. So explain.” 

“Okay, but I’m gonna need us to move into the woods.” 

“I’m not going into the woods with you, Em. Just tell me already.”

“Look, I know this is weird but I need you to trust me, okay?” he asked giving her those puppy dog eyes that she had missed so much. The same eyes he’d give her when he begged for a kiss or when he pleaded for a couple of more minutes away from their friends. “Please.” 

“Fine,” she sighed. “But your time is down to eight minutes.” 

“Alright. Just, come on.” 

Without thinking, he took hold of her hand, leading her to the darkness of the woods, searching for a place where no passersby could accidentally see him. 

(Y/N) found herself allowing him to drag her, remembering just how comforting his warmth was. Especially on such a cold night in January, it surprised her just how high his temperature felt. 

Once they were deep enough and Embry had halted them to a stop, she forced herself to drop his hand. She didn’t want him to forget the anger that still rushed through her veins, the disappointment that had found a home in her heart, and the hurt that she felt in every inch of her body. 

“Go ahead,” she told him, crossing her arms across her chest to keep them from reaching toward him. 

“Alright, first of all, I want to apologize for disappearing like that. It wasn’t fair to you or the guys. But you need to understand that I couldn’t tell you at the beginning,” he started. “(Y/N), what I’m about to tell you is gonna sound like the biggest lie you have heard, and you might even think that I’ve lost my mind. Still, everything I say is the honest truth.”

“Em, you’re scaring me,” she responded. “What’re you talking about?” 

Embry took a deep breath, finding every ounce of strength to be able to finally tell her the truth, to wrap her in the web of the supernatural and hope he was strong enough to keep her from the dangers of it. “Okay, I’m gonna need you to think back to all the stories our parents and the elders would tell us around the bonfire,” he said. “How our Quileute ancestors were shapeshifters and how it was their job to protect our land. When we were kids we thought that those were only stories, myths to keep us children entertained. But it’s real, (Y/N). Those stories weren’t just fantasies, they are our history. 

“The reason I disappeared was because I am now one of those shapeshifters. It happened the Saturday before starting school, at the back-to-school bonfire, when that guy was hitting on you when I walked away for a second,” he continued. His eyes never left hers, hoping —begging— that she believed him. “It happened so suddenly and I thought I was dying. I could feel anger taking over my entire body, filling me with this overheating rush that burned deep inside. 

“It was Jared Cameron that found me. He pulled me into the woods and I was so angry that I couldn’t even process what was happening. He kept telling me to give in to the change to listen to my body and allow it to do what it needed to. Suddenly, my clothes were ripped to shreds and I was this huge wolf. 

“After, Sam Uley and Paul Lahote joined him and walked me through shifting back, telling me to focus on my human form. It felt like everything around me was shaking, reacting to the way my body was transforming. And somehow, at just the right moment, I changed back into my human self. 

“I spent that week learning to control my emotions so I wouldn’t trigger a phase in front of everyone, learning about our history and our role in the rez. It turns out, those guys aren’t a gang, they’re actually a pack and our job is to protect the reservation from anything, supernatural or not, that threatens our land. No one can know about our existence other than the elders and current pack members.” 

“Wait, I don’t get it,” she stammered, her head spinning with all the information she was given. “This whole talk about wolves and supernatural beings… it’s crazy, Embry! A completely convoluted way of telling me it’s over.” 

“I can show you,” he added. “Just don’t move even an inch from where you are right now.” 

“What’re you…? Embry.” 

He put some distance between them, making sure he was safely away from her. He removed his shirt and unbuttoned his pants, ensuring his clothes were close enough when he phased back. He knew just how impossible everything he had said sounded. If he hadn’t phased that night, there was no way he would have believed it. 

But he needed her to believe him. 

One second he was standing before her in human form, and the next, a tall gray wolf with black spots was staring her down. She stumbled back as her eyes met the animal’s, a slight rush of fear flowing through her veins. 

Yet, she knew those brown eyes too well to be afraid for long. They were unmistakably Embry’s and they replaced her anxiety with a calming stream.  Something about him was calling to her, beckoning her to come closer. There was no danger, there was no panic, there was only calm. 

(Y/N) made her way closer to the creature, every step filling her with courage. The wolf didn’t move, his eyes simply followed her, waiting. Because he was the tactable answer to all of her questions. 

Her shaking hand raised and landed on the soft fur of the wolf’s head. As soon as she made contact, Embry nudged it, giving her the confirmation she was looking for. It was him and it was all true.

“You’re a wolf,” she softly chuckled. “You’re in front of me right now and you’re a giant wolf.” 

Embry let out a confirming growl that sounded almost like a laugh and nuzzled his nose against her. The small force knocked her back softly, siphoning from her the laugh he had missed hearing. 

“But if no one is supposed to know about you guys, why are you telling me all this?” (Y/N) asked before realizing he could not answer in his form. “Change back already. I have so many questions.” 

In the blink of an eye, Embry stood before her, scrambling to get dressed. “This is the most awkward part of phasing back,” he chuckled dryly. “It’s worse when you’re surrounded by guys you barely know.”

“Yeah, I can imagine,” she sympathized. “Now, why me? Why am I the only one that you’re telling this to? Jake and Quil truly believe you’ve joined a gang and left us in the dust.” 

“Well, as with most things, there is an exception to the rules. One person that is allowed to know everything, even if they’re not members of the pack,” he explained slowly. “There’s something that happens after your shift that involves that person. It’s called imprinting. I’m the most basic definition: it's a soulmate. You are unconditionally bound to this person for the rest of your life, becoming whatever it is that they need from you —a sibling, a friend, a partner. Anything. 

“Your whole world changes,” he continued, his hands taking hers. “They become your gravity, your very reason for living. Even being apart feels physically painful. Everything falls secondary to them, and all it takes is one look.”

“This morning,” she breathed. (Y/N) had felt something change when they had locked eyes in the hall. His absence had become a harrowing pit in her stomach. “But I…”

“The bond affects the imprint as well,” Embry answered before she could ask. “But nothing happens without them wanting it. You are only what the imprint wants.”

“So it’s me,” she said, trying to hold back tears, her eyes falling to where their hands were clasped. “Is that why you ran away this morning? Because you imprinted on me? Was it… did you not want it to be me?” 

“No! I mean yes! I wanted it to be you,” he rapidly scrambled for his response. “But I was afraid of what the implications of you being my imprint would be.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“First of all, I could never forgive myself if I was the reason you were ever in danger,” Embry started, his hand cradling her cheek to lift her gaze to his, wiping away the strand that had fallen. “But what I was most afraid of was that it would make you feel things that you might not have felt had it not been for this supernatural intervention.”

“I’m not following, Em.” 

“Look, (Y/N), I love you —I’m in love with you. And I have been for a long time,” he confessed. “And even though I know you like me and we spent all this time together, I was afraid that if you felt more for me it would be because of the imprint bond and not really how you would have felt without it.” 

Finally, it was her turn to comfort him. “Em, I think I’ve loved you since the moment we met,” she grinned. “I don’t need a supernatural link to tell me how I have felt about you for the majority of my life. And I understand why you had to keep all of this from us. As much as I would love for Jake and Quil to know how much of an amazing badass my boyfriend is, we know how well I can keep a secret.”

Embry’s eyes opened wide at the word, loving how it sounded coming from her lips. “Boyfriend? You called me your boyfriend!” 

“Is that not what you are?” 

“Yes. Yes! And you’re my girlfriend!” he exclaimed as he hugged her waist tightly, twirling her in a hug. “God, being without you has made this the worst two weeks of my life.”

“I can tell,” she teased. “I mean you lost my favorite thing about you. I’m really gonna miss your hair.” 

“Unless you braid the wolf’s hair, I’m afraid we’re stuck with the short hair for a while.” 

“I can work with that as long as you don’t ever disappear like that again.” 

“I promise I will never willingly do that,” he responded. “I can assure you these past two weeks have been hell.” 

“Well, we won’t have that time back. But we can make sure we don’t lose any more.”

“I like the sound of that,” he grinned.

He placed both hands on either side of (Y/N)’s face, nuzzling his nose to hers as he had done the first time they kissed. He breathed in her scent. He listened to the patter of her heart, to the sound of her breath. He took her in completely at the moment, memorizing how she looked when they told each other they loved one another. 

“Are you gonna make me wait?” she let out a strangled breath. “Or are you gonna kiss me already?” 

“You waited two weeks already,” he teased. 

“So I’ve waited long enough,” she bit back. “Now kiss me, you dork.” 

Finally, he crashed his lips onto hers and everything felt like it had fallen where it was supposed to. There had never been secrets between them, and, now, there never had to be any more. The universe had simply confirmed what they already felt. 

---

“Well, Quil, looks like you’re gonna have to pay up, my man,” Jake joked a couple of months after that fateful night. All discord between the friends had died the second the boys that were kept in the dark phases as well. “I told you these two had been together for a while.” 

“No, you owe me,” he retorted. “They got together closer to the timeline I had set.” 

“Actually,” Embry interjected, his arm draped over (Y/N)’s shoulders. “If you look at the board of bets, you’ll see that I had put down the actual date and time that we got together.” 

“But that’s not fair! When we made that bet board we had no idea you two were actually together,” Quil whined. “There’s no way that should be an admissible bet.” 

“Not knowing the facts doesn’t exempt you from it,” (Y/N) chuckled. “A bet that falls under the set rules for that pile will remain intact, even if it’s under a loophole.”

“Of course you’ll say that, (Y/N),” Jake scoffed. “He’s your boyfriend after all.” 

“Don’t forget imprintee,” she grinned. “Now, both of you, cough up those twenty bucks.” 

Later that afternoon and forty bucks richer, (Y/N) and Embry sat in the Uley’s backyard, watching the other boys playing football farther away from the bonfire Sam had started. They had curled up together under a blanket, enjoying the fact that they were together, and the world seemed to grant them a day of peace. 

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Embry whispered into her ear, pressing her tighter to him. “Because I do. So much.” 

“Hm,” she smiled, melting into his touch. “You’ve told me once or twice. But I’ll never get tired of hearing it. Because I love you too.”

“And I’ll never get tired of saying it.” 

“Good,” she beamed. “Because you’re stuck with me until the end.” 

“Couldn’t think of a better life than that.” 

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[therealcocoshady]

Request:

Marshall having to miss Lilly’s birthday because he’s on tour

Happy birthday

Author’s Note : Thank you for your request ❤️. I had a blast writing this ! I hope you enjoy it 🙈.

Tags : Fluff

2019

Before leaving for his tour, Marshall had apologized to you about three hundred times. You had just gotten engaged and he had to leave you to plan the wedding on your own, while he was touring Europe for a month and a half. The two of you didn’t want to wait to get married and agreed to do it as soon as he came back. The day before he left for his tour, the two of you almost went to city hall to get married in a haste. You couldn’t wait to finally be married and officially be a family. In truth, neither of you really cared about having a lengthy ceremony, a reception or proper wedding attire. You just wanted to be married. But as you were ready to get in the car and get to city hall before closing time, you were met with doubts, especially Marshall. 

Should we do it ?  Are you sure ? He asked. 

I’m game if you are, you said with a smile. I can’t wait to be your wife. 

I can’t wait to be your husband. Won’t you regret having a proper ceremony, though ? He asked. 

I don’t care, you said. But if you’d rather wait, we can do it too… 

I don’t want to wait, he said. But maybe… Maybe we can call my daughters ? They wouldn’t want to miss it. 

Of course, you said. Maybe we could have one of them FaceTime my parents so that they don’t miss it either ? 

Great. And we should celebrate a little, maybe go to dinner ? He suggested.

Should I dress up, then ? You asked. If we’re going out after, I should at least wear a nice dress. 

I should at least put on a nice shirt, then, he agreed. 

Ok, we get dressed, book dinner, call the girls and my parents and off we go, you said. 

Should we call Paul, Denaun and Tracy ? He asked. They were here when we met, they’re our closest friends, they should be celebrating with us. 

Ok, but then perhaps Royce too ? You asked. And do they bring their significant others ? 

You stopped and stared at each other before bursting out in a fit of laughter. He kissed you lovingly. 

Who are we kidding ? He chuckled. 

Do you… Do we want an actual party ? You asked. 

I think I do, he admitted. I love you, I can’t wait for you to be my wife, but I think I’d regret not celebrating properly. You deserve actual vows, a nice place to get married, a first dance… I want us to do this the right way. And I don’t think your mom would forgive us if she wasn’t there to attend, and possibly have a little figurine of herself on top of the cake. 

You’re right, you giggled. But I don’t want to wait too long, though. Let’s do it when you get back, ok ? 

Ok, he agreed. Right after I get back, I’m marrying the shit out of you and you’re mine forever. 

I’m already yours forever, you said cheekily as you showed him your engagement ring. 

It had been a couple of months since he got on one knee at dinner and proposed with the most beautiful ring you had ever seen. You should have gotten used to the rock sitting on your engagement finger by now, but you were still giddy every time you looked at it. Knowing that he took your daughter with him when he went to pick the ring also made it that much more meaningful. That very night, he also stated his intention of adopting Lily and caring for her. Ever since you’d met, he had always been incredible to her and, even though the adoption wasn’t official yet, he was very much a father figure to her. You knew leaving her for six weeks was just as hard for him as leaving you. By his own admission, he loved your little routine as a family and was going to miss it while on tour. Sadly, he was also going to miss her second birthday. Unfortunately, the tour had been planned before the two of you started dating, so there was no way he could have known. He was gutted, though, and he kept on apologizing to the both of you. 

It’s fine, you said. We’ll celebrate with you when you get back. 

It’s not the same, he shrugged. But I’d like that. 

If anything, you’ll miss the party with all the kids from daycare, so you’re pretty lucky, you giggled. I sort of want to skip it… 

Why did you plan it in the first place, then ? He mused. 

Because apparently, it shows that your kid and family are socially adjusted, you explained. And if I- if we want her to get into the right preschool… 

You’re still set on that fancy preschool, aren’t you ? He asked with a raised eyebrow. 

You still think that’s stupid ? You asked. 

I think preschool is preschool, he chuckled. My kids didn’t go to any fancy preschool or kindergarten. In fact, they went to all public schools and did great. But if you think it’s what’s best for Lily, sure. 

Yeah but now that you’re adopting her, you should have a say- you began. 

Doesn’t matter, he said. I’m not against it. In fact, if you want me to foot the bill, I will, happily. But, just in case she doesn’t get in : you should remember it’s preschool, not Harvard, and that her life won’t be ruined if she goes to a public preschool. I’m pretty sure they use the same crayons anyway. 

True, you giggled. I know it’s stupid, you know ? But Lily is my first and only child. I only want the best. I know you have more experience with your girls. I should probably chill… You know better.

I don’t know if I know better, he chuckled. You’re the best Mom she would ask for. Plus, you know… When I had my daughters, I wasn’t in the same position as now. I wasn’t able to be as present, physically and mentally, too. But Lily… was Lily’s going to get the best version of me. 

We’re pretty lucky to have you, you said lovingly. 

I’m pretty lucky too, he said. I’m really going to miss you. I’m not even gone and I can’t wait to be back, already.

Hopefully, we don’t burn the house down with that wild Project X party for her birthday, you joked. Are you sure you’re ok with me hosting it here ? 

You live here, now, don’t you ? He said with a smile. Besides, the house survived Nathan and the parties he threw when I was on tour and he lived here, so it should be fine with the kids from daycare. 

You were still navigating your new life as Marshall’s fiancée. Before your engagement, you didn’t live together but after he asked for your hand, you ended up moving in with him in his house. You still weren’t too used to the place. Before, you spent most of your time in your house, since all of Lily’s stuff was there. But given his celebrity status, Marshall needed his security nearby and it made more sense for you to move into his house, which was in a gated community, than for him to move into yours. You liked the place and he had made the cutest bedroom and playroom for Lily, who absolutely loved it, but you had yet to claim the place as yours. Though now that you would be left here alone for six weeks, you’d have no choice. 

On the morning he left for his tour, the goodbye was bittersweet. As a collaborator who worked for Shady Records and his biggest supporter, you were excited for him because you knew he loved performing, but as his fiancée, it was hard to let him go. He was standing by the door, bags in his hand, ready to cross the threshold. You were holding Lily, ready to say goodbye. Six weeks would be too long. He let go of his bags to hug you one last time. 

I’m going to miss you, he said. I’ll FaceTime everyday, alright ? Or at least, as much as I can. 

Sure, you said. Say bye to Dad, Lily ? 

Bye, she said in her little voice. 

Bye baby, he said softly. Take care of your Mom, alright ? And don’t become a giant while I’m gone. 

He kissed her little head and she giggled. You tried to get her to say « Bye Dad » but referring to Marshall as her father wasn’t natural for her yet. He wasn’t bothered by it, though, and said that she’d use the word in due time. 

Bye, my love, he said before kissing you tenderly. I love you. 

I love you too, you said. Have a safe flight. And say hi to everyone for me. 

Will do, he said. See you in six weeks. 

You nodded and watched him leave, tears in your eyes. As soon as she saw the car leave the property and the tears in your eyes, Lily understood that Marshall might be gone for longer than usual and started to cry. You knew it was going to be a long few weeks. However, Marshall kept true to his words. He FaceTimed you every night and even read a couple of stories to Lily, who was always happy to see him on the screen. The tour was going great and he was having fun, though he missed you a lot. As for you, you kept working and planning the wedding. At least, this kept you busy. 

Two days before Lily’s birthday, you were looking at your phone and showing her pictures and videos of Marshall on stage and she finally pronounced the magic word. 

Daddy ! She shrieked. 

That’s right my love ! You said happily. That’s Daddy. Oh he’s going to be so happy ! 

You couldn’t wait to tell Marshall Lily had finally referred to him as Daddy. Though you wished he’d been able to hear it for himself. You had two weeks left before finally seeing him and you couldn’t wait for your little family to be reunited. That’s when you decided that enough was enough and, without second-thought, you decided to book plane tickets to join him in Europe. You never thought your daughter would have a father but now she had one and your little ray of sunshine deserved to have her favorite person by her side for her second birthday. And since he couldn’t make it home, home would make it to him. You immediately started packing and called Tracy. 

What’s up beautiful ? She asked. Marshall’s on stage right now. Want me to get him to call you back when the show’s over ? 

Hey ! No need, you giggled. I thought I should give you a heads up… I’m flying to Europe with Lily. We’re packing right now. 

Seriously ?! She asked. It’s going to be great to see you girls. He’s going to be so excited when I tell him ! 

Can you not ? You asked. I thought I’d surprise him ! 

Oooh that’s a good idea, she said with excitement. Do you need me to book your flights ? 

I’m good, thanks, you said. I just wanted to let you know. We’ll be in Sweden tomorrow afternoon. 

I’ll send the details of the hotel so that you can drop off the bags, and tell security to let you in the arena, Tracy offered. And if you need me, I’m one phone call away ! 

You were incredibly thankful for Tracy. She was the first person you befriended when you started working for Shady Records and she had been instrumental in your relationship with Marshall. In fact, she was the very person who told you to go for it, and who opened your eyes to the fact that he was into you. 

As soon as your bags were packed, you got in the car with Lily, heading for the airport and ready to catch the first flight for Sweden. You couldn’t wait to see Marshall. 

It was Lily’s first long flight, going out of the country, and it turned out to be an absolute nightmare. You had only managed to book economy tickets and you had to sit through an entire flight with your daughter in your lap while she was all fussy. You tried playing with her, reading to her, letting her play with her phone (even though you were absolutely against the idea of kids playing with technology) but nothing would do. Your back hurt and you knew you’d have to face the music and deal with jet lag, all while trying to work remotely for the duration of your stay. But regardless, it was worth it : you were determined to spend Lily’s second birthday with Marshall. Before the flight, you also took care of canceling the party, making up excuses and saying that Lily was sick. When you touched down in Stockholm, you were excited, despite the lack of sleep. Lily was starting to be sleepy as well, which made her less  energic. Travelling with a toddler wasn’t too easy and, since you couldn’t pack the stroller with you, you had to carry her, as well as your bag, hers and the diaper back. So much for packing light. You only planned on being gone from home a few days but, even with the bare necessities, it was a lot. Thankfully, you got the help of a very nice taxi driver who took you to the arena. It was 2:00 and you knew that, around that time, Marshall was probably starting soundcheck. You grabbed your phone and let Tracy know you were on your way. It had been on airplane mode for hours and you just realized you had missed calls from Marshall, as well as texts asking if you were alright and if you were mad at him. As soon as you got out of the cab, you found Tracy waiting for you in front of the arena. She hugged both you and Lily and helped you with your bags. 

I made arrangements with the hotel this morning, they’ll have a crib set up in Marshall’s suite for Lily, she said. 

You’re a godsend ! She’s been fussy the whole flight, hasn’t slept one bit… I can’t wait to put her down for a nap, hopefully get some rest, you confessed. 

Someone else’s been fussy, she pointed out. He was gutted that you wouldn’t pick up the phone right before Lily’s birthday… 

I didn’t even think of that, you said earnestly. 

Don’t worry, all will be forgiven as soon as he sees both of you, she said reassuringly. 

You entered the arena and she led you backstage, where you greeted by the whole team. Paul was surprised to see you and you had to say that you had come on impulse and moved your schedule around. He was still your boss and it hadn’t really occurred to you that you should keep him informed. However, as always, he was understanding and you suspected it had something to do with Lily hugging him and cooing « Unc Paul ». Your baby had Marshall’s whole team wrapped around her finger. Seeing all these familiar faces gave her a surge of energy and she was all giddy. You were led to the side of the stage, where you could see Marshall and Denaun doing sound check. They were absorbed and didn’t see either you or Lily. However, your daughter immediately spotted her Dad and favorite Uncle and she started shrieking. 

Daddy ! She said. 

You want to go and see him, baby ? You asked. 

Yes ! Daddy !!! M’ere ! She called. 

However, with the music being so loud, no one could hear her. You put her down and she immediately started running towards Marshall, who had his back turn and had no idea Lily was coming his way. You immediately took out your phone to capture the sweet moment. At some point, Porter spotted her and smiled as he stopped everything. 

Look who’s-

DADDY !!! Your daughter shrieked. 

Marshall turned and, as soon as he spotted Lily, you could see his face light up. He put the mic down and lowered himself for Lily to run in his arms. He engulfed her in a big hug and held her tightly. 

What’s my name ? How did you call me ? He asked with the biggest smile. 

Daddy ! She repeated with pride. 

That’s right, baby ! Daddy missed you so much, he added as he kissed the top of her head. 

He looked around and finally spotted you. You stopped recording and ran to hug him as well. You held each other for a long minute, savoring each other’s presence. 

God I missed you, he said as he buried his face in your neck. 

I missed you too, you said. We missed you. 

I’m so glad you’re here, he said. I was worried when you didn’t pick up the phone last night. 

Sorry, you said. I was on the plane when you called. I wanted Lily to have her favorite person by her side for her second birthday. 

You’re amazing, he praised before kissing you. I’m so happy to see the two of you. Wait, I lost track of time… it’s today, right ? 

It is, you giggled. 

Happy birthday, baby, he told Lily before kissing her. 

I can’t believe our baby is two, you said emotionally. 

I can’t believe you flew all the way here, he replied. I’m so happy. You’re amazing. 

I wouldn’t have been able to sit through this party and celebrate when Lily doesn’t have you by her side, you said. It doesn’t feel right. Birthdays are a family thing. 

How about preschool ? He asked with a raised eyebrow. I know one of the moms at daycare is the director… 

Don’t care, you chuckled. My baby has her Daddy by her side and that’s all that matters. 

You stayed by Marshall’s side during soundcheck and attended his performance. Lily was wearing noise-reducing headphones and she was excited to see her Dad performing, jumping around and interacting with fans. It was a shame she was too young to remember it later, but she seemed to be having a blast. At some point, though, she fell asleep I your arms, absolutely exhausted by the time difference and the whole flight spent without closing her eyes. She had slept a bit during the day but it wasn’t enough. You were rocking her, holding her close to you when Marshall walked off the stage after the show. You could see him melt as he saw her asleep. 

She’s so cute, he commented. 

She was a handful, you replied. I’m glad she’s asleep. 

I can’t wait for her to wake up, though, he chuckled. We haven’t even celebrated her birthday yet ! 

We can just have cake and make her blow on a candle tomorrow, you giggled. She won’t mind that it’s a day late. She won’t remember anyway. But at least, we’re together. That’s all that matters.

I’m so happy to have my girls with me, he said lovingly. Now, how about we hand Lily to Tracy for a second and you help me shower ? 

You giggled and agreed. Tracy had always been a doting aunt figure for Lily and she had absolutely no problem watching her - not that it was too much trouble when Lily was sleeping peacefully. As soon as you were alone in his dressing room, Marshall locked the door and kissed you passionately before pining you against the wall. 

God, I missed you, he said in between kisses. 

Missed you too, you whispered. Missed this. 

He chuckled and removed his tee-shirt. After almost two hours on stage, he was a sweaty mess but you didn’t care one bit. If anything, you liked his scent and were even more attracted to him - which you could probably blame on your compatible pheromones. You playfully ran your hands on his chest, in his back, happy to finally be able to touch him. He reciprocated by helping you out of your clothes and, soon enough, you were in the shower, kissing sloppily while lathering each other in body wash. You enjoyed the warm water pouring over you, relaxing your muscles after a long trip, as well as Marshall’s hands all over your body, teasing your breasts, grabbing your butt… The two of you couldn’t get enough of each other. While you were apart, you sent a great deal of nudes and sexy texts to each other but nothing compared to the real deal. You weren’t sure if you had to blame it on your exhaustion (his from the show, yours from the trip) or simply the euphoria of being reunited, but you swore the both of you never came this quickly before. You simply laughed it off and cuddled for a while on the couch. You were taken out of your little bubble when you heard Tracy knock on the door. 

Hey lovebirds, she giggled. Time to drive to the hotel. 

You quickly got dressed and went to get Lily. You expected her to be sleeping but, instead, you found her wide awake, playing with Denaun. Obviously, the little one was too happy and didn’t care too much about rest and sleep, much to your dismay. Toddlers were a handful and, even though Lily was a rather easy child, you definitely liked it more when she had proper rest. Otherwise, she could get a bit difficult, like any other child her age. Denaun was teaching her how to answer the question : « Who’s the GOAT ? » (apparently, « Nauny » was the only acceptable answer). 

Finally, you two, Denaun grinned. Finally got it out of your system ? 

Shut up, Marshall chuckled. 

Not before the wedding, you said innocently. 

Check it out, guys… Lily, who’s the GOAT ? He asked. 

Naun- DADDY ! She giggled as soon as she saw Marshall pointing at himself. 

Fuck you, man, Denaun sighed. Took me twenty minutes to get her to say it ! 

Language, Marshall scolded as he took Lily in his arms. That’s right babygirl. Daddy’s the GOAT. 

Marshall was still beaming over the fact that he had finally earned the « Daddy » title and proudly carried Lily on his shoulder on the way to the car. Once you were at the hotel, everyone gathered in Marshall’s suite for dinner, which mainly consisted of snacks. You tried to get your daughter away from the sugary snacks and scolded Denaun for sneaking her some, but it was a lost cause. Even Marshall indulged her. 

If she has sugar this late, she won’t sleep as well, you pointed out. 

But she’s so happy, your fiancé pointed out. And it’s her birthday… 

Speaking of which, Tracy said, it’s time to blow candles, don’t you think ? 

You hugged your friend, who had taken the time to order a small cake with candles from room service as soon as she learned you were coming. Everyone sang your baby happy birthday and she was elated to have some of her people with her. When it was time to go to bed, you went to the bathroom to brush your teeth while Marshall put your daughter in her PJs. You walked in on him holding her and gently rocking her as she was yawning. He was so absorbed that he didn’t see you. 

Happy birthday again, my princess, he said with a smile. I’m so happy Mommy brought you here. I missed you so much. I swear to God, and I swear to you, I’ll never be away on your birthday again. 

[so-long-soldier-writes]

Airport Troubles

kai parker x reader

summary: you face some trouble with TSA while trying to catch your flight. the suspicious agent uses some unconventional methods to get the truth out of you.

tags: roleplay / sexual roleplay, fingering, oral, vaginal sex, cuddling, mention of pregnancy, minor breeding kink oops

word count: 3.4k

a/n: it's taken me 4 days to publish this bc I finish work and then immediately fall asleep. also this is so cheesy but I haven't posted in a while, so I pulled something out of my wip graveyard (this has been in there for months)😅 slowly working on requests!

“Hey, I’ve got a new idea.” Your boyfriend comes up to you, a mischievous smile on his face.

“Hm, what’s that?”

“TSA check.”

“Huh?”

“Like airport security.”

“I know what it is, Kai. What idea do you have with that?”

“You stand still and I check you over. Make sure you’re not gonna land in a new city and kill a bunch of people.”

You snort, “shouldn’t I be checking you then?”

The joke flies over his head, “no, because I need to be the one touching you.”

Instead of trying to explain your joke, you giggle, “okay. Friday night?”

“Yes.” There’s a dark glimmer in his eye as he agrees.

It should scare you, but it has the opposite effect. “Okay. I’ll be ready.”

Proud of himself, he gives you a kiss before crashing onto the couch. Not two minutes later, he’s calling you over to cuddle, and when you do, he’s instantly out like a light. 

◇◇◇◇

You spend a solid hour getting ready for Kai’s new roleplay idea. These types of things always get him so excited, both of you, really, so you put extra effort into your appearance. 

Underneath jeans and a plain t-shirt, you’re wearing a black lingerie set - one that’s a little more complicated than those you usually wear. Sometimes it’s fun seeing him struggle to take them off, but you have to hold back the giggles so he doesn’t catch onto your tricks. The difficulty makes him frustrated, which leads to him being rougher when he finally gets it off. 

Smirking at the thought, you complete the look with socks and shoes, plus a coat and backpack. You plan a loose dialogue to go with it, then head downstairs at nine sharp. 

The minute you come around the corner, Kai’s right there, and you almost smack straight into him. 

“Excuse me, ma’am, please watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry, sir.” You bite your lip to not laugh. It always takes you a minute to get comfortable with a new character. 

“Where are you headed?”

“Terminal A, going to New York.”

“I see. Well, good thing that flight’s not leaving for another forty-five minutes, because you’ve been randomly selected for a pat down.”

“May I ask why? Did I do something wrong?”

“Not entirely, ma’am. However, your inattention to your surroundings is a little suspicious to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No worries. Just come with me.”

“Okay.”

He leads you into your living room, blinds closed, illuminated by two lamps in the corners. 

“We’re using lamps instead of the overhead light so that the flashlights work better,” he explains.

“Oh, okay, sounds good. I like that better actually. Big lights hurt my eyes.”

“Why? Are you high?”

“What? No! Just… I have sensitive eyes.”

He’s quiet for a minute, then speaks into an invisible radio on his hip. “Gonna need you to bring me a drug test, Brenda. Might need it.”

You resist the urge to laugh, again. 

“Is security funny to you, ma’am?”

“No, sir. I’m sorry.”

“Alright, stand still. Do you have your ID and passport?”

“Yes,” you hand them over and he looks through both briefly. 

“Okay, jacket off. And I’m going to look through that and your bag.”

You bite your lip, shrugging off the items. If Kai drags this out, you’re going to die. 

“Just a little patience, won’t take long.”

“Okay.”

One-by-one, Kai pulls the things out of your bag and comments on them. 

“What’s this exactly?”

“Curling iron. For hair.”

“Okay.”

“Hmm, phone charger, small deodorant, pens, notebook, glasses, looking good. Hold up, condoms?”

You blush red.

“It’s alright, better safe than sorry.” He continues, “book, nail file, oh - this lipgloss, I’m going to have to discard it because it’s a weird color.”

“What?”

“Yeah, it’s showing up green on the light, and that’s weird.” He throws the gloss out without further inspection. As it flies across the room, all you can do is throw up your hands. “Protocol.”

“Sure.”

“Hmm, now what’s this? Another curling iron?”

“Um, no. That’s a… personal effects tool.”

“A what?”

“A, um-”

“You’re going to have to be crystal clear with me, young lady.”

“It’s a vibrator.”

“A vibrator?”

“Yes.”

“Then what are the condoms for?”

“Wha-”

“Nevermind, not my problem. As long as it’s not a weapon, you can keep it.”

“What about my lip gloss?”

“No, ma’am, you can’t keep that. I already told you why.”

You groan in fake frustration.

“But the rest of your bag is clear. Okay, now for the pat down portion, you’re going to have to stand still with your arms out. I’m going to check your upper body first.”

“Okay.” You do as you’re told, biting your cheek hard. 

Kai runs his hands along your arms, squeezing from your shoulders to your fingertips. On two occasions, he runs the back of his hand along your skin, letting his nails tickle you. Again, you fight the urge to giggle.

He then focuses his gaze on your chest. “What’s this necklace?”

“It’s from my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Yeah, he’s actually waiting for me in New York.”

“Why didn’t you just fly together?”

“Conflicting schedules and all that.”

“Okay.” He runs a finger along your collarbone before muttering, “all good there.” His hands are all over your body now. They cup your breasts and rub your nipples, then move down to squeeze your waist. Kai rests a hand on the small of your back as his other feels your stomach.

“Is this standard procedure?” You question as he touches your breasts again.

“Please don’t interrupt me, ma’am. This is very important.”

“Oh.”

“I’m going to need to check your lower half now.”

“Okay. Did I pass on the top half?”

“Yes.”

“Cool.”

“Spread your legs.”

He wastes no time moving to your hips, then thighs. “I need to touch here.”

“Okay.”

His hands hold and squeeze your butt. A finger is run along your crotch until it rests above your clothed clit. Suddenly he applies pressure, sending a jolt up your spine. 

“How’s your sexual performance?”

“What?”

“How do you perform sexually?”

“Um.”

“You must answer the question.”

“I’m fine, I guess. I don’t know.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“No.”

“Is there any chance you could be pregnant?”

“I mean, a small chance, but I doubt I am.”

“Okay,” he replies. Kai says nothing more on the topic. He moves down to your knees, then feet, rubbing his hands along them. “Alright,” he finally looks up at you. 

“Did I pass?”

“For the most part, but I’m still suspicious. Do you have anything in your jean pockets?”

“No. You told me to empty my pockets, so I did.”

“Sass isn’t going to speed this up, sweetheart.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m gonna need you to remove your pants so I can check them.”

“What?”

“It’s protocol.”

You fake a sigh, then unbutton your jeans and slide them down your legs. Kai licks his lips, and you can tell he’s trying his best to hide his excitement. The moment he glimpses your lingerie underneath, though, his eyes widen. 

“Ma’am,” he starts, sighing. He’s holding back. You can hear it in his tone, though the tightening of his jeans is giving him away quickly.

“Yes?”

“I’m not sure you wore the appropriate attire for this flight.”

“Oh! Sorry. I didn’t expect to be stripped in an airport. I was wearing it for my boyfriend.”

“Mhm, well you should’ve acted less suspicious or you wouldn’t’ve been stripped. Also, again, sass isn’t helping your case.”

“Can we just… finish this so we can both move on from this awkward situation.”

“Depends if I deem you able to fly.”

“Okay then can we start that process?”

“Sure. I’ll try to ignore your… outfit.”

He did not, in fact, ignore it. Kai continues his inspection like normal - well, normal for Kai - and pats down your body. Every so often, he mutters a comment about you passing this, or doing well on that, but when his fingers ghost over your clit again, he clicks his tongue. 

“See, this is the problem. I think you’re hiding something here. But don’t worry, it’ll only take a second. I just need to-” 

He doesn’t finish his sentence. Instead, a gasp leaves your lips as he pushes two fingers inside you. You’re already wet from all the petting, so by the time he’s finally touching you, he moves with ease. 

“What are you looking for?” You mutter out, hands gripping his head. He doesn’t correct you, but lets you hold onto him for balance. 

“Can’t tell you. Protocol.” His older hand is gripping your thigh, though it’s slowly moving up to grab your butt again. 

“Oh.”

“I think it’s deeper than I initially thought. One minute.” Kai positions himself in front of you to grab one side of your hips, his other hand holding back the lace, then begins to lap at your core with his tongue. He pulls you down onto him to lick deeper, periodically sucking on your clit. The feeling is absolute bliss, not to mention seeing him under you. A moan leaves your lips, and you immediately clamp a hand over your mouth. 

Too late, he heard it. “Please, no talking, ma’am.”

“I’m sorry.” 

You have no idea how he’s not cracking up right now. Then again, Kai has a tendency to take roleplays very seriously. You have a theory that he likes to pretend to be someone else every so often, but you’ve never mentioned this to him. Instead, you just play along into your boyfriend’s fantasies as best you can. After all, he erupts in a fit of content giggles at the end of each session, so you can let it all out then. You both know he can’t be serious for too long. 

“Have you found it yet?”

Kai adds his fingers again and “searches” deeper. “Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“Though I think I can get you to give it up and confess where it is if you’re relaxed enough.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, sir.”

“You will in a moment.”

Suddenly, he picks you up and tosses you over his shoulder. You squeal and claw at his back, wanting something to grip. Before you can say anything, though, he sets you down on the desk. Kai pulls your shirt up over your head, but takes a second to admire your set. A lump forms in his throat. 

“You have a very lucky boyfriend,” he comments.

“Seems I also have a very lucky TSA agent.” You bat your eyes playfully, then spread your legs open to him. 

“Naughty girl.”

His tone has you biting your lip. 

His eyes scan over you for a moment and you’re not sure what he’s thinking. Then, he takes the straps of your lingerie and pulls them down your body. When he reaches your waist, he realizes he has to unclip the garter belt before he can get your top off all the way. It takes a moment for him to do this, hands shaking with excitement. His tongue sticks out from between his teeth; his expression is deeply concentrated. 

He finally unclips the two parts of the belt, then tugs your panties down your legs. At last, he finds the solution to the top - unhooking it and letting it drop to the table. The same time he undoes the clasp, something small falls from its place, buried within the top, and hits the ground with a shudder. If he hears it, he doesn’t ask. Nor does he make a comment about the challenge of the set, though you know he’s thinking about it. Instead, he wastes not a minute more, and undresses himself quickly.

As he lines himself up with your entrance, you suddenly ask, “do you do this with all your cases?”

“Only the ones with boyfriends,” he winks.

The urge to laugh is hard, and your hand flies to your mouth again. For a second, you see a little smirk on Kai’s face as he tries not to break character with his own chuckle. 

But then that moment is over as soon as it comes, because he uses your distraction to push into you. You groan at the feeling, grabbing onto his shoulders tightly. He pulls out almost completely, but then rocks his hips back into you before finding a steady pace. 

As expected, his thrusts are aggressive, and you’re gasping for breath. Your tits catch his eyes as they bounce in place. His own grip on you is equal to that you have on him - both will probably leave light bruises for you to find in the morning. 

It isn’t long before you feel yourself losing strength. Your stomach muscles are sore from holding up your body, but when you lean back on the desk, Kai puts his hand out to support your head. He crawls up the length of your torso, kissing your neck and chest, and sucking on your tits. Neither of you will last much longer, but even in roleplays, he makes sure you come first.

“Come on, princess.” It’s the first thing he’s said in a while. It breaks through the obscene sounds of sex like a knife through butter. 

He uses his spare hand to rub your clit. You’re so close to the edge that tears form in your eyes. 

“Come on,” he prompts again. The hand holding up your head moves so it’s around your neck. Slight pressure is added, and Kai clicks his tongue to urge you to finish. 

Then, as if his convincing is exactly what you needed, you come. Your body shudders against the table, shaking, while moans spill out your lips. Your release is all he needs to follow close behind, filling you up with his seed. He pulls out before he softens uncomfortably, but plugs you up with his fingers before too much can escape. 

You take a moment to catch your breath. He helps you sit upright when you do, though, and he gives you a sloppy kiss to the mouth. 

“Relaxed now, ma’am?”

“Uh huh.”

“So where’s the weapon?”

Sleepily, you reply, “fell out of my top. It’s on the ground.” You point lazily to the floor where he now notices a small pocket knife. 

“Ah,” he clicks his tongue. “There it is! Okay…” Kai sets the knife on the table, then fetches an orange juice from the corner of the room. “I need you to drink this, please. It’s very important.”

“Okay.” 

Kai tinkers around while you drink the juice. By the time you finish the bottle, you’re able to stand up by yourself again. 

“Feel better?” He asks, buckling his belt back into place. 

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Good, because I still need to test that you’re not a criminal.”

“Wait, what?”

“Well, you had a knife on you that you tried to hide. And since you’ve been acting suspicious and have been way too sassy with me, I don’t feel comfortable letting you on the plane until I know you’re not a threat of national security.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Right. Give me one finger, please.”

You hold a hand out to him. 

Kai takes the liberty of pressing your pointer finger into something wet and black, and then stamps it down on a piece of paper. “Thank you. Just wait one minute.”

As he stares at the paper, you take to staring at your finger. Hesitantly, you lick it, wondering if he really used ink.

“Don’t lick it,” he reprimands immediately.

“Sorry.” 

It tasted like fruit, like he had mashed up blackberries or something. You want to giggle, but refrain. 

“While this processes, would you like to tell me why you were carrying a knife under your shirt?”

“I keep it there for self defense.”

“Why not in your pocket, or something?”

“Easier for me to grab, harder for attackers to see. But sir, may I add, I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I honestly forgot it was there. I was anxious about having to be in the parking garage and then totally forgot to put it in a better place. I’m really sorry. I promise I’m no threat to anyone.”

He sighs, reading your face. “I understand, ma’am. And it seems you’ve passed the test, so your story checks out.”

“I passed?”

“It appears so.”

“Okay, great!”

“That being said, you’re now free to go. Your stuff is right over there.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Thank you for your time. Oh, and might I suggest a few things?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, one, remember to not hide your weapons in your bra when you enter airports.”

“Sorry-”

“Two, throw out those condoms, because obviously, you don’t use them. Considering how fine you were without them ten minutes ago.”

“Excuse me?!”

“And three, you might want to get a pregnancy test. I come from a huge family, seven siblings, to be exact, and I also carry a twin gene.” Kai grins at you. “Have a nice flight!”

Keeping in character, your jaw drops. “Fuck! Are you serious?!” You exclaim loudly.

“Ma’am, please be wary of children in the airport.”

You shake your head in annoyance as you walk up the stairs, bag in hand, and away from him. 

◇◇◇◇

Twenty minutes later, Kai comes upstairs to find you on your bed. He wanted to give you some time to recover on your own, but will only leave you alone for so long before he needs to be by your side again. 

“Hi,” he greets, peering his head around the door.

“Hi, baby.”

“Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

“How are you? Was I too rough? Are you hurt anywhere? Was it too much?”

“Come here,” you gesture for him to join you. “None of those things, pumpkin. It was perfect. You were perfect.”

“Are your wrists bruised?” He asks anyway.

You send a question back before answering him. “Are your hips?”

“Maybe. But I don’t mind. It was worth it.”

“Well, my answer is the same.”

He’s only quiet for a second before continuing. “I liked that piece you had on today. That agent was right - you are a naughty girl.”

“Seems I am.” 

He gives you a kiss, then tucks his head into the crook of your neck with his arms around your waist. He doesn’t budge when you lean back and take him with you. Your head hits the pillow and he only nestles closer. 

After a while, though, he coughs. It’s not a sick cough, but more of a “new topic starter” kind of cough.

“You okay?” 

“Yeah. But I would, um, if I were you…”

“Would what, baby?”

“Take a test… like, a pregnancy test. Because we don’t use those condoms often, I didn’t even remember you had them, and I kinda…. I don’t know, but I think we should do that just in case.”

“You’re probably right. Especially after this time in particular.” You grow warm as you recall it. “We should probably use them more, too, considering how often…” You don’t feel the need to finish your sentence. Kai knows exactly what you mean. 

However, he just grunts. He adjusts slightly, enough to press a kiss to your cheek.

“What?” You pry. “You disagree?”

He shrugs. “I kinda like it being a roll of the dice. Which time are you gonna show up with two blue lines?” Your jaw drops in surprise “I already have a doctor roleplay planned out.” You go silent out of shock. Kai tenses after a minute. “Was that too far? We can use the condoms; I can work them into something.”

“No,” you finally say, “not too far.” A three second flash of the future runs in your mind. The first second, you stare down at a positive test. The second, his hands rest on your growing stomach, pretending to monitor a baby’s growth. The third, the sight of his smile at the prospects of being a father. It’s not something you really expected him to want, yet it seems to be on the forefront of his mind. “Not too far at all,” you repeat. 

Kai noticeably relaxes. “Ease into the doctor thing with me instructing you on the importance of condoms,” he jokes, “and then a couple months later, that conversation was obviously pointless.”

You can’t help but laugh. “Sounds like fun to me.”

“Good.” He nestles closer into you. “I like doing these with you.”

“I like them too, pumpkin. Are you getting tired?”

“Mhm.”

“Well on that note, goodnight. I love you.”

“Goodnight.” He places a kiss on your shoulder, too tired to pull himself back up to your lips. “I love you, too.”

[riality-check]

It starts, as always, with the bees.

They’re what the locals talk about. If you go into town, especially in the summertime when the air is dry and the sun is hot and any scrap of shade or breeze feels like a five star hotel, the locals talk about the bees. The swarms, the droning, the lazy flutters in the gardens and near the porches. 

If you see bees in Hawkins, Indiana, they say, they’re from the Lab.

The Lab isn’t actually a lab. It’s a derisive nickname for a community five miles outside of town; through the woods, near the woods, in the woods, they’re not really sure. No one from Hawkins goes further than the little sign on the dirt road to and from.

Honey Haven. An experimental community founded on trust, cooperation, and the goodness in all men’s hearts. Est. 1966. Population: 565. Settlement: five miles east.

“Experimental” was all it took for the locals to come up with the nickname. They’re a practical group - farmers, workmen, store owners - and not a creative one.

Steve nods politely and gently shoos a bee away from his face as he listens to the chief of police complain, for the fourth time in the two days they’ve been here, about being barred entry and denied warrants, about nearly being arrested himself when he tried to sneak in.

“Something is wrong about that place,” he insists.

“We know that, chief,” Robin says. “That's why we’re here.”

Well, it’s not the whole truth. The whole truth is that they’ve been asking enthusiastic locals for nearly six months now for help. They’ve asked the mailman for what mail he delivers there (beekeeping supplies and letters in, but few letters out), the garbage collector for what they throw out (wood, clothes, a whole lot of paper), and some bored housewives to root through the phone book and call the main line (a cheerful voice answers and promptly starts asking what got them interested).

All in all, it’s fishy. Maybe not as concerning as their client made it out to be, but worth paying a visit. Worth seeing what the deal is.

Worth meeting Eddie Munson, whose worried uncle hired Steve and Robin to investigate his whereabouts after not hearing from him for a year.

“They limit communication,” the chief - Hopper, his name tag says - “but they’ll let you come and go at first. We’ll be able to get more letters in than out.”

“We know,” Steve says, shooing another bee off of Robin. “We got this.”

“I really hope so.”

They say their polite goodbyes and start walking down the road. No cars in the settlement, they’ve learned. Too much noise, too much pollution. They hurt the bees.

Steve and Robin walk five miles down the dirt road in the middle of the afternoon in July. They’d speak, ordinarily, fill the silence with jokes and stories and laughter, but silence is nowhere to be found.

The droning of bees from swarms unseen fills the air, and Steve thinks, while fanning himself with his hands, that the sound could swallow him whole.

Part 2. Part 3 (background lore)

[bg-brainrot]

Hugs for a Vampire (Astarion x GN!Reader) - Chapter 5: After the Self-Same Trial

Chapter 5: After the Self-Same Trial

Each chapter can be read as a standalone hug.

Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader (Rogue!Tav)

Genre: Fluffy, Filling in Canon

Rating: Teen

Tags: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, POV Second Person, Act 2, Canon-typical violence, awkward, developing relationship

WC: 1.7k words, 5/18 chapters

Summary: After their mutual feelings are shared, Astarion and Rogue!Tav are relearning how to act around each other. A kiss-hug combo!

Ao3 | [Hug4][Hug6] | Hugs for a Vampire Masterlist

You’re facing the appropriately named “Self-Same Trial” and you can’t but feel a deep annoyance at yourself. Why the hells are you so good at dodging? Why won’t you just stand still?

It was early in the trial that you realized that you would need to face yourself. Karlach’s attempt to help Astarion only led to a wicked curse from above– there was likely some godly metaphor and lesson to be learned here, but you are too busy trying to stab yourself to care.

The problem with facing yourself, you quickly realize, is that you are good at killing. You hear Karlach roar a rageful cry and suffer a momentary lapse in your attention, one that your shadowy self takes advantage of immediately. A sharp knife stabs into your side– a perfect replica of your own knife. You look down at the betraying blade and back at your own shadow before dodging the next swipe.

Adrenaline pulses through you, keeping you moving, but you’re not making much of a dent on yourself. You would check to see how the others’ are faring, but you can’t afford another injury. Instead you call out, “Are you all alright?”

“Just peachy, thanks!” Karlach is the first to respond, and despite being unable to see her, you know she’s grinning from ear to ear. You suppose this might be a fun exercise, if only you weren’t so awfully annoying to fight.

“Making do,” Shadowheart says shortly after, she follows it with a loud shield bash and you can distantly see her shadow tumble to the ground.

Astarion remains quiet, and you’re a bit worried until you see him sneaking up on your duplicate. He gives you a casual wink before brandishing his blades on either side of your shadow. A fraction of a second later, he strikes.

“Is your flank always this open?” Astarion mocks, finding a vulnerable part of the creature’s armor and stabbing from the side. His blade digs deep and seeing it, you make a mental note to cover your side better.

Your shadow hisses in pain, but doesn’t lose its focus on you, aiming another shot at your torso. Something about having Astarion there, flanking this creature, allows you focus. Deflecting the blade, you move in to attack, piercing the creature with both of your blades in quick succession.

Its death is swift and anticlimactic, as it dissipates into a cloud of darkness. You breathe a sigh of relief before turning to Astarion. Your voice comes out harsh with concern as you survey him for dark magic, “You fool, you’re going to get cursed!”

He sighs and adopts a mocking tone, “‘You’re welcome, Astarion. I’m so grateful you saved my life, Astarion.’ See how easy that is?” He’s clearly taken a note from how you dealt with the Orthon.

“I’ll thank you when I make sure you won’t incur the wrath of Shar,” you snap back. 

“I’m fine,” he says, waving your concern away with a hand. “I remain blissfully uncursed.”

You see the truth of his words, he looks fine. Better than you do currently. “Well then, thank you,” you relent. Your words bring a dazzling smile to your lover’s face and you decide you must grant him as many ‘thank you’s as he requires. Focusing back to the combat at hand, you continue, “In that case, we should help the others.” 

Astarion gives you a short nod and you both move in unison to go help Shadowheart and Karlach. Helping each in turn, the shadows dissipate into the temple’s darkness, and leave you all breathing heavy in the silence that follows. 

“Gods, we’re the worst,” you say, breaking the silence and motioning your companions to regroup.

The combat over, Shadowheart recites a healing prayer for the group. Your wounds heal over in an instant and you exhale a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Shadowheart. I can’t believe I let myself get the better of me,” you say, with a chuckle.

“I can’t believe you did either,” Astarion quips. “Here I thought you were some grand assassin.”

“I am a grand assassin, which is why my shadow was actually able to actually hit me, unlike some other rogue I know.”

Karlach snorts from your side, “Is this how it’s going to be now? And we thought the flirting was bad before.” She makes a face at Shadowheart. 

“I knew Astarion would be bad,” the cleric starts. “But you?” She levels you with a disappointed look. “I expected a bit better.”

You give them both an offended gasp. “I am not flirting!”

“Really, darling? I certainly am, ” Astarion takes a few steps closer to you, eyes sparkling with mischief. Your heartbeat accelerates at his words, the lidded look he gives you. But you’re still somehow the leader of this group and you’ll be damned if you won’t keep it on the rails.

“You are not allowed to flirt,” you scold, pointing a finger at him sternly. “You could have been cursed. Shadowheart already needs to remove the curse from Karlach, what good would it have been for you to be afflicted too?”

“Well, I’m clearly not cursed,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Seems like Shar’s condition was removed as soon as I defeated myself, so I don’t see what the issue is.”

“How did you know the curse worked that way?” you question, not willing to drop this issue as long as your concern for him still eats at you.

“I didn’t, I suppose. But I wasn't about to leave you injured and in danger,” he scoffs, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. As if it wasn’t even a week ago that he would never be caught uttering such words, especially in front of the entire party.

“I see,” you say, suddenly struck by the change in his treatment of you. You clear your throat, unsure how to handle the shift. “I appreciate that you came to help, so thank you again.” 

Astarion brightens almost imperceptibly at that. “It was the least I could do. I am… happy to help.” He seems unsure about his own words, and your heart squeezes in affection.

“Can I kiss you?” you ask, the question hushed and tentative. The moment feels right, but you are also hyper-aware of both of your companions standing a few meters away.

“There is nothing I’d like more,” he responds, a warm smile gracing his lips– clearly unbothered by the audience. 

You close the distance between you both, placing a hand on his arm and your lips onto his. While you had intended for a quick post-battle peck, Astarion holds your elbow in place and leans into the kiss. His other arm wraps around your side and pulls you into his embrace.

As for your audience, Karlach can’t help herself for more than a second. Almost immediately she whistles at the two of you. “Get it, soldier!” A moment later she adds, “And I guess you too, Fangs.”

You can feel Astarion’s arm move away from yours, and from her cackle, you have the sneaking suspicion that he’s flipping Karlach off. Honestly though, you’re too focused on the feel of his lips on yours to care. The coolness of his lips, the soft pressure, the measured movement– you don’t think you could ever get tired of kissing this man.

After it lasts a bit too long for the comfort of your companions, Shadowheart gives an unsubtle cough. Your lips break apart, but Astarion is still hugging you to him, his expression that of mild annoyance.

“Did you need something?” he asks Shadowheart, eyes narrowed at her.

“Just wondering if we could expect either of you back this century,” the cleric retorts sarcastically. “If not, I’ll need to check if the forces of evil are willing to take a break until you’re ready.”

“What’s the point in defeating evil if you don’t have the chance to enjoy a lovely thank you along the way? But fine.” Your lover sighs reluctantly and finally lets you go. “Let’s get the hells out of this trial.”

The group collects itself and the spoils of your trial. Shadowheart removes Karlach’s curse, muttering something about how Shar is working in mysterious ways. After dusting yourselves off, you use the Umbral Transporter to return to the front of the chamber and resume the Gauntlet.

As you leave, Astarion walks next to you, matching your steps and pace. You sense that he’s doing so more out of precaution or wariness than to make it a cute relationship moment.

“Something on your mind?” you ask, tilting your head and looking at him.

“Well– It would have been quite silly of you to die to yourself, don’t you think.” Astarion sounds like he’s coming to terms with something, and you don’t find it to be too presumptuous to believe that it may be about you. You reach out a hand to his shoulder and squeeze gently, stopping him in his tracks. 

“Quite right. I would rather go out in a blaze of glory at this point,” you say, a wry grin on your face. “Though I know we talked about knives playing a role, it feels rather mundane now that we’re in the midst of an ancient temple to the Lady of Loss. I promise I won’t let something like that kill me, alright?”

He does seem to take solace in your words, morbid as they are. "Good. And I promise to erm… try to keep you alive. As best as I can."

If he hadn't already won your heart, his awkward vow might have claimed it once more. "Thank you, love. And you know I'll have your back too." 

"I know," he says, smiling. His expression shifts to something more serious as he continues, "Now to continue in this demented temple. You’d think Shar would be appeased by now, really."

"Oh, Lady of Sorrows guide us," Shadowheart calls from ahead. “We’ve only got one more to go, so please do keep it together until then. And hurry up, if you get lost in each other’s eyes we won’t bother finding you.”

[saibugslegacy]

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Hogtober Day 3 - Sebastian Sallow

Word Count: 1482 Characters/Relationship(s): Ambrose Varyn, Sebastian Sallow, Ominis Gaunt Setting: 5th year, canon, Undercroft and Room of Requirement Genre/Tags: Angst, the start of what I like to call the "Sebrose Divorce Arc"

“Now for the moment of truth,” Sebastian said. He was obviously nervous and Ambrose didn’t blame him. If this canvas didn’t fit into the Triptych…

“It has to fit,” Ambrose said.

He approached the triptych and lined up the canvas with the panel on the right side. As soon as he laid it out the canvas piece grew and mended itself until it fit the space so well it was like it had never left it. Ambrose heard Sebastian sigh in relief behind him.

The new view was a coastline, specifically a cliff face with trees lining the top. Ambrose had no idea where it was. He was incredibly lucky Sebastian grew up in the Hogwarts area or they would be completely lost.

“I don’t suppose you recognize the location in this bit of canvas?” Ambrose asked.

“The good news is, I do, in fact,” Sebastian answered.

“And the bad news?”

“We’re in for more trouble.”

Now it was Ambrose’s turn to sigh, though not in relief. Of course. Why could nothing be simple? Why did he have to blast his way through goblins and poachers to complete even simple tasks like retrieving a piece of a portrait?

“I know that coast,” Sebastian told him. There was an edge to his voice Ambrose didn’t like. “Ranrok has taken over a huge mine and the surrounding area. Marunweem has suffered for it. It’s as bad as Feldcroft’s become. Should we head there now?”

Ambrose’s impulse was to say yes and just go to get it over with. What was one more of Ranrok’s messes to clean up? After that he was sure there’d be another. Better to get on top of it and get the job done than whine about it.

Unless there was a better way. Maybe instead of cleaning up all of Ranrok’s messes Ambrose could stop him from making them at all. He already had another pair of eyes that would suit that exact purpose.

“We should wait,” Ambrose suggested.

“Why?” Sebastian demanded. Ambrose narrowed his eyes at the tone but he let it slide like he always did. Sebastian always got touchy around the subject of Ranrok and goblins, but Ambrose knew Sebastian well enough to know touchy was all it would be.

“We’ve been a step behind Ranrok this whole time,” Ambrose pointed out. “I may know someone who could help us get ahead.”

“Who is that?” Sebastian asked. See, he was already more on edge than angry, which was progress.

“A friendly goblin,” Ambrose said, completely thoughtlessly. Maybe the rest of the situation could have been avoided had he put a little more thought into his words and the boy in front of him. “He won’t-”

“A friendly goblin?” Sebastian exclaimed. “You know goblins cursed my sister to shut her up. Said she should be ‘seen and not heard’.”

Ambrose did know that. He bit back another sigh. Sighing seemed to be all he did nowadays.

“I do,” Ambrose replied patiently. “But not all goblins-”

“Not all goblins what?!” Sebastian cried. “Have you forgotten Feldcroft? Have you forgotten the mine we just went through?”

Ambrose felt his fingers clenching into a fist as he tried to control his frustration. Sometimes Sebastian reacted in anger in a way he didn’t mean. All Ambrose had to do was stay calm and the anger would pass. But with Sebastian continuing to interrupt him he wasn’t sure how long his patience would hold.

Ambrose hated being angry. It made him feel dirty and wrong. He especially hated acting on his anger. That made him feel like his mother. His patience was his virtue. It kept him calm, collected, and had saved multiple tense situations from escalating.

But over the last few months he hadn’t been able to wish away his anger. He pushed it away but it just stored itself in the back of his mind. His frustration, exhaustion, irritation, even the pure rage he felt when the Poachers attacked his brother. He was on the edge of snapping already and Sebastian was making it hard.

“No, Sebastian, I haven’t,” Ambrose assured him. “But you aren’t listening to me.”

“Why would I listen to someone so ignorant?!”

Ambrose swung.

His fist collided with Sebastian’s jaw, sending him stumbling into the wall behind him. Before he even realized what he was doing Ambrose swung again, hitting him in the temple and leaving him sprawled on the ground.

“How fucking dare you,” Ambrose growled. “Ignorant? Me?! After everything I’ve done for you? I was right there next yo uou through your tempter tantrums and outbursts and stupid decisions, having your back you ungrateful child. I ask you for this one thing, to have an open mind and be reasonable, and you called me ignorant?!”

“You are so full of spite and bitterness you don’t even see it. How your darkness infects everyone around you. How ignorant you are. I clung to you anyway, so sure I could help you. For once not because I thought it was my responsibility, but because I wanted to because for some reason I care about you. I wanted to be your light but now I’m not even sure you deserve it. You don’t deserve my patience. You don’t deserve my trust. And after that you don’t deserve my friendship.”

“Then keep it!” Sebastian shouted back. “I don’t want it anymore if you’re going to think like this! I don’t want to be saved! I don’t need saved! Anne does! And if you aren’t going to help me get justice for her or save her then stay out of my life.”

Ambrose wanted to stay. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe to apologize. Maybe to yell more. Maybe to try and reason with him. But none of those things happened. None of those things would matter. Sebastian would hear none of them. So he left Sebastian there on a floor with an already forming bruise on his jaw and Ambrose’s broken heart right next to him.

He didn’t really expect anyone to look for him. No one else knew what happened to him. He assumed he could spend the rest of the night right where he was and just gather himself in the morning. As always, he underestimated his boyfriend.

When Ominis found him the Room of Requirement had been completely torn apart. As soon as Ambrose had stormed in he’d sent Deek away so the house elf wouldn’t have to see it, then he started throwing things to the ground and casting every destructive curse he knew. By the time he’d sank to the ground on the staircase, broken and defeated, there was nothing left intact.

His desk was in charred pieces. The potions stations had been demolished, spilling ingredients, glass phials, and deformed cauldrons onto the floor. Dirt covered half the room after he cast bombarda at his plants. Most of them were on fire now. The banners and statues he used to decorate the room had been torn apart.

When the door opened Ambrose didn’t bother to move other than to turn his head. Ominis stood there, wand lit with red light. He seemed frozen, trying to take in however much of the damage his wand could pick up. Ambrose wanted to warn him to be careful since he wouldn’t be able to see things like embers and glass, but his voice didn’t seem to work.

“Reparo,” Ominis casted. The spell worked perfectly. He’d need new ingredients and seeds but everything else fixed itself right before his eyes, down to the Slytherin banners on the wall. He felt sick looking at them now. His brain kept going back to the Scriptorium, where he’d let Sebastian torture him only for everything to end like this.

“Ambrose?” Ominis called into the room, grip on his wand so tight Ambrose could see his white knuckles from across the room. Right, Ambrose probably blended into the chaos Ominis had fixed for him.

“Over here,” Ambrose muttered.

Ominis approached him, putting a hand out to feel the staircase. He slid down to sit next to Ambrose. For a few minutes nothing happened. Neither of them moved or spoke or even touched. Just being around Ominis helped him relax some. It was hard to be angry around him. Not that he had much anger left. Now he just felt lost. At least with Ominis he didn’t feel alone.

“What happened?” Ominis asked quietly.

“Sebastian Sallow,” Ambrose answered, but calling his mumbles speech may be a stretch.

“I see,” Ominis sighed.

He scooted closer and Ambrose turned to rest his head on Ominis’s shoulder. Ominis set down his wand to wrap his arms around Ambrose’s shoulders and just held him. Maybe Ambrose should have cried. He probably needed to. There was no better time to do it. But he didn’t have tears or rage left. All of it was gone along with Sebastian.

[monster-cock69]

we'll be perfect

AO3 link here

Pairings: Peter x Tony

Tags: Future AU, Wholesome As Fuck, Adoption, Accidental Baby Acquisition

Warnings: None

Rating: Teen

Summary:

Peter had gotten used to his mundane life. He woke up, had breakfast in bed, watched reality shows, and repeated. Becoming parents was their next step. Naturally, they had to do it in the least mundane way possible.

Over time, Peter had come to appreciate the lack of excitement in his life. Sure, he’d looked forward to downtime, but eventually, the itch to go back into the world and do something would overcome him and he’d be swinging out of the nearest window. 

Today, his biggest goal was to stay in bed as long as possible and catch up on trashy reality shows. 

They’d already binged more than they could count, and Peter found yelling at horny people was more fun than getting annoyed at medical or procedural inaccuracies. 

In front of him, Aunt May’s contact took up a corner of the television as JARVIS announced the incoming call. 

“Answer it, JARVIS.”

“Peter I have good news and bad,” she rushed out, “bad news is Tony’s going to have to buy some cops. Good news is I got you a baby.” Her voice trembled with nerves, and he nearly couldn’t hear her over the sounds of screaming and shouting in the background. The loudest, most unmistakable sound though was that of a wailing baby. 

He opened his mouth to respond, at a loss for words. Then the call cut out. 

Tony was already throwing clothes at him as he half stumbled, half hopped out of his pajamas. His hair was sticking up in all sorts of directions, and Peter knew he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet.

“Well, you know, they say to be careful what you wish for.” 

“JARVIS is printing out our paperwork, Pete, and I already have him calling Agent Junior. It’ll be an all hands on deck sort of thing.”

“Did you call the lawyers?”

“Nah, they might just complicate things. Plan is SHIELD realizes they can’t put the kid in foster care and we come in to save the day.” 

“Look,” he said after noticing Peter’s worry, “no matter what we’ll be okay. Right? We’ve always been.”

Peter ran his hands through his hair, trying his best to pretend he was calm. Tony’s plan would probably work but there were too many ways it could go wrong. They’d been cleared by both an adoption agency and ACS but the publicity of – them really – made things slow going and higher-ups weary.

“We’ll be perfect,” he said in lieu of the truth. 

Downstairs, the car that Peter had learned to ignore was in the front, ready to go. Tony had taken the same type of car that SHIELD used and somehow made it even safer. It had top-of-the-line crash protection and enough airbags to make it float. 

What he’d really been ignoring, though was the car seat fastened in the back. 

“J, transfer Junior.”

“Look, I don’t know what the fuck kind of deal you had with the last guy, but I’m not helping you steal a baby out of the hospital.”

“Jack, we wouldn’t have gotten that call for no reason.” Tony bit out, pulling onto the street, “That kid’s got some sort of powers or something else going on with it. Get your ass to LIJ and do your job.”

“Tony–”

“You got a real way of talking to people you want favors from. And you’re lucky the hospital’s security cam footage came up. Kid was a safe surrender.”

Tony shot the speaker a dirty look and flipped off the red light camera as they waited for Agent Jones to elaborate. 

“I’m flying in,” he said after a beat, “I’ll be there in a few. But, if SHIELD’S getting involved, you know the kid’ll have to at least get classified before you can go home with it.”

Tony opened his mouth to retort, knuckles going white from clenching the steering wheel. 

Then Jack cut the line.

“Looks like we’re getting the band back together,” Tony sighed, “cause those doctors are not touching that fucking kid.”

“JARVIS, get Bruce on the line,” Peter said instead of replying. 

It went to voicemail. 

“JARVIS, try Strange.”

“JARVIS, absolutely not. We’re not calling the wizard.” 

“JARVIS, just call him.”

The call went through as they haphazardly avoided an accident with a school bus. 

As the phone rang, he shot Tony a look. If his husband took control of this call things could end badly.

“I’m not doing you any favors, Stark.”

“How about doing me and a soon-to-be Stark a favor?”

“Did your husband finally figure out the secret to cisgender male pregnancy?”

“Not yet, but a baby was just surrendered at LIJ and is showing extreme signs of powers–”

“I’m not a pediatrician.”

“We just need you to do the classification tests. SHIELD doctors aren’t exactly welcoming.”

“I’m upstate, either get me a jet or–.” 

“JARVIS’ll get something, sit tight and we’ll see you soon,” Tony interjected.

“And thank you,” Peter finished. Predictably, Strange hung up as soon as he could.

“So we’re parents now,” Tony announced.

“Are you hoping for a gender?” 

“I’m just hoping it’s cute and doesn’t melt my face off.” 

“We’ve already got the room ready at least– oh fuck.”

The entire block was flooded with police cars, and what looked like a SWAT team was trying to maneuver through the thick traffic. 

Half of the cars didn’t have any lights on and it looked like most of the hospital was dark. A few of the cars had crashed but there didn’t seem to be signs of a serious pile-up.

At the center of the melee was former police captain George Stacy, holding a bullhorn and wearing – of all things, a Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts.

He turned toward them, then shouted at the other officers to let the car through. 

“Thought you were retired,” he called toward Tony.

“And I thought you were retired.”

The former captain made a meh sound, then waved dismissively at them. 

“Park over there and fix this mess, please,” As Tony went to do so, he caught sight of Peter, “Still don’t like you, Parker.”

“Love you more, Sir.”

For a second, it was almost easy. Walking through the chaos and shouldering past whoever tried to get in their way was familiar in a way that almost nothing else was these days. The cops hated him as much as they always did, and people were equally relieved and apprehensive about seeing them. It was easy. 

Until he got to the small janitor’s closet just outside of the NICU. The power on that floor had been entirely cut, so there were no actual patients there, only increasingly annoyed cops and a small congregation of SHIELD agents. 

Agent Jones – who would likely dream of slitting their throats tonight – pounded on the door in front of him. 

“Alright, your saviors are here now. You can open up.” 

“Send me Peter!” She retorted. 

He ignored the dirty looks and shouldered through. He and the NYPD had always had a strained relationship. 

When he entered the room, May was holding a tightly wrapped and peacefully sleeping bundle. 

“A woman just came and dropped her off, said she couldn’t deal with her anymore. We got her hooked up to the monitors, and the second she was uncomfortable fuses started blowing. I didn’t know who else to call.” 

“We made a bunch of calls. Those SHIELD guys are our’s, and we’ve got Strange coming in to take a look at her. SHIELD’ll expedite the paperwork, and she’ll be home with us by tonight.”

“She’ll be alright?” 

Peter stared at the baby’s wrinkled brow, listened to her snuffling breaths, and felt something in his chest loosen.

“She’ll be perfect.”

[wannab-urs]

Outtakes - Non-smut vol 2

AO3 | Kofi | Main Masterlist | The Spreadsheet Masterlist | vol 1

Hi friends! Sometimes we want fics that are SFW or we just want to make ourselves sad or we need a little pick me up. I'm here with a list of fics that have no (explicit) smut as of posting! They may have smutty thoughts or mild allusions to smut, but those are marked in the warnings!

Summaries and tags are, in most cases, provided by the author - please be sure to read them as some of these fics may have content you do not wish to read.

updated 8/11/2024

i wonder if you stopped his world like you stopped mine

Frankie one shot by @chronically-ghosted

watching the woman he loves be with someone else is killing him, but for your sake, he manages. But when Benny's birthday loosens him up, he can't help but bear his soul over a phone call. Too bad you don't pick up and he's forced to leave the evidence in a voicemail.

pining, light angst, idiots in love, country music as a catalyst, romance, tw alcohol, tw drinking, hangovers, ultimately very fluffy

Ezra's Journal Entries

Ezra series by @littlemisspascal

This journal’s as good a place as any to admit the honest truth. So here it is: I wish with the entirety of my bloody, beating heart I could be the man you deserve, little love of mine. — Ezra recovers after the events of the film with the aid of a journal and the love of his life.

angsty fluff, Ezra’s dealing with the aftermath of the Green, language, 1st person POV (Ezra), dialogue in italics, angsty fluff, night terrors, PTSD, Ezra dealing with the aftermath of the Green, language, overuse of space metaphors, grief/dealing with loss of a sibling, mild reference of past injury, Part 11 could be read as suicidal ideation so please skip/be warned of that segment due to possible triggers

midnight strikes, where is my prince

Frankie one shot by @undercoverpena

he had been your neighbour. a man you'd stare at through blinds when he’d been on the front lawn. a man you’re now staring at through splintered shards of your mirror—because he saved you.

ANGST 😂. there’s mentions of a break-in. frankie is there and he has a gun, so you know we’re okay. angst. inspired by a scene from scandal-if you know, you know

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

Marcus P one shot by @whataperfectwasteoftime

I am a visitor here. I am not permanent.

angst, breakups, mentions of Teresa x Patrick Jane

Constellations in his eyes

Dave York one shot by @janaispunk

Your fiancé stands you up on your birthday. Dave doesn’t.

infidelity, shitty boyfriend, angst, fluff, kissing, able-bodied reader, reader has hair, no use of y/n

The One

Dieter one shot by @schnarfer

If one thing had been different, would everything be different today?

Bit of emotional torment, drink and drugs references, Dieter POV, happy ending? Always Fleabag coded.

House Arrest

Dieter one shot by @rulexofxnines

Dieter stays over at your place out of desperation. Things get out of hand so you take control of the situation.

forced proximity, only one bed, a goat

The Howler Monkey

Dieter one shot by @covetyou

You got him here, he was safely tucked away upstairs and everything was going, mostly, according to plan. So, who the fuck is screaming?

no smut but some nudity, implied drug use/addiction, little bit silly, mildly angsty, performance anxiety, screaming, Dieter Bravo's soft cock. basically mild hurt/comfort/fluff with my usual bit of silliness.

Vampire!Dieter

Dieter one shot by @chronically-ghosted

Interview with a vampire, gatsby style

flirting, a bit of blood, maybe dubcon due to The Thrall but i think it's safe to say we all want It from vampire!dieter

Paint With Me

Frankie one shot by @bitchesuntitled

You have a crush on the dad of your daughter’s best friend.

Sexual innuendos and cursing

Door Number Three

Javi G drabble by @morallyinept

Javi shows you what he keeps behind that mirrored door

Character talk alludes to sexy things.

The Infinity Cube

Various Pedro Boy series by @littlemisspascal

When you play with a strange cube, you’re transported out of your current reality with your boyfriend Marcus into brand new ones starring alternate versions of your boyfriend who look and act entirely different every time. With each encounter, you start to wonder if you’ll ever make it back to your real universe?

language, fluff, angst, references to sex but no smut

Hello to the Green

Ezra one shot by @the-blind-assassin-12

Down a ship, a crew, and a working air filter, and suffering from a rapidly worsening infection, Ezra makes one last ditch effort to get home. And he hopes it’s enough.

language, angst, injury and illness, death

Only Heaven I'll Be Sent To

Joel one shot by @freelancearsonist

Joel finds a familiar face while out on a smuggling run.

Rated PG for pure angst, one single kiss, and references to Joel's self-inflicted gun wound/self harm

You're the Loss of My Life

Din one shot by @beskarandblasters

You reminisce on your time with your riduur after his death.

whole lotta angst, fluff in the form of memories, riduur = spouse, talks of death

Sun to Me

Javi P one shot by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin

Javi wakes up early to do chores, but can’t peel himself away from you just yet.

some PTSD related stuff, smoking and drinking (come on its javi) but other than that just some sweet domestic fluff, reader is able-bodied but otherwise undescribed.

Delicate

Joel one shot by @beskarandblasters

You play with Joel’s hair during a moment of anguish.

angst with a fluffy ending

Observations

Joel one shot by @ezrasbirdie

You're not like the other girls, but it'd be easier if you were. Joel Miller doesn't see it that way.

lots of feelings of insecurity, reader is neurodivergent, this very soft, Joel is very soft, reader is in her 30s, Joel is in his 50s

Duality of a Man

Joel series by @wildemaven

A woman shows up at your door looking for your boyfriend

Mentions of food, Mentions of killing, death, birth, birth trauma

Imperfect for you

Joel one shot by @joelscruff

you never thought joel miller would accidentally call you baby.

age gap (joel is mid 40s, reader is 23), fluff, very brief instance of blood, tending to a wound, joel is eepy, soft kisses, cuddles

What it is to grow

Joel one shot by @burntheedges

Joel knows he can't keep running from it – from Her – forever.

angst, hurt/comfort, hope, mentions of the canon depths of Joel’s depression (pills, alcohol, darkness, etc.), canon character death (Sarah), AU with Greek lore/gods & goddesses in the TLOU universe, character study

Back to You

Din series by @kyberblade

You’ve been friends with Mando for years, and he drops by your hole in the wall bar from time to time to catch up. This time, however, he’s carrying an extra little green passenger with him. They are on the run, which is unsettling because Mando doesn’t run from things. Things run from him. A tracking fob, a dead body, and a confession later, all three of you set out to help the child find it’s kind.

Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Angst, Humor, Friends to Lovers, Introspection, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Romantic Friendship, Emotions, Grogu | Baby Yoda Being a Little Shit, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Protective Din Djarin, Good Parent Din Djarin, Soft Din Djarin, Force-Sensitive Reader, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Spicy thoughts, but no smut

Midnight Rainstorms

Javi P one shot by @thundermartini

Javier is coming home late, escaping from a storm. You’re trying hard not to drown in the incessant rain.

no y/n, female reader, reader is not physically described (except she has long hair), javier and reader are married, mentions of anxiety, mentions of trauma, mentions of guilt, mentions of narcos plot but it’s a blur, nightmare so it may be triggering, grief, no beta.

Life and Loss

Joel one shot by @wildemaven

Momentos of him, your late husband, have remained tucked away for the last year following his unexpected death. As you settle into your new widowed life and new home over a thousand miles away from the life you created with Dave, all the beautiful memories reside in cardboard boxes out of sight.

death, grief/loss, major character death (no description of said death), AU and crossover universes, kind of fluffy, navigating loss, reader is non descriptive/blank slate.

Call It What You Want

Joel one shot by @chaotic-mystery

Who knew a storm would push you and Joel exactly where you wanted to be but never thought you’d end up?

shocker shocker, Mads wrote fluff for once! There’s a slight mention of arson and your house burning down but ya know, the rest of it is fluff. Nicknames, implied age gap but it’s not specified, storms. NO USE OF Y/N.

Stretch

Joel/Dieter one shot by @sp00kymulderr

Dieter introduces you to his yoga instructor.

M for mentions of sex. AU in which Joel is very flexible. Dieter is a menace. Daydreaming about a threesome. Reader is able bodied/takes part in a yoga class. No use of pronouns for reader but they are called babe & baby. No actual smut

Don't You Ever Grow Up

Joel one shot by @proxima-writes

Joel experiences many emotions as Sarah reaches the childhood milestone of getting her “big girl” bed.

FLUFF and like the kind of angst that makes you smile

Bittersweet Love

Dieter one shot by @ozarkthedog

Dieter is in recovery from drug addiction, the disease that cost him you. This is his first premiere after getting clean and his first one without you.

Angst but with a happy ending! mentions of drug use and alcohol but nothing graphic.

Where You Left Me

Frankie one shot by @chaotic-mystery

You meet Frankie for a date and reminisce about your relationship.

MAJOR character death. No movie AU but fuck Tom. This is overall angst heavy and please take care of yourself. Grief & loss, sadness, memories, I think that’s it? It’s just overall a bittersweet and tragically lovesick story. There’s no physical descriptions of reader other than wearing a black dress at one point and having hair that tickles Frankie’s nose. no y/n used

The Guard Dog

Pero Tovar one shot by @avastrasposts

Sent to your uncle's bleak castle in the north of England, you expect only a dreary existence until you meet his groundskeeper, a scarred, frightening Spaniard. But love in the Victorian era is not easy and life doesn't follow straight paths.

this is mainly all fluff with a bit of angst. Some of that casual racism and prejudice of the period rears its ugly head though. I've tried to keep the reader as blank as possible, but it's Victorian England and she's a lady so I have to presume she doesn't speak Spanish and has fair skin. No use of y/n.

Happy Reading!

[lustnluv]

devil night - john b and angel

three years ago

angel

“please. you’re really going to let me go with some guy that i don’t know?” i asked my friend, tugging on his school blazer so he can look at me. sighing, nico turned over to me and shook his head.

“you can go with anyone else. you’re drop dead gorgeous and that’s the whole point of the dance. to ask out who you want to.”

“and i want to ask you. so how about it? with me you know exactly what you’re getting into and there’s no playing games.”

“tell me you don’t want to go with andrew without telling me you don’t want to go with andrew. suprised he didn’t pop up as soon as you ask me. i expect him to tag you or something. at least have a wire.” he joked tapping my shoulder and leaning closer to it, pretending he was talking in a microphone. “hey andy. how you doing today?”

pushing him off as he started laughing hysterically my voice turned pleading. “come on. we always have a good time when we’re together.” and i don’t want to be hounded all night by andrew and create false expectations on what we are.

i don’t say that part out loud though.

nico might be joking about the microphone but i don’t put it past him. andy always seems to find me even when i’m not telling him where i’m going.

“fine. i’ll go with you.” he gives in and i give a quick squeeze. “thank you. it won’t be disappointing i swear.” i said before heading to my class of the day.

now it’s gonna be easier to talk about the upcoming dance at dinner tonight when mrs routledge brings it up. i could tell the truth instead of changing the subject and feel the need to hide because of andy’s eyes on me.

making sure my hair covered my entire neck, i slipped into my seat next to my friend laura. she flashed me a smile as we got paper out. pop quiz friday. we know the routine.

as the class starts to settle in a senior comes in beaming. “they’re here!” she squeals as she makes her way to her friends and they start giggling as they talk?

who’s here?

“alright class. you know the drill. solve these five problems.” mr gary said turning on the projection and the sound of pencils soon fill the room as we solved the problems.

slope formula is y = mx + b and if x equals zero that means b and m is equal.

i watch as a freshman came into the classroom and gave a note to the mr gary. he read the note and sighed and pulled out a book, pretending to read it.

what?

then I heard the music playing.

they’re here.

the banging on the lockers soon followed.

they’re really here.

four figures came into the classroom. all wearing black hoodies and black pants with masks. jj maybank, rafe cameron, pope heyward, and the one who is the reason i refuse to be anything but friendly to andrew. his older, taller, hotter, and a whole lot more intimidating brother john b routledge.

the four horseman.

they were back.

probably because the basketball team sucked without them. i used to go to every game now i go once in a while and i didn’t pay attention to any of the new players. the new players weren’t them.

whatever magic the team had, it seemed they took it with them. no wonder the coaches or the sponsors called them down from college to pump up the team spirits.

do the tradition no one else seen be able to do. outer banks’ favorite holiday.

devil’s night.

a night of pure chaos where all adults looked away for the night. only the police trying to keep a leash on us.

“ryder johnson.” a boy from the back of the classroom got up. his eyes get flickering around, nervous as we all watched him. “yeah get some ryder.” that made him walk straighter to the one with the black mask - rafe cameron - and a smile to appear on his face as he walked out with rafe’s hand on his neck.

“walter james.” they called again and he didn’t hesitate as the one with the white mask - pope heyward - brought him out.

I can hear a couple of the girls giggling and i put my head back down. finish my work and prepare for what my friends were going to drag me on later.

i heard one of their boots start to walk. probably to see if they miss any other player.

they stopped at my desk.

i can feel my face heat up as i felt their stare on me. no one was whispering now.

looking up, my eyes meeting his and my breath hitched. i was facing the one with the red mask. the one that i was looking for every room i went in. the one whose presence i couldn’t shake even after he left for college.

john b.

our eyes held.

what does he want? he got all the people he wanted for now. girls who was old enough would follow and he would and could have anybody he wants.

but no. his focus was completely on me. it was like the whole classroom was gone and it was just the two of us.

he leaned closer and I sat up more, not wanting to be the one to ruin this. no matter what my thoughts yelled at me.

“she can’t go. she’s only seventeen.” mr gary said but he stayed in his seat. john b didn’t look away from me.

he knew what age i was. just a month younger then his brother. he didn’t budge.

“see something you like?” jj asked.

john b didn’t respond.

“okay. see something you want to bring?” john b shook his head and sat up more. “not yet anyway.” he whispered before they walked out,

my eyes followed as they walked out the room and stayed on the door as two girls walked out with their books, making terrible excuses not even trying to hide their smiles.

“five more minutes.” mr gary announced and i know he meant the quiz but who gives a shit now.

“can you bring this to my house?” i asked laura and raised my hand, putting the other on my stomach. “what are you do-?”

“yes ms santos?”

“my stomach doesn’t feel so good. can i go to the nurse?” he nodded and wrote me a pass.

i expected as much. who would believe that perfect little angel santos would be doing anything else? the straight a student who does volunteer work and wears her uniform in perfect order would be sneaking off to hang out with boys too old for her?

i grabbed the pass from him with a small smile and made my way out. hoping that they didn’t leave yet.

turning the corner in the parking lot, i saw them. the rest of the parking lot was dead so it was easy but it seemed like that everywhere they go. they had an aura that draws you to them.

pope heyward smiling with his mask on, drinking a beer and handing the rest out to the basketball players and girls there. rafe cameron was watching with his arms crossed, getting checked out by some of the girls.

rafe and pope’s car was filled with people. meanwhile it looked like they were using jj’s to house all the drinks.

perfect.

getting closer i prayed they didn’t notice me as i open john b’s car door and sat on the floor. i kept the door open as they got everybody riled up for their next stop.

“man, i do miss high school girls. they don’t give any lip back when you tell them something.” rafe mumbled and i heard jj chuckle.

“where are we going?” someone asked.

“somewhere where they can’t hear you scream.” that was pope’s warm deep voice.

“don’t scare them. that’s what the party is for.” rafe teased and the three of them laughed.

“are you guys done? let’s go.”

john b.

“what got him so pissy?” pope asked and i heard them get farther.

jj ignored his question. “she’s growing up fast and nice huh?”

“yeah. it’s getting harder to pretend not to notice her anymore.” john b replied and I felt something tugging on my heart.

but it was nothing new. he always had a new girl on his arm. he wasn’t mine to keep and i thought i gotten used to that fact.

“who are you guys talking about?” rafe questioned.

“no one. everyone get in their cars. i’m ready to get this weekend ready already.” he said and slammed his door behind him and I closed mine at the same time and laid back in the car.

the roar of the engine underneath me as i try to keep as still as possible. ready for wherever and whatever i was getting myself into.

[kikufuku01]

I Love You Always

Sukuna x Reader

Part 10 Dancing on Your Own ♡ ♡ ♡ Part 11 Toxic in You series m. list

Reblogs likes and comments are appreciated!

Taglist is open, just message me if you'd like to be tagged in upcoming posts! Must be 18+!

It hasn’t been the same since. Sukuna acts like he’s fine with you when you’re around the others, but now his eyes don’t linger on you. He barely starts a conversation with you, shit, he talks to Kazuya more than he does with you. Kaede thought it was weird but you told her it was nothing. Just friends outgrowing each other due to hanging out too much in the past. They don’t seem exclusive yet either, so it’s safe to say that they’re still talking? You don’t know, but you’ve been trying to drown yourself in Kazuya as much as possible. You’ve been ditching Kaede’s group invites, saying that you and Kazuya were already busy, and when he’d try to join them, you would tell him to give them some space.

Another thing is, you’re completely dreading today. It just feels like it’s gonna be a bad day. You’re pushing the cart around the store with an empty mind while your mom adds things in. She’s on the phone with your dad, talking about work or whatever, so you’re just left alone to follow aimlessly.

“Did you want this, sweetheart?”

She’s holding a pack of Himemaru rice crackers in the air to get your attention. You barely look at them, “sure.”

Just like that, she drops them in the cart and continues her conversation on the phone. Nothing in particular catches your attention since you don’t seem to have much of an appetite lately. You wouldn’t call it depression either, that’d be going overboard. You just miss how things were before.

Your mom taps your arm, “are you alright these days? You’re not grabbing all the snacks you usually eat.”

“I’m on a diet,” you lie, turning into the next aisle.

She stops you right there and crosses her arms, a worried look in her eyes. They search you for answers before she opens her mouth again, “you know, before I was afraid you were eating too much and now…”

Her nervous smile quivers, “you’re not eating and it’s a drastic change. These are also signs of pregnancy, sweetheart. You’ve been going out a lot and staying out during late hours, I’m afraid of what you’ve been doing.”

“Mom–”

“I’m not stupid. I was your age once too, you know. I know that you’re having fun, but I just wish for you to be safe. Your father hasn’t caught on, but I am concerned. How about after we shop, I take you to the clinic to get a checkup?”

“I haven’t done those things yet, so there’s nothing to be scared of. We’ll just waste our time going over there.”

The attitude in your tone takes your mom by surprise but she nods in defeat, “you sound like you’re telling the truth, then.”

You stick your tongue out at her to lighten the mood, “let’s just finish this up and go back home.”

♡ ♡ ♡

Your dad has been walking on eggshells around you as well over the last few months. He doesn’t speak to you any different, but maybe he too can pick up on your shift in mood. Is it really that drastic? Surely you’ve always been a grump, so what’s the big difference?

“I’ll take those,” he says as he takes the groceries from your hands.

You allow him to take them and follow him into the kitchen to help sort out the items. Your mom also comes in to help, leaving out what she’ll make for dinner.

“Will you be joining us?”

You look at your dad with a shrug, “I think I have plans with someone, so I’m not sure.”

He juts his lips but nods understandably, “you are going out with a female friend or male?”

“It’s a mix of both genders. We’re a group of people.”

“Shouldn’t you introduce us so that we know who you’re with?”

“It’s not necessary, so no.”

You give him stern eyes and head towards your bedroom. You’re annoyed by people constantly prying into your life. You don’t want them to meet Kazuya because they’ll misunderstand what he is to you, and you most certainly do not want them to meet someone like Sukuna. They’ll only judge, because that’s all they do. Especially your mom.

Since you’re bored, you decide to change out of what you’re currently wearing and put something else on. “I’ll be back later,” you shout as you close the door behind you.

Your feet guide you through the area you first saw Sukuna. He’s not there anymore, obviously. The spot is now taken over by a guitarist, playing his heart out to make some extra cash. The tune sounds nice to your ears, but it does strike a couple of heartstrings. A grin appears on your lips as you dig into your wallet, grabbing a single twenty. You diligently place the bill in his guitar case and back up into the rest of the crowd again to listen.

The man sends you a gracious smile and tips his head at you, “thank you~”

Your hands come out in front of you and wave, “don’t mention it.”

The man leans towards a smaller build, with soft fluffy hair and delicate looking hands. He’s pretty, but you can tell he’s fairly young, possibly mid-teens. He’s completely different from Sukuna– why are you even comparing the two? You snap out of your own thoughts and turn around to leave the crowd. Probably wasn’t a wise choice to revisit such a nostalgic area.

You shove your airpods in and blast music to drown out the real world while you walk to the next destination. It doesn’t take you too long, but you push through the doors and approach the hostess, “hi, I’m sorry, do you know if Mastuyama Kazuya is working today?”

She beams brightly and bows a bit, “oh yes, his shift should be over in a few hours. Let me get him for you, he’s in the back.”

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t know you were coming,” he greets, coming out from the back.

“Just thought I’d visit you for a bit,” you reason, “sorry, is it rush hour for you?”

Kazuya titters softly, “you’re fine, the kitchen can handle it.”

You push your hair behind your ear as you speak, “I’ll just be a second. I know you’re busy, so are we still going to the movies later tonight?”

“About that…” he trails off.

He wipes the sweat from his forehead with his forearms and pouts a bit, “I must be famous today. Sukuna and Kaede came to visit not too long ago.”

“Did they?”

You’re not sure as to why he’d bring them up, but you listen anyway.

Kazuya gestures towards a table, “yeah, they finished their meal like half an hour ago.”

“What do they have to do with our plans later?”

“Matsuyama, we need you back on the stove,” an employee says as he pokes his head out.

Kazuya nods hurriedly at him, “I’ll be right there.” He gently pinches your cheek, “they invited us to the club tonight and I kind of agreed without thinking. Don’t be too mad, okay? I gotta go, so I’ll see you tonight. See ya!”

“But–”

A fat sigh blows past your lips at the sight of him rushing back into the kitchen. Damn, you knew today felt shitty for a reason. Clubbing? With Sukuna? In a place where alcohol is involved? Not that you have to drink, but the environment is giving you flashbacks of that night, and it’s not bright. You will admit, there are times when you have dreams of that night and it drives you crazy! It’s that guilty conscience of yours…

Maybe you can find a way out of this, right?

♡ ♡ ♡

Kaede keeps blowing up your phone about tonight’s plan. She wants to know what you’ll wear, how you’ll do your hair etc. You’re not answering her much, just giving her short responses. Do you sound like a bitch? Probably. Do you care? Not really. Everything in your closet seems too bland and stupid but you managed to figure something out. It wasn’t anything too flashy, since you still have to see your parents, but enough to get you into the club.

You’re outside the gate, waiting for Sukuna’s car. He decided it’d be cheaper and safest to just use his chauffeur and who are you to argue against that? There’s a mix of emotions that you’re feeling as you wait, but the most defined one is anger and irritation. You don’t want to see Sukuna and Kaede flirt, mainly because you’ve been getting those flashbacks. Shit, you can barely look them in the eyes.

Right as you’re thinking this, you see the familiar black car pull up. It stops right in front of you and the passenger window rolls down.

“Get in,” he spits out coldly.

You barely catch it. That’s how low it is. Loud enough just for you to hear. He’s not even looking at you, he’s just staring straight ahead, and you want to smack that big ol’ head of his. You want to shove your hand through the window and fuck up his stupid, gelled back hair. Does he realize how stupid he looks? Okay, he doesn’t look stupid at all, you’re just being petty, but that’s okay!

You groan and open the back door to see both Kazuya and Kaede. They smile at you and shower you in compliments, ones that go in your ear and out the other. You’re only focusing on the back of his stupid pink hair. He got his roots retouched, how conceited. Ugh, and his cologne is too overwhelming. It makes your stomach churn.

“You doing okay?”

Kazuya’s eyebrows are pointed upwards in a worried way as he examines your sour face. Upon realization, you fix your face and hum, “peachy.”

You look at what Kaede is wearing and you instantly feel insecure. The feelings you feel, it’s the same as when you introduced Kaede to Sukuna. Why do you keep feeling this way? It’s annoying. Her hair is loosely curled, her makeup is done smokey, complimenting the dress she has on and her heels are sexy and strappy. Her charisma is even crazier tonight.

“You look sexy,” you compliment, sending a wink her way, regardless of the bad feelings inside.

Kaede giggles and shies away, “stop~ you’re teasing me.”

Your focus then turns towards Kazuya and your fingers land on the sleeves of his shirt, “you look great too, Kazuya.”

No one sees the red hues that glare through the rearview mirror, you’re all much too focused on your own little conversations, blabbing about this and that. Sukuna’s jaw tightens at the sight of you and he ignores the way your laugh sends shivers down his spine. You’re a fucking ungrateful bitch, that’s what you are.

Thankfully the ride isn’t too long. You’re all dropped off in the middle of the street and left to wait in line for the club. Kazuya is walking in front with Sukuna while Kaede holds your arms for support. It wasn’t too wise of you guys to pregame in the car, but it already happened, so.

“Where are you going?”

You call out with a glare and Sukuna barely looks back at you, “to the front.”

Kazuya spits out short apologies to the people you’re all cutting and taps Sukuna, “shouldn’t we be waiting in the back?”

“I work here,” Sukuna says, smiling his best.

Oh, that’s right. Sukuna works as a bartender at a club. This must be the place. Why didn’t it click in your head sooner?

Kaede’s grip on your arm is so tight that you feel like your arm will snap off. You’re about to say something to her, but Sukuna reaches out for her and takes her from you, “come here.”

He greets the bouncer and whispers something in their ear. They don’t even hesitate to let you all through, and as crazy as it is, you smile at Kazuya with excitement and raise your eyebrows, “I guess we don’t gotta pay.”

“Does that mean we get free drinks too?” Kazuya jokes, pulling you closer to him as the music begins to blare louder.

Sukuna chuckles, “that, you gotta pay for.”

You promised yourself not to drink too much, in fear you might slip up. Kaede and Sukuna, however, have been taking shots left and right. Their tab must be huge. Kazuya is the only one completely sober, but he’s having fun regardless, dancing with no shame. He’s fun to be with, at a time like this. You’re trying too, you are.

In order to distract yourself, you continue to dance with Kazuya, but not in a sensual way. Just goofy moves and whatnot. You’re not too sure how long it’s been, but maybe you guys have been here for two hours already. You’ve lost the other two in the crowd, so it helps to keep you distracted.

There’s just one thing… luck is never on your fucking side!

Kazuya reaches into his back pocket and leans towards your ear, shouting, “I gotta take this!”

You follow him towards the bathroom area and wait for him there to avoid separation. You pray that it’s a useless phone call, but something in your gut tells you otherwise. Approximately six minutes pass and Kazuya comes back out with a sorry smile.

There’s dread in your eyes.

“No, what’s wrong?”

He thins out his lips and gives you a soft caress before leaning towards your ear to shout, “sorry, y/n, but I just got a call from work. Someone had to go home suddenly and no one else could cover their shift.”

“But it’s almost eleven–”

His eyes shut, “I know, I know, but our restaurant stays open until 1am and they don’t have another chef. I’m sorry, y/n.”

You bite your tongue and huff, “it can’t be helped.”

Kazuya frowns too, since he feels sorry for having to suddenly abandon you, “I can help you search for the others before I leave–”

“Just go,” you blurt, your chest swelling with the action.

When you see the hurt in his face, you apologize, “sorry, it’s not your fault. It’d be better if you arrived over there quickly. I’ll look for them myself.”

You’re both shouting over the music, but you can hear each other clearly. He looks around the club once more before pulling you into a hug, “I’ll see you later, y/n.”

“Yeah,” you mutter against his chest.

♡ ♡ ♡

So, you might’ve had a few more shots. Just three more. Your vision isn’t fucked up, but your anger has subsided. Oh, you’re also dancing way more, now that you’re here by yourself, but it’s still fun. You get a couple of guys and girls here and there, but they know the drill, they don’t stay too long. In all honesty, you’ve kind of forgotten all about the other two people you came with.

That was, until… You’re shouting over the music with a random group of people you’ve found. It’s a mix of both women and men, mainly consisting of women. They know how to party, how to have fun. You watched them take body shots off of each other and when they offered you, you quickly denied, “it’s okay, I can’t get too drunk!”

“Awh, maybe next time then,” one of the men suggests, giving you a cute pout.

Though he suggests it, neither of you bother to exchange socials; his words nothing but empty. You sway to the loud music and look around, your eyes scanning over hundreds of faces but… you see him. You see him anywhere. You see him in the midst of the crowd, no one but him. It’s not because of his bright pink hair, it’s not because of his tattoos. You see him because he is Ryomen Sukuna.

All of your movements still instantly as you watch what’s in front of you. He’s stuck in the middle of a crowd with rowdy people, but in his arms is a very drunk Kaede. Her eyes are closed as she grinds her hips against his, her arms lifted and wrapped around his neck as a way to help support herself, even though he’s got both palms planted on her hips. Their faces are so close that it’s almost like they’ll kiss, and it sparks a fire in your chest. You feel it all at once while your head spins at the sight. Your chest stings, your heart falls, your face feels heated, and your heart is pounding so hard against you that it hurts. There’s a stupid, fat lump in your throat as you continue to watch them dance with each other.

His expensive silk shirt is unbuttoned, like always, and you see the way Kaede’s nose dips closer to his bare skin. Will she lick him? Sniff him? They’re dancing so sensually. Are they both drunk? Is he taking advantage of her? Are they together? Have they done more than this? A million questions race through your head as you stomp through the crowd, not caring that you rudely bump into people.

With hate filled eyes, you march over and shove a random girl out of your way. You’re so focused on your own heightened emotions that you don’t care if you get into a fight. She glares at you, “what the fuck is your problem?!”

You ignore her and continue to push through. Without thinking, you grab Sukuna’s wrist and yank him away from Kaede, making them both stumble.

“What the fuck are you two doing?! Are you fucking out of your minds?!”

The poor girl is much too intoxicated to understand the situation, only reaching out to grab Sukuna’s hand while her head leans on his back for support. He looks down at you coldly, “what?”

Fuck, you’re too stunned to speak now. Where did all that anger go? It seems to have disappeared the moment he laid eyes on you. His eyes pierce through you so harshly. His nostrils flare as his patience runs out and he steps back to grab Kaede by her waist. He then proceeds to use his other hand to grab at your forearm harshly, choosing to drag you guys to the bar. He quickly waves over one of the bartenders, “this girl is with me. Make sure to have someone watch over her in the back room.”

“Don’t take too long, can’t guarantee that boss will let her stay.”

Sukuna sighs in annoyance, “tell him she’s with me. He won’t care.”

He doesn’t wait for the other guy’s response and continues to drag you. You’re a bit scared with how shady the door looks, but he drags you out and you realize that you guys are in an alleyway. Sukuna’s chin rises, “what the fuck was that all about?”

You glare up at him as he continues, “I was hitting it off with Kaede. Why’d you do all of that?”

“I’m worried,” you stupidly admit.

You hate how weak you sound. You hate how unconfident you’re feeling from just his gaze.

Sukuna scoffs out loud at you, “worried about what? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

He steps closer to you, “for you to be with Kazuya without needing to worry about me? You set me up with Kaede and now you’re concerned?”

His face leans down, hovering over yours as a petty smirk draws itself on his lips. Your heart feels like it’s about to explode. You raise your chin pridefully, scoffing at his attitude, even though you had one first, “jeez, you must really like her. I didn’t think you’d be that upset about it.”

“Well, I am,” he quickly replies. There’s spite laced in his voice.

You blink a few times at his confirmation, and it seems to calm your sudden burst of anger. What used to be irritation morphs into something of shame and you lower your face a bit, “sorry for acting out then. Go back to her.”

You want to leave. You want to go home and cry. You want to be anywhere but here. You’re already turning around to walk away from him but he calls out angrily, “we’re not done talking, y/n.”

You hate the way he says your name.

“I think we are,” You’re only a few steps away from him, “you can go back to being touchy with her.”

Sukuna groans to himself, his voice becoming more stern, “I said we weren’t done talking. Stay still and look me in the eyes.”

You turn around to face him, “it’s fine, it was a spur of the moment.”

You motion towards the heavy door, “let’s just go back, she’s probably worried about you.”

With heavy footsteps, you try to get past him. Sukuna has other plans. He stops you and steps in front of you again, “y/n, I’m serious. Tell me what that shit was about. You had no fucking right to do that, to her or me.”

“I–”

Why are you getting choked up? It fucking sucks. This shit fucking sucks! What the fuck are you even doing? Why were you so mad in the first place?

Sukuna’s expression mocks you, a sneer on his face, “what, you can’t talk now? All of a sudden, the words can’t come out of your throat?”

He brings his hand up to your face and his thumb grazes your bottom lip gently, “you seemed to do just fine earlier when you were telling us off.”

There’s a stinging sensation in the corner of your eyes. Ah shit, don’t tell me it’s tears. What are they? Angry tears? Sad? Hurt?

Sukuna chuckles deeply, his thumb still on your lip, “don’t tell me you’re gonna cry now.”

“You’re a fucking asshole,” you say as you swat his hand away from you.

You quickly spin around to walk, hoping that you get to the end of the alley quickly. Sukuna’s heavy feet only take two steps forward before stopping, “get back here, right now.”

When you don’t listen, he raises his voice, “Ichihara y/n, I’m not playing with you.”

The seriousness in his tone has you stilling. Your mind is yelling at you to keep going, so why did you stop? Again, you turn around to face him, “I don’t know, Sukuna. I don’t know why I did that.”

Sukuna’s long strides get him close to you again and there’s a heavy frown on his lips, “yes, you do. I know you do.”

He heaves a sigh, mostly for himself, and then stares into your eyes. For a brief second, there’s worry in them.

“Look, let’s just take a deep breath together, okay?” he suggests, raising a brow.

Without needing to countdown, you both inhale and exhale together. He hums expectantly, “now tell me what’s wrong.”

The reason why you were so angry? Well, you don’t want to believe it.

“Sukuna, I–” the tears fall past your eyes, cascading down your cheeks, “I’m really jealous.”

His eyes widened. They widened and then his gaze turned into something bitter, “why are you saying this to me?”

He backs away from you, “why are you telling me this? Why now?”

More tears fall as you struggle to swallow the lump in your throat, “I’m really jealous when you’re with Kaede, Sukuna.”

“Don’t say that shit to me,” he spits out, “what about Kazuya, hm? Weren’t you so sure you liked him? Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”

Your eyes turn cold as well, looking at him with hate, “I didn’t realize I liked you this much!”

Sukuna’s jaw clenches at your confession, his fists balling so tight that his knuckles turn white.

You continue with a shaky voice, “I wasn’t sure if what we had was platonic or not–” your voice breaks, “so I chose Kazuya because he was the safest option.”

He shakes his head at you, seething as he does so, “you had months to figure it out, y/n. Months.”

Your heart throbs.

“Okay, I get it! You’re mad and I feel stupid and embarrassed, so just go back to Kaede already.”

You turn around and begin to speed walk, not caring if you just ruined your entire relationship with Sukuna. He, however, has other plans, choosing to chase after you. He spins you around violently, “no, don’t try to pull this shit on me. You’re fucking manipulating me.”

“I’m not!”

You try to pry his hands off of you with your own but you’re too weak. He won’t budge no matter how much you try.

You weakly shove him away, only moving yourself with the action, “I told you why I made a scene and now you’re just upset! I’m embarrassed, and I would just like to go home.”

Sukuna’s phone makes a notification sound and he quickly pulls his phone out to look at the text. He releases you with a glare, “Kaede texted me, I’m going back.”

It takes everything in him to not hug you, to not comfort you and kiss you. He’s so angry with you. You’re hurt? Well so is he. His chest heaves heavily while he tries to calm his heart, “get home safe.”

“I don’t need to hear that from you,” you spit out, looking away from him.

Sukuna clicks his tongue, “and I didn’t need to hear that shit from you either but look what happened.”

He shoves his phone back into his pocket, “whether you choose to text me when you get home or not is on you, I don’t care.” He turns around, “see ya.”

♡ ♡ ♡

You don’t remember how you got home. All you know is that you turned your phone off after catching a cab. Gosh, you’re so stupid. All of this shit is your fault. If you weren’t so stupid, indecisive and moody then none of this would’ve happened. You were too embarrassed to show yourself in front of your parents, so you crawled through your window.

After lazily locking it, you plopped down onto the bed and curled up into a ball. All of these raw emotions make you feel ugly inside and it hurts a lot. You see flashes of the look in his eyes and yours close immediately, refusing to relive the moment.

You knew about your feelings. You knew this whole time; you just didn’t want to believe it. Now that you’ve told him, you feel much smaller in the world. Your heart feels like it’s been smashed to bits and pieces and don’t even get started on Kaede. How will you ever look her in the eyes again? No, what will you say to Kazuya? He’s not the one your heart yearns for, he’s far from it, no matter how much you try. He’s such a sweet man, but he’s not who you want.

After lying in bed for a few hours, you pushed yourself up and gathered fresh clothes. You heard your parents go to bed hours ago but you were too drained to move earlier. You strip and wait for the water to turn hot, getting in once you’re satisfied with the heat. The thing that sucks is the fact that you can’t focus on anything. All you see is the disgust and hatred in his eyes.

You feel dirty.

A soft whimper falls from your lips as you begin to scrub your body harshly, hoping to get rid of the feeling. No matter how much you scrub and scratch, you can’t get the dirty feeling off. If Kaede found out about your feelings, would she hate you too? This is exactly why you refused to believe in your feelings for Sukuna. She’s always shown her interest in him; she was never discreet. You let yourself sink and hug your knees while the water pelts you.

You’re the worst kind of friend. Who in the fucking world begs the man that their friend is interested in to take them to a party, proceeds to get drunk together and then fucking makes out, almost leading to sex? Only bad friends. The worst part is you begging him to keep quiet about it, because you knew it was wrong. How dare you continue to hang out with her and act as if nothing ever happened. But, you’re a coward. You can’t fess up. You don’t want to lose another friend. You let yourself cry for a few more minutes before sucking it up and ending your shower.

The bed feels colder than usual. You feel like the loneliest person in the world. It’s funny though, since you did this to yourself. You’ll continue to talk to Kaede until she eventually finds out, because you’re a coward like that. Yeah, that’s what you are.

♡ ♡ ♡

You wake up with a headache. It must be from all the stupid crying but you push yourself up and force yourself to get through the day. You still haven’t turned your phone on, as you’re afraid of what you’ll see. Your everyday morning routine is done with ease, even with a blank mind. When you roam into the dining area, your mom jumps up.

“I thought you weren’t home. We waited all night for you,” she says while adding breakfast to a plate that’s now meant for you.

“I came home quietly.”

You take the plate from her and place it at the table, moving to help her set up everything else. She squints her judgy eyes at you, “your eyes are red and puffy.”

“Oh, she might’ve just had fun last night.”

Your dad’s voice interferes and he pops into the room with a smile. He’s obviously trying to get her off of your back, but she continues to poke at you, “or she was crying. What happened?”

“I drank a lot.”

Your unfiltered comment has your parents at a loss for words and you laugh, “I’m being responsible so please stop treating me like I’m some child.”

The breakfast that your mom cooked might’ve been really tasty but you can’t seem to taste a single thing. It’s all bland to you, sadly. You feel their eyes on you. It’s annoying. With wavering patience, you place your utensils down and stand, “I’m done.”

Their whispered argument goes on deaf ears as you walk back into your room to get ready. You do your makeup as quickly as possible and then turn your phone on. There’s a message or two from Kaede and she’s apologizing for getting too drunk. Does she even know what happened last night? You don’t have the heart to respond, so you turn off your read notifications and leave her unanswered. Kazuya’s messages are just him apologizing for leaving early. You give him a short response but that’s all. Sukuna hasn’t messaged you at all, and that’s something you should probably get used to.

Anyways, you need to end things with Kazuya. You can’t continue to lead him on like this, and you should probably tell him the truth. It’s the least you can do for him. You asked to meet up with him after work and he agreed in an instance. Now all that’s left is the waiting game.

It’s not as easy to distract yourself when you’re panicking over what to say and how you’ll say it. He’s such a sweetheart that you might break and cry while telling him everything. He’d probably even question why you’re the one crying when it should be him… Oh god, you seriously need to pull yourself together before you make any situation worse.

For hours, you practiced what you would say to Kazuya so you wouldn’t stutter for words. You looked into a mirror and trained your facial expressions so that you’d be less tense in front of him. You even imagined the pained expression that he would hold when you broke the news to him, but you still felt horrible when doing so. Kazuya truly is a soft soul and a great friend. You’d hate to lose him, but you know he’ll be gone. You’ll be left alone for a long time too, since Kaede and Sukuna won’t stay by you after this either.

It’s already a little past 6pm and you’re on your way to meet Kazuya. He chose a small coffee shop since he wanted some caffeine. You stop in front of the door and take a deep breath, preparing yourself for the last time. Just like before, you force a smile and pull the door open, the little bell dinging above your head.

“Welcome in,” you hear the employee greet. You suck in a breath and lock eyes with Kazuya who waves you down. He looks different today, almost as if he knows something. Yes, he’s smiling, but it’s forlorn. You walk to him and sit down, nervously accepting the warm drink he offers you.

“I went ahead and ordered for you too,” he says while retracting his hand.

“Thanks.”

It’s a dry reply. Oh god, you feel terrible. Kazuya taps the table with the pads of his fingers, “listen, about last night, I’m so sorry.”

You shake your head, maybe a little too fast, “it’s fine, seriously. I–”

He cuts you off, “you wanted to talk to me, I know. So, what is it?”

“Uh…”

Shit! All those hours of practicing went to fucking waste! Why can’t you speak up? Are you just stupid and useless? Is that it? He deserves to know the truth, so why can’t you stop being a coward and speak up? You called him to talk, so talk.

Kazuya’s hand slides across the table and he gently holds your index finger. Only that finger. You appreciate how he still respects your space and boundaries, even after all those months of you basically leading him on. He rubs his finger over your smooth nail polish and he shoots you a kind smile, “you have pretty hands.”

“You always say that.”

A grin stretches as you recall the many times he’s complimented them. No matter what color or length, he’d always comment on it. The memories are bittersweet as well, and you’re a bit upset at yourself for even smiling at a time like this. Kazuya’s other hand brushes through his hair, revealing his forehead as he does so.

“It’s about time you smile at me, timid girl.”

Your face turns red, mainly from embarrassment, “I’m sorry, Kazuya.”

He lets go of your finger and grabs his cup, drinking the warm beverage. When he’s done, he looks back at you, “It’s alright, y/n. I think I know what this is about.”

“You do?”

Your voice is small. You hate it. How can Kazuya keep smiling at you?

“I’ve been trying for months, y/n. I’m not clueless.”

Your head falls, “I’m sorry.”

The fact that you don’t deny him only proves his theory. Kazuya didn’t know for sure, but now his questions and doubts are confirmed. He tries not to let it show and instead keeps smiling at you, “I told you that I noticed how you changed here and there over time, but I didn’t want to bother you about it in case you were also figuring yourself out.”

Kazuya becomes quiet for a short while but then continues, “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but after I saw Sukuna’s wallpaper, everything just kind of clicked. You’re not a good liar either, y/n, but I like that about you. It makes you kind of cute.”

You laugh again, because you don’t know what to say. All you know how to say is ‘sorry’ and you’re sure that Kazuya doesn’t want to keep hearing that from you.

Everything about him is calm, from the way he looks at you, to the way he speaks. He seems completely fine on the outside, but he’s screaming at himself internally. He wants to break down and cry because he does truly like you, but what good is it if the person you’re interested in just can’t find it within themselves to like you back. His right leg bounces quickly under the table, but you don’t know that.

Kazuya suddenly leans over the table to tap your hand, mainly to get your attention, “I really liked you and I hoped that we could work out, but I understand. Thank you for trying anyway, y/n.”

There’s a small, teeny tiny weight that lifts from your chest, “is this really okay with you, Kazuya?”

“Mmm… no hard feelings, promise.”

Poor guy… he’s flashing you such a pretty smile but you can see the tears welling in his eyes. You only have yourself to blame for this. If you were honest from the beginning then he wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this. You tilt your head up at Kazuya when he pulls on your finger.

“It’s always been him, huh?”

Does he seriously want an answer to that? It would only hurt him more… You see the expectant expression though, so you nod with shame, “I didn’t want it to be him, I swear. He just snuck his way in.”

Kazuya lets your finger go and slowly slides his hand back towards himself, “but does he like you?”

He already knows the answer. Even a blind man can see just how much you two pine for each other; he just wishes you were more honest with yourselves.

You clench the cup a bit tighter, “I’m sorry.”

His expression softens quickly, “for what?”

“I’m sorry for not seeing you in a romantic way, Kazuya.”

Oh my god. That’s the worst kind of thing to say. Please, shut the fuck up.

You’re expecting him to cry, but he bursts out laughing, a hand flying over his mouth to try and hide it. When you furrow your brows at him, he dips his head and takes a minute to collect himself.

“Don’t say things like that, you’ll make me feel small both emotionally and physically. Anyhow,” he snickers one last time to mask his sadness, “I’m rooting for you. I don’t know what’ll happen to you guys, since Kaede is also in the picture, but I’ll always be cheering you on. I hope you get your happy ending, timid girl.”

It’s odd. You hate Sukuna’s ‘halfie’ but you don’t seem to mind Kazuya’s ‘timid girl’. Is that weird?

Your lip quivers, “I’m sorry that I can’t love you in the same way.”

“Stop,” he teases, “you’ll make me cry. I’m trying to seem tough here.”

Kazuya stands from the table first and waits for you to get up. Like a gentleman, he assists you out of the cafe and holds the door for you.

“I guess we should stop our frequent meetups from here on out.”

He holds his arms open and you rush in to return his hug, holding him as tightly as you can. This is supposed to make you feel better, but you only feel like shit. Well, you are kind of shit, but there’s no need to continue berating yourself.

Ugh, fucking bitch. You’re crying. Kazuya’s soft chuckle vibrates against you while his hands rub your back soothingly, “this must’ve been a tough decision for you, y/n. I know it’s not easy, you did good.”

“I–” you get a bit choked up, but keep going, “I am truly sorry towards you, for not being able to feel the same way.”

Kazuya pulls his face back to look directly in your eyes, a tiny grin on his lips, “I told you that it was all okay. I understand completely, alright? Friends?”

Another fat tear rolls down your cheek, “yeah, friends.”

He rests his face against the side of your head before giving it a quick kiss, “talk it out with Sukuna, alright? He’s a cool guy.”

“He’s an ass, but I will.”

♡ ♡ ♡

Welp! That’s one problem gone. Now you’ve got another storm of problems to get over. How will you confront Sukuna and how will you tell Kaede without causing any more problems? She’s going to be upset, that’s unavoidable. The problem is how upset she’ll be. You’re not sure how far she and Sukuna have gone, but based on how they acted in the club, they might’ve gotten pretty far with each other. Afterall, Sukuna isn’t exactly an in-your-face type of guy, so if they are together then it’s on the downlow, and if that’s the case then it’s no wonder he got so upset with you. You curse under your breath at yourself. You should’ve just asked Kaede a month ago if she and Sukuna were exclusive. You remember the way he held her hips and how they grinded against each other. A shudder runs down your spine at the fact that they might be sleeping together already.

Shit. Whether you say something or not, you’re gonna lose. It’s a lose-lose situation for you regardless of what you do, and that fucking sucks!

“I’m fucking stupid,” you mutter to yourself.

When you’re back in reality, you recognize the area. Your stupid feet have led you to the train tracks you used to hang out at. All those memories of you arguing with Sukuna over little things come flying by and you laugh to yourself while the rocks crunch beneath you. You also remember throwing salt at him all the time. Oh yeah. You haven’t done that in a long while. You keep going, choosing to walk on the actual tracks instead but as you get further, your heart seems to pulse faster. Your intuition tells you to turn and run, far away, but your feet won’t listen.

And, shit. What are the odds that you’d run into him here, today? Well, that’s exactly what the fuck just happened! Why is he here? Why is he sitting on the tracks with his back turned to you? His intoxicating scent fills your nostrils and you switch to breathing through your mouth, refusing to allow him in. His hair isn’t styled today, it’s left soft and untouched, blowing gently with the light breeze. You stand still and hold your breath, trying not to make too much sound but it’s too late.

“You’re always late, Kaede. Next time I’m ditching–”

Sukuna’s words are cut short when he turns around and finds you instead. Why the fuck are you here? Who the hell invited you? He hates that you still look beautiful.

All you can do is stare at him. He looks so different from before; it’s the way his eyes no longer hold any warmth for you. You should’ve taken advantage of those eyes back then, but who would’ve known that you two would end up like this so quickly. It’s just barely 7pm and the orange sky behind him suits him so well. It complements the pigment of his skin and blends in prettily with his artificial pink hair. If you were a bigger fool, you’d think that you were in hell with the devil himself. His aura and glare are enough to burn through your skin and you’re foolish, because you can’t seem to run away.

“You should probably get outta here, Kaede will be here soon,” he spits out, turning away so that he can no longer see you.

“Sukuna, about–”

He cuts you off, “you should also stop coming here, to all the areas we’ve hung out before. It wouldn’t be good for either of us to keep on running into each other.”

So what the fuck does that mean? Is he confirming that he and Kaede are together? Are they cutting you off? You’re really sick and tired of crying, but you can’t stop.

You’re quiet, so he goes on, “I’ll still be around when Kaede wants to hang out with you, but don’t expect too much. I’ll talk to you here and there so it doesn’t come off as weird, but I won’t get in yours or Kazuya’s way.”

You’re not ready for either of this. You were not expecting to run into Sukuna so soon and you don’t know what to say to him. You haven’t had the time to try and sort this shit out, so for it to come flying at you like this all at once has you overwhelmed. Right now, you wish a train would just come and run you over, but that’s not happening. Not anytime soon, at least.

You’re too quiet. Sukuna lazily tilts his head towards you and clicks his tongue at what he sees.

“Seriously? You’re crying now?” He snickers dryly, “you’re really fucking crying right now?”

A short sob falls from your lips, “can I not cry when my feelings are hurt?”

“No, you don’t get to cry.”

He closes the distance between you, “and don’t even think about trying to cry about this later. I won’t fall for it.”

Your mouth falls agape and you think about how none of this would’ve been a problem if he had just left you alone the second time you guys talked. You try to blink away the rest of your tears, “I never asked for this. I didn’t ask for you to stay by my side and cling to me.”

Sukuna thinks it’s funny, so he laughs in a spiteful manner. Weren’t you the one who came to bother him? Asking about his name and shit? Talking about always seeing him linger on the fucking streets?

“Oh, so now you’re ungrateful too, bitch.”

You shove him away on instinct, “would you stop that?”

His tongue comes out to poke at the corner of his mouth while he chuckles, “stop what? My sarcasm?” he steps closer again, towering over you, “why? Does it hurt you?”

“Yeah, it fucking hurts me, Sukuna,” you quietly admit, a new stream of tears slipping past your eyes.

When you think about your argument last night, your heart aches and you don’t want to feel this way anymore. You just want to get it over with. When you think about how he’s waiting for Kaede right now, your heart falls to pieces.

“Seeing you with her hurts my feelings. I’m jealous, really jealous.”

Everything cunning about Sukuna drops and he backs away from you, pushing his hair back in frustration, “you don’t get to feel that way! Not now, not ever.” His chest heaves heavily as he speaks to you, “what gives you the right to, hm? That you realized you liked me too late?”

He comes to you again but you don’t move, you don’t wince at his aggression. His red hues bore into yours, “what’re you gonna do about Kazuya, huh? Tell me.”

Just tell him. That’s all you need to do. Tell him that you ended things with Kazuya. As easy as it sounds like to do so, you can’t. You just ended things with him and even that hurt. You can still see just how much he was holding back, how hard he was trying to not cry in front of you. You remember how when you both parted ways, you turned around and saw his arms raise towards his face. He broke down when he was sure you were already walking away from him, and it made you feel like the shittiest person alive because he didn’t deserve that. And even if you could tell Sukuna, you’re more worried now than ever about the fact that he and Kaede might be dating. Everything he’s doing, all of this anger, it’s possible that he’s angry with you because you’re too late and they’re already together.

Sukuna’s irises flick back and forth all over your face as he waits for you to speak up. Why aren’t you saying anything? Why can’t you ever say anything?

“Stop fucking crying, y/n,” he says in a softer tone, more so to help himself calm down.

“This is stupid,” you say weakly, “I’m being stupid.”

You quickly wipe your eyes and turn around to leave. That’s better anyway because Kaede could show up at any moment.

“Don’t walk away from me,” he chases after you with long strides, “we aren’t done talking about this.”

“Well, I am.”

“Well I’m not, so get your ass back here before I lift you over my shoulder and drag you away myself.”

You still haven’t turned around, “that’s kidnapping.”

He stands right behind you, “I don’t give a shit, y/n. I’ll do it, you know I will.”

He’s not bluffing. You hate that you know. You take a deep breath and turn back to face him.

“That’s what I thought.”

“You’re a fucking dick.”

“Says the one causing problems.”

“Says the one causing problems.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“You’re a fucking dick.”

@lucyrocks86 @mykyoon @hxlalokidottir @wo-ming-bai @yourusernames @adoraspace

[aheckinmess]

Terms & Conditions [Deku] (Angst)

(One-shot 17/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)

Read on AO3.

Tags: Izuku x OC, Midoriya x OC, Deku x OC, Izuku Midoriya, Deku, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Tigress, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Shouta Aizawa, Eraserhead, Papazawa, Hound Dog, UA High School, Pro Heroes in Training, OC Tends to Self-Sabotage, And Self-Sacrifice, Aizawa Calls Her Out on It, But Also Reminds Her to Take Care of Herself, She a Little Depresso Espresso, But She Gets Counseling from Hound Dog, Deku is a Proper Ray of Sunshine, And Comforts Her Afterwards

Word Count: 2,106 words

Summary: Ichijiku is called into Mr. Aizawa's office after he notices she hasn't been herself. After a brief discussion with him and Hound Dog, Ichijiku talks with Deku about how she's been feeling for the past few weeks.

Ichijiku (Tigress)

“Aoki-san, a word in my office, please.” Mr. Aizawa says. 

“Am I in trouble, sir?” I whisper, looking up at him with a slump in my shoulders.

“No, nothing like that. Just a check in.” He reassures me, remaining quiet until we’re both in the classroom and he’s at the door, gesturing for me to leave.

As I step through the threshold and walk towards his office, I go over the possible reasons he might need to speak to me. Unlike America, homeroom teachers aren’t just there to be an extra teacher. Homeroom teachers in Japan act as your second father, and I’m sure by now Dad is grateful Aizawa is mine. 

Even I can say for myself that I’m an emotional burden for anyone to carry.

We step in and I set my bag down beside the chair opposite his desk as he shuts the door. I wait until he’s standing by his seat before I seat myself. My eyes can’t seem to meet his, though, and I use my hair as a curtain between us. Authority has always terrified me.

“You’re not in any trouble,” He begins by reassuring me again. “But I want to know if there’s anything going on that’s contributed to your unusual behavior lately.”

Anything else he says dies in my ears. My body stiffens, rigid as a board. I grip my uniform skirt over my knees and instantly combat the traitorous tears blurring my vision. That’s why he called me in here? No one’s noticed anything, not even Dad. How would Mr. Aizawa notice?! He’s trained to notice these things, Little One. You’re not in trouble. We can tell him the truth. No. No one ever listens to me, anyway. Why would he? In my ongoing mental combat, I remain stiff and unspeaking.

“Normally, my students often struggle because of their grades in my class. But yours are on par with some of your higher scoring peers. Even in math, your struggle subject, you keep stable and ask for help. So I take it that your trials are not academic in nature, right?” He goes on. I can feel his eyes trained on me.

“I don’t know what kind of unusual behavior you’re talking about.” I force my muscles to loosen as I speak, never looking up. “Can you explain that?”

“Whether or not you realize it, you’re normally a bright and optimistic personality in the classroom. You may be much quieter, but you are typically passionate about things you enjoy and kind to your peers. You often wait for your friends and make sure everyone’s cared for on and off the training fields.” All of the compliments make my sad little heart shudder with hope, even if delivered in my teacher’s monotonous drone. “For the past few months, however, you’ve grown more detached. You don’t make eye contact in class. You keep your head down. You’re often the first to leave even if your friends stay behind.”

Because no one listens to me, so why say anything at all? I think, but I know that in part that’s a lie. I just stare at my feet, loosen the tension in the rest of my muscles, and clear my throat to keep my voice steady.

“You have nothing to worry about, Sensei. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Look up at me, Aoki-san.” He orders, and I can’t stop myself from complying. He may be tired and try to play the apathetic authority figure, but we all know that our teacher is compassionate. “I know that’s a lie.”

My jaw clenches and my lip quivers, and he sees it.

Maybe he can offer some advice. It’s okay to ask for help. Asking for help just proves that I’m weak. Asking for help just proves that you’re human, Little One.

“No one listens to me.” I whisper, barely aware I’ve said it until the rest comes tumbling out. “I’m the quiet kid. Everyone listens to me when it’s convenient for them. Even my closest friends interrupt or only like talking to me whenever I agree with them.” Tears escape and I snap my head down, afraid of the scolding I’ll get for crying. You can talk to him. He is safe. “I’m only wanted when I’m useful or have something to offer. I know Bakugo’s normally aggressive, but he gets even more defensive and asserts more dominance when I have an opinion that’s opposed to his. I know that’s not surprising, but it still hurts. We’ve been good friends for a long time but it feels like when we spend more time hanging out, he expects me to share his thoughts and agree with him about everything. And if I don’t then my voice suddenly doesn’t matter anymore.”

“That is a reasonable concern, Aoki-san. But, I assume there’s more?”

“Stop knowing me!” I huff a little laugh, before wiping my eyes and continuing. “Hanoku and I are best friends, too, but sometimes it feels like she only wants me around for what I can give her…because I’m of use to her. I’m not saying everyone has to agree with me or cater to my whims. I know they have other things to do.” Better things than putting up with me… “But her…even Sayuri will often only listen to me when I have something she contributes worthy to listen to in a conversation. It just feels like everyone I talk to thinks I’m too snobbish because I’m quiet, or I say stuff they don’t like, so they don’t bother listening. I just want them to care about me…because I really care about them.” I shrug.

“You just want to be loved because you’re you, not because of a service you provide.” 

Something suddenly clicks and I look up at Mr. Aizawa, tears and all. 

“Do you feel that way sometimes, Sensei?” My heart squeezes. “Because of your quirk?”

The bad voice doubles down. Other people have problems, too. Mr. Aizawa probably puts up with this on a daily basis and he doesn’t whine about it.

“I do, sometimes.” He nods.

“I’m sorry,” And I mean it. I hide behind my hair again, hearing the seam whine under my fingers as I grip my skirt again. “You have the same feelings and I’m whining about mine. I apologize.”

“You’re allowed to hurt, Aoki-san. Especially when people you care very deeply about don’t always measure up. We may be heroes, but we’re only human.” He reminds me.

“Yeah, but you have other problems to worry about. And so do they. So I feel like talking about my problems makes me selfish,” I whimper and then mutter. “I should be grateful anyone pays attention to me at all.”

“You’re not being selfish for addressing human conditions that need attention.” Mr. Aizawa says this slowly enough that I look up at him, scared to believe such a statement. “I mean it. I’m your homeroom teacher. Any emotional or mental concerns you have are meant to be addressed here. It can be something small or something big. My job is to provide you with the tools to get through it with your head held high.”

“So I’m not,” I pause, tapping my teeth together behind closed lips. “I’m not being mean or ungrateful?” 

“Your concerns about your friends putting conditions on their affection for you is not being mean or ungrateful. It’s a concern. A valid one. You care very deeply about them, yes? And while you may sometimes want things from them, they aren’t demands. You’ll hang around them even if your requests aren’t fulfilled and their opinions are different from yours. You’re allowed to be upset because you feel like they don’t extend the same courtesy to you. You feel like they make demands of you because you think they won’t love you as much if you don’t do anything for them. Regardless of if it’s true, it hurts because you care about those people.” 

“Yeah, but…” I sniffle and pick at the fabric of my skirt. “I shouldn’t feel that way. I shouldn’t feel like I deserve anything more.”

“Why not?” 

“Because I’m just…” I shrug my shoulders. “Me.”

“And that is exactly why you deserve more than what you think.”

. . . . .

Mr. Aizawa leads me to Hound Dog for extra help on learning to work through my emotions and give them space. By the time I walk out, I’m feeling a good deal better than when I stepped in. I feel less like my friends secretly hate me and more confident that they still love me without conditions.

“Honeydoodle!” Deku’s voice breaks into my menagerie of thoughts as I give my thanks to my teachers. He gives a bow to Mr. Aizawa and Hound Dog as they leave, but his focus stays on me. “I was wondering where you went. Are you okay?” 

“Me? Yeah, I’m okay. Mr. Aizawa was checking on me and decided I could use a little help from Hound Dog.”

“Are you feeling well?”

“Just a little sad, but I’m feeling better now after talking about it.” I reassure him, pulling him into a hug.

“Aww, do you need a–oh, yeah that!” He laughs for a moment before giving me a good squeeze. When we pull back, he holds my hand and we start heading out. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I want to be honest and talk with you about it.” I pause, chewing my lip as I weigh the consequences of being vulnerable with him. “I don’t know if I can tell you without making you sad or mad at me.”

“You can trust me, Ichan. If it becomes more than I can handle, we’ll take some time to think before we come back to it.” He assures me with a smile. “So, what’s wrong?”

The brisk wind of autumn answers him before I do, whipping his green hair around his face and haloing him like an angel as I think about how to explain what I’ve been feeling for the past several weeks.

“Lately, it feels like everyone only keeps me around because of what I can give them, not because I’m their friend.” I begin, swinging our arms as we walk off campus and down the street. “I talked with Hound Dog about it. Mr. Aizawa ratted me out and told him that I have a habit of self-sacrificing instead of taking care of myself.”

“Hehe, he’s said that about me, too.” Deku rubs the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. “But at least that’s something we can both help each other with.”

“Yeah. We basically figured out that I’ve been feeling overwhelmed because I overexert myself for others. I expect the same from them but I don’t tell them when I need it, so…” I try to remember how Hound Dog put it, but decide on an analogy when I can’t find the right words. “He said I’ve been offering all of myself to everyone…pouring all of the water from my cup into others and hoping others will offer the same to help replenish me.”

“And,” He playfully pinches my cheek to make me look at him. “You feel like we don’t?” 

“Sometimes. But we spoke today about how I don’t get filled because I put my needs secondary. I don’t tell anyone I need help, which is why I’m trying to do better and talk to you.” I admit, glancing at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at my toes instead of the approaching train station. “Because even though I’ve been acting like I’ve been fine for so long…the truth is, I’m really hurting most of the time. I get tired, same as everyone else. But I don’t want any of you to be upset, so I pretend I’m not bothered.”

Deku abruptly pulls me against his chest the second we find a spot to stand on the train. My heart stops, but I allow myself to melt against the firm warmth of his chest. I begin dozing against his shoulder before he speaks.

“You’re one of the strongest people I know, Ichijuku.” He whispers. “I’m sorry that we often take that for granted, and I can’t speak for everyone, but know that I don’t just keep you around because of what you can give me. I want you by my side because you’re one of the kindest, gentlest souls I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and calling mine.”

The dull ache in my chest smooths out into an affectionate glow, pulling tears down my cheeks as the endless activity of my mind finally quiets.

Want More Deku? Try: Below Ground Zero - Rhythm & Blues