#I haven't written anything in ages so I am so so so nervous I hope you liiike

[littlerooms]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Uraraka Ochako, Todoroki Shouto Additional Tags: Mostly Canon Compliant, Midoriya Izuku does not have OFA anymore, Teacher Midoriya Izuku, Pro Hero Bakugou Katsuki, Uraraka Ochako is a Good Friend, Aged-Up Character(s), Mutual Pining, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, extremely minimal angst, Minor Original Character(s), POV Alternating, rated for language, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Soft Bakugou Katsuki, Jealous Bakugou Katsuki, Bakugou has cuteness aggression, domestic couch shopping, Bakugou loves his friends, Texting, Not a texting Fic, Izuku uses kaomojis, these idiots are so oblivious and so in love, honestly this is so soft, 5+1 Things, turned into 6+1 things because they just kept talking, Roommates Summary:

Izuku and Katsuki are living together after graduating UA. They are best friends, Izuku swears it, but everybody else seems to think they are husbands.

They're both handling it well.

Or, six times people assumed Izuku and Katsuki were married, and one time Katsuki does something about it.

[vilevenom]

This idea has been sitting in the back of my mind for a while now, and I finally decided to give it a go. But, wow, I haven't written smut in a literal dogs age, so please be gentle!

This fic is EXPLICIT. But I'm not your mom, so make appropriate decisions for yourself.

Made to Worship at Your Bed

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog (no specific media)

Pairing: Sonic/Shadow

Summary: Their first time doesn't exactly go as planned, but it's better than either of them could have imagined.

WARNINGS: Explicit sexual acts. Characters are depicted as ADULTS

P.S - I am a bottom!Shadow truther. Fight me.

Sonic knew perfectly well the implications of Shadow inviting him over while Rouge was off on some globe trotting escapade, leaving the dark hedgehog alone in their shared apartment.

The two had been dating for a few months now, but had yet to spend a night alone with one another. Sure, they'd slept together, but only in the most strict of senses. At any given point, someone was always right around the corner, bound to pop up at the most inopportune of moments, and shatter any notion they had of privacy. Sonic found it to be rather frustrating if he was being honest, though Shadow seemed to find his irritation amusing more than anything. This only served to frustrate the blue hedgehog further.

So, of course, he'd jumped at Shadow's invitation, making sure to take extra time to wash himself thoroughly, going even so far as to steal a small bottle of sweet smelling quill conditioner from Amy to make sure he looked and smelled as delectable as possible. He knew Shadow liked him regardless of how he presented himself, given how the hybrid had practically pounced on him once after they hadn't seen each other for a week, while Sonic had bits of branches and mud stuck all through his quills. But, that didn't mean he couldn't put forth some effort. Shadow was more than worth it, after all. And if the night went the way he hoped it would, then his little bit of extra preparation would serve him well.

A grin of utter jubilation settled itself on his face as he twisted this way and that in front of his bathroom mirror, finally nodding at himself once he was satisfied. He then dashed out of the house, shouting a quick goodbye to Tails as he slipped on his shoes. On his way to Shadow and Rouge's apartment above Club Rouge he made exactly two stops; first to purchase a small bottle of lube on the likely chance that Shadow didn't have his preferred brand (which didn't leave his fur feeling like it was matted with glue as it dried) and a second to buy a moderately sized bouquet of fragrant brightly colored flowers. He knew Shadow absolutely adored the smell of fresh flowers, though only very select people would ever be privy to that information.

Nerves struck him without warning as he came to a stop on Shadow's door step, causing him to freeze with his hand poised just before knocking on the door. However, he squashed them down as quick as they'd come with a swift reminder to himself that he'd been looking forward to this for weeks. It wasn't even his first rodeo, so he wasn't entirely sure what he really had to be nervous about. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Shadow that made him so jittery. Even just being in the same room as the dark hedgehog made his heart go all fluttery in his chest. None of Sonic's previous partners had made him feel quite like Shadow did, so maybe he just didn't want to disappoint the hybrid. After all, the Ultimate Lifeform must have some wild experiences under his belt. Sonic certainly did.

With a brief shake of his head Sonic knocked on the door, rocking back on his heels as he waited for Shadow to answer. The dopey smile that spread across his face as the door swung open came completely unbidden, and he was sure he looked like a lovestruck idiot. However, he could hardly care with the way Shadow's expression softened and his eyes lit up upon landing on Sonic and the bouquet in his hands.

"These are lovely," Shadow hummed in lieu of a greeting, stepping aside to let Sonic in and gingerly take the flowers as they were pushed into his hands.

"Not as lovely as you," Sonic replied with a wink, chortling at the faint flush that spread on Shadow's muzzle as the hybrid shut the apartment door with a soft click.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Shadow stated bluntly, though he did let a small smile curl his lips as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to Sonic's cheek, "But, thank you for the flowers."

"Needed to get something pretty for my pretty," Sonic chirped, toeing off his shoes and trotting after the dark hedgehog into the apartment, grinning like a loon as Shadow rolled his eyes and headed into the kitchen, unable to hide the way his smile grew fondly.

"You're ridiculous," Shadow hummed, pulling a vase from the cupboard under the kitchen sink, "Dinner will be ready in a moment. Go sit at the table. I'll bring it out shortly."

"Aye aye, captain," Sonic said, giving Shadow a mock salute and laughing as the hybrid obviously tried to muffle a chuckle at Sonic's antics behind a hand.

Dinner was served not a minute later, just as Shadow had said. Spaghetti and meatballs, with a side of cheese bread. Sonic arched an eyebrow as a plate was set in front of him, biting his lip to try and keep from snickering at Shadow's choice of food. However, he obviously hadn't hidden his amusement well enough, as Shadow sat across from him with a little frown. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry," Sonic finally said after a moment, rubbing at his cheek as he grinned warmly at Shadow, "This is just…very Lady and the Tramp of you." He was surprised to find a flush blossoming across Shadow's muzzle at his comment, as he'd fully expected the reference to fly right over the hybrid's head. He sat up in his seat in as Shadow ducked his head and hunched his shoulders in obvious embarrassment. "Wait…was this on purpose?!"

"…Rouge made me watch it last week," Shadow murmured with a hint of hesitation, hands in his lap, "I thought it was nice."

"Oh, Shadow," Sonic crooned, immediately out of his seat and speeding around the table to crouch next to the other. He let a warm smile settle on his face as he tried to catch Shadow's eye, reaching out to scoop the hybrid's hands into his own. "It is nice. Cliche, sure, but very nice. I just hope you didn't hide a suspiciously long noodle between the plates to try and recreate the whole scene."

"What? No, of course not. That would be impractical, and make a mess."

"Of course," Sonic chuckled, squeezing Shadow's hands gently while leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. "Sorry if I embarrassed you. I just…never expected something like this from you."

"I wanted our first real date to be memorable," Shadow admitted with a small shrug, his posture loosening, "Those cartoon dogs seemed to enjoy it. Rouge suggested having a record of 'Belle Notte' playing, but I thought that was a bit too on the nose."

"You were right. And I would've clocked it a lot sooner," Sonic said with a snort, rising from his crouched position and heading back to his chair, now that Shadow no longer seemed like he might implode from embarrassment. "I appreciate the effort and thought, Shads. It's really sweet of you."

Shadow opened his mouth, a hint of a challenging smirk on his face, before he seemed to think better of whatever was on the tip of his tongue, letting his jaw shut with a click of his teeth. Sonic arched an eyebrow in confusion as Shadow sat back and stabbed a meatball a little too violently with his fork.

"Uh…what's up, Shads?" Sonic prodded, carefully twirling a forkful of noodles up as Shadow stuffed the entire meatball he'd skewered into his mouth. He frowned lightly as Shadow muttered something around the mouthful of meat, the hybrids cheeks turning bright pink again. "Come again?"

"I said," Shadow said, scowling as he swallowed his mouthful, glaring across the table at Sonic with a growl in his voice, "I wanted to do something sweet for my sweet."

Sonic nearly choked on the noodles he'd only just started chewing, coughing as he hastily swallowed them down, quickly chugging half his glass of water afterwards. "Uh, wow," the blue hero finally managed to gasp out as he cleared his throat, "Maybe next time you want to be romantic, say it without the scary face and snarling?"

Shadow huffed, idly twirling his fork around his plate. "It was stupid and embarrassing. You said it first, so of course it was."

"Flatterer," Sonic chirped, chuckling as Shadow rolled his eyes at him. "And unlike with you, that will get you everywhere with me," he added with a wink, relishing the way Shadow's eyes widened minutely as he nearly choked on the pasta he'd just delicately put into his mouth. "Careful, Shads. Don't want you choking until later. If you're into that," he added with a wink, cackling at just how beat red Shadow's face immediately went, while quickly ducking as a piece of bread was lobbed at his head.

The rest of their meal went by without incident, with idle chit chat about Eggman's last attack, GUN's current operations, and how business at Club Rouge had been going taking up a majority of the time.

Once their plates were emptied, Shadow swept the dishes away before Sonic could open his mouth to ask if he could help with clean up, blinking as another plate was placed in front of him not a moment later. He stared down at the delicate looking little chocolate cake, more than a bit surprised by its appearance. In all the time he'd known Shadow, he really couldn't recall ever seeing the hybrid indulge in dessert. When he lifted his gaze, he found Shadow staring at him intently from across the table, his fork poised over his own cake, obviously waiting for Sonic to take a bite before starting. Suddenly feeling like this little cake was much more important than it had any right to be, Sonic picked up his fork and cut into his cake, surprised by the sudden flow of warm, velvety looking chocolate that spilled from the center across his plate. His ears perked at the sigh of relief from across the table, arching an eyebrow as he glanced back up at Shadow.

"I was worried I'd made them wrong," Shadow explained without Sonic needing to ask. With that, he dug into his own cake, humming in appreciation as he took a bite.

"You made these?" Sonic asked, scooping up a bite and doing his best to hold back a moan as the rich taste of warm chocolate slid across his tongue. Shadow had obviously added something to the filling, as it had just a hint of spice that only served to enhance the overall flavor. "This is amazing, Shadow!" the blue hero gushed, not missing the pleased smile that spread over Shadow's face at the compliment.

"I read that lava cakes were a staple dessert for proper dinner dates," the hybrid hummed, swiping liquid chocolate up with his fork and quickly licking it clean, smirking at how Sonic's eyes were trained on his mouth. "I'm not very well versed with baking, but I wanted this dinner to be…special," he admitted quietly, setting his fork aside. "I realize that this may sound silly, but…I wanted this to feel like a regular date. Like what other Mobians do. Our schedules so rarely line up properly, and any time we've gotten to spend together has been co-opted by friends or missions, so I wanted tonight to feel…"

"Normal."

Shadow huffed out a little breath, his gaze fixed on his plate. "I realize that's not really something you're interested in, so I'm sorry if it's a bit boring, but-"

"No! No, Shadow," Sonic found himself rising from his seat for the second time that night, though he did not round the table this time. Instead, he leaned forward, placing his hands on the table so when Shadow lifted his gaze to look at him, he could see the conviction in Sonic's expression as he spoke. "I know how much basic things that other people take for granted, like just getting to have dinner together, mean to you. I want you to get to experience all of the things you missed out on, growing up in space. I know I'm Mister 'Gotta Go Fast', but I am more than happy to slow down with you to enjoy the little things in life. You're worth going slow for, Shadow."

The sudden flash of something dark in Shadow's eyes was not the reaction that Sonic expected from his little speech, his heart skipping a beat as the hybrid abruptly rose from his chair, the wood making a terrible screeching sound as the legs scraped across the floor. Sonic flinched as Shadow grabbed his hands, relaxing after a beat when that was as far as the action went.

"And you," Shadow breathed, getting into Sonic's space, pressing in until the back of Sonic's knees hit his chair and he had to dig his heels in or fall backwards into his seat, "are more than worth going fast for."

Sonic had to swallow hard to keep from whining at the way Shadow was staring at him now, his tail twitching in anticipation, before he finally let out a breathy moan when he was tugged into a hard kiss. Finally, finally, this was what he had been eagerly anticipating since his invitation, his tail a blur as he returned the kiss with vigor.

"Come with me," Shadow rumbled against Sonic's lips, smirking at the shiver that visibly shot up Sonic's spine at his words. Keeping a firm hold of the blue blur's hand, their half eaten dessert forgotten, he lead Sonic through the apartment and into his bedroom, firmly shutting the door behind them. A pleased little hum escaped him as Sonic practically melted as he was pressed back into the door, the hero of Mobius reduced to a clingy puddle as Shadow resumed their kiss and pushed his tongue passed his teeth.

A string of saliva connected them briefly as Shadow pulled away from the kiss, a triumphant smirk settling over his features at the glazed over expression on Sonic's face. "Enjoying yourself, hedgehog?" the hybrid asked, taking a short step back.

Sonic simply whined as Shadow's heat slipped away from him, reaching out to try and catch the hybrid, only to grumble in frustration as Shadow stepped further back, just out of reach of the hero's clingy fingers. "Shadow," he whined, pushing himself off the door to follow after the darker hedgehog, only stopping to stare with wide eyes as Shadow languidly stripped his gloves and socks off, leaving behind only the glint of gold against his striking dark fur. He shot Sonic a sultry smirk over his shoulder, his tail flicking invitingly as he began to meander towards his bed.

"Don't keep me waiting, hedgehog," Shadow murmured, finally breaking Sonic out of his stupor. He was fairly certainly he'd never stripped his gloves and socks off so fast, tossing them only chaos knew where. He paused on his way to the bed to dig the bottle of lube he'd bought out of his quills, only to freeze like a deer caught in headlights with his hand still shoved deep into blue spikes as he moved to climb onto the bed.

Shadow had settled himself into the pile of pillows at the head of his bed, his relaxed quills spread out tantalizingly across them. He was watching Sonic with half-lidded eyes, his knees bent and spread wide, showing off his swollen pouch, while his hands danced teasingly over his abdomen and through his chest fur. Sonic was fairly certain his mouth had never been more full of saliva, as he nearly drooled over Shadow's little display. A weird little chirrup-y sound left him as he finally pulled the bottle from his quills, though his feet remained glued to the carpet.

"Well?" Shadow purred, his knees spreading impossibly wider as he dipped one hand down to tease at the slit of his pouch. Sonic simply choked on air, unable to form enough of a thought to get himself to move. Which was apparently the worst possible thing he could do, because as the seconds dragged on, Shadow quite obviously began to second guess himself. His knees snapped together in a flash as doubt obviously made itself at home in his mind, his cheeks flaming red as he sat up from the pillows, scowl on his muzzle. "I…forget it. This was stupid," he grumbled, his distress finally jarring Sonic's body into motion.

In a flash Sonic was on the bed, tossing the bottle into the pillows so he could get place his hands on Shadow's legs, rubbing his thumbs against the insides of the hybrid's calves in what he hoped was a reassuring or comforting gesture. "Hey! Shadow, no no no. Chaos, I'm so sorry," Sonic soothed, hating how Shadow's ears were pinned back in embarrassment when that had been, bar none, the most erotic display Sonic had ever seen in his entire life. Now he just had to convince Shadow of the same thing, or risk never getting to see the ultimate lifeform beckon him between his knees again. "You short circuited my brain a bit there, that's all," Sonic said with an apologetic little laugh, "I was expecting you to top, if I'm being honest. Got myself all prepped and ready, so I was not expecting to find the most amazing creature ever created splayed out across the bed like that for me." The immediate flick of Shadow's ears towards him at the praise made Sonic smile.

"…Did you want me to top?" Shadow asked after a beat, instead of addressing anything Sonic had just said, earning a fond eye roll from the hero.

"Only if you want to. I just figured, with how you like to be in control of situations pretty much all the time, that'd just carry through to the bedroom. I'm more than happy, either way," Sonic reassured, petting down Shadow's calves to rest his hands on the inhibitor rings at his ankles.

"That's the exact reason I didn't want to," Shadow muttered, causing Sonic to frown in mild confusion. He let out a tiny huff of air, glaring at the blue hero for a moment, before deflating and ducking his head slightly. "I was doing some reading in preparation for tonight, and I wound up on a website which discussed different sexual positions, preferences, and so forth. I wanted to be well prepared for any direction the evening may have gone, and I…I found a particular article talking about 'bottoming' or being a submissive, and I thought it would be nice to-to have someone I trust be in control." He peered up at Sonic, his cheeks significantly less red than they had been before, but still distinctly pink tinged. "And I," he cleared his throat, looking away quickly as he spoke, his ears pinning back once more, "I wanted to know what it would feel like to have someone inside me who I chose to let in."

"Shadow," Sonic breathed, his own cheeks flushed, but for completely different reasons than Shadow. His tail whipped back and forth as he leaned further into the hybrid's space, startling Shadow into falling back into his pillows with a put upon grunt. "That is, simultaneously very sweet, incredibly touching, and the hottest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I…Really?"

"I wouldn't have said it if it weren't true," Sonic hummed, sliding his hands back up Shadow's legs to gently wiggle his fingers in between the hybrid's knees. Slowly, he pushed Shadow's knees apart and pressed into the space it made, smiling encouragingly as Shadow relaxed further back into the pillows. "Now…I believe I have some making up to do, since I'm pretty sure neither of us are all too aroused anymore," he added, glancing down to find that, as expected, Shadow's pouch was very much flat and hidden by fur. He smirked at the way the hybrid squirmed at being observed, and how his tail curled up protectively over his crotch. "Now, now," Sonic soothed, planting his hands to either side of Shadow's chest and leaning in over the other, his smirk growing at the way Shadow's eyes grew wide at his somewhat domineering shift in demeanor, "I'm going to take good care of you, Shads. I promise. You trust me, right?"

"Of course," Shadow breathed, his claws absently digging into the bedsheets, ears pricked forward in interest.

"Good. Then first," Sonic hummed, pulling Shadow's hands from the sheets to burry them in his blue quills instead, "You can touch me. And you know I'm not fragile, so you can even use claws a little bit, if you want. Just be careful not to dig in too deep, okay?" A quick, jerky little nod from the hybrid was his only response, but he could feel Shadow's fingers toying with his quills, so he figured his words were getting through. With that, he dipped his head down and began to pepper Shadow with tiny kisses, starting from the side of his muzzle and working his way down, pausing only briefly to dig his fangs lightly into the juncture of Shadow's neck and shoulder, relishing the restrained little moan the action resulted in. "Don't be shy, Shadow," Sonic murmured into the hybrid's shoulder as he moved down to a fluffy white chest, taking a short moment to press his face into the soft fur there, "I want to hear you. You'll be a good boy and let me hear you, won't you?"

The moan that ripped out of Shadow was louder and more unrestrained than Sonic had been expecting. He jerked his head up to find Shadow's face beat red, one of his fangs digging into his lower lip as he stared at the ceiling like it had offended his mother. "Did you like that?" Sonic asked, a wicked grin on his lips as Shadow let out a strained grunt, obviously at war with his want to let go and his inherent need to hold himself to some impossible standard while maintaining control. "Hey, it's okay, Shadow," Sonic cooed, letting his fingers dance up and over the hybrid's sides, "I like that you want to be my good boy. And I like how loud you were. Let's me know I'm doing a good job, doesn't it?"

Slowly, between his gentle cajoling and tender caresses, Sonic could feel the tension the dark hedgehog held slowly melt away. He hummed happily at the way Shadow's ears rolled back into a relaxed, submissive position, and his gaze softened as he let his coiled muscles relax against the bed. "That's it, Shads," Sonic cooed, settling back down to resume his trail of kisses, "Such a good boy." The low moan that escaped Shadow this time was far less exuberant than the last, but just as thrilling to Sonic. He was fully aware of the sheer weight of the trust he was being given, as Shadow let the last vestiges of his walls fall down. It was a heady feeling, and Sonic was eager to ensure he kept it.

The low, rumbling purr that kicked up as Sonic's kisses moved over Shadow's stomach were an additional surprise that had the hero's ears perking forward eagerly. He lifted himself slightly to find Shadow's head tipped back, blinking slowly and obviously letting himself slip away into Sonic's tender ministrations, if the way his gaze seemed unfocused and his fingers lazily stroked through blue quills were anything to go by. Sonic smirked, chewing on his lip for a moment, before making one of his signature snap decisions. He quickly dipped his head and ran his tongue over Shadow's now prominent pouch bulge, the tip of his tongue just barely pressing into the slit there. He braced himself as Shadow let out a startled grunt, Sonic fully anticipating the way the dark hedgehog's fingers tightened and pulled at his quills as his purr guttered out.

"S-sorry," Shadow's breathy apology sent a shiver down Sonic's spine, his tail happily wagging away as he grinned up at the hybrid, while Shadow pet apologetically at his head.

"No need to apologize, Shads," Sonic hummed happily, licking his lips languidly, "I didn't exactly give you any warning. Do you mind if I continue?"

Shadow gave his head a short shake, his low purr starting up again as Sonic scattered a few soft kisses to his inner thighs, before letting his tongue slide back over Shadow's pouch. He was infinitely curious to know what Shadow was packing, if he was being completely honest with himself. The thought had occupied his mind on a handful of occasions, resulting in more than one swift trip to the bathroom to either clean himself up or take a cold shower. He was a touch disappointed that he wouldn't get the opportunity to ride Shadow like he'd imagined this time around, but getting to swallow him down would be a good consolation price. As such, he let out his own happy little moan as the tip of Shadow's cock began to poke out of his pouch, his tail practically turning into a blur as he laved his tongue once more over the slit, before closing his mouth over it and sucking. He jerked a bit as Shadow's hands suddenly shoved down on his head, a startled shout from the hybrid accompanying the action as Shadow's girth rapidly slid into Sonic's mouth, very much choking the hedgehog as the length of it was a bit more than he had been expecting. He squirmed in Shadow's hold, lifting his head quickly and sucking in a deep breath once the hybrid's hands were out of his quills, and his cock out of his throat. He was never quite so thankful to not have a particularly strong gag reflex.

"Are you okay?" Shadow wheezed, looking a mix of dazed and apologetic, his hands hovering in the air, reaching for Sonic.

"Y-yeah," Sonic coughed, rubbing at his throat with a light wince, though he shot Shadow a quick smile of reassurance, "Caught me off guard, is all."

"That's an understatement…"

Sonic snorted, finally looking a bit bashful as he shrugged slightly. "Sorry, not sorry?"

Shadow simply chuckled, letting his hands drop to the bed, digging them into his own quills as he nestled more fully into his pillows. "Of course you're not sorry."

"Nope," Sonic chirped, finally looking down to see what he was working with, only for his mouth to flood with saliva at the sight. It was no wonder Shadow had choked him, despite his lack of gag reflex. The hybrid's cock was girthy and long, with a tantalizing looking ridge of little bumps lining the underside. He swallowed and ran his fingers up along the side of Shadow's spit slick dick, grinning madly at the whine and shiver the simple little touch elicited from Shadow. "Especially not when this is my prize."

"Sonic," Shadow murmured, almost pleading. It was such a wild departure from what Sonic was used to, it made him all the more eager to please his partner and make this a night Shadow would never forget. If only so that he would get to experience it over and over again.

"I've got you, Shads," Sonic hummed, momentarily casting his gaze around at the pillows to locate the little bottle of lube he'd haphazardly tossed there earlier. Quickly, he snatched it up, holding it so Shadow could see the label when he was cast a curious look. "I'm gonna prep you now, okay?" He leaned in to press a brief kiss to Shadow's mouth at the hybrid's nod of ascent, before sliding back down the bed, slathering his fingers in lube as he went, before taking the tip of Shadow's cock into his mouth. He began to bob his head a little as he gently swirled his fingers over Shadow's entrance, not missing the way the hybrid tensed slightly at the touch. Sonic had little to no doubt that no matter how many experiences the other may have had, he was definitely the first partner Shadow let top, and as such he was bound and determined to go as slow and gently as possible to make this the best possible experience Shadow could have.

Once the hybrid was used to his touch and had sufficiently relaxed, Sonic gingerly pressed the tip of his finger inside, dipping his head to swallow down nearly half of Shadow's length in order to distract from the intrusion. Luckily, this time Shadow's fingers dug into own pillows instead of Sonic's quills, though his hips did jump up a bit, causing Sonic to draw back and click his tongue quietly. "You gotta relax, Shads," he murmured, methodically pumping his finger in and out of Shadow as the hybrid panted above him, "Much as I enjoy your cock in my throat, I'd like it to be on my own terms, yeah?" His only reply was a short nod from Shadow, and the hybrid squeezing his eyes shut as he forced his hips back down onto the bed. "Mmm, that's a good boy," Sonic sighed, rubbing at Shadow's stomach with his free hand, not missing the low whine that left the hybrid at the pet name.

Sonic continued to prep Shadow slowly while laving attention on his cock, pausing every time the other squirmed or made a sound of distress. It made the whole process about three times longer than Sonic was used to, but as he'd told Shadow over dinner, the hybrid was more than worth going slow for, especially now. And he couldn't even say that he wasn't enjoying the tedious process, given that he'd never seen Shadow so free with himself. Sonic was committing every soft whine, quiet plead and aborted movement to memory. Truly, he wished he had a camera so he could go back later to rewatch Shadow come undone beneath him on repeat.

Finally, when Sonic was three fingers deep and Shadow looked like he was near tears as little strings of babbled nonsense escaped him, Sonic figured he'd been thorough enough. Gingerly, he extracted his fingers, relishing in the whimper and low whine that left Shadow as he did so. "Hey now," he cooed, snatching the little bottle of lube up from the bed to pour some over his own sizable length, which had slipped free of his pouch while he'd been tending to the hybrid and had begun to weep precum against the sheets, "The best is yet to come. No need to whine." He chuckled at the soft scowl Shadow shot him, the hybrid's ear pressed back as he barred his teeth a little. "C'mon," Sonic hummed, tapping the head of his cock against Shadow's entrance teasingly, "What's the magic word?"

"F-fuck you," Shadow nearly snarled, though it was breathy at best, while his hips shifted to press down to try to force Sonic inside.

"Ah, ah, ah," Sonic shook his head, drawing back and grinning at the way Shadow huffed and arched his back. "The point of this activity is to fuck you," he added, snorting as Shadow dug his head into the pillows with a grunt, "Now…What's the magic word? Don't you want to be a good boy?"

That seemed to be Shadow's magic word, as his hips dropped and his chest gave a slight heave as he sucked in a deep breath. Tentatively, he peered up at Sonic, the grasp on his last few shreds of control seemingly slipping away. "Please," he whispered, whimpering as Sonic shifted forward to rub the tip of his dick against Shadow's entrance once more.

"A little bit louder, Shads. I didn't quite catch that."

"Please!" Shadow shouted, uncharacteristically desperate. His eyes were pleading as he pushed his hips down, his back arched with the movement, and his claws digging into the pillow behind his head enough that it looked two seconds from being torn in half.

"That's my good boy," Sonic cooed, letting himself finally sink into Shadow's welcoming heat.

The sob that followed caught the hero completely off guard, faltering at the sight of tears slowly rolling down Shadow's muzzle and dampening his fur. He quickly scrambled to pull out, worry coursing through him at the thought that he'd somehow managed to hurt Shadow, despite his thorough stretching. However, upon shifting his hips he found Shadow's legs firmly clamped around his torso, forcing him to either stay still or move forward. He swallowed thickly, reaching down to pet at Shadow's stomach, since he certainly wasn't about to press forward while the hybrid was actively crying.

"Shads? Hey, Shadow? Can you look at me?" Sonic pleaded, worrying his bottom lip as Shadow slowly blinked teary eyes open to stare up at the hero, his vision blatantly unfocused. "Hi there," Sonic cooed, offering the other a tentative smile as he continued to pet at Shadow, "You okay?"

A slow nod was Sonic's only reply.

"Okay, well…you're crying. Are you aware of that?"

Shadow frowned lightly, pulling a hand free of the pillows to swipe at his face, his brows arching in bewilderment as he wiped away tears.

"I'll take that as a no…Are you hurt?"

A short shake of his head was Shadow's reply as he stared at his now damp fingers.

"Okay…you wanna keep going?"

"Mmm," Shadow hummed, nudging his feet against Sonic's lower back, forcing the hero's hips forward an inch, a low groan leaving Shadow as Sonic sunk a little deeper into him. He let his hand fall back into the pillows, his own worry over his tears obviously nowhere near what Sonic's had been if the way he rolled his hips was anything to go by.

"Alright. Well, you let me know if you do wanna stop, okay?" Sonic insisted, ignoring the grumble of irritation his lack of movement caused. "No, Shadow. This is important. You tell me if we need to stop. Okay?" Sonic waited patiently as Shadow rolled his head back with a groan, watching intently as the hybrid took a couple of deep breaths, before finally focusing back on Sonic, looking a bit more lucid this time.

"I will," Shadow rumbled, dancing his fingers up Sonic's arm, before digging them back into the pillow next to his head, "S'just a lot. S'good, though. Keep going." That seemed to be the extent Shadow was willing to keep focus, as he relaxed back into the pillows and nudged at Sonic's hips again, "Please."

"Mmm, how can I say no to that?" Sonic sighed, letting Shadow push him forward, essentially allowing the hybrid to set the pace as he ever so slowly pressed inside.

Once fully seated inside, Sonic buried his nose in Shadow's shoulder, lingering to let the other get used to the feeling of being full. He knew from experience that it could be a lot the first time, and he didn't want to accidentally overwhelm Shadow again by moving too soon. He smiled faintly as Shadow's hands moved from being dug into the bedding, to sunk into his quills, taking the opportunity as Shadow clung to him to suck a few more little love bites onto the hybrids shoulder and neck. He was so absorbed in his own little activity that he nearly choked on saliva and fur as Shadow's muscles suddenly clenched around him. For a moment, he'd thought it had been in response to his bites, as Shadow relaxed again when he pulled his face away. However, the hybrids' muscles clenched again without warning not a moment later, pulling a low whine from Sonic.

"Shadow?" He leaned a bit further back so he could get a look at the hybrid's face, only to find Shadow zoned out and staring at the ceiling, his lower lip caught between his teeth as his abdominal muscles methodically tensed and relaxed against and around Sonic. "Fuck," the hero grunted, gasping at a particularly hard clench, dropping to dig his face into Shadow's chest. He knew it wasn't the intention by any means, but it practically felt like Shadow was trying to milk him. "Shads," Sonic groaned, gasping as Shadow shifted his hips at the same time as he clenched his muscles, the hero's self restraint holding on by an extremely thin thread, "Shadow, please."

That seemed to snap the hybrid out of whatever strange little zen moment he'd gotten caught up in, letting his hips drop to the bed and going lax beneath Sonic. Letting out a little breath, Sonic sat back, drawing out slowly as he moved. He couldn't help the fond little chuckle that left him as Shadow gasped and whimpered at the loss, only to moan happily as Sonic easily slid right back in. "I've got you," Sonic sighed, starting up an unhurried pace, drawing nearly all the way out and pressing back in, in long, steady strokes. "That's it," he hummed, watching in rapt attention as Shadow's gaze went completely unfocused, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as his beath came out in short, sharp little gasps. "So good for me, Shadow," he began to ramble, experimenting with his angle every other thrust to see how the dark hedgehog would react, "You're taking me so well. Look at you." He grinned as Shadow's hips suddenly shot up, accompanied by a choked gasp. A tell tale signal to Sonic that he'd hit the hybrid's prostate.

Sonic leisurely ground into that spot inside Shadow a few times, biting at his lip as he watched thick beads of precum drip from Shadow's cock onto his belly. "Fuck…just look at you," he breathed, shifting to lift Shadow's legs over his shoulders so he could bury himself inside just that little bit deeper. "Wish you could see yourself like this, Shads," he groaned, his pace picking up slightly, earning punched out little gasps from Shadow, "So gorgeous. Head totally empty, all spread open and stuffed full of my cock." He pressed a sloppy kiss to the inside of Shadow's knee, leaning in and practically bending the hybrid in half as his hips sped up further, the sounds pouring out of Shadow's mouth nearly loud enough to rattle the walls.

"Such. A. Good. Boy," Sonic grunted, punctuating each word with a sharp, hard thrust, feeling his end rapidly approaching. He grunted as he ground himself into Shadow as deep as he could go, leaning up to languidly drag his tongue over Shadow's ear, the sensitive appendage flicking against his mouth. "Touch yourself," Sonic practically growled into Shadow's ear, "Let me see you cum." He shifted back once he felt Shadow's hand trying to wriggle in between their bodies, a feral little grin on his face as the hybrid hurried to obey, wrapping his fingers around his length and stroking quickly. "Good boy, Shadow," Sonic growled out, picking up his brisk pace once more, chasing his own release as Shadow's back arched off the bed with a broken moan. "Cum on my cock, pet. Cum all over yourself for me," he grunted, nipping at the inside of Shadow's knee and letting out a pleased groan as Shadow spasmed below him, his muscles convulsing as ropes of white painted his belly and a thready shout ripped from his lungs. "Mmm, that's my good, obedient boy," Sonic cooed, before slamming his hips home and emptying himself as deep inside Shadow as he could push.

The two sat entangled for a moment, their panting breaths echoing though the room the only sound. Finally, Sonic shifted minutely, an apologetic smile on his face as he carefully slid Shadow's legs down from his shoulders. "Ah, sorry about…well, my mouth sort of ran off without me," he said with a light chuckle, his thumbs swirling little circles through the damp fur of the hybrid's thighs, "I didn't meant to make it weird…" As he moved to pull out, he found Shadow's legs had shifted to wrap around his hips, effectively pinning him in place. He blinked, about to ask Shadow what was up, when the hybrids arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him down, very nearly smashing his nose into the other's shoulder. "Ah! Oh? Uh…cuddles? Is that what you want?" Shadow's deep, rumbling purr began to kick up again as Sonic settled against him, so he figured that was the correct answer. He supposed there were worse things than being koala cuddled by your boyfriend while still buried balls deep inside him. He let out a quiet sigh, nuzzling into the side of Shadow's muzzle and letting his own purr reverberate through his chest.

Sonic stayed like that until he could feel his dick starting to retract into his pouch, at which point he figured it was time the two of them get cleaned up. Gingerly, he pried Shadow's arms from around his neck, while planting a quick kiss to the hybrid's cheek. "Mmm, I think it's time to get up, Shads," he sighed, sitting up and back, unable to help himself but to glance down as he finally fully slipped free of Shadow's heat, watching as his spend slowly began to seep out of the hybrid's entrance. He bit his lip to try and hide his self satisfied grin at how he'd marked the 'ultimate lifeform', though his tail easily betrayed him as it wagged happily away. "Look at you, Shads," he murmured, pushing one of Shadow's knees further out to spread the hybrid open wider, "So pretty…"

He frowned, his purr coming to a stuttering stop as it finally occurred to him that Shadow wasn't making some snide remark back at him for his comment, or snapping at him for staring. As a matter of fact, he hadn't really said anything since letting Sonic know that he was okay after crying. He dragged his gaze up to Shadow's face, a little worried at what he might find, and more than a little worried to find Shadow still looking nearly as dazed as he had been in the throws of passion, though curiously the hybrid was still purring loudly.

"Shadow?" He shakily pet at Shadow's side, when something he'd read only the week before suddenly popped into his head. At the time, he'd thought Rouge was just being her regular, mildly vulgar, cheeky self when she'd sent Sonic several links about dominant/submissive relationships, and aftercare instructions. He'd scoffed when he'd opened them, thinking she'd been trying to pull his chain about how rough Shadow was going to be with him. Now he was wondering if, perhaps, she'd been trying to subtly support Shadow in her own weird way by sending Sonic some rather informative links. He hadn't really had any intention of reading the articles, but now he was quite thankful for his natural, insatiable curiosity. If he was recalling correctly, Shadow was likely in some sort of 'subspace', probably brought on from pushing himself to give up his control to Sonic, and the hero continuously putting particular emphasis on praising the hybrid as a 'good boy'. Nothing too serious, but he needed to snap Shadow out of it slowly to make sure the other didn't suddenly become overwhelmed.

"Hey," Sonic cooed, reaching both hands up to gently cup Shadow's face, softly brushing his thumbs along the other's cheek bones, "Shadow? Hey, pet…I need you to focus on my voice, okay? You were such a good boy, but I need you to focus now, alright?"

"…I was good?"

Sonic's ears immediately perked up at Shadow's soft words, nodding happily at the other. "Yes! You were so good. Now, just listen to my voice and come back to me. You did so well, I just need you to keep listening to me…"

It took a bit of soft cajoling, but Shadow's gaze finally seemed to snap into focus on Sonic as he took a deep breath, a full body shiver over taking him as he lifted his hands to cover the cobalt blue ones on his face. "Sonic…"

"There you are," Sonic sighed happily, leaning to pepper feather light kisses over Shadow's face, his toes curling happily at the soft chuckle he managed to pull from the hybrid. He sat back on his haunches once he felt the hybrid was sufficiently peppered, resting his hands on Shadow's knees and absently rubbing them. "You doing okay?"

"Yes," Shadow murmured, rubbing at his face with a quiet grunt, "Though, that was…unexpected."

"Good unexpected, or bad unexpected?"

"Mmm…that remains to be seen."

"…How's that?"

Shadow chuckled quietly. "I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to allow you to call me 'pet'."

"Ah," Sonic flushed, lopsided grin on his face, "Sorry. That really was heat of the moment. It just sort of slipped out."

"I'm sure it was," Shadow muttered, shifting to sit up, only to cringe at the feeling of Sonic's cum dribbling out of his entrance. "That's-"

"I got it!" Sonic cut Shadow off, zooming away, only to reappear a moment later with a damp washcloth in hand. "Here," he hummed, placing a hand on Shadow's chest to encourage him to lay back, while carefully cleaning up the mess he'd left with the cloth.

"It's cold," Shadow grumbled, flopping back into his pillows.

"Yeah, sorry," Sonic sighed, looking sheepish, "Didn't really have time to let the water warm up. But! How about I go run us a bath? I saw the fancy tub in the bathroom, and nothing feels nicer after sex than a warm bath."

"Is that so?" Shadow hummed, rolling onto his side as Sonic slipped off the bed. "Speaking from experience?"

"Oh, yeah," Sonic grinned, shooting Shadow a wink, "Having someone else wash your quills after an orgasm? One of my top ten favorite experiences."

"Well, then. I guess I have to try it for myself."

"You got it," Sonic chirped, bouncing on his toes. He quickly swooped in to press a brief kiss to Shadow's cheek, taking note of the smitten little smile on the hybrid's face that he was sure Shadow thought he was moving to fast to see, before shooting off to the bathroom to start the bath. For good measure, he added a few splashes from the various bottles around the tub into the water, humming in satisfaction at the enticing aroma that flooded the bathroom. The resulting smattering of bubbles across the waters surface was a nice bonus, too.

When he returned to the bedroom, Sonic found Shadow sliding from the bed, his toes just about to touch carpet, before Sonic zipped over and scooped him into a bridal carry with a cheeky grin.

"I can walk!" Shadow snarked, punching Sonic in the shoulder with no real power behind it.

"I'm aware," Sonic hummed, waltzing out of the room, "But this is just nicer, isn't it?" He concluded that Shadow must agree with him, as the hybrid did little more than huff quietly and fold his arms over his chest. He chuckled and kicked the door shut once they were in the bathroom, striding over to the tub and snorting when Shadow's arms suddenly coiled around his neck tightly. "…Seriously? You think I'm going to drop you in the tub?"

"It's you. Of course I do."

Sonic rolled his eyes, gingerly placing Shadow in the tub before reaching to shut off the faucet. "Give me at least a little credit, Shads," he sighed, stepping into the tub himself after snatching a couple of wash clothes from under the sink. "That'd be no way to treat my perfect little pet, now would it?"

Shadow bristled and growled quietly under his breath, earning a soft chuckle from Sonic. "Careful, hedgehog."

"Yeah, yeah," Sonic hummed, poking at Shadow to get him to turn around in the tub, pouring some soap into his quills and digging his fingers in once the other finally decided to cooperate. "Anyway…what did you think? Still worth going fast for?"

"Hmm?" Shadow sounded somewhat dreamy as Sonic's fingers dug into his quills, tilting his head slightly to glance over his shoulder. "What? The sex? Or the bath?"

"Uh, either? Both?"

"The bath is good," Shadow sighed with a little nod, turning to face forward again, "As for the sex…I knew it was going to be messy. That alone never really made it very appealing to me. But…I enjoyed it. It was nice to let go and know I was going to be cared for. So, for that, thank you, Sonic."

"You're welcome? Never really been thanked for sex before, so this is new," Sonic snorted quietly in amusement, grabbing the shower head to rinse the soap from Shadow's quills.

"I don't expect it will be a reoccurring thing," Shadow chuckled, turning around once Sonic indicated he was free of soap, "But for the first time? Especially since I hadn't realized what would happen…I appreciate that you kept calm and helped bring me back to myself."

"Well," Sonic admitted, blushing slightly as he sunk into the water, "I might've…Rouge might've sent me some reading material."

"Of course she did," Shadow snorted, rolling his eyes. "Even still. For a first experience, you certainly made it enjoyable."

Sonic froze blinking up at Shadow from the water, squinting slightly. "Wait…Wait a minute," he sat up, water sloshing over the edge of the tub, much to Shadow's chagrin. Several casual comments and the way Shadow had acted suddenly fit together like little puzzle pieces in Sonic's head. "You were a virgin?!"

Shadow simply stared at him with an unamused arch of his brow. "Yes? I would have thought that was obvious."

"Wh-no?! You're, like, the coolest guy around! And ridiculously attractive! How?!"

Shadow couldn't help the little chuckle that left him at Sonic's astonishment, twirling his finger in the air to indicate that the hero should turn around so he could return the favor of washing his quills. He finally spoke once Sonic situated himself with his back to Shadow. "It's simple, really," he hummed, rubbing soap into Sonic's quills, "No one else was worth my time."

"I-" Sonic sunk into the water as a flush spread over his cheeks, only to squeak as Shadow prodded him into sitting back up, "That's both incredibly sweet, and a little bit conceded."

"I'm not wrong."

With a soft laugh as Shadow rinsed soap from his quills, he couldn't help but quietly agree.

"Oh, and I've decided," Shadow later commented out of the blue, once the tub was drained and they were both wrapped in oversized, fluffy towels and sat huddled together on fresh blankets on Shadow's bed.

"Yeah? What'd you decide?"

"That I don't mind."

"Mind what, Shads?"

"Hmm…being your 'pet'."

A self satisfied grin danced across Shadow's lips as Sonic choked on air.

[forever-fixating]

WIP Wednesday

I was tagged by @onthewaytosomewhere. This week I'm sharing a one-shot I've been working on. I was possessed by the demon that is Nicholas Galitzine who bombarded my poor fangirl heart with both Mary & George and The Idea of You trailer. I haven't been the same since, and I refuse to admit just how many times I've listened to that fucking song. (Spoiler alert: it's a lot.)

Anywho, I was inspired by that kiss in the trailer (Anne, Nick, I am just a simple bisexual person. You can't just DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT and expect me to have a normal response!!!) and the wonderful story Clean Slate by smc_27 on AO3 and of course, my fandom bestie @priincebutt The Story of Us to add my own popstar age-gap AU into the mix. I hope you enjoy this nonsense as much as I enjoy writing it. Should be ready soon. Toodles!

The band joined them twenty minutes later, and Alex announced, “I am starving. Are you ladies hungry?”

Henry stood as the girls giggled and nodded. They followed behind as the group headed outside to a large black SUV. The girls joined June and Nora in the middle section, and Alex grinned, “Guess you’re stuck in the back with me, Uncle Henry.”

Henry rolled his eyes as Cash opened the door for them. “Henry is fine, thanks.”

“Yes, he is.”

Henry’s heart skipped several beats as he climbed inside the SUV. Was this man hitting on him? He suddenly felt flushed and tugged off Pez’s jacket, trying to calm his racing heart and mind. He scooted against the other door for some distance, only for Alex to move to the center of the seat, their knees grazing each other. Henry, grasping for any semblance of control, called out, “Seat belts, girls!”

June and Nora turned to look at him, and June said, “They’re all buckled up. My mom drilled that into me and Alex’s brains growing up.”

“You two look cozy,” Nora said with a smirk.

Henry gave a nervous chuckle and said, “I’m just happy to be somewhere quieter. I don’t know how you all do it night after night.”

“I thrive on it,” Alex replied, leaning back into the plush leather seats. He looked at Henry through eyelashes that didn’t seem real outside of fiction. “Doesn’t matter if it’s ten people or ten thousand…being surrounded by a sea of people all there to see you. It’s out of this world.”

Henry relaxed into his seat as they pulled away from the stadium, Alex’s cologne filling his senses. It was spice, leather, and a hint of something floral—pure intoxication. The girls chattered in front, and Alex asked, turning his body toward Henry, “So what do you do when you’re not busy being the best uncle ever?”

Henry shrugged, looking down at his hands holding the leather jacket. “My life is quite dull. I volunteer at a youth shelter, help my best mate at his art gallery, and write.”

“Oh? Anything I’ve read?”

Henry hesitated. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed by his work. He had it on good authority that, past the smutty allure, his fans genuinely connected with the characters of his books. But the subject matter was decidedly graphic and not something he wanted to discuss around his twelve-year-old nieces. Finally looking at Alex again, he said dismissively, “Probably not. I write for myself and a small but passionate audience.”

Alex was undeterred. “Try me. I read constantly, especially when I’m on tour. If anything, it will give me something new.”

“Fine,” Henry replied, rolling his eyes. “My most popular series is probably Dark Olympus. As a queer teen, I was obsessed with Greek mythology and-”

“Wait,” Alex said suddenly, his eyes widening, “you’re George St. James?”

It was Henry’s turn to be surprised. “Wait, are you seriously saying you read that series?”

“Dude, I’ve read everything you’ve ever written, even the straight stuff! The Beast was part of my bisexual awakening!” Alex exclaimed. He leaned forward, smacking the back of the seat, and said, “Nora, June! This guy is George St. James.”

The two women spun around, June saying, “No way! Oh my God, I just finished rereading Blood on the Tide from your Crimson Sails series. I’m obsessed! Please tell me you’re working on another book soon because I need it like yesterday.”

“Seriously,” Nora seconded, her curls bouncing as she nodded. “We’ll give you whatever you want if you give us advanced copies.”

Henry must be in a coma, and this was some bizarre dream his drug-addled mind conjured before his siblings pulled the plug. How else could he be sitting in an SUV with one of the most popular bands in the country, who are apparently fans of his books? Penelope and Grace turned their heads as well, Grace giggling, “Are you talking about Uncle Henry’s smutty books? Our mum says we aren’t allowed to read them.”

“With good reason,” Henry said sternly, looking at his bemused nieces. He returned his attention to the trio and said, baffled, “I’ll get with my agent? God, this is so bizarre. I can’t believe you’ve read my books.”

“It’s all Alé’s fault,” Nora said, winking at the singer. “When he finds something he likes, his little ADHD brain latches onto it and falls down an obsession rabbit hole.”

“Shut up, Nora,” Alex said through clenched teeth. The calm and confident veneer from earlier was shattered, and Henry marveled at how alarmingly human Alex was then. But, to Henry’s immense frustration, that made him all the more charming and attractive. He needed to get a grip. This was nothing. It wasn’t ever going to be anything. This was just three very kind young popstars sharing a meal with two fans and their awkward-as-dog’s-bullocks uncle, and that was it.

Again: Nicholas Galitzine, this is all your fault.

Cover Art because I'm a nerd and enjoy having art for my stories on here:

[stacywaters]

Written in the Pages (RM) CH1

 𝄆𝄞 Late January, 2013 𝄇

I wrap my scarf loosely around my neck and step out of the house. I stare down at the familiar path of bricks under my feet as I walk to school. The sky is the same shade of gray and despite the brisk wind, there are no leaves on the trees to be rustled.

When I get to school, I sit down at the back of the room and pull out my book to read. My classmates bicker around me but I don't look up, lest I be reminded of my own loneliness. I shut my book tightly once the bell rings, noticing someone sitting only a few desks in front of me. It was Namjoon. I had liked him since around November but learned better than to get my hopes up. He wouldn't even be friends with someone like me. It's not that he was necessarily popular, but he did have some friends. I rarely spoke, so he most likely didn't know my name.

Lessons began and I tried to keep myself from staring. It isn't like anyone would really notice though, as I am in the back corner. It's better if I don't encourage myself and just suppress these feelings like I always have.

Soon enough my classes are over and I'm walking back home. As I go, I notice two girls around my age chatting with each other. They're laughing and seem to be having such a good time, I can't help but feel envious. I haven't had a best friend like that in such a long time. I only start to feel worse listening to what they're saying.

"I know! Taehyung really is so hot... if only he'd notice me!"

"Yeah, but have you seen his friend? What was his name..."

"Namjoon?"

"Yes! He's in one of my classes, I want to get to know him"

"You should!"

"But what do I say?"

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure he likes you back anyway"

"I hope so"

I keep my head down and continue walking. Still, their words get to me. They were both so pretty...oh course he'd go for someone more like them. I'm confident in who I am. Really. It's just that Namjoon is nothing like me. He has plenty of friends and admirers, all of them do. He is going to date someone in his social circle, like them.

Once I get home I grab some banana milk from the fridge and sit down at my desk. Pulling out a pen, I work on my manuscript.

𝄆𝄞 Namjoon POV𝄇

"What's her name?"

I turned to my friend Hoseok and smiled.

"y/n"

"Wait... how long have you had a crush on her?"

"Since spring last year, around April"

"It's almost been a whole year!" Jungkook whined, "why are you only telling us this now?"

"I was nervous! I haven't even talked to her..."

I looked up at my friends who were shocked by my confession. Finally, Jimin spoke up:

"You need to make a plan soon if you ever want her to notice you. You're both graduating this year, remember?"

"I know, but what do I even say to her? She's just so... so perfect. I don't want to ruin any chance I have by saying something stupid"

"Well, you've liked her for this long. Do you know of anything she likes?" Taehyung questioned.

"Hmmm, she's really intelligent. She also really likes books, every time I see her she's reading one. Would that work? Should I try talking to her about that?"

They seemed to approve of that. After talking for a bit longer, I went home and made a plan. Tomorrow I will try talking to her before class starts.

𝄆 𝄞 𝄇

The next day I got up earlier. I walked to class and didn't get distracted talking to people. I was determined. I didn't realize until I settled down in my seat that there were still over fifteen minutes before homeroom would start.

After waiting for only a few minutes, she walked in. She took my breath away, though she was just wearing our school uniform. I started fiddling with my hands under my desk, the nerves getting to me. Slowly I stood from the desk and approached her.

"Um... hi" I mumbled.

She glanced up from her book and immediately her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Did I upset her?

"I just uh.... Wanted to know what book you're reading?"

"Oh." She hesitated, "it's just... something I found in the library. It's in a series actually"

"Nice. Sounds good"

She nodded and looked back down to the pages.

"...maybe I'll check it out"

With that I returned to my seat, hoping it wasn't too obvious how flustered I was. That was my first time actually talking to her! It was so awkward though... Does she not like me? Was something I said wrong? She seemed so indifferent.

𝄆𝄞 Y/N POV𝄇

I stared down at my book but unable to focus at all. What was that? Did my crush actually just talk to me? What is happening?

I sigh to myself. He probably just likes reading too, and wanted to know what book it was. I'm sure it's nothing personal, he doesn't even know my name. Still, a part of me feels excited, like maybe I have a chance.

[daebors]

cw: venting a little at the start

it's currently 11:32 and I'm feeling super anxious. I'm writing on here because doing something on tumblr usually helps to distract me when I'm nervous. I'm not nervous about anything in particular I don't think. I have generalised anxiety disorder (which truthfully isn't diagnosed, but there's not point of getting one, I know what it is and I can't be bothered to pay or something like that)

I need to read a book named how to stop worrying and start living. it's pretty old I think, but I was invertedly recommended it. I'm wondering if I should get the book or the audiotape. I mostly read in public—wouldn't reading a book like that in front of people be embarrassing?

well I guess that's what the book is about. I need to wash my hair but it's too late to do that now. I'll try to remember in the morning but I always forget these kind of things.

I'd usually say something like this to a hotline or something, but most of them open 24/7 are voice call only which me, being mute, cannot handle lmao. the webchat ones are usually only open until 12 and they always have the worst queues. one time I waited for two hours, but by the time I was at the front of the queue, I could only have a five minute section as it was too close to midnight.

I made an ao3 account though! I think I'll write stardew valley fanfiction. I've already written a bit of a choose your own adventure fanfic, but I'm not sure if I'll showcase it on here. it wouldn't be that difficult to find once it's published though haha.

I sent in my cringey kids' youtube channel to a youtuber I watch often. I hope he doesn't laugh at it or is at least nice about it if he sees and doesn't judge me too harshly. I'm pretty certain he reads my instagram dms to him... I suggested one video and he ended up making a video using that a week later and then back in august I suggested he watched this show for a video and he uploaded an hour long video watching that show only a week ago.

I hope I am making some sort of impact on his life, even if it's small. I started watching him in 2014 when we were both 16. I can't help but think what could have happened if I tried to contact him sooner when he had a smaller audience and was more prone to messaging back. I think we would have been friends, maybe, or maybe that's wistful thinking or whatever they say...

I used to write in my diary everyday. I haven't for ages now as I just kept forgetting and forgetting. I've decided to not be so hard on myself when I do forget and only do it when I really want to. when I'm away from my pc and unable to blog straight away, maybe I'll write it down in my diary to send out later? or maybe that's stupid and I should just write it on my phone so I can copy paste it.

I was watching an analysis of penny from sdv earlier. I didn't watch until the end as it got to her 10 heart scene and marriage stuff which I haven't played through before, but so far I found it super interesting. I love penny. I love all the bachelors and bachelorettes in their own special way, to be honest. I like to think that I see the best in people... or at least fictional characters.

I'm too tired to continue so here's the end of this looong text post. I might post again tomorrow, or next year, who knows.

thanks for reading :) if you want to see more of my life updates feel free to follow me

[yanderes-galore]

Your Yandere prompts screams kirishima to me 20.) "I've been waiting too long for this...."21.) "Photos and trinkets only do so much, dear!" (Maybe pro hero or 3rd year kiri finally has the reader all to himself and no one would suspect the sweet , lovable Red Riot to have kidnapped his classmate ?) 💗💗💗

Sure! I haven't written MHA in a while or watched it in a bit so if anything is out of character, I apologize! Pro hero Kirishima and aged up as usual!

Accidentally just made it angsty which I doubt is what you wanted, so I am sorry on that- I can see this request in a more unhinged Kirishima way, though this bluntly delusional version I think is good too. Either way, hope you liked it ^^

Yandere! Eijiro Kirishima Prompts 20 + 21

"I've been waiting too long for this...."

"Photos and trinkets only do so much, dear!"

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Stalking, Picture taking mentioned, Theft mentioned, Kidnapping, Angst and lots of it, Toxic behavior, Paranoia, Overprotective behavior, Delusional behavior.

No one would expect a thing, how could they?

No one looked at Red Riot and thought he had a dark side. He's so outgoing, honest, and kind hearted! That's why when tragedy struck and he swooped in to help, no one thought anything of it.

It's not like anyone would know if someone went missing afterwards, yeah? That fight with that villain caused a ton of damage! Anyone could've died in the crossfire!

That may be why no one found you yet.

Kirishima, your old classmate, was good at keeping up appearances. He makes friends so easily and claims to go by a code of chivalry. Is this chivalry?

Kidnapping your old classmate because you had feelings for them years ago?

The red haired man who visited your little cage every day made your blood boil. He goes on and on about how he'll provide for you, how he'll be manly enough to be your boyfriend.

It would be flattering if he didn't take you by force.

You were forced to sit in a little room. Door always locked with a bed, chair, and wardrobe in the room. This was all you saw while you healed from your wounds.

You thought he took you in out of kindness. To heal after being attacked by a villain. Then he never let you leave....

He had played hero in front of the crowd, coming in to pick you out of the rubble. While everyone else thought you were safe... you were not. Red Riot had other plans.

It was skillful planning if you think about it.

No one suspected a thing.

"I've been waiting too long for this...."

Was this his idea of a romantic fantasy? Locking you in his home and claiming he loves you? You're disgusted by the fact he acts like this is normal.

"I've loved you for years...! We've just been so busy with school I never got to say it- But... my feelings haven't changed!"

"How is kidnapping me a way to confess to me? After all this time?"

"It... it wasn't kidnapping! I was helping you after the battle. You were injured, so I kept you until you healed...!"

"Well, I'm healed now. Yet you refuse to let me go."

"Come on, (Y/N)... don't do this! I promise I'll be the best for you.... I don't want you getting hurt again, y'know?"

You glare at him in defiance, earning a frown from the pro hero. Due to the public seeing him as this great hero... they'll never know about you. You, who's locked away like some precious doll who'd break so easily.

"I'm sorry... I know this isn't the right thing to do. Not even close to it. But... I really have been waiting to provide for you like this."

"What do you mean?"

You ask him, not sure if you want to know the answer. You see his eyes widen and his cheeks flush, your captor acting like an embarrassed child. He seems nervous for a moment but he sits closer to you in the chair in front of your bed. You keep your distance and allow him to speak.

"U-Um... when we were still in school together, I could see you every day. Then we graduated and... got busy."

He clears his throat, shaking his head. It's like he wants to say what he's saying but is hesitating.

He knows his behavior is wrong, yet yearning for your love is so much stronger than his morals.

"I... have a few things of yours that I like to keep. They remind me of you and that gave me the confidence to commit to my career!"

He laughs slightly, trying to make light of the situation. Obviously, with your now concerned face, it wasn't working.

"I love you so much... that I even kept some photos of you. I'm not the best with a camera though I think they came out very well."

Kirishima then sighs, fidgeting with his fingers.

"Photos and trinkets only do so much, dear...."

The so-called hero then looks up to see you stare at him with terrified eyes.

"You planned this-"

You shake, pressing yourself against the wall by the bed.

"You've been stalking me... waiting for just the right moment to take me here...."

"Woah, woah...! I assure you I never meant to-"

"Listen to yourself, Eijiro! You KIDNAPPED me, you can't deny that! The stalking, too-"

"Listen to ME, (Y/N)!"

Kirishima snaps, soon taking a deep breath to calm down. He shouldn't scare you....

"... I did this to protect you. I'm meant to protect you. I do this because I love you. I know it's not like your traditional hero behavior... I just want you to know I don't want to scare you."

"Let me go-"

"You know I can't do that... not after this."

"Why...? If you love me so much... why do you neglect me this?"

Kirishima looks genuinely sad at what you said. He may not have bad intentions... though this is still wrong. You're still scared of him for it.

"You could get hurt. Besides... I worked hard to be the best man for you. I worked hard to get us together.... Just... be patient, please."

He holds your hands, despite you trying to pull away. He wants you to love him. However, he fears he's rushed things....

How dare he call himself a man...

How dare he call himself your hero.

The room grows silent. Kirishima looks to be feeding himself delusions to reassure he's doing the right thing. It's sad, really.

Sad to see such a hero give into his dark desires...

Sad to see you suffer due to such delusions...

Sad that no one would believe you if you told anyone.

While Kirishima may claim he feels love for you, it's toxic. He's stalked you, he's stolen from you, he's kidnapped you...

He's delusional about you.

You curse at how pitiful you feel. Stuck in this situation all because of him. He could follow through with what he says, promising to treat you well, yet you still wouldn't be happy.

You only want your freedom...

He'd never make you happy without it.

[kahluamystery97]

SATELLITE Ch 1

I have been working on this story for ages. It has been written and rewritten and I'm still not sure it isn't shit. I haven't written in years My last writing was some Pacey/Joey/Dawsons Creek fic. Yup I'm old. It is about 80% done but the ending has been hard to come by.

TW: lots of ED talk. I am not an expert. I live with ED and I have used my own experiences here.

FC is the immaculate Margot Robbie (my girl crush).

I hope you enjoy this short chapter. If not - please feel free to keep scrolling. There are amazing writers on this site. Go read their work and buy them a coffee.

SATELLITE

Chapter One

“Cmon Maggie, pick up." Harry Styles whispered to himself.

Maggie Dunne wasn't big on answering his calls these days. Just before the voicemail kicked in the line picked up.

"Hello," she answered timidly.

"Hi," He responded softly. “I uh, I’m glad you answered." He fell silent a minute. Then he decided to just say it. "I just, I won tonight. I uh, I won a Grammy."

"I know. I was watching. You should be proud." Her voice now with what sounded like forced cheer. "Now go celebrate. You earned it."

"Except it feels hollow without you. So much of this is because of you." He put it out there.

"None of this is because of me."

"You helped more than you know. You let me adore you," He played on the song he had written for her. The line was silent. Had he gone too far?

"Yeah. Well I mean I hope you called the underwear model too." Now Maggie had a bit of an edge to her voice.

Harry swallowed hard. "I'm sorry this isn't where I wanted this call to go. I wanted to ask you to come tonight. Just having a little thing. We don't have to have any complicated conversations. Just come and be beside me. Celebrate with me." Harry held his breath a minute. He was nervous to hear her response.

Maggie felt her gut twist into knots. Had she had any significant amount of food in her system she was sure she would vomit.

The push and pull of Harry was difficult. It was also easy. It was intoxicating. It was a bad addiction. If she let herself she could fall right back in only to be crushed again. She surprised herself when she said, "Text me the details. I'll try. I'm not even dressed."

"Wear whatever you like. It isn't a giant thing. Everyone will just be so happy to see you. I could send a car?" He offered hoping that would guarantee her turning up.

"I can get my own car." Just like that she hung up the phone.

Maggie just didn't have anything left to say. She had no idea why the fuck she was considering this.

Things between them weren't always this way.

[ephemerlskies]

the beauty of after | pjm

⇢ pairing: jimin x f reader

[other members - taehyung]

⇢ genre: drabble, fluff, widower!jimin, angst (barely), artist!taehyung, the FLUFFIEST piece i've written so far, jimin is an old man

⇢ word count: 3.5k

⇢ warnings: themes of grief/loss, major character death (oc), mentions of death

⇢ summary: on your seventieth wedding anniversary, jimin celebrates in solitude by describing your face to an artist. it surfaces more fondness than grief to reminisce in the memory of his late partner.

♪ playlist: serendipity - bts • i'll never love again - lady gaga • lover - taylor swift • love of my life - queen • my everything - ariana grande ♪

[important] a/n: i am so so sorry to everyone for constantly reposting this, but my tags haven't been working. hopefully this is the last time i have to repost this!! also HAPPY PRIDE!

“Thanks for doing this for me.” The young artist had already begun mixing paints on his palette, eyeing the canvas before him to scale the size of his portrait.

Jimin was gentle with the way his eyes traveled along Taehyung’s face which was free from the age wrinkles that Jimin had grown used to seeing. He nodded as to say your welcome, a jaded but genuine smile reaching his lips to the ends of his face.

It was difficult to gauge which one was more nervous from how Taehyung had nearly knocked over his easel various times within the stretch of setting up his supplies and the lack of stillness that fraught Jimin’s hands which were trying, and failing, to fold politely in his lap.

“This is for an art project? For school?” Jimin asked, deciding that half-empty questions fit better in the air than the awkward silence funded by the lack of proper acquaintance. Not to say he wasn’t indeed curious about this whole ordeal.

“Yeah. My professor wanted us to have someone describe their significant other to us and we have to draw them based on the description! I hope I do your partner justice.” Jimin’s heart grew warmer when the enthusiasm from Taehyung’s voice made his intentions clear. He was an aspiring artist simply using his craft to procure something emotional and raw.

Jimin was the fortunate soul Taehyung had stumbled upon during his walk home. A single, elderly man sitting on a park bench, an appropriate setting for someone Jimin’s age, had aroused some curiosity in the younger man to strike up a conversation.

The slightly hung head, the pair of kind eyes trailing the various passersby, and the astounding hint of melancholy had colored Jimin in an entirely different light than anyone Taehyung had ever met.

Whatever his story was, Taehyung made it a goal to depict it with every bit of honesty and emotion he could engender from his paintbrush.

“I think it would be hard to make anything of ___ look bad." Jimin assured, feeling his shoulders fall away from his ears and his hands finally rest atop his lap.

“___? Is that her name?” Taehyung repeated it internally a few more times in an attempt to imagine what you looked like before Jimin started on his description.

He looked over to the older man, picturing an older woman sitting beside him on that park bench. His mind meandered to what kinds of things you two would talk about, or if you two were the type to construct a haven in sweet silence. Maybe Jimin would say something that would make you laugh and you would join in on the repartee with ease.

What made you laugh? How many times have you been on a plane? Did you like the color yellow? What was your favorite genre of music? What made you cry?

The questions began to bundle like a colorful bouquet of diverse flowers, waiting to be delivered into the hands of a loved one.

“Yes. Beautiful right?” Jimin’s smile faded a bit, the only evidence of it expressed through a slight curve sitting at the ends of his mouth and the crow’s feet incising his skin much more prominently than the rest of his wrinkles.

“Very beautiful.” Taehyung decided to arm himself with one of his finer brushes. He could already feel the unwavering desire to capture the most intricate of details partly for a good grade in this class but partly for the sake of keeping true to his word.

He wanted to do you and Jimin justice. To make this nothing but ornately accurate.

“How would you describe her facial structure?” The artist positioned his arm with his brush in hand, ready to dispatch the ink amassing at the tip of the synthetic hairs to the white, empty canvas.

“Soft. Perfect to fit into my hands.” Jimin stared down to the mentioned body parts, reminiscing the countless times he would scoop your face between his palms for no reason at all other than to revere your beauty. “Round cheeks. Smooth and warm skin.”

Taehyung couldn’t resist how the pang in his heart reflexively surfaced a fond smile in reaction to Jimin’s endearing description. He peeked away from the canvas before making any initial marks and gathered the loving gaze Jimin had been directing towards his matured hands cupped around the empty space that should have been your face. Then, he knew exactly which set of emotions he should embed into this portrait.

“What about her eyes, what do they look like?” Taehyung asked to acquire another image of how he should paint you, while already outlining the basic curves of a head that would quote unquote fit perfectly in Jimin's hands.

“They were kind. They always had this sparkle in it. A real sparkle, like she trapped the moonlight in her eyes.” Suddenly, Jimin's lungs were not merely occupied with air, but with an oxygenated memorial of your eyes which made his inhalations feel weighted. “They were bright and always looked at me with trust and care. Even when they had tears in them, you could have mistaken those for diamonds.”

The image was stark in his own eyes, and if he closed them then he could have been transported back seventy years to when your wedding vows were announced to the world. How your eyes looked at him and glimmered an overwhelming beauty that nearly evaporated the over-rehearsed words from his memory. Before you could roll those moonlit pupils at his fall to silence, he hastily declared the oaths that bound his heart to yours forever as if he couldn’t stand a second longer keeping those promises in.

“Were?” Taehyung articulated thoughtfully as he could with clear indication to question the past tense manner of Jimin’s narrative.

“Yeah. She has passed.” It was still difficult to feel those words ordered as such verbalized by his tongue. They tasted bitter and stale, as if they had been waiting somewhere inside to be recognized.

He wasn't aware of how his hand was now placed against his chest until he felt the heavy throbs of his tired organ. Through this, it might be that he was searching for your heartbeat that he could once identify through the his own.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Sir.” Taehyung’s hand almost fell away from the canvas, until reality restored his maneuvers and continued the lining of your face.

His focus was oscillating from the mostly white canvas, save for the thin strokes of black, to the man uncoated from his reserve through the smile that deepened the indentations of his face.

“Jimin. Call me Jimin.” He said, breaking whatever ice that froze the two of them in discomfort. That nervousness had melted away with the minutes until they both felt warm and comfortable.

“Okay, Jimin, could you describe anything else about her? It doesn’t have to be physical. This is more about emotion.” Taehyung’s brush had been hard at work, dutifully printing every hint of love that Jimin relayed and materializing it onto the portrait.

“Her smile was warm. The biggest one you would ever see. I swear, everyone she met noticed it. It was genuine. It was the smile of someone who never had mal intent and always ready to share her happiness to all those around her. Seeing it every day, it reminded me that, with her, I was always home.”

From the day he met you, eye contact was a difficult task to compass since your smile had always demanded his full attention. Each time you flashed your grin, he felt as if it was purposeful, the extension of your joy onto him. The way you made him feel every bit of bliss you felt because you were the type to believe everyone, especially Jimin, deserved to feel happy.

And each time he was endowed witness to your smile, it articulated his goal in life quite clearly: molding his actions into a kindle for your smile and doing everything in his humble power to cherish those angelic beams of joy.

“Whenever she would smile, your day would get a little bit better. And I was lucky enough to spend most of my life with her, so my days always got better. She always smiled. Like she knew how much it meant to me.”

“Sounds like ___ was very happy.” Taehyung said during the interval of giving shape to your lips. What remained on the canvas was the widest smile Taehyung could craft, knowing it was not nearly as big as the one Jimin described.

“She was. She was sad too, and angry. You did not want to see her angry, let me tell you.” A chuckle had fallen from his mouth as he postured the memory of your scowl to the forefront of his recollection. How you would equip this number when Jimin would do something particularly dumb, or when your kids were being scolded for reasons that didn’t seem as important now.

There was nothing that compared to how you could emote with your entire face in a poise that suggested your feelings willed your every movement. How you would scrunch your nose and your eyebrows would reach the middle of the space between them; the frown of your lips would pull your entire face lower. He would take your anger seriously at the time, but in retrospect, he would give anything to see that disgruntled expression again.

And he would simply smile, and perhaps snap a photo for a keepsake.

“I hope she was happy most of all. That’s all that matters, Taehyung. Make the ones you love happy. I hope I did that well enough.” Jimin began to question if he made you happy. One day, when he joined your parted soul, he would find that out for himself.

He knew beyond doubt that you had accomplished sparking joy into people's lives simply by being you.

“I will. That’s good advice, Jimin.” Taehyung made himself present in his wonders about you, despite how he was absent from your life.

From the way Jimin described you, he fully understood that Jimin wasn't speaking from the functions of a brain. The portion of his mind that conducted speech could have been rejected entirely. These words, the thoughtful description, the sentiment flowing from his voice were sourced straight from the heart.

One that felt incomplete without its other half.

“Do you miss her?” He had to inject a bit of courage in this question in the hopes it wouldn’t be overstepping any boundaries. Though, Jimin was ever so gentle with the way he moved through life and met Taehyung's requests with kindness so far.

“Very much.” A stout crack fissured through Jimin’s voice and prompted him to swallow down the sob ruminating in his throat. “I miss her more than anything in the world. More than the flowers miss the spring and wait for winter to pass so they may bloom again. These days, I’m just waiting for spring.”

Jimin had intertwined his hands together, pretending it could fill the hollow space of his palms just as well as your hands would. He knew though, this was an emptiness that would always remain unfulfilled the minute your heart stopped beating with his.

“It will come. Soon enough. She’s waiting for you too, I’m sure.” And your flower will bloom. Taehyung created the contours of your eyes and paid a sizable amount of attention to depicting that highly emphasized sparkle.

What would a painting of you be without those acclaimed glints of moonlight floating in your irises? It wouldn’t be a painting of you at all.

“Do you have a special someone in your life right now?” Jimin took over the role of the questioner and placed Taehyung in the position of the questionee. It was enough for now to repair his composure.

“Not at the moment, no.” The majority of his focus was fixed on the painting but spared just enough to answer Jimin’s inquiry.

“Well, whenever you find them, I hope you appreciate the small things. I never knew how much the small things mattered until ___ was gone. Like how she notoriously had every barista put extra cinnamon on her coffee drinks. When I would forget to add it, she would pretend to be mad at me. She'd roll her eyes and tell me I’m ‘losing it’ or she would say something dramatic like ‘what has this world come to, Park Jimin?’” His pause filtered the room with a peaceful property.

Jimin utilized the silence to ponder the moments he once hadn’t given as much as a second thought to. The same moments that would entrap him in a catatonic gaze on rainy days or during cold, lonely nights.

“She would still drink the whole thing, though. She was kind in that way. Never really letting those things go unappreciated.” His eyes fell to the floor, though he was not seeing the weathered carpet spread across the substructure. He saw none other than your eyes.

The moonlight he had the privilege of viewing up close and personal, and uncrowned the orbiting rock in the sky of its esteemed title.

“Now every time I see cinnamon, I think of her. Of her peculiar love of it and even though she loved cinnamon so much, she’d love the effort I put in even more. She always loved me generously.” There had been friction within Jimin’s throat that made it warm and swollen ever since he started talking about you. His words dislodged through labored projections, but his voice overtly strewn hints of sorrowful longing in each statement.

“She sounds very loving. I can’t imagine how lucky it was that you met her.” Though his eyes were trained on pressing the delicate illustrations of your face onto the canvas, his ears were employed in listening intently to Jimin.

He had no idea who you were, however, he was sure he too would have fallen in love. Of course, anyone would have done so through the perception of someone who had devoted his entire heart and life to loving you.

“How long were you two together?” He asked to obtain an addition to his bouquet of knowledge about you.

“We were married for seventy years but we dated for three years before that.” Jimin’s eyes were not alone anymore.

They loaded quite a collection of tears, barely keeping at the bay of his eyes, and the vision of your face when he proposed that the two of you should seal your love through something as trivial as a diamond ring.

It was irrational, not only the fact that pricey luxuries such as rings were well beyond his budget. Jimin knew that embellishing a silver band on your finger would not be enough to earn a lasting relationship or settle your commitment to him. A piece of jewelry could not entail the immense love harbored in his chest. The proposal wasn’t the end of a happy story, rather the beginning of a lifetime to learn and unlearn the elements of loving you.

Even the bumps in the road, knocking him or you away from each other, were never enough to conclusively sever the connection. Dedication and work knotted your heartstrings together. The biggest bump, your death, was the final blow that nearly disentangled them.

Nearly. But when Jimin said ‘until death do us part’ he never realized that vow held some false hope. Of course, he wouldn’t let you go, or rather he couldn’t let you go, even after you passed away. It wasn’t that easy when his heart synchronized with yours the moment he fell in love with you and he already decided to become someone who was worthy of loving you.

Now he was that man. Someone who matched the degree of kindness you always provided him. The man who would disregard any prior engagements if you called and needed him, rest assured you would do the same for him. The man who proudly held your hand, knowing the world envied him. The same man that was cultivated through growing beside someone that cared for every part of him, down to her last breath.

In that way, death was never a contender to part him from you.

“Wow.” Taehyung was not sure of how else to elaborate how genuinely impressed he was. “What's the secret? How did you manage to stay together for seventy years? I mean, people these days get divorces like it’s a quit button you can press when you get tired of playing the game.”

Jimin, despite the teary glaze over his eyes, pulled a laugh from his throat. Without warning, he fell into the trench of all the long-forgotten fights bred from pettiness or misunderstanding. Many of them were over financial or familial issues. And with the lens of a seventy-year perspective, Jimin traded shallow grudges for an important realization that certain things remain standing after the dust settles.

“We would fight. A lot, actually. Even in those perfect relationships, people always fight. But I remember now, if it were a fight over money or anything else that was expendable, there wasn’t a question in my mind of which to choose. Between the world and ___, I always choose her. I always choose love. It’s more important than anything because when you truly love someone, you want to understand them. You want to work through problems instead of leaving them to pile up and collect dust.”

Jimin’s eyes now settled on Taehyung, who had already been staring at Jimin, then continued with all the sincerity he could deploy.

“Taehyung, always choose them. Choose love. I know I did and I have no regrets. I know if I chose to stay angry at her, I would be wrestling to forgive myself.”

Taehyung’s face muscles felt tired, his smile’s permanence hadn’t allowed for them to rest.

“Anger, annoyance, frustration, jealousy? Those all fade away. In a week or a month, you’ll stop being angry at some point, but you will never stop being in love. So choose love. It’s a permanent fixture in your heart.”

Taehyung set his brush down, and the picture resting on the easel was completed and then some. He didn’t mind. Taehyung truly enjoyed the sentiments Jimin kindly shared with him, as it would have been far duller to paint in silence.

Not to mention, he discovered a love story that went untold by movies and fairytales. It was a true love story. Something so real, Taehyung fell in love just by capturing Jimin’s tale and translating it into visual art.

Because this image of you was what Jimin saw when he pictured you. The picture of you shrouded in abundance by the highest grade of love.

“I’m finished, would you like to see?” Taehyung lifted the canvas from its resting spot, turning it slowly since Jimin’s nod was geared with apprehension.

Jimin’s heart nearly bore a hole through his chest, and it would fall out to where you were resting. He was afraid of facing you, or any rendition of your face, since it would be the first time in two months that his eyes beheld anything resembling his late wife.

When the canvas turned, so did the final page of the story. The story Jimin had been purposefully writing with long-winded prose and repetitive words to stall the commencement of it. He wasn’t ready to let go, that is until his eyes beheld the painting which etched fruition of something that felt further from him than you.

Closure.

“It’s beautiful.” Jimin’s tears were disobediently running down his cheeks. “It looks exactly like her. My love. My ___.”

It was not simply a painting garnished under the guise of an academic assignment, but an ode to the grand love Jimin had carried in his heart for seventy years and counting.

“I’ll be sure to send it to you after it’s graded.” Taehyung declared in a decided manner, now fighting back tears of his own, though it was a losing battle since he already felt the empathetic stains wetting his face.

“Thank you.” Jimin whispered soft enough that Taehyung barely caught it, but loud enough that his gratitude glazed the painting with its finishing touch: acceptance.

Now it was time to let go.

“___.” He said once more.

Jimin realized what could emerge even after your physical existence had run dry. That, even though you were no longer alive, there was a ceaseless supply of lessons Jimin still learned from loving you. He learned he could guiltlessly reflect over the years and memories. Resonating the most with him were the ones he spent choosing something more powerful and decisive and resilient above all else. Choosing love.

It colored his world into something vibrant and enchanting. There was still an unquantifiable amount of love pouring from his chest without a hint of diminishing. It was a force that stretched its reign beyond graves and long, lonely years of mourning. This love was alive, and breathing joy into Jimin’s life. It would continue breathing joy into Taehyung’s life as well as the painting, marred with your semblance.

He also realized you can never fully fall out of love. Just as pain never departs, and one simply learns to live with it, to become stronger and versed in the realm of sorrow, one never falls out of love, you simply learn to live without them; you learn to trudge on without the deity that derived something as powerful as love through the biggest smiles, the glistening eyes, the heaps of cinnamon, the unremitting kindness, and the perpetual act of choosing love.

And that the beauty of loving you was no more breathtaking than the beauty of after you.

[voteformightyclocks]

1. I started writing at age 11-ish

2. First original story? A 27 page adventure in which a boy travels to a magical blue (for lack of a better word) well, and he winds up trapped in a conspiracy. First story in general? A Star Wars fanfiction

3. What genres haven't I written? But I stick primarily to sci-fi, fantasy, and try to ground my stories in realism. Sometimes I dabble into historic fiction or romance. The only genres I have never touched that I can think of off the top of my head are horror and erotica, and you can expect me to stay far away from those

4. My favorite genre to write is sci-fi. It's a very versatile genre that, if you multi-genre, can be used with any other genre. And it's really just fun. It forces you to think and go beyond your comfort zone

5. My favorite trope differs from moment to moment, but currently it is the whole Power Of Friendship theme. One thing I have observed in video games is how oftentimes, a good team can beat a group of good players, and I'm always kinda sad when people push that trope down for being unrealistic or overplayed because it's an actual concept that actually works, and given the people I see in society, is something we really need to get into our heads

6. ...dreams lol. I am HUGE into Dream Sequences, it's what I am known for but this point. If I write even a short story without a dream sequence, people pester me with many questions

7. Actually, ironically not the OC based off me (Mark Swift), but an OC I technically didn't create, but borrowed from a friend. Theyan Aiso. Socially nervous wreck, but quite crafty

8. Mark Swift. This sounds very counterintuitive, but Mark Swift is actually supposed to simulate a version of me that loses hope and all sense of right and wrong. He is a version of me that falls into darkness because he has no idea where else to go. Every version of Mark Swift is caring and will do anything for those he loves, yes, but he goes so far as to murder, steal, and terrorize in order to protect them. He has no boundaries or moral compass. And for some reason, no one has seen yet how he isn't supposed to be a hero, but rather an anti-hero (or in some stories, a straight-up villain)

9. I think I tried it once, but I am not a huge fan. For starters, I don't like the concept of necromancy, personal preference but it just feels wrong. And secondly, once you bring people back from the dead, stakes become lower, the story loses it's tension, and you kinda have to question what you are doing. It's better to create set rules for your world, and one of the best rules to set is "Death is final" if you want to keep readers invested

10. No doubt none of them. The only world I have actually created is a concept that is a major warzone, basically. And all the others are either fan-fics of really sad worlds, or copies of Earth, and ngl I am not a huge fan of Earth

11. ...at that point is it actually a fan-fiction?

12. I probably do, but I don't know off the top of my head...

13. I. DON'T. GET. FEEDBACK. It's a royal pain! -kicks garbage can and immediately apologizes to Oscar-

14. As previously alluded to, Necromancy. I am a Christian, and unlike my friends and family, I have created a strong connection of Undeath and Necromancy to Satan. I am well aware that Undeath is so much more- Jesus rose from the grave through His own divine power, Lazarus rose from the grave due to Jesus' word, and us Christians will also escape death. But necromancy is a very different kind of undeath...

15. To not write :D

16. Currently nowhere, but usually through emotions. I rely heavily on emotions for inspiration

17. Fun fact, it's the same world I have been designing for 6-7 years and it's going nowhere lol

18. For sake of work starting soon and me not having access to my stories... probably not xD

19. Refer to #18

20. Don't be an idiot and look at what people like. Tell your own tale. And don't write for money. Write for fun. That is how you make an authentic story. Will you make a living off of it? Likely not. But at least you will enjoy it and likely write something you won't regret writing

Writer's Ask Game

When did you start writing?

What was the first story you've ever written?

What genres have you written for so far?

What is your favourite genre to write for?

What is your favourite trope to write for?

What topic would you love to explore in your writing?

Who is the OC that is most like you?

Which OC is nothing like you?

Have you ever brought an OC back from the dead?

In which of your stories would you like to live?

Have you ever written fanfiction about your own work?

Do you have a word/phrase that you overuse in your writing?

What feedback did you receive for your writing that stuck with you?

What is something that you feel weird/uncomfortable writing about?

What is your current writing habit?

Where do you find inspiration to write?

Tell us a fun fact about your current WIP.

Show us a piece of dialogue you really like.

Show us the line you want readers to remember from your story.

Do you have one piece of advice for your fellow writers?

[thistlewhistler]

Interviewing the Flock, featuring: Riggy

Zach: What would you like me to call you?

Riggy: Riggy's fine

Zach: What are your thoughts on our Discord?

Riggy: The Discord's absolutely amazing and I'm grateful for joining it every day. I really didn't expect for it to become such a great place for emotional support, or that I would get as involved with it as I did. I haven't been in a community before where everyone is so relentlessly loving and knowing that this community is here has sometimes been the only thing keeping me going while dealing with the all nonsense with school/work/people and such. I really love the people on here, as well as being able to share what I do with everyone, and share in the love we all have for the comic itself and how it's unified everyone here.

Zach: Alright so well done on answering that, I was going to start with a quick easy response question but you handled that like a champion counselor before a Senate hearing.

Riggy: Ahh thank you, I have a lot to say about how great it is that the masses must hear haha.

Zach: They deserve a moving orator, and you have answered the summons.

Zach: So I hear you're studying Communication Design with a concentration in Illustration.

What does that mean (in non-selling-the-major-like-a-college-used-car-salesman fashion)?

Riggy: The easiest way to describe it is that I'm a graphic design major with a strong emphasis on branding and marketing, while the illustration concentration aspect of it is me taking classes that help me get better at the techniques used for illustrating, such as the life drawing class helping me get better at drawing from observation as well as learning to draw the human form and having the fundamental understanding of that.

It's also learning to use the programs that are industry-standard, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and such

Zach: A lot of "Here's how to use what you're interested in outside of more artwork, now please go out and be successful and not starve" then?

Or am I way off?

Riggy: Well, the graphic design industry is incredibly lucrative, every single company needs designers to market them, create an image to sell. Think of every professional marketing campaign you've seen, there's an entire team of people working on it. Absolut Vodka is a really good example of strong design in advertising. It's a far different beast than being, say, a studio artist trying not to starve. What I'm learning to do isn't very interpretive or abstract, it needs to be effective to get the point across and still be aesthetically appealing. It's a lot of "here are the tools, we're going to teach you how to use the tools, but you need to grow and learn to use them effectively."

There's a lot of nuance to it that you wouldn't expect, it's definitely a skillset that takes a long time to build.

Zach: You just explained in the kindest, most informative and followable way possible that I was, in fact, way off.

Zach: How do you feel you're doing?

This semester is over and you have the time to catch your breath, pad your portfolio and gauge the new year's possibilities.

Does that come with trepidation, nervous excitement, fear of the unknown, fear of the certainly known professor you're absolutely going to have in a class, or more of the same you've been feeling since you started?

Riggy: I'm doing really, really well, I don't think I could've picked a better major/career path for myself. Sometimes it takes a bit but I've really clicked with most of my classes and (fingers crossed) I'm pretty sure I got all A's again this semester. The actual grades aren't the most important, though I do need to keep scholarships, but it also means that I've gotten really good feedback and my professors have really liked my work and can see that I've been improving.

Zach: Excellent!

Riggy: For next semester, I'm a nervous person in general but in terms of schoolwork I feel completely fine, it's mostly dealing with people/other obligations I'm not excited about.

Right now I just want to work on personal projects I haven't had time for.

Zach: Lets focus in on that for the next question.

What project are you looking forward to, for example?

Riggy: Flockbook, definitely. Whether that's the guest artist submission or not, I don't know yet, but I do want to get back on it. I also have a couple animatics in the works and a poster design I want to get to. And commission work if the good people will have me haha

Zach: You like to keep a full plate, I take it?

Riggy: I get antsy if I don't have anything to do but I'm still trying to find the balance of how much I can healthily take on. Working on stuff over break is fine, my issue is balancing things during the school year because of all the obligations I need to incorporate.

Zach: That's fair.

Zach: What do you feel is the dumbest thing you've ever done?

Riggy: Well.

It was the end of a really, really long day and I was dead tired, I was changing out of my clothes to go shower, and in taking off my bra my hands fumbled with the elastic straps and I ended up accidentally slingshot-punching myself in the face. Not..my finest moment.

Zach: And what did you learn?

Riggy: 1. Get more sleep and 2. Maybe next time just unhook it.

Zach: Solid advice.

Zach: So now for a question I don't have written down to ask. Instead, I'd like to choose from a book based upon a random number.

Would you be willing to become extremely ugly physically if it meant you would live for 1,000 years at any physical age you choose?

Riggy: I wouldn't want to live for a thousand years, so I would refuse whatever power/entity's offering this tradeoff.

Zach: There's a good answer!

Zach: Who, among the Flock, would be your one phone call?

Riggy: What... kind of phone call? Death bed? Phone a friend? Or just general "I want to talk to this person for a bit."

Zach: You're in a cell. You get one phone call.

Riggy: Ohhh jail.

I know Geoff in real life, and he'd probably bail me out.

Zach: Probably closer, too.

Riggy: Yeah if we're not in school together, we're about a couple hours away.

Zach: What piece do you feel the most accomplishment over in your portfolio?

Riggy: I think the flower ladies portrait series I did for my history class, or the book cover series. The portraits I had a lot of fun actually illustrating but the book covers are more in line with what I'll probably be doing as a career and they were very well-received so I like both of them.

Zach: What would you like to go forth and do with your degree, if you could choose who would hire you and for what cause or medium?

Riggy: My ideal job is actually children's book writing and illustration, I'm very passionate about diversity, empowerment, and creating media that have strong LGBT+ characters and I would love to incorporate that into books and stories so that positive and uplifting ideas can spread more easily.

Zach: That... is really heartwarming and awesome.

Riggy: I'd also really like working as a book cover/poster designer, or for a branding company but the children's book thing is the goal.

Zach: I don't have a funny quip or anything to tie this off with, that's just a really wholesome and soothing career goal.

I hope you reach it.

Riggy: Ahhh thank you I'll keep you updated!