#I never do commissions so doing one for my partner is a great first step into that water

[ignite-art]

sharing a wip from a little while back that I never posted here

really like how these wings are coming along 😩❤️

my partner wanted their d&d character to be a mix of Micheal Sheen in Wilde and Good Omens 😌

[reidingandwriting]

safe word > keigo takami/hawks (mha)

Word Count: 1.8k

Ship: Sub!Keigo/Hawks x Dom!Reader

Warnings: Smut, boooo hero commission bad, spanking, reader gets a little mean (consensually), sub drop, keigo’s having a bad day & doesn’t cope well with it, mentions & use of sex toys

the door to keigo’s office closed with a firm click. never a proper slam, keigo scared of the repercussions of anyone catching his ‘improper attitude’ and being ‘ungrateful’ for the position he’s in.

you looked up from where you sat in his office chair, and you pushed your file aside as you took him in. “birdie?” keigo fought the urge to beeline to you, and with great restraint, walked over to you and put on one of his charming smiles.

“miss me?” you playfully rolled your eyes at him and stood up. keigo watched as you stretched, the hem of your blouse rising just enough for him to catch a sliver of skin, and he took a step closer to you. you opened your arms for him and squeaked as he lifted you onto his desk. before you could question him, he stepped into your space, draped his wings around you and let his head fall down, forehead resting on top of your head.

you reached up and wrapped your arms around his waist, tugging him closer and you rubbed his back soothingly. “rough day?” a hum was your answer and you frowned.

“need to get out of my head,” hawks whispered to you and you nodded. “tonight? please?”

“of course, birdie. whatever you need,” you promised.

-

keigo couldn’t have been happier to take that first step into your apartment. he was on you the second you shut the door, a lone feather going to lock the door and you gasped at the feeling of your back meeting the wall. his lips were on yours like a man starved, and soon, needy whines and whimpers started to fall from the hero’s lips.

“shhh, i’ve got you pretty boy,” you whispered against keigo’s lips as you parted, your breath fanning against his neck as you began to press open mouth kisses to the delicate skin. “what do you need from me today?”

“rough, need it so bad. wanna be punished, please ma’am,” the title caused you to hesitate briefly, but you shoved your concerns aside. if keigo, if your birdie needed something, you’d deliver.

“go up to bed then. want you stripped and kneeling by the door when i come up. have three items laid out for me, i’ll be up in a minute,” you said and keigo practically flew upstairs to your bedroom. you slid your shoes off, discarding your jacket on the couch as you gave keigo a minute to prep. gave him a little time to get antsy, needy for you. something felt a little off, keigo never outright asking you to be rough with him. you kept your reservations in mind, reminding yourself to look for signs, then walked upstairs to your room.

you opened the door, expecting to be greeted by the pretty sight of your… sub? partner? keigo kneeling by the door, but he was laid out in bed, hand lazily stroking his dick, cocky smile on his lips. beside him laid a vibrating plug, red silk ties, and a crop.

“oh, so we’re being a brat today? dangerous game for someone who’s asking me to be mean to you.” you walked over to keigo and within a second, grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head. keigo’s eyes dilated slightly before he plastered on his calm composure again.

“guess you’ll have to punish me, hmm?” your eyes narrowed and you leaned down, your nose almost brushing his. keigo looked up at you through lidded eyes and you used your free hand to grab his hair, sharply tugging his hair back, a low moan leaving his lips.

“you have no idea what you’re getting into, babe.” moments later, keigo found himself on his hands and knees, ass up in the air. pillows were propped under his stomach, and keigo rolled his hips against the pillow, wanting more friction on his aching cock. keigo jerked forwards with a surprised yelp as your hand came in contact with his ass, the sharp slap leaving him stinging.

the mattress shifted as you settled yourself into position, and your hand rubbed over the pink spot on his left cheek. keigo yearned to press back into your touch, but he kept himself still. keigo barely processed the absence of your hand before another sharp spank was delivered to the right side.

“shit!”

“mmm, still can’t remember our rules? last i remember, i believe you had to count.”

“make me,” keigo cooed and the harsh slap to his balls had his eyes rolling back as he moaned.

“do me a favor, birdie. go send one of those pretty feathers to grab me that hairbrush on my nightstand.” keigo didn’t react and you dug your nails into his shoulder blades, narrowly missing his sensitive wing bases. “if i have to get up, it’s gonna be so much worse for you.” your voice lowered to a near growl, and he begrudgingly sent a feather to collect the brush. he dropped it carelessly beside you and your eyes narrowed.

“oops,”

“think we’re going to start with fifteen, see if your tune changes then. then i’m gonna put that new ring on you and fuck you absolutely fucking stupid and keep you from cumming until i feel like you deserve it. maybe a day, two?” keigo’s dick twitched in anticipation but he couldn’t get into the mindset he craved. he was thinking, couldn’t stop thinking, and he threw his head back as the first spank hit his sit spot. “brat still can’t count, huh? guess i’ll have to teach you how.” another sharp sting to his left cheek. “one,” you drawled, mockingly, as if you were teaching him.

keigo’s eyes began to well with tears as you swiftly delivered the next few spanks. why couldn’t he get into the scene like he wanted? he didn’t realize you had paused, that tears were sliding down his cheek until he heard you speak.

“yellow.”

“w-what?” keigo’s head snapped back to you and he watched as you repositioned to sit in front of him. “no, no, why’d you stop? i, i’m okay, i’m green.”

“i’m yellow. i’m not comfortable continuing our scene because i know you, baby. you’re too distracted to consent properly. you’ve never taken this long to enter subspace. you’re here, but you’re not here.” a choked sob left keigo’s lips and he doesn’t know who moved first, but he was immediately cradled against you and keigo broke down.

“failing, can’t do anything right. not a good hero, can’t even be good for you. don’t deserve you to be good to me,” keigo rambled through his cries and you stroked his wing with one hand, your other hand gently gripping his chin so he had to look at you.

“you are an amazing hero, keigo. no matter what your handler, the commission, what anyone says. i don’t lie to you, do i?” you asked and keigo shook his head. “then you know i’m not lying now. you’re so good, pretty bird. so good with me, so much better than the commission or anyone deserves.” you pressed a kiss to his forehead, his nose, each cheek, then a long kiss to his lips.

“‘m sorry. for not telling you until it ruined our scene.”

“hey, shh. don’t worry about that. i care about you, yeah? love that we get to do this, that you trust me enough to let me be this person for you.” you brushed a few stray strands of keigo’s hair out of his face, smiling as he leaned into your touch. “now, how about we lay here for a little? clear your head and then, and only if i believe you’re ready and you’re up for it, we have a re-do. but we’re gonna do it a little different than this time.” keigo nodded as he melted into your arms. yeah, a break sounded good.

-

“eight, thank you!” keigo moaned as the crop landed on his ass, heart shaped marks red against his skin. you set the crop down and gently ran your hands over the warm skin, and a low whine escaped keigo’s throat.

“can you tell me why i spanked you, baby boy?” you kissed up keigo’s back and his wings fluffed up from the feeling of your lips and the nickname.

“i tried to punish myself for, for feeling bad instead of talking to you.” keigo said, cheek resting against the bed.

“good boy,” you all but purred and keigo whimpered as his dick throbbed. “don’t worry, pretty bird. gonna take such good care of you, just like you deserve.” you smiled when you noticed the dark blush on keigo’s face and you lightly patted the back of his thigh. “think you can get comfy on your back for me? wanna look at your pretty face while i make love to you.”

make love. make love, love, love, love. the word repeated in keigo’s mind and he couldn’t help the pleased chirp that left his lips. both yours and keigo’s eyes widened at the sound and keigo immediately ducked his face into his hands.

“oh, songbird. love that beautiful noise, can’t wait to draw more out of you.”

and fuck you did. keigo couldn’t control the flow of chirps that left his lips as you thrusted into him with the cherry red dildo, the harness rubbing against your heat and you moaned as you gripped keigo’s thighs, and you smirked when a particularly high whine left him.

“close,” keigo panted and you reached down to pump his cock, continuing your relentless hits to his prostate. “please, please, please can i cum? been so good for you, been your good boy, please let me cum“

“go on, songbird. be my good boy, cum for me.” one last sharp thrust sent keigo over the edge, vision going white, ramblings of curses and chirps leaving his lips as he came. your own movements began to falter as the familiar sounds of your finishing moans sounded throughout the room. keigo whimpered as you slowly pulled out and let out a happy sigh as you all but collapsed beside him. keigo barely reacted as you reached over, grabbing the wipes you kept in your nightstand during scenes. he hissed a little at the cool temperature on his stomach, thighs, and dick, but relaxed as you pulled him into you a moment later.

you whispered praises into his ear, and keigo nuzzled into your neck, pressing thankful kisses against it. you smiled when keigo met your eyes a minute later, golden eyes seeming warmer than usual.

“what’s on your mind, pretty boy?” you asked and keigo leaned in, brushing his lips against yours. you cupped his cheek and returned the kiss happily.

“love you,” keigo whispered against your lips and you felt your own urge to hide your face in his chest. instead?

“love you too, kei.” another kiss. more than you’ll ever know.

[shiraishi-kanade]

AWAKE NOW: an (almost) line by line analysis by yours truly, pt.1

If you've been following me at all, you probably know that Awake Now is my favourite An Shiraishi commission and that I always ramble how symbolic and incredible its lyrics are, among other things. Well, it's time for me to actually explain why I think it's so great!

This is part one tackling only in-game version; I'll later make an addition to this post expanding on the full version lyrics, because there is also a lot to unpack there and I don't want to do all what work in one sitting. Sorry.

[Disclaimer: for a quite a long time, the commonly accepted translation of this song has been facing criticism, and quite a lot of lines have been changed into what I believe is more accurate later. More corrections may be yet to come, but this post will use the translation available at 27.10 by Hiraethie, with edits by Violet and 25239x.]

Lazy Rainy My Soul is

now in a bad mood

From this new feeling called Lament

(New feeling called Lament)

The first verse of the song is referencing An's growing unease she experiences during the time of Bout to be Beside you; while she doesn't know why she feels that way at the beginning, a big emphasis is made on how she never felt that way before, because even having a partner is something that is a new experience for An.

The supposed relationship full of perfection

got complicated on its way

This line references the way An perceives her own and Kohane's partnership, as well as just their general dynamic: they started off strong but already faced some conflict during Singing in Sync, the very first event of VBS, during which An had to confront her overprotectiveness; now this relationship is starting to get even more complicated with An's anxiety and "hazy feelings" thrown into the mix.

Not only that, it's also important that this line went to Touya - who went through his own issues in his relationship with Akito.

Still staying passionate, I Try

A general callback to An's attitude to losing and having roadblocks:

🎧: I hate to lose, but I usually take a more positive approach to think and work harder to do better next time.

(btby episode 4, official tl)

As well as, in this particular situation, she only sees one way to get over her feelings: to stay passionate and keep singing. This line is later brought up again in Rekka with "My silence and passion, I kept them inside my heart" line.

It's not like you're the one at fault

This is An's admitting that Kohane is never at fault for making An feel the way she does; that she has the full right and ability to make progress and keep improving as much as she wants to, and An could never blame her for it. At the same time, An is bitter at herself for having these feelings at all, which we later see in WTWG.

Trip Step, I want to do that again and again

If we could light up the night together

For eternity, then...

An wants to be Kohane's partner and keep singing with her despite the anxiety she brought into her life. If we look at the phrase "light up the night" to mean performing and bringing excitement to people (which it very well could be, seeing the overall symbolism of fire and light has in VBS's story), it becomes apparent this refers to An wanting to stay partners with Kohane forever, especially considering these lines in the event itself:

��: Have you found a good partner yet, An?

🎧: No, not yet... It's taking longer than I expected...

🎧: But I have a feeling that we're gonna be singing together forever once I do!

***

🎧: That she's [Kohane] the only one who can be my partner...

(same event, chapter 5)

An is willing to go to extreme length to keep being Kohane's partner - so they can "light up the night" together.

Falling in love with the sound of my wings

that I outstretched to the skies,

This line goes to Kohane as well as Touya, but refers primarily to Kohane's discovering her own talent and (rightfully) enjoying all the new experiences and emotions it has brought into her life. It's also a clever play on Kohane's name, seeing as if she had a kanji spelling instead of hiragana, it most definitely would have included the character 羽 - "wing" or "feather". This same wordplay is then later used in Hollow:

預かる背中のその羽が

azukaru senaka no sono hane ga

This is confirmed by the song's producer and the very same character is used in Awake Now, so it's very unlikely it's just a coincidence - at the same time, "outstretching her wings" definitely refers to Kohane gaining new abilities and exploring new opportunities with Taiga.

the flowers of my dreams start overflowing.

I’ll make them sublimely

beautifully bloom so,

Seemingly, An has gotten everything she's ever wanted: she found a partner and a team, and townfolk are starting to take her dream more seriously - but her feelings about Kohane are overwhelming and distracting her from that, even during practice. Even so, An is determined to make that relationship work.

The first line here also went to Kohane and Touya, likely reflecting how their dream was found somewhere later than An and Akito's was, so that development is even more spontaneous to them than to the first two.

don’t forget that I’m right next to you, okay?

This is both reassurance to Kohane that An will always be by her side and believing in her, and a plea by An for Kohane not to forget her as she keeps growing and moving forward, and for Kohane to keep An by her side. It's a very nice double edged sword of a line and probably one of my favourite ones in the entire song.

Also, it also has Akito in the background, which is just... *Gestures at Stray Bad Dog event*. And this moment in BTBY too:

🥞: She's having an effect on the rest of us, including me, which means you, her partner, probably have it worse...

🥞: You feel like you're getting left behind... Like I did a while ago...

Akito went through something very similar, though not identical - that's likely the reason he was able to notice An's worries and help her in the first place.

Even if our touching backs begin to separate

Kohane is starting to pursue training with Taiga outside of An's reach, and An is starting to bottle up her feelings about Kohane - they're no longer as emotionally close as they used to be, and that's okay. Might also refer to the difference in skill level that is not there yet but will become quite apparent soon: their touching backs begin to separate... Perhaps even going in different directions.

Awake Now

The name drop and the meaning behind the song title: An is now aware of the feelings she experienced back in Awakening Beat and the true reason behind it, as unpleasant as it may be.

This doesn't end with my longing alone

This is perhaps one of the most interesting lines in the song, as it's the one that has faced the most misinterpretation, previously being translated as "I will never stop yearning for you."

Nevertheless, a corrected translation makes a lot more sense. An refuses to be the only one "yearning" in her and Kohane's relationship; she wants to keep inspiring Kohane and make her go even further, for Kohane to keep yearning for An and her singing, too.

🎤: Since you want to be someone she can “respect and be proud of”, An, you want her to like and be excited by the way you sing.

(same event, chapter 6)

This later comes back as a major theme in WTWG:

🎧: (But you know what, Kohane?)

🎧: (I'm not satisfied with that.)

🎧: (I want to drag it out of you, too.)

🎧: (This new power of yours, all sorts of feelings you've never felt before, all of it, all of it!)

🎧: (I want to drag it out of you, with my song!)

(WTWG, chapter 7, tl by Lozy Bug on YouTube)

...and more throughout the same chapter. In other words, while Kohane's singing make An experience new feelings and emotions, An doesn't want to be the only one of the two this happens to - so... She starts working towards doing it right back at her. But in BTBY, this specifically refers to the "I want to keep singing with you forever" feeling, too.

In other words, even the game version of Awake Now is basically An's Shiraishi character arc condensed into one song; it breaks down the point of conflict in BTBY down to it's bare essentials, and expands on motives that will later come back in play over a year later - and that is why I consider this song to be the best An Shiraishi comm.

And we haven't even gotten to the full version.

[velvetvexations]

why are so mamy trans ppl on this site robotfuckers/technophiles and why am i becoming one of them

Well, for me it's totally different than for most. I fell in love with Dorothy from The Big O because of her extremely flat, monotone speech, and her expression completely lacking a trace of emotion, like a Vulcan. The idea of having power over a robot like that, who truly feels nothing but a desire to serve you, is intoxicating for me.

I commissioned a small story from a writer a few years ago. They became a vtuber and as far as I know they haven't done writing commissions since, so I'll hold off on naming them for now and will ask them if they want credit for it.

warning:

This is not really non-con but it explores the idea of a semi-sapient fuckdoll that has no will beyond yours, and idk, it's not great, morally, and might remind you of worse.

Her Quiet Eyes

Sure, she had cost a lot, but shipping had been the real killer. But the months of saved paychecks had been worth it. Your very own Realifigure had arrived that day. The setup had been surprisingly simple; she was already pre-programmed with the right personality routines. There were just a few firmware updates to install. Good thing the charging case she came in had an ethernet port.

Before long, R.Dorothy Wayneright’s eyes were open, and she stood up out of her box in the middle of your living room in her iconic pitch-black dress and white neck lace. Real, alive. Or at least as close to real as a character from a cult classic anime could get. Realifigures were the next step in ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive collector’s items for the discerning weeaboo. Life-sized figures (robots, really) made to be as close as possible to the character they were designed to emulate. Even the black band in her blood-red hair could pop open up like a disc drive just like in the show, even though there was absolutely no use for it at all.

“Hello,” she said simply. There wasn’t a hint of emotion to her voice. No excitement, no happiness at meeting her new partner for the first time. You almost thought you messed some part of the installation up and flip through the manual, until a ‘character specifics’ section reminds you that really is just the way Dorothy acts. Which isn’t wrong. Sure she might have opened up to Roger more over the course of the show’s twenty-six episodes and displayed more emotion over time but that cold, occasionally sarcastic, demeanor never really left and that’s part of what makes her so dang cute in the first place so-

Dorothy stood there, staring. Oh. How long were you lost in thought?

“Ah, hi.”

“You are my partner, correct?”

‘Partner’ was the proper term. Something like ‘master’ or ‘owner’ just wasn’t very advertising-friendly, unless it was a specific character’s gimmick to call their partner that. “Yeah. That’s right.” You held out a shaky hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Dorothy.”

She looked at the hand for a second, then took it in hers, briefly. “You as well.” She didn’t sound like she meant it. Pitch black eyes smoothly looked to the left, then the right. You followed her gaze and realized just how much of an awful mess your apartment was. You hadn’t tidied up any of the cardboard and the packaging Dorothy had been inside just mere hours ago. And that was on top of the littered clothes, the pizza boxes, the trash overflowing with garbage takeout.

“I am programmed with a wide variety of cleanliness routines.” Dorothy stated simply. It was hard not to read her neutral expression as judgemental.

“No, uh, that’s okay. I can do that myself. I was actually wondering if you would like to… go out? Like, on a date.”

“Yes.”

She said it without any hesitation, something that took you by surprise despite her completely flat tone. You have to remind yourself to not get too crazy about her. It’s just her programming. There wouldn’t be any point to the Realifigure line if they didn’t do whatever their partner said, regardless of outward personality. You asked her to wait in the living room while you went to change in yours. And it’s only then you start to realize how poorly thought out your whole plan was. You don’t really have any good clothes, not good enough for dating anyways. You haven’t dated since… actually, you prefer not to think about it. You did manage to find a button-up in plain, somewhat ill-fitting white. Better than nothing. You tuck it into a fresh pair of jeans and join Dorothy back outside. She quietly joined you for the evening you had made up on the spot because you hadn’t actually planned it out at all. But dinner and movie are as classic as it gets, right?

It went smoothly. Relatively. You kept asking why Dorothy didn’t touch any of her food and she kept reminding you in the same neutral (condescending?) tone that she has no need to eat. She cannot digest, she has no sense of taste. Of course that makes sense, but it wasn’t a realistic experience. Or wait, it was, wasn’t it. She was a robot, after all. Both literally and as the character she was modeled on. It was all a little more confusing than you expected, but it’s also enticing, in a strange way that you can’t quite put your finger on. If you had just wanted a sexdoll that was all looks, you wouldn’t have spent so much on something that came with a personality, that was so realistically-made people would be more likely to mistake her for a cosplayer than a machine.

“What did you think of the movie?”

“It was interesting.”

You blinked. That was the most emotive response you had received from her all night. The film had been some indie thing from France. Totally in black and white, only subtitles. You had thought it was appropriate because of Dorothy’s source material. Maybe it had sparked something in her programming. “What was interesting about it?”

“The cinematography. The use of outdated filming techniques. It was an ‘artistic choice,’ correct?”

You shrugged. “I guess so.” Dorothy didn’t say anything else, and you felt kind of stupid. Should you have tried to say something smart? Dorothy probably had every piece of knowledge stored away inside her electronic brain, so it’s not like you could have just made something up to look that way. Maybe it was better to look clueless than stupid. And that just leads you into thinking about how dumb it is to even care. It’s not like she’s real. Just a personality program running through its pre-packaged reactions and responses. No matter how realistic she is. No matter how sure you are that you could feel her rust-red hair, or her milky synthetic skin, and not be able to tell the difference. The walk home is spent in silence. Dorothy kept her hands laid on top of each other on the front of her dress. You didn’t know what to do with yours and shoved them in your pockets instead.

Back at your apartment, you have a difficult time deciding what to do next. This is all more difficult than you had thought it would be. Dorothy was literally your property, not a real person, a construct running a limited program, not capable of true emotion. But it still felt wrong to issue commands to her, to tell her to get right to the sex. Maybe that’s the uncanny valley, or whatever. She looked too human to not treat as a human.

Instead, you decide to pour drinks. You don’t exactly keep high quality liquor, but you did have some cheap box wine lying around from a recent get together with a few friends, and that should do a good enough job. It’s not like Dorothy could tell the difference, or that she would care if she could. When you returned from the kitchen to offer her the drink, you nearly dropped it instead. Dorothy stood there, almost entirely undressed. Your eyes traced her mostly naked body down to the floor where her dress laid pooled like an inky black puddle.

The Big O was not an anime chock full of lewd fanservice, so Dorothy’s designers had taken some liberties when it came to her underwear. It was all very old fashioned, you would have thought of it as Victorian or something; a lacy white bra, bloomers that puffed outward, and a velvet-y corset that didn’t seem to be tied so tight it would cause discomfort, if she could even feel discomfort.

“This is what you want, isn’t it?” Dorothy stepped closer. Very close. The plastic wine glasses shook in your hand. “I can’t do anything with a drink, you know. There is no need to ‘wine and dine’ me.”

“Ah, it’s just…”

She took your hand and carefully unwrapped it from the glass. She took it and placed it on the coffee table behind her. Then she put her hand back in yours and started to, gently, tug in the direction of your bedroom. “Come with me.” You obliged her.

Dorothy helped you undress. Shirt, followed by shoes, followed by pants. Soon the two of you were on top of your bed, Dorothy on her back. Cautiously, you helped her remove the corset, the bloomers and, shakily, the bra. It gave you a chance to witness every delicate curve of her body. Her softly tapered waist. Her pert breasts. You had been right before; it really was impossible to tell the difference. She lounged on your bed, expression unwavering, until you slid yourself on top of her. She didn’t move an inch.

“Are you, ah, ready?”

“Are you?”

There was that vague sense of condescension again. “I, yeah, I think so.” Dorothy simply nodded. And waited. You took a dry swallow, mustered up that last bit of courage you needed, and pushed yourself forward. Dorothy didn’t react when you entered her, but other she felt… perfect. Not too tight, not too loose, just the right amount of grip. Just making that contact for the first time made your back arch and forced the breath out of you. She was anatomically correct, after all. Right down to the clear, slick lubrication. But Dorothy still didn’t move, even when you did.

“Does it feel good?” You asked, hesitant.

“No.”

You stopped. “No?”

“No. I do not feel.” Dorothy moved for the first time since you had started. Her hands slowly raised up and cupped your cheeks. “But if you feel good, then I am content. Please enjoy yourself.”

It was encouragement, even if it was a little weird and delivered in that same bored tone that didn’t change on iota no matter what the context was. Of course she didn’t feel it. Maybe some Realifigures would be programmed to respond like they did, but not one like Dorothy. Not frank, brutally honest Dorothy. And it actually worked. You started to let yourself take control, and the nervousness slipped away. And as you started to move faster, to breathe harder, you felt Dorothy’s small, delicate hands move around the sides of your head to wrap around and pull you in closer until your head rested in her chest. Your hands moved too, slowly upwards from Dorothy’s slim hips. They wanted to feel every inch of that smooth synthskin, to wrap around the sides of her waist, to grasp at her squeeze her perfectly rounded buttocks. You could feel the small of her back and the little ridges of her spine and her slim arms and her pale breasts. All the while Dorothy doesn’t move at all, not any movement that isn’t caused by the physics of your own pelvis pushing against hers and then pulling back out in a rapidly hastening rhythm.

Occasionally Dorothy would mutter something; some encouragement or brief words that would indicate pleasure if not for her completely neutral voice, or even just “Yes, yes,” repeated over and over. Like she was going through the motions. And as strange as it might have been to enjoy that motionless, emotionless doll, you did. It was comforting, in a way. There was no judgement, no complications, nothing to worry about. Just someone whose only want was for you to enjoy yourself, and that was a sort of happiness. Her inner muscles contracted in the perfect rhythm to match your strokes and it didn’t take too long before you reached a fever pitch and lost yourself in her embrace. You mindlessly pumped away at her until you brought yourself to orgasm and you pressed yourself as hard into her as you could and could feel your warmth spilling into her. For a minute you laid on top of her, but it wasn’t long before you felt like you could go again.

Like she could sense it, she spoke up, a soft quality to her voice you hadn’t noticed until that moment. “Please. Continue. As many times as you like.”

[unknownanomoly]

Holy shit...

heh... my birthday gift and my pet just died.... I got a tailless whip scorpion as a surprise pet for my birthday from my step mom and my father, I was really excited, not my first pet since a few months before around thanksgiving I got a tarantula that I named Super Nova, she is still alive... anyways. This scorpion I named Mr. Neptune (idk if it was a girl or boy but who cares anymore..).... yesterday he was doing just fine, walking around and doing whatever dumb shit they do in cages... then today in the morning he was sitting in the middle of his cage... i thought nothing of it.... after school, same pose, he was alive since he moved his jaws and sorta moved closer to the ground when i sprayed his cage (not explaining its a care thing for his species)... that was two hours ago... now almost three.... he was alive... and suddenly hes just dead! ive looked at 50 sites before caring for him, while caring for him, made sure over and over again i was doing the right thing! right humidity, tempature, food! everything was fine.... now hes gone and idk why.... why did he fucking die! i dont understand!.... he didnt even get his first molt with me.... he didnt even get to grow up fully... and somehow... super nova really is super and is still only gone through one tiny molt, still a baby, and trying to climb up a glass wall she cant... heh.... im not stopping any drawings... and im still starting commissions on monday... im just sad and things might be slow... thank you and i love all you guys, you guys are really the best fans, thank you to all my mutuals, thank you @rithiathemoth for being there for me the most, thank you for being my first mutual, your a great friend even though we dont even know each other in real life, only on tumblr... still, thanks to you all, mutuals, followers, people i follow who have liked or joined in on my group drawings, i get really really excited when you do.... And side note for my partner, who im on call with at this moment of writing this, thank you, for being with my stupid ass for 4 years, thank you so much for loving me like you do, i have never felt more loved by someone since my mom left me at 4... 4 years ago we met, and you helped me out of depression and almost killing myself, you helped me so much, more then you'll ever know, and i know we dont understand eachother as much as we should, but i love you so fucking much, and i want you by my side forever, your the reason i continued going, continued doing art, started violin, still trying to this fucking day in this fucked up unfair world, you really are the best, i love you so fucking much i really fucking do.....

[exhaustedbunnytm]

The Cursed Hands of the Tortured Artist

Months before my hands started to be a source of pain I was commissioned to make an artwork. For the past 1.5 months I have dragged my painful hands through making this tiny (for my preferred artistic practice) piece. It is due to be delivered tomorrow and tonight I finally finished it.

I asked my partner what he thought and he said it was “nice”. Just nice. and then he said something along the lines of “are you going to add more things? usually you do a lot more.” and then he said something along the like “idk, your work is normally so in your face with a message and a feeling and what you made is more abstract. I dont know what to say”. I know what he means, I understand what he was trying to say. We have been together for years, he knows my work very intimately. But ‘nice’?…

And now I am in my feelings for this was the first art piece ive made in months because my hands hurt all the time, it is physically painful to make art, it was painful every step of the way, and I have had to grieve the loss of using my hands in a way that allows me to do the art process I just figured out that was so fucking good. And i am trying to find ways to adapt it to work for where I am at now. But now i just make nice art. Its just nice.

Its nice if a friend buys you coffee, its nice if you lend someone your umbrella, its nice to help an elder across the road. A mug with a scented candle inside at fucking homegoods is nice And now my in your face, statement making, meaningful reflection of me in its purest raw form, art is amongst the nice things at homegoods.

It took me so long to make what I made, I cant physically make more, all the art I had planned has to wait because i cant physically make it. And I know my partner was trying to be supportive and we talked about it together but like damn.

I feel like I am being incredibly dramatic but also my heart is breaking a little bc I lost the ability to make work the way I want to and (Ive touched on this in a previous post) is a very core part of me that I never thought I would lose.

So anyway….

I hate my hands and I would like some new ones. And I make homegoods nice art now. I will not be a great artist one day, I will only be a nice one.

P.S. I will get over this and find new was to adapt my art practice and make it accessible for me to make what i want. It just is going to look very different and takes a lot of energy and time of which I have very little of. I am just a sad little lad who has big feelings and needs to take a hot bath with LUSH’s new ‘wallow in my own misery’ bath bomb for a few hours.

TLDR: I hate my hands, they hurt all the time and I would like some new ones. And I make homegoods nice art now. I will not be a great artist one day, I will only be a nice one. Eventually Ill get over it and figure out how to make that great art shit again.

[atomic-thomas]

(Fake ASMR Commission) Your Saiyan Girlfriend Teaches You Ki Control [Human Listener] {Dragon Ball Roleplay}

------------------------------------------------------------

*combat grunting noises* (she's just practicing. she's not actually fighting anyone)

*energy blast sound effect*

"Whew. I think that's enough for today."

"Oh! Jeez, didn't see you there babe. You caught me training. You shouldn't get so close when I'm performing my moves. If I hit you by accident, me & the Z-fighters would have to gather the Dragon BallS."

...

"No. You would not survive a single hit from me. I'm a saiyan & you're a human. Do the math."

...

"It's alright. I don't judge you for having a low power level. I didn't fall in love with you for your strength. I love you for all your other qualities. Saiyans need romance to."

"Although... My dad certainly judges you. But that's his problem."

...

"Well, you know my dad. Prince Vegeta. He's rough, ridged & full of saiyan pride. He's disappointed that I chose such a weak partner."

...

"Hey, he said it. Not me. Just... Don't worry about it. At least he doesn't forcefully keep me separated from you. He judges, but he doesn't restrict my freedom."

"You know... If you wanted... You could try to impress him. Then maybe he'd stop giving you a cold stare whenever he sees you. If it really bothers you that much."

...

"Wait, really? You do? You actually want to become stronger?"

...

"Are you sure about this? The training you'd go through isn't what a normal human would usually do. You'd train to become a super human. I'd have to teach you ki control, how to fly, how to endure heavier gravity... And so much more. It's a lot of work. And... Most importantly... You're going to get hurt. A lot."

"I'm sorry if this is overwhelming, but... If we're going through with this then I need to make sure that you have the right mindset. Are you absolutely positive that you want this? I won't judge you if you back out."

...

"Wow. Really wanna prove my dad that you're worthy, huh?"

...

"Yes, having the strength to protect your loved ones is more important. That's a much better reason to train. Proving my dad wrong is just a bonus. Okay. Let's do it. Guess we should start with the basics. Ki control."

...

"Of course, silly. You can't get stronger if you don't understand how ki works."

...

"What is ki. Okay, so... Ki is the essence of life. It's the energy of all living things. Plants, animals, bugs... And of course... Humans. Nothing is an exception. Everything & everyone possesses ki."

...

"Yes, even you hun~ If you didn't have ki... You'd be dead."

"Anyway, the reason you don't see most humans utilizing their ki is because... The concept is just foreign to them. They don't understand what ki is or that it even exists at all. But I suppose that isn't really their fault. You pretty much need to be associated with the Dragon Team in order to understand any of this."

...

"Yeah. You're definitely a lucky exception. It's a good thing we met."

...

"Right, so... The first step to ki control is visualizing the ki itself. You must understand what your ki is. What it looks like. How it feels."

"Now... I'm not exactly a great teacher. I've known ki control since I was a child. It's just something that I naturally do without even thinking about it. I've never actually had to teach it to someone until now."

"Here. Let's sit down. I think I know how I can demonstrate this at it's most basic level."

...

"Alright. For a beginner like you, the first step is to relax. If you're tense, this won't work. Take some deep breaths."

...

"How are you feeling?"

...

"In the zone. Heh... That'll do. Now... Hold out your hands like this. Position them as if you're holding something."

"And now for the tricky part. How do I explain this? Just... Clear your mind & let your ki flow to your fingertips. If that made sense."

...

"Right. I figured it wouldn't. Jeez, I'm bad at teaching. Hmmm... Just... Meditate for a moment. Focus on your hands. Since that's where you're trying to let your ki flow to."

...

"I can see that you're straining yourself. You look really tense. Guess you're not as relaxed as you thought you were. That's fine. I know just the thing to calm you down."

...

"Just gonna sit down behind you &... Wrap my arms around you."

...

"Hehehe~ I can see you blushing. Anyone would feel relaxed if they felt the soft, warm skin of their cute girlfriend wrapping around them."

"Just lean back into me. There you go. Relax & be at one with your ki. You can do this. I believe in you."

...

"Breath in... And out..."

...

*sound of energy ball being created*

"*GASP*... You did. You actually did it. You created a ki ball. We can see it clear as day."

...

"Pretty awesome, right? I can feel the heat emanating from it."

...

"Aww... It fizzled out. That's okay. It's all part of the process. I'm not expecting you to shoot planet-destroying blasts of ultimate destruction anytime soon."

"Actually, before I move on to the next step, do you want to watch me destroy that mountain over there? Might give you a better grasp of what to expect in the future."

...

"Epic! Now stand back. I expect that you'll probably feel the ambient air temperature from this."

*sound of energy charging up*

"GALICK GUN!!"

*sound of a major energy blast being fired off followed by a massive explosion*

"Haha! See that, babe? You'll be doing that someday."

...

"It is pretty mind-blowing to see something like that up close. Especially for a human like you. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I still need to teach you how to fly."

...

"Well, I'm not expecting you to perform agile acrobatic loopty-loops yet. First, you need to learn how to levitate using ki. Flying will take a fair bit more training. This stuff takes time."

"Now then... Floating isn't anymore complicated that what you did earlier. This time, simply let your ki flow through your legs."

...

"Remember. Calm. Don't try forcing it."

...

"Clear your mind. Meditate. Just do what you did last time. Here. I'll hold your hands if it helps."

...

"Deep breaths. No need to rush."

...

*sound of air swirling*

"*GASP*... You're doing it. You're floating. You're hovering above the ground."

...

"I'm so proud of you. You're learning so quickly."

*sound of hitting the ground*

"You did great, darling. You're already on your way to achieving super human status. Who knows? Maybe someday, we'll see you on the battlefield when Earth is in danger again."

"Oh yeah. That reminds me. Strength training. You're not ready for that yet. Strength training would require a suitable sparring partner. So basically... Me."

"Issue is... If we tried sparring right now, I'd just end up killing you by accident. Nothing the Dragon Balls can't undo of course, but it'd be pretty awkward to explain to my friends that I accidentally killed my partner in a sparring match. Once you get a better grasp on your ki, I can introduce you to gravity training. And that will temper you for strength training."

...

"I'd give it about... I don't know... Maybe... A year before you're one of the strongest humans on the planet. Flying around, shooting ki blasts... Just generally being super."

...

"You want to continue training. Like, right now? You sure you don't wanna take a break?"

...

"Wow. Really enthusiastic about this, huh? That's good. I like your spirit. It'll get you far. I assure you."

...

"I love you to, honey, We'll show my dad that you're worthy."

------------------------------------------------------------

THE END

[seconds-not-decades]

Tightrope {Five Hargreeves x Commission!Gn!Reader}

Summary: You and Five Hargreeves have been together through everything. You two met while working at The Commission and it was pretty much love at first sight. When the both of you return to 2019, Five gets swept up into the frenzied world of dealing with his siblings and trying to stop the apocalypse. However, in the midst of the chaos, you begin to wonder: where exactly does this leave you?

Pairing: Five Hargreeves x Commission!Gn!Reader

Author's Note: Oh no, not another song fic. Made some slight changes: the Handler found Five when he was in his twenties and when you two return to 2019, you're both in your eighteen year old bodies. Lol I almost just made this a list of headcanons. Still might do that. Please feel free to comment/reblog!

Edit: We've made 157 NOTES! Thank you so much!💜

Word Count: 943

Warnings: Slight angst(?)

Requested: No

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Tightrope

0:00 ───|────── 0:00

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

Taglist: @shadowisbored @m4nd0l0r @magicalxdaydream @superbreadsoul {Please let me know if you want to be added/removed}

*Edit below is mine, please credit me if you use it*

~ * ~

Some people long for a life that is simple and planned

Tied with a ribbon

Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land

To follow what's written

But I'd follow you to the great unknown

Off to a world we call our own

You softly hummed as you quietly sauntered down the hall. Five was gone from the Academy again and here you were, left alone. It was nice and quiet. Peaceful, almost. It made you think for a split second about what your life would be if it was normal. Would it be fun? Would it be relaxing? Would you see your significant other a lot more than you were at the moment? You wondered how long Five would be out this time. You knew he was busy trying to stop the apocalypse and save his family. That was one thing you loved about him. He may be cynical and brash, but deep down he loved his family. He would do whatever it took to save them. When he found a way home to 2019, you didn't hesitate to follow him. You would always follow him, no matter how hectic or crazy things got.

Hand in my hand

And we promised to never let go

We're walking a tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below

We're walking a tightrope

You fiddled with your ring, thinking over your life with him so far. Balancing your relationship and The Commission at the same time was no easy feat, but, your love for one another made it all worth it. You felt like you were soaring through the air, but at the same time, watching your step constantly. And there was also Five's laser-sharp focus. Whenever something caught his attention, he was determined beyond measure to fix it. Almost to a point where he was on the brink of obsession. That and he also tended to pull from you in the midst of his mission. Well, until you pulled him back to Earth and helped him regain balance in his life.

Never sure, never know how far we could fall

But it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view

Walking a tightrope

With you

There were challenges, of course. You and Five didn't expect to have it easy. You were the deadliest assassin duo in The Commission and it came with its trials and tribulations. There was a lot of danger that came with the job. However, as long as you had each other by your side, you both felt safe.

Mountains and valleys, and all that will come in between

Desert and ocean

You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream

Always in motion

So I risk it all just to be with you

And I risk it all for this life we choose

When you first met Five, you were captivated beyond belief. He was already notorious enough for surviving in the apocalypse, not to mention his abilities involving time travel and spacial jumping. When you found out the Handler partnered him with you, you felt like you were Cloud Nine. Though at first he was quiet and calculating, you eventually softened his shell and melted his heart. You couldn't imagine life without him ever since. You'd risk everything for him.

Hand in my hand

And you promised to never let go

We're walking a tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below

We're walking a tightrope

Never sure, will you catch me if I should fall?

You went up the rooftop where Five took you for some fresh air the night before. It gave you such a stunning view of the skyline. The sky was painted in colors of pink, purple, and orange. The breeze was cool and calming. You sat there, reminiscing for a bit. You remembered the stories he told you about his time in the apocalypse. Was everything really going up in flames in a matter of days? You always felt like you were doing life, not living it. And you hoped that after he stopped the apocalypse, you two could live a quiet and normal life together. Or would something else happen that would pull him away?

Well, it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view

Walking a tightrope

With you

Five suddenly blinked next to you and you smiled softly.

"Hey, love," he greeted lowly.

"Hey. Are you okay?" you looked at him in concern.

He looked tired as he sat down by your side and you curled up next to him, feeling his arms wrap around you. "Just…well, looking forward to stopping the end of the world and getting some rest."

"You definitely need it," you agreed.

He sighed and nodded. "Hey…look…I um…"

You frowned some as he hesitated to continue. He was staring at you rather forlornly.

"Five? What's wrong?" you slowly asked.

"I…I know I keep running away from you and sort of leave you on your own and…I'm really sorry. I…I don't mean to neglect you like this. I hope you understand," he answered.

You gazed at him sadly. "I do understand. It is hard seeing you throw yourself into this so aggressively, but, at the same time I know it's for a good cause."

"I know. I honestly don't know what to do either. Everything I've done so far feels like a dead end. But I don't want to give up. I can't give up."

"Then tell me how I can help. Please, Five. I don't want to be on the sidelines anymore. Let me help you. You're going to drive yourself insane if you keep doing this by yourself."

Five looked down with a sigh. "This won't be easy or pretty. You know that right?" his eyes flicked back up to you.

"When did we ever work on anything that was easy or pretty?"

He laughed softly and you cracked a smile.

"Alright. You and me. We're doing this together now," Five took your hands.

Together. No matter what. You would always find a way to work things out, together.

~ * ~

[zuffer-weird-girl]

I may be hella afraid of birds but that wont stop me from making this.

Injured wing

The poor thing was in the balcony of the apartment. Making sounds and flapping their wings at ferocity to try to take flight again as you watched in pity.

Taking a warm towel from the dryer, your boyfriend's one since it was the comfier to be exact, you picked up the squirming little brow winged creature and took inside. You didn't had the heart to leave it out there, especially due to the snow.

While taking things out of cabinets, you didn't noticed your phone buzzing with the notifications of a certain... top hero calling you.

.

.

.

"A nightingale." You mused as you read on the internet what type of bird was now having fun on bathing on q small pot of water and singing to its heart content "How adorable!" You gushed as it shock out of the droplets of water as you carefully put a sorta of a tiny sling on a popsicle stick to mantain its feather that seemed to be broken stood on place.

"Sorry buddy, guess you're gonna have to stay like this for some time." The bird seemed to calculate your words before tweaking as you giggled at its cuteness.

That is until you heard the door opening and clicking shut.

Fuck. Keigo.

You grabbed the bird delicately and put it on a box filled with a soft towel and placed on your bed before going to open the bedroom's door to see a soaked wet, hair flat and worried hero with a frow.

"Is this some sorta of revenge or what? I was worried sick (Y/n)! You weren't answering your phone so I thought something happened." You picked your phone in confusion.

"You did?" Shit "oh..."

"Yeah. 'Oh.'" He crossed his arms before sighing cupping your cheeks "Why did you stood me up? I thought we were going to have dinner together on that restaurant."

"God!" You face palmed "I totally forgot! I'm so sorry Kei!" You whined as he let out a chuckle.

"Is fine. Although I would like if you compesate for m-"

Before he could finish his sentence, you both froze when a couple of chirps were heard. You analyzed his expression and soon giggled in nervousness at seeing his wings puff up in alarm.

"Was that.. was that a chirp?" He yed you, his pupils dilated as you took a step back with a smile.

"I.. I dont know? Maybe they are out there singing." You rolled your eyes and sweated when he towered over you as you kinda protected the nightingale inside the box with your body.

Yet the chirps intensified...

"There is a bird in here." Hawks more accused than asked as you giggled in nervousness once again.

"A bird? Why would a bird be-" the nightingale manage to escape the box and tweaked at both of you "...here."

"What is he doing in here?" He asked, if you didn't know Keigo enough, you could assume he was... unpleasant.

That's why you were so hesitant on showing the little nightingale to him in the first place when he showed up. You werent blind, and knew Keigo had some bird attics that showed up here and there. It wasn't as frequent as it would be however he was resting if the commission hadn't somehow put their hands on it. But Keigo didn't hold much strings around you. So... you could clearly see that your boyfriend wasn't happy when another one of "his kind", especially a male, he could tell somehow it was a male by the chirping dont ask why, was beneath the same rooftop as him with his partner alone.

"Is here because he is injured Kei, he needs some treatment." You cupped your hands together for the nightingale climb in it as Hawks hlardd holes at the little thing.

"Take him to the vet or something kid, this ain't a clinic." You flinched at his words but still remained strong.

"No I am not." You said "I dont know if they are going to sacrifice him or not Kei, I cant take chances."

"Do you even know how to take care of a bird in the first place dove?!" He asked, hands up as his wings puffed even more which made you snort and arch an eyebrow at him as the fella in your hands chirped.

"Well, I do have some knowledge of wings. And have to take care of one on daily basics." You giggled at the expression of shock and insulted Keigo did before walking off and leaving him groaning and sulking at knowing you wouldn't get rid of that street bird...

.

.

"Keigo Takami." He froze when he heard his full name coming from your mouth "Put that phone down. That little bird is going to stay until it gets better." He did just as you said with an eyeroll before pouting in anger at seeing the bird at your shoulder.

That's his place to put his chin on and snuggle your neck with his face. His.

"And you have to carry that thing whenever you go now? That must suck." He tried to joke, leaning with crossed arms on the kitchen counter as before his face completely fell as you simply chuckled and said it didn't bother you at all.

"Seriously?" He asked in disbelief before grabbing his mug taking a few gulps before you widened your eyes and giggling "What are you laughing at?"

"Is just that mug was full of water early and maybe our little friend may have took a bath in it." Your boyfriend stood up so fast and soon you heard disgusting noises of vomiting .

"For god's sake KEIGO I WASHED IT!"

"I DONT CARE THAT THING SHOULDN'T BE BATHING ON MY STUFF WHAT THE HECK?!"

You sighed, waiting for your boyfriend to be back as you feed the little bird with some seeds carefully, soon being met with Keigo, still brushing his teeth.

"Drama king." You chuckled as he groaned "You know he is not a thing Kei, is a nightingale."

"Great knowing it." He said with a mouthful of toothpaste before spitting into the trash, saying something about not dirtying his bathroom with other birds germs or something.

He looked at you a bit in defeat at seeing you feeding the bird as you noticed his wings drooping a bit.

"What is wrong now bird brain?" You giggled at his expression.

"You should be feeding me ... your boyfriend." You snorted before picking a sunflower seed and showing it to him.

"I thought you didn't liked this stuff?" Yoh asked cheekily as he groaned.

"There is chicken, takoyaki, nuggets heck everything that I eat!"

The bird chirped and you nodded thoughtfully as he stared at you in confusion.

"Cannibalism. I agree."

"Oh cmon I thought we were over this..." he sighed before getting something from the fridge as he scowled at the chirps following after.

.

.

.

He glared at the bird chirping a song as you hummed in delight at the sound, staring lovely at the nightingale.

"Oh cmon Kei!" You poked his cheeks which was puffed "You have to admit is a amazing sound! Nightingales are famous for that!"

"Hawks are famous for other things too y'know?" He grumbled before widening his eyes at seeing you werent giving him attention, instead grabbing your phone and recording the nightingale's chirping.

"Hm? What did you say Kei?" You looked up at him with that smirk which made him scoff and stood up with crossed arms and going to the kitchen.

You stiffled your giggled, going to your pouting boyfriend and hugging him lovingly after putting the injured bird back to safety.

"You're really jealous huh?" You carresed his chest as he breathed in and out, cheeks red at being so obvious about his feelings.

"Is a form of flirting birds singing to their mates. That little shit." He mumbled, earning you a laugh that made him smile as feeling you peppering kisses all over his neck and jawline before he caught your lips with his.

You broke apart with a goofy smile as he chuckled before deadpanning at hearing chirps before puffing and straightening his wings on all glory before shouting at the nightingale:

"GO GET YOURSELF A PARTNER! THIS ONE IS TAKEN YOU PIECE OF CRAP!"

You never laughed so hard in your life. A sound that, for Keigo at least, was far more beautiful than any chirping, singing or melody on this whole world.

.

.

.

After a few days you saw Keigo's hatred for the nightingale easing slowly but surely. Yet you never thought that coming home late on one of Keigo's day off, you would see your boyfriend, layed on the couch with a finger up holding the bird he claimed to hate it and whistling some similiar tone along with the nightingale's chirping.

You stared in shock yet awe at the look of your boyfriend directed to the bird as the sounds came out of his lips before chuckling.

"Your wing soon will be better by the looks of it. Isn't (Y/n) a great nurse?" He mumbled, a sadness deep down on his gaze as he saw the bird clapping the wing that wasn't wrapped up "You got freedom and my dove's attention bud, how could you and (Y/n) not expect me to get jealous?" He chuckled sadly as you frowned, walking slowly towards him, pretending to not overheard his monologue.

"Hey pretty thing, back already?" His cheeky smile was back as you looked at it in awe before kneeling in front of the couch he was layed on and kissing him deeply, making him close his eyes in bliss and pull you closer with his free hand by the neck.

You broke apart as he panted with a glossy yet pleased look. Ignoring the chirps for a bit, you carresed his golden looks as he closed his eyes with a smile.

"Redeeming yourself for giving attention to this bird and not me for these past few weeks?" He murmured happily yet drowsily as you giggled and kissed his forehead softly.

"You could say that bird brain." You stopped for a bit, hearing him whine miserably for you to get back, cupping your hands for the bird to get in.

"Cmon..." he whined, arm dropped over his face as the other rested on him until he felt you tugging on his shirt.

"Just get up lazy, I'm giving you all the attention you want." At this, you saw his golden eyes practically glow in bliss as he stood up as fast as he could.

.

.

.

He stretched his arms as he sitted up on the bed. Hair untamed and eyes unfocused until they dropped on the bird that had exited his box and was flapping both of his wings. Both.

"Huh. You look all better." He smirked as he felt you shift and rest your chin on his shoulder with a drowsy look.

"Who is better?" You mumbled before he pointed at the bird jumping and trying to take flight.

"Your friend there." You squealead as hs chuckled, grabbing the nightingale in one hands as he unwrapped the the made up sling as he waited patiently for the little fella to flap its wings and fly just a few centimeters above his palm.

"Cmon dove." He ushered you to follow him on the balcony as he had a gentle hold on the nightingale "Go little buddy, being stuck on a unknown place forever isn't goog for anyone."

And with a little movement of his hand, the nightingale took flight with beautiful chirps that made you smile but soon look at your boyfriend with a sad smirk as he watched the little bird fly away.

It wasn't sadness because he got attached to the nightingale. It was because that, even a small bird as he, could be free and not him. A grow up man that had a partner but was still caged by the comission...

You carresed his arm before hugging it and placing a sweet kiss to his cheek which brought his attention back to you.

"How about some hot cocoa my handsome? You still got some minutes stuck with me until you go to work." You said softly in Hope's to cheer him up.

He looked at you in some sorta of shock before chuckling and bringing you close enough to him to hear his heart beat and feel his warm yet chapte lips on your forehead.

"Being stuck with you is the only way that keeps me going to be honest."

[syllvane]

muscle memory pt. 3- sylvie x reader

a/n: i said i was going to post tomorrow but i couldn’t help myself. anyways, spoilers for episode 2 and 3 of loki, minor spoilers for the beginning of episode 3. final word count is 1.7k words!

read the previous part  read the next part   read the series  

“How is Loki doing?” You asked Mobius, walking with him to the mess hall.

“He’s doing great. Making real progress, I would say.”

“Didn’t you have to have a meeting with Renslayer this morning because of his actions?” You asked, raising your eyebrows. His face scrunched up for a second.

“It’s like every time he is making progress, he takes two steps back.”

“That sounds more believable. You still think he’s worth all the trouble though?”

Mobius sighed slightly. “I really do believe in him. It’s not just an issue of whether I believe in him though, it’s whether Ravonna and the Timekeepers do.”

“Oh, you’re on first name basis now, with Renslayer?” You turned and grinned at Mobius, who immediately flushed after realizing his mistake.

“Not a word of this to anyone.” He said strictly, although there was a smile on his face as well.

“Yeah, yeah.” You said, standing in line with Mobius as he ordered his lunch before sitting down at a two-seat table. “Ravonna and Mobius-”

“C-7.” Mobius said strictly, although you could tell he was partly amused by your antics.

You continued in the same quiet, sing-songy voice as before.

“-on a jet ski. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

Mobius finished taking a sip of his drink and then applauded quietly, so as to not draw attention.

“Has anyone ever told you that you truly have all the originality of a grade-schooler?”

Before you could answer, you were interrupted by a tall man with long dark hair speed walking over to where Mobius and you were sitting.

Although he seemed to be in a hurry, you could tell that he was sizing up everybody in the room, including yourself.

“I found- oh, sorry. Didn’t see you there. Would you mind moving so that me and my partner could discuss something?” He asked politely, even smiling.

You locked eyes with him, smiling back at him.

“I’m good, thanks. You can just pull up a chair.”

His smile wavered and he maintained eye contact for a couple of moments longer before breaking it, going to a different table and pulling over a chair.

(You ignored the pointed look Mobius shot at you, like he was asking you to be the bigger person here. Unfortunately for him, you had no such intentions.)

“Right. I know how the Variant is hiding.”

Mobius leaned back.

“Talk about burying the lead. How?”

Loki smiled slightly, this smile much different from his last- he was proud of himself.

“He’s hiding in apocalypses.” 

There was a moment of silence. You and Mobius exchanged a glance.

“Which one? There’s like a million all across history.” Mobius pointed out and Loki took a second to compose himself before starting his explanation.

You sat back as he explained his reasoning, watching with amusement as he put more salt and pepper into Mobius’ salad, handing him your own drink when he realized that Mobius’ drink was empty.

He gave you a nod of recognition and Mobius sent you another, even more exasperated glance as Loki poured your drink into the salad (although, in your opinion, seeing Loki grin like that made it worth it).

                                                             —— “How was Pompeii?” You asked, not even having to look up from the apocalypse case files to figure out that it was Loki who was approaching you.

He stopped for a minute, almost taken aback by your observation, before continuing and taking a seat in front of you.

“I was right, naturally.”

You scoffed slightly.

“Naturally.”

You looked up at him to find that his piercing eyes were already looking at you, almost curiously.

“You’re already sorting through the apocalypse files.”

“Naturally occurring disasters with no survivors, cross-referenced with the candy that Mobius picked up. You were confident that you were right so I figured I should start looking.”

Loki raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly.

“You’re smarter than you look. Could’ve saved me and Mobius some time.” 

“He forgot to cross-reference?”

He nodded, hesitating for a moment before he grabbed some of the files that you hadn’t started looking over yet.

You looked at him appreciatively, though he wasn’t looking at you anymore. 

The two of you sat there, looking at the case files in a comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before Mobius walked into your office as well.

“What’s this?” Mobius asked, taking a cursory glance at the file on top.

“Kablooie.” You said simply and Mobius sighed slightly, frustrated that he hadn’t thought of it.

He grabbed a couple of files as well, standing up as he started reading.

“I think I have something,” Loki said a couple of minutes later, splaying the case out on your desk so that everyone could see. “Class ten apocalypse. Alabama, 2050.”

You looked it over and even just with a cursory glance, you could tell that this is where the Variant was hiding- you looked over at Mobius and saw pride on his face.

“You’re gonna take my job if I’m not careful.”

“Now to pitch it to Renslayer.” You said and Mobius nodded, already halfway out of your office. He closed the door behind him and you looked at Loki. “I don’t think I’ve seen him this excited in a while. In fact, the last time I saw him this excited, I think we saw a jet ski on a mission.”

Loki smiled to himself, though the expression disappeared when he looked back at you.

“And what about you?”

“Hm?” You tilted your head slightly, caught off-guard by the question.

“What excites you?” 

You held his gaze for a couple of moments, feeling uncomfortable with how he looked at you, as if he knew something about you that you didn’t know about yourself. 

You finally looked away, standing up.

“We should go meet Mobius. We’ll be heading out as soon as he gets the approval.”

“You say this like it’s a sure thing.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Renslayer say no to him. Come on.”

                                                          ——

The rain sounded a hundred times louder when you were listening to it hit the roof of the Roxxcart, so loud that you could barely hear the sound of your own voice above the noise.

“What are you doing here?” You asked, positioning your reset baton defensively. The man standing by the plants seemed to hesitate slightly, although he was still much too calm for this kind of weather.

“Hurricane sale. Azaleas are half-off.”

“Could that be you?” You asked Loki, your eyes never leaving the man. Although his eyes continued to look between you and Loki, his gaze lingered on you longer.

“I… mean… I would’ve worn a suit, but it could be.”

You took a couple steps towards the man and he backed up, looking at you pleadingly.

“I don’t want to do this.” He said quietly and you tilted your head slightly, confused.

You took another step towards him.

“What-”

He grabbed your arm and a warm feeling came over your body.

A woman’s voice in your head lulled you to sleep, promising to bring you home and then everything went dark.

…

“Sylv, why are you acting so weird?” You asked, taking another sip of wine.

The blonde woman across from you smiled, although you could tell that she was forcing it for your sake.

“Another one of my suitors came and visited me today.” She said. You made a face and she laughed slightly.

“Complete fools, every one of them.”

“Fools for being deeply in love with me?” She asked, raising an eyebrow, almost as if she was allowing herself to play the part for a couple of brief moments.

“No, I’m above self-flagellation. They’re fools for thinking that they could ever win your heart.”

She laughed.

“And why is that?”

You leaned back in your chair.

“I have it on very good account that someone already has it.” You said and Sylvie‘s smile faded and her gaze didn’t quite meet yours, almost as if her mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

She looked back at you, her look apologetic.

The scene around you grew distorted, nothing quite clear anymore.

“I’m sorry.”

Her words repeated everywhere around you like you were in an echo chamber rather than…

Rather than…

Where were you?

The blonde woman that had been there a moment ago disappeared and with her, everything else.

…

When you came to, Mobius was kneeling beside you, waiting for you to wake up.

“C-7… are you okay?” He asked slowly, looking at you with more concern than you think anyone else ever has.

You propped yourself up and you looked around wildly for Loki or for the blonde woman- Sylvie- who had been in your head.

“Where are they?” You asked and you hated how desperate your voice sounded.

“They escaped. Take it easy, the Variant did a number on-”

“Mobius, I have to find her.” You said, trying to stand up only to be overwhelmed with nausea and dizziness.

Mobius supported you, keeping you from falling back onto the ground.

“I know. And we will, but we have more pressing issues right now. Come on.”

You didn’t protest, knowing that you wouldn’t be able to convince Mobius even if you promised to get him a jet ski afterwards.

What you had to do now, you would do alone.

He helped you through the portal back to the TVA and the rest of your team followed, all of them being immediately assigned to different Nexus events that were happening simultaneously.

You, being injured, were given the pass to stay back at the TVA. 

You wondered if the Timekeepers knew what you were about to do, if they could’ve predicted it- after all, they were the ones who had made you, right?

You headed to the sector of the TVA where they issued TemPads, looking at the data of where all the TemPads were jumping to and from when you stumbled upon something odd- there was a TemPad that only had one jump registered in its entire history.

TVA to Lamentis-1, 2077.

Huh.

The Variant- Sylvie- whatever her name was, must’ve found out a way to stop the TemPad from feeding data into the system, but it must’ve reset when she jumped to the TVA.

You grabbed one of the TemPad’s that were out of commission for charging, unplugging it. 

It was low on battery, but it would have to do.

You opened a portal for yourself using the exact same coordinates and time that they had put in and without any hesitation, you walked through.

[red1culous]

Oh part 1

Part 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

Standing in front of that imposing building you felt your resolve falter slightly. It looked as though nothing had changed in years. Even the grove of trees that lined the driveway, tall and graceful, seemed to be frozen in time.

One foot in front of the other, you coax yourself. 

You suck in a laboured breath and walk into the large courtyard stopping once again as you take in your surroundings. You had hoped to be able to come and go without notice but the gravel covering the courtyard was doing a great job in announcing your arrival. 

This is new, you think to yourself slightly amused at your naivety thinking things would have stood still just because you left.

You hadn’t been back in over a decade after that little incident and if anyone had told you you would be standing where you were right now, you would have laughed in their faces before smacking them across it. 

You walk through a smaller sylvan courtyard of blooming orange trees. In its centre you see a fish pond. Smiling you look into it and search for the red and gold koi you had put there when you built the pond as a birthday present for Tony. It swims up to the surface as if it recognises you and if it weren’t for the boxes you were lugging about you might have even bent down to poke at its mouth.

For a split second you consider turning around and walking, no, running away. Screw the freshly baked muffins that were precariously balanced on you. You could just head back to the shop and sell them off at half price. You didn’t need the huge commission that the Avengers had agreed to pay for them. No you definitely didn’t need it…

…you also definitely did not need your business partner chewing off your ear about passing off said commission. 

Think of all the rich people eating your food? you can hear her clawing voice bounce about in your head. 

In truth you knew that the Avengers could easily afford a better baker. The best pastry chefs this side of the globe would happily saw off their left foot to be able to cater for them. But Pepper rings your mobile phone, claiming she meant to actually dial the shop, to place an order…a significantly large one…one she knew you would not be able to resist.

“Shit…” you mumble under your breath seeing the cause of your stress marching towards you a huge smile on her face.

“Is that how you greet an old friend?” Pepper says holding onto your upper arms and leaning in to place air kisses on your cheeks.

“No of course not…it’s just…umm…” you stutter as your heart thumps so hard it rattles its ribcage.

“I know…it’s a little weird being back” she says hands still holding you in place as if she knew you were about to bolt right out of there.

You shrug chuckling a little. “It’s stupid isn’t it?” you adopt a wide smile which had always been effective when dealing with difficult customers.

“Don’t give me that look” she swipes at your chin, “and it’s not stupid either. Just so you know, we’re all on your side.” She adds giving you a sympathetic look and you calm slightly at her words. 

“Thanks Pep.”

“Ok you head in. I’ll meet you inside in a bit, you don’t mind do you? Tony ordered a grand piano and it’s just arrived…” she trails off.

“Sure, I know my way around” you say smiling as she squeezes your arms before letting you go. Of course you knew your way around. After all, this had been your home too for over 5 years. 

5 years of bliss with her. 

You mentally chide yourself. Nope, not gonna go back there. 

As you climb the white marbled steps that led to the main door of the mansion you steal a glance at the silent looming windows glinting in the early morning light. You hesitate a little seeing a shadow pass quickly across one of them. 

Shit. 

Shaking your head, yet again, you finally reach the large oak doors. The bright and zesty scent of your lemon muffins waft into the air and as you are about to ring the doorbell the solid doors open revealing a tanned and muscled man in a shirt way too small for his body.

“STEVEN!” you shout whisper as his face splits into a wide grin.

“Y/N! Wh-what are you doing here?” he almost engulfs you in a hug stopping at the very last moment realising your arms were occupied.

“I-I…umm, muffins?” you return his grin looking down at your packages.

His eyes widen a little before taking some of the boxes from you. He balances 3 with ease in one hand as he pulls you inside. “No I mean I knew we had ordered from you…,” he says walking with you towards the kitchen, “…but I thought you said you were going to send a runner or something.”

“Well I was but our regular guy called in sick” you say gently placing the boxes onto the kitchen island.

“Well isn’t that unfortunate” he eyes you winking when you catch his gaze.

You roll your eyes at him. “No Steve, it’s the very opposite of what you mean.”

“Oh come on Y/N,” he shuffles up beside you to bump your shoulder, “it’s been so long.”

“It has...but hey! I get to see you again!” you bump his shoulder back and he pretends like it hurts him. “Ok so these need to be consumed within 3 days…”

“Woah woah woah now…” he cuts you off, “…you’re talking like you’re about to leave.”

He gives you a sad pouting face. His crisply parted hair makes him look like a choirboy albeit a very well built one. You almost feel sorry for him. 

“Steve you know I don’t belong here” you say fingering the hem of your shirt.

Your answer seems to baffle him. He straightens up and stares at you for a moment narrowing his eyes slightly. “I’m skipping my morning run just to hang out with you, so you can at least spend some time with me.”

“Steve…” you protest before he cuts you off again.

He raises a hand in your face. “Not hearing any of it” he says grabbing yours and leading you out of the kitchen, “…we’re going to take a walk and you’re going to meet some of your family.” 

You knew there was no use arguing with him. The death grip he had on you meant that you couldn’t even try to make a dash for it. “Steve if she…” you add and he cuts you off. Third one in a row. This was getting ridiculous.

“Shh!” and that was final. He leads you into the giant library where that vapid painting by Albert Ryder still hung on the wall. You hated that massive eye sore and always wandered what Tony liked about it. You’d always pegged him for the colourful extravagant type and this painting was just so out of character.

“Sam! Look who’s here?” Steve’s voice bellows out interrupting your thoughts. Your eyes trail up the curving mahogany spiral stairs that Steve is looking at and onto another floor of bookcases that were bathed in sunlight pouring in through a round skylight on the ceiling. 

“OMG Y/N?!” Sam almost shrieks as he bounds down the steps at a dangerous pace to collect you in a massive bear hug. “What are you doing here?!” he adds still crushing you in his arms.

“I came with the cupcakes…” you giggle as he picks you up and twirls you around. “Th-They brought me as their plus one.”

He puts you down to really look at you as if committing you to memory. A large smile sits on his face. “I see the sass is still there?”

“It never really left, big guy” you raise an eyebrow smirking as he hugs you one more time. 

“Pleaseee tell me you’re here for the party?” he groans wrapping an arm around your shoulders looking at you hopefully. “Parties here have been so sad since you’ve been gone.”

You hum about to answer as out of nowhere two slender arms wrap around you. It knocks the wind out of you and you instinctively hug back letting the smell of cinnamon and spice invade your senses. “Wanda!” you yelp.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming” she squeals smacking you across the arm.

You giggle at her pout. “I didn’t know I was coming, malyshka.”

She grins at your use of the word. “Ok let’s go” she says to a chorus of groans. 

“Excuse me! You are not taking her any where!” Sam blurts out grabbing your free hand.

“Sorry guys but I found her first” Steve adds standing in front of you and placing an authoritative hand on your shoulder his fingernails biting into the flesh there. 

“Guys…” you cough nervously, “how about we take a walk…together” you say quietly and sigh in relief as everyone starts smiling and pestering you with questions again. 

I guess nothing’s really changed after all.

---

Tagging: @thewidowintheweb   @natasharomanoffismywife  @imnotasuperhero  @cybeleceto  @silverwing2522  @thelastavenger-3000  @peggycarter-steverogers  @rooskaya-yelena  @blackwidowromonoff  @lesbian-x-blackwidow  @nowthisisliving27   @izalesbean  @aaron-despair  @marvelfansince08love  @rileigh519   @wannabe-fic-reader  @hcartbyheart  @marvel-randomness  @thewitchandtheassassin  @username23345  @xixxiixx  @rebeliz777  @summergeezburr  @frostedfavesmain  @higherfurther-romanova​ @sapphicluxanna​

[paperpocalypse]

family outing.

50 Wordless Ways to Say “I Love You”: 29. Tucking their hair behind their ear to help them get it out of their face.

Pairing: Five Hargreeves x Reader

Word Count: 1,436 words

Warning: Mild swearing

[A/N: Mild S2 spoilers!]

“So,” Vanya’s brow furrows, “Five met you after the apocalypse?”

“Yep.” Leaning against her car, you cross your arms and sigh dreamily. “Hate at first sight. He almost shot me in the head.”

“… With a gun?”

You grin. “Well, he couldn’t’ve shot me with a Twinkie.”

Vanya looks ahead at where Five is talking to some middle-aged guy, his expression friendly and polite. What a businessman. Her eyes narrow in shocked disbelief. “This is crazy,” she murmurs. “My family is crazy.”

Your grin widens as she shakes her head. Something about her mannerisms helps you realize why Five is so fond of her, though he’s never said it outright. She’s definitely your favorite of the bunch. Sans murderous intent.

“Some types of crazy can be good,” you reply, nudging her arm. “But your family’s got all of them and it’s gonna get real messy. Time to spice up your little farm life, Vanya.”

She chuckles a little awkwardly and shrugs. “I just hope I’ll have time to talk to them. Again, I mean. Maybe I’ll remember something when we’re all together.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Noticing Five bidding farewell to the man, you push yourself off the bumper and wave at him. “Any luck, Five?”

He points down the street behind you as he walks back over. “Plano Street Rooming House for Solitary Men,” he answers. “It’s just a few blocks from here.”

“How do you know he’s there?” Vanya asks.

“I really doubt Luther would live anywhere else.”

You snort, raising your hands in surrender when Five returns it with a semi-faux withering look. With a sigh, he shakes his head and opens the rear passenger door, gesturing for you to get in.

As Vanya starts the car and turns into the street, you look through the rearview mirror at Five as he tells her where to go. Despite being stuck in a thirteen-year-old body, he still has that resting glower of his that makes him look perpetually stressed. 

(Of course, it’s not just a matter of looking stressed – he is definitely stressed. Wound up tighter than a spring. You’ll probably need to force him to sit down and relax for at least a half-hour tonight before he explodes.)

His hair is a little disheveled, so you reach over to brush it out of his eyes. It doesn’t really work, but just going through the familiar motion grounds you somehow. “You know,” you muse as Five glances back at you, “Luther’s probably living there, but I doubt he’ll be in right now. He’s probably with Ruby somewhere.”

“Even if he is, we can ask around. I assume that at least one person there knows his business.”

He absently lifts a hand to smooth his hair back, and you smile. “Good point.”

—

“Hello, do you know Luther Hargreeves by any chance?”

After some door-to-door work, someone from Luther’s hall finally answers your knock. He’s a burly man, though not nearly as big as Luther, and obviously drunk off his rocker. Definitely solitary. He squints at the three of you through red, puffy eyes.

“Luther? Yeahhh, I know ‘im. Huge bloke. Real hairy.”

“That’s the one,” Five confirms. “You see, we’re his brother and sister. He hasn’t visited home lately and we’re pretty worried, so we’re just wondering if you know where he is.”

Burly picks at his teeth. “Brother n’ sister, eh? Well,” he rumbles, “I dunno where he is, but I know some of the boys are gonna watch ‘im fight tonight.”

“Where’s the fight?” Vanya asks.

The man regards her with suspicion. “Well, it ain’t a place for a little lady like you.” He swirls his beer around in its bottle, then jabs a finger at all of you. “Don’t want you three squealing to the cops, either.”

“We won’t,” you assure him, smiling sweetly. “We just want to check on Luther.”

With a little more cajoling, you finally obtain the time and place for Luther’s fight before the man waves you away with a grunt, slamming his door shut. You give your companions a self-satisfied grin before descending the staircase back down to street level. Worked like a charm. (You suspect your youthful looks probably helped a lot, though.)

“How’d you do that?” Vanya wonders as the three of you step out onto the sidewalk.

“Simple,” you respond. “I have a knack for sweeping tough guys off their feet.”

You wink secretly at Five. He rolls his eyes, the minutest of smiles at the corner of his mouth, before ushering you and Vanya back to the Chevy.

Your little trio spends the next few hours driving and poking around, looking for Luther or Klaus or Allison. The optimist in you hopes you’ll run across at least one of them. But Dallas is a big place, and darkness begins to fall around 5:30 without a single sighting.

“Dammit.” Five clicks his tongue as you exit a paint shop alone.

“At least we know where Luther will be,” you point out, shoving your hands in your pockets. “How about we get something to eat before we head to the fight?”

Vanya unlocks the car. “There’s a place I know close by,” she says, lips quirking up. “They have sandwiches and donuts there.”

You pat her back. “Sounds great, Vanya. Five? You’ve got to eat something, too.”

Your favorite number crosses his arms as you and Vanya stare at him expectantly. “We’ll get something quick,” he eventually says.

The trip only takes a few minutes. The three of you get sandwiches and a donut each and unwrap them on the bench outside the bakery.

“Sissy and Harlan and I get something from here whenever we go into town,” Vanya says, finishing the last of her sandwich and picking her donut up. “It’s pretty good.”

“So good,” you agree. Lands alive, sitting out here like this makes you nostalgic. Ignoring the upcoming doomsday and the ‘60′s aesthetic, it feels like you’re back in 1927 again, staying out past curfew with your peers. You smile to yourself and look down at your half-finished maple bar. Best to enjoy it while it lasts.

A finger quickly sweeps your brow, tucking a lock of hair out of your face. You blink and glance over at Five, but he’s looking across the street and starting on his own pastry. (Apple fritter. Perhaps you’ll ask him one day why he always gets those.)

Heart feeling even softer than before, you lean silently against his side. He doesn’t move.

After a moment, Five speaks up. “When we were kids, I brought you to this donut shop near the academy a couple times.”

“You did?” Vanya asks.

“Yeah. Griddy’s.” Oh, the one near the academy. The one that had gotten destroyed along with everything else in 2019. He gestures at the last bit of donut – plain, glazed – in her hands. “You usually got that kind.”

She raises her eyebrows, looking into her napkin. “Oh, wow. I guess it must’ve been a subconscious choice or something, then.”

“Hm.”

“You know, I’m glad we found you, Vanya,” you offer warmly. “I didn’t … really have time to get to know you the last time we met.”

A smile spreads across her face. “Same here. For both things, I mean. Not that I’d know much about our first meeting.” She pauses, examining you for a second, then blurts, “Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

She awkwardly motions between you and her brother. “Are you and Five …?”

“Partners,” you finish, “in every sense of the word. From what I know, at least.” With a grin, you turn to Five. “Is that more or less right?”

He rolls his eyes fondly. “Unfortunately,” he mutters as you move to smooth his hair back again. He sure had lovely hair when he was a kid – not that you didn’t appreciate his looks back in your Commission days. This de-aging thing really knocks you for a loop sometimes.

Vanya nods, still looking vaguely confused. “Okay. I don’t want to make things weird, I just – well, you two are kind of … young –”

“Believe me, we’re much older than we look,” you quip, standing up. “But that’s a tale for another time. We gotta go.”

Disposing of your trash, you join the others into the Chevy and start your next journey to Luther Hargreeves. Radio turned off, the leather seat squeaks as you lean back and listen to Vanya and Five murmuring in the front.

To see the siblings together again makes you glow inside, a bit of calm before the inevitable storm. You drink it in as much as you can.

[dameronology]

one hell of a mandalorian {din djarin}

summary: actions speak louder than words - which is good for din djarin, because he's not very good at words. (this was a commission for an anon! i hope you enjoy).

warnings: language

enjoy!! if you're interested in commissions, you can find out more here :)

- jazz xx

Din Djarin was a man of few words.

That had become clear not long after you'd met.

It wasn't that he didn't like talking, or that he was rude - he'd just never had the need for it. The Mandalorian could spend days and days in hyperspace, on his own with nothing but a frozen bounty to keep him company. And they were hardly chatty, even before they were thrown away into the trawling depths of carbonite animation. There were a few select geniuses who tried to make conversation with him in a last-ditch attempt to appeal to his humanity and beg for mercy, but so far, they'd had a zero-for-zero success rate. It wasn't that he didn't have any humanity to appeal to it - because he did, and his weird, green surrogate kid was an absolute testament to that - but it just took a little bit for it to come out.

The beskar made him seem a little...robotic. Like a droid, which was ironic, because he wouldn't have gone near the things with a ten-foot-barge pole. Din had just become so used to people seeing his mask and his intimidating posture before him that having human traits, like feelings and thoughts and opinions, had never been any use. Having defining traits and a personality was all well and good, but nothing helped you through the galaxy quite like the ability to put the fear of God in people.

The Mandalorian was something, but Din Djarin was somebody. He was good; not necessarily pure and golden-hearted like a typical comic book hero, but he had a strong moral compass. Sometimes, it pointed in opposite directions, but he helped those who needed it and he paid his dues. That was probably a lot more than anyone in the galaxy could have said for themselves. In the fight of good and bad, in a world that existed entirely and black and white, there was nothing more grey than an honest man. Somebody who refused to pick a side held the power of both. For that, Din could have either been extremely smart, or extremely dumb.

Sometimes, he was extremely dumb. Made the wrong moves in combat, or got too cocky, however out of character it was for him. It was the losing fights that truly brought out the human side of Din, and it took a very, very specific eye to see it, sometimes to the point where even he missed it. It never went over your head, though.

You'd joined the crew on the Razor Crest as a mechanic - then you became a baby sitter, and his partner-in-crime, and the closest thing he'd ever had to a friend. His non-verbal nature meant that most of his emotional cues came in the physical form. It went over the heads of everybody else, but between your intuition, and the time spent in such a cramped space, it quickly became like a second language to you. Helmet tilts when he was confused, and little nods when he was pleased; tensed shoulders when the Mandalorian was nervous and balled fists when he was about to absolutely lose his shit.

Today was one of those days. Even though you were both in one piece and the baby was - by some absolute fucking miracle - asleep, it almost hadn't been that way. Nevarro had been quieter than usual, and Din had let his guard down; finally convinced himself to relax a tiny bit and ever-so-slightly loosen the stick that was firmly up his backside. His sudden lack of awareness for your surroundings had meant that someone managed to track the Crest, however briefly. The kid had barely noticed, and you weren't phased by what had been a simple, human mistake. Din, true to nature, was already beating himself up for it.

That was evidenced by his heavy footsteps, and the way he'd immediately retreated to the cockpit and slammed the door. Common sense would have entailed that he wanted to be left alone, but you'd long surpassed the point of any of that. Common sense didn't exist in a galaxy like this one. Doing the obvious thing was, nine times out of ten, usually the wrong way. Expecting the unexpected was the right way to go.

You'd paced outside the door for the better part of fifteen minutes - to go in, or to not go in, that was the question. You were torn between wanting to give Din space and wanting to be there for him; a cranky Din was often an unbearable one, but you cared deeply for him. Maybe a little too much, but that was a can of worms to open later.

"Din?" You gently called. Nothing. "I know you're brooding, or whatever it is you do under that helmet, but talking is good."

"I'm fine."

You sighed. "The scale goes great, good, bad, awful, world-ending and then fine."

"I've never heard that before in my life."

"Yeah, I just made it up on the spot." You murmured.

Resting your hand against the doorknob, you pondered for a moment. Did you want to risk it by going in? Making him mad when he was literally shutting you out? It was hard to know what to do with Din - it wasn't like he came with an answer key, or even a vague manual that could point you in the right direction. It was all just guess work.

"Is the helmet on?" You softly asked.

"Yeah."

You took that as a sign - with a deep breath, you gently opened the door and stepped inside the cockpit, shutting it quietly behind you. The tense atmosphere inside was almost enough to swallow you whole. The man practically radiated angst.

"Talk to me." You took a seat beside him.

"There's nothing to say."

"Bullshit." You murmured. "You might have a thousand inches of beskar hiding your face but your body language is a dead giveaway."

"I'm meant to protect you and the kid." He replied. It wasn't much, but it was better than silence. "It's my job to catch bad people and outrun them when I need."

"You did outrun them." You reminded him. "I'm safe. You're safe. The kid is safe. Does anything else matter?"

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place." Din said. "I was relaxed-"

"- you allowed to relax." You cut him off. "Despite your best efforts, you're a human being."

Reaching out, you gently placed your hand over Din's ungloved palm. He didn't resist or try to brush you away. His hands were soft and callous in equal measures, which felt like a fitting metaphor for him on the whole. You tangled your fingers in his and held on tightly, perhaps in a sad attempt to remind him that you were there.

But Din knew you were there - he could feel it constantly, and he thought about it just as much. Every day of his life prior to you had been filled with rigidity and angst, then you'd come waltzing in and for the first time in years, he'd untensed his muscles and stopped looking over his shoulder. Learnt to take a breath and enjoy the simple things in life, like Grogu laughing or you accidentally tripping over a tree branch. You'd become so important to him that the prospect of losing you was too much for him to even fathom. He'd come close today - too close - and it had been an eye-opener. The irony was that telling you why he was so fucking scared was more frightening than the entire thing itself.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." The gentle pull of your voice lulled him back to reality. "Please?"

His grip on your hand tightened. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." You breathily smiled. "You don't have to apologise."

"I never thought I'd have someone like you." Din admitted. "Coming so close to losing you was terrifying, even if it wasn't that close at all."

He'd never been so open about his feeling towards you before. Obviously, you knew that he viewed you in a way he didn't see anybody else, but that knowledge had been based entirely on physical cues and mere guesswork. You'd never expected him to vocalise the way he felt, or even acknowledge them. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, or even something you considered to be detrimental. The words came as a nice surprise.

"You mean a lot to me, Din." You said. He'd always loved the way his name sounded when you said it; nobody had used it for years, not since he'd lost his parents. It was something to vulnerable and personal. You were the only one he trusted with it.

"I do?"

You didn't mean to laugh at that - you really didn't, but it just came out. A low snort of disbelief; shock at his absolute inability to read the fucking room. Din was as intuitive as they came, with the ability to read criminals like a bedtime story he'd been rehearsing since he was a kid. Then it came to you, and he knew nothing. Absolutely nothing. To call him clueless would be the understatement of the century.

"Maker." You murmured. "Of course you do - more than anyone or anything."

"You're special to me." Din replied. "It scares me sometimes."

Din was straight forward with everything he said - it was just finding the courage to say it. He'd gone into battle with Imps and Republic Rangers alike; fought krayt dragons and droids and fellow Mandalorians and yet this entire thing shook him to his very core more than anything else.

You didn't know it, but you were perfectly holding his gaze. Staring right through it and looking right into his soul. He forgot he had one sometimes. It was probably a little dusty and covered in cobwebs, but it was there, and you were bringing it right out of him and back to reality.

Din used his grip on your hands to pull you a little closer - a moment later, he gently pressed the cold metal of his helmet to his forehead. It was the closest you'd ever been to him, even if it wasn't that close at all. You could hear his soft breathing through the modulator, the sensation acting as a stunning reminder that there was a person underneath there. There were times when you forgot, or felt a little disconnected from the idea entirely. You'd never felt the need to see his face, though - you hadn't a clue what he might look like, but at the same time, you had an image of him in your head. It was as clear as day; as bright as the suns on Tatooine and as persevering as the kid's insistence that he receive all your attention, all the time.

You knew what the action was; a Keldabe kiss. The Mandalorian had recounted its meaning to you not long after you'd met - he'd finally let his barriers down and let you plague him with questions about his culture and the creed, and you'd stumbled on the subject. Initially, you'd been entertained by the fact that it two such vastly different meanings. On one hand, it could be a headbutt. A beskar punch to knock the daylights out of anyone who particularly annoyed you. On the other hand, it was almost a romantic gesture; a way that Mandalorians could show their affection to one another without having to remove their armour.

Din had the latter meaning in mind, but also so much more. He was giving you a piece of his culture - including you in the very thing that defined him as a person.

"It won't happen again." The Mandalorian gently said. "I'll never let you get hurt again. I promise."

"I know." You softly smiled. Your eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the cool metal against your forehead. "For what it's worth, I have your back too."

He softly chuckled. "Thank you."

You gently pulled back, eyes meeting again (not that you could tell).

"Seriously!" You said. "I can be a bad-ass."

"You can be a lot of things." Din replied. "You're one hell of a girl."

"And you're one hell of a Mandalorian."

[paper-n-ashes]

The Late Shift

Characters: Paul Sevier x Female Reader

Words: 2k

Warnings/Tags: There’s actually none (I hope). I know. I’m surprised too.

Authors Note: This is so dumb. I’m aware. Look, I’ve been dealing with a horrendous writers block and shattered confidence and I made Paul Sevier gifs to ease my pain. It turned into this. I just wanted to try something a little cute and fluffy to get back into the swing of things. So... here it is.

*

It was going to be a long night.

Stuck on the Wednesday evening shift for the third time this month, you mindlessly fiddled with the pen in your hand. Twirling it between your fingers, your mind drifted away from the present moment, wondering why your boss seemed to dislike you so much to keep you here past 6pm in the middle of the week. He’d always been adamant this was prime selling time for this boutique suit store, with corporate clients needing to do their shopping outside of normal business hours.

You, however, knew keeping this place open was senseless, barely seeing more than a few unenthusiastic customers in these agonizingly slow stretches. Working on commission also made you all the more bitter about being paid minimum wage to stand behind a counter and doodle sketches of imaginary clients dressed in the outfits you personally tailored. This isn’t where you thought a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design would take you, that’s for sure.

“H-hello,” you heard a deep voice quietly greet you, startling you into focus. “Are you busy? I… think I need a little help.”

Eyes flickering up from the notepad, you were sure your pupils blew wide at the sight of the man in front of you. Standing at an imposingly large height, his hair a severely murky shade of black, with honeyed irises shining brightly behind delicate spectacles.

A human personification of tall, dark and handsome. Well, except for the clothes.

The stranger wore the layered combination of a grey tweed jacket and argyle patterned sweater, arranged over a particularly heinous, mustard-coloured button up. While the ensemble made you internally cringe, it gave him an air of intelligence, like the kind that hangs around stuffy, old college professors who have more academic accolades than you have fingers and toes.

“Me?” you coughed out, knowing full well you were the only other person in this tiny little shop. “Uh, yeah. I mean- No, no I’m not busy. What is it you need help with?” Even when you stood, the man towered above you, making you silently begin to calculate the high-numbered measurements you’d need to fit him in something.

“I have an important meeting scheduled for Friday. You know, the type you need to wear a suit to?” Evidently the thought of it made him nervous, as you noticed his cheek twitch slightly, his eyes scanning momentarily at the garments filling the space. “I’m… uh… not so great with clothes.”

Clearly, you chuckled inside your head, holding the word from your tongue. “You want me to pick out something for you?”

He took a defeated breath, his mouth twisting into an awkward yet wonderfully endearing smile. “Would you mind? Only if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No trouble!” you burst, maybe a little too excitedly. “It’s my job!” Bounding out from behind the counter you’d been imprisoned by, you moved directly to the section of classic navy business suits. Slim line. Something to accentuate his well-built frame, rather than hide it away. You had to pause, swivelling back around to the dumbfounded man. “Is price an issue… uh…?”

“Paul,” he answered for you, slowly moving to where you stood. “And… I suppose not. Probably should spend the money on something that will last. If you think it’s a good idea.”

Oh thank god, you mused without showing the relief on your face. He’s not some rich asshole trying to flash his cash. “A good suit can last you five years, if you treat it right.” Your hand reached over to graze one of the deepened blue sleeves of a jacket at your left. “And a classic colour will never go out of style.”

Paul let out an embarrassed chuckle. “I think you’ve already noticed how lacking in style I am…” He glanced to your nametag, murmuring your name with a goofy smirk curling his lips. You’d never seen a grown man, especially not one of this stature, appear so adorable. It was horribly distracting.

“I’m sure you have expertise in other areas,” you stumbled, realizing only when the words came out how offensive they might seem. Yet Paul conceded to your comment, his rumbling laugh making your chest feel tight.

“Debatable,” he shrugged. “I’m just glad I found some qualified personnel to help me in this instance.”

Oh boy. Humble and charming? You were in so much trouble. Surely someone as sweet as this had another waiting for them at home. “I’m sure your partner could help you pick out something nice too.”

“Not an option in my case.”

Shit. Single too. You were truly fucked.

You turned, trying to calm your erratic heartbeat by focusing on finding an outfit that would contain his longer limbs. Plucking out a matching jacket and trouser set, with an ivory, collared button-up, you offered them to Paul, his features having melted into a sweetened look of intrigue. “Go and try these on. There’s a changeroom just behind the counter. See how they feel, and we can go from there.”

He nodded, taking the pieces with both of his large hands and shuffling away to where you’d pointed to. No sooner than the latch had locked were you dashing to where your phone was sitting at the register, flitting out a rushed text message to your favourite co-worker.

There was rustling you heard emanating from the changeroom stall, doing your best to ignore the urge of picturing Paul, a man you’d met only minutes ago, gradually slipping off his clothes to reveal the toned muscles underneath. You grimaced at yourself, shaking your head to banish the imaginations. God this was unprofessional.

Finally, a response lit up on your phone screen.

You laughed softly through your nose, about to type a reply when you heard the lock click open again. The breath in your lungs was stuck as Paul made his way out, the expensive textiles draping over his burly frame in a way that made your whole body tense.

He rustled a hand through his hair, looking up to you while fidgeting with the starchy material stretched over his chest. “Does it look okay?”

After all these years working this job, the enticing novelty of attractive men in well-fitted suits had slowly worn off, especially when most of them treated you with about as much respect as the used gum they spit out onto the sidewalk. Suddenly, all those preconceived notions were gone. On Paul, this ensemble instantly became the most captivating thing in the entire universe.

The inside of your mouth flooded with saliva, having to swallow hard before speaking again. “Great… it looks… great.” You did your best to conceal a settling exhale. “What do you think? How does it feel?”

Paul shifted to look at his reflection in the mirror, pupils trailing up and down, flexing his limbs in an attempt to get a proper impression of the new apparel. “It feels really good. Makes me look… sophisticated.” He turned to you, his expression unsure. “Right?”

Your smile was sparkling, nodding to his question. There was a small amount of work to do, noting how in your effort to make sure everything complemented his physique, you’d oversized him. The waistline of the jacket needed to be taken in, the shoulder lines sitting slightly off, and the trouser length needing to be taken up slightly. “A couple of adjustments and it’ll be perfect.”

“You mean taking it to be tailored?”

“No need.” You pulled out the wheel of berry pins from your pocket, kneeling down on the floor next to Paul’s feet. “All our tailoring is included in the price. Done completely in house.” You began to fold the bottom edge of his pants, pinning it to an adequate length. “I can have it ready for you tomorrow, all ready for your Friday meeting.”

“You do all the tailoring yourself?” Paul asked as you slinked another pin through the fabric.

“Sure do,” you chirped, moving onto the other leg. “3 years at a design school taught me a few things about cutting and sewing.” With the hemlines in place, you straightened in front of him, plucking out a roll of measuring tape from your other pocket. “I just… need to take a few measurements to properly alter the jacket.”

His cheek twitched, the line of his jaw seeming somewhat strained. “Sure. F-fine. Do what you gotta do."

You went with determining his arm length first, feeling out the boney point of his shoulder and striping the lined tape all the way down to his wrist. Then, after taking a deep inhale, you curled your arms around his hips, focusing hard on the little black numbers to ignore the fact Paul’s breath had started to skate over your skin with this close proximity. It was when you were lining up the thickened stripes indicating his chest circumference that you made the mistake of peering up, finding his alluring stare fully concentrated on you.

There was a moment. A spark to waiting kindling. Where impulse could have led you to do a dangerous thing. You’d never been the hasty type, never acted without considerable thought. Usually so shy and composed, never making the first move. Although right now, you could scarcely hold yourself back, desperate to know the sensation of Paul’s lips, how they’d move over yours, what they tasted like.

No. This was so inappropriate.

The compulsion was about to wither away when you felt a hand skim up your waist, the lightened touch shooting a thrill over your skin.

“Excuse me,” a gruff voice called from your side. “How much are these dress socks?”

You immediately stepped back, smacked into reality again. “$12.99. Exactly what it says on the box.”

The older gentlemen scrutinized the packaging, lids narrowed until he finally saw the numbers plastered at the border. “Oh, right. Eh, a little expensive for my taste. Thanks anyway.”

Flustered, you began to coil the measuring tape into its resting spiral, forcefully glaring at the floor. “I’m all done. You can get dressed into your own clothes now.”

In your periphery you saw Paul regarding you with a gentle nod, walking back into the changeroom without another word. Every part of you wanted to sink beneath the wooden floorboards, so horrendously embarrassed you could feel a smoldering heat prickle at your cheeks. Only to relieve some of the nervous energy, you ran to your phone.

Again, Paul was exiting out of the stall just as you were going to submit your reply, placing the neatly arranged garments over the counter. It was difficult to look directly at him, having to summon all remaining shards of your courage to drift your eyes up to his face. “Was there anything else you needed?”

His mouth parted, only to quickly snap shut, scratching at his hairline in the seconds it took for him to give you a response. “No. Nothing else. Unless there’s something more you think I need.”

You shook your head, wishing you could give another answer just to keep him here. “You’re all set.” The full price of his items flashed on the monitor in front of you, spouting it to him as your fingers flicked across the keyboard to finalize the purchase, with a personal discount that wouldn’t show on the receipt.

“When should I come by to pick it up?” he queried, passing you his credit card. “Oh, but there’s no pressure. Whenever you have the time is just fine.”

An idea flared. “If you give me your number, I can text you when it’s ready.”

“That works for me.”

Erasing all evidence of the conversation you’d been having, you brought up the number pad, handing your phone over. Paul swiftly typed in his details before placing it back in your palm. ‘Paul the Suit Guy’ the contact read, unable to stifle your laugh.  

“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” His eager expression made your heart quiver through a beat.

“Y-yeah,” you stammered. “I’ll see you then.”

Paul waved his hand in an awkward flourish to signal his goodbye, eventually moving far enough from your vision for you to finally take a full, relaxed breath. In a dazed hurry, you keyed in your returning message to your co-worker.

It was the precise moment your thumb had pressed into the ‘Send’ button that you realised your recipient wasn’t the one you’d intended.

You’d sent this message straight to Paul.

Fuck. Oh fuck. This was bad.

While you were scrambling to formulate a believable excuse, a new message popped up onto the screen.

Tags for my lovelies who might tolerate this nonsense: @tlcwrites @roanniom @princessxkenobi @hopeamarsu @blowthatpieceofjunk @mariesackler @leatherboundriot @foxilayde @modernpaw @cornmousequeen @direnightshade @safarigirlsp @blackberries45 @mylifeisactuallyamess @caillea @jynzandtonic @beskarbabs​

[imagineteamfreewill]

Imagine Robbing Dean’s Cabin

Pairing: Robber!Reader x Dean

Word Count: 1,510

Warnings: None

Square Filled: Robber!Reader

Summary: The reader finds what she thinks to be the perfect hit, but it turns out to be less than perfect.

A/N: This is a submission for the 2020-2021 SPN AU Bingo (@spnaubingo​). Please let me know what you think, and enjoy!

X

_______________

“Perfect,” you murmured, and you shifted on the tree branch to get a better look at the cabin. It was empty, just like it had been for the past three months, which made it the perfect hit. You’d been craving a good robbery ever since you’d gotten into town. You were supposed to be getting out of the life, but old habits die hard.

Silently, you climbed down from your perch and slipped between the shadows of the massive fir trees. The ground was blanketed with fallen pine needles and you sent up a prayer of thanks. They kept your footsteps quiet, making it easier to sneak towards your mark, not that that mattered when the cabin hadn’t been used in months.

You were halfway through the kitchen window in the back of the house—some idiot had left it unlocked—when the light flipped on. A man was standing in the doorway, and he had a gun trained on you. It had been a long time

“How do you feel about cops?” he asked, his voice low.

You inhaled sharply, frozen in place as you frantically tried to figure out the best way out of this. You could back out of the window and risk being shot while you tried to escape, or you could climb the rest of the way in and face the man head-on.

“They’re not my favorite,” you finally responded after he raised an eyebrow at you. Slowly, you lowered yourself onto the kitchen counter.

“Me neither,” he replied. He cocked the gun and you glanced towards the nearby door. It led out onto the back porch, which was a straight shot into the thickest part of the forest. If you could only make it there, you had a pretty good chance of coming out of this unscathed.

He gestured with the gun towards the plain kitchen table nearby. When you didn’t move, he took a step towards you and his upper lip curled as he growled out, “Sit.”

Your mouth grew dry and you swallowed hard as you crossed the short distance between you and the nearest chair. It creaked when you lowered yourself into it.

“What’s your name?” the man asked. When you didn’t answer, his jaw clenched and his eyes flickered dangerously. “What’s your—“

“Amy,” you murmured.

“Bullshit.”

You stared at him, pressing your lips together. Who did he think you were, an idiot? No one with any common sense would give their real name after being caught in the middle of robbing a house.

“Listen, I’m not in a good mood, so you’d better stop lying to me. I’m not a person you want to make angry,” he ground out. Though the kitchen was well illuminated, his face was still half in the shadow provided by the hallway, and you suppressed a shiver as fear slid into the back of your mind.

“I wasn’t going to hurt you or anything,” you told him. “I was just gonna take a look around, see if there was anything of value. If you let me go, I promise I won’t come back. You’ll never see me again.”

“There’s nothing valuable here.”

“Great, then let me—“

“No. Stand up,” he ordered. You stayed in your seat until he stepped closer and held the gun to your head.

“Whoa, hey!” you cried, but you got to your feet. This was not turning out the way you’d hopped and your heart was thundering in your chest as the man led you towards the living room. He turned on that light too, then prodded you towards a faded couch against the main wall. You sunk down onto the middle cushion and stared up at him, holding your breath.

“I’m not gonna hurt you if you cooperate,” he told you, and you nodded weakly, exhaling heavily. “Do you do this often? Rob people?”

You shook your head, then thought better of it and murmured, “Not recently.”

“Explain.”

Taking a deep breath, you clutched your hands together and tried to keep your voice from shaking as you told him about the man who’d first coerced you to help him rob someone, and then how it had become something of an addiction. You hadn’t been able to go more than a few days without sneaking into someone’s house or a business to find something that would give you the same adrenaline rush. After a close call that left you in the hospital and your partner six feet under, you’d moved to the tiny town of Evergreen Falls, Montana. You’d been hoping it would be the perfect place to recuperate and find a new hobby, but you’d been wrong. You’d seen this cabin and it had only worsened the itch that nothing seemed to scratch.

“So what was your plan, exactly? You’d just rob me and then go back to living your cute little life in town, and everything would be great? You wouldn’t feel the need to steal anything else ever again?”

You crossed your arms over your chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were an expert,” you scoffed. If you were being honest, that had been the plan, but when he put it the way he did, you realized that you’d been stupid. Of course you wouldn’t have been able to go back to living a normal life after robbing this place. You would’ve gotten the buzz of adrenaline back and never wanted anything else ever again. Nothing could replace it. You’d tried.

The man stared at you for another moment before the corner of his lips quirked up in a smile. Silently, he uncocked the gun, flipped on the safety, and tucked it under his shirt.

“What if I told you I had a business proposal for you?”

“I don’t typically do business with people who hold me at gunpoint,” you said, keeping your arms crossed over your chest. “And definitely not after they mock me. I know I don’t make the best life decisions, but I don’t need people making fun of me for them.”

He kept silent and stared at you intently, and you shifted uncomfortably under his steady gaze. Finally, you uncrossed your arms and got to your feet.

“Can I go or are you gonna shoot me if I try to leave?” you asked.

He shrugged. “Don’t tell me you aren’t at least curious. You rob places for the adrenaline, right? I can promise you that the rush is ten times better in my line of business, and you actually help people.”

You hesitated, glancing between him and the front door. He was right—you were curious. Quietly, you sized the man up. He was broad-shouldered and he stood tall, and the way he moved stealthily as he walked proved that he was used to sneaking around. You hadn’t even noticed his presence in the cabin until he’d announced himself, and you’d been watching the place on and off for months now. A big part of you wanted to know how he’d managed that, even if you didn’t end up doing business with him. You were an observant person and not much got past you.

“Alright,” you said. “I’ll bite. What is this business proposal?”

“I need someone to help me take something,” he replied.

You rolled your eyes. “Obviously, or you wouldn’t be talking to the person who just tried to rob you. What exactly would you need my help with and why should I help you?”

He glanced towards the kitchen and you waited patiently. Clearly, the man was caught between telling you some sort of lie and telling you the whole truth. 

“My brother and I need to break into a museum and steal a painting.”

“Is it a money thing? A kinky thing?”

His ears turned red. “What? No!”

“Then what is it? Are you thieves? Is someone paying you to bring it to them?”

He shook his head and sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We have to destroy it. If we don’t, more people are going to get hurt.”

You raised an eyebrow and crossed your arms over your chest again. This guy was crazy. “Right.”

“I know it sounds bad—”

“Oh, do you? Good, I was worried you didn’t!”

He sighed again. The man looked up towards the ceiling for a long moment, mumbling to himself before finally saying, “Sit down. I’ve gotta give you the talk if you’re ever gonna take this seriously.”

“I’ve already had the talk, thanks. My parents were pretty specific when it came to the whole birds-and-the-bees thing.”

“It’s a different talk. Just sit down, alright?” He gestured to the couch behind you. 

After a moment of thought, you reluctantly lowered yourself back down again. The man took a seat in a worn green chair that faced the couch and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning towards you.

“Promise me you’ll wait until I’m done to ask any questions,” he said, and you stared blankly at him in response. “Just promise?”

“Fine, I promise.”

“Okay. So my brother and I, we work together…”

_______________

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[zenith-impact]

Zhongli - Disability

Sorry it took so long. I had like seven different ways I wanted to go with it… and one of them might be turning into my next long fic so… There’s that. Enjoy!

Also I know this is a bit of a doozy xD. 4500 words. My next few requests will be a lot shorter. 

Warnings: One curse word used. Nothing else. 

The first time you and Zhongli met, Zhongli was absolutely certain he had seen you somewhere before. But his mind was unusually - and unnaturally - blank on the matter. How could he remember everything and yet not remember you? 

Then, when he noticed the vision on your hip, it all came back to him. He did remember you. Just a much younger you. An eight-year-old you, climbing the mountains with your father back when the treasure hoarders were less of a threat and more of a nuisance. He’d given you your vision when some rocks had fallen around the pair of you, trapping you against the mountainside. It had been a miracle they hadn’t crushed you in the first place, but with your father stuck on one side and you unable to call out for help, Zhongli had done what seemed right; he gave you a chance to save yourself. And you had on instinct, shoving a hole in the rocks big enough to set yourself free. Zhongli had gone on that day, satisfied that he’d given a vision to the right person. 

But now, somewhere around two decades later, there you were. The more Zhongli looked at you, the more he saw that young child he’d helped so many years ago. Maybe it was in the shape of your eyes or the curve of your nose that mimicked your father’s. Maybe it was that hair that hadn’t seemed to change in all these years. You were, at the very least, taller. About as tall as the gentleman who seemed to be talking to you, hands very firmly planted on the table in front of him. 

Which was odd since Zhongli knew you were deaf. 

You also didn’t look too pleased to be there. 

For a moment, Zhongli considered his options. He hadn’t introduced himself to you before, so it would probably be awkward and unwarranted for him to walk up and interrupt the two of you. Zhongli also knew that he didn’t fully understand human emotions and expressions, so maybe you actually were pleased to be where you were and he was just misunderstanding the situation. Maybe there was some kind of magic that had given you back your hearing and Zhongli had just missed it during his time away from Liyue. 

But when he was about to walk away, your eyes met his and you blinked, lips parting in surprise. That gave him pause. Surprise? You shouldn’t recognize him, yet he felt this strange sensation that you did. Or that you knew him in some other capacity. That he knew for certain wasn’t the case. You had never exchanged words. Never seen each other before this day. 

But then… Why did you look so certain?

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zhongli sighed. With practiced fingers, he signed a very fast Do you require assistance? You blinked again and glanced at your partner. Then, when that man’s eyes had closed for whatever reason, you signed back. 

Yes, please.

It didn’t take many steps to reach the table. The man’s eyes snapped open as Zhongli approached, and his jaw went slack as his head tilted back to meet Zhongli’s gaze. “Hello?” The man said. “Can I…?”

“Do you know sign language?” Zhongli said. 

“What?”

“Well, our companion here cannot speak as you do so I was just curious if…”

“I know full well what they can’t do,” the man huffed. “They can read my lips at least.”

“But a one-sided conversation cannot be that engaging.”

“There’s no point in learning something as silly as sign language,” The man said with a drawl that seemed almost drunken. Zhongli saw you frown from the corner of his eye, but he kept his gaze on the man as he leaned back in his seat. “They are probably the only person in this whole damn city that even needs it.”

“That may or may not be true,” Zhongli said as he put a finger to his chin in thought. “But there is great value in learning different languages, even ones you consider ‘silly’.” 

“Why would I bother for a single date?”

You snorted, looking up at Zhongli. A single date? You signed. I guess that tells me all I need to know. You stood up, propping a bag up over your shoulder. 

“Hey! Where you going?” The man said. 

Somewhere other than here. You signed. Zhongli translated as you shoved the chair under the table, and the man’s face twisted in anger. 

“Hey!” He yelled, slamming his hands down. A few of the women nearby screamed. The men all spun on him. You flinched, taking a long step back. Zhongli smoothly moved in front of you, glaring down the man as the rest of the restaurant seemed to go silent. “Tell them to sit back down,” The man said. 

“I think they should be allowed to do whatever they wish,” Zhongli said, crossing his arms. “Or did you form a contract stating otherwise?”

“Why would I bother with a…?”

“Then I suggest you act with more dignity,” Zhongli interrupted. “If they wish to leave, they may leave.” The man’s eyes narrowed. Zhongli stared back, unbothered. Finally, the man muttered something improper under his breath and stormed out of the restaurant. Zhongli heard you sigh behind him. When he turned around, he thought you looked sad. 

Thank you. 

Zhongli shook his head. I regret that I did not come sooner. 

You smiled. You’re… Hu Tao’s employee, right? Mr. Zhongli?

Zhongli blinked. Ah. Yes, I am.

She talks about you a lot. 

Zhongli didn’t know how you two hadn’t seen each other if you were such good friends with Hu Tao. Then again, Zhongli tried to avoid that child whenever possible. He shuddered at the most recent memory of finding a spider in his tea; one of her more tame pranks. Does she? He paused. Interesting. 

Maybe we should leave, You signed. People are staring. 

Zhongli glanced around. He’d forgotten you were outside a restaurant to begin with. It appears so. I know somewhere we could-

You eagerly nodded. Lead the way. 

------------

So when did you become so good at sign language?

Zhongli paused before he answered, taking a sip of his tea to hide his thoughts. He’d had thousands of years to learn every language possible. There hadn’t been any deaf gods, but he’d seen and met many deaf humans. The more time he had spent in Liyue, the more he decided it might be a useful skill to pick up. That and it occupied some of his time as a human. Time that, on some days, he sorely needed to fill. But none of that would make any sense to you, nor did he expect you to believe any of it. So instead, he said, “I thought it would be something useful to learn. It seems that I was correct.”

You chuckled as your eyes strayed from his lips back to his eyes. You’d already asked him to speak to you as a ‘normal person’ as you were a master of reading lips. Zhongli had no reason not to believe you, and nobody was paying either of you any mind. The two of you had, however, enjoyed a silent conversation while the storyteller was completing his ‘last’ chapter of his most recent collection of stories. And after hearing all of those stories more than a few times, Zhongli had to admit that filling that time by talking to you had been far more interesting. That was how he learned about your hobbies, favorite food, color, place in Liyue, and why you lived alone. That’s also when he learned how you met Hu Tao, as the two of you had become surprisingly close after the loss of your father. 

She’s been my best friend for a while, but I don’t visit the parlor much. 

Why not?

I don’t believe it’s my calling to walk with the dead. 

He respected you for that too. He understood how hard it was for some people to be around the funeral parlor, especially those who had lost someone so recently. “What is it you do now?”

I’m an adventurer, You signed with pride on your face. 

“Really?”

It’s the least I could do with this vision of mine. You said, gesturing to it on your hip. I don’t take the more dangerous jobs, though. Going out on my own into treasure hoarder or ruin guard territory is pretty dangerous when I can’t hear something sneaking up on me. 

“I’m sure you make plenty of people happy.”

You shrugged. I try to. 

Zhongli wanted to ask more, but then the storyteller started again, picking up right where he left off. But when Zhongli looked back at you, your eyes had yet to leave him, and he couldn’t help but stare at the small, fond smile on your face. So, he signed, What is it you wish to know about me? 

Your conversation got even more lively after that. 

----------

A part of Zhongli didn’t expect to see you again, no matter how good your conversation had been. But then he realized how easy it would be for Hu Tao to pull the strings, and whether she was setting you up or him didn’t really matter. Soon, he was being sent to places where you always seemed to be, and neither of you was all that surprised. In fact, Zhongli began to look forward to your “impromptu” meetings and found subtle ways to bring you small gifts.

Zhongli was never one to rush into things. But after months of these meetings, he was beginning to wonder if you both wanted something more. Because the Archon, despite his lack of experience with human emotions, was beginning to realize that he had certain… affections for you. 

Of course, there was a small fear that you might not feel the same way. Then there was the age difference. He’d lived for so long. He’d seen and done so many things. Was it right to seek your love when you were, comparatively, so young? If he did want this to be something more serious, he would have to tell you the truth eventually. How would you react, knowing who he was, especially after Rex Lapis “died” months prior?

He felt a light tap on his arm, drawing him out of his thoughts. You gazed at him in concern, but he just smiled and shook his head. “I’m alright.”

You’re distracted,

“I just have a lot to think about.”

You pondered that before singing again. I’m going to be gone for a little while. 

“What for?”

I’m going with a friend on a commission. You smiled. I won’t be gone long. 

“Where to?” He tried to disguise his worry through a mask of interest. You’d never taken commissions outside of Liyue as far as he knew. If you did, you were always back before the end of the night. But if you were with another adventurer, you’d be fine, right?

Right?

I’ll be fine, Zhongli, You signed. We’re just going toward Lingju Pass to look for something another adventurer lost. We’ll probably be back in a day or two at worst, and that’s if they decide to camp out. 

“But the treasure hoarders…”

We’ll keep an eye out. Promise. 

That was the last time he talked to you. And now, four days later, Zhongli was starting to get worried. 

He went to the adventurer’s guild first, only to learn that they were preparing a rescue party to track you and the second adventurer down. But instead of waiting around for them, Zhongli- with Hu Tao’s surprise blessing - set out on his own, marching straight to Lingju Pass with his polearm permanently hovering off his back. He found a campsite that looked like it might have belonged to you halfway there, but he couldn’t be certain. Why didn’t the two of you just come home? Had something happened to you?

Was he too late?

Then he saw it. An odd-looking rock structure jutting out from the mountainside with treasure hoarders gathered below. Immediately, Zhongli knew that something was amiss, especially when they turned to face him with scowls on their faces. “Get lost,” the biggest, possibly the leader, snapped. The other five all spun around, and two crossbow users threw their weapons up ready to shoot. 

“I’m not interested in combat,” Zhongli said simply. 

“Doesn’t matter,” The man said. “Scram.” 

A younger Zhongli would have stood his ground. But the older, wiser Zhongli was more worried about you, and he had a feeling he knew exactly where you were. Keeping his eyes on the treasure hoarders, he moved to the side until they were out of sight. Then, he climbed the mountain, summoning small platforms for his hands and feet as he went. A trivial matter, even without his Gnosis. He was relieved to find that none of the treasure hoarders had bothered to approach the structure from the top of the mountain, not that he thought any of them could actually climb it. He glanced down carefully, but none of them looked up, too caught up in their conversation to care. So, he dropped down on top of the structure and gently moved the rocks of the lid aside. Relief overtook him when he saw you, curled up along the edge with your head buried into your legs. 

The moment light struck you, your head shot up, but he saw the fear vanish from your eyes the moment you saw him. Zhongli. You mouthed as he dropped into the cylinder and closed the top back most of the way. You’d been smart in this thing’s creation, allowing just enough openings for air and light, but not enough that anyone without a vision could break through. Though he worried you had been here for far too long, as your hair was a mess and you looked much paler than he remembered.  

What happened? He signed. 

She left me. He could sense the bitterness in the way your face twisted and your hands shook. We found the missing item then the treasure hoarders showed up. 

And she ran from you?

You nodded. We could’ve run together, but she just… I don’t know. You wrapped your arms tighter around your legs and rested your chin on your knees.

How long have you been here? A pause. Then, you reluctantly raised two of your fingers. Zhongli’s eyes widened. Two days? You nodded. He swallowed a sudden burst of rage. That was plenty of time for the other girl to have reported you missing, yet she hadn’t. Had she run off with the object you were looking for instead of returning it? Even then, she could have hidden it away, claimed you never found it, and still sent someone to help you. 

I don’t know what the treasure hoarders want, You said, your face miserable. Every time I peer out, someone’s standing there. Two of them tried to shoot at me when I tried to read their lips. I haven’t bothered since. 

They might think you still have whatever it is your friend stole. 

Or they just want me. 

That had crossed his mind too, but he hadn’t wanted to admit it. If they learned you didn’t have the item they were looking for, maybe he could convince them to leave. If they just wanted you… well… There was really only one option. One that Zhongli wasn’t too thrilled about. 

Come with me. I'll get you home safely.

You’re going to fight them?

If I must. 

But… You paused, then sighed. I’m sorry. 

This isn’t your fault. 

It feels like it is. You signed. I never should have left Liyue.

How were you supposed to know your friend was going to abandon you?

What would she have done anyway? She doesn’t have a vision. She couldn’t have fought them.  

You can’t blame yourself. 

And yet here I am, trapped in a prison of my own making. 

Zhongli reached out, brushing the back of your hand with his thumb. A part of him wanted to reach out and embrace you. To promise you that everything would be okay. Because deep down, he knew it would be. But actions spoke louder than words, and he knew now was the time to show it. Drop me out, but stay here until I’m done.

Zhongli…

Promise me, He signed. 

… I promise. You were reluctant, and he wasn’t quite sure why. Wasn’t being rescued a good thing? Why did you look so pained? 

He’d figure it out later. 

Drop me down. 

Just drop you?

Yes. 

Again, you looked reluctant, but you nodded as you put your hand on the floor. He was more than prepared when a hole opened up beneath him and dropped gracefully in front of the treasure hoarders. He was pleased when he found his knees didn’t hurt him nearly as much as he thought they would. He stood up straight and returned his attention to the startled men and their two crossbows. “What are you…” The bigger one’s frown turned feral. “You’ve been with that bitch.”

“I’d prefer if you did not call my friend such fowl names,” Zhongli said. He noticed that one of the crossbow men was already shaking. Good. He could take him out last then, as his aim wouldn’t be worth anything anyway. “Now I suggest you leave before you suffer the fate of the rock.”

Unsurprisingly, the men didn’t move. Somewhat surprisingly, they started laughing. “You hear that, boys?” The leader said. “This old man thinks he can take us.”

Zhongli held back a scoff. His body didn’t look nearly as old as he could have made it. And an insult like that was almost a compliment. “This is your last warning,” He said simply, summoning his polearm and spinning it to the side. The second crossbow man took a few steps back. This too, satisfied Zhongli. The more afraid those two were, the easier this would be. 

The largest man pulled a hammer off his back. “I ain’t leaving without the treasure.”

“Your treasure is far gone.”

“That girl up there has it.”

“You are incorrect.”

The man frowned. “That’s why she trapped herself up there.”

“She put herself up there because you won’t leave.”

“Because she has our treasure!”

Zhongli sighed. Arguing with this rabble was getting him nowhere. And the leader seemed to notice this too, for he charged without any fanfare, raising his weapon to strike at Zhongli’s head. Zhongli dodged to the side and tossed his spear forward, vanishing. He reappeared next to one of the crossbow users as stone spears rained down between them, knocking down the few shovel holders in between. The crossbow user screamed, but Zhongli took him out with a single strike to the stomach, making sure to only hit with the blunt side of his polearm. It was more of an inconvenience, yes, but he wasn’t out to kill any humans- he’d long since promised not to do that unless absolutely necessary. 

But seeing his mercy only made the other men bolder. He dodged a blast of dirt from a man wielding a shovel and knocked down the second crossbowman with an easy swipe. Two other men prepared to throw bottles of some kind, but Zhongli hit both out of the air before dashing forward a second time. He took down the first of these men - he was dressed in purple - by swiping him off his feet. The second ran, and Zhongli let him. 

Three to go. 

“This is pointless,” The hammer man said in frustration. 

“Yes, it is,” Zhongli replied. “Now leave.”

Instead, the hammer man charged a second time. This time, Zhongli met him head on, stabbing his spear into the ground, then kicking it under the man’s arms. The angle was a bit awkward and left behind some light wounds, but Zhongli knew the man would live as he stumbled backward, holding his stomach. The other two immediately lost their confidence, glancing at each other as if they were unsure what to do. “Leave,” Zhongli said again. He wasn’t one to make idle threats.

The two shovel men’s eyes widened and they took off. “Hey!” Hammer man yelled. “Wait!” He stumbled after them, and Zhongli watched until he was too far away to cause any more problems. He turned to climb back up the cliffside, but you were already peering down through the hole you made. He held his arms out, hoping that conveyed what he wanted to say. He was relieved when you got it, turning so your feet went out first before hopping down into his arms. Zhongli did hear a small squeak when you landed and watched in slight amusement as you pulled your hands away from your face. “Did you think I would drop you?”

… No. 

Zhongli chuckled as he sat you down. “Liyue isn’t far from here. We can get back before nightfall.” You nodded. Then you leaped into his arms and wrapped your own around his neck. He managed to catch you but stumbled back a bit out of surprise. But when he heard a quiet sob, he couldn’t help but relax and hug you back. He tapped your chin and you looked up at him. “You’re safe now.” 

You pulled away, wiping your eyes as you smiled. Thank you.

You walked home together then, and Zhongli found that he didn’t mind the silence.  

----------

It wasn’t until a few weeks later that Zhongli finally had the chance to process his feelings. And it all started with Hu Tao. 

“What are you doing here?” Hu Tao said as she slammed her hands on the table and glared at him. 

“Completing my work,” Zhongli said. 

“Oh please,” Hu Tao rolled her eyes. “We have nothing to do.”

“There is plenty to do,” Zhongli said. “Paperwork…”

“Oh don’t you start,” Hu Tao said. “Get out”

“But…”

“Go!” She jabbed her finger toward the door. “And don’t come back until late tomorrow.” 

And that’s how Zhongli ended up on the streets of Liyue in the middle of the night. Even more importantly, that’s how he found you. 

Hello stranger, You signed with a smile. Ever since he’d rescued you from the treasure hoarders, you’d seen each other almost every day. You’d even gone to each other’s homes a few times for tea. Zhongli was pleasantly surprised at your general tea knowledge. Still,  he was more than happy to share his knowledge and you always gave him your full attention.

“Good evening,” He said with a slight bow. You moved forward for a hug, but stopped yourself, blushing. Zhongli chuckled and gently pulled you in with one arm. It had taken him a while to get used to these “public displays of friendship” as Hu Tao called them, but nobody was paying either of you any mind. And when you did pull away, Zhongli felt his heart clench ever so slightly in his chest. 

“I have something to tell you,” Zhongli said. You tilted your head. “But I’m not sure you’ll believe me.”

You blinked slowly, confused. Why wouldn’t I believe you?

“Because most people think it impossible.”

Nothing is really impossible!

“This is slightly different, my Lily.” He paused after that, surprised by how casually he’d called you that name. But when he went to apologize, he realized you were beaming as if it were the biggest compliment in the world. 

Lily, You signed. I like that name. 

“It is… a name I once used long ago,” He admitted as he gazed out over the water. Now was not the time to dive into old memories. Yet, he couldn’t help but imagine the face of his long-lost love; the same woman who would be smiling down upon him now if she saw him with you. 

You tapped his shoulder. Because of the Glaze Lilies?

“Yes,”

I’m sure anyone would love to be compared to such a beautiful flower. You signed. But what is it you wanted to tell me? 

Zhongli paused, gazing back out at the water. This was a delicate situation. He knew that better than anyone. Telling you the truth meant welcoming potential rejection or disbelief. You might walk away thinking of him as someone insane or accuse him of lying. He didn’t think you would tell anyone else - not that there were many people you could tell his secret to - but it was still a risk. One he knew he had to take. 

So, he turned back toward you and, very carefully, signed, My name is Morax, but you may better know me as Rex Lapis. 

You blinked again. Once. Twice. Both in slow succession. You looked confused as if you thought you hadn’t interpreted him right. But that’s… You paused, dropping your hands to your sides as you stared at him. Zhongli held your gaze, even though he was sweating inside. Everything felt warm. His clothes were suddenly too tight. He swore the crowd was staring at the both of you, even though a quick glance around completely disproved that theory. And you had met far off to the side where nobody would wander by anyway. 

You’re an Archon? 

That wasn’t quite the question he expected, but one he was willing to answer. Yes, though I am not as powerful as I once was. 

You snorted. You fought those treasure hoarders off no problem. And that's not full strength? 

Yes. 

You shook your head and Zhongli wished he could read your mind. Did you believe him? Did you not? Were you simply humoring him with every intention to run the moment you found your opening? He didn’t know, and the world further closed around him. Anxiety, he recalled, a feeling he rarely felt. But with you…

That explains how you know so much, You signed slowly, pondering. You’ve been here since the beginning, haven’t you?

Long before then. 

But why me? You signed. Why now? 

Because I… He sighed. I… care very deeply for you. 

You froze again, eyes wide, and Zhongli thought he’d overstepped. But before he could backtrack, you reached out and took his hand with both of your own. And you simply held it there, raised between your chests as you stared into his eyes with an intensity he hadn’t seen from you before. But he could guess what you were thinking: I believe you. And when you dropped his hand back by his side, you signed a quick, Thank you. 

For?

Telling me the truth. 

But…?

You chuckled. No buts. I... I feel the same way but wasn’t sure how to tell you. You looked away for a moment. But an Archon… I’m nothing compared to you. 

Don’t say that, Zhongli signed. You’re everything to me. 

After another long pause in which he thought this heart might burst out of his chest, you carefully signed, May I? 

He wasn’t quite sure what you were talking about. Then you pointed between your lips and his and he couldn’t hide the blush. “Yes.” He said smiling softly. When you leaned in and kissed him, even if only for a moment, Zhongli was certain that his heart belonged to you.