#I really like how the background and light beam came out ^__^

[myndless88]

A redraw of Kagami and Kuroko's wedding photo! They got married in the fall, so that's why the foliage is so colorful.

Here's a version without the light filter.

From my original post (and a bit more from when I posted on Twitter as well):

Kagami makes good on his promise that in the near future, he and Kuroko are going to get married. And Kuroko is just so happy he gets to be with his light forever. The photographer kept telling them to face forward for a proper wedding photo, but they're too giddy to be doing anything, so the photographer just took the photo as is. It still came out nice, though.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

With the way Eddie moved, he's definitely accidentally kissed Steve a few times to the point where Steve thought they were dating, but Eddie hadn't noticed anything differently until Robin said something.

"So, what are you getting Steve for your six month anniversary?" Robin asked when it was just the two of them.

"What?" Eddie asked.

"You and Steve have been dating for six months. What. Are. You. Getting. Him?" Robin asked. "It better be something special."

Eddie's eyes widened as he thought back. All the things that Steve’s been doing for him, the fact that Steve hasn't been on a date, and the accidental kisses that make Steve giggle. . . They've been holding hands. . . Oh God, not only does Eddie like men, but he likes Steve, and he's been dating Steve for the past six months. While Eddie was stewing in his own sexuality crisis, Robin was rambling about how great Steve thought it was that they hadn't had sex yet, how they were taking things slow, and how serious they were.

"I am a little curious about why you guys haven't said I love you to each other yet," Robin said.

"Oh my God! I love him!" Eddie realized.

"You're just realizing you love him now? Jesus, you're slow," Robin said.

"You have no idea," Eddie muttered. "I have to go get ready."

"It's not until Saturday. . .and this is your house!" Robin exclaimed.

Saturday rolled around, and Eddie was scrambling about Steve’s house, trying to get everything ready. Queen was playing quietly in the background while Eddie finished preparing the meal before Steve got home from work. It was lucky timing that he finished dinner just as Steve walked into the house.

"Eddie?!" Steve called out and entered the kitchen. "This is a lovely surprise."

"Hi," Eddie said softly and moved to kiss him. . .this time on purpose.

"This is nice. You look. . .very nice," Steve said, eyes raking over him.

Eddie was wearing his tightest black pants with an equally tight white button-up with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, a few hairs framing his face. He silently thanked Nancy and Vickie for helping with his outfit.

"This old thing?" Eddie scoffed.

"Eddie, you still have the tag on this shirt," Steve said in amusement.

"Fuck!" Eddie exclaimed and ripped it off the back of his neck, tossing it in the trash. "You saw nothing. Anyway, dinner is ready."

"I'll go change," Steve said, smiling. "I want to look as nice as you do."

"I'll keep it warm for you," Eddie said.

Eddie was setting the table and lighting the candles when Steve came down wearing a red button-up with the sleeves rolled up and his nicest pair of jeans. He looked good enough to eat.

"You look really good in red," Eddie grinned. "You look good enough to eat, baby."

"Well, the demobats obviously thought so," Steve joked, a dorky grin on his face.

"Steve!" Eddie whined. "Don't remind me. Anyway, sit! Sit!"

Eddie pulled out a chair and nodded for Steve to sit down. Steve sat down, smiling when Eddie pushed in his chair for him. He gazed up at him, staring lovingly at him. Eddie sucked in a breath. Steve looked so beautiful in the firelight, especially when he looked at him like that. Eddie cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him. Steve reached up and grasped the back of his head, deepening the kiss. Eddie sighed into his mouth and broke away, kissing his forehead. He sat down in front of Steve and watched him as he took off the cover. Steve gasped.

"My favorite!" Steve exclaimed.

"Spaghetti with cut up hot dogs," Eddie said, flashing his dimples at him. "Man, you are so weird. I love it."

"Thanks!" he laughed.

Eddie watched him fondly as he stuffed his face with food. His cheeks filled up until they were fat, and he smiled at Eddie as he chewed. He looked like a chipmunk. A very cute chipmunk.

"Hey, Steve?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah?" Steve asked when he swallowed his food.

"I love you," Eddie said, smiling at him when his cheeks turned red.

"I love you, too," Steve said, beaming.

Eddie groaned and wiped his face with his hands.

"You have to know, though, your boyfriend is a complete idiot," Eddie said.

"You're not an idiot, Eddie," Steve said softly.

Eddie laughed and then told him everything. There was a long stretch of silence when he finished up. Steve blinked rapidly, and then he started laughing.

"You're not mad?" Eddie asked with wide eyes.

Steve got up and walked around the table to sit in Eddie's lap.

"I don't care when you realized it," Steve said. "You love me. Tonight will just be our first official date, and six months from now, we will celebrate it then, too."

Steve kissed him deeply and pulled away, pressing his forehead against his. Eddie sighed happily as he ran his hands across Steve’s back. Steve went to move back to his seat but was yanked back down by Eddie. He pulled Steve’s plate around to set it next to his.

"Let's eat together," he said. "I love watching you eat. You look like a chipmunk."

"Shut up," Steve blushed.

"You do! A cute little chipmunk. My chipmunk," Eddie cooed.

Steve kissed him to quiet him, and Eddie giggled against his mouth. He may move as slow as a sloth, but he always got to where he needed to be.

[piastrisun]

under the lights.

pairings: max verstappen + fem reader.

summary: amidst the energy of a night out, you say ‘i love you’ for the first time.

genre: fluff.⠀word count: +700.⠀ warning: none.

notes: no use of y/n or any names at all.

you’re sprawled on the couch, watching the same movie for the millionth time. the living room is cozy, with soft lighting casting a warm glow over everything. max, on the other hand, is pacing back and forth in the room, his agitation evident.

“you know i hate going to those parties,” you say, looking up from your movie. “it’s just not my thing.”

max stops pacing and turns to face you, his expression earnest. “i know, schatje. but i’d really like it if you came with me and we could take this chance to introduce you to my friends.”

you let out a sigh, knowing he’s right. you’ve always avoided these social events, preferring the comfort of your home. but you also understand how much it means to max to have you by his side. the thought of mingling with strangers and navigating the party scene fills you with a twinge of discomfort, but max’s hopeful gaze softens the resistance in your heart. his charm is hard to resist.

“alright, you got me.” you finally say, turning off the tv and setting it aside. “i’ll go.”

max’s face lights up with a relieved smile. “thank you,” he says, walking over and sitting down beside you. he takes your hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “you’re amazing.”

hours later, you and max push through the heavy doors of the club, stepping into the pulsating energy of the nightlife. the air is thick with the scent of perfumes and the warmth of bodies pressed close together. the moment you get in, the thumping bass of the music hits you, resonating through the floor and vibrating up your spine. the club is awash with flashing lights that dance across the room, casting a frenetic glow on the crowd already swaying to the rhythm.

you glance at max, who is beaming with excitement. he’s been looking forward to this night, wanting to celebrate one more time the two-month mark of your relationship with another celebration; introducing you to his friends, making everything even more real. you, however, are feeling a wave of discomfort. max looks back at you with a hopeful smile, clearly thrilled to be here and eager to share this experience with you. his enthusiasm is palpable, and despite your reservations, you can’t help but feel a pang of guilt for not being as excited. if something, you were mostly nervous. you want his friends to like you.

“imagine how much i love you that you convinced me to come clubbing,” you say, leaning in close to be heard over the music. the words slipping out effortlessly, as if you’ve said them to him countless times before.

max freezes for a moment, his eyes widening with surprise. his usual easy smile shifts into something radiant, a grin that lights up his whole face as your words sink in. for a moment, the music momentarily fades into the background as his attention focuses solely on you. and you can't help but notice the way his expression softens, something warmer flickering in his gaze.

“what?” you ask, frowning a little as if to play off the sudden shift in his demeanor. feeling the weight of the moment but still unsure of why he’s staring at you like that.

“you just said you love me,” max replies, his voice softer now, almost disbelieving, but his expression bright with delight.

you meet his gaze, a flush of warmth spreading across your cheeks. the confession hangs between you, mingling with the club’s electric atmosphere. you shrug playfully, “well, i do. any problem with that?”

max’s smile widens, his eyes sparkling with genuine affection. “nah,” he replies, his voice soft but filled with warmth.

he steps closer, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you into a gentle embrace. as he leans in, his lips meet yours in a tender kiss. the crowd, the music, and the flashing lights seem to blur into insignificance as he gently presses his lips against yours. it’s a sweet, sincere kiss, a quiet moment in the middle of the chaos.

when he pulls away, his eyes meet yours with a look of complete contentment. you can see the love reflected in his gaze, matching the warmth that blooms in your chest. “i love you too.” he says softly.

you chuckle softly, breaking the spell with a playful tone. “it was about time you said it.”

max’s grin widens even further, his laughter mingling with the background music. “oh, shut up.” he chuckles, leaning in for another kiss, this one deeper and filled with the promise of shared moments. the overwhelming energy feels a bit more manageable with max by your side. what says i love you more than that?

©⠀piastrisun original work. please don’t translate, claim or repost any of my writing, 24’.

[zeroseuniverse]

Locked Out

Word Count:815 Summary:"Me crashing here all the time." she shifted, pulling her knees up. "You never say no." Pairing: Jaemin X Fem reader

Navigation

The first time it happened, Jaemin thought it was a joke.

The knock came late—too late for casual visitors but not late enough for emergencies. He had half a mind to ignore it, curled up under his blankets with his laptop propped on his knees, an unfinished drama episode playing at low volume.

But then the knock came again, more insistent. With a sigh, he shoved his laptop aside and swung his legs off the bed, padding toward the door.

When he cracked it open, he found her standing there, arms wrapped around herself, bouncing on her heels like the hallway tiles were made of ice.

"Hey, neighbor," she chirped, way too chipper for someone standing in a dimly lit corridor past midnight. "So, funny thing—"

Jaemin blinked slowly, already exhausted. "You're locked out."

"Again." she sighed dramatically, rocking back on her heels. "My door jammed, and my landlord said he can’t send anyone until morning. So…" she trailed off, offering him an awkward grin. "Can I crash here?"

Jaemin stared at her, then down the hallway as if hoping a better solution would magically appear. But all he saw was the flickering light above her door, the one she always complained about.

With another sigh, he stepped aside. "Shoes off at the door. Don’t touch my stuff."

She beamed. "You’re the best, Jaemin!"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, already regretting it.

The second time, Jaemin opened the door before she even knocked.

"Come in," he said flatly, shuffling back inside.

She blinked. "Wait, how did you—"

"You have a pattern." He flopped onto the couch, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to his chest. "If you pause outside my door for three seconds and sigh twice, it means you're locked out. If you curse under your breath, it means you forgot something inside."

Her jaw dropped. "You listen for that?"

Jaemin didn’t even look at her. "Your voice carries."

She huffed but stepped inside anyway, toeing off her shoes. His apartment was tidy, minimalistic—black and gray furniture, a single potted plant struggling for survival, and the faint scent of fabric softener clinging to the air.

She plopped onto the couch. "I think this means we’re officially friends now."

Jaemin scoffed. "No, it means I’m officially your unpaid locksmith."

"Mm. I like my version better."

By the fourth time, he stopped pretending to be annoyed.

They had both fallen into a routine. Jaemin would open the door, mumble a sarcastic comment, and she'd pretend she wasn't imposing. Sometimes, she brought snacks as a peace offering. Other times, he threw a blanket at her before disappearing into his room, muttering something about how she should just make a spare key already.

But tonight was different.

She sat on the couch with him, a half-eaten bag of chips between them, the remnants of some random movie playing in the background. Neither of them were really watching.

"Do you really not mind?" she asked suddenly.

Jaemin glanced at her, mid-chew. "What?"

"Me crashing here all the time." she shifted, pulling her knees up. "You never say no."

He swallowed, looking back at the screen. "You’re not that annoying."

She nudged his arm playfully. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Jaemin smirked but didn’t argue.

The silence between her wasn’t awkward anymore. It was… comfortable. Like you belonged here.

And maybe, just maybe, Jaemin was starting to think so too.

By the seventh time, she woke up in his bed.

Not in a scandalous way.

She barely remembered falling asleep, exhaustion pulling her under sometime during the late-night movie. But when she opened her eyes, she wasn't on the couch—she  was under warm blankets, her head resting against a pillow that smelled distinctly like Jaemin.

She turned, blinking in the morning light. Jaemin sat on the floor beside the bed, scrolling through his phone like this was completely normal.

She croaked, "…Did you put me here?"

Jaemin didn’t look up. "You were drooling on my couch. It was disgusting."

She snorted. "Wow. Chivalry isn’t dead."

"You’re welcome." He finally met her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes before he quickly looked away. "Neck pain isn’t cute."

Something about his words made her heart do a weird little flip. She sat up slowly, the blankets pooling around her. "Jaemin…"

He hummed.

"You like me."

Jaemin froze.

A beat of silence passed.

Then he scoffed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Took you long enough to notice."

She grinned, barely able to contain the warmth spreading through her chest. "You could’ve just said so, you know."

Jaemin rolled his eyes, but the tips of his ears were so red. "Shut up and go back to sleep."

And when he climbed onto the bed beside her—because technically it was his bed—she didn’t move away.

Jaemin didn’t either.

After all, locked doors had a funny way of leading to open hearts.

[dozing-marshmallow]

SECRET SANTA WITH HENRY HOTLINE AND OTHER FRANKIE: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

“Christmas?” the thought of it was enough to make Henry sneer,“In this hopeless dump?”

You stood before Henry Hotline in one of the areas during his chase. You swear you could hear some Christmas jingles in the background, some oldies, adding some colour to the explanation you gave Henry,“Well there isn’t much to do in here, so I spoke to Frankie and he agreed that we could do a simple game of Secret Santa, just the three of us!”

“Secret Santa? With Frankie? Over my dead body!” Henry barbarically shook his head and would have stormed off had you not grabbed his arm.

You weren’t afraid that he was going to kill you,“Why not? It’ll be great fun!”

“No, it won’t be. It’s a stupid idea.” he insisted, shaking his arm as though to get you to let go.

“Okay fine.” you let go and point up to the ceiling,“How about I go to Frankie first, get him to blindly pick between you and I and then I come to you with the sole-“

“But then you’ll know who has who!” he interrupted, his body twitching.

“Huh? You care about the secrecy?” you asked, blinking curiously.

“Yes! If I must do this, I want to be on equal grounds.” Henry huffed, folding his arms,“And it defeats the point of the game, idiot.”

You put your hands in front of you, nodding,“Alright alright, then you’re going to have to be in the same room as Frankie.”

“Fine...”

It was indeed awkward having the two mascots in the same room as each other: with Frankie firing endless lines of words at Henry and Henry replying back with short worded answers, his head mostly on you, telling you to hurry up. You didn’t say it out loud as you wrote the names or aliases down on separate pieces of paper, but you were partly terrified that one of them were going to die; particularly Henry, given the showing hierarchy they clearly still worked at.

Thankfully, this hierarchy appeared to save Henry from any dying since he definitely held back his tongue.

“Okay, I wrote all our names down!” you announced to the two mascots, obtaining their silent attention with the three balls of paper in your palm,“Frankie, could I use your hat?”

He happily took his hat off and gave it to you. It felt so weird seeing him hatless, his head looking so naked.

You shook the hat gently after pouring the paper balls in it,“Okay! Who wants to go first?”

Henry sighed when Frankie enthusiastically volunteered and stuck his hand in the hat. 

“Don’t show anyone! Keep the name to yourself.” you instructed, watching Frankie reel one out and check the contents,“Not your name? Good! Your turn, Henry!”

The telephone man sighed and stuck his hand in. While you couldn’t make out any emotion in those busted holes he uses for vision, he complied and wasn’t more irritated than he was when he came in.

You draw out the final paper and reading the name in your head, nodding to the two,”Alright! How much time should we have to get a gift? What do you think, Frankie?”

Frankie hums,“Three days seems reasonable.”

“Alright! When we’re all ready, we’ll come back here.”

You all managed to make the deadline. There was still that muffled Christmas jingle with an old time band, on the intercom, when you came together again, hands full.

“It would be nice if you guys had some kind of Christmas decor!” you told Frankie.

“We really ought to, huh? By keeping up to date with the holidays, our viewers would feel so much more connected!” He beamed, taking your consideration from a business perspective,”I want my present now! Who had me?” Frankie asked, spinning his head between you and Henry.

“I had you.” you revealed, handing him your light cardboard box,“I couldn’t find much, but I hope you’ll like this.”

“Any gift from you is enough, contestant!” Frankie optimistically claimed, opening the box, the mannerisms reminding you that of a child. He lifted the gift out of the box,“A Santa hat!” 

“I cut the holes on it so you could fit your ears through.” you informed, watching Frankie change his headwear accessory.

“Fantastic, lucky contestant! I’ll love it until the day I metaphorically die!”

“Until I metaphorically die,” Henry mimicked him, even doing the hand gesture.

“Ah Henry, there’s no need to feel left out! Here!” Frankie grinned, passing Henry his box, the box larger than yours and wrapped with red and white polka paper,”I had you! Enjoy! I know how badly you needed this.”

“Is it a gun so I can shoot myself?” Henry asked sarcastically, opening the box and taking a smaller box out which had a smaller package in it,“Are... What is this?”

“Earplugs! So you can tune some of that ringing out. Happy holidays Henry!” Frankie explained as Henry pinched the sides of the earplugs container and closely examined it.

“Frankie, I have no ears.” Henry told like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Sure you do! You just need to find them.” Frankie reassured, patting the side of Henry’s cube head.

Henry’s fingers tightened on the earplugs as he retorted back,“They’re not like yours, the most noticeable feature you have!”

“Henry, remember-“ The telephone man tensed up, almost anticipating Frankie to say “who you’re talking to.”, when in reality, the grey rabbit had said,“-the occasion!”

“Right... Uh, thanks, Frankie.” Henry muttered in discomfort, his fingers working to re-wrap the earplugs.

Thank goodness you didn’t need to get involved, that wouldn’t be fun for anyone!,“So that leaves you Henry.” 

“Yes. I was fortunate to get you, contestant.” he sighed, pushing a box to you with his spare hand. This one was also made from plain cardboard, but it was rectangular,“I hope you keep in mind that I didn’t have to get you anything.”

“That’s fine!” you replied, excited. You didn’t care if Henry got you air, you were just so happy to be doing something in light of Christmas again. You unwrapped the gift and your eyes glittered.

It was a brand new watch!

“Oh wow, this is so nice!” you blurted out of awe, carefully removing the watch out of the case and buckling it around your wrist. The glass was so clean you could see your reflection and the strap was glimmering whenever held at a certain angle,“Thanks Henry, you were right! You really didn’t need to put so much thought into this!”

“Don’t over-compliment, it’s embarrassing.” he snarled, glancing away,“Making me out to be some softy.”

“Well, looks like everyone’s exchanged presents!” Frankie voiced, sending a warm look to both Henry and yourself,”How did we feel? I personally loved it! I could play this again everyday!” he ended his sharing of opinion with celebratory clapping.

“It was mediocre.” Henry scoffed, opposing his so-called best friend’s thoughts.

“We should move onto another festive activity!“ Frankie suggested, straightening his bow tie,“We could do karaoke, charades, arts and crafts-“

“No no no no, I have put up with enough buffoonery.” Henry announced, walking away  with his head down.

“Cheer up, Henry! It’s Christmas! It’s all about spending time!” Frankie smiled, his cheesy words chasing Henry away as he got up to follow him, twirling his head around to you,”We’ll be back shortly, contestant!”

“We? No no, I’m walking this way-“

“You forgot your gift!”

“Keep it, it’s worthless.”

You watched the duo walk away bickering, until they were out of sight. It was comforting that the muffled Christmas music was still playing. You glanced down at your wrist, then at the camera and waved.

Happy holidays!

[tarousbaby]

I CAN HEAR THE BELLS !

GETOU SUGURU STORY

wedding fever trope!

kinktober day three!

non-con recording, some dirty talk??

masterlist <3

on your big day, your best friend suguru tells you three different reasons why he should be your husband instead and why the runaway bride scenario is just so appealing.

word count: 2637

I CAN HEAR THE BELLS !

your reflection seemed fake, almost. the makeup powdered onto your face meant to make you look happy, and your tittering bridesmaids dresses in different shades of deep red bustling behind you. 

nothing could calm your nerves, the raging storm ravaging around inside you. 

one of the bridesmaid, some cousin of your arranged husbands, came up behind you and grabbed onto your arm. 

“aren’t you excited?” she asked, beaming, “he’s going to be the best husband!”

sure. 

he was influential, and you were pretty. your clan was dying, his was thriving. it was all the incentive your family needed to accept the marriage proposal on your behalf.

you hadn’t even been given a second to consider it, and your husband hadn’t been cruel but…you simply didn’t want to marry him. 

you were too young, only fresh out of highschool with a good group of friends. you should’ve been partying, exorcizing curses, drinking so hard until you blacked out at the late hours of the morning. 

but instead you’d spent the last few months sitting at home doing nothing because according to his clan it was unsightly to do regular adult things. 

suguru had been your saving grace, always coming by and watching movies with you or having an at home dinner. he knew how lonely you were, stuck in your apartment more often than not.

you could really use him right now. he always knew what to say, how to calm you down. he was good to you. suguru was wise, careful with his words, knowing exactly what could set you off and calm you down. 

behind you, your bridesmaids gushed about how beautiful they all looked. they wouldn’t notice if Suguru stopped by, right? you grab your phone from your purse, scrolling through your contacts before you find suguru’s. 

“i need you,” you text him, “could you stop by?” 

the response is almost immediate. 

“i’ll be there in a second.” 

even just by that text, you feel a wave of comfort wash over you. solace from the fact that in one hour, you’d be married. 

your eyes raise back to the mirror, staring yourself down in the reflection. you looked like the perfect bride. makeup done immaculately, not a loose strand of hair in place.

your dress was stunning, you would say that much. the white lace and drill against your skin only made your complexion stand out more, enhancing your finer features. 

running your hands along the hips, you smooth down the skirt of your dress, trying to make it poof a little less. you couldn’t wait to change into the after party dress, the light-weight red dress that made you stand out less. 

that was when you could fade out into the background, become the wife, and let the fame and limelight go to your husband. you could be the pretty housewife he and his family had wanted you to be, even if your hands itched to exorcize a curse. 

there’s a knock on the door, quick and cut, as if the person didn’t want to be on the other side too long. you already know who it is, and a bridesmaid is running to open the door before you can even fully turn around.

the girl peaks her head around the corner, murmurings things about how nobody was allowed to see you till the ceremony. 

suguru’s voice drawls, “i’m her best friend, i suggest you let me in.” 

the girl peaks her head back in, looking to you for clarification to which you simply nod. 

meakly, she opens the door, and suguru waltzes in. you notice the way he halts in his tracks upon seeing you, but you’re too busy admiring how he looks.

even if you didn’t like him, your husband had good taste when it came to suits.

it was relatively simple, your average black suit and white undershirt with a red tie. but suguru was never one to be formal. the tucks of his white button up stuck out from underneath his vest, and he had no jacket in sight. his hair was in a loose half-up half-down bun, as it typically is. 

his dark eyes sparkle with something unknown, and you feel yourself smiling against your palm. 

he takes a few steps forward, taking your hand and kissing the back of your palm with a short bow. “you look beautiful,” he whispers, looking up at you between thick dark eyelashes.

“thank you,” you reply, but you can’t even find the words to describe him. 

alluring, lustful, gorgeous.

you could feel the eyes of your bridesmaids as suguru stood up straight, a good amount taller than you, even in your heels.

“what’s wrong?” he asks lowly, trying to block the sound of his voice from the others. you sigh, looping your arm with his and leaning against his bicep.

“everything, i guess? it’s just…i really don’t want to do this, suguru.”

he hums, resting his chin on the crown of your head. “i know. i cant believe this.”

you give a huff, “if you cant believe it, how am i supposed to feel?”

suguru smiles, open and wide, before pressing s soft kiss to the skull of your head. you squirm, hiding further into the fabric of his blouse.

“think i could leave?” you joke, “i’ll be a runaway bride. wonder how much shame that would bring him, huh?”

suguru’s quiet for a very heavy moment, and you turn your head just slightly to look at him in the reflection of the mirror. his eyebrows are furrowed, his lips twisted in a frown.

you consider saying something, but your tongue feels like lead in your mouth. you let out a soft breath, squeezing his arm lightly.

“maybe you don’t have to go through with it…” suguru muttered, “maybe we can go, i can take you. nobody has to know.”

you pull back, apprehension written all over your body language. you don’t quite say no though.

“my parents love you, they’d hide you if his clan started looking for you.”

“suguru,” you say weakly. you couldn’t say no to him. “that’s not a good idea.”

“neither is this,” he points out. his eyes go soft. “just…i can keep you hidden.”

you lean your forehead against his chest.

“give me any valid reason, and i’ll run.”

the words escape you before you can even properly consider what you’re about to do. suguru smiles wide.

“how bout three?”

your bridesmaids stare, straining to hear your quiet conversation.

“anything,” you stress.

“one, you won’t be happy.” he isn’t wrong. you’d be miserable. housewife isn’t the job you wanted in life. you didn’t want to sit at tea with his brothers and cousins wives and talk about mediocre things and how amazing your husbands were.

“two, he doesn’t want you.” suguru wasn’t wrong on that either. he liked your face, and your body, sure but not you. he didn’t like that you enjoyed exorcizing curses. he didn’t like that you enjoyed going out with friends. he didn’t like that you had a life outside of him and his clan.

“three, i do.” 

you pulled back so sharply it almost gave you whiplash. the look suguru gave you was akin to amusement, but you could see the careful consideration hidden behind his mask of indifference. 

one of the bridesmaids approached, tapping him on the shoulder. “sir, the ceremony just started, i suggest you go take a seat.” 

he stutters, before looking back to you. you swallow heavily. “your car is going to leave in five minutes,” you say slowly.

suguru’s never looked happier. he borderline runs out the door, not looking back because he trusted you. 

inside your chest, your heart pounded, blood rushing to your cheeks. we’re you really going through with this? you couldn’t back out now. 

you turn to your bridesmaids, and smile sheepishly. “i need to use the restroom…” you giggle, “pre-vow nerves, y’know?”

they look for each other, sharing looks and giggles and nods of agreement. you make your way into the attached bathroom and lock the door.

finally, you feel like you can breathe. 

you survey the room for a window, finding a relatively sized one behind the toilet. it was a small fit, but it would work. sighing, you close the lid to the toilet and take everything off the back of it as quietly as you could. 

fumbling with the locks to the window, you eventually pry it open, but it refuses to stay up on its own. 

fighting with it, you take your first steps onto the toilet, leaving your shoes on the tile. 

you shimmy through legs first, your feet dangling over warm grass. you struggle to breathe, your chest pushing against the window pane.

eventually you make it out fully, and desperately tug the length of your dress through. you land in a heap of limbs and lace on the dirty grass.

a little dizzy, you look up, not paying any attention to the hundreds of dirt and mud stains now costing your dress. you didn’t buy it, your husbands family did…so.

you hike up the ends of the dress, and run. you know soon enough those bridesmaids are gonna start knocking on the door, assuming they hadn’t already, and tell you that you need to walk down the aisle.

suguru’s car is exactly where you knew it would be. 

he’s waiting for you, one arm slung around the passenger seat head rest and the other gripping the wheel. 

you pull open the door, jumping in, uncontrollable laughter spilling past your lips. as soon as you’ve gathered up all your dress, you slam the door shut and scream, “drive!”

suguru listens to you, as he always does.

you aren’t sure how far you're driving, but soon the church becomes a far away place, and you end up losing your veil somewhere in the process. 

suguru finds an empty car park somewhere close to an unused trail, and parks to take a breath.

he looks to you, his face split with his smile.

you look to him, a matching grin on his face. 

you jump him, uncaring for the way your dress tugs and rips as you smash your lips against his. he groans into your open mouth, reaching for your hips and pulling you into his lap.

suguru licks into your mouth, his tongue swiping across your lip, smearing your lipstick and sucking on your tongue.

you whine against his lips, rutting your hips through the fabric of your dress, but getting no friction. suguru chuckles, and grips your waist hard to keep you still.

“ah, not yet. wanna savor this moment. maybe i should take a picture? send it to your bastard of a fiancé, show him what true pleasure looks like on you.” 

oh, suguru was mean.

and you loved it.

“please,” you panted, only to be awarded with a harsh bite into your cleavage. he bit hard enough to break skin, a small trickle of red blood leeching down and staining the crystals of your dress bodice. 

his tongue lapped at the mark as you hissed, back arching into his touch. more, more, more, your brain chanted.

suguru cared nothing for your dress, clearly, as he reached behind you and ripped the bodice straight in half. you heard the sound of thread snapping and crystals cracking as he threw it’s remains to the passenger seat.

now, he had full access to your boobs, and he didn’t take this lightly. 

suguru bit up and down your chest, muttering curses and suppressing groans as you twitched and squealed at every brush of contact his lips made with your puffy nipples, peeking out and begging for attention.

suguru kisses a sweet line down the center of your body, mouthing open sloppy hickeys against your skin. 

somewhere in suguru’s car, your phone rang with missed calls and texts. you found yourself giggling despite the ridiculousness of it all. you straighten, squeezing out of your skirt as suguru pushes his seat back. you were naked, save for your underwear and garter belt, a request of your fiance. 

you can feel his cock outline straining through his pants, pressing into you, separated by the thin fabric of your clothes. you wiggle your hips slightly, letting his hands roam around your body. eventually, they settled over your stomach, before dipping lower. 

he pulls back your garter belt, letting it snap back against your skin with a slap that has you shivering. “your fiance’s a creep,” he comments, but you see the way his eyes glimmer as he tightens it against your thighs, forcing the plush of your skin out. 

you struggle to keep your breathing even as his hands lift, pulling down your panties. your stomach churns, anticipation swirling in your chest. 

suguru cups your cunt with his palm, his middle finger dipping into your heat and slicking his finger. you whimper, biting down on your lip. sis finger drags up, collecting more of your wetness until he reaches your clit. 

he smiles, and gives a few testing circles that have you mewling. 

“still a virgin?” he inquires. 

softly, you nod, lost in the feeling of his fingers on your clit. one of the things of being married to the future clan head, was that you had to be plenty fertile in order to produce an heir. in the eyes of your husband’s family, if you hadn’t been a virgin, you wouldn’t be fertile enough. 

that meant Suguru would be your first. how scandalous. 

his fingers speed up on your clit, and you can’t help but roll your hands into his palm, fingers reaching up to toy with your nipples. he presses a soothing kiss to your stomach, and then follows it with a gentle bite. 

“faster,” you gasp, eyes squeezed shut and mouth open, “‘m almost there, sugu.” 

suguru listens to you, speeding up so fast you almost scream. but then, he rips his fingers away, and the feeling disappears just as quickly. 

“no!” you cry, “no! no! no! please, i jus’ wanna cum!” 

suguru grabs you by the neck, pressing bruising kisses to your lips as his other hand intertwines your fingers. 

“do you really want me to make you cum?” he asks, “tell me, tell me you want me to.” 

“i do,” you shriek, “i do!” 

your orgasm comes quick, slick pushing out of your pussy as you squeal, hips jerking and twisting. suguru grabs onto your waist, squeezing the plump of your hips and thighs and watching you twitch through the aftershocks. 

he leans up, burying his face in your neck. 

“feel good, baby?” 

“more than good,” you sigh, smiling at him. “way more than good.” 

your hands drift down, pressing against his dick. “let me help you…” 

he shakes his head, breathing in the smell of your perfume. “no, baby, tonights all about you. gonna make you feel so good.” 

you pout, “but i wanna feel you in me.” 

suguru looks up at you, grinning almost cruelly as he looks at you. “no, baby, we gotta save that for the honeymoon.” 

confusion settles deep in your bones. “huh?” you mumble, tilting your head. he jerks his thumb to the back, where a camera is propped up. the red recording button blinks, and your heart leaps in your chest. 

his hand pushes against yours, fingers pressed directly to each other when you felt it. at some point, he’d slipped off your engagement ring with one of his own, a simple silver band glistening on your ring finger where your old stone used to be. in all honesty, you preferred his more. 

“you’re evil, suguru,” you grin, and loop your arms around his neck to pull him into a searing kiss, imprinting the memory into your brain. 

“only for you, baby.” 

[drafthorsemath]

Tooka Dad (Retcon'd with Batcher)

Crosshair x Veterinarian OC Rayla

Word Count: 6.606k

Warnings: None really – Fluff, new relationship, cuddling, bed sharing. Brief descriptions of a stray animal in need of medical attention, TLC, and spaying. Brief mentions of Crosshair’s medical trauma / tomophobia.

A/N: This came to my brain and now it’s words. I don’t know what else to say about it. No description of Rayla’s appearance outside of her being fem and using she/her pronouns.  I'm reposting because I love Batcher and now she's included in the story. Season 3 Episode 5 really pushed me over the edge. Batcher loves Crosshair so much. Thank you to @eclec-tech and @lightwise for the encouragement.

It had been months since Crosshair had rejoined his siblings and they found themselves on Pabu. The adjustment had been difficult. It was still difficult. There were many things he wouldn’t speak about. His brothers gave him some space, not pushing too much, but making sure he knew he wasn’t alone. He, Omega, and Tech had spent time together healing physically after all that had happened, as well as healing whatever mental wounds they could. Those were taking the most time, especially for Crosshair.

He didn’t want to leave the house today, but Wrecker insisted (in his own Wrecker way) that he come to the docks and help move some cargo. Crosshair rolled his eyes but got to his feet and followed his brother down to the ocean with Batcher trotting beside him. They spent the morning moving crates from boats on to the docks, but as the sun continued to beam down on them, Crosshair’s eyes started to ache from the light.

“I got it from here,” Wrecker said, knowing his brother’s sensitivity. Crosshair simply nodded his thanks and headed toward some shade where Batcher napped. Before he could sit down, he saw something small scamper away from behind one of the crates Wrecker picked up. He followed the movements and knelt down, looking under a bench that sat under a tree.

“What is it,” Wrecker asked.

A tiny gray tooka kitten peered at them through crusty eyes. Crosshair wasn’t entirely sure how the little creature could see.

“Tooka,” Crosshair answered. Wrecker knelt down further and smiled at the scared kitten.

“A baby tooka? Aww, Crosshair we gotta take it home.” Wrecker smiled and tried to make space so he could grab the little ball of fur, but the kitten would have none of it and scurried to hide behind the other side of the bench.

“Just wait,” the Crosshair advised. His brother sighed but nodded and got back to work. Instead of sitting on the bench, Crosshair sat on the ground next to it. The next two hours were spent waiting for the animal to come out. He wasn’t going to force anything. Wrecker checked in after he was done with the crates. Although the tooka hadn’t moved, he knew that if anyone had the patience to wait it out and earn its trust, it was Crosshair. Wrecker went home, grabbed some lunch, and brought it back. He silently held out some homemade bread and fruit to his brother and sat next to him as they silently ate with Batcher quietly snoring in the background. The tooka let out a little squeak and Wrecker saw just the smallest tug of a smile on his Crosshair’s face. Eventually Wrecker decided to head home and help Tech with moving some big equipment.

As the time passed, Crosshair thought of his time away from his siblings. How much doubt and fear were in his heart despite deciding to stay on the platform on Kamino. Of the ongoing pain he had each time his chip was enhanced. The absolute horror in his soul when his actions felt like they were someone else’s, but he knew his hands pulled the trigger. He had never wanted to lose control and yet the Empire had him in its grasp and his mind wasn’t fully his own. He’d been so conditioned and the chip only added another layer of complexity. He closed his eyes and sighed as he pressed his hands flat on the ground beneath him in an attempt to center himself in the here and now. Batcher had woken up and sat next to him. He put a hand on the hound and breathed deeply while still keeping his eyes closed. He wasn’t alone anymore. Just as he had this thought, he felt some tiny fluff brush against his hand. He opened his eyes to find the kitten sitting next to his fingertips. He gently picked up the creature and stood. The tooka didn’t make a sound and didn’t fight as Crosshair walked them back to Upper Pabu. He was fairly certain the lack of fight was only because the animal was fur and bones.

“Tech,” was all he said upon finding his brother working on the Marauder. Tech stood, adjusting his goggles, and raised his eyebrows.

“A tooka,” he replied, “and in a sorry state.”

Crosshair hummed in agreement. Tech knew this was his brother’s way of asking for help. He pulled out his datapad and examined the kitten in Crosshair’s hands.

“There appears to be an eye infection, parasites, and a serious lack of nutrition,” noted Tech. “I could possibly find some food for her, but I cannot immediately find appropriate medication for her ailments. Why don’t you take her to the veterinarian?”

Crosshair sighed. At least he now knew the tooka was a she and some of what was going on with her, but he wasn’t quite sure about a veterinarian. He didn’t want this little girl to be scared any more than she already was and he understood how anything medical might cause her more fear. Then again, she looked miserable and he couldn’t let her stay that way.

“Alright,” he agreed. He didn’t even realize the island had a veterinarian. Tech gave him the location and he headed back down the path.

It had been a long day for Rayla. One of Pabu’s residents had decided to buy a pair of orbaks to help cart goods around and she hadn’t treated anything with hooves since veterinary school. One of them was particularly stubborn, but she liked a good challenge. It was never about forcing something on an animal. It was about reading body language and helping them feel safe enough to get through any needed procedures.

She looked up as a tall man came through the door. She smiled to herself. Rayla had spent time with his brothers since they settled on Pabu and Omega was fascinated with her career choice. They talked about him briefly, but she hadn’t met him yet.

“Hello,” she said with a soft smile. “Crosshair, right? I’m Rayla. How can I help you?”

Crosshair looked at the woman in front of him and then down at the tiny tooka. “Found her,” he said. He didn’t seem surprised she knew his name. There were some people on the island who guessed who he was based on association.

“Just the tooka? Your hound alright?" Rayla asked, nodding toward Batcher.

"Yes, she just follows me." He gave Batcher a nod and she sat down and waited patiently.

"How about you come back to the exam room and we’ll take a look at this little one,” Rayla offered. He simply nodded and followed. Crosshair looked around the room, almost more afraid than the tooka. There were various instruments, and he was sure there were even more in the cabinet. The veterinarian washed her hands and put on some gloves.

“How about we start with a weight?” she suggested, nodding to the scale. Crosshair put the kitten down, almost afraid to let go. She weighed much less than she should. Rayla noted her weight and then suggested a particular food for her. He nodded and moved her off the scale. He couldn’t quite keep his hands off her, trying to keep the contact while the exam was completed for fear of losing her or seeing her scared.

“She’s got an eye infection. I can give you drops for those and show you how to put them in.” He nodded. He noticed Rayla stopped and gave the kitten a little break and spoke kindly to her before looking through her fur.

“She has fleas too.”

His eyes got wide, but he still didn’t pull away from her.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “Fleas are species specific. Her fleas won’t harm anyone but other tookas. We can give her a flea bath now if you’d like.” Crosshair nodded and let out a little relieved breath.

He held on to her while Rayla filled a small tub with warm water. Crosshair tentatively put the small creature in the tub. While the veterinarian worked the shampoo in and rinsed, he held the kitten and helped keep her head up. The little tooka clung to his thumb with her front legs and Rayla couldn’t help but smile.

“She’s really taken with you,” she said.

“Mm,” was all he let out, but his eyes went soft.

“Are you planning on keeping her or would you like me to find her a hom-“

“No,” he firmly blurted out before quieting his tone again. “I’ll keep her.”

“Sounds good,” she replied, getting a towel.

Crosshair took it upon himself to wrap her up. Rayla showed him how to put drops in her eyes.

“In about a week you could give her a dewormer pill.”

He nodded and followed her out of the room. She gathered the dewormer pill, some food for the kitten - explaining that for the time being she needed food that would be easy on her digestive system - and a lightweight slip lead. Rayla put everything in a bag and handed it to him. Getting out a data pad for her records, she asked if the newly adopted animal had a name yet.

“Vaar’ika,” he said.

“What does it mean?” she asked curiously.

“Pip-squeak.” Just as he said that, Vaar’ika let out tiny peep that made Rayla smile. She entered the relevant information.

“Well then,” she replied, “congratulations Vaar’ika. And congratulations Tooka Dad.”

Crosshair felt warmth flood his cheeks and ears, but it wasn’t unwelcome. He nodded at all Rayla’s directions about the dewormer and a follow up appointment.

As he left, Rayla couldn’t help but think that she quite liked him. He may have said very few words, but he was so expressive. He was easy for her to read and she knew she could trust a man who adopted an ailing kitten without question.

Crosshair took Vaar’ika home. Wrecker had already told Echo, Hunter, and Omega about her and Omega waited at the window to meet this new addition to the family. Crosshair came through the door with Batcher and held the little one close to his chest. She was exhausted and he could feel her little body shake from the stress of the day.

“I want to help,” Omega declared.

Crosshair didn’t say anything as he walked toward his bedroom. He simply nodded in the general direction of the hallway and Omega’s smile grew as she knew it meant she should follow him. Crosshair put the tiny bundle on his bed and started looking for something to make a tooka bed next to Batcher's bed.

“What’s wrong with her eyes?” Omega asked.

“Infection,” Crosshair answered. “Needs to be given eye drops for a few days at least.”

“I can help,” Omega answered.

“Omega,” Crosshair warned. He knew she was excited, but he wanted to approach the kitten’s treatment in a methodical way. He looked at his sister for several moments and then nodded. “Fine, but she won’t need more drops until tomorrow.”

Crosshair shuffled through his belongings in his closet and found an old pair of blacks. He used a spare pillow to make something of a little bed with the blacks as a bedding. He placed the new bed on the floor near his own. Omega watched as the little tooka crawled on the bed closer to her brother. He put her on the new bed and quietly told her he’d be back soon. Omega followed him down the hall and grinned at her other brothers who were all at least a bit curious about their new roommate. While Crosshair grabbed a small plate and spoon and headed back to his room, Omega helped Echo and Hunter with dinner.

Vaar’ika was hiding under his bed, but Crosshair sat down, opened a can of food, and spooned out a little on the plate, waving Batcher away from the tempting smell. He placed the plate of food on the floor and she came out to eat. He smiled while watching her. She had an appetite and he knew that was important in her healing. He retrieved a little bowl of water for her and gave her a bit more food. After she finished eating and drinking, she jumped up on the window and pawed at it. Crosshair pursed his lips and then decided to take her outside. He looped the leash around her and picked her up. His hunch was right. Almost immediately, she found a spot to relieve herself. Maybe he had lucked out when it came to house training.

When finished, she tried climbing his leg and he picked her up. Her eyes were less messy than they were before, and he could make out the way she looked at him. He felt a little glow in his heart at the thought that this creature had chosen him and wanted to be with him. He took her back inside, took off the leash, and placed her back on the makeshift bed. During dinner with his siblings some questions were asked, but no one asked if he would be keeping her. Based on what they saw, they knew she would stay and it would be a good change.

Once dinner was over, Crosshair made his way back to his room to give Vaar’ika another small meal. She ate it quickly and climbed on the window again. He took her out and this time she wandered around a little bit, exploring her new home. He took her back in, holding her in the crook of his arm and heading to bed. He placed her on her own bed next to Batcher, but once he climbed into his own, he could see her moving in the darkness. She made her way up the side of his bed post and purred as she snuggled against his chest. Crosshair smiled to himself and fluffed her hair. Batcher decided she would fit in the bed too and hopped up. She laid down near Crosshair's feet. Crosshair sighed, but wasn't going to say "no." It wasn't long before they drifted off to sleep together.

Crosshair spent the next few days helping his new companion find her feet. They established morning and evening walk routes. He purchased a little pink collar for her, making sure it included her name and his. It wasn’t long before he was comfortable taking her around off-leash. She never wandered too far and for the most part, seemed to like watching this world from her perch on his shoulders. He let Omega hold Vaar’ika when it was time to put her eyedrops in, but he never let Omega put the drops in. Finally Omega managed to wear him down and convinced him to let her try. Crosshair held the kitten, holding her back to his chest and supporting her back end with one hand. Omega approached the tooka’s eyes with the dropper bottle, aiming for the middle of her left eye.

“Omega, no!” It came out a little louder than he meant. He leaned back to pull his little bundle away. He gave his sister a warning look. She looked confused and a little hurt. He took a deep breath and found calm again. Until he had visited Rayla, he wouldn’t have known what to do either. It wasn’t fair to expect Omega to know without help.

“Aim for the corner of her eyes. It’s easier that way.” He offered her a smile and Omega tried again, this time leaving a couple little drops in each corner of Vaar’ika’s eyes.

“Perfect,” he said to his sister. “Thank you.”

“Happy to help,” Omega replied.

He was supposed to give the tooka her dewormer pill, but wasn’t sure he could do it and certainly didn’t expect Omega to. Batcher took her medication without question, but the tooka appeared more stubborn. He remembered Rayla’s instructions as he sat Vaar’ika on his bed and held the tiny pill between his thumb and finger.

“Simply open her mouth, pop the pill in, and hold her mouth closed until she swallows,” Rayla had said. He hadn’t thought much about it since at the time, he knew it was a future problem and he was only focused on eye drops and establishing some routines. Now that it came to it, he looked at his little friend and couldn’t just open her mouth. And what, he thought. Force her to swallow a pill? It reminded him too much of the procedures he and his brothers had been forced through. He remembered thinking a warning before a necessary injection or asking him if he was ready would have helped him a great deal as a young cadet, yet he had never really been afforded that dignity.

He sighed to himself, picked up Vaar’ika and the pill, and marched to the vet clinic. Rayla was just finishing with a client and about to go to lunch when he walked in.

“Crosshair!” She beamed at him, happy to see him with the tooka. “And Vaar’ika. How are you?”

“I can’t give her the pill,” he said directly.

“Did she not want it?” Rayla asked. Many animals had trouble taking medication and it wasn’t an uncommon concern. “Did she spit it up?”

“No,” Crosshair said, revealing he still had the pill in its original form. “I can’t make her take it.”

Rayla sensed a great amount of empathy in him. He seemed scared to hurt this kitten, this small creature he’d already becoming so very attached to.

“She might take it if you mix it in her food. Is she still eating?”

Crosshair nodded.

“Okay,” Rayla acknowledged. “Cut the pill in quarters and put it in her dinner tonight. If she doesn’t eat it all, stop by tomorrow and we’ll see about another way.”

Crosshair nodded again.

“May I?” Rayla asked, hands out to touch the tooka. Crosshair nodded a third time and Rayla petted the little pile of fluff. She purred at the vet.

“I’m glad to see her eyes have cleared up,” she said. “She probably doesn’t need the drops anymore after tomorrow. Just keep the rest of the bottle should she need them in the future. She already looks so much better. She’ll need a few vaccines as soon as you feel she’s strong enough and she’ll be old enough to spay in a couple months. Unless you want more kittens.”

Crosshair froze a bit. He’d assumed that was further down the road, but not this soon. He didn’t want her to get pregnant. He wanted to do the responsible thing for her and was sure Hunter would have a few words with him if there were kittens. Besides, he didn’t want to worry about her going through pregnancy and labor.

“Let’s schedule that now,” he said.

Rayla nodded and pulled up her schedule. He’d be back in a week for the vaccines. They decided on a day for the spaying and she gave him instructions for what to do the night before and day of as far as food and water.

“See you both in a week for vaccines,” she said as they left.

Crosshair held Vaar’ika a little closer to his chest, hugging her before letting her perch on his shoulders. He didn’t like the thought of putting her through surgery or even the vaccinations. He knew they were necessary, but he didn’t want her in pain ever. Still, he knew it was for the best. To help him relax, he took the long way home, chuckling as Vaar’ika hissed at a few moon-yos who tried reaching for her. His thoughts also went to this veterinarian. Most people on the island were nice enough, but he didn’t let anyone close. This person was watching him at some very vulnerable moments whether she knew it or not.

That evening he cut the dewormer pill up into quarters and mixed it into the tooka food. He placed the plate down and Vaar’ika started eating. She paused at one point, knowing there was something different, and Crosshair held his breath. She took a taste and didn’t seem to mind and finished the entire thing. He felt so much relief. That night, like every night at this point, the kitten climbed into his bed and cuddled against his chest while Batcher hopped onto the foot of the bed and they all slept together. When Vaar'ika got up to stretch her feet or if she needed to go outside, he immediately woke up at the loss of her tiny body’s warmth. Then they’d get back to bed and fall asleep together.

Crosshair started finding reasons to visit the vet clinic in the days leading up to vaccination day. The smallest question about changing her food as she grew, asking questions about exercise, and some of the more mundane things. Some questions about Batcher (who, apparently, had already been spayed). He knew that he just wanted to see Rayla and have an excuse to get outside with his girls. Rayla didn’t mind. He always patiently waited if she was already with someone or had an appointment. She liked seeing him and the positive impact the tooka and the sniper had on each other. She let Crosshair say as much or as little as he wanted. She asked questions but knew when to back off. She wasn’t a completely open book, but she shared parts of herself with him too. He got curious and asked how she ended up on Pabu one day after she’d shown him how to make sure the kitten’s nails didn’t get too long. She explained how she left her home world when the Empire started taking over cities on the other side of her planet. She wasn’t going to wait around to see what would happen.

“Smart,” he replied. Rayla smiled sadly. She missed her former home, but knew she was lucky to be here. The threat of sea surges was much less daunting than dealing with the Empire.

“See you next time, Crosshair.”

He let a tiny smile escape and he left.

When he showed up for the kitten’s scheduled vaccines, he was a bit of a mess. He didn’t want her to be upset or hurt, but he also didn’t want to risk her dying of something preventable.

“I’ll be quick and I’ll use the smallest needle I have,” Rayla promised. “Do you want me to take her in the back and just get it over with or do you want to be with her?” She knew some animals did better away from their nervous person, but it was very much a case-by-case situation.

“I can’t leave her,” he replied.

Rayla nodded and instinctively put a hand on his arm. He let out a breath. They went back in the exam room and she weighed the tooka, noticing she’d put on a good amount of weight.

“Would you like to sit and hold her instead of keeping her on the exam table?” the vet asked.

Crosshair nodded and sat down, holding Vaar’ika. A small smile pulled at his cheek and he relaxed as she looked up at him. She wasn’t scared. The little fluff ball was just happy to be with him.

“I’ll be quick. Just two little jabs. Here we go.” Rayla moved quickly and precisely. The kitten let out a couple of squeaks, but nothing too bad. After it was over, Rayla smiled as she heard him quietly telling Vaar’ika what a great job she did. As he was about to leave, Rayla decided to take her chance.

“Hey, not to be too forward,” she started, suddenly feeling very nervous now that she was putting this into words. Crosshair turned back to look at her curiously.

She continued, trying to keep any shakiness at bay. “You’ve stopped by a lot and we’ve gotten to know each other more and I was just thinking… if you want to spend some time together after hours, let me know.”

“Dinner?” he asked.

“I’d like that,” she replied.

“Tomorrow?”

“You know when I close.”

“I’ll be here.”

Both felt a warmth radiate over their cheeks as they said their goodbyes for the day. Crosshair carried his little bundle home while his mind ran wild with all kinds of thoughts. He didn’t want to let his nerves get to him and at the same time, he was giddy at the thought of spending more time with Rayla. He had to grin to himself. She liked his company. He hadn’t gotten very close to anyone who wasn’t a clone. There was an understanding with his brothers. He’d grown up with them. Omega was incredibly understanding of everyone, almost to the point of his annoyance, and yet he felt just as close to her as he had anyone in his life. Even with the regs, there was an understanding. Learning about someone in-depth with a completely different background was a newer experience to him, but he found that Rayla embraced each bit of himself that he revealed. Even when he was having an extra grumpy and stressful day, she seemed happy to see him.

The next evening, he left Vaar’ika and Batcher with Wrecker and Omega. They were more than happy to babysit the tooka and hound. They were having a movie night and Crosshair knew each animal would be doing her utmost to steal their snacks. The thought made him very happy.

He tried to pick out his nicest outfit and headed to the vet clinic. He sat in the waiting room and listened to Rayla explain the medication dosage for someone’s pet bird. Rayla joined him a few minutes after the bird and their owner left. She’d quickly changed out of her scrubs and into a simple dress before joining him.

“You look nice,” she said with a smile.

“So do you.”

“I thought I’d try to wear something nicer than my scrubs,” she replied.

“You’d look nice in anything,” he said as heat rose to his cheeks.

Rayla wasn’t sure what to say. She felt seen and beamed up at him. They headed to a quiet restaurant on the other side of the island. While people all tended to know each other on Pabu, they both wanted some time just the two of them so the calmer spot seemed more ideal. They ordered and sat while watching the sun start to set.

“I’ll level with you,” Rayla said. “I’ve talked to your siblings. I feel like I know quite a bit about you, but I want to learn about you from you.”

He simply nodded. “Not much to say,” he replied.

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

Rayla asked him some questions, wanted to know a bit about sniping, and how he liked the island. She was also interested in his enhanced skills. The scientist in her was curious, but she wanted to keep it respectful. Crosshair’s comments were short as usual, but as time went by and they ate, he shared a bit more about himself. For now, they avoided the topic of the Empire.

“Tell me about yourself,” he said before taking a sip of his drink. He was much more interested in learning about her than talking about himself.

“I think you already know a lot about me from our earlier conversations,” she answered.

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully with a bit of a smile on his face. “Have you always worked alone? You do so much.”

“I had a vet tech until I came here. Actually, I purchased a GH-7 medical droid recently and I’m trying to modify it for veterinary work.”

“Tech will be pleased to hear that,” Crosshair replied. “He loves those kinds of projects. He’ll pick your brain next time he sees you.” Crosshair was pleased too. He saw how hard she worked and felt she needed a bit of a break sometimes. Having an assistant could go a long way in helping make her job easier.

“I’m sure. If I run into trouble Tech’s the first person I’d ask for help when it comes to droids.” She took a couple more bites of food and added, “Of course it helps to have the personal touch and I’ll still be very involved. It’ll just help to have a droid to do some of the more routine and boring things, measuring out and compounding medication, answering comms, billing, ordering supplies, passing my tools during surgeries, and making sure procedures are as precise as possible.” She then told a story about a droid she knew in vet school who was reprogrammed to only want to work on massiffs. A couple of her fellow vet students thought it would be funny for the professor’s droid to randomly refuse to help with other animals during demonstrations and who tried to switch places with other droids so it could work exclusively on massiffs. He watched her with a soft smile on his face while she told this story. As she finished, she paused for a moment.

“Sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to go on. It was just a silly thing to watch unfold.”

“No, I liked it,” he replied. He didn’t want her to stop. “Dessert?”

She beamed and nodded. They shared a piece of cake topped with all kinds of local fruit. He let her have the last bite but hoped it wouldn’t be the last time they shared a meal. He walked her home and once at the door bit his lip as his eyes darted a bit.

“Could we do this again?” he asked.

“What are you doing on Benduday?”

Each date felt a little more comfortable than the last. His favorite dates were whenever they would go out on a boat together just the two of them. It was incredibly peaceful and gave him the chance to be a bit more open without worrying about anyone else around them.

One evening she was supposed to meet him at the restaurant and didn’t. He’d brought flowers and wore a new shirt and definitely didn’t love the feeling of sitting at the table alone. He thought to himself that this was the first time in a long time where he was consistently seeking the presence of another person instead of solitude or time alone with his pets. Before he could spiral and let too many negative thoughts enter his mind, he decided to check at the clinic. He knew there might have been an emergency that required her attention. When he arrived, the clinic door was unlocked and he saw a light coming from an exam room. He let himself in and sat in the waiting area.

In the exam room, Rayla explained the situation to the worried owner. Her scans indicated a foreign object blocking the stomach and she and GHost – the now modified GH-7 droid – completed surgery to remove the offending mass. She sent the patient and their person home with a course of medication to help. Not long after they left, Rayla came out to find Crosshair dozing in his chair. She walked up to him and kissed his forehead.

“Mm.” He opened his eyes to look up at her. “Missed you.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “It was an emergency.”

“I know,” he replied, standing up and kissing her cheek. “These are for you.”

She took the flowers and kissed him again. “They’re lovely. Thank you.” After a pause and check of the time, she added, “I’ll clean up quickly. Walk me home?”

He nodded and waited as she cleaned off all the equipment and the table in the exam room, turned out the lights, and took his hand. They took their time walking together. It was a pleasant night and both were a little sad they didn’t get to have a relaxing dinner together.

“We should go out after Vaar’ika heals from her spay surgery,” Rayla suggested, knowingly adding, “I know you won’t want to leave her until she’s all healed up.”

“I just want to make sure she’ll be okay,” he answered. “But yes. I’d like that.”

She squeezed his hand and they grinned at each other.

The night before Vaar’ika’s spay, Crosshair was a mess. The only thing that calmed him down was Batcher resting at his feet and the little tooka herself. She had no idea what was coming but was simply living in the moment and in this moment, she wanted to sleep on his chest. He sat in front of a holovid with his family and slowly stroked the her soft fur. They fell asleep together as usual, but the next morning, his jitters were back.

He walked her to the clinic with Batcher at his side. He let Vaar'ika perch on his shoulder, but carried a crate since she would still be drowsy on the way home and Rayla insisted she needed a crate to limit movement while she healed.

“Good morning,” Rayla said as they came through the door. “Ready?”

Crosshair didn’t respond but tried to smile.

“She’s going to do great. I even have my droid GHost ready to go, unless you aren’t comfortable with him assisting me.”

Crosshair simply shook his head that he didn’t mind. “I trust you.”

Rayla took Vaar’ika and the crate as Crosshair tried to decide if he wanted to sit or pace. Her experience said that getting this over with was the best plan. Her voice softened and she tried to reassure him.

“It won’t take long. I’ll make sure she has pain management and that she’s fully anesthetized, so she doesn’t feel anything during the procedure.”

He nodded and sat down. He was not so secretly relieved Batcher sat next to him. He rested a hand on her as Rayla took the tooka to the back to prepare her for surgery. GHost weighed her and drew the appropriate levels of medication. As the tooka went to sleep and Rayla shaved her belly, Crosshair could hear the calm way she addressed his little companion.

“Looks like you’re asleep already. Oxygen levels and heart rate are normal. Let’s begin.” It wasn’t long before Crosshair heard her say, “There’s that little uterus. Tiny thing. Already out. Let’s close.”

Crosshair started shaking but breathed through it. The adrenaline that was coursing through his system all morning had finally started to wear off and it left him feeling a bit dizzy. He sat back and focused on his breathing while he heard the woman he loved talking sweetly to Vaar’ika and felt Batcher's sense of calm. Not long after, Rayla reappeared with a sleepy tooka in the crate. Without thinking about it, Crosshair embraced her as he became overwhelmed with relief.

“She did great, love. She really did. She should heal up perfectly.” Rayla went over care instructions and ended it with “She should stay in her crate as much as possible for the first week. No climbing or jumping. I used surgical glue that has some bacta in it so she will heal faster. Try to keep that cone on her so she doesn’t lick.” Crosshair nodded. “And comm me if anything comes up.”

Vaar’ika slept most of the day. She whined a bit at dinner time and Crosshair let her outside only long enough to relieve herself and then it was back inside before she could go exploring. She seemed like her normal self but was also pretty groggy. He ate in his room so he could watch her and made sure she took her medication and ate enough. That night, he knew he was supposed to let her sleep in her crate, but the drugs from earlier had worn off enough that she knew exactly where she was and didn’t understand why she wasn’t allowed to sleep in bed with him. She cried until he relented and purred as she snuggled up against him in his comfortable bed.

The next morning was the hardest. She felt an ache at the incision site and it clearly hurt her to move compared to yesterday, despite the pain medication. He tried not to think too hard about it, feeling unsure of when to ask for help and what was normal. She’d had surgery after all, it was impossible for her to feel completely healed in less than a single day. He laid around the house with her, cuddling her close since that seemed to help her stay more comfortable. He was grumpier with his siblings, though. He tried to keep to himself, but once Omega and Wrecker started playing and making a bit of a racket, he took Vaar’ika to the clinic with Batcher following as usual. He wasn’t sure exactly why he was going. He didn’t think it was an emergency, but knew Rayla would be done with her work, barring anything urgent. He sat in the waiting room and talked gently to the little ball of tired fluff laying in his arms. He rhythmically stroked her fur, but didn’t feel her usual happy purr.

“She okay?” Rayla asked, appearing as she finished cleaning up the exam room.

“Not sure,” Crosshair replied.

“Mind if I look?”

Crosshair handed the tooka over to Rayla who carefully turned her over.

“Looks like it’s healing fine. Don’t see any sign of infection. She might just be in a bit more pain than anticipated. I can give her an extra little med patch if you want to try that.”

Crosshair nodded. As Rayla retrieved a patch and cut it down to the right size, she asked, “What else is going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“You have a lot on your mind and you look… gruff.”

He didn't say anything at first. Batcher looked up between them, first at Rayla, then at Crosshair, then back to Rayla.

He looked at the hound, shook his head, and let out a breath. “Just worried about her and it’s loud at home.”

“Well, you’re welcome to have some quiet time here. I have some paperwork to do, some blood tests to analyze, and then I’m headed home. You’re welcome to join me if the three of you need a change of pace.”

Crosshair’s eyes warmed and he returned her familiar smile. He sat back down and went back to petting Vaar’ika until she fell asleep. The patch seemed to help her feel better and by extension, he felt better. Rayla worked nearby, looking through her datapad, taking inventory, and updating her notes as she went along. The rest of the day went by without a hitch. It was a good day when there were no major emergencies. She made sure her comm was on, knowing that some days no one needed her until she left for home. She packed up and walked home with the trio. As they headed down the road, she broke the silence.

“She hasn’t slept in her crate, has she?”

Crosshair grinned almost shyly. “She’s used to sleeping with me. She stays still.”

“As long as she’s still. Don’t want her hurting her incision.”

"Batcher will probably invite herself onto any bed or furniture," he added."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

The evening was perfectly quiet. They ate a simple meal and cleaned up together while Vaar’ika and Batcher napped in the armchair. Later, they found themselves in bed together for the first time. Crosshair lifted his arm and pulled Rayla to his side. She laid an arm around his waist while Vaar’ika curled up in the crook of his neck and Batcher slept at their feet. He felt his heartbeat syncing with Rayla’s. She smiled and kissed his cheek before she closed her eyes. They soaked in each other’s warmth and fell asleep.

[cherrywineisawaltz]

Okay, so I’ve been wanting to write a a Logan x OC fanfic with the OC as a professor at Charles school and I wrote the first chapter (really short cause its just sort of a bit of background) and I thought I’d post it here just to see how people would receive it!

(Also this is set when she’s about fifteen, the actual first chapter is going to be a major time jump, so through the fic she’ll be about 30)

Warnings: runaway teen (?), sleeping in a diner, she thinks Charles is kinda weird, not proof read lmao, nothing else I don’t think?

———————

She woke up cold. Her lashes flutter against her cheeks, sore with sleep. It was too frigid in the small diner, the heater did little in the winter and they had put her right by the door that let in a breeze every time it swung open; biting her skin. Her own attire wasn’t much help either, she thought.

The too-big sweatshirt hanging off her shoulders wasn’t thick enough to keep her warmer than her own body heat could, and her jeans were still wet from falling into the snow outside of the empty diner. The only warmth she had was from the thick leather boots on her feet that were two sizes too big.

The heavy thrill of hail outside the small diner window was a heavy patter in her ear drums. The bright beaming twenty-four hour sign hummed against the window, the fluorescent light flickering harsh blue and red light.

She pressed her open palm to the side of her cheek, eyes looming over the other patrons. Most of the diner was vacant, the waitresses bide behind the counters and the heavy steam of coffee burned in the air. She felt hunger nestle in the pit of her empty stomach, if she had enough shoved away in her rucksack she could get pancakes, if she had enough energy she wouldn’t need to pay for them at all. But she had a feeling she would.

She pushed against the table, stretching carefully, ignoring the always present ache in her limbs. Her fingers pushed against her scalp, feeling against her boyish cut hair.

It was just getting long enough for the curls to furl beside her ear, but it still bristled against her fingers. It made people stare less the more it grew, and she was thankful. Soon enough she’d attract even less attention.

Maryn could hear the soft clicking of heels, it was the waitress, she could hear the whisper of her thoughts flutter against her skull. Her mind was always hazy after sleeping, so none of the whispers were coherent enough for her to understand. She didn’t look up until she was right beside the table.

“You want anything, sweetheart?” She had a pot of coffee in her hand, and a southern lilt in her voice. “You’ve been here a while, you must be hungry.”

If she had noticed Maryn sleeping only moments ago she didn’t mention it, but her thoughts fluttered with concern.

“Pancakes?” Maryn blinked up at her.

The waitress nodded, her name tag read Hellen. She had blonde straw-like hair and yellow rimmed glasses.

“How about some chocolate chip pancakes, huh? Knock your socks right off.” She smiled, and Maryn nodded, unwilling to deny the indulgence. “I’ll get those right out, sweet pea.”

She walked away, bright red shoes clicking as she did. She was nice.

Maryn sunk back into her seat, one of the waitresses turned on a radio and through the storm the music didn’t sound like it had any words, covered by static, but its gentle tune was nice enough.

She rubs the ache over her tired eyes, she’d have to walk further when the sun finally came up. If her jeans dried before she left the diner maybe she’d make it further than she did today. Just the thought of more walking made her head throb and ache.

Hitching a ride wasn’t a far idea for her, but didn’t like all the questions that came with asking for help. They can’t help it, always the most obvious questions first, Where are your parents? Are you all alone? Shouldn’t you be in school? She was tired of it.

The soft jingle of the bell hanging over the door rang lightly as it swung open. Maryn tugged her sweater closer when the biting breeze crept through the sleeves.

Another soft flutter of whispers filled her head, she ignored them. She didn’t care to hear anyone else's thoughts. But they grew closer, until someone was coming up beside her table again, and then the whispers were gone.

“Hello.” An accented voice greeted. “Mind if I join you?”

She looked up at the man beside her table, her eyes trailing up the silvery metal of the wheelchair he was sitting in before his face.

He was older, weathered and looked at her with a familiar kind of smile while wearing the nicest suit she had ever seen. A deep blue with a matching tie and one of those pieces of fabric people shove into the chest pocket. It made him stand out, looking strange in the rickety diner.

She doesn’t say anything, but he picks up the menu at the other end of the table and she doesn’t stop him.

“I’m Charles Xavier.” He said warmly, he extended a hand, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

She looked at his hand curiously before reaching out to shake it slowly. His hand is warm.

“Hi.” She said, wearily. He looks at their joined hands when they touch.

“Cold,” He smiles, “I’d imagine this is the warmest place around these parts.”

“For a few miles.” Maryn shrugs, he didn't seem like the worst person to have a conversation with.

“Did you walk yourself here?” She nodded. “The next town isn’t for miles. You must be exhausted.”

She shrugged, again. She felt how she always felt. Cold, tired, achy. His eyes trail over the rucksack tucked into her side.

“Is that all your things?” She nodded, tugging her bag closer.

“What I can carry.” She tells him. He hums.

“It looks heavy. Must have been difficult in this weather.”

“It’s alright.”

“If you say so.” He smiles.

She nods.

Charles, the strange British man, didn’t seem annoyed by her silence, but she was rather perturbed by his. His mind was completely silent, not a single whisper.

Usually she couldn’t keep other people’s thoughts away, only if she really concentrated she could quiet the noise down for a little bit, but it’s like his mind was completely empty.

Her dark fawn-like eyes trail up his head. She usually didn’t have to focus so much, and even now as she did, she heard nothing.

You won’t get anything up here, Maryn.

She jumped in her seat.

“Alright, baby, I got your pancakes and–oh,” Hellen came back with a hot steaming stack of chocolate chip pancakes. She looked between the two, eyeing Charles, “Is everything alright over here?”

“Yes, splendid, could I get some coffee, please? And,” He pauses to look at Maryn, “A milkshake, for my friend.”

There was only one milkshake on the menu, vanilla.

Hellen looks at her first, and then back at him.

“Of course. Coming right up, sugar.” And she clicks away again.

Charles smiled at her, kindly.

“It’s rude to snoop, you know.” He says, though there’s not much sternness in his tone.

“Most people don’t seem to mind.” She said plainly.

Charles dipped his head with a funny smile.

“I’m sure they don’t.”

“How do you know my name?” She asked, picking up her fork and butter knife as she did. She was curious but still starving. She grabbed the syrup at the end of the table, smothering her cakes.

“Because I have been keeping an eye on you for quite some time, Maryn.” He admits, watching her scarf down her pancakes like they’d run away from her. “You are very special.

“Special" isn't the word most people use.” She says out of the edge of her mouth, still chewing.

“We are not most people.” Charles hums.

“Yeah,” she muttered plainly.

“I’ll admit, your…capabilities are more advanced than I’ve seen in others your age.” He observed, “It’s quite impressive.”

Maryn doesn’t say anything to that. She didn’t have anything to say. Charles continues.

“You know, most mutant children I find are often in groups. They find one another, and protect each other.” His fingers drum on the fake carved plastic, “You remain by yourself. Have you not met others?”

She cuts jaggedly into her pancakes.

“I have.” She chews.

“And what happened?”

She thought about not telling him, then she thought he already knew and was just waiting for her to say it. Either way, he waits patiently across from her, waiting for her to say something; same gentle look in his eye.

“There's something inside me.” She admits, dubiously, “It scares people.”

“Does it scare you?” Again, she doesn’t answer.

Charles looked at her for a long time, she almost thought he was going to go away, leave her there, growing frustrated with her insolence. But he doesn’t. Instead, he looks at her with the same familiar smile.

“I have a school.” He says, “It’s not much now, barely a handful of students, even less teachers, but I created it for gifted children. Children like you.”

Maryn stared at him, her fork stabbing a piece of pancake on her plate.

“A school?”

He nods.

“I’d very much like you to attend.” He tells her, eyes looking her over, “Perhaps I can help you.

He seems to mean it. It’s the first time she can’t see into someone’s mind to know if they’re telling the truth or not, but she has a feeling, an unfamiliar feeling, that she can trust him.

She looked down at her plate, “What if you can’t?”

Charles looks at her carefully.

“Then maybe I can help you learn to control it.” Maryn looks up at him. “At the least, you’ll have a warm bed, food. Clothes that fit.”

For the first time since they started talking, she smiles. It’s small, but it’s there.

“Alright, a coffee for you,” They both looked at Hellen as she came back, “And a milkshake for you, Angel.”

“Yes, we’ll have the check please.” Charles says kindly. Then he places his forefinger and his middle finger to his temple and looks Hellen in the eyes,“You will not remember us once we leave.”

Maryn watches the waitress's eyes glaze over from behind her glasses before she smiles again.

“I’ll get that right out for you.”

Maryn looked at Charles.

“Can I do that?”

“We shall see, won’t we?” His lips spread into a thin smile. “Finish your pancakes.”

——————-

Omg I feel so anxious I literally have never done this before 😭 but please let me know what you guys think! If I do decide to post the whole fic it’ll prob be on ao3 just cause I plan to make it pretty long/slow burn

But I hope u guys like it 🙌🙌

[roguelov]

For the fic thing, having morpheus hear their s/o singing Mr sandman either whenever they arrive or in order to summon them? (I love the idea of how Done™ he'd be with that song if he hadn't been in a fishbowl upon it's release) also followed for idk what anymore it's been so long but staying for you and the vibes 😘

Mr. Sandman

Word Count: 729

Reader: Gender Neutral (not specified)

…

The inconsistent beat of knives against a wooden cutting-board mixed with the sizzling of chopped vegetables in a hot pan. Music, turned down low, softly played in the background. You hummed along as you cooked dinner - dinner for two.

But, your other half was not here.

Yet.

Delicate chimes, distance and barely noticeable, twinkled. Spinning around, you saw a swirl of golden pale sand twirling in the middle of your living room. The sand shone like thousands of stars, especially in the setting sun streaming through the window. In the middle of the swirling sand, a figure - a dark mass - grew in size and shape. A figure you recognized. As the sand started to fade and its dizzying spins began to slow, a black boot stepped first, breaking through the wall of sand.

Smiling, you started to sing a verse, “Mr. Sandman bring me a -“

“Must you always sing that tune?” Dream, the dark figure, fully stepped out of the swirling sand. The sand wisped away, disappearing completely and leaving no trace. He rolled his eyes, unwilling to hide his obvious annoyance and disdain for the song.

You plucked up a used towel, wiping your hands and meeting him halfway. “What are you talking about?” You asked, innocently.

Dream strolled up to you, standing directly in front of you. “You know what I speak of.”

You threw your towel over your shoulder, and put your hands on your hips. “No, I don’t believe I do.”

Dream’s lips thinned.

“Sing it for me.”

“Sing it for you?” Dream asked, astounded.

“Yeah.” You smirked.

Dream scoffed. “I will do no such thing.”

“Then how will I know what to stop singing?”

Dream eyed you, nearly glaring at you; while you proudly stood in front of him and wore a wide playful smirk. Your eyes were alit, twinkling with trickery and also love.

He huffed. “Please, love.”

“Just one hum.” You hold up one finger, smiling at him. “Or how else will I know?”

His eyes flickered to your finger then back to your eyes. Dropping your hand, you smiled at him. His love - you - was so full of light, so full of love; and so full of playful taunts. This song was just one of many.

“And if you don’t, you might not get any dinner.” You added.

“Really?” He leaned into you, his eyes now twinkling. You always had this effect on him. You pull out such a fun, loving side. One he didn’t know existed until you came into his life.

“Really.”

“And if I refuse? I can find food elsewhere.”

You paused, considering it for a moment. “Then I would be very upset.”

He laughed once. “Of course, and we don’t want that.”

“No, we wouldn’t.”

He smiled, wide and true. “Only for you, my love. And just this once.”

He lightly grabbed your chin, drawing you close. This was for you and your ears only. Excitement rippled over your skin. Is he actually -

A hum rumbled in the back of his throat, the beginning of a tune. His lips parted as - to your surprise - Dream truly started to sing. “Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream.”

His deep cadence sent shivers down your spine. It was haunting, yet so beautiful. A perfect description for Dream. His voice drowned out all other sounds. You were enraptured by him, by his hypnotic voice.

His hand moved, cupping the side of your face. His lips grazed over your lips, “Make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen.”

Your heart skipped, and a warmth spread over your chest.

Seeing your stunned reaction, he smirked. “How was that? Will that satisfy you?”

You wordlessly nodded.

He chuckled then kissed you, softly. “Now, will you stop singing that song?”

You smiled, beaming at him. “Maybe -“ you paused, trying to bite back your smile - “or maybe you could sing for me again.”

He rolled his eyes, but he expected your answer. “Of course, only if you behave.”

You snorted, shaking your head. You pecked his lips, stealing one more kiss, then said, “Okay, okay, now, can you help me finish making dinner?”

“Oh? Am I allowed to eat now?” Dream teased.

You laughed, “Yes, you can eat.”

“Then I suppose I will.”

You laughed again, dragging him over into the kitchen. Neither of you were aware of the soft familiar music playing in the background.

[ekcportfolio]

Basically a big Hoyo wallpaper dump. XD I just felt artistic when I got home today. I honestly wasn't intending on making so many Sunday ones, but honestly people made a bunch of pngs of him that were awesome art so there was just more available for inspiration. Like I would really love to make another Aventurine one, but I didn't have an idea of other motifs to do with the other renders I have. I'm actually even pushing it on creativity with the last Sunday one.

But anyway, new Zhongli one that I think is finally better than the other two I made and like a better motif and scheme than the other two. I mixed a texture in with like his profile plate thing. I used the traditional characters for his name because my Japanese computer doesn't seem to like simplified.

Aventurine's is pretty straightforward, but I played with the colors a bit to try to get both his yellow-gold color along with his green together in a nice blend. The roulette there is a screenshot from his trailer too.

Sunday's one's the first two are basically playing with lights for the most part. I go a generic render of a piano for the 2nd one to try to like emphasize some mad playing skills, and honestly sometimes I forget that he's very musically inclined. He kind of reminds me a little bit of how much I liked Nodame Cantabile back in the day because his boss motif is as a conductor (Chiaki), but like his trailer is all the piano (Nodame). The web event was violin though, which doesn't really fit that reminder other than it being a classical instrument. I guess also a bit of Eternal Sonata because that game is all Chopin. The background of both of the first two does actually have game screenshots though. The first one has the Penacony Grand Theater, but mostly darkened out as I lit it so that it seemed like he had sudden divine inspiration or something. The 2nd one is a screenshot from his trailer where one of himself is playing in the theater. Underneath the big piano him is a tiny version of him also playing the piano on a different layer. The light beam is from that background image so I placed it in such a way so that it'd light the bigger image of him and played around with the lighting to hide most of the rest of the background.

The third Sunday one I think I was getting tired and I don't think I got the lighting exactly right. I'll probably get around to another one like I came back around for this Zhongli one in the future. The background is an actual cathedral picture and I just played with the lighting and colors to try to get something cohesive. Placement and such though I was trying to like make him seem like really holy and like rising up like an actual angel. He's like so biblical motif and very seraph-y. I kind of wish there were renders of him with the six wings, but I think this is okay.

I honestly don't really know why I wanted to do so many Sunday ones, but I just did. Like I said the art was pretty and he's out right now and also escaping my pulls. ;o; I really don't want to spend that much money on him, but also I'm trying to make a secondary team for my Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae because my main team is a break team with Aventurine and Acheron, and I just want a team of my favorite boys. Also, for real all these boys from the walls I've made recently are yellow. Like Dan Heng's the other day because he's Imaginary and had some gold on his outfit, but Zhongli has yellow gold from being Geo and both Aventurine and Sunday are also Imaginary, but have a lot of gold in general in their motifs too. I was actively trying to change the text color in the Sunday wallpapers so that not all of them would be yellow.

Sunday makes me think of a bunch of things though because I didn't really like him so much at first because he was kind of a dick to Aventurine. But then like after his fall and events with his sister, it seemed like he probably was actually okay and just misled by his adoptive parent, but is also very genuine in wanting to help people. Just misled on the how and the helicopter parenting kind of POV. But like he seems like he genuinely wants to learn and does seem to have regret for his mistakes. Like he genuinely seems like a very sweet boy that really just wanted to try his best and got it wrong. I hope he learns a lot on his travels. But like also, I was raised by a Catholic mother who took me to church sometimes. My English name is a biblical name too, and I don't really care so much and I don't really believe in organized religion because I feel like a lot of churches are corrupt or like really hypocritical in how they interpret scripture or even like...just dumb. Like I don't really think they follow the spirit of things and like hold on so tightly to words that were written, chosen, and translated by fallible human men who had their own agendas they were pushing. Like Sunday's story route is like a child who was raised in the church only to meet the outside world and realize that the religion he was taught was full of hypocrisies and hate that he wasn't aware of, which is how I felt growing up where there was what scripture and churches "said", but then I also didn't want to be a mean jerk to other people? So yeah, Sunday kind of just hits a spot for me.

[foolforharrry]

Nails And Croissants

Word Count: 2.5k words

Summary: Harry and Willow go to get their nails done

This is just a short little thing to get the feel of how I wanna write the characters in a book that I'm planning. I an really excited about this and I hope that when I get to posting the actual chapters, you guys are going to like them and love them too.

This blurb is obviously way down the line from where the story is going to start but I wanted to give you guys a small taste of them.

This is also not that carefully written and is probably messy af, but I hope you still enjoy reading it.

if you wanna read more of my work, I have it all linked on my masterlist.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and if you have any requests please feel free to give them to me and I will do my absolute best to do it.

Harry Styles Butterflies erupt in my stomach when I catch her eyes across the room.

The sunlight beaming in through the windows of the small nail salon makes the lighter strands of her brown hair look golden.

"What are you getting?", I ask her once she's sat down at the table right next to mine.

Her cheeks tint an adorable shade of pink when Willow's nail tech for today, Aspen, sets the bottles of nail polish Willow's chosen for today. "I swear it wasn't on purpose," she hurries out, her eyes flicking between the colours next to my own hands.

"Damn. And here I was getting excited thinking you wanted to match with me," I say with a playful roll of my eyes.

The laugh she lets slip is like music to my ears, and all I want to do is lay a kiss on her pretty, pink lips. But Mona coating my nails with a clear layer of base polish prevents me from doing so.

Instead, I settle on storing the image of Willow's face scrunched up with joy and laughter to memory. Her freckled, sun-kissed skin and the smile that doesn't just light up the room but my whole entire life.

"You're an idiot," Willow giggles, letting Aspen arrange her hands the way she needs them.

"I'm your idiot, though.", I remind her. To my delight, my words have another heartbreakingly beautiful break out on her face as she mouths 'I love you'.

Out of my peripheral vision, I can see Mona and Aspen exchange a look as I mouth 'I love you' back.

And God do I love her.

I never thought that I would ever be the kind of man who happily takes his girlfriend to get a manicure on my day off feeling like my heart is about to fucking burst from the love that's flooding it. The part of my heart I had tried so hard to keep under lock and key to protect it from being burnt again. But instead, Willow came along and took it in her soft hands. The calm of the sea in her eyes is all I needed to see before I let her.

"You ok, baby?" Willow asks, a crease of concern between her eyebrows.

Clearing my throat, I offer her a genuine smile, "Yeah, Blue. I'm ok." I can tell that she isn't entirely convinced, so I add; "Was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

The blush returns to her cheeks as Mona asks me to remove my hands from the UV-light machine. Which means that she's ready to give my nails some colour.

For the rest of the appointment, we make small talk with Aspen and Mona with the comfortable hum of the radio in the background. When a song by Taylor Swift I still haven't learnt the name of, Willow was out of her chair to turn up the volume with the permission of Aspen with a childish glee that she rarely lets show with anyone other than her closest people.

I swear I fell more in love with Willow when I watched her dance her way back to her chair.

Hand in hand, Willow and I walk out of the nail salon, freshly painted nails and bright smiles on our faces as we wave goodbye to Mona and Aspen. Our names are already on their calendar for next time.

I can't help myself from glancing down at our cojoined hands every couple of seconds, my heart fluttering at the way hers match mine.

Baby blue and pastel pink.

"H?" I don't even have to look at her face to know that Willow has her bottom lip tucked under her teeth and round eyes that'll have me giving into whatever comes out of her pouty lips.

"Blue?" I mimic her tone, tugging her closer to me so she doesn't bump into the man walking past us.

Willow lets go of my hand and before I can reach for it again, a pout on my lips, she snakes her arm around my back, my own going around her shoulders. "Are you hungry?"

I'm not. But knowing that she is and doesn't want to just ask directly, I don't say that. "What do you want, baby?"

It's like her shoulder deflates in relief the second the words leave my mouth and it has me turning my head and planting a kiss in her hair as I let her take her time settling on what she wants. Almost like she'd read my mind, she perks up, pointing across the street to what looks to be a small bakery.

"How about some croissants?", Willow suggests as I meet her eye.

"Croissants sound lovely," I agree, pouting my lips for a kiss.

Willow drops her gaze to my mouth at the action. Standing on her tiptoes, her hands gently cup my face as mine drop to her hips and peck. Her lips are soft as she presses them against mine in a way that has my heart doing somersaults in my chest. I can smell the coconut from her favourite lip gloss when she pulls away with a dopey smile, swiping away the product she left just below my bottom lip.

Blush heats my cheeks as I kiss the pad of her thumb, "Thank you, baby."

Thankfully the crosswalk is just down the street, the lights turning green for us after only a few seconds so we can make our way across the road safely and efficiently with my arm back around Willow's shoulders and her hand on my hip.

The bakery Willow picked out for us has a homey vibe to it. Flowers stationed on every single table with warm pinks and soft yellows everywhere you look. The smell of baked goods strong even from outside the shop. For a Thursday afternoon, it's rather busy.

Willow and I stood in silence as we waited for it to be our turn to order, content just watching the different people come in and out of the bakery every time the bell above the door rang.

The display of all the different options of baked goods is god damn mouth-watering and I make a mental note to bring Evelyn and Willow back sometime during the weekend. Knowing Evelyn, she would be over the moon over a cupcake that looks like a rainbow.

When it becomes our turn, I order us two croissants, thanking the lady behind the counter with a smile as she hands us the paper bag. And then we're on our way again.

"I was thinking that we should take Evie there," I speak as I take her hand in mine, resuming our walk back to the car with my eyes switching from the path in front of us to her face.

Meeting my eye, Willow nods with a hum, "When were you thinking?" "Maybe Sunday?"

Before she can ask, I add, "They're open."

"She's gonna have a hard time picking, poor thing," Willow laughs light-heartedly.

"Mhm," I hum in agreement, the smile that rarely ever seems to fade whenever I'm around her. If we're being completely honest, Willow and I both know that I would buy Evelyn every single one she wanted just to keep a smile on her face.

"I miss her," I say with a pout as we round the last building, my eyes landing on my car.

Willow rolls her bottom lip into her mouth before she opens it and says something I never in a million years thought I'd hear from her; "I don't know how you're gonna survive when she's off to college, babe."

Dropping her hand, I clutch the material of my t-shirt over my heart as if I was in pain. "Don't hurt an old man like that, Blue. I'm fragile."

"Oh shut up, H. You're not that old," Willow giggles with a hand on her stomach. Her nails match her pretty sundress and it has another swarm of butterflies flapping around in my tummy.

"It was still mean," I grumble with a pout, the thought of my little girl leaving one day isn't exactly one I enjoy.

Willow shakes her head at my attitude. "I'm sorry, love," she says with a pinch of my hip.

"You're lucky I love you," I say as I take her hand again, loving the warmth of her soft skin against mine. She grins at me, "The luckiest."

The soft curls of her hair dance in the light breeze blowing past us. Her golden skin glows so prettily in the sunshine she doesn't even look real. The light reflects in her baby blue eyes makes them twinkle as if the sun was hung in the sky at this very moment just for her.

I'm convinced that Willow is an angel sent down to this plane from the heavens above. Her calm, beauty and grace is simply too delicate to be meant for the harsh, painful world that we live in. But somehow, with all that she's been through, she still leaves a trail of light in her wake. She has lit up my life the way the sun lights up the sky after a dark night with only specks of light so far away you almost don't believe that they're real.

"No Blue. I'm the lucky one."

I'm sure she can hear the emotion that has started to clog up my throat, but she doesn't comment on it. Instead, she guides my hand to press a gentle kiss to my knuckle just as we reach the car.

I reach into my pocket for my keys, pressing the button to unlock the black range rover as I walk around to the passenger side with Willow in tow to open the door for her, quickly pecking her temple as she slips past me and gets settled in her seat with the bag of croissants in her lap.

By the time I'm sat in my own seat, she's opened the bag and is munching happily on her croissant. Eyes closed, head tilted back against the headrest and humming in the way she something is particularly delicious. She's got her hand underneath the pastry to catch any crumbs that may fall when she takes a bite out of it.

Just as I get out on the road, Willow's phone connects to the Bluetooth system in the car, the song switches to 'Right where you left me' by Taylor Swift.

It's almost comical how fast Willow's jaw drops along with her hand just as she was about to take another bite of her croissant. Her eyes go from the screen where the title is written in clear letters to my face. Accusing frown on her face as Taylor's voice and the gentle guitar fill the silence.

There isn't even a point in trying to contain my smile at the way it takes her around 5 seconds before she is turning up the volume and singing along to the song. Dramatic hand gestures and facial expressions that I catch out of my peripheral vision.

When she twists her upper body so she is fully facing me and sings; "I could feel the mascara run. You told me that you met someone," I can't help but take her hand and join her.

Who would have thought singing a heart-wrenching song about being left and unable to move on with the love of your life while driving down the streets of Los Angeles would have images of her in a white dress flash through my mind and a certainty settle in my stomach like I have only felt once before in my life?

When the song ends, Willow turns the volume back down, her face flushed from her intense performance and a shy smile curling on her lips.

If there wasn't a chance that doing so would potentially end in both of our deaths, I would've kissed her until we were both dizzy.

"You want your croissant?" Willow pulls the untouched one out of the bag, holding it out to me with her eyebrows raised in question.

Instead of saying anything, I open my mouth expectantly, waiting for her to get the hint. And when she does, she rolls her eyes playfully, still obliges and holds the pastry right in front of my face. She waits for me to take a bite out of the soft, crunchy slice of buttery heaven.

"Fuck me, that's good," I practically moan through a mouthful of croissant. This is possibly the best croissant I have ever had in my life.

Chewing it slowly, savouring the heavenly taste, I catch Willow with her phone out, pointed in my direction and a sly smile on her face. "What are doing, Blue?"

"You look really hot, is all," she shrugs, stuffing her phone underneath her thigh.

Willing the blush I feel heating up my face at the compliment go away, I point out the obvious; "That doesn't answer my question." Only Willow can have me blushing like a schoolboy and biting the inside of my cheek at a simple compliment.

"I got myself a new wallpaper for my phone," she tells me matter-of-factly as she squeezes my hand.

I rub the skin of her knuckle as the corners of my mouth tug up into a smirk, "If that's the case, then you can take as many pictures as you want."

When she stays quiet, taking bites of her croissant before letting me do the same, her left leg bouncing under beneath our cojoined hands, I can't help but laugh as the realisation dawns on me. "How many pictures do you actually have of me?"

She says something, but it's so quiet I can't make out the words. "I can't hear you, baby."

"I said that I've lost count," she repeats herself with a sheepish look on her face. "You don't exactly make it hard, baby."

"You ever gonna let me see these photos?" Knowing her, it's probably half pictures where I look decent and half pictures that could be turned into memes.

Willow takes a minute before she answers, seeming to mull over the answer in her head. "No."

"Then I'm not letting you see the wonderful collection I've gathered of you, Blue." It may be childish, but it does exactly what I wanted it to. Willow's grip on my hand tightens ever so lightly and I can feel her practically burning a hole into the side of my face with the intensity of her stare.

But she is stubborn, so she keeps her lips pressed tightly together. She keeps her view directed out the window at the cars, buildings and people we pass by.

"Am I sleeping in any of them?" she eventually breaks the silence. Her fingers drum along with the rhythm of 'Sweater Weather' against the back of my hand, something that I've noticed that she always does when she listens to music.

"A couple," I confess, holding in the urge to laugh at the way her cheeks turn crimson.

Clearing her throat, Willow tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "If they ever see the light of day, you're losing your dick."

Slightly taken aback by how casually such crude words flew out of her mouth, I swallow hard with wide eyes, "I will remember that."

-

[c-t-r-l14]

See You Again

“I said I’m ‘bout to go to war,

And I don’t know if I’ma see you again.”

————————-🧡————————————

Synopsis: You find yourself wide awake, thinking about Dontis.

—————————-🧡—————————————-

“The sky was a shade of purple yesterday”.

A knot formed in your chest, and your whole body felt hollow. Heat bloomed throughout your entire being, and beads of sweat formed on your forehead as you typed.

“Yes, but the clouds rolled into orange hues.”

The overwhelming feeling of dread formed in the pit of your stomach, and you swayed slightly where you stood. You sucked in a deep, shaky breath and your whole body began to shake. You never would’ve guessed how two seemingly harmless sentences had such a profound effect on you. But, it made sense. Those words were the harbinger of war, and your beloved Dontis was in the very heart of the battlefield. With war, comes pain, and with pain, comes death, and it was a very likely possibility that Dontis could end up as a casualty. And, although this was something you’ve already realized, this stark, and very possible reality hasn’t hit you yet.

Feeling strangely detached from your own body, you started to get ready for bed.

……..

By the time you’ve emerged from the shower, night had fallen. The moon was out—its white radiance illuminating the midnight blue sky. There weren’t many stars peeking overhead that night, but the beautiful lights of the city that lived underneath the vast sky made up for it. You sighed inwardly, feeling hollow yet again. He would’ve loved this.

You remembered the first time you stayed in New Orleans with him. It was such an unfamiliar place—the city was bustling—full of rich culture, and people from many backgrounds, humans and supernatural beings alike. It was there where you finally saw what Dontis was trying to tell you when you two first met. There IS a place where everyone could live in harmony—without threat or fear. Without needing to hide. And that place was New Orleans. You remembered how Dontis beamed with absolute delight as he planned out what exactly you guys were going to do there, figuring out ways on how to make your stay so memorable, “that you’d never want to leave”—or however he put it. And if it were anyone else, they would’ve been smiling from ear to ear, eager to help with the planning, trying to find what days to go sightseeing at what time, and at what place; but all you could really think about was the recent revelations you’ve come to know, and how you’ve spent so many years of your life living a lie. Your hands were stained with the blood of so many people just to get this far—to finally catch the incubus who made your father go “missing.” And now the same incubus that you worked so hard to find stood before you, happily ranting about how exquisite Cafe du Monde’s cuisine was, and how you two should totally stop there for lunch tomorrow when he takes you on a tour around the city.

You let out a loud, hearty laugh—one that came from the very pit from your stomach, one so strong that it bounced from the back of your throat and reverberated against the buildings and streets. You couldn’t find the irony any more hilarious.

“What is so funny?” Dontis inquired, a bit confused as to why you were laughing seemingly out of nowhere.

“It’s just really crazy how just a little while ago, I had you tied up and chained in my basement. I never would’ve guessed that our lives—our relationship would go from that, to you planning on taking me on a grand tour around the city,” you chuckled, wiping a tear from your eye.

Dontis smiled—a smile that you grew fond of. A smile you’ve come to love.

“Ah, yes. Life could be crazy and unpredictable. But it could also be beautiful and exciting. Filled with anticipation and a bit of wonder. It’s for us to enjoy, if we allow ourselves to do that.”

You stared deeply into his eyes—his irises as gray as storm clouds, flecks of gold and brown peeking its way through the grey colored ocean that was his eyes. Soft and sweet. Warm and inviting. Loving and kind. And that was the first time you truly got to admire how gorgeous Dontis was. Your lips stretched into a toothy grin.

“Well,” You said, running your hand into your hair, “I’m glad you’re here to show me just how great life can be.”

And on this night, the moon was out, its white radiance on display for all to see.

The sky tinted in the shade of midnight blue.

Not a single star peeking overhead. The streets lined with city lights, and a bustling city that lived under the vast sky.

And it was a night just like this one, where you found love.

Your eyes began to sting and you crossed your arms, your nails digging into your skin to prevent yourself from falling into pieces. The reality struck you so hard that it almost knocked you over. Dontis may never come back, and that reality was too much to bear. And although you’ve made the decision to stay behind, you found yourself wishing that you went with him. You spent so many years of your life using your skills to hurt people, and it all amounted to nothing. But, this could’ve been your chance to actually put those skills to good use—to help and protect the ones you love instead of hurting and killing people for them. But it was all too late now. You let out a loud, forceful sob—one that came from the very pit of your stomach, one that clawed its way out of your throat, and made your chest tighten and burn. You sunk to the bed, your nails digging deeper and deeper into your skin. You had no idea what you’d do without him. He was the only person you actually gave a damn about. He was the only person you had ever truly loved. Being alone again in this world was a reality that you couldn’t handle. It was a reality that you weren’t willing to accept.

You laid in bed, although, you weren’t getting any sleep tonight.

Because Dontis had gone to war, and he had taken your heart with him.

———————————🧡——————————-

A/N: I remember listening to the audio where Dontis was saying goodbye to listener, and honestly his whole interaction with them just killed me inside. Dontis was the whole reason why listener was able to settle down in the first place—and he gave them the opportunity to actually live a life that didn’t have anything to do with violence and death. So, to see that the one person who taught you how to live your life now going off to risk their own, with a very big possibility of not coming back—just made me feel for them so bad.

I’m trying to get better at writing dialogue for these characters, so if there is any improvement that needs to be made, don’t hesitate to let me know!

That you so much for reading, ya’ll! 🧡

Masterlist

[ohmful]

been having the craziest sugawara brain rot. wrote a new year scenario too…

didn’t really proofread this!! mainly wrote it for my enjoyment some parts might be a bit goofy but have fun reading

————————- (pure fluff :)

non gender specific

New years with Suga

to think you’ve spent an entire year again

it was definitely worth the investment

the night sky ever so clearly in your vision, not a single cloud in sight. you can feel the chilly breeze, breath of the air, hugging your body, emitting chills up your arms. gosh how you’d wish you brought a jacket with you. with all your might, you continued walking down the street hoping to find a great spot to watch the fireworks. trailing the scent of fresh yet smokey aurora that these colourful explosion leave behind, you found yourself at a half empty bench, the other occupied by a fairly tall, yet familiar figure. though you weren’t made to socialise, at least not at this time, the seat looked like it was missing its other half so you politely asked the person sitting alone.

regardless of how dark it was or how you were unable to see the face of that person, you soon realise by the soft spoken nature, teasing tone voice that it was suga.

“of course you may! you don’t have to ask when it’s with me” he replied, beaming the warmest smile ever.

as you two caught up, and reflected on the years you’ve spent together as friends and more.

“it’s pretty cold right now, isn’t it?”

“yeah…” you mumbled, hoping that he wouldn’t take notice of your sniffling nose and bare arms.

but koushi sugawara is a man that does not get fool easily. you underestimated him because god what he did next gave you a sanctuary of butterflies, roaming free in your stomach.

before you realised it, he inches closer toward you and threw his jacket onto your shoulders. the warmth from his jacket gave you a sense of physical relief, but thay didn’t matter in that moment, because him being there made you feel so at ease. the cold didn’t seem so bad, you let all else, even your thoughts dropped and enjoyed the present with suga . he has always been the type of person you’d like to talk to, someone to listen to you and someone of comfort.

as all your energy dispensed rapidly, you felt heaviness in your eyelids as they begin to droop, suga took notice of this and let you rest on his shoulder. you can smell the life all around you, the sound of sugas heartbeat, palpating so strongly. it felt very safe and you let a few of your thoughts slip out….

“you know suga, i liked you for a really long time, you’re a great friend to me and I’m glad we were able to have this friendship, whether you may like me or not doesn’t matter, thank you for being here”

you let it all out, all of those years, an abundant of stress, heavy weight lifted off your shoulders.

suddenly you felt a strange, speeding pace of heartbeats. then followed by nervous sweating and then finally sugas stuttering voice.

you looked up to realise that, oh my god- he’s RED. and it’s bad, he tried covering his face with his hands but his ear sticks out like fresh cherries ready to be picked. even you felt the nervousness suga was experiencing and then you finally realised what you just said, you basically confessed?

now you both have two, quite bright tomatoes unsure of what to do next as you got up to create some distance for yourselves.

“oh god oh god, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to say it now- Youndont have to response it’s okay, okay? I’ll give you some time, get back to me when you can-“

your legs coiled right up, your cheeks dusted with pink as you tried to get back home.

“WAIT -“

His hand interlocked into yours as he tried to get you to stay. Instead of forcing you to sit down, he got up for you.

Sugawara’s mouth ajar as you wait for the words to come spilling out of his mouth. But nothing came out.

His gaze, his eyes focused on you. A silent acceptance, or perhaps rejection, you thought.

As fireworks erupt in the background, the light painted your face within the darkness as a sparkle in his eye formed.

He pulled you in closer before whispering if he could have permission to do whatever he was going to do next, unsure of what it was but trusting your guts, you allowed him to.

his hands, cupped your cold face as he stared lovingly at you. he moved closer and exchanged his lips with yours. it was cozy, snug, or whatever adjective that can describe how beautiful it was, how comforting it felt.

he made sure to pull you in gently, making sure you can stand and let you enjoy this exact moment as much as he is, you placed your hands on his chest and the feeling of his heart, beating intensely was surely a new felt. your two body hugged, as you opened your eyes to immerse yourself in his perfectly sculpted face, relaxed eyebrows, slightly longer lashes, the beauty mark on his left eye.

remembering the tale that where your moles or beauty marks are placed, was where your past lover kissed you, you wanted to do one more thing before leaving his soft lips.

you pulled away, grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his beauty mark, hoping that your love will continue to exist, hoping that his new life he will still have that amazing face, that one exact beauty mark.

even in the far distance, your ears can pick up on the fireworks, igniting ever so strongly in manu places. and the bench, the bench with two people, were lucky enough to be able to witness their own fireworks, their hearts igniting too.

here’s a drawing as well, have a happy new year!

[tomura-complex]

Wanna get high and fly far away? (NSFW)

Tenko is the drummer of a band called League of Villains! How will he spend the night after a successful concert in the club?

(I had this in my mind for some time and I wanted to share it with you! Hope you will enjoy it 🤍)

TW: alcohol and drug use (cannabis)

Lights and loud music blurred thoughts in my head. I greeted the bartender Giran and went into the pile of dancing bodies. I slowly get to the stage, where my favorite band plays the best music of all. "Touya! I love you!" Screamed some blondie trying to climb on the stage. I chuckled and sneeked into the backstage. When I silently opened the door to the changing room a voice stopped me. "Hey you. What do you think you are doing?" I turn around and see really familiar blonde hair and golden eyes. "Oh. It's you." Keigo beamed at me. "Got the stuff?" He smirked at me. I smiled and went into the changing room. "Yeah. But you have to wait till the end of the show." I smiled and left my bag in a closet.

"Thank you! This night was amazing, thank you so much!" Applause and screams of fangirls beamed from the club. Me and Keigo stood by the entrance on the stage waiting for the band. First who came was Schuichi greeting us and than the whole band. And one black haired angel that beamed like a sunshine. I hugged him tightly and he hugged me too. "Hi love." He whispered into my hair. "Hi Ten." I smiled at him and kissed him. "Stop that. It's gross." Comented someone with a harsh tone. I turn around to see Touya making grimaces. I huffed and rolled my eyes. "Got everything?" I asked the group when they packed their clothes. "Almost done." "It's none of your business!" Jin barked.

"Shut up!" "No, you shut up!" "It's one in the morning, shut up!" Tenko whispered loudly at the group. This was always the hardest task. Getting the whole group into Ten's apartment without making a big noise. I locked the door and smiled. Everyone tossed their belongings aside and laid down in the living room. Keigo takes out some booze and I take out their beloved stuff. Tenko turned on the tv and played some movie. No one actually paid attention to it. Tenko sat to me and hugged me around the waist. I rolled the first joint and pass it to him. Then I make joints for everyone. "Did you see the blondie? She actualy climbed on the stage." Dabi chuckles. "Yeah. She wanted what is mine." Keigo chuckled and Dabi kissed him furiously. "That's gross. Stop it." Tenko mimicked Touya and laughed. I chuckled and rolled the last joint for me. I smiled and took the first puff. I happily hummed and cuddled into Tenko. "Tonight was amazing! I never saw so many people in the club! Our community is growing!" Toga beamed happily and poured everyone a drink. "Yeah. You make such an amazing progress. So... Cheers!" "Cheers!" Everyone said and gulped the warming liquor down their throat. "What about... Truth or dare?" Keigo smirked. I beamed. "Let's go!" I chuckled. "I didn't know you were into this." Whispered Ten's voice in my foggy thoughts. "That's the weed and booze." I murmured to him and kissed him on his cheek. Keigo put an empty bottle on the floor and spun it around.

Hours flew by filled with more drinking, smoking, laughing with a movie in the background. The game turned out to be the best option for tonight. There was some kissing or sitting in someone's lap or taking down a shirt or drinking the booze on ex. "Alright, my turn." I puffed another joint and spined the bottle. It landed on Schuichi. "Truth or dare." Smirked Touya. "Dare." I grinned. Touya smirked and looked at me and Schuichi. "Kiss him!" Keigo smirked. I blinked and blushed. What? I looked at Ten. "I allow it. But only once. And there won't be anything more after it. Understand?" Tenko grumbled at Schuichi and he quickly nodded. I smiled at Ten. I do it for the game. I kneeled to Schuichi and kisses him on his cheek. "Nuh uh." Touya grinned. "On the lips." He grinned and tapped on his lips with his index finger. I rolled my eyes and looked at Schuichi. He smiled at me. I closed my eyes and gently and quickly kisses him on his lips. Than I sat down next to Tenko whose gaze... Was something else. There was fury and... Jealousy? I smiled and kissed him. Next spin landed on Ten. "Hm. Schuichi and Ten. Such a good pair." Grinned Toga. "Oh I have an idea! Tenko touch his dick! That's a bad idea." Barked Jin while laying on the floor and enjoying the calming effect of weed. Tenko blushed and I gave him a shot of booze. He gulped it down and sat to Shuichi. He looked away and hesitantly put his hand on Schuichi's crotch. "Does this count?" Tenko huffed. Everyone nodded and Ten sat to me. I shared with him my joint and chuckled. The next turn landed on Keigo. I grinned. I need to think of something great. "Ran on the street naked!" Me and Ten smirked. "Alright." Keigo stood up and gulped some booze. Then he took his clothes off in front of everyone. "So this is the guy you share bed with." Tenko smirked at Touya. "And what? Can I also see your little angel naked?" He grinned. "Nuh uh." Said firmly Tenko. I chuckled and took another puff. "Wait. Where is Keigo?" I mumbled. He disappeared into thin air. I stood up and stumbled to the window looking out. "Uh oh." I mumbled. Tenko and Touya glued to me and to the window. "Oh shit! He fucking did it!" Touya laughed. "Shouldn't we get him?" Schuichi mumbled.

Me and Schuichi dressed up and I opened the door. "Wait!" Touya said hearing really familiar sound and seeing blue and red light. "I'll go with you.", He huffed and dressed up. We quickly went on the street and saw police officer talking to Keigo, who was trying to hide his jewels. We get to them and I blinked. "Dad? Come on." Touya groaned embarrassed. The police officer turned around. "Touya? You were drinking again? And what is this? You're going home. And he is going with you." Touya's dad pointed at Keigo. I sighed. "Let's go for your clothes."

Touya and Keigo are safe home, Toga and Jin took a cab and Schuichi went to his apartment next to us. And now. Finally. We have time for ourselves only. "The last one?" I smiled and rolled the last joint. "Yeah." Tenko smiled. I cuddled into him and kissed him. Minutes flew by and cuddling and butterfly kisses transform into messy and sloppy make out. "I love you sweetie." I whispered siting on his crotch. I unbuttoned my shirt and took of my pants and panties. Then I start unbuttoning Ten's pants. "So needy." Tenko grinned and puffed the joint. I took down his boxers and his semi-hard dick was finally free. "Hm... I love him. He is so cute." I smiled and slowly sinker down on him. I hear Tenko whimper. "Who are you talking about?" He whispered. "About... Your amazing dick that I love so much." I purred and started bouncing on his cock. Waves of pleasure clouded my mind and I closed my eyes. His warm hands stroked my thighs and grabbed my hips. "Y-you know... This is going to be quick." He whimpered and whined. "I know. I just need you." Tenko grinned and grasped my ass. His feet digged into the mattress and he started thrusting rapidly into me. "Ten." I screamed and a big wave of pleasure spasmed through my body and clouded my vision. Tenko bit his lip and moaned quietly filling me all the way up. When my vision cleared a bit, Tenko laid me down next to him and covered us with the sheet.

The morning comes quicker than I thought. Waking up next to the best man I know. Still sleeping, hair in the face... But with a really calm expression. Even though we have such an interesting and wild nights, those sweet and slow mornings are the best. Seeing him relax thanks to the weed and sleep. Sleeping like a little angel. My little black haired angel.

[lookatmysillies]

"We're Gonna Win."

Naz was always saying that.

"You'll win when you go to Alien Stage, I know it," she said when they were kids in the Garden, red eyes flashing like a fanatic, a believer speaking to their god.

At that time, when Naz spoke of these things in their future, Akane just laughed a little in response, unconvinced but nevertheless bolstered by the cocksure statement. "What makes you say that?"

Naz flopped back so her head rested on Akane's lap, her signature toothy grin lighting up her whole face. "Because you're the best. You're the most talented, and the prettiest, and the smartest. Duh."

Akane didn't believe those words at this age, held back by a lingering uncertainty of herself, an insecurity she wasn't sure she would ever shake after all she'd endured. Sometimes she felt strange in her own skin, like there was something growing behind her ribs and spilling between the gaps of bone, desperate to escape but with no way out. Something needed to be let out and she never knew what.

Naz seemed to know exactly how to express herself, especially when it came to Akane. From the day they met, Naz had no trouble telling Akane what they thought of her. They showed such doubtless faith in Akane. At some point, maybe it started to rub off on her.

The older they got, the more she believed Naz when she told her how amazing she was, what incredible things she would do.

"I'm not worried," came Naz's steady voice at Akane's side when Akane's long-awaited season began, the brackets for each contestant's first round filled. While Akane worried at the flesh on the inside of her cheek, tasting the sharp tang of her own blood, Naz turned to her and beamed.

"You'll do it," she insisted, her voice trembling not with fear but excitement. Her hands landed on Akane's shoulders and gently shook her. "You'll beat her. And the person after that, and after that. You'll win, I know it! You'll be the best the whole world has ever seen, Akane!"

Akane's teeth let her bleeding flesh go, and a light, fond laugh burst from her chest, not so doubtful as when she was a child; instead, she felt the tightness in her sternum ease. "What if I really win? What would we do?"

Anything, Naz had laughed out, spinning her around on the spot. The two were a strange bright spot among a bleak, numbed background. Maybe I wouldn't even have to compete next season. You could get me out of it. We could do anything.

Akane found herself believing Naz after years of Naz believing in her.

"Don't worry," she said to Naz when they observed the other competitors' performances together the night of each round. Like Naz did for her a million times, she squeezed their hand and whispered, "We're gonna win."

Eyes and lips the color of flowers, Naz's face brightened in a smile, and they squeezed Akane's hand back.

They had to win.

Akane belongs to @aakaneeee! :D I hope you don't mind that I wrote this from Akane's perspective. I wanted to understand her character better and feel out her relationship with Naz from her perspective, as well as her psyche in general. Lmk if there are any mischaracterizations and I'll improve them!

[lifeofpriya]

New Traditions - Justin Herbert

[gif credit goes to @justinherberts]

summary: new year, new traditions...

The air is crisp and the sky a vibrant shade of blue, almost as if it's been dipped in a pail of freshly squeezed paint. It was another regular day during the month of December, and the world around you is alive with the anticipation of the holidays. But you're not really feeling it. Not like everyone else seems to be.

You've never really celebrated the holidays, not in the way you've seen others do. There was never much to celebrate in your family. It wasn't until Justin Herbert, the 25-year-old quarterback from Eugene, Oregon, came into your life that you even began to understand what the holidays were truly about.

Justin was different. He grew up in a big, loving family where the holidays were a time for coming together, for sharing stories and laughter, for creating memories that would last a lifetime. He had always dreamed of sharing that kind of experience with someone special, and when he met you, he knew immediately that you were the one.

So, over the past few years, Justin has been trying to create traditions with you, to help you feel the magic of the holidays. There have been snowball fights and hot chocolate by the fire, homemade cookies and Christmas carols. But something is still missing. You can't help but feel a bit out of place, like you're watching everyone else from the outside.

Justin sensed it, because one evening, as you're curled up on the couch together, watching a holiday movie, he looks at you with those big, green eyes and says, "Hey, what do you think about doing something different this year?" Your heart skips a beat, hoping that he's finally figured out how to make you feel truly a part of this world.

He continues, "I was thinking, since we can't be with our families this year, we should create our own tradition. Something that means something special just to the two of us." You feel a warmth spread through your chest at the thought of having a tradition that is unique to you and Justin. "How about we go on a road trip?" he suggests. "We could drive up to Portland and visit the Christmas markets there. Maybe even find a small town nearby and spend the night in a cozy little bed and breakfast."

The idea of exploring a new place, experiencing the holidays through Justin's eyes, fills you with a sense of anticipation and excitement. "That sounds wonderful," you say, unable to hide the smile that spreads across your face. "I've never been to a Christmas market before. It'll be really special."

Justin beams at your response, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to your cheek. "I'm so glad you think so. I want this to be our thing, you know? Our tradition. Something we can look forward to every year, no matter what." His words make your heart swell with happiness and gratitude.

You spend the next few days preparing for your trip, packing warm clothes, cozy blankets, and, of course, plenty of snacks and hot drinks. Justin has been poring over maps and guidebooks, plotting out the perfect route to take and making reservations at their bed and breakfast.

\\\

Finally, the big day arrives. You wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of Christmas carols playing softly in the background. Justin has set up a small Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, adorned with handmade ornaments and strands of twinkling lights. He hands you a mug of hot cocoa as you stretch and yawn, and you can't help but feel a sense of anticipation and excitement bubbling up inside you.

The drive to Portland is long, but the scenery is beautiful, and the conversation between you and Justin never seems to flag. You talk about your hopes and dreams for the future and the things you're most looking forward to about your trip. As you near the city, the air grows colder and the sky takes on a hint of snow. You feel as if you're entering a magical world where anything is possible.

When you finally reach the city, you're greeted by the intoxicating scent of evergreen and the twinkle of millions of lights. The Christmas markets are a sight to behold, with rows upon rows of vendors selling handmade ornaments, gifts, and holiday treats. You wander hand-in-hand through the crowds, stopping to sample hot cider and gingerbread cookies, and marvel at the massive Christmas tree in the center of the square.

As night falls, you make your way to your bed and breakfast, a cozy, old-fashioned inn located in a small town just outside the city. The innkeeper, an elderly woman with a kind smile and twinkling eyes, shows you to your room, which is decorated with garlands of holly and mistletoe. A crackling fireplace warms the room, and a platter of cheese and fruit sits on the nightstand.

You climb into the huge, four-poster bed, nestling close to Justin, and look out the window as snow begins to fall outside. The sight is so peaceful, you can't help but feel a sense of contentment washing over you. You gaze into Justin's eyes and know that this is exactly what he meant when he talked about creating a tradition just for the two of you.

As you drift off to sleep, you're lulled by the sound of the fire crackling and the snow gently falling outside. In the distance, you can hear the faint sounds of carolers singing Christmas songs, their voices harmonizing perfectly under the starlit sky. It's a sound that feels like it's coming from another world, one where time stands still and everything is magical.

\\\

The next morning, you wake up to the smell of breakfast being prepared downstairs. You crawl out of bed, throwing on a cozy sweater and wrapping a scarf around your neck, and make your way downstairs to find Justin already seated at a table by the window, sipping hot cocoa and gazing out at the snow-covered gardens. The innkeeper sets down a steaming plate of pancakes in front of you, and you can't help but feel grateful for this perfect start to your day.

As you eat, you watch the snow fall outside, painting the world in a soft white blanket. Justin leans in to kiss you on the forehead, and you feel the warmth of his body against yours. You realize that even though you're in this new, beautiful place, all you want is to be with him.

After breakfast, you and Justin bundle up and set out to explore the town. The snow has stopped falling, but the ground is still covered in a thick layer of it. You walk hand-in-hand, admiring the old-fashioned storefronts with their twinkling lights and colorful holiday decorations. You pop into a local candy shop and sample some fudge and caramel corn, then wander into a cozy bookstore where you spend a few hours browsing through the shelves.

Later, you find yourselves at a small park, where a group of children have built a snowman. You sit down on a bench, watching them laugh and play in the snow, and you can't help but feel a sense of contentment washing over you. This is the kind of moment you'll cherish for years to come, you think to yourself. As the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the snow-covered landscape, you realize that this trip isn't just about sightseeing or checking things off a list. It's about creating memories with the person you love most.

That evening, you and Justin dress up in your finest holiday attire and head to a cozy little restaurant in town. The place is decked out in garlands and twinkle lights, and the air is filled with the scent of roasting turkey and pine. You feel like you've stepped into a winter wonderland as you're seated at a table near the window, overlooking the snow-covered street below.

You spend the next few hours savoring delicious food and each other's company. You talk about your favorite memories from the past year, your dreams for the future, and all the things you're grateful for. The conversation flows effortlessly, and you find yourself lost in each other's eyes, forgetting about the world around you.

After dinner, you stroll back to your inn, taking in the sights and sounds of the town decked out in holiday splendor. You pause for a moment outside the inn, taking in a deep breath of the crisp, cold air. "I'm really glad we came here," you tell Justin, looking up at him with a smile. "It's been so perfect." He returns your smile, pulling you closer and kissing you softly on the lips.

You spend the rest of the evening curled up by the fireplace in the inn's common room, sipping hot cocoa, making you feel warm and fuzzy inside. You can't help but imagine yourself here again next year, making more memories with Justin.

As you drift off to sleep, you're lulled by the sound of the fire crackling and the soft murmur of the wind outside.The next morning, you roll over to find Justin still asleep, his chest rising and falling gently with each breath. You lean in and kiss him softly on the lips, enjoying the warmth of his body against yours.

\\\

You decide to take it easy today and enjoy a leisurely breakfast in bed. The innkeeper brings you a tray laden with freshly baked croissants and steaming cups of hot chocolate. You savor every bite, relishing the cozy atmosphere and the fact that you have nowhere to be.

After breakfast, you and Justin dress in comfortable clothes and head out for a walk through the snow-covered gardens surrounding the inn. The air is crisp and clean, and the snow crunches beneath your feet as you wander hand-in-hand. You stop to admire the snow-covered trees, their branches heavy with icicles, and breathe in the fresh, pine-scented air.

You stumble upon a small gazebo hidden amidst the gardens, its walls adorned with colorful wreaths and twinkling lights. You decide to take a seat inside, out of the cold, and cuddle up together on one of the benches. As you watch the snowflakes dance through the air, you can't help but feel a sense of peace wash over you.

"I think I'm going to miss this place," Justin says, breaking the silence. "It's so beautiful and peaceful here."

You nod in agreement, taking in a deep breath of the crisp air. "Me too. It's been such a great trip, hasn't it?" You reach over and squeeze his hand, grateful for the time you've spent together.

The two of you sit in silence for a while, content just to be together. As you watch the snowflakes dance, you can't help but feel a sense of peace wash over you. This place, this moment, feels like home.

You glance over at Justin, admiring the way the snowflakes cling to his eyelashes and hair. He looks back at you, his eyes soft and warm, and you're suddenly aware of how much you love him. In this quiet, serene setting, it's easy to forget about the stresses of everyday life and just focus on the here and now.

The two of you sit like this for what feels like hours, lost in your own thoughts but still connected by the invisible thread of your love. As you gaze out at the snow-covered gardens, you imagine what your life will be like once you get back home. You picture the two of you curled up on the couch, watching movies and eating takeout. You imagine the laughter that will fill your home, the adventures you'll go on, the love you'll continue to share.

Justin breaks the silence, "I never want this moment to end." He looks at you, a mixture of sadness and contentment in his eyes. You know exactly what he means. You both want to stay here forever, in this perfect bubble of happiness, away from the real world and its stresses. But you also know that you have to go back, that life waits for you with all its challenges and joys.

As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the snow-covered gardens, you and Justin stand up. You lean in for one final kiss, savoring the taste of each other's lips. "Thank you for this trip," you whisper, your voice hoarse with emotion. "It meant so much to me."

He smiles down at you, his eyes shining with tears. "Thank you for coming with me. It was perfect." He takes your hand in his, entwining his fingers with yours, and leads you back to the inn. The warmth of the fireplace greets you as you step inside, and you can't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving this cozy haven behind.

As you make your way back to your room, you can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia washing over you. This trip has been a whirlwind of emotions, but through it all, one thing has remained constant: your love for Justin. You know that no matter what life throws at you, you'll always have each other to lean on.

You spend the evening cuddled up on the bed, watching a movie and reminiscing about your favorite moments from the trip. The fire crackles softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Justin's arm is draped over your shoulders, and you can feel his warm breath against your neck. It's a comfortable, familiar feeling that you never want to end.

As you drift off to sleep, you're grateful for this time together, for the chance to escape reality even if only for a little while. In the morning, you'll have to say goodbye to the snow-covered gardens and the cozy inn, but you know that the memories you've made will stay with you forever.