#I've been wondering for a sec if he needs an open space for it to work but he managed to transfer half of Atsushi's leg INTO concrete

[chickensoup-4-mysoul]

herculean (drrr x f!reader) - chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Temperature Rising

synopsis: you start the day with some self defense lessons with kadota and later, check on your arrangements with izaya

word count: 4,723

warnings: N/A

"but i need to know, i don't need to be shown i've gotta see it for myself, i've gotta learn it on my own i need to know if i am flesh & bone and am i still growing or full grown?,, flesh & bone - sammy rae & the friends

"Woah, Kyohei, you did all of this?"

Your voice echoes off of the walls of the oddly large bathroom. Trying to find Kyohei in this building was like navigating a labyrinth. The rest of the place was clearly unfinished, still covered in plastic tarps. You stared in wonder at the black and white checkered walls. Kyohei's perched high on some sort of ladder. He holds a black tile in his hand, coating the back of it with a gray paste before sticking it to the wall. 

"Yeah, one sec. I'm almost done."

You're happy to watch as he fills in the remaining small spaces in the wall. He was clearly very skilled, making for a very satisfying spectacle. There was a certain art to it, you thought. After all, you could only imagine the thought and calculation that went into placing each and every tile. Though you had to admit, it was a pretty strange design for a bathroom. Kyohei jumps down from the latter, grunting as he stretches out his back. "Been at this for pretty long, huh?" you tease, removing your backpack and setting it down on the floor in front of you. You sit on the bottom step of the stairwell you had just descended from.

"Eh, nothing I'm not used to. What'd you bring?" He drags a small stool over with him and sits on it, right across from you. You eagerly open your backpack, rummaging through it before pulling out two plastic food containers. You hand one to him, eyes trained on his face as he opens it. Kyohei wasn't an emotionless or stoic guy, per se, but it was rare to see him express himself too openly. His posture was usually relaxed, mouth in a straight line, and eyes dulled by the shadow of his hat. 

Not even the beanie could hide how his eyes widened. He was silent for a moment, staring at the contents of the container. You're holding your breath, wondering what he might say, or if he would say anything at all. One of his signature huff laughs has you internally sighing in relief. It doesn't stop there, unfolding into a chuckle, then a hearty laugh. You stop breathing again, but for a different reason. He had been happy before, sure, but like this, he looked outright joyful. You don't even care about whether or not he was laughing at you, this man was breathtaking.

You clear your throat and do your best to hide your burning face because woah you need to calm down.

"I'm sorry," he sighs, finally calming down. "I don't think I've had one of these since I was in school."

As a thank you for agreeing to aid you in your makeshift 'training', you wanted to do something special from the man. He mentioned getting something to eat after his shift. That's when you had the idea to make and bring something for him. It took some research and shopping the next day, but you managed to put together a couple of cute little bento boxes. You had even managed to find some boxes with little bear faces on them! Maybe it wasn't the most appropriate considering who you were preparing them for, but such a good find could not go to waste. Of course, Kyohei's wasn't quite as little. He was a grown man, after all, he needed his food!

You had gotten a little carried away with the tutorials, and it was only after you had cut a good five apples into bunny shapes before you realized that you were following instructions for a children's bento box. "Where did you even find this?" he asks, picking up one of said bunnies in his fingers and inspecting it.

"Actually, I made them..." you admit bashfully, escaping eye contact by staring at your own food. "I haven't prepared much of my own food since I got here, so I wanted give it a shot. Sorry if it's not exactly like what you used to have. I did my best with what I could learn on the internet." Your confidence depletes the more you talk and you find yourself wanting to explain yourself further. Cooking was definitely not your forte. What if you ended up giving him food poisoning and he never talks to you again?? Any internal goading you have going on is instantly dissipated when you see Kyohei's smile. He picks up a slice of the egg salad sandwich and takes a bite out of it.

"This is great! What, are you just going to sit there? You went to all that trouble to make it." Realizing how creepy you must have looked, you stuff an apple into your mouth in embarrassment. You both silently enjoyed your meals. Not to toot your own horn, you did pretty good. It was a bit of a cop-out to choose a sandwich, one of the most similar foods to what you ate back home--but hey, neither of you were complaining. You offer to let Kyohei keep the cute little box, but he respectfully declines--although you could see the consideration in his eyes.

"So, what's with this self-defense kick all of a sudden?" he asks, handing you the empty box so you can put it into your backpack. "No one's picking on you, are they?"

You hesitate to answer. He sounded so nonchalant, as if he wasn't at all expecting the truthful answer. "Not consistently, no..." He sees something obviously wrong with that answer, eyebrows knitting together in suspicion. 

"But?" he presses. The sudden gravity in his voice is subtle, but you still pick up on it. You never pegged Kyohei as the type to do anything stupid or rash, but he was still the type of guy to be protective of his friends. You admired that about him.

"Well, you know about the whole Slasher thing...but recently I got into another little scuffle." It was not little. You still get tense wondering what it is that they were going to do to you. Obviously, Kyohei wasn't going to let you be vague here.

"A 'scuffle' with whom?" The hem of your shorts is really interesting to you at this moment. There was something about telling him the whole truth that was difficult to you. All you could think about were Kanra's messages from the other night. How would this affect the relationship between the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars? Regardless, you could tell that Kyohei wasn't going to let up until you gave him names.

"Just some punks from the Yellow Scarves. They thought that if they messed with me, they'd be able to get to Shizuo and the Dollars for some reason. I mean, that's crazy, right?" You force yourself to laugh. 

He's silent for a moment. He reminds you of a dad in those TV shows where his kid comes home after curfew and he only says 'I'm not mad, just disappointed.' The sigh he lets out after a while really sells it. "Remember what I said a while back? About this stuff being dangerous and unfair?"

"Oh, don't 'I told you so' me!" you pout. "It's not like I didn't agree with you. Besides, I got out of there pretty much unscathed." 

"How many of them were there?"

"Just three. One of them seemed to be a sort of ring leader. Some blonde dude. Flo-Rida?? Horila?? Something like that." You were being dodgy about the guy's name on purpose, but Kyohei didn't need to know that. Kyohei sighs what is probably his ten-billionth sigh ever. He stands, picking up his stool and moving it to another side of the room. "Alright, show me what you've learned."

With only a day and a quarter of practice, you were still pretty rusty, but Kyohei helped you through it. Once you had to get close to him, your brain, admittedly, started to short circuit. The two of you ended up watching a couple of the videos you had pulled up on your phone. You reenacted the different moves slowly, and Kyohei even gave you a few pointers of his own; whether or not the scenario was realistic, and if the method would actually work. You soaked up as much of the advice as you could, happy you had come to the right person. 

Eventually, you stop to take a break. Kyohei's not out of shape by any means, but it's super muggy in this bathroom, and he is draped head to toe in clothes. "I don't get why you insist on wearing that suffocating clothing all the time. You're obviously burning up," you jest, watching as he wipes the sweat off of his brow. He grunts, sitting beside you on the floor.

"You do know it's October, right?"

"So what you're saying is, when it gets hot, you'll take that hat off?"

"Wha--and what if I don't?" Bewilderment is a cute look on him. You always wondered about his odd attachment to that beanie. It was fine, you guess, but after seeing him without it, you couldn't wrap your head around why he'd want to hide himself like that. Maybe even the 'bossman' himself had insecurities. You could help him with that if he'd let you.

"Hmmm, I don't know. I guess I'd just have to..." In a flash, you're standing over him. "Do it for you!" You snag the fabric of his hat between your fingers, removing it with a single tug. He's at a loss for words, staring at you with wide eyes (that you could see much better now). You cackle at the look of absolute astonishment on his face, making a move to scurry away. However, something catches between your feet, sending you toppling over.

"Hey, quit messin' around!" he grumbles, closing in on you in pursuit of his hat. With both of you on the ground, you both have to crawl around each other. It may be annoying for him but it's hilarious for you. You're so riddled with laughter that your movements are clumsy. At one point, he catches you by the leg, sending you to the ground again. You turn onto your back so you can see him better, only to find him leaning over you. He's reaching for the beanie, held in the hand you had above your head--not realizing the position he's put you both in.

It wasn't the first time the two of you had been in that position. In fact, you notice how similar it was to one of the scenarios you acted out. In a moment of opportunism, you lift your hips, effectively knocking him off of his balance. He's definitely stronger than you, but in this moment, he was vulnerable. You wrap your arms around his torso, clinging to him like a Koala, before quickly rolling over. It was honestly hit or miss whether it'd be enough to transfer both his and your weight, especially considering the fact that he wasn't playing along at this moment. To both his and your surprise, you're able to flip him onto his back with you now on top of him.

Now both of you are out of breath, halted in your positions as you tried to regain your cool. You can't help but start to laugh again, adrenaline sending you into a bit of a giddy fit. "Guess that technique does work after all, huh?" you say, looking down at him. However, at the sight of his face, you're struck speechless. You had seen a lot of new sides of Kyohei today; his laughter, his surprise, but this one was your favorite, you think. It was subtle among the tan of his skin, but from the close proximity, you could easily see the flush in his face. "Hey, are you okay?? You're not too hot, are you?" you asked. He doesn't answer, and in his silence, you finally hear the sound of approaching voices. Very familiar voices.

"Hey, Dotachin, you in here?"

"This place is like a maze, these directions you gave us don't make sense at--Woah!" You have no clue how Walker does that thing with his eyes. Your contemplation on the nature of his facial anatomy is interrupted by Kyohei, who sits up and gently pushes you off of him. "Hey guys! You all ready to head out?" You greet them as usual, smiling brightly at the sight of your good friends. Walker and Erika return the favor, but there is something off about them. Saburo won't even make eye contact with you. You turn to Kyohei in hopes of finding some sort of understanding, but he's no better than Saburo. Huh. How weird... 

...

"I just never pictured Dotachin to be the catcher..." Erika seems to believe that by holding a hand over her mouth, she can keep everyone but Walker from hearing her, even if she continued to speak at full volume.

"Hey, wouldja shut up already??" Kyohei snaps at the two of them.

"I don't get it, is Kyohei into baseball, or...?" you mutter to Saburo, who only shakes his head. You notice a red flush on his face. "Just don't listen to anything those guys are saying. At all," he says back. You were all hanging out in the parking lot outside of the building. The odd atmosphere had dissipated, but Saburo and Kyohei were still a little standoffish, and Erika and Walker kept talking about things that you couldn't really understand (that last part was pretty normal, though). Regardless, you're just happy to be hanging out with your friends for a little longer. The smell of the oncoming storm in the air is soothing to you, so you lean against the side of the van, next to its open door. Erika sits with her legs dangling out the side, now discussing another manga with Walker, who stood in front of you both. You listen silently, trying your best to follow along with the confusing conversation.

"Listen, the moment the creators of the series confirm these crazy theories you have about their relationship, I will be the first to entertain the idea."

"But that ruins their entire chemistry, Yummach!! The whole appeal of their relationship is its ambiguity!!"

You feel your phone vibrate in your pocket and sneak a peek at it, assuming that your two friends would be too busy to mind.

UNKNOWN NUMBER It's been long enough since your last visit. If you can come today, I'd like to discuss your payment.

The next message is an address outside of Ikebukuro. As cryptic as it was, you had a pretty good idea as to who it could be. Making sure that Walker and Erika are still distracted, you sneakily send a message back.

ME I'll be there soon.

"Kyohei."

You're all taken off guard by the new voice, turning to see who it is. In front of Kyohei stood Masaomi. Just by looking at the boy, you could tell that something was off. The grave demeanor he had during your hangout at Russia's Sushi had only intensified. The gang had told you about their familiarity with the Raira Trio, and you all even crossed paths occasionally--but Masaomi had never intentionally sought them out, and certainly not by himself. Where were the others anyway?

"You came back," Kyohei says. Masaomi nods earnestly, obviously understanding the statement more than you did. 

"I did. Let's talk somewhere private."

You are deeply confused and looking at everyone else, it seemed like you were the only one. Saburo, Erika, and Walker all eyed the boy, uncharacteristically dour. There was a situation that everyone here was aware of, except for you. You are reminded of your first escapade with the van gang at Russia's Sushi and how, at the mention of Masaomi's name, everyone had this same look on their faces. It didn't help how their gazes were not-so-subtly flickering in your direction. Masaomi's eyes meet yours, presumedly for the first time since he had shown up. It's like watching a lightbulb turn on, how instantly his face changes. 

"Oh, hey there, (Y/N)! Didn't see you there. Thanks again for the sushi date, you sure know how to treat a fella!" His smile, the light in his eyes, it's all so obviously forced. You wonder what other times that smile was a facade--a facade that he had to put up around you. Ignoring the despair in your chest, you wave at the boy.

"Hey, Masaomi. Good to see you." You maneuver out of your place between Walker and Erika, approaching Masaomi and standing beside him. "I actually have to bail, now. I really lost track of time! It was fun hanging with you guys, as always."

"You sure you don't want us to drop you off? It's raining," Kyohei offers. His words are reinforced by the feeling of water sprinkling your face. It was a light drizzle now, but it was bound to get worse. As much as you'd like to avoid getting hypothermia, you didn't want to deter whatever serious conversation they were about to have. Not to mention, you were reluctant to reveal to them what you were really up to. 

"Nah, I love the rain! See you guys later." You spare one last glance at Masaomi before you leave. The light had already disappeared. It was heartbreaking, seeing so much weight on a kid. 

Whatever he was dealing with, maybe Kyohei and the others would be able to get him through it.

...

"Wow, you really meant soon, huh?" Izaya smirks at your drenched form. He sits in the same place you had left him, sipping on yet another mug. You're almost angry at how cozy he looks. Something fuzzy appears in your peripheral. It's Namie, holding out a towel. On the inside, you’re swooning. You gratefully accept it, thanking the woman. The fabric feels like heaven against your dripping face. 

Once you're certain that you won't leave wet footprints all over the floor, you meet Izaya at the couch. Out of courtesy, you set the towel down before you sit. His eyes scan your form before he laughs. You wish that the man would at least try to hide his amusement at the sight of you. Your fingers anxiously scratch against the damp denim of your shorts. "So...how's it going?"

"Hm? Oh, I've been fine. I decided to stay in today after checking the forecast." You huff at his answer. This guy was one smug pain in the butt. 

"N-no, I mean...Nice to hear you're having a good day, but...how is the job going?"

"I see." His jovial smile drops as he puts down the mug. The change in demeanor has you fidgeting terribly. You don't know which is worse, his smugness or his gravity. "I have to admit, it's a bit more difficult than I expected. I rarely extend my services to foreign affairs, so I'm still adjusting to the cultural barrier."

You don't want to admit how disappointed you are. Ever since you had made the request, you had really gotten your hopes up. You had spent the past year disregarding the past, choosing to simply look forward to all of the new memories you could make. However, now that you finally had an opportunity to learn more, you found yourself wondering just what kind of history you had. Just how large of a part of yourself had you lost?

"Aw, no need to look so sullen!" Guess your expressions were more revealing than you thought. "I'm certainly not giving up. It'll just take a little while longer. I understand that this must be important to you, so I'll provide a few forms of compensation for the wait."  Your ears perk at the term 'compensation'. 

"Compensation...?"

"Of course! I care about the satisfaction of my clients, after all." He leaves his chair and goes over to his desk. "First off, I'll be sure to cut you a good rate for your payment. I know my services can be a little pricy, and you are a young woman, so I don't mind making it a little easier." You're honestly a little offended. None of that really mattered, especially considering the fact that you could probably cover his normal price. However, you decide not to press, since it was basically your father's money that you were spending. As you decide this, you suddenly make eye contact with Namie, who seemed to be taking a break from cleaning. Her eyes were trained on you, narrowed and filling you with a feeling that you couldn't describe. Her gaze then moves to something behind you, most likely her boss. What was going on with her? Suddenly, she returns to her cleaning, just as Izaya returns from his place at the desk. 

"I'd also like to offer you this," he says, setting something down in front of you. It was a manila folder, similar to the one he had been looking through during your first visit. Upon closer inspection, you realized that it was the folder that he had been looking through. You eye him cautiously, hesitating to even touch the folder. He doesn't seem offended, continuing to smile at you as he leans over your shoulder. The way he stays behind you has you skittish. "I noticed how interested you were in this case the last time that we talked. I've learned all that I needed from it, so I thought I'd lend it to you. There are some riveting aspects that I never told you about."

Of course he noticed that. He wasn't wrong, you had even found yourself wondering about it hours ago. You stare at the folder, wondering what it is about its contents that you'd find so interesting. After a moment, you finally pick it up, accepting his offer. He is visibly pleased by this. "Great! Well, that's all I had to discuss with you, so if you don't mind!" You're put off by such a blunt send-off, but you don't think so much into it. This meeting was just for business after all.

”I was in a car crash a year ago.” Your lips are moving faster than you can register. There’s a silence from the man behind you. Anxious from the lack of response, you look over your shoulder to catch a glimpse of him. He’s lips are pressed into a straight line—it’s such a short flash that you almost don’t notice it, but you swear that his mouth had been a smirk a mere second before. 

“Is that so?” You don’t know what reaction you were expecting. Still, motivated by his engagement, you continue.

”I was in a car crash a year ago, and I lost my memory. All I know is that I’m (Y/N) Brigall, 19, adopted daughter of Dr. Neville Brigall. So please, understand what this means to me...I’m sure there are records somewhere, right? News articles, adoption papers, anything....” You’ve managed to choke yourself up. How embarrassing. Taking deep breaths through your nose, you rush to compose yourself. A thin, pale hand rests itself on your shoulder. Izaya smiles at you, and through your blurry vision, it almost looks genuine.

“I will find exactly what you’re looking for,” he promises. If you close your eyes and listen to just his voice, you could find all the sincerity that you need. You finally stand, grimacing at how your clothes were still damp.

As you make your way to the door, he calls out to you. Amongst the spacious room, his voice echoes off of the walls. "I just hope you don't lose sleep over this...perhaps you simply lived such a boring, ordinary life that there's not much to find!"

You don't what it is about his words that don't sit right with you, but you find yourself gaping in offence. You practically whirl around to face him, mouth fixed to say something, anything--you don't know what. However, your tongue stops as your eyes meet his. There it was, that smile--the smile that, on his own, could be perceived as courteous and welcoming. When paired with those narrowed, audacious eyes, however, it carried a whole different meaning that you didn't want to understand. Driven by the shudder traveling down your spine, you quickly exit, not bothering to say any goodbyes. You lean against the door, sighing in frustration. You had really gotten yourself into something messy, huh? 

"(Y/N)?"

You gasp as you realize that someone is standing in front of you. As you travel down the mental list of people that you hope aren't looking at you right now, you realize that it's a very long list. Honestly, it's just a list of every person that you know. No matter what, when you open your eyes and look at this person, you were going to dread it. Despite this, you're still surprised at the sight of Masaomi, gaping at you. Staring into his wide eyes, you're at a loss for words. You don't know what you could possibly do to explain yourself. The way his fists are starting to clench certainly doesn't help.

You're internally berating yourself as you rush past him, never saying a word. What could you say?? You were caught messing with this man--this man who had probably done things to upset a lot of people. How could you possibly justify that? The further you get from him, the faster you move, eventually running until you've completely left the building. Why was he there? He was just with the others, wasn't he? Even under the cool rain, the burning in your face won't let up, persisting through your entire walk home.

You messed up.

...

Kanra:  You guys hear? Kanra: The Dollars and Yellow Scarves went at it again! Taro Tanaka: Man, again? Setton: Scary... Sora: This is getting old! Taro Tanaka: Another scuffle, right? Kanra: Actually, this time, the Dollars hit the Yellow Scarves at their own HQ (°ロ°) ! Setton: A little bold of them, isn't it? Kanra: Yeah! Kanra: You know the Headless Rider? Kanra: Apparently, it teamed up with the Slasher--and together they attacked the Yellow Scarves at their secret hideout!

Out of every single thing you have heard Kanra say, you'd say that you'd believe about 15% of it. She always says such ridiculous things, you wonder if she'll ever quit. Why on Earth would Celty involve herself in all of this gang mess? Not to mention the fact that you watched her slam a Slasher in the face with the wheel of her motorcycle. There's no reason at all to team up with it.

Setton: Uh... Kanra: Something wrong, Setton? Taro Tanaka: That can't be true. Taro Tanaka: I can't believe that, even from you, Kanra. Taro Tanaka: That's way too absurd (´• ω •`)

Saika has joined the chat.

You, Taro, and Setton make a silent, mutual agreement not to share Kanra's antics with Saika, making up some imaginary special effects movie and raving about it. Kanra tries to deflect it, but you three win out due to strength in numbers. Saika seems to take the recommendation to heart, saying that she'll check it out. That lie is going to fall through very soon, but at least you managed to change the subject. At least, that's what you thought.

Kanra: By the way... Kanra: I heard this crazy rumor. Sora: What a surprise... Kanra: So mean!! 。゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜。 Taro Tanaka: What was it? Kanra: They say that the leader of the Yellow Scarves wants to meet the leader of the Dollars and challenge him to some sort of showdown! Saika: Really??

The rest of the conversation continued as usual, with Kanra talking about all kinds of crazy stuff. Sometimes you wonder if she started this chat simply to spread her weird gossip. Where on earth did she get all of this information, anyway? It was always "I heard" and "they said". You wouldn't be surprised if it was all gossip she made up herself. You guess you should be more forgiving towards the girl. When she wasn't spreading rumors, she was honestly pretty funny. With the new addition of Saika, the chat's dynamic had only gotten more amusing. You often wonder if you all would ever meet in person. Honestly, since you were all in Ikebukuro, you wonder if you all had met already....

You laugh dismissively as the chat closes. No way!

[baura-bear]

i gotta have the most swagalicious panic attack ever

i mean, come on you can't just drop that

a few notes beforehand: jack is 10000000% based off of angsty teenage me and Race is like also 1000000% based off of my roommate (genuinely this is 1% racetrack higgins 99% my roommate so i want to hear 0% complaining about being out of character. this is my special little boy that i've crafted and i love him). also this snippet i chose doesn't even have the swagalicious panic attack but it's long (I couldn't choose which parts to share) so that will make up for it :)

disclaimer they smoking weed

Jack had only been with Medda Larkin for a week and was already proving to be a handful. Medda’s adopted son had even interrogated him, wondering why he always had to be “such a little asshole”. The words had no malice and Jack actually didn’t mind the kid’s company. He had insisted that Medda was sweet and really did want to help. Jack scoffed at that, making an off-hand comment about his nickname Racetrack. He did find the nickname a little strange, but Jack had no room to judge. 

Tonight had been particularly rough. Dinner was fine. It should’ve been fine. But the sound of forks on the plates was making Jack want to rip his hair out. Race was chewing too loud, not bothering to finish his bite before he spoke. And ultimately Jack couldn’t understand how no one could care about where Crutchie was. 

When Medda had asked Jack how his day had gone he glared at her, carelessly dropping his fork so that it clattered against his plate. “Pretty fucking shit,” he spat before storming away from the table. He knew it was dramatic, but it was also the truth. Medda had encouraged him not to shy away from what he was feeling, so he didn’t.

He stomped up the stairs, taking them two at a time and slammed the door to his bedroom.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” Race asked, still staring at the stairs where Jack had been.

Medda reached across the table, patting Race’s hand. “Let’s give him some space, he’ll come around,” she said gently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~lalala cut all the in between stuff~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Gah, Fuck!” He exclaimed, suddenly stopping in the middle of the room. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times then shook out his hands. He was buzzing with energy that he needed to get rid of. 

Jack rushed over to his closet, taking out his ratty converse and a hoodie, pulling them both on. Some fresh air would do him good.

He quietly opened his door, hoping not to draw attention from anyone in the house. He hurried down the stairs (which thankfully weren’t creaky). But it all was futile because he had to walk right past Race to get to the front door. 

Race didn’t seem to pay him any mind. He had a headset on and was talking to someone who, presumably, was on the other end of the TV screen, playing Minecraft with him.

Jack opened the wooden front door and paused as he looked out the screen door. Apparently while he had been talking to Medda a torrential downpour had begun outside. He stood dumbly, staring at a rippling puddle. Jack didn’t have an umbrella and he wasn’t about to ask for one. 

Meanwhile Race had pulled his headset off one ear and said “Gimme a sec’ Al.” He pressed a button, muting his end of the mic. “Going somewhere?” he asked, genuinely sounding curious.

“It’s raining,” Jack said lamely, still staring at the puddle. 

“Y-up,” Race said, popping the p. He stared at the back of Jack’s head, waiting for an actual response. When he didn’t get one he said, “So… You’re not going anywhere?”

Jack sighed. “I guess not,” he muttered, finally closing the door. He stood dumbly staring at Race, wondering what he should do. It felt weird to stomp back to his room. 

Race smiled at him, patting the couch, welcoming Jack to sit. Jack hesitated but walked over, squishing himself into the corner of the couch, as far away from Race as possible. 

“Isn’t this game for babies?” Jack asked rudely, staring at the TV which currently showed that Race was in a dirt hut with nothing more than a crafting table and bed. 

Race shrugged, “I’m just a big baby in a big boy body.”

Jack scrunched his eyebrows together, trying to understand Race. He was an enigma. Jack pulled his legs up onto the couch, hugging his knees as he watched Race run around killing mobs without any armor on. 

“No shoes on the couch,” Race said, followed by a scream as he turned around and was face-to-face with a creeper.

Jack glared at him. For one, he didn’t give a shit about the couch, he also had just started to relax and was not about to move. “Whatever,” he muttered.

“Mama and I are just trying to help you, you know?” Race successfully evaded the creeper, but left a hole in the ground. Another player ran over (actually wearing armor) and patched it. Race unmuted briefly to say, “I was going to! I don’t have any dirt on me!” There was a stack in his hot bar. 

Jack didn’t say anything, he was more of a quiet high and he didn’t particularly want to engage with Race.

“I’m serious. I know you don’t trust us, and I get it Jack, I do, but if you won’t trust Mama’s word, at least trust mine.” Race ran back into his dirt hut so he could look at Jack. When it was clear he wasn’t going to get a response he sighed. “Do you wanna go smoke?

“I just…” Jack paused, actually considering. He had just smoked but he wasn’t that high, he could definitely smoke more. Plus, free weed was free weed. Jack shrugged, then nodded. 

Race unmuted his microphone, running out of his hut to find the other player. “Yo, Albo, I’m gonna go hang with Jack. Yeah. Ok, I’ll probably get on later. Yeah. See ya.” Race logged off, putting his remote and headset in a drawer on the TV stand. He turned to Jack, who was still curled up on the couch. “C’mon,” he waved a hand to signal for Jack to follow him. 

Race led Jack up to his room, which was similar to Jack’s own room in a few ways. The actual architecture was the same as Jack’s just mirrored. Race also had a desk but it was a different model and was cluttered with all kinds of odds and ends. His bed had what looked like childrens bed sheets with little cartoon planets and stars scattered across it. There was a small bedside table with a lava lamp on it. 

One corner of the room was completely dedicated to a giant bean bag chair that was surrounded by pillows and blankets. Behind it on the wall was a large tie dyed tapestry. Jack actually thought that looked inviting

“Make yourself at home, that there is the cozy corner, guests get first dibs.” He pointed at the giant bean bag. 

Jack nodded, kicking off his shoes before he fell back into the bean bag which was… incredibly comfortable. He sunk back into it, curling his knees up. 

Meanwhile Race was rummaging through the top drawer of his bedside table. He pulled out a couple of things. First was a small remote with various colorful buttons, the other was what looked like a small makeup bag. Race turned to Jack with a mischievous smile. “Watch this.” He pressed a button on the remote and the room lit up blue. Jack hadn’t noticed but lining the ceiling of Race’s room were LED lights. 

Race walked over to the window, pulling the blinds so that the unnatural light was the only thing brightening the room. The planets and stars on his sheets looked like they were glowing now. “Cool right? There are other colors but-” he flopped back onto his bed, “I think this one’s the best.” Race pushed himself up so that he was criss-cross on his bed and leaned over to turn on the lava lamp. “I can’t believe Mama thinks I don’t smoke. You’d think it’d be obvious by now.” He rolled his eyes, “Not as obvious as you though.”

“It’s not like I was trying to hide it,” Jack muttered, picking at the loose threads from the hole in his jeans. 

“That’s what I don’t get.” Race had started rummaging through his small bag. Jack realized that Race didn’t have actual weed, he had carts. “It’s not that hard to be discreet, plus Mama doesn’t really care. I mean she does- but like if we were twenty-one she wouldn’t. She just doesn’t want us fucking up our brains or getting in any legal trouble.” Race screwed a cartridge into the battery and took a hit. “This is so fun! Bonding time!” he bounced up and down a few times, taking another hit.

Jack was slowly starting to regret coming in here. It felt like Race was about to be a ball of energy, which wasn’t necessarily a problem, just a bit overwhelming. 

“Think fast!” Race yelled before chucking the pen over at Jack.

 Jack was able to think fast and did indeed catch it but thought Race was being a bit reckless. He turned it over in his hand, reading the label. “Banana… Colada?” he asked skeptically. 

“Yup! Fruity. Like me!” 

“Right…” Jack took a hit and was met with an unpleasantly weed-y banana-y flavor. “This is terrible,” Jack said through a plume of smoke. 

“You mispronounced, amazing,” Race leaned forward far enough so that he was on his stomach with his feet kicked back behind him.  

“Nah, terrible is right.” He took another hit before throwing the grossness back at Race. Instead of trying to catch it, Race let it land on the bed behind him, paying it no mind. 

“To each their own,” Race sighed, kicking his feet back and forth like a teenage girl in cheesy 2000s movies. “So, tell me about yourself,” Race prompted, now rolling onto his back so that his head could hang off the bed and watch Jack upside down.

“Not much to tell.” Jack shrugged, watching the lava lamp as it slowly warmed up, starting to work. He didn’t really want to talk, he just wanted to not think for a while.

“That’s alright.” Race sat up, grabbing his pen. He took another hit then grabbed something off of his bedside table. “I’ll tell you about me.” He walked over to the bean bag and pointed at it. “May I?” 

“It’s your room, ain’t it?” 

“Damn right it is!” Race flopped down next to Jack, mushing himself up against Jack’s side. 

also adding this snippet because i <3 javey

David let out a huff of air as he fell back onto Jack’s bedspread. Jack had been sitting there for a while, legs criss-crossed, hunched over his sketchbook mindlessly scribbling away.  There were various pencils, markers, and erasers scattered about around him. Occasionally he would lean back, turn his head, grab a different tool and then lean in to change some details. 

David rolled onto his side to look at what Jack was drawing. He was unsurprised, but elated when he saw that Jack was, in fact, drawing him. “Looks good,” David complimented, flopping onto his back again. 

“It’s alright,” Jack muttered, too focused on perfecting the details to say much more. 

David rolled his eyes but didn’t bother refuting Jack, it was a battle he’d never win trying to get Jack to admit his art was decent. “You should give me a tattoo,” David said out of the blue. 

Jack scoffed and shook his head. “What?”

“Not a real one,” David hurried to explain. “Just draw on my arm with a sharpie or something.”

“A sharpie would look like shit, the ink would bleed and look all muddy.”

“Ok, a pen then,”

Without another word Jack got up and walked over to his desk, sorting through a drawer until he found what he wanted. He crawled back up onto the bed and sat closer to David, taking David’s forearm and resting it in his lap. “You gotta tell me what to draw,” Jack said, peering down at David’s piercing blue eyes. 

“Oh, um…” David closed his eyes, taking a moment to himself to think. “Something natural… like a plant or something.”

“A plant or something?” Jack repeated skeptically. “A’ight but you can’t get mad if you don’t like it.”

[kianbe]

'CAUSE OF YOU 김기안 → 주런이

now that he doesn't have nicky to kill all of his free-time with, kian's been hard at work writing songs, and honestly speaking, it's been nice, healing almost, hanging out with his guitar even more than he was before. his coveted instrument is honestly his best friend, and he doesn't care if people think that that's odd of him to assert. it's been there for him during his darkest hours, and it always, always cracks his heart wide open whenever he's having a hard time expressing himself. he can't ever lie to his guitar, and he never would either.

after all, he's been told that the best music is written not only with raw emotion, but with immense truth, too. that's what makes it relatable enough to be felt, even by those whose hearts resemble stone.

tonight, he feels like he finally placed the finishing touches on a love song he's been working on, and after playing it through once or twice for himself, he knows he needs to seek out joomi for the final stamp of approval. if there's anyone he trusts with things like this, it's him.

this rapport between them started when kian was only in middle school, and it continues strongly into present day. whenever he finishes something, he rushes over to joomi for his thoughts like clockwork, and being that he knows joomi often stays late in a very specific studio-space, he charges toward it with intent; swinging the door open when he gets there.

"joomi!" he exclaims, then stops dead in his tracks. "o-oh... i'm sorry," he apologizes when he realizes he's interrupting someone else's work time. though, it seems strange to him. it's after hours, and normally, joomi is occupying this space come hell or high water. regardless, he bows toward the person in question, and when he stands up straight again, it dawns on him that he recognizes the person parallel to him.

brows furrowing, he takes a step closer to him, then grins; sheepish. "wait... you're ren, right?" hopefully it's not creepy that he knows this person's name. "i'm kian! i've heard a lot about you from joomi. he's like my brother." letting the door shut behind him, he leans his back against it; becoming more comfortable. "d'you know if he's around? i wanna play him a song i've been workin' on..."

pausing, he can't help but wonder if it's rude that he's not really acknowledging that ren is also a musician in his own right, and that, if anything, his opinions could be helpful, too. "if he's not here, maybe i can borrow your ears for a sec? i-if that's okay with you!"

[c03xistentw01]

ight i have a lot on my mind i gotta write it all up real good real fast before i forget.

last night i went to some random ass town called Gorizia on the border with slovania for work. The whole region was so slovanian that even in the market where we worked the signs and shit they were all bilingual in italian and slovanian.

slovanian lowkey gives off turkish vibes.

not so many of us came from padova so we just hoped on a black van and left. the driver who gave off strong leonardo vibes was playing twenty one pilots for the good portion of the time. i liked him kinda. i was lowkey admiring his long neck the entire time of the trip when i was sitting behind him liKE A FUCKING PERV YES IKR.

i didn't get to have much convo with him. i actually got none. except for the time when after legit 6 hours of work in the market he saw me and was like "lets go lets go lets go" without even looking at me for a sec thinking well since I'm speaking english the lil bitch is supposed to I'm talking to her ight?

there was this other guy from pd who i legit got to have a convo in italian with which felt nice and ... weird? cuz I'm never mentally prepared to speak italian?

and oh my god I'll never forget 'Vlad'. My team leader there.

he would see me across the hall miles away and shout my name "Paaaaaaaria" with theatrical eye rollings. And then see my work and be like "Maaaaarvelous. If you ever need any assistance (except for of course boyfriend material stuff) just call me. I'm used to be called with any consonant".

he once moved some stuff which made a loud noise i looked at him he was like im sorry i didnt mean to be this much dramatic *followed by yet another theatrical eye roll".

basta. when i got home and to my bed i was so tired i couldn't even sleep. i woke up at 11 am tho. went to mensa. got anxious. felt short (about that i was walking in portello some other day with hilal when a tall girl was walking towards us with her friend i heard her say "bassa" looking at me and the other "si sente" and looking down.

yes.

ladies and gentlemen. this happened. people are mean dead-inside assholes. They say whatever shit they want, making more space in your mind to wonder whether other people have always thought the same but never mentioned it.

although the pain the bitch inflicted was soon oddly compensated when hilal said "but girl you are average".

later that night when we were already drunk we decided to go to hilal's house and get more booze on the way because why not and also because hilal left italy to turkey on the following day.

we got there got more drunk. ade joined. we got high. I started speaking italian ade was like wtf you're at least B1.

before that hilal was talking about berfin and sometimes i get this feeling when other people are opening up to me deeply that okay but why do i not do that with them? like why do i find it so freaking difficult to open up about something that happened to me and was way more brutal but there my friends. is exactly where you start losing friends. so you keep your mouth shut.

but anyway. that night i realized it's different with hilal. when she opens up mi sento piu leggere invece.

i saw fatima today at mensa after a longass time cuz she was in cividale and i was just ... busy surviving the shitwave of shit of which I've had nothing but recently. She told me about this weirdass roomie of her who according to her has been hacked by some creepy dude for the past 12 fucking years. the dude even deleted his thesis and stuff. Fatima said i even once asked her to share her internet with me through hotspot and she was like no this is how my sister got hacked as well i dont recommend u do the same. i mean the whole fucking situation is so fucking creepily stupid we all dont know whether to feel pity whether to laugh cuz shit looks so fucking um .... surreal? or to call the police asap cuz i mean cmon.

[wysteria-bloom]

Wait that last one maybe too similar to the last thing you wrote…how about

How would the Haikyuu boys trying to sweet talk their SO before asking a favor? (Kuroo, atsumu, you can chose someone else too)

I’m sleepy, GOODNIGHT!

This sounds so cute oml 🥺🥺

Haikyuu x Reader

🍡Sweet talking you into doing something for them🍡

A/n: Sorry I've done this so late, I've been trying to juggle other projects. I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: None! :)

Characters: Kuroo, Atsumu

The second he spoke, you could tell something was up.

He bounded over to you with a smile that was shiner than those guys‘ smiles you see on commercials that try too hard to make it seem like their lives are together.

“ Hey there, kitten~” He sang out lowly, eyelashes fluttering As he leaned down towards your face to peck your nose lovingly.

You deadpanned up at him, raising an eyebrow,” What is it you want.” It was more of a demand than a question.

He gasped, giving you an offended look as he pulled away from your face, his arms sneaking around your waist like snakes,” Me? Want something? Am I not allowed to give my S/O kisses now without being accused of wanting something?” He sighed in disappointment, pulling you close to him on instinct,“ Oh how the times have changed for the worse…”

You snorted up at him with a condescending smile on your lips,” Okay, old man. Did it ever occur to you that you usually dont call me ‘kitten‘ as a usual nickname? You call me it every single time you need something.” You stated simply, flicking his nose which scrunched up cutely at the action.

He sucked air through his teeth,” Well—….” He shrugged, almost as if to say,’ The name speaks for itself’.

“ Wow— didn’t know I was dating a mini-Sherlock.”

”mini?”

” Kuroo Tetsurou, if you dont tell me what the hell it is you want now then you might receive a loving smack to the head in about thirty seconds.” You deadpanned out, already sick of his antics.

Groaning in defeat, he rolled his eyes and took his arms from your waist, waving his hands up in defeat,” Fine, fine. White flag,” He pouted a little, cheeks flushing a cute pink,” I was wondering… if you could make some… Katsudon tonight, that’s all.”

You ran a hand over your face tiredly with a long sigh pushing from your lips,” you’re so annoying… yes. Ok. Whatever.”

His usual Cheshire cat grin spread across his lips and he grabbed the hand that was running down your face, pressing the back of it to his lips lovingly.

He looked up at you and watched how your cheeks reddened at his action, winking at you,” Thanks, kitten~”

“ You’re a moron… always have to make a show outta the smallest things.”

“ You love it.”

“ Hey bubs, can ya come ‘ere for a sec?” Your boyfriend called out, his tone sweet.

You, not knowing any better, obviously went to where he was calling from which was the living room,” Hm? What is it you need?”

He looked over to you with a saddened pout, eyebrows furrowed,” Can we jus’… ya know… cuddle?“ He asked, his arms spreading open as he made grabbing motions with his hands.

Raising a brow questioning, you gave him a small frown of concern,” Are you okay, baby?” You questioned, walking over to him to sit in his lap comfortably.

His arms instantly wrapped around you securely as he nuzzled his face into your neck. You could sense his distress and put your hands underneath his shirt, running your fingers up and down against his warm back slowly and lovingly.

He leaned into your touch unconciously,” Nah… jus’ missed ya a lot today,“ He confessed, a genuine tone to his honeyed voice.

“Aww, baby…” You cooed out, which never fails to make his ego raise and his body warm up,” I missed you too… Do you wanna do something after dinner?“

He nodded his head,“ Can we…” he paused before taking a deep breath, finally going to ask what he wanted for real,” Can we maybe… go watch the new Space Jam in the cinema?”

You hesitated, slightly suspicious on how what he said sounded slightly rehearsed,” Uhh… Space Jam?” You pulled away from him a little, hands settled on his shoulders as you looked into his eyes,”… Space Jam?? Really??”

he gave you a glare,” What?? You judgin’ me??”

“ Cant we just like… stay at home and watch something… I dont know… better?”

” No shit I am.”

”What the hell??”

His glare harhsened,” Space Jam is amazin’. One of the best movies ever made. Are ya really gonna sit there an’ diss one of my favourite movies like that?” He shook his head at you in disappointment,” For shame, [Y/n]. For shame.”

You stuck your tongue out at him, which he returned with his own,” Lola bunny isn’t even hot in this movie, whats the point in watching it??” You argued.

”For LeBron James.”

You sighed, mad that he made a very valid point, ” We’ll go if you buy me the huge popcorn, not the shitty kids one like you always do—”

”I’m savin’ more money that way, bubs!“

”No questions asked, you’re doing It.”

”… fine, okay. Deal.”

You gave him a little kiss on the lips to seal it.

[kiridarling]

𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.

eijirou kirishima | f!reader, DARK CONTENT, drugging, noncon, but also the reader isn't not into it bc like...i have my limits okay, talk of vomit for a sec (no actual vomit), degradation, bondage, size kink, hair pulling, ripping clothes, slut-calling once or twice. minors dni!

— 3k words

"'S this what you need, Sweetheart? Y'need me to use you to get off while you just lie there and take it?"

"See somethin' you like, Sweetheart?"

"U-Um," you flush a deeper red than the stranger's hair and pray he can't see it under neon red lights. Either way, you've been caught red-handed, and recoil. "Sorry."

The stranger's crimson eyes soften before relaxing into a kind smile, and he lifts a dismissive hand. "I was just messing with you! That's on me."

He lifts a hand to scratch the back of his head and the smile grows wider, displaying the rows of predatory sharp teeth that shouldn't look as gentle as they do. You relax in the seat to his right, immediately turning to the bartender to order a funny named a drink. The redhead raises an eyebrow, leaning his arm on the counter.

"A Stranger Danger?" He nearly deadpans.

"Club Special," you shrug. You've never been particularly great at holding your alcohol, but this drink provides just enough punch for a buzz, aka what you need to get through the night. The bartender slides over a tall, rose-dyed wine glass without another word.

"Eijirou Kirishima," the stranger says with his sharp teeth, offering a large hand to shake. He looks comical next to you, all hunched over the neon bar while you sit up straight for your head to reach his shoulder, and as you take the handshake, can't help but notice how his palm eats yours like it's nothing.

"Y/N," you smile. His hand lingers before it pulls away, and he tells the bartender he'll have what you're having.

"So," Eijirou starts once his order has been placed. "You come here often?" You snort at the cheesy line, and the way Eijirou smirks implies he knows just how cliché it is.

"Sometimes," you shrug vaguely. The club's fairly new, so it's not as if you can say you've been going here for years. You lift the drink to your lips, the sugar-crusted rim tickling the corners of your mouth. "You?"

He shrugs, "When I want to get out."

You nod at that and offer him your glass with a raised eyebrow. Eijirou shakes his head, lifting a glass of his own. Your nose scrunches.

"Beer?"

He takes a sip before answering, lips white from the foam before his tongue licks them over, "Stella Artois. Want some?"

Your eyes shift between your dainty glass and his not-so-dainty one before you snort, "I'll pass."

Eijirou shrugs, reclining back in his seat and beer in hand, "Suit yourself."

You pat your back pocket for your phone, but when you realize there's a loss of weight on one side, you pat your right buttcheek to realize you left your wallet in the car. Fuck.

"Uh, hey," you say, knocking the redhead on the shoulder. You figure he's trustworthy enough, and the bartender always keeps an eye out for you anyway. "I'll be right back—left my wallet in the car."

Eijirou nods at that as you push away from the counter practically shaking your head at how distracted you can be sometimes. Seriously, your wallet?

At least the bartender didn't ask for your ID. Yikes.

You slam the car door shut with a huff, wallet finally in hand as you trudge back to the bar. When you return, Eijirou's got the beer lifted to his lips and greets you with a small wave as you sit down.

"Long time no see."

You giggle while grabbing your glass by the neck. As the club starts to fill out, you begin to shrink into your shell—throwing the entire drink down the hatch fixes you right up, though.

"Oh wow okay, looks like we're just going for the whole thing, then," Eijirou chuckles as he takes a much more civilized sip of his. You smack your lips with a satisfied aah.

"Gotta get the buzz going somehow," you wink, before getting comfortable in your seat. Alcohol warms your veins already, prompting your body to start pulse in time with the bass of the music. Eijirou smiles, watching you.

"You like this song?" he asks softly, before adjusting so you're both sat the same way—elbows and backs against the counter, facing the club and all its chaos. You shrug.

"I guess. I've never heard it 'till now."

He tosses his head back onto his muscled shoulders in a chuckle, and you watch the entire act in slow motion. The glint of his teeth in the neon lights, how his chest balloons and quivers under the weight of a bellow. You find yourself staring much harder than you intend to, but he doesn't seem to notice, eyes locked on the dance floor.

"Touché, touché," he says upon recovery. The alcohol in your veins turns to syrup and time starts to blur more than you're used to it being, body so light and weightless you have to pat the chair to make sure you aren't floating. That usually doesn't happen.

"You okay?" Eijirou frowns when you falter. You pull a smile and nod.

"Mhm," you say, though silently panicking when you feel like you're falling out of your seat. You grip the countertop just in case. "Mhm, yeah."

He raises an eyebrow, "You sure?"

"Yeah," you nod, before clearing your throat. Your body flashes hot then cold, and you wonder if you shouldn't have taken that drink down like you did. "I'm um—I'm going to go to the bathroom, one sec."

You're unsure if Eijirou says something as you leave because you pour all your energy into stumbling across the obnoxiously loud club, filled with too much bass and pandemonium for your liking. You're suddenly overwhelmed by everything and your esophagus goes numb at the thought of vomiting, but you make it to the singles bathroom just in time to shut the door and control your goddamn stomach.

With a sigh, you rest your head against the cool sink. The incessant buzz of the overhead lights is much, much better.

You take a deep breath and flick on the sink. Ensuring it's as freezing as it can possibly go, you launch some into your face. You don't even consider ruining the amount of work that went into your outfit today, because ultimately you aren't sober enough to give a shit, blinking back at your reflection to find it fairly blurry. You nearly stumble and fall, but your vice grip on the counter keeps you alive.

"You okay?"

The second you step back into the noisy club, Eijirou's there—with his sweet sharp-toothed smile, he's posted next to the bathroom door and you find yourself grappling his jacket for stability.

"Whoa—Careful now," He chuckles at your sloppiness with a lifted eyebrow. You blink once, twice—the spots floating in your line of vision don't disappear. His hands snake around your waist to keep you from falling and eating shit, and you dig your forehead into his muscled chest.

"Gotta—I gotta go home."

"Okay," Eijirou soothes softly upon realizing how utterly shit-faced you are. "How'd you get here?"

"Walked," you groan and nearly cry, looking up at him with a pout. Eijirou coos.

"Well, no offense but I don't think you're good to walk on your own, Sweetheart."

His voice is heady with something you can't quite recognize, but it's comfortable, and you melt into his chest with a weak nod.

"Mhm."

"Can I help you home?" He offers with a kind smile. You nod, fists gripping his shirt in tufts.

"Yes please."

"Oop—careful."

"I am al—hic—always so fu—fucking careful," you slur. Your body has gone so numb that Eijirou gave up and resorted to carrying you bridal style the rest of the way instead. But he has to set you down so you can stuff your keys in the door, but you can't even do that right.

"Need me to do it?"

"No!" You puff your cheeks, trying twice more before you successfully get it in the keyhole. "'Mma strong independent woman who don' nee' no mahn."

Eijirou chuckles, and using his big shoulder, opens the door to chauffeur you inside. Neither of you get very far, maybe halfway to your room, before your legs give out and the only thing that saves you is the hand on your waist.

"Down this hall?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. You nod so profusely it gives you a temporary headache.

You blink and you're in your bedroom, your front hitting the sheets with a soft thump. Huh. Maybe he carried you the rest of the way. With a face full of pillows, you groan at the new and improved position as you feel the bed dip behind you, and Eijirou grab both of your wrists.

"You're so cute, you know that?"

Something soft and silk ties your fists behind your back. You recognize the material as the belt from your robe, tossed carelessly on your bed during the chaos that ensues every time you get ready for the club. It's not until you try to pull your hands apart that you realize they're tied tight.

"Pulling is only going to make it tighter," Eijirou says with an absentminded sigh, like he's done this before, and trepidation spikes in your chest once he raises your hipbone and slides a pillow underneath to angle them, the only way you could break free—especially with the new grip on your hips.

"Ei—" you try to squirm, legs kicking blindly into the space behind you, but once he seizes your thighs he's sitting on your calves to keep you in place. There's the undeniable sound of cloth ripping and your behind is suddenly met with cool air, prompting a shiver or two.

"Eijirou, what are yo—"

You're interrupted by a stinging slap to your ass and a growl. "Don't tell me I gotta gag your pretty mouth too, Sweetheart."

His voice is low and sharp with a threat, his grip tightening around your thighs.

"You're soaked already? Fuck...and I bet you taste so sweet too..." he bites back a groan in thought, sliding a finger down your slit.

He clicks his tongue but it's damn near mocking. You gasp as he fills you with two large fingers instead of one, body tensing as the alcohol-induced numbness fades in favor of amplified arousal. Eijirou chuckles at your reaction.

"Taking it so well already," he purrs, hand caressing the crest of your ass. In your defense, there isn't much you can do but take it. Ah-ah, Sweetheart—Speak up for me."

"O-Ow," you hiss when your head is wrenched. upwards via your hair to expose your broken moan. Eijirou's grip only tightens after you complain, and you can feel his hot breath ghost the base of your neck. His thumb finds your clit and doesn't move, it just sits there as heavy weight—and it's just as frustrating as it is teasing.

"Ei," you rasp into the pillow, voice hoarse and thick. "I nee—fuck, more—"

"More?" He chuckles derisively, shaking his head with a tut. "Two fingers and you want more? Fuckin' slut."

Each word is loaded with something pitifully mocking and if you were in any other position you would've curled a lip and spat back. But that's a little hard with your face in the pillow and Eijirou's weight above you, isn't it? You shake your head against his fist until he lets go in favor of crackling a solid hand against your ass.

"Oh, you like that, don't you Sweetheart?" He grunts and his fingers increase in speed, the lewd squelch bounces off the walls of the bedroom and echoes in your head in the most insulting way. "My fingers fill you up that good?"

"Y-Yeah, I—" you choke around drool that gathers in the corners of your mouth and shake under his palm. "Fuck me Ei, I nee—"

The quick spank cracked against your ass shakes you from your thought process. "Dirty fucking girl—you really so desperate to let a guy you just met fuck you like this? So goddamn easy."

But he's removing his fingers regardless, stuffing them between your swollen lips as he assumes the space behind you. You hear the quiet fumble of his belt and the run of his zipper, before you feel his hot cock pressing against your soaked entrance.

Eijirou pushes in with a groan, his free hand finding your hips to keep them in place. Your legs thrash as he fills you up with a pleasurable burn, and by the time he bottoms out, you're positive he's filling you up all the way to your lungs.

"Fucking hell," he heaves above you, and the fingers in your mouth disappear to grasp the sheets. You shake along with him, back straightening in a poor attempt to alleviate the burn—and he barely gives you a second to breathe before he's pulling out and slamming back in.

"Fuck!"

You jump each time the head of his cock rams against your cervix, feet scrambling in a poor attempt to escape. Eijirou growls and puts all of his weight in his hips to ensure you'll stay still, a big hand smushing your face into the sheets.

"Sing for me, Sweetheart—I wanna hear ya."

Your voice cracks as Eijirou speeds up, simply using you for his own pleasure—but maybe that's what excites you the most.

"Ei—"

"'S this what you need, Sweetheart?" He spits, and you can feel the sweat dripping from his shoulders onto your exposed back. "Y'need me to use you to get off while you just lie there and take it?"

You whimper uselessly and nod, but Eijirou growls, yanking your head up for a proper answer.

"I said, don't you?"

"Fuck I—" he hikes your hips even higher for a better angle and gets one, the head of his cock forcing a scream out of your lungs as you yelp, "I do!"

"'Course you do," he chuckles, and drops your head back onto the pillow, "'Course you fuckin' do—"

"Ei-Eiji—" you gasp like you've been underwater forever. "I can't, I nee—"

"Dumb little baby can't even speak," he coos, before his hand finds the sides of your neck and squeezes. "What? Whadd'ya need, Sweetheart?"

And honestly, you're not completely sure what you need, you just know you're chasing after *something—*and Eijirou's got you sprinting after it while you melt into the sheets into a hot, gooey mess. You think the split ends of EIjirou's hair ticking the back of your arms, but you aren't sure. The only thing you are sure of is the burn between your legs and the feeling of being very, very close.

"'Mma cum!" You squeal, the vein in the side of your neck bulging. Eijirou grunts and slides a calloused hand under your stomach to play with your clit, hissing as you squeeze around him.

"Awe, the little slut's gonna cream all over my cock?" He coos, and you're positive his hips speed up just a bit. The grip on your neck slides to the hands tied behind your back for leverage. "Yeah she fuckin' is—I can see your eyes rolling back already."

And he's right, because the weight of your orgasm knocks the wind out of your lungs and your lips round to form and 'o'. You couldn't say if you screamed or not, as the ringing in your ears peaks with your orgasm. The only reason you know Eijirou finishes is because his hips stutter to a stop while you lay face down in the pillow, heart thrumming against your ribcage.

"Hey, you okay?" Eijirou nearly scrambles to get your back on your chest. You know this type of thing gets him nervous, but he does it oh so well, and there isn't much you can do but smile at the ceiling lazily.

"You just railed me into the sheets and you're asking if I'm fine?" You snort at your boyfriend's frazzled appearance—and the afterglow doesn't help, his chili red hair sticking in every other direction except the one it's supposed to.

"Yeah," Eijirou doesn't even hesitate and then gives you a quick peck on the lips. His voice edges on a petulant whine as he says, "I was rough, Sweetheart."

"Because I asked you to be," you quirk an eyebrow and finally, the redhead stumbles to your joint bathroom butt naked. "And don't forget to wet the towel this time!

A little shuffling in the bathroom, and then:

"That was one time!"

"And my vag will never recover!" You holler back. Eijirou just snorts before the white noise of a running sink takes possession of the conversation, and you scoot to the section of your shared bed that isn't soiled with a sigh.

You roll onto your side and come face to face with a framed selfie of you and Eijirou on your first date. Next to that one is first anniversary, second anniversary, third...

Now you're edging on the fifth, comfortable enough where he's walking around with his soft dick out and you've given up in swatting at his hands every time they grab for your tits. You two are comfortable—this is comfortable.

Eyeing the bathroom door, you still hear running water. Sneakily, you reach for the drawer where Eijirou keeps the the ring he doesn't know you know he hides. But frankly, you're the only one who cleans this goddamn house, so it wasn't like you weren't going to find it. You open the red velvet box to blink down at a diamond ring, thumb caressing gem. It glimmers even when the lights are low, and you can't help but be jealous of it—which is silly. You know it'll be yours anyway. The ring is always smoother than you expect it to be, but that thought doesn't last long, because you quickly toss it back into Eijirou's drawer and assume a less suspicious position upon hearing the sink turn off.

"What?" he asks with a small grin as he walks in with a wet towel in hand. "You're giving me that weird look again."

You snort, rolling your eyes before adjusting so you face the ceiling again. Spreading your legs, you demand, "'S nothing. Now clean me up, big boy."

Eijirou huffs at that but he assumes the space between your legs with a light blush. You smile.

He'll do it. When he grows the balls.

[pentechnics]

Puzzle Piece

Chapter 12 of Of Love and Time

Summary: Your sickness takes over. A surprise visitor just might have an unexpected cure. You discover a space filling up that you didn't even know was empty.

Pairing: Din Djarin x fem!reader (no y/n)

Series content: teacher/parent AU, fluff, slow burn, lots of mutual pining, sexual tension, mentions of past trauma (tagged in detail for specific chapters), depictions of violence (nothing explicit, no gore), angst, a dash of hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, Grogu is at the equivalent age of a human 4-year-old and can speak

Notes: Y'ALL. Okay. I seriously need your attention for a sec before you start reading. This chapter right here? This is the chapter. The one I've been waiting to write ever since I thought of this idea, which happened around when I posted chapter 2 or 3. I have poured my entire soul into this one and I am SO HAPPY with it. I fought so hard with myself, wondering if it was ready to post or not, and I'm not sure why, but it's here now and I hope y'all enjoy. I have been dying to share it with you!! But this is where things get tricky and I'll need your help. I'm worried that now that I've written this one, that I might lose motivation for this story. Especially as new fic ideas start to crowd my brain. I'm 100% still writing this fic and seeing it through to the end, fret not, but it's just that chapters might take a bit longer to get out than they have so far. So just pls keep up the love and let me know you're still invested! It'll definitely help with my motivation! Also if any fellow fic writers have any advice for this phenomenon?? It'd be greatly welcomed and appreciated! 🥺

Okay, that's all! Thank you for your attention! Please enjoy this Long Boi and let me know what you think! I'll say this now because I have a feeling I'll be saying it a lot as you all react: you're welcome, and I am sorry. 😜

I'm beyond grateful for all the love you continue to give this story. It means the world to me! I love you all so much! ❤️

As always, taglist is under the cut! Let me know if you'd like to be added!

Chapter content: mention of vomiting, nothing descriptive

“...Din?”

It was hardly a whisper. You were frozen in place, staring at Din, who stood on your porch with several bags cradled in his hands. His brown shoulder bag was also slung across his body. Butterflies filled your gut as if a box filled with them had been opened, releasing them to freedom. You blinked several times to make sure you weren’t hallucinating.

“Are you okay? I… heard you weren’t well.”

The sound of his velvety voice after so long felt like a splash of cool water on your burning face. You took in a gulp of air.

“I-um, yeah, just a little under the weather.” You hated how coarse you sounded, but pushed the thought away and stood to the side, opening the door for him.

“Come in.”

He nodded and made his way through the door. Your mind was racing with questions — the loudest one being how you were supposed to treat this encounter. You stepped toward him after shutting the door and took a breath, gesturing to what looked like every grocery item the planet had to offer.

“What’s all this?”

Din set the bags down before looking back at you. “I was asked to deliver something to you.”

“Was it the entire grocery store?” You teased, trying to add a little laugh that came out sounding like a dying Loth Cat.

Din reached into his shoulder bag and produced a large piece of yellow poster paper.

“This is from your students.”

Your lips parted as you looked between Din and the paper, your frail hands accepting it from him. The cover read ‘Get Well Soon!’ in very squiggly writing, along with a variety of little drawings — planets, creatures, hearts and other shapes, even some portraits of the artists themselves — surrounding the words. You bit your lip as your heart swelled.

You opened up the card to find fourteen little messages with a signature and drawings next to each one. They wished you well, said they missed you, and sent you soup and other treats via their drawings. It was all so precious. But the message that had you fighting tears was near the bottom on the right side, next to a heart and a familiar-looking drawing of a Blurrg:

“You can count on us too, Miss! Like 1 2 3! We love you, feel better soon! -All of us”

You cupped your mouth with a hand and took in a breath through your nose while you took in the sweet words. Their kindness sent a wave of warmth through you, like a fuzzy blanket tucked around your heart. It was overwhelming. You closed the card and held it to your chest, watery eyes returning to Din.

“Thank you for delivering this. It means a lot.”

“You’re welcome.”

You glanced back down at the pile of bags at Din’s feet.

“So then, what’s up with all that?”

Din looked at the pile as well, gloved hand coming up to scratch his neck.

“I-uh, wasn’t sure what you liked, so I picked up a few different things.”

Your mind went blank. You opened your mouth to say something, but your brain wasn’t producing any words.

“I wasn’t sure what you were sick with, either, so I brought stuff to help different problems.”

“You-... you got all this for me?” you asked, your tone betraying your disbelief.

“Din, you didn’t have to do that-”

“I know.”

His gaze snapped to you, arms snapping to his sides.

“I wanted to.”

You sighed and gave him a weak smile.

“Well, thank you. I… really appreciate it.”

He nodded before picking up a couple of the bags.

“There are some things that need to be refrigerated, could I…?” he jabbed his head towards your living room.

“Oh- yeah, of course. The kitchen’s just through there.” You stepped into the living room and pointed the way for him.

“Thank you.”

Just before you could offer to take care of it yourself, he cut you off.

“Don’t even. I’ll just be a minute.”

You were caught off guard, but recovered after a moment with a laugh and a shake of your head. You tucked the card into the space between your wall and your holo stand and stepped back to the entryway to peek in the other bags. Some crackers, various hydrators, fresh produce, and other such goodies were tucked inside.

Wait- were those your favorite cookies in there? Your brow raised as you eyed the box.

“So what have your symptoms been?”

Your head snapped up as Din re-entered the room, causing it to throb. You squeezed your eyes shut.

“Um, I’ve been vomiting, my head’s hurting, chills, when I stand up I get kinda light-headed. I can’t really tell if I have a fever or not since I’ve been constantly hot and cold.”

Din didn’t answer right away. You heard a tiny beeping sound.

“You’re burning up.”

You opened your eyes and tilted your head. Din just pointed to his helmet.

“Ah, thermal map?”

He nodded.

“Very cool,” you said with a nod. He took a step towards you.

“You know, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone with symptoms like that. It could be dangerous if you faint or fall.”

“I’ll be fine,” you insisted.

He tilted his head in that exasperated way.

“You’re not standing straight, Missy.”

“Pssh,” you scoffed, “sure I am.”

You were wrong. A moment later you were falling over. Din was quick to catch you. You grasped his upper arms to steady yourself.

“Yeah, okay — I’m cashing in my winnings from the race now.”

You looked up at him.

“Let me help you. I just want to make sure you’ll be okay.”

You stared into his visor, unsure of what to do.

“Say the word and I’ll leave. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. But… I’m worried for you. If you’ll let me, I’d like to help.”

You couldn’t help feeling guilty; after everything you’d done, he still wants to help you? It didn’t make total sense, but you weren’t in a position to say no. Not when he was right and you were presently too dizzy to stand on your own. And you couldn’t lie — the last thing you wanted was for him to leave.

“... Okay.”

He let out a breathy sigh.

“Thank you. Let’s sit you down now, okay?”

You nodded and let Din walk you over to the couch. He pulled your covers up over your legs. You smiled and invited him to sit next to you. He did so, though he kept himself stiff as a board.

“So when did this start?” he asked.

“Early this morning.” you said, letting yourself hit the back of the couch. You recounted the details of waking up to a nasty surprise and then calling in sick.

“I’m sorry that happened,” he said when you finished. “It sounds familiar to me, though.”

“What do you think it is?”

“My best guess is stress,” he said as he turned his body to face you. “You might’ve put yourself through too much, and now your body’s shutting down and forcing you to rest.”

You scoffed. “Sounds like me.”

A light silence fell over you both. You were grateful it wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward, but the guilt of not contacting him in so long still swirled about in your mind.

“One thing that might help is letting it out. What sort of stress have you been holding?”

You looked at him with raised brows, you brain going through a checklist of what had been bothering you as of late: having feelings for Din, not knowing how to express them, knowing you shouldn’t express them — yet, at least — guilt for leaving him hanging, fear over how he felt about you now, guilt for not telling Gila about what happened and going through whatever process that would jumpstart-

Your stomach churned again. There really was a lot on your mind. You took a breath.

“Well,” you started, “I guess I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking about things. And some of it has been hard to work through.”

He motioned for you to continue.

You bit your lip. He said to let it out, right? What was the use in keeping this in, especially now that Din was right in front of you? You let your tongue take over and say the first thing to come to mind.

“I was scared you were angry with me.”

“What? Why?” He asked with a tilt of his head and a small scoff.

“I shouldn’t have run out on you like that, and I’m sorry I haven’t called or messaged you. I just needed to figure myself out and there’s so much to talk about… I just didn’t know what to do.”

“Hey, wait,” he scooched a bit closer to you. “I don’t blame you for that. Not at all.”

You looked at him. There was no way for you to visually gauge his sincerity, but you didn’t need to — it was in his voice.

“I understand that the circumstances are tricky. I knew that going into it, but I guess I couldn’t help myself.”

You gave him a little smile.

“I am sorry, though,” he continued, “I don’t regret doing it, but I do regret the pain it’s causing you.”

“I don’t regret it either, really, but I do have to report myself to the admins for it. And I just don’t know what that’s going to look like.”

He let out an irritated sigh.

“I’m so sorry, Miss.”

“Hey,” you placed a hand on his where it rested on his thigh. “I might be scared, but I can face the music. I’m just worried about what it’ll mean for you and Grogu.”

He turned his palm up to clasp your hand.

“Don’t worry about us,” he said, visor locked on you. “We’ve seen worse.”

You took in a breath and gave him a small grin.

“See? How does that feel now?”

“A little lighter.”

“Good.”

You squeezed his hand.

“Thank you for listening.”

He nodded.

“So then…” you trailed off, eyes finding his visor again. “Are we okay?”

He bowed his head down to you, scooching closer before sandwiching your hand in both of his.

“Of course.”

You smiled.

“I do think we should have an actual conversation about everything, just so we know we’re on the same page.”

“That sounds good,” he said with another nod. “But let’s wait until you’re better, okay? Wouldn’t want to aggravate your system while it’s healing.”

You grinned.

“Smart idea.”

He caressed your hand with both of his. The feeling reminded you of that night, when he drove you home and told you his name. You remembered how much you wanted to keep holding on. You took a deep breath and squeezed his hand.

Just as you were settling back into silence, your stomach lurched. Your hand flew up to your mouth. Din sprang into action and handed you one of the stray plastic bags. You projected your head into it just in time to let your body release whatever infuriating substance that remained in your stomach. Your throat burned with each heave.

After a moment you felt Din scooch closer to you, gathering your hair behind your head. One hand held it back and the other came to rest between your shoulder blades. His fingers ran slowly back and forth from their position. The sensation was so gentle and warm; it immediately began to ease the tension in your body. You sighed before your body jumped back into its protest.

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Din whispered.

“Let it all out, I’ve got you.”

After some more coughs and spurts, your breathing evened out. You poked your eyes out from the bag and looked around your messy floor. The sight of discarded gloves and gauntlets had you furrowing your brow.

Your eyes widened as Din’s bare hand held the tissue box out to you.

It was beautiful — large, with thick, defined appendages. Glowing brown skin that had you gasping for breath for reasons unrelated to your health. You took a tissue to wipe off your face and kept your gaze away, a bit grateful for the excuse to hide your flushed cheeks.

After tying the bag shut Din took it from your shivering hands and set it on the floor.

“Let’s lay you back down.”

He gently gripped your shoulders and guided your weary frame back down onto the couch. He removed his cape and draped it onto you, then brought up your covers and tucked them around you.

“I’m going to go take care of this for you real quick, okay? I’ll be back.”

You whispered a hoarse ‘okay’ in response. You stared into his visor and tried to manage a little smile to show your gratitude. He gave your shoulder a small squeeze and stood from the couch. He gathered up all the bags holding the contents of your current and previous episodes from throughout the day and turned back to you.

“Is the trash bin out back?” he asked.

You nodded and pointed behind you.

“By the back door.”

He nodded and walked off. You sighed and rubbed the worn fabric of his cape between your fingers. Despite the lingering embarrassment of the situation, you were happy he was there. Both he and Gila had been right about it being a bad idea to try handling this alone. And his presence was so soothing — like reaching an oasis after spending weeks in the bone-dry desert, moments away from your last breath only to be saved by the relief of sweet water down your parched throat.

With the thought of parched throats, you eyed your water bottle on the ground. But your face immediately scrunched up at the notion of putting more things in your body. You shook your head and pulled Din’s cape over your mouth, closing your eyes and resting your head against the couch. The faint sound of running water filled your ears as you focused on your breathing.

You heard the faint tap of Din’s boots on your carpet before some shuffling, then the sound of plastic being moved about. Moments later the couch sunk beside you as Din sat back down. He brushed a stray hair out of your face before his hand came to rest on your forehead. You sighed and leaned into the contact. His skin was cool against the fresh sweat that covered yours. His thumb traced upward from your eyebrow in a continuous motion. Your muscles relaxed.

“Is that a little better?” came his gentle tone.

You nodded under his hand.

“Good. Just keep resting, okay?”

He replaced his hand with a damp cloth before he stood from the couch. You frowned and cracked your eyes open. Din was opening your living room window, mindful to keep the curtain down to shield you from the sunlight. Once he was finished, he strode across the room once more. “I’ll be right back,” he called.

You closed your eyes again. The calming sound of a wind chime swaying in the breeze flew through the window. You focused on it to keep from thinking about your stomach.

~~~

Boba finished preparing ingredients for dinner as his comm buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from Din.

‘I’m going to stay here for a while,’ it read, ‘She’s really not doing well and it’s not safe to leave her alone.’

Boba let out a small ‘huh.’ He began typing a reply.

‘Figured it was bad. We’ll take care of the child. Give her our best.’

He moved to pocket his comm when a light bulb went off in his head. He whipped the message feed back up and added another note.

‘Packed you some spare clothes in your sack. Y’know, just in case. Let us know if you two need anything.’

Boba set the comm in his pocket and headed over to where Fennec and Grogu sat on the sofa in the living room, watching a program about the misadventures of some fictional aquatic creature. They both turned to him.

“Any word from Mando?” Fennec asked.

Boba nodded.

“He’s with her now. She’s very sick, so he’ll be staying with her to make sure she’s taken care of.”

“Is Miss gonna be okay?” Grogu asked, wringing his fingers together in his lap. Fennec tugged him into her side.

“She’ll be just fine, kiddo. Promise.”

Boba nodded in agreement and knelt down to look at Grogu before adding,

“And now your papa is there to help, and he gave her the special card you all made. I bet she’ll be better even faster than you think.”

“Really?” Grogu asked with a smile.

“Maybe,” Boba said with a shrug. “It’s always possible.”

Boba gave Grogu a wink, which made him giggle.

“Miss is gonna be better soon,” Grogu said, clenching his hands into fists.

“That’s right. No need to worry, little guy.”

Boba stood and patted Grogu on the head.

“How about a little treat before dinner?”

“His dad wouldn’t be too thrilled about that,” Fennec said between chuckles.

“Well, he’s not here now, is he?” Boba replied, booping Grogu’s nose while giving him a mischievous smile.

“Shh, I won’t tell,” Grogu whispered, putting a little finger to his mouth.

The three of them shared a laugh. Boba lifted Grogu into his arms and the trio made their way into the kitchen to peruse their options.

~~~

You blinked your eyes open and immediately winced at the pain returning to your head. Din was sitting next to you, head facing the holofeed. He turned to you as you stirred.

“Hey,” he said.

He had removed his boots and the rest of his armor, the pieces sitting in a neat pile against the wall.

“Did I fall asleep?” you asked, removing the now warm cloth from your face.

“Yeah, for a little bit. How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” you said with a little yawn. “My head’s still killing me, though.”

He nodded.

“It might be a good time to try these out.”

He reached behind him and produced a box of plain crackers. You pulled the covers over your mouth.

“Don’t worry, these are meant to stay down. It’ll be a good start for your stomach.”

You looked up at him. He solidified his words with a nod.

“We’ll need to get some food in you before you can take any medicine.”

You furrowed your brow before slowly nodding and sitting up. He opened the box and handed you a packet of crackers. You took one out and examined it. Big salt crystals decorated its surface, and little holes created a neat pattern in its center.

“It’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

You glanced at Din before taking a deep breath and biting into the cracker. Its salty flavor pleased your taste buds, and you didn’t feel any dread from your body as you swallowed.

“It’s good,” you said as you finished it off.

“I’m glad. Grogu likes these a lot. I honestly think they’re too salty.”

“The salt is the best part!” you said with a little giggle, taking out another cracker.

He laughed and shook his head.

“Just be careful, don’t eat them too fast. I’m guessing you haven’t had much food today.”

You shook your head.

“We’ll get you a real meal after your body adjusts to those. Once you’ve had a few more, try one of these.”

He reached behind him again and pulled out a bright green drink in a tiny bottle.

“This is filled with electrolytes, it’ll help replenish your body. It’s also meant to be easier on your stomach.”

“Okay,” you took the little bottle and placed it in your lap next to your crackers.

“Thank you again for all this, Din. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

He gently placed his hand on your knee.

“It’s my pleasure, Miss.”

You stared at his hand. Large and strong, easily taking up the entire surface area of your knee with space to spare. Bones protruded through the skin as his fingers moved about. A similar sense of confusion flooded your senses, just like when you saw his chin. Was this a sight you deserved to see? What made him trust you enough to be so vulnerable? You looked up at him.

“I know we said we were going to wait, but… can I ask you something?”

His visor locked onto you, his hand going stiff on your knee.

“Okay.”

“Why me?”

“What do you mean?” he asked back with a tilt of the head.

“I mean… I guess I’m just wondering how you trust me enough to do things like this-” you motioned to his bare hand before looking back up.

“We haven’t known each other very long, and I know gestures like this are a big deal, so I don’t quite understand it.”

He didn’t answer right away. A little ‘tch’ sound bounced out of his modulator before he shifted to face you.

“Let me tell you, then.”

He took his hand away from your knee and tucked your hair behind your ear.

“For me, trusting someone isn’t so much a matter of time. It’s a matter of action. Of words. I choose to trust someone after seeing for myself what makes them who they are, and how they treat other people. With you…”

His knuckles ran up and down your cheek. Your heart rate increased as electricity flowed through your face. You were blown away by how soft his skin was. You gulped and tried to focus on his words instead of the way his touch clouded your mind.

“With you, I knew I could trust you after talking to you about Grogu those first few times. It didn’t take long, because he’d come home and rave about you. And I trust his judgement. Then I’d go see you and you’d be the same way about him. That told me you genuinely cared about him.

As time went on and I saw more of you, I noticed more things that I liked. And I wanted to start trusting you… with myself.”

Your mind went blank. You couldn’t believe what he was saying. Your tongue ran on without you, your brain too tired to think before speaking.

“Din,” you breathed, “how does someone as broken as me give you the confidence to do that?”

He sat straighter.

“What? Broken?”

A little shock pierced your gut. He sounded angry. You looked down at your crackers.

“I just- I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but people don’t typically stay around me for very long. Gila’s the one exception but more often than not, I’m more of a pit stop.”

You took a breath.

“Something about me makes people leave. I don’t know what, but I don’t want to disappoint you by not being capable of being constant or long-lasting. I don’t want you to regret any of these choices.”

You stared at his hand again, memorizing every curve of the bones, every little spot that decorated the beautiful skin. You took it all in as if this would be the last time you’d ever get to see it.

“Hey- look at me.”

You didn’t move. You couldn’t bear to look. Your chest fell with the heft of your words, a dull pain seeping through. He called your name as he grabbed your chin and brought your face up. You froze in his grip.

“There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing you’ve done has made you deserve to be treated badly. I need you to understand that.”

You didn’t say a word.

“And I know it hurts,” he went on, “but you can’t let those experiences stop you from letting people in. Believe me.”

All you could do was stare as he continued, hand leaving your chin and coming around to cup your cheek.

“You are an incredible person. Strong, smart, determined, feisty,” he let out a little laugh.

“… Breathtaking… in every sense of the word.”

He paused with a sigh, thumb sweeping across the apple of your cheek.

“Just because some people couldn’t handle all of that does not mean you have done anything wrong. Those traits are part of what makes you you, things I have grown to... appreciate.”

You had a feeling that last word wasn’t what he wanted to say, but you didn’t push it. You were helpless under his gaze, mind completely blank. He whispered your name, soft and tender, like he was keeping it safe on his lips. The sound of it filled your heart with warmth and life, as if a dormant volcano was suddenly erupting in your soul. His hand fell to your shoulder before he continued.

“I choose to trust you because of the person you’ve shown to me. All of those things, plus how kind, loyal, caring, selfless…”

His hand squeezed your shoulder, his other one moving to cover one of yours in your lap. How was his skin so soft? The contact sent a blaze through your every nerve.

“... and so, so much more, that you are. You deserve to have people in your life that recognize and uplift these things about you — don’t forget that.”

Those words pierced you, as if you’d been shot in the heart with a blaster. You hadn’t expected any of this. Your chest squeezed as tears pricked behind your eyes.

“You want to know what amazes me most about you?”

You didn’t speak. You hardly breathed.

“How you choose to love people. Even though life has been cold to you, you go into it with warmth. You treat everyone with the things you weren’t even getting. That kind of love is so rare. Don’t you see, that’s what defines you — the way you choose to love despite what you’ve been through. Does that really sound broken to you?”

A tear spilled from your eye. Your mind was swimming. Your heart was pounding. You stared at Din as he tilted his head closer to you, his thumb running across your knuckles. You didn’t know what else to do other than lean forward, your head falling onto his shoulder. His muscles tensed before settling again under your touch, his hands coming to rest on your back. He quietly cleared his throat before pulling you a little closer.

It was as if he’d taken your abused heart and kissed the bruises that decorated it. Not getting rid of them, but easing the ache, and then held it close to protect the fragile organ from further harm.

He held you in his arms like the most precious of gems: a gentle and firm caress that had you sighing against the fabric of his flight suit. You mumbled a little ‘thank you,’ and he squeezed your frame.

You’d never felt so at home before. He was so warm. So safe. His being encased you in a shield of soft affection that you never wanted to part from. You surrendered to the sensation, your hand coming up to rest on Din’s chest.

This was different from when he’d held you as the two of you put Grogu to bed — this was yours. Right now, he was all yours.

And you were all his.

~~~

“Yeah, I think that’s doable,” Gila said into her comm. She jotted a note down as she spoke.

“What other ideas did you have?”

A small knock proceeded Kos entering her office, waving a hand in apology. She nodded at them.

“Someone wants to see you, says it’s urgent.”

Gila scrunched her brow, ducking her head towards her comm.

“Hey- I’m going to have to call you back.”

After a brief goodbye she hung up the call and asked Kos to send in the visitor. Her brow shot up and her mouth made an ‘o’ as they walked in. Kos closed the door to her office, leaving the two alone.

“I didn’t know you were still here — what can I do for you?”

The visitor walked up and took a seat across from Gila, hands folded together in their lap.

“I need to file a report.”

~~~

You weren’t sure how long you stayed in Din’s arms before your stomach growled. To your dismay he nudged you back up and encouraged you to keep eating, separating from you aside from a hand on your leg.

Once you’d had a few more crackers and downed the little bottle of green liquid, energy slowly began to flow through your system. The dried layers of sweat on your face became more apparent when you scratched your nose. You grimaced.

“I feel kinda gross,” you said, “I think I’m okay enough to take a shower.”

“Sounds good, in the meantime I’ll get some food ready for you.”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“On one condition,” you held up a finger. He tilted his head.

“You make sure to eat, too. Can’t be taking care of me if you’re not also cared for.”

He scoffed.

“Says you, Missy.”

You tried to keep down a chuckle and fix him with a look.

“But don’t worry. I will.”

You smiled and poised your feet on the ground. You took a deep breath and held onto Din’s offered hand to hoist yourself up, your other one holding his cape to your frame. You wobbled a bit before finding your footing, your mind still going foggy from the movement.

Din stood with you and gathered your things into a bag.

“You okay to walk?” he asked.

“I think so,” you said, wrapping the cape around your shoulders. You took a few small steps towards the stairs, Din staying just behind you.

You made it to the staircase before you needed to stop, your body still weak and heavy. Din placed a hand on your back.

“Can you make it up?”

You took your breaths slow and deep, never feeling like you were getting enough air. You glanced up at Din with a small shrug. He stepped closer and wrapped his arm around you.

“May I?”

You nodded. But you didn’t expect him to scoop you up in his arms, balancing the bag of items in his hand while his arm came under your knees to hold you secure. You let out a little squeal; he snickered.

Your head landed in the crook of his neck. The fabric of his cowl was softer against your skin than his flight suit. Half of your face was shielded by the lip of his helmet, cloaking your vision in partial darkness. The slight turbulence that came with each step had you slightly bumping up and down in Din’s grasp, the motions relaxing you when paired with the heat from his body.

Your mind wandered to your dreams, where your head ended up in this spot almost every time. In a home, in a park, in other places you didn’t recognize. No matter the context, you gravitated to it. Now that you were actually here, it was no wonder your subconscious wanted it so badly. You fit perfectly, like this spot was made for your head to rest on. You smiled and nuzzled into the cowl, breathing in that crisp scent that always accompanied Din’s presence.

His neck muscles flexed when he swallowed. He gave you a little squeeze.

When you two made it up the stairs, you pointed the way to your room, reassuring him with a giggle that he could enter when he hesitated at the door. He set you down by your bed and began placing your essentials on your nightstand. You tossed the cape on the bed and started walking towards the bathroom.

“I’ll go start on the food now,” Din said when he finished. “Is there anything you’d like me to bring from downstairs?”

You stopped to face him and thought for a moment. You briefly remembered that cookie box you spotted and bit your lip.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring the cookies.”

Your wide eyes snapped to him, and he laughed. He doubled over, hand on his knee, and he laughed.

There it was. The belly laugh you’d been aching to hear. Nothing was covering it up, nothing at all interrupted the path between his laugh and your ears. It only lasted for a moment but it had you gasping for air.

It was beautiful.

The ethereal sound of his baritone hysterics reverberated through every inch of your body, sending goosebumps up your arms. Your cheeks ached from the stretch of your smile.

“How did you know?” you asked, glee pouring out of your voice. He took a second to catch his breath.

“I saw you looking at them earlier. Guess I made a good choice.”

You giggled.

“Anything else?”

You shook your head.

“I think I’m good. But bring anything you want, too, and please use whatever you need. Just make yourself at home.”

“Thank you,” he said with a nod before making his way out.

You crept into your bathroom and popped into the shower. The warm water did little to help your situation. Your body was already so hot, but a cold shower would only exacerbate your symptoms. Though washing away the sweat and grime from the day still filled you with a sense of refreshment. You took your time, washing off every surface and letting the steam cleanse your sinuses.

There were moments when you’d talk yourself into staying in there just a bit longer, so that Din would have more time to eat in peace.

When you were done you changed into a clean set of pajamas and wrapped a towel around your dripping hair. Your body felt a little stronger than it had beforehand, which you were grateful for. Though your steps were still wobbly as you made your way to the door and opened it.

You stopped.

There was Din, sitting on the edge of your bed. A bowl of food sat on your bedside table behind him. The faint daylight from the window bounced off the beskar, making the chrome surfaces glitter like crystal. The image of him here, in your bedroom, having made you a meal, stirred something in you. You wanted to cry.

What gave him the right, you wondered. What gave him the right to bring you to your knees just by existing.

It was as if someone had reached into the recesses of your mind and pulled out your idea of what perfection looked like, then molded it into reality before your eyes. It seemed so natural to have him here, being part of your home. You wondered how you were ever able to live in this room alone, much less the whole house. After this, you never wanted to do that again. A small huff left your lips.

Shit, you thought.

Oh.

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

Your head began to spin and your hand clenched around the doorframe. You leaned over, your free hand gripping the air as your legs began to give out.

Din looked up and immediately made his way to you, arms extended in caution. Your eyes never left him.

“Are you okay?”

You blinked as you looked into his visor. Your chest heaved with short breaths. You nodded quickly, not trusting your words to dismiss his worry. He was not convinced.

“Are you sure? Come here.”

He wrapped his arms around you and stood you up straight. He supported your frame as he brought his hand to your forehead, pressing the back of it against your freshly cleaned skin. Your eyes didn’t move from where they stared into the black abyss.

“At least you don’t feel feverish anymore. Let’s get you some food.”

You let him lead you to the bed with his hands on your shoulders.

He helped you settle in. You pulled his cape over your legs before laying against the headboard and letting him put your covers over you. He handed you the bowl. You stared at his figure: broad and strong. Hands capable of just as much gentleness as they were of wrangling bounties. The stories those hands could tell, you thought. You wanted to hear them. You took a couple deep breaths, filing away your thoughts in favor of maintaining at least some of your composure.

You tapped the bed next to you, inviting Din to sit with you. He hesitated, looking between you and the spot before rounding the bed. He stopped again and looked at you. You smiled and nodded, tapping the spot again. He slowly lowered himself down, stretching his legs out beside yours and folding his hands in his lap. The extra weight on the bed had you feeling secure; you smiled.

“Thank you for making this,” you said as you looked at the food.

It was so colorful; Din had created a soup with a clear broth, noodles, and plenty of veggies swimming with what looked like Bantha meat. You recognized most of these ingredients from the grocery bags he’d brought with him.

“I hope you like it. It usually helps me when I’m not well.”

You took a bite. Your eyes went wide.

Warmth encompassed your mouth and spread throughout your body. The combination of flavors from the produce and the perfectly prepared Bantha marched in a colorful parade around your taste buds.

Tears welled in your eyes. It had been so long since you felt this sensation.

“Is it okay?” came Din’s quiet question beside you. You nodded profusely as you swallowed.

“It’s amazing!”

You took another bite, a smile growing despite you trying to chew. Din chuckled.

“Now don’t go too fast, your stomach is still fragile.”

You nodded again. You’d forgotten about that. You slowed down the pace and put your spoon down in the bowl. You looked over at Din.

“Did you eat?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said with a laugh. “I had some soup downstairs.”

“That’s good,” you replied with a nod.

The two of you sat in a small silence. You took a couple more bites of your food. Even though the silence was comfortable, you started worrying that Din might be bored.

“I don’t have a holoconnection in here,” you started, ”but I do have a data pad if you want to watch something… or something.”

He hummed.

“Is there something you’d like to watch?”

“I don’t watch too many things nowadays,” you started, “but there is this one show I found that’s pretty funny. I just started it not too long ago.”

“Let’s do that,” he said, “it’ll probably help get your mind off things.”

You smiled and reached down to retrieve your data pad from your bedside, a hand keeping the soup stable on your lap. Din reached for the data pad, offering to put on the show for you while you continued eating.

“What’s it called?”

“Parks and Recreation.”

He tilted his head toward you.

“I know, it’s a weird title. But I promise it’s funny.”

He huffed and pulled it up, setting the data pad down between his legs and yours.

The next episode in your lineup played. You and Din watched along as you ate your soup. You glanced over every now and then to see if you could gauge a reaction from him.

As the episode went on you got worried; he had been letting out little laughs here and there, but you had no idea what was coming. When Ron Swanson got back together with Tami II again and things got weird, you wondered if he’d be turned off from it.

On the contrary; he laughed all the more. He asked questions. He would point and provide commentary, giving you looks that you swore you could match actual expressions to. You grinned and released the tension in your muscles. He could be very animated when he wanted to. You loved it.

You set the bowl down on your side table once you’d emptied its contents, you and Din having watched three episodes at that point. He paused the show when the third one ended and pointed towards your table.

“There’s some medicine next to your water bottle. It’ll help with your head.”

You gulped it down along with another tiny green bottle that Din had set there for you. You settled back down with a full stomach, a sigh escaping your lips.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Better,” you said as you smiled at him. “Thanks to your expert care.”

He chuckled.

“I’m glad.”

He lifted his hand, keeping it still in the air for a moment before placing it on your thigh.

“I… I was worried.”

Your heart swelled at the crack in his voice. He ran his thumb back and forth on your leg. When you looked up at him, his gaze was fixed on his hand.

“I’m sorry to have worried you, Din. I promise I’ll be okay.”

“I know,” he said, looking up. “You’ll be just fine.”

You smiled. A pleasant silence cloaked you both for a moment before you heard a faint beep.

“Oh-” Din breathed as he pressed the side button on his helmet.

“Everything okay?” you asked.

“Yes, Fett’s just updating me on Grogu.”

“Ah,” you started, “how is he?”

“He was worried about you, too. Made sure to tell him that you’d be okay before I left.”

“Aw, that angel,” you whispered as your heart squeezed.

“He wanted to come along, you know. Almost stowed away in my bag.”

You threw your head back and laughed. The image of Din putting on his bag and then opening it to see why it was extra heavy, only to see Grogu’s little pleading face poking out filled you with joy.

“That’s so sweet,” you said when you caught your breath. “I’m sorry to be worrying everyone so much.”

He shrugged.

“That just means we care.”

You smiled.

The two of you jumped into conversation after that, talking more about Grogu and the rest of Din’s little family. He told you more about how they all met and stayed together after Din’s ship was destroyed — what you now realized was the ‘Crest’ in Grogu’s family drawing — and Grogu went off with the Jedi, and then how they decided to continue raising him after he came back.

He told you about having to take an important pit stop on Mandalore before that because he’d wound up with the darksaber. The very same darksaber that gave him claim over the Mandalorian throne. How in the hell did that happen, you asked in utter disbelief. He told you about his face-off with Moff Gideon, and how he’d tried to ditch the glowing sword shortly after getting it.

“The only way they’d let me out of it is if I got publicly challenged and defeated. Bo Katan, the woman who wanted it, insisted the people of Mandalore witness my royal ass-kicking.”

You laughed.

“What even is your life?” you teased.

“A mess,” he deadpanned. You laughed harder.

~~~

Time checked out as the conversation went on. You were enthralled by Din’s tales, no matter how much he tried to play them down. You shared a few of your stories as well. The hours passed you both by, the sun slowly disappearing from the sky and bathing your room with its glowing farewell.

When the night arrived, Din got up to turn the lights on. That’s when reality returned to your mind.

“I don’t know how long you were planning to stay, I know it’s getting late. Do you need to head home?”

Your voice was hesitant. Your health aside, you just didn’t want Din to leave. The idea of being alone in your house after today was almost painful.

He returned to the bed and sat on the edge, right next to your legs.

“I told Fett and Fennec I’d be here for as long as you need me. They’re fully prepared to look after Grogu for however long that is.”

He took your hand in his.

“How do you feel?”

“Fine,” you answered, “I’m still feeling some of it but it’s not as bad as it was earlier.”

“Good,” he said.

The two of you looked at each other for a moment. You weren’t sure what to say next. He probably wouldn’t feel comfortable spending the night, you thought. Plus, he wouldn’t be able to take off his helmet to sleep if he did that.

“I understand if you’d prefer I didn’t stay, but you might relapse in the night.”

Your brow shot up.

“You- you’d be okay with staying?”

“Of course,” he said, squeezing your hand. “LIke I said, I’ll be here for as long as you need. If you’re comfortable with that.”

“I was just worried about you,” you said. “I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said with a little laugh.

“If you want to sleep without the helmet, you’re welcome to the guest room. I want you to be able to rest well.”

“I don’t think I would if I couldn’t be here in case something happens,” he said slowly. “But I will do that if you’d prefer it.”

You shook your head with a smile.

“Do you want to wear something more comfortable? I might have something in my closet-”

“It’s okay,” he said with a wave of his hand. “I have some clothes. How about this, I’ll go change while you wash up and we’ll meet back here?”

You nodded. Din helped you stand before taking your dishes downstairs. You walked over to the bathroom and took care of your nightly routine. You looked in the mirror. Your hair flopped about, frizzy and unkempt since you didn’t brush it after showering. Your face was still a little pale, and your clothes hung loose on your frame. Not the way you imagined spending a night with this man for the first time, but you were comforted with his presence all the same. You took a deep breath and headed back to the bedroom, grateful that you were too tired to overthink any of this.

You settled back in your bed. When you heard Din enter the room you turned to the door with a smile, which was quickly replaced with parted lips.

He had changed into a pair of sweats and a zip-up jacket that was half open, leaving his neck exposed to you. Heat rushed to your face; this was more skin than you’d ever seen from him.

He made his way over to the other side of your bed, asking silent permission before settling down beside you. You tried to not let your eyes linger on his collar bone peeking out from the neckline of his shirt. Especially as it flexed when he moved.

As per usual, you failed. You bit your lip and took a deep breath.

“I don’t know if you want this, but there is one little thing we’ve forgotten about.”

Din’s tone was deep. It sent a shiver down your spine. You furrowed your brow, unsure of what he was referring to. You ignored the directions your mind wanted to go in, quietly clearing your throat.

“And what’s that?”

Din kept his visor locked on you as he reached behind him, ducking down to fetch something off the ground next to the bed. He resurfaced with the box of cookies. The sight of it made you gasp.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about those!”

He chuckled.

“You’re probably okay to have a couple. But be careful.”

You nodded and Din opened up the box, pulling out the tray that held the sugary disks within. You grinned as you took one out and ate a bite, relishing the sweet sensation that took over your mouth.

“Good?”

“Mhm,” you mumbled with a nod. Din chuckled before taking out a cookie for himself and setting the tray between you both.

You kept your gaze fixed on your lap when you heard the familiar hiss of his helmet. The gesture filled you with warmth rather than anxiety after your earlier discussion. You smiled and pulled out a second cookie.

“What made you pick these out?” you asked.

“Hard to say,” he replied as he also reached for a second cookie. “I was looking around in the store and these just looked good.”

The clarity of his voice was a bit jarring. It was soothing to your ears. Though you were surprised; all this time you thought the modulator roughed up his voice, but the raspy undertone was still evident outside of it. You chanced a glance in his direction. Familiar pink lips parted to make way for a set of strong teeth to bite into the cookie, a small glimmer of tongue poking out to lick away a crumb. You looked away, face hot once more.

“Well, you’ve got good- good taste.”

You downed the cookie, stuffing it in your mouth to keep from stumbling over yourself again. You declined a third one when offered, causing Din to put them away and set the box aside. You took a sip of your water before settling deeper into your bed.

“I should probably sleep propped up tonight, yeah?” you asked.

Din nodded.

“Probably best. Here, sit up for a second-”

You did as he asked and he leaned over to help adjust your pillows, fluffing a couple of them up before nodding at you to lay back down. It was the perfect position. You looked at him with a smile.

“Thank you, Din. Not just for this, but for everything today,” you paused and let out a sigh. Your voice grew groggy as fatigue settled in.

“I’d probably be in much worse condition if you weren’t here.”

He tilted his head, a hand coming to rest on your head.

“Thank you for letting me help.”

Your smile grew as you took a deep breath, your heavy eyes staring into the vast abyss of Din’s visor. You looked for where his eyes were resting behind their black shield.

You wanted to know what color they were.

You covered your mouth as you yawned, stretching your body out for a second before snuggling deeper into your position. You pulled Din’s cape up over your chest before pulling your blankets over it.

“I’ll be here if you need anything, okay?” Din whispered, leaning in closer to you.

You nodded, nuzzling your head into his hand.

“Good night, Din.”

“Sweet dreams… Miss.”

~~~

Din kept his hand in place until he was certain you’d fallen asleep. As your breaths grew deeper and your eyes ceased their squinting, he stroked the skin of your hairline with his thumb before slowly removing his hand and sitting up.

He let out a sigh, a weight leaving his shoulders at the sight of your peaceful face. He leaned back until his helmet thumped against your headboard and took a deep breath. Worry had plagued his mind long before Gila told him you were sick. That information only made it more intense. But what mattered was that you were okay now, in every sense.

He’d make sure of it.

It was strange; the only other being to make him worry this much was Grogu. It had been that way for so long. And then out of nowhere, you came along and changed everything. Din tried to figure out when you had crept past his walls and into his heart, but he couldn’t. It was almost as if you were always there.

He played through the memories of the day: the moment he first saw your face he’d almost dropped all the groceries. You looked so fragile, as if the slightest gust of wind would just carry you away. He wanted nothing more than to hold you. He remembered your talk on the couch, how shocked he was to hear how you felt about yourself. How could someone like you not see what he sees?

That was another thing — Din wasn't very good with words. He shocked himself with how he spoke to you in that moment. Something about the situation inspired those words to flow, and it had all been so natural.

Adoring you was so natural. He loved it.

He recalled carrying you up the stairs; the small weight of your head in the crook of his neck… it felt so right. As if your embrace was the puzzle piece he didn’t know he was missing. He didn’t want to let you go.

His thoughts continued to wander, thinking back to past moments he spent with you. Moments spent hearing about you when Grogu would tell him about his day at school. Moments of a joy he didn’t know was possible when the two of you would talk, or explore the night sky. Moments of annoyance when Fett and Fennec would point out how obvious his feelings were.

But they were right.

He wouldn’t be this open with you if it wasn’t true. He wouldn’t be doting on you this much if it wasn’t true. He wouldn’t be considering the current thoughts in his mind if it wasn’t true.

What your face would look like… if he were looking at you with his own eyes.

Din leaned up and shifted his position to face you. Your chest rose and fell with each breath you took, your face tranquil. He wondered what you might be dreaming about. He smiled under the helmet. Maybe you were running around with your students like you did at the zoo and at Grogu’s birthday party. Maybe you were beating up drunk assholes. Maybe you were holding Grogu in your arms.

Maybe Din was holding you both in his, like he did in his own dreams.

He shook the image away. Wishful thinking at best, he thought to himself. But it didn’t stop the desire he had. Din closed his eyes and gathered his bravery. He brought his hands up to his helmet. The seal hissed as he lifted it off and placed it in his lap. After another breath, he opened his eyes. All at once, the air left his lungs.

He already thought you were stunning, but… He’d truly been missing out.

Your features were so much clearer, so much more defined. Your skin was soft, that much he knew by then, but now he could see that. And he could see how your lashes curtained over your cheeks, how your hair cascaded over the pillows, how your adorable nose twitched every now and then as you slept. The natural palette of your existence was unlike any set of colors he’d ever seen before. It was definitely preferable to the blue tint his helmet placed on the world. Tears teased their presence behind Din’s eyes as a smile stretched across his face.

Damn… he wanted to see your eyes. Wanted to look into them with his own.

And damn, did he want to kiss you.

But not like this.

Your guard had been lower today, the filter he suspected you’d been keeping around him essentially gone with your strength. He didn’t want to take advantage of that. No, if he was ever so lucky as to kiss you, you’d both be involved.

Instead he set his helmet to the side and leaned down, cheeks growing warm when he stopped just above you. He took in the expression on your face before closing his eyes and gently pressing his forehead against yours. He took in a sharp breath through his nose. Every muscle in his face clenched together. His eyes squeezed more tightly shut as he took in the sensation of his bare skin touching yours. It was the most minimal of contact, but it still sent his mind spinning.

He lifted his head and slowly opened his eyes to see you, expression unchanged aside from a small smile pulling at your lips. Din grinned at the sight, and said the words he'd wanted to say as you fell asleep:

“Sweet dreams, my dear.”

***

taglist: @dincrypt @anrimdjarin @kodye1018 @persie33 @janebby @allmahfeels @c-a-v-a-l-r-y @onomatopoetic-aesthetic @queen-since-97 @tobealostwanderer @darlingotaku @fangirlalexia @justdrawings101 @bluemacaron @onebrownoneblue @440mxs-wife @what-iwish-you-knew

[msmarvelwrites]

The Winter Ghost - Part 7

Info: A Devastating car crash causes you to lose your memory and start over. The only thing left in the wreckage was the horrific nightmares which plagued your mind. If you knew what today would entail you would have just stayed in bed. But you didn’t and because of that, everything you knew was about to change.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Warnings: swearing, angst (i think thats it)

W/c: 2k ish

A/n: I’m really sorry... But thank you to @cutie1365​ for all her help! Girls a rock start honestly. Go give A Kid From Queens a read. Seriously, you wont regret it! 

The early morning sun streamed through the windows, burning at the corner of your eyes. A groan escaped your throat as you shifted out of its glaring view. Your head ached with the memory of another nightmare. 

        You picked up your phone on the nightstand and typed in your password. Absentmindedly you scrolled through your messages with Bucky. 

You: Hey.                                                                              4:15  pm   (read)

You: Wanna watch a movie later?                                      8:25 pm   (read)

You: Hey, u still up?                                                           12:45 am   (read) 

The next week was a complete blur. You would have loved to relive the blissful moment you had shared with Bucky, but the night after, he disappeared. You knew he hadn’t left on a mission as the rest of the team would recall seeing him around. You felt foolish looking for a man who so obviously didn't want to see you. Or maybe he was just busy, you would try to reassure yourself. But as the days drawled on, you found it hard to keep convincing yourself of that. Maybe you had come on too strong? Maybe he didn't feel the same way and you completely read the situation wrong? I mean, you practically threw yourself at him, right? God, you felt stupid. And what was worse, the nightmares only got worse in Bucky’s absence. Almost every night he would lay by your side, petting your hair and reassuring you. You didn't really realize the effect he had on you until it stopped.

          A few nights later, Steve, T’Challa and Bucky were to leave on a mission to interrogate Zemo. Steve explained he was apprehended about a year ago and was held up in a maximum security prison. You didn't ask where, worried if you knew you might use your newfound ‘gifts’ to tear him a new asshole.

        The night before they left there was a soft knock on your door. You looked up curiously, hoping for just a split second that maybe it was him… You crossed the room slowly and creaked the door open.  As the hallway light poured into your dimly lit bedroom you saw Bucky’s disheveled form. He looked like hell. You didn't think he would have already been sleeping, not that you minded an impromptu visit from your favourite Super Soldier, but his worried eyes concerned you. 

           “Can we talk a sec?” He asked, his voice confirming he was indeed in crisis. You nodded slightly and let him in. He walked towards your bed, instantly taking a seat and waiting for you to join. He really looked terrible. You could tell he was a wreck. Good, you thought. The man had literally kept you up for nights worrying, wondering if you were the cause of his sudden cold shoulder. 

         “I think that's a good idea.” You spoke sternly, surprised with how calm your voice came out. To be fair, you had practiced this conversation in the mirror a few times. As long and Bucky stuck to the script, you'd be fine.  

          He smirked slightly, tapping the space beside him. As you got closer, you realised what bad shape the guy was really in. Dark circles blossomed under his once blue eyes, now dark and stormy and bloodshot. His usual scruff was now almost a beard and looked unkempt and overgrown. 

           “Listen, doll. There's somethin’ I've been meaning to say… I was just tryin’ to find the right words but then, last week, you kissed me and-” You didn't let him finish before interrupting. 

            “You kissed me?” Your words were harsh and you could tell they hurt Bucky. Maybe ease up a little, you thought as you took a deep breath. In all your time practicing what you were going to say to Bucky, him looking like a complete and utter wreck was never part of the picture.

         “What? Course’ I did. But that's not what I came to talk to you about.” He sighed, taking another long inhale and holding it a few seconds, before drawing it out slowly. “Y/n, I need you to understand, the person I am now, I wasn't always this way. I was broken and put back together so many times I had forgotten who I was.” He started. Bucky had told you about his past with Hydra before. Many nights you stayed up listening to him recall the few memories he had from his time. It made you somewhat thankful that yours hadn’t come back quite yet. 

          “I know, Buck. It’s okay.” Your voice droned out softly as you reached a reassuring hand and placed it on top of his metal one. He flinched away, resting them in his lap. You felt your heart pang with sadness at his actions. 

        “It's not okay, Y/n. It’s never been okay. I’m broken and you're just starting this new chapter…  Dammit - I don't even know how to…” He rubbed his face in frustration, all the while avoiding your worried stare. 

          “You know you can talk to me, Buck. About anything.” He spoke quietly, careful not to set him off. He nodded his head from behind his hands and finally removed them, placing them back down in his lap. 

         “I don't wanna’ screw this up, Y/n. Whatever this is. You’ve been such a good friend to me and…” He began again but his words melted away into the background. Friend. Such a good friend. Oh God, he was letting you down. You should have seen this coming but with Bucky, it felt different. You’d never been kissed like that. You didn't ask for any of this to happen. I mean, you had enough on your plate right now as it was. Why didn't he stop you? God, he could have stopped all of this. Instead of ignoring you all week and making you feel like a crazy person. Maybe you were. 

        “Why have you been avoiding me?” You interjected, not sure what part of his explanation he had even gotten to. He paused, looking at you with sympathy. He pities you, you thought, feeling your gut sink and tears well in your eyes. 

        “Look, Y/n… I got carried away with you that night. I should have stopped, I should have done a lot of things. I thought something terrible had happened to you and I just… I’m so sorry, doll. For everything.” His eyes burned into you, but you couldn't bring yourself to meet his gaze. You were so embarassed. God, you must look so stupid right now. Slowly, you took a breath and looked up at him. He looked you over, trying to gauge your current state. 

        “Ya- no, I get it. My fault, honestly. I read the situation wrong. Sorry.” You croaked out, forcing yourself to look at him in his mind melting eyes. Fuck, he was beautiful. Even completely sleep deprived the man could easily be the most attractive person you’d never seen. What an asshole. 

       “I just think it would be best, for both of us if we stayed friends.” He half heartedly smiled at you, watching as you nodded slowly. 

         “I think you should go, Bucky.” You whispered over a sob that forced its way out of your throat. Don't you dare cry in front of him. Don't you dare let him know he broke you. You shouted to yourself. 

“Doll-”

        “Don't- just… I’m fine. Really, I’m fine. Just, please leave now.” His head hung as he let out a defeated breath. Slowly he stood, crossing the room, but pausing when he got to the door. 

        “I leave on a mission tomorrow morning. It’s just recon, but I don't know when I’ll be back. Just take care of yourself, Y/n.”

          “I think I’ll be fine, Sargeant. Thanks.” You scoffed. And with that, the door shut, and you were left alone again. 

                Next morning came on quickly. You had spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and over thinking everything Bucky had just said. At least he was honest with you. You thought. After a week of ignoring you…

        Finally you pulled your ass out of bed. You hadn’t slept a blink all night, but there was no use trying now. You shuffled across your room and into the bathroom. 

        “Ugh,” You signed, looking at your messy hair and dark circles under your eyes. I think the only thing to really bring you back from the dead now was an I.V drop filled with coffee. 

        After throwing your hair up into a messy bun and blending out your under eye bags with concealer, you headed downstairs. The compound was strangely quiet. Granted Steve, Bucky and T’Challa had all left by now. It felt strange to not see them hovering around the kitchen. Instead, Natasha and Wanda sat on either side of the island chatting quietly until you walked it. Wanda’s head snapped up, alerting Natasha of your presence.

         “Morning, Y/n.” Wanda smiled warmly at you. 

          “Hi.” You mumbled, ransacking the kitchen for something to tide you over. You honestly couldn't remember the last time you had really eaten something. When you finally found the hidden box of fruit loops at the back of the pantry. These were you and Wanda's contraband and needing an appropriate hiding spot as such.

          “You know what would pair beautifully with those?” Nat asked, lifting her mug and pointing it towards the full coffee pot on the counter. You paused for a moment, finally letting the rich smell of the brewing beans envelope your senses. 

          “You didn't…?” You gasped, momentarily feeling a little better. 

          “You're right. I didn't. Bucky went out to the market early this morning and picked up a bag of real coffee beans for you.” She smiled knowingly at you.

           You huffed, suddenly a little less excited. It was pity coffee. Natasha looked you up and down trying to get a read on your mood. She carefully poured you a full mug of deliciousness, passing it to you. As you lifted it to your lips your mouth watered, feeling all your problems melt away. The first sip reaffirmed that sentiment. 

      “Fuck, thats good.” You moaned, swallowing the substance slowly. Wanda giggled at your reaction while Nat rolled her eyes. 

       “So, what's the plan for today?” You asked over a mouth full of cereal. 

       “Nothing crazy, Wanda and I are going to go train for a bit, if you wanna’ join in?” Nat offered. Working out with the former assassin and super witch didn’t really strike you as a relaxing day, but you figured it would be a good way to get your mind off Bucky. 

       “Yeah, that sounds good. Maybe we can have a girls night tonight? I could really use it.” You shrugged casually, trying not to meet Nat’s suspicious gaze.

        “Ugh, yes please! Three against one, Shuri will have to watch a sappy eighties rom-com with us!” Wanda exclaimed, setting her cereal bowl in the sink and giggling her melodic laugh. 

        “We can do girls night, plus one boy. I think Sam's landing in Wakanda tonight. He’s been on a recon mission for the last month and a half, and knowing him, ittl’ more than likely be four against Shuri.” Nay laughed, poking Wanda in the shoulder and reminding her of the return of their friend. 

        “Oh right! Y/n, you’re going to love Sam.” Wanda exclaimed. You smiled dryly, trying and failing to look as excited as your friend. After the overwhelming week, all you wanted was to drink your weight in tequila and forget Bucky existed. Maybe a change in faces was just what you needed, however. 

         “Can’t wait.” You forced an enthused smile as you followed Nat and Wanda to the Gym. 

           You had at least a week before Bucky and the guys returned. Surely that was enough time to mend your bruised ego and move on. Though, something sinking deep inside of you felt otherwise. 

.....................................

A/n: It’s the ruining a perfectly good fluffy moment between y/n and Bucky for me. I’m so sorry. I cant tell you it gets better, but it does get juicy! 

.....................................

@kalesrebellion​ 

@projectcampbell​

[stoopsbookstore]

"Nothing I can Do"

Warning - Use of the C word said in moment of anger

"So that's it? 6 months for nothing? For you to say you want to break up and no good reason?" Y/N stood next to Kino's bed, the boy holding his head in his hands as the situation in the room grew more tense.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. It's just between my schooling, the radio station and the guys, I never have time and maybe we could be frie-"

"And we discussed that beforehand. We will text every morning and night, and we'll meet up when we can!" Y/N was exasperated, "and you don't think I have a lot on my plate, too? With fucking 6 classes, my job and an internship at the news station?"

Kino bit into his hand, he knew Y/N was right, "I just feel like we should work on oursel-"

"Save it," Y/N grabbed her bag, running out of the door and almost slamming into Wooseok who had opened the entry.

"Kino? What was that?" Wooseok sat next to his older friend, patting his back as tears flowed out of his eyes.

Kino curled up in the tall boy's lap, sobs coming out, "my biggest mistake."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shinwon and Yan An had to drag Kino out of the radio station's rundown studio they let him use for his music. The trio walked to the cafe, Port Town's Caffeine, opting to sit in a booth.

"You need to eat, Kino, Ms. Hyuna said you locked yourself in there and you've been there since yesterday," Yan An sat next to him as Shinwon ordered the drinks and snacks, "Hui told me he found you asleep at your computer the past 2 weeks, that's not good."

Kino kept quiet as Shinwon handed him his iced coffee and a muffin, picking at the wrapper.

"Is this about that bit-"

"I told you, Shinwon. It was all me. My choice, ny regret, my decision," Kino perked up, his eyes void of all emotion, "she's not anywhere in the wrong for this."

Shinwon sat back, bitter as he noticed Y/N walking in with another boy, "holy fucking shit, that slut."

Yan An and Kino turned around, taking notice at the pair, the boy with his hand on Y/N's hip as he guided her to a chair.

"We're not together, bro. If she wants someone else, that's fine, that's what I wanted her to do."

"We can leave if you'd like," Yan An started picking up the wrappers and empty cups, "we don't have to stay. I know it's still fresh."

Kino shook his head, "guys, I'm fine. I mad-"

"Kino?" The guy with Y/N pulled his mask down, walking over to the group as Y/N kept her eyes down, "what's up, man?"

"Hey Vernon, what's been up with you?" Kino offered a seat next to him as Vernon waved Y/N over, the girl bitterly walking over.

"Oh, I've been good," Kino lied through his teeth as Y/N kept her eyes on the table, fiddling with her fingers while Shinwon glared holes into her head.

"Cool!" Vernon turned to Y/N, "Let me introduce yo-"

"We know who she is," Shinwon barked, crushing his cup, "he used to fuck her in our dorm. How is his sloppy sec-"

"Shinwon!" Kino and Y/N yelled at the tall male, his drink covering the table.

"That's low," Yan An scolded Shinwon, "what he meant to say is they were together. I'm guessing Y/N told you?"

"Yeah. She had mentioned she had a class with a Hyunggyu and they dated for a bit, but I didn't think it was him," Vernon felt the sudden awkward tension, looking between Y/N and Kino, "we can go if you'd like."

"Um, no. It's fine, Kino and you seem like you need to catch up, I'll actually go order food," Y/N stood up before being cut off by Kino.

"Actually, if it's okay with you, Vernon, I'd like to talk to Y/N."

"It's up to her, dude," Vernon helped Yan An clean up the now liquid-free, but still sticky table.

Y/N bit her tongue, nodding, following Kino outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What the fuck did you tell them?! Why did Shinwon try to attack me like that?!"

"Because it's Shinwon, he's impulsive. And I told him that I broke up with you, he took it as I did it because you hurt me, cheated on me, did something to me."

Kino and Y/N stood in the alley next to the cafe, both of their faces red with annoyance, anger, bitterness, regret.

"Have you told him it was you?! Not me! Did you tell him I cried myself to sleep or that Roa had to basically rip me from my bed to go out?" Y/N's words were like knives in Kino's heart, "I'm not saying this to makr you feel guilty! I'm saying this because Shinwon's accusing me of cheating and all this shit, calling me a slut, but it's been hard for both of us and I'm not going to be talked to like that by someone who eats his entire weight in trashy fast food!"

"I've tried telling him! I've told Hui! I've told Yan An, I've told Yuto. I've told my entire group of friends that it was me! It's not my fault that he wants to be an asshole!"

"Well, birds of a feather flock together! I wonder he got the idea of me being a horrible person from! Calling me a slut?! What the hell?!"

"We've been broken up for 2 weeks and you're already on your knees for some fucking other cunt! You're already in bed with Ver-"

"Who said I'm in bed with him?! We're partners in an acting project together and we figured we would take a fucking break before getting back to the scene! At least I'm not the fucking asshole who broke up with someone and couldn't give them a real fucking answer!"

"I broke up with you because I thought you'd be better without me and with someone else! I felt like I wasn't there enough for you to be happy and I didn't want you to feel trapped out of guilt!"

The venom in both of their words raced through their veins, both of them embarrassed by what they just said. The reality hits them both as the tone in the alley went from angry hatred to heartfelt sincerity.

"I've told him it was all my decision, you had nothing to do with it. He's just annoyed at the aftermath."

"Is that Hui texted me saying he found you sleeping in the radio station's record studio at least 4 times last week?" Y/N walked over to Kino, the space between them closing as the two looked at their feet.

Kino's voice wavered in defeat, "maybe."

"Hyunggyu," his real name a gross taste to both parties, "You need to take care of yourself. You need to eat and drink, make sure you're getting some rest."

"Why do you care? You sounded so angry before," Kino looked up to see Y/N holding back tears.

"Because even though it was a shitty breakup, I'm still going to care for you," Y/N grabbed his hands, "we may not be together, but we can still care for each other."

Kino and Y/N looked at each other, both of their cheeks wet with tears that they didn't even notice until now. Kino took his sleeve of his sweater and wiped at Y/N's years. The two sat in comfortable silence, Y/N making the first move to hug.

"Hey, Kino!" Shinwon was at the beginning of the alley, watching the two like a hawk, "we're needed at the radio station."

Kino broke the hug, Y/N with a soft smile on her face as Kino kissed her cheek.

"We can talk more later," Y/N wiped at the last tears falling.

"I'll facetime you when I'm out. Sounds good?"

"Yea," the pair shared one last hug as Vernon and Yan An showed up, Kino and Y/N walking towards them, "take care of yourself."

"You too. Good luck on your project."

"Good luck on your recording."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Happy Thursday, this is Kino's corner and I'm your host, DJ Kino with my friend, Shinwon," Kino talked into the microphone, a melancholy cloud over his head, looking at the sheet of songs he was suggested to play, "I know it's been a long week, a long day and I don't want to bring anyone down."

Kino stared at Shinwon, the older male nodding in approval as Kino took a breath in.

"I don't want to get too depressing, but I want to talk about break-ups, make-ups and regrets. We all go through them at one point in our lives. Sometimes all at once, two at a time or one right after another. Here's my story about a break-up that I regret and still do, but I've come to terms with it."

Kino started tearing up, the pain in his chest dull as he focused on making sure his voice doesn't crack.

"We were together for a good amount of time, 6 months, you know long enough to fall in love, find each other's quirks and fears, learn about each other. I felt like she could find someone better. I wasn't there for her and if we did see each other, it was only for about 5, 10 minutes top between classes. I broke up with her, giving her the reason we were too busy. I didn't want to tell her that it was because I felt like I wasn't enough, I knew she would feel guilty and I guess I'd rather her hate me than her feel guilty about me not being enough."

Kino watched his phone light up with a notifcation.

"I'll admit, I've been one of those exes who would look at their Instagram, snapchat, line, kakaotalk, Facebook, all that shit. She does look happier and I'm glad for her. Yes, we still talk and see each other out, but I don't think there's any chance of us getting back together."

Kino unlocked his phone, a text from Y/N, her classic snarkiness coming through.

'You know I listen to the radio show, right? :P'

"I know there's certain people listening," Kino chuckled as he queued Shinwon to play a song, "I think there are some people who may need to listen to what I'm about to play. As you know, me, my cohort, Shinwon, as well as our friends Hui and Yan An, have a group, we're called Pentagon, we're recruiting more people, at least... we're trying."

Shinwon laughed as he played the intro, "auditions tomorrow at 2! We have 6 spots open!"

"Thanks, Shinnie. This is a song we just did, I hope you'll like it, it means a lot to me. It's called 'Nothing I Can Do'. I hope you all like it."

[bastardsunlight]

When Sam had mentioned that a ghost from a few decades back had harassed Dean on a job until the hunter found a long abandoned ritual, Ryu had leapt to help, as usual. Asked for pictures, the name of the ghost if they had been able to get it, something the ghost had been attached to, so he could call them and ask for more questions. The pictures Sam had sent him were not ones Ryu needed to research. He knew the runes, half rotten or not, and had driven to their location in half the time the GPS said it should take.

Someone was trying to be immortal again.

Weeks of tracking and interviewing the living and dead alike, getting sleep only with the help of the patented Winchester sleep aid, had led to this moment. The almost sacrifice had been diverted, Sam and Dean practically carrying the victims out of harm's reach while Ryu kept the sorcerer distracted.

"You Winchesters just don't die, I've heard. You'll add plenty of years to me, probably some good magic, not that it's going to help you any here!" The shitty little monologue was aided by the point of a dagger in Sam's direction, a free hand waving over an emergency seal meant to stop magic the man didn't want. "Pet witch can't start a blizzard in here!"

Ryu's ears were buzzing, standing in this tiny room primed to be eager for blood. "That was never the plan." A wave of his hand and the room smelled of musk, the man's beloved ritual rotting before their eyes. "Look at you. So fucking eager to extend your life, you leave it open to death." The necromancer stepped forward and the pretender stepped back. "There are consequences to playing with these things." Another step forward and back, now against a wall.

The seal to block other magics rotted away under Ryu's caress, blackfire candles sputtering out, fog spreading along the floor. "The souls aren't gone, you know. They still remember." Ice catches the swing of the cornered sorcerer, dagger and arm frozen together to the wall. "Here; a sneak peek of what's waiting, before the morning comes." The fog swarmed into the sorcerer's mouth and nose as Ryu caught his free wrist, the decay from his touch spreading faster than Ryu pulled away.

The necromancer stepped away, giving the sorcerer space to come to grips with both his body giving way to dust and the fate that awaited him in the afterlife. "But I didn't- that other one wasn't me."

"You did the same thing though, and your victims have already had plenty of time to get to know the rest of us. We're touchy about anyone else copying." Ryu stayed there, made sure that he was present as his curse spread and consumed the man in little over a minute, a pile of dust left behind. It was only when he knew it was over that Ryu fell to his knees, the magic coming to a stop as his energy was depleted.

He felt like a husk of himself, staring at his shaking hands and wondering if he looked as hollow as he felt. "S-Sam. Sam. It has to burn. I can't- I shouldn't- I want to go home."

“I got it,” Dean stepped in, salt and a lighter in hand. “Sammy! Get in here!”

Sam was soon to follow, looking ruffled, but not frazzled. The sacrificial victims were safe, relatively speaking. Their therapists would make a good living off them for the rest of their lives, most likely, but they’d live. There were days Sam wondered what was better. He’d died, himself, as had Dean, but the prospect of rest was appealing. Dating a necromancer gave death a whole new spin, however. So, for the time being, living was, indeed, better. He moved to Ryu’s side and stooped, grasping him and, without asking, picking the man up, bodily.

Dean loomed over the remains of the sorcerer, his lips curled in disgust as he dumped salt on it. There was no telling what might try to come back if he wasn’t thorough, so he was taking no chances as he flicked the lighter open and dropped it into the pile, stepping back with his arms crossed as Sam and Ryu moved past him.

“Dean, you coming?”

“In a sec,” Dean promised, eyes fixed on the fire, mesmerized in a way only flames could manage. Sam didn’t pause to argue.

“That was amazing,” he whispered as they emerged into the cool of the evening. “I… knew you were powerful, but—that…” Sam shook his head. “Wow. Dinner's on me tonight.”

He could feel.Ryu's distress and had opted for distraction.

[htshu]

Amenra, in Leiden

So normally I'm just the scrolling kind of Tumblr user and when I see stuff I like, I hit that heart button. But for this I feel an obligation to share. Even when still in doubt if I should write in English or Dutch. I believe it's the better option to go with the first option, for if I want to be able to reach as many of you as possible. That being said, I apologise in for hand for crappy writing. Anyway let's kick off.

It's the end of June this year when I finally decided to just totally go for it. I mean I need to witness this, Amenra with Toner Low and Hemelbestormer and Soul Grip. The only hick up to this point was the fact that I probably will be doing this alone. Which is another long story and I'm not going to bore you with it. This post is about music. So half a year later it's finally there, a bit unprepared and a long time since I've seen some doom live. But no worries, I talked my girl into going to the Church of Ra expo that was held during this weekend. Some very nice art and laid back vibe was to be found in a pop up next to the venue. after a nice dinner with my girl I went to prepare as you would prepare a stoner doom night.

It was time to wonder to the venue where a greater forming fan base of Amenra already was gathering. A bit uncomfortable I mingled. Still a great and familiar vibe was coming over me. And I started to realise what I've been missing for such a great time. I just love this scene guys. But I also noticed that the scene is growing up, it's getting more mature in a most positive way possible. I felt at home.

Doors opened. I ran to the merch stand which had all the good stuff. Amenra merch was killer, this has to wait for one sec. Off to Toner Low stand, I was on a mission to have a second change on scoring merch from these guys. I must explain this when I saw this guys back in 2014, I was broke as fuck and couldn't afford me anything. Times has changed. So walking up their booth I recognized the dark dreaded hair bassist and cool as always drummer. Time for a small chat. Because honestly I haven't heard anything from them since. Apparently they have been touring abroad and haven't played their hometown Leiden since 2016. Heck this was going to be their only show in the Netherlands for 2018. How's that for numbers. So..

Back to the Amenra stand. Without hesitation.. A solitairy reign shirt the art work is just insane.

Off to the first band Hemelbestormer

Besides a song of 2 on YouTube I barely know this guys. Opening up is almost always a disadvantage. The sound was not quite there, heck in time I thought I heard a crackle in the speaker. But the band is dope, rolling thunder, earthly forces make there way for deep and enriched outer space experiences. Crafty and from time to time surprising. I definitely won't give it a monomyth reference but it shares some psychedelic landscapes. Of course all in my opinion. Already a great start which promises a lot for the rest of the night.

Here is some audio although I doubt it's quality (recorded by phone)

Time for Toner Low

Coming out the Hemelbestormer show I already here a low and buzzing sound echoing through the hallways of the venue. No time to waste, God damnit I missed the first 3 notes. What a total blast these guys still perform. I mean I feel like nothing has changed in four years time. They still sound so killer. Those bass tones can move continents and the guitarist, well he still has his Les Paul and orange accompanied with something that looks like a Ampeg v4b. Check it out yourself.

I mean I can say a lot about this band that will probably convince you to check them out if you haven't already. By the way back on the numbers they are around for 20 years now. Yeah that's right kids. No, really you should check them out and worship them and thank me later. Anyway here are some pics. Still going strong with the weedy visuals

Soul grip

Can't say much about them, especially after seeing Toner Low again. It wasn't quite my thing. Maybe if I saw the whole show. The room was too crowded, and something too screamy about the vocals that I did not like. No problem these things happen. It gave me the opportunity to sneak outside and prepare myself for the main act.

Amenra

Only one photo for this breathgiving, mass producing, life conquering, heavy hitter, expanse builder, doom machine of a band. Have I mentioned enough now? I don't know, no words can compare this experience. For me this marks an era, they have been with me along solitary paths, on heavy days. And this show, this right here, this is together. No matter what the world throws at you, they are with you. Man do I have myself some neck issues as I'm writing this. What a battle, they have pulled me through. Now what's next? I hope I will be able to process and give it a nice place to comprehend what I witnessed.