#It is a nightmare I wanted to cry

[gabriellerudessa]

Compass (Norm Maclean x OC) - II

“Terrible hosts, all of you. Not you, Goose, he has food and I know it’s only because of you.” That made everyone drop quiet.

“Ma-”

“He’s your guest, Marigold, I bet you didn’t even introduced him or everyone else for that matter.” Marigold closed her mouth and actually pouted. “Sorry about it, darling, Marigold is too much a child of the desert and forgets the basics.”

AO3 | Part I | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI (Smut) | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI (Smut) | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX | Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV (Smut) | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI (END)

PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

Words: 4.435

Warnings: None

II

The sun kept rising in the sky and they kept walking, mostly in silence. They had stopped only once, and Norm watched Marigold string together the bunch of the so called radroaches that fell on the trap, hanging them from her backpack with a string net over it, and collect the pieces of the traps - all the time mumbling about "not catching a molerat this time" and "can't believe I'll have to search an actual nest".

Norm had felt first a wave of gratefulness, for Marigold stopping him from going in the middle of the night, and then relief that he had turned off the light when he did: the giant insects were horrifying and the... Teeth, mandibles, whatever, were huge. She had said they were nasty in a group, but Norm was pretty sure a single one would be enough to finish what the invaders hadn't.

Marigold probably hadn’t killed him just because she knew the Wasteland would have done a better and faster job.

What exactly was he doing on the surface again?

Oh yeah, finding his sister because their lying father had been kidnapped and if Norm remained things would've ended badly for him because they were all supposed be agreeable rats in a lab.

The heat and the sun and all the walking with nothing but sand and ruins to see no matter where he looked were probably worsening his mood, he admitted. Norm was pretty sure he would start a pointless discussion if they started talking; not even one for information, no, just pointless bickering for the sake of bickering.

He preferred to exercise pointless bickering with Lucy. And Chet.

God he missed them.

Norm threw a look at Marigold: face relaxed, steps sure, absolutely not looking affected at all, a fast but easy to accompany pace. He was certain that she would’ve reached wherever they were going already if not for him.

What his father had been saying in Lucy's marriage, before the attack? Something about "keep the candle of civilization lit" and "repopulating the surface"? Yeah, right, he knew the people of his Vault, the lack of an acclimatized environment would end that plan fast.

Norm looked at the desert again, a tall sandy hill ahead, tips of iron and concrete almost seeming to bloom from the ground.

"Our ranch is after the hill. It's not long now..." She looked at the sky and grinned. "We'll be in time for lunch. C’mon."

The word "lunch" was enough to cause a grumble from his stomach. Damn it, he was really trying to not remember he was hungry.

---------

He noticed the wind generators before they reached the top of the hill, spinning with the wind.

The rest of the ranch came later, and while Norm didn't know what he had been expecting, he knew it wasn't the spread-out and mismatched jumble of three buildings one-floor height – even if two were mostly one-room sized – made of wood and concrete with what appeared to be solar generators on the roof, the wind generators to one side, a tall metal fence with a gate and three two-floor towers with... Something on the top, he really couldn't see yet. Even with the distance it was easy to notice how things had been added and fixed along the time, no real pattern or organized plan, but... Well kept. With signs of being lived in – a line with clothes hanging and fluttering in the wind, people like ants coming and going.

A home to someone.

"How old is the ranch?" it came just as they started down the hill, Marigold ahead, Norm doing his best to step exactly where she had – that side had more metal and concrete sticking out from the ground and he didn’t want to risk getting hurt.

"Ehh, it was started some decades after the bombs, I think, by one of my great-great-grandpas. Can't say how many generations passed by at this point."

As they reached the foot of the hill and approached more, he finally identified the tops of the towers: some type of defense turret, two per tower, facing different directions.

Norm replayed her words about the dangerous animals and people roaming the Wasteland. Considering what he had seen first-hand in the Vault, he was actually a little surprised they had managed to hold on in the same place for so long.

Marigold's steps slowed, and Norm slowed too, looking in time to see her frowning and squinting.

"What?"

"Those turrets ain't static."

Oh.

She put her thumb and forefinger to the sides of her mouth and gave a sharp, rhythmic whistle, and Norm winced as the sound pierced his ears.

Seconds later, an answering whistle traveled through the air, a different rhythm, and Marigold relaxed, waving for them to keep going, steps faster.

Well. Either he died there, or outside.

At least inside he had a chance of learning more without risking a heat stroke.

---------

A woman was waiting by the metal gate, holding it open for them, hair mostly white  and gathered at the top of her head, skin already showing wrinkles and sun spots, and equally tall and huge – figures –, in leather pants and t-shirt, two guns dangling from her belt.

"Norm, that's my Ma, Guadalupe; Ma, this here is Norm." Marigold made the introductions as Guadalupe closed and locked the gate.

"Pleasure to meet you, Norm. Welcome and be safe here."

"Thanks, ma'am." The answer surprised him, with how it was his default when dealing with the grandmas of the Vault when he was kid, always saying "you should eat more, Norm my dear, you're so skinny". It was just… Hard to talk back to them; they were inexplicably terrifying. And something in Guadalupe was the same.

"Ma'am, hm?" the woman grinned, and it was the same he had seem on Marigold's face. No way to deny the connection.

"Ma don't start."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you're thinking. Why the turrets ain't moving? I verified everything with Dad before I left."

That made Guadalupe's grin fall, a sigh in place as she started pushing both of them towards the building.

"It's something with the programming, from what we gathered." Marigold opened her mouth, Guadalupe was faster. "Lunch first."

"The radroaches..."

"I'll take them to the Drying room, anything else can be dealt with later." Norm barely saw her fingers unhook the strung insects. "Now go and show him to some food, for God's sake! Guests don't starve here!" were her parting words, as she walked fast to one of the separated buildings.

Norm blinked at her retreating back. How she managed to sound exactly like those grandmas all those years ago, even if not with the same words, or even meeting them?

Marigold let out a sigh, hands at her hips and shaking her head while looking the building.

"Sorry. Ma... Well. Hm."

Yeah. "Well. Hm." It was clear one didn't say “no” to Guadalupe.

"Thanks for, you know, letting me choose and not outright dragging me."

Marigold actually winced at that.

"Yeeeah, she totally would've had. That’s actually a good summarization of how my three adoptive siblings ended up here."

Adoptive siblings. He was starting to understand why he hadn’t been killed.

"Then they weren't adopted, they were dragged."

The words, delivered in a small sarcastic note, pulled out a short laugh from Marigold.

"Can't disagree. Let's go eat, before she notices we haven't moved."

Norm started following her to the bigger building, noticing the lack of windows. Then his brain made him the favor of remembering the "food is food" about the radroaches, and he almost, almost turned back. The fact and knowledge that he hadn't enough food for many days and at some point he would need to eat what the people on the surface ate kept him following Marigold.

---------

They were by the door when Marigold leaned towards him, hand at the handle, the sound of voices reaching them – loud and enthusiastic.

“Fair warning: while they’ll probably not bother you too much, being a guest and all, sometimes my family can be a lot and too fucking curious, so if anyone starts making you uncomfortable or anything, just tell them to shut up and it should be fine, all righty?”

“That’s… Kind of rude.” And it was a useless way to try and get information.

Marigold gave a cheeky grin, the gap in her teeth making it seem all the more trouble in the light of day.

“We are a very big family. Telling someone that is being annoying to shut up is the tamest thing you’ll hear, believe me.” Marigold opened the door and nodded her head for him to go first.

“Very big family”; Norm wondered how big. Most families in the Vault were the two parents and at most two kids. With how old people could get, too many kids would strain the resources.

That is, if you didn’t consider the whole Vault a single family, but each family had their own separated space, so he wasn’t sure if this comparison would hold.

The door led into a large single space, walls and floor made of worn down wood.

And before anything else, he noticed that it was filled with people, loudly talking, sitting all around worn sofas and chairs and ground and holding plates of food. He counted nine people, four of them clearly kids, sat over the single old fur rug in the middle.

He heard the door closing, and one woman raised her head at them, smiling.

“Heya, Marigold arrived and she brought a guest!”

There was a collective holler of sound and they were the center of attention. A bunch of people were talking at the same time, and he just barely understood someone asking for a name and another one about “where she had found the keychain they wanted one too”, and Norm only had noticed because there was a sharp following of “Moose Bear don’t you fucking dare”.

How they managed to hear each other?

Also keychain was a new one.

“Yeah yeah, you lot missed me, I got it.” Marigold screamed in answer to her family. “C’mon get a plate for ourselves.” She had finished putting the rifle and backpack down, touching his shoulder to get his attention.

The kitchen was just a follow up of the living room, to the left of the door, no walls separating it. A wooden table in the middle with pots and pans and bowls – cracked and old and stained, but clean –, another one against the wall, one tall cupboard with mismatched doors, a wood stove with the fire still lit… And a woman sitting by the table in the middle, a plate with her, the blond hair so light it was almost white, watching it all with a soft smile.

Marigold approached and gave her a half hug, kissing her hair.

“They’re being a bit too loud today?”

Norm had approached the table, sneaking glances inside the objects and hearing the two of them. He could barely identify the foods as plant-adjacent and meat-adjacent. The smells didn’t give better clues.

Not good.

“Juuust a little bit. Moose managed to hunt two mirelurks and they are excited with the stew and the cooked legs and what to do with the carapaces.”

What the hell was a mirelurk? He was pretty sure Marigold hadn’t mentioned those last night.

He found the single pot with stew. The color wasn’t… Encouraging him. Neither was the weird salty smell.

This was just getting better and better.

“I thought I had smelled it. Hey Norm.” he raised his head, blinking as Marigold extended a white ceramic plate towards him – clean, chipped at the edges and the color stained a dull yellow by age – and a slightly bent fork. “Go right ahead, get whatever and how much you want.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, starting to pile her own plate, enough for it to turn into a small mountain, and plopped down by the sofas on the other side, immediately getting involved in the loud talk.

Norm looked again at all the unfamiliar… Food, he would call it all food because it was what everyone was eating, no matter how unfamiliar it was. Or… Unappetizing it looked.

“Norm, right?”

He looked at the woman, still sitting, and with how her head was upturned, he could see a scar circling all around her neck, old but still angry looking.

“Yes, right. I… Didn’t get your name.” Of no one besides Ma Guadalupe, actually, but one step at a time.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much Marigold for you. Slightly scatter-brained when at home.” She smiled, no heat behind her words. “I’m Goose. I’m also the one that usually cooks, so if you need help to choose, just ask.”

“I don’t even know at what I’m looking.” Norm admitted, looking over everything again, and Goose chuckled.

“Ah. Vault dweller indeed. I met some when I was a kid. Let’s see if I can help you.”

Her mention of meeting Vault Dwellers almost took his brain towards how it could be possible, but then she got up – and finally someone normal sized, not that much taller than him – and started pointing and naming things. He would try and ask later.

Some, while not familiar looking, seemed a safer bet, like the cooked maize that remembered corn, the thin and twisted carrots, and the salad made of a bunch of different flowers and leaves – he didn’t recognize them, but it was closer to what they had in the Vault on day-to-day life.

The meat-adjacent were a whole other thing. Besides the stew, one bowl had the so-called mirelurk legs, and they looked like crab legs but twenty times bigger. He had never eaten it, but had seen pictures. It made the stew all the more suspicious, the pieces of meat in it just… Weird and everything too big for the pictures he had seen.

First the radroaches and now this.

When they talked about mutations caused by radiation in the Vault, he expected tumors and what like, not freaking gigantism in arthropods as if they were back to the Carboniferous age.

“And this is roasted ant, seasoned with jalapenos, salt and mushrooms. If you don’t have a taste for peppers of any type, I don’t recommend.”

Norm looked again at the meat.

Roasted ant, Goose called.

It sure looked… Weird. Not ant-shaped, each piece the size of his hand, but he didn’t doubt that it was indeed another gigantic arthropod. Please no giant spiders.

The color was slightly less weird than the mirelurk-thingies, so it was what he put alongside the plant-adjacent food, if just not to look out of place.

“Thank you, Goose.”

She nodded, and since there wasn’t any free chair close to the table, he conformed himself with finding a place to sit amidst the loud group.

Aaand he was pretty sure the free spot at one of the sofas wasn’t there before. It was social trap if he had ever seen one, he just didn’t know for what.

Since there was a locked gate between him and the rest of the land, and it was either the maybe-cannibals inside and whatever the hell had mutated out there that had crab legs bigger than his arms, Norm thought he would take his chances with the maybe-cannibals. Humans he understood better than animals, at least.

His approach didn’t interrupt the talks in any way, the woman and old man besides the spot just nodding briefly at him. He still felt some brief looks.

“Yeah, the route was way too calm this time, Pa Isaac. I didn’t catch a single molerat.” It was Marigold, breaking one of the mirelurk legs and using her fingers to scoop out the meat inside – and he better focus on trying to eat what was on his own plate or he would start to wonder if she had cleaned her hands.

Damn it, too late, he was already wondering.

“But I did found a bunch of materials we needed, no need to expend caps in Filly or whatever.”

Norm stabbed some of the weird orange-ish flowers, looking it over. Broc flower, Goose had called it.

“Damn it, Goldie, there was a bloody pack of stingwings on mine.” The man on the other side of the woman to his left groaned.

“You forgot the bloatflies.” One of the boys sitting on the rug complemented, thin, hair the same blond-white from Goose.

Norm took a small bite of the flower, slowly chewing; a distinct natural spiciness that slowly became slightly bitter, the texture harder and drier than it looked for a flower. Not… Bad, but definitely weird.

“That’s what you get for being the bigger target, Moose.”

“Fuck off, Goldie.”

He finished the flower and stabbed a cooked carrot, thin and twisted.

“Took care of the stingwings nest?” the older man besides him, head shaved and tattooed.

The taste was… Slightly sweet. With certain spiciness. Familiar, but also different.

“Burnt every single egg, don’t worry.”

Norm kept carefully tasting the plants, the maize almost corn in taste, which was bittersweet. He purposefully left the ant for last – he really wasn’t excited for it.

“I noticed y’all sold some leather. Which caravan appeared?” The Moose man again.

“Nip-Nip.” The woman besides him answered, and there was a collective groan and curse from Marigold, Moose, the boy, and the man besides him.

“Motherfucker, seriously?”

“Don’t worry, he didn’t try to rip us off this time. Mika hitting his hat off his head from a hundred-fifty feet the other time really sold it.” Another older man, thick white beard covering his face.

Norm looked at his plate; all the plants had been eaten, and only the roasted ant remained. He was really doubtful it would be as… Palatable and agreeable as the plants.

He heard a door open, and looked sideways to see Guadalupe entering.

“What did I miss?”

“Nothing big, love.” The man besides him.

“Your plate, cariño.” The bearded man.

“Thanks, sweeties.”

Norm watched Guadalupe take the plate and kiss the forehead of both men – wait what? –, before sitting in a place on another sofa that had apparently magically appeared, practically in front of him – an Overseer analyzing the person that had just arrived. Yeah. A social trap. One that had just closed around him.

She looked at all of her family, looked at Norm, and rubbed at her temple.

“Terrible hosts, all of you. Not you, Goose, he has food and I know it’s only because of you.” That made everyone drop quiet.

“Ma-”

“He’s your guest, Marigold, I bet you didn’t even introduced him or everyone else for that matter.” Marigold closed her mouth and actually pouted. “Sorry about it, darling, Marigold is too much a child of the desert and forgets the basics.”

Marigold’s lips moved, whatever she mumbled too low for Norm to hear, but not her mother: Guadalupe’s hand, lightning fast, reached behind the man besides her to reach Marigold, and Norm only heard a yelp, the woman jumping and almost dropping her plate as she started rubbing at her waist. Guadalupe didn’t even turn her head.

Norm almost raised a hand to his cheek, the phantom pain of terrifying grandmas pinching his cheeks coming with a vengeance.

“So Norm, darling, those are my husbands, Isaac and Francesco,” she pointed to the two older men, his mind echoing a ‘is this allowed?’ “my stepson Jonas but Moose at this point is his name, his wife Stacy, and their twins Evie and Josh.” Guadalupe pointed at the tallest man and the woman besides Norm, and two kids that hadn’t talked much if at all. “Moth, Goose’s son,” she pointed at the thin boy “Mika, and… Where’s Lily?” Guadalupe touched the shoulder of the man besides her.

“Here, grandma.” Norm almost jumped at the thin voice just behind him, turning to see a girl that should have at most seven years, crossed arms over the backrest. “The number. It’s a Vault marked on our map.”

So all the family knew about his Vault and its location, information about the routes obviously shared in some capacity. Should he be worried?

“We know, dear. Have you eaten yet?”

“… Well…”

“Food, now.” Guadalupe’s voice didn’t broker arguments, and Lily went with a sigh. “And, family, this is Norm, Marigold’s guest. Again, be welcome.”

“Thanks, ma’am. Again.”

Norm blinked, slightly overwhelmed by all information – who was child of whom again? –, and then noticed Mika sign something that caused a wave of chuckles. It didn’t resemble the holotapes of ASL he had seen in the Vault, which didn’t surprise him after two hundred years and the isolation of that family.

And just like that, the talk started again, loud and animated and it almost made him remember the Vault and the occasional parties.

Norm looked at the piece of ant still in his plate and sighed. Well… At least it wasn’t the radroaches he had seen. It should be fine, mostly because he hadn’t seen it alive.

He cut a small piece, and it almost literally melted, with how soft the texture was; some taste of the jalapenos and mushrooms could be felt, but in general the meat was just… Bland with a slight sugary aftertaste and a greasy feeling.

It was weird. Too weird. He should’ve kept to the plants.

---------

Her side was still aching. Fuck, it had been ages since the last time Ma had pinched her, she had forgot how much it hurt.

Marigold finished sucking the last of mirelurk meat from the legs, the tenderness and taste just perfect, the saltiness, ginger and onion helping ward off the radiation aftertaste. Goose miracle worker as always.

Looking at Norm, she could clearly see, as he took small bites of the roasted ant, that he was trying to be… What was the word? Ah, polite. But his eyes were just too tense. It hadn’t been as bad with the plants, but insect meat really wasn’t his jam.

For a moment she wondered what Vaulties had been eating, and if she didn’t had more urgent things to worry, she would’ve asked. It sure would spark the best of talks.

“All right, Ma, I’ve eaten. What’s the thing with the turrets?”

A collective groan. Mika signed a string of curses, so fast she missed half of it.

“The programming. It has some type of error, right now it’s powering the fans from the Tanning room, the heater from the Drying room, and the lights, but the freezers are spotty and every time we try to make it power the turrets and the fence too, one of the others falls. We are literally having to choose.” Lily explained from her place in the rug, voice small; probably wondering if she had missed or misremembered something Catarina had been teaching in between her visits.

Marigold winced, both because Lily was only seven and shouldn’t be demanding so much from herself, and because she was useless with anything technology-adjacent; she still believed what Catarina had said when they were kids, that it was “magic” – her difficulty with reading terminals certainly didn’t help.

“And I verified the generators, fuses and batteries, it’s all perfectly functioning.” Dad Francesco pointed out.

“Fuck. Did you call Catarina yet?”

“We have a bunch of things to sell in Filly. I’ll go later to do it and also see if Ma June has someone to send a message… If the Brotherhood lets me in, otherwise I’ll have to go myself and sell to whoever trader I find in the way.” Moose answered and Marigold nodded.

“We’ll have to pull double watch shifts for the next weeks. There’s no way to let the tanning and drying room off, or even the freezer even if spotty. If the leather and meat go bad we won’t have what to trade.”

“Let’s hope Regina brings a good haul, we won’t be able to go out and hunt too.” Mika signed, which provoked a new collective groan.

“I… Could look the programming for you?” Norm started, shoulders hunching a little when everyone stared at him, but he kept going. “If it involves terminals and so on. I worked with them in the Vault.”

“It would save us a lot of time and trouble, Norm… What do you want in exchange?”

Ma Guadalupe started, leaning her body towards him, elbows on the knees. Watching.

Norm blinked, and while he looked shocked, there was also something determined in it, raising slightly his chin and staring straight back at Ma – and Oh, that was a good look on him. It was his perfect opening to get what she had kinda promised, and she damn hoped he took it.

“I… Need something to cover the back of my Vault-Suit. And information about my sister, another Vault Dweller that left a little more than two weeks ago, if you have it.”

Ma nodded slowly, and Marigold knew she was considering a lot more than just the offer – like “oh this one is smarter than he looks”.

“That seems like a fair exchange, Norm. Mika, Lily, show him the power terminal. During it, I’ll verify if we have something that fits you and if we heard about another Vaultie. What’s your sister’s name?”

Mika and Lily got up and Marigold automatically extended her hands to take their empty plates.

“It’s Lucy, ma’am. She’s taller than me and with long dark hair.” Norm got up, Pa Isaac taking his mostly-empty plate.

“Noted, now go on, please.” The three moved, Lily guiding the path outside – it was almost funny, with her just shy of reaching Norm’s shoulders, and Mika closing the line, a full head taller than Norm. A perfect staircase.

The door had barely closed behind them when Marigold felt all eyes on her.

“A missing sister. I gather you already knew, Marigold.” Ma sing-sang, and slight smirks appeared on the faces she could see.

Oh for fuck’s sake… That in itself wasn’t that sappy.

At least no one had discovered the knife.

“I’ll start on the cleanup.” She sprung from her place, collecting plates and cutleries as she went.

“Goldie just showed her sappiness!” Moose started.

“Fuck off!” Marigold threw over her shoulder, approaching the kitchen.

“Finally a Whole Bear.” Goose finished the family joke, smirking, and Marigold huffed with a roll of her eyes.

“Finally a Whole Bear!”

The family chanted behind her amidst laughs and Marigold groaned, aggressively pre-cleaning the plates with sand. Her family was definitely missing some screws, for fuck’s sake.

[chloesimaginationthings]

FNAF 4 nightmares haunted all the Afton kids..

[flockoff]

In a another world, Peak of Combat has a plot that involves Time Travel Shenanigans which puts V in one of the Funniest Situations.

[purpleelephantsocks]

Oh god, oh fuck, oh no; the parallels between Jean at the beginning of tsc panicking and telling Wymack "I want to go home" and Jean at the end of tsc falling apart after finding out his baby sister has died, telling Neil the same thing.

"I want to go home."

He is only nineteen

[crybaby-bkg]

cw: babies!!!! you’re also referred to as “ma” once

okay but like,,,,,first time dad Bakugou giving his baby their first bath after coming home!!! you’re fluttering around the kitchen, trying to make sure you have your daughters towel ready, her baby safe soap, a tiny washcloth, that her teeny tiny pajamas are in the dryer.

it’s only when you take a second to ask Bakugou something do you finally just—pause. your gaze instantly softens, a lovesick smile inching on your face as you watch your big buff pro hero husband hunch over the kitchen sink.

your daughter is resting in the baby bath seat, lilac colored and reclined back. she squirms when Bakugou lets the warm water run over her naked, fat little belly. her face scrunches at the new sensation, fists balling up against her chest. he coos at her, gentle,

“I know, ya little princess. Feels weird on ya, doesn’t it?” he asks her, voice so small under the running water. he cups his hand, holds a handful of water, tilts her fat cheek up to let it slide in her neck rolls that always smell like milk. she whines at that, sniffles and hiccups before she cries. you go to take a step forward, to console her, but Bakugou is so patient.

“It’s alright,” he kisses her tears away. “Daddy’s just tryna help you.” he runs the water all over her body, and paired with his softly spoken words, does she finally quiet after a few seconds. her little body trembles with the aftermath, pouty lips puffy and he can’t help but smooth his hand over the softness of her face.

“Yer a crybaby, just like your ma.” he whispers to her, grinning when that breaks you out of your stupor to smack him on the shoulder. you both laugh at that, and you finally feel the peace that is your little family. you lean against Bakugou’s shoulder, pressing a kiss to his jaw before looking at your daughter again.

“You’re gonna be a great dad,” you mumble into his skin. he doesn’t say anything, but you can feel his shuddering breath, and the calmness that blankets the rest of your house.

[hiimmirka]

[mushroom-kin]

My friend send this draw your top 3 fav for each element, and with in like 2 days, I went a bit crazy coconuts, and finished all of them.

There were some elements that were easier to choose than some other, my all time favorite characters, like Yun Jin and Nahida, I knew was going to be able to to put them on top. But for Cyro and Electro I feel like I wasn't very sure at first.

I am so glad I got to draw Wriothesley, I am very bad at drawing men in general, especially when they have muscle, even though both Alhaitham and Wriothesley are one of my favs. I just need to keep going back in the mines to learn how to draw them better.

I really also thought about including Kaveh on this list, but I decided to go with Kirara instead of him. Same with Barbara who I wanted to include so bad but did not have a spot for.

Genshin is such a funny game where I can like so many characters for so many different reasons. It is quite impressive and amazing.

[diathadevil]

Day 7 - Scatter

His biggest fear.

(Bonus doodle underneath because I felt bad for Fakir so I ended up making this into a dream sequence comic :'] )

[beanghostprincess]

Sanji and Usopp during The Sabaody Incident™ won't leave my mind.

Usopp standing in front of Sanji protectively because he is wounded and he can't fight, so Usopp will do it for him ("I'll do what you can't do").

There is just something about Sanji's expression when he realizes he might actually lose Usopp. This is my interpretation, at least. He is literally frightened.

Usopp helping Sanji stand up to run away. This is crucial for something I want to point out later: Sanji needs help to stand up. (Also, Brook disappears trying to protect them both and saying he will do anything to save them even if it costs him his life. I am feeling sick).

Sanji being self-sacrificing and blaming himself for not being able to protect them/act sooner is not new. But he does manage to gain the strength to fight when Usopp is the only one left with him and the possibility of losing him is even more real now.

The thing that I love the most about this is not Sanji sacrificing himself for Usopp, because he does that. He is like that. But Usopp not running away or moving in the slightest because he refuses to leave Sanji on his own.

Something I'd like to point out too is that Sanji actually touches Kuma before Usopp disappears. He tries to fight and protect him and Kuma could've easily sent Sanji to Momoiro Island right away, and yet Sanji was just sent flying far from the scene and forced to see Usopp disappear in front of him.

And I am not saying that "not being able to protect both Brook and Usopp (especially Usopp) is needed for Sanji to realize he has to become stronger and find more reasons to go back with the crew" but not being able to protect both Brook and Usopp (especially Usopp) is needed for Sanji to realize he has to become stronger and find more reasons to go back with the crew.

Not to mention that we can't deny (right after Water 7/Enies Lobby) that Usopp is one of Sanji's strongest bonds within the crew. This specific scene focusing on them both is more than enough to prove it.

Sanji seeing Usopp disappear in front of his eyes without being able to do anything to save him.

Remember what I said about Sanji needing help to stand up seconds ago? Well. This is him the moment Usopp disappears. What adrenaline and the power of love do to a mf.

They are so "I can lose everything, but not you. Oh God, not you" shaped.

[crepuscular-coyote]

Maybe I want to be a damn beast.

Maybe I want to feel strong and scary and powerful when I've been nothing but small and weak.

Maybe I want to strike fear into the hearts of others because everyone scares me.

Maybe I want to hurt people because they've hurt me, and I'm tired of just brushing it off so I don't get hurt further.

Maybe I want to be a beast to protect the pup who lives inside me still, who couldn't protect himself. Who no one protected when he needed it the most.

[sarathrwizard]

No! aaaAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Soooo, I was dreaming about the I Care comic. Leo and Donnie had their magical white masks on and they were fighting this shadow villain or something. Raph and Mikey were there too and I think they had white masks as well.

But this is where the "fun" part was. The fight went on for a long time and at some point Donnie got knocked into a wall and then he was stabbed through his side? (Like where your stomach is but more to the right.) And so Leo got super angry and defeated the villain.

But this was the worst part of all! I remember Leo holding Donnie in his arms. He kept telling Donnie he'd be alright. But Donnie couldn't hold on and he died in Leo's arms. I could remember the sobbing from Leo. It sounded so real and heartbreaking! I ended up waking up after witnessing that and I just started crying.

Have I become too attached to these characters for my own good?

Also, It's been 2 hours sense I woke up, so I'm gonna try to sleep again...

[ifyoucandaniel]

hey guys, it’s ya boy, queen of never finishing anything because i hate my art and spent too much time on the sketch and ran out of motivation 😎

[mariyekos]

Reading through Deadly Fortune, I think it's sweet how Dante inspired so much confidence in Nero during their first meeting, even if it was only in the way of "well I fought against a stronger guy, so these other guys are chumps!" Didn't even have to try and he was already helping his nephew out just by fighting him.

(From the Nero vs. Berial fight. Alt text under the cut.)

[id: a screenshot of the English Translation of the Deadly Fortune novel. The text reads as follows:

The demon’s voice rumbled in his chest, and he waved his sword high over his head:

“Silence!” He shouted as his sword descended on me. If I hadn’t met the man in red, I might’ve been a little scared. Could I really win against an enemy so massive? Against a sword that big?

But I’d already faced off against that man. After only a few rounds fighting him, I knew a demon like this one wouldn’t pose a real threat. His sword work wasn’t even half as fast or deadly as that man’s.]

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU - Reunion

Fun fact. I was planning on going through these drabbles to see where I still had a bit of a blank spot timeline and story wise. and I did NOT get far.

Because I realised. I never made a tiny drabble about how I pictured the guys reuniting to go back to Nightmare!

So. That is this! (also yes i am hinting at bad sans poly but we will see where that all ends)

First and Prev Drabble (with the original prompt by @spotaus ) Next Drabble

*-----------------*

Cross frowns as the knife once again can't cut through the universe.

This... is an issue.

Cross had managed to get close but for some reason the knife could not connect with Nightmare's universe and castle.

Had... had Nightmare banned him?

Cross hopes not. He knows he had been stupid for running away but he had just! He needed! He had just needed a moment for himself!

Cross tries to take a deep breath and relax. It is fine! Think! Think there is probably another reason!

NIghtmare had been shrinking and losing his form... maybe he is just tired and resting and that affects the universe he is in? Maybe?

Cross wishes Dust was here, Dust knows so much more about magic stuff than he does. Sadly Cross was an idiot and just went out on his own without saying goodbye.

He looks at his phone and opens the message screen again. He clicks Dust's contact and considers typing a message.

Just a quick one to ask for help getting back?

He sighs and puts the phone away. No. This is his mess up and he can fix it himself! He didn't need them or Nightmare to fix his messes!

Again...

Cross shakes his skull and looks to the notes in his phone. He finds the right one. It is a small list of items that should help connect him to Nightmare's universe.

When he first started working for Nightmare the god had told him that the castle and the universe it is in can be hard to find or connect to because of his magic. The items would help the magic in his knife, or the teleportation crystals, locate it and focus on it.

Cross pulls out the list and reads it again.

seven candles, unscented

autumn leaves

a very sweet apple

a dreamcatcher

a way to light a magical fire

be in an universe as close as possible

Cross checks his list and bag and groans. He had only managed to get the apple and the leaves so far. this stupid universe only had a few very small and old towns and it is honestly getting on his nerves!

Cross had just been nervous about leaving this universe. He didn't know this one and just because he managed to jump to it didn't mean he would be able to do it again.

The phones had an extra feature to make it known to them if they were near the castle. it had lit up at this spot after quite a few universes that didn't do it.

Meaning he was not leaving it!

Agh. he could ask if Horror is having more luck and-

WAIT!

Cross looks back over his shoulder and sees Horror walk past.

Cross doesnt think and rushes after the large skeleton "Horror! wait up!"

horror blinks and looks over "Oreo?"

Cross pulls a face at the nickname but catches up to him "What are you doing here?"

Horror looks slightly sheepish as he rubs his neck "You know... regret... trying to get back..."

Cross frowns "Get back- wait... did you leave as well?!"

Horror frowns at him "As well?" then his sight finds Cross' bag and cross can see Horror take note of the items in there. Horror looks back at him with a frown "You can't make the jump either?"

Cross feels both better and worse. Maybe he isn't banned! Or at least he isn't alone in being banned! which just makes him feel like a jerk. He nods and groans "not having much luck with getting the things i need. only got the apple and the leaves..."

Horror blinks but gets a small half grin on his face which Cross thinks should be criminal with how goo- OKAY he is stopping that line of thought.

Horror calmly gets his phone and turns it to enable Cross to see the items in his inventory. a lot of foods and- oh! a sweet apple. and unscneted candles!

Horror keeps grinning "Seems like we are getting close."

Cross grins and nods as he walks with the taller skeleton "Any idea why we can't get in?"

Horror shrugs "multiple options. dunno which."

Cross nods as he looks down "Yeah i figured."

They walk and search together before a loud gasp and Cross is suddenly tackled form behind. Cross yelps as he loses his balance. The only reason he doens't fall over is because Hroror manages to catch both him and whichever idiot rushed into him.

"Criss-Cross! H!"

Ah. nevermind. Cross knows that idiot. Cross glares over his shoulder at the grinning Killer "Why would you tackle me?!"

Killer grins but the grin turns sharper then just friendly "Had to make sure you guys didn't up and leave again without a single fucking word Criss-Cross!"

Cross winces and looks to the side "Yeah... I guess..."

Horror looks guilty as well before looking at Killer "Why are you here? instead of at the castle?"

Now it is Killer's turn to look away and he shrugs "After all of you guys left I figured i would try it myself. the whole solo-rouge-vagabond dealio. I didn't like it. So I am going back ot Nightmare and see if he needs a right hand still...." more thoughtful "or maybe babysitter? If that whole shrinking thing kept up."

Yeah and that line causes more guilt than before. because they really just all left Nightmare alone to deal with whatever was affecting him. Instead of at least offering help as they should have as his henchman and teammates. Nope! instead they all just left!

Cross rubs his arm "Yeah... we are on our way back too... You got stuff for the ritual?"

Killer sighs "Only the lighter. But that is because i already had one."

Horror frowns at Killer "All of us? Dust too?"

Killer nods "Just walked away. not a word or grabbed anything as far as i know."

Cross covers his face "We are the worst. terrible people." thankless, untrustworthy, unloyal. Cross can think of quite a few more words to describe them.

"We knew that already."

Cross, and Killer for that matter, curses as he jumps back. Only to see Dust standing by them, hood up but face visible with his bored expression.

Killer is by now standing behind Horror and glares at Dust "Don't do that! My soul is already fragile!" the soul shaped floating soul wiggles but stays steady.

Dust raises a brow and looks unimpressed "Don't talk about others then."

Horror chuckles and smiles "Good to see you dust. join us?"

Dust nods "Can't make the jump. what are we mission still?"

Cross takes out the list and after comparing what they have they realise they are only mission the dremacatcher, which Dust pulls out of his pocket.

Cross gasps "Where did you find that? I checked every store!"

Dust shrugs "stole it."

... right. that is also an option.

They take the items outside of town and get it ready.

The dreamcatcher as base with the candles all around it. The leaves used to wrap the apple, the only use one and Horror eats the others as they work.

Killer holds up the lighter and after focusing for a moment flicks it. instead of the normal yellow flame a bright pink flame appears. Killer lights all the candles adn waits for a moment until the smoke circles one another. Last Killer lights the leaves enclosing the apple without disturbing the smoke trails.

The new smoke trail joins the other seven and the whole pile bursts into flames but no heat comes off it. the flame remains pink for a moment before turning purple and then turning black.

Killer grins and looks at Cross "cut away!"

Cross nods and cuts right above the flame and the universe shimmers. The smoke finds the small slice and fills it, moments later the flame and fire travels up towards the slide using the smoke and it opens a black portal, still smoking.

They rush through it and manage to get through it before the portal burns up.

Cross looks over his shoulder "And there shouldn't be anything left?"

Dsut shrugs "small pile of ash."

Killer grins "it burns up very quickly as soon as a portal is established."

Cross frowns as he looks around. they are in the late autumn forest around the castle. He can see the shadow of it in the distance. He starts walking and the other three join him.

Cross huffs "Still think it is a deceptively easy list..."

Killer shrugs "People don't expect there to be an easy way. Not like they will just test things until they hit jackpot." Then Killer grins wider "Not that anyone knows about Ngihtmare's sweet tooth. and no one knows about the apple, hell we don't even know it."

Cross nods as they walk through the forest. Cross can't help but feel like it feels... empty. Whcih is weird because Cross always knew there was nothing else in this universe or forest but them. but still it feels...different.

Horror seems to notice too as he glances around "feels weird..."

Dust nods immediantly "magic is different."

Cross nods as well "I noticed too..."

Whatever is going on it is big... because either it is affecting the universe, it is affecting nightmare enough that it affects the universe. or Nightmare is affected enough that he made these edits.

Hopefully they can clear all this up once they see Nightmare and apologise to him. The exit the forest and spot the castle in the distance.

Time to go talk wiht him.

*-----------------*

First and Prev Drabble Next Drabble

And as we all know, Nightmare wasn't there. woops. turns out that apology will have to wait a bit Cross.

And the tiniest bit of Bi-panic for Cross (I believe he canonly is Bi in like Xtale so he is still Bi here) ((And yes I am slightly hinting at BSP because I like them but They are kinda too busy to really focus on that in these drabbles but there some interest! but it can also be seen as pureply platonic with just some curious interest honestly *shrug* It is june after all!))

[kopivie]

trick-or-treat.

# — pairing: spidey!kazuha x gn!reader

# — characters: gender neutral reader, spider-man!kazuha

# — warnings: a little suggestive.

# — tags: fluff, kisses (bc who am i if not a madman for kisses), mild hurt/comfort, BANTER YIPPEE!!, this is zuzu's way of making up for the fact that he all but forgot kazuha's birthday, apology fic

# — notes: (PLEASE READ!!) this is... not at all what i intended to do. it's 1:30 am and i just came down from a much needed high. as my head cleared, i noticed that this fic was like, riddled with flaws, but i feel too good about this to second guess it and feel bad. anyways, this is heavily inspired by this fic that 🎻 anon sent in my asks, as well as a follow-up to this fic i wrote on @awlumii last year on kazuha's birthday. i hope you enjoy and please do let me know what you think! i could really use some feedback.

✦ — 🎃 — ✦

There's a knock on your door. You stare at the entry to your apartment and think: "How mean would it be if I ignored them right now?"

In your defense, you've been giving out candy all day. All. Day. You figured that there would at least have been a lull in the early afternoon since children had school to attend, but no — you've been giving out candy to all ages from as early as 10:30 this morning. It's a good thing you stocked up on candy late last month, otherwise you would've had to ruin the days of some very enthusiastic trick-or-treaters. So after setting aside a bucket full of your favorites and giving out the leftovers until about 10 at night, you finally thought yourself ready to curl up on your bed with your softest blanket. You were halfway to dreamland when some monster started pounding on your door.

(So maybe you're exaggerating a little. But who could blame you? You're tired and you want to sleep.)

And so, here you sit, your legs half-tangled in your weighted fleece blanket as you glare at your door and hope that your unwanted visitor is telepathic and gets the message that you want them to leave. Scram! you think. You raise your voice in your head. Get out of here. Shoo! Begone!

…They knock again. (Kind of a dick move if they can read minds.)

The groan you let out is obnoxiously loud and is most definitely heard by whoever is on the other side of the door. You hoist yourself to your feet and trudge to the door, but you don't open it quite yet. Judging by the fact that this person has yet to say anything, you figure that they're old enough to know when their presence is not welcome and left.

Wrong. You're too optimistic. They knock again.

You sigh and once again, hope that the sound carries through the door. "Who is it?" You try to make yourself sound as unfriendly as possible. Considering how cranky you are, you don't have to try very hard.

"Trick-or-treat..?" The voice on the other side is muffled by the door, but also by something else. Fabric, probably. All you know is that their voice is deep enough to be an adult's.

You click your tongue. "Trick." You almost snicker. It's a little refreshing not doling out treats for once. "Go home."

"Can I at least give you a treat?" The person asks.

You blink. They didn't leave? "Pretty sure that's not how it works," you reply. "I give you treats and you… I dunno, TP my house or something."

"Yeah, well," the person at the door chuckles, "I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to say 'trick', either. Since you're breaking the rules, it's only fair that it's my turn, right?"

Well… Shit. They have a point.

Impressed by the stranger's reasoning, you hum. "Fine. Let me find my costume." You turn to gather your costume and notice that you can't find the full thing. You were so eager to get to bed that you didn't hesitate to drop the thing in the wash. Not wanting to make the stranger wait too long, you improvise. You blindly grab the mask and the blue throw blanket you have folded up on your couch and tie it around your shoulder like a cape. It's a shitty excuse for a costume, but you reason that your exhaustion is a good excuse. You swing open the door and cross your arms over your chest. "Alright, what do you got for-- Oh."

Standing on the other side of your door is none other than Spider-Man himself. The two of you stand in silence as you take in each other's appearances. Then, after what feels like forever, he speaks. "So… a cape, huh?"

You don't hesitate — you grab your door and swing the thing shut as fast as you can, but Spider-Man is faster, catching the door in his gloved hand. You turn your back to him. The mask is obscuring his face, but you already know what expression he has underneath. "Don't say a word." You warn him.

Spider-Man pays you no mind. You can feel him lifting your 'cape' as he inspects it. "Hmm… capes are kinda aerodynamic, but considering how dirty my enemies fight, I don't think that's a very good design choice." You can hear the shit-eating grin in his voice. "I'll give it a five out of ten."

"I said shut it!" You snatch your blanket out of his hands and march further into your apartment with Spider-Man's laughter following at your back. He walks inside and the door shuts behind the two of you. "Get the fuck out, webhead," you seethe. Your voice trembles with shame. "I didn't invite you in."

Spider-Man just walks around you to look you in the eye. "Come now, lovebug," he tilts your chin up with a finger, "you look cute wearing my mask."

You grumble and push his hand away as you struggle for words. You want to say something like, "this isn't what it looks like!" to try and save face, but there's no point in trying. This is exactly what it looks like.

Because the mask you'd been wearing for Halloween -- and the mask you haphazardly thrown on moments ago -- was none other than Spider-Man's mask.

To be fair, these things were a dime a dozen. The people of this city adore the vigilante. It was only natural that kids and adults alike would want to pretend to be him for a day, even if they had no powers like him. You're not exactly one of those people — you've seen firsthand just how brutal Spider-Man's job can be. You wouldn't trade your life for his even if you were offered money. But as you stared at the costume while shopping, you couldn't help yourself. There were obviously cooler, much more interesting costumes to choose from but this one just… called to you.

Hindsight is 20/20, after all. You should've ignored that calling.

Spider-Man takes your chin in his fingers and shakes your head side to side. "I never knew you liked me so much, lovebug. I'm touched."

You scoff. "Don't be."

"Y'know, if you wanted to wear my mask so badly, you could've just asked." Spider-Man leans in and presses a clothed kiss to your cheek. You consider yourself lucky; he can't possibly feel the burn of your cheeks through all that fabric.

You stammer. "Ha-ha. Very funny."

"What? I'm sure I have a back up somewhere." He eyes you for a moment. "You'd look good in it."

Against your will, you wonder if he's saying that he wants you to wear his clothes. Would he ever actually loan you clothes that he's worn? The thought makes your face burn hotter. "Why are you here?" You ask. Anything to change the topic.

Spider-Man chuckles, but plays along. "I haven't swung by in a few days," he says, "so I figured I'd try and surprise you as a trick-or-treater." He shrugs. "I wanted to do some reverse psychology thing where I could trick you into thinking I was just some guy in a costume so you would give me candy."

You process his words for a second. "Okay, first of all, you already are a guy in a costume."

He visibly deflates and places a hand over his chest. "Ouch, lovebug. What if you hurt my feelings?"

"Second of all," you continue, "do you have any idea how many Spider-Men I've seen today?"

"...Is that a serious question?"

"Don't be a smart ass."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess twelve."

You pause. You actually aren't even sure if that's the right number or not. You lost count after three hours of giving out candy to cute kids.

"Am I right?" He asks.

"Who knows?"

Spider-Man huffs. "If there's that many of us around, then what am I even here for?" You giggle at his petulant behavior, and he makes another breathy sound, reminiscent of a stifled laugh. "Did you treat them the same way you treat me?"

"What?" His question takes you off-guard for a moment. You chortle. "Oh, definitely."

"You gave them band-aids and kicked them out, too?"

"Mhm." You cross your arms. "Just slapped a few on some pretend wounds and told them to get the fuck off my property."

The two of you laugh together for a moment. Once the laughter dies down, Spider-Man tugs at your cheek for a brief second. You let him get away with it for now. "You're so cute." He sighs and you can hear something somber enter his tone. "I was worried about you. It's been a week since I've seen you."

It has been a week, hasn't it? You may have been swamped with work at the hospital, but there was never a night that you didn't find yourself waiting on your balcony like an idiot in this chilly weather. You had faith that he was okay — the Daily Bugle printed something new about the "masked menace" every day this past week — but that didn't stop you from longing for his presence. Stories can't compare to the real thing, after all. You're far more taken with the masked vigilante than you'd care to admit to yourself.

You hum. "About time someone else did the worrying for once," you mumble jokingly. "It gets tiring worrying all by myself."

Spider-Man stays quiet. "I've been okay. A little worse for the wear for the past two days, but okay otherwise."

You reach for him instinctively. "Lingering pain isn't like you," you say, already in doctor-mode, "did something happen?"

"No, not like that. I've just been… sad. I guess." His confession is soft as he takes your outstretched hands in his own. He's been more vulnerable around you lately and you're not sure if that's good or bad. "It's been a rough couple of days, that's all."

You rack your brain. What could possibly be paining him that you don't know of? He's already told you that he tells you everything (within reason), so maybe it's something that you already know of? You furrow your brows as you dive deeper into your memory. Deeper, deeper… until you happen across a memory from just about a year ago.

The kiss you shared on your balcony close to midnight.

"Oh my God." You voice your incredulity aloud. "Oh my God! I missed your birthday!"

Spider-Man straightens his posture as he inhales sharply.

How could you have forgotten? He confessed to you on his birthday last year that you were the only person he had left in his life since he hated his birthday so much. October 29th was such a painful day for him — to think that you didn't stop for a second to wonder if he was okay that day. It's not like you would've been able to contact him of course, but what if he swung by after you'd fallen asleep? You should've at least left him a note or something.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, lovebug." The confidence is starting to bleed out of him, you notice. Spider-Man walks over to your couch and sits on the floor in front of it. "I'll be okay. It's not like I was going to celebrate or anything."

You move to the couch and adjust yourself so that the vigilante is between your legs. You two often assume this position when you're finished patching him up and too tired to goof around until he leaves. You would place your hands on his head and press your fingers into the fabric of his mask. Spider-Man told you once that the action was soothing, but you have yet to admit to him that it's your way of trying to conjure up an image of what his hair must look like underneath.

Like always, he gets himself into position, draping his arms across your legs. This time, however, he's looking up at you. You're not sure what expression he might be wearing.

"I wasn't saying that we should've celebrated," you say softly. "I'm just upset that you had to be alone. Are you sure you're okay?" You ask as you massage your fingers across the crown of his head.

He hums. "I am now. I promise."

"If you're ever feeling down, you know you can come and see me." Your words surprise the both of you, but you don't regret them at all. He always seems to be around when you need his company the most, so why shouldn't you do the same for him? Who else would? your mind unhelpfully supplies. "I may not be the best company in the world, but at least you won't be alone, right?"

Spider-Man moves so that he's on his knees facing you. He's so close to your face like this; you inch backwards to preserve your sanity. "You're the only company I need." He says it with so much conviction that you shiver. "But does this mean I'm getting special treatment?"

"What--? You mean from the other Spider-Men?" When he nods, you snort. "Yeah, I guess you do get V.I.P privileges. You get extra treats unlike everyone else."

"Extra?" He tilts his head. "But you haven't given me any candy at all."

You raise a brow. "All that's left is the candy I'm hoarding for myself. And before you ask, no, I'm not sharing any. Why don't you try actually trick-or-treating? People would probably give the city hero the best of the best."

He sinks a little lower, seeming defeated. "...Would you believe me if I said I tried that already?"

"Did it work?"

He's silent.

"...It didn't work, did it?"

"...No. They thought I was just some superfan."

Peals of laughter burst out of you at his admission. "So this is how they repay you, huh?" You say between giggles. "No faith and no candy? That's rough, buddy." You get the distinct impression that he's glaring at you, but that only makes you laugh harder.

Fed up with your insistence on laughing at his misfortune, Spider-Man taps your leg. "Since I get special treatment from you, can I ask for a few wishes?"

You wipe a stray tear from your eye. "I'm dressed as a superhero, not a magic genie."

"Please?"

"Fine, fine." You finally catch your breath. "You get two wishes.

"Not three?"

"I'm not a genie. Don't push it."

Spider-Man puts his hands up in defense. "Alright, two it is. The first is… let me stay with you for the rest of the night."

You shrug. Wouldn't be the first time. He's usually gone by the time you wake up, anyhow. "Granted. Next one's your last — make it count, bug boy."

Spider-Man doesn't react to your nickname. Instead, he just stares at you. A familiar sensation tickles up your spine. He's watching you; you know that stare all too well. "I think you know what I'm going to ask for next." His voice is deeper, smoother than it was mere moments ago.

You nod and he eases himself closer to you. You feel your heart pick up an unsteady rhythm and rather than kiss him normally, you lean in close and press your masked lips to his. He makes a surprised noise before he laughs and melts into the "kiss" all the same. When you pull away, he's still laughing. A very welcome change from the bitter smile you're sure he was wearing when talking about his birthday. "Consider that a freebie," you mutter.

"You're too kind," he chuckles.

Soon, your fingers come to the base of his mask to raise it just above his lips when he suddenly stops you. He reaches for your face and you feel something tug at the base of your neck. Somehow, you completely forgot you were wearing that stupid mask. "It's kinda funny," he half-laughs, "having to unmask you for once."

"You... You can't tell anyone about my identity, okay?" You tease.

Spider-Man rolls your mask up just enough to expose your lips and you do the same to him. Neither of you are sure who leaned in first, but you meet in the middle in a kiss that has fireworks bursting behind your lids. The two of you are greedy, pouring a week's worth of longing into the kiss. The mutual yearning is palpable, so much so that you can hear his breath hitch when you sigh. He rises to the couch slowly and without breaking the kiss, doing his best not to part from you for even a second.

You missed him. Oh, how you missed him — you missed how he would wrap a strong arm around your waist and pull you closer like it was nothing; how he would whisper his adoration for you between breaths; how he would chase after your lips whenever you would tease him with barely-there kisses. You missed the exhilaration, the thrill of knowing that you were the only one Spider-Man would ever treat this way. That you were his and he was yours.

He moves from your lips to your jaw, trailing kisses up to your ear and down to your neck. His pace is unhurried, though he seems eager to pull a reaction out of you. You give him what he wants whether you intend to or not. You press yourself closer to him in a silent request for more and he indulges you; his kisses become little nips, and the nips turn to bites as he starts to leave marks on your neck. He eases you back so that you're laying on your couch and he's hovering over you. The two of you stare at each other for a moment.

"Can I use my next wish?" His voice is rough. When you nod, he leans in once more. His uncovered lips brush against your ear as he whispers. "Let me give you a treat."

Something foreign yet familiar makes you shudder as you nod.

Spider-Man attacks your neck once again. Clearly he was holding himself back earlier, because every mark he leaves stings. He makes them dark and obvious, completely disregarding any warnings you may have given him on other days. You normally would tell him to ease up, to hide the marks that he so desperately wanted to leave on you. But now you let him do as he pleases. You gave him an inch and as expected, he took the mile. He soothes each one with a kiss and muffles your whimpers with his lips.

It takes a while before he's satisfied with his handiwork. Kazuha raises himself up with a shaky breath. Your wrists are in his hands and pinned against the couch. Looking down at you now, all flushed absolutely covered in his marks, he feels something uncontrollable stir within him. He has half a mind to tell you to close your eyes so he can take his mask off, but he refrains.

That's all he ever does when it comes to you. You, the greatest test of his endurance that he will ever encounter in his lifetime. No supervillain with any amount of underground connections or otherworldly technology will ever test his patience and restraint quite like you. For years, Kazuha has weighed the pros and cons of telling you who he is. He always wonders if you would still allow this, if you would still treat him like a lover if you knew who he was — if you knew that he's been lying to you. Though your reaction may not be guaranteed, it's a risk he's more than willing to take.

But he doesn't. Not tonight. Maybe another day when the time is right.

For now, Kazuha releases your wrists and sits himself up. He fixes his mask while you take yours off. You sit up and he watches as you ghost your fingers over each of your fresh hickies. You wince a little when you brush the one on the left side of your collarbone, above your heart. The silence that hangs in the air is evident, but not uncomfortable.

Then, you mutter. "I was supposed to give you a treat."

Kazuha reaches out and touches a hickey left on your pulse point. A sensitive spot for you – you shudder in response. He admires the lingering haze in your eyss. "You did. Thank you, lovebug."

✧ my goodness. @perpetualcynicism look at what you've done. you've reawakened a monster in me.

✧ edit: btw, the dividers belong to @cafekitsune!! thanks so much for making such beautiful dividers!

[spaciebabie]

with and w/out text.

okay.