#Loved to work and successfully completed the project.

[hephaestusent]

NFT ART

[hitomisuzuya]

Scaramouche x fem!reader. Smut. Degradation. Fingersucking. Creampie. Modern AU

Everyone, please have a wonderful holiday! Credit to @cyberprimeyt for the inspiration. Idea one of two. I hope I did better with this one.

Absolutely no boys, not even as friends. Your parents were very firm about that. And they absolutely did not like Scaramouche. Pulling teeth would've been easier than convincing your parents to let him come over. You had an ace up your sleeve, though.

It was for the sake of school. A project worth half your grade to be done over the course of a week.

You glanced at the time on your phone, and sighed. "You'd better go. It's almost 8pm," You forlornly started to close your notebooks and folders, "If you stay even a minute past, I am never gonna be able to convince my parents to let you come over again," You shot him a wobbly smile.

Scaramouche scoffed, making no move to start gathering his stuff up. You felt a ripple of panic shoot through you. "I'll call you tonight, okay?" You added.

"Do you do everything your parents tell you?" His question was very straightforward, and it was totally met to be a taunt. It worked judging from the way your cheeks flushed.

"Well, I.." It was difficult for you to answer this. You are so in love with Scaramouche that it hurt. Too bad your parents didn't give a flying fuck. "You know how it is. Their house, their rules." It was like a knife through your heart to say this.

Scaramouche already knew your innocence made you naive and weak. He knew you were even weaker for him. It was easy for him to work his charm on you and land you in the position that you were in now: naked and whimpering with Scaramouche's cock skewering you from behind.

You clawed at the sheets, tears welling in your eyes from the pleasure of his cock nudging relentlessly into your spongy spot. Your hand struggled to cover your mouth, a sharp jolt of pleasure going straight to your throbbing clit. Shaky moans steadily rising in octave bubbled up in throat.

As much as Scaramouche would've loved to hear you carry on, sounding so sweet and on the verge of screaming for him, he knew you had to be put in check. "What would your parents think if they heard you moaning like a slut, impaled on my cock?" His taunt was blanketed in a husky moan. He could barely swallow his own moans, your pussy was clutching tight and perfect like a glove on his pulsing cock.

He swallowed back a groan feeling your walls squeezed that much tighter hearing his degradation. Who knew such a good girl enjoyed being degraded? "As much as I love reducing you to a cock drunk whore, you are going to get us caught," He hissed, pumping his cock deeper inside of you to hear one more blissed out whimper before he effectively silence you.

To an extent, anyways.

Grabbing a handful of your hair, he pulled your head up off your drool soaked pillows. "Here, suck," He commanded, pushing two fingers between your lips and into your mouth.

Your tongue immediately curled to lap around his fingers. He pressed down on your tongue, pushing his fingers into your throat. Successfully muffling your choked moan. "Good girl," He cooed quietly, pumping his fingers into your mouth, encouraging you to suck more eagerly, "Suck like a good girl while I cum inside your needy cunt."

Drool pooled from your mouth as you happily sucked on his fingers, muffling soft moans as you pushed your hips back into his cock. His degrading praise always spoke volumes, you were needy and drooling for him.

Scaramouche let the act of chasing his high completely consume him. With your moans as muffled as they are, he pounded his cock into your sloppy cunt, swallowing back groans and quiet moans until his cock pulsed cum inside of you.

He knew he could make you scream properly for him at his house. He didn't give a shit if his mom heard him.

[angstyhikka]

I asked @lasymit to answer as a autor of future fanfic for this au, also a big thanks to @kenku97 for beta reading the text!^^)

Caleb is a self-confident narcissistic man. He is a very open person at first sight. The life of the party, he charms people very easily. He is loud and cheerful; he likes to fight and have sex with beautiful women; and he is not too fond of working for the benefit of the Empire. He often says “I’m going to take some pretty witch out now, byeee” and leaves Philip to finish his paperwork, so the burden of the emperorship, in fact, lies on both of them, and to a greater extent on Philip. But Caleb loves to work with his hands and does it well. He can talk for hours about the quality of wood species and methods of hardening metal. He does not understand much about technology nor natural sciences, but loves to listen when Philip talks about his research. He is hot-tempered, but easygoing. He does not like to talk directly about his thoughts nor problems in their family.

And yes, he is very possessive, even more possessive than Belos in canon. Canon Belos was cold, but Caleb is stifling and aggressively possessive. “You are my brother, my family. You are mine, mine, mine, and no one else’s. And you have no right to go away and leave me.” (Caleb is still ashamed that he left Gravesfield and abandoned Philip, and he projects.)

And yes, he can be called manipulative, but all his manipulations are direct, like an axe blow. He just directly says what he needs, without any tricks and without any room for Philip’s opinion. He constantly demands, “Listen to me. Look at me. Stay near me. Behave.”And it may seem that he does not hear Philip at all when he says, “I don’t want to listen. I don’t want to look. I want to be away from you.” In fact, Caleb hears but deliberately ignores him. The new emperor considers himself morally just and believes he has the right to do all this. He thinks he is choosing the lesser evil by doing what he does. He believes he is doing the best anyone could. He also tries to do the best for Philip. He didn't always ignore his brother's opinion so relentlessly. But after Caleb successfully stripped Philip of his Belos title, his cult, and all his conquered islands, the power of his new position has erased many boundaries for him. Caleb himself is not an asshole —well, maybe a little. But in his attempts to forcibly re-educate his brother, to make him a better person, Caleb gradually began to lose respect for his borders until Philip was completely broken. If at the beginning of the journey it was, albeit serious, a solvable family drama, now... now it’s more like slavery.

[nyashykyunnie]

˗ˏˋ Boyfriend! Jinwoo x Reader ◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ ˎˊ˗

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕘 𝕁𝕚𝕟𝕨𝕠𝕠˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

・┆✦ Entry : 030 ✦ ┆・

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅ Cai Bot Link ♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

╰┈➤ ❝ [ Let Me Pluck Out The Stars For You, Sunshine ] ¡! ❞

You don't know how you did it, but somehow the infamous Sung Jinwoo who is reveled in your grade level for his exceptional looks— Is your boyfriend. You were about to go home since the last bell of the school day rang in the distance. As you get up, you feel someone's chin rest on top of your hair. "Wanna walk home together, again?" Jinwoo asks with his calm and deep voice, his tone holding a sweet edge to it. "Hm?"

The pressure on top of your head had successfully snapped you out of your daze. Jinwoo removes himself from being nestled on your hair and looks down on your lovely face with the sweetest smiles on his face.

You shy away from his gaze, nodding your head slowly.

“Hm,” Jinwoo nods his head, leaning in to kiss the top of your head before stretching his large hand out to you— Offering it.

As soon as your palm touches his, Jinwoo lightly intertwines your fingers together as he leads you down the stairs.

He knew for a fact that you’re probably upset and not in the mood to talk about it. He wasn’t the type of boyfriend who would probe at his lover to get them to talk.

No.

Jinwoo was the type of person who is silent when he is upset, he’d rather be on his bed and dead asleep— Away from the world. He was often in his room whenever he wasn’t in the mood.

And today in particular, his beloved must be going through those emotions seeing how dejected and sluggish they are moving.

He shakes his head, gently tugging you to the alleyway and placing a finger on your lips to keep you from asking.

“It’s alright,” Jinwoo says. “How about we go on a makeshift date? It’s not a school day tomorrow so let’s spend the night away”

You didn’t protest, and in an instant, Jinwoo wrapped his arms around your waist, holding your waist as close as possible while the darkness beneath your feet hummed and whirled— As if it was rising. You then feel yourself getting lifted off of the ground and you panic. 

“Sarang, it’s okay” Jinwoo chuckles, kissing your cheek as the shadows rose beneath the both of you and formed into a dragon made of misty shadows. “It’s all mine, so don’t be afraid”

As you both rose above the city lights, your eyes would then sweep towards the brilliant lights of the cityscape as Jinwoo flies both of you above it on the dragon’s back.

While your eyes are busily distracted on the cityscape, Jinwoo leans towards your ear— Kissing the shell sweetly to get your attention. 

“How come you’re already this distracted, hm? I haven’t even started yet?” Jinwoo gently says as he commands his shadow to traverse over the expansive ocean glistening beneath the bright moonlight.

Fast as everything was, Jinwoo was unconsciously doing it because he felt like he would run out of time. After all, he wasn’t able to spend time with you like this before he had resetted time after defeating all the monarchs. He wanted to do so many things at once.

He spent years in the abyssal world murdering the monarchs all over again and levelling up. The stress of it all put him into a trance-like state where he feels just so lost in a complete daze of battle and bathing in blood as he leaves a river of bodies at his wake.

But either way, it isn’t about him tonight. 

It’s about you.

The you who needs him at this moment. He doesn’t know what has frustrated you to this point. It could be the piling homeworks, the anxiety of your grades, the stress over preparing for the upcoming exams. Projects had been piling left and right with each subject becoming harder and harder.

Everything had just been stressful for you and he knew that you craved isolation more than anything else and you needed something to just take your mind off of anywhere.

And thank god it was working as he had taken you to an isolated island not yet soiled by human hands.

He loves the way your dreamy eyes would twinkle as you both traversed in the vast woods of the weird place. It was all just greenery and lovely fireflies fluttering about, illuminating the little path you were both exploring. Of course, Jinwoo summons a little flame on his hand so that you could see the plants you are stepping on. 

Jinwoo loves that expression more than anything. Your pretty little face beaming with joy as it observes all the wonderful things this lone island had to bring. Tall, ancient old trees that had a comforting scent to them. The gentle rustles of the leaves as if it were singing melodies for you, the sounds of distant owls hooting were making you jump from spook and wonder, everything in here was just making you squeal like a child opening a christmas gift.

And behind you was your boyfriend, a gentle smile on his lips as he lovingly watched you prance around the fallen leaves and branches.

“Feeling better?” Jinwo asks sweetly, his arm finding itself instinctively wrapped around your waist. 

You nod your head, and he rewards you again with another kiss.

You really can’t tell how many times he had kissed your forehead for the whole day at this point, he just kept giving you pecks left and right. As if he was making sure every pore on your face isn’t untouched by him. He would bring up your hand to his lips, kissing every knuckle on it,  silently making promises.

“Baby…” He purrs softly, nuzzling the side of your head with his nose, inhaling in your scent. “If there’s anything that bothers you, tell me, tell me and I’ll bring you somewhere far away to take your mind off of it. You just need to ask me, and I will do it. Don’t hide yourself from me”

Please,...

Don’t be like him, don’t be like him who needed to bottle up everything in his heart because he had a duty as a monarch. You shouldn’t be hiding away the pain you have inside your chest, you shouldn’t be in any sort of pain.

Jinwoo had resetted time for everyone’s sake, yes, but mostly it was because of you. He wanted to make up the lost time he had with you ever since he became a player. He felt awfully guilty for not having taken you out on dates. Sure, he did a few times when he was an S-ranked but most of the time he is drowned in work and you are left in your devices. The person who had supported him throughout all of his suffering.

He is doing this all to ask for forgiveness, each kiss is a silent sorry for the many seconds he had spent away from you. 

So please,

Don’t let your heart be burdened with worries.

Don’t ever let your pretty face be crinkled with anxiety.

Let him do the heavy-lifting. Let him have the burden. Let him receive all the woe that is meant to befall on your pretty, pretty little face. 

Like the stars above your heads, twinkling from millions of lightyears away, his love for you— Will always and continue to be endless as they are blanketing the dark night sky.

A/N: Sorry, this fic is very messy aaa... I'll make it up to you guys with another fic coming out soon. But I may need to recover my creative juices for a bit and just let myself charge uueee.. I'll probably recreate this fic again with an alternative route

ʚ(੭´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭ .｡✧･ﾟ: ~♡ —! stories written by kyunnie; translations, reposts, plagiarism are strictly forbidden.

[cepheustarot]

What awaits you in March?

Attention! This reading is for entertainment purposes only. This tarot reading does not give a 100% guarantee that all the described situations will occur or being ultimate truth. You build your own life and destiny and only you know yourself best.

Paid readings

Pick a pile. Choose one or more pictures. Trust your intuition.

Pile 1: At the beginning of the month there is a high probability that you will have a mountain of problems and I cannot single out any one specific area. Apparently, you may have difficulties in all areas of life, you may feel very depressed at the beginning of the month, feel tired, exhausted, you may feel that as soon as you solve one problem, it immediately has twice as many, it will exhaust you very much.

But by the middle of the month you will cope with the difficulties that have arisen! Your condition will gradually improve, you will feel freer, so relieved. By the way this period will be calm for you, I would call it "a long-awaited rest after hard and long work".  Here you will not be overloaded with cases, you will not be physically and mentally exhausted, you will not worry about problems, you will finally feel the long-awaited calm. You can also spend time with your loved ones or family, and some will have the opportunity to meet their future lover! Also during this period, you can pay a lot of attention to yourself, taking care of yourself, taking care of your face and body, you can update your wardrobe, make a permutation, any actions will be directed here to make you feel better. 

As I said earlier some will have the opportunity to meet a future lover, but for others it may be an acquaintance with a person who will later become your best friend. And at the end of the month you will just spend more time with this person, get to know each other better, get closer, talk a lot and the like. Here I see the beginning of some interesting story with this man, the emergence of a strong bond.

Pile 2: At the beginning of the month, you can spend a lot of time with your loved one (it can be either your lover or someone from your family or friends), there is a high probability that you will go on a trip somewhere together or visit some new place for you. In any case, spending time with this person will leave you with only pleasant memories and positive emotions, you will have quite busy days. It can also be a long-awaited meeting for those who have communicated with someone from a distance, whom you have not seen for a long time. 

A good profit will be waiting for you in the middle of the month! You can receive a bonus or financial support from someone, you can be promoted, your salary can be increased, or you will successfully complete the deal. For those who are currently studying, then here you will improve your academic performance, be able to pass all important tests and exams well, and be able to close your academic debt. 

At the end of the month you will be successful in any endeavour, so this is a good opportunity to try yourself in something new, change your field of activity, find a new hobby, start a new project, etc. Here, I see that some of you will decide to engage in self-development, improve your skills and knowledge. Maybe some of you will consult on real estate, renting a room, buying a home. Also, some of you may have a trial scheduled and I want to say that it will go well for you, you will be able to win the case.

Pile 3: At the beginning of the month the business you have been working on for a long time and hard will bring you fruits, the first results! Maybe you started a business and finally it began to bring you the first income, maybe you are engaged in some kind of sports and finally began to see results, maybe you are working in a team on a joint project and success will be waiting for you soon. It can be anything that you have been trying for a long time, the main thing is not to give up halfway and do not give up, believe in yourself! 

In the middle of the month you may encounter family problems or problems from your personal life, there may be a misunderstanding with your family or your lover, there may be a strong quarrel that will leave abad aftertaste. You will worry a lot about this, think a lot about what happened, you can blame yourself or blame others, feel offended, you can also feel pressure from the outside. But to resolve this misunderstanding between you, you need to take the first step, take the initiative — this may not completely resolve the dispute between you, but it may at least contribute to its end. 

At the end of the month your condition will improve, the dispute will finally be resolved, and you will also be able to solve some problems that have been weighing on you for a long time. The relationship between you and your dear people will cease to be tense, you will be able to find a common language, come to a compromise and start communicating again as before. During this period you can also take care of yourself a lot, give yourself gifts, please yourself and allow yourself what you could not.

Thank you for reading! I will be glad of any feedback 🖤

[milykins]

TMNT Headcanon: Owning a Business

I was inspired by @thelaundrybitch with her post about the turtles having jobs so this is my version.

If the turtles managed to successfully integrate themselves into society, I could see each one owning their own business. These jobs are based on an RP that I’m in with a friend of mine. The idea is that Donnie had invented cloaking devices to allow them appear human and also had gained a sizeable income by marketing and selling his inventions.

No TW needed for this

Mikey

Easily the owner of his very own comic book store.

He has to learn how to run it though.

He’d be determined to learn, he may act scatterbrained but when he really applies himself, watch out.

Donnie can’t watch his little brother fail in this endeavor and gives him a crash course on how to run a small business.

Once he has the basics figured out, he loves it. He’s finally around likeminded people and he can finally put his geek knowledge to good use!

He’d give the best comic book recommendations, having read as many as he could get his hands on.

There would also be a table section for TTRPGs and card games.

The store would become a popular hangout for Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons.

Mikey would schedule themed days where people could dress up as their favourite characters for discounts.

He’d host live action role-playing events, board game nights, trivia contests and movie nights.

He would thoroughly let his geek flag fly and his store would be his pride and joy.

Raphael

Runs a motorcycle repair shop that also deals in custom paint jobs.

Co-owner with Casey Jones.

Raph has always loved fixing up and working with his bikes so this is an easy choice for him.

Casey still does vigilante stuff on the side but April is very relieved when he goes into this partnership with Raph.

It’s Casey’s idea to add the customization of bikes alongside the repairs.

The two of them do butt heads initially while learning how to run it but once they have it down they become a good team.

Difficult customers have no chance when dealing with these two.

Shortchanged? Have fun getting your bike back.

"You could’ve fixed it better? Be my guest and don’t come back, asshole."

"Yeah, we can get the part, no we aint’t gettin’ it from your shady buddy’s backyard business."

Besides the odd jerk-off customer, Raph thoroughly enjoys his work.

He also uses the garage to work on his own custom bikes. Occasionally he’ll sell them and it becomes hugely popular.

Eventually he starts auctioning them off and donating a part of the proceeds to charity.

He’ll take a lot of pride in his work and finds he really enjoys making an honest living.

He’ll still do patrols with his brothers and keep up with his training.

Leonardo

Owner and Sensei of The Green Dragon Dojo.

This just made perfect sense for Leo. He loved training and all things martial arts so why not pass on his skills to those who wanted to learn.

He teaches adults and children alike.

He secretly prefers teaching the little ones though.

He loves their eagerness to learn and how they call him ‘Sensei Leo’.

He does end up creating a small team to do martial arts competitions.

His students almost always win.

His classes become so popular that Leo finds he needs to hire more help.

In my headcanon he’s made peace with Karai and The Foot Clan and decides to go to them.

Karai is very pleased he’s asking for her help and agrees to teach classes alongside him.

Leo still leads his brothers in patrols but is more relaxed than he used to be, due in part from getting older and now having an outlet to teach.

Donatello

Donnie creates his own company.

Owner and CEO of Hamato Tech.

It has a research lab with a whole section dedicated to his inventions.

He’s dedicated to the betterment of mankind and creates patents for all of his inventions.

He finally has the resources and funding needed to complete his many projects.

Super nice guy to work for, loved by all of his employees.

He accepts students for paid internships.

He has a preference for underprivileged students. The ones that wouldn't normally receive this kind of opportunity.

He wants to give keen young minds the opportunities he never had while growing up.

It would take many years but he would eventually have a huge discovery that would result in him getting nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He’d win it too.

@iridescentflamingo

@thelaundrybitch

@danceingfae

@redsrooftopprincess (I hope this is okay, I know you agreed to put me on your list so I thought I'd return the favour)

@adebauchedsloth

@thepinkpanther83

Please let me know if you'd like to be added to the taglist!

[sminiac]

p1harmony as classmates who have a crush on you?

⋆ Y. Keeho

Keeho isn’t direct or loud about having a crush on you at all, especially if you aren’t already friends. I’d say he’s the type of person that puts in the effort to make it seem like he doesn’t even like you in general, let alone a crush, but it’s all an illusion so both you and everyone else will be completely thrown off track. He doesn’t want to be peer pressured, or rushed into something super serious, so he’ll start dropping the tiniest hints here and there, slowly building himself- as well as your friendship up before he even thinks about confessing. He’d start by simply saying hi, and good morning to you everyday, the more you start interacting with each other the more he wants to see you. Invites you to any of his important events, also frequently asks “Where’s Y/n?” Whenever you aren’t present at any hangouts.

Reminder of members under the cut!

⋆ C. Taeyang

Unlike Keeho, Theo doesn’t feel the need to completely hide his budding feelings for you, he’s just so comfortable around you that he’s quite open about his interest in you. He isn’t overbearing or overly shy, but the quick compliments he gives you at random are quite dizzying, sometimes you have to take some time to regain balance because of some of the things he says and does, they aren’t promiscuous or inappropriate in the slightest, you just don’t expect to be told that he likes every slight change to your appearance everyday from him of all people, or the way he lightly drags a hand at your waist when he abruptly stops to tell you.

⋆ C. Jiung

He’s very protective of you right from the beginning, especially if you’re younger than him— like, borderline territorial. You’re needing any kind of help with your work? Don’t even bother asking around for someone that’s available, because he’s right in front of you, look no further! Even if you’re in different classes he’s the kind of guy to go out of his way to help you out, and for the most part it’s an excuse to see you, of course, but his little crush starts becoming more apparent when he’s coming to find you every lunch break, taking you from class so you can eat together somewhere more (private) comfortable, even bringing you small snacks and drinks here and there as a surprise.

⋆ H. Intak

Uses his familiarity with sports to his advantage, what does this imply? Well, that he’s showing off whenever you’re in the same vicinity as him of course. You’re sitting at your desk, minding your own business and here’s Intak, juggling a soccer ball inside of the classroom. Fools around a lot just to get your attention, but at the same times he’s easily flustered when you’re actually watching whatever it is he’s doing, which— eventually he somehow ends up embarrassing himself, like he loses control of the ball from his nerves, resulting in him accidentally kicking it straight at your face. The apologies would be profuse, but you’d most likely sucker his school practice jersey from him in result of his stupidity, and a few vending machine runs together in return as a way for him to make it up to you ;3

⋆ H. Shota

Oh my gosh, the cutest thing ever. It’s the kind of situation where he knows he has a crush on you, you know he has a crush on you, and so does everybody else! Soul himself doesn’t think that he’s entirely loud or vocal about it, but he does go out of his way to include you in conversations, also says things that he knows will make you laugh, or does things he knows you find cool. Typically offers to do class chores/tasks with you, will whisper an answer to you if you’re struggling, always asks you first if there’s a buddy system being used for a project, you’re just his person for everything!

⋆ K. Jongseob

Teasing, love love loves teasing you and making you feel all hot in the face, or when he’s successfully made you nervous by whatever it is he’s doing, it’s even better when you start gaining the confidence to do it back. Will make eye contact with you even if you’re on the other side of the classroom just because he likes seeing how easily distracted you become by him, enjoys it even more if you start squirming . I know a lot of people would assume that bro has no game but he has game !!! I feel it in my bones, he knows something! He’s so “Yeah Y/n, pay attention.” Whenever you’re being called out for not facing the teacher, I also know some will find it corny but I live for this shit! He’s so school crush to me.

ᰔ sminiac’s P1Harmony M.list

[aesethewitch]

When Witching Goes Wrong: Basics

Not all spells that go wrong are “backfires.” A backfire occurs when a spell’s result is antithetical to the result you wanted to cause — it causes a negative outcome, often coming back onto you as the caster, but sometimes creating the opposite effect as was desired on the target. For example, casting a money attraction spell and losing a wallet full of cash as a result would be considered a backfire. A spell that fizzles, does nothing, or produces an unexpected (but not negative) side-effect wouldn’t be a backfire (in my opinion, that is).

Most spells that go wrong aren’t backfires. In general, you’re likelier to have a spell that acts unexpectedly or that simply fizzles than one that blows up in your face somehow. You shouldn’t be anxious about a backfire. But, as someone with lots of experience in the realm of worrying about worst-case scenarios, I understand the impulse.

The solution is to understand what can go wrong, how to prevent it, and what to do in the event of an actual worst-case scenario. My goal with this post (and with this WWGW series) is to help you feel less anxious about spells going wrong and more prepared to deal with whatever comes your way.

So, let’s start from the beginning.

Outcome Projection

Risk assessment, mitigation, and management. Fellow corporate drones (former or current) will know exactly what I’m talking about here. The idea is to predict possible ways that things can go wrong and either prevent them entirely or put strategies in place to deal with them ahead of time. It’s damage control before the damage occurs.

Now, the key here is to not go overboard. Fellow chronic worriers will know the horrible allure of going down every possible path of anxiety, only to find ourselves paralyzed entirely by the fear that something will go wrong. Remember that most spells do not backfire. In most cases, the worst thing (and most common negative outcome, in my experience) that can happen is that nothing happens. The next most common is unexpected side effects, but those are usually easily dealt with.

The goal is to ensure the success of the spell. For example, when you’re looking for a new place to live, you don’t want to just look for the number of bedrooms and the finishes in the kitchen. You want to account for the appliances, the heating/cooling systems, the quality of the flooring, signs of water damage, signs of mold… all sorts of things.

A similar concept applies to accounting for backfires/failures in spellwork. You want to close loopholes and think about the outcomes you specifically don’t want — and then incorporate ways to prevent those things from happening.

The Ways Spells Can Go Wrong

The spell fully backfires. By “fully backfires,” I mean that it completely fails and creates the exact opposite outcome to what you were going for. Using a love spell as an example, this could include the target leaving your life, forming negative opinions of you, or becomes interested in someone else (particularly if you were trying to pull attention from that someone else onto yourself).

The spell is bounced back to you. This is more unusual than you think! I often see the warning about spells being redirected back at the caster in arguments against hexing and cursing others. I’ve had exactly one spell reversed back at me, and it was because the target was 1. A witch, and 2. Expecting it.

The spell’s primary result is unexpected. Not necessarily bad, just not what you meant to do. For example, casting a spell to get a promotion at work and discovering that your close friend is getting a promotion instead.

The spell has unexpected side effects. Like casting a spell for good luck on yourself and having everyone around you experience good luck, too. Or casting a spell that successfully improves your workplace’s vibe, only to find out that the mean coworker nobody likes finally got fired, and that’s why everyone is more relaxed and cheerful. Or, more negatively, you do get that promotion you cast for, but now you’re saddled with more work than you can handle, because your bosses think you’re highly capable of it all!

The spell does absolutely nothing. Perhaps one of the more common ways a spell can go wrong, this is exactly what it says on the tin. You put the energy in, you did all the steps, but the spell just… doesn’t go anywhere. In other words, it fizzles and simply doesn’t work at all.

As with most topics in witchcraft, there’s an infinite amount of nuance to apply here. There are more ways spells can go wrong, and not all of these things would necessarily be considered “going wrong.”

It may be worth deducing why the spell went wrong. Was it the materials? The petition or incantation? A lack of energy, or maybe an overabundance? Spirit influence? Protections surrounding the target? Knowing what exactly went wrong can help you prevent the same issues in the future, but it can also help you to better fix the spell in the moment.

Preventatives

The particulars are going to depend heavily on your personal practice, the type of spell you’re doing, and how detailed you want to get. These suggestions are based on things I personally take into account when I’m trying to close loopholes and prevent unwanted outcomes.

Be specific in your wording. Especially if your spell has any kind of spoken or written component, be as specific as you can. “Draw money to me” is a general sentiment that could absolutely work, but what money is it bringing in? A bonus at work? A dollar on the street? A gift from grandma? Inheritance? It could be anything at that point. “Draw good, repeat customers to my small business to help me reach my profit goal of $10,000 before the end of the year” is specific, focused, and measurable. There isn’t much room for surprise side effects.

Choose ingredients carefully. Work with ingredients whose purposes you know. In my spell recipes, I list every ingredient’s correspondence, because in my practice, those things matter. Ensure that the “active ingredients” in your spell align with your goal properly. Rogue elements create rogue effects!

Include failsafe measures. As in, create ways you can cancel the spell at any point. This can have the side effect of making your spells easier to undo, particularly if your target is also a witch who understands how you construct your spells. If doing this, it’s best to create a method that is obscured and unique to you.

Add ingredients or instructions specifically to avoid particular side effects or outcomes. Find a component or two that can protect your working from unwanted effects, backfires, and interference. Include instructions for the spell for things it shouldn’t do. For example, trying to create issues for one particular person at work shouldn’t harm their innocent teammates.

Undo It

The first step to consider is undoing the spell. Not all paradigms allow for this, so it may not be possible for you. For me, it depends on the particular spell and how much change it’s created. The bigger the impact, the less likely a simple undo will work.

Still, it’s worth a try. Undoing a spell might take a few forms, depending on how you originally cast it:

Take the spell apart. Disassemble the spell into its components and cleanse them of the spell’s energy.

Destroy the vessel and components. Burning, tearing, burying, flushing, throwing away, and so forth. Be careful to not bury things that could harm the earth, animals, or people — including glass, salt, and plastics. Compost and recycle when you can.

Dismiss spirits working within the spell. End the contract around the spell’s working and request that the spirits stop powering it. You could also request their assistance in undoing the spell. You may have to make offerings either way, depending on the terms of your agreement.

Perform the spell in reverse. This includes speaking incantations backwards, performing all actions backwards, taking components apart, re-cleansing, and putting things away where you originally got them from.

Draw the spell’s energy/effects out of the target’s body and/or the affected area. Using energy work, absorb the spell’s energy into a vessel. Capture it and either allow it to dissipate or bottle it up to keep it in check. I don’t recommend absorbing the energy into yourself, as that may draw the spell’s unwanted effects to you (or make them worse).

I typically employ a combination of strategies to undo a spell, if it’s possible in the first place. If it’s a simple spell, performing it in reverse is the easiest method. I’ll then cleanse, destroy, and dispose of the materials.

But when it isn’t possible to simply undo the spell…

Cast Another Spell

…The answer might be to cast another one. In my mind, there are several ways to do this.

The first is to cast a spell to negate the original’s effects completely. I would approach this method the same way as any other spell. Focus on the effects you’re looking to negate, and cast accordingly. A banishing spell would work well for this to shoo away the spell’s energy, but a cleansing spell to clear the target would also work. Or, you can get more specific. For example, if a spell has generated a string of unlucky events, you could cast a spell for good luck in order to nullify the bad luck of the first spell. The goal would be to cancel out the original spell’s effects in some way.

The second way is to cast a spell to adjust the original’s outcome. There are a lot of ways to do this. You could directly modify the original spell by adding or removing ingredients that might’ve caused the negative outcome, redo written or spoken incantations/petitions, or cast a “companion spell” to redirect the original’s energy to a more favorable end. For example, in a money spell that’s giving everyone else good fortune, you could place a magnet with your personal information on it atop the spell vessel to draw money to you rather than the people around you. The idea here is not to end the original spell, but to realign it to your particular needs.

Another way is to cast a spell specifically to control side effects. Sometimes, a spell can’t be undone, and you can’t easily modify the main outcomes (particularly true if the negative events caused by the spell happen quickly or outside your control). Or maybe the bulk of the spell worked properly, but there’s one or two minor negative side effects you don’t want to continue. The method for this would be similar to adjusting the original spell’s outcome, but on a smaller scale and in a less direct fashion. For example, your job spell got you that promotion, hooray! But now you’re stressed out by training someone to take your place, and you’re learning your new position. You can cast a spell to reduce stress or prevent people from piling additional work on you while you adjust, controlling the side effects of the promotion.

A way I use for high-stakes spells is to cast wards or other protections before casting the main spell to prevent backfire or unwanted effects ahead of time. I often do this for spells surrounding situations that are delicate or that need extra care. In my case, it’s a general, long-term ward against bad luck on a wider scale, and it catches negative spell side effects as part of its job. You can set up temporary wards if you prefer, or make them for very specific purposes. Whatever works for you.

Cast the same spell again. This isn’t my usual go-to, unless I’m trying a new spell method or ingredient I’m unfamiliar with. I’ll usually recommend trying the same spell again when the first casting does absolutely nothing, since multiple castings can make a spell stronger and more effective. However, if a spell backfires or otherwise causes undesirable effects, I wouldn’t really recommend it, as the negative effects can compound, too, if it misfires again.

Ask for Help

If the problems caused by your spell are too big for you to handle on your own, it’s okay to reach out for help! Whether you’re looking for suggestions and advice or hands-on assistance, knowing when and how to ask for help is a critical skill.

Ask the witchcraft community (or your witchy friends) questions. Join a Discord, forum, Tumblr community, or other witchy space. Make a post to explain your situation and request suggestions, advice, and ideas to deal with the situation at large. Not all suggestions will be entirely helpful, but you’ll at least get some new perspectives to shed light on your situation. If people you know directly (in real life or online) practice witchcraft, see what they think.

Chat with spirits. Especially if you already work with spirits or if spirits helped you to cast/power the original spell, this can be a solid way to come up with a solution that will work. Use your preferred method of communication to discuss the situation. If possible, see if they’ll help you either undo or mitigate the spell’s unwanted results.

Ask non-witchy friends for advice. Their advice will probably be mundane, but sometimes, those are the best solutions. Outside perspectives are useful to recontextualize problems and come up with solutions you wouldn’t have otherwise considered.

Find books, videos, tutorials, blog posts, and other resources on the subject. When all else fails, or when you’re a little shy about asking for help directly, there are still resources out there to help you solve your dilemmas. Just remember to vet your sources before naively following instructions given to you.

Deal with Consequences Mundanely

Sometimes, there’s just nothing for it. Whether you don’t have time and energy or you’ve already tried more magic and had it fail, there are times when you have to turn to the mundane. Depending on the severity of the situation you’re in, solutions will vary in their successfulness. And honestly, that’s just how it is sometimes. Sometimes, things don’t wrap up nicely and easily and neatly.

With that said, here are a handful of mundane responses and solutions I’ve turned to after spells went wrong (and couldn’t be otherwise fixed):

Come clean and apologize. Particularly applicable when you’re doing a spell on or for another person, sometimes, there’s just nothing else to do but admit you fucked up. If the person impacted by the spell’s effects, directly or indirectly, isn’t a magical practitioner themselves, you could simply apologize for meddling in the situation. On the other hand, if you’ve harmed or offended a spirit with your spellwork, you might make an offering to apologize for the trouble you’ve caused.

Come up with mundane strategies for damage control. Depending on how severe the spell’s negative effects are, the level of effort for this is going to obviously vary. It could be anything from redoing your household budget to breaking out the toolbox for repairs to building an actual fence to making dinner. Your solution is going to depend on your problem. Think strategically.

Seek out new, improved coping mechanisms. Whether you’re looking to resolve feelings that are caused by the spell’s backfire or ones that made you cast in the first place, sometimes, a bit of self-care is the best solution. Consider why you cast the spell in the first place — lack of control, poor self-worth, low confidence? Or was it just because you felt it could help you with a little boost to the work you were already doing? It’s worth thinking about. What mundane safety nets do you have in place?

Let it go. Perhaps the most difficult option: Just letting the bad result be. Moving on from it. Taking the lumps and the lesson, and walking away. Giving up is a skill. It’s not a moral failing to let things go. If fighting will only make things worse, or if you’re tired of trying to fix it, it’s okay to just… let it be a failure.

Conclusions

Again, this is far from comprehensive. The suggestions here are basic ideas to help inspire you to form your own opinions and solutions. It’s smart to consider these things in advance! As my mother always says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I have plans to expand the idea of “When Witching Goes Wrong” into a wider series of posts, each focusing on a very specific problem, spell type, or solution (like a post just about ways to undo a spell, for example). Those are likely to include true stories about things I’ve personally fucked up… which are always the best witchy stories, in my opinion. Lol.

If you're interested in more WWGW entries, check out the masterpost.

Anyhow! If you got something out of this post or my other work, consider tossing a couple dollars in my tip jar. Support goes toward bills and keeping our household fed and healthy, so it’s very much appreciated. Supporters got to see this post a full week early!

If there’s a particular subject you want to see covered, feel free to send me an ask or leave a comment on this post (or any of the posts in the series!). As long as it’s something I actually have experience with, I’m happy to cover just about anything.

[awritessomething]

𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 | tadashi hamada x fem!reader

requests

𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 | after Tadashi successfully finished building Baymax, there’s a reward in order.

𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 | 3.3k

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 | smut, oral (m!receiving), pnv, switch!tadashi, facefucking, public sex (sorta? kinda?), hair pulling, riding, wall fucking, praise kink, some dirty talk, bit of crying, unprotected sex, overstim and dumification, multiple orgasm, pet names like baby and sweet girl, getting caught at the end, fluffy smut(??), non-proofread writing

This is my first story on Tumblr sorry if its not good but feel free to leave any requests! I’ll figure it out eventually

Tadashi Hamada had spent days and nights working in his office at the San Francisco Institute of Technology. His girlfriend had zero interest in science before meeting Tadashi, after that, she was forced into liking it. She was just as smart as him, enrolled in a nearby law school. Still, she spent more of her time spent in Tadashis lab than she did in her own home. He spent all of his time working on his doctor-like robot, Baymax. Baymax could perform over 10,000 medical procedures, so it took an awful long time for Tadashi to figure out how to get him to be able to do that. She had always believed in him, she cheered him on during the hard times and kept him going when things seemed too easy.

They’d been dating for months before Tadashi was finally finished with Baymax. He had put a little couch in his lab so that his girlfriend could sleep as he worked and not feel forced to be awake all the time. It was his cheers of happiness and excitement that woke her up as she felt his hands start to shake her. Her eyes shot open to see him with the biggest grin on his face.

“I finished! Baymax is complete!” Tadashi announced and her jaw dropped in shock. She jumped up onto her feet and just stared at him for a second as he looked like he was about to bounce off of the walls.

“What?!” The girl screamed and he just nodded again, his smile never once dropping even the slightest bit. Seeing his nod of confirmation, she jumped forwards and up into his arms, Tadashi spinning her around. Their hug was tight and just full of excitement. Both of them were just so happy, Tadashi being happy for finishing his very long and time consuming project, and she was happy just because he was happy and she loved him. With his hands still firm on her thighs, she leaned back a little bit to look at him. Her hands cupped his cheeks, squishing them together a little bit. “I’m so proud of you, Tadashi.” She told him and his cheeks turned a rosy pink. Leaning forwards, she peppered kisses all over his face as he laughed and set her down.

“Wanna come back to my place? I know a way we can celebrate.” Tadashi leaned down and gave her a quick kiss but realized what she had just said. They had sex before, multiple times. They just never actually talked about it so he felt that it was weird for him to have said something like that. It wasn’t that she was weirded out by his words, she was just surprised that they came out of his mouth. If there was any sort of sexual talk, it was usually from her and that was still rare. “We dont have to, we can go out to dinner too. Sorry, what do you want to do?” He backtracked so quickly she barely even had a moment to think.

“What? No, no I like the first idea. Why don’t we stay here though?” She put her hands on his chest and pushed him down onto the couch, walking away to lock the door. Once the doors were locked, no one outside could see in, which was good. It took an awful lot of noise to be heard through the walls as well, which would be put to the test. Their friends were in the bigger lab only a few doors away, working on their own things. Tadashi watched as she checked the windows quickly before digging and turning back to him.

“Come on.” He opened up his arms and she smiled, sitting down on his lap and bringing him into a kiss. Tadashis hands found the curve of her waist, latching onto that as she kissed down his neck. Her cold fingers slipped under his shirt, tracing his abs and making him shudder. “Take off my shirt.” Those words were meant to come out as a demand, yet they left in a whine. Tadashi could feel her lips turn up into a smile against his skin while she leaned back to pull off his shirt.

“We just got started, Tadashi. You’re already begging me?” She teased but he shook his head, his confidence being far too high from his achievements to admit to the begging that he let happen by accident. Of course, tonight would be all about him, so she decided to quit the teasing. Tadashi pulled off her shirt with ease, throwing it to the side with his before his hands rushed to unclasp her bra. The black lacy bra was thrown to the side, leaving her a bit disappointed that he hadn’t taken even a second to appreciate it. She quickly forgave him once his mouth latched onto the sensitive skin on her breasts, sucking on it and nipping with his teeth. Her back arched and their chests touched, Tadashis hands finding their way down to her shorts.

“You always spoil me with these little shorts.” He whispered, voice deep in her ear as she let out a breathy moan. “Stand up for me.” She stood immediately and he helped her unbutton them, the piece of clothes falling to the ground. He expected her to sit back down on his lap, to keep her panties as the only thing that she would wear. He expected her to drip right through them and onto his jeans, leaving wet spots that would surely be noticed if anyone saw him. Instead, she dropped to her knees, unbuttoning his pants and pulling them down to his ankles. He lifted his feet as she fully removed them, his boxers going right with them. He felt so exposed.

“You’re so hard, I haven’t even done anything yet.” She smiled and leaned forwards, letting his cock press up against her face. It favored length rather than width, being a tad bit longer than the average but keeping it average when it came to width. Still, it was absolutely perfect. Tadashi’s breath hitched seeing her so close to his cock, feeling how her hands ran up his thighs and just got closer to touching it. Once her fingers wrapped around him, he let out a gasp, involuntarily moving his hips up to try and get more. The salty bead of precum was dripping down, threatening to reach her fingers. Instead of letting that happen, she put out her tongue, licking a long stripe right up his cock, licking up that little drop as well.

“Baby- come on… please.” Tadashi put out his hand, running his fingers through her hair. Looking up at him through her lashes, she nodded but backed away. “What are you doing?”

“Stand up.” He did as he was told, standing up and wondering what she wanted him to do next. She reached out and touched both sides of his hips, moving so that her head was against the wall instead of by the couch. Tadashi looked down at her, so confused as to what she wanted him to do. Her hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, a bit nervous to tell him what to do. “Fuck my mouth.” Tadashis jaw dropped, unsure of why she would ask him to do that. She had given him a blowjob before, in fact she had given many, but she had always been in control.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He shook his head and went to step away but her hands remained on his hips, keeping him in place.

“You wont hurt me, and anyways, Baymax is here to help.” She begged, pressing a sweet kiss to the tip of Tadashis cock. It was begging to be touched, it’s regular light pink color turned into a raging red. He trusted her to know her limits, but still told her to tap on his thigh three times in a row if she wanted him to stop and twice to slow down. With a bit of hesitance, he agreed. Honestly, he was excited to try something new as long as it was with her, but he just didn’t want to hurt her. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

The moment that she took him in his mouth, all of Tadashis thoughts vanished. His high IQ just disappeared as all he could think about was getting off using her. The first couple of thrusts were nice and slow, very experimental. Tadashi glanced down at her to see her with furrowed brows, looking right back up at him while his cock was stuffed in her mouth.

“Oh fuck…” Tadashi moaned, putting his arm on the wall that he could rest his head on, the other moving down to her head. She felt his long fingers thread into her hair, finding a way to grip onto her head as he grew more confident with his thrusts. His jaw was clenched and the bottom lip sucked under his teeth to try and hold back some of his sounds. All he could hear was the sound of her throat every single time he thrusted into it, he loved how it just took him in.

Every once and a while he would open his eyes and look down at her, and every time he did so, she was staring back up at him. This time he looked down and saw her eyes filled up to the brim with tears as she blinked and one streamed down her cheek. He immediately pulled out of her mouth and was so worried that something had happened and she got hurt.

“Are you alright? Did I hurt you? Oh my god I knew this would happen I-“ she cut him off immediately with her begging.

“No, Tadashi, keep going. Please, I need your cock in my mouth.” She cried, reaching out for him. He looked down at her with a shocked expression, not expecting her to like it so much. Still, he accepted and gently slipped it back in, her tongue swirling around him. He was so close now, if she had kept speaking for one more second he might’ve cum right then and there.

His hand found its way back to her hair, head falling back as he pushed her head all the way. The tip of her nose touched his abdomen as she felt tears run down her face once again. He thrusted into her throat while holding her head there. She took it as best as she could, holding onto his legs for a bit of support. It would probably hurt to talk for the next couple of days from how her throat was being used as a fuck toy.

“So- oh my god… so fucking good for me.” Tadashi groaned, fucking himself as deep into her throat as possible. At his praise, she let out a quiet whimper that sent vibrations through his cock. A choked moan left his throat, he no longer knew how to contain himself. His thrusts were getting much messier and his breathing was ragged and quick, he was close. She could barely even breathe at this point, but she held on for as long as she could. With a few more thrusts, he was cumming, trying to pull out of her mouth but being trapped by her hands. He thought of himself as too much of a gentleman to cum in her mouth after being so mean, but apparently it was just like their usual sessions.

“Good job, come on. Are you ok?” Tadashi helped her up from her knees, seeing the little wobble that she had. She nodded, still catching her breath and swallowing the final drop. Sitting her back down on the cough, he went to get her water bottle from the table. He was still rock hard and she laughed at this.

“What are you laughing at?” He rolled his eyes, handing her the water bottle and sitting down next to her. His fingers messed with her nice black panties, wanting to take them off. He stretched the fabric and let it come back with a snap. Her head turned as she set down the bottle, reaching over and smacking him on the head.

“The only person I ever laugh at is you.” She informed him while moving to sit on his lap. Her hand gently stroked his dick while Tadashi struggled to hold eye contact through the pleasure. His cock was still so sensitive, if she put him inside he believed he might explode. “Do you like that?” She had lifted her hips and was positioned right over him, teasing both of them by rubbing him back and forth along her folds.

“I like everything about you.” With that answer, she dropped down onto his cock, taking him balls deep in one quick go. Tadashi’s head fell back and he didn’t have enough of a warning to mute his moan, letting out a deep and guttural groan. His hands flew to her hips, now moving so his nose was in the crook of her neck as he panted.

“Come on, you’re doing so well. Cant you give me just one more?” Her hand moved his face so that she could look at him. She brushed his hair out from his eyes to get a better look as he looked up at her so desperately. Tadashi nodded once he was ready for her to move, and so she did. Her bouncing started off as slow grinds, working up to the merciless riding.

“Shit- slow down! I wont last.” He complained, but he really didn’t want her to slow down at all. She knew his body better than anyone, she knew how to get him to cum in five seconds or how to edge him for five hours.

“I don’t need you to last, I need you to just feel how great you are.” She leaned forwards and brought him into a sloppy kiss, swallowing each other’s moans. They were so loud, someone must’ve heard at this point. “Your cock fills me up so good, Tadashi.” Her moans and praise made his eyes roll to the back of his head, gripping her waist so hard she knew it would bruise. They were supposed to be going to the pool in a few days.

“Yeah? Can anyone else- fuck- make you feel this good?” He choked out and she moaned out a no. Feeling his urges now fully take over, he grabbed onto her hips, pulling her all the way down onto his cock and picking her up. She whimpered quietly, wondering what he was doing. He pulled out and set her down, spinning her to face the wall.

“Tadashi? What are you doing?” She asked but gasped as his hand hit her back, bending her over as her hands reached for the wall. His fingers wandered back into her hair, collecting enough to pull it back into a makeshift ponytail. His other hand moved to her face, sticking two fingers into her mouth that she welcomed and sucked on happily. His thrusts were hard, knocking the air out of her each time that his skin hit hers. The sound of skin slapping was so loud as her moans were muffled. His sounds had turned into deep groans and grunts.

“So fucking good for me… perfect pussy.” He whispered and her eyes rolled back, fists balling up against the wall. He took his hand from her mouth but she kept her lip under her teeth to quiet herself. His newly free hand slipped underneath her, finding her clit to rub at. The second his fingers made contact with her sensitive bundle of nerves, her back arched further and she let out the loudest moan yet.

“Yes- oh fuck! Tadashi!” His name came out almost as a scream. With just a few more thrusts, he felt her walls clench around his cock as her legs shook uncontrollably. It might’ve been the best orgasm that she had ever had, he had to take his fingers from her hair to muffle the screams. Pulling out, he gave her a second to recover before picking her back up, holding her against the wall this time.

“One more, baby. Just give me one more.” Tadashi whispered in her ear as he slipped right back into her with ease. Her legs shook and eyes rolled back just from the feeling of his cock inside of her. She came just from that. “Good job, but you’re gonna need to take a bit more.” Her mind had just completely gone, all she could think about was his cock. With every earth-shattering thrust, her nails dug deeper into his back. Long red marks would be seen all down his perfect skin, everyone would see them at the pool. Neither of them were thinking about that though, not anymore.

“Tada- oh my god.” She couldn’t even say his name fully anymore, any words just coming out as incoherent babbles. He was so close, only needing a little bit more. One of her hands ended the torture on his back and moved up to his hair. The other continued on with the scratching, this one just gave a few hard pulls.

“Come on, I’m so close.” Tadashi groaned, chasing his orgasm with all that he had. She have one last scratch in the exact spot that he needed, also pulling his hair with just the right strands. His legs shook as he pushed himself as deep as he could go inside of her. Long spurts of cum filled her up to the brim, being the cause for her final orgasm. The only word he spoke was her name as he came, holding her close while his hips rolled against hers to get out every last bit.

Pulling out was painful, feeling so sore after such a long and rough session. According to the clock, they’d been going at it for two hours. He kneeled down to watch as his cum leaked out, using one finger to gently push it back in. She was just standing there, scared to try and move.

“Come on sweet girl, lay down.” Tadashi laid her back down on the couch, walking away to grab himself a pair of sweats. He always kept an extra pair of pants. She had covered herself up with a blanket and was ready to drift off to sleep. It was obvious what they had done, the smell in the room along with their clothes scattered along the floor. Tadashi walked over to where his girlfriend was sleeping and was leaning down to give her a kiss when the door burst open.

Standing there was his little brother, Hiro, and his aunt Cass. The sleeping girl woke up and was absolutely horrified to see who was standing there. They all just kind of stared at each other in shock. Tadashi looked around and saw their clothes everywhere, using his foot to move the piles behind him.

“Couldn’t you have knocked? What if I was naked?” He finally spoke the first word and Hiro just sighed and dropped his head. It was the wrong choice of words for the situation that they found themselves in.

“Well, she is.” Aunt Cass pointed out and the girl hid her face under the blankets. “Get dressed, it’s late and dinner is ready. We thought you died so we came over here instead.” She walked away and Hiro followed. He felt absolutely traumatized, also because when Tadashi hadn’t been facing them, both saw the red marks on his back. Cass wanted to make jokes about it but knew better and kept her mouth shut.

Once a few minutes had passed and they both got dressed, they walked out of the room together. Some heads peaked out of the labs and looked at them, making silly faces to show they knew what had just happened as well. Tadashi wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked, feeling her hide her face in his arm. They would never live this down.

[merrybloomwrites]

I Hear Them Calling (Chapter 6)

Story Summary: Alpha Harry Styles and omega Y/N Y/L/N meet under less than ideal circumstances. Overtime their paths will cross and they will be drawn to one another in ways they never expected.

Chapter Summary: Harry is full of surprises including a package shipped to Y/N's home, shows cancelled due to the flu, and an unexpected visit.

Previous Chapters: Prologue ; Chapter 1 ; Chapter 2 ; Chapter 3 ; Chapter 4 ; Chapter 5

Word Count: 4.8k

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There’s over five weeks between when you arrive home from Chigaco and when you finally have your doctor's appointment scheduled. The first week, you feel totally fine. Spending a full weekend with Harry, dropping in his presence, and being scented by him has completely taken care of your touch deprivation symptoms. Temporarily.

By week two the dizziness starts to creep up again. Then the itching, followed by the chills. No matter what you do, you just cannot seem to get warm. Towards the end of the third week, it’s starting to become unbearable. You’re constantly exhausted and shaky and just so cold.

Even though you have been talking to Harry almost every day, you haven’t told him how bad the depri has been getting. Part of you still hasn’t gotten over your pride. It’s difficult to admit that you need help just due to your biology. The other part of you doesn’t want to worry him. You know how busy he is and the last thing you want to do is add another stressor.

Even without you saying anything, the alpha seems to sense that you’re struggling. Just as it’s getting really bad a package arrives at your door. It’s a huge box and when you open it you find it filled with a number of smaller, sealed bags.

There’s a note on top, handwritten by Harry, that reads:

Dear Y/N,

I hope you’ve been doing well since we last saw each other. I know you still haven’t been able to get new soothers yet and I was worried your touch deprivation symptoms might be bothering you again. I remember you saying that nesting doesn’t help much without other scents present.

I’ve scented a number of materials for you. Sarah has as well, in case it’s better to have a variety. The bags will trap the scent in, which is why I’ve separated the materials into a few different bags. You can open each as you need more, and they’ll hold on to our scents longer.

I know nesting is very private for omegas, so don’t feel like you need to report back if it worked or not, though I’m always here to listen if you’d like to talk about it.

Sincerely Yours,

Harry

It’s late-afternoon and you’ve already finished your work for the day, so you start looking at the labels on the bags. There are blankets, shirts, sweatshirts, hats, scarves, stuffed animals. Anything you could want to make a perfect nest.

Suddenly you’re hit with an overwhelming desire to build a nest, something you’ve never felt before. There’s a section of your room between the bed and the wall that will be the perfect spot. It’s cozy, tucked away from the rest of the apartment, and the large windows let it sunlight for most of the day.

The first thing you do is vacuum the carpet, needing it to be perfectly clean in order to begin the project. Next, you grab the old twin mattress out of your basement storage space, grateful that you hadn’t thrown it away when upgrading to a queen-sized bed. It fits perfectly in the spot you’ve chosen, and you take out your own spare comforters and blankets for the base. Since they’ll be covered in scented objects you figure you’ll save the scented blankets for another time.

After the base is made you get stuck. You’ve never successfully nested before, and you’re unsure where to begin.

It’s a frustrating feeling. You’re an omega, nesting should be second nature to you.

Before you can spiral too deep, you call Harry who immediately answers with a “Hi there, love. How are you?”

Just hearing his voice is enough to calm you and stop the spiral.

“Hi,” you reply. “I’m good. I got the package you sent. Thank you for everything.”

“Of course. I hope it helps.”

“I uhm, I’m trying to build a nest.”

“That’s wonderful!” He sincerely replies.

“Emphasis on trying,” you say. He’s quiet for a moment, giving you time to explain further. “I’ve got the base, but I’m stuck now. I have no clue where to put everything else. And I feel like a lousy omega because I should just know how to do it, right?”

“Not at all, sweetheart. First of all, you could never be a lousy omega. But there might be a bit of a disconnect between you and your inner omega. You’ve been on suppressants for years, basically since you presented. Your instincts will come. You just need to be patient with yourself.”

You take in every word he says and a weight lifts off your shoulders.

“How do you always know what you say?” You ask with a laugh.

He laughs with you for a moment before his chuckles turn into coughs.

“You alright?” You ask.

“Yea, I’m good, just a little tickle or something,” he answers, voice slightly raspier than usual. “Listen, I have to go get ready for the show soon. I ordered you some food, it should get to your apartment in a little while. Take a break, relax, eat some dinner, and try again. Don’t overthink it, just start and see where it takes you, alright?”

“Okay. Break a leg tonight,” you reply.

“Thank you darling. Talk to you soon,” he says as he ends the call.

You take a quick shower while waiting for the food to arrive. This isn't the first time Harry’s sent you a meal. It’s his way of taking care of you even from across the country. The doorbell rings and you’re not surprised to see that he ordered your favorite Italian dish, reminding you how much he truly listens, and somehow seems to know what you’re craving before you do.

You do as he says and relax during dinner, watching an episode of your favorite comfort show. After you’re finished you decide to try again. You put on Harry's first album and grab one of the bags from the box. The note says it has two shirts, a sweater, and a scarf, all with Harry scent. You open it and his scent surrounds you. The task at hand no longer seems daunting, but rather exciting.

Over the next hour you construct a perfect nest, at least in your opinion. You’ve used materials from two bags of Harry’s and one of Sarah’s, as well as scenting a few materials of your own. The combination of smells is wonderful, absolutely soothing to your omega.

Possibly your favorite thing Harry sent is a new stuffed bunny, referencing the fact that you’ve compared him to a bunny rabbit on multiple occasions.

You’re cuddled in the best, new bunny in your arms, and you pull up your phone. It’s later than you thought, and Harry’s show will be starting soon. Lately you haven’t been able to watch many of his concerts due to the time change. But you decide to stay up late tonight and start a little bit later than usual tomorrow, fully taking advantage of the freedom you have for your job.

Everything starts normally but you notice a change in Harry’s demeanor about halfway through. His voice starts getting raspier, he’s turning his head to cough and clear his throat more often than usual, and he generally just seems a bit off.

That coughing earlier was definitely not just a simple little tickle.

You give him thirty minutes after the show ends to get home and shower before you FaceTime him. He answers immediately and says, “What are you still doing awake?” His voice sounds even worse than before.

“I was watching your show,” you answer.

“So you saw how shit I was?”

This is what you were afraid of. This is why you stayed up even later to talk to him. Because you knew he’d be beating himself up even though he’d obviously pushed through pain to give the very best concert he could.

“Harry, no, you absolutely were not shit. I won’t lie, you sounded a little croaky when you spoke, but the songs sounded perfect. You still put on an excellent show. How are you feeling?”

“Well, I’m upset for starters. But physically I kind of feel like garbage. My throat burns, my body’s aching, and I’m exhausted.”

“You need to rest, Harry. Give yourself time to get better.”

“I know that you’re right, but it’s hard. There’s always something that needs to be done,” he says with a sad, small voice that nearly breaks your heart.

“It’s not healthy to push yourself too hard. You need a break or it’s only going to get worse.” Your voice is laced with concern, as you practically plead with him to take care of himself. You’ve gotten to know him well over the past few weeks and you’re fully aware of his tendency to overwork himself, and his habit of putting everything before himself and his health. He’s explained that it’s a holdover from his early experience in the music industry and how hard management pushed him and the other boys when they first started. Since then, it’s been hard to change his mentality on the issue.

He nods without saying anything, and you take it as a win; albeit a small one. At least he’s willing to agree that he needs to take it easy. You can only hope that he actually will.

“Where are you?” he suddenly asks. “I don’t recognize your background.”

You smile and blush before replying, “I’m in my nest.”

“You are? It worked? How to do feel?” There’s a definite change in his attitude now, excitement rather than despair.

“It worked. Thank you again for the materials and the help earlier. I feel,” you pause for a moment to think before saying, “content. And safe.”

“I’m so happy to hear that. Truly just made me feel better knowing I could help you in some way.”

“I wish I could do the same for you.”

“You do. You help me. By calling, and talking me down from a spiral. And looking so cozy in your lovely nest.” Your cheeks warm again at the alpha complimenting the nest you worked so hard on. You feel proud to have made something that he approves of, especially with no prior experience. Suddenly thoughts of nests you can make for the two of you, maybe one day pups as well, force their way into your mind.

“I’m glad I could make you feel better,” is all you say in reply.

Your eyes meet for a moment, just simply taking each other in, before Harry finally says, “It’s pretty late here, and I know it is way past your bedtime. Get some sleep darling.”

“I will. Please, take it easy tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, love,” he replies with a soft smile.

“Good night Harry.”

“Goodnight Y/N.”

You roll over, nose facing the wall of the nest, where Harry’s scent is strongest and you’re able to pick up on a hint of Sarah’s as well. Even though you’re worried about Harry, your surroundings have you calm enough to quickly fall asleep.

The next few days are difficult. Harry gets diagnosed with the flu and seems to just be getting sicker. He does everything he can to get better, but unfortunately ends up needing to postpone three shows while he continues to rest and get back to performance shape.

He’s upset and frustrated about the situation, and you spend much of those days texting and talking on Facetime to reassure him that no one is mad at him. While you agree that they might be a bit disappointed, you remind him that his true fans care about him and wouldn’t want him to push himself too far.

One week of rest does him a world of good. It’s obvious at his next show, exactly seven days later, that he has made a full recovery. You stay up again to watch the very beginning of the concert and fall into a peaceful sleep knowing that Harry is back in full health and back to doing what he loves.

Another week after that Harry’s finished his US residencies and it’s finally time for your doctor’s appointment.

As much as you’ve been looking forward to being seen and having your problem fixed, you’re incredibly nervous going in. You hadn’t been able to speak to Harry that morning as he was traveling and you’re more anxious than you expected to be.

Your doctor is a lovely beta woman who doesn’t bat an eye when you lay your sweatshirt next to you on the bed during the exam. You’d pulled it out of one of the bags that morning specifically to have Harry’s scent with you, and since you had to change into a patient gown this is the next best option. It works in keeping you calm as she goes through the rather invasive checkup.

After the physical exam is over she leaves so you can change before discussing what she found. Once you’re dressed the nurse leads you to her office and you sit across from her at the desk.

“First of all,” she begins. “I want to assure you that you’re perfectly healthy.” You breathe a sigh of relief at that, not even realizing that you’d been at least a little concerned that something was wrong.

“It seems we were right in assuming that you’ve developed a tolerance to your medication regimen. You were on a fairly high dosage so unfortunately it won’t be as simple as switching to different meds. You’d likely start having these same problems within just a year or possibly a couple of months.”

You listen closely, hanging on to every word even though you’re worried about where this is headed.

“What I would like to have you do,” she continues, “Is go completely off the medications for six months. This will allow your body to basically reset. I won’t lie, it will be tough for a while, especially if you don’t have an alpha, but it will ensure that the meds will be completely effective for years to come once you start back up.”

“I’ve never been unmedicated before,” you quickly say, trying to communicate how unsure you feel about what she is saying.

“Why don’t I tell you what you can expect during this time?” She asks and you nod, wanting as much information as possible.

“If you don’t have an alpha, then you’ll likely experience touch deprivation. It may be a little worse than what you’ve reported feeling recently, but I promise it will not be debilitating. It takes over a year for those symptoms to become severe. Nesting with objects that have been scented by an alpha will help with that. There are a couple of programs that can provide you with those materials if needed. I can give you the contact information.”

“No, thank you. I have a couple of alphas who have given me things. I’m sure they’ll be able to re-scent them for me if I ask,” you reply.

“Okay, wonderful. I’m glad you have some trusted alphas to help you. I urge you to accept help from them during this. It will make everything much easier for you and your inner omega. Now I know you like to hide your scent in public, which I completely understand given the way people tend to treat omegas. While you can’t take the oral scent blockers, the spray on kind is fine in moderation. I don’t recommend constant use though. And of course, being scented by an alpha is not only approved, but recommended.”

You smile slightly at this, thinking Harry would probably be happy with an excuse to scent you whenever possible.

“The last thing we need to discuss is heats. I have here that you’ve only experience two partial heats, correct?”

“Yes. My presentation heat, which lasted about a day, and then a two day heat a few months later before we landed on the right suppressant dosage.”

“Okay, you should experience two heats while off the medications. The first will be in about three months and will be similar to that last one you had. Shouldn’t last more than forty-eight hours and won’t be too intense. The second one should occur three months after that. This will be your first true heat and will last anywhere from four to seven days. It will also be more intense. I’ll give you some literature to read up on and some good sources to do research so that you can be prepared. After that second heat we’ll begin working out your new medicine regimen. Do you have any questions?”

Yea, you think to yourself, I have about a million questions. But no complete thoughts actually form in your brain, so you just reply, “No, I think I got everything.”

“Well, if anything does come up please reach out. I recommend email unless it’s something urgent since I have some time each day to sit and give a detailed reply, okay?”

“Got it.”

“Since you’ve already taken your meds today I’ll list tomorrow as the first day without them. You may start to feel a bit different within the next week.”

“Okay. Thank you so much,” you say as you both stand. She walks you out of the office and you part ways as she says, “Take care.”

You sit in your car for a moment as your mind spins with all the information you just received. When you finally feel focused enough to drive you wonder where to go next. You’d blocked the day off for this, knowing you probably would be too distracted to work at all after the appointment.

For a minute you debate stopping for a coffee on the way home. Getting a little treat after something unpleasant is like, a core part of girlhood.

But when you pull out of the parking lot you immediately start driving home. Because you know what you need right now, and it’s not a mocha latte.

Walking through your front door you quickly change into comfy clothes and curl up in your nest. This is exactly what your omega needs after the stressful morning. Nothing can beat being surrounded by the alpha’s wonderful scent.

Well, nothing except actually being with the alpha.

But that’s currently impossible. He’s traveling, probably almost in Mexico by now.

Right?

He’s going to Mexico. That’s what you keep telling yourself. It’s what you say when there’s a surprise knock on the door. It’s what you repeat when you open the door and see none other than Harry Styles standing in your apartment hallway.

He’s going to Mexico. Except he’s very much standing in front of you, flowers in one hand, a tray of drinks in the other, and a small suitcase next to him.

“Hi,” he says sweetly, dimples making an appearance as he smiles at you.

“Hi,” you answer just as quietly, still in disbelief of what you’re seeing.

You step back, silently inviting him in. He places the drinks and flowers on the table in your entryway so he can roll his suitcase in, shutting the door behind him.

The two of you stand there for a moment just taking each other in. Slowly, Harry leans down and presses a gentle kiss to your lips. He pulls back just an inch and there’s a moment of tension between you.

The moment doesn’t last long. You don’t know who moves first, but your lips quickly crash together in a kiss more heated than any you’ve shared before. His hands grip your waist, and you bite back a whine at the feeling of how big they are on your body. Your arms wrap around his shoulders, one resting on the back of his neck while the other slides through his hair.

You begin to walk backwards into the living room, never breaking contact. Harry sits on your couch, and you follow to straddle him, kneeling over him so your legs bracket either side of his. The kiss gets more intense, and this time you can’t hide the noise of pleasure when his tongue just barely passes between your lips.

After a few minutes of what is by far the best make out of your life, his hands move to your thighs. They slide up further and you become overwhelmed, pulling back from the kiss in response.

He doesn’t ask what’s wrong, doesn’t question what happened or if you’re okay. He knows why you stopped. He can read that you’ve gone as far as you’re comfortable with at this point. He smiles, presses one more chaste kiss to your lips, and then readjusts you so you’re sitting next to him, legs resting over his lap. He pulls you in, so you’re tucked against his side, and you stay like that for a few minutes, just enjoying being close together.

“So, how did the appointment go today?” he finally asks.

Before you can answer your stomach starts to growl loudly, causing you both to laugh.

“Hold that thought,” he says, “let’s get some lunch first huh?”

“Sounds like a good plan. I can make some for us,” you say, and immediately head to the kitchen.

Harry uses the restroom while you prepare some sandwiches and fruit salad. It gives you a moment to process everything that happened that morning. You also think about how you’ll answer Harry’s last question. You decide to tell him the truth, tell him everything. He’s proved how deeply he cares about you, and honestly at this point you can’t imagine keeping anything from him.

So over lunch, you explain everything your doctor said. You tell him about the touch deprivation, and he reassures you that he’ll make sure you always have freshly scented materials to wear and put in your nest. You even tell him about the upcoming heats, though not without blushing the whole time.

“Is there anything I can do to help with that? Would you want me to be with you through it?” You’re endeared by the fact that his blush matches yours now.

You think about his offer for a moment and reply, “I don’t think so. At least not the first one. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. And, uhm,” you pause for a moment before admitting something. You’re scared to tell him, but you’ve already talked about enough embarrassing things today with him and your doctor, so one more can’t hurt. “I’ve never been knotted before. And though I want to someday, I want it to be right. And I want it to be when I’ll remember it, not while I’m under the haze of a heat. When we’ll both remember it.” You’re nervous at the end, including him the way you did, like you’re assuming he wants that too.

“I completely understand. There will be a time when we’re ready. And it will be perfect,” you share another shy smile, reassured that he included himself without any hesitation. He wants this, and he wants this with you. He sees a future to your relationship, just like you do.

“Now,” he continues, “when it comes to helping with the touch deprivation and you requiring scenting, I think we should choose some dates when we can be together. It’s not healthy for you if we’re apart for long periods of time. And honestly, I don’t want to go months without seeing you.”

“Me neither,” you reply.

“Do you want to pull out our calendars now, or forget about all this for the afternoon and just spend the day together and make some plans over the phone after I leave tomorrow?”

“Make plans later. Definitely. I want to enjoy the day with you.”

And so, the two of you have a lazy afternoon in. It had started to rain while you ate lunch, which gives you the perfect excuse to turn on the fireplace and lounge in the living room. You watch movies, play some games, and get lost listening to each other tell stories. Harry orders in dinner, Thai this time, and you each take your own showers before getting ready for bed.

Harry hasn’t been in your room yet, and you hesitate before opening the door to let you both in. He’s seen your nest over Facetime, but this is different, and suddenly you’re hit with the overwhelming need for him to approve of it. You don’t know what you’ll do if the alpha doesn’t like it.

Of course, your fear is for nothing. Because the second you bring Harry to the side of your bed and show him what you made, he immediately showers you in compliments. He tells you how perfect it is, how cozy it looks.

“Would you like to lay in it with me? I know it’s kind of small, so I understand if-” he cuts you off before you can complete your sentence and says, “I would be honored to be in your nest with you.”

He looks to you for guidance, needing to know exactly where you want him. He knows how important nests are to omegas, and the last thing he wants is to mess it up in any way. You instruct him where to lay down and he does so without pause. He holds his arms out and you quickly go to him.

It’s no surprise when you begin to purr. Wrapped in his arms, in your nest, surrounded by his scent, you think you may have entered heaven.

No one speaks for a while, and you start to think maybe Harry’s fallen asleep. That is until you hear him clear his throat. You look to him, knowing he wants to say something, and he takes a deep breath.

“I have a question for you. And I know it may be too soon, but it seems silly to delay when we obviously have a connection. We’re old enough now to know what we want. And what I want is you. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, or at least not yet, but I couldn’t leave without asking. Y/N, would you be my girlfriend?”

“Harry, I would absolutely love to.”

He holds you closer in response pressing a kiss to your lips before pulling back and seeing the huge smile on your face.

“There’s just one more question,” he says. He seems even more nervous about this one, but you remain calm, even releasing some calming pheromones of your own.

You can tell he senses them as he relaxes and says, “Would you also do me the honor of being my omega?”

This question is even more unexpected than the last. He’s right in saying that it’s very early to ask, but at the same time, it’s not too early at all. Because there’s an undeniable connection between the two of you, not just as people, but as alpha and omega. It would be silly not to make it official.

Happy tears fill your eyes, and you nod yes in answer to his question. His eyes are similarly watery, and he leans down to press a kiss over your mating spot, a promise of what’s to come in the future, and you snuggle impossibly closer to him. To Harry. Your boyfriend. And your alpha.

You sleep soundly through the night, waking only when you realize Harry isn’t beside you. The spot is still warm, so he hasn’t been gone long. It’s early, a little before 7 a.m., and you hear Harry getting ready in the bathroom. He’ll be leaving soon. He mentioned a car would be picking him up to take him to the airport first thing in the morning.

Before you can get up he crouches down, running a hand over your hair. He’s ready to go, but he lays down next to you, soaking up every last second before he absolutely needs to leave. He scents you, does it so strongly that he’s practically scent marked the room, and you’re grateful for that. Since you’ll be stopping your medications today, having a space filled with his smell will help ease you through the transition.

Too quickly, his phone rings with a message that his ride is waiting outside.

He leans down to kiss you and say, “Everything is going to be alright. We’ll work it out, and I’m with you the whole way. Goodbye, my omega.”

You preen at the title and press another kiss to his lips before replying, “Thank you, alpha. Be safe.”

“I will, I promise,” he says. With one final press of his lips on your forehead, he drags himself out of the comfort of your nest and then out of your apartment.

It’s quiet without him, but you reflect on his parting words. You believe them wholeheartedly. It’s going to be difficult, but he’ll be there to help.

With the reassurance that you’re not alone, and Harry’s delicious scent filling the room, you slip back to sleep, feeling nervous but hopeful about what’s to come.  

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

AN: Thank you so much for reading! I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you all liked it as well!

Taglist: @akkatz @pandeebearstyles @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite@theekyliepage@numafarawayglxy @booberry019-blog @hillzrry@ssareidbby @gem1712 @acesofspadess@houseofdilfs@shaquille-0atmeal-1@kissitnhekitchen @amateurduck @poguestyleskye@n0vaj3an@snwells@drunk-teens-doing-drugs ; @fdl305@creativelyeva@daphnesutton@selluequestrian@lovingfurypanda @stardream14 @tbsloneely@eversincehs1@boomitsallie1@rose-garden-dreamz @fictionalmensblog @buckybarnessimpp @ottawaoutlander @storyschanging @jerseygirlinca

[simplyxsinned]

𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐔𝐏 𝐎𝐅𝐅

• summary; you came back home tired and extremely late with your makeup still on, how will your partner react?

• genre; fluff, comfort

• characters; alhaitham, kaveh x reader

∘₊✧───────────────────✧₊∘

✧ The candle almost burning out as ALHAITHAM couldn't resist but let his mind wander about your whereabouts, he raised an eyebrow when he catches a glimpse of you standing right at the doorframe leading to his office, his palm propped up his chin, pretending that he's had his head buried in his books, putting on an act like he did not expect you to be here, especially when soaked from head to toe

Based on his calculations, you must’ve left the house in a rush as you overslept and forgot to bring an umbrella to work, thus increasing your possibility on getting a cold the next day, it’s not a big deal though, alhaitham trusts himself to take care of you well

“You’re making the floor wet” he stood up and made his way to you, catching you off guard when he swept your feet of the ground, easily lifting you as if it’s a simple gesture

He sets you down on the closed toilet seat, filling up the bathtub, he reached his hand in the water to check the temperature, making sure that it’s just right

Subsequently, he returned to your side, kneeling down “Alright how do I do this” one of his hand holding a makeup wipe and the other grabbing a cleanser

It’s funny watching him follow your instructions precisely, the beads of sweat rolling down his drop dead gorgeous face, you’re so sure that’s god’s most finest living piece of art on his knees in front of you, ugh what an honour

After successfully removing your makeup, the calming scent of fresh tropical lemongrass essential oil fills your scents, helping you clear your mind along plus easing your tense muscles after a long day

Al-Haitham being the caring lover he is, never leaves your side, he helps you dry your hair after showering, shhhh no need to tire yourself out anymore habibi let me take care of you <3

✧ KAVEH doesn’t have time for this, its already 11pm. Why are you not back? He intended to complete his projects that are occupying wayy too much space on his desk but instead ended up anxiously pacing back and forth around the living room, nibbling on his thumb as it was his habit when nervous, eyes occasionally darting to the entrance of your shared house, hoping to see you miraculously appear through the door

You promised to spend time with him and have a skincare night which is a weekly ritual you two had planned because he said quote “oh my god we should totally treat ourselves cause we totally deserve it”

And well, after a few moments which felt like an eternity for him he heard your grumble outside the door

You were fumbling with your keys, frustrated and angry, blaming your anger towards the poor keys

“Honey you’re back!” he exclaimed while running to you with open arms with a large smile plastered on his face, you paused infront of him. He doesn’t fail to notice your furrowed brows and reddened cheeks, upon realising what’s the situation his mouth immediately turned into a thin line

It wasn’t your fault that you were tired after a day of work as you turned away and walked past him, dismissing his enthusiasm

In response he pouted at your dismissal, if you were to turn around right there right now, you’d see a sulking golden retriever. Of course kaveh being himself, he pestered you for a bit asking about your day

With your head on his lap, both of you already had your clay masks on, you couldn’t help but pour your heart out into ranting to your caring partner. As you went on a verbal onslaught, his fingertips threading through your hair whilst occasionally humming, showing that he’s actually paying attention to you

It was times like these where you felt thankful to have a loving partner like kaveh, well he might not be perfect but he’ll give in his best efforts for your comfort

thanks for reading <33

[pterygoidwalk]

DE2 VR

I've been playing with an idea for a DE sequel for a while I've been calling Video Revachol. just for fun, don't jump up my ass about any of this.

Disco = to learn and Disco Elysium = To Learn Elysium. Video = to see, so Video Revachol = To See Revachol; the story would involve tracking down Harry all over Revachol, starting at the Video Revachol rental store he kept having nightmares about.

here's more

A week after the Hanged Man case, Harry goes missing. You play as Kim, and the game kicks off with Jean visiting P57 to ask if you have any idea where Harry could have gone since you were the last person to spend any significant time with him in his new post-amnesia state.

This solves an issue I've had with the idea of a Harry POV DE sequel, that would have to pick a "canon" ending from DE to spring off of. Jean will interview Kim for details on how Harry was acting and you can describe any kind of Harry you played (or make one up wholesale), explaining to Jean what he was worked up about politically, whether he was sober or not, how well he did his job etc etc. Basically a more detailed version of Kim's assessment at the end of DE but the player is the one dictating it. This impacts what Harry is doing while MIA.

Regardless of the Harry you describe, Jean recruits Kim to help him search for him because a missing police officer is a huge deal, esp one as unstable and erratic as du Bois. Just like Kim does in DE, Jean can suggest where to go next and discuss the case with you as your partner. He obviously has a lot of insight into how Harry thinks, but you aren't dealing with quite the same Harry he's used to.

See this post for an explanation on the modified clothing mechanics Kim and Jean have. They don't steal clothes like Harry does, so you're limited to clothes they already have or can get thru legitimate means. Kim can mod some clothes he finds if they aren't too dirty or stupid looking.

The plot follows a search that goes all over Revachol, starting at Video Revachol and Harry's nearby apartment and then going from there.

Kim has his own set of skills and thought projects, but you aren't starting with a clean slate like Harry. Instead of amnesia, Kim's got a lot of repression and mental blocks compartmentalizing things that will take time to open up. One of the big ones is what happened to his old partner, Eyes.

Dominic "Eyes" Aguilar was Kim's satellite officer. The two of them were close, and it is very vague initially what happened to him. Kim *refuses* to dwell on it, and you'll need to complete a few mental exercises to even let him meditate on the subject. There are hints that Eyes might have been killed, others that he died of an overdose, or that he just quit or was fired. This is a parallel to Harry and Dora, but different because whatever happened to Dom happened very recently. Kim has not been dealing with it in a healthy way. Lots of phantom Doms crop up visually and as auditory hallucinations; his absence is fresh and Kim hasn't adjusted to it.

This affects his dynamic with Jean, a recently orphaned satellite officer. Kim tries to keep him at arm's length emotionally and you can do that successfully, or you can let Kim open up to him. I like the idea of it mirroring the "gruff older man adopts a lost child" trope that was popular in the 2010s, but the lost child is a 34 yr old cop with depression and anger issues.

Other story beats I keep thinking about:

At some point the Kineema is taken out of commission (either damaged or Kim's captain rescinds authorization to use it for some reason), so they take Harry's old motorcycle with a sidecar, inspired by this one sketch by DE's art director. Kim is a huge fan, and Jean... isn't.

When unable to tag along with Kim, Jean has a cop horse he rides around. This way he can leave the scene for various reasons without taking Kim's transport option away. Her name is something stupid like Pookie or Cookie and Jean loves her even tho she's mean. Kim does not like horses and will not attempt to ride her even if prompted.

What happened to Harry is determined by the description you give of him in the beginning. It all has something to do with the Shivers visions telling him about the very terrible thing that's going to happen to Revachol if he doesn't stop it (or, if you described a particular type of Harry, he might be trying to expedite it in a way where he'll come out with some power over what's left)

Kim has a decomptage but it's in disarray after losing Eyes. His team is also majority young women, which gets him some comments. If you eavesdrop/EDC some of his team you find out there's a whisper network among women in the RCM, and Kim's considered a good guy to work for because, quote, "He won't call you with a love confession at 3 am like the other bellends here". This can cause some conflict for Kim because obviously he wants to be a safe mentor for these officers, but female officers trying to join his team has caused some unneeded scrutiny towards him from the other men at P57. You gonna keep up the feminist thing even if it alienates you from 80% of your blue brothers? huh??

Kim's entire relationship with the RCM is framed like an abusive one. The more Kim leans into the cop identity, the more power he feels but the more paranoid and jumpy he gets. A LOT of his fellow officers treat him like shit and you can even get Kim fixated on the idea that some of his team want him dead and out of the way.

like. fucking obviously i want kim and jean to flirt. It becomes very clear that Jean's lonely and misses Harry, so he tries to get Kim to bond with him. You can shut him down or open up-- this is tied to progress on any of the thought projects/compartmentalization deconstruction relating to Eyes. Kim won't let himself get close to Jean without processing some of that grief.

[sseomtada]

being [ruben dias]

a stunning revelation only drives you and ruben closer.

warnings: 18+ | wc: 6212 | 7/8

You shook off your surprise after a beat to give her a hug.

“I had to come and see you at some point.” She squeezed your shoulders. “You haven’t been back in months.”

It was difficult to not feel a bit guilty. Prior to moving to Manchester and because your office wasn’t even half an hour away from your home, you’d frequently go back to visit her. Even though things had been going pretty much nonstop in your new city, you could’ve at least made a weekend trip to drop by.

“I’m sorry, I know Jason must be driving you crazy with his antics.” You tried to joke to lighten the mood.

“Maluco…he misses you too.” Her head shook.

You wheeled the bag she’d brought along with her inside and told her to make herself comfortable. The way your blood was rushing and your heartbeat was pounding felt like you were in danger of passing out.

Your only option was to let her in. What else could you do? Be vague about the situation and tell her to come back later because you had some male company over? Judging by the looks of her, she was fresh from the airport. Also important to note was that your mom definitely expected to stay with you during however long her visit was, so she didn’t have a hotel reservation lined up either.

What would you do about Ruben? Your eyes darted to your phone on the coffee table. If you could distract her for a while, maybe you could successfully sneak him out of here without her noticing. It wouldn’t be the first time you and him had to complete such a mission.

“I’ll put on some of that tea you like.” You swiped the device and took it with you to the kitchen.

Luckily, due to your inability to have dishes lingering around, the two plates and glasses you’d used for dinner had already been thrown into the dishwasher. His shoes were also tucked into the cabinet by your doorway. What other evidence of him…

You bit down on a gasp, eyes widening to turn back to your living room. Where the fuck was his shirt? It wasn’t on the sofa where your mom was sitting as far as you could see. Though it could be tangled in the blanket at the other end. You said a silent prayer that she didn’t get too chilly and worked on brewing her tea even faster to prevent that.

In the meantime, you cracked open your phone to see that Ruben had already sent you a message.

Is that your mom…?

Yes 😭

You jumped at the sound of a faint notification pin. With a deep breath, you steeled your nerves as much as possible. If anything, she’d probably assume it was your device going off and not think anything was awry.

We’re gonna have to whip out Project Switcharoo. You remember it?

Of course, I invented it.

Despite the absolute absurdity of the situation, you managed to crack a smile. Ruben was always a respectful and upstanding person. When two teenagers were in love, though, it was hard to accept things like not having boys in your room after dark.

He came up with a plan that was like the classic method of pickpocketing - a bait and switch scenario. For tonight’s occasion, it would look something like this. While she was occupied, he would sneak his way up to your guest bathroom to clear out the bedroom. You’d then take her to your room to show her around, pulling her to the window where the doorway wasn’t visible and allowing him to swiftly make a break for it.

Don’t forget to fix the bed.

Got it. What about my shirt?

You might have to steal one of my hoodies.

The kettle whistled, starting the timer on your mission. Once the tea was fixed and he saw you cross over from the kitchen to the living room, he’d start making his way to phase one. You did up her cup just the way she liked it, took another steadying breath and made your way over.

“You usually hate taking night flights, why didn’t you come earlier?” Your hands shook slightly as you handed her the beverage.

She took a slow sip of her tea, gaze not meeting yours. The fine hairs on the back of your neck stood up. Having lived with your mom for most of your life, you could automatically tell when something was off.

From you saw her at the door and she didn’t greet you half as excitedly as she did on phone calls, you felt it. You tried to battle that notion by rationalizing that you were being extra paranoid because she’d shown up during literally the last moment you’d want her to. It was impossible to ignore now, especially given how long she was taking to answer your question.

“Is everything okay?” You could feel your throat swelling.

“That’s what I came to ask you.” She finally spoke.

Your mom sighed and rested the cup of tea onto the side table. She reached into her purse to pull out her phone. This wasn’t an impromptu drop by driven by your extended absence after all. You knew what it was - an intervention.

Her screen lit up your view as she slid the device onto your lap. There was a screenshot of an Instagram post and in it was a photo of you and Ruben. It was taken on the night of the Nike launch party. You flipped to the next image in her folder. Someone with crazy zoom had caught you two walking towards his car at City’s training grounds.

There were no words. Your mind first went to the conversation Ruben and you had earlier about how much media attention he got, the fact that there was already news out there concerning you two. It was unnerving to actually be staring at the proof of that.

Then came the guilt. The last thing you wanted was for her to find out through the grapevine that you were back together with him. Whether she’d come across it by chance, was sent the post or actively went looking for it didn’t matter. You should’ve been the one to break the news.

And lastly, fear. Her flying out here as soon as she found out meant that she was absolutely not pleased and potentially worried about the state of your mental health. She couldn’t be blamed for that. Any mother that saw their daughter go through what you did after the breakup would have the same reaction to seeing you with the man that put you there.

“Ruben and I are dating again.” You admitted. “We talked it over and decided to give things a chance.”

Your mom scoffed. “See, this is why I had to come. Do you hear yourself? You’re, what, dating him? After everything he put you through?”

Although you anticipated her being upset, you didn’t expect the backlash to be this severe. It honestly took you by surprise. You gave her back her phone and stood, needing some distance from the anger she was radiating.

“I don’t expect you to be happy about it. All I ask is that you trust me and my decision, and not belittle either.” Your voice was even despite everything you felt.

She spoke to you as if you were some thoughtless, naive child. God knows you didn’t just take him back without considering every outcome, especially the worse case scenario. If shit went badly between you two again, you were ready to take accountability.

“I do trust you.” Her tone was less combative. “But do I trust your decision? I can’t…you’ve never been able to think straight when it came to that boy.”

It felt like you’d been punched in the gut. You didn’t think it was unreasonable of you to ask for her not to act as if you were being trivial. The fact that she was speaking to you like you were still the same person that you were seven years ago was hurtful, and quite frankly, insulting.

“My mind is as clear as it’s ever been.” You sighed, growing resigned with this conversation.

She wasn’t though, “No, it isn’t. If you had any common sense left, you wouldn’t be caught dead with him!”

“Mom-“ Your gasp was cut short.

With the unexpected, heated exchange, you’d forgotten all about Ruben still being in the apartment. That was until he made his was out of hiding, clearly having overheard it all. Thankfully he had found your pile of oversized hoodies to cover up. You didn’t know how many more insults you could take tonight.

“I’m sorry.” Ruben made his presence known. “We - I should’ve reached out to you first.”

Your mom spun slowly to look at him. It was a searing, scrutinizing leer that even had you shivering. You’d never seen her take in anyone that way. To his credit, he didn’t cower beneath her glare. He looked like he was ready to accept whatever vitriol she had for him.

“This is exactly what I mean.” She laughed ruefully, pointing between you two.

You were about to tell her to stop when he shook his head.

“Was this your plan all along?” Her question was directed at him. “Were you lying when you promised me you’d-“

Ruben’s eyes were wide with shock and…something you couldn’t quite place. It appeared to be worry, but not for himself. The way she stopped short of her barrage didn’t sit well with you either.

You watched as they seemed to have some nonverbal exchange. At that point, it became obvious that something had happened between them. Something you didn’t know about. Did she confront him after the break up? What promise was she talking about?

“What’s going on?” You asked Ruben directly.

He became a man that was visibly torn, eyes darting between yours and your mom’s. The decision of whether or not he should say anything weighed heavy on his conscience.

You turned to her instead, “Mom, what are you talking about?”

Instead of being met with all the fire you faced before, she bore a similar downcast demeanor as him. Her head hung as she placed her hands to her waist. It was a telltale sign that whatever you were about to find out wasn’t going to look good on her part.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Ruben made his way to leave. “When you’re ready, call me.”

Your head was spinning with how much had happened in such a short period of time. How did your night go from tickle fights, to cooking up an escape plan and now to being on the verge of hearing about a conversation kept hidden from you for nearly a decade?

She sat back down on the sofa, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do the same. Instead, you found yourself pacing back and forth while your mom quietly worked through whatever was eating away at her.

“Please just…tell me.” You couldn’t stomach the silence anymore.

Her voice was barely audible as she finally confessed, “The reason Ruben broke up with you is because I asked him to.”

september 15th 2017

Ruben

He was brimming with excitement. All of the sacrifices he’d made, every second of commitment, it was all coming into fruition. His coach told him after practice that he was going to debut for the first team during the match tomorrow.

The first person he wanted to tell was you. You’d been by his side since the literal beginning, when his dream of becoming a footballer was just that - a fantasy. Having you in his life made a journey that broke so many others more than tolerable. He trained and played with your support always at the forefront of his mind.

Ruben bounded his way up the steps to your place and stopped short. Your mom stood with her back facing him, a trail of smoke floating into the air. That was new. Or maybe it was an old habit she indulged in from time to time. When she became aware of being there, the cigarette landed under her shoe.

“I’ve been caught,” Her teeth flashed. “Don’t tell Y/N.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” His fingers zipped across his lips.

She nodded in appreciation. There was clearly something on her mind. He knew that life hadn’t been the easiest for her or you and couldn’t imagine how lonely it must’ve been sometimes. That was why he made himself available to help out as much as he could’ve, if only to lessen the burdens a bit.

“Does she ever talk about her father?” The question she asked confirmed his suspicion.

You never brought him up, in fact. Given that, he didn’t feel as if it was his place to pry. Ruben had heard through the grapevine of neighborhood gossips about his absence and how you didn’t even know who he was.

“She doesn’t.” He replied.

Your mom looked up at the sky, “That’s understandable. You see…”

Ruben found himself listening to the missing pieces that not even you knew. She told him about how they’d met when she was sixteen and that she immediately fell for him - a young, budding football star.

It wasn’t because she was getting attention from someone so coveted, but because he actually saw her the way she’d always craved to be seen. So when he moved to a new team in another country to further pursue his career, she followed along.

She left everything behind. Her family, friends and education. Her dream became seeing his come true. When it did, they were both in the happiest stage of their relationship. And then at nineteen, she found out that she was pregnant with you.

The life she wanted was all coming into place. She thought the next step would be welcoming their baby, getting married and maybe having a few more to fill up their home. What she got instead was abandonment. He didn’t want any of that, or you.

Her parents had warned her that it would happen, but she casted their concerns aside as unfair judgment on his part. They didn’t see her like he did. Moving back in with them after what had happened wasn’t possible given the way they’d left things.

“I see so much of myself in her.” Your mom smiled. “She looks at you the same way I used to look at her dad.” Ruben understood why she was telling him all of this. It was obvious that she was scared you were following the same path and would end up in the same predicament. He didn’t take any offense to her perhaps believing that he was capable of doing the same thing.

“I love her, a lot.” His cheeks rose quickly. “More than I ever knew was possible.”

When he used to think about love, he always tried to rationalize it - to make it make sense. It was only after he realized that he felt that towards you that he came to know the emotion was something that couldn’t be explained. Even saying those words didn’t feel like enough to encompass the spectrum of moments that all combined to make him experience what could only be verbally express in such a limited capacity.

“That’s good because it means you’ll do anything for her.” She nodded.

“Yeah, I would.” He breathed. See, where was the rationale behind something like that?

“I need you to break up with her. She’s too dependent on you and it’ll ruin her in the long run.”

If words could render him speechless and knock him off his feet, those were the ones that would be able to do so. He couldn’t quite believe that was what she said at first. His mind instantly went into denial mode, because surely she was joking. When he stared back at unflinching eyes, he knew that she was being dead serious.

“I…can’t do that, respectfully.” Ruben shook his head.

You might see him in a light that sometimes is admittedly pressuring, making him wonder if he could live up to be that man you painted him out to be in your mind. That didn’t worry him though. If anything, he wanted to keep trying to prove to himself, and you, that he could be.

Beside that, you were strong in your own right. He’d never met anyone who took advantage of every little opportunity they received and made the most out of them. Even in your darkest moments, he saw the determination in you to not want to quit. You inspired him.

“I’m not going to stand by and watch her destroy herself like I did. You’re the only one who can prevent that.” He saw that same persistence in the gaze he got. “The choice is yours. Will it be you or me?”

Ruben thought he understood what this conversation was about in the beginning, but he’d read it all wrong. He only now grasped that she was giving him an ultimatum of sorts. One where there was no real decision for him to make, it was a catch 22.

If he didn’t break up with you, then your mom would abandon you just like your father did to you both. He would have to live with knowing that he was the reason why you had no blood ties left in your life, a notion that was breaking him even in hypotheticals.

Since he quickly realized that he had no choice, he began to reframe it in a way that didn’t hurt as much. The only loser in this situation would be him. You’d be hurt at first, maybe devastated, but you’d have people around you to help you through it. He would just have to figure out a way to deal with his own pain, perhaps starting with taking solace in knowing that he didn’t rob you of your only family.

“Promise me you’ll do the right thing.” Your mom looked back at him as she approached the door.

She lingered there until the words begrudgingly left his lips, “I promise.”

o presente

Everything burned.

Your eyes and nose, your heart itself. Sure, you’d experienced heartbreak before but it was child’s play compared to what was wreaking havoc in your soul - betrayal. Never in a million years did you ever expect the reason behind your breakup to be your own mother.

The person sitting in front of you crying tears of her own was a foreign entity. You failed to recognize the woman that baked you cakes, taught you dance routines and held you at your lowest.

How could she do that to you? Did she think that forcing Ruben to do something so cruel was the way to express the deep love she supposedly had for you? Or was it some fucked up trauma response to the past she never dealt with?

“I’m sorry, Y/N.” Your mom sniffed. “I regret all the pain I caused because of that night.”

What you were going through now felt a thousand, a million times worse than then. There was no denial to turn to for even a second of hope. This ugly, soul crushing truth bared its jagged teeth and was ripping away your flesh.

“It shouldn’t have happened, but I can’t take it back.” She continued. “All I could’ve done was to be there for you to help you through it, praying that you came out stronger and you did.”

“Are you serious? How could you even think that was right?” You sobbed.

It was all loud and clear to you. She regretted putting you through hell, but she didn’t regret actually doing it. Despite watching you break down for weeks, she still believed that what she made him do somehow helped you. She wasn’t sorry that she did it, she was sorry that she got caught - that you finally found out the truth.

“I-“ You bit your lip to suppress another snivel. “I need some space. You can stay here tonight, but I want you gone tomorrow.”

The most messed up part was that saying those words hurt you even more. Even though she was the one who put you both in this situation, you felt like the bad guy for asserting a rightful boundary. Those blissful memories you had of her hadn’t suddenly evaporated into nothing.

You took your phone and keys, and left her in your apartment. An aching uncertainty hung over your head. You were unsure how long you’d need before you could even look at her again without feeling such overwhelming disappointment.

Aki’s blanket slipped from her head as soon as she took in the state of you stood in her doorway. It had to be deja vu all over for her again, how many times have you done this? Why was life continuously throwing blow after blow at your gut?

“Do you have any whiskey?” Your inquiry sprang her into action.

She shuffled over to the kitchen and brought out one of her biggest bottles along with two glasses. You didn’t have the stomach anymore for straight liquor, but you’d needed it to calm the raging sea of emotions.

Her eyes were wiped clean of any traces of slumber once she joined you on the sofa. You immediately poured two fingers and threw it back. And then doubled that.

“Woah, let’s…get to the part where you tell me what brought this on before you black out.” Aki pulled the bottle towards her.

“Seven years ago, my mother made Ruben promise he’d break up with me.” You laughed humorlessly.

It was weird watching her expression go through several shifts within the span of a few seconds. That must’ve been what you looked like from the other perspective too once you found out.

She topped up and threw back her own glass before asking you to shed light on that very stupefying statement. You filled her in starting from the pretext. All about your mom’s past and what your dad did to her.

How she told Ruben all of this on the night prior to issuing him a task so abhorrent that you still were coming to grips with fathoming it. Aki appeared to be just as woeful as you were upon the discovery.

Similar to this wound being repeatedly ripped open for you, it was for her. Your mother was like a her second one. So many days and nights were filled with the three of you laughing, dancing and crying together. She spent so much time lamenting Ruben, more than you by far, for what he’d done. And just as you were now, she felt guilty for it.

“I feel like I’ve brought so much chaos into your life and I’m sorry for it all.” You sipped the alcohol slower this time.

“Don’t do that.” Aki objected. “None of this is your fault. I’m sorry that she did this to you, Y/N. God, I can’t imagine how you feel right now.”

She pulled you in. You were so sick of crying, but you couldn’t stop yourself. Tears flowed hot and fresh, especially when you felt her own sobs racking through her body. You patted her back, lips trembling as you fought the urge to apologize again.

There was nothing to say. You were all victims of one person’s action born of insecurity. It fucking sucked, but there wasn’t much either of you could do about it now. All that was left was for you to be there for one another, to work through the pile of shit you’d been handed until you could see the ground again.

When you woke up the following day, you found that your request had been met. Your apartment was free and clear as you learned via text. Boarding my flight back. Again, I’m sorry Y/N.

You weren’t in the mood to unpack all of that again right now. The first thing you did was change into some workout clothes to head to the gym for a run. While the activity didn’t entirely clear your mind, your focus did find itself pulled more in the direction of your burning muscles than your stormy mind.

After you showered, you threw a bagel in the toaster and hopped into the shower. You forced yourself to munch on that in between massive gulps of water. The whiskey was fighting back and paired with the emotional exhaustion you felt, it was best to take the day off.

Aki and Cindy told you not to worry about work, they’d hold down the fort. You were more grateful towards them now than you’d ever been. Just don’t drink the last of my favorite coffee pods, you warned in the group chat.

You reclined onto your sofa and put on a random mix of recommended YouTube videos. No media would provide the distraction you truly needed, but it was nice to have some background noise. The cushion under your head wasn’t laying the way you wanted to, so you adjusted and felt the obstruction.

It was Ruben’s shirt. The one you had on was replaced with his before you curled up. Your mind couldn’t help but wonder what this meant now for you and him. Of course, you still wanted to be with Ruben. How did it impact him though?

He must’ve been back in that same headspace he was in when they had that exchange. Was he wondering whether or not she had issued the same choice to you after he left? Even though she didn’t and you were holding off on communicating with her for a while, you didn’t want him to think that you were giving up on a relationship with your mom because of him.

You weren’t completely shutting her out of your life, but at the current moment, you just couldn’t see how you would ever trust her again. The relationship you had with her would never be the same, and fault solely rested on her part.

You couldn’t imagine how awful this whole thing must’ve been for him. He sacrificed being with you and the way others looked at him. Even when he gave you the supposed reason he’d broken up with you, he still protected her. You wanted to be so angry at him for doing that, but it was no fairer than the order he’d received from your mom.

Ruben had never changed. He remained the person you knew that put the wellbeing of those he loved often above his own, the person who shielded them from pain - even if it meant inflicting some and becoming the one they hated. It was all so unfair to him and you refused to spend a second longer without letting him know that.

“Can I come over?” You asked after he picked up on the first ring.

“Yeah.” His voice was rough.

As soon as you crossed his threshold, you launched yourself at him and hugged him tight. He was stunned at first, but your embrace was returned with the same magnitude. You buried your face deep into his chest.

“I’m sorry.” Your tone was muted.

“Don’t apologize.” Ruben stroked your hair. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I-“

You shushed him. His response was expected, you knew that he was going to tell you not to apologize and that it wasn’t your fault but his. There was nothing he could’ve done about the situation, you didn’t blame him.

“I’m saying that because you deserve to hear it.” You looked into his eyes. “No one should have to be put through that and carry the burden of it for so long.”

Ruben didn’t fight you on that because you both know that you were right. He placed his chin on top of your head again and held you for a moment longer before he pulled you to sit down with him.

“So, you know everything?” His index finger drew circles on your knee.

You nodded, “I do.”

“Is there anything else you want to ask me?” Ruben left the door open.

A lot had actually crossed your mind while you were left reeling from the whole ordeal. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the answers to the things you needed to hear most. There was one thing though.

“What changed?” You bit your lip. “Why did you try to get me back now and not before then?”

The message he’d sent you asking if your number was still the same could’ve came a year, or two, maybe even three ago. You were curious as to what made him want to throw caution to the wind after all this time.

“I tried holding on to the promise I’d made…even when it felt like I was suffocating. It was easy, sometimes, because I justified going along with it through telling myself that I’d chosen the lesser of two evils.” Ruben expressed. “When I moved here, the distance made things somewhat bearable - knowing that there was no chance I’d run into you.”

“Until you nearly did.” A grin flashed across your face as you recalled that rainy evening.

“It all came flooding back to me then.” He smiled too. “Everything that you were to me, everything that you were supposed to be. I felt like I would go mad if I kept ignoring what you meant and still mean to me. I had to at least try.”

If this was a movie, you’d think fate was behind your reunion. Even in reality that was kind of hard to deny. What were the chances that he would see you randomly on the street, or be a part of your first project in some way? Whatever was in charge pulling the strings behind the scenes was more determined than either of you to bring you both here today.

“I’ve got to say, that was a massive gamble on your part.” You cupped his cheek.

Timing was everything. When you thought about it, had he reached out to you via message prior to you seeing him in person, you didn’t think you’d receive it well. The cards had to be played very specifically for you to end up at this moment.

“Not to me. I told you, I loved you then and I never stopped.” Ruben stroked your ear. “I love you, Y/N.”

After everything that you’d been through together, hearing him say those words impacted you on a completely different level. They’d always meant so much, but now they contained it all - the entirety of your shared history. Him choosing you from the very first day you’d met, doing the same even when it meant breaking your heart and again as he fought to get you back.

Your brows met, eyes welling as you told him, “I love you too.”

The way he kissed you struck in a whole new way as well. It was adoration unobstructed and unrestrained. His lips moving over and between yours exhibited just how free he felt with the burden of a long kept secret no longer weighing him down.

Every touch was completed with the utmost undertaking. Ruben’s hand splayed over your thighs and stomach, flattening, digging into your skin. Desperate not to miss a single inch. He removed his shirt from your frame and lied you down.

You willed your heavy eyes to stay focused on him, your fingers disappearing into his thick hair. So beautiful, he kissed your navel. So perfect, his teeth grazed your hip bone. All mine, hips lips closed around the skin of your inner thigh.

What came next left the task of keeping him in your sights impossible. Your hand pressed into the cushion, back arching as you writhed beneath his skillful mouth that claimed your cunt. He held you sturdily, one hand caressing your lower back and the other pressing down on your abdomen.

It didn’t take much for you to come undone for him. He knew every direction and angle to take with his tongue to leave you drifting away. Like the anchor he was, Ruben didn’t let you float off too far.

His body molded to yours, heat becoming your own. You always found yourself wanting him endlessly, but that compulsion was stronger than ever. Still, you forced that hunger to subside for as long as possible to indulge in all that he was.

You traced his brow with your thumb and let your finger trail down until it met his lips. The curve of them were reverently memorized to the point where you were certain that you could recreate their image in clay with uncanny accuracy.

Ruben slid a hand between your legs to make your mouth fall open with a moan. It was what he wanted, to have your tongue accessible to his. They moved in tandem that built with intensity the more you shook and whined under his digits circling your clit.

His forehead pressed to yours as he looked down the narrow gap between your bodies. You followed suit and swallowed deeply at the sight. He had you glistening, swollen with readiness while his cock twitched achingly.

When he moved to touch it, your wrist caught him. Let me, you breathed. Your fingers wrapped around his thick, firm shaft and tugged upwards. His drawn out groan floated into your mouth, a slight hiss sucking it back as you swiped your thumb over the opening in his sensitive tip.

You were losing against yourself again. Just as you could no longer force your eyes to remain open, you could no longer hold back the need to have him inside you. Your hips angled, legs spreading even wider for his body to rest flush against yours.

As soon as you’d lined him up with your entrance, his hips pressed forward. You curled one arm around his shoulder and cupped the back of his head with the next. No adjustment was necessary, you ground into him eagerly . A call that was instantly answered.

Ruben thrusted into you deep, testing his limits. When he found that there was none - your legs locking around his waist, eyes rolling back and neck baring itself to him - he withdrew until almost completely out of you and did it again. And again. And again.

Don’t stop.

You like that?

Yes, please, more…

He gave it to you just as you wished. Long, hard, unrelenting strokes that breached your cervix. Tides were moving in quickly, threatening to whisk you away for a blinding moment. You were determined to take as much as you could before they could do so.

Your legs dropped, feet digging into the sofa. You used them for momentum to bring your hips to meet his drives, cunt consuming his cock in its entirety. The point you craved to reached had finally been met - where the pleasure was so overbearing that your mind began playing tricks on you to make you believe it was a fantasy.

But you knew it was real. Even as you succumbed to the waves that dragged you under, you knew you hadn’t imagined it. The cries that ripped their way from your throat and his praises told you so. Ruben’s face buried deep into your neck and his cock twitching as it filled you let you know that you’d climbed that impossible mountain.

In the stillness that followed, you begged him to stay. Your foot ran down the back of his muscled calf and your hands massaged his back while he caged you in his strong arms. For once, there were no afterthoughts.

You didn’t catch your mind wandering off to unknowns and what ifs. A sense of peace shrouded you just like his body was. Whatever tomorrow or the distant future brought no longer filled you with worry or fear. No matter what came along, you were at ease.

All you focused on was what was going on right now. Ruben’s chest rising and falling at a steady pace that matched your own, his hips still joined to yours, the feeling of his lips forming a smile against your cheek.

That was everything you needed.

[thebowieconstricker]

Head Over Heels - Chapter 1

(The Creature x Reader)

A Lisa Frankenstein (2024) fanfic

masterlist link

YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T GONNA POST DIDN’T YA??? Nah I’ve just been doing other things. We’re gonna have ONE more chapter after this one and then… we meeting our boy. Enjoy!

~~~

1989, Brookview, Indiana

As you reapplied your mascara for the fourteen billionth time, you let out a sigh. It was the first semester of your freshman year and Taffy was determined to drag you along with her to your first rager. You had fought her for years when it came to you attending parties. They were your own personalized hell, too much smoke and alcohol and noise, and for the past three years of high school, you had explained this to Taffy. Somehow, for some reason, she had respected your decision and you had successfully avoided them.

On the condition that you would go to one when you were a senior.

Unfortunately for you, you now had to actually fulfill that promise.

Taffy couldn’t be happier about it, though.

You had been struggling with your hair, face, outfit, everything since you’d gotten home from school. It was a Friday, so you couldn’t use the school night excuse on your father.

Even if you tried to, you doubted he would keep you home. These days he seemed exhausted with you, too wrapped up in his own business to care to listen to your silly teenage problems. You thought that he’d be more dad-like these days, his kid going into their senior year, but no. Anytime you complained, he retorted that you should just be more like Taffy. She didn’t have problems! Maybe join the cheer team! He’s sure she’d teach you the ropes!

He didn’t care to know you would rather drop dead then join the cheer team.

Anyways, back to you. Getting ready, yes. You grabbed a jean-jacket littered with patches you had stitched on yourself. You had a job with a local tailor in town and you’d always loved to sew. You considered yourself an artsy person, fascinated with the art of creation. This patched jacket was an especially loved project of yours, a sort of comfort jacket. So, it was coming with you.

After putting it on and glancing at yourself one last time in the mirror, you heard a honk outside your door. Taffy.

You shut off your bathroom radio, currently blaring “Keep On Loving You” by REO Speedwagon, a favorite of yours. You hummed the rest of the song as you zipped around your bathroom, grabbing a shoe here and chapstick there, shoving things in your bag and absentmindedly combing through your hair with your fingers. One final check later and you were speeding through your house, running out of your bathroom, through your room, down the stairs, past the living room, and straight towards the door, grabbing the handle and yanking it open.

You gasped and squinted as you walked out of your house, taken aback. Taffy’s car lights were on and pointed directly at you, completely blinding. As your eyes adjusted, your stomach began to turn as you recognized the cherry red of her car.

There was no going back now.

You saw Taffy in the drivers seat, excitedly smiling and waving at you.

This was gonna be a long night.

~~~

“So… are you hot for anyone?”

Oh my god, Taffy would not shut up.

Yeah, you two had been friends for… forever at this point, but didn’t she know you well enough by now to understand how you worked? You were already going out on a limb here, why did she delight in torturing you? You didn’t talk a lot, you rarely had crushes! Why did she act like you were like everyone one else?

“Taffy, that’s gross.” You replied, groaning.

“It’s not gross! It’s human, (Y/N). There has to be someone at school you think is cute.” She looked at you grinning.

A thought popped into your head. You knew it wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but you couldn’t help yourself.

Your eyes shifted to look out the window. “I mean…”

Taffy gasped. “That wasn’t a no! Details, details!”

You giggled a bit at her enthusiasm. Perky as she was, she was fun.

“There’s… someone who doesn’t go to our school, I guess.”

Taffy nodded aggressively, bouncing in her seat.

Now, you knew very well that you weren’t interested in anyone at school, but you could… stretch the truth a bit. For her sake. Make her think there was still a chance for you.

“We don’t talk much, but… when I see him, he’s sweet.”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH-“ Taffy let out a high-pitched squeal, causing your eyes to close tightly.

“Can you not?!?” You tried your best to maintain an annoyed expression, but her genuine happiness for you made your smile impossible to hide.

“What school does he go to??” Taffy was glancing back and forth at you and the road.

“He’s homeschooled.”

“Ooh, so he’s like, freakishly smart?”

“Yeah, freakishly.”

“Does he have more of a football bod or a basketball bod?”

“He, um- doesn’t play sports.”

Taffy gave you a look.

“(N/N), I thought I went over this with you. How are you gonna climb the social ladder this year if you only go after geeks?”

You wrapped your arms around yourself defensively.

“He just caught my attention, okay? It’s not like we’re anything serious.”

Taffy sighed and turned up the radio, beginning to hum along to whatever was playing.

You couldn’t hear it, though. All this talk about your bachelor friend had you daydreaming.

What would it be like if he went to Brookview High? Maybe he would actually be your friend. He’d help you with your math homework, eat lunch with you, walk you to class, give you kisses in the hallway…

EEEEKKKK

The car lurched to a halt. You jolted from your dreams, arm hitting the car door.

Damn, you forgot how bad of a driver Taffy was.

“We’re here! Alright, (Y/N), are you ready for your first official senior rager??”

Taffy’s smile was impossibly wide, her eyes shining in the darkness of her car. You could faintly hear the music and noises of the party, whoever’s house you were at ahead of you.

Sitting there in the dark.

Waiting.

You took a breath.

“Okay.”

~~~

Nope nope nope, this was the worst choice you could have possibly made.

You could have thrown yourself into oncoming traffic and you would have been better off than being at this stupid, awkward party.

Standing outside with an unopened bottle of water, you watched as Taffy flawlessly buzzed about. She seemed to somehow know every single person here, to the point where each of them was just so glad she made it! It’s not a party without her! Damn, girl, I’m loving the outfit!

You thought your jacket would have gotten you some complements, at least from the right people, but apparently not.

Even the goth kids were steering clear of you.

Was there a meeting before you got here to make sure no one would talk to you??

You swallowed harshly and began to walk over to one of the random coolers strewn about the lawn. Thankfully, Taffy hadn’t forced you inside the actual house. You were sure the music was even louder, and the bright lights pouring from the glass doors and walls that shone on the pool were much brighter and even more headache inducing inside. Finally getting to a cooler, you realized that you had already been holding an unopened waterbottle.

Mentally rolling your eyes at your own idiotic behavior, you decided to just commit. Yes, it was stupid, and yes, you should just go hide in Taffy’s car for the rest of the night, but you might as well just suck it up at this point.

Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, it would get Taffy off your back for good.

You bent down and opened the cooler, and your hand dove straight into the icy cold water. It was pure instinct, a desire to feel something that wasn’t hot and sweaty and awkward, and it honestly gave you a brief feeling of relief.

You took your original water bottle, now lukewarm, and placed it in the ice water, grabbing a new, much cooler bottle of water.

Suddenly, a deep voice came from behind and above you.

“If you’re looking to fade out, the ethanol’s inside.”

You furrowed your brow in confusion. “What?”, you responded.

“The booze…?” The voice said as you stood up, not yet turning around. “It’s in the house.”

You started to turn, now actually understanding whatever this guy was talking about.

“O-oh, yeah, I think my friend brought most of it-“

Wait-

Your eyes focused in the dark on the figure who was speaking to you. Pretty brown hair and eyes, a slight tan, and a face that you would recognize in an instant.

Why was Micheal Trent talking to you?

[avatarmerida]

Mistletoe Kisses

You know I had to write something for huntlow week! This started as a little Drabble inspired by this art by @dazeddoodles and I didn’t think it fit a prompt but I think it could fit Nerds/Nature if you don’t mind it being a day late lol anyway!!! Here!!! It’s holiday fluff!!

———

“Hey Willow!” Hunter called out as the plant witch entered his sight, as she was completing setting up a small wooden booth. She waved back and her wide smile made Hunter instinctively teleport over to her, eager to see her sooner. He knew that he needed to try better to hide his magic while they were on the human realm side, but happiness seemed to be the one emotional trigger that leapt beyond his control. Willow said nothing, secretly delighted in the gesture, and besides no one was around to see him anyway.

“Hey yourself!” She replied with a giggle as she quickly applied a piece of tape to a piece of pine bough. The tape was just for show as she had summoned the pine and was certain it was secure, but she liked the homemade human charm it added. Camila had helped her dig up Luz’s old lemonade stand and Willow had spruced it up with festive decorations of green and red, lining the corners with tinsel and small twinkle lights. She gladly took a break from her decorating to properly greet him with a tight hug.

“Camila said you might need this,” he said when she set him down and reached into his backpack to hand her a large black magic marker.

“Oh, perfect!” Willow said in delight as she took it from him. “You’re the best!”

“Yeah, you are I mean yeah, I-I mean heh, what?”

“Thanks!” Willow giggled again and went to work. Hunter watched as she carefully mapped out where to place her letters, making them bold and gentle, spacing and curling them as though her words themselves were vines.

He especially loved the way she scrunched her nose when she focused, trying to keep her glasses from sliding down the bridge of her nose.

“So what do you think?” She asked, gesturing to the booth as she went back to outline her words again to ensure they could be read from a distance.

“Impressive,” he mused, admiring her attention to detail. “So what’s all this for, anyway?” Hunter asked, only knowing Willow had a secret project that had kept her busy the last week after practice. She was obviously excited about it, which he was happy to see, but it meant he saw less of her which he was less happy about.

“I’m doing a little fundraiser for the Entrails, to help us get the new uniforms sooner!” She said as she successfully completed her last letter with a flourish.

“Excellent initiative captain, but why here and not in the demon realm?” Hunter asked as he helped her pick up the sign steady it as she hammered in the nail. Magic would be faster, but there was too high a chance they’d be spotted. Willow held back a smile when she observed he didn’t even have to ask if she needed help (it was more a benefit of his height than her need for extra strength), he was just a natural team player.

“This time of year people pay alot of snai- dollars? for seasonal themed items. Plus the conversation rate favors human realm money right now so I can make double!”

As the sign was hung, Willow noticed he was wearing the mittens she had made for him. She was not a gifted knitter but Luz had shown her a video of a girl teaching how to make mittens that looked like cardinals and Willow knew there was no one more deserving. Her creation was lopsided and the mittens were not the same sizes but Hunter wore them with care (he had to, they were at constant risk for unraveling) and pride. She knew he wasn’t wearing them for her sake to try and spare her feelings, but he considered them treasures. So often he’d forget to put on his coat or other appropriate weather attire but the mittens were never forgotten.

“Very smart,” said Hunter, impressed. “So what are you selling? I’m assuming the current temperature isn’t ideal for lemonade.”

“Yeah, it’s not ideal,” she giggled. “No, I’m selling mistletoe kisses.”

“I see, so do you need any- wait…” her words finally caught up with him, and his ears visibly perked as they did. “D-did you say mistletoe… kisses?”

“Uh-huh,” said Willow with a nod as she organized things behind her little counter. “They’re very popular this time of year.”

Hunter cleared his throat as he read the sign and confirmed he had not misheard her. “A-and you’re only charging $10 for them?”

“Yeah, but I only have 30 so it’s first come, first serve.” She replied, as she casually applied lip balm to her chapped lips, the cold beginning to make her whole face feel dry. Hunter couldn’t help but notice the subtle gloss it added to her lips which she had decorated with a seasonally appropriate red pigment that seemed to momentarily hypnotize the poor boy beside her.

“Right, right,” said Hunter, trying to hide the lump in his throat. “I uh I-I have to grab something from Camila’s and I’ll be right back to help you finish setting up okay?”

“Sounds good!” She said. “But if you-.”

But before she could finish, he had already teleported away. Whatever he needed was clearly urgent.

-

“Hey Willow!” She heard Hunter grunt from behind her as she cleaned her glasses, she could tell by the strain he was carrying something. She wasn’t surprised; Hunter loved a good project. Clover nudged her, teasing her about the small blush that hearing him say her name inspired, and she shooed the pesty paliman away before greeting her friend’s return.

“Welcome back!” She called as she removed the final smudge.

“Sold any yet?”

“Not yet, but I just opened!” She said as she placed her golden frames back on her face.

“Well then, let me be your first customer!”

“Awh Hunter that’s so sweet of you, but you’re on the team too so the money-.”

But as Willow turned to see him, she was cut off by Hunter placing a comically huge sack of coins on the table that rang with an equally large clunk. She looked down at it for a moment and then back up at the boy who had brought them, whose face did not signify it was part of a joke or anything out of the ordinary. She removed her glasses and wiped them once more just to be sure she wasn’t seeing things.

But it was no illusion or trick of the light.

“Uh, Hunter,” she started gently. “Where exactly did you get all this money?”

“Uh, ya know… places.” He cleared his throat, the adrenaline and confusion began to fade as he realIzed how not completely sane he appeared. “I just thought, well, it’s uh kind of cold out here so I worried about you being outside too long just in case the foot traffic was slow and uh… ya know, heh.”

Willow didn’t have to count the collection of change to know it was more than enough for her entire supply, and she knew that Hunter did not do things halfway. If he brought enough for the whole lot well then that’s what he intended to leave with.

“Well okay then,” she chuckled, happy for an excuse to close up early and spend the day with him. “Do you want them all at once?”

“I… ya know, whatever’s easiet for you,” he said, as everything in him tried to keep his voice steady. “I mean, a-all at once works fine for me? It’s great, perfect even! Heh.”

“Do you know where you wanna put them?”

“Uhh where-wherever you think best is fine,” he replied, his voice involuntarily getting higher. He could feel his palms getting sweatier, threatening to send him to the ground as he attempted to casually lean on her table. He quickly moved his hands to his coat pockets. He suddenly felt so warm the coat felt redundant. “Y-you’re the expert after all.”

“Fair enough,” she giggled again as she disappeared for a moment under her makeshift counter. Was she giggling more than usual or was he just paranoid? “Are you gonna need help carrying them?”

“Oh, ya know I… I’m not sure what you mean, actually?”

“I mean, I was keeping them in their own little bags in these boxes but if we each carry one we can get them to your house at the same time,” explained Willow as she brought out a large festive box containing her carefully crafted creations. “I just didn’t know if you were keeping them at Camila’s or Darius’.”

Hunter's eyes widened and darted from the box to her and back to the box again as his mind connected the dots he didn’t realize were there.

“Oh… yeah,” he said, trying to hide his disappointment and embarrassment. “Right, yeah putting the mistletoe I uh I was actually thinking of giving them to… Hooty! Because I mean since he likes them as snacks.”

“You were gonna spend $300 on mistletoe to give to… Hooty?”

“Yes?” Hunter replied, not even believing himself.

“Hmmm,” Willow smiled, growing suspicious. “That’s so sweet; I didn’t realize you two were so close.”

“Oh yeah uh we’re uh, we’re buds,” he said, repeating a word he had only really heard Gus use. That only deepened Willow’s suspicions. She looked at him closer, noticing how flushed he looked now. She knew this look; it was the same way he looked when he tried speaking Spanish and Camila gently corrected him to reveal what he had actually said was completely different or when they had gone ice skating and he has tried showing off and fell on his face trying to do a complex jump he had seen on Luz’s old laptop.

He was embarrassed. But if it was about what she thought it was, then he had no reason to be.

“Hunter, when I said I was selling mistletoe kisses did you think I meant actual kisses?” She asked with a delighted mischievous little smile. He knew that Willow had been elated to learn about how much this human holiday celebrated plants and then the horror that had overtaken her when she learned what mistletoe actually was. He had been her research assistant as she figured out how to cross pollinate it with holly so it was no longer poisonous and lasted longer without water.

He also only just now remembered that she had dubbed the marvel “mistletoe kisses” because that’s what she had originally thought they were called and decided the rebranding was very cute. Hunter sighed, how could he have forgotten that? He remembered thinking her nickname for them was insanely cute. But then again, everything Willow did was cute. Even now as he wished to vanish from the surface of the earth he couldn’t help but think how overwhelmingly cute she looked as she awaited his response, unfazed and unbothered by the stunned expression he surely wore.

“I mean, I guess you could say that’s where my mind went at first…” Hunter said with a nervous chuckle, not realizing he had no reason to be embarrassed as he continued to speak faster and faster. “But now that I say it aloud I know that’s probably pretty silly, huh?”

“It’s not silly,” she assured him. No, silly was not the word that she would use here. Maybe adorable or idealistic or romantic, but it certainly did not make her feel silly.

“You really thought people would pay for a kiss from me?” Willow asked with a wide smile as she leaned forward to rest her chin on her palm. She didn’t say it as though it was a ludicrous thought to have, but rather a wonderful and romantic thought like when he said he first thought snow angels were the beings who made every snowflake unique.

He shrugged as his eyes tried to decide where to land as they sought to avoid her gaze as his mind raced to find the words that would make him seem less foolish. He mumbled something, hoping he seemed nonchalant. In his attempt, he didn’t see her face grow softer and more charmed as her understanding grew.

“And you were gonna buy all of them?” She asked, her tone mystified.

“Well, I i-it’s for a good cause!” He sputtered.

Willow sucked her teeth and mischievously marveled at the dork before her. He didn’t even question they were worth it, that her kisses could fund every expense the Entrails could ever hope to have. Her smile only grew as she examined the payment he had supplied.

“Did you rob a vending machine?” She asked with a cheeky grin and she picked up the heavy bag, which jingled like the bells that adorned her hair.

Hunter had heard that many humans collected coins, so every stray coin he found he collected. It wasn’t until Luz explained that only certain versions of certain coins were sought after that he realized his hobby had secured him a rather nice sum that he decided to save for a rainy day.

“Okay ya know what?” He decided to change the subject, lest she read what was to be read in his gesture. “Why don’t you keep the money and consider it like a donation because ya know also what if you need to make change? A-and as a member of the team I should really be contributing more anyway so it’s not-.” He stopped when he felt Willow’s lips press firmly to the side of his face.

He froze. She held his collar as her soft face lingered his, like she was preserving a secret smile like a badge of honor. She giggled as she pulled back and saw the stunned look on his face as his cheeks transformed into the same color as the lipstick stain she had left.

“Um, uh… heh,” Hunter struggled to find the words. “B-but I thought you weren’t-“

“That one’s on the house.” She said with a wink.

“Yeah, right o-okay,” he muttered as he hand hovered over the spot as though hoping to secure it there safely. “Thanks.”

It was just occurring to Hunter now that he had been so driven by the opportunity that not only did he not stop to consider if it was too good to be true but there was no way he’d be able to survive 30 kisses from Willow Park. But these thoughts did not cross his mind as he was emptying his numerous banks into the pillow case, he only knew he knew a good deal when he saw it. For a moment no thoughts crossed his mind as he felt like he was floating from the contact, like he was a log resting in the fire.

Willow took immense pride in his reaction, and wanted to know how he’d handle it 29 more times, if he’d become accustomed to it or if he’d get loopier and loopier.

“Ya know if you really did buy out all my real kisses, we’d be here kissing all day.” She said sweetly, snapping him out of his daze.

“Yeah I guess I didn’t think that through,” he gulped. That wasn’t totally true, he definitely had thought about it, he had just forgotten to factor in his confidence fading the moment he looked into her bright peridot eyes. The way hearing her voice and her airy laugh made his palms sweat and his heart melt like it was the snow that crushed beneath their feet. Yet none of that stopped him from thinking that the chances of having a kiss from Willow Park was worth it’s weight in gold. “ I guess I just got excited… about supporting the team!”

“Yeah,” breathed Willow. “Me too.”

Her mind raced to find something clever to say to reward his support:

“I’m actually running a two for one special so it looks like you bought 60 kisses.”

“Well since you paid in advance I guess we can just do daily installments until you’ve gotten your money’s worth.”

“Ya know before you commit to buying something you should always ask for a free sample.”

These were all things she knew would keep that dopey, confused grin on his face but might be just enough to make him find an excuse to leave and she certainly didn’t want that. Had she only known of his misunderstanding right away, she would have gone along with it free of charge and covered his face in kiss marks. She wanted him to know so instead she said:

“Do you wanna sit with me?” Willow asked. “In case I need help making change? You’re a bit better with human money than I am.”

It wasn’t totally true, they were equally bad but at least Hunter tried to pay for things correctly whereas Willow was more inclined to “guesstimate.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she said, pulling out another stool. “Hooty really shouldn’t be eating so many anyway, they’re like pure sugar to him.”

“You’re probably right,” he chuckled, taking a seat. He didn’t think too much about whether or not she truly believed his intentions for the mistletoe, he was just relieved she didn’t declare him a total fool. And he wasn’t opposed to the opportunity to spend the afternoon with her. “Do you want some hot chocolate? Camila packed me a thermos before I left, it’s still warm.”

“Oh, with marshmallows? Yes please.” Willow said as Hunter carefully poured her a capful, as he set hers on the table to pour himself one, Willow couldn’t help but marvel at the adorable way he stuck his tongue to the side as he focused on not spilling a single drop. Seeing her lipstick mark still intact and on proud display made her feel warm, and from the corner of her eye she could see the packaged mistletoe expanding in her excitement as they each became adorned with a small poinsettia.

“Oh, Captain are you cold?” Said Hunter, mistaking the red across her nose as something from the elements. “Here, lemme fix your scarf.”

He reached out and tightened her striped green scarf, making a simple knot in the front, and then carefully fluffed out her ponytails so it wouldn’t be trapped inside and get frizzy. He secretly loved the way her hair held the fallen snowflakes, like a miniature night sky full of stars. He did have the opportunity to be flustered at the close proximity, having given himself a mission, so that role now fell to Willow whose face held the red hue even tighter now as her glasses fogged up for a unknown reason Hunter did not question.

He was so sweet. He was sweet and caring and dorky and cute and just so many little things that made her heart feel like it was overflowing. Willow had suspected for awhile that he felt a similar way about her but sometimes she felt like they couldn’t be direct at the same time, like they took turns being shy. But now that she knew he welcomed her kisses she wanted nothing more than to deliver them in bulk.

“Thanks,” she said as he finished, feeling more snug now. She kicked her legs as they dangled above the ground, inching her seat closer to his as he fished his hat from his jacket’s inside pocket. Willow reached over to assist with hiding his ears beneath the hand stitched red wool as an excuse to prolong their closeness. She couldn’t help but wonder if the red hat had been selected to match the mittens she had gifted him.

“You too,” he said as his own blush reappeared. The snow was falling more gently now but Willow remained close as though she was expecting a storm. They shared the same thought, that the cold would be a perfect excuse for Hunter to drape his arm around her under the guise of sharing their warmth. Willow tilted her head ever so slightly and leaned against his arm so he could do so with ease, in case he questioned if the gesture was welcomed.

“You don’t have to stay the whole time if you’re too cold,” she said softly, nuzzling into his sleeve as she happily sipped her cocoa.

He had cleared his schedule the moment he knew of Willow’s fundraising efforts, and even though this wasn’t exactly how he thought his afternoon would be filled Hunter had no complaints. His arm slowly moved behind her back and hovered over her shoulder, trying to decide if it was too soon as he knew once he accepted that comfort he would be there until the early darkness forced them to pack up. His mind once again raced, trying to decide how they’d return to their comfy pose when a customer arrived and he felt guilty for hoping they’d remain unbothered. If worse came to worse, they had his funds to rely on and despite Willow’s protest Hunter felt it was more than worth the expense.

He felt his arm safely land on her shoulder and from the corner of his eye he saw those last few inches had been closed by the assistance of a small vine. It took little wondering to know where that had come from.

“I think I’ll be okay,” he said softly, sipping his own drink as his head fell onto hers as they watched the snow fall together. “It’s pretty nice out actually. I don’t mind staying if you don’t mind the company.”

“Perfect,” she said. “But don’t think I won’t put you to work when a customer comes up.”

“Of course, Captain,” he assured her, his arm becoming less tense across her shoulders. “I wouldn’t expect anything less, I’m happy to help with whatever you need.”

“Good,” she said. “Because lll need you to help me demonstrate how they work.”

[monbons]

WIP Wednesday

Posting actual WIPS on a Wednesday? Imagine that.

As long as we are all baring our hearts on tumblr, I have to admit that I have been struggling to write anything since I wrapped up Eternal Life (back in the first week of April). At first I figured I was simply burnt out since I wrote all 42k words of that fic in just about a month, but given that I've started three separate WIPS since then and made zero progress on any of them, I'm wondering if I am just out of stories. I hate all my words--even though I really love some of these concepts. So, as you may have noticed, I've been distracting myself with sewing projects because good progress is so clearly visible there...

Anywho, to motivate myself, I decided to post a snip of each today and hope that having bits out in the world will motivate me to finish at least ONE of them! All untitled. Set up and snips below the cut.

Very creatively titled "Party Robot," this WIP is a silly/fluffy one-shot inspired by an article I read a while ago about a growing trend in American weddings. This one is the furthest along and will likely see the light of day eventually...

A nervous bounce.  From a robot. I recognize that bounce. “I thought you said Shepard was working tonight.” My voice is tight. “He is.” Bunce replies, similarly strained. “What did you say he does again?” Panic rises in my chest.  “He’s in entertain–”  Whether Bunce trails off or I simply don’t hear the rest is irrelevant because the music has changed from easy dinner instrumentals to much-too-loud techno and the show is clearly starting. As the synths build, driving towards a crescendo, my brain reels with the growing realisation that Simon would never just abandon me at the last minute, would never send me anywhere alone, certainly not my cousin’s gay wedding, which is every kind of milestone given his Old Families lineage and Pitch blood specifically and– “PARTY PEOPLE!” The DJ booms into the mic. “Have the grooms got a treat for you!”

A multi-chapter AU I have lovingly nicknamed "Baz in a Bubble." It is sad and angsty and is proving significantly more difficult to execute (despite having a complete outline) than I once thought it would be. Who could have guessed having one home-bound character would make me too sad to write? Thanks to @thewholelemon and @hushed-chorus who've listened to more than their fair share of my griping about this one. Anyway, here's the first bit of BAZ POV:

There are exactly 297 stars in the sky above me. I count them while lying in my bed every night. They do not twinkle or flicker hello like real stars. Instead, they glow a constant yellowish-green that reminds me of the colour artists always make toxic sludge in the cartoons I grew up watching. It's the colour of superhuman villains and their evil plots. Of poison. Of danger. It's the colour of the plastic star stickers Fiona put up on my ceiling when I was 10 and spent the whole year crying and begging her to go outside. Just once. Just for a minute. Because I was starting to forget what fresh air smelled like or how it felt to have grass prickle against your bare feet or how the stars lit up the night sky in Hampshire. There are no stars in the middle of London. Not outside my window. Not in this room.

And then the WIP I have the least progress on (literally almost nothing) but I so desperately want to write and could really use a thought partner to help me brainstorm/plot/figure out what the hell I'm doing--- a canon divergence where Simon successfully exposes Baz as a vamp and Malcolm steps the fuck up as a father. Here's a bit of Simon POV:

It didn't matter anyway. Pitch Manor was empty. While [the Mage] ranted and raved, I wandered into Baz’s living room. The TV was still on. Peppa the Pig was playing. A half-dressed Barbie was splayed on the couch next to a small bowl of grapes, all cut in half. I picked up the doll and brushed her tangled hair out of her face.  Why didn’t I know Baz had a sister? A family that ate snacks together in front of the TV? Parents who loved him so dearly they fled their whole lives under cover of night? In the days that followed, I sat in meeting after meeting with the Coven, listening to The Mage. He demanded the casting of tracking spells, pushed through more dark creature reforms, and rambled about the miscarriage of justice and the dangers of harbouring monsters.  But Baz wasn’t a monster.  He was just a boy.  A scared boy.  A boy who ran because he wanted to live. 

Anyway...here's to accountability via tumblr. Maybe once I've slept for several weeks and feel more refreshed I won't be so frustrated by every word I know, or more precisely, all the beautiful ones I can’t seem to find…

Thanks for the tag @bookish-bogwitch. Cannot wait to devour the new chapter of BPD!

Hellos and high-fives to all. May your words (and art) be faring better than mine: @raenestee, @cutestkilla, @roomwithanopenfire, @facewithoutheart

@emeryhall, @artsyunderstudy, @aristocratic-otter, @larkral, @rimeswithpurple

@drowninginships, @valeffelees, @shrekgogurt, @blackberrysummerblog, @iamamythologicalcreature

@run-for-chamo-miles, @thehoneyedhufflepuff, @arthurkko, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @youarenevertooold

@beastmonstertitan, @supercutedinosaurs, @rbkzz, @fiend-for-culture, @theearlgreymage

@brilla-brilla-estrellita, @skeedelvee, @ic3-que3n, @talentpiper11, @ivelovedhimthroughworse