#Lunchbox Heroes

[thepumpkincorsair]

Lunchbox Heroes Part 1: Assignment

This started out from a Writing Prompt, and I did the rough draft on tumblr over an hour of lunch. The rough draft got enough attention for me to actually go back, edit, and add to it. It went from 3 pages to 8. So.... have fun with where it went, and let me know if you'd like to read more!

TW: Violence, Gore, Language

The scent of blood isn’t something you ever forget, especially when it’s soaked into your skin, absorbed into your very being. You wake up in the morning and choke on the metallic scent, like your sheets are sticky with coagulated sanguine… pinning you in place as you slide past the slime to escape the cotton prison of your bed. It’s been 30 years. You were 6 when your parents died, and for 30 years… you've choked on their blood every morning.

Every night, you close your eyes and you’re 6 again, cowering in a closet. You can see the whole thing through the slats in the door, lit by the moon in the window. Crimson Ax, a brutal villain, had decided your mother’s research into Abilities was a potential detriment to him. Your mother had been researching how to suppress abilities. How to use certain technologies to create a dampening device, so Villains could be more easily contained, and so children like you would have the chance to grow into their abilities safely… The villains didn’t want to let anyone have that kind of technology. Crimson would never let anyone contain him… and for that, he killed both of your parents.

30 years ago, you were home sick. If you hadn’t, you would have been at daycare, blissfully ignorant to the truths of the world. You would have believed the news report released the next day, you would still have hope in the world… but you were home sick, and never did recover.

It happened incredibly fast, but in slow motion at the same time… you were eating a snack, watching tv on your parents bed, some cartoon on public broadcast. Your father had rushed into the room and shoved you in the closet, telling you to keep silent, no matter what happened. You’d never seen him so pale, so wide eyed… so terrified. Your mother’s scream downstairs silenced you immediately, and made you cling to him.

Your father, rest his soul, ripped your hands off of his clothes, pinning them to your sides, “Stay here, stay still, stay silent. I love you.” He knew what was coming. You didn’t.

He reached past you for the family’s shotgun, and shut the door, closing you in. Your mother ran into the room as he did. She was holding her shoulder, but her arm was hanging wrong… it was hanging too low… there was so much blood, her pink dress was now red. You wanted to run to her, but the blast of the shotgun made you fall back into the back of the closet, onto your father’s shoes, where you stayed, hidden by his shirts.

There was a deep, dark laugh as a mountain of a man walked into the bedroom. Dressed in red, wielding a massive ax in place of his left arm. A red helmet hid his face from view as he stepped forward, swinging the ax down on your mother’s back. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she fell to the carpet.

Your father shot again, knocking Crimson back a step before he just smiled. “I was considering letting you live… but shooting me twice? You’ve just gone and pissed me off.” He pulled the ax out of your mother’s lifeless body and took a step towards your father.

That was when the window shattered, and two new figures entered the bedroom, wearing their own masks. Heroes… or so you thought. Defendor and his sidekick, Power Pal, stood in the moonlight, catchphrases primed and ready to deliver, but Crimson Ax didn’t let them deliver it. He laughed, picking up your mother’s body, and throwing it at Defendor, before rushing Power Pal, and putting that Ax right into his gut.

“What a hero…” He crooned as he ripped the ax from Power Pal’s abdomen, spilled ropes of bloody intestines on the floor. What good do Abilities do when your insides are falling out?

Defendor was on the ground, your mother’s body still draped in his lap. Staring in shock towards his sidekick. He was one of the up and coming Heroes in your city. Newly signed to an agency, and making a name for himself taking down criminals and villains nearly on a daily basis. He was your favorite hero as a child… and he never even stood up.

That deep dark laugh just echoed into the night, as your father’s shaky hands tried to reload the shotgun. Two more blasts rang out into the night as Crimson lumbered back the 5 steps to your father… He screamed when Crimson’s hand closed around his head. He begged for help, he called to Defendor as Crimson began to hack away at him. He cried and sobbed, and you held your hands over your mouth, soaked in your own tears and piss, hiding in a closet.

When it was over… When your father’s screaming finally stopped… and the choking sounds of dying breaths had finally ceased… Defendor was still sitting there. Staring at the lifeless body of Power Pal, holding your mother.

“You heroes… you think the world revolves around what you want, and that you can shape it to fit your desires… but here is the truth: The world is cruel, and that cruelty will never be contained. Pandora opened her box at the beginning of time, and even then, the very gods knew it’s contents could never be contained again. In the end, we all die. In the end, evil always wins. Because there is no good in death.” He laughed the whole time as he turned and left, leaving Defendor to stare into the darkness, and you to stare into your father’s lifeless eyes.

You force yourself out of your sweat soaked sheets and get in the shower, attempting to get the scent of phantom blood out of your hair and skin. You were an adult now, with shit to do. You didn’t get to hide in closets anymore. The hot water of the shower helps you relax a bit, but also lets your mind slip back to why you slept so poorly every night.

The cops weren’t the first to arrive. It was a woman in a white suit. She walked into the room without you even noticing her, until she spoke.

“What the ever loving fuck happened here Defendor?”

He just stammered incoherently as she stepped over your father’s body, directly to the closet, directly to you. She opened the closet and stared down at you, covered in tears, piss, and choking on the scent of blood. She frowned, and picked you up. “And of course you saw the whole thing. Let’s get you away from here.”

It was then that you started sobbing, crying into her shoulder as she carried you out of the house and past a squad of people in tactical gear. “Get that useless sack out of there and clean that mess up. I want a proper statement written and I want the evidence to match. Do I make myself clear?”

They saluted, and rushed into the house as she was putting you in the back seat of a black car. “Take us to headquarters.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Turns out, that woman was a retired hero, who had moved into admin at Defendor’s agency. She kept you close to her for the next few weeks as the press tried to get to you. You saw her as protecting you. That she was keeping the vultures away… When it would come on television, she would turn it off. You thought she was protecting you from having to hear about your parents’ tragedy. She took you daily to a child psychologist, making sure you were stable mentally, and able to process what happened. You thought she was being kind. She was retired, but she was your Hero for now… when Defendor had failed you.

It took almost a year for the story to eventually fade into the back of people’s minds. For you and your parents to be forgotten… and that was when Alise decided you no longer needed her, and turned you over to the state. The foster system didn’t do therapy, or protect you from prying questions, they just placed you where they could, and told you good luck.

You step out of the shower, wrapping a towel around your short, black hair, and wipe off the mirror. You pick up a necklace, putting it back in its proper place around your neck. It’s a small obsidian broach with a gold chain. Unassuming, quaint even. Your mother had gifted this to you before she died. It was her prototype. A small switch on the back of the broach turned it on or off. You usually keep it turned on, unless you’re working. You smirk slightly at the memory of the stupid boy in your first foster home who thought he’d take it to bully you. The state was shocked to realize you had Abilities, and you were quickly moved. Your file was marked ahead of time for your subsequent foster families afterwards to never try to separate you from your necklace. You were put into special classes at school to learn your Ability, and as you turned 9, a number of agencies approached you, both hero, and villain.

Part of you seriously considered the villain route. It wasn’t like Heroes held any value to you… if anything, they could be considered more selfish and self centered than a number of the Villains who offered you an apprenticeship, but you have an undeniable stubborn streak, and chose to become a Hero when you turned 15, and signed an agency to become a sidekick.

Defendor had retired when you were 11, disappearing quietly into the populace with his identity intact. No one knew who he was, so finding him as a civilian was something you’d given up on long ago. Hero agencies protected their employees after retirement, so, going after him would also land you a Villain designation, making you an available target for every Hero you’d pissed off over the years. Crimson Ax remained active, but he’d changed territories, moving further south to terrorize Ashwell. When he retired just before you could get your Hero’s License at 20 and go after him, it felt like fate had cheated you. Villain agencies were even more brutal in protecting their retirees, and he just vanished, right before you could get your hands on him… There would be no revenge.

Your memories float through your mind as you pour cream into your coffee. As an adult, you have one of the highest capture rates of any hero, and your agency pays you well for it. Between the trust and your salary, you can look out your penthouse apartment and view a good portion of the city below you, and even catch the sunset once in a while when you’re home. It was a peaceful existence. Lonely, but peaceful. You couldn’t bring yourself to date anyone, or even consider a family. You had too many enemies, and too many memories of what happens to families. Friends were few and far between for much the same reason. There was simply work, something you took seriously. You wouldn’t fail as a hero, and you wouldn’t put others at risk simply for knowing you.

A chirp from your phone catches your attention. Its a text message from the Agency:

“Hero, Obsidian, please report to Headquarters for briefing on your next assignment as soon as possible.”

This makes you raise an eyebrow. Usually the agency will send a text to let you know they emailed a file over their secure network for you to review. When you were called in for a briefing it usually meant this was a high profile case, or that you were going to have a partner… which you’ve specifically said you won’t do multiple times, but they just love when they can put you on a team of heroes to make them look good.

You sigh and change into your uniform: knee high armored boots, armored leggings, and an armored motorcycle jacket. You reach into your drawer and pull out a cowl, pulling it over your head to hide your face, tucking your short black hair up into it, and away from your eyes. On your way out the door you grab a black motorcycle helmet. You refuse to do the spandex thing.

The ride to the Agency is a relatively short one, especially when you can weave traffic at whatever speed you want. As a registered hero, you get away with a lot ‘in the name of justice.’

You park at a rundown noodle shop, pull off your helmet, and wave at the older woman serving up steaming bowls of ramen. She raises an eyebrow, “You got here fast.”

“Your text said ASAP.”

She eyes your bike the same way you imagine a judgemental aunt would, “I suppose that’s true. They’re waiting for you downstairs.”

You nod and continue to the back of the shop, moving carefully through the hot kitchen, carrying your helmet. Past the kitchen, in a pantry, was a set of stairs leading down into your personal hell.

In the sub basement is an elevator. You weigh your options of joining the two other heroes waiting for it, or taking the 40 flights of stairs down… Your practicality wins out, and you approach them.

“Hey, Obi. I rarely ever see you here.” The GOAT waves at you with a stupid grin on his goat shaped face. You often wonder how his mother reacted when his Ability manifested… or if he’d been born with it… and then you had more questions that you didn’t want to think of. You give him a raised hand of a wave, and stand quietly, hoping to avoid the conversation.

“Yea, what did they drag you in for? Another Alien invasion?” Anvil was one of those with a head as dense as his skin… practically made of iron.

“Didn’t say, just called me in.” You don’t like talking to these two… they were the definition of meat-heads, and they thought the world loved them.

“Well, I hope it’s another invasion, I’d love to get on another team. You know, my comics started selling almost double when we were teamed up that time.” Anvil nudged you with an elbow, trying to be friendly.

Sales and Royalties… how Heroes really made money, and why they signed to agencies. You needed a PR manager, a Products manager, Lawyers scarier than the Devil himself, and Insurances no one could afford in their wildest dreams.

Action figures, and figures in general were still some of the highest selling things. Some of the Heroes were also musical artists, or comedians, but rarely actors. No one wanted to see Romeo and Juliet performed by people in masks. Only the Heroes willing to give up their identities were really successful in their acting careers. You didn’t want that. You never removed your cowl. No one needed to know who you were, and who you’d like to hunt.

The elevator finally dinged and opened for them, putting a pause on the conversation as they filed into the metal box to go down 400 feet into the earth. When they closed, cheap elevator music began to fill the box as it squeaked and creaked its way down the dark shaft into the Lunchbox Heroes Headquarters.

“I heard something the other day, that they were pulling together some elites for something big. I wonder if you made the cut, Obi.” GOAT was not gonna let this go… was he…

“I’ll probably turn it down, I do 90% of the time.”

“If the risk is high enough, you won’t.” GOAT betrayed himself with that one. You look up into his animalistic eyes and spot it at the back, fear. When you agreed to team up with people, it meant the risk was real. It wasn’t something you’d ignore, and that worried him.

You raise an eyebrow at him as the elevator comes to a stop, and opens, filling with a few admin workers, some of them also masked, but most of them not. The three of you say no more on the topic, but you continue to watch GOAT as the elevator descends deeper, stopping again, where the worker bees got out, followed by GOAT and Anvil, “Good luck.” Anvil gives you a final wave as the doors shut, leaving you alone to go down to the deepest floor.

When you step off the Elevator, you're greeted with a locked door, and a retinal scanner. Your cowl doesn’t cover your eyes, so you lean down, and are granted access to the hallway beyond. Retinal scanners guaranteed the right people were allowed into the right places, and could be updated from a computer on one of the admin floors. Most days, you didn’t have access to this floor. You step into the concrete hallway, painted white, and approach the reception desk, your boots echoing on the hard floor. “Obsidian, reporting.”

The masked woman behind the desk looks down at a sheet, and finds your name, “Room 16, on the left.”

You thank her and head that direction. The briefing rooms were kept on lockdown because of the sensitive information shared. One time, you’d been left to wait nearly 4 hours between the arrivals of each person in a 5 part team, because the agency didn’t want the fact that you were teaming up to become known.

Room 16 looks identical to room 14 and room 18 on either side of it, or room 17 across from it. There was no way to tell what you were walking into. With a final deep breath, you open the door, prepared to be greeted by a group of young, overzealous heroes wanting desperately to work with you.

Instead, you’re greeted by Alise. Now much older, her blonde hair had gone gray, and her face sagged with age. But she stood just as straight and tall as ever, and still commanded a room with just her eyes. You’d only met with her a handful of times since joining the very agency that screwed you over all those years ago. You’d hoped someone, anyone would let slip where Defendor had retired to. Would give a hint as to who he was, what he was doing… but they never did.

“This must be good, for you to come down here yourself,” you scoff as you take a seat at the table before her. The room was arranged like a lecture hall, with a screen at the front for briefing information, and a desk in front of you to take whatever notes you wanted, or to lay out the files in front of you.

“I believed this was a briefing best delivered personally.”

“Is anyone else coming?”

“They should be here shortly.” She sat on a stool at the front of the room, “How have you been?”

“You read my reports.”

“They’re very thorough. I appreciate the dedication to detail.” She tapped the file in front of her, clearly the file in question for today. “But your reports don’t tell me how you are, aside from physically.”

“I pass every psych eval I’m given,” you frown behind your mask, “Why are you prying?”

“You’ll be taking another eval before you leave today.”

Bitching about them never did you any good, so you just cross your arms. “Tell me why.”

It was then that the door behind you opened again, and four men in suits entered, escorting an older man in a blue spandex suit with a red cape, and a red mask… Defendor. He had to be in his 50’s at this point. You could see his red hair had begun to turn white, and he’d clearly gained weight… Spandex was never kind. You didn’t take your eyes off him as he was escorted to a seat at the table next to you. He paused at pulling out the chair next to you, instead moving two seats down, and sitting there.

Alise stood up and took a deep breath, “I am aware that this is going to be an interesting situation for you, Obsidian, but I want you to hear me out, to the end, before you say anything.”

Your eyes snap to her as rage begins to well up in your body. You were conflicted on your choice of still having your broach switched to ‘off.’

The older woman picked up a remote, and turned on the screen behind her, “Crimson Ax has returned, and is wreaking havoc in Oakham. It looks like he has a sidekick now too, someone we haven’t seen before, but it appears she’s an Iron-Skinned type.” Pictures of Crimson Ax and his new protoge flick past your eyes. He still wore the red armor and helmet. She wore similar armor, but didn’t have any missing appendages. She just carried her own ax.

“Does she have a name yet?” You hear your voice leave your throat, but it doesn’t feel like you speaking. You hold your hand out for a file, but don’t feel in control of your own body as you flip it open to find her name at the top of a sheet, “Chopper? She calls herself The Crimson Chopper?!”

“They’ve victimized 4 banks, 3 drug stores, and 6 families in the last 3 days.” Alise’s voice was flat, just providing facts, no opinions. “Crimson has taken out every Hero he’s ever nemesized, except Defendor.”

Your eyes shot to the silent man next to you, and your lip curled, “Sure, because he ran away before he could get killed.”

The disgraced hero just stared into his lap, saying nothing.

“Defendor retired.”

“Was pushed into retirement.” you correct her, still glaring the failed hero down, “What hero, still in perfect health, with an active nemesis, would willingly retire of his own accord?”

Defendor’s wince only confirmed your suspicions.

“How many times did the Agency have to cover up your cowardice?” You growl through grinding teeth.

“Obsidian.” Alise smacked her hand on the desk, breaking your eye contact on him, “Your involvement in this case was requested by me. Do not make me regret that choice. Or I will go get Valkyrie right now.”

You quell yourself and sit back into your chair, “I won’t work with him.”

“You will, because to get close to them, you’ll need to change uniforms.” Alise hit the controller and revealed two uniforms, matching. Blue armored leather suits, one with a red cape, the other with a red skirt. What flair… yours at least came with another cowl, your identity clause required that much. 

“What the fuck are those?” you ask, already knowing the answer, but wanting to release your indignity in some fashion.

“Defendor has returned from retirement to take on the Crimson Ax once more, and his new sidekick, Thundera, will be assisting him.” Alise was not backing down on her plan. “We need Crimson to come to you, on your terms, and he’s only going to be baited by this. Once he follows the two of you into an ambush, coordinated with the Agency, we will drop an entire league of heroes on him at once.”

“Call Valkyrie, I’ll just join the ambush,” you close the file and shove it across the table back towards her.

Alise pinched the bridge of her nose, “She’s harder to disguise as a sidekick.”

“You mean her ego won’t fit in the costume.”

“I’m beginning to question if yours will.” Alise frowns at you. “I need someone who can handle two iron-skins coming at them at once, and hold their own, and potentially defend others. Is that you? Or is that someone else?”

You scoff, “Potentially defend others… you want me to protect him,” you thumb in Defendor’s direction, “May as well change his name to ‘Defended’ while you’re at it.”

“Sending you in as his sidekick, they won’t see you coming.”

You take the file, glaring at her, “I don’t promise they’ll make it to the ambush.”

“I know that.”

You have a reputation for bringing back your villains in a body bag.

“Do… Do I have to do this? Don’t you have someone… active? Who could just… wear the name?” He spoke… for the first time he spoke, and you turned again to glare at him.

“You don’t think Crimson would know if it’s you or not?” Alise crossed her arms, “You owe this to the agency, at the very least.”

He melted into himself and you sneered, contemplating on how well you’d actually defend the great Defendor when the two of you found your quarry.

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

A/N: shameless self plug, but if you'd like to read this in a PDF format, I'll be adding it to my Ko-Fi for $0.10, and I'll take suggestions on where else to post it.

[literalite]

i have to admit i never watched winx

[killuaisaprincess]

hold me in your arms like a prison

hero

He peeks his head out, looking upward at Gon, his pout hidden.

Gon smiles softly and bends over, putting an arm under Killua’s butt, lifting him off the floor, and Killua squeaks, wrapping his arms around Gon’s neck.

“Don’t worry! You really are a cutie pie, aren’t you? I’ll still visit her! She knows, trust me, Killua, it’s okay.”

He leans down, colliding his forehead with Killua’s, nuzzling their noses together.

Killua’s face is past red at this point, and he looks to the side once Gon pulls away.

“Mm-mm o-okay…”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31451912/chapters/109971625

[masihcare]

SPECIAL OFFER - Pay Only 2 Month tiffin Charges and 3rd Month Free.. Free... Free..

Tiffin Service Available To All Panjim and near by areas kindly dm or Call me 8329403428, 7666745682(WhatsApp).

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VagTOxF6RGJC4fQ9Z62k

#Goa, #goatiffinservice, #panjim, #PanjimTiffin, #tiffin, #tiffinbox, #tiffinservicegoa, #tiffinavailable, #today, #tiffinservice, #tiffinrecipe #tiffin, #TiffinTime, #tiffinideas, #tiffinbox, #monthlytiffin, #besttiffin, #helthytiffin, #besttiffinservice, #goodTiffin, #testytiffin, #goabesttiffinservice, #todaybestfood, #porvimtiffin, #bombolimtiffin, #GMCTiffin, #besttiffinspot, #testybiryani, #tomgoa

[dekuneho]

tenderly, tragically ☆ ( ​prohero!katsuki x reader ) — aftermath of a huge argument, clingy and soft katsuki my entire blog’s agenda

You wake to an empty bed once again — the third time this week. It’s cold on your right; that’s a bit unfair. Does Katsuki take all the love and warmth along with him? Or it could be because it’s two AM and every trace of fatigue drained out of you at the reminder of your lone bedroom, like a cold, empty picture of a memorial.

You shuffle out of bed, ignoring how strangely unsettling it is not to have a body to crawl over just to get to the kitchen. You forgo the house slippers; you only steal Katsuki's pair anyway — and right now, he's out of the question.

The kitchen feels just as stale. No surprise there. Katsuki's absence sucked the life out of your shared apartment.

A glimpse of orange by the dining table begs for your attention. You approach carefully, stomach swooping. It’s a lunchbox, still with leftover food greasing the sides, unwashed. You know this one well enough because you bought it for him. For Katsuki. This was never here before, though.

You aren't sure how the fight started, if it was something blandly petty, or if either of you crossed an unforgivable line that tipped towards a night of screaming and shrieking that had your neighbors complaining hours after. You find that you don't have it in yourself to care anymore. This apartment, that bed — all without Katsuki is worse than any hurtful dagger of words you threw at each other.

Your fingers skim on the orange lunchbox, tracing the little ‘X’s sprinkled throughout like some off-brand copy of his hero costume, intimately familiar. Katsuki snorted when you gifted it to him — it was a really, really ugly laugh.

"Oh."

You startle and whip your head to the source, gaze landing on Katsuki, stunned and mid-way through rubbing the back of his hair with a towel.

You flinch away from the lunchbox, embarrassed. Insulting him brought him to life.

The comfort you'd been craving for the past three days materialized in the physical embodiment of the person you were supposedly angry at. It’s hard to summon even a trace of it now, not when the person you’d been aching for is standing a few feet away, just shy out of reach.

“Why are you awake?” Katsuki starts, uncharacteristically soft, gratingly rough like left unused for a while.

“Why are you here?” you ask instead. You refuse to admit outright that you couldn’t sleep without him — refuse to admit that it’s what’s been eating you up since the fight.

Katsuki frowns. “This is my place too.”

“What?” You’re not even mad. You’re just — “I thought you crashed at Kirishima’s house this entire time.”

“I’m not just gonna—” Katsuki bites his tongue, looking off to the side. He continues drying his hair, the biceps of his arm rippling. “Been sleeping on the couch. So I didn’t wake you up, or whatever.”

Well, you don’t know what to feel. Are you supposed to feel excited that Katsuki still came home even when you both unspokenly swore not to face each other? Furious that he hasn’t tried to apologize and instead snuck around the apartment like a thief on a hit-and-run in the dead of the night?

Maybe both. You might just be relieved that he didn’t hate you enough to keep himself away, even if he didn’t crawl up in the same bed.

“Right,” you say in a soft exhale. “Okay.”

Katsuki’s eyes flick up to you again warily, dangerously still. You don’t know what to say to him, so you keep quiet. Red eagerly follows as you reach for his lunchbox and pad over to the kitchen sink. As if sensing his response, you spare him a glance.

“I’ll do it,” you say. “I’ll wash this. Go change.”

You face away from the bedroom with purpose, scrubbing diligently. Soon enough, his footsteps sound across the silent apartment, fading to your bedroom. His closet is there, meaning his clothes are stacked in it, too. You wonder if he’s ever looked at you asleep and thought it looked as empty as you felt it was.

After you rinse off the suds and wipe the excess water on the towel hanging over the stove, Katsuki greets you with a sight of him resting against the bedroom door frame. How rude. You’d given him a free pass, and he’s blocking you off in return.

“Katsuki,” you mutter, walking closer.

He stares, tracing the curve of your cheek and the swell of your mouth. You missed him, too. Now that he’s here, emanating heat, the vestiges of lethargy wriggle back into the bones of your body. You long for your bed; you long to take him along with you.

“D’you wanna talk about it?” Katsuki rasps out.

“Not right now.” You shake your head. “Not really.”

“Okay,” says Katsuki softly, shifting to shuffle past you.

You latch onto his wrist, trying your best to keep his gaze. “Sleep on the bed.”

Katsuki freezes, then turns and gazes into your eyes searchingly. You hope you can convey well enough that you hate him for fueling your bubbling fury, for sharing the heated remarks; most of all, you hate him for leaving.

“Okay,” Katsuki says again. “Okay, yeah. Let’s go to bed.”

Somehow, you end up on the bed with Katsuki’s arms caged around you from behind. His breaths hot against the nape of your neck, your body warmed head to toe. He has one leg in between your thighs, pulling you closer, and closer, until you can almost cry from how good it feels to be back here. You’ve given him an inch and knew he would take a mile.

“I don’t like when we fight,” Katsuki grumbles, sounding half-asleep.

“Mm.”

“So let’s just forget about it.”

“Is that healthy?”

“Dunno. Don’t care.” Katsuki’s mouth hovers over your neck, teeth marks a threat. “What’s unhealthy are the bags under my fuckin’ eyes.”

You laugh, breathy, and a violent shudder courses through Katsuki. You turn to your side to meet Katsuki’s little scowl, a pout. For every villain and civilian’s worst nightmare, he’s really charming. 

“Are you only trying to make it up to me so you don’t have to take up the couch?”

Katsuki would usually fire back with a snark, but this time, you get to watch as his eyes soften and his shoulders lose their tension. He hides it away with a large hand on your face in the guise of tousling your hair.

“No,” he murmurs, “can’t sleep without you.”

Your eyes slip shut, giddy like it’s your first date. “Then I guess our feelings are still mutual.”

[maxwell-grant]

There's a trend people have pointed out in superhero stories over the past 20 or so years that is the death of "regular" supporting casts, an increasing absence of un-powered sidekicks or people involved who aren't in the thick of the action or in the hero's secret. Everyone who interacts with superheroes is a couple issues away from becoming one, every story involves a supervillain encounter or several dozen, every hero's gotta have a lunchbox-ready "superhero family" made from these characters, and every side character that doesn't join them is either going to die or become a supervillain.

The defining example people use for this is Spider-Man's supporting cast, with every Spider-Man cast member short of Aunt May and J Jonah Jameson getting some kind of powered upgrade or symbiote, and I'm gonna say Amanda Waller is an excellent case study of how this kind of thing happens, and I think it helps to explain why Amanda Waller has been, Like That, for the past 30 years.

She’s wearing a grey shirt underneath a blue blazer and it’s tucked into a similarly blue skirt that stops at mid calf. She reminds me of the neighbourhood aunties I used to see leaving for church every Sunday morning.

My mom used to say that you are the company you keep. So what kind of person does it take to keep a variety of bruised, battered, and dangerous personalities in check? - Amanda Waller: DC's Most Terrifying Woman

To those of you who haven't read John Ostrander and Kim Yale's Suicide Squad, there once was a time where Amanda Waller was something more than a powerful antagonistic force able to butt heads with the biggest superheroes, and something other than a heartless establishment face out to make superheroes miserable for ill-defined reasons. Structurally speaking, Suicide Squad is a comic about marginal DCU characters forced to deal with actual real life problems, and it's central character is a marginalized person forced to deal with DCU problems and characters. The members of the Squad are a rolling parade of costumed misfits and maniacs assigned to go around the globe to fight and kill and die on dirty missions to deal with dirty laundry and stop war zones from erupting, while Amanda Waller is forced to shuffle around her cadre of D-list supervillains and disgraced superheroes and get into stand-offs with secret spy societies, living nukes, voodoo cartels, and Batman.

Amanda Waller neither looks nor acts like the kind of character that stars in a superhero comic, and she is the central character throughout the 66 issues of the run and we follow her character arc from beginning to end as she's forced to spin plates to accomplish her goals and prevent bad situations from getting worse. She is the most fully realized character in the run and everything rests on her shoulders. We spend a lot of time inside her head, her team, her associates, she is the center holding together an extremely chaotic book with no two characters on the same page. She is, and has to be, an extremely powerful person, someone who stands her ground no matter what, an unbeatable force of will because that is the only way she's going to survive the situations she's in, the only way she can be "The Wall", the kind of person who can repel Batman, command a platoon of monsters, talk her way out of Deadshot's contract, someone who can stare at Darkseid and credibly threaten the President into letting her live.

That's the part that everyone is more or less familiar. But there is, or at least used to be, much more to Amanda Waller than just being The Wall, not in the least because being The Wall is also hampering her effectiveness as well as straight up killing her.

"Amanda's toughness has taken her a long way" "It's taken her as far as it can. But it can't take her no further. It's actually starting to drag her down. I'm scared for my baby sister, rev - scared that the anger in her is congealing into hate." - Suicide Squad #31

We get to know her backstory, her plans, her points of contention with the system, her relationships with people around her, and how deeply she cares about things and people even as she sends them to the meatgrinder. From the start we learn that Waller staffs her team with people she's prone to getting into disagreements with, like Simon LaGrieve and Rick Flag, specifically so they can cover her moral blind spots and pick up the slack in emotional intelligence she's lacking, be the heroes that she can't afford to be. It is unspeakably crucial that the Squad is led by Rick Flag as well as Bronze Tiger, a fallen hero who owes Waller for his recovery who eventually takes Flag's baton. Waller stands up for her team, gets into fights with her superiors when they decide to terminate them, and takes the fall for them when necessary. Waller is a person who does Bad Things - but she is not a Bad Person.

The book in no uncertain terms frames the Suicide Squad's existence as monstrous in a scale Waller doesn't understand until the very end, and it digs deep into the unethical things Waller has to allow for and perpetrate in order to keep it running no matter how many lives it saves, and she spends the first half of the book on a downward spiral. But then there's the 2nd half of the book:

In the first 39 issues, Amanda’s flaws are her undoing. As she pushes away the people she hired to act as a balance, she grasped tighter and tighter to her uncompromised vision of the Suicide Squad despite the constant changes and derailment. Her choices had consequences: the death of Rick Flag, her demotion, employees quitting, and finally, the disbandment of the team.

The last 27 issues have Amanda rising up from the ashes after a year in jail. She’s less in her own way – she communicates, her anger isn’t driving her, she’s more receptive of alternative perspective and recognizes when she’s wrong in real time – but she’s still just as scary.

Waller rebuilds her relationships with the people she drove away, takes a different tack to how the team works, and starts going out into the frontlines with the Squad. She brings Oracle (who actually made her debut in this comic) into the fold, saves her life and plays a big role in Barbara making progress in overcoming her Joker trauma. She genuinely puts in the work to improve as a person and do things a better way than before, even if there is an inescapable immorality to the very existence of the Squad and what they do. That immorality never goes away, and it only further horrifies her when learning how badly her project has gone. In fact, it's that very inescapable immorality that ends her arc.

She learns that the CIA has started using a new Suicide Squad to support a brutal regime in South America, and when faced with the full extent of her complicity in Western imperialism? She decides right then and there to end the Suicide Squad for good after they liberate the population of said regime from said Squad. She is the only person who gives a shit about the country enough to start the assignment for free once she knows about it, force the Squad along, lead the mission in field, and personally (and even gently) usher the villain to his death at the end, to end what began with her.

She does bad things, and she does good things. She cares about people, and she uses people. Her decisions ruin as well as save the world. She spins a million plates to match wills and wits with the strongest, wickedest, most cunning humans and superhumans alike, and she still has superiors to answer to and people close to her she hires to judge her for what she does. She endured racism and misogyny and poverty for decades and rode whatever she could to attain as much power over her own life as someone like her could possibly attain, and to have it, she must be a willing tool of the state and bend the knee to Ronald Reagan, the man she derides for what he did to her community, hating every minute of it.

She lost her family to sexual and racial violence, and now she wrangles a penal battalion comprised of some of the worst people on the planet to inflict violence on her orders. She has saved and redeemed people, and she's haunted by the corpses she's left in her wake. She is oppressed and oppressor, someone who could only escape the ravages of American imperialism by becoming one of it's chief enforcers, and still she rebuilds herself into a better person from it upon confronting and challenging her role in it. She is not a bad person, she is not a good person either, she is just afforded a degree of agency and complexity unpowered characters in superhero books simply don't get.

Okay cool, now what is she up to these days?

That, I guess. That is what a strong but unpowered person who does not allow themselves to be bossed around by superheroes or supervillains looks like now. Everytime there's a call for a military bad guy, Waller gets tagged in to be DC's Henry Gyrich. There was a point where Waller was made to contrast the likes of Sarge Steel and Wade Eiling, someone who butted heads with them because she was a well-meaning person working for and committing evil as often as she attempted to stop it. These days, the most consistent beat with her is that she is the most dangerous person alive and worse than the villains she wrangles into working for her. She is a thing to be overcome, a hypocrite to be exposed, a challenge to the natural order of the universe, and she is too terrific at it to be shuffled off quietly. She is a Bad Person and so everything she says and does is Bad (and thus can be ignored).

Integral to Suicide Squad's structure was the fact that Waller was the center holding everything together, the ultimate third party: spinning plates working with, for and against all of the others so she can bend rules and be bent by them. Bent, but never broken, because The Wall doesn't break, others break first. Waller was a one-of-a-kind character, and that broke her, because beating Sarge Steel and Wade Eiling at their own game means replacing Sarge Steel and Wade Eiling. Waller doesn't look like them, she doesn't look like the superheroes either, and so she can't be one of them. She can't even look like herself a lot of the time, they try to slim her up everytime they think they can get away with it.

Suicide Squad was preoccupied with exploring a perspective from a world outside the superhero worldview, but we no longer have her perspective or that of people around her, we only know her through the superheroes she inherently defies and has had an adversarial relationship against from day one. She is someone with a viewpoint that is charitable to neither superheroes nor institutions, and thus, the universe is increasingly less sympathetic to her, the less utility she has to the grander narrative where everyone has to pick between one of two options. If she wasn't powerful and assertive, she'd be another Leslie Thompkins, another Jiminy Cricket the heroes passively ignore. But because she is powerful and doing morally compromised things without asking Batman's permission, she must have a personal grudge. She must be a government monster. She must attack the superheroes for no reason, no ideology, no motive.

So now she's just The Wall 24/7, the mean icy establishment boot who is strong and clever and cruel and hates superheroes and wants to destroy superheroes and rule the world from the shadows. Everything she does is a fuck-up she refuses to take responsability for, everyone is right to hate and distrust mean old Waller, and now everyone gets to look good by dunking on her. They couldn't make her a superhero, so they made her a generic supervillain instead. And now that she's a bad guy, she no longer has to believe anything, she doesn't really have to mean anything, they don't have to write stories about something other than superheroes and supervillains, and they don't have to let a fat woman of color take up space and screentime they could be giving to Harley Quinn and Slade Wilson instead.

Even by the time of Waller's debut on the tail end of the 80s, her career opportunities were on their way to extinction

Days Of Future Past marks the triumph of the superhero comic that's pretty much concerned with no-one but superheroes. Where Ditko and Lee's Spider-Man featured a single costumed crimefighter in the context of a commonplace existence, the X-Men of the 80s focused on a huge cast of mutants who had little if any lasting involvement in the everyday world.

By the 21st century, the corporate superhero comic would largely - if not exclusively - concern itself with little beyond a large class of superhumans and their fantastical existence. I suspect there's a significant correlation between that and the continuing cultural  peripherilisation of the superhero comic - Colin Smith

Amanda Waller is one of the strongest characters in all of comics, she was as powerful as an non-superpowered character given center stage could possibly be, a perfectly designed character from which an entire corner of a shared universe was developed out of with her as the center making it work, but as the room for civilian casts and unpowered protagonists got smaller and smaller, so did Waller's options. If she was a Spider-Man character and somehow didn't get killed or made into a villain, they would have slimmed her up and given her a symbiote, because you're nobody unless you're web-swinging. Characters didn't look or act like Amanda Waller, and unfortunately, they still don't. It's just instead of making more characters like her, they gutted Waller to be more like the rest. If she couldn't make it, who else even could.

Keep your eyes peeled for this summer when she'll team up with two meaningless robot baddies to burn down the Justice League and I guess the universe for the next reboot or something.

[monteruu]

posting this way after everyone else but it was fun to do :)

[image id: mini digital illustrations of various characters from homestuck in a grid format with 9 squares.

square 1: closeup of john egbert and jade harley both smiling. jade is excitedly hugging john and squishing the sides of their faces together. text above them saying "fav betas!!!".

square 2: roxy lalonde smiling widely while posing with one hand tucked under her face and her other arm raised high like she's waving. her pink scarf is trailing behind her. text next to her says "fav alpha" with a winking emoticon.

square 3: kanaya maryam holding the matriorb with both of her hands off to the side and she has a nonplussed expression. text next to her says "Favorite Beta Troll".

square 4: close up of terezi pyrope smiling deviously and messy hair that covers parts of her face. text beside her says "don't really look like her but i vibe with her hardcore lol".

square 5: portrait of artist drawn in the hero mode style. they have long curly hair held back by a green bandana with matching green glasses. his shirt has a green apple. text next to them says "das me" with an arrow pointing towards them.

square 6: john egbert is floating in his god tier outfit as his hood flows around him. he has a small smile and his hands interlocked over his chest in a relaxed pose. text underneath him says "love this one a whole lot <3".

square 7: john egbert and dave strider drawn in a variation of their sprite style. john is looking over at dave while smiling with his arms behind his back and one foot kicking up. dave has his hands in his pockets and is sweating. text above them says "fav ship johndave no contest".

square 8: kanaya maryam and jade harley next to each other with jade leaning one arm onto kanaya's shoulder and both of them smiling at each other. kanaya is wearing her green dress outfit with a gray turtleneck underneath and a pink waist sash. jade is wearing her winter outfit with a red puffy jacket and electric blue dress and black leggings. she is wearing her lunchbox headphones as well. text above them says "fav outfits" with a smiling emoticon.

square 9: alpha rose with purple yarn wrapped around her fists and posed for battle. text beside her says "Fav guardian Alpha Rose". end image id]

(original layout under the cut)

[steddieas-shegoes]

falling is easy, catching is hard

rated m | also on ao3 cw: recreational drug use, implied sexual content tags: friends with benefits, secret relationship, shotgunning, mutual pining, getting together, love confessions

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @sidekick-hero!!! Sandy, you deserve the world, but this 3000 word thing will have to do for now 💖

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

December 19, 1985

Steve Harrington needed sleep.

Eddie Munson had the only thing that would put him to sleep.

But Eddie Munson also held a grudge, a reasonable one, but an annoying one.

“You want me to sell you the last of my good shit? For half price?” Eddie snorted. “You’re out of your damn mind, Harrington.”

“Munson, please. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important,” Steve begged.

“Why would I do you any favors? You never did me any.”

Eddie crossed his arms over his chest, waiting somewhat impatiently for a response from Steve.

Steve didn’t have one.

Eddie was right; He didn’t really deserve a favor from someone who had let his friends make his first senior year absolutely miserable.

But Robin’s voice looped in his head: “Be vulnerable sometimes, Steve. People may surprise you.”

“Listen man, I just really need to sleep, alright? I’ve tried everything else.” Steve sighed. “This is pretty much my last hope.”

Which was a truth and a lie. He’d already tried smoking some weed, knew that it worked.

Eddie’s forehead creased in the middle.

That’s kinda cute, Steve thought to himself before shaking his head. Now wasn’t the time to get distracted by big, brown eyes and shiny lips.

“You been to a doctor?” Eddie asked.

“The sleeping pills make them worse.”

“Make what worse?” Eddie pushed.

“The nightmares.”

Eddie nodded once, understanding flitting across his face as he relaxed his arms by his sides.

“How long you been havin’ them?” Eddie asked as he walked around to the bench at the picnic table, opening his lunchbox.

“I guess…technically years. They’ve been worse since July though.” Steve knew he had to be careful about what he said, couldn’t give away more than what the public knew about what happened at the mall, but Eddie seemed trustworthy enough to handle this part. “Doctors said it’s normal for trauma or whatever.”

Eddie nodded, whispered something under his breath, and shuffled through his box.

“Forgot you worked at the mall over the summer. Kinda crazy what happened,” he said as he pulled a small discolored plastic bag from the box. “I’ll make you a one-time only deal, Stevie.”

Steve ignored the butterflies in his stomach at the nickname, kicked at the dirt under his feet, and gestured for Eddie to continue.

“I’m not giving my product away for half price. I’m a businessman and that’s not a smart financial decision for my business.” Eddie held up a hand when Steve looked like he was going to argue. “But! I will share a joint with you right here, right now, for free.”

“Um. What?”

“I was gonna smoke this one tonight as a celebration for passing all my first semester finals by the skin of my teeth. I don’t mind sharing if you don’t.” Eddie’s smirk made the butterflies even worse.

Steve was going to regret this.

God, he was so stupid.

“Yeah, okay.”

Smoking with Eddie the first time was nice, but the second, and third, and fourth times were even better.

— — — — — — —

January 16, 1986

“You’re late, Stevie. I was starting to worry you’d gotten frostbite.” Eddie’s smile warmed Steve from the inside out, the shiver wracking his body more to do with the growing fondness he had for the curly-haired man in front of him.

Eddie was bundled up like they were in Antarctica, and to be fair, it was below freezing outside right now.

Steve offered to meet somewhere else, but Eddie insisted they come to his usual spot.

And then Steve saw it: Eddie had built them a fire. It was small, he probably didn’t want to draw any attention from the road, but it was throwing heat that Steve craved.

“Come warm up before we get into it,” Eddie waved him over, his gloved hands looking out of place.

Steve was used to seeing shiny rings on his fingers, blisters on his fingertips from playing too much guitar.

Steve stood next to him in front of the fire, holding his own gloved hands out to try to warm his body as much as possible.

“Any reason I couldn’t just come to your house or something?” Steve asked, not quite getting rid of the attitude in his tone.

“My Uncle has tonight off. He’s a pretty chill guy, but I think actively watching me sell drugs to someone would maybe cause a heart attack.” Eddie sighed. “I told him I had a date tonight so I couldn’t really have you show up after that.”

“A date?” Steve grinned, nudging Eddie’s arm. “I didn’t even bring flowers.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, but looked away to cover a blush. “Yeah, well, don’t expect me to put out until there’s a dozen roses in my hand.”

He meant it as a joke surely, but something in Steve’s chest clenched at the thought of spoiling Eddie like that. Maybe not roses, that didn’t quite seem his style.

“I’ll try to remember them next time,” Steve managed to say, nearly choking on his own words.

What was he even doing? Flirting? Eddie didn’t even consider him a real friend, why would he want him to bring him flowers?

“Got a new strain tonight. It’s supposed to be a little stronger, but fades faster, so you should be good to drive back home in a couple hours.” Eddie pulled the baggie out of his pocket, lunchbox long gone after meeting twice a week for the last month.

Steve wasn’t really a customer anymore, no matter how they tried to keep up appearances that he was.

He still tipped Eddie, or tried to, but usually Eddie ignored it and just said it was a favor to help him sleep.

“How strong?” Steve finally asked as Eddie pulled the lighter from his pocket.

“Might make you a little floatier than usual. Not hallucinogenic, though.” Eddie knew he couldn’t handle that kind of trip. That’s why he stayed away from his other offerings. “I tested it out myself earlier this week.”

Steve wasn’t reading into that.

“Okay.” He fought off a shiver, this time from actually being cold. “Guess it’s worth a try.”

“I’ll drive you home if it’s too much.” Eddie’s offer was kind, going above and beyond what a dealer would do for a customer, but Steve wasn’t reading into it. “Or you can nap it off in the van for an hour or so before heading home. Whatever.”

Eddie lit the joint, breathing in long and slow, holding the smoke until Steve was sure he would pass out before slowly letting it out.

He handed the roll to Steve, who didn’t think about what Eddie meant by stronger, and took his normal pull, choking halfway through.

Eddie’s eyes widened as he took the joint from him, his hand grabbing onto Steve’s arm as he coughed.

“Jesus Christ, man, you good?” Eddie asked him.

“Yeah,” he coughed. “Sorry. It is a lot stronger.”

Eddie searched his face, relaxing as Steve’s breathing went back to normal. “Good?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe take it slower?” Eddie teased. “Or- no never mind.”

“Or what?” Steve asked, already feeling the heaviness that came with smoking.

“Ever shotgunned before?”

Steve’s heart stopped. He’d venture to say he was even stone cold sober again after that question.

“Um. No.” He hadn’t. He’d wanted to with Nancy, figured it would be the only way she would be interested in trying weed, but it never worked out. “Would it be easier?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. “Usually. We can give it a try if you want.”

Steve nodded before he really processed what he was being offered.

Eddie’s mouth would be very, very close to his. Possibly even on his.

And he’d be sharing breath with him, probably more than one if it worked.

Eddie pulled the picnic table closer to the fire and sat on the bench. He patted the seat next to him.

“Might as well get comfy, then,” Eddie said.

Steve sat next to him, close enough to feel the warmth coming from his side, close enough to hear Eddie’s hitched breath when they made contact.

Close enough to want to be closer.

“Alright, so I’ll start with a small one, and you just have to breathe in when I breathe out.”

“Is it-” Steve played with a loose thread on his gloves. “Your lips are gonna touch mine?”

Eddie suddenly looked nervous, like he regretted offering this at all, and Steve couldn’t allow that.

“I don’t mind! I mean, I want you to!” Steve panicked. “Like, it’s fine! I know we have to for the whole thing to work.”

“Yeah. Um, it’s not like, weird or anything. It’s just me helping you get high.”

It wasn’t weird, but it definitely was hot.

Eddie took a drag, leaned into Steve’s space, and cupped his jaw, tilting his head back for easier access.

Steve couldn’t breathe.

But he had to, that was the whole fucking point of doing this.

His lips parted and Eddie’s warmth coated him, covered him better than the fire.

He breathed in as Eddie breathed out, his hand seeking contact with anything solid to keep him on this earth.

He found it in Eddie’s hip, his fingers gripping tight as Eddie lingered beyond the point of the smoke clearing from his mouth to Steve’s.

Their lips brushed lightly, an agonizingly soft touch that Steve tried his best not to chase as it drifted away.

He bit back a whine at the loss, opening his eyes to see Eddie still surprisingly close, pupils huge.

It’s just the weed, Steve thought to himself.

It definitely wasn’t their almost-kiss.

Steve breathed out, swallowing once the smoke was gone from his mouth.

“Good?” Eddie asked.

Steve should answer him, should nod and thank him for doing this, maybe ask him for another hit so he could try to blame his fidgeting on being high.

But Steve wanted to kiss him.

Not shotgun, not barely brush lips, not act like this wasn’t something more than what it started as.

Robin told him he deserved nice things, and he deserved to be happy, and he did.

So Steve let himself try to have a nice thing.

“Again?” Steve asked, leaning in before Eddie had a chance to take a drag.

“Woah, big boy.” Eddie’s hands grabbed his shoulders, not pushing him away, but holding him back from making contact that he so desperately wanted. “Think that first hit might have gotten to you already. Let’s take a minute.”

“No, I-”

“Steve. You’re high.”

His tone was final, and something about the way his eyes darted away made Steve think that maybe this wasn’t the first time someone tried to make a move on him because he was giving them something.

He didn’t know Steve was into men, either.

Steve could just tell him, though. Let him know it’s not just the drugs, that he’d already had feelings for him before.

But the high was kicking in and Steve’s tongue felt like an iron weight.

“How about I get you some water?” Eddie asked, pulling away and walking swiftly to his van.

Steve didn’t protest. He did need some water.

Eddie sat on the other side of the table when he came back, handed over a bottle of water with a small smile, and watched as Steve gulped most of it down.

“This is good shit,” Steve admitted, slurring his words a little from the effort of moving his mouth. “Better than usual.”

“Yeah, it’s a nice treat once in a while.”

They sat in silence for another 30 minutes or so, though the time didn’t even feel like it was passing to Steve until Eddie stood up and guided him to the passenger seat of his van.

“Wha-?”

“I’m gonna drop you off at home. You got someone who can help you get your car tomorrow?” Eddie buckled his seatbelt, Steve tried not to be too endeared. “Maybe Buckley? Or Wheeler?”

Steve’s brows furrowed.

Nancy had barely talked to him in months, not since she gave him one awkward hug after Starcourt. Robin couldn’t drive, or at least said she couldn’t. That’s why he drove her to school and all of her work shifts.

“Maybe you could?” Steve suggested.

Eddie sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

— — — — — — —

February 14, 1986

Steve got him flowers.

He hadn’t seen him since the night he drove Steve home.

By the time Steve woke up the next morning, his car was parked in the driveway with a note on his keys that said ‘Promise there’s not a dent on her.’

And then Eddie had ignored his calls. He’d conveniently never been at his spot anytime Steve had ever met up with him before.

He couldn’t even pass a message through Dustin because Dustin was too curious for his own good and would probably figure out that Steve wanted to kiss him.

Which is all Steve thought about for the last month while he figured out what to do next.

Robin was no help at all, said he should just corner him after Hellfire one night and make a move if he wanted him so bad.

As if that could ever be an option.

This was his last chance, though.

He’d confirmed with one of his bandmates – Garrett, maybe? – that he didn’t have plans tonight and refused to sell on Valentine’s Day.

Steve stood in front of Eddie’s trailer, a bouquet of white and pink daisies in his hand, feeling particularly stupid.

The van was here, so Eddie was here, but Steve couldn’t bring himself to walk up the steps and knock on the door. This was maybe the most idiotic thing he’d ever done and he probably should leave before he was seen by someone.

“Steve?” Eddie opened the front door, confusion clear even from a distance. “The hell are you doing here?”

“I said I’d bring you flowers.”

He felt so dumb, standing here holding a bouquet of flowers for a guy who didn’t even want to sell drugs to him anymore. He considered dropping the flowers and making a run for it, but Eddie leaned against the door frame and scrunched his nose up.

Like he was trying not to smile.

Like maybe Steve did something right.

“Better bring them in so they can get water, then,” Eddie said with a hesitant smile.

Steve would take any type of smile, as long as it meant he wasn’t being sent away with his tail between his legs.

He rushed inside, didn’t think about the smell of Irish Spring coming off of Eddie, or the way his arm brushed against his side as he passed him.

Steve stood in Eddie’s trailer, taking in what Eddie called home, holding the flowers in front of him with hope.

Eddie closed the front door and walked over to him, holding his hand out.

“You didn’t have to get me flowers just for me to sell you drugs again, ya know.” Eddie smiled sadly. “I would have let you buy if you really needed it.”

“You won’t return my calls so how would you know if I needed it?” Steve countered.

“Ouch.” Eddie sucked a breath in through his teeth. “You’re right. I, uh, was giving you some space.”

“What made you think I wanted any?” Steve took the flowers back from Eddie’s hand, setting them on the coffee table behind him. “If I wanted space, I wouldn’t have bothered calling at all.”

“That’s what Wayne said, but-”

“Well, maybe you should’ve listened to Wayne.” Steve sighed. “I’m sorry I fucked things up by wanting to kiss you. I’m sorry if the flowers are too much. I’m sorry if I’m too much.”

Steve couldn’t look at Eddie after his confession, or his attempt at one. It may have been more of an apology, but he figured his intentions were clear enough.

“Steve. Stevie. Look at me.” Eddie cupped his cheeks, that familiar warmth covering Steve in safety. “You’re not too much. Don’t ever, ever let anyone tell you that you’re too much. You were so high, I didn’t wanna take advantage. I thought if I just left you to think about it long enough, you’d realize what happened was just from the weed.”

Steve shook his head, reaching his hands up to circle Eddie’s wrists. “It wasn’t just the weed. You’d know that if you let me talk to you before now.”

Eddie rubbed his thumb along his cheekbone, eyes dancing across the freckles that covered Steve’s surprisingly sun-kissed skin. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you explain.”

“You’re forgiven if you listen now,” Steve took a breath, letting his hands run down Eddie’s arms and settle on his hips. “I like you. A lot. Definitely more than a customer should, more than a friend should, maybe more than a regular boyfriend should. It’s okay if that’s too much, but it’s what I have to give.”

“You’re really something, Stevie.” Eddie leaned in, pressing his lips to the corner of Steve’s mouth. “I think I’ll take what you’re giving if that’s alright with you.”

“Please,” Steve breathed out as Eddie’s lips crushed against his fully.

Steve always felt so much, always gave so much, hardly ever had anyone who would take what he had to give.

But Eddie was taking it, forcing it from Steve to his own body, his own heart, like it was the only thing he wanted or needed.

“If you wanna buy tonight, you’re gonna be real disappointed,” Eddie gasped out against his lips when they came up for air minutes, maybe hours, later. “I don’t sell on major holidays.”

“Is Valentine’s Day a major holiday?” Steve asked, brows furrowing.

“It is when I get to have you in my bed.”

Steve’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“That sound okay to you, big boy?” Eddie was smooth. Who could have possibly guessed?

Steve barely got out a ‘yes’ before Eddie was pulling him down the short hallway to his bedroom and rattling off things he wanted to do to him.

Steve Harrington probably wasn’t getting any sleep tonight.

But Eddie Munson would make it worth his while.

[lives-in-midgard]

Hi! 🩷

I saw this reel yesterday, and I instantly thought of Bucky, especially after everything he's been through as TWS and his recovery! It can be single dad!Bucky, or he's in a relationship, whichever you're more comfortable with, of course.

Thank you so much for agreeing to let me make this request, and I can't wait to see where you'll be taking this! I already know the fluff on this one will be off the charts 🥰

Real Superhero

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Bucky's adopted son goes back to school and gets a homework that surprises Bucky.

Word Count: 1645

A/N: Thank you so much @nicoline1998enilocin for giving me this sweet request! 💖I really like this video and you're right it really fits to Bucky's situation. I really hope you like how this turned out!!

Masterlist

Everyone knows Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier. The guy who killed a lot of people and to most of them he is not a real superhero, even though he joined the Avengers and has now helped and saved a lot of people in danger. Bucky fights alongside his best friend Steve Rogers aka Captain America and the other Avengers.

There are a few people for whom Bucky is a hero. For Steve, Bucky will always be a hero, not only because he is now an Avenger, but also because he has been through a lot and has always been there for him, Sam, Natasha, and the other Avengers. And of course, for the people he saved, but there is also one special person in Bucky’s life. For him, Bucky will always be the best and greatest hero of all time, even if Bucky isn’t really sure about that. Even though Bucky sometimes gets on this little guy’s nerves when he doesn’t do his homework or clean his room. I’m talking about Bucky’s adopted son Steven, or Steve as Bucky and everyone usually call him. Which can sometimes be a bit confusing and funny at the compound.

Bucky saved him when he was very little. Bucky and Steve brought him to the Avengers compound and took care of him. Bucky felt responsible for this little boy and decided to adopt him. Because they didn’t know his name, he called him Steven, in honor of Steve and everything they had been through. Bucky took good care of little Steve, and the other Avengers helped him. When Steven got older and had to go to school, Bucky decided to move away from the compound and no longer go on missions. Of course, the Avengers, especially Steve, Sam and also Natasha helped him and came to visit whenever they had time. Sometimes Bucky and little Steve would come to visit his aunts and uncles on the compound.

It was Steve’s first day of school in third grade. Bucky made his lunchbox while his little son ate his cornflakes. When Bucky was finished, he put the lunch box in Steve’s school bag. Then he looked at Steve and noticed that he wasn’t eating much and was really quiet. So, Bucky walked closer to him and knelt in front of his son.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Bud?” Bucky asked.

“I’m so nervous, daddy.”

“Oh, Stevie, you don’t have to. Remember you will see all your friends again.” That brought a smile to Steve’s face.

“You ’re right, dad. I can’t wait to see them again.” He said with excitement and made Bucky happy as well. Steve jumped up from the chair and hugged his dad. Bucky smiled to himself and hugged his son tightly.

“But now it’s time to go to school, buddy.”

“Can we call Uncle Steve and Aunt Nat later?” Bucky had to chuckle.

“Of course, we can.” Bucky said and then they made their way to the car. They drove to school and when they arrived, Bucky wanted to go with him to Steve’s classroom, but his son insisted on going alone. After a brief argument, Bucky agreed and knelt down to hug Steven and kissed his forehead. As his son walked away, he turned back to wave at his father. Bucky waved back with a smile and once he knew that his kid was save at school, he went back to his car and drove home.

When Bucky had to pick up his son from school, he waited outside with some other parents. After a few minutes the children came running out and he immediately looked for his son. When he saw Steve running towards him, Bucky started to smile.

“Hey, how was your day, buddy?” Bucky asked as his son stopped in front of him.

“It was so cool. All my friends were here, and we have a new teacher.” He blurted out in excitement.

“I’m so happy for you. How is your new teacher?”

“She is so cool!”

“She?”

“Yeah, Miss Y/L/N (Your last name), she even brought her dog with her.” Steve said and made Bucky curious to meet his new teacher.

Days passed and Steven always told his father a few stories about you and what a cool teacher you were. Bucky was getting more and more excited to meet you. What Bucky didn’t know was that his son also told you about him and what a great father he is. That Bucky saved him and is the best father. You always had to smile when Steven walked up to you and wanted to tell you another story about his wonderful dad. You couldn’t wait to meet Mr. Barnes.

It had been a few weeks since school started when Bucky was waiting outside the school again. He looked over at the small playground and saw a beautiful young woman standing there. He looked around and then saw his son playing there with his friends. This must be miss Y/L/N, his son’s new teacher. Bucky was stunned about how beautiful you looked.

A few minutes later his son and all the other kids came out and Bucky saw you looking over at the kids. For a second your eyes met Bucky’s and you both smiled at each other.

During the drive home, Steven told his dad about his day. When they got home, they had dinner and Steve started doing his homework. Bucky couldn’t stop thinking of you and your beautiful smile and even caught himself smiling of the thought of being the one making you smile or even laugh. After a while Steven came into the kitchen where Bucky was cleaning up the dishes.

“Daddy?” He said and Bucky immediately turned around.

“Yes, buddy?”

“Can I call Auntie Nat; I need some help with my homework?” He asked nervously.

“Sure, you can, but what’s the homework, maybe I can help as well.”

“Well…umm, we have to dress up as our favorite superhero and make a short presentation.” His son told him.

“And you want Aunt Nat’s help?” His son nodded, Bucky smiled and pulled out his phone to call Natasha. It only took a few seconds for Natasha to pick up.

“Hey Tasha, I have someone here who wants to talk to you.” Bucky said and handed the phone to his son. Natasha’s face lights up.

“It’s my favorite Steve.” She said and made them both chuckle. Natasha agreed to pick Steve up and go shopping with him.

After a few hours they came back, and Natasha had to say goodbye. Steve immediately went to his room get dressed. Bucky was curious to see which superhero his son chose. He probably chose Spiderman, Captain America, or maybe Iron Man? Bucky thought.

“I’m not looking. Are you almost ready?” Bucky asked as he knocked on the door to his son’s room.

“Yes” His son answered.

“Do you need any help?”

“No”

“Okay” Bucky said and suddenly his son walked out of his room. Bucky was confused because his son was wearing normal clothes. Well, they almost looked like something Bucky would wear.

“Wow. That is definitely not Spider Man!” Bucky said.

“He’s not a real superhero.”

“He’s not? Okay I give up. Who are you supposed to be?” Bucky asked confused but also curious.

“I’m you daddy.” His little son said. Bucky began to smile, and Steve smiled back at him. Bucky walked over to his son, knelt down and hugged him tightly. Bucky was so lucky to have him.

Bucky wasn’t sure what to expect when he picked Steve up from school the next day. But it definitely wasn’t like he was finally going to talk to you. His son came over and told him about his day when suddenly Bucky saw you walking towards him, and Bucky started to get nervous.

“Hello Mr. Barnes.” You nervously greeted him.

“Hello, miss Y/L/N. Please, call me Bucky.”

“Only if you call me Y/N.” You said but began to blush a little while Steve chuckled.

“Steve, how about you go to the playground and join your friends? I would like to talk to your dad.”

“Okay.” He said and you both watched as he ran to his friends.

“Oh, no what did he do?” Bucky asked and you had to chuckle and then smiled at Bucky.

“I can assure you, Bucky, he didn’t do anything wrong.” When you said his name, Bucky smiled.

“Actually; I wanted to compliment you on your son. He’s such a great student, always helps people and his presentation about you today was also very good.”

“He really did it about me?”

“He did, and your son is right, you really are a real superhero and one of the greatest.” You confessed, but Bucky began to get shy.

“You really believe that?” He asked.

“Of course, I do.”

“Thank you, Y/N, it means a lot to me to hear that.”

“Of course.” You said but didn’t know what else to say. But you didn’t want to leave him either. Bucky felt the same way, so he had to do something before his son came back.

“I’m not sure if this is okay, but I would really like to meet you again.”

“I would like to meet you again too, so yeah that’s okay.”

“Okay. I can give you my phone number, so you can text me whenever you have time.” Bucky said and you nodded. You handed him your phone and Bucky tipped in his number. He smiled when he handed it back to you. You said goodbye and walked away with a big smile. When Steve ran back to Bucky, you heard him say to Bucky:

“Do you like her, daddy?”

“Yeah, I really like her.” Bucky said and you had to smile because you really like him too and can’t wait to see him again.

Taglist:

@marvelogic | @eviebuggg | @buckys-wintersoldier | @kandis-mom | @sergeantbarnessdoll |

[izukusblkwife]

The taste of sweetend apple juice invades your tounge before you allow it to slip down your throat.

Another day with restless kids who want to be hero’s, famous colleagues, and stressing over papers to grade.

As much as you like to say you’d hate it, you couldn’t find it in your heart.

You looked at the clock as it continued to tick down time until it was time for you to go back to work.

You were in the break room enjoying a small lunch that you were barely able to pack this morning from how fast you were trying to rush out of the door.

You let out a content sigh, and picked out the bag of chips from your bag, grimacing when you notice what they are. “Ah shit.” You cursed under your breath.

Cheetos, and not the good ones, just the normal plain ones, you hissed angrily at the blatant orange packs with the tiger staring back you, mockingly.

Throwing the fifth back into your lunchbox, suddenly the break room door opened to reveal colleague, and crush.

You suddenly became aware of your posture and appearance, smoothing out your hair before he shut the door with a grunt. He turned to look at you, his bright eyes lighting up. “Hey! I didn’t think anyone was in here! Sorry.” He chuckled nervously.

Acting like you didn’t know he was even there (you did) you smiled, “it’s fine, how’s work going?” You asked before taking another bite of your sandwich.

He sat down, and pulled out his lunch box, you immediately noticed it was all might themed.

Cute

“It’s going fine, the kids are super excited for the hero stuff today.” He responded, while opening his lunchbox, revealing a beautifully prepared bento.

Before you could stop yourself you asked. “Did you make that?” He looked up slightly suprised, the apples of his cheeks glowing. “Uh yeah.”

You began to flush to, you didn’t mean to embarrass him if you did, “Sorry! I didn’t mean to make you feel weird about it.” You quickly apologized.

He looked up once again and then chuckled, “you didn’t, it just uh, kinda embarrassing when your lunch is all might themed.”

“I don’t think it is.” You responded softly, you didn’t think anything he could do would be embarrassing in your eyes, considering your infatuation with him.

His scarred hand stopped midway, “yeah?” He asked for confirmation. “Yeah.” You confirmed.

He smiled and then continued to reach for a small sausage in his lunch box.

Izuku was so interesting to you, he was so open but so shy at the same time, there was so much you wanted to know about him.

You looked back up from your bland sandwich and to him, he was focused on getting another bite of food.

“Izuku.” You called out, he looked back up awaiting for you to speak again.

“Have you ever gotten everything you wanted?” You asked.

It was melancholy, the way his eyes softened, the way his body un-tensed in an almost instant.

“No—but I got really close.”

He responded, you continued to stare at him, his eyes holding some withheld sadness, as if he wouldn’t allow himself to feel it.

You didn’t fully understand, but you weren’t dumb, you’d always noticed it.

There was a time in your career, highschool to be exact, where izuku was everywhere, fighting along side his peers, at some point you began to admire him, because he was always so much stronger than you thought you could ever be.

But you weren’t dumb.

You noticed how he’d look at his friends.

The want, no, the need to be equal again.

Something feral and carnal inside him, even an idiot could notice it, how badly he wanted it.

How sad he looked when he knew he couldn’t.

Honestly you felt like it was torture, sitting him down in the very same classroom that got him to the point he’s at now.

But you knew he didn’t feel that way, everybody knew that.

Because even though he wasn’t equal, and how badly it hurt to have what he wanted most snatched away from him right at the cusp of his life.

Everyone knew he didn’t regret a thing, and that’s why you admired him so much.

Izuku Midoriya.

Bye I was trying not to sob while making this, GIVE HIM BACK HIS QUIRK NEOW! Anyway this was inspired by an edit I saw, it was so good

[space-invading-pigeon]

Steve makes lunches for everyone, but he's one of those people who has a theme for every single lunch.

Dustin gets cute little sandwiches that have been carefully made to look like computers, cookies shaped like walkie talkies, and juice bottles that are decorated with the scientific equations.

Max gets grilled cheese cut into skateboards, a fruit salad packed into a little California-shaped box, a snack cake that has a cute little cake Steve decorated to look like that game in the arcade she refuses to let anyone beat her high score in, and she always gets a little note telling her she's amazing and "please don't beat anyone up today."

Will gets lasagna carefully cut to look like a dragon, charcuterie, and cookies that are shaped like lightning bolts. Steve used to include a drink, but then Jonathan mentioned that Will's favorite thing is chocolate milk so now he just packs some money to buy it cold from the lunchroom; he's the only member of the Party that gets a lunch AND lunch money.

Mike refuses to let Steve pack his lunch, but he doesn't complain when Steve packs him snacks for the day. Steve always packs his favorites, labels them with the name "Paladin Shithead," and sometimes hides some small candies in Mike's backpack.

Lucas gets two lunchboxes, but only because Steve is overprotective. There were times in high school where Steve passed out after practice because no one ever thought to offer him a snack, and Lucas was the most active BEFORE he joined the team. All of his food is curated to be sure he's getting as much energy as possible without making him sluggish and bloated. If Steve makes them look like jerseys, basketballs, tennis shoes, and baskets, that's no one's business but Lucas's.

Robin gets a lot of food that's been made to look musical, like ice cream, or, her favorite, like ears. She thinks it's hilarious that her little comment in Starcourt about her ears being geniuses stuck with Steve, especially now that she knows how difficult it is for Steve to remember anything (his concussions have not been kind to him).

Nancy and Jonathan both get simple lunches, everything looks normal, but their desserts are always decorated with guns and a heart with N+J in the center. Steve never really figured out how to act around the two of them when there isn't a crisis, but he loves both of them and keeps them well-fed until they go off to college.

Joyce gets a lunch delivered every morning, packed with healthy foods and labelled "For my real mom." It makes her tear up every single day, and she usually repays Steve by sending home the lunchbox full of copies of Byers family recipes, "for my darling son." They don't mention it to anyone else, but Steve makes sure to try each and every recipe even though he adds them to his own recipe box anyway.

Hopper gets a lunch full of little police stars, and his sandwich is shaped like himself, mustache and all. The first time Steve did this, he left the lunch on Hop's desk at the station with a note that just says "To Dad," because Hop has called Steve his son almost exclusively since 1984. The sentiment makes him go all misty-eyed, and because one of his deputies dared to mention it, the entire station knows not to bring up Hop's son as any sort of joke again.

Eleven's lunches are full of sweet foods. Honey ham, candied nuts, any new dessert recipes that Steve wants to try, they all go in her box. She gets normal, healthy food too, but she'll only eat it because Steve makes them look like waffles. (She likes being able to eat anything, post-Lab, but Steve dotes on her like she's the baby sister he never got to have) Her favorite thing, though, is the notes he packs for her, telling her that she is always going to be his hero and he's proud of her for pushing through school.

Eddie claims he gets the best lunch: hand delivered by Steve every day, full of hearty food to both help him heal up and put on some weight (Steve was appalled when he realized he could count almost all of Eddie's ribs, because of course Eddie is hypoglycemic). His desserts are always bat-shaped, both the animal and Steve's signature weapon, and Steve usually leaves a post-it note with nothing but a heart in the box. Eddie has collected every single one, he keeps them in a drawer.

Erica's lunch looks like she has a personal chef, each one with her initials on the entree. She boasts to anyone who is in earshot that her babysitter made it for her, and that he's the best cook in the whole state; as a result Steve's been signed up for every bake sale, auction, and school dance at the middle and high school.

[sugarakis-p2]

Shigaraki hates Valentine Day

Shiggy hates this holiday until he meets you.

F/M Shigaraki Tomura/Reader chubby/plus size

Warning: Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Nipple Licking, Binge Drinking, Dubious Morality, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Political talk

Tomura woke up on Valentine Day with a deep-rooted hatred for the holiday. It was no different from any other day, as he despised each one that passed. But today, his disdain was amplified solely because it was Valentine Day.

He had hoped that, for once, he wouldn't have to spend the day alone or with Kurogiri. After all, he now had a team to spend it with. However, his expectations were quickly crushed when he realized that his team had other plans in mind. Instead of spending the day doing Kurogiri's exhausting team-building exercises, his teammates surprised him with gestures of affection. Toga and Magne each gave him chocolates but promptly announced that they were going to the mall to "stalk boys."

Meanwhile, Mr. Compress had other plans with a date, and that was a nicer way than the crude way of Muscular and Dabi saying they're gonna go get their "dicks and whistles wet." Spinner, as usual, had disappeared without a trace. And so, it was just Tomura and Kurogiri left, once again, to spend Valentine Day alone in each other's company. With a defeated sigh, Tomura handed his chocolates to Kurogiri.

"Where are you going, Tomura?" Kurogiri asked concerned.

"OUT!" Shigaraki yelled in frustration, his voice carrying down the hallway as he left in search of an internet café. He stormed out and made his way to the nearest open booth. His anger was simmering under the surface as he sat down and pulled up his black face mask, its matching hoodie pulled over his head. He absentmindedly tucked his father's hand in his front pocket as if cradling him in his arms.

But then, he noticed you. 

For the first time in his life, he didn't just see someone as a means to an end but as a desirable being. His mind wandered to dirty thoughts, something he had never cared for before. Your soft curves, your silky hair, the delicate nape of your neck. He couldn't help but feel drawn to you, something he had never experienced before. The pulsing beat of your heartstring visible on your neck only added to the attraction. He imagined wrapping his fingers around your neck, feeling your heartbeat racing under his touch, the pulse throbbing against the pads of his long digits. His tongue snaking past your lips, making you choke on it. The mere idea of it aroused him, a feeling he had never associated with someone's neck before. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to push away the growing need in his pants and in his thoughts. This was a new and confusing sensation for him, but he couldn't deny his attraction towards you, and he hated it!

He instead focused on how stupid you are dressed. You're wearing a Stain shirt and playing a stupid online RPG game; he deemed it outdated and pathetic. His irritation manifested as he scraped his nails against his own neck. Despite attempting to focus on his own game, he couldn't help but notice your enticing figure moving on the seat. He couldn't help but imagine you shifting on his lap instead. With a resigned sigh, he gave in to his thoughts.

"Why do you even like him? Wearing a serial killer is tacky," Shigaraki hissed at the back of your head. "What's next? Lunchboxes and beef jerky adorned with Issei Sagawa's face. Maybe a cookbook on how to cook human flesh? Tasteless trash."

You turned to the rude bastard, tearing into his flesh with his cracked nails, and noticed that massive bulge in his lap. You couldn't help but chuckle and look away, making your words playful and flirty instead of irritated, "It's not just about fashion. It's about embracing the subversive message of rejecting a corrupt society ruled by the hero commission. His image is about the symbolism of anti-capitalist hero society."

As Shigaraki's focus shifted, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling up inside him. This conversation was something he could really sink his teeth into.

"Oh? And are you part of the anti-capitalist hero society, little foreign doll?" he taunted. You were caught off guard by his words. Your Japanese was flawless, so how did he know you were not from Japan?

Feeling the need to defend yourself, you retorted, "I'll have you know I was born and raised here." But Shigaraki's sneer only grew wider.

"Mmm... Let me guess. Your family was just traveling through? Your accent gives it away," he sneered, his words laced with disdain. Your apprehension was palpable as you began your explanation.

"Well, I was actually born on the base," you stammered, feeling self-conscious, flushing, and flustered under his intense gaze. Your blush and sweet, pained expression caused his breath to hitch. In all his years, Shigaraki had never seen a flustered girl. And he couldn't deny that he didn't hate it. In fact, he found himself wanting to see more of your flustered state.

"An army brat, then," Shigaraki smirked, trying to hide his own flustered state. But your response caught him off guard.

"Maybe I am a brat," you huffed, returning your attention to your game. Shigaraki couldn't help but feel a tug of amusement at your feisty attitude. Dabi may be the official brat tamer, but he has learned not to kill them. As you continued playing, Shigaraki logged into his old World of Warcraft account, unable to resist the irony of the situation. He knew he was being a bit of a jerk by killing you repeatedly in the game, but he couldn't help himself. Your anger only made you even more enticing to him. After killing your character the third time, Shigaraki's game avatar suddenly appeared in front of you, offering an apology in the form of virtual flowers. It was his way of showing that he didn't want to truly hurt you, even in the video game world. And in that moment, he couldn't deny that he was starting to develop a certain fondness for the army brat who had caught his attention.

He relished the thrill of seducing young, naive girls in his video games. It was a simple game to him. He only had to press a few buttons, and they would fall for him. But you couldn't stand it any longer. Your gaze hardened as you directed it towards him. You knew without a doubt it was him, the dirty screen watcher who snickered every time he took you down in the game. Noticed in the act, he quickly averted his gaze, knowing he had been caught red-handed. He was surprised that real-life girls are not that easy. You grabbed your coat, paid for your time, and started to walk out. Shigaraki was feeling increasingly irritated and frustrated. He couldn't stop thinking about you, and the desire to do things he knew was considered depraved by most people. It was a distraction that he couldn't shake off. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and stood up, determined to follow and confront you. He trailed behind you, his mind consumed with thoughts of all the things he wanted to do to you.

But as he approached you, you turned to face him and sneered, "Are you stalking me now, you creep?" You picked up your pace, clearly annoyed by his presence. Shigaraki was taken aback by your sharp reaction. Toga had once told him that when girls get angry, it's best to follow them. But he couldn't help but question her advice, considering her own tendencies as a stalker.

"Perhaps," He growled, accompanied by a scratch at his neck, "I was still curious about your stance on anti-hero acts. After all, you do come from a background as a foreign army brat with a fascist requiem, where the CRC was born. All in the name of freedom, of course." As he spoke, you felt a sudden stiffness in your body, completely insulted by his assumption. Turning to face him, you couldn't hold back your frustration any longer.

"I was born and raised here; this is my home. And I'm not interested in causing chaos; all I want is to see this place improve. I am not an anti-hero; I am simply against living in a police state. I am against the facade of fake heroes. I'm more of a Stain purest," Your words were laced with determination and conviction, defending your beliefs and principles. This made Shigaraki smirk more.

With a cynical tone, Shigaraki scoffed, "Stain is nothing but a sanctimonious hero breeder. He may have stirred up some conversation, but he certainly isn't causing any real change."

Crossing your arms, you retorted, "At least he sparked a discussion. That's more than what can be said for most people."

Shigaraki rolled his eyes and mocked, "Oh wow, a discussion. How groundbreaking."

"Is there something you need?" You snort in response, not bothering to hide your disdain. The man before you, Shigaraki, blushes and grumbles something unintelligible. His awkwardness only seems to annoy him further as he scratches himself vigorously. "I'm sorry, what was that?" you ask, attempting to hide the amusement in your voice. Shigaraki lets out a deep sigh and glares at you, clearly annoyed by your presence.

"I said you're alone too. It's Valentine Day, and here you are, playing RPGs," he mutters, bitterness seeping through his words. You can't help but feel taken aback by his sudden outburst. But before you can even process his words, Shigaraki continues, "I have nobody. And neither do you. We both like games. But let's be real, I'm better at them." He shrugs nonchalantly, keeping his gaze fixed on you from the corner of his eye. You bite your lip, unsure of how to respond. It's true you are alone on Valentine's Day, indulging in your favorite games. And this man, who you never would have imagined spending this day with, seems to be in a similar situation. But his suggestion takes you by surprise.

"So, what are you suggesting? Being alone together?" you ask, raising an eyebrow in question. Shigaraki's expression softens for a moment before returning to his usual stoic self.

"I mean, why not? We both have nothing better to do, and it's not like we have anyone else. We can just chill and play some games together." His suggestion catches you off guard, but you can't deny the appeal of spending the evening with someone who shares your interests. You consider his offer for a moment before a mischievous smile tugs at the corners of your lips.

"Alright, you're on. But fair warning, I don't go easy on anyone, not even on Valentine's Day," you say, challenging him with a playful glint in your eyes. Shigaraki's lips quirk up into a smirk, accepting your challenge. And just like that, the two of you spend the rest of the evening locked in intense battles and laughter, forgetting about the loneliness that had consumed you earlier. He wasn't going to let this go. He was going to milk it for all it's worth. When he suggested alcohol and gaming, you said no problem. You're having a good time with him.

With a start, you look around the luxurious hotel room, your head throbbing from the alcohol and the intense gaming session. The bags on top of you are filled with expensive designer purses, a testament to the wild night you just had with Shigaraki. As your eyes land on him, dressed in a robe and dripping wet from a shower, you can't help but feel a pang of guilt for forgetting about last night. He had definitely milked the alcohol and gaming suggestion for all it's worth, and you can't help but feel grateful for his company. You had been hesitant at first, but now you're glad you said yes. Still, as you struggle to sit up in the pile of bags, you can't help but wonder how you ended up in this fancy hotel room in the first place, and if you embarrassed yourself. But Shigaraki just laughs, the sound sending a shiver down your spine.

"You passed out, so I carried you here," he explains casually as if it's not a big deal. But your face heats up, both from the embarrassment of being carried and from the proximity of his wet body. But before you can dwell on it too much, he tosses you a robe and offers to order room service for breakfast.

"Did we…you know?" you asked him. Shigaraki's face scrunches.

"What?" He scratched his neck idly as if he was trying to process the question. "No. I'm not a fucking scumbag. I don't need to screw unconscious women. If I was that desperate, I would have bought a whore. Last night, we both got drunk. We went shopping, and you said, "Do you know where there's great shopping, Las Vegas?" Then I had my friend bring us here. He has a warp quirk. I bought you whatever you wanted. We celebrated some more in the ghost lounge and then I carried you here to the MGM casino and hotel. I swear I will get us a room in the Luxor tomorrow."

"OK, you have to slow down. Are we really in Las Vegas?" You groaned, shocked at some of the things you had in the bags. There's a bag full of jewelry, diamond jewelry, and thousands of dollars of vintage video games and lingerie.

"Yes. We're really in Las Vegas, and it has been difficult translating everything because I don't know much English. You insisted on the Luxor, but my phone was a pain with out-of-carrier nonsense. Everyone else, it was easy. I just pointed at what I wanted, but a room was a bit more difficult," Shigaraki said, bringing in the room service. "So, this is an American breakfast. Looks…interesting."

He was clearly trying to be kind. He took you to Las Vegas on a whim, and you checked, and you don't feel raped. you wanted to tell him sorry for making assumptions but instead you smiled and looked at him.

"You're cute," you tell him. Shigaraki couldn't help but smirk at this compliment. You could tell he liked how forward you were being towards him as he spoke with a smug and charming tone.

"Is that your way of flirting with me?"

"And look at you eat it up and ask for more, cutie," you smirked. Shigaraki laughed quietly as he leaned in a little closer to you, his musky, clean scent filling the air. He couldn't help but like the way your body smelled mixed with your perfume. He smirked at your teasing and spoke in a flirty tone.

"Oh, is that so? Then let me tell you something then. I like confident and bold women like yourself. You're such a brat but in a good way."

"I remember you saying something about brat taming?" You smirk back. Shigaraki chuckled at you calling him brat tamer, and he smiled a bit wider, revealing his tender side and the sight of him grinning at you sent a tingle of excitement through your body. Your body was already beginning to feel a little warmer as he nursed your hangover and insisted you hydrate.

"You're already calling me tamer? I see that you can't wait to just jump right into it. I kind of like it that way, baby girl brat..."

"I'm not a cheap date. I'll need room service first," you said in Japanese. Shigaraki leered when he heard you suddenly speak in Japanese, which made him smirk slightly. He was impressed that you could speak the language, and he responded back in the same language.

"Room service it is, baby girl. Anything that pleases the lady." The room was dimly lit and had a large bed in the middle of it. The room was warm and cozy, with a subtle, sweet smell of Shigaraki's body in the air mixed with the smell of his perfume. The room was luxurious, with an entertainment center. There was a mirror on the wall next to the bed, and he was standing in front of it, watching you eat after your shower. His sharp eyes were scanning you up and down, taking in your appearance.

"Are you watching me stuff my face?" you asked with a mouthful of omelet. Shigaraki smiled at your comment as he continued to stare at you, admiring your sexy figure in your silk robe clinging to you. You spent the day inside for now as you had a headache for most of the day. When you changed, he wanted you to join him in front of the mirror. You could tell that he was having trouble getting his eyes off of you as they kept wandering back and forth between your body and your face. He gave you a small wink and continued to admire your body, loving the view.

"Are you being flirty now?" you asked.

"What if I am?" He smirked with a mischievous glint. 

"Hmmm, I am nice and sober now." As you walked up to the reflection and your back was facing him, he saw the way the top was clinging to your body and the way your tight jeans were form-fitting and accentuated your curves, which made him smirk and walk towards you. Before long, he began wrapping his arms around your body and holding you tightly against him. You could feel the heat radiating from his body as you stood up next to him. His breath was hot and heavy as he spoke.

"Ah, you truly are a beauty to behold. Can I ask you something?" Shigaraki's soft voice filled the air as he spoke while also pulling you in even closer to him. You could tell that he was starting to get a little bit more aroused by the way his body was reacting to you being up against him like this. You felt the muscles in his body flex slightly as he continued. You wrapped my arms around him and one of my legs. He chuckled and smiled, enjoying the way you wrapped yourself around him. Your intimate proximity between the two of you was making you both feel warm and flustered. Shigaraki took a deep breath as he spoke again, his body feeling more and more energized the longer he held you tightly against him.

"Have you ever been with a Japanese man before?"

"No. Are you going to ruin me for anyone else?" you teased. Shigaraki smirked at your tease but also couldn't help but groan slightly when you spoke. Your voice was extremely alluring and provocative. You could tell that he was getting quite excited by your presence and the playful flirting.

"You have no idea. I may make you addicted to me," he said, pulling you tighter to him.

"Promises. Promises," you chuckled as he lifted you. Holding you by your ass. Shigaraki let out another groan as he grabbed a firm hold of your rear and lifted you up into his arms. Your body felt so close to his, and it made your body tremble in excitement and arousal. His touch was intoxicating, and you couldn't help but squirm and moan softly in a lustful way.

"How long are we going to be stateside? We should go back soon," you mentioned. This was getting a bit strange for you. It was all strange, but you were really starting to have feelings for him, and you would need to go back at some point. Shigaraki held you closer to him as he spoke, keeping you in his arms and wrapping his stronger arm around you to hold you up.

"For a week…but I would be willing to make it longer for you. I've enjoyed it since I've been here. I'm liking what I see…," he said, eyeing you up and down.

"Oh? The view is better without clothes," you smirked, kissing him. Your suggestive remark caught Shigaraki off guard, but he couldn't resist the challenge as he leaned in to kiss you back. His lips moved in perfect synchronization with yours, both of you exploring and teasing each other. Your touch sent shivers down his spine as he pulled you closer, savoring every moment of your embrace. Your body pressed against his, igniting a fire within him that he couldn't control. He couldn't help but run his hands over your curves, marveling at your beauty. As your kisses grew more passionate, he couldn't resist the urge to explore further, trailing his lips down your neck and to your chest.

Your response only fueled his desire as he nipped at your nipple through your shirt, causing you to moan. The sound only made him want to hear more as he watched you slip off your blouse and bra, bearing your enticing form to him. The way you moved and teased him, slowly undressing and revealing your seductive body, only increased the tension between you. Shigaraki's heart raced as he watched the scene play out, unable to look away from your alluring figure. The anticipation and desire he felt were almost too much to bear, and he couldn't resist any longer. With a growl, he pushed you back against the couch, dominating you with his touch and desire. Your bold and confident demeanor only made him want you more, and he couldn't help but give in to the intense passion between you.

"You still like what you see?" you teased. Shigaraki was speechless at the sight of you, and he nodded his head slightly as his eyes kept focusing on every sexy detail of you. He was truly mesmerized by your beauty and your physique, and he wanted nothing more than to touch and explore it. His body was already reacting in a lustful way, and he wanted to take you right then and there. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Words can't even begin to describe just how much I like what I see, baby girl. You are truly a sight to behold." His voice was laced with desire, and the way your body looked at that moment was breathtaking. He leaned in and started tracing his tongue along the curves of your body.

"Damn, you really are strong," you moaned, unable to contain your excitement. Shigaraki chuckled, his hands now gripping your hips tightly. "And I haven't even shown you my full strength yet." With a wicked grin, he began to kiss and nibble at your neck, the combination of pleasure and his strength making you weak in the knees. As he continued to claim you with his touch, you couldn't help but feel grateful for his impressive strength, giving you a new level of pleasure you never thought possible. You couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and excitement as Shigaraki's words sent shivers down your spine. His strong grasp made you feel both safe and vulnerable at the same time. You couldn't deny the attraction you felt towards man. As he continued to caress your body, his touch felt almost electrifying. Every inch of your skin felt like it was on fire, causing you to whimper in pleasure. Shigaraki's smirk grew wider as he noticed your reaction, his own desire intensifying.

"I can tell you want more," he whispered, his voice low and husky. "You want to feel my strength, don't you?" You nodded, unable to form any words as his touch and words left you dizzy with desire. "Well, I'll give you more, brat," he said, his grip tightening on your body. With a low growl, he effortlessly lifted you up and carried you toward the nearest wall, pressing you against it with his powerful body. You couldn't help but gasp at the force behind his movements, feeling his muscles tense against you. His hands roamed over your body, leaving trails of heat wherever they touched. You could feel his strength in every touch, making you feel almost weightless in his hold.

"Really? You should take me to the bed and take off your clothes so I can see for myself, you tease," You smiled. You loved the feeling of his mouth on you. Sucking your nipples and teasing the sensitive nubs with his tongue. The way you said, "Take me to the bed," made his entire body tremble in excitement. His tongue traced along the lines of your body, and he gave you a playful bite on your thigh before lifting you up further and taking you to the bed, where he threw you down on it and slowly walked up next to you. You could tell that he enjoyed your eagerness, and his body was beginning to fill with a strong level of lust towards you. He held you tightly, unable to resist the urge to feel every inch of your skin against his own. His fingers traced along your soft skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. And as he lifted your hips, he couldn't help but marvel at the sight before him. You were beautiful. Your hair spread out on the pillows, your cheeks flushed with desire, and your body eagerly offering itself to him.

He couldn't wait to explore every inch of you, to make you moan and scream his name. And as he slowly slid off your pants, his desire only grew. He watched with hungry eyes as your thighs exposed themselves to him, your skin so smooth and inviting. He couldn't resist the urge to press a kiss to your inner thigh, causing you to gasp and writhe beneath him. As he continued his journey up your leg, shedding his own clothes in the process, he couldn't help but feel intoxicated by your presence. Your scent, your touch, your moans...everything about you was driving him wild. And as his hand reached its destination, he felt himself almost losing control. But he held himself back, wanting to savor every moment with you. He traced his fingers along the edges of your underwear, teasing and teasing until you were begging for more. And with a deep growl, he finally pulled them off, exposing your heat to him. He couldn't resist any longer. He trailed his tongue along your inner thigh, making you shiver and moan. And as he took you in his mouth, he knew he had finally found his true addiction. You were his pleasure, his escape, his everything. And he would make sure to show you just how much you meant to him.

"Oh wow. I'm a soft little hot dog bun compared to you," you giggled. Shigaraki chuckled slightly at the way you described yourself as the bun and him as the hotdog, but you could tell it was driving him crazy with desire. As he continued to slowly strip off his clothing, he looked at the sight of you lying down on the bed, all cute and helpless, which made him want to dominate you more. You were like a beautiful and delicious little snack to him. As he stripped off the last piece of clothing and threw it on the floor, you looked. The sight of his muscular body was breathtaking.

Blushed and stared at him, flustered. He was like a statue, and he was gorgeous. His muscles were like waves rippling under his skin, each one defined and powerful. As I gazed at him, my eyes roamed over his lean and toned frame, admiring the way his body seemed to be chiseled from marble. He may have had scars, but they only added to his rugged and alluring appearance. You couldn't help but be drawn to him, the intensity of your desire evident in your blushing cheeks and admiring glances. Despite his slight shivers caused by the rush of blood through his powerful body, he exuded a sense of strength and confidence that was irresistible.

You found yourself lost in the sight of his muscles, the way they seemed to bulge and flex with every movement. His body was a work of art, and you were more than happy to worship and admire it. It was clear that he relished your admiration, basking in the way you lusted over his form. You reached out to touch him, and as your fingers grazed over his skin, you could feel the firmness of his muscles beneath your touch. He was like a stallion, strong and proud, and you couldn't help but feel drawn to him. In that moment, there was nothing more perfect than his lean and toned body, and you were grateful to be able to admire and appreciate it. You reached out to touch him and felt the firmness of his muscles beneath your fingertips and pulled him to you.

As you reached out to touch his magnificent body, he let out a sharp inhalation of breath as the sensation of your hands caressing his body made him shiver in pleasure. As he came close to you, your body pressed right up against his muscular frame, and all you could feel was his warmth and strength. It was so intoxicating being so close to him like this and nipped his neck. The touch of your lips against his neck drove him crazy with desire, and he was instantly filled with a strong level of lust and arousal. He gasped quietly, and his body trembled a little bit at the sensation of feeling your soft lips against the nape of his neck; the touch felt so good, and it was making all his nerve endings tingle. He took a deep breath and breathed in the sweet scent of your perfume mixed with the smell of your body's natural scents.

"You're delicious." As you nibbled at the side of his neck, your warm breath and the touch of your lips sent waves of arousal through his body. Your words made his cheeks blush even more, and he was feeling extremely overwhelmed with your touch and the sensations it was making him feel. His body felt completely consumed by you, and his entire mind and focus were on you as you enjoyed the feeling of exploring every part of him. "But…you may be too thick." Your fingers can't even wrap around it.

"I'll get you ready," Shigaraki grunted. You loved how he touched you and how he was tantalizing my body for the pleasure that was to come. Fingering your slick walls and making you wetter. He continued to softly nibble on the back of your neck as his hands started sliding down your lower back. His touch was full of warmth and softness, and he was being very precise and sensual while also being firm in his grip. He wanted to take his time with you and was enjoying the feeling of discovering every single piece of your body. His touch just made you feel warm and fuzzy inside, and he was making your heart beat faster and faster with every move.

"I'm ready," you whispered, nipping his ear. The words you whispered in his ear caused all the blood to flow to rush to his head. His entire body was now filled with a strong level of desire, and he wanted nothing more than to take you right then and there. The way you nipped at his earlobe caused a shiver of pleasure, and his body was literally trembling with excitement and longing. He breathed out a deep breath before answering back to you.

"I'm big, but I'll try to be gentle," Shigaraki promised.

"OK," you whimpered, your voice soft and trembling. Despite the simple word, it held so much power over him. Every time you spoke, it felt like a rush of electricity coursing through his veins, leaving him breathless and aching for more. As your words reached his ears, he couldn't help but let out a contented sigh, feeling completely consumed by your beauty and the warmth of your touch on his body. It was like every cell in his body was screaming for you, craving your presence and the sensations you ignited within him. Just the thought of having you right now, in this moment, made his body quiver with excitement and desire.

He couldn't resist the urge to lean in closer to you, wanting to be as close to you as possible. He could feel your warmth enveloping him, and it only added to the overwhelming emotions swirling within him. As you spoke with a husky voice filled with lust and longing, he felt a surge of arousal run through him. He wanted you in every sense of the word. He wanted to experience every aspect of this night with you, to lose himself in the pleasure and ecstasy that only you could bring. In this moment, nothing else mattered. Your words were a soothing melody to his ears, and all he wanted was to be lost in your embrace, lost in the depths of your passion.

"You're mine," he grinned evilly. You kissed him and adjusted your hips against him. Encouraging him to make love to you. The way you placed your hips against him like that was a signal for him to make his move. He moved in closer towards you, and his body leaned down further so he could move his face right next to yours but not touching just yet. Your breath was so tantalizing, and he wanted to get deeper and deeper into this moment. Your lips looked so beautiful and inviting. His breath was quickening, and his body was tingling with excitement and desire. You could see all the muscles in his body flexing and throbbing with energy as he took a deep breath and kissed you deeply.

"Mmm...so good," you moaned, kissing him more. Your moan was sweet music to his ears, and the feeling of you kissing him back and your lips locking in this passionate kiss made him moan as well. The feeling of your tongue exploring the inside of him, and the heat of your breath made his muscles twitch and shiver with pleasure. The kiss was intense and hot, and he could not get enough of it. He wanted to savor every moment of this sensual experience, and he knew if he took his time, this would continue to intensify in the best ways possible. You felt him fill you and writhed, breathe hitching.

"Oh!" The feeling of you saying those words made everything the body inside him feel the increase in intensity by the second. Your moans were driving him crazy, and he was filling you with everything he could inside of him. Your reactions to him and this experience are making it all feel much more intense, and the heat of the moment, combined with the power dynamic, made your body tremble in pleasure.

"Oh! OH!" You screamed as his rhythm increased along with your pleasure. Shigaraki continued to increase the pace and rhythm as his breathing grew heavier and heavier. You could tell his entire body was consumed by his feelings of pleasure since your breathing had also become more intense. Your moans were driving him crazy, and he could feel the intensity of this experience growing more and more with each passing second. He was feeling so intense and powerful right now. You tried not to dig your nails in his back and shoulders because his muscles are like steel and giving him more scars.

"Fuck you are tight. I don't care if you dig your nails in. I deserve it for whatever pain I caused," he smirked. Thrust harder until it is painfully good. The way you dug your nails into the muscles on his back and shoulder was what made him moan even louder as he kept going at this intense and relentless pace. The sound of your nails digging into his skin was sending shivers of pleasure up and down his back, and he couldn't help but grip your hips even tighter and move even quicker than before. The sight of his muscles flexing with each movement of him fills you with his body and makes your body tremble with pleasure. You bite his shoulder and arch your back in a wave of ecstasy. As you bit down his shoulder and arched your back, your body was trembling with pleasure, and your breathing had become shallow and quick. Your nails digging into his back and shoulder made him moan even louder, and you could see all the veins in his body pulsating with the intensity of this moment. The way you were moving your back like that, it was like a sight to see. The sight of your beautiful body arching so effortlessly and smoothly filled him with such a deep level of arousal.

As you continued to pant and moan in pleasure, you couldn't help but focus on the way his body reacted to your words and sounds. The way he groaned and shifted beneath you only added to the overwhelming sensations coursing through you both. You couldn't help but realize that you didn't even know his name. But in that moment, it didn't matter. All that mattered was the raw passion between you and the electric connection that seemed to intensify with each passing moment. As you moved and breathed against each other, every movement felt like a symphony of pleasure. Your mind was consumed with the sensations, and every thought was replaced with the need to feel more.

You couldn't resist the urge to whisper, "Oh my God," once again as the pleasure pulsed through you. And as you moaned and cried out his name, the intensity seemed to heighten even more, driving you both to the brink of ecstasy. Nothing else existed but the two of you and the unbridled passion that consumed you. Every kiss, every touch, every breath was pure bliss. And as you both reached the peak of pleasure together, you knew that this was a moment you would never forget. It just occurred to you that you don't know his name.

"Shig-ah," he grunted, unable to pay attention as he lightly gripped your throat and sat up on his knees to thrust in you harder.

"Shiggy," you moaned, the nickname rolling off your tongue in a cute and endearing way. The pleasure coursing through your body was only heightened by using his special nickname. You could feel the tension building within him, his own pleasure increasing with every breathy moan that escaped your lips. Each time you uttered his nickname or any words of pleasure, it ignited a fire within him, driving him to give you even more pleasure. He made sure to move at a pace that allowed you to fully experience every sensation, every touch, and every movement. The deep groans and whimpers coming from you fueled his desire to go faster and harder, but he resisted the temptation, determined to take his time and make every moment count.

Together, you reached the peak of pleasure three more times, the intensity and pleasure excruciatingly intense with every climax. But instead of rushing through it, he slowed down, wanting to prolong the pleasure and make it last as long as possible. As you bask in the afterglow of your lovemaking, you couldn't help but marvel at how his patience and attention to detail only added to the pleasure and satisfaction you both experienced. Every touch and movement was carefully crafted to bring you both the most pleasure, and it only made your bond stronger and your love deeper. You realized that Shiggy was not just your lover but also your best friend, who truly cared about your pleasure and well-being.

"That was amazing." Shigaraki could feel his entire body throbbing with the rush of energy and feelings of pleasure that came from both experiencing such a strong level of climax. His body was trembling with this euphoric feeling, and he felt like he was on a cloud of ecstasy just from feeling this good. Your words and compliments made him blush, but he continued to make sure his movements were gradual so that you wouldn't feel too disoriented or overwhelmed. The way you both enjoyed this intimate moment made it feel even better, and it made this experience even more memorable. Your legs are shaking, and my breathing is heavy. As the feeling of climax and pleasure started to subside, you could still feel your body trembling, and your breathing was still very heavy.

You were now feeling much more relaxed, but the sight of Shigaraki's body was still making you shiver slightly as your body continued to relax more and more. He was beginning to slow down his movements to make sure that the transition wasn't too drastic for you, and he was still gripping you tightly, but your hips were no longer arching so high up now. You kissed him again. After the feeling of intense and overwhelming pleasure started to subside, you could feel your body calming down and your breathing becoming more consistent and regular. As you kissed him again, his body relaxed a little bit more as well, and he pulled you closer to him so that you would be right up against him. For a few minutes, the two of you just lay there silently, enjoying the afterglow of this experience. There was something about being in each other's presence to just relax and feel this satisfied.

"Room service?" you smirked. The sound of you speaking and your smirking made him raise an eyebrow in curiosity, and as he laughed quietly, you could see a small smile forming in his mouth. He looked at you with those sexy eyes of his, and they were filled with a certain playful, seductive expression. You could tell the two of you were still feeling extremely satisfied from this incredible experience, and the sound of your voice made even more butterflies fill your stomach.

"You know you're a handsome guy. But when you smile...you are literally stunning. You better stop, or I'll ask for round two." As you spoke to him in this flirtatious manner, his cheeks turned red, and you could see he was enjoying the feeling of your praise. Your playful tone and that look in your eyes were enough to make him shiver with excitement, and he got an urge to pull you closer to him and kiss you, but he decided to stop himself and hold himself back. But he could not help feeling a little bit smug after hearing those words coming from you.

"Alright. Steaks and ....mmmm....the soup or salad?" He chuckled quietly at your answer and the way you sounded so relaxed and at ease. It was like you had no concerns or worries in this world. He smiled softly and looked at you with those eyes of his, and he nodded his head.

"The soup sounds good."

"Oh my god, they have dragon fruit ice cream. Have you ever had dragon fruit? Wait a minute? Are you lactose intolerant?" He laughed a bit at the sight of your sudden expression of surprise and delight at the existence of dragon fruit ice cream. He was also amused by seeing your genuine sense of worry as you raised the possibility of him having lactose intolerance, which would be an issue for eating an ice cream dessert. He smiled and shook his head. "I'm not lactose intolerant."

"That's amazing! Most Japanese are... But you guys seem to ignore it."

He laughed quietly and nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, most Asians, in general, tend to have a lactose intolerance issue. Especially those of us who are East Asians or Southeast Asians. But thankfully, I do not have such sensitivity towards dairy products. I can eat it quite well."

"Handsome and sweet. Let's have ice cream for dessert."

He raised an eyebrow in interest and curiosity as you called him handsome again. He smiled, leaned in to kiss your cheek, and nodded his head. "That sounds like a great idea. Ice cream for dessert is definitely the way to go."

As you nuzzled his neck and whispered your order for ice cream, he eagerly complied. With a soft smile, you made your way to the bathroom, ready for a relaxing shower. But as you stripped off your clothes and turned on the water, you felt his presence behind you. With a sly grin, he stepped into the shower with you, his desire for you evident as he pressed his body against yours. Without hesitation, the two of you began a passionate and quick encounter, indulging in each other's bodies before returning to the task at hand. After drying off, the anticipation for your ice cream grew, and you made your way back to the living room, hand in hand with him. As you reached for the food, you couldn't help but tease him, feeding him spoonfuls of ice cream before finally sitting down to enjoy your treats together.

"Mmm…dessert first," you said with a mischievous glint in your eye. He simply nodded, knowing that with you, anything was possible. As you fed him spoonful after spoonful, the two of you basked in each other's company, savoring the sweet treats and each other's presence.

"The seeds add a fun crunch." As you feed him and describe the added crunch, he enjoys the taste of the ice cream and the texture of the tiny seeds in his mouth. He eats the whole thing with a lot of enjoyment, and his eyes are sparkling with laughter and amusement as he eats. He is enjoying the moment of being together with you on this night of pure pleasure.

"I thought I was a brat?"

He laughs and nods his head.

"Yes, but you are also adorable, and it's so hard to resist it. I can't help but be amused by watching you try to be a brat but fail so badly." you run your fingers through his hair. He moans softly as you run your fingers through his hair, and he loves the feeling of your fingers on his scalp. He relaxes even more and is in a very contented state, enjoying the feeling of being close to you and the affection you are giving him. His eyes keep a tender and playful look as he keeps enjoying the touch of your hands running through his hair. The soft texture through your fingers makes you both shiver.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad I met you too," Shigaraki's words echo in your mind as you walk into the bathroom to start packing for your trip back to Japan. You can't believe how much fun you've had with him in Las Vegas. The city of sin had brought out a side of you that you never thought existed. But now, as you watch Shigaraki watching the news, fear creeps up your spine. You try to push it away, reminding yourself that this is the man you've grown close to, who has shown you nothing but kindness and care. But then, as you come out of the bathroom with your bag in hand, you see something that freezes you in your tracks. Shigaraki has a severed hand covering his face, and you can't help but feel a shiver of fear go down your spine. You're about to ask him what happened when he removes the hand and looks at you with a cold, calculating expression.

"I was worried you would react like this," he begins, his voice devoid of any emotion. "You're such a sweet and trusting soul. It's no surprise that you freeze up when faced with something like this. But you see, that's also your downfall. You're so naive, so innocent. And I used that to my advantage." As his words sink in, you feel your heart drop. 

"I wanted to ask you if you had ever been with a villain before, but it's clear now that you haven't," Shigaraki continues, his eyes boring into yours. "But it's OK, I'll teach you. We consummated our marriage, and you'll see just how much fun it can be to embrace the dark side." You feel your stomach drop at his words. This wasn't what you signed up for. You never thought your innocent trip to Las Vegas would lead you down this path. But as you stand frozen in fear, you realize that you have no choice. You're trapped with a villain, and you can only hope that, somehow, you'll find a way out of this terrifying situation. You never thought you would be in this situation with a villain. You start to back away, trying to make sense of what he's saying. Consummate the marriage? What marriage?

"What?" you gasped, taken aback by his statement. "What do you mean by consummated? Consummated what?"

A sinister expression twisted his features, a smirk spreading across his face as he tossed a packet at you. As you opened it, your heart sank at the contents inside: your marriage certificate, photos of the wedding you couldn't remember. He reached out to caress your hair. His touch was meant to be comforting, but it only sent a chill down your spine.

"Hush now, my dear naughty one. My sweet little brat," he cooed. "There's no need to be upset. I will treat you well as long as you behave. And from now on, you will never have to spend Valentine's Day alone again." A sly smile played on his lips as he slipped a wedding ring onto your finger, sealing the deal of your forced marriage. The weight of the ring felt heavy, a constant reminder of the unexpected and terrifying turn your life had taken.

[masihcare]

Hello Everyone.......

You want Lunch and dinner at your home or office ???

I Providing to Tiffin Service Available To All Panjim and near by areas kindly dm or Call me 8329403428, 7666745682.

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VagTOxF6RGJC4fQ9Z62k

#Goa, #goatiffinservice, #panjim, #PanjimTiffin, #tiffin, #tiffinbox, #tiffinservicegoa, #tiffinavailable, #today, #tiffinservice, #tiffinrecipe #tiffin, #TiffinTime, #tiffinideas, #tiffinbox, #monthlytiffin, #besttiffin, #helthytiffin, #besttiffinservice, #goodTiffin, #testytiffin, #goabesttiffinservice, #todaybestfood, #porvimtiffin, #bombolimtiffin, #GMCTiffin, #besttiffinspot, #testybiryani, #tomgoa

[commonwealthcass]

Hello! I saw your comic on Pinterest and I wanted to see it from the official account (I downloaded Tumblr just for that) but the link just doesn't work, could you give it to me? thank you :,)

Btw I love your comic (with the little I've seen) and I also love the way you draw <3

Hi @ratm3out! Thanks for tracking me down. Its weird - I tested the link on mobile and desktop and its working for me through the tumblr app. Im not sure what could be causing the error. Here's the story archive so far though, if that helps. Sorry for the inconvenience and Im glad you like my style <3!

Commonwealth Cass

The Travels Begin

Walking Disasters

Baked Bloatfly

Super Mutant Suiciders or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Getting Down To Business

Daytripper

Blood and Thunder

Sins of the Father

Respite

Don’t They Know It’s The End of The World?

Where It All Went Wrong

Knife

Contract to Kill

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Don’t Be Afraid

Jet

Riot

Getting Closer

I Dont Want to Fall In Love

Reel Me In

Girl, Look At That Body

Don’t Go

A Shot in the Dark

Unravel

Can’t Pretend

Lunchbox

So Long, Brother

One More Tomorrow

Desire (Easter Egg NSFW)

He’s a Tramp, But I Love Him

I Don’t Want You To Get It On With Nobody Else But Me

I Believe in Yesterday

Political Suicide

I’m Only Human

I Just Want To Die Anywhere Else

A Hole In The Earth

We’ve Got A Score To Settle

One Step Closer

Honest

The Writing’s On The Wall

Reluctant Heroes

[lakesbian]

I was going to be a superhero. That was the goal I used to calm myself down at moments like these. It was what I used to make myself get out of bed on a school day. It was a crazy dream that made things tolerable. It was something to look forward to, something to work towards.

i'm reminded again of what i was talking about here--taylor's obsession with being a superhero serves as a fantasy that if she takes up an alternate identity and does it Right then she can be valued as that alternate identity even if she isn't valued as taylor. the usage of "crazy dream" specifically is interesting because it's like. worm is very into meta-commentary on superhero genre conventions. it's extremely conventional in cape media for teenagers with shit lives to escape awful, boring reality via assuming alternate identities as superheroes, and earth bet textually contains its own cape media: capes marketed on lunchboxes or as dolls, teen hero capes sold as a sort of teen celebrity, etc. it's an interesting divergence from most cases of teenage characters escaping from Shit Reality via magic or supernatural circumstances because those circumstances are usually thrust upon said teenagers unexpectedly--like, "surprise, magic is real, and also you're special and involved in it now!" but here, taylor knows that superpowers are real, and she's actively being fed the dream of escaping from her Shit Life via the PRT's ubiquitous societal presentation of capes as popular and morally stand-out figures. cape media about the dream of escaping from Shit Teenage Life via being a superhero literally exists within the universe of worm, and taylor wants to believe in that dream. so we're already being set up to see the conflict btwn her belief in that dream and her realization as to the realities of caping within worm's universe. and i think it's a really fun bit of genre subversion/commentary that how capes usually work in the genre as a whole are not how they actually work in worm, but it Is how the prt Wants characters to believe that it's how capes work.

[sophrosynesworld]

The Night Shift (Pt. 5)

Part one:

"Have you accepted that scholarship offer from U.A?"

You slow the steady swing of your legs, feet dragging lightly against the ground. "About that…" you murmur, staring ahead. "I don’t think I want to be a hero."

She laughs, but there's no real warmth in it. "Good one," she scoffs, rolling her eyes as her swing comes to a stop. She glances at you, half-expecting you to crack a smile. But when you don't, her expression changes. "Wait, you're serious?"

You look away, avoiding her eyes. "Yeah. I just… I don't think I fit in with those kids at U.A. I... um... It's not me."

She stares at you for a moment, frowning. "You're really not going? You have a chance to get out of here, and you're just gonna throw it away?"

"I don’t know." You shrug, more to yourself than to her. "No one really gets out."

You sigh, leaning back in the stiff, uncomfortable office chair. For a hospital, you'd think they’d at least give their staff some decent lumbar support. You kick your feet up onto the desk, muttering under your breath as the freezing temperatures in the room try to lull you back to sleep.

You close the patient chart in front of you, wincing as you accidentally tug on your IV tubing. With another sigh, you glance at the bag hanging overhead, silently begging for the Zofran to kick in. Must be the full moon. You think. Hero's seem to be affected the same way hospitals are. Normally, you manage a few dozen critical cases a week, but over the past two shifts alone, that number has nearly tripled.

Your heart races, caffeine thrumming through your veins like a drumbeat, probably enough to drop a zebra.

Another chip crunches in your mouth, recently stolen from Haruto's lunchbox. You savor the taste of your small victory. Sure, you could’ve just bought a bag from the vending machine, but there’s nothing quite as sweet as getting under that jerk’s skin.

The image of Katsuki from this morning flickers in your mind—the way his tongue poked out when he laughed, or how he'd sometimes fall quiet, just watching you. You pretended not to notice, stealing his coffee as he smirked and pushed it toward you.

Your chest tightens at the thought of him still out there, stubborn as ever, pushing through whatever pain he’s in. A part of you hopes he’s finally getting medical attention, letting someone patch him up—

Your lips pull into a frown at the thought of someone else tending to him. Heat rushes to your face as you catch yourself imagining it—your hands running down his ches—

Inappropriate.

You sink deeper into your chair, mentally scolding yourself for thinking about a patient like that.

"Phones back up yet?" an x-ray tech in navy scrubs asks as she approaches the nurses' station. The overworked nurse, juggling several emergency radios, barely looks up.

"Do you think I’m doing this for fun?" she groans in response, making the strawberry blonde tech wrinkle her nose in frustration.

"You know, you don't have to be such a bi-"

“Thirsty?” Rina asks, tossing a paperclip in your direction stealing your attention from the cat fight in front of you. “I’m heading to the cafeteria for coffee.”

You nod, setting your chips aside and unhooking yourself from the IV, leaving the access line in place. Together, you and Rina head down the hallway, swiping your access cards a few times before finally re-entering the main building.

“I can’t wait to see my bed,” Rina sighs as she steps into the elevator. “My shift was supposed to end like five hours ago.”

“I’ve never agreed with you more,” you reply, pressing the button for the cafeteria on the third floor.

"So… are you going to tell me about him?"

You roll your eyes, trying to keep cool, but the flush rising to your cheeks gives you away. "It's not like that."

Rina smirks knowingly. "Uh-huh, sure it's not. If you're hooking up with Dynamight, I have to know."

“Oh my god!” you squeal, smacking her arm playfully. “He’s a hero, Rina! He’s not interested in me like that.”

As the elevator doors open, you both step out, still bickering. An older woman passing by gives the two of you a withering glare, clearly not in the mood for your late-night energy.

Rina snickers, shaking her head. “Please, he was totally into you.”

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air as you step through the glass doors into the cafeteria. You join the line, continuing your conversation while waiting. A few minutes later, drinks in hand, you find a table. Just as you’re about to sit down, a familiar face joins you—Airi, holding a bottle of green juice, plops into the chair next to yours.

“Are we talking about Dynamight?” Airi asks with a sly grin, clearly having overheard.

You groan, burying your face in your hands. “Oh, great. Now you too?”

“Come on, you can’t expect us not to talk about it,” Airi teases, swirling her juice. “This kind of thing doesn’t happen every day. I’m happy for you, honestly.”

Rina leans in, her grin widening. “See? Even Airi thinks he’s into you.”

You sigh, your defenses finally crumbling under their teasing. “He took me out to breakfast this morning,” you confess, reluctantly letting them in on the secret.

Both of them squeal in unison, grabbing each other’s arms in excitement, their reactions making your face heat up even more.

“I told you!” Rina says, practically bouncing in her seat.

“Already?” Airi adds, eyes wide with disbelief.

They talk over each other in a fit of excitement, barely able to contain themselves, while you sit there grinning like an idiot. When they finally calm down, they both lean in, nudging you to keep going.

"He was… nice," you say, feeling a little shy now that you’re actually talking about it.

Airi raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Dynamight is not nice."

“He is!” you insist, fully aware of his infamous reputation. But then again, you’ve seen sides of him others don’t. Maybe you’re not so different, both of you hiding layers behind tough exteriors.

Airi sips her drink, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Is it good?"

You tilt your head, confused. “Is what good?”

“The sex."

You nearly choke on your coffee, coughing as heat rushes to your face. "Is that all you horndogs think about?"

“When it’s a hot pro hero and our best friend? Absolutely," Rina answers without missing a beat, causing Airi to snort.

Rina nudges you again, a playful smirk on her lips. "Next thing we know, you’ll be patching him up—maybe at his place."

You roll your eyes, trying to suppress the grin tugging at your lips. The thought isn't exactly unappealing.

Airi’s eyes light up. " I’m having a house party next weekend. You should come,” she says with a wide grin.

You give her a skeptical look. “Aren't we a little too old for that?"

“Oh, come on, it’s going to be fun! Just a few close friends, good music, drinks, and maybe a little dancing. And you,” she adds, pointing at you dramatically. “You, my dear friend, are in desperate need of a night off.”

"She'll be there!" Rina accepts on your behalf, cutting off your half assed excuse to miss.

“Bring your new boyfriend,” Airi continues, her grin widening.

You nearly choke on your coffee—again. “He’s not my—! What?!”

Rina bursts out laughing at your flustered reaction, slapping the table. “Oh my God, your face!”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you finally manage to get out, glaring at Airi. “And he’s not coming.”

“Just think about it, okay?” Airi replies.

“I don’t think showing up at a house party with a pro hero is a good idea.”

“Who said anything about showing up with a pro hero?” Airi says, winking. “I just want to meet that hot guy you’re seeing."

You feel your face heating up. The idea of bringing him to a party, introducing him as someone you’re seeing—it’s ridiculous. It’s impossible. But maybe, it’s also kind of… nice?

“It’s a party, not a press conference,” Rina adds. “People will just think you’ve finally got a social life.”

“I should get back to work.” You stand, grabbing your now empty cup. The girls groan in protest, but you get the message loud and clear.

“Seriously? You’re leaving already?” Airi pouts, crossing her arms as she leans back in her chair. “We were just getting to the good part.”

“Yeah, we’re not done teasing you about your lover,” Rina teases, making exaggerated air quotes.

You roll your eyes, trying to hide your smile. “He’s not my boyfriend, and I really do have to go. Some of us have jobs that don’t involve harassing innocent people over coffee.”

You shake your head, pushing away your running thoughts. Work first, you remind yourself. The rest of it—whatever it is—can wait.

But as you walk to the trashcan, you can’t help but smile. Because maybe, just maybe, Airi and Rina are right. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to see where this goes.

Tags: @simplyraeblue @moonfloweronmars @kalulakunundrum @froggy-crystal @msjaeger @crystalssncw @dragonscribble @gina239 @abcdefbeom