#My finals are finally over! I finally handed in my final research project despite the many hurdles my rather incompetent groupmates created.

[romans-empire]

Flowers I saw around campus today. They reminded me of Flowey.

[occamstfs]

Ni Hao!NYC

Morally conflicted journalist puts off questions of ethics until it's just too late. Finally assigned to put his name next inflammatory content Sam finds himself more than appreciating Chinese culture.

Various white to Asian Muscle growth and racial change ahead!

Like many, I saw the final pictures on twitter and had to do something with them haha! Ended up with a piece just a tad different than usual! Hope you all enjoy! -Occam

Samuel Johnston knew he worked for a rag but as long as the checks cashed he could afford to mute his conscience. They made money not from sales so much as some rightwing think tank who wants their views affirmed in any way they can get it. So he lays low and pens little puff pieces, avoiding anything too controversial and introduces himself as an accountant to anyone he cares enough to lie to.

He’s quite adept at staying out of sight and mind when it comes to the doling out of any especially charged or problematic issues. Making sure to bury his own work any chance he gets, even using a pen name in case someone accidentally stumbles on his writing. It’s gone well enough so far he thinks! Sam tells himself that really working for NY:Red isn’t that bad, surely it’s even good that he’s got the job rather than anyone who believes the shit they write. Right?

No job is without its problems, he tells himself. So far he’s done a commendable job keeping his nose down with an almost supernatural ability to duck away from bigwigs or management. That is until now as he’s summoned by name to his boss’ side. His proficiency at staying off the radar of management has kept him from a one on one with the man in charge for some time, but now he is sitting on the top floor outside of Mr. Howard’s office, surely waiting to be assigned some horrible project.

“Come in!” Sam hears the surly man shout before promptly stepping into the gaudy office. He’s immediately taken aback as somehow the editor looks almost younger than he does in the many pictures Sam has seen. Sam hides his shock at the man’s jet black hair as well as he hides the general fear and disdain that begins to send adrenaline pumping towards his mind. Mr. Howard doesn't notice at least, getting straight to business, “I can tell from yer writing that ya like the city Sam, can I call ya Sam?”

Samuel opens his mouth to reply but the chief just continues on, “Anyway I love all yer little toilet paper stories but how do ya wanna write with the big leagues?” This time Samuel stays strong and gets a word in before being steamrolled again, “Actually I-” “I’m puttin’ you on the most important case we have Sam. Surely ya’ve noticed all this, what's da word, influx? Invasion? Bah. All the Asian shit that’s startin’ ta creep in on our city’s culture!” Samuel makes an awkward face as despite knowingly working for the racist, it’s different to hear the words out loud.

He holds his tongue out of shock or fear and his boss continues on his diatribe, “The last couple a schmucks I had on the beat just up’n left me high and dry can ya believe it! Old friends I thought!” He grumbles as he scratches his chin, moving away his hand it seems his beard thinned? He shakes his head in irritation and Sam would swear he saw his jowls tighten and wrinkles smooth over. “Anyway kid. Go out and do some prelim research. Have something on my desk by Friday or yer out just like those galoots!” Samuel stands for a second unsure if he’s allowed to leave before his boss looks up to glare with eyes Sam would’ve sworn were blue when he walked in.

Sam rushes out the door and to the elevator, riding it back to his floor, debating between writing a preemptive resignation or keeping mum and keeping on payroll for one last week. Profiteering from a culture war he may be but he’s not about to regurgitate genuinely racist talking points. He taps his foot impatiently as he thinks about just how cushy this gig is though. “Fuck!” He decides to call the only other confirmed decent human being he knows here, his friend Nick who works in the fashion dept.

The two go to grab coffee at a chain next door, Sam tries not to notice how they’ve started selling Vietnamese iced coffee. “Fuck man I can’t do it! Literally just one conversation alone with Howard was a wake up call.” Nick smiles like he has no problems with working for the dirtiest rag in the city, “Chill out Sam. Huward had my manager on the same beat and he, uh, Hidaka said that is said to just look busy for a bit and we won’t need to worry about all this racist shit anymore.” Sam squints his eyes at his friend, he’s not usually so easy breezy about work. He also racks his brain trying to figure out who Hidaka could possibly be. That can’t be his boss. No way Howard would let someone not white lead a department.

Seeing Sam lost in thought Nick reaches out and grabs his hand in a way Sam couldn’t imagine him doing before this second. In fact as the second drags on he stares down in the hand in shock, feeling the warm hand squeeze his forearm. He looks up to his friend’s face searching for any clue to the cause of this odd behavior. Sam smiles awkwardly and half-jokes “Hah hah, uh- Who are you and what’d you do with Nick… Hah.” Nick bursts out laughing, patting him on the arm jovially and leaving a hand larger than Sam remembers resting on his own. “Hidaka-san just showed me how to worry less about this job un?”

Sam inspects him closely for anything amiss, it looks like he’s picked up a bit of a tan? His hair is messier than usual and definitely a little darker, his skin is alluringly smooth and Sam can feel the heat his body is generating despite sitting across from him. Looking at his clothes Sam finds another surprise, his shirt almost looks strained! As if Nick has been hitting the gym for sometime, maybe it’s just been a while since he’s seen his friend in person? 

Assuaged in the slightest, Sam ignores the glowering red flags and follows this lede, “Woah Nick have you been working out?” Nick blushes and Sam at the very least sees his friend is as shy as ever. He goes to scratch the back of his head straining his shirt almost to its ripping point as he responds, “Ah a little haha! どうぞ(please) don’t you worry about me. Since you have no desire to write the article, why don’t you go ahead and check out the little Asian market down the street for fun? It was quite a good time when Hidaka-san brought me earlier this week!”

Sam awkwardly smiles as he wonders why on Earth Sam is suddenly referring to his boss like this, it’s almost like he’s performatively speaking Japanese. Taking a second to pause Sam looks at the haircut as hands unseen style it into something fashionable he puts two and two together. Thinking to himself, ah! Nick must just be a weeb! Tension disappears from his body with a sigh of relief as he wonders how he didn’t notice before now. He gets up to follow his friend’s advice, what better way to stick it to the man than support the people he aims to malign right?

He bucks up and grabs a Vietnamese iced coffee for the road, tossing a “Sayonara,” at Nick with a wink to which he perks up and slightly bows. Man, how did he not notice before Sam thinks yet again. Blissfully unaware, leaving just as kanji symbols appear on Nick’s keyboard and his friend responds to an email in a language he didn’t know this morning. Blue eyes growing coal dark as his tanned, increasingly muscular arms tap away at the keyboard.

Sam spends the bulk of his day at the little Asian street fair and has an absolute blast. Any residual stains on his mind from his unpleasant morning absolutely fade away as he goes from booth to booth sampling cuisine and chatting with diasporic cultures the world over. Time flies as he goes into journalist mode and basically interviews first gen Chinese immigrants about their time in the city. He finds himself beyond immersed in the conversation, continuing to learn from the couple as the tables around them begin to pack up for the day. 

He offers to help the older couple pack up and they happily take the aid, striking him bashful as they talk of what a sweet young man he is. “Wa! 哇强 (strong) Too!” The wife chuckles as she jokingly feels his less than impressive arms. He was having a better time at this little fair than he ever could’ve imagined, enough so that he thinks about going to stick it to Huaward then and there. Huaward? Whatever. His mind slightly off put by whatever that was, in an uncharacteristic act of transparency, Sam lets it slip that he works for NY:Red. The expressions on the kind couple’s faces immediately sour and Sam is quite shocked that they even know what the paper is.

There is a glint in the husband’s eyes as he starts to motion Sam away from any further aid, “谢谢 (Thank you) for your help, Sam. There have been a few, hm, bad men wandering around from that paper and I uh-” He looks around his table and grabs some miijiu they hadn’t put away yet. His wife nods, her face somewhere between rueful and hopeful as she watches her husband offer Sam the glass. “Again, 谢谢, er thank you for your help young man, enjoy this for the road 好的? (Yeah?)” The two turn to each other and begin talking to each other in mandarin alone and Sam takes the hint.

Kicking himself that he fumbled the capstone on such a pleasant afternoon, though finding solace in the rice wine he’s walking away with. He is blissfully unaware as the couple watch him drink and head down the street debating if everyone from that paper really is an asshole. Grimacing as they think about the vitriol spewed at them by NY:Red readers they decide they had no other recourse. Pleasant as he seemed Sam was consciously working on the side of hate and that could not be simply overlooked.

Sam quite enjoyed the rice wine the couple left him with, it immediately smooths over any lasting regret or concern about his interaction with the couple. They don’t know anything about him! He’s nothing like his other coworkers. It feels as if he’s had far more to drink than the small container they left him with should allow, but every time he looks down there always seems to be more mijiu to entice him. It would be impolite not to finish their gift he thinks; his confident stride quickly shifting to a stumble as he wanders home. 

His phone goes off as he gets an email from his boss, Mr. Huang?  Can’t be right. He squints at the email, deciding he must really have overdone it on the mijiu and stuffing his phone back in his pocket. Beyond the obvious difficulties in ambulation being drunk, Sam is unable to notice as his proportions slowly begin to shift. His ever-so lanky body begins to feel dull and heavy as the warmth of the wine fills his chest to capacity and then some as he leans against his apartment door, wiping his feet on an unfamiliar doormat. 

He kicks his shoes off by the door on some new instinct and immediately goes to collapse on the couch. His small sofa creaking as he puts more than his usual dead weight on it. His legs that usually hang off the end lengthen even further as his thighs grow meatier. Pecs press into the cushions as he snores. He is swiftly ushered into an unfamiliar dreamscape, the jubilee of the fair and the bewildering amount of wine he drank produce a vivid carnival of culture in his subconscious.

He sees the old couple at their stand and begins to speak with them in their mother tongue, seeing the delight as a load is taken off their shoulders. His dreamself seamlessly conversing with a fluency unearned. Sam stirs in the waking world as his mind existentially changes to match his morphing body. His blond hair grows thin and longer as its tint stains darker. Twitching in REM the green eyes that he prides himself on speckle with brown before they are entirely overtaken, becoming a rich cacao like the thick eyebrows framing them.

The discomfort of a new language forcing itself into this memory begins to wane as he prides himself on how fluent he is in both Chinese and English. His hand goes to scratch his pecs and he smirks in his sleep as they pulse larger, knowing pride is not the only thing surging within him. At the edges of his mind he feels the memory of learning a language, words written on a blackboard in chalk, English and Chinese both. For the life of him he cannot recall which of the two he’s learning second. An alarm set on his phone blares and he jolts awake to get ready for work.

Throwing on a shirt, Sam freezes as he sees his reflection. Hundreds of little questions seize his mind, those aren’t his eyes are they? Did he dye his hair last night? Are those abs? God his arms look good don’t they!? As they race through his mind and grow rampant they fixate on how attractive he suddenly feels. Rubbing his pecs and feeling them bounce he cries out to himself, “该死！Uhhh, Damn I look good!” He poses in the mirror and takes in every new angle of his powerful body. Taking note as his body hair seems thinner, and decidedly darker wherever it remains. He looks close at his pit seeing his once dense bush of curly hair thin out and straighten, before the memory of even having dense body hair is washed from his mind.

His phone goes off again and his work is immediately brought to the forefront of his mind. “Fuck I didn’t read Huang’s message!” He finds email after email from his boss, only the first few mention the wretched assignment they last talked about. Sam’s eyes widen as he continues to skim through the emails as the topic lines quickly show some drastic re-prioritization from his boss. Only then does he realize that he’s been reading his boss’ name as Huang. His boss is white. Rather his boss’ whole identity is based around being white! Huang isn’t, right? Incredibly he clicks the last email, subject line Vacation, and is immediately greeted with a mouth watering picture of a powerful man. Everything comes to a stop as he can’t help but gawk at this man’s body.

Ni Hao Sanuel- take the day off shi de? Still only half dressed Sam balks at just how bizarre this is, rereading the name Sanuel he is thrown for a loop as his mind reconfigures this. Tearing his eyes from the man’s torso he finally looks at the cocky face and sees a thread he recognizes,  “天啊! (Holy Shit!) That’s Mr. Huang!” He shuts his mouth before he drools like a dog at his boss’ arms. God, this is unlike him though right? He tries to dig through his memories of the editor in chief as the caustic racist he was yesterday, but with each uncovered the image of Huang changes as this dreamboat playboy overrides more of what was.

Sanuel readies to just stay in for this day of assigned vacation before he gets another notification, this time from his friend, Nobu? An image of Nick flashes through his mind, a handprint burns on his arm, and the taste of Vietnamese coffee dances on his lips. “Meet me on the boardwalk うん？” Sanuel rolls his eyes at his friend tacking on Japanese like that, willing his mind not to think about how his friend’s contact ID now says Nobu. Must be one of those, uh, his own thoughts trail off as he successfully abandons concern to head to meet his friend.

Nearing the meeting spot he looks for his usually cleancut friend, the only body present however is a massive Japanese man awkwardly flexing at himself in a reflective surface. Sanuel shyly speaks up, “Ni Ha-, uh Hey? Have you seen a guy named Nick around here?” The apparent bodybuilder beams and goes to engulf Sanuel in a hug shouting, “Oi! Shan! took ya long enough!” His eye twitches hearing the name, as this man effortlessly lifts him off his feet in a hug far too intimate for colleagues, and certainly from whoever this stranger is!

Shan pushes against the massive man, his body heat broiling him on this already warm day. He strains his eyes looking at the man grabbing him and suddenly it hits him, “Nobu?” The man promptly lets him go and pats him on the back with a laugh he would’ve never expected to come from his sheepish friend in the fashion department. “Wanna go have some ice cream or something Shan?” He feels the need to push back against his friend calling him Shan but as he hears it a second time he can’t recognize the names as anything but his own.

Shan pauses as he sees Nobu stop to chat with some Japanese tourists and something about the picture doesn’t sit right. God it’s that talk with Huang getting him all worked up again that,uh, racist? He clutches his head as contradictions between his past and present collide in his head and he slams his eyes shut as he cannot determine what is true about his current reality. Shan falls to the ground with a deep thud, slightly hyperventilating, his body grows larger as he takes deep breaths from the stress.

Hearing him collapse Nobu runs over to help him up, this time with more effort as his friend’s comatose body continues to put on muscle and grow heavier. Still, having the impressive figure he does, Nobu rather easily gets him on a bench and sits next to him, “クソ野郎？(Fuck dude?) You alright?” Shan slowly nods as his friend throws an arm around him. Looking down at his own arms as they pulse with muscle, he feels his eyes strain as the structure of his face begins to change.

Shan's jawline sharpens and his skin smooths. Stubble that has been a cornerstone of hiding his facial blemishes vacates as his hair stains black and flops longer. He feels clarity grace his mind as he stares at large hands on the ends of pale, hairless, muscular arms and he wonders if he is even himself.

He voices these concerns to Nobu who just laughs them off. “Hah! Of course dude, same Shan I’ve always known!” “那- that’s not my name Nobu.” His friend grins shyly in concern for his friend's mind. “It can't be my name. I’m-” grimacing before he continues as it takes everything in his power to speak against the realities in front of him. Memories of a world quite far away, moving to New York long ago, the youngest in a family of Chinese immigrants, “I’m white aren’t I Nobu?” 

Nobu can’t help but laugh again at the beyond bizarre statement. He jokes about Shan hitting his head when he fell. “You’re the most 2nd Gen Chinese わるがき(brat) I know bro! Imma go get us some ice cream while you chill out.” Shan stares at his friend as he abandons him, feeling his eyes tighten as they shift into the monolid eyes that his memories swear he’s always had.

Shan retreats into his mind racing against his changing memories to find a pillar of truth to grasp on. He sees himself at the gym with Nobu, his black mop of hair flicking sweat into the air as he poses with his bro. He sees just yesterday at the Asian fair, helping an elderly couple pack up their table, twitching as he would’ve sworn that went differently. He remembers sitting at the office getting no work done as he plays on his phone, 是的！that’s it! His job. There’s something there, if only he can remember what the problem was there.

He sees Nobu begin walking back with sweet treats, Nobu works at the paper too. Oh 呃/Duh! He smirks as he goes for his wallet to grab a business card. His eyes see the obnoxious red logo he knows before they read text that will send him irrevocably forward, Shun Jiang - Ni Hao!NYC. His body fills with warmth like a machine overworking as his mind races with information about his new reality. Sweat drips from his hair as he can no longer even struggle to recall his claimed existence as a bystander at the vile paper they produced. His brown eyes steep to a dark black as they glaze over.

“Shan-baka! Here’s a popsicle!” Nobu shouts as he returns to his overheated friend who immediately bursts from his stupor. “混蛋!(Asshole!) It’s Shun- thought we were close!” Nobe smirks as he starts to eat his own ice cream. Unable to recall anything too in depth he feels a pause as he wonders what his Japanese friend is doing working for a Chinese newspaper, before he answers it himself. Clearly his subconscious is more at place in whatever new reality he faces. Their paper is for all NYC’s Asian immigrants. Nobu works writing, or more often modeling, for Konnichiwa!NYC! Huang really was a genius for the idea.

Shun smiles, thinking fondly of his boss as he enjoys the short break from the summer heat that Nobu brought him. Back at the headquarters of their paper everything shifts from the rag it was and into a paper connecting the disparate Asian immigrants of the city, printed in any language they can find translators for, Ni Hao, Konnichiwa, Annyeonghaseyo, Namaste!NYC. Each day striving for a better, more inclusive New York City. Shun beams with his new face, no longer burdened with the just concern of his peddling vitriol, instead possessed with a desire to spread his culture far and wide.

———————————————————————————

As I was writing I remembered a similar series by the now gone Dumb-and-Jocked!

If interested do check out Horizon Zero: One, Two, and Three for quite a different take on a journalism themed Racial Change!

[mugglebornmarvelite]

Rescued from a Paper

Paring: TASM!Peter Parker x Fem!Reader

Summary: When you are frustrated and overwhelmed with your paper, your boyfriend comes over (almost as if his spidey senses were attuned to you). At first, jokingly, Peter offers to do it for you (he’s brilliant, and he’d actually do it for you). But all jokes aside, he rubs your head and gently coaxes you to take a break from your computer. Although you resist, he ultimately wins.

Word Count: Roughly 1.4k 

Warnings: Fluff, mild language, talks of stress due to assignments, suggestive flirting, and awful but cute chemistry puns

Note: I had the worst time writing a 30-page paper for this semester. My brain is a bit fried at the moment and I tried to edit this as best as possible. So, to everyone finishing up projects, presentations, and papers before the holiday break, this is for you (everyone really) :)

Navigation

The blinking cursor on the screen taunts you, its rhythmic pulse mocking your every attempt to continue writing. You curse under your breath, your frustration at its peak. You’ve been sitting at your desk for hours now; the only time you left your room was for coffee. Your eyes are red from staring at research articles to support your hypothesis. Typing sentences of analysis for your cited evidence and deleting them just as quickly as they came. 

But no matter what you do, the words don’t come. 

Your deadline is a week away. 

A week? Manageable. 

But coupled with studying for finals and a part-time job? Agonizing.

You sigh, wanting nothing more but to tell your professor to eat shit. But you couldn't. Well, you could, but that probably wouldn't go over very nicely.

Despite all your best efforts, the mountain of work before you feels overwhelming. You've got about 10,000 more words to write, then you have to circle back and do the abstract. 

You glance outside your window, greeted with darkness. You lean back in your chair, letting your shoulders slump, wishing for some kind of relief.

“This is hopeless.” You mutter, throwing your crumpled notes in the trash. 

You fought the urge to cry or commit a crime. Either one would work at this point. Or both.

"Hey, pretty girl," a familiar voice called out, and your body instantly relaxed. "It’s your handsome, handsome boyfriend. Your mom said I could come up."

You rolled your eyes at the sound of Peter’s voice and walked toward the door with a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips. 

Dressed in comfortable sweats, his brown hair a fluffy mess, his cheeks flushed a bit from the cold, and his glasses slightly crooked on his nose. 

"Hi, Pete," you said, trying to sound nonchalant, though your heart was already racing. "You’re looking extra nerdy tonight."

“Well, thanks.” Peter smiled, his eyes lazily scanning over you. “I thought it was perfect for spending the night with my amazing, smart, undoubtedly beautiful and stressed-out girlfriend.”

You rolled your eyes, leaning against the doorframe. “If you keep talking about how amazing I am, I’ll have to give you an A+,” you teased.

“Now I really have to live up to my perfect boyfriend status.” Peter winked, stepping into your room, his eyes quickly scanning the pile of textbooks and papers strewn across your desk. “Still stuck on that paper, huh?”

"Yeah, it sucks the life out of me," you muttered, running a hand roughly through your hair, “I’ve been stuck on the same paragraph for the last hour.”

You sit back down at your desk again, glaring at your computer as if it has insulted your entire bloodline. But Peter bought it for you and added the stickers himself. It was perfect. Just like your Peter. While your professor was like a spawn from the depths of hell, who added 5 pages to the requirements the week before it was due.

Peter chuckled, the sound of his voice like a soothing balm to your weary mind. "I see. Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m pretty sure you could write a paper on the properties of your stressed brain and still get an A." He walked up to your desk, giving you a cocky little grin. “I mean, I could totally do it for you, y’know. I’m pretty good with words, my fingers, my tongue and my ability to ramble on endlessly about, well, everything?”

You blush and roll your eyes, amused despite yourself. "Really? You think you could just write it for me?"

Peter shrugged, leaning against your desk, the cocky grin still on his face. “Oh, absolutely. I could take this whole thing and turn it into a masterpiece. I’m Peter Parker after all, baby. You could just sit back and relax, while I do all the heavy lifting, which is easy for the guy with certain cool abilites. You could even, y'know, take a break,” he added.

You laughed, but it was more of a tired chuckle than anything truly amused. 

“You’re ridiculous,” you said, trying to focus on your laptop again. “You don’t even know the topic, Pete.”

“True.” He pretended to think about it for a second. “But it could be something about molecules or atoms?” He gave you a sly smile. “I mean, I’m practically a walking periodic table. And if chemists do it on the table periodically, we can too.”

Your cheeks flushed at his implication. “You’re such a dog.”

Peter grinned, a little glint in his eye as he took a step closer. "Well, if you are about to combust, let’s just say I’m the perfect solution. After all, I’m all about bonding chemistry, especially with you," he said, winking.

You snorted, despite your frustration, your cheeks flushing from both the playful flirtation and the weight of the work still looming over you. "Stop it," you said, unable to keep the smile off your face. “You’re so corny.”

Peter leaned closer, his hand brushing your hair back from your face, and his smile softened. “I can’t help it. You bring out the best in me,” he said, before adding, “and the worst, apparently.”

You rolled your eyes, but this time, there was no hiding the grin that tugged at your lips. "You’re gonna distract me with your terrible puns. But I’m behind. If I stop now, I won’t get it done.” 

Peter’s smile faded into something softer as he gently rubbed your head, his hand moving in slow circles on your scalp. 

You fold faster than a lawn chair for this man as your eyes close, a protest dying on your lips.

“I get it, sweet girl. I do. But you’ve been working that pretty little ass off for hours, and you’re only going to make yourself more frustrated if you keep going like this. I’m not saying you can’t finish it because that would be a lie. I am never not in awe of you. But just take a break.” He paused, watching you with those warm, brown eyes. “Let me help you relax for just a little bit. Then, you’ll have the energy to kill this paper.”

“I’m fine,” you muttered, though your resistance was weakening. “I don’t need a break.”

Peter’s hand moved to your shoulder, his warm fingers easing the knots with praticed ease. He knew every spot to hit to make you melt. “A quick break will help you, baby.” You were all but purring.

You hesitated for a moment, but when your eyes locked with Peter’s warm, brown eyes, you were a goner.

“Okay, Pete,” you mumbled, giving in. “Fine. I’ll take a break. But only for a little bit.”

Peter grinned, victorious, and without hesitation, dragging you to your bed. “I knew you’d see things my way, baby,” he said, his voice full of smug satisfaction. “Now, let’s get you properly relaxed. In more ways than one.”

As soon as your head hit the pillow, you sighed in relifef. You looked up at Peter, who was taking off his jacket, revealing the softest sweater. You needed him. 

Peter crawled up beside you, grinning down at you like a prey in his trap. “I promise, I won’t let you do any more work until you’re feeling like yourself again. Then, we can tackle that paper together. Not a moment sooner.”

You laughed. "Yeah, right," you teased, rolling your eyes. “Sure, and then we’ll write a paper about quantum physics and why it’s best enjoyed with cookies.”

“Ah!” Peter gasped, his eyes lighting up. “Quantum physics and cookies? Now that’s a bond I can get behind. Who needs regular chemistry when we’ve got this kind of reaction?”

You snorted, your frustration finally melting away with Peter's playful jokes and gentle teasing. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, then your nose, and then finally, your lips.

“See?” he whispered against your lips. “Much better.”

Then, without warning, he starts peppering you with soft, quick kisses all over your face, making you laugh despite yourself.

“Peter!” you exclaim, trying to push him away, but his hands hold you gently in place, the kisses relentless and warm.

He pulls back just long enough to look at you, eyes glinting with mischief. “You need to smile more, you know? Seeing my girl happy always makes me happy.”

A warmth spreads through your chest. And just like that you are reminded that you are the luckiest girl ever.

Peter’s grin widens at your smile, and he leans in again, this time planting a soft, sweet kiss on your lips. You melt as his tongue slips into your mouth.

And for the first time all night, you feel light. Peter Parker was your solace.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he murmurs, pulling away just slightly. “And neither is your paper. So how about we just focus on this for a while? Just you and me.”

Peter rubs your back as you relax into him, your world shifting from stress to calm in the span of a few minutes. His voice is soft as he whispers jokingly, “Just relax for me, okay? Let me be your hero.”

“You always are.” You smile and pull him closer, letting the weight of the paper slip away for a little while longer.

Thank you so much for reading. My professor did, in fact, add five pages to the requirements for the paper a week before it was due, so this was totally self-indulgent.

But I hope you enjoyed this :)

If you'd like to be added to my taglist

Much love x

- Maeve

[myerssimp21]

Batcave Meeting (YAN!Pt.3)

Romantic!Yandere!Batfam Part 3. Part 1, Part 2 here (context: Tim Drake purposefully got aphrodisiac'd when fighting Ivy and then went over to Darling's apartment to smash. This is a batfamily meeting about that and how to move forward.).

As you obliviously drifted to sleep, the live feed of you doing so was being projected onto a big screen in the BatCave while members joined together at a table, casually watching you as you yawned and readjusted against your pillow. The imposing man situated at the end of the table clasped his hands together, regarding the young men in front of him. Once everyone was seated, the imposing man began speaking to them, noticing how many of them had their eyes glued to the screen.

"We're going to discuss what happened the other day and plan for next week," he announced, and the pouty brunette who had had a frown on his face now crossed his arms.

"Allow me to explain it from my perspective first, Father," he said, sporting a moody expression, "You and Drake were unexpectedly out of commission during your patrol, which, while not typical, is understandable given our line of work."

His eyes flicker over to Tim and Jason, narrowing in contempt and disgust.

"Todd and Drake both know how important our duty to Gotham is," Damian continued while making eye contact with Jason, "But instead of prioritizing that, they let their impulses get the better of them. Drake especially for instigating the situation. Using Ivy's aphrodisiac to... indulge with our darling? It's selfish, reckless, and disrespectful."

"Damian, hold on a second," Jason interjected, "I had no idea about the aphrodisiac. It was my night off so I was sleeping in and missed Bruce's calls when he and Tim got doused in it. I only woke up because the audio feed from her apartment was turned up and I heard them together. I blew up Tim's phone and went over when he left because I was pissed, and I didn't realize that was why she couldn't get enough. I feel really bad about it now that I know."

Damian's expression softened subtly as he absorbed Jason's explanation. Despite his composed demeanor, the tension still lingered in his features.

"I appreciate your honesty, Todd," Damian conceded, his tone slightly softer, "It's still not acceptable that she was acting strangely and this was not analyzed, but I understand that the situation was...unconventional."

As Jason and Damian had a moment of newfound comradery, Tim finally spoke up, "I understand your frustrations, but you need to know that I researched Ivy's aphrodisiac extensively before I ever considered using it. I made sure it wouldn't have any adverse health effects on anybody and appropriately calculated the risks."

Damian's expression darkened further, his negative feelings towards Drake beginning to truly show. "This isn't just about general safety or the safety of some substance!" he exclaimed, "It's about respect and her consent. You had no right to manipulate her like that, whether or not it posed a physical risk."

"Come on, Damian," Tim retorted, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice. "She didn't find out about the aphrodisiac, did she? So what's the big deal? It's not like we hurt her or anything. She's fine, and she doesn't even know what happened. In fact, she likes us even more because I made a move for us. Why are you making a big deal out of nothing?"

Jason scoffed, his distaste in Tim at this point evident. "Seriously, Tim? You're gonna act like a douchebag just because she didn't find out? That's messed up, even for you."

"It's not just about the immediate consequences," Damian shot back, his voice angrier. "It's about the long-term impact on her. I bet you didn't even stop to consider how your actions could affect her, or how they could undermine the trust she has in us. And what about the ripple effect it could have on her relationships with all of us? He's playing with fire, Father, and he needs to be held accountable."

"Let's not overlook the bigger issue here," Tim said, his voice defensive, "What I did was perverted, I admit that. But let's not pretend that bugging and wiring her apartment is any less invasive. That's hardly consensual either."

"Don't you dare deflect the issue!" Damian's voice rose, and he was now yelling, "We implemented those measures for her safety, not for our own entertainment! It's a gross violation of her privacy, but at least we did it to protect her!"

"Oh? And having two separate cameras staring at her bed is going to what, protect her from bad dreams?"

"Dami, Tim, let's try to keep our cool here," Dick interjected gently, easing in to defuse the tension, "We're all on the same team, remember? We need to work together to figure this out."

Damian turned to Dick with a measured gaze, "I want to hear your perspective on this matter, Grayson."

Dick sighed, solemnly addressing Drake. “Tim, what you did wasn't just a mistake. It was a deliberate breach of trust. She relies on us to keep her safe and instead of focusing on that, you exploited her vulnerability.”

"Also," and Dick seemed more pained at this part, "You betrayed our trust. We all care about her and you influenced her desires for your own gain."

Tim sat in silence, his expression filled with shame as he began to realize the gravity of his actions. He knew he had acted irresponsibly, and the weight of their words hung heavy in the air. Jason and Dick exchanged silent glances, their disappointment evident in their expressions.

Damian took a deep centering breath before focusing his attention back on Tim.

"This isn't about whether she found out or not, Drake. If you still don't understand that, then we need to take more drastic measures to address and punish this behavior. Father, I appeal to you to implement anything you deem necessary to prevent such behavior in the future. We cannot allow such indecent actions against her to to be repeated."

Bruce, understanding the severity of the situation and having now heard everyone's perspective, nodded solemnly at Damian.

"Tim, in light of your actions, there are going to be some consequences," Bruce stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You need to schedule therapy with Dr. Thompkins to address the troubling attitude that led to this situation. While we have taken invasive measures to monitor her, as Damian pointed out, your actions went beyond that."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing. "Until you've attended and Dr. Thompkins deems it appropriate, you will be restricted from having any contact with _____."

Finally, Bruce's gaze softened slightly as he looked at both Damian and Tim. "And Tim, it's imperative that you and Damian eventually reconcile. We're a team, and we need to remain united in our goals and overall behavior. I expect both of you to work towards rebuilding your relationship for the sake of the team and our darling."

"Damian," Bruce addressed his son, "since Tim will no longer be able to have contact with her, I'm assigning you a new responsibility. You will substitute him as her school friend and be someone she can rely on for assistance with homework and company. I want you to pick a class of hers that sounds interesting to you and make sure you're there to support her. It's important that she has someone she can trust and rely on, especially now. It's an opportunity for you to show her that she can count on us."

As the meeting continued, Damian spoke up, "I'll join her art class. It will allow me to assist her with her assignments and ensure she receives the academic support she needs."

Bruce nodded in approval. "Good choice, Damian. Make sure to approach this responsibility with care and dedication."

Turning to Jason, Bruce's expression grew serious. "Jason, I need you to be especially understanding and supportive towards her. If she feels troubled or has any lingering negative thoughts about what happened, I expect you to be there for her."

"Of course, Bruce," Jason says, eyes fixated on the now-sleeping figure of their darling on the cameras, "I'll do whatever it takes."

Dick now spoke up, "Can we talk about introducing me as Jason's roommate?"

Bruce shook his head, "Not yet; I want to make sure Damian successfully integrates first. You can still frequent around her job but no more interactions than that."

"Except for as a vigilante?" Dick replies hopefully, and Bruce gives him a measured gaze similar to his son's.

"Yes, although I expect you to exercise patience and primarily work in Blüdhaven for now."

Damian cuts in, "And don't be like Drake and fabricate a reason for her to need you."

"Damian," Bruce says in a tired voice, "I've made myself clear."

Damian looks down with an expression like he's biting his tongue and contempt is bright in his eyes, "Sorry, Father."

With that, the meeting concluded, each member of the Batfamily knowing the roles they had to play in ensuring their darling's well-being and trust remained intact.

[reneesghostinthelivingroom]

I think doing a poly! Plastic (fem reader)where they’re dating reader and Cady moves to the school and has a crush on reader! The reader is oblivious but the plastics notice! Maybe reader starts spending more time with Cady and the plastics do something bout it!

Just an Hour

|| poly!plastics x fem!reader

|| Warnings; swearing, little Cady x reader, Regina fighting with reader, Regina being controlling, arguments, Cady has a crush on reader but reader's oblivious, more Regina focused, angst/hurt

|| Summary; reader and Cady are parents for a project; reader loses track of time and Regina finally has enough.

Requests open!

Started; october 20th

Finished; october 20th

Reblogs, comments and likes all really help and are very much appreciated! Thank you if you do🫶

~~~

It's been well into the new school year, you've been best friends with Cady for about a month now. Much to your girlfriends displeasure. They didn't like how close you and Cady have been getting, all your little inside jokes together, how you had more classes with her than them, everything. It was even starting to bother Karen, who was the least jealous type out of the three. But you remained oblivious to it all. You didn't notice how Cady stole glances at you whenever you weren't looking. How she seemed to be more clingy with you than everyone else. How she laughed at your jokes, even the bad ones. How she 'needed' your help with studying despite having been doing just fine before you. You didn't notice any of the little signs. But your girlfriends did. They've had enough.

It was sixth period study hall and you and Cady were spending it in the library, working on a science project together. Your project had been to make a poster board highlighting some part of space that wasn't as well known as others. The two of you had chosen the Tabby Star for your research assignment. Making notes about the facts as well as the theories, because there were a lot of interesting ones.

"Wouldn't it be crazy if the Tabby Star did actually have alien structures around it?" You said, reading one of the theories about why the brightest of the star changes.

"It would be kinda cool," Cady easily agreed, looking over your shoulder to read the shared computer. Cady was working on the hand written notes while you covered the research part. Every so often the two of you would switch roles to give the other a break in their task. Your project was going pretty smoothly and you were confident the two of you would land at least an A.

When the day was over, the two of you packed up your stuff. With Cady taking the project home; you trusted her more than yourself with it. Knowing it would probably get damaged at your place.

"Work on it again tomorrow in study hall?" You asked, she gave you a nod and smiled.

"Yes, totally! Maybe you could even come over for a bit tonight to work on it?" She took the leap, her heart racing as she asked.

"Oh, I can't tonight. I have a thing with my girlfriends." You did, so that wasn't a lie to get out of it. And you knew how your girlfriends would act if you blew them off for someone else.

"What about for just an hour?" Cady asked. You bit your lip in hesitation. An hour wouldn't be bad, right? You'd still have plenty of time for your girls.

"Okay, yeah. Just an hour." You weren't exactly good at saying no to people, especially not those you considered friends.

So you went to Cady's after school, the two of you working in her dining room. Laughing and making jokes as you worked on your project. You didn't notice the time fly, or the multitude of texts from the group chat with your girlfriends. Who were wondering where you were. Regina decided to take matters into her own hands and switch over to snapchat, looking at your location. Cady's house? The fuck were you doing there? She glanced at Gretchen and Karen.

"Come on, we're going to Cady's." Regina stated, heading out to her jeep. The two girls quickly followed. Regina drove pretty quickly, not wanting to waste time by following laws. Though she hardly follows speeding rules anyways. Which has landed her a few tickets.

When they got to Cady's, Regina walked right in and saw you laughing at one of Cady's jokes. Only to stop when you noticed Regina, eyes going a little wide.

"Regina- shit. What time is it?" You asked, glancing at the clock and realizing its been well over an hour.

Gretchen and Karen came up behind her, holding each other's hands.

Regina went to you and grabbed your hand, pulling you from your seat as you grabbed your phone from the table." Let's go, Cady can do the rest on her own. Right, Cady?" She faked a smile to her. Though internally she was pissed. You gave Cady an apologetic look as Regina practically dragged you to the jeep. When she got you in the passenger seat, she turned to look at you." What the hell, Y/N?"

"I know- I'm sorry, I totally meant to only be there an hour but we got focused on the project and I lost track of time." You explained, Regina's hand gripped the wheel.

"Ugh. You're not allowed to hang out with her anymore." Regina said, she tended to be controlling over things. Especially things like this.

"Huh?" You were confused.

"Are you that oblivious?" Regina glared at you," she has a crush on you!"

Gretchen and Karen stayed quiet, knowing Regina would probably get annoyed if they said anything right now. They share a glance with each other.

"What?" You blinked. You really hadn't noticed, but now that she said that it was kind of obvious. How were you that oblivious?

Regina sighed," she's literally obsessed with you. How can you not fucking see that?" Her hand hit the steering wheel, clearly more than frustrated with you.

"Okay- okay.." You flinched as you watched her hand and sighed, glancing at Gretchen and Karen for help. Gretchen just silently but subtly shook her head.

"Don't look at them, look at me." Regina grabbed your chin, turning your attention to her." Break off whatever friendship you have with Cady."

You frowned as you looked into the blonde's eyes, Regina wasn't going to leave the driveway until this was settled." Okay... but can I at least get this last project done with her?" You asked slowly, treading carefully.

"Fine. But you're ours tonight and Cady can go fuck herself." Regina huffed, you figured she was at least a little satisfied with your answer because she finally started up her jeep and left the driveway.

That was the last time you would ever go to Cady's house.

[junplusone]

seventeen as engineering majors

notes: hi i have nothing to say for myself except this is partially @imujings's fault and also my self indulgence so here we go (can you tell what my major is..... lol)

warnings: ehh swearing, i namedrop companies, eng jargon

-

CHOI SEUNGCHEOL - civil engineering

if you know, you know

is very proud of his program despite all the jokes (he shouldn't be) sorry im biased

"we're better than the meches"

never had to take dynamics in his LIFE omg

100% has a poster of the golden gate bridge on his wall and gets made fun of for it

is convinced one day when he's making bank and jeonghan is jobless he'll finally be vindicated

YOON JEONGHAN - mechanical engineering

did have to take dynamics & almost failed it

(he's smart, he was just too lazy to submit any of the homework that was also worth 60% of his grade)

gets salty at career fairs when most of the employers are construction companies

competing with the 24853874534 other meches for class sections

leaning into the "jack of all trades master of ????"

has a superiority complex over the aeros

HONG JOSHUA - computer engineering

should have just been a cs major tbh

compe is the bottom of the engineering food chain

but nobody has the heart to tell him that bc he's too kind

hangs out with the likes of yoon jeonghan but still never skips class

wants to create his own video game

probably got an internship at a fortune 100 company

has hella connections and WILL ask them to nepo you too bc he's that nice

WEN JUNHUI - aerospace engineering

has had enough of the lockheed martin jokes

does NOT !!! wanna work in defense he's a sustainable fuel guy

spacecraft development companies pleaseeee hire him

lets the meches have beef w him bc he dgaf what they think, but gets annoyed when they start competing w him for jobs

sidequest king (double minor in math & ecology AND he wants to try his hand at law school???? wtf)

locks in so freaking hard when he has to but is just silly otherwise - he's that student you never see studying but then they ace the exam

KWON SOONYOUNG - chemical engineering

is the one making lockheed martin jokes in front of junhui

but definitely picked cheme because someone told him he can make bombs

had to retake orgo twice but then passed inorganic chemistry with flying colors

academic wild card #1

always ends up with 8:30s bc he never wakes up on time for class registration

#1 merck worshipper pls hire him omg

LEE JIHOON - computer engineering

is at the bottom of the engineering food chain, but unlike joshua he knows & owns it

is a cs minor so it's slightly more excusable

probably has hella shit on github

definitely following more companies on linkedin than he has connections

double major in music production & plays clarinet in the pep band

you will never see him without his headphones on

JEON WONWOO - electrical engineering

actually very strongly dislikes that electrical & comp are grouped together as ece

likes the versatility of his major

probably never had a single morning class in his life

def came into college proficient in a bunch of programming languages

sits at the back of the lecture hall

never ever studies outside of his dorm bc he likes using his huge desk monitor

KIM MINGYU - biomedical engineering

so sick of every single person he meets assuming he's a premed student

has definitely accidentally broken flasks in his bio lab

was so elated when he found out orgo isn't a graduation requirement

always ALWAYS studies w a whiteboard

is one of the only guys in bme

you can always find him cooking up some food in the dorm's communal kitchen, he's always down for a conversation

LEE SEOKMIN - environmental engineering

minor in sustainability, he's an environmentally conscious sweetie pie!

the dream project groupmate

is one of like 15 people in his graduating class

wants to research water treatment technologies

"did you know using chatgpt is harmful to the environment?"

and he's right !!!!

took organic chemistry for fun and aced it even though mingyu warned him it would tank his gpa

XU MINGHAO - chemical engineering

really wants to work in the fragrance industry

always smells good, you'll never catch him lacking

another one of those people where you don't see them study ever but they still coast through classes

gets distracted when he's drawing out chemical compounds bc he tries too hard to get the lines perfect

and then starts sketching something else

second most nastiest side eye

BOO SEUNGKWAN - industrial & systems engineering

y'all know this man did not wanna do any work (jk i love my ise majors)

business admin double major & he's reaaaally good at it

everyone's jealous of the way he charms all the employers at the career fair how do u even do that like???

very intelligent but hated every calc class he had to take

always studies in the business building

nastiest side eye EVERRRRRR do not say anything stupid in front of him please he will vaporize you

CHWE HANSOL - materials science & engineering

walter white in the making

declared a chemistry minor and then never took the required classes

really enjoyed crystal chem

profs have a hard time grading his hw cause his handwriting lowkey looks like chicken scratches

the absolute chillest during finals week but nobody knows if it's because he studied way in advance or because he didn't study at all

academic wild card #2

such an 'it is what it is' guy tbh...

LEE CHAN - packaging engineering

ppl look confused when he tells them his major

is in it for the near 100% job placement

has a great time in all of his classes because they're so fun and the class size is like 8 kids

doesn't fully know what he wants to do later in life but he'll figure it out later

carpe diem kinda guy

wants to intern at a cosmetics company really really bad so he can take sample products home to his mom

let me know if u enjoyed this hehe :)

[memorandum]

...EXPERIMENT: BEGIN ! I commend you for finding this file. In the chance of my death, I must ask you continue to document ASU-NARO agents. Do whatever you must to extract our desired results. Don't worry—they've already signed away their lives.

{ This is an interactive ask blog, set one year prior to the Death Game! Run by @faresong }

☕️ KOA MYOJIN ;; Adopted heir of the Hiyori/Myojin Branch. Japanese/Vietnamese; 11 years.

KOA MYOJIN is the replacement heir for Hinako Mishuku, Myojin's biological granddaughter. Being raised with this knowledge hanging over her head has resulted in a rather cynical mindset wherein she views those around her, up to and including herself, as pieces in a larger game. A mindset reinforced by Mr. Chidouin in Myojin's absence, for he had faith in her where Myojin did not—seeing her solely as a mandatory last-resort to continue his reign of power. But of course, even a pawn can become a queen.

🎃 RIO RANGER (LAIZER PROJECT) ;; Experiment of the Gotō Branch. Doll, Japanese model; 20 years.

RIO is an experimental project spearheaded by Gashu Satou simulating the deceased Yoshimoto heir. It was initiated with its basic personality, and to compensate its limited emotional range, this iteration of AI technology was granted a much more adaptive program compared to M4-P1. As such, he has taken to mimicry of the researchers which surround him in all their crudest forms. Despite denouncing humanity, his development has certainly been typical of one. The candidate AIs are proven promising.

🐉 SOU HIYORI ;; Heir of the Hiyori/Myojin Branch. Japanese; 22 years.

SOU HIYORI is the heir of the Family and inherently quite skilled at keeping appearances—only if it benefits him. He obeys Asunaro with the sneer of someone who thinks himself something above it, and has recently taken great lengths to abandon its ruling through the rejection of his individual humanity. It is a bastardization which requires admirable resolve, but implies him to be a much larger threat if left unchecked. Thus, Mrs. Hiyori arranged plans for his execution on the day Myojin and herself are simultaneously incapacitated or dead.

🦋 MAPLE (ITERATION M4-P1) ;; Experiment of the Gotō & Hiyori Branch. Obstructor, Japanese model; 26 years.

MAPLE was the first Obstructor to be granted emotional programming, and is the final Obstructor to be decommissioned. However, this fate has been put on standby due to the new researchers intrigue in her, insisting she exists as a base from which all other AI programs were spawned and must be archived properly. Until her execution, Maple tends to menial tasks within the laboratory she resides and spends her idle time pining for Hiyori and wishing to learn more about humanity through the researchers who care for her.

🩸 KAI SATOU ;; Patriarch of the Gotō Branch. Japanese/Wa Chinese; 26 years.

KAI is a reserved patriarch whose reputation precedes him. Though once thought denounced, he's rumored nonetheless a controversial figure in Asunaro's midst—however, all can agree him to be a vengeful, resolute person lent the power of God.

💉 MICHIRU NAMIDA ;; Lieutenant of the Satou Family, Gotō Branch. Korean; 28 years.

MICHIRU is a revered researcher within Asunaro's newer ranks, having quickly rose to a position of respect for her ruthless pursuit of seizing humanity's destiny with her own two hands. Without being absorbed by the superficial desire for power, many recognize her dedicated state of mind to be reminiscent of the natural way Mrs. Hiyori assumed her role under Asunaro's whispers of guidance. There is importance in the fact that the Godfather's right hand regards her as a peer, where he otherwise dismisses his own kind by blood, by culture.

🫀 EMIRI HARAI ;; Lieutenant of the Satou Family, Gotō Branch. Japanese; 29 years.

EMIRI is a new researcher and serves as the connecting point between Asunaro's primary facility and civilian life. For all her resentment buried inside one-off remarks and festering within herself, she throws herself to her work with the drive of a passionate someone who has lost all else. Someone who perhaps hungered for life.

(￣▽￣) MR. CHIDOUIN ;; Godfather. Japanese; 44 years.

MR. CHIDOUIN aligned himself with the Gotō Family's lost heir after his father's untimely death, uniting the two families in a manner he hoped would justify the suffering once inflicted upon them—but particularly his wife, who had been cast out by her own. Despite, or as he had claimed, for his being extremely capable of detaching to arrange the larger canvas upon which Asunaro's story is written, he takes a personal pride in being the one to groom and inevitably cull its important pieces.

⚰️ GASHU SATOU ;; Captain of the Satou Family, Gotō Branch. Japanese; 62 years.

GASHU is a remarkably candid researcher with a scrutinizing eye for detail. Despite regarding most with unrelenting cynicism, he places his remaining shreds of hope in a choice few. Whether they reinforce this worldview and finally break him is a decision entirely in their hands.

[dark-moonlust]

Unmasking Desire

Commission October 2024 for anon!! This has so much sass, enemies-to-lovers vibes and smut!

Pairing: male Fae (Eli Thorn) x fem Vampire (Mara Sinclair)

Summary: a female vampire named Mara and a male fae named Eli are professors at the same university. They have been rivals since they met but they’ve been assigned to work on something together by the head of their department. Despite their attempts to get out of it, they agree to meet up to get the project done. Emotions are unleashed, their desire unmasked.

Warnings: 18+, oral (fem+male) foreplay, p in v sex, overstimulation, in public but magic keeps it private and no one finds them, many orgasms (fem), size kink, dirty talk, big fae🍆, lots of 💦.

Copyright @ 2024 by Kate Hart This commission is owned by Kate Hart. As the original writer, I strictly forbid any form of reproduction, replication, or translation of my stories without my explicit consent. This is a commissioned short story and will be posted on the author’s sites for others to enjoy.

Late evening found Mara sitting in the back corner of the library, her legs crossed, drumming her dark-red nails against the leather arm of the velvet sofa. It was a quiet Saturday, no one was around. The library was open for her convenience. Moonlight filtered through the tall, narrow windows, sending faint shadows across the room. Silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her face but her lips were twisted, a frown on her features.

She didn’t like waiting—especially when it was for him.

Professor Eli Thorn.

He was the last damn male in existence she would have chosen to cooperate with.

The project.

It was the worst duty she'd ever been given. Runes and magical artifacts from the Lost Ages. The words of the chief department still rang out in her mind. He had handed in this assignment at them with a single directive: "You two are some of our best minds and I'll expect you to work together, whatever your personal differences. Your research will provide remarkable intel for our university.”

Of all the damn people she had to cooperate with him.

Of course, Mara had tried to wriggle her way out of the assignment no matter how great. But the head of their department had been firm. Mara was busy enough already and working with Professor Thorn was going to be a pain in the butt. He grated on her nerves. He was a silver-tongued devil who thrived in finding ways to pry into her carefully guarded life, somehow invading every hour of her day with his maddening charisma.

Mara had watched him glide through lectures with ease, the students and fellow professors eating out of his hand, captivated by his calm, dark voice. Yet for some strange reason, Professor Eli Thorn decided to focus all of that energy on her. No matter what assignment she chose, no matter how tough her research, he always managed to find a way into her orbit, arranging things so he could poke her logic.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention. Her gaze sharpened as the door finally opened, the subject of her thoughts entering with that cocky, unconcerned strut that made her bite her lips and shift uncomfortably in her seat. Damn it… there it went again, that unnecessary attraction she felt every time she saw the irritating fae.

Tall and well-built, he strolled in the room, looking damn fine in a dark, brown vest over a crisp, white shirt, its sleeves rolled up to reveal strong, lean forearms tattooed with runes—signs of the ancient fae magic he possessed. His hands were also inked and full of veins, his fingers long and deft. He wore a single accessory: a silver ring set with a black opal, a powerful heirloom from his ancestors.

His face was sharply defined, clean shaven and as if crafted by an artist with an aristocratic jawline, slightly pointy ears, high cheekbones, a smirking mouth and chocolate dark skin. Eyes the color of deep green settled on her with a knowing glance. His lashes were long, his hair as black as midnight, falling to just below his jaw. Mara had noticed— completely randomly— that he often brushed it back when lost in thought or just in casual charm.

Why had that unimportant detail entered her mind again?

Clearing her throat, she returned his gaze boldly. “You are late, Professor Thorn.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk as he sat down irritatingly beside her on the sofa. “Missed me, Mara?”

“You keep calling me by my name when I’ve never given you leave to do so.”

“I know that deep down you just love it.”

Her jaw tightened. “I prefer it when people keep the professional boundaries.”

He didn’t reply and gazed at her silently, his eyes sweeping over her from head to toe, taking in her cold, almost regal stance. He lingered just a touch too long over her figure, noticed the way she tightened her thighs and he cursed himself for it. She was a creature of precision and discipline, yet at the same time, a living temptation, a dangerous mystery.

Yes, Eli thought silently, the vampiress was a vision, sitting there in a demure dark red dress that hid most of her smooth porcelain-pale skin. Yet, somehow, it managed to make her appear even more luscious, driving him mad with longing. She was tall, with generous curves and magnificent silver hair that fell in thick curls down her shoulders, reaching past her waist. Her hair was truly captivating, framing her face like a halo, emphasizing her striking blood-red eyes and lips— full bow-shaped lips, hiding her fanged teeth.

Eli had never met anyone like her. She was all prim, razor-edged disapproval and looked at him as if he were beneath her as if she'd rather drive a stake through his heart than spend another moment with him. But she also tugged at something deeper inside him, something darker within. There was a fire beneath that graceful pride of hers and he could sense it shimmering, scent her desire.

And the more he sensed that heat, the more he wanted to expose it—to shatter her walls, lay her bare, breathless and powerless, beneath, above him, in every position possible, every part of her entangled with him.

Bloody hell… he doubted he could complete the assignment after all. His defenses were crumbling. His patience snapping.

Eli swallowed back his innate craving and forced himself to focus.

"So," he said, breaking the tense silence between them. "How do you propose we divide the work, then?”

“I suggest we work separately and discuss only when necessary. I prefer my partners silent and obedient.”

Eli lounged back in his seat, his legs outstretching, arms nonchalantly folded across his chest. "Silent and obedient? Oh, Mara…" he drawled, allowing her name to slide off his lips. "It’s such a shame. I was never any good at obeying."

“Which, frankly, makes me question why I'm stuck with you.”

“Oh, poor you. But go ahead, sweetheart. Try pretending you don't want me here.”

“Enough with the useless talk. This project takes dedication and competence, I don’t want it to take forever, can we begin please?”

He grinned and stretched out with a leisurely look, obviously taking his time. "You know, judging by the fire in your eyes, it as if you wish you could make me disappear into thin air."

Eli saw her smile. Her lips curved, just a little, cute fangs peeking —and damn it, she was lovely.

“Was that a smile?” He leaned forward, his scent taunting her senses. “Pretty. Do it again.”

“Do you really think you're going to get to me with this nonsense?” she murmured, turning open her notebook in an attempt to avoid him.

He laughed. “How you wound me.”

She slammed her notebook shut and sighed. "If only.”

Another low husky laugh while he brushed his hair back and Mara couldn’t help but follow that motion. Warmth pooled in her belly and she flung herself up, quickly widening the gap between them. She hated him and his commanding, alluring energy that prickled her flesh.

No, she thought. Professor Eli Thorn was distracting and irritating. Nothing more.

Mara approached the tall bookcases but before she could grab a book, he was there, his chest pressing against her. Her notebook dropped to the floor and she clutched the bookshelf as she felt every line of his muscular chest against her back, his orangy musky scent surrounding her. He tantalized her senses, made her body tinkle in heat, liquid warmth trickling from her pussy. And yet she didn’t pull away.

“What are you— we are supposed to be looking over texts—ancient runes—”

“Hmmm,” he interrupted huskily. “It’s a project that will take a lot of work and cooperation.”

“Your games, Professor Thorne are pointless.”

“Tell me, Mara—do I get under your skin as much as you get under mine?” he drawled, his warm breath tricking her ear. He was at the end of his tether. Fuck patience. Fuck everything.

“I repeat, your games are pointless.”

“Liar.”

In a swift motion, he turned her over, his hard chest squeezing against her breasts and pressing her back against the shelves. Strong arms encircled her as she gasped and placed her palms into his chest, splaying her fingers wide to feel his muscles contract. Damn, he felt so good, so hard and unyielding, his scent wrapping around her.

“Yes, you are a liar,” he repeated, his voice husky, “you keep biting your lips, rubbing your thighs together.” He leaned down, his smirking lips inches from her own. “I can scent you, my naughty little vampiress. Your pussy must be soaked. Must be feeling so sore and needy down there, hm?”

“Is it amusing, Professor Thorne?” Mara’s voice was smooth but there was tension in her crimson eyes. “Treating me like this?”

“Amusing? Oh, absolutely.” His hands reached out, fingers burying in her silky hair. “I mean, how often do I get to see the perfect Mara Sinclair looking like she’s about to snap?“

"Release me. You're insufferable."

Mara struggled but didn’t use the full force of her strength. She could have him off of her in a few lethal movements, but she didn’t want to. She liked him exactly where he was. And he obviously liked it, too. He didn’t budge and chuckled low and deeply which both frustrated and left her breathless.

"And you enjoy every second of it, don't you? Go ahead, confess it. You pretend to hate me but you want me,” he drawled, pressing the head of his erection against her belly. “Gods, you drive me mad. I’ve wanted you ever since I looked at you.”

“If you think I’ll be drawn by your juvenile attempts at flirting, think again.“

“Oh, but you’re calling this flirting. And you know what? I believe there is a part of you that appreciates how I make you feel something other than perfect, something real."

Mara opened her mouth to reply only to have her breath shallowed by his mouth. His lips brushed against hers, tasted her before coaxing the seam apart and plunging inside. He growled at her taste, pinning her hands on either side of her head, his body pressing down on hers, his cock hard and pulsing. Nearly melting against him, Mara gave him her mouth, freely, opening at his invasion, their breaths and moans mingling. 

Eli broke apart the kiss for a second, marveling at her kiss-swollen lips. “All you have to do is let go for once.”

“So that you can break me?" Mara replied, half-dazed by the kiss.

His grin grew nasty, his green eyes flaring with something predatory. "Never. I’ll let you break me apart, sweetheart, do whatever you want with me.”

And then he was kissing her again, this time devouring her lips and letting his tongue taste her mouth. Mara felt her knees go weak and tried to pry her hands free. After a few tugs, he set her free and she hungrily roamed her hands over his body, touching his broad back, feeling up the muscles of his chest and shoulders. 

“Damn, Mara,” he groaned and gave a sharp thrust against her clothed belly. “It fucking hurts— hurts to be so hard for you.”

“Eli…” she whispered as she let her barriers fall, the carefully formed shields she had created collapsing under his touch.

“Finally, you called me by my name.”

His gaze met hers and she felt herself falling into the passionate green of his eyes, the desire simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to swallow them both. The line between desire and restraint snapped— it no longer mattered.

She was done hiding her emotions for him.

Done playing.

This one’s a bit longer than usual, so if you’re up for the full read, it’s available for free over on Patreοn. It’s open to everyone—come by and enjoy!

[tinydefector]

hey you do character x character right? Like canon character shipped with another Canon character? It wasn't on you list of won't do but I'm asking anyway

If you'd be open to, I like to request a TFP wavewave fic (Shockwave x Soundwave) where Soundwave is snuggled up with their big boyfriend (Shockwave is fat to me so very soft and nice to cuddle)

You could make it pure fluff or you could make it more then that, but ya I would just like to request Shockwave getting loved on by his smol partner

Query's

Shockwave x Soundwave

Word count; 1.2k

Warnings: none, complete soft and fluff

I do intact do character x characters when I get a chance. Sorry, this one took me so long to make, but I did enjoy making some cute Wavewave,

_________________

Shockwave was once again engrossed in his work, barely notices the photo message sent to his Comms. It's only when the small blinking of even more notifications pop up does he finally check the messages. He finally glances to the side as the image comes up almost like a hologram only he can see, the image of elephants. Followed by a small smiley face emoji. Curiosity piqued, he turned towards the communications officer on the other side of the Lab, Soundwave had taken to working on his reports, investigations and other important tasks while in the Lab due to how peaceful he found it. Most venicons avoided it like a rust plague.

"What is the purpose of these images, Soundwave?"

Soundwave looks up from the monitor he was viewing moving towards Shockwave, a servo moves to rest on Shockwave waist.

" image captured during satellite surveillance. Elephants: Large terrestrial mammals, they are fascinating." His reply is a mix of different recorded voices as he presses his faceplate into Shockwave's backstruts, a slight hum resonates from his spark.

"Elephants are indeed fascinating creatures, known for their social structures and unique adaptations. However, my current research does not pertain to them."

Shockwave states while he types away looking at levels and new details over his research. He subtly tries to shift away from Soundwave's touch, Two of the Soundwave's tendrils move and wrap around Shockwave's waist again as he stays pressed against Shockwave's back, it wasn't often either of them got time together or by themselves, Soundwave is aware of how caught up in work they both become.

"Statement: Soundwave Likes Elephants” He replied in the monotone dialect he had taken to using for communication.

Shockwave can feel the warmth radiating from Soundwave's frame against his back, and it sends a ripple of guilt through him. He himself is aware of how touchy Soundwave gets when something is wrong.

"Soundwave, this is highly irregular,"

Shockwave manages to say, his voice tinged with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. He tries to focus on the task at hand, but his attention is divided between his work and Soundwave.

"Query?" The communications officer asked.

"Query noted,"

Shockwave replies, as he relaxes into the smaller Mechs embrace. He attempts to regain his composure, despite how much he enjoyed this, he had work that needed to be finished. But he was willing to humour his partner. Soundwave is quiet as if waiting for an answer to his question but it's left unsaid answered.

"We will discuss further about Terra Tellus-Gaia's quadrupedal Mammals, but not now. I have important work to attend to,"

Shockwave says, his voice almost a Void as he tries to run more tests over the different energon levels in beakers. The Nemesis depended on Shockwave finding a new modification and dilatation of the Energon they had been recovering for it to be more productive as a fuel source. Another static like hum leaves Soundwave as he continues watching Shockwave works while cuddling him.

"Query: project success. details. results?"

He inquired. Helm tilted to the side enough to watch the screen. In truth Soundwave was aware of every change in the levels he watched everything and even knew all the information without Shockwave having to explain it but he enjoyed listening to his paterners voice when he spoke, he enjoyed how passionate he became with different subjects.

Shockwave's processor races as he tries to process Soundwave's query while simultaneously grappling with the unexpected change in one of the vials when it comes into contact with salt water. Shockwave is quick to note down the bubbling reaction with the liquid form of the unstable Energon.

" progress is satisfactory,"

Shockwave replies curtly, his voice betraying a hint of his inner turmoil.

"However, the details and results are. they can wait. There are. other matters that require my attention."

Shockwave turns towards Soundwave, watching the smaller Mechs visor. Despite Soundwave being a ‘Faceless’ mech, he had rather easy body language for Shockwave to read. Or perhaps it was just that Soundwave made himself more open when around the Scientist. Shockwave knows that he should prioritise his work and maintain a professional distance, but the warmth of Soundwave's embrace and the comfort it brings makes it difficult to resist. Soundwave moves, pressing his helm to Shockwave's optic ridge.

"Statement: project on hold, Wish to spend time with Sparkmate"

Soundwave calls Shockwave as he leans into the touch more, his field bouncing off Shockwave's as they flicker and dance together in a static laced buzz.

Shockwave's optic flicker. He wants to argue with Soundwave over getting this experiment finished However, deep down, he knows that he cannot deny his own feelings any longer, nor would he win the argument with the communications officer, for all his mute approach Soundwave was rather good at getting his way with Shockwave and wasn't past putting up a fuss if it meant he got to spent time with his lover.

"Understood, Soundwave,"

Shockwave finally responds, his voice tinged with a mix of hesitation and longing.

"The project can be put on hold. Spending time with you is a priority."

With a mixture of triumph and smugness in Soundwave's field as he snuggles into Shockwave's shoulder plating, the humming of their fields bring an almost peaceful vibe to the overly quiet Lab.

"Request"

Soundwave states before his actual voice comes through, a rare thing even for Shockwave to hear.

"You are exhausted, don't lie to me, I can read your body and your mind, "

he hums softly into Shockwave's shoulder plating. Shockwave's optic blinks slightly at Soundwave's request, both surprised and touched by the rare display of concern. He knows that Soundwave's abilities allow him to perceive things that others might miss, and he can't help but feel a sense of vulnerability in that moment.

"You are correct, Soundwave,"

Shockwave admits, his voice softer than usual.

"I have been pushing myself to the limits, neglecting my own well-being in pursuit of my scientific endeavours. It seems my mind has become so consumed with data and research that I have failed to take care of myself. And in turn neglected our time together"

He allows himself to lean into Soundwave's embrace, feeling a sense of comfort and security wash over him. The weight of his exhaustion becomes more noticeable, and he realises that perhaps he does need a moment of respite. An escape from This lab once in a while.

"Perhaps it is time for me to rest, if only for a little while. Your presence... it brings me a sense of peace that I have not felt in a long time."

"Retire with me?" The request comes quicker than soundwave would have liked

"I... I would like that, Soundwave. I have dedicated so much of myself to my work, and perhaps it is time for me to prioritise you."

As his exhaustion weighs heavily on him, Shockwave realises that he craves the solace and companionship that only Soundwave can provide. With a nod, he gently disentangles himself from Soundwave's embrace, his servo reaching out to take Soundwave's servo.

“Recharge sounds..”

“Delightful?” Soundwave finishes Shockwave's sentence, his smiley emoji flickering across his visor as he begins leading Shockwave back to his hab suite.

________________

Let me know if you would like to be added to tag list (tagged for every fic)

Taglist

@angelxcvxc

@saturnhas82moons

@kgonbeiden

@murkyponds

@autobot79

@buddee

@bubblyjoonjoon

@chaihena

@pyreemo

@lovenotcomputed

@mskenway97

@delectableworm

@cheesecaketyrant

@ladyofnegativity

@desertrosesmetaldune

@stellasfallow

@coffee-or-hot-cocoa

@shinseiokami

@tea-loving-frog

@aquaioart

[local-lamppost]

Sonic 3 Initial Thoughts

So I saw Sonic 3 and I really liked it. Adventure 2 has my favorite story of the franchise so even a loose adaptation was great to see (they even referenced Shadow the Hedgehog by having Shadow's origins be a black comet).

The only part I had a problem with was how they shied away from everything being GUN's fault. Gerald was hired to create the a weapon, a life form that could also cure his granddaughter's illness. Then the project gets out of hand and GUN wants to cover it up, so they kill everyone and imprison Gerald to keep him working for them (and they later kill him anyway in an amazing cutscene). GUN spends the whole game doing their best to keep the cover up going and doubling down. They are the real bad guys. This is still in the movie but it feels glossed over.

I loved Maria and Shadow's dynamic. We didn't get too much time with them, but the way it was shown-that Maria was the only one in the facility that didn't see Shadow as a monster/alien/things to be studied and Shadow being someone Maria could play with. I wish they had included a line about Maria wanting to experience the world beyond where her grandfather went for research, that she and Shadow planned to explore the world first hand when it was finished, and Maria's last words of protecting the world. Being the world's protector despite everything the world has done to him is Shadow's most important trait and I feel like it could've been touched on more.

The fight between Shadow and Sonic was amazing. Shadow goading Sonic into killing him, pointing at his heart the same way Maria and Tom have done to each one, and that connection being what snaps Sonic out of his anger was perfect. Then going on to watch the sun (a still living star) rise over the earth while they talk. Gorgeous.

Knuckles and Tails were relevant! This is always something I worry about in sequels that add to the cast, but they were handled perfectly. Knuckles being the guardians and having the final say of giving Sonic the power. Tails being the brains and moral support, as well as peacemaker between Sonic and Knuckles. It all evened out very well.

Lastly, Stone and the Robotniks. While I have mixed feelings of him being alive in the movie's present, Gerald is a fantastic villain. His line of "You're not Maria, Ivo" was brutal. I was wondering how they would work out a living Gerald with access to a living grandchild still wanting to destroy everything, but having him purely treat Ivo as a shell throughout was perfect. Ivo himself just wants to be cared for, something he thinks only family can provide for him despite Stone being right there. It's this familial requirement for affection that allows Gerald to use him and for Stone to be forced out, and if they do bring him back (which I really hope they don't) what his new dynamic with Stone would be now that he knows Stone really does love him.

All and all, a great film and I'm excited for the fourth. I'm really excited to see how Amy and Metal Sonic are handled, especially now that SEGA is writing her as an actual character lately.

[akutasoda]

tighnari x reader with that one tighnari voiceline in which he asks for the friendship certificate but reader him shows a marriage certificate instead to see his reaction<3333

documents of a lifetime

synopsis - you wanted to tease him a little with how serious he took your friendship, but soon it became all so real

includes - tighnari

warnings - gn!reader, fluff, slight crack, talks of marriage, hints to marriage, wc - 436

a/n: this is so cute and perfect haha, i got a bit carried away! hope you dont mind!

you had taken up a small research job in the forest of avidya for a summer project for your research into various flora and fauna that resided across sumeru's nation. you figured it was a good place to start. naturally that meant you would regularly converse with tighnari, the forest watcher.

he would let you know the ins and outs of what he had found in the forest and would let you know if there was something particularly amiss in parts of the forest and urge you to avoid them untol further notice. he were one of the few researchers that he actually liked. some didn't care about taking his precautions and ended hurt badly, or would be obnoxious to the wildlife. but you not onlt were considerate but were hardworking and very dedicated.

as your project was coming to an end you kind of wanted to stay in contact with tighnari, you wanted to become friends with him and not wanting to lie to yourself but he was kind of attractive. but that was just a plus. but before you put our your proposition, tighnari had approached you first. he also wanted to keep in touch as friends so before you left he wanted to ask you about it.

obviously you agreed to be his friends and what made you laugh was his response. 'are we officially friends? what, so this sort of thing needs official documentation now? okay then... well, hand over your 'friendship certificate.' i assume it'll need my signature?' he then proceeded to tell you to come round his with it tommorow.

now you had an idea, just a little joke to surprise him with. so as you met with him the next day you presented him with what was clearly a marriage certificate with a very wide grin. he quite literally short circuited as he face went red with embarrassment stuttering that that was not what he meant. you let out a slight giggle at his reaction before giving him a makeshift 'friendship certificate.'

although that little encounter repeated on his mind constantly, despite his embarrassment he couldn't help but imagine it being true and not a little joke. he did admit to himself that you were very appealing to him. and unbeknownst to him you felt the same.

and like a little memento, a while away from that original encounter, both dressed in white you handed him a marriage certificate and even now he still felt a small amount of embarrassment creep up on him. more so than when he finally placed the band of metal upon your finger.

[burntoutvibin]

I May Not Bite, But He Does

Both by law and social standards, it is unacceptable to bite an omega on the nape of the neck, causing temporary paralysis, unless consent is received beforehand.

~~~

Or

Viktor would never bite Jayce's nape without his permission, it was so wrong on so many levels and a complete betrayal of his trust

Not everyone shares the same sentiment about Piltover's Golden Boy

Words: 1.9k

Warnings: A/B/O, Attempted SA, Violence, Blood

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

"I won't be long, the papers I need should be pretty easy to find" Viktor said as he headed out the doors of the lab towards the Academy's storage.

"I'll miss you for every second you're gone my love" Jayce exclaimed, dramatically placing a hand over his heart and the other against his forehead, Viktor groaned and picked up his pace to hurry out the door.

"You disgust me, Talis" Viktor called as disappeared out of view, Jayce could hear the smirk in his voice as his partner walked away.

"Love you toooooo~" Jayce smiled, turning back to the blackboard in front of him. The calculations on the board swirled together into nonsense with how long Jayce had been staring at it, he and Viktor had been pondering over this project for almost two weeks now with almost no progress. Viktor had finally given in and had gone to collect some old research papers from the Academy's archive that may be what they needed to finally hit a breakthrough.

Despite how frustrating their research had been over the past few weeks, being able to spend more time in the lab with his partner made Jayce incredibly happy. With his heat fast approaching within the next few days, his inner omega was practically purring with the proximity of his mate.

The sound of the door creaking open once more pulled Jayce's attention away from the blackboard.

"That was fast, I didn't even have any time to write any heartbroken poetry" He joked lightly, awaiting the annoyed noise that he knew Viktor would respond with.

But it never came.

"V?" Jayce frowned turning to look at the door, just as he thought the door was open but no one was in the doorway, had Viktor forgotten to close the door on his way out? No, that wasn't Viktor at all.

"Is somewhere there?" Jayce questioned, placing the chalk down that he was holding, perhaps someone had mistaken their lab for another room and needed directions? Despite Jayce's questioning, no one answered, the door must have not shut properly and swung open with someone walking past.

With a shrug, Jayce began to walk over to close the door once more

Only to feel a strong hand wrap around the front of his throat from behind, yanking him backwards against an unfamiliar chest.

Before he had time to react, sharp teeth clamped down on the nape of his neck causing his heart to seize in terror, eyes widening in panic as that dreadful heavy feeling began to overcome his limbs. Jayce attempted to flail his arms backwards towards his assailant but the neck down paralysis was acting too fast for him to be able to defend himself.

In a final effort of self-preservation, Jayce opened his mouth to yell out for help only for the gloved hand on his throat to slap over his mouth, muffling his last attempts of rescue from what he knew was coming.

"Easy there, pretty boy, don't make this harder than it needs to be" Hot breath hit his ear sending disgusted shivers down Jayce's non-feeling spine, attempts to bite at the hand clasped over his mouth were fruitless, the leather preventing his teeth from doing any real damage.

"Feisty huh? Even better" The man behind him growled as he began lowering Jayce's limp body to the floor.

Jayce couldn't help but whimper as thoughts began running through his head about what was going to happen to him. He was completely paralyzed from the neck down for at least the next ten minutes, no one was around, and the man's bruising grip on his face stopped him from calling out for somebody, anybody's help and Viktor-

Viktor wouldn't be back for at least thirty minutes.

He was completely and utterly trapped.

This man could do whatever he wanted to him and there was nothing he could do about it

And by the way he was attempting to pull at Jayce's uniform, he already knew he was not going to like it one bit.

The man huffed out a laugh before leaning over Jayce's form, bringing his mouth close to his ear once more as he spoke "Don't need to pretend you don't like it, sweetheart, I can smell the heat on you" his voice felt slimy and gross against Jayce's skin

No

No that heat was not for him

It was for Viktor

Viktor

His partner, his mate

His alpha

----------------- Viktor never forgot his keys

How on earth did he manage to forget his keys?

They were always on him

Maybe he was in too much of a rush to get away from Jayce's dramatics to remember to pick them up

Regardless of how he forgot them, now it meant turning around and walking back to the lab to retrieve them before he could get the papers he needed.

Thankfully, Viktor had only been two corridors away from the lab when he had realized the lack of keys in his pocket, at least it wasn't going to be two trips to the storage room.

Viktor sighed as he turned the corner that led down to his and Jayce's shared lab, his partner would tease him over this for at least a few days.

At least they would have something else to talk about rather than the damn research that continuously mocked them from the blackboard.

As Viktor closed in on the lab, his ears pricked up at a strange and soft high-pitched sound coming from the set of doors at the end of the corridor. He slowly came to a stop and strained to listen closer.

Something within the quiet and murmured sounds made every hair on Viktor's body stand on edge, his stomach churning with a sick feeling.

Suddenly, like a bucket of cold water was thrown over him, realization hit him, his confusion turning into a primal rage and possessiveness.

It was an omega’s distress call

His omega’s distress call

Without thinking about the consequences, Viktor began running as fast as he could, unable to suppress the rumbling growls that spilt from him as he closed in on whatever or whoever was hurting his mate.

If it was someone, they were going to regret laying a finger on his omega

Viktor crashed against the door with his shoulder, causing it to fly inwards and smash against the wall next to the frame. An inhumane growl resonated deep within his chest as he saw red at the scene in front of him.

A man bent over his Jayce. One of his filthy hands was over Jayce's mouth, attempting to silence the distress-filled whines he was emitting and the other attempting to pull at his partner's belt. Jayce's panicked scent was flooding the room, a strong mix of vinegar and acid hit Viktor hard, almost making his eyes water as he stalked closer to the figure who still had not noticed him.

"That's a good little omega, just lay there nice and still" Viktor felt the fire within his chest rage to an even higher level as the man mocked his immobilized partner. With all the strength he could muster, Viktor lifted his cane over his shoulder before bringing it down as hard as he could over the creep's head with a sickening CRACK.

The figure over Jayce let out a loud yelp before crumpling to his side, his hands clasped over his head where Viktor had struck. Not letting any more time go to waste, Viktor pushed the man as far as he could from Jayce with the end of his cane before moving to protectively place himself over his partner, a low and possessive growl leaving him as he glared daggers at the man.

"Stay away from him" Viktor could feel his sharp alpha fangs crowding his mouth as he spat at the limp man on the ground. Blood could be seen leaking through the man’s fingers and onto the lab's grey floor below, yet Viktor could not feel even the slightest bit sorry for the pathetic excuse of a beta in front of him, it was the least he deserved.

"Viktor?! Wha-What happened?!" A familiar feminine voice exclaimed from the lab's entrance, Viktor couldn't hold back the instinctual growl that left him at the newcomer’s presence, his body tensing to protect Jayce further if need be.

Sky's wide and surprised stare towards him made his overprotective mindset relax sparsely, returning his attention to the situation in front of him.

The man who had been attempting to assault Jayce was on the ground bleeding

And Jayce was underneath him still paralyzed, seemingly still believing he was in danger as he continued to let out heartbreaking whimpers and cries that shot directly at Viktor’s heart.

“Get the enforcers, now” Viktor commanded. Sky didn’t ask any questions, only nodding before turning on her heels and running out of the lab.

Viktor inhaled sharply through his nose and moved to no longer be over Jayce, rather kneeling close to his head. Wanting nothing more than to gather his mate into his arms and soothe him, he knew that his scent still held far too much anger and bitterness, it would only cause Jayce’s already panicking system even more distress.

Inhaling deeply and meaningfully, Viktor forced his body to calm and fill his scent with soothing pheromones that Jayce required. With a gentle chuffing noise, Viktor leaned down closer to Jayce's face, his heart squeezing painfully at his lover's fearful scrunched-up expression.

“Jayce. Jayce my sweet omega, it is alright, he cannot hurt you anymore” Viktor rumbled softly, moving to lay down near Jayce's tall form to appear less threatening.

At the sound of his voice, Jayce's distress calls slowly trailed off, being replaced by a shaky tear tear-filled whimper, yellow eyes opening to meet Viktor's concerned and loving amber staring back at him.

“A-Alpha” Jayce whined, frustration laced his expression as he was still unable to move from the neck down.

“Shhh, uklidni se, it's alright, I'm here now. May I touch you?” Viktor questioned, receiving a nod and gentle whimper in response.

Not having to be told twice, Viktor quickly slotted himself into Jayce's space, wrapping his body around Jayce's taller frame. Viktor softly swiped his cheek against Jayce's, scenting him before moving his partner's head to rest against his main scent glands under his jaw. Jayce's nose burrowed against his neck with a sniffle, his words coming out shaky and uncertain.

"He... he bit... he was trying to-" His voice caught in his throat as a sob bubbled up, Viktor hushing him softly in response with a hand carding through his soft hair.

"I know lásko but you are safe now, I have you" There was little else he could do until Jayce was able to move again. Viktor's mind drifted to the emergency nest he and Jayce had built a while ago in one of their spare storage closets, taking Jayce there right now would be perfect.

However, Jayce was not a small man in any sense, even with the adrenaline that had allowed him to seemingly run back to the lab Viktor would not be able to lift Jayce all the way to their nest.

So for the time being, the two of them were stuck on the floor. Waiting for the feeling to come back to Jayce’s body.

“Does your head hurt at all lásko? He didn’t drop you?” Viktor questioned, unable to suppress the small angry rumble that laced his tone. Thankfully, Jayce shook his head against his throat.

“No, I’m not injured I don’t think…” Jayce’s voice trailed off into a whimper causing Viktor to frown, his hand pausing in his partner’s hair.

“Jayce? What is it?”

“Don’t let go of me… please…”

“Never”

-----------

This was sitting in my docs for ages and ages, I could have written more but I couldn't find words, my brain is mushy I've seen this concept written before, but I thought I'd take my shot at it

I just love A/B/O and love Viktor being overly protective of his man and of course, Jayce whump ̶M̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶c̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶s̶

Comments make my heart happy ♥

Translations: Love: lásko Calm down: uklidni se (I apologize for any mistakes, please correct me if need be!)

---------

Find me on AO3 ♥ https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurnoutVibin

[chlobliviate]

Wolfstar Microfic - Medal

Words: 969

@wolfstarmicrofic

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

It was the second week of seventh year. The second week of figuring out how to keep whatever was going on between them secret. It was proving harder each day. Sirius repeatedly had to stop himself from reaching for Remus’ hand when they got up from the Gryffindor table, and Remus had played off the one time that he almost kissed Sirius’ temple as a complaint that he smelled like wet dog.

It wasn’t sustainable, but they hadn’t even put a label on what was happening. All they knew was that it felt inevitable. The pieces of the last six years had finally slotted together in the way they were destined to do.

Sirius visiting Remus at his parents’ cottage in Cornwall in mid-August was a lovely surprise. Remus had plans to go into Falmouth on the bus, and Sirius was happy to tag along. After they’d picked up Hope’s medicine from the pharmacy, Sirius bought them both an ice cream and a fresh lemonade to share and they headed to the pier. Somewhere between sharing a straw for the lemonade and Remus getting ice cream on his nose and Sirius licking it off, something changed. The air around them felt heavy, the sound of the sea muffled.

It was Remus who snapped first. Sirius had been talking about how he’d read Jane Eyre over the summer and that was it. He crowded him against the pier railing and kissed him. A tentative brush of their lips, growing into something ethereal that made him feel like he was going to pass out and fall into the sea. Once it was clear that Sirius was going nowhere, he relaxed into the kiss and allowed Sirius to flip them, the railing pressing against his back as Sirius’ thigh pushed between his legs.

They hadn’t talked about it much, neither of them wanting it to ruin their friendship, despite both of them confirming that they were very much into it. Waking up with his face pressed against Remus’ neck no longer felt wrong to Sirius. No longer feeling like he could only sneak into his bed, but that he was supposed to be there and more importantly wanted there was overwhelming. They agreed not to tell anyone until they’d decided what they were, but that meant no morning kisses, no slipping his hands under Remus’ t-shirt and no Remus's hand running up Sirius’ thigh under the table. In short, it was a stupid decision, and they both hated it.

They’d agreed to meet in an empty classroom on the third floor, under the guise of map research. Remus had barely made it in the door before Sirius enveloped him in his arms. He spun him and pressed him against the door, pressing a kiss to his neck, then his jaw, before their lips met hungrily. The full moon was only two nights away, and Remus hadn’t been lying when he said that it affected his libido.

As they sat with their backs against the door a while later, the elephant in the room was screaming at them.

“Have you thought any more about… us?” Remus asked quietly.

Sirius looked at him, “Moons, I haven’t been able to think about anything else. I'm going to fail all of my NEWTS if we keep this up.”

“Oh,” Remus smiled, “In a good—”

“Yes, in a good way!” He pressed a quick kiss to Remus’ mouth. “I’m in. I’m all in.”

“So, boyfriend?” Sirius could get used to seeing Remus blushing like this.

“Boyfriend,” He confirmed. “Now, what do we do about telling people?”

Remus shrugged. Sirius could tell that he was already a little moon-grumpy, “I really don’t mind. I think we should tell James, Pete and the girls. Outside of that, I don’t really care.”

“Let’s go and tell them, then.” Sirius got to his feet and held out his hand to pull Remus to his. He pressed Remus’ shoulder against the door and held him there. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.” He kissed him sweetly before pulling away. “If we have any hope of telling them, we need to leave now.” Remus chuckled against his lips before lacing his fingers through Sirius’ and opening the door.

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

James, Pete, Lily, Marlene, Dorcas and Mary were sitting on the sofas and rug in front of the fire when they got back. Lily was the first to clock their joined hand and her wide eyes and small squeal attracted the attention of James. Then it was a domino effect of each of their friends realising what they were seeing.

“Is this why the two of you have been so weird this term?” Pete laughed, “I told you, James!”

“More importantly, when did this happen?” Lily pulled out a piece of parchment from her bag.

Remus looked at her curiously. “Over the summer?”

“I need a date, Remus.” She ran her finger over the parchment, looking up at them.

“Well you can’t have him, he’s mine.” Sirius quipped, to Remus’ amusement. “It was 16th August.” Of course, Sirius knew that off the top of his head.

“Mary wins!” Lily threw the parchment at her. “Could you not have waited another two days?”

“I’m sorry, you bet on us?” Sirius looked at each of them in turn. “How did you know?”

“How did you not?” Drawled Marlene, checking her crimson nails.

Their eyes met and they smiled. How did they not know?

“Honestly, I knew since fourth year when Remus—”

“Alright James, do you want a fucking medal?” Remus snapped. “James Potter, number one secret keeper?”

“Wait! What did Remus do in fourth year?” Sirius asked, fascinated.

“Nope,” Remus started towards the stairs, dragging Sirius along giggling. “Goodnight!”

“Silencio is your friend! Love you!” James called after them as they disappeared.

“Ok, what did Remus do in fourth year?”

[liaromancewriter]

Kismet

Premise: Ethan walks into a bar, and everything changes with one look.

Book: Open Heart (pre-series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Angst (sort of) Trope: Pining Words: 1,045

A/N: This is not part of my hc for their relationship, but I got to thinking: what if? Submission for @choicesjunechallenge2024 prompt "beginning"

The walk down memory lane had been an unusual step for him. He’d never been one to look behind when forward was the only thing in his control.

And yet, Dr. Ethan Ramsey retraced his steps, remembering late nights at the hospital, longer nights debating medicine with his best friend and staying up past dawn to cook breakfast for an overnight guest of the female persuasion.

The brick facades of Johns Hopkins’s medical school campus and neighboring hospital radiated a warm, historical charm that contrasted with Baltimore’s industrial urban vibe. The air was thick with the scent of spring blossoms, mingling with the distant hum of traffic from Orleans Street.

Back then, he’d been one of many students cramming to survive and score a top residency. Almost seven years later, he was a distinguished fellow of infectious diseases and a new attending physician at one of the premier teaching hospitals in the Northeast.

He’d once fought tooth and nail to get professors to notice him and get into research projects. Now, those same professors had invited him to participate in a multidisciplinary research study at his alma mater. His career was finally picking up speed.

He’d come a long way from the motherless son of a cable repairman in Providence, Rhode Island.

Lost in memories, Ethan kept walking, marching past gas stations and seedy liquor stores until he reached the red brick townhouses and apartment buildings that marked the edge of Upper Fells Point.

While he and Tobias had shared a two-bedroom walk-up close to the hospital, they’d spent enough time in the bars at Upper Fells and Canton to consider them a second home.

Ethan stepped into the familiar, dingy atmosphere of a neighborhood pub popular among medical students. The yeasty smell of beer, sweat and cologne permeated the air.

In his day, the bartender had been a wizened old sailor with a surly attitude and a talent for sensing trouble before it brewed over. Now, a perky brunette manned the stick, tattoos covering one arm and a nose ring that sparkled when it caught the light.

Despite that, the scents and sounds were typical of a Friday night. The rattle of balls from the two guys playing pool in the corner, laughter from a blonde with darts in her hand smiling flirtatiously at a beefy, muscular type he often associated with meatheads.

Feeling nostalgic, he wound his way to the end of the bar and parked himself on a padded stool with a clear view of the minuscule dance floor. He caught the eye of the bartender, who nodded in acknowledgment as she finished an order for another customer.

Ethan glanced sideways as the blonde darts player squeezed into the tight space beside his stool and leaned her elbows on the bar. Her companion caged her from behind, placing his hands on the bar, pressing his front to her back, and leaning in.

“Back off, JD,” Blondie ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

The Meathead eased his hips back but otherwise kept close. “Come on, babe. One date. You won’t regret it.”

Blondie scoffed. “No. We made a bet. I beat you at darts, and you’d stop bugging me. Last time I checked, I destroyed you,” she checked her wristwatch, “two minutes and thirty seconds ago.”

She shoved an elbow into his gut, hard, causing the other man to take a quick step back.

Sensing trouble, Ethan stepped in between Blondie and Meathead, using his height to his advantage to look down his nose at the younger man.

“The lady said no,” he said sternly. “I suggest you walk away.”

Meathead looked like he wanted to argue. Of course he did, thought Ethan. Scalpel jockeys weren’t exactly known for their intellect. But Ethan’s scowl must have clued him into quitting while he could.

The other man looked past Ethan’s shoulder, shrugged and turned around, stomping off to join his buddies, who’d been watching the entire time and drunkenly laughing at their friend’s misery.

“Thanks for the assist.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, turning around.

Now that he had a clear view of her features, he wondered at the stupidity of the wannabe surgeon in departing the field so quickly.

Her long hair fell in loose waves across her shoulders, and his fingers ached to feel if the texture was as soft as it looked. But it was her face that mesmerized him. Porcelain-like flawless skin shimmered under the neon lights, and those green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

With lips curved into an enigmatic smile, she reminded him of John Singer Sargent’s paintings of aristocratic women from the Gilded Age—beautiful, elegant and out of his reach.

For the first time in his life, he felt nervous talking to a woman.

“What can I get you?” The bartender interrupted.

“Let me,” Blondie insisted, cocking her head sideways.

She tapped one manicured finger against her lips, peered intently into his eyes and suddenly grinned. “Whiskey, neat.”

The bartender glanced at him, seeking confirmation, and Ethan nodded.

“How’d you know?” he asked, raising his brow in surprise.

If he expected a response, he was doomed to disappointment. The mysterious smile returned, this time tinged with humor as if she knew all his secrets and wasn't deterred by them.

The bartender placed his drink on the bar, took the twenty Blondie handed her, and left them alone.

"Enjoy your drink. And thanks, again."

As she brushed past him, Ethan caught a faint scent of orange blossoms and vanilla, a fragrance that seemed to promise something more. She was halfway across the floor before he shook himself out of the spell her smile had cast on him.

“Wait!” Ethan’s hand reached out, but he grasped only the empty air where she had been.

In that brief moment, vignettes of a possible future with her flashed through his mind: walks along the Esplanade, late-night talks by the fireplace, the warmth of her hand in his as they drove up the coast for a weekend getaway.

He felt a pang of loss as he watched her disappear into the night, swallowed up by the crowd milling about the door.

The sense of connection, of something profound slipping away, left him standing there, drink untouched, heart heavy with unspoken words and unfulfilled possibilities.

And he never even knew her name.

------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso

@mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16

@justyourusualash @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Surrounding Characters: Carter

Age: Unknown

Occupation: scientific researcher

Workplace: Xander Sciences (a research institute)

Education:

Skyhaven University Medical School

Dropped out, did not get his doctorate

(Important Clarification Note: Both MDs and PhDs are specific types of doctorate degrees! MD means "Doctor of Medicine" and is a professional doctorate degree. PhD means "Doctor of Philosophy" and is a research-oriented doctorate degree.)

Details:

Is often referred to as "Dr. Carter", despite not completing his doctorate degree

Speaks about conquering death with an almost religious fervor

Speculation: Possibly religious (based on numerous references to "God" and "God's mission")

Attended Skyhaven University’s Medical School while Zayne was also a student

While in medical school, was Zayne's senior and labmate

Outperformed Zayne in the theoretical model of this research back in school (though his application of it never went as smoothly)

Desperately wanted to know what Zayne discovered, why he intentionally destroyed his contribution, and then stopped researching it

After Zayne abandoned it, brought their joint Medical School project to Xander Sciences under the name "X-Heart”

Update! As of the most recent story update, we now know what Carter looks like!

Relationship with Zayne:

They disagreed on the ethics of applying Protocore technology to revive dead cells

Was trying to convince Zayne to leave Akso Hospital and join him at Xander Sciences

When trying to recruit Zayne, he hid a Trojan horse in the medical record he sent him

Believes Zayne will never change, no matter how the world changes

Considered Zayne his "stubborn junior"

After failing to recruit/convince Zayne, he questions the pursuit of Zayne altogether. “What he really needs is not a like-minded colleague, but a pair of hands. Ones that can carry out God's mission and allow for God's descent. Zaynes hands.”

Interest in Protaganist:

Remembered Zayne became a doctor because of a girl. Suspected he was taking over Dr. Noah's work.

Considers the girl as the key to getting Zayne. As long as he has that mysterious girl, he knows he'll always have Zayne's skilled hands.

Wonders if that girl is even more interesting than his research patients. Maybe her value to X-Heart would far exceed that of Zayne's.

Relationship with Dr. Noah:

Dr. Noah often refers with a sense of disappointment, frustration, annoyance, or regret? Some unspoken negative sentiment:

“That boy, Carter…Nevermind”

(When seaking of the excited First-Year Medical Students after the oath ceremony): “William and Carter were like this too. Nevermind.”

(When resolving the consequences of Zayne intentionally deleting his part of their research): “Quiet, boy.” [pushes Carter behind him] “I'll handle this. Let the students go first.”

Notable Quotes:

[Sarcasm] "Tell me, is the natural law an unshakeable moral boundary? Or is it just a comforting phrase people use?"

(To Zayne): "Xander Sciences doesn't want to see a genius like you be forgotten. The Evol technology you're insisting on is so last year. No one wants an artificial lump that needs to be charged in their heart now. Protocore tech is the golden brick that will pave the way to the future."

(To Zayne): "My skills are nothing compared to you and Dr. Noah's. I can't be as meticulous and efficient as you.”

(To Zayne): "Dr. Noah thinks highly of you, you know. He would mention you to me and Will all the time back then. It made us really curious about you before we met."

(In response to the news of Dr. Williams death on Mt. Eternal): "Mt. Eternal, huh… The view's good, but there was an anomaly with the Wanderers a few years ago-. Wait, aren't you here to join us?”

(To Zayne): "Our job is to save people. If we can control life and death, why shouldn't we?!”

(To Zayne): "Do you remember how happy everyone was when the experiment worked? It was like a message left by God, and now we can finally respond! Zayne, do you believe in God?”

“Zayne, you should know you’re rejecting a path to life's truth. My answer hasn't changed either. I've always believed death is just a small obstacle. It can be overcome in due time.”

[waight-gain]

Chapter 10: New beginnings

Dylan & Simon

The last semester of college passed in a blur, filled with the bittersweet excitement of impending graduation. The days were a flurry of final projects, exams, and late-night talks about the future. For Simon and Dylan, it was a time of reflection and anticipation. They had built a life together on campus, but now the real world beckoned, bringing with it both opportunity and uncertainty.

Simon had secured a job offer from a prestigious research institute, one that came with a high salary and the promise of a bright future in physics. It was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, and when he received the official offer letter, Dylan had been the first person he told.

"Congratulations, babe," Dylan had said, pulling Simon into a tight hug. "You deserve this. I’m so damn proud of you."

But there was something else Dylan had been planning, something that made his heart race with nervous excitement. He had spent weeks preparing, choosing the right moment and the perfect words. And now, with their graduation just a few days away and their future unfolding before them, he knew it was time.

They were sitting on the couch in their small apartment, the remnants of dinner scattered on the coffee table. Dylan’s hand rested on his belly, a familiar pose that had become second nature over the past two years. He had continued to gain weight, though the pace had slowed. Having gained over 100 pounds in the 3 years they had been dating, he was a far cry from the lean, muscular jock he’d been at the start of college.

His belly was the most prominent feature of his new physique. It had grown large and round, a proud, heavy curve that rested comfortably in his lap when he sat down. It had just started to form a gentle sag at the bottom where it hung slightly over his waistband. The skin was smooth and taut, stretching over the fullness beneath, with a faint stretch marks across the sides. It spilled over his sides when he sat, forming love handles that were equally soft and inviting.

Despite its size, his belly wasn’t shapeless. There was a firmness to it, a sense of solidity that spoke to the strength hidden beneath the layers of softness. His regular trips to the gym for strength training had paid off in other areas as well. His arms were thick and muscular, with biceps that bulged impressively whenever he moved. His legs were powerful, the muscles in his thighs and calves clearly defined even as they filled out his jeans, which he hadn't worn in months. It was a body that spoke of comfort and confidence, a body that was both strong and soft, inviting and formidable.

And Simon loved every inch of it.

"You’ve been quiet tonight," Simon observed, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them. "Something on your mind?"

Dylan’s heart pounded in his chest as he glanced at Simon, the love of his life, the person who had helped him embrace who he was now. "Yeah, actually," he said, shifting slightly on the couch. His belly jiggled a little with the movement, a reminder of how much he had changed. "I’ve been thinking a lot about the future."

Simon raised an eyebrow, curiosity and a hint of concern in his eyes. "Good things, I hope?"

Dylan smiled, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small box. He held it in his hand for a moment, feeling the weight of it, before turning to Simon. "The best things," he said, his voice steady despite the nerves twisting in his gut. "Simon, I know we’ve talked about our future a lot, and we’ve been through so much together. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I don’t want to." He took a deep breath, then opened the box to reveal a simple but elegant ring. "Will you marry me?"

Simon’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth dropping open as he stared at the ring. For a moment, he was speechless, and Dylan felt his heart skip a beat, waiting for an answer. But then Simon’s face broke into the brightest smile Dylan had ever seen, and his eyes glistened with tears.

"Yes," Simon whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Yes, of course I will!"

Dylan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, a broad grin spreading across his face as he slid the ring onto Simon’s finger. "I love you," he said, his voice full of relief and joy.

"I love you too," Simon replied, pulling Dylan into a deep, passionate kiss that spoke volumes about their journey together. When they finally pulled away, both were grinning like idiots, the reality of what had just happened settling in.

"I can’t believe you did this," Simon said, looking down at the ring in awe. "I had no idea you were planning this."

Dylan chuckled, his hand instinctively resting on his belly again, giving it a gentle pat. "I wanted to surprise you," he admitted. "And I figured now was the perfect time, before everything gets crazy with graduation and starting new jobs."

Simon nodded, still beaming. "Speaking of new jobs," he said, giving Dylan a curious look. "What about you? You’ve been pretty tight-lipped about your plans."

Dylan grinned, feeling a surge of excitement. "Well, I’ve been thinking about opening a sports bar," he said, his eyes lighting up as he spoke. "A place where people can come to watch games, eat good food, and just hang out. I want to combine my love for sports with everything we’ve been exploring together—the food, the community, the idea that you don’t have to fit into some perfect mold to enjoy life."

Simon’s eyes sparkled with pride and admiration. "That sounds amazing, Dylan. I think you’d be great at that."

"Yeah," Dylan said, a smile spreading across his face as he imagined it. "I think it could be really great. And it’s something I can put my heart into, you know? Something that’s ours."

Simon leaned in, pressing a kiss to Dylan’s cheek. "I love that. And I’ll be your biggest supporter, you know that."

Dylan wrapped an arm around Simon, pulling him close. "I know," he said softly. "And I can’t wait to start this next chapter with you."

They sat there for a while, wrapped up in each other, the excitement of their engagement and their plans for the future filling the room with a warm, hopeful energy. Dylan felt a sense of peace settle over him, a certainty that this was exactly where he was meant to be.

He looked down at his belly, which rested heavily in his lap, a testament to how far he had come since the start of college. It was round and full, a symbol of his journey and the love he had found with Simon. It was more than just extra weight—it was a part of who he was now, a part of the life they had built together.

"By the way," Simon said, his voice breaking the comfortable silence. "I love this." He placed a hand on Dylan’s belly, rubbing gentle circles over the soft flesh. "I love how you look now. You’re… perfect."

Dylan felt a surge of warmth at Simon’s words, a feeling of acceptance that went beyond the physical. "Thanks," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I love it too. And I love you."

Simon smiled, his eyes shining with love. "I love you more," he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

As they held each other close, Dylan felt the weight of his belly pressing against Simon’s smaller frame, he had started going to the gym with Dylan and while still thin had toned his body in stark contrast to Dylan. His belly pressing into Simon as he pulled him close.