#Off White x Ikea

[hederasgarden]

In My Veins

Summary: You broke up with Sergei over a year ago, but it seems neither of you can let the other go. Pairing: Sergei Kravinoff x F!Reader Word Count: 1.6K Rating: Mature, 18+ only. Explicit sexual content, angst, some light B&E, and reference to stalking.  A/N: I tried to write a 500 word drabble and failed miserably. Based on this ask. Thank you @otaku-girl-ao3 and @crazyimaginations for looking this over. Please comment or reblog if you enjoyed this and want to see more. Or scream at me in my inbox. That always makes my day.

Aaron Taylor Johnson Character Masterlist ♡ Masterlist

The moment you open the door to your apartment and see the soft yellow glow from the lamp on the entryway table, one you definitely didn’t leave on, you know you’re not alone. Sergei’s back. You hesitate, keys still in your hand. Part of you wants to turn around and leave, anything to avoid the situation you're walking into. But you know he's already heard you, probably been aware you were coming since you stepped off the elevator. Even if you leave now, you’re just delaying the inevitable. He’ll come back another time. 

With a quiet exhale, you step inside, lock the door behind you, and let your purse and keys fall onto the table. Sergei is exactly where you expect him to be—splayed out on your couch like a big, lazy jungle cat. He lifts the bottle of beer in his hand and takes a long pull, his gaze meeting yours. His booted feet rest casually on the IKEA coffee table, the very one he helped you put together before you broke up. He’s dressed simply in jeans and a white t-shirt that clings just enough to show the muscles in his arms. 

“Greg seems nice,” Sergei says casually. 

You don’t bother asking how he knows the name of your date. The one you just came back from. 

“He’s a pediatrician,” you say. “It’s a nice, normal job.”

There’s nothing serious between you and Greg yet, you’ve only been on a few casual dates and decided to keep things light, no strings attached or expectations. But Sergei doesn’t need to know that.

He leans back, and takes another swig from the bottle, his thick neck working as he swallows. You can’t seem to tear your eyes away from the movement of his throat until he’s finished. He rests the bottle on his thigh and smirks when he sees you watching him. Irritation flares hotly inside and you cut across the living room, plucking the beer from his hand. You give his feet a quick nudge, sending them off your coffee table as you walk past him and into the kitchen. He doesn’t even flinch at your gesture, his eyes staying locked on you.

“He sounds boring,” he comments, following you into the kitchen.

You dump the beer in the sink, watching the bubbles disappear down the drain, your back to him.

“Maybe I want boring. Safe,” you murmur. “I bet no one wants to kidnap a pediatrician’s girlfriend.”

You know bringing that up is a low blow, even if it’s true. The resulting silence from Sergei is heavy, and you close your eyes, feeling a wave of guilt. Things between the two of you were never the problem – it was everything else in his life. 

After a beat, you glance over your shoulder. Sergei stares back at you, his eyes dropping briefly to take in the dress you wore for your date. Even though it’s just an old, comfortable sundress, the way he looks at you makes it feel like the most beautiful thing you’ve ever worn. You look away with a soft sigh, your head lowering, fingers curling over the edge of the sink.

“Why are you here?” you ask sharply.

Sergei ignores your question. “Why haven’t you invited Greg up to your apartment yet?”

A short, incredulous laugh escapes you, and you shake your head. “Are you stalking me?”

“I’m keeping an eye on you,” he replies coolly. “You’ve made a few ill-advised dating choices this past year.”

If your earlier comment was a low blow this is something even crueler. It was hardly your fault the first guy you dated after Sergei turned out to be a drug dealer who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“And I really appreciated your help with that,” you tell him earnestly. “Truly, I do.”

“I know,” he says quietly, coming to stand behind you. He’s close enough that you feel the warmth of his words against the back of your head. “I’ll always come when you need me.”

A shaky breath escapes you, and you squeeze your eyes shut. “And that’s the problem, isn’t it? We broke up a year ago, but you still show up at my apartment whenever you want. And I... I let you.”

As you straighten up from leaning over the sink, your back presses against his firm chest. His big hands settle on your hips. The feel of them is warm and comforting. You almost catch yourself sinking into his touch before you force yourself to pull away. You know if you told him to let you go, he would, but you don’t.

Instead, you just say, “I like Greg. I can see a future with him.”

Sergei exhales softly, his fingers tightening around your waist.

“Does he know how to make you come like I do?” he asks, his voice sinking into your skin. “How you like to be fucked?” 

His lips brush over the shell of your ear as he speaks. You swallow, the sound loud in the quiet of your kitchen. 

“Sergei, I–” your words fizzle out as his hand trails down your thigh, bunching the fabric of your dress until his calloused fingers find your inner thigh. 

He taps one of your feet with his boots and your body responds without your permission, widening your stance to accommodate him. Every part of you trembles and you hate the needy sound that builds in your chest when his thick fingers brush your clothed core.

“I know what you need,” he promises, his voice dropping into that low, soothing rumble that makes your stomach flutter. “Will you let me give it to you?”

You should tell him to stop. This isn’t what you want. You want to move on, to find happiness, but when you open your mouth, all you can manage is a thin, breathy gasp as his hand slips into your underwear. His thick fingers slowly drag between your folds, gathering the wetness he finds there. He circles your clit with a steady, unhurried rhythm. 

The counter groans when you lean your weight against it. You roll your hips, and Sergei chuckles, his wide palm settling on your soft belly. He presses down gently but firmly until your body is flush with his. He holds you there while he plays with you, his touch alternating between light, teasing strokes, and firmer, more deliberate pressure.

“Should I stop?” he questions, sounding wholly unaffected.

You can feel his smirk against your neck and you hate that he knows exactly how to make you feel this way with hardly any effort at all. If you weren’t so twisted up by him, you might actually tell him to stop, but God you want this. Want him. 

You shake your head, before you remember that’s not how you’re supposed to answer him. He wants to hear you say it. 

“No,” you moan. “Please.” 

“Good girl,” he praises, sinking one thick finger into your cunt. 

You rise onto your tiptoes when he curls a second one beside the first, hardly giving you time to adjust. It’s hard to remember exactly why you broke up with Sergei when he’s knuckle-deep in you, the rough pad of his thumb caressing your clit. Blindly, you reach back for him, curling your hand around his neck to steady yourself. The only noise in the kitchen beside the quiet hum of your refrigerator is your desperate little pants and the quiet, wet sound his fingers make while they move in and out of you.

Eyes closed, you surrender yourself to the sensations of just how good this all feels, being held in his arms and made to take what he gives you. He groans, sucking a bruise onto the side of your throat and your stomach flips. When you feel him begin to push a third finger inside, your hips stutter. The intrusion burns and you whine. 

“You can take it for me, I know you can,” he urges, nuzzling the side of your face.

You toss your head and gasp, digging your nails into his skin. He grunts in response, his voice dropping an octave as a string of Russian words fall from his lips. The sound makes you clench around him and he chuckles, whispering another phrase in Russian. You ride his hand shamelessly, chasing the beginning of your orgasm that sparks to life in your lower belly. It starts small, a growing pressure that makes you wild and desperate. 

“Please,” you babble, gripping his forearm hard enough your fingers ache. 

You need more and he's quick to give it to you, sinking his teeth into the meat of your neck while the steady pressure of his thumb on your sensitive bud pushes you over the edge. A delirious kind of pleasure descends over your body. Your legs shake and your mouth falls open, ecstasy rolling along every nerve. 

You swirl your hips, grinding on his fingers to prolong your pleasure until it becomes too much and Sergei gently withdraws his fingers, leaving behind an aching emptiness. You sag into his body and he absorbs your weight like it’s nothing. With your cheek resting against his chest, you watch through half-lidded eyes as he brings his fingers to his nose, his eyes flashing golden, before sucking them clean, savoring your taste.

“This doesn’t mean we’re back together,” you tell him, breathless.

He smirks down at you. “Of course not. But what I’m about to do to you in the bedroom later certainly will.”

[orimuraa]

All I need is you on my side - OT7

꒰ 𝔖𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴 ꒱┆dating gamer enhypen ⨾

۶ৎ gamer!enhypen x fem!reader ┆fluff┆kisses, headcanons┆wc 1.1k

⤷ 𝐲𝐞𝐣𝐢’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: idk why but i really love this idea so i hope it turned out okay 😭 reblogs and feedback are always appreciated 💗

꒰ঌ ℬℴℴ𝓀𝓈𝒽ℯ𝓁𝒻 ໒꒱

𝑳𝒆𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒖𝒏𝒈 - 이희승

let's get this straight

we all know hee is a big gamer nerd

so i feel like he would be the type of boyfriend who really loves having you on his lap while he plays

he's a streamer so the days where he decides to keep his camera off, he likes to have you with him

if he's yelling too loud into your ear, he will immediately mute and start apologizing

heeseung would be a bit anxious at first to let his fans know about you because he's worried about hate, but his fans are all super supportive of you guys

when he kisses you on stream, the chat goes wild, telling you two to "get a room"

gamer hee is overall so happy to have you by his side and he loves you very much

𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒈 - 박종성

at first, jay would be very hesitant about letting his fanbase know a lot about him, but he later on grows to realize that his fans are all so supportive of him

so that's when he will start bringing you into streams if you're comfy

it started with a late night stream where you were bundled in the big white comforter, sitting on the bed and watching your boyfriend play when his chat noticed you

they kept spamming the chat with "who's the cutie behind you?" or "jay can pull?" or "jay, i love you, but i'm gonna steal that girl from you"

it made jay chuckle once he realized what was going on and so he muted himself before asking if you wanted to say hi

he slowly introduced you and said you were his amazing girlfriend (to which you blushed very hard at) before letting you go with a kiss on the cheek

his whole chat went wild and jay made a mental note that he'll include you more

𝑺𝒊𝒎 𝑱𝒂𝒆𝒚𝒖𝒏 - 심재윤

just like hee, jakey here is a huge gamer as well

he's just so grateful for his fans so he loves being super open and honest with them

so, with your permission, jake will tell them about you and maybe even bring you onto stream sometimes

while jake is gaming, you're usually bundled up on the bed watching him or falling asleep

jake tries very hard not to wake you but if he happens to shout too loud, he'll immediately cup his hand over his mouth before rushing over to you, lulling you back to sleep with his magical kisses and small apologies

you often times just admire jake when he streams, not paying any attention to the game but more on how amazing and handsome your boyfriend is

oh! alsoo, his chat may or may not love you more than him >o<

𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒏 - 박성훈

i'm going to be very honest right now, i do not believe that sunghoon's fans found out about you via a gaming stream

i feel like it would be one of those "building furniture from ikea, come watch me suffer" types of streams and sunghoon would just casually be answering Q&A's when someone asks if he had a gf

he would smirk before nodding and saying "i do indeed, chat. would you like to meet her?" and then rush to go ask you if you wanna say hello

but besides that, he would actually start playing less violent games because of you

he would start an animal crossing stream in the mix of all his COD or whatever streams, knowing that you would come running to play animal crossing with him

sunghoon's happiest when he sees you enjoying something he treasures a lot and he especially loves teaching you how to play certain games

and we can't forget the teasing <3

𝑲𝒊𝒎 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒐𝒐 - 김선우

i lowkey think that sunoo would just stream and play things like zelda breath of the wild, animal crossing, or stardew valley

he's just a chill guy <3

so often times, he'll have you in his lap when he streams and plays his chill games

his chat is always happy to see you there and while sunoo is focused on gaming, you interact with the chat and get to know them better

you sit in the comfortable silence, the clicking of his keyboard and the hum of his pc being the only noise

you like to think that other people find the comfort in sunoo's streams just like you do

coming home after a long day and then being able to just relax with sunoo as he games, giggling when you read the things his chat says

yeah...he's your definition of comfort streamer

𝒀𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑱𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒘𝒐𝒏 - 양정원

jungwon is naturally very protective of you and so when he introduced you to his chat and fans, he made sure that they were very respectful to you and he would spend hours scrolling through comments, reporting any hate

he does love having you with him while he streams though

seeing you interact with his chat while he plays games with his friends always makes him smile

his chat names him "#1 y/n simp" because one time, he thought he turned off the camera but he must've missed because his whole audience saw him get up and shower you in kisses before going back to his game

he was definitely trending on sns the next day

not to mention, won also loves showing you off though

like i feel like he's the type to playfully be like "i have a gf and you don't" in a teasing manner

but despite this silliness, he locks in on the games when needed, knowing you understand

𝑵𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒂 𝑹𝒊𝒌𝒊 - 西村 力

ni-ki would definitely be the type to start out by not showing your face on streams for privacy, but letting his chat know that you exist

but you soon realized that you wouldn't mind being on stream and so the day he revealed you, his chat went crazy

they all love you a lot and they adore seeing you on ni-ki's lap as he games

you're like his cheerleader

you have no idea what's going on in the game but you will clap for him every time you're sure something good happened

if you reward him with a kiss, he'll turn very red and shy before scolding his chat for spamming "simp"

ni-ki can be very noisy when he games sometimes so you have to remind him to keep it down a bit

his apology is a bunch of kisses and a couple whispered apologies

he's tough on stream but only you can bring out the softer side of him, making the chat love you even more

𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: @en-diaries, @k-films, @k-nets

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ 𝐉𝐢𝐣𝐢’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @vmpivory, @yuvany, @seozii, @pinknjm, @greentulip, @jomisu, @nxzz-skz, @ancnymcnzjy, @hyukabean, @annybah, @ijustwannareadstuff20, @chaeneu, @17ericas, @firstclassjaylee, @riribelle, @right-person-wrong-time, @miukidoll

[katsukistofu]

ikea meatballs before marriage?

contents ౨ৎ ⋆ touya todoroki x fem reader. fluff. cursing. slightly suggestive. ⭑ your fiancé and you get a little too into playing house when you’re supposed to be furniture shopping for your new apartment.

“you’re home early.” touya smirks. an apron you’re ninety-nine percent sure he stole from the aisle showcasing the ovens with ‘i cook as good as i look’ printed on it is tied around his waist.

“i’m home!” you say cheerfully, playing along with him. 

you take a moment to study “your” kitchen and droop in disappointment. 

it was a bit too dim for your liking, the lighting.

there’s no way you could read the recipe books rei had gifted you without touya having to stand there and hold a flashlight while you did.

but the deep forest green accented cabinets, reaching all the way to the ceiling, were beautiful.

perfect for storing fuyumi’s leftover snacks that her students gifted her yesterday.

she had complained to you over the phone about how there was no space at home since all the cupboards were full of soba noodles, courtesy of your fiancé and little brother-in-law.

touya nervously watches, until he sees as you visibly brighten up, and he lets a little huff out, half in pride, half in relief. 

he knew his pick couldn’t be that bad.

then you spot the fake plant hanging from overhead, and grimace as you see a cluster of even more potted plants under it near the toaster. 

cute in theory, but definitely a fire hazard.

touya notices the little way your eyebrows furrow with doubt, and casually leans against the edge of the sink to distract you from making any more keen observations. 

you giggle at the way he almost knocks off the price tag on it in the process, too busy staring at you to bother noticing. 

“how was work?” your favorite fire hazard asks, reaching out a hand to gently brush a stray lash you didn’t notice from your cheek. 

your face always feels hotter than usual when touya pulls away, even after all this time.

“ugh, so exhausting,” you fan yourself a bit, let out an exaggerated sigh. “the printer blew up and got toner all over my clothes, can you believe it?”

“aw.” there’s a playful sparkle in his eyes as touya innocently frowns in sugary sweet sympathy. “want me to run a bath for you later?”

you can feel your cheeks start to burn. you just took one with him yesterday!

but of course you find yourself stuttering out, “oh, um sure.” 

the memory of his fingers softly massaging your scalp as he helped you wash your hair. the gentlest of touches on your skin as he lathered you in suds, pressing a kiss to your forehead between rinses flood back to you. 

you remember trying to wash his hair one time, but he quickly stopped you by trapping you in his lap, insisting that he wanted to do yours first. like he does during every bath he runs for you when you stay over at the todoroki house.

and he would take just as good care of you, your heart knows, in your cozy new apartment that was waiting for you back in shizuoka too. 

not too far from home, so that everyone could still visit, but not too close either, so the both of you had your own space.

touya grins as a shy expression suddenly crosses over your face, knowing exactly what you’re thinking about. 

with amusement, he watches as you reach over to set your purse on the white marble counter. 

a pair of strong hands claim their usual spot on your waist, holding you in place, and then you’re pulled away until your back bumps against a familiar, firm chest.

“uh-uh, mrs. todoroki.” he murmurs softly in your ear. “i just cleaned that for you before you got home.”

your breath catches. mrs. todoroki?  

“my bad,” is all you can manage to squeak out.

his nose tickles your cheek in response and you giggle at the feeling of his piercings, cold and soothing against your warm skin.

“so. what do you want for dinner today?” touya says, leaning over you to open the fridge. he scans its empty contents with a face so serious that you have to bite back a laugh. 

“what do we have?”

“stale air—i mean,” touya coughs. “uh, salad.”

“that’s it? just salad?” you point an accusatory finger at him, and he snorts at the way you force your eyebrows to scrunch together to make an angry face. so cute.

“oh, you think this is funny? take that apron off right now, you big phony.” 

“yes ma’am.” he laughs airily, reaching behind him to undo the tie when his hands stop. 

touya turns to you with a pout. “can you do it for me? my fingers hurt from cooking and cleaning all day.”

he makes it so hard to stay mad at him, even as a joke. 

you bite your lip to suppress the fond grin growing on your face, but it's too late, touya’s already seen it and he knows you’ll give into him soon enough.

“aw, my poor husband all alone in the house, cooking air and salad. it must’ve been so hard for you.”

he pouts even more. “it really was.”

the giggle you’ve been holding back finally spills from your mouth. he was ridiculous, and you loved him for it. “okay you big baby, i’ll untie it for you.” you move to stand behind him, hands reaching for the back of his waist to untie the neat bow he did for himself earlier.

“i think you mean your big strong husband.” touya leans his weight back into you. 

not enough to hurt you or make you fall, but just enough to give you a hard time undoing the knot of his apron. 

“sewing machine was acting up like crazy today, had to teach it some manners.”

“i’m sure you did.” you fight back another laugh, which turns into a whine as his broad back leans into your face even more. 

“touya stop it! do you want this apron off of you or not?”

you can practically hear him smirk from in front of you.

“i’m okay with anything as long as it keeps your hands on me.”

you step away from him and he lets out a ‘oof!’ as his back thuds against the hard floor of the ikea showroom, taking down a fake plant with him.

touya is donning a new apron when the two of you find yourselves outside of another kitchen showroom. 

“‘relax, i’ll feed you bitches.’ it read in bold. 

you giggle hysterically as he stands there, hands on his hips and looking way too proud of his find, as you snap a pic to send to the groupchat with his siblings.

i’d rather eat poison, natsuo texts back. 

his message is hearted by fuyumi and shoto a few moments later. 

a miffed touya reaches over your shoulder to steal your phone, which you easily let go of and surrender like usual with a laugh.

 his chin rests on your head, your back pressed to his chest as he perches his upper arms on your shoulders to text back. 

after he hits send with a satisfied smirk, the both of you walk onto the set.

the kitchen this time was one with a less colorful theme, yet you hear a sharp intake of breath from touya and you feel your own breath catch in your throat.

the tall windows and generous lighting more than made up for it. 

framed paintings of cranes were hung on the slate gray wall behind the dining table, and the refrigerator was much, much larger than the one you saw touya open before.

familiar indigo petals catch your eye. there was a beautiful painting of rindou flowers next to the window in the kitchen, and you can’t help but stare.

“mom would love those.” touya murmurs from beside you. your fingers lace through his as you smile softly in agreement. 

“she would.”

still in the second showroom, touya’s rummaging inside the cabinets while you study the spice rack. 

imagine all the goodies you could fit in there, from sesame seeds to shichimi togarashi.

you drool thinking about all the miso soups and sweet potatoes you could put them on when he suddenly turns to you.

“i’ve been working on my cocktails while you were at work, by the way.” touya grins, handing you an empty, plastic wine glass from where you’re perched on the granite countertop. “wanna try?”

you raise it to your lips and take a delicate sip of nothing. 

“oh yum! what’d you put in it?”

“kale juice.” he snickers behind his hand. “your favorite.”

you make a disgusted face. “well that’d explain the kick to it.”

“right? i really, really think fuyumi and natsuo would like it.”

“touya todoroki, don’t you dare.”

“hey.” he raises both hands in innocence. “a little kale never hurt anyone.”

“you say that but you hate kale.”

“a little kale never hurt anyone unless it’s me.”

you roll your eyes and wrap your arms around his neck. touya’s hands smoothly guide your legs to hug his waist, bringing you closer to him from where you’re sitting on the counter. he stays standing, towering over you. 

“can’t believe i’m marrying a hypocrite.” your voice is muffled against his shoulder, and he laughs.

suddenly, you gasp and point at the sink. “touya!”

his eyes widen at your raised voice, instinctively looking behind him for bugs to kill because that’s the only time your tone would sound that alarmed.

touya hugs you closer to him protectively. 

you can’t help but melt as his arms wrap even tighter around you, his serious turquoise eyes still scanning around the kitchen for any threats to you.

no bugs. 

no tacky “live, laugh, love”-esque sayings framed on the wall.

which he knows is your biggest interior design pet peeve after binging an insane amount of those house flipping shows with you.

“...what is it?” touya finally asks after a moment of hesitation. 

you giggle at the ticklish feeling of the cold silver of his lip piercing brushing against your forehead as he speaks.

“the dishes aren’t in alphabetical order!”

touya breathes a sigh of relief, then laughs into your neck. 

he pulls away to roll his eyes at you. “you nearly gave me a fucking heart attack!”

“what, why?” you laugh, fluttering your lashes at him. so utterly adorable, that he resists the urge to bite you.

touya fights back a blush and averts his eyes from your face, remembering his protective actions. they had been purely instinctive. he reaches up to cover his face with one hand.

“touuu!” you can’t help but laugh harder, reaching up to pry his fingers away from his face. “come on, look at me!”

touya shyly slides his gaze back to you, and lets you take his hand away from his face. 

you lace your fingers through his and lean in to give him a sweet kiss on the lips, which only makes him blush even harder. the chill of the ikea air conditioning did nothing to help.

his eyes trail in the direction of the spice rack you were dreamily looking at earlier.

“why is this crooked?” he frowns, reaching behind you to straighten it.

“pfft is it bothering you?” you take a glance at it. looked okay enough to you.

“yeah it is.” touya’s hands are on the shelf, trying to readjust it into the right position when suddenly—

snap!

the both of your eyes widen at the sound. 

the shelf was upright and more centered than before. 

except now it had a clean split down the middle of it.

of course, touya chooses to focus on the most important part.

“well at least it looks better now.”

and all he can think about as you laugh into his shoulder is that he can’t wait to stand hip to hip with you in your actual kitchen. 

sunshine peeking through the curtains as the two of you make soups, bake each other’s favorite pastries, and indulge in your random middle of the night cravings.

from now until forever.

after lunch in the restaurant, touya adds ikea meatballs to his list of favorite foods. 

you’re pretty sure that’s only because you fed them to him. 

because while you adore him to pieces, he is an unbelievably picky eater, much to fuyumi’s chagrin. 

luckily, he’ll eat anything as long as you’re the one giving it to him.

your sister-in-law thanks you for her lack of headaches when she makes dinner.

in the third kitchen showroom of today, you squint out the window behind the sink.

“i don’t know if i like it.”

“don’t know if you like what?” touya’s still washing his hand in the imaginary water under the faucet that’s clearly never going to start running. his silly self has been there for the past five minutes, at least. 

you hold back a laugh at how meticulous he is about it.

“the view.” 

he looks up and snorts at the wistful gaze you throw out the obviously fake window. 

it had a picture of city scenery taped on the wall outside of it, and the circular shape of a familiar building catches his eye. he recognizes it.

the meguro sky garden in tokyo.

the first place he ever took you out on a date to.

with a fond twitch of his lips, he remembers the way he almost tripped over his feet under the cherry blossom trees when you had suddenly pecked him on the cheek. all those years ago.

touya turns the faucet off, and comes up behind you to lean his head on your shoulder as he wraps his arms around your waist. his eyes soften as you nuzzle against his chin. 

he knows that you know he can’t feel any sensations there anymore. 

but god, does touya love that you still touch him in the places where he can’t feel. 

the way you litter soft kisses under his eyes, stroke his forearms as you guide them to your waist. like they’re still a part of him, like he’s not broken.

like he’s always been whole to you, never any less. 

“but sweetheart,” touya muses. “think about how close it's close to the best schools.”

your face heats up as you realize what he’s talking about. like you haven’t thought about it a million times before.

a kid. with him.

his and your kid.

as if the universe read your mind, a very chubby baby being pushed in a cart passes by the opposite side of the window, covering the picture of tokyo’s scenery.

and it stares at touya and you with the judgiest look you’ve ever seen in your life.

the two of you glance sideways at each other and burst out laughing. 

“nevermind,” you giggle, feeling small and safe tucked in his strong arms. “maybe the view isn’t so bad.”

looking softly down at you, the beautiful color of your eyes meets his, and his heartbeat quickens.

touya can’t help but agree.

a familiar weight softly rests on your shoulder when you groggily open your eyes, and your fiancé is close to follow as he stirs beside you.

you flip around to face him from where he was spooning you, giggling at the little trail of drool coming from the corner of his mouth as you watch his eyes flutter open.

you feel your breath catch in your throat as you gaze upon him.

his hair is starlight in the morning.

touya, still half-asleep, snuggles against you, completely drunk on your warmth. the soft feeling of your skin against his. 

he doesn’t even try to resist it.

the little giddy smile that tugs at his lips whenever the cool feeling silver of your sapphire embedded ring sparkles under the sunlight pooling through the curtains of your shared bedroom as he laces his fingers through yours.

his own ring softly clinking against the one he gave you.

after moving into the privacy of the apartment, with no prying eyes or nosy siblings randomly bursting into his room, touya loves to sleep with his lips just barely grazing your neck.

whenever you wake up from a  nightmare, he’s already kissing the nape of it, the protective hand he has on your hip smoothing circles into your bare skin.

when he wakes from his, you’re already quietly cradling him in your arms, running your hands through his midnight black hair. 

you really have no idea how hard you make it for him to get up.

but the idea of seeing you happily smile because of him is what gives him the final push to wriggle out of your embrace, and the adorable little pout you give him  almost breaks his heart.

“where you going, tou?”

he grins cheekily, placing a finger on his lips. “it’s a secret.”

there's a grumble from you in response and he smooths the crinkle between your furrowed brows with a gentle kiss.

“i’'ll be back soon, i promise.”

“you better or i’m eating your last pocky.”

he laughs at your threat, as if he wouldn’t give it up to you the moment you asked.

at the sight of your eyes already starting to droop, touya presses another kiss to your forehead. “go back to sleep, sweetheart.”

“no.” you pout as his socks pad against the floor when he leaves the room with another laugh. 

huddled up in your floral patterned blankets, you drink in the faint scent of sweet cologne that lingers on them. 

it still smells like him. warm like him, too.

there’s an old photo of touya framed on your nightstand. you love to look at when you fold his and your clothes. 

rei had slipped it out of the family album for you to keep the moment she saw how much you liked it. 

it’s the one where he’s holding a baby shoto like a football in his arms. there’s an easy grin on his face.

you look at it for a little longer, letting a sleepy, content smile spread across your lips. 

until five more minutes pass, and you’re starting to feel impatient.

“shoto!” you call out the doorway in the direction of the guest room you set up for him the day before he came to visit. “what’s your brother doing?”

“cooking.” comes shoto’s soft voice floating down the hallway.

and that’s all it takes for you to get up and rush to the kitchen at lightning speed.

thankfully, the fire alarm hasn’t gone off yet by the time you get there. 

you find touya slicing peaches on the counter, in front of the painting of rindou flowers. there’s a plate of neatly assorted fruit next to him, and your eyes widen as you admire the rose-shaped strawberries. how’d he do that?

“hey.” touya’s eyes narrow playfully when he notices you, putting down the knife. “you’re supposed to be in bed.”

you place your hands on your hips. 

“and you’re supposed to not be burning our new apartment down.” 

throwing a cautious glance at the unmanned pancakes sizzling in the pan beside you, you add on. “with your little brother in it.”

he breathes a laugh and saunters over where you’re standing by the fridge, cornering you to the counter. 

your fiancé grins at your stammers when he leans closer. he can practically feel the heat from your cheeks from here, and touya thinks the tiny house plant overhead grows an inch taller from the sheer warmth you’re radiating.

“stove’s off, sweetheart. they’re not gonna burn.”

“o-oh.” you sigh in relief.

“you worry too much.” touya murmurs softly as holds you in place by the waist to hold up a spoonful of blueberries he forgot to add to the batter. 

your lips reluctantly part to let him feed you, and his heart skips a beat at the hint of a smile on your face.

“mmph!”

suddenly, touya’s lips are on yours and you taste the sweet tartness of the peach he must’ve had before you came over. 

the cold piercing of his tongue teases your mouth and he corners you even further against the cool marble of the counter to make out, just as you hear a pot start to boil and your eyes snap open. 

you’re breathless as you muster all your willpower and break away from him.

“touya, the pot!” 

“oops.” he glances at it, still caging you against the counter with his arms. 

“forgot about that.”

“found your necklace that fell behind the bed last week.” touya says later after breakfast. you’re both sitting on cushions fuyumi and natsuo gifted you at the coffee table in front of the tv, watching ponyo as sunlight seeps into the living room.

it swings it back and forth on his finger and your eyes widen in relief.

“i was looking everywhere for that to wear to shoto’s class party!” 

“i know.” he grins, and you sigh as he presses a soft kiss to your neck. of course he did. 

touya reaches around your neck to securely clasp the back of the necklace’s chain, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“i think i deserve a little reward.”

you giggle, he was so cute.

“thanks touya.” you say, pressing a kiss to his cheek, and he pouts.

“not there.” 

“where then?” you smooth your hands against his bedhead and he almost whines when this time, you press a kiss to his forehead. “here?” 

always such a tease, and he adores you for it. 

touya looks like a desperate puppy as he huffs, nudging your nose with his. 

like you didn’t spoil him with kisses yesterday when he fixed the washing machine that was acting up.

you’re still not totally sure how he did it, but that was probably because you zoned out while he was explaining it to you. 

too busy watching the way his forearms flexed as he fixed the pipes behind it and when he’d take whatever wrench or screwdriver he asked you to hand him from the toolbox.

finally, finally your lips find his and you kiss him, soft and sweet.

a cool breeze blows through the open window, and the both of you breathe it in, smelling dewdrops on grass from the rain last night and hints of sunshine. 

touya smiles against your mouth, arms pulling you into his lap so he can taste you better.

you’re stuck with him. 

from now until forever.

“or maybe home is just two arms wrapped around you when you’re at your worst.”

— danagray

[gracie-eilish]

Okay okay, so I'm not sure if you are taking requests at the moment! So if you aren't please feel free to completely ignore me haha.

I went to ikea today, only to buy a plastic storage container and I ended up practically fan girling over these really cute cups and plates don't even ask 😭

Billie x reader of course, we both go to a store whether that's ikea like me or somewhere else, and she really thinks we are absolutely adorable for going all mad about a bunch of plates lmao.

I know this sounds silly, but, yk, I'm just weird, okay 🥲

you’re not weird at all!!! i got so excited about a freaking steamer last time i went home shopping🤦‍♀️🤪

posting another fic later tonight too!! hooray for days off and 65 degree weather!

TJ Maxx wasn’t the first place someone might imagine as a romantic destination, but for you and Billie, it might as well have been a dreamy Parisian market. You had insisted on stopping in “just to browse,” which Billie knew full well meant an hour (at minimum) of excited gasps, careful deliberations, and you holding up various home finds with bright, eager eyes. Not that she minded—watching you marvel at even the most mundane of items was one of her favorite things in the world.

“You really think we need another candle?” Billie asked, amusement lacing her voice as you held up a vanilla-cedarwood blend, sniffing it like you’d just discovered a new luxury fragrance.

“Billie,” you said, in that half-exasperated, half-reverent tone that made her bite back a grin. “Smell this and tell me it wouldn’t make our whole house feel like a cozy autumn hug.”

She humored you, leaning in to take a whiff, and to her surprise—it was really nice. Warm, a little sweet, a little woody. Just like you, she thought. But instead of saying that, she just chuckled and nudged your shoulder. “Fine, throw it in the cart. But we’re running out of space on the coffee table.”

You giggled, pressing a victorious kiss to her cheek before skipping ahead, scanning the aisles like a treasure hunter. Billie followed behind, pushing the cart, watching as you delighted over throw blankets, adorable dish towels, and tiny decorative pumpkins despite it not being anywhere near fall. She didn’t care what you picked out. If it made you happy, it was coming home with you.

But then—then you saw them.

A gasp left your lips so loud that Billie thought, for a split second, that something serious had happened. She turned to find you clutching a box of delicate little plates like they were sacred artifacts. White, with a dainty gold trim and tiny black bows painted around the edges.

“Oh, Billie,” you breathed, eyes sparkling. “Look at them! They’re perfect.”

Billie’s heart stuttered in her chest. She had seen you excited before, but this was something different. Pure, unfiltered joy radiated from you as you carefully turned the box in your hands, like you’d just discovered a lost masterpiece.

“They match our dining room perfectly!” you continued, holding them up for her to see. “Imagine all the dinner parties we could have with these! Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays—we’d have the cutest table setup ever.”

And oh, Billie was done for.

There was something so incredibly precious about the way you got excited over the little things, the way you poured so much love and thought into the life you were building together. You weren’t just buying plates—you were picturing the future. A future where your friends gathered around your table, where laughter echoed in your home, where the two of you made countless memories over meals served on these very dishes.

“Baby,” Billie murmured, unable to help herself as she reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “You are literally the cutest person alive.”

You grinned up at her, bouncing slightly on your heels. “So, we have to get them, right?”

Billie let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as if there had ever been any doubt. “Obviously. We have to get them.”

You beamed, carefully placing the box in the cart like it was made of glass. Billie watched you with her heart in her throat, overwhelmed by the warmth of you, by how much you loved even the simplest things. She wasn’t sure how she got so lucky, but she wasn’t about to question it.

The second you got home, you wasted no time.

Billie had barely kicked off her shoes before you were already tearing into the box, pulling out each plate with delicate reverence. She leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching with that same fond expression she always wore when you got like this.

“Okay, I’m thinking,” you began, arranging the plates on the table, “the gold-rimmed glasses we got last year? They’d match perfectly. And if we use the soft linen napkins instead of the cotton ones, it’ll look so much more elegant. Ugh, I can already see it. Billie, are you seeing this?”

Billie smirked, pushing off the counter to walk over to you. She wrapped her arms around your waist from behind, resting her chin on your shoulder as she surveyed your setup. “I’m seeing it,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss just below your ear. “But mostly I’m seeing you being a total angel about a set of plates.”

You huffed, though you leaned into her embrace. “They’re not just plates, Billie.”

“I know, I know,” she whispered, tightening her hold around you. “They’re a whole future.”

That made you pause. You turned in her arms, searching her face, and Billie just smiled.

“I love seeing you happy,” she admitted, reaching up to cup your cheek. “And I love that something so small can mean so much to you. Makes me excited for everything we’re gonna do together.”

Your heart swelled, and for a moment, you just stood there, wrapped up in Billie’s arms, in the warmth of your home, in the magic of the life you were building together—one tiny, beautiful detail at a time.

“…We should probably get matching dessert plates,” you mused after a beat.

Billie groaned playfully. “Oh, now you’re just looking for excuses.”

You giggled, reaching up to kiss her. “Maybe. But admit it—you think they’d be cute, too.”

Billie sighed dramatically, but she was smiling. “Fine. Next TJ Maxx trip, we’ll hunt for matching dessert plates.”

And just like that, you had another reason to look forward to the future.

[lovelytsunoda]

i saw mommy kissing santa claus // alex albon

summary: alex has to keep up the illusion that santa claus is real, and every year gets more extreme than the last. he's got footprints to put on the living room floor and cookies to eat and stocking to fill . . . and at this rate, he's going to wake up the whole house.

pairing: alex albon x wife! reader

warnings: set in the future, so alex is about 30, children ( their names are gabriel and isabella ), gabriel sees his mommy kissing santa claus (who's really just alex in a festive hat), honestly it's just fluff guys (aside from one joke about having george shove alex off a cliff if she left him to go out with santa claus)

it was the night before christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even alex albon's five cats. his wife was asleep in their bed upstairs, and the kids were down for the count, wrapped in layers of blankets as alexander tiptoes down to the living room, where the christmas tree was set up in the bay window.

he turned on the tree lights, slipping a santa hat over his dark heair and opening the walk-in closet to find the large canvas bag that he and his wife had filled with christmas presents.

above the fireplace hung four stockings. stockings that his wife had painstakingly bedazzeld for each member of the family: alex, y/n, gabriel and isabella.

he rubbed his palms together, looking at the pilsbury cookies on the coffee table.

he had some work to do.

meanwhile, y/n albon was stirring in bed, panic setting in as she groggily opened her eyes, finding her husband's side of the bed empty.

"alex?" she mumbled, slowly sitting up. a zit on her back had popped during the night, a small spattering of blood hardening on the back of her cotton nightdress.

she heard a crash coming from the basement, and she sprung out of the bed, her mama bear instincts kicking in and telling her to go and check on the kids.

first she checked on isabella, her youngest. she three-year-old had just migrated form crib to toddler bed, the small piece of ikea furniture made from stunning white wrought iron. the little girl was peacefully asleep, nestled under her snoopy blanket with a build a bear in her arms, three large stuffed animals watching over her from the foot of the bed.

she backed out of the room, closing the door before she moved further down the hall, past the sim room, to the white door decorated in glow-in-the-dark stars. gabriel was curled up in his twin bed, his head barely poking out from over his Spider-Man duvet, a stuffed reindeer clutches in his arms. a karting trophy sat on his dresser, next to a picture of him and his dad when he won his first race.

satisfied that both her kids were still soundly asleep, she set out to find her husband.

“alex?” she called out, pulling her bathrobe tight around her body as she made her way to the main floor. “alexander, what the hell are you doing?”

alex knelt in front of the couch, shaking flour over a card stock cutout of a boot print. “baby? what are you doing awake?”

“honey, you knocked the lamp over.” she chuckled, picking the ikea lamp up off the floor and setting back in the side table. “what are you doing?”

“setting the scene for Santa’s visit, obviously.” Alex chirped, yanking away the card stock. “see, snowy footprints!”

y/n laughed, fingertips against her temple. “you know that once isabella sees those presents she’s going to run right through all of the work you just put in to those footprints.”

“it’s all about the fun, love” one of the cats mewled, nuzzling against alex’s thigh as he leaned towards the coffee table, holding up the square plate. “cookie?”

"darling, it's four in the morning." she laughed, picking up a reindeer cookie from the plate. "you know that you'll eventually have to tell the kids that santa claus isn't real, right?"

"or i could let them figure it out for themselves." alex reasoned, getting to his feet and pulling his wife close. "isabella is smart, she'll figure it out before her brother does. she takes after you."

"and gabriel takes after his father. some days, it's like having three children in this house."

"hey!" alex feigned hurt. "give me a hand putting the presents under the tree? i've got springsteen."

she laughed, kissing him softly. "if you put the springsteen on, you're going to wake the kids."

"not if we use my airpods." he winked, tossing her the bluetooth case.

she let the airpods connect, putting one in her right ear before passing the case back to alexander. bruce springsteen's 'merry christmas baby' began to play as they started to empty out the canvas sack, stacking the beautifully wrapped presents underneath the white christmas tree. alex was dancing, shuffling around on the hardwood in his socks and messing up a few of the flour footprints, causing his wife to laugh.

"alex, you're going to wake the kids." she reminded, giggling as she reached for his hands, allowing him to pull her in for a dance.

she rested her head against his chest, allowing her husband to sway side to side with her, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"i'm so glad i met you. i love you, and i love our kids, and i love the life that i have created with you." alex whispered, still holding her close.

"i love you too." she hummed, leaning up to kiss him softly.

"mommy!"

alex and y/n startled, jumping and slipping apart, turning to face the stairs. gabriel stood in the middle of the staircase, white as a sheet as he clutched his stuffed reindeer.

"gabriel, honey, what are you doing awake?" y/n cooed, concerned as she walked over to her son.

"mommy, why were you kissing santa claus?"

she shot a glance at alex before taking her son's hand, walking up the stairs with gabriel as she tried to calm him down.

"sweetie, that wasn't santa claus. that was just your dad, he was tidying the living room for when santa comes to visit. we don't want santa claus tripping on any cat toys, do we?"

after she tucked gabriel back into bed, with his dinosaur nightlight switched on, she left the door open slightly, holding her robe tightly around her body as she watched him fall asleep through the crack in the door.

"who taught him that santa claus was a thirty year old thai man?" alex scoffed. "has he learned nothing from his aunties? do i look like i could eat eight billion plates of cookies in one night?"

y/n laughed, allowing her husband to hug her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "didn't your brother try and teach him that santa claus was an alien?"

"yeah, he did, didn't he." alex chuckled. "what did you tell him?"

"that you were just moving gucci's cat toys out of the way so that santa wouldn't trip. he thought i was cheating on you with saint nick."

"baby, if you left me for an aging, overweight white man and went to go live in the arctic and bake cookies all day, i'd have george shove me off a cliff."

she tilted her head up to face alex, thumb rubbing circles over his knuckles. "we're doing a damn good job with these kids, aren't we?"

"yeah babe, we are. but soon they'll grow up, and then we'll be grandparents-"

"stop talking. you're going to make me feel old!"

TAGS:

@magnummagnussen @libraryofloveletters @lorarri @cartierre @httpiastri @sidcrosbyspuck @oconso @thatsdemko @twinkodium

[going-to-ikea-for-the-fries]

Lost in Ikea. || John Price x Reader

For @glitterypirateduck's “O, Captain!” writing challenge! I used prompts:

4. Lost in an IKEA

41. Price and Reader run into each other (literally)

48. A character tries to hide that they are crying or upset

Rating: E Words: 1.3K cw: period/menstruation + symptoms, feelings of inaddequacy?. Tags: afab!reader (bc menstruation), you/your pronouns but no Y/N, crying, hurt/comfort, strangers. Summary: Reader is just having a bad day and John is a kind stranger. a/n: I just needed a little hurt/comfort for the soul. This isn't too serious. Also the 'lost' part of Ikea is more emotional than physical. ALSO ALSO, OFC I HAD TO DO THIS PROMPT, my screen name is literally Ikea.

Should you have gone to Ikea while on your period, when you’re in pain and light-headed and in a mood to kill a man? No.

Here’s the thing, you wanted a specific little bear plush they sell there (DJUNGELSKOG). And a meal from the restaurant. And maybe a new lamp. And a new set of bed covers and pillows. And honestly, you could use a little trolley for your craft supplies. And since you’re there you might as well no longer postpone buying that shelf you need-

You walked around the store for over two hours just looking at everything and, steadily, filling up your card with more than you expected. Little knick-knacks, a new set of cups for the kitchen, a picture frame, etc. etc. 

You took your time, moved at your own pace, slowly observing all the room displays… Maybe got lost at one point, but that’s neither here nor there.

Once you found a storage trolley you liked, as well as a shelf, you advanced through the warehouse, pushing your large cart along.

The trolley came first. It was small and light enough and after checking that the box said White, you found yourself perfectly able to drag it onto the large metal warehouse platform cart.

But then the shelf- you crouched down and tried to get a grip on the box and pull, but the bitch was heavy. You huffed and struggled, but it wouldn’t budge. It probably didn’t help that both your womb and your lower back were throwing a rager of cramps and all your muscles were sore.

Maybe you shouldn’t have come on your period. Another weekend, any other weekend, and you’ve been strong enough to get the box with the disassembled shelf off its perch… But you wanted to do it today! 

You wanted to feel like you got something done. You wanted the sense of accomplishment… You wanted to feel like you persevered through the pain! 

You had the whole day planned out: You got out of bed, you showered, you had proper food and a desert, you cleaned your house, you went outside, and you finally completed something you had been putting off!

You couldn’t leave without the last one! You had to get it out! You wanted to take the stupid shelf home with you!!!!

Tears start pooling in your eyes, your lip beginning to tremble. You’ll blame it on the hormones and the frustration.

Stomping your feet, you walk down the aisle, abandoning your cart and turn the corner intent on pushing the box out from the other side-

Then you smack into a person and it knocks you so off balance (you were already sort of light-headed either way) that you drop onto the linoleum floor.

If the day wasn’t already bad enough and you weren’t already crying, taking a hard seat on the floor in front of a stranger only made you feel that much worse.

“Christ, you alright?” A man’s concerned voice comes from above you. You wince and close your eyes hard, trying to conceal the tears in them.

“Y-Yeah. Sorry. I was in a hurry and wasn’t paying attention.” You murmur and turn to the side, using the floor and the industrial shelf next to you to pull yourself up to your feet.

“No, I’m sorry, I was walking fast too.” He replies. “I wasn’t fast enough to catch you. Might be getting old. My reflexes aren’t what they used to be.” His tone sounds playful, like he’s trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, haha.” You try to laugh it off. You still haven’t properly glanced at him and he can tell that you’re trying to conceal your redened eyes as you look off to the side.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Didn’t hurt you, did I?” He checks, his voice a lot more gentle.

God, you feel pathetic. Crying in front of a stranger in the middle of an IKEA warehouse. 

“I’m fine… Just… having a bad day.” You reply and for a moment you finally look over at him.

Great. On top of making a fool of yourself in front of a stranger who happens to be super kind, said stranger is also older and hot, definitely a dilf. Great, just great. You really should’ve stayed at home today.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” He replies softly as he peers at you with bright blue eyes under thick brown eyebrows.

“It’s fine. Sorry. Didn’t mean to make this whole thing awkward. I’m sorry.” You turn to return to your things. Fuck the damn shelf, you’re going home and never coming to this IKEA again.

“Wait. Hey!” He says as he calls after you. Turning to look at him, your face twists into an upset, embarrassed look.

“You don’t have to apologise for having a bad day or having a cry, it’s alright.” The man says as he approaches you again when you’re already at your cart.

As he speaks, you notice there’s no pity in his tone, or some sort of cringe-riddled sentiment of awkwardness that comes to normal people when a stranger suddenly overshares. He’s just… kind.

Your face softens a bit more and you quickly turn to look away. Instead, your eyes find the stupid box with the shelf you want, still on the industrial shelves, and you start crying more.

“I just want that bloody shelf and it’s… it’s too heavy and I can’t get it into the cart and- I can’t believe I’m crying over this!” You complain and gesture vaguely to the space in front of you as you find yourself sniffling.

“Alright. Hey, it’s alright.” He assures you and gives you a friendly tap on the back, on your shoulder, over your hoodie. “How about I get it for you?” He asks.

You find yourself looking up at him. “I don’t wanna bother you.”

“Not at all!” He says with a friendly smile and a nod. “I’m plenty strong and I’m already here! Plus, imagine me walking away now after offering?” He jokes.

You can’t help the chuckle the escapes you amidst your broken sobs. “Would’ve been proper rude.”

“Of course it would. And my mum raised me right.” He adds playfully, causing another chuckle to rise out of you. “That’s the smile I wanted.” He cheers.

John moves forward and crouches, helping to slide the heavy box off the shelf with a mighty grip of his big hands, sliding it onto the bottom of the metal cart with the rest of your shopping. “There it is.”

“Thank you…” You murmur as you seek for tissues in your pockets, grabbing one to dab away your tears.

“It’s alright.” He assures you again. “And, for the record, there’s no shame in crying. If you would’ve asked me 3 days ago what I was doing, I’d tell you I was having a good sob in my car after going to the supermarket because I was so tired and overwhelmed.” He admits and chuckles.

“You?” You ask, not quite sure if he was being sincere.

“Oh, yeah. I cry all the time, me.” He tells you and winks one of those blue eyes at you, making you chuckle again.

“Well, thank you, erm…” You trail off, realizing you don’t know his name.

“John.” He says while reaching a hand forward for you to shake. You return the introduction with your own name.

“You think you’ve got this? Or are you gonna need help getting it into the car?” He gestures at your entire cart.

“Oh, shite, you’re right… Need to get this into the car…” You groan and facepalm yourself.

“Tell you what-” John says as he looks at you. “You wait for me while I get the rest of my things-” He takes a list of paper with scribbled reference numbers on it from his pocket. “And we’ll go through checkout together, and I’ll help load this up into your car?”

His offer is so sweet and sincere and kind, you find your eyes clouding with tears again. Then, you nod eagerly and dab away the tears with your crumpled up tissue again.

[ O, Captain! Masterlist ] || [ My Masterlist ]

[ohtoseni]

like real people do

chapter two

Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x OFC

read it on ao3

the government forces soulmates to be together, no matter what it takes.

it just so happens that eve's soulmates are two bisexual super soldiers.

or,

steve and bucky struggle with their eighteen-year-old soulmate who refuses to settle into her new life after being kidnapped by the government.

tags/warnings: soulmate mark au, forced throuple/poly relationship (f/m/m), extreme age gap, kidnapping, slow burn, dub con, mental health issues (ptsd, audhd, ocd, bipolar, ed), found family, emotional hurt/comfort, sensory overload and meltdowns, eventual smut, tooth-rotting fluff, power imbalance, domestic discipline (spanking as punishment), general teenage angst, daddy dom energy, oral fixation, praise kink, implied/referenced child abuse/csa, kink exploration, p in v sex, oral sex, non sexual age regression, lots of cuddles and snuggles and crying

<- previous

The apartment smelled like soap. It wasn’t sterile or cold like the hospital room, nor grand and intimidating like a billionaire’s penthouse. It was normal. A jacket was draped over the back of the couch, boots were haphazardly kicked near the door, and an empty coffee mug sat on the kitchen table. Eve was not expecting the sudden feeling of ‘home’ to overwhelm her. 

But home didn’t mean safe.

“Sorry about the mess,” Steve said, his voice cutting the silence. “We normally have more time to clean before bringing home kidnapped guests.”

Bucky shot Steve a warning glance which the blonde simply shrugged off. Eve didn’t react to the joke, scanning the room for a possible escape route with tense shoulders. 

She tried to examine every minute detail of the apartment. Her gaze darted frantically around the room, but her eyelids drooped from exhaustion. There was a patio outside, but Eve could tell they were too far off the ground level to safely get down. The front door was old and heavy, creaking with every touch and movement. She knew how strong her soulmates were, and even they had to use a bit of force to get the door open.

Eve barely registered the tour of the apartment they gave her. Kitchen, living room, bathroom. Basic things she might need. She let them talk and pretend this was all normal, but her mind was preoccupied with ways to leave as soon as possible. Steve and Bucky noticed her far-off gaze and exchanged concerned glances when Eve couldn’t see.

“And this will be your room,” Steve said, opening a plain white door to reveal a basic bedroom. A bed, dresser, and closet were all the furniture inside. There were no locks outside the door and no bars on the window. It was just another unfamiliar place where she had no control. It wasn’t actually her own.

“We can take you out for-“ Steve’s tour ended abruptly when Eve stepped into the guest room and slammed the door shut behind her. Bucky chuckled at the juvenile act before retiring to bed himself.

Eve hovered in the center of the room, hands clenched at her sides, too scared to touch anything. It was full of basic white furniture- it reminded her of the IKEA catalogs her mother used to get. Her eyes glanced over to the large window where she caught her reflection. Staring at herself for a minute or two, she found that she didn’t recognize the girl staring back at her. She sat in front of the window, staring back at the shadowed figure until she found out just what was wrong. 

She looked exhausted. Small. Trapped, like a scared animal. Eve pulled her knees to her chest. The figure in front of her seemed to be waiting for something to go wrong. No say in what would happen next, she truly had no control. Eve gently put a hand against the glass, hoping to feel like herself again sometime.

———

“Evie, you up?” Steve knocked on the door the next morning. He noticed the light shining underneath the door and figured the girl must be an early riser like him. When he didn’t get a response, he cracked the door open to peer inside only to be met with what appeared to be an empty bedroom.

When he didn’t see Eve on the bed, he frantically opened the door and stepped inside. A small figure was on the floor on the other side of the bed, curled up in front of the window.  Steve let out a sigh, realizing that’s where the girl slept overnight. A pang of guilt came over him, stabbing him directly in the heart. He felt it was his fault she didn’t feel comfortable around him.

He crouched down next to Eve, gently shaking her shoulder. “Wake up, Evie.” He said just above a whisper to not startle her awake. He repeated her name, only to be met with a small whine of ‘no’. Steve leaned away with a smile. That might’ve been the cutest noise he’s ever heard.

“Alright, but at least move into the bed. I don’t want your back to hurt from the floor.”

“‘M not old.”

Laughter erupted from the doorframe- Bucky apparently woke up just in time for Steve to be painfully reminded how old he was. He stood back up, trying to hide his own back pain from years of fighting. “Fair enough. But I still don’t want you to get a crick in your neck.”

Eve shifted, blinking slowly as she began to wake up. She rolled over on the floor, looking up at Steve with squinted eyes before rolling herself under the bed. The last thing Eve wanted was to be told what to do.

Steve sighed before looking back to his partner. Bucky shook his head with a smile at the childish act. “Do you want breakfast under the bed? Because I’ll bring it to you under there.”

“Buck…” Steve started, not appreciating his husband's encouraging the behavior. A small ‘yes, please’ echoed under the bed frame. Bucky shot Steve a triumphant grin before heading off to the kitchen. Shaking his head, Steve followed suit.

He stopped before fully exiting the room, hanging in the doorframe for a beat. He rubbed his hand over his jaw, glancing back at the sock-clad feet peeking out from under the bed. Her breathing was slow and steady, no longer feigning sleep. Eve was aware Steve was still there.

“If you need anything, sweetheart, just let me know,” Steve said softly, not expecting a response. He stepped away with a sigh.

Footsteps retreated from the bedroom, and Eve looked toward the door. Steve left it ajar, allowing her to look a little way down the hallway. The apartment was a quiet murmur, with the occasional clink of dishes from the kitchen and distant small talk between the two men. Eve exhaled, placing her forehead against the gray carpet.

Her heart ached; The soul bond tugged at her, urging her to be with them. But she just couldn’t, this was their life, not her’s to intrude on. 

A stomachache creeped up on Eve, maybe out of hunger or the feeling of being left out. If she left the safety of under the bed, they’d look at her, talk to her. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted that yet, if she even deserved it.

“Bucky’s delivery service,” a sharp knock on the door and Bucky’s sudden deep voice startled Eve out of her thoughts. A glass of orange juice and a plate of toast with jam were placed on the floor beside her. Turning her head to the side, she looked at the two pieces of toast light smothered in grape jelly.

Grape was her favorite.

Bucky watched as a pale hand creeped out from under the bed, cautiously pulling the food under the bed. He smirked when he could hear a soft ‘crunch’ followed by the same hand reaching for the juice soon after. Looking back and forth between the bed and the door, Bucky wasn’t sure whether to stay or go. He didn’t know what Eve preferred. Hesitantly, he decided to go back to Steve.

“… Thank you,” a small voice from under the bed squeaked out. It was so faint Bucky had to do a double take, just to confirm he heard what he heard. He couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face.

“You’re welcome, kid.”

Bucky made the short trek back to the kitchen where Steve stood, spreading peanut butter on a piece of toast. Bucky sat on a bar stool on the other side of the counter. “She’s at least eating.”

“That’s good,” Steve replied, taking a bite of his own breakfast. He slid Bucky’s plate over to him, silently telling the man to eat something himself. Shaking his head, Bucky pushed the plate away gently.

“Not really feeling it.”

Steve leaned against the counter, swallowing his last bit of toast. “We need to figure out what to do next.”

“We’re no longer winging it?”

Steve laughed lightly as Bucky brought up his own words from yesterday. Finding out they had a second soulmate shook them to their core, leaving them uncertain about what to do next. They recalled how easy their own soul bond was, and figured their soul bond with Eve would be equally as smooth. They would just wing it.

The sudden laughter echoing through the hallway caused Eve to curiously look up from where she rested her head on the floor. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they spoke so casually, their voices warm and comforting. Her soul bond desperately pulled at her heart, urging her to get closer to the two men. All she wanted was to get lost in their warm voices.

Shuffling out from under the bed, Eve felt light and safe, as if she wasn’t physically there but somewhere high in the sky. She crawled from the bed to the door, suddenly stopping herself. Her eyes focused on the spot where the carpeting of the room turned into the smooth hardwood flooring of the hallway. What if they didn’t want her to join them? What if this conversation was meant for just the two of them?

Eve sat up, leaning against the doorframe, deep in thought. The warmth of Steve and Bucky’s voices provided a sense of comfort, reminding her of the feeling of warm cookies after a cold winter day. But the anxiety still ate at her. It was a battle in her heart of her soul bond and her negative self-loathing. Eve wasn’t sure if she even deserved to be wrapped in their warmness; she was too broken, too used.

As Steve turned into the hallway, his eyes fell on Eve. She sat at the threshold of her bedroom, staring blankly off into the distance. It was a heartbreaking sight. Taking a few cautious steps closer to her to not startle her, he knelt in front of her to be on an even level with Eve. She still paid him no mind.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Steve spoke softly, finally dragging Eve out of her trance. Her eyes shifted to focus on him now, her face still blank, deep in thought. “What’s going on?”

“You didn’t say I could leave.” Her words cut through like a knife, leaving Steve himself confused and hurt.

“What?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“You didn’t say I could leave the bedroom,” Eve repeated herself, slightly clarifying her words. Steve’s mouth opened slightly as his heart broke into a million little pieces as Eve spoke, nodding as he finally understood the situation. He didn’t know why the young girl needed explicit permission to do the most minuscule things, but he was sure he would find out why soon enough. So much power and agency must have been stripped from her to leave her in such a dependent state.

“Oh, honey…” All Steve wanted was to reach out and hold her in his arms. He knew she wasn’t ready for that, though. Her eyes went from looking at his mouth to his eyes- a brief flash of trusting eye contact, a moment of unbridled trust. To resolve his need to comfort her, he reached a hand out to fix the hair that fell onto Eve’s face, gently tucking it behind her ear. She flinched ever so slightly but didn’t move away, only closing her eyes softly at the touch. “You can go anywhere you want, any time you want.”

Steve stood up, reaching a hand out to help Eve get off the floor. The girl stared at it as if still unsure whether or not it was safe. Just when she shifted to take the offering, her phone buzzed on the side table next to her bed. With a speed equivalent to her escape at the hospital, she ran towards her device. Steve shook his head with a smile, waiting for her in the hallway.

Her phone lit up with a barrage of notifications, from her friends and random app alerts. She frowned as she scrolled through the alerts, already missing her old friends. Remembering she wasn’t alone, she looked back up towards Steve. He waved his hand, ushering her to join them in the living room. Eve unplugged her phone from the charger to take it with her, holding it in her shaking hands like a lifeline. She followed Steve out into the hallway, carefully taking cautious step after step.

The living room smelled like warm coffee, feeling like home accompanied by the yellow morning light flooding the open area from the large windows. Eve stopped in the doorway, looking cautiously around the open living and dining room. To her left was the large sectional couch, large upholstered recliner, and two coffee cups abandoned on the wood coffee table. The news played on the television, muted. Large curtains tried their best to cover the windows covering the far end of the apartment, leaving just enough room for light to filter through the patio doors. The kitchen and dining table were to Eve’s right- counters sectioned off the kitchen area, creating a kitchen island with two barstools. A small table with two chairs sat against the wall across from the kitchen. Everything felt warm and old, like a childhood home from memories. The living area called her name with comfort, but Eve knew it wasn’t her’s to seek comfort from.

The two coffee cups, two barstools, two dining chairs. This was a life Steve and Bucky crafted for themselves, Eve was never meant to be in the picture.

Upon realizing Eve wasn’t following him anymore, Steve wordlessly reached for Eve’s hand with a reassuring smile. He felt her, cold and shaking, and helped guide her to sit next to Bucky on the couch. The brunette sensed her fear, moving over to give her the space she needed. She looked even smaller, shrinking in on herself as she was seated. Sitting on the edge of the couch, Eve turned back to her phone to provide a comforting distraction.

“Do you want more toast, Evie? Maybe a coffee?” Steve asked before sitting down on the recliner, wanting to make sure the girl had everything she needed.

Not looking up from her phone, she squeaked out a small, “No, thank you.” Steve sat down with a satisfied hum, unmuting the television before placing the remote silently next to Eve. The sudden noise made her jump slightly, her head snapping up at the television. After a moment of making sure it was just the sound of the news, Eve returned to her phone messages.

‘Girl, where are you? I’m going to assume you’re at Barron’s so I don’t have to call public safety.’

‘God I hope you are with Barron.’

Lara had blown her phone up over the past 36 hours. She had been the anxious and worrisome mom friend of their group, always having episodes when Eve or someone didn’t respond that they made it home safely at the end of the night. Her, Eve, Isabelle, and Vera were all childhood friends turned college housemates. It was not much of an adjustment- the four of them were easily platonic soulmates.

Barron, however, was new in Eve’s life. Since starting college two months ago, the young girl grew closer and closer with a boy in her composition class. They weren’t soulmates, but their connection was palpable. The conversations came easy, the small touches and closeness feeling like home embodied in a geeky physics major. Eve would be lying if she said she never imagined her and Barron’s future if they never found their real soulmates.

Her fingers hovered over the phone keyboard for a moment, staring at those last few texts in the friendship group chat. What was Eve supposed to say? ‘I was kidnapped by the soulmate commission’? Nothing about this situation was normal. Most people who go missing never go back to their old lives, but for some reason, Eve felt that she needed her old life back. She typed a simple response.

‘In NYC’.

Putting her phone face down on the arm of the couch next to her, Eve pulled her legs up to her chest, shrinking herself even more. She hid her face in her knees, shielding the stray tears that escaped her strong composure.

next ->

[charseraph]

21 for the asks? :0

21. Art styles nothing like your own but you like anyways

The first that comes to mind is Emily @dimetrodone

Hogg and Rome & Ally

Her style is addicting to look at. I have some serious respect for her color usage, and she works pure black like nobody’s business. The gesture of everything down to its gums and eyelids is awesome, and Emily has a signature way of drawing colored teeth and glowing parts. Her surreal designs particularly in her pantheon series is fun, with rows of incisors and bulky geometric flesh.

The second one I’m unsure of the name of.

x x x

I’m a huge fan of these plays between simple solid forms and fine mechanical detail.

I also love aggrogoth and adjacent genres with melted chrome.

x x x x

I also love statement street fashion, especially Off-White’s luxury industrial, Supreme’s kitsch, and IKEA’s KNORVA that I own.

[sebstanaddict]

The Stan and Barnes Oddyssey

A Collection of Sebastian Stan & Bucky Barnes One Shots

This post will contain links to Sebastian Stan and Bucky Barnes One Shots I'm going to write in the future.

A Winter Miracle Part 1: Flight of Frenzy

When Sebastian Stan finally finished shooting Thunderbolts in Atlanta, all he wanted was to go back to New York to his home and family where his daughter and pregnant wife was waiting. But one event led to another and he found himself being in a flight of frenzy. Will he successfully get home?

A Winter Miracle Part 2: Snowbound Delivery

After surviving the adventurous journey from Atlanta to New York, Sebastian finally arrived in New York only to find out his wife was really in labor. But her cold and icy behavior towards him raised a big question in his head. Did he do something wrong? And was she really in labor?

The Prettiest Girl

When you interview Sebastian Stan but all he wants is to flirt with you 🤭

Stuck With You

What happens when you get stuck in an elevator with the one and only Sebastian Stan? 😁😆

Capturing Chemistry

When you're booked as Sebastian's photographer and find him keeps flirting with you 🤭

Capturing Chemistry - Part 2

What happens after the first date? Was it just one perfect date? Or are there more?

A Birthday to Remember

When you throw Bucky a surprise birthday party but his reaction is not what you expected..

The Weight of Love

Bucky never expected to fall in love with a nurse, the nurse who helped him when he was badly injured from a mission, yet he did. They built a life happily together until one day she collapses in his arms..

Dressing Up

Bucky isn't used to dressing up for formal events but one day he has to for a mission. Y/n, his fellow Avenger is tasked to be his partner for the mission. She helps him get ready but their closeness leads to something else..

Between Deadlines

James Buchanan Barnes is the CEO of Barnes Tech Solutions and reader is his CTO. When an ultimatum from a client forces them to work together overnight, what started off as competition and hate starts to turn into something else..

Open Road

Bucky and reader are Avengers who are friends. But throughout this 4-day road trip their feelings to each other gradually changes into something more ;)

Code Daddy Supreme

Sebastian is reader's adorkable, chaotic yet cute boyfriend. One day when reader is struggling to fix broken code in her web application project, Sebastian offered to help but instead of helping he is making things worse.. or is he..?

Sebastian Takes IKEA

What happens when Sebastian visits IKEA with reader? Get ready for some unhinged, chaotic adventure with Sebastian who is an adorkable, chaotic, mess of a boyfriend but who is still cute of course ;)

The Debuggers Assemble (Code Daddy Supreme V.2 - feat. The Avengers)

What happens when Sebastian calls The Avengers to help in debugging his girlfriend's website? Chaos or order?

Filming Frenzy

What happens when Sebastian declares an all out prank war with his co-star. Who will win in the epic pranking show down? Sebastian or reader?

Unchained Hearts

A beautiful and empowering love story between Sebastian and a disabled reader.

Red, White & You (Bucky Barnes x Reader - Enemies to Lovers)

Find out why Bucky decided to become a politician and explore his intense relationship with his brilliant but annoying campaign manager.

Hands Off, Barnes (Bucky Barnes x Wife!Reader)

Meet married Bucky Barnes who can't keep his hands to himself XD

Hands Off, Doll (Bucky Barnes x Wife!Reader)

Sequel to "Hands Off, Barnes" where the roles are reversed so now Y/n is not allowed to touch Bucky for a whole day 😆 This is a perfect Bucky thirst trap 🤣

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Thunderbolts One Shot)

Just pure chaos but also emotional and touching story when Bucky leads the Thunderbolts into a mission that brings back the ghosts from his past

[melrosing]

GOT low-points for Jaime

ok I don’t like complaining about GOT too much cos it gets boring and I am here for the books. but this is kind of fun so

Telling Brienne the one secret he has never told anyone, the biggest secret of his entire story…. and then telling Qyburn shortly afterwards just to have a comeback

Getting essentially murderered by pound shop Euron Greyjoy bc….??? the actors are both Danish??

Hearing Cersei has tried to kill him and going back to her approx. 10 mins later to raise a child w her x

Hanging around Dorne with Bronn in the most Naruto filler episodes of all time

That scene where he and Tyrion are making fun of their disabled cousin crushing beetles by imitating his voice for like a painfully long period of screen time. Yes I know the backstory as to why this ‘joke’ got written but I honestly don’t care, I only saw it once back in whatever year it aired and it was just excruciating

‘I never really cared about the innocent’ - absolutely iconic

Pursuing Brienne cos he heard she’s a virgin (A: obviously B: you literally already knew that), then never saying another word to her onscreen before dumping her in the snow and forgetting she exists x

Hearing Cersei is replicating Aerys’ worst instincts, going 🫤 and then hanging around King’s Landing for another season fucking Cersei and building IKEA furniture for a baby bc what else is he supposed to be doing I guess

Angrily crying over the fact Tyrion murdered Tywin as Tyrion explains in the background ‘you remember how he abused me and tried to kill me too right’

Planning atrocities till Brienne physically appears to say ‘hey remember your entire story arc? aren’t we supposed to be making more complex decisions now?’ Then jaime looking briefly inspired before explaining to Edmure he’ll kill his baby because he likes to fuck his own sister so don’t push it

Getting fired from the Kingsguard and then never thinking about it again

Killing his cousin for no real reason in season 2, then forgetting how he even did it when citing his list of sins to Brienne in season 8

Telling Joffrey there’s still time for him to fill the White Book with his deeds in season 4, then shoving it off the table to fuck his sister later in the same season

Brienne completing his entry in the same book desperately trying to frame a single act of Jaime’s as having had a point

[londonfoginacup]

Hello! Based on your fics I consider you to be someone well-versed in the arts of coziness and comfort and as it is now the cold and dark part of the year where I live I wanted to ask you, do you have any recommendations?? Favorite brand of leggings? Slippers? Best candle? Best fairy lights? Coziest foods and drinks? Wishing you much warmth and light! X

ohhhhh my god OH MY GOD what a SWEET ASK! And also you are sending this very sincere ask to someone whose main mode of being cozy is burrowing under her roommates for warmth and then yelling at said roommates for turning the temperature up, so i dunno if i'm deserved but here's my best cozy shot--

first of all -- hot chocolate with lucky charms. I'm usually a strictly white chocolate hot chocolate person, but the JOY at being able to eat the melty delicious lucky charms out of it cannot be comprehended. 10/10 warm and cozy and sweet.

Second-- get rid of the heated blanket. Heated blankets are not it. Get yourself heated mattress pad!!!! This bitch makes you toasty like you would not BELIEVE, PLUS if you're someone who tends to kick off blankets in the night, at least half your body is still toasty warm! 1000/10 cozy plus cats will love to snuggle u also dont use this at the same time as a heated blanket bc u will die i think

Now in terms of candles, I think that scents are very personal! I'm a slut for bath and bodyworks because I can be a bit basic, BUT there's something more important than what kind of candle you get -- and that's to have a CANDLE WARMER LAMP! You see, unless you're getting a very expensive candle, most candles, especially ones from the drug store or target, have mOST OF THEIR SCENT in the top like half an inch! SO they smell really good when you buy them but you barely smell them after you light them! But if you get a CANDLE WARMER LAMP, then you can stick your good good smelling candle in there and it will heat it FROM THE TOP and you will get some LONG LASTING GOOD GOOD COZY SMELL

holy shit wait hold up scratch that, I DO have candle recommendations. Cantrip Candles makes candles for like, D&D games to set the mood. But I don't play D&D and just burn the candles instead. The Library candle and the Bakery candle are my FAVORITE, but you can get a sampler pack and try them yourself to see which scents you like. 10/10 cozy bakery scent fuck yes

I don't really have cozy clothes because I wear business casual 24/7 i am DRESSED TO FUCKING IMPRESS (no im not, im just lazy and only own 5 pairs of the same pants), and tbh if I want to be cozy I just throw on a hoodie. I own five and they are ALL Louis Tomlinson.

And for blankets -- the coziest blanket is the one you can steal from someone else. The old crochet blanket that your mom had since before you were born? Snatch it. The blankets your roommates left when they moved out and got married? They're yours now. The blanket someone loaned you at a fireworks show and you accidentally went home with? Coziness factor goes up 1000%. BARRING STOLEN GOODS THOUGH, every blanket I've ever bought is from ikea. I'm not joking. I have one in my car and one in my office and two on my bed and two in my living room.

Okay FINALLY. The SECRET to my uber cozy lifestyle.

It's having a lot of roommates, and forcing them all to cuddle with me.

but if you dont have homemade roommates, storebought are fine

ANYWAY THERE'S MY COZY GUIDE, THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENTS ALSO TO BE REAL EATING A WHOLE LOAF OF SOURDOUGH FEELS COZY BUT YOUR TUMMY WILL BE MAD SO DONT DO IT

[wondernus]

˗ˋˏ When We Meet Chapter 3 ˎˊ˗

synopsis: there is only so much forgiving and forgetting you can do when you end up getting stood up by your date over and over again. so when you're stuck between the best friend, the first crush, and their mysterious roommate whose existence seemed like a myth, you can only hope the decision you've been making is the right one.

pairing: kmg x reader

chapter tags: food mention, present-day, mingyu's first appearance

wc: 2k

message from nu: :-) mingoo finally here but also not really. - nu

previous | masterlist | taglist | next chapter

A crash sounds from the floor above you, and a muffled voice yelling he’s okay quickly follows. The crash isn’t big enough to cause a reverberation large enough to wobble one of the paintings hanging above the television in front of you, so you ignore it and continue vacuuming the thin red textile rug under your feet.

The living room space is tiny, but it feels like the interior came straight out of an Ikea showroom — and to be fair, most of the interior did thanks to Minghao’s job at a commercial bank. There is the grey sleeper sofa with the outstretched chaise that ends so close to the white lacquer television storage cabinet that you could reach over for the remote instead of standing up. Framed photos and paintings form a gallery wall above the television, the photos picturing memories made since university. There is a photo of DK, Minghao, and you grinning together at graduation, each clutching empty diploma books in your hands. Cast off to the side is a paid photo from an amusement park rollercoaster ride with the fourth person’s face — an ex —covered and replaced with a picture of a famous actor that the three of you all agree to be charming. A blue fortune teller and two origami frogs sit on the windowsill next to the row of fake plants in their pots and vases.

Maneuvering the vacuum back to its corner, you’re careful not to knock over the two rolled yoga mats leaning against the wall when you pull its plug. While looping and retracting the long vacuum cord, your eyes wander to the hanging calendar to the side of the staircase. It’s a calendar of some random family that made it to the shelves of a nearby thrift store that the guys thought was funny enough to buy and hang in their home as if they were a part of the photographed family. Important dates are marked with red permanent marker: utility bill due, rent due, Wi-Fi bill due, company dinner… Then there’s a date circled many times over and then crossed out and drawn on the correct date. Mingyu is coming back.

It’s been about two years since graduation. You’ve managed to not fall out of contact with your college friends — even regularly grabbing brunch at fancy hotels with those who stayed in the area. Work is near your childhood home. The only thing that seemed to change is DK — or at least his name.

DK, or rather Seokmin now as stated on his business cards, thumps down the stairs with a giant cardboard box in his arms. He sets it on the sofa and collapses on open the spot next to it, sighing loudly with his arms stretched out like he’s making a snow angel.

If it hadn’t hit you then, then it surely hits you now: Mingyu is coming back. All this preparatory work for someone whom you don’t know, for someone whose humidifier sits in the corner of the hallway closet collecting dust, for someone who clearly makes your friends happy…you can’t help but feel excited for your friends. And you can’t help but feel excited yourself.

Kim Mingyu’s stuff sits in their tiny townhouse like the objects on display in a museum after only being used for about a month or two. The owner, who couldn’t give up an opportunity for working abroad after graduation, is finally able to transfer back. For good this time. You’re sure you’ve memorized every single photo in that household, especially those of Mingyu and the stories behind them. How he towers over his two roommates, holding up bunny ears behind his friends’ heads. How his shiny silver braces catch the light when he stops what he’s doing to smile for a photo. How he made them take a picture together that first day they met in the dorms. In just a few days you’ll be able to meet him in person. And maybe tell him sorry for accidentally breaking one of his ceramic plates.

Minghao quickly follows after his friend, bounding down the stairs, car keys jingling in his pockets. He stops in front of Seokmin and pulls his keys out of his pocket, waving them in front of his face.

“Let’s go.” He lightly slaps his friend’s knee twice. “I’m driving.”

Seokmin groans in response, letting his body slide down the sofa like a piece of butter on a hot skillet. He lands with a thud in between his friend’s legs, and the friend simply crosses over his friend’s body to make his way to the kitchen where you’re standing behind the island sink with an amused look on your face.  

Minghao places his arm on your right shoulder and leans into you, his floral cologne engulfing your senses, “Promise me your next boyfriend won’t be as lazy as he is.”

“I heard that,” Seokmin calls from the floor. “You can’t hide anything in our place. Not even your snacks that your friend brought back from China for you. It’s too small.”

The man standing next to you sighs and pats you on the shoulder twice before making his way to the front door. He tells you to text him your lunch order. Lunch will be on him today.

“Are you going to tell him he’s still wearing his froggy headband?” you ask Seokmin after Minghao closes the front door behind him.

“No.” Seokmin finally pushes himself off the floor and stares downwards at his old stained t-shirt. He frowns while lifting up the hem up his large tee past his bellybutton, inspecting all of his various stains, kind of embarrassed to venture in public wearing old clothes next to Minghao (even while he’s sporting the bright green cartoon froggy headband). Turning to you, he tells you that he’s going to run upstairs to quickly change before heading out. “Answer my phone on the counter if Mingyu calls. Hang up if Hao calls,” he instructs you from the top of the bannisters.

The sound of Seokmin’s soon to be shared bedroom door closing rings throughout the townhouse, and you are alone to yourself. Picking up his abandoned cellphone, you bring it to the living room area so you can look through the box of unwanted items the guys are thinking about donating. You know you wouldn’t mind taking a couple of Minghao’s old clothes — he would probably even give you styling tips if he had time. However, in the cardboard box are old second-hand college textbooks that they bought from a friend of a friend of a friend and a couple of hand-made tie blankets and gifts from exes. To be honest, the thought of throwing away that paid amusement park rollercoaster photo is extremely tempting, but the guys insist that the memories that the three of you share (and the price of that photo…amusement park items are heavily overpriced, but it works because people will pay for them) heavily overweigh a stupid ex whose face could easily be taped over by someone better looking.

Plus, the guys reassure you, your self-worth is much higher than whatever you lowered yourself to with that last ex. It’s about a year since you last dated anybody and even you know to never settle for less.

Fingers gloss over the knots and fringes on the fleece tie blankets, feeling the smooth fabric that’s slowly falling apart at its hand-tied knots. It’s a shame the guys are throwing away the projects, but the blankets don’t, as Marie Kondo says, spark joy. And to be honest, you don’t think the guys ever enjoyed receiving the blankets with the tacky and bright patterns. It was a weird time: both Seokmin and Minghao coincidentally dated best friends.

A familiar marimba ringtone plays from the phone in your lap and you bring the phone up to your face. Mingyu’s name flashes on the phone owner’s lockscreen and there’s a picture of him from probably his first year to go along with it. Freshman Mingyu, baby-faced and only eighteen, smiles back at you, awkward and thin-lipped, waiting for somebody to answer the video call.

It’s exhilarating thinking about meeting Mingyu for the first time. It would be no worries at all, a chill call. At least that’s what you assume from your fragmented idea of Mingyu composed of the different stories you’ve heard about him. You were also pretty sure you could recognize that man anywhere because of all of the pictures and videos of him that you’ve seen over the course of the last few years. And with a large breath in, you answer the call.

“Seok,” a deep and tired voice immediately mumbles from offscreen. There’s a slight lisp present, just as the guys have described. “Did you double-check to see if my humidifier still works? If it doesn’t then I have to find a way to ship the one I’m currently using over to our place within the next few days. Or do you think if I bought an extra checked luggage it would be cheaper?”

The room is dark, most likely because the owner lives on the other side of the world. You can assume his phone is leaning against something on his desk. There’s not a lot to see — most of Mingyu’s stuff is already being shipped back home on a plane or a boat. A lit table lamp sits on the floor next to his bed, the nightstand probably sold or gifted to somebody else. You hear the familiar rumble of a closing desk drawer and then see a hand reach for the phone.

“Seok?” The audio crackles when Mingyu picks up the phone and brings the phone up to his face.

Then you see him for the first time. Kim Mingyu. His tanned face glows under his dimmed bedroom lights. Black hair damp, dripping, and pushed back from his shower. The man who wears a navy blue silk top with a pearly white trim, who quickly adjusts his thick wire glasses to see you better, looks nothing like the young man from Seokmin’s Mingyu contact photo.

“Oh? Hi, you must be-”

You instinctively end the call before he could greet you, slamming the phone onto the couch like you’re using a fly swatter, feeling like you accidentally stumbled upon something you weren’t supposed to see. Heart beating fast, you sit there wide-eyed in shock.

If this Mingyu is the same person Seokmin and Minghao have been referencing to for years, then they have some serious explaining to do.

Seokmin walks into the living room while adjusting the baseball cap on his head, asking if Gyu called. He trades places with his cellphone, sitting down where you slammed it on the couch and unlocks his phone to look at the follow-up text that Mingyu sent.

“You hung up on him?” your friend snorts while reading his friend’s message. “Did he say something stupid?”

“No,” you mumble to nobody in particular, “just stupidly handsome.”

“Hmm.” Seokmin tilts his head side-by-side as if he’s weighing his options. “Not sure about the handsome part. But ‘stupid’ I can agree with.”

You see him again when Seokmin returns his call, clearly this time. Plump rosy pink lips and deep smile lines that dimple his cheeks even with the laziest smile. Eyes are always looking at the center of his screen, never in the corner. They widen then shrink into comfortable semi-circles when Seokmin casually adds that you’re single after suggesting that the two of you meet when Mingyu comes back.

“Great.” Mingyu smiles while waving goodbye to the two of you. “It’s a date.”

You, awfully dumbfounded after the call and who is now stumbling towards a fuming Minghao’s car, cannot comprehend how that man is single. You just can’t.

Copyright © 2023 Wondernus. All rights reserved.

[immessingaround]

i can put together a list of stuff i like, stuff that i recognize as "cool" or "interesting". some of this stuff brings me joy. all of this stuff i am grateful for it existing. i want to be able to add and complete this list so i can look back on it and be reminded of what i have when i feel like i am nothing.

pete the cat

leonard cohen / songs of love and hate album

doing eye makeup (eyeshadow, liner, mascara)

garfield

polo shirts

jennifer Lawrence

ethel cain ptolemaea "stop" scream

also preachers daughter by ethel cain

chris pratt/jared leto hate hell yea

the cat emojis😸😹😺😻😼🐱😽😾😿🙀

saw iii angel trap

baggy black jeans

eyebrow slit

my old black lace up boots

ada wong microwave edits

ellipsis "dot dot dot" ...

people writing cuss words/weird things w lettering decor in stores (ex: 'kms' stockings at kohls)

7/11 by beyonce

gardettos

poetry i relate to

wham! last christmas pudding mix

considering broad and pointless philosophical questions (i.e. what is the meaning of life?)

christmas (ofc)

80s comedies (ferris bueller, better off dead, big, ...)

sad brokeback mountain edits

angel/religious imagery, iconography, references

alvin (and the chipmunks)

spelling "with/without" as "w" or "w/(o)"

trail mix

children of men last 40-45 mins specifically

tajin watermelon/peach rings

ikea model hand 🖕

pinterest

fuzzy socks

bti cg

ghostbusters

life is strange quotes "ready for the moshpit shakabrah" "holy shit are you cereal" "rachel in the dark room" "youre gonna DIE, motherfucker" "ik ur pumping drugs n shit to kids around here..." "i need to medicate" "shake that boney white ass" "no moshpit for you shakabrah"

classic movies

when u call me daddy (nvm she left lmao😭)

caramel coldbrew m&ms

(green) mechanical pencils

santa alter ego

mr x thomas the train mod in re2

weird/unique compliments

wearing jewelry

bolos or ties

my green skull necklace ilyyy

elektra from marvel (comics)

my handwriting idc if its messy

"can a loc come up in your crib?" scene from gta

"no i didnt kill him... but i did kidnap his wife!" scene from gta

pretending im a man

"i took her to my penthouse and i freaked it"

songs that begin like other songs but arent that song

12 am bathroom concerts

ppl who look unique

uno +4 cards

hawaiian shirts

(organized) clutter

bjork

keepin the streak (i mean chopping it up)

messing around in big stores

whole lotta red christmas ver.

baggy shorts (would totally still wear u)

we are the people by empire of the sun

mauve or plum UR MY FAV COLOR UGHH😩

a horse walked into a bar... i love that joke

updog "what's updog?" "not much. hby?"

we cry together clean ver.

being a lesbian so glad i dont like men

"walmart version of justin bieber"

grey spelled w an e

"culturally significant/pop culture moments i think about regularly/we dont talk about enough" videos

pretending im not living my own life

ornate things

going through old closet/junk

laying on the floor in front of my mirror w grouper or ethel cain playing (i want to get out of the house)

making spotify playlists after memes/tt audios

pajama pants

"LEAVE ME ALONE" "HES GONNA GET MEEE"

johnny cage (the international love edits from last year)

leon kennedy and those smooth operator edits

temp tattoos

roller skating

gorey/grotesque drawings

goretober

jar of flies by aic

pitbull mr worldwide mr 305

kevin gates ethical freak concert

jane from breaking bad

harris/chares my snake

painting my nails. all my beautiful nail polish ty😫

hash browns

mini beanie babies (the ones on my floor)

smores goldfish w the marshmallows even tho it got discontinued

eyeliner in my waterline

fake fruit in stores

deep red roses

george harrison

mix matched socks

coconut/lavender smells

coffee flavored things

soggy purple grapes

cashews

funky eyeshadow colors and palettes

my moms old lipstick colors (they are beautiful)

cherry flavored things

drawing on a mustache

turquoise and silver jewelry

samples in stores

physical touch (never get any😼)

purple hair dye (u made my life sm better)

gingerbread smells

my gta character

keyboard spam

smelling candles in stores ofc

carmex chapstick

immessingaround@myyahoo.com

gum / altoids (the pink ones)

silver jewelry/rings

last.fm

pineapple flavored things

mascara on bottom lashes

brownies

doawk

being a cowboy ig

no doubt

"your final challenge... let yo bih stroke yo bone"

"oh hell yea jigsaw you da goat!" audio

my celeb crushes

scooby doo characters

drawing crude cat drawings

catch me if you can

nacho from better call saul

chicken taquitos

aloe vera gel

i am mclovin☝️

these emoji combos: 🤠🔫, 🎅👍, 😹🫵

hoop earrings

commas, i literally abuse the comma key everytime i touch the damn keyboard

q tips

drawings ppl as drag queens (using artist's free will)

hair clips

xiuxiu

sky lights

fargo movie woodchipper scene

spotify obvi

[writerman]

Are you still taking fic prompts? Because if you are then omg, Barduil first meeting for that 'stuck overnight in an IKEA' post... 'I was just there for a table, he was only there for the meatballs and... well... by the time we were all allowed to go the next morning I had my table, he'd had his meatballs and we both had a boyfriend... It was love at first Ypperlig...'

Hi, anon, did you know you sent me this request in 2021??

If you still follow me or ever followed me to begin with, I am so sorry.

Here is your IKEA Barduil prompt.

Happy NaNo!

--------

Fandom: The Hobbit

Ship: Bard x Thranduil (Barduil)

Word Count: 5,541

--------

Anyone travelling out there stay safe, the storm is supposed to be coming in thick and fast by this afternoon. Local authorities and the MET office have asked that if you can stay home please do! 

On that note here is a little song for anyone taking on the blizzard today. Snow Bird by Ann- 

Bard smacked the radio as fast as he could, numb fingers fumbling with the off switch while he kept his eyes on the road. The snow hadn’t hit blizzard levels yet but the sky above him hinted that it wouldn’t be long.

The snowfall the night before had blanketed the world in white that was already about a foot deep, but it hadn’t deterred many from leaving their homes. There were a few brave souls battling through the snow-covered sidewalks- no one had come to clear a path but no one appeared to care that much. 

It was fine, it would be fine, he only had to run into IKEA for a replacement coffee table as Bain had body-slammed the other one and left it in two halves in the living room. Of course, it had been an accident and that was what Bard got for letting him watch the pro wrestling stuff on TV unattended. 

Of course. An accident. 

So, a replacement was needed and somehow the exact replica of it existed (imagine that!) within the blue and yellow labyrinth of IKEA, patiently waiting for the myriad of other shoppers to swoop in and collect it only to have their Christmas visitors exclaim that they too had the same table at home! 

Thankfully, parking was easy. The place was practically deserted because everyone else had more sense than to drive out into an impending snowstorm to buy furniture! 

Then again, everyone probably didn’t have a child like Bain to contend with. He was a good kid, just energetic and very impressionable at his age. It wasn’t as though something like this hadn’t happened before. 

Why am I even out buying a table? The kids are with their mum this year. All I need is to rest a cup on it… Shaking the snow off himself at the entrance, Bard tried not to let his entire being sag at the thought of Christmas on his own and then he recalled why he had gotten out of the house in the first place.

It had been too quiet. 

Amid his thoughts, someone brushed past him hurriedly sending him crashing into a metal basket of stuffed sharks. Before he can topple over into the pile of plush toys a strong hand wraps around his wrist and pulls him back to his feet. 

“Sorry, so sorry, I didn’t mean to knock you over like that!” Apologies flew fast from the stranger’s mouth and Bard cleared his throat before smiling awkwardly trying to brush it off. 

“It’s all right, I was in the way.” He mumbled this as he checked himself over, and as he glanced up to his would-be attacker and rescuer he felt his heart do an odd sort of little skip before resuming the staccato rhythm it had taken up in the moment of surprise. 

“No, not at all.” The stranger’s voice seemed to have dropped an octave now his apologies had been done and dusted and he promptly released Bard’s wrist from his grip upon realising that he still held on to him. “I was not paying attention; you know this time of year leaves everyone… harried.” He trailed off as he said the last word and it looked as though he was unsure if he meant what he was saying. 

“Honestly, I'm alright. Don’t worry about it.” Bard urged again, really he wanted some space between himself and the stranger because he was experiencing what could only be described as a sexual awakening but incredibly bisexually. 

“If you’re sure you’re fine.” The stranger continued but when Bard nodded again they merely nodded back and turned neatly on their heel and hurried away with the same speed they had entered the store. 

After that encounter Bard didn’t see them again, in fact, he saw very few people that didn’t work there. Most of them stood huddled around a work computer whispering urgently about the oncoming storm. 

Likely wishing idiots like him would piss off home so they could head home too.

Yes, he felt awful that they had to be there, and he did honestly feel bad for going in but he really wanted to replace his table- he had time and nowhere else to be. Though, the employees didn’t seem to harbour any ill will towards him when he asked for help finding the section he needed. 

Bard had spent a grand total of 20 minutes in the store by the time he reached the checkouts and as he approached one he realised there were no members of staff to be seen. Scratching his head in confusion, he looked about for any sign of the employees who assisted him earlier. 

No one.

Someone at his side groaned. 

“Just wonderful,” They griped shifting from one foot to another jostling whatever it was in their hands. “The snow has blocked the door; the employees are trying to figure out what they should do.” 

Turning to look at the stranger, Bard comes face to face with the very man that had bowled him over in the entrance. 

“Hello, again.” He shared the grim expression held by the stranger as he greeted him. His attention is then focused on the now shut off automatic doors. A few members of the staff were stood looking at the heavily falling snow, one of them jumping backwards as a sudden gust of wind rattled the doors and the lights flickered around them.

“You don’t suppose the restaurant is open, do you?” The stranger spoke again, and Bard glanced down at his flat pack table at his feet for a second before picking it up and turning to look up at the signposts that hung above them both.

“Let’s find out.” He tried for cheerful, it came out quiet and he cursed inwardly at how nervous he was around the man. The same man that had been so very sorry for knocking into a bunch of stuffed sharks not 20 minutes earlier.

“Yes, let’s. I’m Thranduil, by the way. And again, I am so very sorry for knocking you off your feet. Not how I like to introduce myself to people, hopefully you sustained no injury.” There was a hint of amusement in his voice and Bard felt the slightest blush warm his cheeks.

“No injury, fighting off sharks stuffed or otherwise is just days’ work for a dad with 3 rambunctious kids.” They head toward the restaurant and Thranduil offers a knowing nod, they had found some common ground.

“Oh, uh, I’m Bard. Nice to meet you… Thranduil, was it?” It was an unusual name, but honestly, so was Bard. Though, people didn’t tend to comment on it as much as he assumed people might about Thranduil’s.

“So, do you play music?” The question came right out of the left field and left Bard silent for a moment until he caught on and let out a loud laugh.

“Funny, not musically inclined at all, played the odd bit of guitar in university, you know how it goes.” He tried not to think about the cringe-worthy image of him sitting beneath a tree strumming the whole three cords he knew just humming songs uncaring that they didn’t match the chords.

“Yes, yes, we’ve all been there. The mortifying act of trying to reinvent yourself only to discover you don’t know how to begin remodelling your life aside from drastically changing your wardrobe only to never wear any of the ridiculous items ever again.” Thranduil gave a flourish of the hand before grimacing at the memory of it.

“Ah, the hubris of youth.” Bard sighed.

In a surprising turn of events, the restaurant was open and the few customers who still lingered, rather against their will, had made their own way over to buy coffee and pastries to wait out the storm until eventually, like animals, they could be released back into the wild again.

“Coffee?” Thranduil set his unpurchased item on the chair next to him before shrugging off his long coat from his incredibly tall form. He dressed any dad might, jeans, boots and a jumper and yet the clothes seemed to fit him better than they had any person Bard had ever encountered before.

Not that he was staring.

IKEA was certainly not the place to consider his wavering sexuality, no that was better suited to a queer coffee shop or whatever, he wasn’t sure. He had really had to think about this kind of thing before.

Not that he was expecting a full-blown love affair to come from their meeting. After they were set free they likely wouldn’t see one another ever again.

“I’m sorry that I asked such a complex question when I offered to buy you coffee, shall I rephrase it?” Once again, there was a touch of amusement in his voice as he spoke.

It took an embarrassing amount of time for Bard to realise he had just been standing silently looking at Thranduil for at least 2 minutes. No words uttered he had just stood there like an idiot letting his mind wander while Thranduil waited patiently for a response.

“Aha, sorry, yes coffee is fine.” He shoved his hand into his jeans pocket to fish for change, but Thranduil chided him with the click of his tongue and walked off without taking any of the money he had attempted to offer.

Bard took this chance to take off his own coat after sliding his unpaid for table down by the table and the restaurant wall.

How badly he wanted to put his hands over his face and scream into them. This had never happened to him before. He had never found another man attractive before. However, by the look of it, Thranduil was used to it as many of the other occupants actively and openly stared at him as he passed them by before their eyes snapped over to Bard with questions burning on the tips of their tongues.

Mortifying, mortifying, awful, terrible.

When Thranduil returned he placed both cups on the table before digging into his own pocket for the sugar packets and little pots of milk he had acquired on his way back to their table.

“Does that happen everywhere you go?” Bard motioned to the people still watching him though trying to pull it off that they were merely having a good old gander at the restaurant and out of the windows.

“Oh, I suppose. I think it’s my hair.” Thranduil seemed disinterested and concentrated on peeling back the foil from the tiny milk pots.

Yeah sure, not the fact you’re the most beautiful person to grace the earth.

Nope, he wasn’t going there, after all this, he was going to have to sit down with his brain and talk to it about inappropriate thoughts.

Should go well.

“You do have nice hair, I suppose it makes sense people will stare at you, and you’re b- big… uh, tall!” Bard pulled his own coffee cup towards him and tore open two of the sugar packets dumping them into his coffee without looking at Thranduil.

His face felt hot.

“I am very big, you’re correct.” No further context was given and Bard near choked on his first sip of coffee upon hearing the words uttered.

Is he flirting with me? Surely not.

Bard cannot even begin to formulate a response and as if the Gods smiled up on him, the squeal and hiss of the tannoy above interrupted their conversation.

Dear customers of the store, unfortunately, due to the weather conditions we have been required to close the store for the rest of the day. Due to the ongoing storm and its severity, for your safety we have been advised to have anyone in store remain until the worst has passed.

We understand that this is inconvenient and may cause some upset, if you have any questions our staff are on hand to assist.

We strongly suggest that you remain indoors and do not attempt to leave the store. IKEA are offering free food and hot beverages to all customers affected for the duration of your stay.

Again, we apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you.

When the announcement ended Bard could hear the throng of people gathered in the restaurant begin to grumble, muttering under their breath that they had places to be. He had no sympathy for them coming out in a storm with the intention of running errands.

Sure, he had done the same and maybe Thranduil had done, too. But he had nowhere to be. When he looked back at Thranduil he noticed the man was simply continuing to drink his coffee with not a single worry plastered across his face.

“Nothing waiting for you back at home either, ay?” Bard gave an empathetic smile when Thranduil nodded and set down his cup, leaning back in his seat he gave a cursory look around the room before he spoke.

“I have two adult children, well, university age, they are with their respective partners this Christmas, and I pretended I had made plans so that they didn’t feel sorry for their dear old dad being alone on Christmas.” As casually as he had tried to make it sound, Thranduil did come across as sad as he explained himself.

“I only ventured out for something to do. I had already promised I wouldn’t work over Christmas so IKEA it is. You know the hub of all social interaction. Joking aside, some good has come of it, well, the snowed in part of my day isn’t the highlight but I do have good company at least.” Thranduil lets the silence linger, and Bard swallowed hard, it was hard to know if this man was in fact flirting with him even if he wasn’t the way he spoke was just so fucking…

Suggestive

“We’re in the same boat, I only came out to replace a coffee table and only because I’m home alone for Christmas too,” It was a stupid thing to do, his brain was already telling him he was going to crash and burn but still his mouth disregarded the warning.

“I know you probably have a ton of friends you could hang out with, but you know my door is open to you if you want to spend the day. I know we are practical strangers- ah, I don’t know why I’m doing this. Sorry.” Bard fumbled at the last moment and decided it was better to rescind the invitation to save his already shaky ego.

“Strangely, I have very few friends. Something about being intimidating and having a- now what did Tauriel call it, ah yes! I have a resting bitch face that seems to put people off from talking to me.” The delivery was dry and still Bard let out a surprised laugh which he quickly smothered by taking a long sip of his drink hyper aware that others were now looking over at him.

“Now that is a nice sound.” Thranduil was resting his chin in his hand, elbow planted firmly on the tabletop looking across at Bard with a gentle and sincere smile. “So, is my invitation still valid or are you going shy on me?” He arches a brow and Bard can’t look away from him, and he knows he’s beet red.

“A-are you really flirting with me?”

“I have been this entire time, thank you for noticing,” The confidence that oozed from Thranduil was almost unbearable in how damn hot it was. No hint of arrogance just sheer and open boldness.

“You left me quite lost for words when I first set eyes on you, or rather… when I full body smashed you into a cart of BLÅHAJ, butchering the pronunciation but you get the idea. Could scarcely even look at you, with your beautiful brown eyes and dark wavy hair. That and you said I had pretty hair and I was big- ah, tall.” The corners of his mouth quirked up in a smirk and Bard felt like sliding out of his seat onto the floor hoping it would open up and swallow him whole.

“W-well, my invitation still stands if you’re interested.” How he had managed to even get words out in a coherent manner was beyond his comprehension seeing as his brain was on fire and there didn’t appear to be any extinguishers wedged into the grey matter.

The lights above them began to flicker before going out, the power had cut out and the wind and snow battered the side of the building brutally the sound of metal creaking faintly around them.

“Fuck- it’s getting worse.” Bard was thankful for the distraction and directed his attention to the windows, the snow was swirling through the wild gales. It came down fast and heavy blotting out the world beyond the glass.

“Let’s move on, I want to sit on something more comfortable.” Thranduil didn’t wait for a response as he stood grabbing his coat and scarf and leaving behind the tiny pack of scented tea lights.

It wouldn’t make any sense for him to carry them around until he could actually purchase them, so Bard followed suit, picking up his coat and leaving the flatpack box still resting between the table and wall.

Like a lost puppy he followed Thranduil until he was at his side struggling to keep up with the long strides the blond made until he came to a stop in the department he had sought out. Bard watched as he wandered through the sofas until he found one that looked comfortable enough, he gently laid his coat over the back of it before flopping down onto the cushions and patting the space next to him.

With as much grace as he could manage, Bard wove between the other sofas and proceeded to sit next to Thranduil, taking care not to have any part of him against the other. However, this didn’t seem to be how things were supposed to go because Thranduil shuffled himself closer so their legs touched from thigh to calf.

“Oh, now this is nice. Do you suppose we will be stuck here all night?” Thranduil had no qualms about being pressed up beside Bard, meanwhile, Bard was trying to as covertly as possible hide his heart attack whilst wondering if he needed to have a conversation with himself about the sudden attraction he had to men.

Because it was sudden like he was smacked with a bisexual stick as soon as he entered the IKEA.

Was it a requirement to be in IKEA?

“I- hope not. I don’t think a big metal building with no power will be a very comfortable place to sleep.” The idea was unappealing, and Bard shuddered though it turned into a shiver as the cold air began to seep in, whatever warmth there had been, it seemed was no longer apparent and he could feel a headache coming on.

“I’ll keep you warm, don’t worry.” The words were whispered into his ear, he could feel Thranduil’s hot breath ghosting over the shell of his ear and the vibrations of his words jostled Bard’s already frayed nerves to near breaking point.

As luck would have it, a store employee was hunting down customers and handing out blankets still in their packaging.

“You two look cosy, but this should help, too.” She was young, early twenties if that. Her cheery demeanour didn’t quite fit the predicament they were in, but it was nice to see that a snowstorm wasn’t dampening her smile.

She didn’t stick around, she had a cart full of blankets she had to distribute, all the while wearing one as a cape as she went.

Bard wasted no time in pulling the soft grey blanket out of its packaging wrapping it around him to ward off the chill, he watched as Thranduil did the same and was genuinely grateful when Thranduil plastered himself against Bard’s side again.

Heat was heat, even if it was the body heat of a particularly amorous man who looked like an angel. When he thought about it, knowing someone harboured obvious affection for him was nice.

New, but nice.

Before he knew it, the girl from earlier was shaking them both awake holding a torch, the bright beam blasting against the floor so as to not blind the both of them in the now pitch-dark sofa department.

“If you’d both rather sleep in a bed I can take you over there now, come on. Everyone else is already over there and the more people in one space the warmer it will be. There’s a small generator nearby too, we have a kettle if you want tea or coffee.” The idea of a bed was delightful and both Thranduil both murmured their sleep thanks as they stood up from the sofa.

“I don’t know about you, but at my age sleeping on a sofa in the cold is not a kind way to treat the body. I ache in the most atrocious way.” Thranduil griped as he collected his coat and scarf, Bard gave him a consolatory pat on the arm hoping it came across as sympathetic in the dark.

“Right there with you,” Bard responded, his hand dropped to his side, fingers accidentally brushing Thranduil’s, who saw the chance to grasp his hand in his. The lack of light other than a torch beam a few steps ahead of them a perfect cover to hide any embarrassment at the gentle touch.

It was such a soft gesture, endearing and sincere. More than Bard had experienced since his divorce, while amicable, it didn’t hurt any less.

But this man was actively pursuing him, in his heart he knew this was moving fast but it didn’t mean he would wish for it to slow down. Of course, he was confused but the excitement was overriding his common sense a little bit, whatever would come of this he couldn’t tell but it was thrilling.

There were several people already bundled up in the show beds, shoes and boots neatly set on the floor beside their coats, some giggling at the absurdity of it all while others looked worried, if not a little scared.

The young girl led Bard and Thranduil to a king-size bed mentioning under her breath that ‘Blondie needed room for his legs’ before smiling at them both and wandering off to assist others with their queries.

Of course, she had assumed they were together. She’d found them bundled up asleep under blankets almost glued at the hip and he really didn’t want the ordeal of having to ask her for his own bed.

It was one night, one night, fully clothed and in a room full of other people, nothing would happen and they couldn’t talk privately with beds set out barely a metre apart. It wasn’t that he felt unsafe or that he thought Thranduil might do something untoward but sharing a bed with him even unromantically… platonically, was fast fast.

Speed of light fast, he didn’t know this man’s last name, where he lived, what kind of car he drove, his favourite food… all he knew was that they were similar in age and were basically alone.

I’m overthinking this. We’re just going to sleep; I was fine sleeping on a sofa right next to him. I was happy to have him hold my hand…

It wasn’t until Thranduil reached out and nudged him that he realised he was being spoken to and wasn’t listening to a word that was said. Sheepishly he looked to Thranduil in the meagre light of one singular lamp that was situated at the edge of the display beds and offered an apologetic smile.

“Would you like me to find somewhere else to sleep?” Serious tone, his face set with determination, but Bard wasn’t sure what it was Thranduil was hoping to achieve. If he was trying to make him feel more comfortable it was working but the idea of sleeping alone when he had the chance not to was what forced him to respond.

“No, you don’t need to do that.” Bard turns away from him to sit on the bed and slip off his boots, placing them under the bed along with his coat. He feels the bed behind him dip as Thranduil moves to do the same.

“Sleeping together and we haven’t even had a first date, how scandalous.” Thranduil teased, though he still had his back to Bard as he spoke. An older lady in the bed next to them let out a chuckle and it managed to put Bard at ease, he locked eyes with her, and she gave him a wink.

Standing up he threw the covers back on his side of the bed and climbed in, but he didn’t lie down, he didn’t want to really commit to sleep until Thranduil was also beside him and comfortable.

It didn’t make any difference if Thranduil slept before him or not and he couldn’t explain to himself mentally why he was waiting for the blond and yet he did.

Thranduil was having a whispered conversation with someone in the bed across from him, but the conversation ended when Bard put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently to get his attention.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting, you cannot sleep without me already, hmm?” Another tease from him and even in the limited light Bard could see his triumphant smile.

When they both settled in bed, Bard was surprised to notice that Thranduil had not plastered himself against him but did welcome the space. Still, he wanted to speak to Thranduil before they tried to get some sleep.

Rolling onto his side he came face to face with him and he sighed before actively readying himself for what he was about to ask.

“Thran, can I call you Thran?” Stalling but when Thranduil nodded he continued, as his eyes adjusted to the dark he could see he held the other’s rapt attention. “How long have you been single?” He tried to whisper the question as quietly as he could and he knew Thranduil had heard it because he stiffened before rolling onto his back remaining silent for some time.

Eventually, he rolled back onto his side, his hand sliding over the space between them reaching for Bard’s hand.

“I know you’re worried about my intense interest in you, I understand it. You are right to be cautious, we know virtually nothing about one another.” His voice sounded so inviting even in a whisper, but his voice was so deep Bard had to move in closer just to hear him properly.

“This is a unique situation, I don’t think I’ve ever been snowed in in an IKEA before and I doubt I will again for the rest of my life, but this is advantageous a blessing in disguise. Would we have met if not for the snowstorm?”

We wouldn’t have met if Bain hadn’t decided to People’s Elbow the damn coffee table. But Bard didn’t say that Thranduil didn’t need to know that ancient re-runs of WWE were the cause of their meeting.

“The moment I realised I was interested in you I knew I couldn’t let you slip away. I was already so annoyed when I thought you’d already left. When you showed up at my side at the empty checkout I was beside myself. I wanted to make the time count, I made sure that we had a chance to talk again and when you so easily went along with it… I knew I had to trust my attraction to lead the way.” How earnest he was in admitting all of this, knowing how strange it was to feel as he did with so little provocation.

They both understood there needed to be far more put into whatever it was they were doing, this wasn’t going to be a fated lovers thing, even if that was how it felt right at that moment. In the morning they would part ways and it was up to them to work out how to deal with their strange evening and how far they were willing to go to make things work.

Even if Bard felt somewhat like a defeatist in thinking it would die out as soon as they stepped out of the store, he was willing to try. He was willing if Thranduil was, and it was apparent to him that Thranduil would put the effort in.

At least, he hoped he would. This gave Bard pause because he was just as eager to continue seeing Thranduil in any capacity. Would he regret it if he never spoke to him again?

This time he did not allow his brain to offer up an answer.

“Let’s talk about this in the morning, I don’t think I can keep whispering like this.” Bard gave Thranduil’s hand a squeeze and he smiled when it was returned.

Nothing else was said between them and it wasn’t long before Bard could hear Thranduil’s breathing slow signalling the man was already asleep.

In the morning, Bard woke with a start trying to work out where he was and who was lying in the bed next to him. The memories of the day before came flooding back and he covered his face with both hands sighing heavily.

Yesterday had been a lot.

Today would be more so.

It was then he realised the lights were now on. Power had been restored and people were getting out of their beds cheerily chattering away pulling on shoes and scouting the area for staff.

It wasn’t until they were alone that Thranduil opened his eyes, his hair was tousled from sleep, and when he mumbled a ‘good morning’ it was so deep it came out more like a rumble of thunder leaving Bard to scramble mentally to gather up his senses once again to return the greeting.

“You’re the last one up, sleepyhead.” Bard joked as he grabbed the blanket and threw back exposing Thranduil to the cold. In response to such callous behaviour, Thranduil groaned like he’d been stabbed before grabbing Bard by the front of his t-shirt pulling him down on top of him and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“I consider this repayment for such hideous behaviour after I kept you warm all night.”

“Excuse you, but I was the one that kept you warm all night, not the other way around.” In a bid to keep himself from short circuiting, he had to volley right off Thranduil’s words because if he allowed himself to think of the kiss for a mere second he would probably explode.

I cannot believe I was about to lose my mind over a peck on the cheek. Get yourself together, Bard, mate.

“Let’s not start discourse of who kept who warm, instead let’s get coffee and breakfast and get the fuck out of this place. I’ve had no phone service all this time and I am sure someone is going to report me missing if I do not get in touch with the outside world.

My company are going to assume I’ve died.” Business like but he was smiling, thoroughly pleased with himself for the cheek kiss, probably.

They were not released from the yellow and blue prison until lunchtime and by that time Bard was willing to dig the place out himself. He wanted a shower, clean clothes and his own comfortable sofa and TV.

The time to decompress was a necessity, he needed time to overthink every single interaction he’d had with Thranduil, from the moment they met to the very moment he handed over his contact number before rushing off to his own car while on a conference call with his children and vice president of his company all who sounded as though they were wailing into his ear with relief.

With his replacement table securely in the back seat, and after having the car running with the heat blasting for 15 minutes, Bard made his own way home.

His house was blessedly empty, upon his return home. It was the first time in years he was pleased to have only the sound of silence in every corner. In a matter of minutes, Bard had the thermostat cranked up, his coat off and boots kicked into the hallway.

He had an important meeting with the sofa he couldn’t miss and probably a fair few calls to make to confirm he was not dead, he was ok and ‘You wouldn’t believe what happened last night’.

As he unlocked his phone, the first message to come through was an unsaved number, opening it up he realised who it was from almost immediately.

I wanted so badly to kiss you properly this morning, but we have time for that. See you at Christmas. T x

[vanishxcanvas]

Unhinged

Motionless In White x Reader

Oneshot / Imagine

Content Warning: Just fluff, and cussing of course.

Background - The band is on tour, and one of the dates happens to be close to where you live, so you decide to visit a day before as it is one of their off days. Chaos.

You're waiting at the restaurant, and next thing you know you hear Vinny. He shouts, "Y/N!!"

"Oh my lord.." You mumble.

He walks over, and you say, "Not so loud."

"Loud? Are you making a song reference?" Vinny asks.

Chris walks in, and hears that.

He rolls his eyes, and says "Hi, y/n. And no, you better not bring up that fucking song."

"And why's that?" You ask.

"I would rather fuck a cactus than to listen to that shit." Chris says, glaring at me.

Vinny pops up, "I hope a hedgehog shits in your cereal, you difficult person."

You look at Vinny with a "what the fuck" expression.

"What the fuck man." Ricky says, walking in.

"What? He deserved it!" Vinny says.

Chris glares at him, and says "The fuck I did. Now come on, let's all sit down before they kick us out."

The rest of the others walk in, and we sit down.

A few minutes later the waitress takes our orders. A shirtless guy walks in, and Vinny pipes up.

"Guys, I have a question...do his nipples sparkle?" He asks.

"Are you serious right now Vin. At the dinner table." Rick glares at him.

"Technically speaking, we're having lunch not dinner." You say.

"Oh same thing." Justin pipes up.

"I'm just here." Chris says.

"Yeah, me too." Ryan replies.

"Guys. Answer my question! Do his nipples sparkle or not??" Vinny questions.

"No. Now why were you even looking in the first place." Chris glares at Vinny.

"He walked in shirtless!" Vinny replies.

"Oh my good lord..." Justin says.

"Good lord is right." You mumble.

"Can we go to iKEA after this? I'm bored." Justin asks.

"I guess." Chris replies.

After we all eat, we decide to still go to iKEA. You follow them, and Justin ends up getting lost.

Chris calls Justin's phone, and he answers.

"Where did you go?" Chris asks.

"Uh....I got lost." Justin says.

*sighs* "I know that, but just so you know..this time it is not my fault you thought you lived in this iKEA." Chris says, clearly annoyed.

"This isn't the first time?" You ask.

"Unfortunately...no. Alright Justin, where the fuck are you?" Chris says.

"Uh...I left. I stole your car." Justin says.

"Oh fuck you man." Chris says, ending the call.

"You wanna borrow my car?" You ask.

"Sure." He says.

The rest of the day is pure chaos, with Justin & Vinny being unhinged.

[maddieautobot273]

Silk & Cologne (16)

A Miguel O’Hara x OC Series - Link to AO3 (X)

Chapter 16 - Normal

Pairing: Miguel O’Hara x Female OC

Words: 2.4K+ words

Warnings: PG but no major warnings for this one! 

Summary: Lisa tries to move past what happened the night of the attack, but can’t deny that things are changing. 

//////

It’s been about a week now since the apartment attack. There hadn’t been any news from Earth-1997 so it was business as usual for the Spider-Society again. Miguel would monitor the multiverse for any signs of anomaly activity, send in a team to deal with it or lead his own team personally. Whenever I was present when Gwen or Hobie or Peter B. would get the call to join in on a mission, my eyes always sparkled with wonder when a portal opened up and I watched them run through. I became curious what the other dimensions would look like. 

Maybe if I trained enough, I would get to be a part of all this? 

But whenever I’d catch Miguel staring at me, noticing the wonder in my eyes, there was an expression that he made that I couldn’t quite decipher. But I knew it was something along the lines of too dangerous. I had previously asked Peter B. what fighting in other dimensions was like, and he said if it weren’t for Miguel’s invention of the Gizmos or day passes, your atoms would break apart bit by bit, slowly killing you. 

“Your atoms don’t exactly feel too jazzed about being in another dimension,” as he once put it. 

Miguel had also briefly explained the process to me the other day during one of our work out sessions. He said that I was almost about to experience the “glitch” process myself while Spider-Doc was tending to my wounds after he and Peter B. first rescued me. When I realized it all, it started to make a little more sense. 

Now I understood the look in Miguel’s eyes a bit better. He didn’t want me to get myself killed. Understandably, I knew where he was coming from. I’m still fresh with my powers, despite my training and progress to control them. But I still had hope.

In between training sessions, I’d work on composing various routines like the one I displayed to Miguel during our mock battle. Just in case. Spider-Man had to actually start fighting villains eventually. Maybe not in my dimension, as per our agreement, but perhaps in Nueva York? Maybe another another dimension?

I had thought about asking Miguel to teach me how to fight, well, properly anyways. I knew with each Spider they had their own unique fighting style. I could mix my dance moves into my evasive maneuvers, but for my attacks? It could work, but be a little tricky. Which is why I need to learn some actual fighting moves. 

In between his Spider-Society duties, Miguel would take a little time out of each day to come visit me in my dimension and help me clean up my apartment. Some of the furniture was salvageable and easily repaired, while others weren’t as lucky. I could understand Miguel’s frustration when he tried helping me fix my bookshelf after I had gathered and cleaned up my toppled book collection. 

“Miguel, are you sure it goes that way?” I asked him as I read through the old instruction pamphlet I had saved from the movers. 

“Pretty sure,” he nodded firmly. “Any other way looks stupid,” 

I glanced back at the instruction manual, looking at the pictures of the display before looking back at the shelf. “Only if you’re sure,” 

“Lisa, really, I have a PHD in biology, engineering, physics, I think I know how to fix a bookshelf from IKEA,” He chuckled with a warm huff, his chest puffing up with pride as he worked. 

He carefully forced the piece in, snapping it in place. He wiped the sweat off his brow as he sat up. His holographic outfit was a blue tank top with beige cargo pants and white sneakers. He stepped back, admiring his work before looking over at me. 

“So?”

“I think you fixed it!” I beamed, smiling at him. “Now I can finally put these books away,” 

Until the board cracked, and toppled down, creating a domino effect that knocked over the other boards. My mouth gaped open at the sight, no words coming out. I glanced over to Miguel and I swear I could see his left eye twitching. 

He huffed, dropping the hammer on the floor. “That’s it, I’m buying you new furniture,” 

“Miguel, it’s okay, you don’t have to do that,” I spoke quickly, waving my hands frantically to try and ease him. “Besides, I can’t pay you back,” 

“Don’t worry about the money, really, it’s on me,” Miguel reached out and used his hand to gently pat my head, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “Relájate y deja que yo me ocupe, mi Mona Lisa,” - Relax and let me take care of it, my Mona Lisa 

I raised a curious brow at the man as my hand gently caressed his. “How much are we talking here?”

“Lisa, don’t worry, really,” Miguel chuckled softly as his fingers latched on to my hand, squeezing them rightly as he lowered his hand from my head. “Besides, I already ordered everything and they’ll be delivered within a few days,” 

“¡¿QUÉ?!” I gawked at Miguel as he brushed past me, grabbing his water bottle. - What?!

“Did you just gawk at me in my mother tongue?” He smirked at me. 

“Well, with us spending a bit more time together, can you blame me for picking up on some phrases?” I crossed my arms at him. “How much was everything?”

He gave me a side eye as I watched him gulp down his water, the adam’s apple of his throat bobbing with each gulp. When he pulled away, he sighed deeply, the drink refreshing him as a small trail of water traveled down his chin and neck. “That’s classified,” 

I whined, telling me to cut me some slack. All he did was laugh at my reaction. 

“Maybe it hasn’t occurred to you that I’m doing this out of the kindness of my own heart?” I smirked. “Maybe because I simply want to?”

My cheeks turned a light shade of pink at the realization that he was going out of his way, willingly, to make me happy. I felt spoiled. 

“But–”

“No buts about it, my Mona Lisa,” He grinned as he gently flicked his finger on my forehead before leaning in closer to my face. “Suffer,”

That all happened yesterday and the butterflies still hadn’t gone away. I had noticed he only acted this way around me when it was just the two of us. While at the Spider-Society, he of course would still be nice to me and offer me warm glances every now and again, but he would always keep things professional while working with the other Spiders. In a sense, I understood the switch and actually agreed. 

There could be a million reasons as to why Miguel chose to act the way he did. I was just happy he felt okay to relax a little bit and let himself go around me. I decided the next time I saw Miguel, I’d put my foot down and ask him to teach me how to fight. 

Anything to try and get that hopeless feeling out of my body after what happened at the apartment. I could feel the pulse of my web fluid quaking in my wrists during that entire encounter. The way that evil Miguel, no– Chameleon, was his name, taunted me, toyed with me. Never again. I’ll never give another villain the satisfaction. 

These thoughts had been plaguing me for the last few days, most noticeably during dance practice. Most of the teams had broken off to practice their work in smaller studios throughout the building, while my team and another worked in the main studio. We were doing our warm ups to some of METRO’s other music when I faltered suddenly and missed a step. 

“Okay, time out,” Kasey spoke up suddenly, signaling to stop the music. “We need to host an emergency team meeting,”

Toya paused the music as Hannah reached out a gentle hand, helping me up to my feet. I smiled warmly at the gesture, silently thanking her. 

“Coach, we’re gonna take a 15 in the break room,” Kasey yelled over towards our coach who gave her a thumbs up as an acknowledgement of her request. 

“Come along, our fearless leader,” Kasey took my wrist and pulled me along as the five of us left the main studio. 

“What’s going on? Did I do something wrong?” I asked nervously. 

We entered the break room, Touga immediately making a b-line for the vending machines as his eyes wandered over the various snacks and drinks. Kasey sat me down on a chair while the others sat around me at a round table. 

“Something's been bothering you, Lisa,” Kasey stated. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” I shrugged my shoulders, trying to appear as normal and calm as I could. “I’m fine,”

“No, you’re not, I think we’ve worked together long enough for me to tell the difference, Kendrick,” Kasey shot me a stern look but mixed a playful grin. 

“Did something happen?” Toya asked as his brother neared carrying an assortment of snacks and drinks. 

“You can tell us, Lisa,” Hannah pleaded gently, her blue eyes pouring into mine. “We won’t judge you,” 

I glanced around at their worried faces before I sighed in defeat. “I can’t hide anything from you guys, can I?”

They all shook their heads. 

I sighed again, my arms leaning against the table as I met their gazes. “Last week, there was a break in at my apartment,” 

“What?!” They all gasped, staring at me with wide eyes. 

“They didn’t take anything did they?” Hannah asked with worry as she placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. 

“No, but my apartment was and still is sort of trashed,” I sighed deeply as Touga handed everyone a snack bag and some water. He took pity on me and gave me an extra snack. “They weren’t trying to take something from the apartment. . .”

“What were they–” Touga began to speak until he stopped speaking mid-sentence, the realization hitting him as he sat down. 

“Oh shit, Lisa, I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Toya’s voice lowered with a sympathetic look in his eyes. 

“Why didn’t you tell us, girl?” Kasey asked. 

“I didn’t want me telling you guys to affect our team’s morale, and. . . I felt scared and ashamed that it happened,” I sighed, leaning back in my chair as I opened one of my snack bags and started munching on the mini pretzels. 

“You weren’t by yourself, were you?” Hannah asked with concern. 

I paused for a moment. If we created this ruse for the police, do I keep it going with my friends? I couldn’t lie and tell them that I was alone and make them even more fearful. But I couldn’t tell them the truth and say that Spider-Man from another dimension saved me. 

“No, I wasn’t,” I shook my head. “My. . . boyfriend saved me,” 

“Boyfriend?” Toya and Touga repeated at the same time, sounding surprised. 

Kasey nudged Toya’s side with her elbow to shut him up before looking back over towards me. “What exactly happened?”

“The attacker pinned me down and before he could do anything else, my boyfriend tackled him and told me to run. They got into a fight and the apartment got trashed in the process,” I explained softly. 

“So he sent the creep packing, mad respect,” Touga nodded his head with an approving look in his eyes as Toya mimicked the gesture. 

I smiled gently at them. I very much approved as well. 

“Well we’re glad that you’re alright, Lisa,” Kasey smiled warmly. “From now on, no more keeping secrets from us, alright? We’re a team, you know,”

“Not just a team, we’re friends!” Hannah beamed as she hugged me. “Friends help each other out, right, boys?”

“Yeah! If that creep even thinks of showing his ugly mug again, give us a shout and we’ll show’em not to mess with you!” Toya stated as he punched the air. 

I looked out at my friends and I could feel a warm bubbly sensation come over me as I looked at their smiling faces. “You guys are amazing, you know that?”

“What are friends for?” Kasey grinned. 

“Hey, there’s this new ramen shop that opened not too far from here. We should all go after practice today,” Touga offered. 

Hannah smiled, clapping her hands together. “That is a wonderful idea!”

I smiled at my friends as we moved on to other bits of conversations during the remainder of our break, munching on our snacks. It felt good knowing I had another group of people I could trust that I knew would have my back. A group of friends that I didn’t need to travel to another dimension just to see. 

///////

Earth-423 

Princess Petra soared through the air on her web sling, her silk skirt of her dress retracting into a shorter one as the web fabric silk morphed into her spider suit. The moon was full out that night as the silk of her webs glowed in the moonlight. Her spider pet, Webster, clung tightly to her shoulder as she swung across her kingdom. 

She had sensed a disturbance with her Spider-Sense, as Petra made her way to the forest. She caught herself on a tree branch, hunching over as she hid herself within the leaves as she found her prey. 

A strange fiend appeared through a magical portal. It appeared to be some sort of animal, with razor sharp teeth, a long tongue and covered in this black goo. Why, this creature looked very similar to Venomilcent, a horrible beast that had plagued her kingdom in months passed. But this creature clearly wasn’t the monster she was familiar with. 

“Oh dear, Webster, I do believe the danger we were warned about is upon us now,” Petra groaned with worry as she glanced down at her spider friend. “Of all the days to leave behind that handy bracelet he gave me,” 

As much as she hated leaving the monster to roam free in the forest, Petra knew she wouldn’t be able to fight that thing along. She wouldn’t just need the help of the royal guard, no, she needed their help to stop it and send it back from whence it came. 

“Come on, Webster, we must hurry and summon Lord O’Hara and his Society of Spiders!” Petra swung back the way she came. 

Meanwhile, Venom was left to roam the forest, searching for fresh prey to feast on.

////

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