#Ray looks so happy to have finally gotten what he wanted

[thatgirl4815]

Forget Joker and Harley Quinn, this is my villain origin story.

[ladybyakuya]

| SIDE EFFECTS + SAKUSA KIYOOMI.

+cw. — fem!reader, established relationship, ( domestic ) fluff, love & comfort, slight angst, mature language, atsumu being atsumu, mention of hinata and bokuto. beta-read by my beloved ray.

+wc. — 1.2k 

+syn.—  Sakusa has gotten used to you pretty quick ever since he started living with you but now that he has known the bliss, he does not want to go back to living alone.

+notes. — this is for flufftober ‘fond moments’ collab event for a prompt: quality time hosted by @spookuna. mdni cuz im eighteen plus blog.| redirect to blog navigation. & tagging @tetzoro for poking my pineal glad with a question that became a inspo for this <3

For almost a month, Kiyoomi has had an odd extension of routine that starts after his matches. It starts with going straight home ( to you ), and eating the dishes you made for him which was suggested by a dietitian of course! and then wait at least one hour before hitting the shower, and that too, a cold one since right after he is done drying himself he jumps into bed just to hold you amongst his chest like a hot bag; this . . .this particular moment is what he has been looking forward to for months and now it has finally become a part of his life, and if things do not go south then it might just last for the rest of his life. Just barely thinking of it gets him wide awake. If life was a sleepless dream, then he would not mind sleeping forever at the end of it with you.

Today, however, everything turned upside down. He came home a little late, just a little; ate silently without talking much. Generally, he turns into a yapper right when he sees you. He has so much to talk about yet even with all that bubbling enthusiasm he still does not forget to ask, “Babe, how was your day?”, “Aw, babe that’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.”, “What? Need me to scare the manager? Because I can.” he says while flexing his muscles wearing nothing but a towel around his torso but you know he won’t do that since he has the confidence that you can handle anything all by yourself. After all, you scared the shit out of Miya when you first met him and he will not accept but, indeed, Miya is not easily scared, especially by girls. However, this evening his responses were full of— “umm.” and “umhm” — nods and sneaking glances. The Kiyoomi that is reserved for the world has come home to you today. 

And that one-hour gap, between his dinner and shower, which is generally filled with listening to you as you roam around the house and work and he follows you like a puppy is filled with frequent calls, messages, and screen time today. It sure makes you worry if not disappointed or angry. It has been a month since you two started living together, so this one hour has always been filled with making this small apartment a place that you both could call “home.” Things were slowly falling into place, turning this place into a home. You were happy, and Kiyoomi? He was the happiest man in the world. 

However, crest-fallen.

Sakusa came out of the bathroom freshly showered when you were folding his clothes. Now that he can see your back properly without any thoughts lingering in his mind you look tired, sad, and perhaps. . . a little annoyed. Maybe it is not a good time to tell you the news after all but what else he can do, he does not have much time left either. He tip-toes his way towards you, slowly.

“C’mon out with it, omi. What’s up?” You say and turn towards him with a bunch of his clothes in your hand only to face a half-naked Sakusa, a pink towel wrapped around his torso, his hands in the air branching out in a form of embrace. You chuckle as you walk off to his closet but his stance remains intact just his head following you; 

his jaw drops as he enquires with utmost curiosity, “How do you always know?” which earns him just an endearing glance from you. You keep the stack of his clothes on the shelf, one by one as he finally says what has been bothering him. “I have to move out. . .to Osaka.” You had to pause before keeping the last t-shirt on the stack of clothes. Your hand is still on the edge of the closet wooden frame since you know the moment you close it— is the moment you have to face such a warped reality where you would be alone in this newly bought apartment, with no omi to wait for, cook for, or take care of. . . 

As if he could read your thoughts he mumbles sharply. “Babe, turn around.” He must be still in that pink towel. The air conditioner is on but it seems that he does not mind the cold today. You slowly turn around closing the cupboard with your hands at the back biting your lower lip in anticipation thinking if Kiyoomi had to tell you about moving out to you, then he must have tried all the possibilities of either staying here with you or taking you with him yet none of them must have worked because if it had, you two would not be standing so apart like two curtains drawn apart. 

“Oh dear God,” Kiyoomi groans as he clutches your wrist pulling you into himself. He makes you sit on the edge of the bed while he sits on the floor, legs folded keeping his head on your lap as he draws lazy patterns on the side of your thighs with both hands, simultaneously. “I never thought I’d fall in love even though I’ve planned it in my notebook ever since I was a kid.” He turns his head up, “Now that my love is here I want to keep it, safe, forever.” The water from his hair has left spots on your long tee. You run your nails through his scalp and he lets out a low even groan saying, “So, I took a week off to spend time with you and of course to get the packing done.” He has to rake his eyes open since the exhaustion blended with being sleepy along with your tender touch is too tempting not to give in.

“What?” You ask, surprised. “You did it for me?”

“Yeah. ‘course. Why wouldn’t I?”

A black pup tip-toes its way into the room and both of you watch it walk till it halts right at your feet wagging its tail, tongue hanging out of its mouth. Both of you look at each other, and then a familiar voice turns up, “We’re here love birds.” Sakusa rolls his eyes before turning around and grabbing your bathrobe to wrap himself up probably because now his senses are back enough to let him know how chill the temperature of the room is. You put your palms over your cheeks, it has become warm again, as you look at the pup. 

Just when you crouched down to pat the pup, Atsumu, Hinata, and Bokuto followed into your shared bedroom. 

“So, what’re you gonna name him?” Miya asks with a big grin plastering on his face.

“Kiyo!”

“Heyyyyy.” Naturally, Sakusa protests. Bokuto and Hinata share a look holding back their laughter. 

“Well, I call you Omi when I need something from you, or when I’m angry with you and I call you Mr. sakusa when we—you struggle to put your thoughts out in words so Atsumu interjects. 

“ —fuck.” He is still grinning. What’s he so happy about?

“Yeah. that.” you point at him while keeping your eyes still on Kiyoomi. “So, I don’t see a problem calling him Kiyo.”

[quartervirus]

🦇👻🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEENNNN 🎃👻🦇

Halloween really snuck up on me this year. I intended to upload old, vaguely-thematic art throughout the month, then Life Happened and suddenly it was October 31st.

Here's my last-minute fit thrown together from what I had lying around for the company party I didn't know was happening until I walked into the studio on the day to find it done up like a Haunted House!

It's a lot of straps and chains and I definitely have a terrible allergic reaction now, but it was worth it.

I can also finally show off my NEW, TOTALLY PERMANENT VAMPIRE VENEERS!!!

I was 12 when I watched Interview With A Vampire for the first time and I've wanted fangs of my own ever since.

I am now 33.

I'd say 20 years is long enough to safely say it is no longer "just a phase", mom.

Of course, now that I have them and have gotten used to them, I'm already thinking about getting them longer ... and mORe ...

For anyone interested in details or are considering permanent fangs of their own:

These are ceramic veneers capping my existing teeth. There was no filing, extracting, or damage done to the original teeth. If I change my mind and want them removed at some point, it will be possible to remove them without issue using the old scans and X-rays as reference.

Most dentists may not agree to the procedure for personal or legal reasons. I had to really shop around to find these, which is largely why it took me so long to get them done. I finally found a dental practice specialising in cosmetics and prosthetics.

From there it was a simple matter of consulting with a dentist, taking a 3D scan of my teeth (upper, lower, biting), and sending them to the lab. The specialists mocked up a design which I tweaked until we got it looking just right, and barely two weeks later they were ready to pop in. It was so fast!

My dentist was so sweet and lovely and so excited to have such an unusual request. It turns out I'm not even the first person to ask for vampire fangs ... He and the lab made sure to brief me on the pros and cons and potential side effects, but were ultimately very happy to accommodate me.

I've had them for almost three weeks now. Talking was no issue, but I wore pop-ins throughout high school so I had some practice with more cumbersome teeth. It took a little longer to get used to how the fangs felt in my mouth, and I definitely startled myself a few times in the mirror.

Eating, however ... It didn't even occur to me until I was staring down a plate of food that it's not exactly a thing vampires are known for.

We're mostly fine now.

Spoons are sometimes an issue.

I am psyched and very happy with the veneers and 11/10 would get them again. Of course, now that I've gotten used to this bite, I'm already suffering "teeth envy" and considering future alterations ...

💀⚰️🦇 Happy Halloween, little batlings 🦇⚰️💀

[derww]

DAY TWO: MACE

The mace is, of course, important. But Clown wants the mace because he wants to prove that he can be peaceful – just doesn't want to. And, also:

– You have to participate, – says Squiddo to him, and something in their intonation makes Clown feel like she's not joking. So he joins.

And he actually enjoys it – after all, he has his days off from being a mass murderer. He likes to do funny, cool, and cute stuff. Yeah, it's a little strange to be like that to someone besides his close friends, but he manages easily. It became a good change of the rhythm, even if it was just for a few weeks.

And, dismissing how obvious it is that he is pretending, he is the perfect candidate for the mace: a strong fighter who has redeemed himself passed, ready to protect the weak. True warrior of the peace. A symbol of hope. Is it that Minute wanted to be the last time?

When the Mace Keepers invite him on a walk in the middle of the night, they lead him up the tall mountain, a peak towering over the world. The air here is thin and almost sweet, the colors are hidden by undertones, and dense clouds hide the ground below. It's truly peaceful up here. Maybe some other version of him could have gotten used to it.

– You won, – they say, looking at him with pride. – you are truly worthy.

For some reason, all of them are smiling. Their hands are all empty. They are nodding.

– But none of us have the mace, – 4CVIT remarks cryptically, – not Squiddo, not MrCube and not even me. Its Master Oogway who got to actually take care of it.

They step aside, showing a small hillock located under a spreading willow tree. The grass is silvered under the moonlight. Firmament is strewn with myriads of stars.

At one point, there's no one there. He blinks, and there appears a figure. They are completely hidden in a dark robe, and their fabrics shine down like a waterfall. The Mace Keepers applaud them, as if approving the spectacular appearance.  

The figure removes a long purple hood. Branzy looks different – stricter, taller, and with the white hair pulled back in a braid – but it's still him. He's smiling. 

– Hello, gorgerous, – Clown says, – an honor to see you again.

Branzy smiles and blushes and laughs, but he needs to keep the composure, so he does.

– You had worked really hard to get here, – Branzy says, and he can't stop smiling and he looks Clown straight in the eyes, – reminding us all that yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mistery, but today is a gift. And whats why it's called a present.

He solemnly presents him with the mace – takes it out of a sealed briefcase, from a purple silk pillow, and carefully holds it, not like a warrior but like an archivist, and he hands it to Clown.

And he accepts it, feeling the weight of responsibility and echoes of the warmth of other people's hands, and Keepers congratulate him and applaud, and everything is finally exactly as it should be – and then he changes his grip, wind charges into the sky, and with the eerie rumble strikes 4C, bringing him instant death.

It's too easy to kill them, weak and defensless, who had just given him the strongest power in the world. Squiddo and MrCube live only a little longer, but they too get decimated into dust. Mace shines, overflowing with power. Clown turns around and looks up at Branzy. and lowers the mace.

– I missed you, – he says warmly and takes out the mask. They look into each other's eyes for a moment. And then they hug.

– I missed you too, Clown, – Branzy agrees, caressing his hair, – you are the ray of sunshine in my life.

– Aw-w, dear, – Clown gives in and kisses him in the cheek, and Branzy, finally taking down all the officiousness and seriousness, happily giggles, – you never fail to make me smile.

They have less than an hour. He is happy nonetheless.

[gretagerwigsmuse]

rocketman: part ii - from the back of the cab

Summary: in which lieutenant commander bradshaw finally returns stateside for just about the best damn homecoming he's ever had. it's been three months of countless emails and facetime calls between the two of you, but what awaits you both now that bradley's back? and what does it mean for your relationship going forward? [read part i here]

OR a homecoming 159 emails in the making

Pairing: Rooster x Fem!Reader 10k

Warnings: 18+, explicit language, suggestive dialogue, and suggestive content. a lot of the italic words are direct references to the emails in part i or direct quotes from the rocket man by ray bradbury (read at your own risk because if you picture bradley as the rocket man, you'll cry). the next part will pick up right where this one leaves off and hopefully won't take too long to get out!

from the back of the cab to the airport // i am happy you and i got this hour

Having multiple people, let alone multiple people who loved him more than anything in the world, waiting for him when he got home from a deployment, no matter how brief or long, was definitely a newer experience for Bradley. There was almost a giddiness about him as he said his goodbyes to Bob and Payback and the other pilots he’d flown with from Lemoore. He couldn’t wait to see you in twenty seconds after it’d felt like he’d been gone for twenty years. 

The countless (actually one-hundred and fifty-nine - he’d counted) emails between the two of you had been his saving grace these last three months. You’d emailed him almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day, much to the jealousy of his colleagues. He’d become addicted to them almost. 

How did your cooking class go? What was your day like at work? Yes, he would love to go on a trip to Mexico. No, your mom is an absolute idiot. How did you touch yourself at night? Were you being a good girl for him?

And in twenty seconds he’d have the real thing. He’d have you in his arms, hugging him, kissing him, talking a mile a minute about any and everything under the sun. 

(He knew Maverick would be there, too. He wasn’t being flippant about it or anything - all Bradley had wanted for the last thirteen years was for Maverick to be there when he got home. Last year, when he’d gotten back from three months out near Guam, he’d unabashedly cried from behind his sunglasses when he saw Maverick, Penny, and Amelia waiting for him. Amelia had even made a sign for him with terrible puns and lots of glitter. They’d had Bradley over for dinner - a family dinner - and he had felt on top of the world. Until he’d had to go back to his brand-new, empty house. Bitter with the sweet, he supposed.)

Off to his right, Bradley could see Bob and Callie hugging, and Reuben fussing over his wife’s noticeable baby bump. He smiled at the sight and the thought that he wouldn’t want to leave you while you were pregnant briefly floated through his mind. 

And then, like he had conjured you up, there you were. You hadn’t seen him yet. But Bradley could see you as you craned your neck and stretched on your tiptoes, bobbing and weaving and stretching to try and find him in the crush.

He'd known you were taking a half day to pick him up and you looked so soft and lovely in your off-duty clothes - a simple pair of cropped jeans and a pale blue oxford that he'd later realize was his. Pale blue in a sea of khaki with your sunglasses perched on the top of your head as the sun still beamed strongly onto the asphalt. 

Like something out of a movie, you turned your head and locked eyes with him. The two of you couldn't have been more than thirty feet apart and it was like everyone and everything around you had stopped - just for a moment. A blip in time. And then a smile crept across your face and your eyes lit up and the world started again.

“Bradley!”

With nary a glance back at Maverick, who Bradley had just realized was standing next to you, you ran towards Bradley and into his arms with so much force that he staggered backwards. His seabag made a solid thud on the ground as he wrapped his arms around you - one around your waist and another around the back of your neck. You burrowed your face in his neck and he couldn't resist holding you tighter, lifting you slightly so that the tips of your shoes kissed the asphalt. 

This - this is what he had been missing for the last three months. Home. Home. Home. Bradley was home. With you. And holding you. 

"Hey, kid." You tightened your hold on him at the moniker. "You miss me?"

“More than anything.” Not even a second after he put you down, your hands were running across his cheeks and neck. "Are you alright? Do you need anything? I have snacks in the car if you're hungry or -"

He cut you off with a kiss, your first kiss in three months. Thirteen weeks. Ninety-one days. Two thousand one hundred ninety-one hours. 

Bradley knew he would have a lot more of these homecomings - had even had some with you already. But he would never forget this one - his favorite homecoming. Two weeks, ten days, three days; it was nothing. Nothing compared to being in your arms again after three months apart. Nothing compared to kissing you again after three months. 

There was so much genuine love and longing in you - in him - that Bradley already dreaded when he’d leave you again. Because there would always be another time. 

At least until he broke the cycle. 

(Don’t ever be a rocket man. Promise me you won’t be like me.) 

But for now you were safe in his arms, feeling and smelling and sounding like home and god - for now that was enough. 

Your voice was similarly muffled. “Oh, bubs. I missed you so much. I can’t believe you’re finally home.”

“And I can’t believe you’re in front of me right now.” 

He wanted to touch you everywhere. Your cheeks, your hair, your shoulders, your legs, your breasts. Everywhere. There was no way he could ever get enough of you. 

You tilted your head up and smiled at him. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. Let’s go home.” The smile that lit up your face could guide Bradley home on even his darkest days. 

Before setting off, he gave you another kiss, this one just as sweet, and the two of you started making your way to the gate and by the other families milling around. It was a bit awkward balancing his arm around your shoulder with his seabag, but it was all worth it to have you tucked into his side again. You were so soft and warm and smelled so pretty. He couldn’t get over it. Everything about you felt safe and precious. 

“I can’t wait for you to see the house! I have almost everything situated, just a couple seasonal clothes and coats at my old place. I thought maybe we could go after work on Tuesday - unless you’re in a debrief or something or have other plans?”

Bradley squeezed you closer to his side. “Nah, I should be done by Monday afternoon, so Tuesday’s perfect.”

You nuzzled your face against his chest. “I can’t believe you’re home.” And then softer still, “I’m gonna keep saying it because it still doesn’t feel real.”

“Well,” Bradley steered you both away from the crush, “I’ll try my hardest to make it feel real for you later.” 

And, God, it went straight to his cock, the way you peered up at him, eyes slightly widened. You even bit your lip, cheeky thing. His seabag slipped from his grasp and he wound both arms around your waist pulling you close to him again. All he wanted to do was play out one of those cheeky little emails of ours in excruciating detail. With his girl. 

His wonderful girl. His sweet girl. His smart girl. His, his, his, his -

It was definitely verging on improper, the way he was kissing you now. But Bradley didn’t care. Not when you felt and smelled and tasted so fucking good -

“- Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw!” 

You whined against Bradley’s lips when he pulled away. It felt like he’d just gotten caught necking his girlfriend behind the bleachers by his father - and well…

Bradley cleared his throat and hoped his cheeks weren’t too red. “Captain Mitchell…”

They exchanged salutes, Maverick’s face all serious until Bradley could see him fighting a smile. There was a beat and then Bradley wrapped his arms around Mav in a tight hug. 

“Good to see you, kiddo.” 

“You too, Mav.” 

He let Bradley go to look him over much like you had. It warmed his heart to be fussed over by his dad. To have the two most important people in his life be there to pick him up and bring him home.

“Come on you two, ice cream? My treat?”

You gasped. “Now Captain Mitchell, you wouldn’t be suggesting we spoil Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw’s dinner with ice cream, would you?”

Bradley hadn’t had ice cream in weeks. And a vanilla soft serve with chocolate jimmies sounded like absolute heaven right now. But as much as he wanted to have ice cream with you and Maverick like he was celebrating a little league baseball win, Bradley wanted to go home with you even more. He would see Mav during the week while you were at the office. 

Right now, he just wanted to go home with his girl.

“Nah, I think we’re gonna head home. But I’ll take a raincheck for Monday?”

Mav nodded. “Sounds good to me, I’ll bring the car round then?”

“Sounds good, thanks!” you chirped.

Wait, what? Before Bradley could even question him, Maverick was off towards the parking lot - leaving you in his direct line of fire. 

Which, to be fair, you did look contrite. “Pete thought it would be easier if he drove, especially with all the people around…”

And was Bradley really going to be mad at Maverick for caring too much? For wanting to spend time with his kid after he got home from a three month deployment? No. Not even at the expense of a twenty minute car ride home alone with you. 

“I should’ve told you earlier he was driving, sorry.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” You both started making your way to the gate again. “Probably gave him an excuse to take the rest of the afternoon off, too.”

You giggled. “I asked if he wanted to get lunch beforehand, but he said he was wrapping something up.”

Bradley’s stride momentarily faltered. Right, he forgot about that - your little lunch dates with Maverick. Was it a little annoying and did it make him irrationally jealous? Sure. But it was also oddly sweet. There were a lot worse things than having your girlfriend genuinely like hanging out with your dad. Plus, Bradley’s didn’t think you really knew you had a crush on him.

“I’m sure you two had plenty of time to catch up while I was gone, but now you’re all mine, kid.”

You wrapped your hands around his upper arm and gave it a squeeze. With a few nods at his fellow aviators and other assorted crew members, you two made it through the gate and to the parking lot where Maverick was waiting in his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE. 

Otherwise known both as the smallest car in the world and Bradley’s inheritance. 

The car was in really good shape and drove like a dream. But it was very much not designed for a 6’1” naval aviator - especially when one was relegated to the back seat. Because Bradley didn’t want you to be in the back seat alone and you had refused to sit in the front. 

So, now his knees were up to his shoulders and you two were separated by an armrest because the damn Italians hated fun and had foregone a bench seat. 

Though this did not stop you from laying a cheeky hand on his knee, inching it higher and higher up his thigh as you crossed the Coronado Bridge. You glanced over at Bradley and winked, stopping yourself from getting higher by holding his hand instead. 

It was never a long drive back to his - your house, but today it seemed to fly by ever faster. Maverick was unusually chatty in the front seat, asking about your upcoming trip and if you needed a ride to the airport on Thursday morning, while also telling Bradley about the newly renovated ready room on base. 

The chatter petered off into the background as Bradley suddenly zeroed in on the song playing on the radio - Everlasting Love. He found himself mouthing the lyrics. 

Need you by my side, girl you’ll be my bride 

You’ll never be denied everlasting love 

That was you. That was you and him. Everlasting love. 

He squeezed your hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. And while you and Maverick chatted and told Bradley some of the more lighter happenings of the last three months - mainly the raccoon garage saga - he was counting down the minutes till it was just you and him. Peace and quiet with his everlasting love.

Which was really everything he could ever want. 

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

After a long shower with all his favorite products and even some new ones you had brought over, Bradley made his way downstairs and was greeted with the unfairly adorable sight of you chopping potatoes at the kitchen island. There was music playing, candles lit, and the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. He smiled, seeing you wearing the apron he’d picked out for you all those months ago and was relieved to see that it looked broken in from wear. Because, to be honest, it was nearly impossible to pick out clothes for you.

Originally, Bradley had wanted to get you some frilly old thing, dainty and cute and proper if only to feed some long repressed kink of his. But the denim apron was practical and you would get use out of it for plenty more years to come. 

And he could always get you another one for special occasions. Because he had had a lot of time to think about all those special occasions with you while he was away…

A beautiful smile lit up your face as you saw him pad down the stairs. “My, my, don't you look cozy?”

Once his socked-feet were firmly on the hardwood floor, Bradley spun on his heels showing off his comfy joggers and plain, grey t-shirt. “Do I pass muster?” He pressed a kiss to the cheek you tilted up for him. 

“I’ll think you’ll do, bubs.” He pulled you in for a hug from behind. “Mmmmm, you smell so good.”

He swayed you back and forth in his arms. “I should, I used all your shampoo…” 

“Cheeky boy.” You craned your neck and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “You want a drink while I make dinner? You can lay on the couch for a bit if you want? You must be exhausted.”

“Oh?” He hadn’t even considered going into the living room, not when you were in the kitchen. “Uhhh, sure, yeah. I’ll take a drink.”

You smiled and pulled back from him. “Old fashioned?” He nodded. You got out a rocks glass from the cabinet and went over to the bar cart in the dining room for the whiskey and bitters. “I got those fancy bitters at that liquor store you like.”

“Did you take care of everything?” He said it to hide his own reddened cheeks, but you appeared equally as bashful.

“Tried too.”

“You gonna have one, too?” 

You nodded. “Yeah, but we’re also having wine with dinner, so just one for now - here you go. Got to start you off slow, Bradshaw.” You slid the glass over to him and held your own out to toast. “To your long awaited homecoming.”

Your eyes locked over the rim of your glasses and you had both barely set them back down on the table before Bradley pressed a kiss to your lips. You tasted like sugar and whiskey and felt like home. 

“Missed you, kid.”

“Missed you, too, rocketman. You have no idea how happy I am that you’re home.” You kissed him again. “Now, you gotta let me finish cooking. The table’s already set, so there’s nothing for you to do, but relax.”

“Fine, fine,” he heaved out a great sigh, “banishing me already and I’ve only been home for a few hours, I see how it is - owww!” You smacked his ass with a dishtowel. “Alright, I’m going, I’m going.”

The living room looked nearly identical to how it had when Bradley had left in December - minus the Christmas tree, of course - but there were still little touches of you everywhere. The pillows were arranged far nicer than Bradley had ever been able to manage and there were three new candles of differing heights on the coffee table. Plus, the cream colored cashmere blanket from your apartment that he always stole was artfully strewn across the back of one of the leather sofas. 

With one glance back towards you in the kitchen - you were completely focused on some Russet potatoes - Bradley flopped onto the couch and tucked himself under the blanket. It was warm and cozy and so comfortable under there in his couch clothes in the house you two shared. Quiet, too, even with some Van Morrison playing from the kitchen. It was the kind of quiet that could lull Bradley to a peaceful sleep, especially after having been ensconced in constant noise for the last three months.

And he tried for half an hour - he really did. He thought of how excited you were to show him the perfectly organized closet and how you’d put all the little bits and bobs you’d gotten for him over the last three months in the guest room for him to look over at his leisure and how he’d corrected you on where the mail should go. 

It was just - it was too quiet and too perfect and too comfy and he just wanted to be with you. Even if it meant sitting on one of the uncomfortable kitchen barstools. 

You shook your head, but smiled as he approached. “You don’t have to watch me, you must be exhausted?”

Bradley shrugged. “Just wanna be near you, kid.” Were you nervous about cooking? Was that why you didn’t want him in the kitchen with you? He backtracked. “If that’s alright?”

You bit your lip and gestured for Bradley to sit at the island in front of you. There were a couple mise en place bowls laying around, but you quickly made room for Bradley and his drink. 

“It’s like a taping of the Barefoot Contessa.”

You chuckled. “Let’s just hope the food’s as good as Ina’s.”

“Walk me through it.”

With a teasing smile on your face, you went back to mincing the garlic - with a glowing comment from Bradley on your newly acquired knife skills - and he just sat there, chin propped up on his hand watching you explain the next couple steps. You even got a yes, chef out of him when you asked him to turn the music down. The roasted potatoes smelled absolutely divine cooking in the oven and you had just finished snipping the ends off the asparagus when your demeanor suddenly changed. You fiddled with your apron tie and abruptly turned around to face him, looking almost surprised by the action, though you wouldn’t exactly look him in the eye.

“Actually, now that you’re here - or here at the table,” you huffed out a laugh, “there’s something I want to talk to you about that happened while you were gone - no, that’s not - something I was thinking about while you were gone?”

You put the burner down on the sauce pan, leaving the minced garlic to simmer before you were facing Bradley yet again. You looked nervous, unsure of yourself, as you played with the bracelet he had gotten you for Christmas. Had something happened while he was gone that you hadn’t told him about? Were you sick? Hurt? Was there someone - no, no, you’d never.

Bradley leaned back in his chair and hoped he sounded surer than he felt. “Sure, uhh, yeah, go ahead.”

“It actually has to do with some emails I sent you - last week, in particular. One of them is actually that email.” You looked down at the granite countertop as Bradley tried to think of which email would constitute italics. “But I also want to talk about one of the other emails, when I messaged you about that dream I had and kind of how that all falls into everything that we’ve been going through and probably will be going through -”

“- Because this is it,” he interrupted. Because you and I are it.

“Yeah. Because this is it,” you returned, equally as resolute. “So…”

Bradley sat up straighter in his chair and cleared his throat. “Which one do you want to talk about first?”

You fiddled with your apron bow. “Maybe the one from the thirteenth?”

“Which one was that?”

Now you definitely were avoiding looking at him. Your words came out slowly, like you dreaded saying them and Bradley had a sudden inkling that he knew exactly which email you were referencing. 

“The one about me needing you. Needing you to take care of me,” you whispered the last part.

He could feel his cheeks coloring. “Oh. Right, yeah.” 

Bradley had never received an email like that before. Had never even received a text like that before. It was just so raw and almost animalistic the way your need for him jumped off the page.

nothing soothes the ache inside me like you do. need you to call me good girl, pretty girl, sweet girl, anything as long as it’s yours.

“I shouldn’t have sent that one to you - especially since if I could’ve waited five more days, none of this would’ve happened. It’s just - I needed you so badly and wanted you - ugh, no! No, I shouldn’t have sent you that email. It wasn’t proper, it was embarrassing for you and me and I was just missing you so much and in such a different way that I’ve never experienced before when you’d been gone and - I couldn’t bear not telling you for another moment. Because no one was there to tell me what to do or -”

You threw your hands out and put them on the top of your head. God, it looked like you were about to cry. And it broke Bradley’s heart. He pushed his barstool back from the island and padded over towards you. 

“Come ‘ere, kid.” 

You let out a sigh and your eyes were swimming with tears as you fell into Bradley’s arms. You felt small in his arms - not necessarily in the physical sense, but like you were folding in on yourself. He needed to take care of you - take you, take you, take you - 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, whenever you want, it’s fine.” Bradley pressed a kiss to your forehead and squeezed you tighter. You held on to him tightly, which muffled your next words. 

“I’ve never had someone who I need in that way. And it’s not even necessarily about the sex, itself. I could go months without having sex - had before I met you. It was never something I really needed to get by, I guess? I could take care of it on my own. 

“But then - then I met you and you just? You make me need you - make me crave you, you tell me what to do, make me want to please you. And then you just leave for three months and I have to learn how to do all that on my own and it was just so hard? It felt like I dropped? Like everything caught up to me after all those months and weeks and I felt scared and lonely and needy and desperate for you and for you to tell me I’m a good girl and take care of me and be my d - be dominant with me.”

Your breathing quickened as you talked and Bradley felt you getting more worked up. He rubbed his hands across your back, hoping it would soothe the ache inside of you, if only a little bit. “Shh, shh, it’s okay, kid.”

i need you i need you i need you i need you bradley bradley bradley bradley

You sniffled. “I guess I just didn’t think - I mean, I knew other people would see it - and I did think that was kind of hot, especially when you called me out for it - it was only after, when I’d realized what I’d done that I saw how embarrassing it was for you. 

“Like Joe from Comms being like hey, did you know Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw’s girlfriend is a horny, pathetic, subby mess for him? You gotta see it, man. She couldn’t even make it three months without getting fucked. He can’t even take care of his g -”

“- Stop it.” Bradley grabbed your chin. “You know that’s not true.” 

“Maybe.” You shrugged. “But I was already feeling shitty about my mom and being so busy at work and how I loo -” you broke off and Bradley desperately wanted you to finish the thought. “I guess it all caught up to me.”

“But I wrote back. I wrote back and told you everything I wanted you to hear and what you needed to hear. And god, I’d do it again, I’d do it in a heartbeat if it brought you comfort and I probably should’ve done it sooner.” 

nothing stretches me out like you do, nothing makes me feel as small as you do, nothing makes me flush like the sound of your voice against my neck as i come, nothing soothes the ache inside me like you do

You squeezed your arms around his stomach and breathed him in. God, he loved you so much, he’d say anything and do anything to make you realize that. 

“I needed it, what you wrote me, and I needed to tell you what I said, but I should’ve waited so, I’m sorry, can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, kid. You message me when you need me, no matter how.” He kissed your temple. “I know we’ve never really talked about how that part of our relationship would work while I was gone, so maybe next time we just make a plan?”

You nodded. “I’d like that. I know it’s not like that all the time between us, so I didn’t even think of it before you left.”

“I hadn’t either,” he confessed.

Long distance d/s relationship reddit would be Bradley’s best friend over the next few days. Neither of you would have to go through that again, not if he had something to say about it. The whole idea of not being allowed to use anything besides your fingers to masturbate was a good start, but it was just that - a start. Because like you’d said, you two weren’t in that dynamic all the time, but you both needed it. It was new for both of you. You’d just have to come up with a list together. 

But just to give you a little encouragement in the meantime…

“And let’s not forget…” You peered up at him. “You did tell me you read my email seven times…”

You giggled and shoved his shoulder. “Might’ve been an understatement.”

“Oh?”

“I think I came three times that first night alone.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmmhm.” You wrapped your arms around his neck and played with the ends of his hair. “‘Kept picturing you in your bunk writing it while fisting your cock. And then I was laying next to you in your bunk - and it had to be a secret. I had to keep quiet - just like at Thanksgiving - and not make a peep.”

“But you don’t like to be quiet…” 

He crowded you against the island and rolled his hips against yours. The thin fabric of his joggers did little to hide how much he desired you, especially after the conversation you’d just had. 

His subby little girlfriend. God, he couldn’t wait to take you apart bit by bit later. 

Now say thank you Bradley. Good girl. 

Though, that’s not to say that you couldn’t partake in a little preview now. Bradley’s lips crashed against yours, caught up in the furor and headiness of it all, and your body melted against his. Three months later and you still responded so well to him. Your breathy little sighs as he bit your lip and pressed countless kisses along your jawline and neck sounded like heaven. You smelled so sweet, tasted so sweet, felt so sweet - he kissed you again, coaxing your mouth back open.

“Bradley, bubs, I -” you gasped against his lips, “I need to turn the stove off if we’re going to -”

Without taking his lips off yours, Bradley reached behind his back and turned off the gas burner. The garlic still sizzled in the pan, but now without the risk of burning the house down. You could put fresh garlic on later, now he just wanted you. 

His hands went back to their place on your hips before the left slid underneath your oxford and up your body. You stiffened slightly, but welcomed his touch, if only for a moment before you pulled back from him. 

“We have to - I have to finish dinner.” He nodded, albeit reluctantly. You pecked his lips again. 

There was something deeply erotic about waiting - even if it was just for a couple of hours. 

Where are you going to have me first?

In our bed, in our house, after you make me dinner in our kitchen. 

Bradley cleared his throat. “You said you wanted to talk about another email? The one about your dream, right? The one with our kid.”

It felt right saying it - our kid. 

God, Bradley, I wish you were here right now so you could hold me and tell me you loved me because I just want to feel your arms around me and know you’re real. I want to tell you about the little boy - the perfect mix of me and you

“We can wait until dinner - or even after dinner, if you want?” You didn’t give him a chance to respond. “I’m sorry I’m dropping all this on you. I know you’ll say otherwise, but I shouldn’t have done this right when you came home - the dryer hasn’t even finished your first load yet. I know you’re exhausted and definitely have your own stuff to work through after being gone and we should be having sex on the floor or over the arm of the couch, not listening to me blubber -”

Bradley shook his head and interrupted you. He didn’t want to give you another moment to doubt yourself. 

“- Hey, hey. I wanna talk about the heavy stuff with you, it’s okay. And I’d rather we do it now so we can really enjoy these next few days together - and maybe then have sex on the floor and over the arm of the couch. I don’t want this hanging over your head, kid. 

“And you’re not alone in thinking about that over the last few months - it’s probably been even longer for me…”

You wiped at the tears pooling in your eyes. “Really?” 

“You know you’re it for me, kid.” Have been since our fourth date went unsaid. “So, come on, walk me through it.”

You leaned against the back counter near the stove, while Bradley mirrored you against the island. You sighed. 

“I love you so much - sometimes I’m scared that I love you this much and that it’s not quite been a year since we met. And I never thought I’d be so heart achingly in love with someone in the Navy, of all things, and just - sometimes it hits me that you’re not even fully mine? That a part of you will always want to be in the sky or out at sea because you have this other entity that tells you what to do? And when to do it and what to wear and how you should act? Where you’re Rooster and not my Bradley?”

Bradley frowned at the use of his callsign coming from your lips. It didn’t feel right, it didn’t sound right. He didn’t want to be Rooster around you. He liked that he didn’t have to be Rooster around you.

“And it makes me absolutely crazy because you love it and you’re not going to stop - and you shouldn’t stop, not for me! But, god, Bradley, sometimes I want to shake you and hold you down and beg you to stay. Like that fucking story.” You wiped your eyes. 

“It’s all I wanted to tell you when I had that dream. About how I want you to come home so badly. I want you to stay here with me forever and never leave and to have that cute little boy who was the perfect mix of me and you and to have you here in my arms every night. And I know it’s selfish of me to ask or even make you think about it, but I want you right here. I don’t want you looking at the sky when you’re here and wanting to be up there. And I know you don’t either, Bradley. You give everything to everyone, you don’t do things by halves.” 

You both stood there, Bradley stunned by your words, and you, seemingly stunned that you’d actually said them. He took a step towards you, but didn’t cross that final barrier to touch you. He remembered highlighting a particular passage from the story in his response back to you and how he never wanted you to feel the same way as Lily. He didn’t want to let it - flying, the Navy, all of it get a hold of him.

“Don’t ever be a Rocket Man.” I stopped. “I mean it,” he said. “Because when you’re out there you want to be here, and when you’re here you want to be out there. Don’t start that. Don’t let it get hold of you.” “But-“ “You don’t know what it is. Every time I’m out there I think, If I ever get back to Earth I’ll stay there; I’ll never go out again. But I go out, and I guess I’ll always go out.”

You sniffled and wiped your eyes on your sleeve. “And I was so scared when you didn’t get back to me right away. Thought I’d scared you off…” You glanced down at the floor and played with your bracelet. It looked so fragile and dainty on your wrist. “I think I wrote five different responses to you after - deleted all of them.”

Bradley nudged your foot with his own and got you to look up at him. Even though it felt like his tattoo was burning into his skin - xxxix, xxxix, xxxix, the number ran through his head constantly as of late - he tried to put on a brave face. Everything you were saying was what he had been mulling over for the last three months. Thousands of miles apart and you both were still so in-sync. He cleared his throat before speaking. 

“You turned my life on its head when you sent me that story.” Even weeks later, he was still in disbelief. “And I know it wouldn’t have changed anything - not really - but I kept - I keep wondering how my dad would’ve reacted to it? Or my mom? I don’t think it would’ve made anything different, but just knowing about it? Because I don’t want us to have kids and still be a ‘rocket man.’ I don’t want them - that little boy in your dream - to wonder if I want to be up in the sky more than I want to be with him. And be with you. I want to be around, I want to be their dad and your husband. I love it, I love flying. But I don’t love it more than being with you and having a family with you. I don’t want to die in an F18 with a family at home.”

You let out a sob and he wrapped his arms around you and slowly swayed you from side to side. “Kid, I got six more years and then I’m all yours.” He could feel your tears seeping into his shirt as you cried. “It’s like what I said after you sent me that story - I don’t want our kids chasing ghosts. Not like I did.”

“You’d give us your wild?” you whispered. 

Bradley nodded and felt his own eyes welling up. “I want us to have what my mom and I didn’t. And it’s not that my mom wasn’t enough, but there was always a piece missing for both of us - Maverick, too.” You wiped the tears away from his eyes. “I love you, so, so much, kid. You know I’m gonna marry you. And I just want to be yours when it comes time for us to have a family.”

Honestly, it was a relief that you’d brought all this up. It only reaffirmed the thought that had been bouncing around Bradley’s head lately.

You two wouldn’t have kids until he was out of the Navy. 

There were six years until Bradley could put in his twenty years and retire. It was a little fucked, honestly, and he was sure his therapist would have plenty to say about it. But why not avoid something that could end in tragedy for everyone involved?

Why run the risk?

Bradley wasn’t dying in an F18 with a family at home.  

And he knew his logic wasn’t exactly sound. It didn’t entirely make sense even to himself. There would be plenty of times over the next six years where he could get into an accident or not come home from a mission. He understood that. 

Except, currently, there wasn’t a kid waiting at home for him. There wasn’t a three year old Bradley waiting at home and being told by his mom that his dad wasn’t coming home. He knew that if you had a family, it would be harder for you to move on if something happened to him. And he didn’t want to put you and any future little nuggets through that. He didn’t want to be a rocketman with them.

Bradley wasn’t dying in an F18 with a family at home. 

He wasn’t going to do that to your family. So, why not just wait to have a family until after he got out of the Navy? It seemed obvious. Perfectly so. The words had been ready to pour out of his mouth, except you beat him to it.

“I know,” your cleared the scratchiness out of your throat, “we talked about waiting to have kids until a couple years after we get married, but if you want to wait until you retire, we’ll do it. And then we’ll get all of you. I want to do everything with you, Bradley.”

Give you my wild, give you a child.

Bradley wrapped you up in his arms and squeezed you hard. “I love you, I love you, I love you. God, I love you so much.” He kissed your forehead and cheeks and lips and tried his damndest to pour all the love he had for you into it.

“I love you, too, Bradley,” you said simply. 

And maybe it wasn’t exactly healthy to wait and almost be consumed by this desperate need to control both your lives and have a countdown clock to when everything would be okay. Because maybe things wouldn’t be okay in six years? And maybe you and Bradley would get in a car accident tomorrow or maybe you both would have trouble having kids or or or…

But Bradley wasn’t dying in an F18 with a family at home.  

He would need to talk about this with his therapist at some point. The therapist the Navy gave him eighteen months ago after he ‘recklessly’ went back to save Maverick. The therapist that he just never stopped seeing even though he was cleared from last April. 

“We’re a bit of a mess, aren’t we?” Bradley asked after a moment.

You pulled back. “Maybe? And maybe it’s a little extreme for both of us to think like that, but we’ll make it work, okay? However we have to, we’ll make it work for us.” You punctuated your words with a quick kiss over his heart. 

“Oh dear,” you said suddenly. Bradley tensed up. “I got tears on your shirt.” 

He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, I know you can afford to get me a new one.” You shoved his shoulder and you both laughed. And just like that, the mood was lifted. 

Bradley had been right earlier - he felt lighter. You looked lighter. And that wasn’t to say that you’d looked gloomy or upset or scared before, but your shoulders weren’t as tense and you kept smiling, at him, at whatever you were cooking, at nothing.

This could be his life every night. You could be together like this forever. Cooking dinner side by side, talking about where the mail should go (it very much was not on the hall table, that was for damn sure), complaining about Mr. Harrington next door or arguing over who should vacuum. All the little things that made that big life together. The one you both wanted so badly. 

And contrary to your earlier statement, you did make you and Bradley another drink before dinner. In fact, it probably was what gave you the courage to attempt to flip the chicken in the saucepan like a regular José Andrés. (Even more surprising was the fact that you didn’t drop any.)

Once the potatoes finished, you swapped them in the oven for the asparagus, hoping the former would cool while the latter was roasting. All the while, you talked Bradley through everything - how much oil you added to the asparagus, where you’d gotten the potatoes, and the recipe for the chocolate cake you’d made for dessert. 

It was - well, Bradley didn’t really have a word for what it was. His first thought was how nice it was seeing you so confident and capable and proud of yourself. But his second thought was that it was also oddly stirring seeing you do all this for him while he just watched. 

Watched his pretty little girlfriend bopping around the kitchen, bopping around the house making sure everything was perfect for him. All you needed was a pretty little dress and a string of pearls to match your earrings. His pretty little housewife. Mrs Bradshaw. Bent over the kitchen island, wearing nothing but a frilly white apron and a pearl necklace as he fucked you from behind -

“All set!” Your cheerful voice interrupted Bradley’s fantasy before it could really start. He had zoned out while you’d been prattling on about the herb cutting scissors you wanted to get at Crate & Barrel. “Shall we?”

Bradley readjusted himself before getting up from his seat and helping you bring the drinks and serving dishes into the dining room. 

Mrs Bradshaw.

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

“So, how is it?” you asked once the food had been served and the wine had been poured. You had your chin propped up on your fist as you watched Bradley take the first few, slow bites of food. 

It was good. It was more than good, it was excellent. It was hot and perfectly seasoned and all the textures were just right. And it wasn’t just because he’d been on an aircraft carrier, eating out of the officer’s mess everyday. Because the food was actually pretty good on the carrier and the Aussies had even treated him to a couple meals. 

But he wouldn’t be Bradley and you wouldn’t be you if he didn’t mess with you a little. He tilted his head back and forth, trying to look like he was mulling it over. “It’s good…”

You nudged his foot under the table once you saw the smile threatening to break out on his face. “You ass.” The words lacked any heat.

Bradley took another bite of potatoes before speaking. “It’s really good, kid, seriously. You killed it. Seemed like you really enjoyed it, too.”

“I did,” you nodded, “I just always used to be so nervous I’d undercook something and make everyone sick, you know? Or that people would be lying to me about the food and that it was burnt or under-seasoned or something? But those lessons really helped and made me more confident, which is exactly why you gave them to me, so thank you.”

Maybe it wasn’t exactly why he had given them to you, but…

“You’re very welcome.”

Dinner continued on with only light hearted conversation after that. What Reuben and Bob were planning for their leave (Reuben and his wife were going up the coast for a mini-break and then building out the nursery for their baby, while Bob was going home to see his parents), the work you had to finish up before your trip, and what you both were hoping to get out of your vacation (good food, a tan, reading plenty of books, and having copious amounts of sex). 

All the while, Bradley had another helping of everything, except the potatoes, of which he had two additional helpings - you refrained from seconds entirely. You two must have sat at the table for over two and a half hours, talking and eating and laughing. It was perfect. Bradley helped you bring the dishes back into the kitchen; both of you were more than happy to deal with them a little later. 

And then there was the dessert. The chocolate cake looked heavenly - Ina’s recipe, of course - and you asked Bradley if he wanted an espresso martini to wash it down.

“What? ‘You trying to get me drunk?” 

You put your hand over your heart. “I would never! Though, I know your tolerance might be a little shot. Did that affect your stamina, too?”

“Ha, ha, ha hilarious.” He took the cake plate and knife from you while you went over to the bar to make the martinis. “I’ll have you know that the Aussies were very accommodating hosts.”

“The Aussies, huh?”

Bradley shrugged. It wouldn’t be an issue to tell you now, not after he’d been dying to mention it for the past few weeks. “It’s not classified or anything, they just don’t like us talking about it in the moment.”

“Wait,” you came back into the dinning room with a coupe half filled in your right hand. “Did you go to Australia?” 

“Possibly…” You shot him a look. “We do this joint training exercise with them every year. Last year was my first year.”

“That’s so cool! Did you spend much time actually on land or…” You went back to preparing the drinks and tossed your next question over your shoulder. “When was it? I think I saw something about it in the news.”

“After you got back from London. It was just a week for the actual exercise, but there were a lot of meetings in the lead up, we did a couple war-games, too. We were mainly in New South Wales with the aviators, but went up to the North Western Territory for the actual exercises.”

Last year, Bradley hadn’t had the opportunity to really get too involved in the planning aspects and being on base - his promotion hadn’t come through yet, so he had been just a lowly lieutenant - but his elevated rank granted him that privilege this year. 

“Wait, that’s so cool, I’ll have to read up on it more! I definitely remember hearing about it on the news, should’ve made the connection.” You came back over with the drinks. “How were the other pilots? This isn’t going to be some Manchurian Candidate bullshit, is it?”

Bradley barked out a laugh. “Nah, that’ll be Bob.”

“Did it have a fun name? They always seem to!” 

Bradley took a sip of his martini. Damn it was delicious. “Exercise Talisman Sabre - R-E. You want me to cut the cake?”

You nodded. Bradley pulled the cake stand closer to his seat. The cake was stunning. The frosting was definitely homemade and the white piping on the top looked perfect. “‘You take a picture of it yet?” 

“Of the cake?”

“Gotta commemorate this, it’s gorgeous. Need one with you, too!” You smiled bashfully as Bradley snapped a couple pics with his phone and then put it face-up on the table. The picture of the two of you at your Christmas party before his deployment smiled back up at him. 

You sat back down in your chair. “Here’s hoping it tastes just as good.”

There would still be plenty of cake for leftovers, but Bradley thought the two of you deserved a little something extra tonight and measured the first piece a little bigger than he normally would. 

“Oh. You can have that one. I’ll take a smaller piece.” He went to cut another piece, slightly smaller than his. “Little smaller.” He kept scooching the knife closer and closer for your approval until it was only about a third of the size of his piece. “That’s perfect, thanks.”

You took a huge first bite of cake and Bradley did the same. “Oh, god. It’s so good,” he said. “I need the recipe so I can make this every week.” 

Your fork froze midair for a moment, before you took a slightly smaller piece this time. “I don’t know if I can handle this every week...” You chuckled. 

Bradley moaned. “But the ganache! The whipped frosting on the top! Sweetheart, it’s so good. The world cannot be deprived of its beauty.”

That got a proper laugh out of you. “‘You writing sonnets about cake now?”

“I’ll write sonnets about you, this cake, anything you want, you got me in a good mood, kid.” He licked the frosting off his fork and then went back in for the final two bites. 

“That might just be the martini talking, bubs. Here,” you slid your barely eaten plate over towards him, “you can have the rest of mine.”

Bradley frowned. “You sure?”

“Yeah, I had extra batter and made some cupcakes. Had one this morning. I’m chocolate cake’d out.” 

He was a little dubious since you loved chocolate cake, but took your words at face value. 

“But first,” you swiped some extra frosting off your plate and streaked it across Bradley’s cheek, “you got a little something on your face, bubs.”

“Oh no,” he laid it on thick, “guess you’ll have to come over here and help me clean it off.”

In a flash, you were on him - arms wrapped around his neck, legs astride his thigh. Your feet remained firmly on the ground, but Bradley wanted all your weight on him, reminding him that he was here in the house you shared and not back in his bunk on the carrier. 

“There we go.” You swiped the frosting off his cheek and sucked the excess off your finger. “My pretty boy again.”

He smiled. “You say that like you haven’t wanted to fuck me since we got home.”

Your jaw dropped at his words. “I’m trying to draw out the anticipation!” Bradley squeezed your hips and you shifted your weight on his thigh. This time your words came out quieter. “Thought you wanted me in our bed the first time back?” You pressed light kisses across his neck and jawline until you nipped at his ear. “The same bed I’ve been getting myself off in every night since I brought my stuff over.”

“But just like I asked, right? Just your fingers?” You nodded. “Good girl.”

You ducked your head at the praise and then pulled yourself even closer to him before capturing his lips in a deep kiss. You tasted like espresso and chocolate and Bradley wanted to take you right there on the dining room table with little regard for the state of his stem and dish-ware. Slowly, you rocked your body on his lap and let out a breathy gasp against his lips. The seam on your jeans must have been driving you absolutely crazy, but you didn’t let up. And, frankly, Bradley didn’t want you to - all he wanted right now was to keep kissing you, keep pressing his chest against yours, keep grabbing at your hips over your shirt. Except that soon wasn’t enough. 

He slipped his hand underneath your shirt and went straight for your lace bra. He smiled against your lips. Good girl. You wore his favorite one. His hand slid lower to drag his fingers across the soft skin of your stomach and side. God, you were so warm. So soft. But he couldn’t linger on the spot for too long after you pushed his hand away and gestured for him to get up.

Without separating yourselves for too long, you and Bradley made your way from making out on his dining table chair to making out on the couch. You were on your back, half wedged between the back cushion, and entirely under Bradley’s bulk. 

God, had he missed this. Touching you, kissing you, holding you, fucking you. You’d already talked for hours, now he wanted to kiss you for them. 

The couch felt ten times more inviting with you now than it had earlier in the evening when it had just been Bradley. Because now he had you underneath him with your head on the throw pillows he had made note of earlier, now the candles on the coffee table were lit and were the perfect complement to your perfume, and now the cashmere blanket he had always loved was half draped over you both.

This was where you’d watch movies together at night, where you’d open Christmas presents, where you’d ride him after a long day at work, where you’d have meals with the news on in the background, where your kids would watch TV. 

“I love you,” you rasped against his lips. “I love you so much.”

“Love you, love you, love you,” he repeated.

It could have been twenty minutes or an hour later, but now the two of you were just laying side by side on the couch. You were wrapped in Bradley’s arms, nestled against his chest, where you had been pressing little kisses against his neck for the last five minutes. Occasionally, you’d play with the ends of his hair or drag your finger across the scars on his neck. 

Bradley pressed a light kiss to your temple. “This has been really nice, thank you. I’ve never had someone to come home to - not like this.”

You tilted your head up and bit your lip, looking adorably flustered. “I always want to be here when you come home. And I wanted to do something nice for you, make you happy.”

“You made me very happy, always do.”

“Always, huh?” you teased. You kissed his neck. Nipped at his neck. 

Bradley mimicked your tone. “Well, not when I saw the way you put the mail on the hall table…” 

“You gonna punish me?” There was a little glint in your eyes as you said it.

While the idea had plenty of merit, Bradley didn’t want that tonight, he wanted everything to be soft and slow, so he could really get his fill of you. Plus, you’d be so fucking tight for him, so responsive to his touch, he wanted to make that drag out as long as possible. He wanted you to babble, he wanted you to beg.

“Not tonight, but maybe tomorrow if you’re good for me?” He pinched your side and you let out a giggle and then suddenly sat up on the couch, almost startled.

“I should do the dishes, don’t want to leave them for too long. You can head upstairs, though.” You cupped his cheek and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“You sure you don’t need any help?” he said the last word through a yawn. 

“Nope!” You smiled over your shoulder and headed off to the kitchen. “You’re off the hook. I’m gonna finish putting these in the dishwasher and lock-up while you go upstairs and get ready, okay?”

Bradley scrunched his nose. “Is this gonna be a normal thing? You doing all the housework? Because that’s not gonna slide, roomie.”

“Oh, so I’m just your roommate now?” you teased. You bent over the dishwasher to put some larger plates in the back. “I see how it is, Bradshaw.”

He doubled back over to you and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling your back against his chest. “Got a feeling you’re gonna be my last one,” he murmured against your neck before he pressed kisses against it. 

It was like you melted against him. God, you smelled so pretty and tasted so pretty and looked so pretty and sounded so pretty giggling. And Bradley had never felt so welcomed home before. He couldn’t wait to do this with you every night. 

“Bradley,” you sighed and turned around to face him. “The sooner you let me finish, the sooner I can come upstairs…” You pecked him on the lips. 

Upstairs. Where Bradley would take care of you. 

Take care of you. Take you. Take you take you take you -

He groaned and gave you a longer kiss. “Okay, okay, okay.” He kissed you between each word. “But this is the last time you’re getting away with this...”

“I’ll hold you to it.” You kissed him again. “Now go! Get into something comfortable, powder your nose, touch up your hair -”

“I’m going, I’m going,” he promised. “Don’t be too long, we can always do everything tomorrow morning.”

You waved him off good-naturedly and went about setting the kitchen to rights. Bradley smiled at the sight of you already appearing so at home in his house - your house and headed upstairs. With startling alacrity despite the numerous drinks he’d had and the late hour, Bradley quickly brushed his teeth, did his skincare routine, and turned down the bed for your arrival. 

Even a floor apart, he could still hear the sounds of you puttering around downstairs. If he concentrated really hard, he could imagine exactly what you were doing. 

You had just opened the silverware drawer, probably had just washed and dried something - oh right, he had noticed you used the hand-wash-only salad tongs for the asparagus. Then you opened the tupperware cabinet and got out some snapware and eventually opened the freezer, putting the leftover chicken piccata away for another meal. Then there was the sound of the cake plate on the granite countertop and more snapware. He was still surprised you hadn’t eaten much cake, much of any of the food really, but chalked it up to nerves or excitement at his homecoming.

With a sigh, Bradley laid back against the fluffy pillows lining the headboard. God, he had missed this. His high thread count sheets, your fancy Laundress detergent, his side of the bed - and more importantly, you being on the other side. He stretched and let out a groan, getting comfortable. 

This was perfect. He was home - in the house you now shared. You were going to come upstairs - probably in some cute little outfit - and give him a proper welcome home. Bradley bet you even got a new matching set just for the occasion. The two of you had gotten all the tough conversations out of the way - for the most part - so now you could really enjoy these next few days together before your trip. 

And Bradley was so excited to go to Punta Mita with you. You had done such an amazing job planning everything. He had done some additional research on his flight home earlier and definitely wanted to hit up the spa and maybe sneak in a round of golf over the ten day trip. Plus, you definitely had the cutest fucking outfits planned. He always liked that, imagining what you were wearing while he was gone. The sporadic pictures hadn’t been enough. You always looked so pretty and he always needed to tell you. 

Pretty, pretty, pretty. His pretty girlfriend. Downstairs, making sure everything was all set. He yawned. Mmmmm, he hoped you’d be upstairs soon. His eyelids were getting heavy. 

And it was so warm and comfy and his stomach was full and everything smelled so good and he was here. 

Finally, he was here with you. 

In your house, talking about your future. 

Maybe if he just closed his eyes for a few minutes. Maybe if he just took a quick nap…

a/n - sorry for the cliff hanger, but it's the PERFECT spot for a break! next part will have that first night back AND the lead up to their trip, which will be in the final part! couldn't have gotten this done without all the encouraging messages and texts over the last few weeks - special shout out to @sometimesanalice @callsignspark @notroosterbradshaw @ofstoriesandstardust @cherrycola27 @heartsofminds and @greenorangevioletgrass xxjordan

[auspicioustidings]

Hey hope your doing well! Could I request Price with a really shy civilian reader?

Ohhh so I am going to cheat a little here and actually expand a little small AU I did before for this, I hope you don't mind soulmate AUs! (If you do you shall need to get your butt back into the ole inbox and I shall do something else) <3

You did not want to die. You especially did not want to die because of a bloody maniac seeing fit to blow up the building that you worked in. 

You could barely breathe with all the smoke and debris in the air, but at least the floor hadn't collapsed yet. Couldn't be long though, you could hear the building letting out great sighs as if struggling to stay upright. If it came down, you were toast. You took a breath and rubbed a hand to the raised words on your collarbone to steady yourself. Old habit. Your words had been there since you were born, the handwriting so bad that everyone assumed you must have a doctor for a soulmate. 

You broken love?

The only saving grace of this was that the office had actually been closed due to the aircon being busted. Of course, you had to have left your bloody laptop charger and had to have chosen to go get it when there was a terrorist attack, of course. Not much for it but to start crawling in what you were sure was the direction of the door to the stairwell.

It was a struggle, you were pretty sure in the initial blast your whole left side had been thoroughly fucked up so you had to pull yourself along on your right side, but you made it to the stairwell.

You took a breather and leaned heavily against the wall, trying to steel yourself for continuing on down the stairs. Wait, there were people coming up the way. That was very much the wrong way to be going. 

One of them bit out a curse and leaned over you. All you could think about in your state was how kind his eyes looked.

"Wasn't told there was anyone else left in the building Captain" one of the men said to the one leaning over you.

"You broken love?"

Oh. Oh.

"I'd probably be ok calling you Captain in bed."

The other men were howling with laughter, but you were mostly out of it now with pain and the rush of endorphins that came from those words on your collarbone finally settling fully into your skin.

"We can discuss that later sweetheart, let's get you out of here."

-

God you were a pretty thing weren't you? Had passed out the moment he had lifted you in his arms, like you had known that moment you were safe. You'd always be safe with him, after all he had fought his way to become a Captain to find you, the words wrapped around his left forearm always pushing him forward.

His boys were happy for him he knew, Ghost already taking over the rest of the op to allow him to be here for you when you woke up. They had already killed or captured most of the terrorist ring, the building sweep was just clean up.

The paramedics said you weren't in any immediate danger, pretty bashed up though. Suspected break on your left arm, suspected fracture on the leg, some light burning on your face and neck. Price went with you in the ambulance to the hospital, holding your hand as you dipped in and out of consciousness and babbled away nonsense at him. Even when you had gotten the x-rays you were loopy as hell, the doctors said it was stress, exhaustion and pain, prescribing a heavy dose of painkillers and a good night's sleep.

When you eventually woke up properly, you were warm and cosy in a bed. You felt awful. You looked down to find your arm in a cast and your leg in a splint. You were also... Well, clean. And wearing clothes that were definitely not yours.

"Morning love."

You squeaked and dragged the blankets right up to the bridge of your nose, peeking over to see an incredibly handsome man standing by the door of what was not your bedroom. Wait did you know him? It felt like you did. What on earth had happened?

He laughed and it was the most gorgeous sound you had ever heard which made the tips of your ears burn and your heart race.

"You broken love?"

Wait those were your... only when you shifted to touch your words they were already settled into your skin. He had said them to you before. That's why you knew him. He said them when he had found you in your building, when you thought you had been dying. And you had said...

You would quite have liked for the earth to open up and swallow you whole, but you settled for pulling the blankets all the way over your head and hiding in the hopes he would never look at you again. You could not believe your first words to your soulmate had been about calling him Captain in bed. You were mortified. You would never in a million years have said something like that if you hadn't been delirious from the shock.

You heard his footsteps and the crinkling of his clothes as he crouched next to the bed, the feeling of a warm hand landing on your head over the blanket.

"Don't tell me you're embarassed now love, I've not even told you about what you were saying when I was trying to give you a bath" he laughed.

Jail, jail for this man. You would fix this by simply never emerging from this cocoon again. This was your home now. Even if he was petting at your head and you knew it would feel so much better without the duvet between your hair and his hand. Oh God the thought made you snake your good hand out of the safety of the blankets to snatch a pillow back inside and scream into it.

John Price thought you were adorable. He knew you were shy, you had babbled to him about it last night while he was gently trying to keep your cast out of the water in the bath. It had been you that stripped off and him trying desperately to slow you down, knowing you were off your head on pain meds. But you wanted a bath and he couldn't let you do that on your own in the state you had been in.

You'd told him all about yourself in broken jumbles of words. Your name (he had immediately tested in on his tongue and found it fit there), your favourite colour (he'd paint the walls on Monday), how it was so nice to be able to talk to him because usually you would be way too shy and he was so handsome and kissable (he was more than willing to prove you absolutely correct about him being kissable when you were sober minded).

You hadn't been kidding about being shy. He liked that more than he thought he would, that his soulmate was this sweet, soft thing who was so flustered over so small a flirtation. Oh he couldn't wait to see all the ways he could made colour deepen your skin, find all the words that would have you squeaking and trying to hide away.

"Sorry for teasing, couldn't help myself. Will you come out please? Let me see that pretty soulmate of mine?" he said with the gentle affection of a man finally content in life.

He coaxed you out like one might do a nervous kitten, no sudden movements, light sounds of encouragement. And when you finally looked at him your hand moved to your collarbone out of habit to trace your words, although you winced in pain when you bumped the cast.

"Try not to move it too much love, we can do some exercises to keep your mobility up after breakfast."

You nodded, still looking up at him with those big nervous eyes. He smiled at you and pushed up his sleeve, laying his forearm on the bed and letting you see the words there.

"They're yours, you know. I'm yours" he said, like the concept came as easy to him as breathing.

And as you gingerly reached out with your good hand to trace the words, you couldn't help but whisper the word mine before taking his hand and pressing it to your collarbone.

"Yours."

[miaurri]

I can finally drop her ref and add her backstory 😭 I made a post on insta with her lore but it's extremely water down so I might as well make a full post about it

CW// Animal death, Domestic Abuse, Grooming, Self Harm and Attempted SA

Kayo was born the first day of spring, a new beginning for her mother and father but over time she didn't came out "right" physically. She was beautiful no doubt about it but with such an odd looking eye she was almost incomplete.

Though despite this her family continued to raise her till she later on has a brother. They plan on raising him to become a samurai and bring wealth into the family home but Kayo insisit she can as well. Most of Kayo's early childhood was spent on taking care of the farm and help watching over her brother who was slowly getting ill. She was annoyed with him, not only for stealing the attention away from her family but as a "hindrance" to the family

As winter slowly arrived his condition had gotten worse and their money had gotten low. Nightly her parents argued on the money problem which lead to violence she'd witness, but Kayo wanted to show her family that she was able to provide as well. Unknowingly she went into the fields to look for some plants to use for medication and saw red spider lillies, entranced by then she grabbed a handful before sneaking back into the home as everyone went to sleep. Kayo proceeded to make a herb tea made out of the plants and gave them to her brother.

Even if she didn't like him she was willing to try and help her family out by watching after him. But no matter how many times she tried his condition had gotten worse, more and more Kayo started adding anything to make his medication work till she gave him all the remaining spider lillies she could find and made him drink it all that night. The next morning wasn't a pleasant one as her brother's body was layed cold. His face went purple and blood was left on his lips as Kayo's mother discover the dead body of her son and her daughter with a cup layed next to her her mother assumed that Kayo had intentionally poisoned her brother

Struck with grief and anger her mother shoved Kayo away from her brother as she cried and cradle his body. From then there her family had became worse. Her mother would always have bruises and was shaking in fear at any sign of touch. Kayo became distant but the guilt of upsetting her mother weighed more as Kayo told her she was willing to do anything to see her happy again.

That night Kayo's mother held her daughter for the last time. Not saying a word as by the next morning Kayo's mother lead her to a strange place. It was definitely more busier than their small village and everyone work nice clothing compare to the rags that they often wore. Kayo stopped by at a building and spoke to a strange man. Kayo felt nervous as she saw the man's eyes leering at her, she didn't understand what had happened but saw the man grabbing Kayo by her arm as he lead her further into the town.

As Kayo panicked she looked back at her mother who was walking away with a small bag of coins hand. Kayo was left to the hands of whoever now as she walked through the crowd of people. She finds herself heading into a tall building as the man lead her into a room, Kayo looking back immediately as soon as the paper door was slammed closed. But instead of something scary awaiting for her, there was a woman. She worn a ray of colorful kimonos that complimented her complexion well. Kayo was told that she'll be working with her as her Kamuro, her servant, but that for now on she'll be under her care

It didn't matter if she was only being nice, or that she perhaps pitied the child Kayo was happy someone was willing to take care of her. She had introduced herself as Fujinami and promised Kayo she'll never leave her side until she was ready. Hence that day Kayo was now renamed to the one we all now know her as. Her weeks with her were slow as she was just getting familiar to the environment she was in. Though she was well equipped with house keeping skills she was lacking a bit with grace and femmeninity.

Fujinami teaches her that in this industry that playing nice was an act, she was performing essentially but it made people happy. Though Kayo didn't seem as interested in playing pretend as she had more focus on being free and running around the house. Especially when one of Fujinami's client had been introduced to Kayo as he waited to see her. Isamu was a popular teacher at a dojo not too far from the district, but he had never met a young girl who was addamit on learning the skills of his craft, not even his younger students showed that much passion which intrigued him.

Kayo was a young spirit. High in energy despite her circumstances and loved playing games with anyone who was willing. It didn't take long for Isamu to start growing a fondness with her and even sharing a bit about himself. He was aware how odd it was for a girl like her to enjoy typically masculine things but even he admits he was like her growing up. He told her stories of him and his mother taking care of the flowers in their home and always enjoying them bloom at the first sight of spring, it was a long process and some don't even bloom in time but he'd personally think that's there's beauty of it.

As Kayo gotten older she'd completely forgotten her old life and now embraced her new one. She even made a friend with a boy from another house named Shotaro. The two would often spar and walk around the town, if they're lucky they could even buy some sweets with the small amount of money they were given. But not everything was great as with each winter's passing Kayo was slowly not forming into the image Fujinami wanted, eventually Kayo will be on her own and if she didn't start becoming the "perfect woman" she'll be left broke and dead.

Fujinami kept insisting that Kayo should start things more seriously as with the lack of skills Kayo was showing was getting worse. Fujinami explained that if she kept practicing and playing up this idea of beauty that one day a man will buy her out and she can finally escape the district on her own. But Kayo kept on failing, she was vulgar with her words, couldn't do flower erranging or even playing most of the instruments given to the house. All she could really do is fight but that's it

Stressed, Fujinami left Kayo to clear her head as she gotten ready to see her next client. Kayo feeling guilty for the lack of consideration wanted to do something for her. But as she's seen growing up, words mean nothing. They're fake and empty and only true dedication is necessary. She's heard from some of the women that there were times that the Oirans would send letters containing a piece of their finger, but usually it's never theirs. Maybe she couldn't get a finger... but she can do something better

Kayo had practiced once again as she was cleaned the table of the spilt sake as a sudden noise comes from the window. She looked down from the window and saw an injured bird on the ground limping. Feeling pity she took the animal in as she grabbed a cloth and scissors to wrap it's wings. But as she stared down at the helpless bird something overcame her, instead as the bird was flapping it's wing suddenly Kayo pierced into the flesh of the bird causing it to holler out in pain. When Kayo managed to rip off a chunk of it's broken wing Fujinami already came upstairs to see the commotion Kayo with glee presented her the bird, her hands coated in blood as she happily talked about how she was sorry for not practicing hard enough but she promised that she'll be good this time around. Disgusted at the bloody sight and the smell Fujinami ran off from Kayo causing her to follow her behind. Confused and worried she clung onto her begging for forgiveness before being shoved by her. Fujinami being scared of what Kayo is capable of shouts that she had wished she had been born a normal girl and not some animal. Struck by those words Kayo watched as she ran away from her as weeks passed and Kayo became completely focus on being more feminine.

If anything what she desired most was her approval, for that happiness she once had to still remain as she continued to perfect her craft. By the time she was old enough to "graduate" she had already perfected the image that was put upon her. Her vulgar language now light and flowery, she was gentle and graceful. Kayo hoped that Fujinami would see her growing into the woman she wanted her to be but alas, she was nowhere in sight. Thats when she heard that since she was old enough to work on her own Fujinami was no longer obligated to take care of her. As her graduation week came, she had herself presented to a crowd of people along the street. She kept a smile but deep down was distraught that she couldn't even be there to say goodbye. Each day she worn a new kimono and her hair was adorned with gold. But no amount of riches could fulfill that void in her heart, Kayo wept. Quietly at first before she had a meltdown as she trashed everything in her room. Stripping herself off of her kimono and hair piece she couldn't bare herself being parted from Fujinami. She was once again all alone. But as she cried a door opened and leaping from the floor begged Fujinami to forgive her and to take her with her. Unfortunately for her a old woman came to say someone had already bought her out for the night, her first customer. Kayo had to be as presentable as she could be but Kayo's heart grew heavy once she waited for her first client. But that feeling would only grow as she looked up and saw Isamu of all people coming to see her.

Kayo was conflicted, but she hoped that he was only there so he could buy her contract and let her live with him. She had decided to speak with him more formally as she poured him sake, but despite the circumstance that they're in Kayo smiled as she spoke fondly about how at least if there was one more figure in her life to trust it would be him. But as entertaining it was for him watching Kayo fumble with her words. He told her that he was only here for one thing most of all. After all, he said, "He enjoyed watching the flowers bloom in spring" and Kayo was simply a flower that was late to bloom. Kayo's face grew pale as he reached closer to her. "Sometimes you have to open the flower yourself to see it's true beauty" was the only words she could make out as she stood still, her body frozen as the image of what was the friendly man who took her under his wing became monstrous, almost unrecognizable. But Kayo wanting to play this role for Fujinami lets him get closer. But she was scared, afraid of what he can do to her that her body broke from it's spell as she grabbed her hairpiece and pierced his eye. Causing him to fall back as Kayo fought him off from trying to get to her. Kayo had lunged forward to him as she stabbed him multiple times. Blood soaking her soft orange kimono as she now stood in a puddle of blood. She could hear the sounds of the people downstairs celebrating and laughing as she processed what had happened. She realized now that staying her would mean a fate worse than death. And Kayo knew what she had done was wrong as she stormed out of the room. Bloody footprints following her as she ran out of the house causing on lookers to look in horror of the bloody mess she was. Kayo will escape the district even if it killed her. She didn't care her feet were burning against the ground or how dirty her garments were She felt more free than ever before and like an animal escaping from its home. She was no longer a house pet but a run away. But as her small foot can lead her she went into hiding. Slowly as she had gotten older she'd realized how poorly her body reacted to pain. Each day now she inflicted harm onto her body for her to handle the pain as cuts varied from small to deep until she could barely flinch from the pain. She started out rough though as all of her kills for hire only gave her scraps. But it was enough for her to go by. Luckily present to the story she had now perfected her skills, the thing that once brought fear into people she knew was now a necessary for her to survive. She had finally took care of herself and was now even able to afford some small goods like a beni that she cherished. Even though she knew there was no way someone would see her as a wife she still dreamed of someone accepting her the way she is. Everything was back to normal, as normal as things could be until one day she was sent a hit. A samurai who cut through a dojo but as well as the four fang, though she was tempted to decline once she heard how much she was getting paid for the hit suddenly changed her mind. Now finding herself walking along the snow path alone. She finds the calmness of the winter snow appealing but like a storm, she locked eyes with him- The rest you can figure out what happened :3

[inkskinned]

you know, the light that fades at the end of Goncharov isn't light.

i am not a very good person to talk to about movies. i haven't seen most of the "official" american canon - jaws, psycho, citizen kane. i have seen sharknado, though. like so much in my childhood, what i knew was a little jar on a long shelf of gallons; my world was a catholic desert in new england weather.

my father had gotten his snout up about something; so we had to watch it. he was mad we hadn't seen it, the way people are going to be mad i haven't seen those three up i named there, as if i me having-not-seen-the-movie was because i was making some kind of political statement or argument. i just haven't seen them yet, i have no opinion about it. i'll eventually get around to it, god be willing.

during that time, i was doing bad in school and worse in taking care of my body. i sat on the floor on this green pillow, one of the ones my dog eventually tears up. my dad typed g-o-n into the DVR with that slow methodical passion, the remote tilted so the "rays" or whatever would somehow find the ever-smaller input.

he was excited. "you need to understand the light." he didn't look at me while he did it, focused.

"are you spelling gonorrhea." my brother, the eldest, was 17 in this memory. he was sitting on the chair in the corner, playing a game i can't remember the name of. (starfleet? star invaders? it was online, i know that. lots of clicking.)

my dad is used to this. we talk over each other all the time. "when they made it, scorsese wanted this specific hue over everything." my father looks over his shoulder at me, but i'm on the floor, stretching. i don't have a smart phone yet. i'm just watching with the anxious-restless feeling we all get when your father is painstakingly typing something into a virtual keyboard at an eighth of the speed you could have managed. "you'd like this, raquel. what color do you think he wanted?"

my mom comes in from the kitchen. "do we want salt or butter on the popcorn?" she has a handful she pops into her mouth. "wait for your sister to come upstairs. she'll be mad if she misses a part."

"salt," i say, while my brother says "butter."

"spruce." my dad is undeterred. he finally clicks the v, and then navigates over the red tiles to enter. "Spruce."

"okay?" i like dark green too. to be honest, i have no idea who Scorsese is or why he is important. (this is, by the way, still true.)

"here's the thing." my father doesn't actually click the "enter." he just looks at me, adjusting his glasses. "it doesn't exist."

okay. he's right. i do like this. i squint up at him, the signal to go on.

"it came to him in a dream. it's not a real color." my brother monotones, flat. he's heard this story before, and he's 17.

"i still say it's green," my mother says. she comes in holding the salt-and-buttered popcorn, fluffy in an orange bowl. "he just never painted a house, is all."

"it's a candle smell," i say.

"a tree." i don't know when my little sister came upstairs. she's braiding her hair, frowning. "i thought we were going to watch psych."

"it's old movie night," my mother answers. there's something there, in the cant of her smile, which i won't understand until i am much older. if you are over 25, you know what i saw. my mother, seeing her family settle like tired birds around a movie screen, for the moment placid, not-fighting. none of the children are happy about the selection - why would we be?

"Scorsese says it's not green." my father finally clicks rent for 2.99. "he was looking for this specific color, the one from his dreams. the color he had been told was called spruce, through someone in the dream." he looks to me again, his poet. "you know how dreams always feel... different. when you look back on them in your memories, they don't color in all the way. and he wanted that dream tinge."

the memories of my dreams are covered in colored static. sometimes i nightmare in black and white. i did not share this information, thinking it was too private. (forgive me. i was 14. everything was too-private for me.)

"a regular hitchcock," my mom mutters. we don't know, yet, not really, about what hitchcock did.

"he revolutionized the lighting industry. raquel, you have to look for the light in this thing. it's only in a few frames per scene. he didn't want it to be overwhelming."

"he fired like 10 people while he was doing it." my brother doesn't look up from his screen, clicking feverishly. "in order to get the color, he had to develop a software to switch lighting past human speed." he sends a glance towards the TV, kind of relenting. "it was cool, actually. he didn't actually light the room with that speed, he used one set of colors on the set and then another set specifically over the film. we're basically seeing two films: one that has the regular lighting, and then just this lighting track playing on top."

"like a sound list - ah, what's that called?" my father's remote hovers over play. i am trying to figure out what color i think spruce is going to be. "soundtrack," he amends. "are we all ready?"

"i still don't think it's real," my mother says. "i think he made it up for PR." my mother is good at colors. my mother would be right about that kind of thing.

"hon, he spent thousands of dollars on this." my father isn't angry, for once, he's smiling. "i'm telling you, it happens."

she shrugs. "i'll believe it when i see it."

we are not ready. we have to each find places to sit. i've been lying about how bad my eyesight is getting, so i keep my seat on the floor, close to the television. my mother, father, and sister take the couch. i make sure i am within reaching distance of the popcorn. my brother even kind-of closes his monstrosity of a laptop. then my mother has to use the bathroom, so we all do, so we won't have to pause later. then my sister remembers her homework, so i get mine too, spreading it uselessly in front of me. i slide open my verizon sidekick keyboard phone to text Dean who the fuck is scorkayze? [sic] and then we are ready.

my mom falls asleep by the end of the first 15 minutes. my father misses most of it, since he's already seen it, going downstairs to play World Civ instead. my sister doesn't get it, so she ends up at the dining room table, doing homework instead. my brother goes back to the video game.

i stare really, really, really hard at the film, trying to figure out where the spruce happens. a few frames per scene.

i don't like the film. like most movies i saw at the time, i found it boring. i had undiagnosed adhd. i spend most of my time stretching and texting and not-doing my homework. again, i'm sorry - i was 14.

when the "gun" finally goes off - if you've seen the movie, you know the scene, and i won't spoil it here for other readers - i looked back over my shoulder towards my family. all of us, quiet in our own little seats. satellites. did i want this memory to be different? that i would turn and see my family, happily crowded chickadees, our wings brushing? or is this just the real-life, the type of love where we are not nesting birds, but foxes. prowling the edges of our comfort with our jaws open. snapping at the shadows, wishing for the closeness we don't allow ourselves to get. tomorrow we will watch psych. this is the last year of my life that all of us will live under the same roof. my brother goes off to college, and my sister and i follow suit. it is the last year my grades don't matter. it is my sister's first year of middle school. it is 2007; and in 2008, in the recession, we will no longer be able to afford to turn on the heat.

behind me, on the television, the light was fading.

sometimes, when i think back to it, shifting through the memory: it appears out of the thin air. a frame of spruce. it's never around the movie. my father's hands on the remote. my brother's low voice. the sound of my sister walking up the stairs. the popcorn smell hanging in the air. for a moment, the sense - everything is easy. and you know? i think i see it, mr. scorsese.

[slvtforfiction]

Second chance romance

☆ Colby X Reader

☆ Forced proximity

☆ Fluff

☆ Ex-lovers to lovers

☆ If you are going to request: please check at the pinned post if requests are open,otherwise I will delete your requests which I have already been doing

☆ Creds to @cafekitsune for dividers :)

☆ And credits to Pinterest for the inspiration board at the top :)

Masterlist | Pinned post

Here I was sat on a plane next to my now ex boyfriend and roommate. I have been dreading this plane journey but I’m so excited for the holiday I was to soon be on.

I pulled up Spotify on my phone,that he had conveniently bought me before we parted, and began listening to music as I prayed for this flight to be over.

I closed my eyes after I had stared out of the window for what felt like an eternity and reminded myself that it was only a 4 hour flight.

I got jostled awake as the flight attendant stood in the aisle, “Do you want a drink or a snack? I’ll buy.” He said and I rolled my eyes, “I’ll buy my own stuff,thanks.” I replied sarcastically turning to look at the flight attendant who was patiently waiting for an answer.

“Can I have a can of coke and some peanuts please?” I asked and she looked away smiling pulling a cup,a can of coke and salted peanuts out of her trolly.

“That’s £6 please.” She told me as she continued smiling almost eerily at me “Uh yeah.” I said as I pulled my bag from beneath my legs searching for my purse.

As I looked up with my purse in hand,the flight attendant had left and I turned my head slowly towards Colby.

“What happened?” I asked with a strain of anger in my voice knowing that he had not just paid her. “I paid her and she went along,it’s not a big deal.” He told me with his smile, “God sake.” And then I knew this was going to be the longest holiday I had ever had and certainly not because I was happy.

I was once again jostled awake as he stood in the aisle looking down at me, “Come on sleepy,we’re here.” He said as he grabbed his bag from the overhead bin.

“Don’t call me that.” I said groggily as I wiped my eyes and and picked up my bag from the floor slinging it over my back as we walked off the plane.

“What’s your issue with me today?” He asked as if he was being genuine “Guess.” I said rhetorically.

Whenever I was with Colby he would be editing,it was like I had come to see my boyfriend and had gotten trapped in a mirror maze.

A room full of people but at the end of the day it was only me and the lifeless body hunched over his computer.

And then it all came crashing down,but the trip was non-refundable and I was not losing a good holiday over this,so here we are.

I walked out of the airport after having made it through security and grabbed my luggage and we hopped into the taxi waiting to be transported to our hotel.

The weather was perfect,sun rays hitting my face,the sounds of the waves crashing against the beach as we reached our hotel,everything was perfect.

We walked to reception,the reminder of the queen sized bed haunting me and we went into the lift and up to the room.

I collapsed on the bed and took a deep breath,I was finally on holiday. The realisation hit me and I got off the now scrunched up,untidy bed and walked over to my suitcase pulling out my makeup and a bikini.

I ignored Colby’s attempts of talking to me and walked straight into the bathroom to do my makeup.

I only did something simple,no foundation,knowing it would melt and would definitely come off if I went in the sea.

And I walked out of the bathroom,into the bedroom to pick out my bikini. I settled on a small purple bikini which showed off my curves in all the right ways and smiled to myself as I looked in the mirror.

I snapped a picture and uploaded it to instagram,captioning it ; ‘On holiday with someone I don’t know,this will be interesting 🤷‍♀️’ and posted it with a smile.

“You coming to the beach or what?” I said as I looked back at him, “No I’m in boxers for no reason.” He said sarcastically and I smiled sarcastically back at him.

I put on my sandals and walked out of the door with two towels in hand as Colby followed behind me.

We sat down on the first beach chairs we saw that were empty and I smiled as the sun rays hit my body,warming up my already hot body.

I lied there as I took in the light breeze against my face,the natural beauty of the scenery and the delicate sounds of the waves crashing against the shore.

I smiled to myself as I closed my eyes taking in the light smell of the sea,the sound of birds above us and the touch of my skin against the sandy beach chair.

I woke up about five minutes later realising I had fallen asleep again and decided to take off into the sea.

I took off the covering around my waist to reveal my thong bikini and walked into the calm sea.

I smiled as I floated around,taking in the view around me as the realisation hit me that I was finally on holiday.

I opened my relaxed eyes to see Colby walking into the water and floating over to me.

“Hey pretty.” He said and I scoffed looking at him dead in his eyes. “Really?” I said rolling my eyes with a sarcastic undertone.

Something I had noticed was how kind Colby was attempting to be now we were on holiday and I brushed it off as sarcasm.

We stayed until sundown,taking in the beautiful sunset that would never compare to LA’s busy scenery and with that we begun to walk back to our hotel room to get changed and go to the bar across the street.

The one thing we had both noticed upon our arrival was the obvious night life this city had. Bars upon every corner,clubs on every other corner and the copious amounts of taxi ranks that seemed to be empty,waiting till night to strike their attack of expensive drives upon their drunk victims.

As I reached the hotel room I opened up my suitcase once again picking out a skin tight dress and walked into the bathroom where my makeup bag sat.

This time however I decided to completely do my face how I would in LA,foundations,highlighter etc., I mean if I was going to meet someone new it may as well be here,where I wouldn’t have to see them again.

I walked out of the bathroom and looked into the full length mirror,smiling to myself as I noticed how stunning I looked.

I once again snapped a photo of myself,posting it to instagram,captioning it ; ‘🤩,night out for me!!’ And smiling to myself as I posted it.

I looked over at Colby who had gone for a more casual look, “You coming or what?” I said hurriedly.

“Waiting for you.” He mumbled as he followed me out of the hotel and to the bar across the road. I noted to myself the amount of drunk men and women stumbling down the street and to the filled taxi ranks.

As I made my way into the bar I took a seat on the empty barstool and the bartender came over to me almost immediately.

She was very pretty,without makeup and with the apron she was probably forced to wear,she smiled at me. “Can I get a gin and tonic please?” She smiled and walked away to go make my drink.

Colby sat next to me and I almost ignored his existence,whilst I would never say it aloud a part of me missed him,when he would stop editing and actually talk to me,but I knew that was rare and it pained me to know I missed him even if it was just the memories of his touch (and his cuddles and just everything about him).

I smiled as she handed me my drink before a guy behind me came up behind me,putting his arm around my shoulder, “I’ll pay for it beautiful.” And with that he handed the woman his credit card.

I smiled and turned around,drink in hand,to face him. “Thanks for the drink,handsome.” I smiled and suddenly I felt eyes piercing into the back of my skull.

“She’s mine,fuck off.” I heard Colby almost yell at him. I slammed my drink onto the bar and stormed out,leaving the drink behind and running off to the beach.

I stood in the sand as I heard footsteps running behind me,I ignored them in hopes of the sound soon disappearing,but it didn’t the sound came right up behind me and held its hands on my waist.

“Why do you just act like I’m not here with you?” He almost yelled at me and I stomped my foot like a toddler. “News flash! You aren’t!” I said laughing at him out of anger.

“Oh and whose fault is that?” He said staring into my eyes,piercing holes through my skull. “Yours!” I yell at him.

I knew we were causing a scene,the drunk people around us most likely didn’t have any idea of what was going on. The few couples who weren’t drunk stared in awe as if we were reality television.

“You broke up with me!” He yelled back but not nearly as loud as I had. “I left you because you treated me like I wasn’t there! A fucking roommate!” I yelled back at him,my eyes tearing up.

“You don’t think I love you?” He said softly,my teary eyes looked up at him and I replied, “No.” My voice strained but not from anger,instead from holding back the voice crack caused by the tears welling up in my eyes.

“I love you so much that I haven’t left any of my electronics alone for even a second because I was too scared you would call or message and I wouldn’t be there for you. I love you so much that I would pull up your Snapchat story,your instagram,anything you had posted on that day to make sure you were okay. I love you so much that even after you blocked me I continued to message and say ‘I love you’ every night because the thought of not saying that to you makes me sick. The only reason I’m even here is to keep you in my life for fuck sake Y/n.” He said and I stared up at him.

I quickly looked back down out of shame,not wanting to face the reality of his words. “Really?” I asked him as my tears waterfall down my face. “Yes!” He laughs back lovingly.

He cups his index finger under my cheek and makes me look up at him,taking me into a hug as I cried on his shoulder. “Im gonna stain your shirt.” I laughed half heartedly, “And it will be special because it was you.” He said back softly.

He pulled out of the hug,cupping my cheek as he pulled me into a kiss,I smiled into the kiss,the tear ducts drying up as I stopped crying.

As he pulled away he whispered to me “Y/n,be mine?” And I smiled,kissing his cheek, “Ofcourse.” I said gently.

[prettyboysinmyheart]

I missed you - Arber Xhekaj

a’s notes: hello, my loves! During my break I came up with this cute little idea and knew I needed to write it. This is my first time writing for Arber … hope you guys like it<3

warnings: mentions long distance, crying, fluff, and not proofread

you gradually open your eyes, noticing the clock on your bedside table reads 5:52 am. You stretch and rub your eyes for a few seconds to clear the sleep from them. The sun's warm rays stream in through the clear curtains, casting a bright and beautiful golden glow across the room. You turn your head to the right and notice the empty space beside you where Arber usually sleeps. You reach out to touch his side, but feel nothing but cold sheets. A pout forms on your face as you miss the warmth and comfort he usually radiates.

As you lay in bed, you heard the bathroom door creak open and immediately lifted your head off the pillow. You saw your boyfriend walk out with a big smile on his face, and your heart swelled with warmth and love. He looked so cute in the matching pajamas you had purchased for him as a welcome home gift, along with a beautiful bouquet of flowers that you had placed on the bedside table last night. The reaction you got from him was so precious and heartwarming, you knew you had made the right choice in surprising him. He couldn't believe you had gotten him flowers, and his shock may have even brought a few tears to his eyes. You felt overjoyed seeing him so happy, and you knew that this was the beginning of a beautiful day.

you rose up to the sound of Arber’s voice. "Morning, gorgeous. Did you sleep well?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with love and affection. You couldn't help but smile as you jumped up into his arms, feeling the warmth of his embrace. Arber let out a laugh, making your stomach erupt with butterflies.

Wrapping your legs around his waist and your arms around his neck, you played with the ends of his hair, tucking it behind his ear. Looking down at him, you nodded your head and said, "Good morning, handsome. I missed you."

He placed his face in the crook of your neck and gently kissed the side of your neck. Tightening his grip around your waist, he brought you in closer, "I missed you more. So happy to be home."

You couldn't help but smirk at him and ask, "Is that why you're up so early? Missed me that much, huh?" Watching his cheeks heat up with embarrassment, you brought your hands to caress his cheeks "You're so cute."

You both stood there admiring and holding each other for a while. The long distance had been hard, but when you got to see each other, it was worth it. He whispered, "I wanted to be up early to spend more time with you," as he held the necklace that hung beautifully on your chest between his fingers to calm himself down.

"It was so hard not having you by my side. Five months of not seeing your beautiful face beside me when I woke up almost killed me. I missed coming home to you after games, spending my off days with you, or even seeing the messes you would leave around the apartment. I missed it all, but most importantly, your hugs and kisses," he said, his eyes filling with tears.

You wiped some of the tears that had fallen down from his eyes and held him close. He hid his face in your neck while you rubbed his back, feeling grateful to be in each other's arms once again.

“I know, baby but I’m here now and don’t plan on leaving any time soon” you said. It made Arber look at you with a confused expression. That quickly went away when he realized what you were saying.

With a huge smile on his face, he lifted you up off the ground and twirled you around in circles, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and relief. After spending countless months apart in a long-distance relationship, the love of his life was finally going to move in with him. He could hardly contain his excitement as he thought about all the memories they would create together in their new home. No more lonely nights or missed opportunities for quality time. It was finally time to start their lives together, side by side, in a place they could call their own.

As you stood there with tears streaming down your face, he reached out and gently held your face in his hands. With a tender touch, he wiped the tears away and leaned in to plant a loving kiss on your forehead. It was as if he wanted to assure you that everything was going to be alright. Arber pulled back, looking into your eyes and whispered, "This is the best day of my life." His words were soft and full of emotion, and they filled you with a sense of warmth and comfort. In that moment, you knew that you were exactly where you were meant to be.

[huhjxn]

eavesdrop part II

kim chaewon x fem!soloist!reader

chaewon realized her mistakes and now her mind is plagued with the thoughts of you. she wanted nothing more than to apologize for the damage she's done but it isn't as easy as it seems.

! : swearing, angst (with fluff), harassment, stranger danger, chaewon is sleep deprived

4.0k words

read part I here.

"I'm craving pork belly right now," you said as you looked at your best friend, Kim Sunwoo. "Dude, same. I dreamt of eating pork belly and kimchi last week and I've been craving since," he replied.

"I ate pork belly yesterday with Sooyoung unnie and Hyeju," Park Chaewon said with one of her eyebrows raised as though it was such a big deal. Actually, it really was for both you and Sunwoo.

"Wow, I don't mind you ganging up on me in PUBG but this?" Sunwoo said, rolling his eyes, "Traitor." Gowon smirked as she saw how you looked so betrayed, and continued raising her brow to further provoke you.

"She's so annoying, I swear to god," you said, turning to face Sunwoo, making sure to sound like a Regina George dupe, "Like that face that she makes? Chaewon seriously gets on my nerves every single time."

As a result, Gowon shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes at you. You gave her a look that she always does, which made Sunwoo laugh.

Twisting and turning on her bed, a frustrated Chaewon finally sits up and grabs her phone from her nightstand. The glow of the screen was burning her eyes, partly because of its brightness and partly because it's 3:09 a.m. and she hasn't gotten even a minute of sleep. Yena's words kept echoing in her head together with the cruel words that she uttered to you which was accompanied by her bitchy actions.

To say that Chaewon felt guilty would be an understatement. It's been four days since Yena visited her in HYBE and she's been having a hard time sleeping, her mind replaying her encounter with you endlessly. She knew that she needed to make things right but how could she?

Chaewon remembered how she wanted nothing more than to apologize to you when she saw you at Music Bank two days ago. Seeing you stand there laughing with Gowon made her freeze; she watched how happy you looked, your eyes sparkling with joy, the smile on your lips were reaching your eyes, and your overall aura just looked so at ease. It was the complete opposite of you back when she confronted you in her dressing room. Chaewon also knew that if she interrupted you, that beautiful expression plastered on your face would leave faster than the speed of light.

She didn't want to do that; the expression that you wore made you look like a ray of sunshine, and Chaewon doesn't want to be the reason why thunderclouds would dull you up, even if she knows that she already plays that role in your life.

Looking back at her phone, Chaewon felt awful because she wanted to have a decent rest but the thoughts in her mind won't let her. Suddenly, she felt her stomach grumble. 'Well, I don't have anything better to do anyways,' she thought.

Chaewon got up from her bed and grabbed a stray hoodie from her desk chair, and got out of her room, making sure that she wouldn't make any sound. As she was about to go out, she heard footsteps shuffling behind her, "Are you going out?"

The short-haired girl turned around and was faced with their tallest member. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep," Chaewon said exasperatedly, "So I decided to go out and get food."

Yunjin nodded tiredly, rubbing her eyes, "Can you get me some chips too?"

Chaewon smiled at the girl before responding, "Of course, I'll be back in a bit," she said as she exited their dorm.

In all honesty, Chaewon had no idea what she wanted to eat. She is starving, yes, but the amount of thoughts that were already occupying her head was so much that she couldn't think of what to get despite seeing numerous convenience stores as she walked.

The girl decided to enter the next convenience store, knowing that she doesn't have enough energy to walk any longer. Grabbing the basket, she browsed the shelves and searched for the chips that she knew Yunjin liked.

While checking every aisle, Chaewon felt goosebumps all over her skin, which was somewhat unusual. She dismissed it because it was probably just because of the temperature. She then proceeded to grab a few snacks for Eunchae, and decided to settle for a packed meal that needed to be reheated at the counter.

As she was about to pay for her stuff, she could see a figure of a person by her peripheral vision, but decided to pay no mind to it. Besides, it's normal for sleep deprived people to buy at convenience stores at this time… right?

The girl handed her card to the cashier. After paying, the cashier left to microwave her food, so she decided to look behind her and just as she expected, the figure was gone. The cashier returned to the counter to hand her the food, which Chaewon grabbed with a small smile that reflected her exhaustion.

Chaewon left the store and opened her phone to send a quick text to Yunjin,

are you still up? i just left the store, i'm omw back

After hitting send, she placed her phone back in her pocket. It was still relatively dark, and most of the stores were still closed which meant that there were only a few sources of light on the street. Suddenly, she felt goosebumps once again and the unsettling feeling of someone staring at you. As she was about to look behind her, she felt a body collide with hers.

"Kim Chaewon," The girl felt her whole body freeze. She dreaded for something like this to happen, and she now regrets going out, "You're Kim Chaewon, right?" The strange man asked her, his hand on the girl's shoulder, hindering her from making any sudden movements.

She knew how risky it was to wander through the streets at this time, especially since she's alone. Chaewon could feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. 'This is all my fault,' she thought. For once since meeting Yena, her mind was occupied by something that wasn't you, but this frightened her. Nothing could ever prepare her for the danger that she's faced with right now.

Due to her lack of response, the man forcefully shook her, and that's when the tears ran down her cheeks, then suddenly, she heard a voice speak.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chaewon shut her eyes tightly, she felt the man shuffle behind her before he spoke, "Oh, I'm just talking with my girlfriend, we were just arguing but everything's fine and there's nothing here that concerns you."

Chaewon felt the man grip her shoulder tighter, which made her groan in pain, "Are you sure about that? She doesn't seem to be fine."

Suddenly, it clicked. Chaewon did her best to look behind her, and despite her blurry vision due to the tears filling her eyes, she was able to meet your worried pair of eyes. Then, it felt like everything happened in slow motion. Chaewon saw you clench your jaw before lunging towards the man and grabbing him by the collar.

"I swear to god," The short-haired girl shuddered at the calm yet threatening tone you used, "I may not look as strong, but I can definitely take a scrawny guy like you, so unless you want to end up with broken limbs, I suggest you to leave."

You felt immense anger as you stared into the man's eyes which was filled with both worry and annoyance. He tried to pull back, but your grip on his collar was too tight that your knuckles turned white. Suddenly, you let go of his collar which made him lose his balance and fell.

"Fucking bitch," you heard him mutter as he dust himself off then ran from the scene while you made sure to watch him leave. Chaewon stood there silently, not knowing what to do nor what to say. She was grateful for your help but now she doesn't know how to deal with you. With all the pent up stress both from the fears from her situation earlier and your presence, she felt herself cry harder that she couldn't contain the sobs that she let out.

Suddenly being aware of your surroundings once again, your eyes traveled to the girl and you could feel your heart break at the sight. "Chaewon sunbaenim," you said, unsurely. The said girl looked up to meet your eyes but all you could see was the pained expression that she wore. You opened your arms with uncertainty but all the hesitation washed away once the girl lunged forward and wrapped her arms around your waist in an embrace.

Chaewon could feel your arms wrap around her body tightly, and at that moment, she knew that she was safe. No one could hurt her. You were there.

"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you? Should I call the cops?" You asked calmly, but the short-haired girl could hear the concern laced in your tone, and she couldn't help the fluttering of her heart accompanied by the warmth of her cheeks, "No," Chaewon answered weakly, "I'm fine, I just—"

Chaewon was interrupted by her own sobs. She felt embarrassed that you had to see her in such a state but the negative thought quickly left her mind as she felt your hand caress her hair and your other hand rub circles on her back, "Let's get you home, okay?"

You waited for the girl's response and you felt her nod. She untangled herself from your embrace and you couldn't help but miss the warmth that she provided. Chaewon started walking before you, and as she was about to reach for the food that she bought which were now on the floor, you held her hand and grabbed the bag with the other.

Chaewon looked up to your face but your eyes were already locked on hers, "Lead the way," you said with a small smile, and the girl could feel her heart explode.

The two of you walked in silence and Chaewon could feel your grip on her hand tightening every now and then as though reassuring her that you were there and that you wouldn't leave her side.

Eventually, you arrived at their dorm and Chaewon slowly unlocked the door before stepping in. "Chaewon unnie, what took you so long?" Yunjin asked before seeing you at their doorstep, "Oh, Y/N-nim, hi!"

You smiled in response as the taller girl ushered you into their apartment. "I was confronted by a stranger, but Y/N saved me from getting harassed," Chaewon said, the exhaustion in her voice was obvious even as she tried to hide it.

Yunjin's eyes widened at the revelation, but decided to drop the topic after getting a look at her leader. She knew better than to pry. The said leader went straight to her room as your eyes were locked on her. After seeing her enter, you handed the bag to Yunjin who accepted it with a smile.

You were about to leave when Yunjin's voice interrupted the silence, "Thank you," she said, quietly. You stared at her in question before she continued, "I heard from Yena unnie that you and Chaewon unnie aren't on good terms," she mentioned, and you wanted to give Yena an earful for not knowing how to keep a secret.

The taller girl smiled at you before continuing, "But I'm really glad that you helped her out." You gave Yunjin a genuine smile before replying, "Of course, I'm sure that if the roles were changed, your leader would've done the same."

She nodded at your words, "You should stay," you stared at her with wide eyes before she tried to clarify what she meant, "If you're not busy, I mean. I think you should stay with unnie for a bit, until she realizes that she's safe."

You nodded before agreeing, giving her one last smile before going towards the direction of Chaewon's room. The pounding on your chest was pretty much uncontrollable, but you chose to ignore it and knock on the girl's door.

"Come in," you heard Chaewon's muffled voice before your hand reached for the doorknob and entered her room. Her back was facing you but it did nothing to ease your nerves, "I just wanted to make sure that you're all settled before I leave," you uttered, hesitantly.

There was a long silence, and you were just about to retreat and leave when you heard her respond, "Can you stay?" Chaewon's voice was soft and unsure, and deep inside, her fears were eating her alive because why would you choose to stay with her when the last time you spoke with each other, she was such a douchebag to you. Despite that, she decided that there's nothing more to lose, "Please?"

With her back still facing the door, Chaewon could hear her heart pounding. After a few seconds, she heard shuffling and the sound of her door closing. She expected it. You didn't have any reason to stay. Her shoulders dropped at the realization that once again, she's all alone, just as she expected.

What she didn't expect though is for her bed to dip behind her, and for a hand to reach out and stroke her hair. Chaewon's tears began to resurface.

"Of course," you said, glancing at the back of her head, where your hands were playing with some of the strands of her hair, "I'm here."

You stayed.

Her tears started to fall and all she could feel was how drained she was with the week-long overthinking and the incident earlier, but at the same time, you were there with her. She had you, and it feels like that is all she needs at the moment.

You heard a quiet sob coming from the short-haired girl, and you have never felt so lost than you did at that moment. What happened earlier surely struck terror into the girl, and you had no idea how to console her. As a soloist, you were simply responsible for yourself and you didn't have other members to care for. On the other hand, Chaewon came from a 12-member group and is currently a leader of a 5-member group; the difference between the two of you is very noticeable.

All of a sudden, the girl turned and in an instant, you were met with her tear filled eyes. It was cut short because Chaewon wrapped her arm around your torso in a flash, hugging your body closely as though she was clinging for support. And at that moment on, you wanted nothing more than to hold her close regardless if you were on good terms or not.

Chaewon didn't know what came over her; with a sudden boost of confidence, she wrapped you in an embrace, knowing that it is all she needs to get rid of the unwanted thoughts that were clogging her brain. Unexpectedly, she felt your arm drape on her back, pulling her closer to your body as the other hand stroked her hair calmly, and Chaewon could swear that she's never felt more comfortable than she did at this moment.

"You should get some sleep," your quiet voice echoed in the silent room, "You don't have to worry about anything, I'll keep you safe."

The short-haired girl nodded weakly as she felt more tears fall onto your shirt. Chaewon was glad that her face was buried on your body because without a doubt, you would have seen how red she was if her face wasn't hidden.

Despite the fatigue that she felt, Chaewon didn't want to fall asleep just yet; she wanted to enjoy your company and how you held her so tightly against your warmth. Unfortunately for her, the exhaustion is already taking a toll on her and as the minutes passes, her eyelids started getting heavier, and she couldn't help but succumb to the deep sleep that awaits her.

Her body felt heavy all over as she awoke. That was the first time in a short while where she was able to get a good and uninterrupted sleep. However, instead of feeling recharged, she felt as though her body was underneath an elephant and she refused to get up.

But as she was just about to go back to sleep, she realized that her comfortable source of warmth was gone. She tiredly looked around her room and saw that you were nowhere to be found, and there weren't even any signs that you were there.

Chaewon felt disappointed but there's really nothing she could do about it. It's not like you were obliged to stay with her. Heck, she was a bitch to you, you didn't owe her anything. Perhaps she just might even be too spent last night that she imagined everything that happened in her room.

Knowing that there's no way she could sleep without your presence, Chaewon groggily got up from her bed before exiting her room. As she stepped out of the comfort of her private space, she was met with the scent of cheese balls, ramen, and fried chicken which made her stomach growl, 'Right, I wasn't able to eat my food,' she thought.

She then went straight to the kitchen area where she froze at the sight. There you were, cooking instant ramen while your back was facing the girl. 'She really stayed?'

"Y/N?" Chaewon called out hesitantly. You turned around, a bit surprised at her voice suddenly appearing behind you, "Hey," you said, a small smile forming on your lips, "You're awake."

Chaewon mirrored your expression as she slowly approached you, "Yeah," She looked at the wall clock that showed 12:56 p.m. "I'm sorry, I overslept, where's everybody?"

You returned your focus to the ramen, transferring the contents from the pan to the bowl, "Don't worry about it, I'm glad you were able to rest," you said, "Yunjin and Eunchae went to Kazuha and Sakura sunbaenim's dorm."

Chaewon nodded before taking a seat at one of the chairs. You placed the bowl on the table and prepared the plates and utensils that you and Chaewon were going to use.

The two of you ate in silence aside from the noise coming from the utensils and Chaewon humming at the cheese balls that you made. After having your meal, Chaewon picked up the used dishes and placed it on the sink. You followed her, watching her movements closely.

"I don't mean to pry," you spoke softly, "But how are you feeling?" 

Chaewon leaned on the sink as she faced you, "I'm feeling much better now," she uttered softly, she looked up to meet your gaze and it took everything in her to maintain eye contact. She watched as you grinned, "That's a relief."

There was a short moment of silence until the girl cleared her throat, "Listen, Y/N," she started, "I would like to thank you," Chaewon said, studying your face, "I don't know what would've happened if you didn't show up."

You responded with a tight-lipped smile before speaking, "You shouldn't worry about it," you sighed before continuing, "You're stronger than you think, I'm sure that you would've been able to take him down even without me," you said, light-heartedly.

Chaewon gave a small chuckle before getting serious once again, "Also, I've been wanting to talk to you," she started. The short-haired girl lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding your curious eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Chaewon prepared herself to finally say what she's been meaning to tell you, "I wanted to apologize," she said, softly, stealing a glance at you but immediately returning her gaze to the floor as though it is the most interesting thing that she ever laid her eyes on. 

"I was so rude towards you after the shoot, I said mean things, I–" Chaewon inhaled deeply before speaking, "I'm really sorry. I was such a jerk." 

Chaewon finally found the courage to meet your gaze and continued, "You didn't deserve any of that, and I'm really sorry," she felt her heart pounding, finding your expression frightening because she couldn't read you one bit, "I overheard you talking in your dressing room once, and I thought that you were slandering me." 

"It was wrong for me to immediately assume that you were talking about me without properly confronting you about it, and my actions during our confrontation were inexcusable," Chaewon dropped her gaze once again, her hand subtly shaking because of the nerves, "I'm really sorr–" 

"I know."

Suddenly a pair of hands wrapped around Chaewon's shaky ones which caused the girl to widen her eyes in disbelief, she looked up and was finally met with your eyes, "I know the reason behind your meltdown," you started, "I was just waiting for you to approach me and apologize." 

Chaewon stared at you curiously, "What do you mean you know? How?" 

You chuckled at her confused expression and the absurdity of your answer, "Yena unnie," Chaewon already knew what you were about to say, "Our friend can't really keep a secret, you know?" 

The short-haired girl nodded, her cheeks tainted with pink hue due to embarrassment as well as realizing how close your distance was, "I can see how you could misinterpret what I said that day and why you were upset."

You grinned at her and said, "But you still have to make up for it, don't you think?" 

Chaewon smiled shyly before asking, "How can I make it up to you?" You could feel your cheeks heating up; the way Chaewon looked at you made you weak in the knees. 

"That depends on you," you said, your voice was barely audible, but due to your close distance, Chaewon was able to hear you loud and clear, "How do you plan to make it up to me?" 

Chaewon's right hand let go of yours which she quickly placed on your shoulder. You stared at her in question, but she only grinned in response as she moved her hand onto your neck.

"Does it really depend on me?" she asked looking into your eyes for the go signal, "You might not like it," she said, with a hint of hesitation in her tone.

"Try me," you could feel your cheeks heating up and you're scared that Chaewon might take notice of it as well, "I am an appreciative person, I'm sure I'll be grateful regardless."

The short-haired girl smirked, taking that as her go signal. Chaewon leaned in closer and you could practically hear your heart pounding, so you closed your eyes in anticipation.

'She's so adorable,' Chaewon thought, rubbing small circles on your neck with her thumb. She leaned closer until she finally planted a soft kiss on your cheek which barely touched your lips. 

After a few seconds, the girl pulled away, searching for your eyes to see your reaction, and she was met with a somewhat disappointed stare, "You know what?" 

Chaewon tilted her head in question like a lost puppy before you continued, "I take it back, I don't think I'm an appreciative person," the girl laughed at your statement, her eyes twinkling with joy, "You weren't grateful with what I gave you?" she asked light-heartedly. 

You shook your head no, "Definitely not," you said with a pout, and Chaewon wanted nothing than to kiss it away. 

And so she did.

Suddenly, you could feel her soft lips on yours and if Chaewon didn't hold onto you, you were sure that you would have melted right then and there. You removed your grasp on her hand and held onto her waist for support, before kissing back.

You could feel her other hand travel to your cheek to keep you closer. Chaewon tilts her head to deepen the kiss, and you just let it happen.

When the both of you pulled away, Chaewon was breathing heavily while you chuckled, "What's funny?"

"We finally did something about that annoying tension," you said, still chuckling. Chaewon laughed with you before replying, "And I'll do it again and again."

And so she did.

[dahliadew]

The Haunting of the Fortress of Solitude (dp x dc fanfic prompt)

So it finally happened he's been kidded out, well it was bound to happen eventually, from missing class to coming home way past curfew; Danny knows he's been freaking his parents out a lot recently. But he never thought it would come to this point, and it's not like there's a lot he could do about it; if he tells his parents about his ghostly after-school activities, then he runs the risk of being dissected, and it's not like he can go to Jazz or Vlad. One, jazz is finally away at college, and it's not like she has the money or space to house him, and it's not like he'd want to put that responsibility onto her, and two, Vlad is crazy, so he's out the right way. The only remaining option is Aunt Alicia. But he hadn't spoken to her in years, so it was a roll of the dice as to whether or not she'd help him.

So he's on his own in the middle of a heat wave with a core that's mostly made up of pure ice, well sometimes the most straightforward option is the best one, and he, like the dumb ass he is, flies down to the Antarctic, looking for a place to hang out for like a mouth. Or, at the very least, as long as it took to figure something better out.

On his way down how, ever, he found something weird and marvelous. A large, jagged crystal building that sang to his core. Stardust was embedded in the walls of the building, and ice trailed across the floors; it's almost like this building was put here for him specifically. And everything would be perfect if it wasn't for Superman showing up and killing the vibe.

So Danny does what he does best and becomes the best darn ghost that he can be to get his so hideout back. Later, he learns that this is actually Superman's (sorta) house, but well, gosh darn it, he's got squatters' rights, so if Superman wants him gone, he's going to haft to evict him himself.

Superman, however, has been having a bad time lately. Things at the daily planet have been tuff with his boss getting on him for missing meetings, Louis going on a two-week trip to Gotham to do a profile of the hottest man of the year three years running Bruce "Brucie" Wayne and to top it all off there something in the fortress of solitude. At first, he was worried that some animal had somehow gotten into the building, but he knew he would have seen it already. He's already looked over the whole building with X-ray vision, and other than a few bears roaming around the building; he hasn't been able to find anything.

But regardless, so far, not only have four of his super and regular suits been accosted in fine-grade glitter, but his minimal furniture is also moved just slightly to the left (including the central console THAT IS BOLTED TO THE FLOOR). Black voids have even started to engulf his vision when he enters certain building parts, with his vision only clearing when he emerges in different parts of the building than where he was before.

What Clark doesn't know is that the fortress itself is somewhat sentient, and with the arrival of what it perceives as another lost son of Krypton, it is more than happy to play with what it sees as a young child. Plus, the fortes thinks Ka-EL needs to let loose more often and playing with this child will help both destress him and help train the baby that showed up on its literal doorstep.

As for Superman, Ok, maybe it's gone beyond the scope of what he can deal with, but he's having a bad day, and he refuses to lose to whatever the heck is in his house. And he would have continued to do this if not for the fact strange portals opened periodically with otherworldly eyes and limbs reaching out and brushing against him as he walked through the halls. Ok, maybe it's time to call Batman.

So he does. He calls him, and you know damn well that he is polite about it, so there is no reason for Batman to hang up before continuing the call. (he knows B is laughing at him, even if B never laughs, he KNOWS). When he gets a hold of Batman again, it takes less than three minutes for the two of them to decide they need to get Constantine.

Once they finally get him into the building itself, it takes Batman virtually breathing down John's neck to keep him from running out the door, which is odd because as soon as the other two show up, everything seems to return to normal. That is until John starts to draw some seals along the floor then a voice rings out, crying, demanding that they stop. And it's here that, for the first time, Clark comes face to face with what he thinks is the ghost of a Kryptioian child. And things get confused further when Danny, not understanding the conversation entirely, plays into the ghost angle, thinking it will make them leave. But instead, Clark is both horrified and delighted that there is a child's ghost in his home, someone with a direct connection to his home world. As for Batman and John, they both realize they need to do something quickly; otherwise, Superman may have a heart attack. They do not need another ghost on their hands.

As time passes, the two end up sorting things out, even with Batman's paranoia and John's skepticism and end up living together both in Antarctica and Metropolis, with Danny flying between the two at his leisure. But eventually, Danny knows he needs to transform back into his human form, and with Superman constantly hanging around him, finding time to do that becomes complicated. So when he eventually does transform back in the midst of a battle with a powerful magical enemy, Superman, in shock, thinks that Dan-El has somehow come back to life but in a hybrid Kryptonian/human form. And so he, as the resident alien on Earth, takes it upon himself to try to teach him how to be human on Earth. Now Danny, on top of everything, has to pretend to be both an alien from a species he knows little to nothing about and also now act like a human who isn't supposed to know anything about being human. Well, that's just great, but at least he doesn't need to worry about paying rent anymore.

[spenglersweetheart]

IDEA IDEA IDEA

In the second movie, reader joins the ghostbusters again after they disbanded in the first movie and it seems everyone forgot how capable they actually are and the attitude they can have when catching ghosts

:0 oooh i can do this

─────────────── ✦ ───────────────

You Forgot How Capable I Was

there's definitely a reader but this is all platonic!

WARNINGS : none!

─────────────── ✦ ───────────────

YOU WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE BACK WITH YOUR buddies working again. You were happy that the Ghostbusters were officially back together, back to working and catching ghosts. You were getting sick and tired of the teaching job that you had. You didn't mind teaching kids, you loved it. But sometimes, that was exhausting. So much more exhausting than catching ghosts.

But, there was something definitely off when you started back. You could barely help anyone. Or, the others wouldn't let you help them.

Whenever there was a call, they wanted you to stay behind. You didn't know the reason for this. The first time they banded, you were allowed to call on calls with them. Well, at least you could file the samples. Until that was pretty much taken away. So, sometimes you were stuck with Janine. And that wasn't a bad thing.

But you missed the adrenaline of ghostbusting. So why wouldn't they let you go with them?

There had been a call somewhere on 42nd. They four were pretty much three now. Peter had caught the flu and he couldn't go out on the bust with them. The fact that you had to beg and plead for you to join them kind of hurt, but at least you got to go on this one.

It was a bookstore. It was closed for the day because of the weird things that had been going on in there. It was pretty huge, and you had suggested to split up so that you guys could cover more ground. They pretty much looked at you like you were crazy, but they eventually agreed.

You covered one part of the bookstore. You happened to sense something on your PKE meter when you passed a bookshelf. You check in between the horror section. There it was.

"Guys," you say into your radio, "I found it, I'm gonna hold it off."

"Wait until we get there," Egon told you.

"By the time you guys get here it'll go away," you sigh, turning on the proton back.

"Y / N ..."

"Egon, I got it," you grumble, before shooting the ghost.

You weren't listening to them. Not after they pretty much forgot that you used to be a Ghostbuster, too. You keep the ghost stunned. You manage to glance behind the steam, spotting Ray on the other side of the aisle.

"Ray, I got it," you told him, bring the trap over.

You're calm. It's the three others that are slightly freaking out over you. You couldn't believe that they did that. You didn't know what had gotten into them. So, you had to prove to them.

Ray slides the ghost trap over, and you actually put it in the trap. All by yourself. Without any of the others' help.

Egon and Winston made it over to you not too long after you put the ghost in.

"You did it," Winston said to you.

You look behind you. "Yeah, of course I did," you replied, "I've known how to do this. You guys just forgot how capable I was."

You pretty much push past them, knowing that this would probably be your last bust in a while.

"We're sorry," you hear Egon's voice say.

You turn back around. "Why did you guys keep me from helping?" You ask, "I've done this just as long as you guys have. I was so happy to finally be together again as a brand. As a family. And you guys just ... I dunno."

"We were worried," Ray admitted, "Because we know how much you liked that job as a teacher. We didn't want something to happen to you. Especially because those kids love you."

You frowned. That was actually a sweet gesture. And you knew that you couldn't be mad at them forever. "Wait ... Really?"

"Really," Winston told you, "We didn't want their favorite teacher getting hurt."

"Well, that's very sweet of you guys. But, I will be fine. I have you guys. You wouldn't let anything happen to me," you explain to them, "And I wouldn't let anything happen to myself."

The other three were quiet for a while. Maybe keeping you from doing this kind of job was the wrong decision for them. You were actually a great addition to the team, and they loved having you.

"So, am I back on the team?" You ask.

Ray gives you a nod. "Welcome back to the team, Y / N."

[chvoswxtch]

happy valentine's day

pairing: matt murdock x fem!reader

summary: matt has a special date planned for your first valentine's day together.

warnings: light cursing, loads of tooth rotting fluff

word count: 2.2k

a/n: since I violently ripped all your hearts out with violets (even tho that was a request & not just me being evil) I thought it was only fair I made up for it as promised with the fluffiest fluff that's ever been fluffed. to reconcile the heartbreak, I offer a romantic valentine's date with our favorite human disaster, matty murdock. happy valentine's day my darlings. ❤️

“Shouldn’t I be the one leading you?”

“As far as anyone can tell, you are.”

“You know if you told me where we were going, I could.”

“That would ruin the surprise. Not to mention, you still haven’t familiarized yourself with Hell’s Kitchen yet.”

“Are you saying you don’t trust my sense of direction?”

“Considering you get lost on your two block walk home from work at least once a week, absolutely not. If I let you direct us, it would be like the blind leading the blind.”

“Hey! I’ve gotten better, thank you very much. And, there is this magical little app that gives you directions, Matthew.”

“Will you quit being stubborn?”

“Really? You get to say that to me?”

Matt chuckled as you two stopped at a crosswalk. He gave your interlaced hand a quick squeeze, turning his head in your direction to flash you a megawatt grin, complete with your favorite set of dimples that made you weak in the knees. He was turning that signature Matthew Murdock charm all the way up to eleven, and you both knew it would get him exactly what he wanted. It always did.

“Can I just surprise my girlfriend, please? I’m trying to be romantic here.”

Matt loved the way your heart skipped a beat everytime he referred to you as his girlfriend. He could feel the grin that spread across your lips, chuckling to himself as you huffed quietly and squeezed his hand back in return with a quiet grumble.

“Okay, fine. But if you trip, I want you to personally explain to everyone around us that it was your fault so I don’t look like a horrible person.”

“I’m fully prepared to defend you, sweetheart. Don’t worry, I’ve got my opening statement ready.”

It was a chilly February day in New York, but luckily the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. You couldn’t tell if the warmth you felt was being radiated from the rays kissing your face or the man beside you caressing your hand. Matt could hear your heart rate start to pick up a bit once you finally started to piece together your surroundings.

“Are we-is this…is this Central Park?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.”

Matt could practically feel you rolling your eyes as you laughed and squeezed his bicep.

“Matt!”

He couldn’t help but grin as he tugged your hand to lead you off the main path to find a secluded spot in the grass. He eventually settled on a spot close to a large tree, away from other couples that had the same idea. Folding up his cane, he let it drop by his feet as he shrugged his backpack off of his shoulders to retrieve a blanket from inside. Once the blanket was spread out across the grass, Matt sat down in the middle and held his hand out for you with a tender smile.

“Come here.”

A timid smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as you gently took Matt’s outstretched hand, moving to sit beside him on the blanket. You eyed him curiously as he laced your fingers together, tilting your head to the side slightly.

“What are you up to, Murdock?”

Matt brought your hand up to his mouth, pressing a featherlight kiss to the back of your hand as a proud smile overtook his lips.

“You’ve been wanting to see Central Park since you moved to New York, and I’ve been promising to take you. Also, Karen let it slip that you’ve never celebrated Valentine’s Day before, and well…neither have I, really. So, I thought we could share this first together.”

Your heart was going wild in your chest, and Matt could taste the saline that brimmed your waterline. Your hold on his hand became a little tighter as you swallowed the lump in your throat, leaning in to press your forehead against his as you laughed breathlessly.

“I had no idea you were such a hopeless romantic, Matty.”

“You bring it out in me, sweetheart. I just…wanted to do something special for you. For us.”

“Mm, I’d say a date in Central Park is pretty damn romantic.”

“Oh? And what if I said we were having a picnic?”

Matt gently nudged your nose with his, finding himself mirroring the huge grin that took over your mouth after you gasped. Falling into a synchronized fit of giggles, you cupped Matt’s jaw as his other hand found it’s home on your neck.

“I’d say you’re lucky we’re in public.”

“What do you think the blanket is for?”

“Matthew!”

“Relax, I’m joking.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

Matt grinned wickedly as he leaned in to capture your lips in a deep kiss, reveling in the way you instantly melted into his embrace. That was one of his favorite things about you. Everytime he pulled you into his arms and held you close, or kissed you deeply, he could feel your body physically relax into his touch. He chased your mouth when you pulled away, eyebrows furrowing slightly until he felt your fingers gently removing the crimson glasses from his face. 

A shy smile covered his lips as you cupped his jaw once again with both hands, leaning in to peck his lips slightly.

“There you are, handsome.”

The first time you saw Matt without his glasses, you told him you thought he had the most beautiful eyes you’d ever seen. It took everything in him not to cry at the sincerity in your words. Ever since then, you begged him not to wear them around you, unless it was to make himself feel more comfortable if you two were in a public space. He nuzzled his face into your palm, always finding himself melting into your touch just as much as you did with him. 

He hadn’t realized just how touch starved he’d been until he met you. You were a very affectionate person. Even the first night you met, you’d hugged Matt goodbye like he was an old friend you hadn’t seen in years. He found himself craving your touch the more you came around, even feeling agitated or jealous if he felt like Foggy or Karen were getting more of your attention than he was. 

Matt started asking you to lead him every chance he got just to have you close. There was an unspoken rule between him, Karen, and Foggy that you would always take the seat closest to Matt wherever the four of you went. He always asked you to be his partner in pool at Josie’s. A few times when he felt emboldened by the liquid courage coursing through his veins, he’d slip his fingers through yours and hold your hand in his lap. The more you responded to his touch, the more pride swelled in his chest.

The first night you took the initiative and grabbed his hand first, he felt you tense up slightly. He knew it was wrong to take advantage of your alcohol induced state to ask questions he knew you couldn’t help but blurt out the truth to, but he desperately wanted to know why you were more cautious with your affection towards him than the others. After you drunkenly confessed it was purely because you didn’t want to overstep any boundaries of his, or make him uncomfortable in any way, Matt made sure you understood that he didn’t find anything you did a threat to his independence. As a matter of fact, he actually enjoyed how much you went out of your way to make sure he felt comfortable and included. You made him feel seen in a way he’d never experienced before.

“Hi pretty girl.”

“What are you thinking about, hm? You look like you went somewhere else for a minute.”

“Just thinking about the night you confessed your undying love for me.”

“Oh, God.”

Matt couldn’t help but laugh loudly as you pulled away from him, covering your face with a disgruntled whine. He quickly wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you in close between his legs so that your back was pressed against his chest.

“Aren’t you supposed to be wooing me, not embarrassing me?”

“What’s more romantic than the night you told me you were in love with me?”

“The ending of Carrie.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“I puked in the bushes.”

“Because you challenged Foggy to shots on an empty stomach.”

“I was…going through something. Mind your business.”

Matt snickered as he nudged his nose against your cheek, tightening his arms around your waist.

“You were upset because you thought I’d gone on a date, and you were so…heartbroken.”

“You are such an ass, I can’t stand you.”

“I was just calling to tell you I hope you’re enjoying your date and that I decided I’m no longer in love with you and will be finding your replacement tonight.”

You groaned loudly and let your head fall back against Matt’s chest as he mimicked your voice, wishing the ground would open wide and swallow you whole. 

“Why do you even remember that so vividly?”

“Because I don’t think I’ve ever gotten out of bed so fast. I had to make sure I got there in time before I was replaced.”

“I liked you better when you were being a sappy romantic.”

Matt lightly grasped your chin between his thumb and index finger to turn your head towards him gently, baring his teeth in a huge grin before leaning in to kiss your lips softly.

“Alright, alright. I’ll pause the walk down memory lane. For now.”

A devilish smirk curled at the corner of his mouth, and you would’ve been annoyed if it didn’t make him look so damn good. Matt reached for his backpack and proceeded to pull out various items that he spread out over the blanket. You watched in awe as he produced a bottle of your favorite wine along with two glasses, a box of chocolate covered strawberries, and a container of pizza from the Italian restaurant where you two had your first date.

“How the hell did you fit all of that in there?”

“I’m a really good lawyer.”

A fit of giggles immediately erupted from your mouth as you sank back into Matt’s chest, enjoying the feeling of his own laughter vibrating against your back.

“Is that what they taught you in law school?”

“Oh, there was a whole semester alone on surprising your girlfriend with a romantic picnic in Central Park. Very informative.”

For the next few hours, you and Matt traded memories between stolen kisses and slices of pizza. You had him rolling over in laughter as you tried to feed him a chocolate covered strawberry with your eyes closed, “to make it fair” you’d insisted, but you kept missing and bumping his nose with it instead. As Matt topped off your glasses with the last of the wine, he held his glass out towards yours with a satisfied smile.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Your heart fluttered in your ribcage, and Matt’s smile only grew wider. You lightly clinked your glass against his in a toast, a smile full of content gracing your lips.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Matty. It’s the best one I’ve ever had.”

“Another thing we have in common.”

Matt rubbed gentle circles on your lower back as you laid on his chest, closing his eyes as he listened to you describe the sunset spreading across the sky above. He always went to you when he wanted to know what something looked like. You had a way with words and descriptions that made him feel like he could actually see what you were seeing. As the sun began to disappear into shades of deepening amethyst and navy, the warmth bid goodbye with it. He felt you shiver slightly as the temperature began to descend along with the moon.

“We can start heading back if you’re cold, sweetheart.”

“Can we stay just a little longer? I wanna show you the stars. We’ll be able to see Venus and Jupiter soon.”

Matt felt his chest swell with pure adoration at your words. He pulled you as close to his body as he physically could, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head as he sighed quietly in content.

“Of course we can, angel.”

“Matty?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

He would never get tired of hearing you say that.

“I love you, sweetheart. More than you know.”

“Thank you for today. It really meant a lot to me. I do feel bad I didn’t get you anything, though. I mean you did all this-”

Matt cut your words off with a kiss, cradling your face in his hand as he nuzzled his nose against yours with a tender smile.

“Hey, you are my gift. The greatest one I’ve ever gotten. I don’t need anything else but you.”

Matt closed his eyes once again as he listened to you paint the night sky behind his eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so relaxed and at peace, not a single worry plaguing his mind. He allowed your sweet voice and gentle touch to transport him to a place of pure serenity that he was only able to visit when he was with you. 

Matt Murdock didn’t think he’d ever have a reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but he was more than happy it was you.

[themadlu]

I absolutely love Zelie!

Could you write something set right after the game ends? She is tired as hell and overstressed and Astarion tries to make her feel better?

Thanks for the ask @spacebarbarianweird! I'm so happy you like her, as I love Tiriel! Wonder if they'd get along, uh.

Premise, I have never done asks (unless it's for a writing exercise) nor I am good (capable?) of writing fluff. So beware, there's as much fluff I can muster here, with a smidge of angst.

TW: none.

Tags: end-of-game spoilers (I haven't finished it yet, so if something is incorrect sorry!), fluff (kinda?), these two love in quality time and acts of service.

Hope you like it!

The charred edges of a frayed shirt stare at Astarion from the floor. He glares at them, at what they represent, in contempt: his return to the shadows. All that unprecedented (and mostly unwilling) heroism he displayed in fighting the Netherbrain served him nothing. Nothing. Not even saving Baldur’s Gate makes him worthy of a life in the sun, it seems, because, as soon as that jiggly monstrosity fell to its death, Astarion began to burn and the hunger tore at his insides.  

On the run, again, nothing more than a ravenous monster lurking in the shadows. 

(Somewhere, his conscience reminds him that real monsters don’t have impossible little heroes shielding them from the harming light with their own broken bodies.)

The elf laughs bitterly at that, hissing when his grimace irritates the still-healing skin around his mouth. 

And yet…

Steps resonate further down the hallway with a familiarity that makes his ears twitch in recognition and his body tense in eagerness. 

…she’s here. 

Zélie opens the door of their shared bedroom (Only theirs, finally.), closing it promptly behind her to block the stray sun rays from the corridor’s windows. A funereal darkness, one that Astarion is all too well-acquainted with, shrouds the room in a still embrace. 

Astarion is almost glad that his Zélie is human when surrounded by shadows. Back then, before the blooming trust, the tense friendship, the impossible devotion, he despised the maddening woman (He was terrified of her, so inconceivably real.) The darkness was the only time he had the advantage when her pale eyes would squint in temporary blindness and not witness the violence her stern kindness did to him. How it undid the tenets of the world, one by one. 

You ruined me, darling. Look at me, a fool in a doomed love. What a ridiculous joke of a vampire you made me!

He should be prowling for blood and cursing the sun, yet here he is, smiling, trying his damn hardest not to rush into his woman’s embrace. You will return to me begging when she’s gone, what’s left of his spite whispers. He ignores it, because that part of him has never known what it means to be cherished simply for existing (It knows all about being wanted, although comparing that with whatever stolen miracle he and Zélie have makes Astarion gag.)

“Finally, darling! Here I thought I’d seen the last of you, lost among all that dreadful politicking—” his snarky quips (They are part of him and Zélie loves them, so he’s decided he’ll greet her with one every single day.) die in his throat when he properly looks at her. 

Hells, he had gotten into the habit of scanning her for possible injuries during their travels, but now the fight is over, without visible wounds or bruises, Astarion can fully see the toll their adventure has taken on her. Her eyes are tired and bruised from lack of sleep (Of course, she’s been foregoing sleep to spend time with him at night.), her face tauter than ever, skin so sallow she looks sick. Astarion presses himself against her and bristles when he feels her ribs poking his body through their clothes. 

Worry, guilt, anger grip him. His brave, little saviour looks so unlike herself. So fragile and exhausted that he fears she’ll crumble to dust should he touch her. He forgets she’s human and not a divine being sometimes, with all that practicality and stony attitude of hers. Never complaining, never relenting (He knows it well.)

You moronic creature! How dare you reduce yourself in this state.

“Darling, what—”

“Oh, hello, Astarion,” Zélie seems to take notice of him only when he’s practically caging her against the door. She’s making an effort not to slide to the floor, he can tell. 

Fucking idiot. 

“Are you well? I hope the room is comfortable enough?” she nearly slurs.  

“Am I well?” Oh, now he’s angry, “Love, what the fuck—”

“Language! No need to be rude,” Astarion feels some relief when Zélie’s irises spark with that annoyed light he coaxes out of her oh-so-well. She inhales deeply, continuing “I came to tell you that I will be late tonight, so you could come and meet me near the main city gate? There’s barely any Fists left, and lots of properties have been robbed or vandalised since there are no guards so Wyll asked me—what’s with that look now?”

The pale elf stares at her perplexed face down his nose, nostrils flaring. “Do you hear yourself, you wretch?!” Her eyes are reduced to judging slits and she’s about to chastise him, but Astarion is undeterred. “No, rather, have you looked at yourself recently? Literal corpses have a healthier…flair than you do now, darling. Myself included.” 

Zélie scoffs (Scoffs!), “Oh Astarion, I admire how far you’ve come with showing concern, really, but,” she tries to push past him, but even her martial art is worthless against his full vampiric strength, “there are things, oh you vexing elf! Things that need tending to even if I’d much rather spend the foreseeable future here with you–hey!”

Astarion feels somewhat proud of the shout she lets out when he picks her up with ease (Not so puny, after all.) She is so light something lodges in his throat (Frustration at his inability to keep her safe.) and he hopes that his renewed strength is what makes his gesture so effortless. 

No one should be this light.

She used to weigh almost the same as him, all muscle and sinew from her training and a life of comfortable abundance; now, her shirt hangs loosely around her frame. 

 Fuck. Why in the nine hells haven’t I noticed before?!

He realises he voiced his thoughts when the woman in his arms replies, “Because critical stab wounds take precedence over hunger, Astarion."

"No need to blame anyone,” Zélie says as he unceremoniously throws her on the bed. She fights not to melt into the mattress. “Astarion,” his infuriating lover speaks slower, as if he were a child, “I need to go. We didn’t save this city only to let it implode in chaos. It needs me; Wyll needs me.” 

Jealousy (Unfounded but very much present.) soars in Astarion’s chest. “Well, darling, our selfless Wyll can kindly go fuck himself and find his own lover and stop pestering mine. I’m sure he’ll have plenty of offers now he’s back in line at the next Archduke. Those horns also add a certain ragged flair that many sheltered young nobles will find irresistible.” 

Zélie rolls her eyes so much only her sclera is visible. She makes to stand up, but Astarion holds her by the shoulders with one hand, pointing an accusing finger at her with the other, “Hush, you. Is that how it’ll be for the rest of time? I am tired of seeing you hurt.” That makes her expression twitch with guilt. 

Good.

He glares at her, “Now, you stay here as the good girl I know you can be and I’ll go to the kitchens to see if anything edible is left. Hopefully, it’ll be better than whatever the wizard cooked.” Astarion forces himself to tear away from Zélie’s inviting body (He did miss her all day.), but she catches his wrist before he can step away. 

“What now?!” he snarls. “You’ve driven mad for days with your ‘Respect others’ and ‘We are a group, Astarion!’ and ‘You can’t be that selfish’, and you won’t let me—”

“The sun,” she simply says, defeated. 

Oh.

How quickly Astarion has forgotten his pathetic limitations. On a quest for tavern food, defeated by the light of day. He can’t even venture outside their room. Zélie is the only person he wants to protect and can’t even feed her when she’s fed him countless times before. He snarls loudly, balling his fists, “Fuck!”

“It’s all right,” Zélie pulls him to her, unfazed by his temperamental mood, and he lets himself fall on top of her on the bed, his mortification soothed by her closeness. 

“Tell you what,” she says, breath tickling his face. Astarion holds her cheeks, sharpened by tiredness and hunger, in his hands. He rubs his thumbs over them in small circles, as if he could make them meatier, healthier, by force of will alone. “I will go downstairs, where a Fist captain is waiting for me. I will tell her to ask Wyll if the issue can wait until tomorrow or if Jaheira or Minsc,” she grimaces in worry at the idea, “can take over for the evening. Then, I’ll see if the cook has something prepared. If not, I’ll make do with some cheese and bread.”

Astarion feels a soft dizziness spreading through him. She is talking with that calm and collected voice of hers as if nothing could ever shake or hurt them when she knows what it does to him. He tangles his fingers in her curls, messing them up (An arduous task when they already look like a harpy’s.), before cradling her face into the base of his neck.  

“Then,” his little hero wraps her arms around him, under his shirt and on his scarred back. Astarion is still unused to how careful her hands are on him, like a gentle breeze. She looks at him in search of discomfort, but she finds none. The elf hopes Zélie knows that nothing she does will be the cause of any uneasiness he may show in the future (Even she can’t shield him from all his memories.)  

“I will come back here, to this bed. We’ll eat and rest and when the sun sets, we’ll go to the rooftop to see the stars and enjoy the summer air. How does that sound?” She boops his nose with hers. 

Astarion swallows loudly, “It sounds perfect, love,” he concedes. That’s as close as anyone has ever come to convincing Zélie to drop her duties and rest. Small victories. He is sure he’ll persuade her to live a life of rest and luxury, one day. If everything goes as he desperately hopes.

He is rewarded with a content smile he does not deserve, so he kisses her soundly instead. 

____________________________________________

The night is warm, comforting even. How strange; Astarion can’t remember darkness in Baldur’s Gate ever being so welcoming. A loud munching resonates on his left, and the pale elf has to keep himself from grinning too overtly at his precious woman digging into a simple beef stew as if it were the nectar of the gods. Her cheeks puff out as she takes another mouthful, her usual composure nowhere to be seen in what Astarion hopes is another first. 

(He wishes he could have been her first at everything, just as she was his.)

Midnight strikes. He would have been in some dirty tavern or dingy brothel by now if the mind flayers hadn’t mercifully kidnapped him. He would have been truly dead if the impossible creature next to him hadn’t insisted he was worth saving.

Zélie looks at him as if he performed a miracle, “This, munch, is, chomp, utterly amazing. The best thing I’ve eaten in a long, long while.” 

“Tut, love, I resent that. And here I thought I was special,” he purrs it in offended seduction just to witness his lover’s cheeks and forehead flush in embarrassment. She looks healthier already. 

Good. 

“Oh, you, sassy, snarky…ugh,” Zélie narrows her eyes at him, then immediately composes herself. “Let me specify, the best thing I’ve eaten of any nutritional value in a long, long time.” 

Astarion laughs so loud that a few pigeons fly away in fear. “Touché, love. Well played.”

“Where did you even find this? When I checked the kitchen—”

When she checked the kitchen, the useless cook was not meant to start his shift for another couple of hours, which left her with two slices of bread and a portion of cheese so small even a rat would have ignored it. So Astarion, spurred on by his newly-uncovered protectiveness, waited for his Zélie to be busy with the Fists captain before putting his daggers to good use. It was convenient that the cook had no will to test out the elf’s gutting technique. 

“Oh, darling, I am extremely resourceful. You should know this by now,” he says with a telling smirk. 

“Right. That means I don’t want to know. Though I wouldn’t be against getting more of this,” she points at the bowl of stew in admiration, “from time to time. It reminds me of my grandfather’s cooking.” 

Astarion tenses a bit at the mention of the family she left behind for him; he waits for (No, expects.) Zélie to eventually consider the whole thing as the massive mistake it is and…leave him. Hate him. Become another person he cheated not of her life (At the very least.) but of her future. 

“What’s going on in that head of yours, dear?” She asks, head tilted. She can see him even without the tadpoles, and it unsettles him in a good way. 

It feels right, to be known by her. To know her in return. 

He doesn’t want to lie to her now (She’s rubbing her annoying righteousness all over him.), so he opens his arms and she scoots against him, full belly and satisfied gaze. 

Lovely. 

Astarion gently guides them to the mattress he brought up from the bedroom and curls up around Zélie. He could laugh. He despised heroes for so long and here he was, lulling one to sleep. But she was his hero, which makes all the difference; he still doesn’t believe in the natural goodness of others, but he believes in hers, and that’s all he needs. 

And she fits against him, around his jagged edges so perfectly, Astarion would believe she was made for him if he were a religious man. 

“Sleep darling,” he coos into her ear. 

She’s already halfway to the dream realm after, but she’s ever the stubborn woman. “But the sun—”

“I don’t need sleep, love; I’ll move us downstairs when dawn comes. I’ve wasted the day in bed already,” he plants little kisses on her hair, her face, her hands. Worships her as much as he can without waking her up. 

“But that’s the issue…want to…spend time with you,” why must she make it so impossible for him not to fall for her?

Every time the elf is sure he hit the bottom of the devotion he is capable of, she pushes him further down. And she doesn’t try that hard, his pesky love. 

“Hush,” he murmurs, wrapping them in a thick blanket to keep his undead chill at bay. “Rest, idiot. I’m here. I’ll be here when you wake up.” Astarion tightens his grip on her sleeping form. “We’ll take all the time we need, love. I promise.”

[therantsofawriterrr]

The Umbrella Academy Final Season: My Version

Part Five: The Unbearable Tragedy Of Getting What You Want

Overview: As the marigold starts working, the family's journey through six years is revealed.

TW: mature language, repetitive use of the phrase "Six years ago", tell me if i missed anything Pairings in the chapter: very tiny glimpse of Allison×Ray A/N: yea so i saw someone say why s2 was so nice with getting peeps invested was cause there was backstory, so i just thought why not?

Masterlist

The next day, the marigold had already started to take effect in their bodies. It had been six years without it. So it was only right that the particle took time to actually fully mix into their bodies.

Luther slapped the alarm clock to stop its annoying beeps. He ended up breaking it. He felt weird as hell. His muscles felt like they were burning up from the inside, but he just figured they were aching.

Six years ago, Luther had looked around for Sloane for a week before Diego, Klaus, Five and Ben had dragged him back to Lila's place. Diego had been the one to talk to him, to force him to rest up and have some food. Lila's parents and family had been kind to him and took care of him for a whole year, one year that he'd used to process his feelings a little and he'd proceeded to make a plan.

He'd gotten a job at a science museum because of his knowledge, and because they were short of a person who could take people around and tell them about science and shit. Even if it had been purely for money and sustenance at first, he'd grown to like the job. He was always praised by people for being the best with schoolchildren, thanks to his unique way of teaching and just his golden retriever vibes. He visited Lila's family sometimes, though. Just when he didn't want to see anybody else. It made him feel nice. And he got to see Diego and his life. He was happy for him.

Diego drove through the same pesky neighbourhood, throwing mail to the houses from the van, not really noticing that his aim was a bit because instead of breaking windows and cutting through vases, it was mostly hitting the door. He had a lot on his mind, from Lila's secret investigation to providing for the family.

Six years ago, Lila had found out that her family was alive, and she'd taken them there. They'd been more than happy to accept him, and three months later, they were married. Then, Grace was born, and their happiness only doubled, when the twins were born two years later. He missed his old life, but he sure as hell wouldn't give this one up for anything.

Lila, on the other hand, had woken up with her eyes stinging for some reason. It wasn't very bad, but it was hindering her work a bit. But, she still went ahead with getting the kids ready for school. They were al excited for the last day of school before Christmas break, when they'd finally get to live next door at her parents and she'd get some alone time with Diego.

Six years ago, Lila had been elated when she'd found out her birth parents were alive. But she also had a shit ton of trauma to get over when it came to them. So, she processed her feelings as best as she could while enjoying life with them. But lately, she was getting a little bit bored. There was an itch that only the investigation scratched. And so, she lied to her husband. To her kids. To her whole goddamn family. She felt too guilty about it, though. Maybe she would get Diego in on it. Or she'd just stop, maybe? She wasn't sure.

Meanwhile, Allison woke up with a scratchy throat and a killer fever. When Ray had felt her forehead burn up under his hand, he'd demanded she get to bed and rest a little. She brushed it off as nothing, but he hadn't budged. As she lay in bed, she couldn't help but think about stuff while she stared at the ceiling.

Six years ago, she had gotten Ray and Claire back, but she might as well have lost her family. Luther wouldn't even look at her because he thought she had something to do with Sloane's disappearance. Diego and Lila were alright, but they kept their distance. Ben, unsurprisingly, didn't care, but that was him with pretty much everyone. Five had gotten busy with his job, and they barely saw him. Viktor was colder than ever because of what happened to Harlan.

She'd been hurting. She knew that. What she did wasn't right. She knew that too. But she didn't regret bringing her husband and daughter back. She'd never apologize for that. She did want to apologize for the other things she did, but, she didn't know if she could.

Klaus woke up feeling all tingly throughout his body, and he felt the weirdest urge to look around to see if someone was watching him.

Six years ago, Klaus hadn't really believed that he could just die. He'd gotten back into his substance abuse tendencies, always experimenting, almost dying all the time. He'd not been ready to believe it till Raymond had needed to pick him up from some gangster's lair three years later to get him straight to a hospital. Claire had seen him like that. And that's when he'd decided to change his ways. He'd gone to rehab, but he'd become very afraid of death. To the point that everything scared him.

Crossing the road, he'd see both ways twice. Someone's smoking a cigarette? Second-hand smoke. Cancer risk. He'd wave the smoke away as fast as he could while exaggerating his cough just to show the other person they weren't just ruining their own stupid lives, but his too. When Allison had taken him in, he stayed home all the time. If it was totally necessary, he went out with rubber gloves on, being extremely careful, especially if he was with Claire. But despite all this, he was proud of being another uncle that his nieces and nephew looked up to.

Five was, as usual in the CIA building, feeling as though his muscles were jelly. He still tried to move whatever part of his hands he could move, trying to stay awake enough so that he could keep an eye on the Thibedeaus.

Six years ago, Five had tried the retired life for a year. He'd moved in with Viktor, with the intention of sleeping early, waking up late to a wonderful pot of black coffee, reading a book, maybe watching some daytime television. There was only one thing he hadn't expected.

Plain. Explicit. Boredom.

He got bored of reading books. He got bored of watching TV. He went fishing, which was a glorious experience, but he didn't know what to do afterward. He was a jack of all trades. He never thought it could make his life It was what had made him a special man at the Commission. So, he'd gone straight to Lance. He had gotten in as a wild card when he'd solved a mission that even he or the director hadn't been able to solve. Soon, he'd grown to be one of the favorites. But still, he was a tired old man.

Ben paced around in his small motel room with a weird itch in his upper back area. It wasn't too bad, but enough to piss him off. He had his phone in his hand, thumb hovering over Klaus's contact.

Six years ago, Ben hadn't known what to do. He had grown closer to the Umbrella Hargreeves family in Oblivion, but he'd been too scared to admit it. So, to distract himself, and to make a plan of what to do next, he'd gone to a diner, where he'd met a guy who was making a crypto app. Being pretty good at numbers was a specialty of Ben, though, it had been instilled in all his siblings. So, he offered to help. And he'd been good, until a year later, when the feds busted them down and accused them of fraud.

Even though Ben hadn't directly been embroiled in it, he'd been sentenced to jail for four years. His lawyer advised that investigating his innocence would take more time and a thorough background search, so he'd relented. And he'd ended up being released six months earlier for good behavior, while his "friend" was continuing to rot somewhere, to his pleasure.

Viktor kept needing to scratch his ears, because of all the fucking noise around him. It felt like all the world was just around him at that moment.

Six years ago, Viktor had just left without any notice. He'd stolen a truck from Reggie's compound and driven it till its gas had given out in Nova Scotia. There, the people had been kind enough to help him and shelter him, till one of the old men there had given him a chance to start something of his own. That's how he'd started his own bar business. He'd even bought a violin to serenade the guests once in a while. He'd missed playing it a lot, and he enjoyed playing it in the empty bar when he closed up. The occasional praise from Five was worth it too.

But little did they know, that there was another impending doom on the way to wreak havoc in their well-adjusted lives.

Another A/N: so this might've been a bit boring, but yea the next chapters will have the good stuff prolly haha Likes, comments and reblogs are highly appreciated!!! Tysm for reading❤️🩷💜