#THANK YOU TO THE PERSON WHO DREW HIM WITH THE HEADBAND

[itsfairly]

Kitchen Charm // Domestic!Nanami Kento

Word count: 581 Notes: gn!reader, fluff and more fluff, established relationship. Inspired by this fanart!

“What's that?” You walked into the kitchen, greeted by the sight of Nanami cutting some ingredients for dinner. But that’s not the reason why you are raising your eyebrows or are shocked first thing when you got home. No, that’s not new. He told you he cooks all the time.

“A coworker told me about this dish and I wanted to make it for dinner.” “No, not that. That.” You were talking about the headband on his hair. It was adorable.

“A headband.” He answered nonchalantly. “I don’t want my hair to fall anywhere while I am cooking.”

He quickly returns to cutting the ingredients while you are still staring at the headband that is pulling his hair back and away from his face. Top it all off with the apron he’s wearing and it’s just husband material, though he was already that before you two even started dating.

“I never thought you would need a headband, let alone saw you use one.” You said, wrapping your arms around him. To be fair, though he always had his hair combed back, you understood why he would use one in situations like cooking. You just never thought he had one.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.” He kissed the top of your head, letting you hold him while he cooked. He didn’t really think it was a big deal. It was either a headband or a hairnet, there was a clear winner there.

“It looks good on you.” You complimented him, seeing how a few hairs escaped the headband, though they were not blocking his view. One of them was even flowing with him each time he moved, it was endearing and you couldn’t help but slide it to the side.

He hummed when he saw your hand fix his hair. “You think so?”

“Mhm. You look good in all types of ways. Cute, handsome, adorable, homey…”

“Homey? You sure that isn’t because I am cooking?” He finished cutting and dropped the ingredients into the pan on the stove.

“Maybe, but you’re still cute with the headband on.”

That puts a small smile on his face, turning to look at you and wrapping his arms around you after cleaning his hands on his apron. “Then I’ll make sure to wear them around you if you want.”

He wouldn’t mind hearing more compliments from you if all it took was wearing a headband. It warmed his heart to see you look up at the top of his head, somehow in awe at how his hair looked with it on.

“Them? So you have more than one?”

“Just a couple. I only use them at home when I am cooking or cleaning.”

“And I keep getting surprised.” You giggled, your smile returning to your face at his little fact. “Now I know what to get you on your birthday.”

He smiled at you, patting your arms as he turned back around at the stove. It might be the heat from it, but there was a slight hint of a blush on his face. But the smile was definitely not because of the stove. “Help me set up the table? It’s almost ready.”

“Of course.” You said, kissing the back of his neck and letting go of him.

As you took out the plates and cutlery, you wondered if there was a headband that could match his dotted tie. If not, you would just make it yourself. It would be worth seeing his reaction.

[lemurianwaves]

Tones of Love

Of all chapters he adore, yours is the one, most.

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author's note: before you guys get into this, may i suggest listening to isn't she lovely by stevie wonder (spotify link is included in the story!) as this song implies how sylus thinks of [your name] ! this is my first fanfic ever since... i was getting busier with my degree somewhere between 2022 or 2023. but now that i am free, i am slowly coming back to tumblr and write <3. as always.. so not proof-read. but please give Tones of Love well, tons of love!

word count: 2,441 words

theme: fluff, just sweet ol' fluff. romance. comedy/crack

taglist: @grimmweepers @shadowarchon @nkogneatho @noritoshiikamo @aphoticfirefly @abyssal-blossoms @olderthanthestars @afortoru @diaferia-dhades

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Sylus. The voice actor to the very stars.

The man has always loved the energy of fan meetings—from the nervous excitement in the air, the shine and twinkle in the eyes of his fans, to the lovely words of encouragement and support that blesses his ears and heart. These moments reminded him of the path he chose, and why; to bring the characters to live, to connect with the ones who work hard behind the scenes and of course, to inspire lingering emotions long after the credits roll. Sylus slipped into his charming persona with ease, welcoming the fans with a warm grin. He read iconic lines from his roles, answered questions about his process, and reenacted fan-favorite scenes, much to the delight of the crowd. 

Adjusting the cat ears headband given to him by manager, Sylus scanned through the crowd of 40 lucky attendees. His ash silver locks caught under the soft stage lights, his gaze landed on the first row. There... there she was, sitting quietly with her hair tied up in a bun, and in matching cat ears headband. The love of his life. The one person who knew not just Sylus, one, if not, Linkon's most loved voice actor, but Sylus the man who whispered sweet nothings during the nighttime and laughed at his siblings, Luke and Kieran's pun jokes.

The room vibrated with a gentle buzz of anticipation as over 40 lucky fans filled the small, well-lit hall. It felt like an intimate space—designed to feel less of a staged event but akin to a reunion, friends of old. Posters of Sylus’ photoshoots, along the characters he played, from his role as Jacaerys Spellman, a famed painter with the ability to sew memories into each pigment, to his most recent one, James Kinsley III, a widower left to rule a state after the death of his wife, hung neatly on the walls.

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“Hey, you guys,” he greeted, his voice warm and rich, exactly like his characters he portrayed.

“Woah, you guys, you all look amazing. Are you ready to spend a long afternoon together?"

The crowd cheered, and Sylus chuckled, setting his microphone down, giving his audience 2 thumbs up. Soon, the meet and greet session began. Sylus made sure to give each fan his full attention, accepting gifts, signing posters, and gave every person his undivided attention, listening with much intent to their stories of how his performances have brought them much comfort, emotionally and mentally. 

One fan, a university student with a notebook full of sketches, hesitantly slid their notebook towards him, a water painting displayed for him to look at.

"I know you get loads of these, but I— uhm, drew your character from Abyssal Mark... I believe that this is one of my best piece."

Examining the artwork, his eyes lit up. "Are you kidding me? This is amazing. Look at this— hey! Manager, look, look at the details of this. You've something going on here, you know?" 

The student’s face turned a deep shade of red, silently thanking him, with looks of admiration planted upon Sylus from fans waiting for their turn, for his genuine expression for his own fans. Another 4 minutes passed by and a fan presented him with a keychain featuring one of his most memorable quotes: "There's no love is purer than mine." He turned it over in his hand, a soft grin plastered on his face.

"That line... man. I remember when the director told me to say that line. Think of the happiest memory you could ever think of, and say that line with much love in your heart, she said." 

He paused, his thumb grazed across the quote once more. "Did it in one take and it's probably the best line I've ever recorded. Thank you for this— it's going on my bag."

The line kept moving and as it was about to end, there she was, right in front of Sylus. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my biggest fan," he teased softly, the tone of his voice professional yet carrying that familiar warmth enough for her to melt under. 

“Hmm... I don't really know, Sylus,” [your name] replied, her voice light.

“It seems like I've lots of competition here today, heh." 

He smirked, leaning in a little closer. "But there's only one of you, sweetie,” he whispered.

The words words hung between the two of them like a secret, hidden in plain sight. As he signed her copy of an artbook belonging to a game called Love and Deepspace, in which served as one of the main characters, he added a quick note at the bottom: Dinner’s on me tonight. Same place as always, sweetie?

[Your name] exchanged one last fleeting smile before stepping aside, blending seamlessly back into the crowd. Once Sylus went through with the individual meet and greet, he moved onto the next event, which was the Q&A session. During the Q&A session, Sylus leaned forward with a grin as a fan asked about his university days.

“Hmm.. university life was definitely a hectic point in my life, but don’t get me wrong, I loved it. Every single second,” he said.

“I majored in theater, with a minor of… Ancient Chinese Mythology, so I was constantly juggling rehearsals, assignments, and late night study sessions. I think because of the routine where I have to be at my best, it really shaped me.”

Another fan asked, eagerly, about his love for voice acting and what made him pursue this particular path of performing arts, to which he responded with a spark in his eyes.

“I believe that it’s the freedom to become anyone, theater allowed me to do that as well, but there is something about telling stories, voicing characters with just your vocals alone, without having to show your face that much, it gives both me and the audience a chance to use their imagination to. There’s a certain magic to it.” And when asked if he’d take on another live action role, Sylus chuckled, with a playful shake of his head.

“I’m not and never ruling it out! I loved my experiences in front of the screen, and the perks of taking props home for decor, but for now, I am happy bringing characters to life from behind the mic! Never say, never, though!” Sylus’ answers were met with laughters, oohs, ahhs and applause, the sincerity of how he consider each questiona lighting up the room.

Moving on, his manager hands him a stack of fan letters, adorned in ribbons, stickers and colourful envelopes, Sylus placing it on his lap. Picking one at random, he smiled and began reading.

“Dear Sylus,

Your voice has been nothing but a delight to my ears. I’ve been a fan from your first role to your most current one and every time I hear it, it feels like I am reuniting with an old friend. Well, except for your villainous role, where fear made friends with my spine. But it goes to show just how much effort you put into your lines. Thank you, for the ones you inspired and for everything you do.”

The audience let out a collective “aww”, and he chuckled, placing the letter down carefully. Another letter described a fan’s struggles, and how his role as a dragon, feared and hated by the people yet never once he lost his spirit inspired them to keep on moving with life and that even though their current situation feels hard to go through, they should never give up. Sylus’ expression softened as he said,

“Well, thank you for sharing that with me. It means the entire world to know I’ve done a small part in your journey in life. It feels surreal whenever I’ve people come up to me and say how much my work and to some extent, myself, impacted them. It’s.. wow.” The room went silent, with the occasional sniffles and soft “aww” as Sylus continued to read his fan letters, his voice laced of love, gratitude and adoration for his fans.

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As soon as the reading event was done, Sylus spent 10 minutes backstage to change his outfit and took some time to stretch. As he returned, he stood on the small stage set up at the front of the room, with a mike in his hand and a smile on his face. 

"Alright, guys." he began, holding a script, that was read one too many times, in the other.

"You guys know this one animated series I am doing, right? And there's this one  argument scene from Radiant Bonds?"

The crowd cheered for Sylus as he cleared his throat and stepped into character, his tone shifting effortlessly to match the vulnerability of his character dialogue rolled off of his tongue, and the fans hung onto every word. But... every now and then, Sylus couldn't help but lose focus. Something feels, a tad bit off.

Taking a deep, deep breath, the young man of red eyes and ash silver hair smiled and said "I apologize, you guys. I don't think this dialogue can be delivered... with me alone. It wouldn't be the same without my partner in crime. Rafayel! Get in here!" 

The room erupted with cheers and gasps. Fans whooped as Rafayel, his co-star and longtime friend, took steps to the centre of the stage, bowing to the audience before giving Sylus a hug, earning the duo a round of applause.

"You're lucky I like you, Sylus. Hearing just how real that scene was in the recording booth, I swear, I thought of an early retirement right after." he joked, the audience laughing at his words. 

The two then launched themselves into a spirited reenactment of the scene, complete with exaggerated gestures and improvised lines that had the crowd in gasps and sighs. By the end the two voice actors broke character, laughing themselves to bits they couldn’t finish the last dialogues.

As the event is coming to its end, Sylus and Rafayel gathered everyone for a group photo. “Alright everyone, scrunch in! Raf! C’mere! I know you miss your bodyguard but come!” he teased. 

Fans reluctantly started filing out, thanking Sylus and Rafayel for their time. Before each and everyone of them left, his team handed everyone with a gift box, a cap, two bracelets and a ticket to his upcoming movie airing in theaters next week, as well as Sylus personally paying for their ride. He addressed everyone one final time.

“Thank you for being here. Honestly, your support is what makes all of this worth it. I’ll see you guys at the next event—promise.”  And with that, Sylus gave them all a wave and a now, and remained in that position till the doors closed.

The event wrapped up after nearly five hours, and once the venue cleared out, he helped his team to clear the space and before he took his leave, he thank everyone and informed the head of the team that dinner is on him, handing his manager his black card,

“You’ll meet me next week at work, it’s fine. You guys worked really hard.”

Once all was done, Sylus walked his way to through the building and slipped away through the back door, where his lover waited for him just out of sight.

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“Oh my god~ it’s Sylus, the greatest voice actor of all time!” she said, her voice warm with playfulness, Sylus grinned, brushing his digits through his tousled hair.

“Oh my god, if it isn’t the love of my live, [your name].”

A kiss was planted on her cheek, before he wrapped his arms around her in a lingering hug, just happy to finally have her next to him, [your name’s ] body warmth settling against his skin. As she pulled away from the hug, he gentle held her hand, guiding across the softly lit parking lot towards their car; the air was cool, the sun is slowly setting, carrying the faint smell of its rays, a grin never leaving her face as they both moved in sync.

Once she was seated in the passenger seat, [your name] waited for him to start up the car, and scrolled through her playlist, before connecting to the car’s system, letting Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder play with her voice joined the melody, soft and slightly off key. Sylus glanced at her a smile tugging at his lips as he gripped the wheel; the hum of the engine and her carefree singing blending in perfectly as he drove them towards the bistro. In that moment, everything felt right.

They walked hand in hand to the entrance of the bistro, and inside, they chose a tucked away spot where they wouldn’t be bothered by anyone. Sylus took a deep breath, patting his chest, finally allowing himself to relax, he, no longer a confident star, but just he, himself.

“You were incredible today,” she said, before popping a peanut into her mouth, giggling as she looked at him with unfiltered pride in her eyes.

“Flattery will get you everywhere, sweetie,” he responded, a chuckle leaving his lips after, reaching across the table to hold her hand.

“But since it comes from you, I’ll gladly take it.” Their conversation flowed effortlessly, as it always did. He did silly impressions of his own characters, including an imitation of a crow named Mephisto, earning delighted laughs that makes him feel happier than ever. As their cocktails and desserts came, [your name] and Sylus swapped bites, his grin widening, eyes softened each time he gazed at his lover’s face light up.

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The two love birds took their time after finishing dinner, and decided to take a stroll beneath the city lights, not really wanting to go home just yet, with her arm tucked into his, leaning close against Sylus under the crisp breeze of the night.

“It’s funny,” she murmured, her tone thoughtful.

“Seeing you up there, knowing how many people adore you. But what really warms my heart?” she paused, Sylus looking at her with his brow raised, emitting a soft “hm?”.

“It’s that, at the end of day, you’re my Sylus. Mine and mine alone.”

He stopped, in the midst of his tracks, cupping her face, lips pressed against her forehead for a gentle kiss. The world around them blurred, leaving only the two of them in a quiet, perfect moment. It was an ending as heartfelt as any of Sylus’ performance—a reminder that yes, while he might be a voice actor for countless stories, his favourite chapter will always be the one they star in.

“And I’ll always will be.”

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© writings belong to lemurianwaves. reblogs + likes are appreciated. thank you !

[stevesjockstrap]

Part 2/2 🖤 part one or Read on ao3 • rated E — all the smut in this one (full tags on ao3)

tattoo artist Eddie, swimmer Steve Harrington, oblivious Eddie, pierced Eddie, appearance by Steve’s jockstrap 🫠 dom!Eddie, brat Steve ofc

@steddieonmywaywardson @steddiesummerexchange

Thanks again to @fuctacles and @lawrencebshoggoth 😘

Walking into the bar a few days later to see Steve in a tight crop top and very short jean shorts with the Calvin Klein band of his underwear showing a few inches above them had Eddie almost dropping to his knees.

He hadn’t been that excited about the 80’s theme night at their regular dive bar but now being faced with the happy trail and bare arms of his … what would he even call their relationship? They weren’t exactly friends. He was a little more than a client, honestly, but Eddie was hoping for much more than that. He just didn’t think it was going to happen. Gorgeous athletic assuredly straight guys like Steve Harrington do not end up with fuck ups like Eddie Munson. He knew what he looked like, the long hair and piercings and almost all of his body covered in weird tattoos. Cute frat boy types didn’t go for the likes of him.

“Eddie!”

He spun around to see Chrissy in a bright neon pink leotard with a headband. His own leather jacket and Judas Priest T-shirt seemed lame now, looking around at everyone who had gone above and beyond for the theme.

“Hey Chrissy. Love the outfit. Are you leading us in Jazzercise tonight?”

She laughed hard and genuine, throwing her head back and making her high pony tail swing around.

Steve came up next to them with an easy grin. “Hey Ed! How are you?”

“Hi Steve. Pretty good, pretty good. You guys really went all out, huh?”

Steve huffed a small laugh and shrugged, completely nonplussed that he was the hottest person in the place. Maybe the state. What Eddie would give-

“Can I buy you a drink?” Someone came up beside them, looking Chrissy up and down.

“Sure!” The guy in a cowboy hat and jeans (maybe had forgotten which theme night he was attending, or maybe he thought it was the 1880s, who knew) offered her his elbow and lead them to the bar. Steve threw a thumbs up at her when she turned to look back at him and Eddie wanted to run away immediately.

Thankfully he was saved by the Corroded Coffin boys showing up, but then Eddie had to awkwardly introduce them officially after they ragged on him for their enthusiastic session.

But Steve was amazing, unquestioningly shaking their hands and engaging in the typical polite small talk. The boys complimented his outfit without making it feel weird, and Steve excitedly pointed out Drew’s Metallica shirt and started an in-depth conversation about the album (making Eddie silently swoon beside him).

Chrissy rejoined them after cutting her suitor loose, and they all found themselves hanging at a corner of the bar, shooting the shit with the bartender and judging everyone else’s attire and the music.

As more and more alcohol was consumed, Eddie was quickly losing his mind. Steve was so comfortable in himself, talking with anyone who approached the bar or started talking with them. It shouldn’t have been that attractive, but Eddie who had grown up with all the same people surrounding him now, he found it hard to make friends. Chrissy and Argyle had found their way into his life by accident, but their extroverted selves had just adopted the sad boys in the tattoo shop and frequently drug them out of their comfort zones.

Eddie almost swallowed his tongue when a tall good looking man approached Steve and asked him to dance, waiting to see the hate crime in action that he was expecting. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, something to finally burst the Steve Harrington shaped bubble forming in his heart.

Instead, Steve gave him a demure smile and went with him, actually taking his hand and allowing the man to escort him to the dance floor where they quickly got into the groove and Eddie was dumbfounded.

He blinked at Chrissy and she sent him a look, but he was too drunk to decipher it. He couldn’t figure out why this was somehow worse than when he’d assumed Steve was straight and unattainable. Now that there may be a possibility — he shook his head at himself, quickly draining his cup and waving off the questions from the boys as he threw cash onto the table and stood. He had to go home before he embarrassed himself. Or made a fool of himself in front of Steve.

Gareth sent him a small sad smile and patted his shoulder as he went past.

The next few days went by quickly, Eddie trying to settle the slight nausea whenever he thought of how he’d acted with Steve at his tattoo appointment (and the consult meeting beforehand), forcing himself to be even more professional at his appointments now to try to overcompensate.

“Are you into Steve?”

Eddie scoffed and watched as the cue ball went wide, missing its target completely. “What the fuck, Chrissy?”

She smirked at him from the other side of the table, quickly pocketing two of her striped balls.

“Well?” She asked again. Chrissy had drug him back to the bar, apparently to interrogate him.

“Is this just a dirty trick to win at pool? Or a real question?” Eddie peered at her while she scoped out the table.

“A question can be more than one thing,” Chrissy said with a wide grin. “People, too.”

Eddie frowned, game now forgotten. “What does that mean?”

Chrissy shrugged and took a drink from her beer. Eddie took a few steps closer to her. “Is Steve asking about me?”

She had let it slip earlier that she’d gotten together with him and Eddie tried not to let it bother him. They’d only exchanged a few messages since he had been in his tattoo chair. Eddie had tried to keep it cool, letting Steve know scars were finicky and not to worry about any areas that healed strangely. He’d be able to touch them up. Eddie had winced to himself at the double entendre and then the conversation hadn’t really progressed like before.

Chrissy shrugged again and Eddie wanted to shake her.

“Chris, you’re killing me.” He gulped down his own beer and sighed. “Look. I tried to be so professional with Steve. If I made him uncomfortable I can apologize or whatever. But yeah, he’s fucking gorgeous and sweet and funny and completely out of my league. You probably know all of this, and you’re fucking with me. To win a dumb game of pool. But, for your own sick twisted amusement, yes. I know I have zero chance, but I know I’ve never been that hard while tattooing someone. Does that answer all the things of your question?”

She just nodded, but had a small sly grin on her face.

Eddie lost three games of pool before he called it a night. Then went home and scrolled through his messages with Steve to torture himself.

“Are you inviting your boy to the party?”

Eddie actually looked behind him to see who Gareth was talking to, and not seeing anyone in the vicinity, he frowned. “Huh?”

“The big end of summer thing at Argyle’s? Are you going to invite Steve?”

Eddie dropped his phone, and Gareth snickered at him. “He’s not- Wha- Do- uh.” He looked around the packed shop, lowering his voice. “Should I?”

Gareth rolled his eyes. “How long are you going to keep circling each other? You obviously both like each other, he gets along well with all of us somehow, you act like a lovestruck teenager when he’s around. What’s stopping you?”

Eddie thunked his head on the table and Gareth chuckled at his dramatics.

He’d always kept a decent eye on his schedule and appointments, Argyle complimenting him because trying to figure out the other guy’s schedules and trying to work with their convoluted systems was more than he could take some days.

It wasn’t until he walked into his office and found Steve there instead of the promised Mike Hawk that he second guessed giving him access to his calendar.

“Oh. Um. Hi, Steve. Why are you- I mean, its good to see you, but well, uh…”

Eddie trailed off, awkwardly standing in his own doorway.

“It may have been Chrissy’s idea,” Steve supplied. “And Argyle… could put someone in your calendar. I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I didn’t really want to bother you by just showing up and taking away from your work, I just, I dunno.” He was so genuine and seemed shy now somehow, even more endearing to Eddie.

“Uh, sure. That doesn’t seem stalkery at all,” Eddie huffed.

“Think of it more as, I dunno, just a surprise appointment instead of being tricked by all of your friends.” Steve grabbed the back of his neck, smirking.

“Oh? Is that what we are? Friends?”

That didn’t seem to deter Steve at all, in fact his smile widened and maybe blushing.

“I was hoping, to be that, or…” Steve stood, and Eddie realized he was wearing the black sweatpants he had sent him home in. “Since I sort of have an appointment, could you look at this tattoo for me? The last guy, he did his best, but you know, tattoos over scars can be finicky, I hear.”

Eddie laughed, his heart unclenching. “Yeah, you know not all tattoo artists are as professional as me.”

Steve walked closer to him, reaching behind him to pull his door shut. Eddie swallowed.

Wiggling out of the sweatpants and turning, Eddie let out a gasp. Steve stood before him in a jockstrap, tattoo still healing but areas on and around his scars lighter and fuzzier. However, his brain mostly clued into the fact that Steve’s entire ass was bare to him, and all of his long legs.

“Uhh huh, well it does seem like your scars haven’t taken the ink as well. C-can, um, can you stay here for a minute? Just give me one minute?”

Steve turned again, giving him a small nod and stepping back into his (Eddie’s) sweats.

In the middle of the tattoo shop, Eddie stopped and looked around. Only about half of the guys were in today. Weekdays they didn’t all need to be here. Argyle smirked at him from the front desk. Eddie glared and approached him quickly.

“What is this all about? You putting fake names in my schedule for people to ambush me now?”

“Hey, you’re welcome, brochacho. Go back there and get your shit together.”

Eddie laughed, all his annoyance gone instantly. He met Argyle’s outstretched fist with his own, shaking his head. “Thanks, man.”

Realizing he had actually left a hot half naked guy alone in his office, he quickly grabbed stuff from his work station and hustled back, locking the door behind him.

Steve was lounging on his couch with his arms crossed, making his arms and shoulders look ridiculous.

“So, um, this last dude who tattooed you, was he- you know, did you like him?” Eddie grinned, tucking his tongue behind his teeth.

“Ah, he was alright. I think I’m going to like you a lot better though.”

Eddie chuckled, shaking his head as he dumped his stuff on his desk.

“I think we’re going to set up shop back here, if that’s cool with you. I kind of got drug over the coals for, uh, an interesting session a few weeks ago. The boys won’t let me live down another performance like that. And since we’re just doing a touch up…”

Steve reached behind his head to grab the collar of his shirt and pulled it off with a flourish. “Fine by me. Although, between us, that guy probably enjoyed the attention.”

Eddie stopped to groan, rubbing over his face. “Fuck. Well, maybe next time then, Stevie.”

His gaze slid from his cocky grin down his hairy chest, down to his tantalizing happy trail that was still burned in his memory from the bar that night.

“God, you’re pretty,” he breathed, unaware he had said it out loud until the belly he was eyeing shuddered with a laugh.

“Where do you want me, Eds?”

“Uhh, there’s an old bench shoved here somewhere. Gotta be more comfortable than on my desk.” As he said it, he winced but he watched as Steve’s eyes darkened.

“Yeah, you can bend me over your desk another time.”

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie chuckled.

Eddie popped up the dusty table, quickly but efficiently wiping it down with disinfectant before beckoning him over. Steve stood again, sliding the sweats from his legs as Eddie watched, enraptured. He didn’t take his eyes off of him as he laid down, arching his back as he positioned himself and had to hang his arms off the sides to fit.

Other tattoos he hadn’t gotten to see before drew his attention away from the magnificent ass, some script across his ribs and a baseball bat with nails through it on his bicep.

The one he’d done on his thigh was the biggest, and was the most detailed. If he’d known (or had thought to ask any questions) he would’ve prepared Steve better for the pain he’d had to endure. Hindsight being what it was, he just shrugged at himself and carried on. Nothing to do for it now. Steve had come back, after all.

Sucking in a deep breath, Eddie traced a finger down his spine and over the leg strap that crossed over the tattoo. “Gunna slide this up a little, baby.”

The word felt like too much, hanging between them, but Steve made a little affirmative noise in his throat and arched into the touch.

Eddie put his gloves on, got his tray set up and let himself believe this was actually happening.

“You gunna sit so good for me again, sweetheart?”

Steve whined and nodded, Eddie watched his fingers flex into fists.

“Your pretty little mermaid for everyone to see, been showing it off to everyone?”

“No, haven’t, not really. Did everything you said. Even kept it out of the sun.”

Eddie coughed to cover the little whimper that came out of him, when he realized there were no tan lines to be found on all of the skin under his hands. Steve must sunbathe in the nude, but hadn’t been with his new tattoo.

“You like following my directions, Stevie?” He smirked even though he knew Steve couldn’t see.

“Yes sir.”

Eddie almost dropped the tattoo gun. “Fuck, sweetheart. Just relax. Just be a good boy for now, okay? I’ll take care of you.”

“Mhm,” Steve whined as Eddie continued. Thankfully his previous self had plotted the scars mostly in the mermaids dark hair or background, easily able to blend into shadows and such so he didn’t need to redo stencils or think very much, since most of his focus was again on the little noises Steve was making and his ass under his hands.

Steve had definitely been holding back the first time, because now the noises were even more constant and pornographic. Eddie knew he was dripping in his boxers, trying his best to quickly deposit the ink in Steve’s perfect skin.

“Doing so well, pretty boy.”

“Feels good, Eds. Could sit here forever,” Steve whimpered.

“Mhm,” Eddie hummed, not acknowledging the lie as he watched Steve’s jaw flex and the muscles bunch under his hands. “Relax, Steve. Or I’ll stop.”

Cooing at his devastated noise, Eddie wiped ink from his body again and pressed a kiss to his side, making Steve cry out and his hips jolt.

“Oh fuck, you’re going to be the death of me. How can you be this hot?”

Eddie stopped. “Huh? Me?”

“Of course, Eds. You think all of this was for show? I just get naked in front of people I don’t think are hot?”

That stumped him. “I mean- uh, but-“

“I thought I was pretty blatant the first time, but Chrissy-“

“Chrissy,” Eddie groaned. Of course she was in on this. This stunt had her name written all over it. “Holy shit.”

Steve rolled over on his other hip to look up at him. “Eds, it was her idea but only because I had been whining to her about not knowing how to get your attention. She said you were not going to catch any subtle teasing or jealousy tactics, that I’d have to go big and obvious. This was as, uh, big and obvious as we could agree upon.”

Eddie frowned. “Agree upon?”

“Chrissy had much more elaborate plans, but I didn’t want to like publicly embarrass either of us. I just wanted it to be us, and you know, maybe the shop guys, that was really hot last time. But-“

Eddie stopped him with a kiss, Steve grinning into it and finally wrapping his arms around him. He ripped the black rubber gloves from his hands and someone pushed the tray of supplies out of the way, then suddenly he had a lapful of mostly naked Steve.

When they finally broke apart gasping, he traced Steve’s wet bottom lip with his thumb and Steve pulled it into his mouth. “Goddamn you’re amazing. So fucking gorgeous. Could look at you forever.”

Steve gave him a blinding smile from around his thumb, licking across the pad before letting it go. “Promise?”

“Yes, baby.”

Their lips crashed together again and Eddie’s hands went to his hair to hold him where he wanted him and around his waist to pull him closer, their hard lengths meeting between their layers. Eddie knew this was not good for his brand new tattoo but he couldn’t break their desperate kiss.

Steve kissed down his jaw to his neck, nosing his hair out of his way.

“Stevie baby, gotta-“

He laughed at the petulant whine he received. “Settle down, just don't want to fuck up all the work I did, even though I know redoing it again would be enjoyable for both of us. Turn over for me and I’ll take care of you.”

Working together, they arranged Steve to stand bending over the table and Eddie slid close behind him, licking across his hole and sliding a hand into the front of his jock.

“Please, please Eds- oh my god,” Steve wailed as he fucked himself back and forth, not sure if he wanted to rut himself into his mouth or his hand.

“I got you, sweetheart. Come for me and I’ll clean you all up and take you home.”

Steve arched back into him again. “That’s the hottest thing anyone’s ever said. Ever.”

Eddie swiped his tongue over his spasming hole again, making him shudder. “I think you’re a bit biased right now, but I’ll remember that.”

Ignoring his own throbbing cock, he slurped and stroked until Steve made the hottest noise he’d ever heard (he was definitely biased), coming hard into his sexy little jockstrap.

“That’s my good boy,” Eddie growled, nosing between his legs against his clothed spent balls and making Steve whimper.

“Stay still and let me wrap your fucking tattoo and then I’m dragging you home.”

“Y’ssir,” Steve slurred, slumping down onto his hands on the table, poking his ass up further into the air.

“Can’t believe you rode your motorcycle to get a tattoo on your ass, you absolute menace,” Eddie huffed.

“I was hopeful I would be getting a ride after.”

Eddie cackled along with Steve as they took the short drive to his place.

“As if there would be any other possible outcome with you throwing your gorgeous self at me.”

Steve shrugged, undoing his seatbelt. “Could’ve been. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”

Eddie looked at him like he was insane. “You mean, like, blind people? Lesbians?”

Giggling, Steve stuck his tongue out playfully. Eddie pretended to reach for it. “I’m a hit with lesbians, for the record.”

“Of course you are, handsome. Now get inside before I embarrass both of us in this parking lot.”

Wanting to get out of the shop quickly and without many eyes on them, Eddie had persuaded Steve just to put the sweatpants back on and snuck out the back staff door. Steve had confirmed that the rest of his appointments for the evening had also been fake (Benedict Phalange and Jack M. Ihoff, he needed to get more creative friends honestly) so they could run off without guilt.

Eddie left Steve waiting impatiently on his doorstep as he rushed around his apartment throwing dirty clothes into his closet, gathered all the trash from his coffee table and as a last resort sprayed air freshener everywhere.

Pulling the door back open with a flourish, he ducked his head down and bowed, putting on a voice. “My liege, welcome to my very humble abode. Me casa es the landlords casa, unfortunately. But it’s supposedly earthquake proof.”

Steve snickered at him, pulling him from his low bow and pushing him against the door. “Well let’s test that out, shall we?”

“Fuck, I’m keeping you,” Eddie groaned before meeting his hungry kiss. “Let’s go test out the shower first.”

After pushing and pulling each other to the bathroom and losing clothes along the way, after they’d wriggled Eddie’s pants off, Steve looked him over with wide eyes.

Eddie felt unnerved for a long moment before Steve made a low appreciative noise and ran a finger from the ink on his throat to the metal through his nipple and gasped as his eyes trailed lower.

“It’s yours?”

Eddie frowned, almost gasping himself as Steve dropped to his knees in front of him, then realized what had grabbed Steve’s attention. “Oh. You didn’t know?”

Steve traced along the harpy tattoo above his knee. “I didn’t know it was on you, Mr. Humble. Letting me rave over it and you didn’t feel the need to tell me you tattooed it onto yourself? That’s beyond badass, Eds.”

Maybe finally cluing into the fact that he was kneeling in front of him, Steve looked up from under his lashes at him, pressing a quick wet kiss to the tattoo before hooking his fingers in the elastic of Eddie’s boxer briefs to pull them down.

“Is- are- oh my god.”

“Not sure I can answer that one, honey,” Eddie laughed.

Steve continued staring until he finally thumbed at the metal through the head of his cock. “How do you keep getting hotter?” He pulled back, shedding his (Eddie’s) sweatpants and jockstrap in one motion. “C’mon, I need that in my mouth right the fuck now.”

Eddie would be embarrassed for the noise that came out of him as Steve sunk to his knees the moment they stepped in the shower, but then his brain was being sucked out of his dick. He threw one hand out to hold himself up and slid the other into Steve’s thick hair as his hot mouth slid down his length.

He realized his eyes had slid closed and forced them back open to see the gorgeous man below him. “Fuck, baby. Look so good like this,” he gasped.

Steve pushed himself up another inch with a high whine before pulling off. “Can’t take your huge cock.”

Eddie thought his legs were going to drop out from under him as Steve dived back down to swallow around the head of his dick. “Jesus Christ, where did you come from?”

All he could do was try to stay standing, almost sure his brain was going down the shower drain watching Steve as he lapped against the piercing or his cute little furrowed brow as he tried his best to take him down to the hilt.

“Don’t hurt yourself, sweetheart. Doing so good.”

He huffed, sending air across the head of his cock and he jolted a bit, making his piercing slide across Steve’s lips. “Just want all of it,” he pouted.

Unable to help himself, he grabbed a better handful of the hair on the back of Steve’s head and pulled his mouth back onto him. “Tap me if you need to,” he rasped.

Steve made a pretty keening noise and blinked up at him.

Pushing forward only a little further than Steve had been able to take before, he waited for Steve to take a long breath before fucking into his mouth.

“Such a good boy,” he couldn’t help but groan as his throat opened up for him. Carefully inching forward again, he rocked back and forth, leaving only a couple inches untouched.

Steve pushed against his thigh and he quickly backed off, but Steve gasped out, “So fucking hot, Eds. Do it harder. And I want all of it. Make me take it.”

Eddie’s knees almost gave out. “The fucking mouth on you, pretty boy.”

The only response he received was a low hum around the head of his cock before Steve pushed himself down onto this length and looked up expectantly at him.

He watched his face intently as he used the grip on his wet hair to pull him steadily forward. Sliding past his perfect lips, he moaned as they met the curly hair at the base and Steve swallowed around him.

“That’s it baby,” he huffed, yanking him off and letting him suck in a shallow breath before rocking all the way back in. Tears joined the water dripping down his cheeks but he wouldn’t let Eddie stop, whining and shoving himself back down even as his gag reflex fought him. “God, I lo-“ he shook his head. It was too soon. “Gunna come, Stevie.”

Steve bobbed his head and kept humming and swallowing around him until Eddie saw stars and reached above him for the shower rod to hang on to as he came down his throat.

“Oh fuck,” he hissed as the soft tongue cleaned him up. Then he almost hit the floor again when Steve looked up at him with his big round eyes, wrapping both hands around his own hard dick, getting himself off while looking him up and down. “Come for me, beautiful. Then I’m chaining you to my bed. Never letting you go.”

“Ah! Eds!” Steve made eye contact with him as he shuddered through his release, finally leaning his forehead against Eddie’s hip to catch his breath.

Once they were cleaned up and dry, cuddled up in bed, Steve looked around searchingly and Eddie raised an eyebrow at him. “Where’re your chains?”

Days later after not getting to see each other due to their schedules and Eddie trying not to come on too strongly (honestly he’d ask Steve to move in with him if he didn’t think he would run away screaming), Steve picked him up for Argyle’s party.

“I don’t know that I consented to a motorcycle ride,” Eddie smirked. God, don’t get hard. Don’t get hard.

“Parking over there is atrocious, this way we won’t have to walk a mile.”

Eddie kissed his cheek as he took the helmet held out for him. “Good thinking, sweetheart.”

He tried not to get too excited. But the vibration of the bike under him and holding on to Steve as he zipped through the city was exhilarating. Steve wiggled his hips back into him teasingly. He growled into his ear, “Be good.”

Steve shook his head and wiggled again. Eddie grabbed his hips and rutted his hard cock against his back. When that only made the wiggling continue, he looked around quickly before sliding his hand down between Steve’s legs.

Chuckling darkly against his shoulder as he gasped and revved the engine. “Don’t kill us, pretty, haven’t gotten to do everything I want to you yet.”

The hardness in his hand twitched and Steve slowed down the bike, turning a corner and taking them down a more deserted street.

“And don’t come,” he hissed as he squeezed a bit tighter.

They made it to Argyle’s in one piece miraculously, Steve whining at him as he hopped off the bike and pulled both of their helmets off to meet his lips.

“C’mon Stevie, before we get arrested in his front yard for indecent exposure.”

No one was surprised to see them walk in together, Eddie had been unable to stop talking about their developing relationship to anyone and everyone who would listen. Drew would jokingly make gagging noises at him and Gareth would loudly fake moan from next to him in the studio or bar.

“Ah our favorite pet project has arrived!” Argyle called out when he saw them, nudging Chrissy who was draped over his shoulder, apparently this meddling had brought them back together.

“Hey guys,” Chrissy beamed at them.

It was unbearably hot, but under the umbrellas and awning in the back of the house it was a bit more tolerable, and people were jumping in and out of the pool.

Eddie almost swallowed his tongue when Steve came out of the bathroom wearing a tiny sporty looking speedo and nothing else. He grabbed his elbow and pulled him back into the bathroom. “Are you trying to kill me? What is that?”

Steve just grinned. “It’s a pool party, babe. This is a bathing suit,” speaking slowly and deliberately like he was explaining something very complicated. “You wear it in the pool.”

“Uh huh, smart ass. What about keeping your new tattoo out of the sun? You’re pushing it, you’re already lucky I’m letting you swim at all.”

“Mmm, let me, Eds? What else do I have your permission to do?” Steve pulled him close by the waistband of his own plain black trunks.

“Fuck, you are trying to kill me,” he breathed, closing the distance between their lips. But after a quick kiss he pulled back. Looking into his eyes, he promised lowly, “Keep being a brat and you’ll end up bent over Argyle’s weird furniture. You have one free cheek.”

Someone knocked hard on the door and they jumped apart. One of Argyle’s friends snickered at them as they hurried out past him.

Steve continued teasing him incessantly throughout the party, dragging him into the pool and wrapping his arms and legs around him so Eddie could carry him around, after they’d gotten out and dried off he got back in then plopped his cold wet self right onto Eddie’s lap and got comfortable. Taking any opportunity to touch him, pulling him in for kisses mid-sentence with their friends if he felt like it, licking invisible crumbs from his fingers as he ate.

“This must be the famous Eddie, then,” a voice came from above them and Steve squawked as he jumped up to throw his arms around the person.

Eddie recognized her immediately from Steve’s instagram.

“Robin! I thought you couldn’t make it!” He was almost jumping up and down, Eddie found himself grinning just from how excited he was.

“Well I texted you a bunch, but it seems like you don’t have your phone.” She looked pointedly down to his tiny bathing suit.

Steve smirked at her and they shared a long look, seeming to have a conversation without talking.

“So Eddie, what are your intentions with my platonic soulmate?” Robin asked seriously as she dropped into the chair next to him. “How do you feel about him wanting six kids?”

Eddie looked quickly between them, throat going dry suddenly, “Uhhh, I mean, um-“

“Aww leave him alone, Bob. I’ve already been messing with him all day,” Steve laughed, plopping himself back into Eddie’s lap.

As the day went on, drinks were consumed and games played, Steve still finding any excuse to use Eddie as a chair and pressing his lips anywhere he could reach.

The final straw was when Steve plucked an ice cube from Eddie’s drink and as he watched, licked some of the dripping drink from it but instead of popping the entire thing in his mouth (which would’ve been hot enough on its own), he tucked it down the front of Eddie’s swim trunks.

Robin laughed at them as Eddie squeaked before grabbing Steve’s hand and pulling him into the house.

Steve’s wide grin told him everything he needed to know.

“Thought you liked being my good boy, why are you acting up?” He crowded close to him, cupping his face and making him meet his eyes.

“Want you, Eds, please,” Steve pouted and gave him big puppy dog eyes.

“You’ve been sitting on my dick all day, honey. What else do you need? Huh?”

Steve pulled away and Eddie almost pouted himself, but then he just looked around before asking, “Are there bedrooms here?”

Barking a quick relieved laugh, he took his hand again and they ran up the stairs. Locking the door and pushing Steve against it, he met his desperate kiss and lined up their hips with a groan.

“Take this tiny thing off, babe.” He pulled at the hip of his speedo and Steve giggled.

Together they got their suits off and Eddie shoved him until he landed on the bed. He pulled open the nightstand and his eyebrows shot up. “Good for you, Argyle.”

He threw a condom and a small bottle of lube onto the bed and left the rest alone.

“Yessss, want your huge cock in me,” Steve hissed as he squirmed around on the bed.

“Settle down, Stevie, I think I promised you something else if you were going to keep being a brat,” he taunted.

“Want that, too.” He maneuvered himself onto his knees with his back to Eddie.

Momentarily distracted by his own art on the expanse of skin before him, his eyes then traveled up and he let out a deep groan. “Holy fuck, Stevie. How haven’t I seen this one?”

Eddie traced over the delicate lettering right under his perfect dimples in the small of his back, his jaw actually dropping. “You are just a pretty little babygirl, aren’t you?”

Steve arched his back with a high whine as he dragged his finger down between his cheeks. Without warning he slapped across his bare cheek and chuckled at his little squeak.

“More, c’mon,” he taunted, rising up on his hands on the bed.

Eddie hummed thoughtfully and swatted harder against him a handful of times in quick succession before grabbing a handful of cheek in a harsh grip, enjoying the rough inhale of breath and little whimper he received.

He continued spanking down his thigh and swatting over his perfect tramp stamp until everything was a warm pink and Steve was writhing and widening his legs so he’d get a peak of his pretty hole.

“Please,” Steve whined prettily. “Need your cock, please. Oh fuck!” Eddie smacked once more hard across his ass.

Quickly grabbing the lube, he chuckled as Steve flopped down onto his face on the bed, arching his back and immediately showing off his ass. Eddie swiped his wet fingers across it, trying to prepare him quickly as his own dick screamed at him to just shove inside.

Finally after Steve was a quivering whimpering mess on the bed, he removed his fingers and rolled the condom on.

“Oh, c-could, um,” Steve stammered.

“Why’re you gettin’ shy on me now, pretty? What do you want?”

He huffed, half hiding his face into the sheet under him, and Eddie tried as best he could to patiently wait for him to say something.

“Can, you know, can we do it the other way? Wanna see you. Hold onto you.” Steve couldn’t look at him while he said it, and Eddie wanted to go throttle whoever had told this gorgeous man that he didn’t deserve to be taken care of.

“C’mere, Stevie,” he cooed, and his eyes shot to his, widening when he realized Eddie was serious. He turned over, sitting up on the edge of the bed and Eddie knelt in front of him, pulling him in close. “Gunna treat you so well, babygirl. You already have me wrapped right around your little finger. Of course we can do romantic and soft,” he laughed.

Steve’s eyebrows turned down and he gave him a little pout. “Didn’t say anything about soft,” he grumbled.

They laughed together, and Eddie pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth, then his forehead. “Gunna have me eating out of your hand, aren’t you babygirl? Gunna have me completely whipped. I can already tell.”

Steve simply shrugged and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, wrapping his arms and legs around him. Finally he pulled away, gasping, “Please fuck me already. I can’t wait anymore. And Robin is very needy, she’ll come look for us soon.”

Eddie snorted. “Oh, she’s needy, huh? Must’ve learned that from you.”

He watched as he got his gorgeous self spread out across the bed, fluffing pillows behind his head and threw one playfully at Eddie who helped him shove it under his hips.

He teased him for a long moment, dragging the pierced head of his cock around his hole and over his balls until he was whining and grasping handfuls of sheet. The first push inside made his eyes cross, holding on tight to his thick thighs under his hands. “Like you were made for me, baby.”

Leaning over him, he kissed down his neck and over his nipples, giving them extra attention when it made him clench around him and cry out. “Oh yeah, baby? Sensitive little things, huh? Maybe we’ll see if Argyle can pierce them for you. Or better yet, I’ll get him to show me how, and I’ll be the one to make you even prettier.”

“Oh fuck, yes, oh my god,” Steve wailed as he met the harried thrusts. “I don’t know how you’re real. God I love- love your fucking cock.”

Eddie hummed into his neck. Not the cleanest coverup he’d heard, but he hid his smirk by dragging his teeth across his collarbone. “Going to give me a complex, sweet thing. All this big talk.”

Steve shook his head petulantly, reaching down to feel where he was being split open, squeezing around the base where it wasn’t even all the way in. “It’s so big, Eds. Like even if you weren’t so sweet and the hottest thing on two legs, I’d give it up just for this.”

“Oh, that’s very romantic, honey,” he huffed. Deciding he could talk too well while getting fucked, he pushed at his leg and pulled it over his shoulder, opening him wider and laughing as Steve cried out.

Able to push all the way in now, he got lost in the back and forth, gazing between Steve’s blissed out face and watching himself disappear into him.

“Can- oh! Can feel you in my throat. So deep, Eds. Gunna come.”

Eddie echoed Steve’s groan as his big hands came up to play with his own nipples, Eddie encircling his leaking cock and matching his thrusts.

Steve came hard between them, his gorgeous noises and the clenching around his dick sending Eddie over the edge right behind. Slumping down onto him as they tried to catch their breath, Eddie smirked into his skin when his legs wrapped around his hips.

“I’m not going anywhere, babygirl.”

Surprisingly none of their friends came to look for them, and eventually they had to face the music.

Robin rolled her eyes at them as they opened the sliding glass door to the backyard, and cried out when Steve rushed around to pool towards her.

“No running by the pool, dingus! You’d think you’d be more careful after your crazy embarrassing accident at state.”

Eddie frowned, his attention switching back to Steve as he groaned and went to cover Robin’s mouth. But the secret had already been spilled.

“But I guess Eddie could just cover up more scars,” she giggled, narrowly avoiding Steve’s flailing arms to smirk over at Eddie.

Finally clicking all the pieces together, he found his voice. “You told me it was a motorcycle accident!”

[prest0allay]

Dude. DUDE. Your art is so epic I love every frame of it--

Like!! the Lyrics!! Go so well!! "Better than I ever did" FITS. Joel had Gem's back and Gem had his and their relationship was so wholesome and healthy-- so much so that??? He didn't die??? Like-- for 4 episodes??? Where did that come from? (It was Gem. It was because of Gem)

YESS!!!! Joel using the teleportation power was my absolute favorite part of the episode. I don't think anyone was able to use their powers more effectively than he did at that moment. It was basically a 5 v. 1 (including skizz + martin) and he survived!!! Also the detail on this frame is so epic!! Impulse dying in the back, etho watching in horror, Cleo and pearl angrily chasing him while Scott is just confused?? EPIC. And Joel??? Grinning like a madman??? Because he was having fun even as he came so close to dying like 10 separate occasions??? DUDE. "Feeling like a little kid" WORKS

AHHHHHH- DUDE. I'm so devastatingly relieved that Joel wasn't there when Gem died because I would've fallen apart to see his live reaction but like-- this is almost sadder ;-; HIS FAMILY!!! DIED WHEN HE WASN'T THERE!!! AND HE WAS LEFT WITH NO ONE (but grian) like-- that just breaks me. They were there for each other every step of the way and he was steps away from her during her final moments-- not to witness it nor to save her. ahhhh- I'm dead.

(also I found it so fitting that the second she died the wild cards ended. Almost like the watchers recognized that they didn't need them anymore)

AHHHHH- JOEL REFLECTING ON HIS PAST SELF IS SO CRAZY. The redness around him?? The dogs?? The fact that his current self is surrounded by green? He didn't turn red until the end. He won by going against what he had been for 5 seasons before and won. And the red eye? symbolizing that his murderous tendencies were still there, waiting and ready to emerge when he decided to use them? So amazing.

AHHHHHHHHHH THE LAST FRAME IS SO BEAUTIFUL. The night sky?? the comet??? The GREEN glow around him with that tired but victorious smile on his face? So beautiful. You're amazing.

Anyways I am also so normal about this. Thank you for the impecable Joel content :3 it is so. so delicious.

Thank you for the amazing paragraph. I'm fighting my inner demons cause my ego is inflating thanks to all the sweet (and feral) notes I'm getting.

I like how you noticed the red eye, for me it was more like this time He's in control and not going mad. Fun fact about the 3rd pic, despite going "I'm still standing" I drew Joel sitting cause he's humbled and genuenly scarred that he's going to mess up again, since he lost Gem, the one person who helped him with his anger. But she's still there in spirit (the green headband on his wrist) all the way till the end.

I chose the song since his win for me is a celebration of becoming a better person :>

[chibishortdeath]

Whenever I do pose studies it’s usually with Simon—

Explaining them all under a cut as per usual :3

Most of these are based on stock photos lol. I ran into a set of them that was just people in business suits being absolutely distraught and lmao yeah. Simon can be a little pathetic if he wants to, we all are sometimes. Anyway I picked this one specifically for the high heels. I think Simon would be the kind of guy to have a panic attack in Dracula’s castle and somehow not roll his ankle in his heeled boots even once 💀💀💀. Idk what else to say about this one uhhhhhhhhhhhh—

Simon seconds after being cursed with the knives subweapon right before a boss battle. Especially annoying because he had the cross boomerang, basically fills the role of knives but way way better 😔…… also noooo I forgot to draw the sword on his belt 💀. I’ve been trying to keep that consistent, even if the Belmonts like don’t really use the sword at all lmao. I’ve always assumed that it’s probably canonically Leon’s sword, of course before Leon was created as a character it was likely just generic sword or sword from a then unnamed ancestor, but yeah. I like to think Simon uses it for like really tough close combat situations, either that or it’s just a back up in case anything happens. It’s also just really fun resting your hand on a sword sometimes hmmm very practical hand rest—

Two more various defeated poses. The top one is practically just his death pose from like was it chronicles that has him lay flat all the way—? No… ok most of his death poses have him with his ass in the air X,,,,,,,,D. He dies in a faceplant with his knees a little inward just right so that he’s making a perfect quarter circle shape on the ground lol. But I do remember seeing one death animation where he lays flat hmmm what game was it…… it’s not CV4 is it… hmm what mystery. Also I just noticed that I haven’t been drawing a part in his hair until recently??? Idk why not lol it’s something. Tbh drawing the top part of his hair is stupid difficult because I over exaggerate his bangs and I don’t want them to clash or bleed into each other, otherwise the top of his head is kinda hard to see (X X ). But this top angle of it isn’t too bad to draw :3

Another one, still stock photos so far. This one unfortunately his hands got all smudged up (-_- ;). Also his hair ended up covering all of the neck anatomy I drew R.I.P.

Finally, one with his face in view— He’s praying.. and giving a little side eye… kinda. Idk this was also a stock photo X,,,,D. Tried to make sure his headband tails where in these as much as possible cause I missed drawing them—

Another dynamic stock photo pose, this time not in that group of business person ones! It might have been a different weapon in the original image tho, but I made it the family sword :3. Then ironically I realized I had been forgetting the whip multiple times 💀💀💀. Idk maybe the context for these is that he was in a really difficult battle and got the whip (and eventually the sword) knocked out of his hand, that’s why he’s so freaked out rn too ig. He’s also got knife subweapon oh no pray for my man he’s struggling— And that bottom silly doodle says “glubtupis wepple” which is a caption I saw on a cat meme somewhere I think I don’t remember tbh 💀💀💀💀💀💀

This says “Willem Dafoe ass pose” because indeed this is a pose from Willem Dafoe. He did this once— I should draw Simon in Willem Dafoe poses like that page I made of him as various Jerma poses hmmmmm—

Suddenly very unrelated Simon’s Quest doodle that just so happens to be on the same sketchbook page, so it’s invited too. The text says “excuse me do you know where—“ “beat your fucking head in 💖🌈😇” “thanks! I’ll consider it!” and this was drawn based on that guy who says “go to Deborah Cliff, hit your head, and make a hole” and at like 1 am lol. That’s such a sentence tho like, anyway you read it is like not good 💀💀💀. He might be saying “beat your head in” or, uh, considering it’s a cliff— I need to replay the game again and actually write about it aaaaaaaaaaa, I have so many ideas (>< ). There’s also random chibi head angles above it for practice.

I saw a cute nightgown on Pinterest and immediately put Simon in it and I was right, he does look cute in it. It was also a really good practice for drawing fabric textures!!! Especially the ruffles on the bottom, they’re very loosely sewn, pretty far apart, subtle gathering— it wasn’t intentional, but you can kinda see his silhouette through the fabric a little so uh just imagine that it’s a thin fabric and light is going through it :3. The second doodle is him in other more modern pajamas. Shorts, t shirt, socks, the usual. I love how I drew his mouth in this one he’s so cute asdfghjkl (〃ω〃). These were both doodles done while I was sleepy so the sleepy vibes came through in them pretty well I think—

Another tiny doodle of that nightgown. You can either take it as him wearing one of Selena’s nightgowns or that Simon just has a cute, tiny, semi sheer, little, frilly nightgown of his own, both are very valid options—

[twinklecupcake]

Tagged by @vegalocity! Thank you!

You and hopefully one of your OCs have been tagged! Your job is to make a post about them, and it can be whatever you want! Talk about general information, their backstory, their design inspiration, post some sketches or older art, write up a few fun facts, as long as it's something!

When you're done, be sure to pass it along by tagging at least one other person and their OC (you can tag as many people as you want though!) Tag backs are allowed and encouraged.

When you tag someone, try to specify an OC, even if you don't know who they are yet (i.e. "You should do that OC with the butterfly wings you posted the other day!" or "Do the OC you drew most recently!") Participation is not required, but even if you don't want to, it'd be great to pass the tag along to someone else!

Vega wanted me to talk about either Chenguang or Bell.

Bell is like those 'beloved daughter of crime family' characters; even if the Spider Clan have chilled out a lot and are more like a fun villain of the week (even if that. In this universe, they've all calmed down considerably, and only like to 'challenge' MK once in a while as a game, to keep him on his toes). She's kept in the dark about the true extent of what her family, especially Auntie, did, only knowing that they weren't exactly the best people once. Goliath isn't sure yet how much they'll tell Bell when she's older. But for the timebeing, while she's still a small child, they won't say a thing.

Bell is enrolled in a daycare when she's five, as socialization is important. And Spider Queen says, if she expects to be a queen someday, she'll need to interact with people. (Spider Queen tells her a few stories of monarchs who did this or that wrong, and ended up dethroned or killed.)

It's at daycare that she meets Chenguang, who's a little older than her. Chenguang hears this little spider-human hybrid talking about being a princess, marches right up to her, and is all "I'm a princess, too! Do you have a crown?"

Bell does not, in fact, have a crown. Yet. Her beaded headband will have to do for now.

I've been asked before if people give Bell a hard time because of being Spider Demon… and no, not really.

Mainly because yeah I'm not doing a 'sins of our fathers' things and I'm not making a whole city afraid of/harassing a defenseless child. Also because at this point in the story, again, the Spiders are integrating more. Goliath freely goes outside with Meiyun, Huntsman is very outdoorsy and people at sporting goods stores recognize him as a regular, Syntax is finding/reconnecting with anyone he might've known in the past, and Spider Queen runs a legit stall in the market. People are used to the Spiders now.

Chenguang brings Bell to Pigsy's Noodles after daycare more than once. Bell's appearance did initially startle Team MK the first time, but she's polite and cute, and Pigsy never turns away a child.

It's even kinda cute when Bell lifts her soup spoon and declares "Delicious! When I'm queen, you'll be my royal chef!"

[bokettochild]

About Legend having insane leg strenght: what if the reason he never brags about that is because he's embarassed about it? He thinks that pulverizing a boulder with a kick is either something everyone can do or too similar to a bunny. One day he and Four get dumped into a monster camp without their items or weapons and Legend takes desperate measures to ensure they don't die: anihilating the entire camp with only his legs. He is unironically and literally capable of killing someone with his /1

This ask references this post btw, so, check it out if you need context!

Honestly, I loved this so much! THANK YOU!!! But I am half asleep, so the cool stuff I saw in my head is being stinky and not comng out. I'm sorry, hope you like my half-asleep drabbl of Legend being weak as shit while simultaneously having the strongest kick out of the whole Chain XD

Legend hates being at Ordon.

It’s not that he hates the people; he’s used to country folk, he was raised around them, heck, his grandparents have the same strong twang in their voices that everyone in Twi’s village does! He loves the fresh air and the sounds of animals and the sight of growing things everywhere he looks.

But he hates looking around and seeing Twilight’s entire village (even the freaking kids!) wander around lifting things that probably equal his entire body weight!

Seriously, Malo (that was the terrifying toddler’s name, right? That’s what Twilight said when he introduced them all, right?) could lift up a small goat with ease, and he was an actual toddler!

What was Uli feeding her children that they turned out this strong? Were all the village women using it? How on earth was every person in all of Ordon fully capable of throwing Legend over their shoulder?

It hadn’t happened yet, but Legend was on guard because it was only so much time before someone figured out it was possible, and it wasn’t as if he could fight them off.

He wasn’t jealous, definitely not. Not even when he saw Twilight carrying a mother goat across the village with an easy stride as he brought the nanny back to her pen. When he buried his face in his arms and sighed it wasn’t because he was remembering how much he had to tug and pull to move a basket of apples, no, it was just because the mere thought of carrying goats for the foreseeable future made him tired. Definitely.

But this strength was just an Ordon thing, right? It was totally just something that was common in Ordon, and Legend took comfort in that as he sat on the front porch of Uli and Rusl’s house and helped with the mending.

Even their blankets were heavy, what the heck?

But then Sky walked past.

And Sky was carrying a barrel, an entire barrel. One that swished and clunked with the sounds of grain filling it, and if the small trail of spilled seed that followed after the hero meant anything, then that thing was full.

Okay, so Skyloftians were strong too, no big deal.

Big deal.

Their entire visit to Ordon, helping to hide away animals and supplies before a local monster band stole them, was spent with Legend trying desperately to not be jealous as he watched everyone from Wind to Time lift and carry things that he couldn’t even knock over if he pushed against them.

It wasn’t even that most of thing things were heavy, it was just... he was weak.

Uli’s gaze when she’d figured out the truth had been surprised, eyes blown wide with shock as she watched as Legend, who’d opted to help indoors since he knew working outside would lead to him being more a burden than an aid, struggled to lift buckets of water to fill the wash basin. Dark brown eyes had followed him as he’s left the bucket outdoors and stomped inside, hissing and wheezing under his breath as he moved his attention to his bag and grabbed one of his power bracelets.

“Hun,” Uli’s soft country twang caught his attention as the woman drew close, concern filling her warm gaze. “Are ya’ feelin’ alright?”

And reputation or no, Legend’s Gran would have his hide on a hitching-post if he even so much as dropped his manners. There was something about country folk that was so inherently polite and welcoming, that even the salty vet couldn’t help but return with the same manners that his Gran had pounded into his head since childhood.

“Yes, ma’am.” Crimson trailed up his neck to blossom across his cheeks and shoot up his ears. He tried to ignore that Uli had a baby on one hip and a bushel of food on the other, breath contained and relaxes as she stood there, no hint of strain in her face or body language. His fingers trailed along the clasp of his power bracelet, shame building inside as he shuffled his feet.

You just can’t walk away when lady’s talking to you, especially if she’s being all polite like and just makin’ sure you’re okay.

“Are you injured?” The farm-wife pressed. “You were huffy something huge with that there bucket.”

And Legend would like nothing more than to sink into the earth as he glances over the full bucket of water that no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t lift. “I’m just not much of a farm-hand is all, ma’am. I’ll be right as rain in a tick, just needed to grab something I forgot.”

And while the look Uli gives him is a bright smile, he knows worry when he sees it peeking out of someone’s gaze. He tries to ignore that, instead turning back to the chores he’d been assigned and trying his hardest to ignore ethe fact that no one else was wearing power bracelets when they all came back for dinner that evening.

He’s not strong. So what? He can lift his sword well enough, and he can do most other things too when he wears the power bracelets.

Yes, he knows that Ravio warned him about not developing muscles if he relied on objects so much, but he’s never had time to work out or build any muscle mass, so when he needs it it’s a bit more important to just get his work done rather than hope he’ll develop it. He’s paying for that, and he knows it, but he can’t really help that he doesn’t have the time or space to really do anything about it.

Oh well, at least the others haven’t caught on.

Warriors hefts a huge rock over his shoulder and throws it, chuckling deep and loud as he smirks at the rancher. “Beat that!”

They’re clearing a road where an avalanche swept through and blocked off the main entrance to a local town. They’ve been at it for hours, and while Legend tries his hardest to be discreet by sticking to things he can actually lift, even if it does require his bracelets, the others have devolved into a contest to see who can throw stuff the furthest.

There’s nothing on the other side of the road except for the edge of a swamp, and even Legend has to admit that it’s ridiculously satisfying to hear each of the heavy stones go ‘plop’ as they land in the marsh.

Twilight smirks at the captain, all his sharp teeth on display as he hefts a rock that’s the size of Wild and easily bigger than half of the rest of the heroes. “Watch and learn, city boy.” Twilight grunts (well at least it took some effort) before throwing the boulder and watching with the rest of them as it soars through the air and lands with a dramatic ‘splosh’ in the middle of the swamp. Cheers erupt from the younger heroes, and a few even drop their own burdens to give a brief round of applause.

Warriors humphs shrewdly, gaze thin as he looks over at Twi, who only cocks a brow in challenge. “Anyone think they can beat that?”

Legend finds his gaze meeting Four’s swirling hazel, and they both quickly look away from the captain, both well aware that the biggest rocks they’ve lifted are maybe the sizes of their heads, and no where near the horrific loads that the taller heroes are tossing left and right.

“I’ll try!” Wild’s eyes are flashing as the kid clambers over the rock slide, eyes darting to and fro until they land on what has to be the biggest, most horrifically sized piece of rubble Legend has ever seen. The Champion beams, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles briefly before taking the stone in both hands and lifting it over his head and throwing it.

The swam erupts in goop and several of their group yelp and have to dark back as smelly water sprinkles the edge of the path. Wild beams down from his perch on top of the pile, hands on his hips as he looks down at them. “Who dares challenge my strength?”

“How about you, Vet?” Warriors nudges him lightly, chuckling with a cocked brow. The man is just teasing, and he doesn’t mean any harm, but Legend finds himself irritated anyways. He doesn’t know what it is about Warriors, but the man gets under his skin entirely too easily.

“No thanks.” He grunts, hefting his own stone (so small in comparison) a bit higher and adjusting his grip as he walks over to the swamp.

Wild scrabbles around above, knocking stones aside and sending them rolling down towards the vet. Legend rolls his eyes, dodging quickly around a few and kicking some of the larger ones in the direction of the swamp.

He smiles to himself at the satisfying ‘plonk’ as each one hits the surface.

Four’s head aches and the next time they see Warriors they’re going to kick him in the shins.

The captain is good at planning, usually, but if his planning means that Four is waking up to stare around a vast room where people in red and black PJ suits are eating bananas because said plan went wrong, then they think they’re a bit justified in wanting to kick the captain.

They’d reach to rub their head, to adjust the headband that’s riding too low and letting their hair all hang in their eyes, but their hands are bound behind them, and they’re left huffing their breath and scrunching their nose in an effort to relive their irritation. Their mind is too wild to shake their head, but they let their eyes wander.

Legend’s violet gaze meets theirs, sharp fury bubbling below the surface as Legend sits across from them, hands bound behind him, a rope leading from his wrists to a hook in the wall that is definitely higher than either of the two of them can reach.

As unkind as it is, they breathe a sigh of relief to know they aren’t alone (even if being four people in one body technically means that they’re never alone as is). It’s...nice, having Legend around. They don’t know what it is, but the taller boy feels safe and that’s something that they, especially Red, fond comfort in.

But the fact that two of them are here means that Wars is getting both his shins kicked, fair is fair.

Legend squeaks in that harsh way he does when he’s angry, a poor and rather adorable attempt at a growl, but apparently, he’s unable to make any sort of guttural noise, so the squeak is the best he can do. “I am going to strangle Wars when we get back. Yiga? Seriously?”

They raise a brow. “Weren’t we fighting moblins?”

“And a Talus. Unless these guys have transformative rings, then someone messed up.” The vet grates out, but before he can try and unravel their situation any more, a masked face is shoved into the vets own, one of the pajama clad banana eater’s apparently trying to leer over the vet, breath strong and rank even behind his mask.

“So! The friends of the hero awake! You will call me Astorah! Leader of the Yiga and supreme priestess to Lord Ganon!”

“I’ll call you annoying and maybe alive if you let us go.” legend drawls, unimpressed. “Seriously lady, get your face of mine or I’ll knock it in.”

They smirk. Legend is as polite and well-mannered as can be around the country villages, but the minute he’s away from thick mountain drawls and country twang, the Vet becomes a sour and salty speaker who’s as likely to threaten you as o smile at you. It would almost be funny if they weren’t being held captive.

Astorah makes an indignant sound, hand shooting out to smack Legend across the face. The vet can’t do anything to stop it, and the blow sends his head swinging to the side, a faint grunt escaping as the self-declared priestess stands to her full height (she’s taller than either of them at any rate) and promptly orders her subordinates to see to it that the prisoners be brought to ‘the mountain’.

“The hero will be looking for his friends,” The pajama clad leader declares excitedly, hands rubbing together like a villain in a bad stage play. “So, let's help him out, shall we?”

The vet and smithy exchange a glance, each somewhat surprised at how... pathetic their opponent seems to be.

“Their screams should do the trick; all heroes listen to cries of help after all.” There’s a mad waver in her voice and the pitching is all wrong.

She’s delusional. Vio whispers, and the rest of them are inclined to agree.

Across from them, legend scowls as another red and black clad weirdo comes to grasp his binds, unhooking them from above as yet another does the same to Four.

Ideally, they would try and escape now, but legend only follows along slowly as Astorah leads them through the endless halls and up step after step, murmuring, laughing and shrieking loudly as she goes, hands fluttering and gestures erratic as Legend’s scowl grows more and more each minute.

It all seems rather pathetic, all thing considered, until another, larger, more intimidating individual stops them, voice harsh as it grates out something in a language neither hero can understand. Astorah protests and shrieks at the figure, but they disregard her and instead turn to the heroes.

“Put them back, screams echo within a cave far better than on a mountain top.”

Four’s stomach sinks. Being outside means being closer to escape, means finding the others easier and kicking Wars for landing the in a battle where two of their own had been captured by the enemy.

Legend seems to be of the same idea, his eyes flashing as he pulls at his bonds, tugging away from the guard holding onto him.

The oddly garbed enemy slaps him again, but Legend doesn’t seem to be affected, only pushing harder and biting towards the next hand that swings his way. Astorah pulls away with a light sob, shrieking when Legend’s teeth keep hold of her hand while the enemies around them erupt into action.

Fours unsure of what happens next, their head is still spinning, and quite honestly, they’re sure Hyrule will declare him concussed when they get back, but he does see blows being thrown Legend's way, blades being drawn as shouts echo around them.

There’s a dark of movement, and one of the enemies falls. Four stares in shock for half of a moment before turning their gaze to Legend, who, for all intents and purposes, looks half feral.

Blood stains the Vet’s bucked teeth and his hair swirls as he spins and ducks beneath blows. His hands are still bound tightly behind him, a rope trailing on the ground as Legend evades contact, yet somehow still manages to down another enemy.

Four would try and help, but their mind is spinning, their brain not yet up to date with what their eyes are seeing, that and they’re still bound themself, their arms are fastened behind them and they’re not even sure how Legend is managing to get blows in.

And the he sees.

The vet’s boot swings up to make contact with one of the jaws of the enemy.

Yiga. Wild had told them about them, the Yiga clan, people out for the hero’s blood. The word only comes to mind now, but they’d had to tune out of the battle for a brief moment to remember it. They’re brought back to it as the sound of an agonized scream breaks through the air, accompanied by the harsh snapping sound that Four knows too well from having broken their own bones.

Legend fights with his hands behind his back, kicking out like an angered horse and injuring any who step near. It’s impressive honestly, watching how blood spurts and bones crumple from the force of the vet’s blows, and all that without having use of his hands.

The Yiga back away, eventually leaving the room entirely as Legend squeaks out an angry Legend sound after them, before turning his attention to Four. Four says nothing, and it appear Legend thinks that that’s okay, because he darts towards the door they had been headed too, leading Four with nervous glances being thrown back over his shoulder every few minutes.

The mountain top they emerge onto is higher than Four expected, and they want nothing more than to snuggle down in the cozy parka Legend once leant him, but they have none of their items, and they’re lucky to even be out in one piece.

It takes a lot of work to climb down a mountain with their hands tied, but their fingers are too cold to make any good of the knots, and they manage in the end to climb down. They’re in the last legs when Four notices what looks like a small group of travelers below, and they can almost hear the singing of the Four Sword from them.

They’d dropped their blade in their battle, the very reason they were caught in the first blade. They’re not happy someone else touched it, but they are glad they didn’t leave it behind.

“Four,” Legend’s voice breaks them from their thoughts, and as they turn to face him, they find that Legend’s face is flushed, ears twitching nervously as he avoids their gaze. “Could you...not tell the others about all that?”

“About what?” They clamber down another stone, Legend still within sight as he trails down beside them.

“The...kicking.” Legend flushes. “I know you guys- most of them anyway- could have it handled better. I just, Wars is bad enough as is, I don’t need him bring up my lack of strength next time he decides he needs ammo to mess with me.” There’s a scowl on the vets features as he hops down and across and small hold in the mountain side. “I get it, I’m weak in comparison, they could probably have beheaded those guys with their bare hands, but mine fingers are shit o a good day and-”

Four doesn’t know if they actually figure something out or randomly spew words, but Legend’s eyes turn to them in surprise when the smithy stares down at him. “You do know most Hylia’s can’t do anything by kicking each other, right? I’m planning on kicking Wars when we get back, and the most it’ll do is bruise him.” Their voice is flat, but they let Viol take over, he always had the best endurance out of them when it came to rocky places anyways. “You kicked a man’s ribs in, Legend.”

And it’s not funny, it really isn’t, but they giggle, watching as Legend flushes before their eyes, and when the others trail up towards them, gazes curious and concerned, Four is laughing hysterically.

It could be the head wound, it could be Legend’s face, but the thought that Legend was able to kick a man's ribs in and hadn’t done so to any of them yet was both surprising and highly relieving for whatever reason, and it’s hilarious listening to Legend try and explain himself as the vet protests and struggles against the fact that apparently Hylian’s don’t usually have enough leg strength to kill people with.

Yes, people died back there. Yes, Four just watched them die. Maybe it’s Shadow’s influence, but Four can’t find that they're overly bothered. They are tired and injured and cold, and if they can laugh about something as ridiculous as Legend’s strange strength imbalance, then Hylia danggit they’re going to!

They never do kick Wars’ shins in, they giggle to hard at the thought that Legend doing so could actually break them, so they topple over before they can lift their feet.

[spacexcowgirl]

All About The Chase - F.W.

Fred Weasley x Reader

Summary: Y/N will do anything for her best friend—and crush—Fred Weasley. Even if that means fake dating him so he can catch the eye of her cousin.

Word Count: 6.5k

Warnings: Light swearing, one allusion to sex (blink and you’ll miss it), brief mention of intoxication (again, blink and you’ll miss it), super mean awful cousin, food, a little angsty with a happy ending, 

A/N: For the anon who asked for Fred fake dating his friend to make her relative jealous! I decided to make her the twins age, and I may have went a little overboard with the cousin rivalry, but oh well. Thank you for feeding into my love of cliches! Also, I played around with using third person rather than second, it just felt right for this one. Pictures are from Pinterest.

message to be added to tags :)

When Y/N was six years old, her parents—well, Santa—got her the most amazing art set. She had always liked to draw, and now she had an array of more colors than she could even really name. When her family was set to head to her Aunt’s house for Christmas dinner, she packed up all of her new markers, a stack of fresh paper, and a few of her drawings she was most proud of to show off.

The night had started wonderfully. She got a few more gifts from her grandparents, a beautiful doll from her aunt and uncle, and enough sweets and candy to last her months. When it was time to finally eat, Y/N left all of her new toys and her cherished art set in her relatives’ living room. Y/N doesn’t remember much about the dinner—why should she? It was a decade prior—but what she does remember vividly is the excitement that bubbled up in her tiny body when her mother suggested she go grab some of her artwork to show off.

Y/N slid out of her chair and raced into the living room. Only when she got there did she find all of her finished art completely destroyed, covered in scribbles from her new markers. Her brows had furrowed and her eyes welled with tears, and that’s when she heard it. The sinister little cackle of her cousin, Annalise. Y/N turned on her heels and saw the girl, uncapped marker in hand, looking at her as if she was the most pitiful thing in the world.

Y/N returned to dinner empty handed, claiming she had forgotten the drawings at home—even though her parents were certain she hadn’t. Annalise returned with an innocent smile and a portrait of their Nan in hand—one Y/N was certain she just made with her markers—and all of the adults cooed and awed at the small girl’s talent.

A few years later, Y/N was set to star in their primary school’s theater production. Looking back, she now recognized that her landing that part had little to do with any real talents she had, and more to do with how adults always seemed to fawn over her. She was always revered as ‘just the cutest little thing!’ Which evidently preceded talent at the ripe age of eight.

Right before she was set to go on stage and deliver her three lines (that’s all a star can really handle so young, right?), she found her angel wings shredded and her halo headband bent in half. The teacher didn’t have any time to fix her costume, so in a fluster she threw out her part all together, and sent Y/N to stand with the rest of the year 3 ensemble. It didn’t take long for Y/N to catch Annalise’s eye amongst the other students, only she was smirking. Y/N had to force her eyes back out onto the crowd and desperately search for her parents to keep herself from bawling on the spot.

As if things couldn’t get any worse between the pair of cousins, when Y/N was ten, her and her parents were astonished to find a letter tucked into their usual mail, accepting her into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The letter gave an answer to the many strange things Y/N had been able to make happen with her emotions alone, and her chest swelled with pride to learn just how special she truly was. Not to mention, this was finally her opportunity to escape Annalise once and for all.

Until, it wasn’t. Y/N didn’t know that Annalise was a witch as well until the two families spotted each other on the platform, preparing to send both of their daughters off. Neither parents had revealed the truths of their daughters abilities to the other prior, because they knew it must be kept with the upmost secrecy. Y/N’s parents and Annalise’s parents were overjoyed to know their little girls wouldn’t be all alone, and they had someone to share their apprehensions with. Y/N and Annalise were far less enthused by the news.

A little over five years later, Y/N sat in the Gryffindor Common room, rifling through beginning of the year work that had already been assigned. In the half-decade since she’d started at Hogwarts, she had managed to avoid Annalise as best she could. It turned out to be somewhat easy, seeing as they were sorted into different house. Still, whenever Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were forced into classes together, Y/N couldn’t help but feel dread pooling in her stomach. Annalise was always sure to make those classes a living hell for her.

Y/N’s attention was pulled from her work from the sound of a small group of people bounding into the common room. She glanced back over the couch, only to see her best friends—Fred and George—laughing and pushing each other around.

“She totally wants me!” Fred argued, a cocky grin alit on his face.

“Oh, please, she hates your guts, mate.” George teased back.

Fred looked as if he were about to respond, until his eyes met Y/N’s across the room. A more genuine smile found its way onto his face as he tugged his brother towards the couch, then plopped down next to her. George then took a seat in one of the chairs across from them. Y/N neatly gathered her work into a pile, knowing for certain there was no way she would make any progress with them around.

“Y/N, will you please tell my dear brother that your cousin is absolutely mad for me, she just has a different way of showing it?” Fred threw his arm lazily around the back of the couch, right behind her, as he looked at her expectantly.

Y/N couldn’t help the sour mood that the conversation immediately put her in. There was two reasons for this; one, the most obvious, any topic that involved Annalise always brought her down. She couldn’t help it, and she tried not to hate the girl, but everything about her was draining. The second reason was that Y/N was absolutely head over heels for Fred. She had been ever since he pranked Graham Montague for making her cry in third year. The idea of Fred and Annalise together was truly the epitome of her worst nightmare.

“I don’t know, she might really just hate you.” Y/N shrugged, doing her best to keep her voice even and her face straight. Her words caused Fred to scowl and George to erupt into fits of laughter.

“Oh come on, not you too!” Fred whined as he threw his head back. 

“What do you even see in her anyways?” Y/N wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to the question, but she couldn’t help but ask it. 

“Well, she’s quite fit.” This answer earned a swift slap to the arm from Y/N, which only made Fred snicker. “And!” He continued, persistent to point out that looks weren’t all he cared about. “She’s feisty, and smart. And, she acts completely not interested in me.”

“So that’s why you like her?” Y/N snorted.

“Ah, dearest Y/N, one day you’ll learn that it’s all about the chase.” Fred began to twiddle some of her hair between his fingers.

“There’s plenty of girls who aren’t interested in you! You could ‘chase’ any of them.” Y/N reasoned, batting his hand away.

“You’ve got that right.” George snorted, causing his brother to shoot him a glare.

“Well, even if that were true, I’ve got my sights set on her.” Fred shrugged.

“Well, if you really want Annalise to go out with you, you should just date me.” Y/N teased as she sat forward, beginning to pluck through her papers once again. When no one laughed or responded, she quickly shot her eyes up. “I’m only kidding.”

“No, no that could work.” Fred sat up abruptly and pointed a finger towards her. “Y/N, you’re a genius!”

“I’m really not.” Y/N shook her head quickly. “That might breach the list of dumbest things I’ve ever said.”

“Yeah, right, don’t forget we’ve been around you drunk, Y/L/N. That doesn’t even make the top ten.” George grinned at her, but her nerves kept her from even smiling at his little joke.

Y/N was growing desperate now, because neither of the twins were brushing off her silly joke. Fred was looking at her as if she just handed him the key to solve all of his problems, and George was doing nothing to tame his brother. Y/N glanced expectantly between the two of them as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Come on, what better way to make her jealous than to see me dating her cousin?”

Y/N had mentioned on occasion the way that Annalise always had to ruin everything for her as a child, but never in full detail. Some part of her knew if she had just been transparent about how truly awful the girl had treated her, Fred would never give Annalise a second glance. But now, he thought they were nothing more than cousins with a small childhood rivalry, and for that he could justify going after her.

“Please, Y/N,” Fred got down on his knees in front of her, dawning his best puppy dog eyes, and put his hands in a pleading gesture. “Be my fake girlfriend for a month—two, tops.”

Y/N chewed harder on her bottom lip as she gazed at him, already feeling her reluctance slipping away. She could never say no to him, especially when he looked so adorable. Y/n breathed out a sigh and dropped her head to look at her folded hands in her lap. All thoughts of self preservation and protecting her heart went out the door; she knew she would say yes to him.

“Fine.” Her voice was quiet, so much so that it took Fred a second to make sure he had heard her properly. 

“Really? Just like that? I was about to start bribing you with sugar quills and a month of Herbology homework—”

“Well, if you’re offering—”

“Nope, too late. You agreed before I had to.” Fred grinned at the girl before swooping in and placing a kiss on her cheek. “Now, let’s set up some ground rules.”

Fred began to drone on about what they would and wouldn’t do. Things like holding hands in the corridors, sitting close at meals, kisses on the cheeks and forehead. Which pet names they would and wouldn’t use. Number one, though, was no kissing on the lips. 

Y/N only listened halfheartedly as Fred rambled on, offering a slight head nod ever now and then to show she was in agreement. As Y/N thought over just what she had gotten herself into, she realized the next few weeks were going to be awful.

-

It didn’t take long for rumors of Fred and Y/N’s budding romance to swirl. She often found herself walking hand in hand with him through the corridors, light whispers trailing behind them. Often times, people she had hardly ever spoken to would come up to her and gush about how they always just knew Fred and her would be perfect together. Y/N would always politely smile, then wonder if they could hear her heartbreaking as loudly as she could.

To make matters worse, Fred was the perfect ‘boyfriend.’ Just as she always assumed he would be. He’d carry her books in one arm, swing their intertwined hands with the other, and walk her to each of her classes. At night, he’d sit with her in the library while she poured over her notes for the day—even though she knew he wanted nothing more than to be out pranking with George and Lee. She adored all of the extra time they were getting to spend together, until she’d remember that it was only temporary, and if he were lucky, he’d be doing all of these things with Annalise in a month.

It wasn’t until about three weeks into their agreement that Annalise approached her. Fred had walked her to potions that day, like he always did. He was making her laugh loudly, not caring at all about the many eyes upon them.

“It’s a wonder your mum didn’t ship you and George off when you were toddlers,” Y/n snorted. “It sounds like you two were menaces.”

“Oh, we were.” Fred nodded, a small grin on his face. “But I reckon we were the cutest babies she had so far, so she kept us around.”

Y/N snorted and rolled her eyes before nudging him lightly with her shoulder. They had finally made it to the potions classroom, so it was time for them to part. Fred handed her back her books and dropped her hand, but didn’t walk away until he had placed a soft kiss to her temple.

“Meet you outside of here after to walk to lunch?” He confirmed, but there was no need. It was the routine they had fallen into.

“Mhm.” Y/N gazed up at him, unable to contain the giddy smile on her lips. With that, he turned and began walking down the hallway, but not before shooting her a wink over his shoulder.

Y/N watched his retreating figure, a lovesick grin plastered to her face. Just when she had pulled herself from her daydreams and was about to enter the classroom, she ran hard into a firmly planted body.

“So, you and Weasley are pretty serious then, huh?” Annalise stood with her hands on her hips, a look that read as both disgust and amusement riddled on her face.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Y/N quickly recovered, hugging her books closer to her chest. This year, she had more classes with Annalise than any year prior, seeing as they both received a significant amount of O.W.L.s.

“Hm.” Annalise’s eyes trailed down the hallway where Fred had once been, before letting them snap back to Y/N. “Don’t know how you managed that.”

Y/N felt her blood run cold, but couldn’t find the energy within her to talk any further. So, she simply brushed past Annalise and into the classroom, ignoring the scoff that left Annalise’s lips when she pushed her out of the way. Y/N found her usual seat in the back and trained her eyes ahead, careful to keep her expression calm. That was, until Annalise slid into the seat next to her.

“What are you doing?” Y/N gaped at her. It wasn’t like they had assigned seats, but Y/N had always sat next to Patricia Stimpson. The girl was constantly fussing and nervous, always afraid to make a wrong move, but she certainly wasn’t the worst person Y/N could be stuck with.

“Asked Stimpson to trade seats.” Annalise shrugged nonchalantly, before a wicked grin grew on her face. “Figured we could get some good, cousin, bonding time.”

Y/N wanted to groan, but then Snape was gliding into the room and silencing everyone. She was certain this would be the longest lecture of her life.

-

When the class ended, Y/N didn’t wait for Fred outside. Instead, she had pushed up from her seat and hurried through the corridors, skipping lunch entirely to go wallow in her dorm room. Annalise had made the lecture a living hell, whether it be from snide comments she’d whisper over or by purposefully ruining their potion, then blaming it on Y/N. Internally, she cursed Fred—although it wasn’t really his fault—for putting her in the position to be in Annalise’s line of fire once again.

Y/N ended up avoiding Fred the rest of the day, scurrying between classes before he could find her. When she was finally done for the day, she wanted nothing more than to hide out in her dorm and cry. That’s exactly what she had started doing, too, before her door creeped open.

Y/N held her breath, assuming it was either Angelina or Alicia coming back before dinner. But, when her mattress dipped slightly from the weight of someone sitting down, she quickly spun around, coming face to face with Fred.

“Darling,” He cooed. It was a nickname he had taken to calling her ever since they started ‘dating,’ although no one was around now, and he was still using it. “What’s wrong? Have you been crying?”

“How’d you get in here?” Y/N croaked, avoiding his question entirely.

“Figured out how to get past the charm ages ago.” Fred rested a gentle hand on her knee. “Then, Ang gave me her key. Said she saw you run up her. So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong? And why’ve you been avoiding me all day?”

At that, Y/N lost it once again. Tears began streaming down her face freely, and she quickly sat up and accepted Fred’s opened arms. He raked his fingers through her messy hair and let her cry on his shoulder, gently soothing her to a place where she’d be able to speak.

“It’s just…” It was on the tip of her tongue. Y/N wanted desperately to tell him the truth about how awful Annalise truly was. But, just like when she was younger and never ratted Annalise out, she just couldn’t now. She didn’t know why it was, but it always felt like if she spoke the words out loud, then Annalise had won. “I’ve just had an awful day.”

“Snape will do that to you.” Fred tutted, clearly assuming her change in behavior post-potions was brought on by the professor. “I’m sorry, love.”

Y/N sniffled a few more times into his shoulder, wishing desperately that he was holding her in a way that wasn’t platonic. She craved nothing more than for him to want her like she’d always wanted him. But that seemed to be just a fantasy. The muggle fairytales she had been told growing up weren’t real, and the wicked witch was winning.

“Why don’t we go for a walk, get some fresh air?” Fred pulled back to look over her face, concern filled in his eyes. 

“But, you’re missing dinner…” 

“Eh, the house elves love me. I’ll just sneak down to the kitchens and grab something later.” Fred shrugged, a small smile now growing on his face. “You and me, we can make a whole night of it. I’ll sneak some snacks up and we can watch one of those old muggle movies you love so much.”

While Y/N was far from being completely okay, the tenderness he was exhibiting towards her made her heart swell. She knew he had plans with George and Lee that night, some big prank on a few Slytherins, but here he was, throwing it all away for her. He gently reached out and cupped her cheek, brushing a few stray tears away with his thumb. Y/N avoided his eyes, afraid that they would communicate all of the non-platonic love she felt for him, then nodded.

“Perfect.” Fred grinned before jumping up and extended his hand out to her. “Well, let’s go.”

Fred guided her the whole way out of the castle, keeping her close as they walked through the grounds. The autumn air was cool, and at the very second that Y/N shivered, Fred was wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into his side. 

They walked around and talked for a little over an hour, giddy smiles on their faces all the while. Fred made her laugh so hard she abandoned all thoughts of Annalise, her mind completely filled with the tall red head beside her. He just had this way about him that could make anything that was possibly wrong seem miniscule. He reminded her of everything good in the world.

Once the sun was fully down and the temperature had dropped significantly, the two could no longer justify being outside in the cold. Fred made a show of wrapping her hands in his own, rubbing them together to bring her some warmth, before guiding her back to the castle.

They parted ways shortly, just so Fred could sneak into the kitchens and Y/N could get the movie set up in the common room. She laid out a few blankets and pillows then pushed the couch back a bit, thankful that it was a Wednesday night and most students seemed to have already gone to bed. When Fred returned, he handed Y/N a plate of food then sat down cross-legged beside her, balancing his own plate in his lap.

Y/N started the movie and dug into her food, giggling lightly at Fred’s ravenous way of eating. He had certainly been hungry earlier, but she needed him, so evidently he pushed his hunger aside. When their plates were finished, they stacked them neatly on the table behind them, before completely turning their attention to the movie.

“Okay, wait, who’s the green girl again?” Fred questioned as he pointed towards the screen, brows furrowed.

“If you would pay attention, you would know.” Y/N giggled. “She’s the Wicked Witch of The West.”

“She’s supposed to be a witch?” Fred crinkled up his nose, confusion clear on his face. “I don’t know any green witches.”

“It’s a muggle movie, Fred.” Y/N lightly rolled her eyes.

“And who’s she?”

“Glinda, the good witch.”

“Okay, I definitely know witches don’t dress like that.” Fred teased, eyeing the woman on the screen’s frilly pink dress

“Maybe I should start.” Y/N giggled, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “Think I could pull it off?”

“Darling, you’d look beautiful in anything.” Fred winked at her, causing her face to heat up. Some part of her knew it was nothing more than harmless joking, but she couldn’t help the way he lit something alive within her. 

“Ya think?” Y/N scooted a bit closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder so he couldn’t see her giddy smile.

“I know.” His voice was soft, and the two of them remained quiet for the next few scenes of the movie.

At some point, the two of them had shifted to lay down in order to get more comfortable on the floor. Fred was laying on his back with one hand behind his head, the other resting idly in between them. Y/N was sprawled out on her stomach, her face down by his feet. Every little bit her eyes would light up and she’d glance back to tell him that her favorite part was coming up, only for him to realize that every part seemed to be her favorite part. Still, he never pointed that out, but instead just smiled fondly at her and nodded.

“Ugh.” Y/N grimaced, a slight shiver running down her spine. “Those monkeys always terrified me when I was little.”

“Oh yeah?” Fred sat up now, leaning closer to her. “You scared now?”

“Psh, no.” Y/N rolled her eyes and glanced back over at him, only to find him slowly inching towards her. She pointed a finger out warningly. “Fred, don’t.”

It was no use, Fred’s hands latched themselves to her sides and began tickling her feverishly. Y/N squealed and tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but it was no use. In the process, she had flipped over onto her back and was now kicking her legs out, trying to get him to stop, but that only egged him on further.

“You sure you’re not scared, Y/L/N?” Fred teased. “I could comfort you, if you were.”

“Freddie! Stop!” Y/N breathed out, tears beginning to pool in her eyes from her laughter.

Y/N now had the front of his jumper balled in her fists, trying desperately to get him to stop. After another minute, he did, and her wriggling ceased. Still, he loomed over top of her while she gripped onto his jumper tightly. Both of them were silent as they stared into each other’s eyes, faces only inches apart. For half a second, Y/N swore she saw Fred’s eyes flicker down to her lips, but then she convinced herself she must have dreamed it.

The sounds of the movie seemed to draw them back to the present, and Y/N let go of Fred’s jumper, causing him to sit up. She followed suit, clearing her throat in hopes of easing the tension between them. Fred was never one to let any awkwardness linger, so he nudged her with his elbow before laying back down in the spot he had been before.

“Cuddle up, Y/N. I’ll keep you safe from the big scary winged monkeys.” He winked as he opened his arms for her.

Y/N rolled her eyes lightly, trying desperately to calm the nerves in her stomach, before obliging and cuddling into his side. She let her head rest on his chest, her hand placed just over his heart, as he tightened his arm around her. Y/N found that she couldn’t pay attention to the rest of the movie, what with Fred pulling a blanket up around them and gently stroking her hair. She was lulled to sleep by the action, finding that she wished every night, she could fall asleep in his arms.

The two were startled awake the next morning by a bout of loud laughter. As Y/N quickly sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she spotted George, fully dressed in his school uniform, gazing down at them with an amused grin. Fred groaned from where he still laid on the floor, pulling a pillow over his face to block out the light.

“And what’s this?” George cocked his head to the side. “You guys are really taking this ‘fake dating’ thing pretty seriously. Honestly, you’ve got me convinced.”

Fred shot up quickly at that, nervously looking around the common room to make sure no one heard. When he realized it was only the three of them, he let out a breath of relief.

“Come off it, will you? We just fell asleep after watching a movie.” Fred shot his brother a glare.

Y/N felt sick at the reminder that everything between them was fake. Every little moment she had foolishly convinced herself could mean something more was nothing but wishful thinking. Drawing in a deep sigh, Y/N forced herself up and gestured for Fred to move with a flick of her wand. Once he obliged, she flicked her wand again and gathered all of the blankets and pillows before pushing the couch back. Without another word, she stalked back up the steps to her dorm, and prepared herself for another long day.

-

When Y/N arrived to the potions classroom, her stomach dropped at the sight of Annalise once again in the seat next to her usual one. She gazed around the room, grumbling slightly when she realized she had no other choice but to sit next to the girl. 

“Wow, you look like hell.” Annalise sneered when she trudged over.

“Probably because I was up all night with Fred.” Y/N shot back, before truly registering her words. “Not… Not like that.”

Annalise snorted at the insinuation and rolled her eyes. It seemed she was about to say something, no doubt some snide comment, but was cut off by Snape walking into the room. Y/N straightened up and began to listen to the professor drone on, her stomach twisting in knots when she realized what that day’s lecture would entail. A cauldron sat at the front of the classroom, an alluring steam rising off of it. Y/N knew, it was Amortentia.

After giving a brief lecture on it, Snape used his wand to lift the cauldron in the air, slowly letting it stop by each desk for the students to gaze at. He appeared completely uninterested by the kids’ excitement from what they smelled. Finally, it arrived at Y/N and Annalise’s table.

Y/N leaned forward and took a breath in, her nose being filled with the scent of fireworks, chocolate, and the shampoo Fred used. She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms, not needing the reminder that she felt so deeply for someone who didn’t return her affections.

Annalise leaned forward and breathed in a deep breath, a dreamy smile gracing her face. Her eyes flickered towards the front of the classroom, finding Snape deep in conversation with another Ravenclaw student. Quickly, she pulled an empty glass bottle from her bag and dipped it into the cauldron, filling it entirely.

“What’re you doing?” Y/N hissed, sitting up abruptly.

“I’m gonna use it as perfume. So everyone smells what they’re attracted to on me, and wants to be around me.” Annalise shrugged, placing a cork on the bottle and sliding it back into her bag. Y/N knew she could get in loads of trouble for carrying such a dangerous and potent potion, yet she didn’t speak up to turn her in. “Professor Snape, we’re all done back here!”

And with that, Snape was whisking the cauldron away and carrying on with his lecture. Y/N watched Annalise out of the corner of her eye, certain she was up to something from the glint in her eye. Still, like always, she stayed silent.

-

A week later, all thoughts of Annalise’s odd behavior had completely left Y/N’s mind. She was so caught up in falling for Fred even more each day, she could hardly focus on anything else. The fact that he hadn’t brought up Annalise once since their movie night didn’t go unnoticed to her, and she found herself chasing the familiar hope that maybe he was starting to fall for her too.

“I’ve gotta catch up with Georgie and Lee—they’re still mad I ditched them last week.” Fred informed her as he finished his dinner. “Catch you later?”

She nodded, a bright smile lighting up her face when he swooped down and kissed her cheek before hurrying off. Y/N was so in a daze that she didn’t even notice someone slide in the seat beside her, occupying the space Fred was once in.

“Ah, so you two are still together, are you?” Annalise spoke up, making her presence known. She wore a devilish grin as she feigned a casual act, picking at her nails.

“Obviously.” Y/N rolled her eyes. 

“What a shame, I just hate to be the one to tell you this.” She sighed.

“Tell me what?” Y/N’s brows furrowed as she turned to look at Annalise full on.

“Well, I’ve been wearing my perfume, you see.” She craned her neck and circled her hand, gesturing for Y/N to lean in and take a whiff. The smell was undeniable, and as much as she hated being in the presence of her cousin, it kept her reeled in. “Smell Freddie, do you?”

“Why do you care?” Y/N gritted her teeth, hating the way his nickname sounded coming from her mouth.

“Because, he doesn’t smell you.” Annalise shrugged. “In fact, what was it he told me he smelled? Right, fresh ink, my peach shampoo, and… Oh, I can’t remember. It was so hard to pay attention while he was snogging me in that broom closet.”

Y/N instantly dropped the utensils in her hand, ignoring the way they clattered to the ground. The sound drew a few eyes towards them, and Annalise simply smirked at her cousin. Y/N could feel tears welling behind her eyes, but she was also angry. At Fred, for not just telling her that he had finally gotten what he wanted. And at Annalise, for always being so dead set on ruining everything for her.

“What did I ever do to you?” Y/N heard her voice crack, and she felt just as pathetic as Annalise wanted her to feel. When she spoke again, her tone increased significantly. “Why must you always ruin everything for me?”

Some part of her knew she shouldn’t be freaking out, because this had always been the plan. She knew Annalise could never let anything be hers, so she should simply take it in stride and move on. But she couldn’t. She had been so sure that Fred and her were starting to build something real, that she’d finally be with the boy she’d crushed on for years, and now all of that hope was shattered.

“I’m just being a good cousin.” Annalise slapped a hand to her chest, feigning some sort of dignity that she certainly didn’t have. “Really, he was bound to cheat on you at some point. I just made it happen sooner rather than later. You should be thanking me.”

Y/N reached for her wand and gripped it tightly in her fist, ready to point it at her and fire off whatever hex came to mind. In an instant, fear was in Annalise’s eyes and she was cowering back. Professor McGonagall was now rushing forward, shouting her surname and ordering her to stop. In response, Y/N lowered her wand and wiped at her eyes, forcing none of her tears to fall.

“You know what, you’re not even worth it.”

And with that, she was marching out of the Great Hall, ignoring any calls of her name.

-

When Y/N made it back to the common room, she found George, Lee, and Fred gathered around a small table in the corner. A few other students were littered throughout the room, as well. Y/N almost just stormed right up to her dorm, intent on never speaking to Fred again, but she was sick of always letting people treat her like rubbish. So, right as she made it to the base of the steps, she turned on her heels and marched to their table, causing all of their eyes to fall on her.

“Hello, love—”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Fred. “Godric, I know I agreed to help the two of you get together, but cheating on me? Leaving me embarrassed in front of the whole school? What is wrong with you?”

Lee and George glanced at each other with wide eyes before signally towards their steps and quietly sneaking away. This left Fred in open-mouthed shock, gaping at Y/N in all of her fury.

“I don’t know what—”

“And don’t even tell me how it wasn’t really cheating, because we weren’t really together, I know. But the rest of the school doesn’t know that! Annalise doesn’t know that! And now you’ve fed directly into her only wish of making my life utterly horrible.” Y/N fumed, although her hands were shaking slightly. “So, congrats Fred. You finally got the girl. And Annalise got what she wanted, too. Looks like you two are perfect for each other.”

After saying her piece, she quickly turned around and began making her way back towards her steps. She ignored the many sets of bewildered eyes on her, too angry and hurt to even care. She was only stopped by the feeling of Fred gripping onto her wrist and spinning her back around to face him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Fred searched her eyes. “I didn’t cheat on you, fake or not.”

“But—” 

“Annalise yanked me into a broom closet earlier, asking me to smell her neck like a bloody lunatic. So, I did, because I’m always enticed by strange offers.” He quipped with a smile, but when Y/N shot him a pointed look, he became serious once again. “Not the time? Right, okay. So, I smelled her, and I asked if she cornered me in there just to tell me she nicked your perfume, and she got all huffy, so I left. I didn’t cheat on you. I didn’t even mention it because it was too weird to explain.”

“You…” The words got caught in Y/N’s throat, all of her anger leaving her body. “You smelled my perfume?”

“Yeah, and faintly my mum’s roast, but I didn’t question it.” Fred shrugged. “Why?”

Y/N slowly raised a hand up to her mouth, gazing between where his hand still held her wrist and his eyes. Fred had never been very good at potions, so she knew just saying Annalise was wearing ‘Amortentia’ would explain very little.

“She was wearing a love potion, Fred.” Y/N spoke up, much quieter than before. “You smell what you’re attracted to in it.”

In an instant, Fred’s face was a bright shade of red and he quickly dropped her wrist. His eyes dipped down as he avoided her gaze, and Y/N realized this was the first time she’d ever seen him nervous.

“I…” Fred struggled to find words. “I don’t—I mean, I do… But I didn’t want you to—”

“Ask me what I smell in mine.” Y/N urged, cutting off his rambling. Fred shot his head back up at that, looking at her quizzically. 

“What do you smell in yours?” There was a hopeful glint behind his eyes, though his words were soft.

“Fireworks, chocolate…” Y/N took a step closer to him. “And your shampoo.”

The second that Fred fully registered what her words meant, he was closing the distance between the two of them. Y/N let out a shocked giggle as he wrapped her up in his arms, pressing his lips fully to hers for the first time. Although she had seen fireworks before, and she had smelled them almost every time Fred and George were around, neither compared to what it was like to feel fireworks. Y/N’s arms wound around his neck as she pulled him closer to her, prepared to live in the moment forever if she could.

When they pulled apart, there was nothing left either of them had to say. Fred could apologize for putting her through hell for the past few weeks, and Y/N could apologize for being so harsh, but that didn’t matter to either of them at the moment. All that mattered, was they both finally realized what had always been right in front of them.

-

Very early on in the start of Y/N and Fred’s real relationship, she finally opened up to him about just how awful Annalise really was. His jaw clenched at everything she told him, and he quickly expressed that he never would’ve wanted to be with her had he known. Y/N assured him she didn’t care, because this time, Annalise truly lost.

Although Y/N had been quick to brush off her feud with her cousin, telling Fred it was best to just leave it alone, she couldn’t say she was surprised when she walked into the Great Hall one morning, finding Annalise cowering at her table with neon green hair. It was the exact shade she had used when they were six to ruin Y/N’s drawing. While Fred and George vehemently denied any involvement in the prank, Y/N simply placed a short kiss to Fred’s lips, and quietly thanked him.

TAGS: @theweasleysredhair @letsgotothehop​ @wand3ringr0s3 @sarcasticallywitty15​

[wooyunhwa]

Genre: smut, fluff, humorous undertones

Pairing: barista!san & barista!wooyoung x fem!reader

Word Count: 7.6k

Warnings: idk just a lot of smut scenes, semi-public sex (in a bathroom), minor pet play (san discovers he’s furry trash), threesome with san and wooyoung but they’re not gay for each other, mild food play (whipped cream) 

Synopsis: How do you choose between two cute baristas competing for your attention? The short answer: you don’t. 

A/N: This one starts wholesome and gets wild. I have a problem with writing San with a furry kink oops,, anyway there’s three separate smut scenes in this so strap in and enjoy the ride~ this was so much fun to write and I hope it’s just as fun to read! Comments are appreciated as always <3 

You paid for your coffee, taking your debit card back from the cashier with a polite nod and a “thank you.” He smiled warmly, flashing his brilliant teeth as he tore off the little piece of paper from the printer. 

“Receipt?” he asked. 

“Sure,” you replied. 

His name was San, which you knew from his nametag. You had come to that particular cafe enough that you were pretty familiar with everyone. You took it, smiling back at him. It could have been your imagination, but lately it seemed like his gaze had been lingering on you. He would make eye contact for a little longer than necessary when you ordered, or smile a little too much when handing you your coffee, or maybe not, and it was all just in your head. You kinda hoped it wasn’t, because he was really, really cute. 

You’d been coming to that coffee shop since earlier in the summer, sporadically at first, but midterms coming up meant you really had to buckle down on trying to tame your workload. You kinda regretted taking summer classes at first, but it was nice to have the coffee shop all to yourself in the evenings, unlike in the fall when it was packed with students. It was so quiet, in fact, that the employees had shut the lights off and almost closed up once when they hadn’t noticed you were still inside. It wasn’t strange for you to be the last customer left in the cafe, especially since you’d been staying late to study more often.

You set your laptop up in your usual spot—the corner seat with the outlet. It was cozy and out of the way, and relatively free of distractions. Well, relatively meaning there was still a very cute barista shooting glances your way, and you tried your best to keep your eyes glued to your screen as you typed out your essay for your literature class. But you couldn’t help but peek in his direction every now and then.

“Y/N?” a voice called. It was Wooyoung’s voice, not San’s. Wooyoung was the other cute barista who worked there, and honestly, you’d kinda had your eye on both of them for a while. It wasn’t unusual for them to be working at the same time, but most nights it was either one or the other. He gave you a sweet smile as you thanked him and took the cup back to your seat. 

Next to your name was a smiley face and some cute flower doodles, and you grinned at the fact that he’d gone out of his way to make your coffee cup look special. Wooyoung always drew a cute little design next to your name, sometimes including phrases like “have a good day!” or “you rock!” or even a short little joke. You often wondered if he did that for other customers, or if he was doing it to flirt with you. Which you kinda hoped was the case, to be honest. He had a playful, sexy charm about him, and you often wondered how a person could make an apron look so hot. 

The next day, you were working diligently when you noticed San slide into the empty seat across from you as you worked. You looked up from your coffee, startled, but moved your laptop out of the way to give him some room. 

“What’cha studying?” he asked, grinning as he leaned over to peek at your screen. 

“Oh—uh, just studying for midterms, nothing too exciting,” you said, taking a shy sip of your coffee. He was even more beautiful up close, his smile almost too dazzling for words. He ran a hand through his pale blonde hair, turning his head to glance out the window, and you marvelled at the cut of his jawline as he tipped his chin up slightly. He turned back, meeting your stare warmly. 

“Is it ok if I sit here? I can move, I don’t wanna bother you—“

“No, not at all!” you said a little too quickly. “Actually, I was just about to take a break from studying.”

“Oh, nice! I’m on break, too,” he said, a warm smile still plastered across his face. You tried your best not to stare, but it was futile. 

“I’m Y/N,” you said instinctively. 

He laughed. “Yeah, I know. I take your coffee order every day!” 

Your face felt red hot. Something about looking at how gorgeous he was made your brain short-circuit. 

“But while we’re introducing ourselves, I’m San,” he said seriously before breaking into a smile. He extended his hand for a cheesy handshake.Your heart fluttered a bit at how charming he was.

 “I know, I order coffee from you every day,” you teased back. 

You chatted for a while, exchanging flirtatious quips with each other. The time seemed to fly by and you noticed him glancing at the clock nervously. 

“Shit, I gotta get back to work,” he sighed, lifting himself up from the table, his toned arms flexing beneath the rolled sleeves of his button up. “But hey, here’s my number,” he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket smoothly and slid it across the table. “We should do something this weekend.”

You knew he was being flirtatious, but you didn’t expect him to actually make a move. You wouldn’t say you were unattractive, but this guy felt way out of your league.

You nodded a bit too enthusiastically, flashing a smile. “I’ll call you,” you said, holding the piece of paper up between your fingers. 

He winked, and nodded towards the bar. “You know where to find me.”

You found yourself at the cafe again the following night, as your workload never seemed to end. Last night, San had given you his number on his break, and you smiled as you got a text from him asking if you were free that weekend. You messaged back and forth for a bit, eventually settling on a plan to meet at a cat cafe on Saturday. 

San wasn’t working that night, but Wooyoung was, and you felt a little strange flirting with him after you’d already given San your number. But he probably didn’t know that, and it’s not like you were dating either of them, so why not? 

Wooyoung called your name when your coffee was ready, and you hopped out of your seat to grab it from the bar. To your surprise, there was no cup to be seen, and you looked up to see Wooyoung holding your drink in his hand with a mischievous smile. 

“Question,” he said. “Why did the coffee file a police report?” 

You looked at him in confusion, trying to come up with a response. 

“Because it was mugged!” he said, grinning at his joke. 

“Ha-ha,” you said sarcastically, but you couldn’t help the smile spreading across your face. “Are you holding my drink hostage?”

“Yes, would you like to hear the conditions?”

“Conditions?” you laughed, raising your eyebrows. 

“Mhm. One: I have another joke, and this time you have to laugh.” Wooyoung dangled the cup of coffee in his fingers, taunting you with it. 

“Ok, I’ll do my best. What’s the second condition?”

“Second condition: you have to text me,” he said, and he turned the cup to show you he’d written his number on one side, surrounded by hearts and winky faces. 

“Ok, deal,” you said, cheeks heating up as you saw the smile spread across his face. He was gorgeous, and undoubtedly charming, how could you say no?

“Alright, why did the hipster burn his tongue?” 

“Why?”

“He drank it before it was cool.” He pushed the cup across the bar to you, and you forced a laugh, taking it from his hand as he stuck his tongue out cheekily. 

You put his number in your phone, sending him a text with an equally cheesy joke you found off google. You heard him laugh when he read it, and you smiled as you continued to type out your essay. 

[Saturday, 4pm]

It was finally time for your first date, and you arrived at the cat cafe a few minutes early, eager in anticipation. You couldn’t help but think about how cute he was as you waited—you couldn’t believe he’d even asked you out in the first place. Let alone both of them. 

You heard him calling to you and you turned in the direction of his voice as he walked up to meet you by the entrance. “Hey, Y/N! I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.” You shook your head reassuringly. “Shall we go inside? Pretty ladies first,” he said, opening the door for you and flashing you a flirtatious smile. 

You two were seated at your table, and immediately the cats took interest in you, rubbing on your legs and mewing. You admired him as he pet them lovingly. There was nothing more attractive than a man who loved animals. 

He ordered coffee and you opted for tea, and you both split a blueberry scone. The waitress came over with a small basket full of cat toys and accessories to play with, and you grabbed a handful, including a cute little headband with cat ears, which you slid on your head. You started playing with the cat toys when you noticed San’s eyes trained to you—specifically to the cheap cat ears on your head. 

He tipped his head to the side in thought. “Wow, you look really nice in those ears.” 

“Huh, these?” you said, gesturing to the cat ears. “I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing,” you teased jokingly. You noticed his face go red suddenly, and you couldn’t help but blush back. He was looking at you like you were the only other person in existence. 

“You never know,” he joked back, letting out a soft laugh and raising his eyebrow. He was so damn charming.

You spent the rest of the time playing with the kitties at the cafe, and you couldn’t help but marvel at how cute he was. He was the poster child for duality—his good looks were intimidating, and every time you saw him standing there with a straight face, he looked kind of scary, the kind of man you wouldn’t ever have the courage to approach. That is, until he flashed his intoxicating, dimpled smile of his, which immediately put you at ease, his eyes forming into cute crescents as he laughed. 

“Do you have any pets?” He asked, making light conversation as he dangled a toy in front of one of the kittens. 

“Not right now, my apartment doesn’t allow them,” you said dejectedly. “But I really want a dog when I move out.”

“Hey, I have a dog! He’s a Shiba, he’s super sweet. Everyone who meets him falls in love instantly,” he smiled, twirling the cat toy between his fingers. “You could come meet him if you want?” 

You blushed, flustered a bit at the idea of going to his place. But you two were really hitting it off, and you definitely didn’t want the day to end. You nodded eagerly. “I’d really like that.”

He flashed you another big smile, and you were entranced. How could he be so charming?

When you got to his apartment, he immediately introduced you to his dog, Shiber. You laughed at the unexpectedly literal name choice. 

“Shiber the Shiba?” you teased, and he laughed with you about it. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d had a date go so well, and your cheeks hurt from the constant smiling. 

You ended up settling on the couch to watch a movie, but neither of you were paying attention. Your movie plans had devolved into you talking and laughing with the TV only acting as background noise for your conversation. At one point, your conversation reached its natural conclusion, and you had your eyes trained to his lips, signaling that you wanted him to make a move. He noticed immediately, and scooted himself as close as possible to you, pushing your hair behind your ear. “Can I kiss you?” he asked softly, like you hadn't just been begging him to with your eyes seconds before. You answered by pressing your lips to his softly, and he reciprocated fervently. You immediately tasted the faint lingering of coffee, and you smiled against his lips. What could be more fitting for a man you’d met at the coffee shop? 

As the kisses began to escalate in intensity, you swung your leg over his and planted yourself firmly in his lap. He pulled you in by the waist, his hands grasping at your shirt eagerly, and you pressed your hips down against his crotch. The sudden pressure caused his breath to hitch in his throat. 

“That feels so good,” he moaned against your lips. 

You took his words as motivation to grind yourself faster and harder against the hard mound growing underneath you, taking pleasure in the moans and grunts escaping him. He grasped hungrily at the fabric of your shirt, practically tearing it off of your body. You were taken aback by his sudden aggression, but welcomed his forwardness as he began kissing and sucking down your neck. 

You pulled back, slipping off of his lap, and planted your knees in the carpet. You began unzipping his pants, and he ran his fingers through your hair in anticipation. 

“Wait,” he said suddenly. You looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. “I keep thinking about something… those cat ears from earlier looked so sexy on you.” 

“I told you you had a cat kink,” you said with a chuckle. 

“I can’t stop thinking about making you my pet. You’d just look so good in ears and a collar,” he said, eyes darkening as he marveled at the sight of you kneeling before him. The way he said it sent shivers down your spine. His voice was so much deeper now, dripping with lust.

“Well you do have a dog,” you joked lightly.

A lightbulb seemed to go off in his head, and he quickly got up and rustled around in the other room for something. When he came back you were still in the same position, and he knelt behind you, leaning in close. 

“Wanna be my pet?” he whispered in your ear, and you giggled, thinking he was still joking. 

“Sounds fun,” you responded.

You were met with the feeling of a vice being tightened around your neck. He was serious? “I’ve always wanted to try something like this,” he mused in your ear, clicking the collar together. “Turn around,” he demanded, and his sudden commanding tone had you melting at his feet. You liked when he was cute, but you might have liked this side of him even more. 

You wasted no time getting your lips around his cock. It was picturesque in every way, and you wanted to savor it. His hands tangled in your hair as he held back from thrusting himself into you, and you took him as deeply as you could into your mouth. You took his dick enthusiastically, pressing your tongue firmly against it as you hollowed your cheeks to suck. You hummed against him, and you felt his fingers tense in your hair as he bucked his hips up needily. You glanced up at him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his pleasured expression. The view from beneath him was incredible, and it gave you a chance to marvel at the curve of his jaw from below. “Fuck...” he moaned. You pulled back for a moment to take a breath, your saliva connecting at the tip of his cock, and he let out a pleased sigh at the lewd display. “Good girl,” he praised, patting the top of your head softly. It was cute and hot at the same time, and you didn’t know how that was even possible, but he pulled it off effortlessly.

You resisted the urge to joke around with him—you weren’t in a position to kink shame. 

As he patted your head, you noticed something glistening on the floor next to you. A leash?

“What, are you gonna leash me up now?” you asked playfully, glancing up at him from your submissive position. 

“Well, yeah. I am.” His lips drew up into a devilish smirk as he retrieved the leash from beside you and hooked it on the collar around your neck. You had never done anything like this before, and you couldn’t deny it was kinda hot. You let out a small whimper as he tugged at the chain, testing your reaction. He wrapped his hand around the end of the leash a few times before yanking it gently, drawing you up to your feet. Even though it started as a joke, he was really getting into it, and you couldn’t lie, you were too. 

His finger dragged along the edge of the collar. “God, you look so good in this thing. Come to bed with me.” You wanted to, not that you really had a choice in the matter as he led you by the chain to his bed. 

He shoved you down forcefully onto your stomach, but you bounced back gently against the soft mattress. He slipped off your panties, bringing a finger down between your legs to sample your wetness. 

“Looks like I’m not the only one with a cat kink here,” he teased, pushing one finger inside. It slipped in effortlessly, and you let out a whine at the stimulation. He teased in and out with his finger torturously, twisting it inside you, every so often pushing against your clit to watch you squirm. 

You couldn’t take it anymore. “San, Jesus Christ, just fuck me.”

That was all he needed to hear. He pushed in slowly at first before bottoming out inside of you. He tugged your collar as he pulsed his dick inside you, tugging at your collar, causing you to let out a soft choked moan against the pressure. He grabbed your hips hungrily, pulling your hips back against him impatiently. 

He started to pick up the pace, thrusting rhythmically, one hand holding the leash and the other fisted in your hair. You were entirely overwhelmed in the best way possible. “Harder,” you urged, and his thrusts followed your orders. Your eyes rolled back in your head at the sensation of him inside you, and of course, the high you got from the collar choking around your neck. He pulled out of you and released himself on your lower back with heavy labored breaths. Your body gave out beneath you, causing you to collapse on the bed, waiting for him to bring back a cool cloth to clean you up with. 

After you both had collected yourselves, you flopped into the soft sheets of San’s bed. He sunk into the sheets next to you, and you rolled over to swing a tired arm around his chest.

“Well that was… memorable,” you giggled, and he laughed with you, still riding a high from your orgasm. 

“So I made a good impression?” he joked. 

You melted into his touch as he traced his fingers down your back. You nuzzled your head into the warm crook of his neck, finally starting to feel a bit drowsy from your wild night. 

“Yeah, you made a great one.”

[Sunday, 9pm]

The buzzer went off in the laser tag arena, signaling the start of the game. Everyone scattered, artificial gun sounds filling the room as you ducked for cover. Glowing barrels leaking “toxic waste” littered the dark room, and you dove behind one, dodging enemy fire with a nimble slide. 

Wooyoung spotted you as you poked your head over the top of the barrel, and he pursued you with a grin, weapon poised to shoot. Lasers discharged from his gun, aiming for the target at the center of your chest, and you squealed and scrambled away.

He chased you, running a full circle around the barricade, and you turned on your heels, shooting him square in the chest. Wooyoung gasped in mock-offense, and you ran away as he raised his gun again. He had insisted on playing for the opposing team so he could whoop your ass, but so far you were winning. 

You chased each other around like that for a while, giggling and shooting lasers at each other, ignoring the other players in favor of your own flirty warfare. He landed a particularly well-placed shot at your gun, and it made a sad little noise and died, lights flickering as it disabled. 

Wooyoung smirked, backing you into a corner, cut off from all the other players by an artificially dilapidated wall. 

“You’re weaponless,” he laughed, nodding his head toward your defunct toy gun. He pressed closer, causing your back to hit the wall, and he brought a hand up to it to cage you there. 

“Please, spare me!” you giggled, your faces just inches apart. Your heart began to beat faster as he leaned in, sliding his arm around your waist, pulling your body against his. 

“Not this time,” he said, and pressed your lips together. You dropped your gun, letting it fall to the carpet as you wrapped your hands around his shoulders, reciprocating the kiss. 

Wooyoung pressed you firmly against the wall, his tongue sliding against yours with a soft sigh. You got way too into it, completely forgetting where you were as the kiss grew more and more heated. His hands came down to squeeze your ass, pulling you even closer against his body, and you were about ready to fuck him right then and there before the buzzer went off once more, snapping you back to reality. 

You both pulled back, startled, then burst into laughter. As you caught your breath, you couldn’t help but stare. He had a beautiful smile, and a contagious laugh that had you doubled over for a second time. 

“We should probably go before they kick us out,” you said breathlessly, picking your gun up from the floor. 

“It was just getting good, too,” he pouted, pulling you in for another quick kiss before leading the way back to the gear room. 

You hung up your vests and put yours guns back, and you were grabbing your purse from the locker when you felt Wooyoung come up behind you. He slid his hands over your waist and leaned in close to your ear, his warm breath tickling your neck. You quickly looked around to see if anyone was around, but you were the last two there, since it had taken you the longest to return. 

“What’s my prize for winning?” he asked, his lips just barely brushing against your neck. 

“Oh, there was a prize?” you teased, and turned around to face him. He had mischief all over his face, and you kinda just wanted to pull him in and pick up where you left off in the arena. 

As if thinking the same thing, he leaned in, pressing your back against the lockers as he sealed your lips together.  The kiss was even more heated than before, and you let your hands wander over his shirt, across the plane of his chest, moving downward to give him a teasing squeeze to the front of his jeans. He groaned against your lips, pulling back just enough to give you a sly smile. 

“Just can’t wait, huh?”

“So what if I can’t?” you said against his lips, and he pressed you harder against the lockers. 

“Dirty, I like it. You want my dick that bad?” 

“Mm, maybe,” you laughed, and he captured your lips again, sliding his hands down to your hips. 

“Why does home have to be so far away,” he whined playfully. 

“I mean… they have a bathroom.” You were joking, but then again, were you?

“A bathroom?” he raised his eyebrows, surprised and also quite impressed at your suggestion. “What goes on in that little head of yours?”

“I guess you’ll see,” you said, grabbing his wrist, sliding out from underneath him to lead him into the single occupant bathroom down the hall. It was pretty late, and most of the employees were up front, so you were able to slip into the bathroom together without being seen. You flipped the lock, pushing Wooyoung against the heavy door as it slammed shut. 

You kissed him hard, palming the bulge forming in his jeans, reveling in the way he moaned against your lips. You were on a roll—two hot baristas in one weekend? You felt a little guilty agreeing to both dates at first, but who could blame you? 

The heart wanted what the heart wanted. Well, maybe not your heart so much...

You sank to your knees, maintaining eye contact as you worked his belt open and pulled down the zipper on his jeans, and he helped you slide his boxers down enough to let his dick spring free. 

You wrapped your hand around his length, jerking it a few times until he bit his lip and tipped his head back against the door. You were in the mood to tease him, for some reason, and it was working. You planted a tiny kiss to the head of his cock, and you heard him sigh above you. 

“Stop torturing me.” 

You giggled, giving the tip of his dick another small peck. Slowly, you wrapped your lips around it, giving the slit a little flick with your tongue, and he groaned in the back of his throat. You took more of it, letting it sink deeper into your mouth, curling your hand around what you couldn’t fit. 

You sucked hard, cheeks hollowing out as you bobbed your head, forming a steady rhythm as you began jerking him off as well. A particularly well-executed twisting motion had him cursing aloud, and you pulled back, a thin string of saliva connected to your lip. 

“Shh, quiet!” you stage-whispered up at him, grinning at the ridiculousness of the situation. 

“C’mere,” Woouoing said as he pulled you up, giving you a quick kiss before spinning you around. “Hands on the counter.” 

“But it’s wet,” you whined, grabbing a few paper towels from the dispenser to mop up the water. 

“Don’t be such a baby,” Wooyoung teased, flipping your skirt up to give you a sudden smack on the ass. You yelped, partially because of the smack, partially because your elbows were resting in a puddle of cold water. 

You watched him in the mirror as he massaged your ass, momentarily in his own world as he admired it. You wiggled your hips to pull him back to reality. 

He slid a hand between your legs, rubbing over the crotch of your panties, watching your face in the mirror as he added more pressure and started teasing circles over your clit with his fingers. You whined, breathy and needy, and you watched his face light up into a smirk in the mirror.

He slid your panties down, the thin fabric falling around your ankles. He pulled his wallet out of his jeans, retrieving a condom from between the bills. He ripped it open with his teeth, spitting the torn plastic onto the floor as he rolled the condom onto his cock. 

Wooyoung lined his cock up with your pussy, dragging it along your wet folds, and it slid in easily. You bit your lip as he slipped it in, pushing in slowly with a groan. He started off slow at first, then quickly picked up the pace, falling into a fast rhythm as he fucked you. 

You didn’t even care that the counter was wet anymore. You clawed at it with your fingernails, scratching against the sink as he fucked you harder, and it was becoming difficult to silence the cries that spilled from your mouth. 

“Fuck, harder,” you whined, and he obliged. The wet sound of his cock fucking into you echoed in the small, single-person bathroom, and you wondered if people could hear from outside. Not that you really cared at that moment. 

You were in heaven, not in a grimy public bathroom. At least, that’s what it felt like. His thrusts grew faster, and he slid a hand around your front to stroke his fingers over your clit. You had to slap a hand over your mouth to keep from crying out, and your other hand slipped forward and accidentally set off the automatic soap dispenser, depositing foam all over the back of your hand. 

“Fuck, shit,” you said, and you both started cracking up as you shook your hand, splattering foamy soap all over the mirror. 

Tears welled up in your eyes from laughing so hard, but it wasn’t long before your laughter turned to moans again as fucked you faster, giving a few broken thrusts as he finished, groaning as he buried his cock to the hilt. 

Wooyoung let his sweaty forehead fall against your back, panting out laughter as you wiped your soapy hand against his arm. 

“Someone definitely heard us,” he said, and you hummed in agreement. 

He pulled out, snapping the condom off and tying it up before slingshotting it into the trash can with impressive accuracy. You were busy using toilet paper to wipe down your crotch when a sudden knock on the door made you both freeze. 

Wooyoung mouthed oh shit! as you clamped a hand around your mouth to muffle your laughter. 

“Just a minute!” he called at the door, and you both cleaned up as fast as you could, bursting into a new round of laughter every time you made eye contact. 

Good thing you’d chosen to go with the adults only time slot for your laser tag date. 

In the days following your two dates, you still attended the coffee shop as regularly as you had before. You couldn’t seem to focus anywhere else. Things were relatively normal, but any time Wooyoung and San happened to be working together on the same day, you didn’t know how to speak to one without exposing yourself to the other, so you opted for no flirting at all, pretending instead to be too preoccupied with your studies. It was probably suspicious, how cold you acted to them when they were working together, but you didn’t want to seem like you were flirting with one and not the other.

It was Friday, and you were engaged in a particularly intense study session, and in your focused state, the time seemed to slip away without warning. You glanced up to realize the sun had set completely, meaning it’d soon be time for the cafe to close. It was just you, Wooyoung and San left in the cafe now, who were the only ones working the evening closing shift that night. You gathered up your things quickly, trying to leave without making much of a scene. You still felt awkward around the both of them when they were together, not knowing how to approach the delicate situation. 

As you were walking out the door, an arm came down and blocked your exit. 

“Don’t leave just yet.” It was San’s voice, and you turned to see him looking at you with a strange expression. You were the last one left in the store, so he was obviously addressing you. He kept his arm out to block your path. You looked at him in confusion. 

“So I was talking with Wooyoung, and both of us happened to hook up with a cute regular over the weekend. Turns out, it was the same one.”  

You shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze, not knowing what to make of the awkward situation. Was he mad? You peeked up at him to gauge his expression, but to your surprise, he was smiling. “Oh, uh…” was all you could say. 

You glanced over your shoulder, and Wooyoung had sat down at one of the tables in the middle of the cafe, leaning nonchalantly back into his seat. 

“Come on, let’s have a chat,” San said, and for some reason his tone sent shivers down your spine. You swallowed, San’s hands on your shoulders spinning you around and guiding you to the table where Wooyoung was sitting. Neither of them seemed particularly upset, which made you even more confused on why they were confronting you about it in the first place. 

You sat down at one side of the table, and San joined, both of them facing you. You set your bag on the floor and placed your hands in your lap, feeling like you were in trouble. 

“Alright, spill. Who was better?” Wooyoung said bluntly. 

“Who was—huh?” you said, gaping at the unexpected question. 

Wooyoung threw San a glance, like there was an inside joke you were missing. “C’mon, we just wanna know. We have a bet going, so who was better?” 

“No way, I’m not answering that!” you laughed indignantly. San made a pouty face at you. 

“I think it was me,” Wooyoung said, crossing his arms. “I kicked your ass at laser tag and you loved it.”

“Hell no! Cat cafe totally wins,” San whined. 

“C’mon, you wish you’d thought of laser tag. Just admit it.” 

“Ok, fine, laser tag is pretty cool,” San sighed. “But you don’t have a cute dog like I do.” 

“I don’t need a cute dog, I’m already cute enough as it is,” Wooyoung said, making a cutesy gesture with his hands around his face at you. You and San both rolled your eyes. 

“Whatever you wanna tell yourself,” San said dryly, and Wooyoung gave him a playful shove. “Ok, laser tag or cat cafe?” he asked you seriously. 

“I can’t pick,” you said, which was the truth. They were both fun, how could you possibly pick the superior date?

“Making out in a laser tag arena or… cat hair up your nose. Tough choice.” Wooyoung pretended to seriously mull over the question. 

“Uh, how ‘bout… sexy kittycat with a leash, or disgusting public bathroom?” San shot back at him. 

“I’m not saying public bathrooms aren’t gross, but that’s why it’s hot,” Wooyoung shrugged, confident with his answer. 

You covered your face with your hands, mortified to be having this conversation. “Do we have to be having this discussion?” you groaned. 

“Yes!” they said in unison, like cartoon characters. 

“Which of us was the better lay?” Wooyoung demanded.

“Not telling!” you hmph’d, crossing your arms petulantly. 

“I put a dog collar on you, so obviously me,” San said, hitting the table like a lawyer who’d just won his case. 

“You did help San discover his furry kink—,” 

“I’ll kill you.”

“—But my dick is bigger.”

“No it isn’t!” 

They both looked at you expectantly, as if waiting for you to settle it. You made a gesture indicating that your lips were sealed. You wondered how long they planned on arguing for. 

“I think there’s only one way to settle this,” Wooyoung said matter-of-factly. 

What, were they about to whip their dicks out and measure them? 

“You fuck both of us.” Didn’t you do that already? “...Right now.” Oh. 

“Deal,” you said a little too quickly. You couldn’t choose anyway, so wasn’t it the perfect solution?

“Wow, fast answer,” San commented, and you blushed a little at his call-out. “Don’t forget, the bet is still on,” he called over his shoulder as he got up to lock the door and draw the blinds over the windows. 

“And I’m so winning it,” Wooyoung said as he scooped you up from your chair, carrying you honeymoon-style to the bar and depositing you onto the counter. San flipped a few of the lights off as he came back, keeping just enough of them on so that it wasn't completely dark. 

Wooyoung disappeared for a second, ducking down to retrieve something from the fridge underneath the counter. He popped back up with a canister of whipped cream, then threw his shirt over his head, tossing it behind him. He sprayed a line of whipped cream along his neck, tipping his chin up to give you the most access. He leaned in, caging you against the counter with his arms. He quirked an eyebrow, waiting for your move. 

You kissed along his neck, scooping up the whipped cream with your tongue and tasting the sugar on his skin. You licked it clean, and glanced up at San, who rolled his eyes and grabbed the can from Wooyoung’s hand. Not to be bested, he sprayed some directly into his mouth, maintaining eye contact with you as he did so. 

He leaned on the counter next to you, and you hooked a finger in the collar of his shirt and pulled him in, leaning over Wooyoung’s shoulder to kiss him. You slid your tongue into his mouth, lapping up the whipped cream as he smirked against your lips. 

Wooyoung scoffed as he kissed along your neck, pulling back to utter a brief but sarcastic “wooow.” His hands came up to feel underneath your shirt, pushing it up to your shoulders, ducking his head to pull your bra down with his teeth. He brought his mouth to your nipple, licking and sucking on it, and you moaned against San’s lips. His thumb traced circles along your skin, and you wanted more. 

San moved a hand between your legs, giving your thigh a quick squeeze before dipping under your skirt and brushing his fingers over the crotch of your panties. He used just enough pressure to have you squirming, determined to be the one to make you moan. You felt like the luckiest girl alive, having these two hot baristas competing over you. 

San slid your panties off, dropping them to the floor. He teased his thumb over your clit, and you arched your back, threading your fingers into Wooyoung’s hair. He gave a soft moan against your breast, then raised his head, stealing you from San as he locked you in a heated kiss. 

You felt the press of San’s fingers as he slipped them inside you, dragging them in and out as you moaned into Wooyoung’s mouth. You raised your arms so Wooyoung could take your shirt off, and he worked on your bra next. San’s fingers moved faster as Wooyoung brushed your nipples with his thumbs, and you had no idea who was winning at this point. 

You tipped your head back, moaning loudly as San fucked you with his fingers, and Wooyoung sucked along the curve of your neck, teeth scraping along the sensitive skin. Suddenly, Wooyoung brought a hand up to your face, brushing his fingers along your lips, and you opened them, letting him dip two fingers into your mouth. You sucked, letting your tongue drag between them, and both of them watched you hungrily, eyes full of desire. 

“Alright, how ‘bout this?” Wooyoung said, pulling back. You looked at him in confusion, and San slipped his fingers out to see what he was about to do. Wooyoung worked his belt open, sliding his pants down enough to free his dick. It sprang free, and he grabbed the canister again, spraying whipped cream in a line along his cock. 

“Gross,” San muttered to himself as you hopped off the counter, getting on your knees in front of Wooyoung. 

You gave the tip of his dick a tiny lick, laughing as a little puff of whipped cream stuck to your nose. He wiped it off with his finger, then licked it off with a smirk. You dragged your tongue along his cock, kissing and sucking off the whipped cream as you worked your way down the shaft. He gave a satisfied moan, petting your hair as you licked it clean. 

"Let's take this to the couch," Wooyoung said, and San agreed with a nod. 

San guided you to a small carpeted area with a couch and a few chairs, draping you over the arm of the couch as he slid beneath you, grabbing your hips and lining you up with his mouth. He took a few tentative licks. “Mm, you taste so good,” he moaned against you. 

Wooyoung moved in front of you, and you took him in your mouth eagerly, twisting the base of his dick with your hands as you sucked. He let out a few pleasured groans, signaling that he wanted more. 

Pleasure swelled inside of you as San began circling your clit with his tongue. You moaned around Wooyoung’s cock, sending vibrations up the shaft that had him biting his lip. You let your tongue circle the head of his cock, distracted by San as he upped the intensity. 

Soon enough you were grinding against his face, leaning your head against Wooyoung’s hip as you jerked him off, moaning as San slid his fingers into you once again. 

You brought the tip of Wooyoung’s cock back into your mouth, bobbing your head over his length. You pulled off as you felt your climax growing, Wooyoung’s hand stroking your hair as you rode San’s face. San sucked hard on your clit as he fucked you with his fingers, and you cried out as you came, bucking your hips against his face involuntarily. 

San kissed all the way down your inner thigh as he slid out from under you, a subtle smirk on his face that indicated he thought he was winning so far. You caught your breath, moving to the center of the couch to make room for the guys. San swiveled to face you, his cock in front of your face as Wooyoung’s hands found their way to your ass. 

You repositioned yourself to all fours, waiting expectantly to feel Wooyoung’s cock push into you. In front of you, San tipped your chin up to meet his gaze, his lips pulling into a sinister smirk. He pushed his thumb against your lip, dragging it down slightly, then hooked two fingers in your mouth, pulling it open to accept his eager cock. 

As if they had conspired, Wooyoung slid the tip of his dick inside of you at the same time that San pushed his against your lips. Your head rushed with bliss at the sudden overwhelming sensation of being taken from both ends. You moaned deeply, sending vibrations against San’s dick as Wooyoung pushed fully into you.

“Look at me,” San cooed, resting one hand under your chin, the other wrapped tightly in your hair. You lifted your gaze up, maintaining eye contact with him as he gently rocked against the roof of your mouth. “Good girl.” You heard Wooyoung scoff as San sang your praises. They fought for your attention as San maintained eye contact, but Wooyoung’s thrusts behind you had you seeing stars. Wooyoung’s hands clamped your ass, digging his nails in as he squeezed, delivering a harsh slap to your ass. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as you were—you could tell from their moans harmonizing beautifully as they shared you, and your mind short-circuited trying to focus just on one or the other. 

“That’s a good girl… just like that, princess,” San purred, holding your chin as you sucked and licked at his dick enthusiastically.

“Can you shut up,” Wooyoung groaned, making a fake gagging noise. “I don’t wanna hear your voice right now.”

San smirked in amusement as he continued sliding in and out of your mouth. You wondered how much fun he must be having making Wooyoung gag like that. 

You pressed your tongue firmly on San’s shaft as you sucked, and he bit his lip, holding back stifled moans. Behind you, Wooyoung’s thrusts grew more aggressive as he sunk his nails into your ass. “Fuck,” Wooyoung grunted, giving one final thrust before pulling out hastily, cursing as he finished. Warm liquid dripped slowly down the curve of your back as you turned your attention back to San, who was nearing his tipping point. You focused all your efforts on his dick, sucking mercilessly until he couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled out, painting your face with hot streaks of cum. You stuck your tongue out to catch some, and the rest dribbled down your cheeks and chin. He smiled, petting your hair softly. 

“What a good kitty, lapping up my milk,” he said, making direct eye-contact with Wooyoung, who immediately gagged. 

“Are you trying to make me sick right now? If I hadn’t cum already my boner would be dead.” San laughed, cherishing Wooyoung’s disgust. “Just having a little fun. I know how to show my girl a good time.”

“My girl,” Wooyoung corrected.

You took pleasure in listening to them fight over you. You knew they were going to ask you who was better, but you really couldn’t decide in this moment. You honestly kind of wanted both. But right now you were more worried about the sticky liquid threatening to drip on the cafe’s couch.

“Guys, stop. Can someone get me a towel or something?” you asked. Hearing your voice, they both stopped bickering and trained their eyes on you, eyes growing wide as they realized you were still draped over the arm of the couch, cum dripping slowly down your sides. 

“Shit! Sorry,” Wooyoung said as he scrambled to locate the nearest towel. Wooyoung got you cleaned up, and you all searched for your haphazardly discarded clothing scattered around the cafe.

“Pretty sure that violated like, every food safety rule,” San joked as he buttoned his shirt back up. 

“Yikes, you’re right. Maybe we should throw that whipped cream away,” Wooyoung said, pretending to cringe. You laughed, shuddering at the idea of them using it for people’s drinks after such… unprofessional activities.  Wooyoung came and stood next to you, crossing his arms. “So, who won?”

[elderbwrry]

Girls' Night

tags: the knights of ren, All Women Knights of Ren, Girl's night, Girl's Knight, haha please like me, Fluff and Humor, Adversarial Kylux, Very much a WIP, Kylux, although fair warning it might not be that relationshippy

Read it on ao3

Summary: Hux is surprised by what the Knights of Ren get up to in their free time - it's strangely humanising. Unfortunately, Ren is still being the Lord of all Assholes. Hux needs a way to get back at him. It gives him an idea.

Hux marched down the corridor in the Finalizer's quarters deck, the section dedicated to command personnel. The immaculately tiled and polished floors glinted as he whipped past them. He was walking a little faster than usual, he noticed with distaste, but it wasn't surprising; this was his last task before he could officially count his shift as “over” and, instead of standing stiffly on the bridge checking reports, he could settle down to checking them in the comfort of his quarters. His sofa beckoned, along with another three hours of beloved admin, then five necessary hours of sleep before his next shift.

Moments ticked by as he had to pause and wait for a security door to open, and he felt his frustration manifesting itself in his brow. He was currently delaying himself by heading approximately six minutes out of the way of his own quarters, all to give Ren little more than a telling off. This wasn't the first time the glorified poser had caused him this kind of issue – trust Ren to get in the way, he excelled at it – but it was the first time Hux was personally carrying the message round to his quarters that he needed to file a report for the mission he returned from over a week ago.

Hux had tried the usual ways of getting hold of Ren; on his return to the ship, Hux had informed him a report was due; an automated reminder had been sent; a follow-up reminder had been sent; Hux sent a reminder himself. Today, when his agenda noted that Ren still remained unresponsive, Hux hailed him over internal comms. No reply. He called Mitaka in, intending to send him to Ren's quarters, but the poor man had paled at the knight's very name. So, Hux had dismissed him, and undertaken to deliver the message himself.

Hux didn't bother to wonder the reason why Ren wasn't completing the report – undoubtedly it was because he was irresponsible, disrespectful, possibly illiterate – he only amused himself to wonder what foolish excuse would be employed this time. “Meditation,” Hux's mind supplied in a mocking approximation of Ren's voice without that ostentatious helmet, “important Force matters,” “training,” “I was just really tired and forgot :(”

He was just shaking his head disapprovingly at the imagined pout as he drew up outside the door itself. He pressed the button to request entry, pushing it harder than necessary until his thumb joint hurt, as if somehow that would convey through the automated, equalized buzz sound how annoyed he was with Ren taking up his time like this.

The door puffed open, and Hux's mouth was already opened to give Ren a piece of his mind when he realised that the person in front of him was not, in fact, Ren. Instead, stood before him was a woman nearly a head shorter than himself, her long, black hair piled on her head in a decidedly non-regulation messy bun, drawn away from her face, on which was slathered some kind of light pink paste. She was wrapped in a fluffy, pink dressing gown, under which appeared to be heart patterned pink pyjamas.

Hux's planned rebuke of Ren fell away into an, “Uh.” Usually, he had time to prepare himself for any kind of non-work-related interactions, but he had planned to go into this with a clipped, righteous annoyance and come out of it with a self-indulgent bit of riling Ren up, and now that Ren was not available for that, he had nothing.

“Yes?” she said, about as neutrally as Hux supposed anyone would, when called upon while attired as she was.

“I must have the wrong quarters,” was what he managed to reply.

“These aren't mine,” she explained, pointing behind her, around a corner which Hux couldn't see, “You looking for Kylo?”

“Yes,” Hux said stiffly, “is Ren here?”

The woman leaned back inside the door, around the corner Hux still couldn't see. “Kyle!” she called, “visitor.”

“He's not getting up, wet nails!” someone called back, another female sounding voice.

Just what was happening in there? How many women were there, and what were they doing in Ren's quarters, of all places, clad in such unofficial wear? Hux shuddered to think. Was he also going to have to remind Ren of the rules against fraternisation with inferior officers? That was sure to be a fun conversation of Ren not giving a kriff and Hux being able to do little but barb his words and maybe mention the situation to Snoke. Odd, though – Hux had never thought Ren had showed any preference for women... or perhaps that had just been wishful thinking.

The woman before him remained still for a moment, her brown eyes glazing over just slightly in a way which made Hux think she wasn't entirely mentally present. Then the look was gone as soon as it had come, and she frowned, annoyed. “He wants you to leave,” she informed him, “but he wasn't very nice about it, so you're coming in.” She turned and retreated back inside, beckoning casually for him to follow.

After a moment, once Hux's brain had caught up – Ren had just communicated with the woman through the Force, and now he was being invited in against those wishes. He slipped through the door, letting it puff closed behind him.

The first fact of the place was that Ren's quarters were larger than Hux's. Hux had known this, of course – he'd scoffed over the confirmation for the allocation when Ren had first transferred over, perfectly happy to take moderately sized quarters himself – but, as he walked down the grandly inlaid corridor from the entrance antechamber to what was presumably a living space, it contributed to the sense of an impending mystery as to what, exactly, he was about to discover. He hoped it was nothing too debauched.

“You're that General, aren't you?” the woman a step in front of him asked over her shoulder. “Hanks? Hugs?”

“Hux,” he corrected. He disliked intensely when people got his name wrong. He was the General of the ship they were all currently hurtling through space on, he was the General Starkiller – how could she not know who he was? “Who are you?”

“Ushar,” she replied easily. No rank, no designation of any sort, no actual deference to him as a General; all things Hux made a mental note of for later, when he could check the ship manifest.

“Might I ask what you're...”

Hux had begun to speak with an acerbic self-confidence – it was his ship, and he demanded to know what was happening on it – but it all became clear when Ushar opened the door to the central living area and the situation was revealed. It was the second time Hux had been caused to falter in his words in the last five minutes, and he didn't appreciate it. “What is this?” he asked, minorly horrified, as he took in the scene before him.

Ushar shrugged. “Girls' night.”

The room looked like some kind of stereotypical, tacky imitation of a Zeltronian spa had taken over. There were tall glasses of something bubbly scattered around, half-drunk, the bottle chilling in a bucket of ice on the coffee table, which was scattered with cosmetic items. A holo-romance was playing off to the side. Boxes of chocolates fountained forth crunched up wrappers. There were four women – two humans, a zabrak and a twi'lek – lounging around in the pit of cushions the room had been turned into. The cushions were allpink to match the identical pink bath robes and headbands and fluffy slippers the room's inhabitants were sporting. And, at the centre of it all; Ren.

“You...” Hux started, under his breath just enough that no-one would take notice of the stammering. He had certainly not expected this. “I...”

Ren, clad too in pink fluffy bath robe, seemingly with nothingunder it this time, finally took notice that Ushar had led Hux in, as he sat up quickly and angrily, removing slices of some green vegetable from over his eyes. The woman who had been painting his toenails – black, possibly the only thing that could reconcile the Ren Hux was used to with this strange, pink perversion before him – protested, but he ignored her, instead hurrying to his feet and wading his way out of the pillows.

“I told you to make him leave,” Ren growled at Ushar, but the effect was considerably diminished thanks to his appearance. The bathrobe he wore was the short, fun kind of style which only came to his knees; the pink headband kept all his hair back from his face gave him a kooky sort of bird's nest; his face was slathered with a light green version of what Ushar had on, all except for comical spaces around his eyes and lips.

Ushar glared at him. “You shouldn't have ordered me like that, then,” she said, going over to sit next to the zabraki woman, shuffling in closer than was strictly platonic and picking up one of the glasses. “I'm not some stormtrooper.”

“You're ruining the night,” Ren brandished the vegetable slice at her. It wobbled.

“You'reruining the night!” the woman Ushar was sat next to shot back. “He's here after you!”

“Yeah, Kyle,” the twi'lek said from the sofa in a tone that was very much mocking, but still friendly, popping a chocolate in her mouth. Who were these people, that they could speak to Kylo Ren like this and get away with it?

Ren turned back to Hux, glowering. The face paste made him look like a clown. The outside finally reflects the inside, Hux thought to himself while wondering if Ren had waxed his legs or if they were just like that naturally, and had to force himself not to laugh. He obviously didn't mask his expressions quite as well as he should have, however, because Ren seemed to sense that Hux was amusing himself at his expense. Seizing Hux's upper arm in a grip to rival that of a hangar-bay droid, Ren manhandled Hux back to the door of the room, away from the group.

“Unhand me, you oaf,” Hux admonished, shaking Ren off him and lowering his tone a little so as not to disturb the ladies, who, in their disregard of Ren's plumped-up edginess, had endeared themselves to him.

“Why are you here?” Ren demanded before he'd even finished speaking, also at subdued pitch.

“Why are you here?” Hux returned, hissingly. “Who are these people? Why are you not completing the mission report which you have had no fewer than five requests for? Why the hells are your quarters this gods-awful colour?”

Ren took a moment to glare at Hux.

Hux interpreted this as having the upper hand. “Well?”

“I'm not completing any more of your stupid kriffing reports,” he said as if it were obvious. “I told you that already.”

Hux cycled through his memory quickly. He remembered Ren slamming down the last report onto his desk and threatening something similar, but he'd disregarded it, because reports were Necessary, and it was not a possibility for anyone to simply not do them.

“You will do the report,” Hux replied.

“No.”

“You'll do it now.”

Ren snorted. “No.”

Hux bristled. “Ren, I have been forced to come down here – well out of my way – to extract this report from you, only to find you sitting around like some... pampered princess, when I could be-”

“Good point actually, let's return to it. What are you doing down here?” Ren frowned and crossed his arms, but his lips curled cruelly, ready, Hux was sure, to make some insult about his doing such menial work.

“That brings me to the next matter,” Hux plucked the opportunity of throwing in this additional argument, squaring up. “You have intimidated my administrative staff to the point where it is necessary that I waste my time in a way which is thoroughly unacceptable to me.”

Ren widened his eyes in mock sympathy. “Did you forget how to use a comm?”

This only pissed Hux off more, because something about the movement was ridiculously attractive. He wasn't sure whether it was the slight shrug which emphasised Ren's muscular arms, the fact that the pink really brought out the rich shade of his hair, or even the cruelty behind the act itself, but it could not stand.

“I'm quite familiar with the comms system,” he spat, “it seems that you are the one having trouble, since you failed to reply to my hails. As my co-commander,” (Hux had practised in his bathroom mirror not grimacing as he said this) “you are expected to answer your comms when I call. It is highly unprofessional of you to shirk your duty like this.”

Ren momentarily pursed his lips. His next words were caustic. “I don't intend to waste my life away at work like you do, slaving over a tablet until I look like the living dead. At least I know how to relax.”

Hux's eye twitched. “I know how to relax.” An imagined image of himself on his icy blue sofa in his black and red robe, his cat to one side, his data-pad in hand, appeared in his mind. That was relaxing.

“No you don't,” Ren scoffed. “You should see the bags under your eyes. You look more drawn out than all the Starkiller blueprints put together.”

Mentally, Hux's self-image adjusted so that his porcelain skin turned grey, the lines of his face more prominent, the room dark until only he was visible by the harsh light of the data-pad. It could not have been more different than his current surroundings of pink and fluffiness and companionship and soft lighting.

“Get out of my head, Ren,” he said, putting the warping of his imagined scene down to some Force meddling.

“I'm not in your head,” Ren replied, “you're just sad and lonely and jealous that you have to go do a report while I have a nice night with my knights – my friends. You,” he pointed sassily, “could never have this,” he pointed back to the ladies. “Now kriff off, I'm not doing the report. Maybe you should do it yourself, since you have such a boner for that kind of thing.” The door far behind Hux puffed open, presumably manipulated by the Force.

“I expect the report before the end of my shift tomorrow,” Hux said, voice dangerous and low. How dare Ren speak to him like that. How dare he judge what Hux did to relax, while he was being a layabout with these random, cool ladies... doing... fun things like... painting nails and getting tipsy... and watching holo-dramas... and... he wasn't jealous.

“Leave,” Kylo told him.

Hux narrowed his eyes. “You will regret this, Ren.” He turned on his heel and marched from the room, commenting to himself once more as the door puffed closed behind him, “You will regret this.”

[line break]

Kylo watched Hux retreat from the room, waiting until the door had closed to turn and make his way back to his knights. He flopped himself back down onto the floor, jostling Ap'lek's sofa cushions in the process.

“Ah kriff,” he complained as he saw his black-smudged toes stretched out in front of him, “he made me ruin my nail paint.”

“I'm not doing them again,” Trudgen said, tossing the little black bottle at him, shifting around to watch the holo and grabbing a chocolate. “You shoulda been more careful when you got up instead of rushing off to be a bitch.”

Kylo sighed over-dramatically and called out, “Cardo!” She and Kuruk were in the kitchen, probably making an unsightly mess of the place, but Kylo knew only she would be willing to finish the paint for him. Of course, he would have to take the chance that the stuff would end up even more smudged than it already was, and, now he was thinking about it, he would probably be better off just dipping his entire feet in nail polish.

A chocolate wrapper hit the side of his head. He turned to see Ushar had thrown it. “Just do it yourself,” she told him, “it's not like it's hard.”

But he wanted to feel spoiled, that was the whole point of this spa evening anyway. He called Cardo's name again, whinier this time.

“What?!” came the shouted reply, “We're making mug muffins!”

Vicrul frowned, straightening up a little where her arm was thrown around Ushar's shoulders. “In the microwave?”

“Yeah!”

“Huh,” Vicrul shrugged, settling back down again. “Good luck cleaning that.”

Kylo groaned, letting his head fall back onto the sofa cushion behind him. First Hux was on him about a report, then none of his knights would do his nails for him, now Cardo was splattering his lovely microwave with chocolate batter. This was all Hux's fault. Kylo wasn't sure how yet, but it was.

He opened his eyes to see Ap'lek looking down at him, where his head rested by her left elbow. “What's this about a report then?” she asked flatly. Kylo just groaned again and re-closed his eyes.

“You can't be procrastinating this stuff again,” Ushar nagged him over the sound of footsteps, accompanied by a smell of chocolate, and a thunk-clink of a tray with spoons being set down on the table as the cooks brought the muffins through. “Your job is important, here, Kylo. Snoke wants you to do well.”

“To hell with Snoke,” Kylo mumbled, hoping the crusty fart wasn't spying on his thoughts as they spoke. Paperwork was a fate worse than a fate worse than all the Sith hells combined.

“Then we want you to do well,” she continued.

“Plus we blew up so much shit on that mission,” Vicrul added, and Kylo opened his eyes to glare at her as she accepted a mug from Kuruk.

“You have to tell the General about that some time, why not put it in a report? You'd save him lots of time, probably. I bet he'd be so appreciative.”

Kylo accepted a mug proffered by Kuruk and waved it about a bit. “Since when do we care about saving Hux time? I meant what I said, he loves paperwork so much he probably,” he picked up a spoon and stabbed it into the fluffy top of the muffin, watching steam come out as he tried to pick a suitably ridiculous image of Hux. “He probably sleeps with all the files strewn over his bed and like,” he made a face, “rubs them on his body, gets all cozy with them at night. I don't know.”

“I'm pretty sure he does paperwork on his data-pad,” Ap'lek said, and she was right, though Kylo resented that she'd killed his roll.

“Just do the kriffing report, Kyle.” Trudgen hadn't pulled her attention away from the holo enough to face him as she'd said it, but apparently had been paying enough attention to comment, “Anything to stop him showing up and interrupting us. Girls' night is a no-business zone.”

Cardo chose that moment to vault over the back of the sofa and land heavily on the cushions. “Ooh, General Hux came over?” she asked cheerfully. Her hands were, predictably, still coated in chocolate powder. “I can't believe I missed him, I want to see if his hair is gelled that solid from close up.” She grabbed her mug and dug into the muffin.

“The General shouts too much,” Kuruk said, sitting cross legged on a cushion by the coffee table. “He should check his blood pressure, it can't be good for him.”

“Hey, a bit like you!” Cardo added, “You must call me through next time. He's cute.”

Kylo opened his mouth – partly to gape at what had just been said, and partly because the muffin was too hot and he hadn't had the impulse control to prevent eating a large spoonful. “Hey!” he started a few times, mouth full and burning. Finally, he was able to swallow. “He is not cute, and there will be no,” he wobbled his mug and spoon in a no-fingered version of quotation marks, “next time.”

“Then do the report,” Ushar shot back.

Kylo made a loud complaint noise.

“He's not gonna do it because he wants the General to come over again,” Ap'lek teased, and, to Kylo's horror, all his knights laughed. Traitors. He didn't want Hux to come over again.

“I don't,” he replied vehemently, “I want him to kriff off and stop annoying me.”

“I think that's against his job description,” Kuruk said, prompting further laughs.

“You should just do it,” Ushar said, getting to her feet after a moment more.

“Hey, where you going?” Vicrul asked sadly, not letting go of Ushar's hand.

“Babe, I gotta peel my face.”

“Wait, let me come with, it's really satisfying.”

The two disappeared off, and Kylo had to add 'his knights screwing in his bathroom' to his list of sub-par things to happen this evening. He wasn't going to do the report. He couldn't be bothered, he didn't want to, he hated writing things and making them sound 'formal'. No, tonight he was going to finish his mug muffin, paint his nails and fall asleep with his knights in front of a trashy holo-romance. Hux would get the hell in eventually and do the report himself. Give it a few more days, and Kylo was sure Hux would drop the issue.

[chikaiomoi]

you were solstice, you were ever-light

characters: hawks (hawks x female reader) 

title: ‘you were solstice, you were ever-light’ (lyrics from ‘solstice’ by STARSET)

words: 3.2k

warnings: manga spoilers for the paranormal liberation war arc, 18+, smut. 

synopsis: 

hawks planned to keep his residency in that apartment a secret, and he’d been doing well... until he accidentally bumped into you. he could keep up the lies for now... until he sought you out.

[fluff/smut]

It rained the first day he met you. You weren’t supposed to see him, but by a stroke of bad luck – or, good luck, he might call it now – you caught him halfway through a window, one leg inside, the other out, blond hair damp. You dropped the bags you carried and stared with wide eyes. 

There was no way you couldn’t recognise him. His wings weren’t the easiest to hide and being one of the top heroes in Japan meant he had a damn recognisable face. 

“Uhh, don’t mind me,” he said as he swung his other leg through the open window and dropped onto the hallway’s creaking floorboards. “Just, uh, visiting a friend, that’s all.” Hawks shimmied past you, waving with an awkward grin that left you glued to the spot. “Take care, kiddo.” 

He knocked on the only empty apartment in the building, gloved knuckles rapping four times. “Buddy, it’s me, I’m here!” he called through the wooden door. “What’s that? Use my key? Okay!” 

You weren’t born yesterday. No one lived in that apartment. You would know, it was the one next door to yours. If pro-hero Hawks was snooping around, that could only mean something bad was lingering nearby. 

So, when you returned to your own apartment, you locked the doors and windows. You sat with a baseball bat by your side at all times. When you went to bed, you kept it within arm’s reach. 

Thankfully, nothing happened. 

--

The second time you met was early morning, one week later. It was only 5:45am, but work was hectic and you promised your boss that you’d finish your reports by the end of the week. You left your apartment just as he stepped out of the unoccupied one. He didn’t notice you at first, yawning as he pulled on his gloves, fingers combing through messy tresses. 

Gold eyes swept across the hallway and ballooned when they acknowledged another person. He stared at you, caught like a deer in headlights, before he composed himself and waved. “Funny we should meet like this again! I was staying at my friend’s. I take it you live next door, right? How fun, I don’t think he’s ever—“

“No one lives there,” you said. 

Hawks sighed, his expression dropping as he rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, alright. You caught me.”

With a frown, you approached him, clutching your bag strap against your shoulder. His gaze found yours and locked on as you spoke. 

“If there’s a villain nearby, please tell me so I can keep my guard up,” you muttered, shifting your weight from one foot to another. “That’s why you’re there, right? Hiding to catch a villain?” There was no other explanation, no other reason for a top pro-hero like Hawks to be hanging around a dingy apartment complex. 

He tilted his head and studied your features, the innocence in your eyes, a mix of confusion and fear. “Uhh… Well, not too close by, but this is serving as a base, just for now.” He’d run with that truth for as long as you would believe it. “That means you can’t tell anyone I’m here, right?” 

He waited for you to nod, then he patted your head and approached the window. Who cared about climbing out of a window on the tenth floor when they had wings?

You watched him climb out and soar through the sky, disappearing from sight in a matter of seconds. You sighed and rubbed your eyes, then made your way to work, but you failed to shake the thoughts of Hawks from your mind.

—

The third time you saw him was that evening. A knock on your door dragged you from your work files, and a wide grin greeted you when you opened it. As did the fresh, warm scent of fried chicken. Hawks laughed as he tapped the top of the red bucket. “I thought we could have dinner together seeing as we keep bumping into each other. Besides, eating alone is so boring, isn’t it?”

You were at a loss for words at first, mouth opening and closing as you tried to fathom what was happening. You managed to gather yourself and you let him in, smiling as you thanked him for the offer. 

You hated to admit to yourself just how much you needed this. Ever since you started your new job two months ago, you had drowned in the workload, barely finding time to breathe. But the presence of another forced you to tear yourself away from the files, to eat dinner without keeping your eyes glued to reports, to simply sit and enjoy the company of someone else. 

Hawks radiated comfort. It was hard not to relax around him when he blended so well into the scenery of your tiny living room, as if he belonged there, as if he had been there forever. You laughed like never before around him, giggling so much at his jokes and stories that your jaw hurt by the end of the night. 

When he was gone, back to the empty apartment next door, your home was empty and quiet, and your chest ached for the comfort he gave you.

—

Hawks visited you more often. Some nights he brought dinner, some nights he didn’t. One night, he asked about your quirk. 

You hesitated and he laughed awkwardly, asking if you even had a quirk at all. 

“I do, but it’s kinda lame,” you admitted, laughing along with him.

Still, he grinned and leaned forward. “Show me.”

Your eyes met his, hesitating, preparing yourself for how disappointed he would be. Then, you took his hand and laced your fingers through his. The simple touch was electric, sparks flowing between you two, but you tried to ignore it.

A warmth crept into him from where your hands were joined. It swam through his entire body, easing muscles he didn’t know were tense, untwisting any knots. For the first time in a long, long time, his mind settled. 

He was at peace.

“I can calm someone when they’re stressed,” you explained as you pulled your hand from his. “Even when they don’t know they’re stressed, my quirk can put someone in a state of tranquility. It doesn’t work on myself, though. Like I said, it’s lame—“

“It’s not lame.” Hawks grabbed your hand again. “You have a precious quirk, one that could do good in this world. Don’t underestimate yourself just because it isn’t flashy.” 

His thumbs caressed your skin, rough and calloused, but the touch was warm and gentle and you didn’t want him to let go. 

—

Hawks didn’t think he’d fallen for you, until one day you beamed at him and his heart skipped a beat and butterflies filled his tummy. 

That smile… It was all he could think about, day and night. How was this possible? His plan was to let no resident in the building see him, but now he was in love with one of them. 

So, one month after first meeting you, he told you the truth.

“I’m not doing surveillance next door,” he admitted whilst leaning against your kitchen counter. A thin black headband held the front of his messy golden hair back from his face, but a small lock had broken free and hung over his brow. “I live there. Sort of…”

You stopped dicing vegetables for dinner and turned to him, your eyes searching his face, as if it would provide an explanation.

“It’s not my full time residence.” Hawks shoved his hands into his pockets. “I got the flat a couple of months ago as a way to separate myself from the Commission when I need downtime. I wanted to keep it a secret, though, in case any villains found out. I couldn’t risk the lives of everyone in the building.”

You pressed your lips together, eyes not moving from his face. “Why didn’t you find a different apartment when I caught you?” you whispered, hip resting against the counter.

A smile crept onto his lips. “Would you believe me if I said the reason I stayed was because you’re incredibly cute?”

Heat rushed through your body, colouring your cheeks and the tips of your ears pink. You laughed and glanced away, but seconds later, your ears returned to him, locking onto his golden orbs. “You think I’m cute?”

Hawks nodded and took three steps towards you — that was all he needed to close the gap between you two in the small kitchen. “I do,” he said, his voice low and smooth like caramel. His fingertips danced over your arms, up and up until they found your cheeks, where his palms rested. “I think you’re cute. I think you’re beautiful. I think you’re—“

“Hawks…”

“Keigo.” He leaned closer. “My name is Keigo.”

When your lips met, your heart throbbed and flipped with joy. Your eyes fell closed as you melted into the kiss, your body instinctively pressing into him. Keigo’s lips were tender, in control but not overpowering. Oh, you could kiss him all night. 

And you did. You kissed him before dinner, you kissed him after dinner, and you kissed him during the movie that neither of you actually watched. When it ended, the plot a complete mystery to you both, you grabbed his hand. “Stay the night.”

“Only if I can kiss you some more.”

You laughed and caught his lips into another kiss, passionate and loving. He grabbed your hips and pulled you onto his lap, not once breaking the kiss as he moved you. His hands slid from your hips to your backside and he squeezed the flesh over your jeans, drawing a groan from your throat. A breathy chuckle escaped through his nose. 

Your body pressed against him and you deepened the kiss, parting your lips to let your tongue meet his. Your fingers curled into his hair, your other hand resting on his chest.

He was the one to break the kiss, and you almost whined. You needed to kiss him, needed to taste him, needed to connect with him. But Keigo had his own plans, so his lips weren’t away from you for too long.

Hot breath caressed your neck as his lips met your soft skin. The kisses on such a sensitive part of your body drew moans from your lips, and you tilted your head to the side. He kissed and nipped and suckled on your flesh, his hands continuing to knead your round backside. 

You couldn’t control the way your hips ground against his, an impulsive reaction from all he was doing to you. It made him groan and grip your hips again to hold them firmly against his. The bulge in his jeans pressed into your groin . Biting on your lip, you rocked your hips against him. The slow humping dragged noises from both of you and his bulge stiffened and grew until it was too painful for him to keep his jeans on any longer. 

Keigo stood, hands firmly under your backside to carry you into the bedroom. After slamming the door closed with his foot, he dropped you onto the bed, making quick work of his buckle, yanking the belt from his jeans, jeans which soon joined the belt on the floor. You were just as quick to undress, and soon a pile of clothes lay on the floor whilst he crawled over to you. 

He nudged your legs open and laid between them, planting kisses along your thighs. He hummed, his breath tickling your skin. “Your skin is so soft,” he mumbled between pecks on your flesh. He kissed further and further inwards until his lips grazed your clit. He kissed the little bud before teasing it with his tongue.

A gasp escaped your lips, pink and swollen from kissing, and your toes curled into the bedsheet. Keigo flicked his tongue across your clit then dragged it along your wet folds, groaning at the taste. “Fuck…” he muttered beneath his breath. “You taste good, angel.”

He was so damn good with his tongue. He played with your folds, tongue dancing across them, then he focused on that sensitive bundle of nerves. As he toyed with your clit, he slowly pushed a finger inside your tight pussy and pumped it in and out. 

Moaning, you threw your head back into the feathery pillow and arched your back. “F-fuck, Keigo…”

“Mm,” he hummed. “Does that feel good?”

With a whimper, you nodded.

He chuckled. “Use your words, angel.” 

“I-it feels so good, Keigo… So fucking good…”

He smirked and returned to licking and suckling on your precious pussy as his finger thrust into you, soon joined by a second digit. 

“I want you to cum on my fingers,” he whispered, gaze flicking up to catch the way your mouth dropped open as you moaned. “Can you do that for me, angel?” 

“Y-yes.”

He latched his lips onto your clit as his fingers worked your insides, curling just to hit that spot that would push you over the edge. Your legs trembled by his head and your hand fisted into his hair. A knot tightened in your stomach, tighter and tighter, burning until—

“F-fuck! Kei… Keigo…” 

Your climax hit like a crashing wave and you gushed over his fingers. Tingling pleasure rocked through your whole body, pussy throbbing with desire. 

Keigo chuckled, pulled his fingers out and crawled over you. With his other hand, he tipped your chin to make your eyes meet his face as he sucked the cum from his fingers. Fuck.

“You wanna fuck?” He brushed his thumb against your bottom lip, his smirk only growing when you nodded with desperate enthusiasm. He leaned back and held his palm up to your mouth. “Spit.” 

You did as commanded and spat into his palm, eyes wide with glee as he rubbed it onto his cock like lubricant. He grabbed one thigh and lined his cock up with your entrance, then slowly pushed in. 

You sucked in a deep breath, fingers curling into the sheets as his thick cock stretched your tight hole. He groaned and gritted his teeth as he pushed inside, only halfway in before he stopped to let you adjust. He dipped down to kiss you, his breath hot against your lips. 

He started with slow, shallow thrusts, both hands now on both of your thighs, holding them apart. With each thrust your pussy eased and adjusted to his girth, so he slid deeper and deeper until he buried his entire length inside. You cried out, knuckles paling as you gripped the sheets tighter. 

“Fuck…” you breathed.

Keigo pressed his brow to yours, grunts leaving his lips as he made small bucks of his hips. “That feel good?” he asked and chuckled when you nodded. “Words, angel.”

You whimpered. “I love it, it f-feels so good.”

With your confirmation, he set a rhythm with deep thrusts, filling you completely each time he bottomed out inside you. Your moans and his groans and the clapping of flesh and the smacking of the headboard against the wall filled the room. Your bedroom drowned in the sweet sound of sex, of passionate and lustful and desperate lovemaking. 

With each thrust the pleasure grew and grew, and his movements grew harder and faster. You both panted and moved desperately as your orgasms approached. You came first, crying out and shaking and trembling as your pussy squeezed his cock, soaking him with your ecstasy. He came moments later, cock buried deep within you, filling you with his release. 

Hot breaths mixed as he collapsed beside you. Keigo cradled you close and buried his face into the crook of your neck. “Love you,” he mumbled against your skin.

A smile found its way to your lips as you closed your eyes. “Love you too.”

—

“See you tonight.” 

He’d said that one week ago. Being a hero meant that not everything went to plan.

That was an understatement for what had gone down. There was only one way to describe it: the complete and utter destruction of society as they knew it.

His words had been a lie. He hadn’t returned that night, nor had he returned for several days. How could he? The world had been turned upside down, his very being burnt from his body, his heart shattered and vulnerability spread for the whole world to see. 

Keigo needed time — time to recover, time to deal with the press, time to analyse the anarchy that infected the country. 

But he wasn’t healed, not yet. 

He needed you. Fuck everything else. He needed you.

He needed your arms, your words, your warmth, your lips. He needed to hear your heartbeat, to know you were still alive and there and waiting for him. If anything had happened to you… Fuck. He couldn’t even think about it. You were everything, the light in a dark tunnel he’d spent years in, his only solace in the world, a delicate flower surrounded by needles. If anything had happened to you, he would tear the world to shreds. 

Tired hands knocked on your door.

Mere seconds later, it swung open. You looked awful… Dark shadows beneath your eyes, sunken and dull, skin paler than normal, hair unkempt. But you were still beautiful and he would still give everything to stare at you forever. 

You choked on a sob at the sight of him and you threw your arms around him. He winced, but he only pulled you back when you tried to move away. He needed your embrace, even if it pained him. 

“I-I tried to come to the hospital, but they wouldn’t let me in. Said only family could visit,” you mumble, trembling hands grabbing his as you broke from the embrace. “I saw on the news… Oh, Keigo…”

He pulled you inside and locked the door. He said nothing until he kissed your forehead and caressed your cheek. “I’m fine,” he lied. It was so obviously a lie. Where were his wings? Half of his body was covered in bandages! “Just… Just hold me.”

So you did. You curled up on the couch with him, his head against your chest as you stroked his hair with tender fingertips. 

He closed his eyes and succumbed to your warmth. A sense of calm washed over him, tense muscles relaxing as you held him. He almost smiled, remembering the day he told you that your quirk would do good in this world. Here you were, using it to soothe his pain. 

But, what Keigo didn’t know in that moment, was that you didn’t use your quirk. You simply held the man you loved, kissed his head every now and then, and pampered him with gentle touches and whispers of sweet nothings. 

Maybe he loved you too much, he realised, when you told him that you hadn’t used your quirk. It was simply your presence that had provided such comfort.

You were his solace, his only light in a world of darkness. You were the sun, an ever-light, bright and beautiful. Surrounded by disaster, you were an untouched wonder. Maybe if he clung to you, he could hide himself from the scars of villainy. 

[out-of-jams]

Stranger Danger || kth

Stranger Danger | Taehyung | WC 1300 | PG 13 | Fluff & Strong language |

All works here are purely fiction. Everything I write is my intellectual property and therefore belongs to me. ©out-of-jams. Do not copy or repost without permission. That is illegal and you are stealing no matter if you give credit or not.

            → Meet-Cute Drabble Collection!

He hadn’t been there before, never set foot in the place that he was about to trust his whole world with. The bell above the door jingled as Taehyung entered, soft music playing from the speakers overhead. It was completely empty inside, not that he expected anything different. But the way the lights reflected off the chairs completely devoid of people in the waiting room gave him chills. Not that he would admit that.

However, if he strained his ears hard enough, Taehyung was just able to make out the sound of a dog barking somewhere in the back of the establishment. Which settled his nerves a little at having heard at least one sound of life.

Well, that, and the fact that Yeontan’s tail was wagging a mile a minute from where he stood sniffing the floor at his feet.

Taehyung wouldn’t normally drop Yeontan off with someone he didn’t know. Or at least not at a kennel that he’d never been to before. But with the news of a sudden change of Bangtan’s flight schedule, he didn’t have any other choice. Literally everyone he knew that could possibly watch over Yeontan was either too busy or unavailable for the time that he’d be gone.

And so, Taehyung had to turn to the internet. Or more specifically: Naver. And reviews, tons of reviews. He wouldn’t trust just anyone with Yeontan after all.

“Hello?” Taehyung’s deep baritone voice called out. A minute or two passed before the door leading what he assumed to be the back rooms swung open. And out stepped, well–

You.

“Hi!” He didn’t get to see your face at first since you were too busy looking down, trying to brush off the dog fur sticking to the front of your shirt. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

Taehyung didn’t believe in love at first sight, didn’t think that you could fall completely head-over-hells for somebody that you didn’t even know just from a glance.

Until you looked up, at least.

His heart stuttered in his chest; breath caught in his throat from just meeting your friendly gaze. “I...”

You gave him a beat of silence to finish whatever it was that he was about to say, but he never did. And so, you shot him a look of concern. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I–” Taehyung cleared his throat from the sudden onslaught of nerves (where the hell did they come from?) and flashed you his trademarked boxy smile. Never had he been so glad to be out without a face mask on before in his life. “I called earlier. About Tannie.”

“Kim Taehyung?” The smile you sent him in return was blinding with what looked to be amusement flashing in your eyes. Along with recognition. So, you knew who he was then. “I remember. You seemed nervous on the phone.”

Taehyung threaded his fingers through his recently bleached hair with a chuckle. “I was a little. Since I’ve never been here before.”

“Only a little?” Oh yeah, that was definitely amusement.

“Yeah.” He nodded his head, momentarily distracted by Yeontan padding his way across the room to sniff at the laces of your shoes. “But I’m okay now.”

It wasn’t the ring of an alarm that drew you out of sleep. No, it was the piercing siren of a ringtone that cut through your rem cycle and had your eyes shooting open.

Darkness encompassed your bedroom, which it should’ve, mind you, given how the clock next to your bed glowed a brilliant green 3:45 am. With the dim lights from the quiet street outside peeking through your curtains, you managed to blindly locate your ringing, vibrating phone before it could dance off the end table.

“‘lo?” Your vocal cords weren’t quite awake yet, which explained the groggy way it came out. And with eyes still shut and mind on the precipice of sleep, it was only the voice on the other end that drew you back into consciousness.

“Y/n?” A baritone so deep and smooth that you would’ve been able to recognize it anywhere greeted your ear. And had you bolting upright in bed so fast that your phone almost slipped from your hand. “Did I–”

“Taehyung?” Perhaps you’d sat up a little too fast, because the room spun a little. Or maybe that was just from how tired you were. Because what the hell was Kim Taehyung calling you for?

The sound of him clearing his throat rang clear. “Yeah, it’s me. Um, sorry, did I wake you up?”

“What’s up?” Completely bypassing his question, you scrubbed a hand down your face.

You knew that he had your cell phone number only because you’d given it to him. Weeks ago, back when he’d dropped Yeontan off at your kennel. You’d seen how worried he was over leaving the puppy somewhere he hadn’t been to before with a complete stranger. So, you’d given him your personal number to be able to get ahold of you anytime he wanted an update on Yeontan.

But why was he calling you now?

“Sorry,” Taehyung apologized again, the noises of various men in the background almost making his deep voice inaudible. But you were definitely able to hear the way he shushed whoever it was. “But it’s an emergency. I wouldn’t have woken you up otherwise.”

Now that had you snapping into full alert. You barely even knew the guy (even though you listened to his music pretty often), so the fact that he was calling you in an emergency pointed out how serious it was.

“Emergency? Are you okay? What’s going on? Should I call some--”

A deep chuckle cut you off. “Not that kind of emergency, Y/n.”

You blinked slowly in confusion.

“What?”

“Well, kind of.” Taehyung wasn’t making any sense. “Are you busy right now?”

“Now?” With your eyebrows scrunched together, you let your eyes wander around your dark room. “No?”

Another clearing of his throat. “I have a huge favor to ask. Bangtan was just invited to L.A. last minute and we have to get to the airport in an hour. I don’t have anyone to watch Tannie. Would you mind keeping an eye on him for a few days? I can pay you extra! I just...don’t have anyone else to ask. But if you can’t, it’s no worries I can­–”

“Taehyung.” Now it was your turn to cut him off, already starting to slide out of bed. “It’s okay, I can watch him. Do you need me to come pick him up now?”

Taehyung’s huge sigh of relief came clear through the receiver. “Thank you. Seriously, Y/n. Don’t worry about coming to get him, I can drop him off. Just send me your address.”

A knock at your door approximately twenty minutes later had you jumping up from your living room couch. And with a deep breath, you ran your hands through your hair once more to make sure you were presentable. It wasn’t that you were trying to impress the man or anything, but he was a world renown celebrity. And--

Standing in your doorway.

Even through the face mask he had pulled up over his nose, his wide grin was visible. Paired with the way his eyes scrunched in the corners over the rim of his rounded glasses. Taehyung’s blond hair was free to fall across his forehead, unhindered by a hat or headband. But your attention wasn’t kept on his face for long before the wiggling ball of fluff in his arms caught your eye.

“Hey.”

[headfulloffantasies]

Legacy Returning

Din Djarin is not fit to be the Mand’alor. He runs from the responsibility and more specifically from Bo-Katan.

Ao3

Legacy Returning

Din received a hail while he was flying between planets on the Outer Rim. He opened the hail without thinking, expecting Karga or Cara with a new bounty.

Bo Katan’s face flickered through the hologram. Din dove for the disengage button.

“Din Djarin.”

Too late.

Din slumped in his seat. He had come to hate that stupid headband so much. “I’m not fighting you for the Darksaber,” he cut right to the chase.

Bo Katan pressed her lips together in a frown. “If you will not face me in combat then you must return to Mandalore and begin reparations.”

Din had never stepped foot on Mandalore. It was hard to return to a place you’d never been.

“No thank you,” he said. He reached out to end the call.

“Consider your fellow vod,” Bo Katan said.

Vod. Brothers. Din had no brothers. His covert had been destroyed. He had broken his Creed. He had no one but the foundling he’d given away.

“Mandalore needs its leader,” Bo Katan pleaded.

“That’s not me,” Din said. “If you want the Darksaber, I’m throwing it in the nearest supernova.”

He hung up.

Din arrived on Tatooine at Peli’s shop. She came out of her office wiping her hands on a rag. “Where’s the little womp rat?” She asked in place of a greeting.

Din swallowed hard. “He’s with his kind,” he said.

Peli’s face fell. “Well, next time you have him, bring him this way. I like the little guy.”

Din smiled under his helmet.

“I need some help,” he admitted.

Peli came over and banged a fist on the side of his new ship. “Doesn’t look too bad. Better than your old rust heap.”

“Not with the ship,” Din said. “I need someplace to hide.”

Peli turned on him with a finger pointed in his face. “I know you’re a good person under that bucket, Mando, but if you bring trouble to Mos Eisley I won’t forgive you.”

“Noted,” Din nodded.

Peli dropped the offending finger. “So, what kind of trouble are you in now?”

Din sighed loud enough that it crackled through his helmet. “I accidentally became ruler of Mandalore.”

Peli blinked. She burst out laughing. “You? You can barely take care of the kid!”

Din bristled at that. He’d done excellent with Grogu. He’d found the Jedi for him, hadn’t he?

“Do you know of anywhere I can lay low?” He asked.

Peli shrugged. “People come to Tatooine to disappear all the time. You might want to ask the new crime lord at the Hutt Palace if you’re looking for work.”

Din startled. “There’s a new crime lord?”

Peli waved her hands. “Regimes fall every day. Do I look like a newswave?”

Din thanked her and decided he’d make his way to the Hutt Palace. Work was good. It would keep him occupied until he could figure out his next move.

At the Palace a pretty girl led Din down the stone steps to the throne room. Din’s footsteps echoed in the quiet halls.

They rounded the corner. A throne sat on a raised platform. Din let out a soft curse. “Boba Fett?”

The green helmeted Mandalorian leaped off his throne. “Mando! I thought you’d been killed by that kriffing Mandalorian princess.”

“Not yet,” Din extended his hand. They clasped vambraces. Fennec appeared from behind the throne, carrying a bottle of blue spotchka.

“Nice to see you again,” she smirked.

“What can I do for you, my friend?” Boba asked.

“A job, if you have any,” Din answered. “A hiding place, if not.”

Boba exchanged a glance with Fennec. “You’re running from Bo Katan?”

Din sighed. The sound came from the depths of his very core. “She’s decided if she can’t beat me, she’ll join me.”

“Which means what?” Boba asked.

“She’s trying to put me on the throne of Mandalore,” Din explained.

There was a beat of silence. Boba Fett burst into laughter. The sound bounced off the stone walls. Fennec tried her best, but her smile broke into giggles. Fett bent over and braced himself on his knees while he caught his breath.

“That girl has no taste,” Boba Fett said.

Din wasn’t sure if he should be offended.

Boba sent Din on a task to collect a wayward dealer who’d skimmed some money off the top of Boba’s operation.

“She’s way out in the Dune Sea,” Boba said. “That should be far enough away from Bo Katan.”

Din borrowed Peli’s speeder and set out. As he rode into the sweltering heat of the desert Din reflected on his friends’ reactions to his supposed rulership. No one thought he could do it. Kriff, even Din didn’t think he should be the Mand’alor, but some support would be nice. He definitely could not accept the throne, though. He was dar’manda; he’d lost his Way. He couldn’t lead Mandalore. Especially when he’d come to understand that most Mandalorians did not in fact follow the Way. He should just accept Bo Katan’s challenge and let her have the stupid Darksaber. Kriff, what a stupid system to have a laser sword determine the right to rule. What if it got stolen?

Din arrived at the coordinates Boba Fett had given him. Amid the towering rocks jutting out of the sand Din found a cave. It seemed like the place a normal species would take cover from the suns.

Din stepped into the shade. His visor adjusted to the dimness. A blanket, a dead firepit and a mess of used ration wrappers strewed on the ground. And- was that? Yep. That was a bomb.

Din came to with his ears ringing. He blinked through his visor. Twin suns pierced his vison. He took a breath.

Dank Farrik, that hurt. He ground his teeth against the wave of pain. When it faded enough to manage, Din took stock. It didn’t feel like any shrapnel had pierced his skin. At most, his head hurt. And his ribs under the chest plate.

Gingerly, Din sat up. Smoke billowed out of the cave. The blast had obviously thrown him backwards into the sand. It would take days to clean all the grit from his armour.

A shadow fell over him. Din looked up, a hand on his blaster.

“Dank Farrik,” he hissed. Blue Mandalorian armour filled his vision.

Bo Katan lifted her helmet. Behind her, Kaska Reeves held the collar of Din’s bounty.

Din wobbled to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

Bo Katan had the audacity to look shocked. “I’m here to speak to you. You are the Mand’alor.”

“No.” Din unclipped the Darksaber from his belt. Bo Katana stiffened. Din drew back his arm and pitched the Darksaber as far as he could. He nearly toppled over. The Darksaber winked in the light of the twin suns and vanished into the desert.

Bo Katan made a sound like a choked loth cat. Din did not care. He stomped over to Kaska Reeves and snatched his bounty from her.

“Wait,” she said. “She has to stand trial for trying to assassinate the Mand’alor.”

“No,” Din repeated. He tossed his bounty over his speeder and took off. Bo Katan yelled after him. Probably something about disrespecting his cultural heritage. Din still didn’t care.

Boba Fett took one look at Din at decided he needed a drink. Din agreed, but he’d prefer to drink alone. Besides, any planet with Bo Katan on it was not a planet he could stay on.

Din stayed one step ahead of Bo Katan for longer than he actually expected. Say you want about the princess, but she was competent and crafty. She managed to lure him to a backwater swamp with a fake bounty puck.

“I don’t want it,” Din said. Bo Katan held out the Darksaber to him imploringly. She must have spent hours cleaning the sand from its mechanisms.

Din sighed. “Do you want to arm wrestle for it? Would that work?”

Bo Katan’s eyebrows creased. “The Darksaber must be won in combat.”

Din sagged. He was so very tired of people telling him things he didn’t understand.

“I don’t know anything about it,” Din explained. “I don’t know how it works.”

He meant it as an excuse to pass the light sword along to her, but Bo Katan took it as an invitation to recite the Darksaber’s history.

It was… a lot.

Din latched onto one very important detail. “So, it hasn’t always been a symbol of the Mand’alor.”

Bo Katan faltered. “Well, no, but-.”

“And it was stolen from the Jedi,” Din said.

“Yes. But it was Mandalorian first,” Bo Katan emphasised. “The Jedi had no right-.”

“So, it actually belongs to the Jedi,” Din finished his train of thought.

He swiped the Darksaber from Bo Katan’s lax grip. He whipped around and ran up the ramp of his ship.

Bo Katan yelled after him, “Where are you going?”

“I’m giving it back to the Jedi,” Din shouted back. Glowing satisfaction filled his chest at the strangled noise Bo Katan made.

The best part was that he had an actual excuse to go see Grogu. Usually, he showed up to the Jedi academy with a half baked defense about protecting the children or something. Luke humored him, for which Din was eternally grateful. It wouldn’t do to have to kneecap his son’s teacher.

Din knew Luke was dramatic. The man wore a cape. Din did not wear a cape; it was a cloak and it was different. Capes were for dramatic entrances. This time though, Din thought Luke had taken the cake. Upon being presented with the Darksaber, Luke had vaulted into a tree and refused to come down.

“It belongs to the Jedi!” Din shouted up at Luke. He could just see his pale blond hair through the thick foliage.

“I want nothing to do with that thing!” Luke shot back.

Fine. Din could play dirty then. “Isn’t your sister Force sensitive? Does she need a laser sword?”

“Do not give the Death Saber to my sister!” Luke hissed.

Din did not move from his position of holding the Darksaber up towards Luke. He realised he looked much like Bo Katan had when she offered Din the sword. Kriff, why was she only person in the galaxy who wanted it but wouldn’t take it?

“Do any of your other students need a weapon?” Din suggested. He perked up. “What about Grogu? How long until he gets a sword? I can hold onto it for him until he’s ready.”

Luke sobbed.

Rude. Din thought it was a great idea. “It’ll be like a family heirloom.”

“I will murder you in your sleep,” Luke mumbled in the tree. “I will smother you with your pillow.”

Good luck with that. Din wore the helmet to sleep while he visited the academy. He’d had a close call with curious children the first time he’d come to see Grogu. Force users had no regard for locks that couldn’t stop them.

Anyways, Luke could not stay in that tree forever. Luke seemed to realise this too. He finally dropped back to ground level with surprising grace. He had a leaf stuck in his hair. It made him look much younger.

“That thing,” Luke jabbed a finger at the Darksaber. “Has been used to destroy the Jedi. It has no place here.”

Din looked down at the blade. “I don’t understand,” he admitted. “It’s just a thing. An object. But everyone acts like it has a will and a destiny. It’s a tool. Tools don’t care what you use them for; they don’t know the difference between good and evil.”

Din had Luke’s full attention. It was a bit daunting. Din swallowed. “Instead of giving more power to the stories of evil deeds, why don’t you use it for good? Reclaim its legacy.”

Luke squinted at him. “You’re a very clever man, Din Djarin. And a very tricky one.”

At least someone thought so.

“Does that mean you’ll take it?” Din extended the Darksaber again.

Luke hesitated. “I think,” Luke said slowly. “That you should be the one to reclaim the Darksaber’s legacy. The Force is working very strongly around you, Din Djarin.”

Din sagged. “I don’t want to be the Mand’alor.”

“Then don’t,” Luke said.

Din’s gaze snapped up to the Jedi.

Luke shrugged. “Part of the Darksaber’s dark legacy is the bloody war for the throne of Mandalore. If you hold the Darksaber but refuse to claim Mandalore then the Mandalorians will have to come up another system to choose their leader.”

Din narrowed his eyes. Luke had a devious mind. It might just work.

“You want me to spend the rest of my life defending the Darksaber from would be assassins and someday die a natural death without ever being defeated?”

Luke shrugged. “Something like that.” He grinned. “You’re doing great so far.”

Din resolutely did not mention he’d been blown up earlier that month.

Din clipped the Darksaber to his belt. “Fine. But if anybody calls me a Jedi, I’m bringing the sword right back here and burying it forever.”

END

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Episode 7

Their first vow together. So nice! I actually do like the parallels here between Lan Yi and Wei Wuxian, and Baoshan Sanren and Lan Wangji: you have one set being reckless and untamed (I said it) and the other set trying to restore order. It’s kind of funny that the ancestors are switched, though. So here we have Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji vowing to bring all the Yin Iron pieces back to the cold spring pond to neutralize them, and of course Lan Wangji’s first reaction is, “None of your business.” It’s cute how Lan Yi takes Wei Wuxian’s side and has a sense of pride for her close friend’s disciple. I think he’s an honorary Lan in her eyes.

And then Lan Yi gives them a warning to not make the same mistakes she made. Wei Wuxian’s like, “Yep, got it, I promise.” But we all know from the beginning that this obviously doesn’t go well for him, since he dies in the first five minutes of the series. He will go on to make some questionable decisions, most of which are driven by his emotions, which are often not in check. Side note: I love this series, but I don’t like how they took a great grey character like Wei Wuxian and turned him into a character where many of the things that went wrong were caused by other people.

Another side note. That fucking Yin Iron fell on the guqin so many times, and it didn’t dent it at all. Is the guqin made out of iron too? I thought it was wood. If I did that to my violin, I guarantee you the violin would not fare very well.

Forever a favorite moment. It was great enough that they were tied together by Lan Wangji’s headband, but even better that Wei Wuxian fell on him. So great—such a tease to the audience. And this is as close as we get to the scene in the book when Lan Wangji uses the body binding spell to keep Wei Wuxian on top of him all night (ooh, my heart skipped a beat when I read that).

Also, taking the screenshot, I noticed you can see the impression of the little metal piece from Lan Wangji’s headband. Little things like that interest me for some reason. I wonder if it bothered Wang Yibo—did it press too hard on his forehead? I remember him saying he’d get tan lines from the headband.

I love this little smirk he does. A moment when Wei Wuxian’s gift to gab really pays off. Instead of letting Lan Wangji talk and explain the situation, Wei Wuxian keeps speaking, lying about what they were doing. I’d like to think he does it in part to protect Lan Wangji and to stop him from breaking any of his clan rules, but likely it’s another chance for him to prove himself as someone Lan Wangji can trust. And I take Lan Wangji’s little acknowledgement of him there as his silent “thank you.” It says a lot, I think, that Wei Wuxian is willing to lie to Jiang Cheng in order to protect the Lan Clan’s secrets.

I’m sorry, but every time I hear Nie Huaisang say, “You were gone a whole day and night,” my mind immediately goes to the gutter—like the implication is that they were doing something inappropriate during that time. I keep expecting a sex joke, only to remind myself that this was on Chinese television and that would, of course, not happen. Jiang Cheng says a similar thing (and my mind goes the same way that time too), but in that case, canon book Jiang Cheng does later accuse them of having a more-than-friendly relationship, and he does not say it in a nice way.

Also, throughout the scene that precedes this, where Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are discussing what to do next with Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen, it really feels like wangxian just want to go on a buddy road trip together, and they are so disappointed when they are turned down. Oh, I didn’t screencap it, but Lan Wangji has the saddest sad face at the end.

I think Lan Wangji is a little impressed here but he doesn’t want to admit it. Wei Wuxian has a great gift to come up with ridiculous stories and lies at the drop of a hat. I love that Wei Wuxian doesn’t have to come up with a scary snake story when he could have just told Nie Huaisang what he’d already told Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing, but he does anyway. Mad respect.

This also kind of amuses me because Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji can never really have a moment alone. They keep getting interrupted by other people when I think they just want to talk about what they experienced. Instead we just have all these shared glances. Nothing like a big fat secret to get close to each other, right?

Omfg Jiang Cheng is so jealous! I thought maybe I was imagining it or just projecting my own ideas onto him, but NO—he is jealous! He’s all like, “If you like Lan Wangji so much, why don’t you marry him?” I mean, that basically happened. I’ve gone on about this before, but I love the tension between Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, and the fact that it continues even after Wei Wuxian dies makes it even better. Jiang Cheng is so stubborn and continues to hold a grudge against Lan Wangji, and it bothers the fuck out of him that there’s someone out there devoted to Wei Wuxian, by whom Jiang Cheng feels so betrayed.

And, I mean, by this point, it’s already started. As soon as they get to the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian starts paying more attention to Lan Wangji than he does to either Jiang Cheng or Jiang Yanli. And Jiang Cheng likes to say, “You’re worrying my sister, you’re hurting my sister” when he really means, “You’re worrying me.” His stupid pride gets in the way of having a good relationship with Wei Wuxian. And I don’t think Wei Wuxian would ever put Lan Wangji above Jiang Cheng, who he considers his family—at least not at this point. It’s not until the second half that things switch, and really, even then, in the CQL-verse, the two are probably equal in Wei Wuxian’s mind. He backs off from Jiang Cheng due to Jiang Cheng’s attitude toward him.

Okay, Jiang Cheng’s jealousy aside, I love how steadfast and supportive Wei Wuxian is of him. As soon as he catches on that Jiang Cheng is jealous, he immediately starts trash-talking the Cloud Recesses and talking up Lotus Pier. It’s very cute, very sweet. He’s a good brother to him, really.

Now who’s jealous? Just kidding. I love his wistful expression here, as he watches them go off. Anyone who’s read the book knows that Lan Wangji does get jealous at times and certainly frustrated with Wei Wuxian’s coquettish behavior. I would say he is more longing at this moment, maybe even wanting to get closer to Wei Wuxian, without really understanding why himself. There’s such an isolation to his world: even though he’s surrounded by other disciples, he doesn’t have any friends. He’s maybe regretting how quickly he refused to the invitation to Lotus Pier. I think, on the one hand, Lan Wangji has found one person in this world who not only shares a secret with him, but who has similar goals—on the other hand, his code of ethics are all over the place. His heart and mind are conflicted: he wants to get closer, but he doesn’t want to make the wrong decision. To his Gusu Lan Clan mind, Wei Wuxian is all wrong, but his heart says otherwise. And I’m not saying he loves him already—but he is already seeing a kindred spirit in Wei Wuxian, someone who he can rely on, someone he can trust, someone who has his back, even if it means bending a few rules. And in a relationship, you have nothing if you don’t have trust.

I never noticed that they were communicating telepathically here. Or something. I dunno. I guess it’s not that clear.

Also if it feels like I’m ignoring all these parts with the Wen Clan, it’s because I am. I mean, not really, but this is all the Yin Iron stuff that I don’t really care about. And I’m not in the Xue Yang fan club either, so I’m not going to spend time on him until he’s actually in it in Yueyang (possibly) and Yi City. Actually, confession: I’ve never watched the Yi City flashback episodes. I read it, so I know it, but I never watched it hahaha. I will this time around. I made that pact with myself.

AWWW, HE SMILED!!!

Ahem, excuse me. This is too fucking cute, though. The rabbit lantern that Wei Wuxian drew just for him, his cute baby smile, and the Wei Wuxian pointing it out with a grin. Cuteness overload—my heart can’t take it.

But I also had a sad thought that if Wei Wuxian hadn’t come over, Lan Wangji would be sitting here alone. He’d make his lantern all on his own, send it off into the sky, say his own prayer to himself, and never hear Wei Wuxian’s, which likely sends Lan Wangji over the edge with his feelings. Everything he thought about Wei Wuxian was true, and maybe it’s okay to like him, maybe it’s okay to consider him a friend, maybe it’s okay to trust him that way.

Just a shot that I liked. Enjoy.

I feel so bad for Jiang Yanli here. I also feel bad for Jin Zixuan, even though he’s a complete dick. I understand how they both feel here—to be tied to someone you don’t know, from the time you were small children is incredibly unfair in my eyes. That being said, I know this still happens in other parts of the world, and it’s implied that it’s common in our CQL/MDZS world (which would make sense, of course). I like the feeling of siding with Wei Wuxian, wanting to come to Jiang Yanli’s defense and protect her honor, while also still having an understanding of how Jin Zixuan must feel about the whole thing. His choice has been completely taken away. And he’s, what, 17 here? What 17-year-old boy wants to be reminded constantly about how he’s already engaged? It’s not typically a young man’s dream to settle down and get married—not that it can’t be! But the implication here, with all the girls tittering about it, is that they’re all excited about marriage, and he wants nothing to do with it. Of course, Jiang Yanli isn’t either. I think she really just wants to get to know him and spend time with him, before even thinking about marrying him.

Ah, a momentous occasion: the first time Lan Wangji tries to stop Wei Wuxian from getting himself into trouble (not counting the first time they met, when he was literally trying to police him while breaking Cloud Recesses rules). I like this shot, because you have Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji on either side of Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Yanli in the front, literally putting her body between him and Jin Zixuan (actually this parallels her final scene). It kind of shows the depths of their relationships (or at least what the director wants to show us). You have Lan Wangji, who grabs onto Wei Wuxian to try to stop him from further brawling; Jiang Cheng, who stands beside him, but isn’t really involved otherwise—standoffish, in a way; and then Jiang Yanli, who physically gets in the way. She’s the quintessential big sister. And I’m not saying Jiang Cheng doesn’t care—he does, but I think his first thought always has to do with the honor of the Jiang Clan and, while he’s standing beside Wei Wuxian, it’s almost as if he doesn’t want to show any involvement with this brawl, because that would look bad.

Ah, the old dudes meeting, while Jiang Cheng stands off to the side awkwardly, wondering if he should be there or not. At the outset, this meeting to decide their children’s future seemed kind of bad, but it actually turned out nice, with them agreeing to call off the engagement. Very progressive, I thought.

Two things I learned in this scene: Wei Wuxian doesn’t want to marry a woman and he doesn’t want to leave the Cloud Recesses yet (TL: he doesn’t want to leave Lan Wangji). He seriously looks so disappointed when she says they’re going home soon.

This feels like a mixture of “I’m worried about you” and “I don’t want to be left out.” We already know at this point that Wei Wuxian doesn’t want to leave the Cloud Recesses (more that he doesn’t want to leave Lan Wangji, because he doesn’t like all of the rules, obviously). He also is very interested in what’s happening with the Yin Iron, as he has also vowed to protect it with Lan Wangji. He is very perceptive—he knows something is happening, that Lan Wangji is going to go off on his own, and he wants to go with. It’s kind of hard to say if this is more out of duty or his adventurous spirit, but either way, he wants to help Lan Wangji.

“After his leave, things will be as quiet here as before.”

Look at how sad he is! The only person he considers a friend has just left, and at this point, he doesn’t know if he’ll ever see him again. It’s possible, sure, but then only at clan gatherings, and that’s if Wei Wuxian and Lang Wangji even happen to attend the same one. I believe we know from the book that Lan Wangji doesn’t typically attend gatherings (when he’s older), he often skips them. And Wei Wuxian isn’t necessarily important enough to even be invited, so he would have to be a guest of Jiang Cheng. Obviously we all know that they do go to gatherings and see each other again, but this is what I’d be thinking if I were Lan Wangji, okay? Like, when am I going to see him again? Will I ever see him again?

I leave you with a wholesome picture of Wei Wuxian and a rabbit. Also adorable that he contemplates bringing the bunnies back to Lotus Pier, but doesn’t because Lan Wangji might get lonely. MY HEART!

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

[nights-legacy]

Sweet Siren-Aang

I don’t own the picture, credit to owner.

+ Y/N is known across the Fire Nation for her singing. Enough, that Zuko named her the Royal Singer. It is a few years after the war and Firelord Zuko announced an Anniversary banquet and she is asked to sing. There, she officially met Aang, who she has been admiring for years. He is entranced by her and then scared for her when the party is attacked by Ozai crusaders.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N’s POV

            “And then there will also be delicacies from all four nations.” Zuko told me as he showed me around the venue. I smiled and looked around. The venue was beautifully decorated in the main colors of the nations.

           “It looks amazing, Zuko. Something to be proud of.” I said. He smiled and looked around as well. He stilled, closed his eyes, and sighed.

           “Something to be proud of.” He repeated my words. “Very much so. 5 years since the war ended. All thanks to Aang.”

           “All thanks to Aang AND his loyal friends.” I set a hand on his shoulder. He looked at me and nodded.

           “They should be here soon, and you’ll finally get to meet them yourself.” He turned and held out an arm for me. We walked out of the venue and back toward the main palace.

           “In truth, I’ve already met the Avatar.” He looked at me surprised. “Yep. It was back before the end of the war. They came to my village and he came to the river bank where I was on his own one day. It was a brief meeting and he scared me while I lost in song. I only knew it was him when his headband slipped and I saw the arrow. I fixed it and he was surprised I didn’t run to turn him in.”

           “I wonder if he remembers that?” He chuckled.

           “Probably not.” A shadow caught my attention. I looked up and saw the all too familiar Air Bison. “I think they have arrived.”

           “Well, let’s go greet them.” I agreed and we made our way. As the two of us entered the courtyard, we heard a holler. Sokka came running up and shared a hug with Zuko. Pleasantries were shared before Zuko turned to me.

           “I would like to introduce you to Y/N. She is a great friend of mine and is the Royal Singer.” Zuko introduced me and the all smiled at me.

           “It’s a pleasure to meet you all finally. It always seems that I away when you visit the capital.” I bowed and I felt a hand set on my shoulder. I looked up and raised to see Aang.

           “No need to bow. A friend of Zuko’s is a friend of ours.” He smiled and let his hand fall to his side. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” I saw him look at me with a puzzled look before shaking his head.

*Time Skip*

           Hours went by and the party started. People from the Elite of the other nations and the gentry as well were here. It was coming up to the time where Zuko wanted me to sing. I was going over the words in my head.

           “Ready?” Katara asked. Sokka and Aang looked at me.

           “Yes. I do this for a living just like you guys save the world. And Zuko gave me enough notice to practice a few things before hand, which helps.” They laughed.

           “We may save the world but that doesn’t mean we are always ready to do it.” Aang said smiling. I nodded in understanding.

           “Now, if I may. Our royal singer, Y/N Wei from Shu Jing has prepared a few pieces for tonight’s event.” Zuko announced. People clapped as I stood on the stage. I saw Aang lean over and ask Zuko something and he just smirked.

           “Thank you.” The crowd hushed as I began to sing. (Insert When You Believe by Celtic Women).

           As I sang, I saw Aang’s eyes widen in realization and he slowly stood from his seat. I had hoped this because the song I was singing was the same song from the day we had met. I continued on through this and the next songs smoothly. After the crowd applauded, the band kicked up and the people started dancing. I weaved my way through the crowd when I was grabbed by the arm gently.

           “You’re her!” I turned and saw Aang smiling and excited. “You are the girl from the river I heard singing in Shu Jing. You didn’t turn me in when you saw…” He trailed off.

           “The arrow? Yep…I knew you were the Avatar the moment I saw it. I didn’t support Ozai in the slightest so I didn’t even think about that.” His smile widened. He was about to say something when someone bumped into me from behind.

           “Are you alright?” He asked as helped me stand right. I nodded. “How about we go for a walk?”

           “That sounds lovely.” We left the main area and made way into the gardens. We walked in silence for a minute.

           “I have to admit something.” Aang suddenly spoke up. “It was your singing that drew me to the river that day. I heard it as I was taking a walk and thought it was beautiful. I just had to see the person behind the voice and when I saw you…I thought you were beautiful too.” He blushed.

           “Really?” I blushed too and nervously played with my hair.

           “Yeah. I was and am thoroughly enchanted.” He looked at me as if I was the only thing in the world. I was speechless. “I thought I would never see you again.”

           “I thought the same. I always seemed to be gone when you visit.” I chuckled before looking back up at him. “And you’re not the only one that was enchanted.”

           “Really? Even though I was…an extremely awkward?’

           “I think it’s cute.” He blushed. He held out an arm and I grabbed it. We walked around talking and getting to know each other. We had to have been out for around an hour when an explosion and yells of fear spooked us.

           “What in the world?” We looked at each other in confusion before running toward the party. We got there and saw a panic. People were running around while a group of men stood in the middle of the room. Zuko was laying on the ground and Katara was kneeling holding her hands to her chest. I went to run to them when Aang grabbed my arms and pushed me back against the wall. He looked at me intently. “Stay here.”

           “But I want to…okay.” I gave in as he gave me a hard look. He was gone in a second. I was him running towards his seat and grabbing his staff. In the next moment, the men began to attack but Aang jumped in and blocked their advances with a round-about of air. They were knocked back and off balance.

           “Enough! What is the meaning of this?” Aang said sternly. None of them said anything but one jumped up and tried to attack. Aang gave one of his own fire attacks before sending a water wave from the fountain and freezing the man in place. Another tried but Aang just launched him with a block of air.

           “We are supporters of Ozai!” Someone yelled. In a moment, I was grabbed by the back of the neck and a flame was struck next to my face.

           “Avater Aang!” The person who was holding me yelled. Aang turned on guard and a surprised but scared look washed over his face for only second. His look turned stern.

           “Y/N! Let her go!” I heard Zuko yell through clenched teeth.

           “You need to stand down. You have no fight here.” Aang said with body at the ready.

           “I bed to differ. The Fire Nation deserves it’s place above all. This ‘equality’ makes us weak.” The man gripped my neck tight causing me to flinch. I saw Aang grip on his staff tighten. “You deserve to the one in jail right now, not Firelord Ozai.”

           “He is not Firelord anymore. What he and the rest of the Firelord’s all the way back to Sozin, did was completely inhumane. Everyone deserves to live together in harmony!”

           “Never!” The man shot fire at Aang before grabbing me and shoving me to the side. Before I could hit the ground, I landed in someone’s arms. I looked and saw it was Aang.

           “I got you.” He set me down on my knees and stood a protective stance next to me. I looked over just in time to see a blast of fire come our way. Aang spun his staff around creating a fan, disintegrating the flames.

           “Your men have been detained. You stand alone! Stop this nonsense now!” I heard Zuko yell. I looked over and saw the man looking around, seeing Zuko was telling the truth. I saw panic start to rise.

           “This is not over.” He said calmly. In a quick spin, a ring of fire and smoke was conjured and he made his escape with guards and Sokka in tow. Aang lowered his staff to the ground. I felt his arm wrap around my waist pulling me up.

           “Ow.” I whimpered as an ache formed on the back of my neck. Aang paused and lifter a gentle hand to my face.

           “What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?” He set me on my feet. I bit my lip as the ache grew.

           “Where he was holding my neck.” Aang move my hair and inspected the area. His fingertips grazed my skin very gently but I still flinched.

           “It’s bruised and a little burned. Come on. Katara can help.” He held my waist, guide me over to the tables. “Katara, are you okay?”

           “Yes the fire got a little close when they surprise attacked us.” She said raising her hands from the fountain. They were slightly red but otherwise looked okay.

           “Are you sure?” Katara nodded before looking at me. She waved me over and took a look at my neck before I felt the water glide across my neck.  

           “Ah!” I flinched but relaxed as soon as the healing took and Aang’s hand found mine.

           “It’ll be alright.” He rubbed a thumb across my hand before turning quickly. “Zuko are you…”

           “I’m fine, Aang.” Zuko assured and smiled. “Just a little bruised and sore. Nothing major or fatal. Just take care of Y/N. I know that’s where your attention is anyway.” I blushed as Zuko gave me a wink. Sokka in that moment ran up took Zuko’s attention.

           “There you go. You may still be a bit tender but the initial burn and bruising is gone.” I moved my neck around and thanked her. She smiled and gave me a nod in return. “I’m sure they waited to make sure you were gone before surprising us. I saw a few of the men around before you left and they attacked.”

           “I will be looking into this.” He stood to full height, determined look adorning his face. I admired him quietly as he stood tall and heroic. “I will need to speak with Ozai.” Aang said to Zuko who nodded in recognition. “But for now, Everyone! Go home and rest. This attack will not be disregarded because they failed. The peace will not be threatened under my watch. Know you are safe.” The crowd applauded before dispersing. “Come. I’ll take you home.”

           “Thank you.” I grabbed his hand and he led me away from the palace after I told Aang. “Thank you, Aang. For protecting me.”

           “Of course. I would protect you with my life.” I smiled.

           “You would protect the world with your life. You’re the Avatar.” He chuckled and stopped. I turned to look at hi confused.

           “You don’t understand. I would protect you with my life. Avatar or not.” I gasped as he got really close. His hands grabbed mine. He glanced down at our intertwined hands for a moment before gazing up at me.

“Aang?” I barely got his name out before his lips were on mine in a soft kiss. I kissed him back almost immediately. He pulled me close and moved his hands to my waist and mine moved to his neck.

           “I would protect you with my life because I love you. It scared me to even think of anything happening to you.” He said softly before pecking my lips again. “I have loved you since we met 5 years ago.”

           “I, I, I…” I stuttered before taking a breath. “I may not have loved you like you have me then but I surely have fallen for you tonight. When I got to know the real you.” I looked into his eyes. “The man behind the Avatar.”

           “Would you do me the honor of letting me court you?” I giggled at the formality.

           “Of course, my sweet hero.” A smile split across his face. He picked me up and swung me around in joy. He set me down and jumped into the air about 10 feet. I laughed as he rejoiced.

           “Oh my Sweet Siren, you’ve made me extremely happy. You have truly enchanted me.” He stilled finally. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. I felt him hug me back and bury his face in my hair.

3rd POV

           A ways down the street stood the man that led the attack. He was smirking as he saw the two embrace. He chuckled darkly.

          “She is very important to the Avatar. Wonder what trouble I can cause with this...siren.”

[seokjinsdisciple]

It’s a Deal- three

supernatural! johnny x reader x jaehyun,  mate!au

its heating up my friends and boy is the plot gonna be spicy

Word Count: 1.6k

warnings: language, supernatural stuff

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series masterlist

You had decided that whatever happened yesterday was just a dream, some sort of midterms week hallucinations. And you were never, NEVER, going to think of them again. You had to attribute it to a momentary lapse in sanity, because nothing else would be able to explain the absolute shitshow that was yesterday, and to be honest, you didn’t really want any explanations. 

So you continued on with your day as you normally would. You worked your shift at the cafe, attended your classes, and nothing happened. You were relieved. You felt the tension that had been building up in you all day long ebb out. 

It happened when you were walking home from your last class. You chose to go through the student center, the chill of the night air enough to drive you inside. Something you never allowed yourself to do. You liked walking outside, but tonight, you felt an inexplicable pull towards the student center. 

You saw him near the dining hall. He was leaning against the wall and when he noticed you staring he smiled. It was a stunning smile, and it showed his dimples. He chuckled a bit as you stared, walking towards your frozen body. He drew looks from everyone around, and you felt your heart swell with, what was it? Jealousy? Pride? After all it was you he was walking towards. You couldn’t hide your grin as the people around you looked you up and down in shock.

He was in front of you before you could take a deep breath. And now you were stuck breathing in his heavenly lavender scent. It was intoxicating and you were overwhelmed. 

“Long time no see,” he giggled, his dimples deepening. You swear you melted, his giggle and his dimples probably the most adorable thing you had ever witnessed.

 “That’s something humans say, right?” he asked quietly, taking a quick glance around. 

“Yeah some people say that,” you smiled back, “What exactly are you doing here? Don’t you have… I don’t know, prince stuff to do?”

“I do,” he smiled, “but I quite like pissing off my father, and enrolling here also allows me the pleasure of pissing off my brother.”

“Wait- you enrolled?”

Jaehyun just shrugged and nodded, like enrolling in college was some simple thing. Oh my god. The money he had to have spent to enroll, and to not even want to learn something! You could never imagine wasting that much money, let alone even having that much money. 

“Why do you look so worried, pet?” Jaehyun said, intertwining his hand in yours and pulling you brusquely through the student center, “Hurry, we’ve got an important event to attend.”

“What event?” you asked, “Jaehyun, where are we going?”

He ignored your questions, mischief in his eyes as he lead you to a part of campus you had been avoiding all day, the quad where you knew the portal to the faerie world lay. Knots formed in your tummy, nervousness seeping out of every pore of your body that Jaehyun had to wrinkle his nose at your now distressed scent. 

“Jaehyun I don’t wanna go there again,” you said, halting your movements, “You can’t make me.”

“That pet, is where you are wrong.”

With a flick of his thumb across your hand, and with his words making you more angry than you should be, he effectively distracted you just enough to go through the portal. Before you knew it, you were standing in front of the most magnificent palace you had ever seen. Your anger dissipated as you took in the pearly white stone mansion in front of you. You were in complete awe. 

Faeries loitering around the front gate bowed their heads as Jaehyun waltzed passed them, not even glancing in their direction. He was too busy staring at you. He couldn’t help but grin at your wonder, your mouth open in awe at the sight in front of you. He had to admit, the palace was exceptional, even if he hated every moment he spent in its walls. 

You took one look at your oversized sweatshirt and ripped jeans, suddenly feeling extremely unconscious. How could you enter a palace in such a horribly under-dressed way. 

As if he read your mind, Jaehyun chuckled, “Don’t worry, I picked out a dress just for you, pet.”

You just swallowed, touching the necklace that he had given you around your neck as you followed him through the palace into a decadent blue room. It was the most expensive looking room you had ever been in. Gold detailing on the walls and ceiling. The gold resembling trees, and animals and stars and so many other things. But the stars entranced you, their gold sparkling shapes looking too real to be painted. Plus, you could’ve sworn you saw one of the stars move. 

Your eyes fell onto a gown that was hanging in the corner, a gasp leaving your mouth before you could even control yourself. It was a beautiful gown, a dark navy blue that looked expensive as hell. You took one look behind you, to say something, anything to Jaehyun that would express how you could absolutely no way wear something that expensive, but he was gone. Several faeries stood at the door, their makeup and hair done extravagantly already. 

“Well what are you waiting for?” An older looking woman said with a smile, “Put it on.”

And you did. The dress was more than you ever expected, flecks of gold and silver shining as you walked. It looked like a piece of the night sky had been cut and made into a dress. You blushed as you looked at yourself in the mirror. Much more of your skin showing that you would’ve guessed just by looking at the dress hanging up. Then again, faeries were less modest than humans, so you supposed no one would notice the extra skin. 

The faeries crowded around you at once, hurrying to pull your hair up and do your make up. They were done so quickly you couldn’t believe it. The woman from before, smiled gently at you as she pulled out a golden headband adorned with gold metal stars. Your outfit completely taking you aback, I mean you looked like a completely different person. You looked like a fae. 

You took your appearance in, the past 30 minutes feeling like a complete dream. You had never been taken care of like this. 

You heard a cough from behind you, and turned quickly to see Jaehyun in an equally stunning emerald silk top. He smiled brightly as he took in your appearance. 

“You look magnificent, pet,” He bowed slightly, offering his hand out for you to take. 

“Jaehyun, I-,” you started, “Thank you for this, but I really can’t accept something so expensive, and for me to take all this time in your room, I shouldn’t.”

You were halted in the middle of your sentence by a laugh from him, “This room is far too simple to be mine, it lacks many luxuries and necessities. This is simply one of our guest rooms that I thought was perfect for you, along with that dress.”

“Still, you have to let me wear something else, or at least pay you back.”

This received a snort from the prince, “You couldn’t pay the price of this dress in your lifetime pet. So please, let me gift it to you. I picked it out with the thought of you, and would be so offended if you refused. I thought a dress of stars was perfect for someone with a galaxy twinkling in their eyes.”

Now, you weren’t stupid. You studied mythology and creatures everyday. But Jaehyun’s compliment had knocked you off of your game for just a second. Taking a deep breath, you tried your hardest to focus. Knowing if you were going to be indebted to him was important. 

“And do I have to give you something in return?” You asked, a sudden lump in your throat.

“Nothing is free here, pet.” Jaehyun smirked, “It’d be best to remember that tonight. You’ll be surrounded by very curious fae. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

You had a sinking feeling as you followed behind Jaehyun warily. The magnificence of the halls sterring your thoughts more towards their decadence, rather than the debt you now owed. You reached large white and gold doors, that Jaehyun pushed open with ease. Jaehyun pulled you into a banquet room filled with elegantly dressed fae, you left to follow behind him helplessly. The laughing and chattering subsiding at the Prince’s entrance. 

Jaehyun held your hand tightly as he guided you up the stairs towards the throne where his family were seated in their respective seats beside an older looking faerie. Jaehyun’s father looked you up and down once, before sending a chill down your spine at his words. 

“The court welcomes YN LN,  beloved betrothed of Prince Jaehyun, and future Queen of Longate Isle.”

You heard a gasp, and you genuinely didn’t know if it came from you. It took you a bit longer to process the words that were just spoken, but when you did, panic overtook you. You whipped your head towards Jaehyun, who was too busy thanking his father for him to notice. You felt a pair of eyes bore into the side of your face, whispers and gasps echoing throughout the room as the shock from the news spread throughout the room.  

“Consider us equal for the dress now pet,” Jaehyun whispered in your ear, a sly grin on his face. 

You looked at Johnny, realizing he was the one who had been staring at you intently. He was standing, a fact that he didn’t find as troublesome as his sister, who was desperately trying to pull him down by his pants. His gaze was wild and furious, and for a moment, you thought he was pissed at you. You quickly realized he was staring at Jaehyun with murder in his eyes. He cleared his throat, glancing away from his brother and towards you, his face paling the more the news started settling into his brain. 

His anger morphed into panic the longer he looked at you. Which made you wonder what the hell you had just gotten into. You were scared. You were mortified of whatever Jaehyun had planned. And you were pissed that yet another faerie tricked you into doing something that would change your life. Your fear was multiplied by Jaehyun’s one word whisper as he passed Johnny to sit down, your shocked frame falling into his lap easily.  

Jaehyun’s voice saying checkmate repeating over and over in your head.