#Thank you for the Ask!

[mourningsbane]

Hiiii I just stumbled onto your page today and immediately consumed everything you’ve posted so far. I’m invested already and I especially Honeyspring and the contrast between her horrifying appearance and her sad story which makes you feel sympathy for her. I have some (read: a fair amount of) questions!! Feel free to answer. Any of them you want to. Or don’t lol I don’t know /lh

Does Honeyspring hate Tanglefern? Does she hate him for his mistake, or for not owning up to it? Does she hate him for burying her kits so far away? I know you mentioned that all of her kits were born with birth defects. Was this because of a genetic thing, like how one of her parents (I think) was infertile? Like the gene that caused it expressing itself differently, maybe. Or was it due to the way she got pregnant? (referring to the Secrets post) Or maybe because of the Morningsbane poisoning causing the kits to not develop properly? Why can’t Honeyspring speak? Is it because of the degradation of her body/the bone rot? Also, are any of the other clans cut off from Starclan like Lutumclan is? If so, have they noticed? Are the non-Lutumclan cats in Starclan concerned about how Lutumclan is cut off? Are they worried the other clans will become cut off too? Why are they so few cats in Lutumclan? I know you said the birth rate was decreasing, but is there a specific reason why? At gatherings, do the other clans notice something is off? Have any of the other clans had a cat travel to Lutumclan’s land and notice something’s off, (like to ask for herbs, to negotiate with the leader, etc) or does Rootstar usually insist on the other clans’ territory rather than Lutumclan’s? Are there any loners/rogues/kittypets that have seen Honeyspring or the weird prey, or do they typically steer clear of Lutumclan’s territory because they know it’s weird? Okay I think I’ve run out of questions thank youuuu have a good day/night/evening!!!

Thank you very much! I am glad that Honeyspring can still invoke sympathy, even if her appearance is...less than conventional! I think there's a certain tragedy to them.

And I do not mind long asks or questions, I like to receive them! I will put my answers under the cut so that they do not take up too much space. <3

Does Honeyspring hate Tanglefern? Does she hate him for his mistake, or for not owning up to it? Does she hate him for burying her kits so far away?

Honeyspring hates Tanglefern for taking away everything that was supposed to be theirs. So much going for them, and suddenly it was gone through no fault of hers. To make matters worse, he's a coward.

While Tanglefern agreed to bury Honeyspring's kits far away, it was ultimately Rootstar's decision.

I know you mentioned that all of her kits were born with birth defects. Was this because of a genetic thing, like how one of her parents (I think) was infertile? Like the gene that caused it expressing itself differently, maybe. Or was it due to the way she got pregnant? (referring to the Secrets post) Or maybe because of the Morningsbane poisoning causing the kits to not develop properly?

████.

Why can’t Honeyspring speak? Is it because of the degradation of her body/the bone rot?

Honeyspring can speak, it's just a little difficult to understand them! It takes a very special ear.

Also, are any of the other clans cut off from Starclan like Lutumclan is? If so, have they noticed? Are the non-Lutumclan cats in Starclan concerned about how Lutumclan is cut off? Are they worried the other clans will become cut off too?

The other clans have noticed LutumClan's sudden isolation from them, but they do not know the reason! To them, LutumClan just closed themselves off out of nowhere. The other clan's connections to StarClan seem to be just fine.

Why are there so few cats in Lutumclan? I know you said the birth rate was decreasing, but is there a specific reason why?

LutumClan is a relatively new clan that sprung up only a few generations ago! Their numbers were already small, but when first settling in the plains and building burrows, they failed to account for heavy rain; many of the burrows flooded, and most of LutumClan's original population drowned. LutumClan refers to it as The Flood.

At gatherings, do the other clans notice something is off? Have any of the other clans had a cat travel to Lutumclan’s land and notice something’s off, (like to ask for herbs, to negotiate with the leader, etc), or does Rootstar usually insist on the other clans’ territory rather than Lutumclan’s?

The clans have not had a gathering since Honeyspring's death. It's the longest the clans have gone without one, and many are getting antsy. Rootstar cannot put them off for much longer.

TonitrumClan, a close neighbor of LutumClan, has noticed their sudden isolation and is sending a warrior to check on them.

Are there any loners/rogues/kittypets that have seen Honeyspring or the weird prey, or do they typically steer clear of Lutumclan’s territory because they know it’s weird?

LutumClan's territory smells sour and cloying, like damp earth and wet flower petals. It's noticeable to anyone not accustomed to the smell. Strangers wandering the territory think it best to go around now; the prey is diseased, and something is wrong.

[obey-me-hoe]

is time for…

OBEY ME QUESTION NO 1!

What’s a headcanon you have about the Celestial Realm?

Oooooh this is fun!

Okay so I hc that the celestial realm has less gravity than the human realm so everything feels lighter and airy meanwhile the devildom is the opposite and has more gravity than the human realm so everything feels heavier and darker.

Imagine how tough it would have been on Luke and Simeon when they first came to the devildom and experienced the drastic difference in gravity.

Or how much harder the brothers would have hit the ground when they first fell into the devildom. Them laying there injured and unable to get up bc the gravity is too much for their weakened bodies.

The lighter gravity and brighter atmosphere in the celestial realm would give humans who recently passed the feeling that they are floating and that all the weight has been lifted off of their shoulders which would hopefully bring them some peace.

The heavier gravity and scarier atmosphere in the devildom will make the bad recently deceased humans feel scared and weak as punishment for their crimes in the human realm.

I also hc that good humans become low level angels when they die and bad humans become low level demons when they die. Since they weren't born as either an angel or demon then they can never rise up the ranks and will forever be at the lowest level. This is good for the new angels (little to no responsibilities and gets to enjoy their time) but bad for the new demons (forever weaker than all the higher demons no matter what they do and forced to be vigilant at all times in order to survive).

I know you said hc about the celestial realm but I ended up giving you both celestial realm and devildom hope that's okay!

[lalalalalalakakakak]

I feel this would be a Val thing to say

may i request a draw of this?

I also put Vox here because Voobs

[clowntrickery08]

Scarecrow & Tinman are such a cuties in your art-style😍😍😍

Thank you very much. That’s very much appreciated. Here you go a little sketch before I go to sleep of my two favorite boys. Look at them being a lovey-dovey with each other.🌟💖

[urmum-lovesme]

I just wanna say I love Bunny !! I’m so intrigued on how the story is gonna play out.

Will bunny and rafe eventually get into an established relationship? If you can say ! Thank you xx

Im so happy you like the story my love!

YES!!!

Rafe and Bunny will deffiently get into a relationship- and it all starts to develop in the next few chapters when she gets herself into a really difficult situation and the only person she can think of to go to for help is him.

There's sort of like a darker aspect of the story- I won't really dwell on the event that much in detail cause it's hard hitting but its there- and its the reason she gets into the situation in the first place.

I'd say maybe like the next three chapters it starts to uravel!!!

Thank you so much for this ask this was actually so fun to answer.

If anyone has any other questions about where the series is heading or Rafe and Bunny's dynamic please feel free to send them!!!

:D ily guys <3

[eat-your-milk]

Everyone always talks about how sassy Hiccup is but no one ever talks about how kind he is. Especially to people you don't expect him to be kind to. I like to headcanon that he hates that part of himself, his kind heart. Because before to Vikings kindness is not seen as something "Viking". When he thinks about that part of himself, he always sees it as the parts that everyone called "useless". It's really refreshing to see a male character who's just genuinely kind.

You are absolutely correct. Hiccup is such a kind and incredible character, and it is a shame that that part of him isn't talked about much.

Back then it was such a major insult to call someone soft-hearted, or kind. Pride was such a huge thing for Vikings, and for Hiccup, he really got the short end of the stick there. He really felt the burden of being a Hiccup all his life, of growing up weaker then everyone else. When he was younger I feel like he hated that part of himself and even later tended to hide it.

I 100% agree that he is ashamed of his kindness, even later in his life. I know the movie and the tv versions clash a bit in terms of his mannerisms, but you clearly see him struggle with his compassion throughout the whole series. I think he utilizes his compassion as a tool, but that doesn't make him proud of it. I think it haunts him that he is and always will be a Hiccup, who is too kind for his own good, especially after Drago.

Its such a shame that people don't talk more about how kind he is, because that is really one of the best parts of his character. That honestly is what makes him a great leader, and why he is such a wonderfully intriguing protagonist.

Like of course, he is sassy, and smart, and rides a Night Fury and has a flaming sword. But his true strength isn't any of that.

He shows us that a small and weak Viking who was shamed by his village ended a war they never could, simply by showing mercy. He used his heart to help others, to lead his village, and to unite humans and dragons. I just think that is really beautiful.

He is just so inspirational. I love Hiccup Haddock and his kind heart so much omfg-

[manorpunk]

A little while ago I got obsessed with Sunny Roosevelt (thank you, btw) and wound up working a character inspired by her into my own sci-fi setting. It's been very fun working out how that sort of figure fits into a tonally rather different world.

(Her name is Lung Chun-hua and her chief duty as the semi-ceremonial president of a very, very different Hong Kong circa 2100 consists of charming/politicking/annoying foreign powers into leaving Hong Kong the hell alone. She is a terribly smug dragongirl vtuber whose campaign slogan was "we as a nation have the chance to do the funniest thing.")

Yesss, the Sunny brainrot spreads! Glad to hear I’m not the only one obsessed with the idea of an obnoxious vtuber as semi-ceremonial head of state. Tell Lung Chun-hua that I love her and I will do my civic duty by voting for her nineteen times in the next election. (And you’re definitely going to share it with me when you write more about this setting, right?)

[erinwantstowrite]

Halloween AU!!!

hey so. i put SOOOOO much effort into this au and for what? at least it ended up looking cool? anyways Halloween is my favorite holiday and i just HAD to make something for them!

i had a LOT of ideas for what everyone would be, but i really wanted to stick to a certain theme cause it's based around Halloween. i knew i had to have a vampire, werewolf, and a witch. cause like... obviously. iconic Halloween stuff!! but i took some liberties with everyone else and i think they turned out pretty cool!!

Jason was originally a fox shifter (which i still love and might draw art for some day) but i went with a bear in the end. is that because i thought about tiny bear cub Jaybin and wanted to cry? yeah. yeah it is. i KNEW Steph was going to be my werewolf though i started doubting myself when i went to draw her. turned out to be my favorite drawing on here which makes sense cause she is my light my love my daughter my will to live and all that jazz

Tim was actually gonna be a harpy but thank god i didn't go for that in the end. Duke was the one that was a bitch and a half trying to figure out BUT!! comments on the post asking what y'all thought led me towards Psychic so THANK YOUUUU everybody that commented!! (specifically those who thought of ghost!! Duke and Tim ended up being a perfect duo in this au)

Babs was pretty easy to figure out what I wanted for her. I read somewhere that they are seen as protectors of forests/ are considered spiritual authority figures and also.... she looks cool as fuck. Did not expect how easy it was to find a ref for a deer in a wheelchair though? I can never find the right hand or face angle reference but that was super easy???

For Bruce there was literally no question he HAD to be human. it's literally so funny that everyone who knows Batman thinks he's a spooky vampire but he's human. his first son, however?????? THAT'S the vampire. I knew Dick had to be a vampire too. A little nod towards that one comic run but in my au nothing bad happens ever 🥰 Damian also being a bat shifter is very on purpose because how funny is it that he's a bat man. Literally not a single person in the League thinks that Bruce is telling the truth about being human. Bruce you are NOT beating the secretly a vampire allegations.

adding in Jay's hilarious joke it's so fucking funny:

Alfred is actually a demon. I CAN NOT remember who made this post so if someone can help me find it, it would be appreciated!! because this was inspired by them!!! but somewhere i saw someone talk about Alfred being a demon that Thomas and Martha made a deal with (i think it was for an au idea?) and I just HAD to put it here. Alfred looks so human and everyone expects it, but he's definitely not. I put the ??? because it's so fucking funny. see if you can spot the 1 hint i put on his drawing that something is amiss!!

Peter is from an alternate dimension still, but it is not a world of creatures like him, it's just the same as LoF canon except Peter grew some extra limbs and eyes. He finds that it's actually pretty easy to fit in with the Waynes. Hard to feel like a freak when a guy can turn into a fucking bear, or your dad is a vampire, and the teenagers in the family are trying to summon ghosts or make potions.

additional doodles for this au:

i am still debating whether i am going to draw something for this au or write a oneshot, but i DO want to do something with these for Halloween

[rampantram]

Would Lamb like listening to Narinder's heartbeat and vice versa?

I would say so~

As for vice versa..

[lologoinsolo]

Hello sunshine, i believe i was your first ask and having read the tags I love you more ♥️

I would like to make up for not actually having an ask with the suggestion of ‘lost kitten’.

Either Simon comes in panicking because Bailey has escaped, or Bailey has decided to adopt you and goes on a heist retracing Simon’s steps to the pet store. Maybe Simon walks in (looking for help) only to discover his cat safe in your arms (clearly also having a crush on you) or you have to find Simon to return her.

Ive just caught up on the two parts you’ve posted- amazing progress. Big love to you and Bailey x

I love this! Okay, this happens probably after Simon gets off his ass and talks to reader. I’m gonna put this under In Between Moments.

Cats and Their Men Masterlist

Days like any other, the store is busy though with the sales going around. You’ve been stuck on cashier duty the longest and you feel like your brain is leaking out your head. The constant “yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir, no sir, receipt? Do you want bags? Oh, your baby is precious, will that be cash or card?” Has become so normal with your work that sometimes you’ll have a nightmare that you’re back in store. At least you’re getting paid and you’ve been pulling doubles.

You managed to find enough time to talk a break, you get an hour since you’ve been working since 6 am… it’s nearly 4pm… your stomach growls loudly as you wave your manager goodbye and walk down the familiar streets. There’s a good sandwhich shop nearby but you’ve been craving potatoes. As you buy your well deserved meal and make your way back to your store you notice the bushes twitching.

You creep a little closer, there’s no way a persons in there. The bush is barely a foot tall but it’s prickly. You look at it, observing it when you see a familiar blue collar. You gasp, “oh my god!” You put your packaged potato down and get on your knees. “Bailey!” The kitten, not so kitten like now but still baby, perks up. Her ears flickering and she has a bug. In. Her. Mouth. “Bailey, spit that out!” You forgo the need for safety when you reach an arm in and grab her before she has a chance to scamper off. Your arms a little cut but you hold her close. “Oh you are in so much trouble,” fuming a little despite the fact that it’s not her fault she’s a curious kitty.

You grab your takeaway and haul yourself into the breakroom with a very unhappy meow from Bailey. You drop her in the breakroom along with your food and snag a salmon can for her. You’ll have to rip the plastic of your takeaway but it’ll be worth it. “Here you go,” popping the can and letting her smell it before you dump it on the plastic away from your warm potato meal.

You eat first, you’re sure her dad’s losing her mind but you are hungry as can be. Bailey seems to eat but comes over to you. “No, no,” you try to say but no use as she jumps on your shoulders. “Bailey,” you whine her name long and tiredly. She rubs her face against yours and you don’t have the heart to be mean. You eat your food in peace, surprisingly, and once done. You take your phone out and snap a photo. You finger through the tiny list of contacts you have and find him in there.

“Missing something?” You text with a photo of his girl sitting on your shoulder and the biggest, shit eating smile you can muster.

It’s read. Immediately. The tiny “…” forming as soon as it is read and he replies.

“Coming.”

You sit up a bit making Bailey shake as she tries to get used to the movement. You’re texting him that it’s okay for him to pick her up later. You’re sure he’s… working… right now. You don’t want to be a bother but he doesn’t reply or read any of your texts. You move your hand back and scratch under Bailey’s chin. “Should’ve called you trouble.” Grumbling as she starts purring and nudging more of her face against yours.

You slowly stand, he’s probably gonna be here in a matter of minutes. You’re still on break, thankfully, so you ease the breakroom door open and out you walk. Bailey’s nails dig into your shoulder and you have half a mind to pull her down but as you make your way to the front. In walks her daddy and he looks positively mad.

“I have her can of salmon.” You try to say as he barrels down your way. He must’ve come from the gym instead with that compression shirt of his. Goddamn, the size of his arms and his fitted shirt leaves little to the imagination of how strong he is. “She was chasing a bug in a bush.”

“Should’ve let her starve.” He says, rather harshly despite the fact that you know he’d never harm her like that. “Bailey.” There’s a command out his throat and you, unfortunately, stand a little taller. Bailey’s ears perk up and he steps close enough that you can smell his musk. She leaps from your shoulder to his and you’d take a picture of how adorable they look but he’s glaring too much.

“They’re curious creatures,” you try to say for her sake. “She probably got out when you left.”

He grunts and Bailey is rubbing to the best of her ability against his masked face. The familiar black that you hope he didn’t wear while working out. His hair looks more buzzed than you remember, maybe he shaved it a bit ago.

“She probably forced her way out of her car patio.” He mutters under his breath. “Stupid girl,” he finally pets her. “Won’t let you out till it’s fixed. You’re grounded.”

You can’t help but laugh a little, he sounds like a dad scolding a teen. Well.. Bailey’s probably a teen now. “I’m glad I found her first.”

“As am I,” he tilts his head down. A flex of his hand again when he looks at you. Your cheeks warm and you tuck your hair behind your ears.

“I uh…” you clearly your throat, “I gotta get back to work.” You step back from him and something flashes in those brown eyes of his. You’ve never been able to tell just what though. “See you,” you swallow a bit, “Simon.”

[sirazaroff]

I know you've drawn Glinda in Fiyero's outfit. But I was wondering if you could do Elphie in his outfit? : D You Don have to if you don't want to, of course! Have a great day/night!

~Anon

I’ll take any excuse to make the kiddos suave af 💅✨

[pokeberry5]

Hi for doodle request, can I see Tim showing Damian pictures he took before being Robin?

i got carried away thinking about them

the reality lol:

i think it'd be funny if what finally brought them together is damian gaining a grudging respect for tim when he learns about the obsessive lengths tim went to in the lead up to his assumption of the robin title and tim realizing he's found a fellow devoted dick grayson admirer (just-nightwing admirers and dick-grayson-friends don't count)

bonus:

they're both fanatics

the panel is from new titans #60

[flwrkid14]

So is I alright if I ask this?

I've seen the post where everyone wants to be Tim's favorite, might I ask if you could combine it with the 'Tim will never be anyone's favorite' and the brain dead post spin off? I think it'd be super angst angsty if the bats realize tehy unitentionally screwed up with Tim.

Oh, this is such a good ask! and now I’m going to be feral about it, thank you. Combining all of those ideas? Buckle up because this is going to get angsty.

—

Tim Drake will never be anyone’s favorite.

He’s always known it, accepted it as fact, because it’s not just about how he’s never felt like anyone’s favorite—it’s about how he’s been conditioned to believe that no one could favor him. He spent so much of his life trying to make himself useful to the people around him, because if he couldn’t be loved, he could at least be needed. If they needed him, they’d have to keep him around, right?

So that’s what Tim became. The utility knife of the Batfamily. The glue, the fixer, the one who knew how to put everything back together even if no one ever thought to ask how he was holding up.

And if that meant sacrificing pieces of himself, so what? He was never anyone’s favorite. He had no illusion that anyone would fight for him, that he’d be prioritized. The mission came first. Gotham came first. Family was a distant second, if it ranked at all.

Then there’s Danny.

Danny doesn’t come in with the expectations or baggage the rest of the Bats have. Danny doesn’t know Tim as a placeholder Robin or a second chance or a stolen birthright. He knows Tim as Tim—sharp, exhausted, himself. And Danny thinks that’s amazing.

He says it, too, without hesitation. “You’re my favorite,” he says like it’s a fact. Like Tim has always been the first name on someone’s list.

And it’s such a foreign concept to Tim that his first reaction is suspicion. He doesn’t trust it—can’t trust it—because when has anyone ever favored him? Even when Danny shows time and again that he’s not going anywhere, that his affection for Tim is unconditional, Tim’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Danny to grow tired of him, to leave, to regret his words.

But Danny doesn’t. He stays.

And that’s where it all starts to unravel for the rest of the family.

They see it—the way Danny looks at Tim like he’s the most important person in the room. The way Tim slowly starts to relax around him, shedding the defensive, brittle edges he’s always carried with them. The way Danny makes it obvious—painfully obvious—that Tim is his favorite person.

It's then that it hits them.

None of them have ever made Tim feel that way.

They start noticing the cracks they’ve left in him, the ones they never saw because they were too busy leaning on Tim to hold them together. They think back to all the times Tim had been the one to put in the effort to maintain their relationships, the way he always came through for them when they needed him, but how little they ever did for him in return.

They see the way he hesitates when Danny shows him affection—how it catches Tim off guard every time, like he’s still waiting for it to be a trap. And the Bats realize they’ve conditioned Tim to expect exactly that.

It guts them.

Cass had always known, in the quiet way she read people, that Tim didn’t feel like he belonged. She saw it in the way he held himself—guarded, distant, bracing for rejection. She’d tried, in her small, subtle ways, to show him he mattered, but watching Danny with him now, she realized she hadn’t done enough, that there was so much more she could have done for him not to feel that way. She hadn’t known how deep the hurt ran, and the guilt settled heavy in her chest.

Danny... Danny treated him differently.

Dick, who always tried to be a good brother but never saw the way Tim’s shoulders tensed under the weight of being “good enough.” Jason, who hated him for wearing the Robin colors but never noticed how much Tim blamed himself for taking them in the first place. Bruce, who thought giving Tim responsibility was enough to show he cared, but never thought to give him unconditional support. Damian, who fought Tim at every turn but never realized how much Tim already hated himself for existing in a role Damian felt should have been his.

Even Steph, and Duke—all of them thought Tim was fine because Tim made himself fine. Because Tim was the one who fixed things, and none of them stopped to ask what he needed.

It becomes almost unbearable for them to watch Danny care for Tim, because Danny makes it look so easy. He loves Tim so openly, so obviously, that it highlights every way the family failed to do the same.

And Tim? Tim doesn’t even seem to know he deserves it.

It’s the wake-up call they all desperately needed but never wanted. They don’t know how to fix it. But watching Danny and Tim together, seeing the way Tim is finally beginning to believe he’s worthy of being loved, they know one thing for certain:

They can’t undo the past.

But maybe, if they try hard enough, they can make sure Tim never feels that way again.

[mourningsbane]

Rootstar, how was your relationship with your late sister? Is there anything you regret?

Also, are you scared of death? Do you entrust you have your 9 lives? Can you or your medicine cat even convene with StarClan these days?

"My greatest regret is thinking I'd have more time to fix things."

It rained the day of her funeral.

[inumbrapugnabimus-maybe]

Can I request some LU Hyrule, please?

*slaps roof of car* this bad boy has so much low self esteem

text is from this post

[urmum-lovesme]

Ok but toxic!dad!rafe where this don’t effect the children’s life but when it come to the mother of his kids he’s still very overprotective. I mean she is a MILF.

This is the best thing I've ever heard anon I hope both sides of your pillow are cold.

Toxic!Rafe as a dad?

Surprisingly present. 

His kid adores him, and in their eyes, he’s just their cool, protective father. He spoils them, takes them out on the yacht all the time, and he makes sure they have everything they could ever want. He told himself he would never be like Ward if he ever became a father, and he- for a change- was living up to his word.

But when it comes to their mom? That’s where the real problem is.

Because Rafe does not change when it comes to Y/N.

Y/N falling pregnant, certainly wasn't planned. It wasn’t supposed to happen. She was young, she had a future and more than anything, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to stay with Rafe, let alone have a baby with him. She didn't tell Rafe right away. Not because she was hiding it, but because she knew- deep in her gut- that he wouldn’t react like a normal person. She needed time to think, to weigh her options, to figure out what she wanted before he got involved.

But Rafe found out anyway.

Y/N had been so incredibly careful, she didn't leave any trace of the positive pregnancy test in Tannyhill; but he just knew her too well, sensed that something was off when she stopped drinking.

“What?”

His voice was quiet at first, his brows furrowed, like he didn’t quite believe what he was hearing. But then the realisation hit. His blue eyes darkened, his jaw tightened, and he stepped closer, the room suddenly feeling too small. His voice was calm, but there was something dangerous underneath it.

“You were gonna tell me, right?”

“Rafe, I—I don’t know what I’m going to do yet—”

Wrong answer. His hand shot out, gripping her jaw, forcing her to look at him.

“The fuck do you mean, you don’t know?” His breath was hot against her face, his fingers digging into her skin.

“That’s my kid, Y/N.”

Her stomach churned, her heart hammering against her ribs.

“I just- Rafe, I need time to think—”

“No, you don’t.”

He cut her off, shaking his head like the idea itself was ridiculous, angrily running a hand through his messed up hair.

“You don’t need to think. It’s already decided.”

She tried to take a step back, but his grip tightened, his other hand settling on her waist, firmly keeping her closer to him.

“We’re having this baby.”

Her breath caught in her throat as the words passed his lips, tears stinging her eyes before she could stop the feeling.

“I don’t- Rafe, this is my choice—”

His fingers pressed harder, his face inches from hers.

“No, it’s ours.”

Even now when they have a child together, he still watches her like a hawk. Still gets unreasonably possessive when she dresses a certain way, still makes a scene when he catches another man looking at her for a second too long. And she knows better than to fight him on it- most of the time.

It’s a summer afternoon, and she’s lounging by the pool, drink in hand, wearing a bikini that makes Rafe’s jaw clench. The sun was high, casting a golden glow over her as she adjusted the thin strap of her bikini top. It was tiny- too fucking tiny. The black fabric barely covered her tits, which, thanks to breastfeeding, were even fuller now, spilling slightly over the edges. His jaw clenched as his gaze dragged down, taking in the way the strings hugged her hips, digging into soft, newly gained curves that had him gripping the bottle in his hand just a little harder.

His friends are over, and while they’re talking, his eyes keep flicking toward her, watching the way the fabric clings to her curves. And then- Topper nudges him, nodding toward one of the new neighbours talking to her.

Rafe’s face goes dark.

She’s laughing at something the guy said, totally unaware of the way Rafe’s grip tightens around his beer bottle. He doesn’t make a scene- not yet- but when the guy finally walks away, Rafe strides over, towering over her as she peers up from her sun bed. His voice is deceptively smooth, but she knows that tone.

"Having fun, baby?"

"Yes."

His fingers skim her thigh, tracing the edge of her bikini bottoms.

"You looked like you were having a little too much fun."

She sighs, pushing her sunglasses up to rest on her head, she had a feeling she knew exactly where this was going.

"Seriously?"

"Dead serious." He leans down, voice dropping.

"Go inside and cover up."

She scoffs, shifting to sit up, the towel underneath her crumpling slightly as she moved,

"It’s our backyard and it's a pool party-."

"-I don’t give a fuck."

"Rafe, you’re being ridiculous."

"Yeah?" His grip tightens on her thigh.

"Then why’s he looking at you like he wants to fuck you?"

Her stomach flips.

"Stop," she hisses, even as heat creeps up her neck. But Rafe just smirks, leaning in so only she can hear.

"Maybe I should remind you who you belong to, huh?"

Her breath catches.

And the way he says it? The way his hand tightens on her thigh, just enough to send a warning? It sends a shiver down her spine, even as she glares at him. Because she knows- if she doesn’t listen now, he’ll make her.

Somehow, their kid never see this side of Rafe, he makes sure of it.

To them, their dad is just protective, he just 'cares about mommy so much!'. They never see the way their mother bites her lip in frustration when Rafe pulls her away from conversations. They never see the bruises he leaves- not always from violence, but from gripping her too tight, kissing her too hard. They don’t hear the way she argues in hushed tones behind closed doors, or the way she eventually gives in and melts into him anyway.

Because as much as she hates his jealousy and his control, she loves him too much to walk away.

He is the father of her child after all