#Well lion dude

[bbaycon]

General gaming general gaming general gaming

[mothmanavenue]

can i confess something else that will absolutely get me stoned in the town square since im dropping my unpopular opinions. I don’t like altean broadsword Lance. i already disliked red paladin Lance. the broadsword was like rubbing salt in the wound. why couldn’t he have his own niche. why was his character development just making him keith. i understand that it was like “he accepts that he doesn’t have to be a leader and excels as a co-leader and you can find happiness that way yada yada yada”. but you could’ve done that without making him keith. also now give him something unique, cool, that falls in line with his sniper bit. i’m not saying just give him another gun, im saying give him something quiet and lethal. like a garotte. yeah i want garotte lance.

i yap a lot more in my notes by the way if you were interested in other unpopular opinions. don’t send me hate messages or comments i won’t read it and will block viciously i also will not be debating this this is my hill to die on <3

[weaverpop]

LMK Mini Fic — Lionsword

(Tw minor swearing and mentions of implied intimacy)

“You know, kitten is just the Cat term for baby. So Azure is literally calling you babe.”

Mei is a menace, is the conclusion that Jing comes to. It’s after the battle against The Nine Tailed Vixon (aka Jin and Yin’s mom)

-and honestly, Li Jing wished he’d just gone home. But the Monkie kid had insisted they all share an after battle victory lunch. Jing didn’t have the heart to say no, especially when he noticed the way Nezha’s eyes brightened. He was trying to be better, so he had reluctantly agreed. Now he was very much regretting it.

“And this is relevant to me, because…?”

Mei grinned, and happily sat down next to him at the bar. “Sooooo, what do you call him?”

That caught some attention, and a certain six-eared snitch leaned over across from where nezha was seated at Jing’s right.

“Yes Jing, what do you call Azure?”

Jing gave another sigh, and set his chopsticks on his now empty bowl. The food was good, and Nezha was looking at him both wearily and curiously, so maybe he could humor them just a little.

“For your information, I call him by his name.”

They both rolled their eyes, and Wukong casually popped up behind him. Wait- oh no, he’s surrounded. He shouldn’t have entertained this!

“Come ooooon Jing’s! Surely you got a cute nickname for your pretty lion!”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint.”

Mei hummed, and then grinned. “Well, then we’ll help you come up with one!”

Fuck.

“That won’t be necessary. Azure and I are fine.”

“Nope!”

“Oh this is gonna be good.”

Jing just sighed, and watched Nezha out the corner of his eye. The prince was currently engaged in conversation with the monkey boy, who was behind the counter. Jing allowed him to take his empty bowl, Nezha doing the same. At least one of them was having fun.

“Oh! I know!” Jing suppressed a groan, and turned to look at Mei with a single brow raised. “How about… whiskers!”

A beat of silence followed, before Jing have a small chuckle. “He doesn’t have whiskers.”

“What?! Come on what cat doesn’t have whiskers-!”

“Ok, my turn.” The dark monkeys smirk did not inspire confidence, and Jing did not trust him in the slightest. He was the one who told everyone in the first place, so who knows what kind of history he’d put into—

“How about Eggless?” A moment of silence again. The others looked confused, but Jing just gave Macaque his best unimpressed look. It didn’t work, by the way Macaques grin free. It seemed to click for Wukong, and he started outright laughing. The others still seemed confused.

“Why??” Came MKs confused question. Did they not- oh heavens Jing wanted to just melt into the floor and die. He did not meet Nezha’s curious gaze, nor Mei’s prodding. Macaque, the bastard, just cackled.

“Let’s just say there’s a reason Jing likely never got pregnant.”

Jing, Mk and Mei turned to Macaque, their eyes wide and baffled. Nezha himself just cringed, realizing what direction the topic was going towards.

“Wait- but- he’s a guy??” Macaque patting MK’s head with a smile, ruffling his hair.

“Celestials and demons work differently than human mortals. Yes, he absolutely could have.”

There was a long silence, and Jing just stared at Macaque with growing horror. Macaque seemed to sense it, and he actually looked concerned now, as did Wukong.

“Wait, Jing, you are aware of that little tidbit, right?”

“I- I was born human though-“

“But now you’re a celestial, it changed your biology…. Jing, you knew pregnancy was a possibility right?”

Jings silence said it all. Mei tried to break the tensions with an akward laugh, putting an arm around him casually. “Well, now at least we know azure can’t do it…. Right?”

“I’ve heard of people who get suprise babies even after vasectomies, so it’s not unheard of.”A certain chef walked by, sharing that little tidbit before yelling at mk to get back to work. As everyone sorta scatter, Jing was left with his thoughts. And Nezha. He just stared at the table, realizing now the absolute disaster he likely avoided all this time.

“Father?” Nezha managed to get Jing attention, and he looked concerned. “Even if it was possible, you took precautions right?”

“Nezha-“ Jing tried to quickly hush him, but it was too late.

“You did use protection right?” Nezha’s face was red just by action, but he seemed determined to get an answer. Unfortunately for poor Nezha, the way Jing hid his face in his hands said otherwise.

“Father!”

[stabbyfoxandrew]

Hey Aerie! I'm very sorry to hear you're not ok! I'm sending you good Vibes!! ✨ Could I have a little bit of Vampdrew? I need to know how (badly) he's going to handle, living in so close quarters to Neil!

I also need to thank you for sharing your words and progress with us!! I don't do this often enough, but I need you to know how appreciated you are!!! I love you, have a lovely week! 🧡

WIP Wednesday (6/19) | Vampire Andrew AU (Part 143)

“I know, you’re right. Andrew’s more important. A lot more.” Kevin adds softly, even though his mind is screaming. Not because it isn’t true. Andrew is more important than winning. But they have to be ready— Kevin cuts that thought off before it can fully form. “I just don’t know what to do.”

Nicky is still pacing. And now he’s running fingers through his hair. “What can we do? I mean… Long term. It’s not like we can take shifts watching him all day and night. We have to sleep and go to class. And… Fucking shit. Practices are about to start. Real ones!”

“Those are going to be so fun!” Aaron says, dropping his head onto the back of the couch. And Kevin knows exactly what he means. Keeping Andrew away from Neil during their one-on-ones and tiny scrimmages was bad enough. He’s put himself between them a dozen times. And just yesterday, Aaron had to grab Andrew by the helmet when Neil showed up at the stadium with a skinned knee.

It’s been the world’s worst game of 'Keep Away' with a clueless striker sub’s life on the line. 

Kevin sighs. It’s about to get a lot worse. Having the whole team around, plus Wymack’s eagle eyes on them… Someone’s bound to notice something. They can only blame so many ‘quirks’ on Andrew’s meds. And bitemarks aren’t one of them.

[mystery-star]

Jack Aubrey hair apprecation post

Now you know why they call him “Goldilocks”.

[veunho]

Crying over fictional pixel cats was not on my 2024 bingo card

[moonchild-in-blue]

do you think vessel ever just picks up the choir sometimes. like i think ii has definitely walked into a room and seen v in the lion king (you know the scene) pose with vessel beaming at him over her shoulder

You mean this?

I think he might've tried exactly once (1), and got hit with the shaddiest, most criminally offensive side-eye ever. Do NOT make fun of her 😤

He absolutely does this to ii all the time though. I know there's an amazing fanart of this around but I'm too lazy to find it. He will sulk and pout and protest but will let it happen anyways.

Just with Vessel though! iii tried once and got kicked on the pearnits 🥜 🫤

[pa-pa-plasma]

the lion guard does something those stupid cgi remakes could never do & that's admit timon & pumbaa are simba's parents via saying they raised him, them repeatedly calling him their "baby," & crying to the point of incoherence every time he's in danger. disney WISHES their cgi shit was HALF this good

[spinnysocks]

For the character ask game:

1, 2, 4, 5, and freebie question: when did you start liking the character?

All for Kiburi

YAAAAYYYYY!!!! MY FAV GUY :DD

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

i like. everything about him 😭 his design, his voice, his personality... he's just great imo! i think i have a thing about cocky and/or violent and/or cold characters, seeing as some of my other favourites are Rocket from GOTG and Rico from Madagascar lmao

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

oooh!! that's hard to say, but i do love looking at a character's dynamics with other characters, so his relationships in general! for example i like the hint that he's called tamka and nduli "fish-for-brains" before, also the fact that he lets janja jump on his back when he's scared of sumu and doesn't kill him for it hfhdjdj. character dynamics are so important to me and kiburi is no exception. i love love love overanalysing him, and this isn't even mentioning how interesting his relationship with makuu is! :}

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

OOO OOO OOOH. looks through my thousands of crossovers AUs. um. due to my endless special interest in it, i'd say Warrior Cats because it'd be funny and i want to see him as an angry lil cat >:]

although!! shoutout to your Alice In Wonderland crossover au because i love him in that 😭😭

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

man, i ain't joking i have 9 different kiburi playlists i am so fucking normal /silly

i tend to pretend that any song i want fits my fav characters so there's a lot i could say hfgdjjd BUT i will say Brutus by The Buttress reminds me of his hated for makuu a lot

also, Oh No! by MARINA as i've literally seen an edit of that song with him before :33 i definitely do not have a marina song playlist for kiburi nopeee definitely notttt /silly

for a sillier answer, i also think some of eminem's songs fit his cockiness, namely Without Me 😭 i could go on but im gonna shut tf up before i infodump about all the songs i link to him FHHHJEDHG

When did you start liking the character?

fuck man, that's a hard one 😭 here we go!! /pos

i liked and hyperfixated on janja first, then i started to look at his relationships and found his frenemieship with kiburi interesting! before i know it, i'm analysing kiburi's character and finding that he has a lot of hc and au potential!! :] funnily enough, i started liking his character even more when i started thinking about his float too!! it was kinda funny- nduli became a new hyperfixation character first, and then the more i thought about kiburi, the more i focused on his character and the potential of him. i have time blindness n stuff so i can't say exactly when i started hyperfixating on him so much, but your first outlander posts definitely fueled the fire 😭 /vpos

[spoofyleaf]

My worst fear is getting rabies from a seemingly harmless animal. I tend to get along greatly with animals, and that’s who I’ve been since I can remember. It’s impuse to want to help/ befriend them.

The day I stopped just.. walking up to wildlife and petting/ feeding them was the day in middle scheme when we were held nearly an hour after school because of a couple rabid raccoons trying to get into the building. They looked normal at first, just it being weird that they were awake during the day. But then.. ya know. Rabies really began to show just as animal control got to them.

Cartoons messed people up on what rabies looks like. Ppl think of a rabid animal and assume it's always snarling and frothing at the mouth and ready to attack. Rabid animals can appear really friendly because they lose human fear and they might approach you supposedly looking for food. It might look like a deer stumbling in circles and limping and falling over as if it's injured and disoriented. Might looks like a fox repeatedly trying and failing to stumble to its feet and unable to pick its head up. Their brains are melting. They might seem angry but they might also seem confused or injured or in need. But if you try to help that injured crying fox you could end up getting bit by an animal that's basically already dead and then your brain will melt too

[milkyberryjsk]

i got back into r6

[lionblaze03-2]

SHIRT FUCKING SIGNED LETS GOOOOOOOO

[blapis-blazuli]

NTA for breaking up with someone you don't feel compatible with, but YTA for how you're talking about her special interest like it's something embarrassing. I sure hope you're not like this about the special interests of other autistic people. Did you at any point tell her that she was overwhelming you with her Muppets Knowledge and that you needed a break?

Tell your ex there's a whole Discord full of people who want to be her friend now because you couldn't handle her infodumping, we'd love to meet her.

aita for breaking up with my autistic girlfriend?

so i (20m) met this girl (20f) on a dating app. she was really nice and i felt a real connection at first. the only red flag was that she was still watching sesame street at her big age.

it turns out she watched all muppet content in general and wanted to be a puppeteer. not as much of an issue, kind of endearing, but after several viewings of various muppet specials/movies it got annoying as hell.

she would constantly complain about trivial shit like how people “don’t hate the new kermit, they hate how the old kermit was fired” and would point out how nobody complains abt the count to prove her point ?? (personally i can’t tell the difference) and she would always point out obscure background muppets, and tell me who’s puppeteering which muppet while i pretended to care. always talking about who didn’t get enough attention, was underrated, etc.

even in regular conversation, when she saw something that reminded her of a muppet the conversation had to become about muppets. i got annoyed, but i felt bad because i know she’s autistic and they tend to have their fixations, but it was getting annoying.

i broke up with her last week. i didn’t tell her why this was, i bullshitted something else, she was really hurt but i was really having a hard time dealing with it. aita?

What are these acronyms?

[bearforcecaptions]

Ethan and Jake sat on the couch, controllers in hand, completely engrossed in their game. It was a typical Saturday night for the two best friends, an evening dedicated to gaming marathons, junk food, and mocking each other’s gameplay.

"Dude, you’re trash," Ethan said, leaning forward as his character narrowly avoided defeat.

Jake laughed, slapping his thigh. "Says the guy who hasn’t beaten me once tonight. You might as well hand me your controller and go cry in the corner."

The room was as chaotic as ever: a pile of laundry in the corner, empty soda cans and snack wrappers scattered on the coffee table, and mismatched furniture that screamed "broke guys in their twenties." The flickering glow of the TV lit up their faces as they played, completely unaware of the subtle, creeping changes happening around them.

It started in the air—a subtle shift in pressure, like a storm was rolling in. The faint scent of musk and cologne seemed to settle over the room. Ethan wrinkled his nose and glanced around. "Do you smell that?"

Jake sniffed the air and shrugged. "You mean your loser stink? Yeah, man. Maybe try showering sometime."

Ethan rolled his eyes, but the faint smell didn’t dissipate. If anything, it grew stronger, richer, as if it were coming from somewhere nearby. He fidgeted on the couch, tugging at the collar of his shirt. It felt tighter than usual, like it was clinging to him in the heat that had suddenly filled the room.

Jake stretched out beside him, one socked foot propped up on the coffee table. His shorts seemed to ride a little lower on his hips than usual, but he didn’t notice. He was too focused on the game, though his fingers twitched on the controller, and a faint itch started spreading along his arm. He scratched it absently, but it persisted.

"Ugh, this stupid tattoo feels itchy—" Jake started, then froze.

Ethan glanced at him. "What tattoo?"

Jake blinked and looked down at his arm. There, on his left bicep, a vivid, detailed lion had appeared, its mane swirling with geometric patterns that stretched down to his forearm. He rubbed at it, confused. "I—I don’t remember… getting this," he muttered, his voice quieter, deeper than usual.

"Uh, yeah, obviously. You’ve never gotten a tattoo," Ethan said, laughing nervously. But as the words left his mouth, a flicker of doubt crept into his mind. He stared at Jake’s arm again, and the sight of the ink didn’t seem so strange anymore. A memory—faint and blurred—tugged at his thoughts. Hadn’t Jake always had that tattoo? He shook his head, trying to focus.

Jake frowned, his hand moving to the chain around his neck. He didn’t remember putting on a necklace tonight, but there it was—a silver chain that felt cool against his skin. He tugged at it absently, his thumb brushing his chest as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The heat in the room intensified. Ethan’s shirt clung to him uncomfortably, the fabric tightening across his shoulders. He reached up to adjust it, but as his hand brushed his chest, the shirt simply… dissolved, leaving him shirtless. His jaw dropped, and he stared down at his chest.

"What the hell?" he muttered. His torso was broader than he remembered, his pecs slightly defined, as if he’d been hitting the gym regularly. He traced a hand over the faint dusting of hair that had appeared on his chest, his breath quickening.

Jake glanced over at him and smirked. "Nice look," he said, his tone teasing but slightly off. His voice had grown richer, smoother, and the playful jab felt… different. Intimate.

Ethan felt a warmth rise in his cheeks, and he turned his attention back to the screen. "Shut up, man. Focus on the game." But his hands felt clumsy on the controller now, his thoughts muddled.

Jake stretched again, his socked foot brushing against Ethan’s leg. Ethan wrinkled his nose. "Dude, your socks reek," he said, leaning away.

Jake just laughed, a low, rumbling chuckle that made Ethan’s stomach flutter in a way that was entirely unfamiliar. "You love it," Jake teased, his words dripping with confidence.

Ethan opened his mouth to retort, but the words got caught in his throat. Did he? His thoughts twisted uncomfortably, memories flickering at the edges of his mind. He could almost picture himself grabbing Jake’s ankle, playfully pulling him closer, their laughter filling the room. No, that didn’t make sense. Why would he do that?

"Dude, stop spacing out," Jake said, nudging him with his elbow. "I swear, sometimes you’re so damn scatterbrained, Lucas."

Ethan blinked. "Lucas? What the hell? You just called me Lucas."

Jake furrowed his brow. "No, I didn’t. I called you Ethan. Don’t be weird."

"You literally just said—" Ethan started, but the name stuck in his head. Lucas. It sounded… right, somehow. Familiar.

He shook his head, trying to focus, but the game no longer seemed important. His eyes kept drifting to Jake—to the way his tattoos flexed with every movement, the way his chain caught the light, the casual confidence in the way he sprawled across the couch. Ethan’s mouth felt dry.

Ethan’s gaze flickered to Jake—and his lips twitched into a smirk. "You’re acting weird, Adrian. Everything okay?"

Jake froze. "What did you just call me?"

"Uh, Adrian?" Ethan said, as though the name were obvious. He frowned. "Wait, that’s not your name… is it?"

Ethan—Lucas?—stared at him. "No, it’s not. I’m—" His voice faltered. Wasn’t it? The name felt so natural, so… right.

The tension between them grew heavier. Lucas’ eyes traced the lines of Jake’s—no, Adrian’s—tattoos, the way the ink seemed to suit him perfectly. Adrian’s smirk deepened as he caught Lucas staring.

"You’re such a mess tonight," Adrian teased, his voice low and rough. He leaned closer, his hand resting on Lucas’ knee.

Lucas’ breath hitched, his heart pounding. He couldn’t remember why this felt so wrong. Or why it felt so right.

Before he could stop himself, he leaned in. Their faces were inches apart, their breaths mingling in the charged air. Adrian’s hand slid higher up Lucas’ thigh, and Lucas shuddered at the contact.

"Adrian…" Lucas whispered, his voice trembling.

Adrain didn’t respond with words. Instead, he closed the distance between them, his lips crashing against Lucas’. The kiss was intense, desperate, as if it were the only thing keeping them grounded. Lucas’ hands roamed over Adrian’s chest, tracing the tattoos he couldn’t stop staring at.

Their breaths came faster, heavier, as the kiss deepened. The room around them seemed to fade, the reality of their new lives settling in completely.

For Lucas and Adrian, this was where they belonged—wrapped in each other’s arms, their bodies pressed together, the heat between them undeniable. Nothing else mattered.

[favefandomimagines]

Everything Has Changed (r.c)

Summary: what started out as an arranged marriage, blossoms into something more after a tourist runs a stop sign.

AN: arranged marriage!au because I’m a sucker for angst, fluff and a male character who realizes what he has.

Warning: brief mentions of sexual activity

The sun hung high over the Outer Banks, its rays sparkling off the ocean waves. Rafe Cameron stood on the golf course, his mind far from the game. All he was thinking about was his “wife” who was at home.

Rafe had spent his childhood being the odd one out in his family, and now he was trapped in a whole new world.

When Ward told him that he was going to be marrying Y/N Y/L/N, the first thing he said was “who?” It was Sarah who told him that she had been friends with her for years.

Their families had grown close over the years, their paths intertwined since childhood. Rafe and Y/N had shared some moments as kids—playing on the beach, the occasional birthday party—but they were never close friends. As they grew older, the divide between them widened, especially as Rafe embraced his party boy side.

“Dude, focus!” Topper shouted, snapping Rafe back to the present. He shook off the irritation and concentrated on his swing, trying to push the thoughts of Y/N from his mind.

“Sorry, man,” Rafe muttered, forcing a smile. “Just got a lot on my mind.”

“Can’t believe you’re actually married,” Kelce chimed in, laughing. “You? Tied down? It’s like watching a lion in a cage.”

“Yeah, well, not much choice in the matter, is there?” Rafe snapped, the bitterness in his tone clear. “My parents thought it was what’s best for the family name.”

“You know the good thing about these business marriages?” Topper asked, a teasing lilt in his voice. “You can still hookup with other people.”

Rafe shook his head. “Not going to happen. I’m not unfaithful, so I expect her to act the same way.”

Little did he know, his thoughts about Y/N would soon change.

||

A week later, everything shifted. Rafe was on the golf course again, enjoying the day with Topper and Kelce, when his phone buzzed aggressively in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, frowning at the unfamiliar number. Ignoring it at first, he went back to his game.

The phone buzzed again, and with an annoyed sigh, he pulled it out. “What?” he answered, a hint of irritation in his voice.

“Mr. Cameron?” a calm voice spoke on the other end. “This is Dr. Miller at Kildare County Medical. I’m calling about your wife, Y/N Cameron. She’s been in an accident.”

Rafe felt his heart drop. “What do you mean? Is she okay?” He asked.

There was a pause on the line, and he could hear the muffled sounds of the hospital in the background. “She sustained some injuries, but she’s stable. You’ll need to come to the hospital to pick her up.”

Rafe’s irritation morphed into a visceral fear, a feeling he had never expected to experience for someone he hardly knew. He cursed under his breath, muttering something about the day being ruined. “I’ll be there.”

Dropping everything, he hurriedly made his way to the hospital, thoughts racing in his mind. How could this happen? Why did he care so much? As he drove, the weight of their marriage settled heavily on his shoulders.

||

When Rafe arrived at the hospital, he rushed through the doors and made his way to the ER. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled his nostrils, and the sound of beeping machines surrounded him. He found Y/N sitting on an examination table, her head bandaged and a doctor stitching her up.

“Rafe?” she looked up, surprise etched on her face, but it quickly turned to annoyance.

“What happened?” he demanded, his voice sharper than he intended.

“Some stupid tourist was texting and driving,” she replied, her voice strained as the doctor worked on her. “Ran a stop sign.”

“What are you doing here?” Y/N asked. “The hospital called, Y/N, I’m your husband.” Rafe answered, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

He watched her as she winced slightly at the thread being pulled.

Rafe’s eyes narrowed as he watched the doctor press the needle into her skin. “Take it easy,” he said, an unexpected protectiveness flaring within him. “You know what? Where’s the plastic surgeon?”

Y/N winced again at the pain. “Relax, Rafe. I’m fine. It’s just a stupid cut.”

“But—”

“Go back to golf, Rafe. You don’t need to be here.”

The coldness in her tone cut through him. “You’re hurt, and you want me to just leave?”

“You’d prefer that, wouldn’t you?” she shot back, a mixture of pain and frustration in her eyes. “I don’t need your pity.”

Rafe clenched his fists, angry at himself for how much her words affected him. “Did you call the police? Get the license plate number? I should sue the bastard.”

“Stop it! I’m fine! Just go back to your golf game.” she hissed, dismissing him.

He hesitated, a million thoughts racing through his mind. She wasn’t fine—not really. He could see that she was shaken up after the accident. The idea of her getting hurt scared him more than he wanted to admit. “I’ll drive you home.”

“Sarah is coming to get me,” she replied coldly, crossing her arms.

“Don’t act like you care just because we’re in public,” she added, her voice low but fierce.

Rafe stood there, the realization hitting him like a wave: he didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t just feel annoyed by their situation; he felt something deeper.

That night, Y/N returned home to find two dozen roses on the kitchen counter. She glanced at them with an unreadable expression just as Rafe walked in.

“Do you like them?” he asked, hopeful that it might be a first step.

She scoffed bitterly. “I’m allergic to roses.”

He felt his face flush. “I didn’t know…”

“You would if you’d bothered to ask,” she replied, voice laced with frustration. “You’d know a lot more if you weren’t such an ass the first year of our marriage.”

Her words cut deep, and for the first time, Rafe recognized just how much he had hurt her. She had never wanted this marriage any more than he had, yet she had done nothing but accept it with grace. He made up his mind that things were going to change.

He watched her as she tossed the flowers in the trash before walking right passed him and up the stairs.

||

Over the next few weeks, Rafe found ways to break through Y/N’s walls. Each gesture was an apology, a bid for a second chance. He learned her routines, finding out she was fond of morning coffee from a local café. Every day, he made sure her favorite caramel macchiato was waiting for her when she woke up.

He surprised her with tickets to an art exhibit she had once mentioned in passing, standing beside her as they admired the paintings. Though she was wary at first, she couldn’t help but smile at his efforts. Slowly, he began to chip away at her guardedness, showing her that he was willing to put in the work to make amends.

One night, she told him, “If you want to make things right, Rafe, it’s not about grand gestures. Get to know me. My favorite color, my favorite music, the things I love. That’s the only way I’ll believe that you care.”

And so, he did just that. He took the time to ask her about her favorite movies (she loved classics), her favorite books (she had a soft spot for poetry), and her favorite flowers (hydrangeas, not roses). Each new fact he learned about her deepened his understanding of her, transforming his initial frustration into genuine admiration.

He spent hours creating a playlist of her favorite songs, a blend of jazz, classic rock, and indie folk. When he played it for her one evening, she looked at him with an expression he hadn’t seen before—trust. She leaned against him as the music filled the room, allowing herself, just for a moment, to be vulnerable.

Eventually, Rafe’s sincerity broke through her walls. She found herself looking forward to spending time with him, enjoying his newfound attentiveness. They began to laugh together, sharing inside jokes and secrets they had once kept to themselves.

What was once just an obligation to get their parents to shut up about grandkids, sex was now enjoyable for the both of them. Before, Rafe didn’t care if Y/N enjoyed it or not but now, all he cared about was her. What she liked, what she didn’t like, the things that turned her on. He found that Y/N’s pleasure was a gateway to his own.

Y/N found herself wrapped up in the sheets of her’s and Rafe’s king sized bed, Y/N was lying on her side, drawing circles on Rafe’s back with her finger. “You know, that’s very distracting.” Rafe mumbled, his eyes still closed.

Y/N smiled at him as he opened his eyes and looked at her. “I’m sorry.” She said. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He replied. Rafe continued to look at Y/N, taking in her natural beauty. No makeup, hair not done, it was just her.

“I love you.” He whispered. Y/N’s movements halted as she looked at Rafe. “R-Really?” She stammered. “I know I was an ass. I thought this marriage was your fault and it wasn’t. But over these past few months, getting to know each other, I think this marriage was the best thing that ever happened to me.” He continued.

“I love you too, Rafe.” Y/N spoke softly. Rafe moved to wrap his arms around Y/N’s body, pulling her into him before kissing her deeply.

||

It was now Autumn in the Outer Banks, the ari getting slightly cooler outside but never dropping below 55 degrees.

Y/N had been up for a few hours, spending most of her time in the master bathroom. She had been feeling a little under the weather the past few weeks and she thought it was just food poisoning at first. But when it didn’t stop, and her period was late, she decided to take a pregnancy test.

Y/N looked down at the three positive tests that were sitting on the bathroom counter. Her and Rafe were having a baby. The first thing she felt was fear, mainly because she had been so accustomed to walking on eggshells around Rafe.

But she had to remind herself that the Rafe she married, wasn’t who he was anymore. Then she felt relieved and happy.

Y/N snuck out of the bedroom and crept downstairs to make some coffee for when Rafe woke up. A few minutes later, she heard his footsteps come down the stairs.

Rafe saw her leaning against the kitchen counter in his t-shirt, holding out a coffee mug for him to take. He could see a look of almost mischief on her face as he took the mug.

“What’s up?” he asked, a gentle smile on his face. “There’s something I want to tell you,” She started. Rafe furrowed his eyebrows at her statement.

She took his free hand and placed it over her stomach. “We’re having a baby, Rafe.”

Rafe’s eyes widened as he stared at her in shock, then joy. A rush of emotion surged through him, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

As they embraced, he whispered, “Thank you for giving us a chance. For giving me a chance.”

In that moment, he knew he had found something he’d never known he needed—her love. And he would do everything in his power to protect it, to protect them

[itneverendshere]

rafe watching milo for the first time by himself. he probably woke up from his nap early while you’re in the shower . but it’s so cute to see rafe with him

this was so adorable to write😩 love writing little fluff moments for them 💘 thank you for the request! hope you like it🫂

don't you ever grow up just stay this little - r.c

pairing: rafe x pogue!reader (bartender!reader universe)

Rafe wasn’t the type of guy you’d expect to be spending his Saturday babysitting. And yet, there he was, sitting in the living room of your sister’s place, half-watching TV, half-watching the clock while you took a shower upstairs.

The plan was simple: you’d help your sister out by watching Milo while she worked her double shift, and he’d stick around because, well, he was practically glued to your side these days.

Milo was cool, though. For a little dude. He was into dinosaurs and trucks and had this way of talking about everything like it was the most important thing in the world. Rafe liked that energy.

Reminded him of when things were simpler, before his life became one long list of bad choices.

He glanced at his phone, checking the time. You said your shower would be quick, but it had been a little longer than that. He shrugged it off; you deserved a break. Plus, Milo was still down for his nap, and Rafe wasn’t about to wake him up early. He knew better than to mess with a sleeping kid—learned that lesson fast the first time he’d stayed over officially and Milo had woken up at 5 a.m., screaming about monsters. The sound of the shower running upstairs was the only noise in the house as he flipped through the channels, half-watching some random show.

Milo had been asleep for a solid hour, and he’d figured there’d be no problem keeping an eye on the kid while you got cleaned up. Easy enough.

He leaned back into the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him. He was about to settle on some mindless reality show when he heard a soft creak from the hallway. He sat up, eyes moving toward the sound. The door to Milo’s room was cracked open, and a tiny figure stood there, rubbing his eyes, clutching a stuffed dinosaur. The kid looked half-asleep still, his hair sticking up in all directions.

“Hey, bud,” Rafe said, keeping his voice low so he didn’t startle him. He got up from the couch and took a step toward Milo, but stopped when the kid blinked up at him, confused.

“Autie in the shower?” Milo asked, his voice all groggy, like he wasn’t fully awake yet.

His bottom lip poked out, and Rafe could tell he was on the edge of either crying or just being pissed about being awake. It was a fifty-fifty shot with kids this age, right? At least that’s what he figured.

“Yeah,” Rafe replied, crouching down so he was on Milo’s level. “She’ll be down soon, don’t worry. You wanna sit with me until she’s done?”

The kid shrugged, his grip tightening on his dinosaur. Without another word, he waddled over to the couch and climbed up, his little legs struggling to make it without help. Rafe sat down beside him, giving him some space because you know, kids were weird about personal bubbles and shit, but keeping an eye on him just in case he decided to get all emotional.

Kids were unpredictable like that—one second, they’re fine, the next, they’re melting down over something random.

They watched the TV in silence for a minute, some kind of animal documentary playing now. He glanced over at Milo, who was wide-eyed as a lion chased down a gazelle.

“That’s crazy, huh?” Rafe said, nodding at the screen. “That lion’s fast.”

Milo nodded, still watching the screen with intense concentration. “Lions are kings,” he whispered, clutching his dino tighter. “But T-rexes were kings too.”

“Yeah? You think a T-rex could beat a lion?”

Milo turned to look at him like he’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. “Course! T-rexes are the strongest. Lions are just cats.”

Rafe laughed under his breath. “Fair point.”

He was something else. Fiercely opinionated and convinced of everything he said, even if it didn’t make sense. Halfway through a scene where a shark was doing its thing, Milo scooted a little closer, almost absentmindedly, and leaned into Rafe’s side. The kid didn’t say anything, just rested his head against him like it was the most normal thing in the world.

He froze for a second, not sure what to do. He wasn’t used to this. But then, instinct took over, and he relaxed, resting his arm on the back of the couch, careful not to make it weird. He could hear your voice in his head: "Just go with it, baby. Don’t overthink it."

So, he didn’t.

They stayed like that for a bit, the quiet sound of the TV and Milo’s soft breathing filling the room. Rafe wasn’t gonna lie—he kind of liked the weight of the kid leaning into him. It was...nice. Calming, even. He’d never thought of himself as the kind of guy who’d be good with kids, but Milo didn’t seem to mind him. Maybe he wasn’t as terrible at this as he thought.

“So, uh… that’s a pretty cool dinosaur,” Rafe said after a while, nodding toward the toy in Milo’s hands. He was trying to make conversation, but he wasn’t exactly sure what you talked about with a child.

Milo perked up slightly, looking down at his stuffed dino. “This is Rexy,” he said, his voice soft but a little more awake now. “He’s the strongest dinosaur. He eats meat.”

“Rexy, huh?” Rafe smirked. “Yeah, T-rexes were pretty badass. What else you know about ‘em?”

Milo's eyes lit up at the question, and Rafe knew he’d hit the jackpot. The kid went off on a whole tangent about dinosaurs, talking a mile a minute about everything from their teeth to their tails to how they fought each other. Rafe found himself listening, actually getting into it. It was kinda funny how into this stuff Milo was, rattling off facts like he’d spent years researching dinosaurs instead of being, you know, practically a fetus.

As they kept talking, he noticed that Milo was slowly waking up more, his energy coming back. He started squirming in his seat, clearly not content to just sit still anymore. Rafe figured it was only a matter of time before he’d want to get up and do something more active.

“Hey, you wanna play with your trucks or something?” Rafe asked, gesturing toward a pile of toys on the floor by the coffee table.

Milo’s face lit up. “Yeah!” he said, hopping off the couch without hesitation. He darted over to the pile, grabbing a couple of toy trucks and zooming them across the floor like his life depended on it.

He watched him for a second, then got up and sat on the floor beside him, not really sure what he was supposed to do but figuring he should at least pretend to play along.

Milo handed him a bright red fire truck. “You be the firefighter,” he said, very serious about it.

Rafe took the truck and rolled it across the floor, mimicking the sound of a siren. “Alright, I’m the firefighter. What am I supposed to do?”

Milo grabbed a dump truck and rammed it into a pile of blocks he’d built earlier. “You gotta save the cars! They’re stuck in the mud!”

Rafe raised an eyebrow. “Mud?”

“Yeah, like quicksand mud,” Milo said, clearly making this up as he went along.

Rafe played along, pushing the fire truck toward the pile of blocks, doing his best to sound heroic. “I’ll save the cars.”

Milo giggled, clearly entertained by the whole thing. He couldn’t help but smile a little, too. It was stupid, but there was something fun about just letting go and playing make-believe for a minute. He hadn’t done something like this since he was a kid himself, and, honestly, he’d forgotten how much fun it could be.

They kept playing for a while, Rafe getting more into it as Milo directed the whole operation, barking out orders like a little drill sergeant. At some point, he ended up being both the firefighter and the dump truck driver, while Milo decided he was in charge of the bulldozer that was “fixing the road.”

“Alright, we gotta clear this mud,” Rafe said, pushing his fire truck through the blocks again.

“No! Wait!” Milo interrupted, holding up his hands dramatically. “The T-rex is coming!”

Rafe blinked. “The T-rex? I thought we were saving cars?”

Milo shook his head, eyes wide. “No, now we’re fighting the T-rex! He’s coming to eat the cars!”

He chuckled under his breath but didn’t argue. “Okay, if you say so.”

Just as the two of them prepared for their imaginary battle with the T-rex, you finally made your way downstairs, your hair damp from the shower and a soft smile on your face when you spotted the two of them on the floor. Rafe glanced up at you, feeling a little caught, but you just smiled wider, eyes glimmering with that look you always gave him when you thought he was being sweet, even if he was trying to act like he was a tough guy.

“Looks like you boys are having fun,” you teased, leaning against the doorway.

Rafe glanced up at you, trying to play it cool. “Yeah, we’re, uh... saving cars from mud. And dinosaurs. Apparently.”

Milo joined, grinning. “Auntie! Rafey’s the firefighter! He’s really good at it!”

You laughed softly, clearly enjoying the sight of your boyfriend— brooding Rafe Cameron—playing trucks with your nephew. “I see that,” you said, sitting down on the couch and watching them.

He stood up, brushing off his jeans like he hadn’t just spent the last half hour pushing toy trucks around. “Don’t get used to it.”

You raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, I won’t. I’m sure this is a one-time thing.”

Milo looked up at Rafe, clearly not ready for the game to end. “Can we play more, Rafey? Please?”

He sighed, looking at you for help, but you just shrugged, clearly amused by the whole situation.

“Yeah, yeah, alright,” Rafe muttered, sitting back down on the floor. “But next time, I’m picking the game.“

“Can we go to the park tomorrow?”

He sighed, not having the heart to shut the kid out, “Fine.”

You leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “You’re doing great, baby.”

Rafe rolled his eyes, but deep down, he didn’t mind. Not really. Because, yeah, maybe this wasn’t what he’d imagined doing with his Saturday. But being here with you and Milo? It felt... good.

He sat there, watching Milo zoom his trucks across the floor with intense focus, and yeah, he was in it now. It was weirdly nice, playing along, even if he had no clue what he was doing half the time. But then, as he glanced up at you sitting on the couch, grinning like you were watching the best show in town, something hit him.

He’d go to the end of the world for you.

He leaned back on his hands, eyes flicking up to meet yours. You gave him a sweet smile, one of those looks that told him you were proud of him—proud of this version of him. He'd done a lot of stupid shit in his life, but being here, with you? That didn’t feel like one of them.

He smirked, letting out a low chuckle. “You keep lookin’ at me like that,” he teased, his voice dropping just enough to make you pay attention, “and ’m gonna give you a baby of your own.”

Your eyes widened a little in surprise, and you laughed, shaking your head. “Rafe,” you tried to scold him, but he could see the way your cheeks flushed, and he knew he’d hit the spot.

“What?” he shrugged, his grin widening. “I’m serious.” He gave Milo a quick glance before his eyes settled back on you. “You look at me like that, and I start thinkin’ about it.”

You rolled your eyes, but the smile on your face didn’t fade. “You can’t just say stuff like that while you’re babysitting.”

 “Why not? You think I wouldn’t make a good dad?” There was a playful glint in his eyes, but there was something real underneath it too. He didn’t have to spell it out. You knew about his dad—about how Rafe had grown up in the shadow of someone who cared more about money and power than being a dad.

You bit your lip, glancing at Milo, who was too absorbed in his trucks to notice, then back at him. “I think you’d surprise yourself.” You reached out, gently brushing your fingers along his arm.

 “Yeah,” he murmured, more to himself than you. “I think so too.”